She doesn't belong to any group, which also means she doesn't offend any group.

Because too much emphasis is placed on academic performance, the deepest contradiction exists between good and poor grades.

People like her who are neither good nor bad are actually the safest.

No one bothered her, and she never suffered any bullying.

So after hearing the word "bullying", Shen Pan didn't understand it for a while, because he had never encountered it, so he couldn't empathize with it.

This time, she felt the same way about her brother's experience.

The three of them finished their meal.

Shen Zhu enthusiastically ran to the bar and asked the proprietress to pay the bill.

The three of them only spent a few dozen dollars, which is not much.

Shen Pan was about to say with a smile, why did he take the initiative?

But when Shen Zhu took out a stack of bright red bills from his pocket, Shen Pan couldn't smile anymore.

You know, when Shen Pan was in college, the living expenses her parents gave her every month were not as much as Shen Zhuli's.

"Sister, what's wrong?" Shen Zhu noticed Shen Pan's absent-mindedness.

"Nothing, let's go home," Shen Pan restrained his emotions and responded calmly.

Although there was no reaction on his face, Shen Pan couldn't help but think about it. In his mind, he kept thinking about the stack of money that Assistant Shen had just put in his hand... It must be at least a thousand...

When she was in college, her parents only gave her 1,000 yuan a month. If she hadn't been so short of living expenses, Shen Pan wouldn't have thought of taking a part-time job outside.

Shen Zhu's living expenses have always been given on a weekly basis...

Thinking of this, Chen Pan felt even more disappointed.

In the past, she always thought that as an orphan, she was very grateful to be adopted by her parents and to be loved and cared for so much.

Chen Pan's parents also keep saying that they never felt that she was not their biological daughter. It sounds heartwarming, but saying and doing are two different things.

No matter how good the words are, they are not the same as actual actions.

Chen Pan felt more and more that it was a good thing that he had understood it earlier. If he had still been as "grateful" to his adoptive parents as before, wanting to "repay them with gratitude", he would have felt powerless and deceived when he saw the stack of money in Assistant Shen's hand.

"Mom and Dad close the store so late at night?" Shen Pan asked.

"Well," Shen Zhu said, "he probably hasn't returned home yet."

"Let's go to the store then."

Shen Pan's parents' store is located near the business district, not in the core area, but slightly on the periphery.

Even though they are only two or three blocks apart, the shop rents differ by almost double.

The small restaurant opened by Shen Pan's parents doesn't have any special dishes, they just sell whatever is popular.

When Lanzhou ramen was popular, they also started selling it. Later, they also started selling braised chicken, barbecue rice, hot and sour noodles, and snail noodles...

The color of the billboard on the door has faded, and it can be seen that it is quite old.

It was past mealtime at this time and there were not many people in the restaurant.

This shop was opened by Shen Pan and his wife after he went to college. The previous shop was not at this location.

As soon as Shen Zhu got out of the car, he ran to the store, “Mom and Dad, my sister is back.”

He excitedly announced the good news.

Shen Pan's father Shen Hongjian and mother Yang Ying hurried out from the kitchen.

Naturally, they were happy to see their daughter whom they hadn't seen for a long time.

"How long has it been since you came back? When I left after the New Year, I told you to come back often, but you never showed up and said you were busy. I said I wanted to see you, but you said no," Yang Ying couldn't help complaining as she looked at her daughter whom she hadn't seen for more than half a year.

These words really sound like what an old mother who has been nagging about her daughter for a long time would say. In the past, she would definitely hug Yang Ying and cry, but now Shen Pan is much more restrained.

Because she understood a truth.

Some words are just for listening with a smile, not taking them seriously.

If you really miss her, now that the internet is so advanced, you can always contact her. It's not like you have to call her and ask her how much she earns, or complain about the family losing money, or her brother having to pay this and that fee...

Chen Pan was curious about how the couple could portray their parents so realistically.

"It's true that I've been very busy. I just changed jobs recently and I have to work overtime a lot at the new company," Shen Pan replied with a smile.

Yang Ying saw Lu Zhishu coming in behind her and asked, "What is this..."

"My boyfriend," Chen Pan said, "Mom and Dad, let me introduce him to you. His name is Lu Zhishu."

"This..." Yang Ying glanced at Shen Hongjian, and Shen Hongjian was also looking at her.

The two seemed very surprised by Shen Pan's "boyfriend".

Yang Ying said, "Zhuzhu, I haven't heard that you have a boyfriend before?"

Chen Pan: "Well, we've just been together for a short time. This time we came back, we wanted to get..."

"Uncle and aunt, hello, I'm Lu Zhishu," Lu Zhishu interrupted Shen Pan and introduced himself first, "I currently run a small company that makes playback equipment."

"Hello, hello," Yang Ying and Shen Hongjian responded together.

"Come on, sit down and talk," Yang Ying quickly greeted a few people and found a table to sit down.

The table in the small shop could only seat four people. Yang Ying and Shen Zhu sat on one side, Shen Pan and Lu Zhishu sat on the other side, and the remaining Shen Hongjian consciously sat at the table behind Yang Ying.

"You haven't eaten yet, right? I'll ask his dad to make it now." Yang Ying asked.

"Mom, no need, we've already eaten," Shen Zhu said, "I was the one who took my sister and brother-in-law there."

The sincere word "brother-in-law" made the atmosphere freeze for a moment.

Lu Zhishu's face was filled with satisfaction, as if he was saying, "This child is teachable."

Yang Ying scolded Shen Zhu and said, "Don't talk nonsense, kid. Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? Mom will make it for you right now."

"I'm really full," Shen Zhu rubbed his round belly, "Look."

"What are you looking at?" Yang Ying said, "The food at home isn't tasty? Why are you eating out?"

Shen Zhu was scolded, but he still had a playful smile on his face, "Don't you always ask me to buy something I like to eat? I always do what you say?"

"Eat, eat, eat, all you do is eat. Why didn't you tell me to study hard?"

“…”

Shen Zhu was completely speechless.

"Mom," Chen Pan couldn't wait any longer. She couldn't help but interrupt the mother-son interaction. "I came back this time because I have something important to tell you."

"What's the matter?" Yang Ying asked.

"We..." Chen Pan glanced at Lu Zhishu, then said firmly: "Lu Zhishu and I are planning to get married and want to get a marriage certificate. I came back this time to get the household registration book."

They are busy with their lives every day and rarely see their daughter. When she comes back and brings such news, how can the old couple not be shocked?

After a pause, Yang Ying said, "Girls grow up and cannot be kept at home. You will get married sooner or later. Your father and I are mentally prepared, but... this is too soon. We haven't met our in-laws yet, and we don't know... Lu Zhishu well. This is the first time we've met... and you two just got together..."

"We just got together," Shen Pan said, "but we've known each other for a long time. I've mentioned him before; he was my former boss."