Heart Flutter

Chapter 38

The sound of honking cars filled the air. On the road home, they seemed to be stuck in another traffic jam, but on closer inspection, it turned out not to be that. Up ahead, traffic police were checking vehicles, and a few people had been ordered to step out of their cars. Keeping calm, Ji Yuqing drove forward and glanced at Tang Yan in the passenger seat. It looked like she had already fallen asleep.

When their turn finally came, Ji Yuqing brought the car to a stop. A traffic officer came over to her window and held out a device for her to breathe into. The reading came back fine, so they were waved on.

The street looked damp, likely because a sprinkler truck had just passed by. Ji Yuqing rolled the windows up a bit, worried that Tang Yan might catch cold if she stayed asleep like that.

Ten minutes later, they arrived home. Ji Yuqing turned off the engine, switched on the small overhead light, and gently nudged Tang Yan. “Yan Yan, Yan Yan, we are home.”

Tang Yan opened her eyes in a daze. “Where… is this…”

“My place,” Ji Yuqing replied.

Noticing how groggy she looked, Ji Yuqing unfastened her own seat belt and leaned closer to unbuckle Tang Yan’s. However, Tang Yan refused to stay still, swaying from side to side. More than once, her lips brushed against the curve of Ji Yuqing’s neck, sending a tingling sensation through her and prompting a reaction she did not expect.

With her head lowered, Ji Yuqing tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. “Stay still, Yan Yan. I need to unfasten your seat belt.”

It took some effort in the cramped space, but Ji Yuqing finally got the seat belt undone. After grabbing her purse and getting out, she walked around the front of the car to open the passenger door. Reaching in to help Tang Yan out, she found that Tang Yan lost her footing as she emerged, falling straight into Ji Yuqing’s arms. Surprisingly, the girl carried more weight than one would expect, and the force nearly sent Ji Yuqing staggering. Fortunately, she managed to hold Tang Yan upright and used her foot to push the car door shut.

“How on earth did you end up drinking so much?” she muttered, guiding the tipsy Tang Yan forward. As they moved, she lifted a hand to tuck the girl’s hair behind her head so she could see where she was going.

With her view unobstructed, Tang Yan ignored the path ahead and simply gazed at Aunt Ji, smiling dreamily at her face. “Aunt Ji, you look so pretty. I like you so much.”

Ji Yuqing’s body went rigid for a moment, and then she let out a resigned sigh. “What a little brat. Fine, I will accept your compliment.”

“Hic—” Tang Yan let out two consecutive hiccups, the strong smell of alcohol following.

Still half-carrying her, Ji Yuqing led Tang Yan into the house. After some hesitation, she gently laid her on the sofa. “I will make you some honey tea so you can sober up. Otherwise, you will wake up with a massive headache.”

Leaning unsteadily against the sofa, Tang Yan reached out with a helpless little hand the moment she saw Aunt Ji leaving. She pleaded in a trembling voice, “Where are you going, Aunt Ji? Do not leave.”

Ji Yuqing paused. She glanced back. “I am not leaving. I will be right over there.” She pointed to the open-plan kitchen a few steps away.

“Do not leave… do not leave me,” Tang Yan murmured.

Ji Yuqing stood there in a daze for a few seconds before collecting herself. “Just wait here quietly.”

She prepared the honey tea, glancing occasionally toward Tang Yan, thinking that the girl really could not hold her liquor—she was spouting all kinds of nonsense. Once the tea was ready, Ji Yuqing came over to the sofa holding the mug by its handle, stirring it gently with a small silver spoon. She spoke softly. “Come on, be good. Drink this.”

Tang Yan narrowed her eyes, smiling. “I want you to feed me, Aunt Ji.”

Crouched beside her, Ji Yuqing froze for a moment, nearly spilling the tea. Her face showed a slight awkwardness as she forced out a few words. “All right… I will feed you.”

She lifted a small spoonful to Tang Yan’s lips. The girl obediently opened her mouth and drank it, then lingered, licking her own lips. Her lips looked soft and slightly parted, with a faint pink shine. Ji Yuqing swallowed involuntarily—somehow the atmosphere felt different from usual. Despite that, she did her best to remain composed and offered a second spoonful. Tang Yan accepted it, but this time, a bit trickled out from the corner of her mouth, running down her chin. Without a second thought, Ji Yuqing reached out to wipe it away.

Before she knew it, Tang Yan moved unexpectedly and grabbed Ji Yuqing’s hand, lowering her head to plant a kiss on the back of it. Startled, Ji Yuqing yanked her hand back right away and shot to her feet in a fluster. “Um, Yan Yan, I am taking you to bed.”

Tang Yan slumped at the edge of the sofa, swaying with the weight of her own intoxication. “Will Aunt Ji sleep with me too?”

With a wooden expression that attempted to stay calm, Ji Yuqing propped Tang Yan up and half-dragged her into her room. “No, you are sleeping by yourself.”

