Heart Flutter

Chapter 178 [Extra 8]

(1) Ji Yuqing’s Chapter

Before I turned thirty-five, my life had always been quiet and uneventful—just a straight line between work and home. Every weekend, I’d make a trip out of the city to visit my sick mother at the nursing home.

Then, a girl showed up and disrupted my carefully maintained rhythm. Life stopped being quiet—it began to swell with tides and waves.

Her name was Tang Yan. She’s the daughter of Tang Huiyi. When I first got her call, I was stunned to learn that Tang Huiyi had gone through with having that child back then. She asked me to help take care of her daughter’s life in Huadu. I knew deep down I owed them, and I agreed without hesitation.

That day was scorching hot. I didn’t want to leave my air-conditioned car, but I knew I had to get there early so she could spot me quickly after coming out of the station.

Seeing her for the first time surprised me. She looked more delicate in person than in the photo I’d seen. A simple ponytail, no makeup, plain clothes, and skin slightly tanned.

But my first impression of her was unexpectedly good. It wasn’t just the light in her eyes. She radiated something pure and simple—an honest soul.

I gave her the best conditions I could offer, trying to make up for the guilt I carried toward her and her mother. But as we spent more time together, something between us began to change.

I think it all started during that National Day trip. That silly girl actually got a nosebleed when she saw me in a bikini—it was honestly kind of adorable. I kept a straight face, but inside, I was in chaos. What really shook me, though, was during a game of truth or dare at the guesthouse. That kiss… was probably the start of all the “trouble.”

I always thought I saw her as a kid. But when she leaned in to kiss me that first time, my heart—actually skipped.

I could tell how she felt. It wasn’t a mystery. I confirmed it the day I accidentally walked into her room and found her diary on the floor. That was the moment I could no longer deny it.

I was terrified. I knew it was wrong. I was so much older than her. I should’ve had the sense to stop things before they began.

So I tried. I started acting cold, ignoring her, distancing myself. But I failed—because I couldn’t bear to see her sad, not because of me.

My constant push and pull only dragged us both deeper. There was no turning back.

Yan Yan always says I’m the light in her life, the one who illuminated her darkest years. But I don’t see it that way.

To me, she’s the light. She saved the second half of my life.

We’ve been through so much together. Looking back, I think it was all worth it. The struggles only made our love deeper and taught us how to cherish each other even more.

People often ask me, “Hey Ji Yuqing, you’re so much older than your little wife. Aren’t you afraid she’ll leave you one day for a younger girl?”

I always say no. I have confidence in myself. I have confidence in Yan Yan. I have confidence in us.

And I know she feels the same way. In love, trust is mutual. It has to be—otherwise, there’s no way to last.

It’s almost midnight now. That’s enough for today. Tomorrow, I promised Yan Yan we’d go boating at East Lake. Goodnight.

(2) Tang Huiyi’s Chapter

I’m Tang Huiyi. I’m… forty-three this year. I’m the mother of two kids.

The older one is Tang Yan. She’s currently a VP at a tech company and just got married not long ago. The younger one is Wang Yixuan. He’s just started first grade.

Looking back on my life, my greatest misfortune was that incident—an experience like a nightmare that nearly swallowed my soul and my will to live. It dragged me into a pit I almost couldn’t climb out of.

But my greatest blessing? It was giving birth to a daughter as brilliant as Yan Yan. I know it was selfish. I brought her into this world without her consent, and I couldn’t give her a stable upbringing. But I had to survive—for her to survive. Only then could she grow up and see the beauty of this world.

Back then, finding work wasn’t easy—especially for someone like me who had dropped out of college. I wasn’t qualified for anything fancy, so I took whatever I could, living on a meager salary.

My brother Tang Jun would always say he didn’t want to help raise my kid and that I should take her back. But deep down, I knew—he was my rock while I was out in the world struggling to make ends meet.

Yan Yan was such a good kid. Always top of her class—the best in her village school, the best in the township, the best in the county. She lived up to every expectation and got into the best university.

But the years apart and lack of affection created distance between us. I wasn’t there for her growing up. We became strangers in our own way.

