Salad Days Chapter 3 part1

Hey (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ

If the pacing seems a bit slow at the moment, it will pick up in a few chapters, promise~ (´･ω･`)

For Jiang Shen, going to the city twice in one week was major. Tan LingLing continued to wake up early, bringing out next year's clothes and giving them to him to wear. She also selected a cashmere overcoat of top-notch craftsmanship for herself, and faced the mirror to meticulously apply powder and paint her eyebrows. 

"Go comb your hair and wet it a bit," Tan LingLing ordered Jiang Shen while drawing on lipstick, "Clean yourself up."

Jiang Shen looked at the reflection of his bedhead in the mirror as he tried to tackle those numerous hairs standing up, and it took forever to press them down flat.

Tan LingLing came in, holding her scarf, "Wear your new sneakers."

Jiang Shen said "Oh", and sat down on a little stool to tie his shoelaces.

Tan LingLing squatted down. Her cashmere coat was too long, and the only choice she had was to roll it up upon her knees. "Your feet grow so fast," his mother said with a sigh, "The shoes and clothes we buy aren't enough."

Jiang Shen thought rather naively, "You don't need to change sizes for me."

Tan LingLing didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "How can we change your old clothes now? Our household circumstances are only average, but I don't want to lose face."

Jiang Shen plainly was unable to connect the two phrases, "change your old clothes" and "lose face". He had the typical innocence and confusion of a boy his own age, and didn't think too badly about it.

The pheasant in the courtyard had also woken up. Tan LingLing was unconcerned with the fence, and the chicken went for a stroll and did its business. Seeing Jiang Shen, it cooed twice.

"Oh Tony", Gou Mao had to keep up with the latest fashion, and gave the chicken a Western name. Jiang Shen soon shouted as if he were the parent, "We're heading out."

Tony's neck quivered. Tan LingLing had already called him from the courtyard outside, and Jiang Shen ran out in a hurry.

"Silly boy," Tan LingLing laughed, "You're even talking to a chicken?"

　　Tan LingLing rode on the shuttle that had taken her to the city a million times, and all the drivers knew her. The current driver was quite surprised to see her today, "Going to deliver vegetables?"

Tan LingLing, "Buying some things." She pushed her son forward, "Let's sit in the back."

The driver closed the door of the vehicle, "It's too early. You guys can sleep on the way, I'll wake you up when we're there."

Tan LingLing cheerfully agreed, sitting beside Jiang Shen. She let her son lean against her, "Are you sleepy?"

Jiang Shen was a little excited, "I'm not. What are we going there to do?"

Tan LingLing stroked his head, "Since you'll be going to school in September, I'm taking you to see your new school."

Jiang Shen, "Am I going to the same place as Gou Mao and everybody else?"

"It's the same place," Tan LingLing held his hand, "But Chen MaoXiu and everyone else are in middle school. You'll be in the same class as Chen QingLing."

Jiang Shen was ecstatic, "Then I get to study together with Qing Ling zi."

Tan LingLing nodded her forehead,  "Call them by their names when you're in public. Shouting "Gou Mao" at school is too coarse."

Jiang Shen heeded what his mother had told him. He rested calmly against Tan LingLing's shoulder for a while, and couldn't help but pull down the window next to him and watch the scenery outside. Tan LingLing hit the hay for awhile and passed out in an hour. At last, the driver stood and turned his head to call them, and the two scrambled out of the vehicle.

Tan LingLing's first stop was at the shopping mall, and when she came out, she had two cigarettes in her hand. She took the cigarette case and carefully wrapped it, then stuffed it in her shopping bag. The expression on her face seemed somewhat at ease.

The school that Jiang Shen would be studying at was not particularly the best in the city, but the elementary, middle school and high school all ran together, which made it especially convenient for students who wanted to study continuously. The Jiang family also preferred this place, as the tuition fee was inexpensive, and besides that, the mayor of the city had quickly lent a hand in transferring Jiang Shen into the semester midstream.

Certainly, will all this support, they had him enrolled, but Tan LingLing still felt she wanted to say hello to the school, as she'd always been a woman who had a plan in mind. Although sometimes she hated to part from her money, it was unlikely for her to treat her family and human connections shabbily.

"I'm going to the principal's office," Tan LingLing bent over and straightened the collar of Jiang Shen's overcoat. "Can you play by yourself?"

The campus was relatively safe, and Jiang Shen was unafraid to walk around. Then he thought of something else, "Are you not gonna buy candy today?"

Tan LingLing put on an expression of disgust, "Didn't you have some yesterday? I've told you this before, you only get them once a week."

"Oh," Jiang Shen said weakly at once. 

Tan LingLing wasn't soft-hearted and gave him multiple warnings, and only then did she leave to find the office building, carrying a cigarette. 

Although it was all one campus, the buildings of the elementary, middle school and high school were each addressed by a separate name. Jiang Shen didn't have the courage to roam near the higher grades, and honestly hung around in the lower grades.

There were no classes on weekends, and the teacher and school worker that were on duty weren't concerned with him. Jiang Shen casually discovered several classrooms, and like a puppy making the rounds in his territory, looked at them one by one. He sat in the front row, then reclined in the back row, feeling joy spring in his heart.

Tan LingLing finished delivering things after a moment, and it was taking forever for her to find her son on such a large campus. In the end, at the last moment she used the school's loudspeaker to call him up.

"Students aren't allowed to play at school," Tan LingLing smiled in annoyance, "Yet you're happy?"

Jiang Shen grinned broadly, "I'm really happy."

Tan LingLing splashed the cold water of reality on him, "We'll see who's happy when you really attend school."

　　It wasn't too late when both mother and son departed from the school. Tan LingLing brought Jiang Shen with her and made a beeline for the children's palace. Coach Lin had already arrived at the dance studio. She was pleasantly surprised as she took off her down jacket, and said, "You two are here?"

Tan LingLing was always polite to Coach Lin, "Your complexion looks really good today."

A smile came upon Coach Lin and she said, "You're too kind." After that, she waved Jiang Shen over to her.

"Did you buy dance shoes?” Coach Lin asked.

Tan LingLing was a little embarrassed, "We didn't get them in time……"

Teacher Lin didn't say anything. She went into the dressing room and brought out a spare pair of pointe shoes, "I have these ones that a couple of older girls use, why don't you try them on?"

Chapter end