Panda Cub – Chapter 86

If Extra 3

Older Ancestor Top x Scheming Crane Bottom

Looking at Shen Yu, who stood so imposingly in front of her, He Ying’s eyes seemed to sparkle with light. Her palm clutched Shen Yu’s belt, her head raised, eyes fixed unwaveringly on her.

Because she was watching so intently and seriously, she didn’t even know how the situation was resolved in the end. She only knew that from then on, that male classmate never dared to bother her again; he even avoided her whenever he saw her.

After the matter was settled, Shen Yu looked down and saw He Ying’s bright eyes, as if she was looking at someone she greatly admired. This left Shen Yu speechless.

“Go to class,” Shen Yu said, pushing the little one towards the teacher.

“Okay.” He Ying pouted but still obediently let Shen Yu push her away.

The principal, seeing Shen Yu’s calm demeanor, decided to remind everyone not to provoke He Ying later. Didn’t they see that even the town mayor was acting meekly?

After resolving the issue, Shen Yu went home to continue lying on her lounge chair, sunbathing. On the other side, He Ying was being questioned by Yang Yan.

“That woman just now didn’t seem like your mother?” Yang Yan asked curiously. The way He Ying interacted with that woman didn’t resemble a mother-daughter relationship at all. They seemed more like friends with a significant age difference.

“No!” He Ying shook her head. But when she tried to explain Shen Yu’s relationship to her, she was at a loss. She didn’t want to call her ‘aunt’, and she had never called her ‘sister’…

Seeing that He Ying didn’t want to elaborate, Yang Yan didn’t press further. She always felt that He Ying was more mature than her peers.

When they returned to the classroom, the other students looked at He Ying like she was a hero. The town mayor’s son had been bullying everyone for a long time, and as his classmates, they had all been bullied by him to some extent. He Ying was the first one to dare hit him!

“Alright, let’s start the lesson.” Yang Yan sighed, as they had already wasted one class period this morning.

When the class actually started, He Ying felt like a complete dummy, as if she was listening to an alien language!

Shen Yu had never taught her this stuff!

Looking at He Ying sitting there in a daze, Yang Yan knew she wasn’t keeping up with the lessons. She sighed inwardly, recalling the woman she had seen earlier. That woman looked ethereal, as if she was out of touch with the mundane world, and she likely wouldn’t teach this child anything practical.

After class, she called He Ying to her office.

Following her there, He Ying was handed a pile of books. “Take these home and ask your sister to teach you. If you don’t understand anything at school, you can ask me.”

He Ying’s eyes sparkled as she took the pile of books. She loved reading!

However, Yang Yan didn’t know that Shen Yu did teach He Ying, just not in the human way, starting from phonetics and strokes. Shen Yu directly taught poetry and prose, which made He Ying feel like she was listening to gibberish in class when they talked about phonetics.

When Shen Yu came to pick her up after school, she saw He Ying holding a pile of books. With a slight frown, she took all the books, flipped through them, and realized she couldn’t understand any of them. She asked, “What are these books for?”

He Ying looked up and said earnestly, “The teacher asked me to bring them home for you to teach me.”

Shen Yu: “…” How could she teach the little one if she didn’t understand it herself?

Even though she didn’t understand, Shen Yu could tell these were basic literacy books. If it was just about learning characters, there was no need for the little one to look at these, right? She already knew a lot of characters, having spent much time in Shen Yu’s study reading most of the books there.

Shen Yu started pondering whether she should let He Ying skip a grade.

Seeing Shen Yu lost in thought, He Ying didn’t bother her and went to buy some snacks. There were so many goodies outside the elementary school!

When Shen Yu came back to her senses, she saw He Ying holding a paper bowl with skewered meatballs, looking at her quietly.

Shen Yu: “…You only bought food for yourself?”

Upon hearing this, He Ying lowered her head, skewered a meatball, and raised her hand high to feed Shen Yu.

Shen Yu bent down and ate the meatball. After finding it quite tasty, she took the whole bowl from He Ying and ate it herself, telling He Ying to buy more if she wanted.

He Ying, used to this, went and bought another serving after it was snatched from her.

