Taking Parents to Shanghai

The waiter brought in a clay pot of braised pork and bamboo shoot soup, the hot soup bubbling away.

Ma Xiaodong moved swiftly, stuffing the folded draft paper into his jacket pocket and taking the casserole with both hands, placing it steadily on the wooden tray.

The meal lasted until 1:30 pm. Zhao Peng rubbed his round belly and burped, muttering that he was going back to the store to put dust covers on the racing seats.

The three walked out of the restaurant. Ye Chen did not go back to the internet cafe with them. He stood on the roadside and watched Zhao Peng and Ma Xiaodong cross the zebra crossing.

He opened the car door and sat in the driver's seat of the Mercedes, but didn't rush to turn the key and start the engine.

The carriage was filled with a faint scent of leather. A phone screen lit up, displaying a series of incoming call notifications.

The caller ID on the screen read: Mom.

Ye Chen pressed the answer button and turned on the speakerphone. His mother's smiling voice immediately came through the receiver, and the sound of a suitcase zipper being pulled could be faintly heard in the background.

"Chenzi, have you eaten?"

"Just finished eating." Ye Chen's fingers rested on the edge of the steering wheel, his tone softening naturally. "Mom, how's the training going over there?"

"The training just ended today! They've already received their certificates, big red notebooks with gold lettering." Chen Xiulan's voice was relaxed. "Xiao Wang learns incredibly fast. She wrote down everything they explained about how to create inventory lists and the procedures for transferring goods. Your dad and I have also listened to most of what they said, so we finally feel more confident."

The faint rustling sound of Ye Jianguo packing up plastic bags could be heard from the other end of the receiver, followed by his father's rough, deep voice calling from close range:

"Chenzi, we're planning to book the train back to Huaicheng for tomorrow. Let's pack up this afternoon and leave first thing tomorrow morning. Not only will we save on a night's room fee, but we also can't afford to delay the opening of the shop."

Ye Chen frowned slightly and slapped the steering wheel with his palm.

"Don't book tickets yet. Don't leave tomorrow. Stay in Shanghai for one more day."

His tone exuded an unwavering certainty that left no room for negotiation.

"Stay another day? How can we stay any longer than necessary? Staying in a budget hotel for one more night will cost a lot of money, and we can't afford to delay the opening of our shop at home," Chen Xiulan said anxiously on the other end of the phone.

"I've been in Shanghai for over ten days now, and you guys have been training every day without even seeing what the Huangpu River looks like." Ye Chen turned the car key, and the engine roared to life. "Tomorrow is Saturday, and I don't have any classes at school, so I'll spend the whole day with you. I'll show you around Shanghai, let you eat some authentic local cuisine, and see the sights of this big city."

"Ugh, what's so interesting about this main road? It's all buildings and so crowded." Ye Jianguo chimed in from the side, his voice trembling slightly despite his complaints. "Besides, you have a heavy workload at school and you also have to write code for the company. Don't go through all that trouble for me and your mother."

"It's settled then. I'll pick you up from the hotel at eight o'clock tomorrow morning." Ye Chen interrupted his father's refusal with a smile on his lips. "You've come all this way, so don't regret not having explored more when you get back. You won't have anything to brag about to your relatives and friends. Besides, the shop won't miss one more day. Don't pack all your luggage; keep a couple of jackets for tomorrow."

Despite her grumbling on the other end of the phone, Chen Xiulan kept replying, "Okay, okay, I'll listen to you," her laughter drifting through the phone line.

After hanging up the phone, Ye Chen did not immediately shift gears and start the car.

He suddenly remembered that he had made plans to have dinner with Gu Yuxuan tomorrow, Saturday. Since he would be spending the whole day with his parents tomorrow, he would naturally have to readjust his schedule.

