Heart Flutter

Chapter 10

After Aunt Ji left, Tang Yan stayed downstairs for a while before going back up to her dorm room. She discovered her roommates crowded around her desk, all staring at her new computer. Several of them were discussing something she could not quite make out.

“That computer was probably very difficult to buy, right? It was nearly top-of-the-line and cost tens of thousands of yuan.”

“Was that person who just came in Tang Yan’s mother? She did not look it at all. She looked so young.”

“It seemed I had underestimated her.”

They must have heard Tang Yan’s footsteps just then, because everyone quickly stood up and turned around. “You are back. We were just checking out your new computer.” After saying that, they slipped away one by one, returning to their own seats.

Only Xia Zihan remained, still standing there. “Has your aunt already left?”

Tang Yan nodded.

“What is your relationship with her? Is she a relative?” Xia Zihan asked curiously. If she was not a particularly close relative, it was unlikely she would have been so generous.

Tang Yan shook her head and answered honestly, “Aunt Ji is… my mother’s friend.”

“Well, your mother’s friend was really kind. I mean… this computer, haha.”

Speaking of the new computer, Tang Yan realized she had not had the chance to examine it properly yet. Feeling a surge of excitement, she pulled out her chair and sat down. Under Xia Zihan’s guidance, she powered it on. Since there had been no computer at her uncle’s home, her only exposure to computers had been her school’s computer classes. She had used old desktop models and newer desktops, but never a laptop. This was the very first computer of her life, and Aunt Ji had simply shown up with it at her school without warning.

Standing behind her, one hand on the back of Tang Yan’s chair, Xia Zihan said, “With this configuration, you could probably use it for all four years of college.”

Tang Yan did not know much about these things. She only knew she needed to keep track of every kindness Aunt Ji showed her.

Now Tang Yan finally had a new computer of her own. Before this, whenever she saw that the other three people in her dorm each had one, she could not help feeling envious. She had secretly calculated how long she would have to work part-time to buy a computer. Yet now all of this had been made possible by Aunt Ji. It seemed she excelled at quietly bringing unexpected surprises into people’s lives.

Thinking of this, Tang Yan could not help smiling contentedly.

That evening, Zhao Xiaoyun reached out to chat. She said her family had agreed to let her come to Huadu. As soon as her factory job approved her resignation, she would move there to join Tang Yan. Tang Yan felt quite happy when she heard this, because her best friend would soon be arriving.

Zhao Xiaoyun: How is Huadu University? Is it large? Is it really pretty?

Tang Yan promptly sent her several photos she had taken at school the previous day when the weather was nice. The scenery was indeed beautiful, though the only slight downside was the large number of people, who took up most of the view.

Zhao Xiaoyun: Wow, it is gorgeous. Yan Yan, I am so jealous of you.

Tang Yan: Once you get to Huadu, I will show you around our campus.

Zhao Xiaoyun: Sounds good. Promise me, ok?

September 2, 2019 Diary, Overcast and Rainy

[Originally, I was supposed to attend military training today, but an unexpected autumn rain disrupted everything. Almost everyone ended up staying in the dorm all day, including me. In the evening, Aunt Ji suddenly came by. She gave no prior sign or message whatsoever. She brought me fruit and a new computer. Honestly, quietly speaking, I was happier to see Aunt Ji than to receive the gifts. Shh…]

On the third day, the rain cleared, and military training resumed as scheduled. It was the first time Tang Yan had seen her class assembled in full strength—more than forty students, with only eight girls. One might have called it a “monk class,” since the girls were so rare that the guys treated them like treasures. Diligent boys eagerly offered water or ran errands, but Tang Yan remained on the sidelines. She did not like them getting too close. Although some boys had initially tried to approach her, they backed off when they were met with her repeated cold stares and indifference. Some of them even gossiped among themselves, saying Tang Yan was too aloof to flirt with.

Still, they had cast a wide net. If one person was uninterested, it did not matter—they would simply move on to the next. Sooner or later, someone would take the bait.

Tang Yan could not have cared less and did not mind in the slightest. She had two main goals for attending this university: first, to study her major diligently; second, to broaden her horizons by joining clubs and participating in extracurricular activities.

Speaking of clubs, after three days of intense military training, the university’s club recruitment campaign began. Every day after training, she passed by the campus plaza and saw row upon row of little booths, each club showcasing its own projects.

“An online gaming club? Hey, I like this one,” Xia Zihan exclaimed, rushing over.

Right next to that booth was the Taekwondo club. Tang Yan found herself wandering over without even realizing it.

“Interested, freshman?” someone asked.

Tang Yan snapped out of her thoughts. The person speaking to her was a strikingly beautiful young woman wearing meticulous makeup. She was dressed in bright, stylish attire, and there was something vaguely familiar about her features. Tang Yan could not quite place who she resembled.

