Heart Flutter

Chapter 101

Tang Yan exited the stage amid the buzz of admiration, leaving a lasting impression on everyone at the school celebration. That day, many people remembered this brave young woman who introduced herself in her speech as a girl from a remote village, sharing her journey and her approach to learning.

But looking at her now—her demeanor, her outfit—no one would associate her with the countryside she spoke of. She and that place had shaped one another, each leaving a mark on the other.

“Hey, Tang Yan! Where are you going? There’s a party after the event!” A senior girl backstage called out to her.

Tang Yan had already slung her backpack over her shoulders, replying over her shoulder without stopping, “I’ve got something to do. You guys have fun!”

The afternoon sun was blazing. Light filtered through the treetops, casting speckled shadows on the ground. Tang Yan half-walked, half-ran down the path until she spotted the figure she’d been looking for at the bend.

The woman had her back to her, head lowered, fiddling with something. Even from the side, there was a soft smile on her lips—so gentle, like a warm breeze. It was a DV camera. Tang Yan slowed her pace and approached quietly, calling out sweetly, “Aunt Ji!”

Ji Yuqing paused and turned around, surprised. “Why are you here? The school celebration isn’t over yet.”

Tang Yan rocked on her heels, her hands fidgeting. “There wasn’t anything left for me to do, so I slipped out.” She hesitated, then asked shyly, “What brings you to school today?”

Ji Yuqing smiled softly and explained, “You know, I’m also an alumna of Huadu University. I got an invitation to the anniversary. I usually skip it, but this year, I came specifically to film you.”

Tang Yan’s eyes widened in shock. “You were filming… me?”

“Of course. Who else?” Ji Yuqing looked down and replayed the video, holding it up for Tang Yan to see.

Tang Yan immediately covered her mouth. “I look so dumb.”

“No, not at all. I thought you looked completely different on stage—like a little grown-up,” Ji Yuqing said with a smile. “To celebrate, want to go get something to eat?”

“Yes!” Tang Yan blurted out, barely letting her finish. She was so eager, like she was afraid if she waited even a second, the offer would be withdrawn.

The two walked toward the school gates. There were a lot of people on campus that day, and outside vehicles weren’t allowed in, so Ji Yuqing had parked several hundred meters away. On the way, two girls spotted Tang Yan and called out excitedly. She nearly didn’t react in time.

“Tang Yan! Are you the freshman who gave the speech today?”

“Uh, yeah… that’s me…” Tang Yan stammered, unsure of their intentions and not recognizing them.

“Can we take a photo with you? I loved your speech—so powerful!”

“S-sure…”

The whole time, Ji Yuqing stood off to the side, arms crossed, smiling like a proud aunt. Tang Yan stood there stiff as a board, not knowing how to pose, while the two girls on either side threw up cute poses.

Once the photo was done, Tang Yan returned to Ji Yuqing’s side, and she couldn’t resist teasing her. “You looked so awkward just now.”

Tang Yan scratched her head, embarrassed. “I’m not really good at that kind of thing…”

Ji Yuqing smirked and tried to make her feel better. “Not every girl needs to master selfies and editing. For you, mastering computers and software is more important. Those are your tools.”

Tang Yan nodded as if she understood. They continued walking side by side out of the campus. Traffic was a mess outside, completely jammed.

Meanwhile, Shen Yuyin and Zhao Xiaoyun were still sitting in the audience, only realizing now that Tang Yan’s part was over. The sun was scorching, and they felt like they were slowly drying out.

“I can’t take it anymore. I need an iced milk tea. Right now,” Shen Yuyin fanned herself with her hand.

“I’ll go get it for you,” Zhao Xiaoyun offered, already getting up.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Shen Yuyin instinctively grabbed her wrist.

“You said you wanted milk tea…”

“I meant we should stop sitting here and go somewhere with AC and drinks. I’m melting.”

Zhao Xiaoyun nodded. “But what about Tang Yan? She—”

“Oh come on, let’s just go. She’s probably done anyway.”

As soon as they left, someone else swooped in to claim their prime seats. Even in this weather, good spots were still in high demand.

