"that is……
Uncle Shang, it's already mid-October, the weather is getting colder, and riding my electric scooter to school is becoming increasingly unbearable. I'm just wondering what we'll do when winter comes.
Upon hearing this, Shang Zhengxin raised his head, his previous nonchalant attitude vanishing.
This does seem to be a problem, as Xiao Chen and his daughter walk together to school.
However, as the newly appointed principal of a high school that prepares students for higher education, Shang Zhengxin immediately came up with a solution.
"Will you be staying in the dorms during the winter? Staying in the dorms is good. You'll have a lot more time to study. You'll be at school all day long, and there's a better learning atmosphere. It's always better than staying at home."
Hearing the other person's line of reasoning, Chen Bing was a little dumbfounded.
This isn't right, it's reversed!
"Uncle Shang, you don't know this. The heating in the school dormitories is terrible. When it gets cold, it's so cold that I can't sleep until midnight. Also, our schedules are different from the students', so staying in the dorms can actually affect our rest. In addition, the water from the taps is freezing cold in winter. Let alone washing clothes or socks, even washing your hands or face is painfully cold."
If the dorms were bad, that would be one thing, but the food in the school cafeteria is also terrible. Not only is it wasteful, but it also doesn't provide any nutritional value.
Shang Zhengxin hadn't really considered all these issues; he simply thought that living and eating at school was a good thing. He hadn't attended boarding schools for elementary, middle, or high school. And when he went to university, Yanshi University, one of the top universities in the country, he didn't feel that the accommodation conditions were bad at all.
Now that Chen Bing has said that, he's unsure whether the accommodation is good or not.
But... how do you know all this?
Before Shang Zhengxin could voice his doubts, Yunxuan smiled and sat down next to the two of them, speaking up for Chen Bing: "Bingbing wants to wait until winter so the three of us can drive to and from school together every day."
"Oh, that's not bad..."
Oh, the teachers and students go to and from school at different times.
Realizing this, Shang Zhengxin understood Chen Bing's meaning. So this kid actually wanted to "arrive late and leave early," and he even dragged his beloved daughter along, taking advantage of his wife's position as a teacher at her school.
You little rascal, you're dreaming!
Shang Zhengxin laughed, but not because of something happy, but because of Chen Bing's whimsical idea.
"Your school's schedule is pretty flexible, isn't it? You're still not satisfied?"
When Chen Bing realized that Shang Zhengxin's attitude was generally joking when he said that, she knew something was up.
"Uncle Shang, you can't say that. Comfortable conditions are essential for learning. The school's arrangements are made to accommodate the limited resources available to most people; they are a last resort."
Like Yunmiao and me, we clearly had better opportunities but chose not to use them. Instead, we abandoned those advantages to conform to school regulations, which affected our studies. Isn't this like trying to catch fish by climbing a tree or going in the opposite direction?
It's like riding your bike to school in winter; your hands and feet are so cold during morning reading that you can't even pick up your books. How can you possibly learn anything like that?
After hearing such a long speech, Shang Zhengxin was stunned and for a moment found that it made some sense.
"You're quite the talker, kid. I'm not talking to you anymore. Yunmiao, daughter, come here."
From the beginning, Shang Yunmiao had been pretending to watch TV, but in reality, she had been listening intently to her father and Chen Bing's conversation. Hearing her father call her, Shang Yunmiao immediately went over.
"Tell your dad, is living at school really as bad as Xiao Chen said?"
Before answering, Shang Yunmiao glanced at Chen Bing, who smiled and showed no reaction. Then, looking at Shang Zhengxin's face and combining her own feelings, she replied, "Well... I've heard from other classmates that after evening self-study or during lunch break, if a roommate is studying, the others will unconsciously follow suit. Also, since everyone eats and lives together, they help each other out, and the relationships are very good."
Also, living on campus is very convenient. Every time Chen Bing and I arrive at school, many students are already in their classrooms. Additionally, boarding students attend the third evening self-study session, and they continue studying after we leave. Meals are also eaten on campus, so we don't have to go out of school every day and worry about what to eat…”
As his daughter continued to recount her story, Shang Zhengxin's smile grew even brighter. He turned to look at Chen Bing, his eyes filled with triumph.
Chen Bing, unfazed by his stare, believed that Shang Yunmiao would side with him. Sure enough, just as Shang Zhengxin was feeling smug, Shang Yunmiao continued:
"but……"
The technique of praising before criticizing is exactly what Xiao Shang used!
"I heard from my deskmate that some people in the dorm play on their phones very late, making all sorts of noises that disturb other people's rest. Also, some people go to the toilet very late at night, and their up-and-down movements wake up others. In addition, there are occasional disputes about things like cleaning, tidying up, and borrowing things."
Another issue is that the school cafeteria food is terrible, really terrible. I often get approached by students asking me to bring them a pancake when they leave campus, otherwise they'll go hungry that day. Many students don't like the cafeteria food, so they buy instant noodles and just soak them in the packet, which looks very unhygienic.
Another thing is that my classmates often tell me they miss home, miss their parents, and don't want to live at school. They think about these things until very late before they can fall asleep.
"The last point is..." Before saying this, Shang Yunmiao observed her father's expression. Seeing that he was only slightly serious and didn't seem unhappy, she continued, "The top five students in the class in this monthly exam—Chen Bing, myself, the class monitor, and two other classmates—are all day students now."
After Xiao Shang finished speaking, he obediently found a stool to sit down and waited for his father's reply.
To be fair, Shang Yunmiao's points were indeed comprehensive. Although there was a slight bias towards Chen Bing, Uncle Shang is probably a reasonable person. As long as what you say makes sense, he won't insist on his own way.
Chen Bing noticed that he was slightly frowning, looking quite conflicted.
After a few seconds, then a dozen seconds, Shang Zhengxin finally spoke: "If it gets cold in winter... then ride in your Aunt Xuan's car."
"Yay!" Before Chen Bing could say anything, Xiao Shang secretly gave a little "Yay" and then lightly bumped fists with Chen Bing, who was all smiles.
"However..." Seeing the two children bumping fists in celebration, and his wife covering her mouth and smiling sweetly beside them, Shang Zhengxin couldn't help but feel a little happier. But, there were some unpleasant things he needed to say beforehand.
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