Heart Flutter

Chapter 2

Ji Yuqing met Tang Yan for the first time, and the impression the girl gave her was that of a somewhat slender build. She wore faded jeans and an ordinary white T-shirt. Her clear, bright eyes resembled those of a fawn, yet there was a unique stubbornness in her gaze. With thick eyebrows and no makeup, she was a rather delicate-looking young lady.

“You really look like your mother,” Ji Yuqing said, gazing at her face and smiling gently, like a graceful lotus flower on a summer day.

Tang Yan felt her heart stir but didn’t dare to respond. She timidly nodded and then shook her head.

“My car is downstairs. Let’s go take the elevator over there,” Ji Yuqing said, pointing in a direction.

Tang Yan had never ridden an elevator before.

Ji Yuqing walked ahead, dragging her suitcase with a brisk pace. Tang Yan struggled to keep up, watching Ji Yuqing skillfully operate the elevator buttons with admiration. The elevator doors closed, enclosing them in a small, confined space as it began to descend.

Tang Yan felt her body become unsteady. Instinctively, she reached out to hold onto something, and her head felt dizzy, as if her entire body was no longer under her control. Noticing her action, Ji Yuqing asked with concern, “Are you feeling unwell?”

Tang Yan shook her head stiffly.

“If you’re not feeling well, let me know immediately.” As the elevator doors opened, Ji Yuqing pointed in another direction. “My car is over there.”

Ji Yuqing took out her car key and pressed the unlock button. The headlights of a white sedan flashed as she approached to open the trunk. She moved Tang Yan’s suitcase inside and then closed the trunk. Turning around, she saw Tang Yan still standing motionless and immediately smiled. “Get in the car. Sit in the front passenger seat.”

“Oh, okay.” Tang Yan was hesitant and felt constrained. She only dared to open the car door and get in after hearing Ji Yuqing speak.

The interior of the car was clean and tidy, with a spacious feel. However, the smell made her feel a bit dizzy—an indescribable scent that was actually the gasoline from the engine, with no other odors.

After a short while, Ji Yuqing also got into the car. Just as she was about to fasten her seatbelt, she noticed Tang Yan sitting obediently and motionless. She kindly reminded, “You haven’t fastened your seatbelt yet.”

Upon hearing this, Tang Yan frantically searched around, not knowing where the seatbelt was or how to buckle it. She felt both panicked and embarrassed.

Realizing what was happening, Ji Yuqing quickly leaned over and helped her pull out the seatbelt from the side. She deliberately moved in slow motion to fasten it beneath Tang Yan’s left side, patiently advising, “Always remember to buckle your seatbelt when you ride in a car.”

Tang Yan nodded stiffly once more.

After fastening her own seatbelt, Ji Yuqing released the handbrake and started the car. The vehicle began to move slowly, gradually exiting the dimly lit underground parking garage. Passing an unattended toll booth, the car beeped smoothly through. Tang Yan was amazed by the high-tech features she saw—things she had never encountered in her village or town.

It felt like Liu Laolao entering the Grand View Garden; Tang Yan deeply felt that the eighteen years she had lived before were entirely different from this place.

Along the way, they saw towering buildings and numerous shops. The wide roads were divided into several lanes, accommodating many cars simultaneously. It was exactly as described in books—gleaming towers, bustling markets, noisy streets filled with endless traffic.

A cool breeze rose inside the car, dispersing the heat. The air conditioning blew towards Tang Yan from multiple angles, making her feel as if her sweat-soaked clothes had dried.

However, gradually, Tang Yan began to feel discomfort in her abdomen. It wasn’t sudden but rather a gradual, unnoticed progression. Her head also felt dizzy.

The sensation of her stomach churning intensified until Tang Yan couldn’t hold back and threw up inside the car. Looking at the dirty foot mat, she covered her mouth with one hand, feeling deeply guilty.

Seeing this, Ji Yuqing quickly pulled the car over to the shoulder of the bridge. She took out a tissue from her bag, her words filled with concern. “Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well, you silly child.”

Tang Yan opened the door and got out, leaning against the bridge and vomiting uncontrollably. She hadn’t eaten much, so what she threw up was mostly water. Her stomach contractions surged painfully, but after vomiting, she felt much better.

Holding a tissue, she wiped her hands and mouth, then turned to see Ji Yuqing handing her a bottle of mineral water, freshly opened.

“Rinse your mouth.”

At that moment, Tang Yan felt a complex mix of emotions, even ashamed, especially fearing that Aunt Ji would dislike her because of this.