Stepping into a restaurant, they were met with a refreshing blast of cold air. It was heavenly. The sweat on their backs practically evaporated on the spot. On days like this, it was hard to leave an air-conditioned room.

“Hello, table for how many?”

“Two,” Ji Yuqing replied. A server led them upstairs via a charming staircase. The Mediterranean-style decor—white and blue tones—gave it a breezy seaside vibe.

Upstairs, the theme was even stronger: sailboat decorations, ocean paintings, wooden furniture, and a little ship’s wheel as a centerpiece on the table. Tang Yan pulled out a chair and sat down, amazed. “This place really leans into the ocean theme.”

“You’re right. It’s a new Mediterranean-themed spot. I heard about it from a coworker—supposedly the food’s great. Thought you’d like it.” Ji Yuqing handed her a menu. “Take a look and see what you want.”

Tang Yan took the menu naturally, ready to ask for Aunt Ji’s opinion, but noticed she was completely focused on her phone. Not wanting to interrupt, she kept quiet.

While they waited, Ji Yuqing was still glued to her screen. Tang Yan just looked around, unsure what to do with herself.

Finally, when the food arrived, Ji Yuqing set her phone aside and began eating.

“So, what do you think? Pretty good, right?”

Tang Yan nodded. “Delicious.” But she couldn’t help wondering—who was Aunt Ji texting so intently during lunch? It was rare to see her this distracted at the table.

When the meal ended, they parted ways at the campus gate. Tang Yan headed back in. It was around 3 p.m., the celebration already over. She rubbed her stomach—probably didn’t need dinner after that meal. Everyone was walking out of campus; she was one of the few going the other way.

Her dorm was empty, as expected. Everyone was probably out celebrating. It was a day off for the whole school. She sat down, took a sip of water, and instinctively opened her phone. Scrolling through her feed, she stumbled upon a rare update from Aunt Ji—who almost never posted anything.

The caption read, “A shining girl,” accompanied by several photos of Tang Yan on stage, mid-speech. No filters. Clear resolution. The sunlight had caught her just right, making her look like she was glowing.

Tang Yan’s heart jumped. She didn’t know what to feel.

Right then, her phone rang, shattering the moment.

“Hello?” she answered cautiously, waiting for the caller to speak first.

“Yanyan, how could you not tell your mom about something this big? If your Aunt Ji hadn’t sent me photos, I’d still be in the dark!”

Tang Yan gave a stiff smile. “I didn’t think it was that big a deal. Didn’t see a reason to bring it up.”

“What are you talking about?” her mom said cheerfully. “My daughter is amazing. I’m so proud of you. Do you know how rare it is to be chosen as a student speaker at a school anniversary? That’s a huge honor.”

Tang Yan stayed quiet, waiting. Her instincts told her this call wasn’t just for congratulations.

“And another thing—I have to say this again. You need to focus on your studies. Don’t get distracted by romance or anything like that. You’re a smart girl. You know what’s important.”

“Got it. Anything else?” Tang Yan asked, clearly annoyed.

“I just sent you some money. Go have a nice meal with your classmates. Take care of yourself since I’m not there.”

When the call ended, Tang Yan tossed her phone aside, took a deep breath, then picked it back up and deleted the post.

Late at night, Ji Yuqing stood in her living room, sipping wine and listening to music. Her phone rang. She set her glass down and answered.

“Good evening, Ji,” said a familiar voice.

“Evening, Huiyi. Hope I’m not disturbing you?”

“Not at all. What’s going on?”

There was a pause. Then, Tang Huiyi got straight to the point. “I’ll be honest with you—I’m starting to suspect Yanyan might be dating someone at school. I don’t know why, but I just have a bad feeling.”

“Really? She’s never mentioned anything to me,” Ji Yuqing replied calmly, though her heart was suddenly racing. She didn’t know why, but the question made her feel nervous.

“I just don’t want her getting involved so young. She’s only nineteen, still a kid, and the school sees her as a top student with lots of potential. A relationship could derail that. Ji, please help me keep an eye on her. If anything happens, let me know right away.”

“Of course. Don’t worry.”

When the call ended, Ji Yuqing still couldn’t calm her pounding heart.