Tang Yan nodded woodenly.

“This is our club’s signup form,” the girl said, handing her a sheet of paper. “If you are interested and want to join, please fill in your personal information. We will let you know whenever the club has events.”

While Tang Yan filled out the form, the other girl continued chatting. “What department are you in?”

Tang Yan kept her head down as she wrote. “Computer Science.”

“I am in the Foreign Languages Department. Oh right, I almost forgot to introduce myself. I am Shen Yuyin, a sophomore, and I am the club’s vice president.”

Tang Yan looked up and smiled politely, a hint of shyness on her face. “I am Tang Yan.”

“I know—Tang Yan,” said the other girl, smiling brightly. “I caught a glimpse of your name when you were filling out the form. It is so simple and easy to remember.”

They then added each other on WeChat so the club could keep her informed about upcoming activities.

By the time Tang Yan finished signing up, Xia Zihan had already done the same at the gaming club. She looked around, surprised to see Tang Yan right next door. Grabbing Tang Yan by the wrist, she said, “Are you serious? You actually joined the Taekwondo club?”

Tang Yan pursed her lips. “Is that… a problem?”

“No, I just meant, why not pick a club that is more fun and relaxing?”

Tang Yan’s reason was simple and straightforward. “I wanted to learn a few self-defense moves.”

Xia Zihan was thoroughly impressed by the girl standing before her.

“Freshman, we will see you at the club activities!” the upperclassman called out, waving goodbye with a warm smile. The way she smiled reminded Tang Yan even more of someone else, though she still could not figure out who. Tang Yan waved back and returned to the dorm with that question lingering in her mind.

Time went by quickly, and soon it was Friday. After several days of rigorous drills, Tang Yan felt she had lost a bit more weight—her waist and abdomen had almost no excess fat, and her pants felt looser. When training ended that afternoon, everyone headed back to the dorm to change and prepare to go home.

“Tang Yan, are you going back to your aunt’s place?” Xia Zihan asked while packing her clothes.

“Mm,” Tang Yan replied, and ten minutes later she received a message from Aunt Ji saying she was almost downstairs. Tang Yan hurried to get ready.

She quickly threw two sets of clothes for changing into a bag and headed out. Unexpectedly, she ran into her upperclassman, Shen Yuyin, in the hallway. The older girl also looked surprised.

“It is you, Tang Yan,” she said.

“Hello, Senior,” Tang Yan greeted politely.

They walked down together, making small talk. The moment they stepped out of the first-floor entrance, a white sedan pulled up opposite them, and out came Ji Yuqing.

Tang Yan waved to make sure Aunt Ji saw her. “Aunt Ji, over here.”

Almost at the same time, both Tang Yan and Shen Yuyin glanced at the woman who had just arrived. The older girl’s face froze for a moment, and she hurriedly said to Tang Yan, “I have to go now. See you next week.” She strode off with steady steps, showing Tang Yan only her back.

Tang Yan did not have time to react and had no idea what had just happened.

By then, Aunt Ji had reached her. She immediately asked, “Who was that you were just with…?”

“She is a senior from one of the clubs,” Tang Yan answered.

Aunt Ji looked in the direction where Shen Yuyin had left. After a moment, she withdrew her gaze and said, “Let us go.”

They got in the car and buckled up. The vehicle drove out of the campus quickly. Aunt Ji kept her eyes on the road, silent and expressionless. Tang Yan felt that something about her seemed different from usual, though she could not pinpoint what it was.

She spent the drive wringing her hands and wondering if she had done something wrong that had displeased Aunt Ji. Her mind was filled with overthinking and second-guessing.

When they reached the apartment building and parked, Tang Yan stepped out, watching as Aunt Ji pulled into the garage. She stood there quietly with her backpack, as obedient as a child waiting for a parent.

After parking, Ji Yuqing got out and walked to the rear of the car, opening the trunk. She took out several shopping bags and carried them over to Tang Yan. “I happened to have some free time the past couple of days, so I picked out two sets of fall clothes for you. Go inside and try them on to see if they fit.”

Only moments earlier, Tang Yan’s heart had been pounding with worry that she might have upset her aunt. Now, hearing that Aunt Ji had bought her more clothes, Tang Yan felt like she had soared from the depths of despair to the heights of delight in an instant. It was so sudden.

Seeing her frozen in place, Ji Yuqing tilted her head and gave her a curious look. “What is the matter? Are you unhappy?”

Tang Yan bit her lip and shook her head vigorously. Her eyes even reddened a bit from suppressed emotion. Then she could not help bursting into laughter. “I am not unhappy…”

It was just a little overwhelming.