At last, she managed to guide the girl onto the bed. Tang Yan shifted around, tossing a leg across the blanket, then closed her eyes and drifted into a satisfied slumber.

Standing at the bedside, Ji Yuqing exhaled deeply and stretched her arms. All that fuss had left her exhausted.

After resting a moment, she leaned over again and gently pulled the blankets up to cover Tang Yan. Feeling relieved, she left the room, turning off the lights and closing the door behind her.

The spacious living room lay silent and empty, giving off a hollow feeling. Rubbing at her shoulder, Ji Yuqing walked over to the fridge, took out a bottle of red wine, and poured herself a small glass. She carried it into her bedroom, where she filled the bathtub with warm water. Slipping out of her clothes, she settled into the bath. The warmth instantly relaxed her muscles, which had grown sore from the effort of supporting Tang Yan on the way home.

In the past month or so, Yan Yan really had gained a bit of weight, and she was certainly stronger. Hauling her around had been exhausting. Leaning back in the tub, Ji Yuqing sipped her wine, feeling so comfortable that she almost drifted off to sleep.

That same night, Tang Yan had a vivid, highly improper dream—she dreamed that she, while drunk, had ended up sleeping with Aunt Ji. The images played out so clearly in her mind.

When she first woke up, the dream felt so real that she nearly could not separate it from reality. Her heart pounded with guilt for a long while.

Why would she have such a dream—one so blush-inducing and heart-racing? Tang Yan clapped her hands over her face, pulling her knees in close and rolling around on the bed for a good while, struggling to calm her breathing before daring to get up.

She checked her phone; it was exactly eight o’clock—about the time she normally needed to get up, maybe a little late. With her head still swimming, she stood, slipped on her shoes, and made her way to the bathroom, finding the house unexpectedly quiet.

Wearing slippers, she tiptoed into the living room. A quick glance showed Aunt Ji at her desk, typing away on a computer. Before Tang Yan could say anything, Ji Yuqing spoke without turning around, her eyes never leaving the screen. “Breakfast is on the table.”

“Oh… okay… Good morning, Aunt Ji,” Tang Yan replied, nodding politely and heading for the dining area.

Breakfast consisted of toasted bread, a fried egg, some salted broccoli, and a small glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Tang Yan drank a little juice first, then picked up the toast and tried to nibble quietly, hoping not to draw attention to herself.

But from inside the study, with its open door and blinds, Ji Yuqing’s voice rang out clearly, carrying a certain weight. “Yan Yan, come in here after you finish breakfast. I need to talk to you.”

Tang Yan gulped, forcing down the food in her mouth, and answered, “Okay…”

Her throat felt tight and her nerves set her on edge. Aunt Ji’s voice sounded stern and unyielding, and she had not shown the slightest smile all morning. Tang Yan grew so worried she could feel her mouth go dry.

She deliberately slowed her pace, trying to remember if she had actually done something last night that she should not have. All she could clearly recall was eating dinner and chatting with Xiaoyun, then losing control and drinking to vent the pressure she had bottled up for so long. She was sure she had ended up extremely drunk.

Beyond that, everything was a blur. How had she returned? Did Xiaoyun bring her back, or did Aunt Ji pick her up? It all became a jumbled mess in her mind.

She began to wonder if it was possible that last night’s dream had not really been a dream. Could she have done something out of line to Aunt Ji?

Eventually, though, she had to face the coming reckoning. She finished her meal, stood up, and let out a small belch. Step by heavy step, she headed to Aunt Ji’s study. Even though the door stood open, she rapped on it lightly to make her presence known.

Shifting her attention from the computer screen, Ji Yuqing looked over with a serious expression. “Come in and sit here,” she said, pointing to a nearby chair.

“Sure.” Tang Yan swallowed hard, feeling like a student summoned to the principal’s office.

She sat obediently, and Ji Yuqing removed her glasses, combing her hair back with one hand. She focused on Tang Yan. “Do you know why I asked you here today?”

Tang Yan shook her head at first, then nodded uncertainly.

“You drank a lot last night and were completely out of it,” Ji Yuqing said. “Do you remember any of that?”

Tang Yan shook her head and decided to confess. “I am sorry, Aunt Ji. I should not have drunk so much.”

“It is not just about drinking. If you had run into someone with bad intentions, it could have ended horribly.” Ji Yuqing took a deep breath, as though calming herself. “Can you promise me you will never drink that recklessly again?”

“I promise. Please do not be angry,” Tang Yan murmured, lowering her head.

Ji Yuqing pressed her lips together, her tone softening. “I am not scolding you. It is just that last night…” She hesitated, then continued. “You were in a state that really worried me.” At least it was me who was with you, she thought, and not anyone else.

Tang Yan’s heart sank. She was sure now that she had done something outrageous. The memory of that dream flashed in her mind: Aunt Ji pinned beneath her and looking so pitiful…