Ye Chen opened the QQ app on his phone, clicked on Gu Yuxuan's profile picture in the top of the list, and his fingertips flew across the keys as he sent a message:

"Yuxuan, it seems we'll have to postpone our dinner date to Saturday. My parents are visiting Shanghai for the first time, and I need to spend the whole day tomorrow showing them around. How about we reschedule our dinner for Sunday afternoon?"

Less than two minutes later, the phone screen flickered and a notification sound rang softly.

Gu Yuxuan replied very quickly: "Your aunt and uncle are in Shanghai? Of course, we have to put them first! It's their first time visiting, so we have to show them around properly. Filial piety is the most important thing. You can relax and play with them. Changing it to Sunday afternoon is no problem at all. Just make sure you have room for me then [cute]".

His words reveal his consistent thoughtfulness and understanding.

A smile appeared in Ye Chen's eyes. He replied, "Okay, see you Sunday afternoon," and then put his phone into the central storage compartment.

He stepped on the gas, and the black Mercedes slid out of the marked parking space, steadily driving towards the campus.

……

On Saturday morning, a light mist shrouded the tops of the plane trees lining the streets.

At 7:50, the black Mercedes-Benz van slowly pulled up in front of the Huangpu District Express Hotel.

Ye Chen pushed open the car door and got out, just in time to see his parents and Manager Wang standing at the bottom of the steps, looking around with cloth bags in their hands.

Chen Xiulan changed into a light beige autumn jacket she had bought a few days ago, and her hair was neatly combed; Ye Jianguo was also wearing a crisp stand-up collar jacket, his leather shoes were polished to a shine, and he was looking up at the breakfast shop across the street with his hands behind his back.

"Dad, Mom, Sister Wang."

Ye Chen stepped forward and took the heavy eco-friendly cloth bag from Chen Xiulan's hand.

Store Manager Wang walked up with a smile to greet you, his demeanor exceptionally polite and tactful: "Xiao Ye, you got up so early. Sister Chen and the others woke up at six in the morning, afraid of delaying your time."

"It's warm in the car, let's get in together." Ye Chen opened the electric sliding door.

Store Manager Wang took a half step back, waving his hands repeatedly, a gentle and agreeable smile on his face:

"Xiao Ye, I won't join in the fun. You three finally managed to meet up in Shanghai and have so much to talk about. What would it be like for me to be a third wheel? I was just thinking about going to the Qipu Road Clothing Wholesale Market and a few big shopping malls in the city to see what the most fashionable displays are like right now. It'll also help us figure out the style for our new store in our county."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiulan quickly grabbed her hand: "Xiao Wang, why are you being so polite? Chenzi drives such a big car, there's plenty of room! It's not easy to come out like this, come along and have some fun."

"Sister Chen, you're too kind." Manager Wang patted the small leather bag she carried, smiling very politely. "I really want to do some market research. It's more comfortable shopping alone, and I can take more photos of the clothing styles. You guys get in the car quickly, don't delay Xiao Ye's itinerary. We can meet in the hotel lobby first thing tomorrow morning!"

Seeing that Manager Wang's words were thoughtful and considerate, and that she knew how to handle things properly, Ye Chen secretly praised her and didn't press the matter further: "Okay, Sister Wang, thank you for your hard work today. Be careful on the road. If you get tired, take a taxi back to the hotel. Keep the receipts for reimbursement."

"Okay, don't worry, Xiao Ye!" Manager Wang waved and watched them get into the car.

Ye Jianguo climbed into the back seat, and as soon as his buttocks touched the individual seat, he sank into the soft cushion.

He let out a comfortable sigh, ran his hand over the leather armrest a couple of times, and muttered, "This big metal lump... if you step on the gas, you'll lose several dollars, right? It's a real rip-off in the city."

Chen Xiulan nudged him hard with her elbow, lowering her voice: "You think you're so smart? Get back in your seat, the car door's still open!"

With a "click," the electric suction door closed perfectly, and the autumn wind and the sound of horns outside immediately subsided.