It was around this time that I met someone who treated me like a treasure—Yixuan’s dad. I didn’t want a relationship at first. I felt it was unfair to my daughter. I rejected him again and again, but he kept coming back.

I told him everything—my past, my pain—and he said he didn’t mind. He wanted to marry me and build a home together. So, the year Yan Yan started high school, I got married and soon after had a baby.

I wanted to be close to Yan Yan, like all those warm mother-daughter duos you see. But no matter how hard I tried, she kept her distance. We were family, yet almost like polite strangers.

Leaving her in Ji Yuqing’s care was a decision I made after a lot of thought. It was the best thing I could give her. Ji Yuqing was an amazing person, and I knew with her guidance, my daughter would grow and thrive.

What I didn’t expect—what I never imagined—was that they’d fall in love.

How? How did this happen? Where did things go wrong?

The night I found out, I couldn’t sleep at all. I blamed myself for being a terrible mother. I shifted all the blame to Ji Yuqing. I went to Huadu and caused a scene. I tried to separate them. I even threatened my daughter with my own life.

But it didn’t fix anything.

I could imprison her body, sure—but her soul had already flown far, far away. If I didn’t change, she’d only drift further from me.

Her diary—what I read on her computer—shook me to my core. It made me realize she was no longer the baby I once cradled. She was a grown woman now, with her own thoughts, her own dreams, her own love.

What right did I have to drag her back into darkness?

So I made my decision. I let go.

It tore me apart to do it. But as long as she’s happy, that’s all that matters. Pain fades. Wounds heal. There’s no point in using the past to threaten the future. It’s not worth it.

I packed my things and went home. When my husband hugged me and my little boy ran into my arms, I finally understood—this is my life now.

My daughter’s grown. I have to let her fly free.

If she lives freely, happily, and without regrets—then as her mother, I have no regrets either.

That photo of the five of us at her wedding—I’ll treasure it for the rest of my life.

So, Yixuan, you must work hard too. One day, become just as excellent and free as your big sister.

(3) Shen Yuyin’s Chapter

My mom always told me that my dad had a daughter out there—a love child. I was too young to understand what that meant.

Then one day, I saw her. I was around seven or eight. She was beautiful, but when she came home, she was cold. She never talked to me.

My mom constantly told me that the other woman—and the love child—would try to steal Dad’s money. So naturally, I grew up resenting this half-sister I barely knew.

In my second year of college, during club recruitment, I met a girl named Tang Yan. She dressed plainly, but her features looked like they’d been sculpted by an artist—natural beauty.

I asked her why she was learning Taekwondo. She said firmly, “Because I want to be strong. I want to protect the one I love.”

That answer struck me. I started paying more attention to her. Not because I liked her—well, maybe a little—but mostly curiosity.

Then I found out, by accident, that she was connected to my half-sister Ji Yuqing. And what did I do? I approached Tang Yan on purpose. I confessed to her, not because I loved her, but to piss off Ji Yuqing. To steal someone from her. To win. Because Dad always cared about her more than me.

I admit it—my intentions weren’t pure. I was rebelling. I’d grown up enough to realize I wasn’t some innocent pawn. I found out the truth—that I was the illegitimate one. That my mom had been the homewrecker.

I hated her. I hated myself. I hated the world.

And yet… I’m grateful. Grateful to fate. Grateful to Tang Yan.

Because of her, Xiaoyun came into my life. She was nothing like anyone I’d ever met. She had this wild, magnetic energy. I fell hard for her stubbornness.

But back to Ji Yuqing.

I thought we’d always be strangers.

During the inheritance dispute, I chose justice—just to be able to live with myself. I never imagined that decision would lead to reconciliation. But it did.

Truth be told, I really like my big sister. She’s better than me in every way. Even with the same genes, she turned out more beautiful. I’m so jealous I could scream.

So fine, Ji Yuqing. We’re stuck with each other for life now. Go ahead and be my sister. I’ll be your little sister—for real this time.

And I’ll live happily ever after with my little Tang Yan too.