The two of them didn’t rush home. He Ying bought various foods she hadn’t tried before and let Shen Yu taste them. They wandered around the food stalls outside the school until they were full. Then He Ying tugged Shen Yu’s belt, saying she wanted to go home.

Shen Yu told her to wait, as she hadn’t tried the octopus balls yet.

Seeing this, He Ying obediently waited by her side. After the vendor handed Shen Yu a box of octopus balls, she even paid for them, not bothering Shen Yu with such matters.

When Shen Yu finished eating, she was finally willing to go home and looked forward to picking He Ying up from school the next day.

Back home, Shen Yu returned the books to He Ying and said honestly, “I can’t teach you these.”

“Ah?” He Ying’s eyes widened. “You can’t either?”

In her understanding, Shen Yu seemed capable of everything, practically omnipotent.

Shen Yu: “…” Was this really so surprising?

When she learned to read and write, it was so long ago. How could she know the current methods?

“Then how will I learn?” He Ying said worriedly. Would she have to be a dummy in class again like today?

Shen Yu was silent for a moment, then said, “You can learn by yourself.”

He Ying blinked. Was she serious?

Shen Yu, realizing how unreliable her words were, glanced at the pile of books and said indifferently, “You already know how to read. There’s no need to learn this stuff.”

He Ying scratched her face, hesitantly saying, “Is it unnecessary? Today I saw the teacher using her phone to send messages, and it was all those letters.”

She knew how to read, but she couldn’t type those words on a phone.

Shen Yu: “…” She suddenly remembered she had only ever used her phone to make and receive calls, nothing else.

Whenever someone sent her a message, she had to call them back to respond.

Looking at the little one’s puzzled expression, Shen Yu’s long-dormant competitive spirit was suddenly ignited. If the little one learned this stuff first and then used a phone better than her, where would her face go?!

“Don’t worry, I’ll find someone to teach you,” Shen Yu said indifferently.

Hearing this, He Ying was relieved, nodded contentedly, and hugged her books back to her room.

After she left, Shen Yu’s face darkened, and she dialed the female principal’s number to get Yang Yan’s phone number from her.

“Hello, who’s this?” A clear voice answered on the other end of the line.

“Hello, I’m He Ying’s guardian. We met today,” Shen Yu said calmly.

There was a noticeable pause on the other end, then the voice asked, “Hello, Miss Shen. What can I do for you?”

Shen Yu didn’t hesitate to say, “I can’t understand the books you asked He Ying to bring home today. I wonder if you have time to teach us. Of course, we will pay you accordingly.” After a moment, she added, “More than your current salary.”

In her understanding, humans are already exhausted after work, so if they need to work overtime in such a tired state, they must be paid well.

There was silence on the other end, and after a while, a slightly incredulous voice came through, “You said you can’t understand either?!”

Yang Yan was somewhat stunned. When she saw Shen Yu today, her demeanor and temperament did not seem like someone illiterate at all!

Shen Yu frowned. Hadn’t she made herself clear enough?

“So, do you have time and are you willing to teach?” she asked once more.

Hearing this tone, Yang Yan knew that the person on the other end might not be in a good mood. She quickly agreed and arranged to meet after school tomorrow before hanging up. The pay being higher than her current salary was something she needed.

Once the matter was resolved, Shen Yu relaxed, looking at her phone with a determined gaze. She was certain she could master using her phone too!

The next day, when He Ying was dropped off at school, she found it a bit strange. Why was Shen Yu carrying a small cloth bag with paper and pens inside?

However, Shen Yu offered no explanation for her curiosity. She went to the breakfast stalls in front of the school, where various breakfast items were sold in the morning. She ordered quite a lot and then turned to ask He Ying, “Aren’t you eating?”

He Ying blinked and looked at the steaming bowls of soup noodles being served. She suddenly realized why she hadn’t been given millet porridge this morning—it was because Shen Yu planned to eat here!

She ordered some food too, and after paying for everything, sat across from Shen Yu.

The small tables and stools were just right for He Ying, but for the tall and long-legged Shen Yu, they were quite cramped. Yet, her expression remained extremely calm, giving off a sense of naturalness as if she belonged there, eating small wontons with a spoon.

