Heart Flutter

Chapter 11

Tang Yan sometimes felt that Aunt Ji really resembled a parent—one who looked after her in every possible way. During the time she spent in Huadu, Aunt Ji’s care had far exceeded what Tang Yan’s own mother had shown her in all of her previous eighteen years.

Yet as much as Tang Yan coveted this kind of attention, she also resisted being someone under constant protection. After all, she was already an adult and wanted to grow on her own.

“Looks like I remembered your size correctly.” Standing in front of the full-length mirror, Ji Yuqing pressed her palms together. She was quite pleased to see that the outfit she had carefully chosen fit Tang Yan perfectly. Her expression was that of a proud guardian.

Tang Yan stared at her own reflection in the mirror in disbelief. Normally, her style was somewhat plain, but thanks to Aunt Ji’s skilled touch, she suddenly looked… different.

While she was still immersed in her thoughts, Aunt Ji leaned in without warning and gently rested both hands on Tang Yan’s shoulders. With her face close to Tang Yan’s, she whispered, “When a girl dresses up well, it isn’t necessarily to please a man. It’s to live with more clarity and confidence.”

Tang Yan kept her gaze on the mirror, eyes wide and unmoving. She did not dare shift even slightly. For some reason, in that moment, she felt that Aunt Ji, who spoke these words, was especially captivating.

“All right, I’ll go make dinner.” As soon as Aunt Ji removed her hands, Tang Yan felt the weight on her shoulders lift and the warmth beside her cheek vanish. Tang Yan quickly turned around. “Aunt Ji, let me help you.”

From outside the closet, Ji Yuqing replied, “No need. You must have been tired from military training. Get some rest. Besides, I enjoy cooking.”

Tired…

Nobody had ever said something like that to Tang Yan before. When she was younger, she often spent her summer breaks at her uncle’s house, cooking for him, her aunt, and her cousin’s family after they returned from the fields. She also washed everyone’s laundry and cleaned the house, but never once heard anyone say, “You must be tired.”

Tang Yan stood there, in front of the mirror, dazed for a moment. Then she hurriedly took off the new clothes and changed back into what she had been wearing that day. Holding the new outfits in her arms, she went to the bathroom to wash them. The labels said they could not be machine-washed, so she had to do it by hand. Over the years, she had grown accustomed to washing by hand anyway; she still did not know much about how to operate a washing machine.

By the time she finished washing the clothes, dinner was nearly ready.

That evening’s dinner consisted of sweet and sour pork with pineapple, garlic vermicelli shrimp, abalone in sauce, and stir-fried sausage with snow peas. Since four dishes were considered an inauspicious number, Aunt Ji quickly added a seaweed egg soup to make it five.

For just two people, it all seemed a bit extravagant. However, Aunt Ji did not think so. She carefully explained each dish to Tang Yan, pointing out that they were all Cantonese-style cuisine—imparting, in her own way, a little more culinary knowledge.

“Isn’t pineapple just a fruit? I can’t believe it can be stir-fried with meat.” Tang Yan, who had grown up in the countryside, had never seen such a dish before. She took a bite and was pleasantly surprised by the sweet and sour flavors. The taste was fresh and appetizing, with the meat especially tender, wrapped in the pineapple’s tangy sweetness.

“So, how did it taste?” Ji Yuqing folded her hands, watching Tang Yan expectantly.

“It was delicious!” Tang Yan did not hide her approval or spare any praise. “It was the best dish I’ve ever had.”

Hearing this, Ji Yuqing lifted her index finger in a playful gesture. “Don’t judge so quickly. Try the others, too.”

Next was the garlic vermicelli shrimp. Even though it featured garlic, it did not taste strongly of it. Instead, the shrimp was fresh and tender, the overall flavor exquisite. Tang Yan could not resist taking one more bite.

Then there was abalone in sauce. Tang Yan, who had never seen the ocean and rarely eaten seafood, only knew about abalone from books and television. In ancient times, people always compared abalone to other delicacies, calling it one of the great treasures of the sea.

“Aunt Ji, if this continues, you’re going to make me gain weight,” Tang Yan joked. She had sampled every single dish and ended up eating far more than she planned.

“A little weight wouldn’t be a bad thing. As long as you’re not excessively heavy, it still looks good,” Ji Yuqing said, thinking Tang Yan was too skinny—like a girl who might be blown away by a gust of wind, which made her feel a subtle pang of concern.

Tang Yan devoured two whole bowls of rice. When she finally finished eating, she volunteered to wash the dishes and clean the kitchen. She had originally intended to eat only one bowl of rice, but everything tasted so good that she could not stop. Feeling a little too full, she decided to do some housework to help with digestion.

Meanwhile, Ji Yuqing could not sit still either. Wearing slippers, she paced back and forth in the living room several times, tidying up in her own way. From the open-plan kitchen, Tang Yan caught glimpses of a beige sweater drifting past as she washed the dishes.

