Heart Flutter

Chapter 27

After the hospital staff cleaned and dressed her wound, it had been done almost instantly, since it was only a minor injury. Zhao Xiaoyun sat in the hospital corridor, waiting for the other person to return from paying the fees. The smell of antiseptic permeated the air. She lowered her head to check her phone and saw that it was already three in the afternoon.

In the distance, she heard a set of footsteps. When she looked toward the sound, she saw the same girl from before coming back. Her blond hair was especially striking in the hospital’s white surroundings, making her seem bold and distinctive.

Walking up to her, Shen Yuyin said, “I’ve paid the medical fees,” as she opened her purse and pulled out several red bills. “This is to compensate you for your wages.”

“I don’t want it. I shouldn’t take it,” replied Zhao Xiaoyun. Handing out flyers for an entire afternoon would have earned her no more than fifty yuan, and the other girl was offering far more. She felt she couldn’t accept it.

Yet there was no sign that Shen Yuyin intended to take the money back. She firmly placed it beside Zhao Xiaoyun. Looking down at her, she said, “I don’t like owing people anything. Whether you take it or not is up to you.”

Watching the girl walk away, Zhao Xiaoyun felt truly uneasy, as if she had extorted money on purpose. She felt guilty and uncomfortable accepting it. Though she was poor, she still had her principles.

Right after leaving the hospital, Shen Yuyin took a call from home. She hurried down the steps. “Why do I have to come back so soon? I just left.”

“Come back quickly; your father wants to see you,” came her mother’s commanding voice on the phone.

“Alright, alright, I got it,” she replied, hanging up with a touch of impatience. She picked up her car and headed home.

Her family home was located in a high-end villa district in Huadu. As she drove up, she could see a white ambulance parked at the gate—part of her father’s private medical team. Slowing the car, she drove through the entrance. A woman who looked about forty but dressed youthfully rushed out to meet her.

Turning off the engine and stepping out, she called, “Mom, what happened? Why did you make me come back so suddenly?”

“Your father’s illness flared up again. He must have something to say to you. Hurry inside,” her mother said.

Inside, an older man with white hair and a partially bald head lay in bed wearing an oxygen tube. His face was pale and drawn.

“What happened to Dad?” asked Shen Yuyin.

“Yuyin…come here…come to Dad,” the elderly man said, struggling to speak, his words slightly slurred.

She approached the bed reluctantly. “Dad, what is it?”

“I wanted…to ask you…to do something… Find your sister…and bring her back,” he managed to say.

Her expression changed immediately, and she stiffened. “I won’t…” She turned her head aside. “I don’t have a sister.”

Agitated, the old man coughed, veins bulging on his wrinkled hands as he clutched the bedsheet. “You’re sisters… Listen to me.”

Her tears finally escaped as she covered her face. Without another word, she spun around and ran out of the room. The middle-aged woman hurried after her, calling, “Yuyin! Yuyin!”

She stopped in the courtyard, and her mother caught up, placing a hand on her shoulder but hesitating to speak.

“Why is he doing this?” Yuyin asked bitterly.

“Your father knows he doesn’t have much time left, so he wants the family to be together again,” her mother explained. “It’s his final wish.”

Anger flashed in Yuyin’s eyes. “Why should we suffer for his mistakes, Mom? He brought this on himself.”

Her mother tried to calm her. “If he wants to see that woman’s child, then let him. Be cooperative. Let him see he doesn’t just have one child—he has you as well.”

“But Mom, I don’t want to… You know that. I can’t possibly go searching for that woman’s daughter.”

“Please, do it for me. For our future.” Her mother’s tone grew softer.

Yuyin shook her head, confused. “What does that have to do with our future?”

“You don’t need to know right now. I have my own plans. Just do as your father said. Someday, I’ll explain everything.”

That afternoon, she didn’t stay home for long; she drove to a bar and met up with a group of friends. The music was loud and thumping, the lights dazzling, the crowd surging with life. People were dancing with abandon on the dance floor.

A heavily made-up woman leaned against the counter. “Hey, you asked us all out, but now you’re just drinking alone. That’s so boring.”

Pouring herself another glass, Yuyin looked troubled. “What do you all think of me?”

The woman stared in confusion. “Huh? What do you mean?”

“How do you see me?” Yuyin asked again, already tipsy.

The woman laughed. “You’re young and pretty, outgoing, and your family’s rich. You’re so generous with friends. Everyone’s jealous of you!”

Yuyin tilted her glass, giving a self-deprecating laugh. “It’s just a facade.”

It was only superficial.