Occasionally, people around them would glance at Shen Yu. After all, it was rare to see someone as beautiful as her, and her aura suggested she didn’t belong to their small town. But here she was, sitting at a makeshift table eating breakfast, creating a strange sense of incongruity.

Shen Yu ignored these looks completely. After finishing the food from one stall, she wanted to try something from another, and He Ying followed behind her, paying for the food and occasionally being fed a bite by Shen Yu when she remembered.

They were halfway through the stalls when the school bell rang. Both of them froze in place.

Shen Yu looked down at He Ying, who looked up at her, scratching her head.

Shen Yu fell silent. The first day of school, the kid got into a fight. The second day, she was late. This didn’t seem like the behavior of a good student.

Sure enough, not long after, her phone rang. Seeing it was a call from Yang Yan, she handed the phone to He Ying while she focused on eating the shrimp dumplings in front of her.

“Teacher.” As soon as the call connected, He Ying’s childlike voice came through.

Yang Yan, who was about to speak, was taken aback and then asked, “Why are you answering? Where are you? Why aren’t you at school yet?”

The series of questions made He Ying look up at Shen Yu, who was still eating, and then she said into the phone, “I’m outside the school, eating breakfast. I lost track of time.”

Yang Yan: “…” She hung up immediately.

Soon after, Yang Yan appeared at the school gate. It was easy to spot Shen Yu among the crowd due to her striking appearance. Even in a crowd, her height and presence made her stand out.

Shen Yu’s current state was beyond words. She was holding a disposable bowl of unfinished food while ordering more from another stall, with He Ying following behind her like a servant, paying for everything.

Yang Yan: “…”

The interaction between these two was too outrageous, like their roles had been swapped!

Approaching them, Yang Yan found herself momentarily speechless.

Seeing her silent, He Ying offered her a small bag and asked, “Teacher, would you like some corn?”

Yang Yan was at a loss for words.

Looking at these two unhurried individuals, she asked He Ying, “Knowing you’re late, why are you still hanging around outside?”

He Ying, seeing she didn’t want the corn, took it back and seriously replied, “Because I have to pay for Shen Yu!”

Shen Yu didn’t like asking others how much things cost, so He Ying had to handle the money herself.

Yang Yan was even more speechless. However, knowing that He Ying was still young and needed to prioritize her studies, Shen Yu instructed her to go to class with Yang Yan, while she planned to go home later.

Hearing this, He Ying, holding her corn, followed Yang Yan into the school. Yang Yan asked, “Why do you call her Shen Yu directly?”

Wasn’t it a bit too informal?

He Ying looked up at her and said softly, “I don’t know what else to call her.”

Besides, she thought Shen Yu was a beautiful name.

Yang Yan sighed but said nothing more. Knowing that He Ying was not familiar with her studies, she found two children’s books for her to look at the pictures during class but instructed her not to cause trouble.

He Ying took the books and really did start looking at them in class, but not just at the pictures. She read the various little stories inside as well.

After reading, she sat there in a daze. Even tadpoles knew to find their mothers, but she had never seen her own.

She knew she was picked up by Shen Yu. In her memory, there was no trace of her mother. Though she longed for a mother, would Shen Yu be happy if she went looking for her? And if she did find her mother, would Shen Yu still want her?

If it were her, and the child she had picked up and raised kept thinking about finding her biological mother, she wouldn’t want that child either.

Lost in thought, she stayed that way until the afternoon bell rang. When Yang Yan came to find her to leave, she immediately saw Shen Yu, and her spirits lifted, her eyes shining brightly in Shen Yu’s direction.

“Come to my house,” Yang Yan said as she approached.

Shen Yu had no objections and followed her.

Beside her, He Ying’s mind was filled with questions, not understanding what had just happened.

“Why are we going to the teacher’s house?” He Ying asked softly, clinging to Shen Yu’s belt.

Shen Yu looked down, “Didn’t we say we needed someone to teach you? I found Teacher Yang.”

He Ying: “…”

The three of them arrived at Yang Yan’s home, a two-story house. She pushed open the courtyard gate, and inside it was quiet and tidy, clearly indicating that she lived there alone.

Yang Yan poured them each a glass of water, then took out the teaching materials she had prepared. “You really have no foundation at all?”