After rinsing her mouth, she looked up and saw Aunt Jiqing bending over to clean up the remnants she had vomited in the car. Feeling even more embarrassed, she hurried forward timidly and said, “Let me help you with this, Aunt Ji.”

“It’s okay, just a small thing.” Ji Yuqing quickly cleaned it up and then rummaged through a box of motion sickness pills in the car, taking out one. “Take this, and you won’t feel dizzy after a while.”

Tang Yan took it hesitantly, then didn’t hesitate to put it in her mouth and swallow it with water.

After tidying up, she got back into the car. This time, Ji Yuqing didn’t turn on the air conditioning. Instead, she opened all the windows, including the panoramic sunroof above. “If you had told me you were feeling dizzy earlier, I would have just opened all the windows.”

Tang Yan didn’t know what to say and quietly bit her lower lip.

This was her first time riding in a private car.

As they started moving again, the wind blowing in from all directions enveloped Tang Yan, allowing her to breathe fresh air freely. She no longer felt dizzy. Looking up through the panoramic sunroof, she could better enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way. Tang Yan couldn’t help but smile, not even noticing herself.

Ji Yuqing saw the smile on her face and felt the weight lift from her heart.

After driving for a while, they finally reached their destination. Ji Yuqing’s current residence was a spacious high-floor apartment on the first floor. As the name suggested, there was only one household per floor, with a total area of about three hundred square meters. It had a private garage and didn’t interfere with the upstairs neighbors, avoiding any neighborhood troubles.

“We’ve arrived,” Ji Yuqing said, parking the car and engaging the handbrake.

Tang Yan glanced down to the lower right, then hurriedly turned to the lower left. She pressed the button several times before finally unbuckling her seatbelt.

As she got out of the car, Ji Yuqing had already taken her suitcase and pointed to the first-floor unit kindly. “This will be your home for the next four years of university.”

Home.

Tang Yan murmured to herself. Her concept of home had always been vague. She had never had a complete family. Growing up at her uncle’s house was not her real home, something she knew deep down.

Approaching the main gate, there was no keyhole, only a shiny electronic panel with touch buttons.

Without hesitation, Ji Yuqing told Tang Yan the door code. “841001. See? This is the main door code. Make sure you remember it.”

Tang Yan obediently stood aside, as earnest and reserved as if she were listening to a teacher’s lecture. She silently repeated the code in her mind several times. “841001…”

“Do you know why this is the code?” Ji Yuqing asked her.

Tang Yan shook her head, indicating she didn’t know.

“Aunt Ji, I was born in ’84, on National Day. That way, you won’t easily forget the code.”

’84… Tang Yan silently calculated her age. She was born in ’01, making Aunt Ji seventeen years older than her. However, her mother was even older. How did they come to know each other?

“Come inside and see the room I’ve prepared for you.”

Tang Yan was stunned. She actually had her own room… feeling unexpectedly cherished, she slowly followed Ji Yuqing’s steps. Her home was spacious and bright, clean and tidy with no clutter. The open kitchen made the living room appear even more expansive. This kind of decor was something Tang Yan had only seen on television, usually in homes of wealthy people.

“This is it.” Ji Yuqing excitedly opened a door, revealing a room with large bay windows. The bed was already made, and the room’s main color was light pink. The furniture was arranged in pink and white tones, and there was a large teddy bear on the bed.

Tang Yan was almost speechless with amazement.

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“Since I didn’t know your favorite colors, I decorated it according to what little girls like. It’s a bit pink. I hope you like it.”

“I like it…” Tang Yan murmured.

In the next moment, Ji Yuqing reached out and took Tang Yan’s wrist, leading her to the wardrobe. She opened the doors and took out three sets of pajamas: one with long sleeves and pants, one with short sleeves and shorts, and one nightgown—all in very cute styles.

“These are basic sets, suitable for both spring and summer,” Ji Yuqing said, smiling. “I don’t know what styles little girls like these days, but when we have time, I’ll take you shopping to buy ones you like.”

Tang Yan was so shocked she couldn’t speak. After a long pause, she softly asked, “Aren’t these a bit too many?”

“Not too many. You need to have a couple of sets for changing. When it gets cold, I’ll take you to buy thicker pajamas.” Ji Yuqing replied.

What Tang Yan meant was that the gifts were too generous, making her feel like she couldn’t tell if it was real or a dream.

It was only their first meeting, and Aunt Ji had treated her so well. She felt overwhelmingly cherished.

After all, no one in the world had ever cared for her so meticulously—not even her only mother had.

What she didn’t know was that from that moment on, she would gradually and unknowingly fall into this haven of gentleness.