“You’re bleeding! How did you get hurt?” Ji Yuqing rushed around in a panic, running to the bathroom for a towel to stop the bleeding. Tang Yan felt dizzy, seeing only the swaying white fullness of Ji Yuqing’s chest before nearly losing her balance.

After a struggle, they managed to stanch the bleeding. “Are you alright, Yanyan? Are you feeling any discomfort?” Ji Yuqing asked.

Waving a hand, Tang Yan took a deep breath and smiled. “I’m fine now, Aunt Ji. Was I really that embarrassing?”

“You scared me half to death,” Ji Yuqing replied, turning to get her a glass of water. “Have a drink.”

She then pulled a sheer cover-up from her bag, slipped it on, and tied it at the waist in a bow. “If you’re not feeling well, we won’t go to the beach. We can just rest in the guesthouse.”

“I’m alright, Aunt Ji. I still want to go to the beach,” Tang Yan insisted.

A smile brightened Ji Yuqing’s face. “I’ve been excited to see how you’d look in this swimsuit, anyway.” She held it up against Tang Yan. “You’d look adorable!”

Tang Yan blushed, thinking Aunt Ji might truly mean it. Maybe she really did want to try it on.

After a short rest, Tang Yan went into the bathroom to change. Compared to Aunt Ji’s bikini, her swimsuit was much more modest, only revealing her collarbones and styled like a short skirt at the bottom.

Still, before leaving the guesthouse, Tang Yan felt nervous. “Aunt Ji, I don’t know how to swim. What if the waves carry me away?”

It was a silly-sounding question, but since she really couldn’t swim, she felt it was better to be safe.

“Don’t worry, I’m here,” Ji Yuqing said with a laugh. “I’m a pretty good swimmer. Even if the waves swept you off, I’d rescue you. I’m just teasing—we’ll only stay near the shore.”

Though it was already a modest suit, Tang Yan still added a jacket before heading out, in case it got chilly later.

They arrived at the beach by dusk. Several children were busy building sandcastles and having a great time. Other visitors, men and women, strolled along. Some women wore bikinis or one-piece suits; men showed off bare chests and beach shorts. There were even blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigners among them—likely fellow tourists.

Following Aunt Ji’s example, Tang Yan removed her shoes, letting her bare feet press into the cool, soft sand. When she stepped down, she felt the grains tickle her soles. So this was what a beach was like. Everything felt completely new to her.

Handing her cover-up to Tang Yan, Aunt Ji said, “Could you hold this for me?” Then she ran toward the water, step by step heading deeper until she submerged her head. Tang Yan watched nervously from the shore, her heart pounding.

After a while, Aunt Ji surfaced in another spot and smiled back at her, waving. Tang Yan exhaled in relief, realizing she had worried for nothing.

Curious about the water’s temperature, Tang Yan eased forward just enough to let the waves roll in and wash over her feet. The gentle rush of water rinsed away the sand around her ankles. She enjoyed the sensation and stayed there a bit longer, letting the water occasionally rise to her lower calves.

When Aunt Ji finished swimming and came ashore, her hair was soaked. She wrung it out while walking over. “That felt great.”

Tang Yan noticed droplets clinging to her eyelashes and beads of water on her face. At that moment, describing her as a water fairy would not have been an exaggeration.

“Let’s sit down over there,” Aunt Ji suggested.

“Alright!” Tang Yan gathered up the clothes and obediently followed.

They settled on a dry patch of sand facing the ocean. Nearby, children’s laughter, casual conversations, rolling waves, and even distant seagulls filled the air.

Yet Tang Yan felt utterly at peace, as though all the noise had faded into the background. In the distance, the sky had turned orange as the sun sank, casting shimmering light on the sea. The waves rolled in, one after another, lapping at the shore.

Stealing a glance at Aunt Ji’s profile, Tang Yan saw a faint smile on her face as she stared silently ahead. Curious, Tang Yan asked, “Aunt Ji, do you really like the sea?”

“It brought me a sense of calm,” Ji Yuqing replied softly.

It allowed her, for a while, to forget everything distressing or painful in her life.

Tang Yan half understood, half didn’t. She turned her head away, then noticed a man standing some distance behind them, gazing lecherously at Aunt Ji’s chest.

Acting on instinct, Tang Yan gently covered Aunt Ji with the sheer garment. When Ji Yuqing turned, Tang Yan pretended not to notice anything amiss and simply said, “It seemed a bit cold.”

Ji Yuqing smiled gently, her voice warm. “Thank you, Yanyan.”

When Tang Yan looked back, that man was already gone.