He Ying shook her head, and Shen Yu, sipping her water calmly, made it clear she didn’t know either.

“Alright.” Yang Yan took out more materials, “Then we’ll start with the basic alphabets.”

Shen Yu put down her glass and began listening attentively.

The serious looks on the faces of the big and the small one made Yang Yan feel as if they were cut from the same mold, despite having no resemblance in their appearances.

After three continuous hours of learning, night had completely fallen. The three of them gathered their things, getting ready to end the session. Yang Yan, being an experienced teacher, remained composed, while Shen Yu and He Ying looked solemn, reflecting on the day’s lessons.

“It’s quite late. Can you get home safely?” Yang Yan asked.

Shen Yu glanced outside. Was this considered late? She could manage even later times.

“We can.” She nodded, speaking calmly. She then placed some money on the table, pressing it down with a book corner. “This is today’s teaching fee. We’ll continue tomorrow.”

With that, she looked at He Ying. He Ying immediately said goodbye to Yang Yan and followed Shen Yu out.

After they left, Yang Yan was still in a bit of a daze. Teaching these two was unexpectedly easy. They were both smart and quick learners. It turned out they weren’t illiterate; they just didn’t know the alphabets and phonetics.

She looked at the money on the table. The fee for these three hours was equivalent to her three days’ salary.

On the other side, Shen Yu took He Ying to a secluded place, then teleported back home. She handed He Ying a notebook, intending to test what they had learned that day.

He Ying looked at the notebook, puzzled. Hadn’t they both just learned this? How could Shen Yu already be testing her?

However, maybe because Shen Yu was always there when she studied, He Ying had an extraordinary interest in learning and made rapid progress.

Considering He Ying needed to interact with peers her age, Shen Yu didn’t arrange for her to skip grades. Instead, she let her progress through the grades step by step. By the time He Ying was in third grade, she saw a woman after school one day. She froze on the spot.

At that moment, her heart’s throbbing clearly told her that this person was significant, and the resemblance between them confirmed her suspicion.

She guessed who this woman was to her.

The woman was obviously emotional upon seeing her, with reddened eyes but hesitant to approach.

At this moment, Shen Yu appeared beside He Ying, looking up at the woman with her. After a moment of silence, she took He Ying’s hand and walked up to the woman, asking calmly, “Why are you here?”

He Yuan first looked carefully at He Ying, then at Shen Yu with a guilty expression. She said softly, “I wanted to see He Ying.”

After a brief silence, Shen Yu looked down at He Ying, “Go play with her, but you must be back by ten tonight!”

She then looked up at He Yuan, her expression very serious, “Please bring her back by ten. She is mine!”

When He Ying heard “she is mine,” she looked up at Shen Yu, her eyes sparkling. She smiled softly.

Shen Yu said she was hers.

He Ying’s mood suddenly improved. She stepped forward, taking the woman’s hand, and asked, “Where are you taking me to play?”

The woman, taken aback by the sudden hand-holding, stiffened, unsure how to interact with He Ying. Shen Yu merely gave them a faint glance before turning to leave.

Once Shen Yu left and the discomforting gaze was gone, He Yuan crouched to He Ying’s level, her voice choked with emotion, struggling to find the right words.

Seeing this, He Ying felt a bit sad too. But she didn’t want to show her discomfort to someone she had just met for the first time. Holding the woman’s hand, she asked with a bright smile, “Can you take me to dinner?”

The child’s soft voice was like a fuzzy tail brushing over her, and He Yuan couldn’t hold back her tears. She hugged He Ying, sobbing, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault.”

All these years, she had never stopped feeling guilty. Whenever she wanted to see He Ying, she didn’t know how to face her. She feared He Ying’s disdainful gaze.

But when the longing became overwhelming, years of suppressed emotions turned into a tidal wave, bringing her to He Ying’s school gate unprepared.

“You don’t need to apologize.” He Ying’s nose tingled as she took in her mother’s comforting scent. She wasn’t a clueless child; she could feel the woman’s genuine love.

He Ying gently patted her back and flashed a bright smile, “Thank you for letting me meet Shen Yu. She’s wonderful.”

She thought to herself, thank you for sending me to Shen Yu, so I can keep her company.