“Oh, by the way, Yanyan!” called Ji Yuqing.

Tang Yan froze momentarily. She realized that Aunt Ji had just called her “Yanyan” instead of “Tang Yan.” For a split second, she felt unaccustomed to this new nickname and lifted her head stiffly, neck tense, waiting.

“I almost forgot to tell you. Tomorrow, one of my friends will be coming over. She’s a very close friend of mine, and I want to introduce you to her.”

“Your friend?” Tang Yan asked, envisioning someone much like Aunt Ji.

“Yes, she was about my age, but she had a very easygoing personality. I think you two would get along.” Ji Yuqing paused, then added, “And she’s also female, of course.”

Tang Yan’s curiosity was piqued. “Another woman?” She gazed over with the wide-eyed look of a child.

Ji Yuqing paused, not sure how to answer. Then she laughed. “Well, I wouldn’t exactly call her a ‘girl’ anymore. She’s a bit more of a grown woman.”

Tang Yan pursed her lips. She wondered who this friend could be, someone who could make Aunt Ji sound so pleased.

“All right. You should get some rest. I have to get back to work, so I’ll be in the study.” After saying that, Aunt Ji went straight to the room she always left open. Tang Yan peeked over, watching as she sat down at her desk and turned on her computer, her attention completely focused on the screen.

Once she finished cleaning up the kitchen, Tang Yan quietly returned to her own room.

That day, she wrote in her diary:

[2019/9/6, cloudy.

After several days of military training, I felt tired but fulfilled. Today, after class, I ran into that senior from the Taekwondo Club. She said the club activities would begin next week, and I was really looking forward to it. While I studied for my major, I also wanted to learn some skills. That way, not only could I protect myself in the future, I could protect Aunt Ji from anyone who tried to bully her.

Today, Aunt Ji bought me several new outfits, perfect for the changing season. She also said something I will never forget: she said that when a girl dresses up well, it isn’t just to please men but to live with more clarity and confidence. I think I understood her meaning. It seemed that anyone who could say something like that must have a very clear understanding of how to live.

She was different from any of the women I saw in the countryside growing up. It felt as though she truly lived for herself, and not just for a man or for her children and family. I thought that kind of woman was very carefree and captivating.

I also ate her cooking again, and it tasted incredible. I might end up becoming picky, only liking what she cooks. Sometimes, I found myself wondering about someone as capable as Aunt Ji—good at cooking, with a decent job and salary, her own home and car—what kind of person would she like? Or would she choose to stay single all her life? She probably had a lot of suitors.

At that point, I felt a strange heaviness in my chest, as if something was blocking it. Actually, I thought things were fine the way they were right now.]

She ended her diary there, resting her head on her hand as she sat at her desk, pondering. Her phone lit up several times with incoming notifications. She glanced at the screen and saw messages from Xiao Yun, so she picked up her phone, unlocked it, and started reading.

Zhao Xiaoyun: Yanyan, my factory approved my resignation, so I’ll be headed to Huadu soon to see you.

Zhao Xiaoyun: I’m so happy.

Zhao Xiaoyun: I’ll finally get to visit the capital of our country.

Tang Yan replied: That’s wonderful, Xiaoyun. I can’t wait. I’m really excited too.

Zhao Xiaoyun: By the way, how are things at your aunt’s place? Is she treating you well?

Tang Yan: She’s treating me too well, so well that I’m not sure what to do.

Zhao Xiaoyun: Isn’t that good? You should study hard and repay her kindness someday.

Tang Yan: That’s exactly what I plan to do. I want to work hard and become an independent and strong woman like Aunt Ji.

Zhao Xiaoyun: Haha, then I’m looking forward to seeing you succeed. I know you can do it. Alright, I need to get back to overtime. Bye.

Tang Yan: Bye.

After setting down her phone, Tang Yan grabbed her pajamas to take a shower. On her way through the hallway, she glanced toward the study on the other side of the living room. The light was still on, and she could vaguely make out the sight of Aunt Ji’s hands typing on the keyboard. Pressing her lips together, Tang Yan stepped into the bathroom.

By the time she got out of the shower and climbed into bed, it was already half past ten at night. She read for a while—an excerpt from An Yiru’s Where the Beauties Were. She found each woman’s life in that book quite legendary and thought the language was very elegant. At eleven o’clock sharp, her alarm reminded her that it was time to sleep. She closed the book and placed it on her bedside table, then switched off the lamp and lay down.

She lay there for a long while but could not fall asleep.

Tang Yan tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable sleeping position, but each attempt failed. She finally gave in and opened her eyes.

She could not help wondering what kind of woman would be coming the next day. If she was Aunt Ji’s closest friend… then they must share a very special bond, right?