Heart Flutter

Chapter 41

On her way back to the dormitory, Tang Yan’s phone kept ringing incessantly in her pocket. Tang Yawen had bombarded her with a series of foul curses, so vile that she finally turned off her phone in frustration.

When she pushed open the dorm room door, all three of her roommates looked her way. Except for Xia Zihan, no one paid her much attention. Xia Zihan asked, “Why are you only coming back now? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” Without another word, Tang Yan lowered her head and went straight into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

She did not want anyone to see that she had been crying, so she turned on the faucet and rinsed her eyes and face.

Xia Zihan stood there, muttering to herself, “What on earth happened?”

Their roommate Han Shuang, who was getting ready to climb into bed, paused at the bed frame and replied, “Who knows? She never tells us anything.”

After a while, Tang Yan came out of the bathroom with her hair still dripping wet. Water had even dampened her collar slightly. Xia Zihan could not help asking again, “Are you really okay?”

Tang Yan turned around and smiled at her. “I’m just fine.”

Still feeling uneasy, Shen Yuyin lay on her bed, phone in hand, and sent Tang Yan a message:

“I could tell you were in a bad state earlier, and I’m worried. If you’re in any trouble, please let me know. I’ll help you however I can. Especially if that jerk bothers you again—if I see him, I’ll beat him up so badly he won’t dare set foot on campus anymore.”

Ten minutes passed after she sent the message, but no reply came. Shen Yuyin exhaled softly and set down her phone in silence.

One by one, everyone else showered and got into bed. With less than half an hour to go before lights out, Tang Yan stood alone on the balcony, quietly reviewing what she had learned in the club that day. She repeated it again and again until it became second nature.

“Is she possessed or something?” Han Shuang whispered.

“I don’t know, but she really does look obsessed,” Lu Ting added.

Seated cross-legged on her bed and wearing a face mask, Xia Zihan was closest to the balcony, so she had a good view of Tang Yan’s every move. Even though it was just club training, Tang Yan seemed far too focused. Xia Zihan herself only went through the motions to pass the time.

On top of that, earlier during their major course, Xia Zihan had snuck a glance or two at Tang Yan. She had been listening intently, as if she were right back in the final stretch of exam prep, throwing herself into it with all her might. Such commitment was far from ordinary, Xia Zihan thought, while she smoothed out the edges of her face mask.

Nobody knew when Tang Yan showered or got into bed that night. After lights out, everyone slept deeply.

Yet, the next morning, when the entire dorm woke up reluctantly to start the day, they discovered that someone was missing. Tang Yan was gone. In fact, she had gone to the study room on her own at the crack of dawn.

Outside a breakfast stall by the bun shop, steam rose in the early light. Holding a few buns in one hand and eating as he walked, Tang Yawen held up his phone in the other. “I made it to Huadu, but I still haven’t found a job. I came here to find Tang Yan. That brat won’t meet me and even asked someone to beat me up.”

“That girl is really out of control, daring to lay a hand on her own cousin,” he complained.

Beside him stood Tang Jun, who immediately grabbed the phone from the woman next to him and shouted into it, “Why can’t you mind your own business instead of bothering your cousin? Go get a proper job!”

“Why shouldn’t I see her? I’m her brother!”

“I said you’re not allowed, so you’re not allowed. Are you going to listen?” Tang Jun roared.

Feeling annoyed, Tang Yawen hung up, then continued eating his buns while loitering around Huadu University. He had stayed in a cheap motel nearby the previous night and was determined to squeeze some money out of Tang Yan today.

“Ah, there you are,” a voice said in relief, leaning half against the doorway. “I only found you by asking your roommates.”

Tang Yan, who was deeply focused on her studies, did not notice at first. She thought the speaker was talking to someone else until a hand suddenly appeared in front of her, placing a cup of steaming soy milk on her desk. That was when she finally looked up.

“Senior?”

Still holding another cup of soy milk, Shen Yuyin asked, “Did you see the message I sent you last night?”

Tang Yan shook her head and replied softly, “My phone was turned off,” then reached for her phone.

“No need,” Shen Yuyin said. “I just came to see how you were doing. I wanted to make sure everything was alright. So… who was that guy last night?”

Tang Yan lowered the book in her hands and answered quietly, “He’s my cousin.”

“Really your cousin?” asked a disbelieving Shen Yuyin.

Tang Yan nodded.

“That guy was a total scumbag. Who treats their own cousin like that? Now I regret not kicking him a few more times last night.”

Tang Yan let out a gentle laugh, though her voice carried a deep sadness. “Thank you for helping me last night, Senior.”

“You don’t need to be so polite. We’re at the same school and in the same club—we’re basically family.”

Tang Yan pursed her lips and did not speak further.

Seeing that, Shen Yuyin added, “Next time he comes looking for trouble, let me know right away. I’ll be there in no time to handle him.”

In truth, Tang Yan preferred solving her own problems rather than relying on her senior’s help. She did not like owing people too many favors, nor did she want to trouble others. She always carried a heavy sense of responsibility.

That afternoon, Tang Yan finished packing in her dorm and shouldered her backpack. The moment she stepped outside, she ran into the ever-persistent Tang Yawen.

This time was different from the night before. Many people were around, and the dorm supervisor stood chatting by the entrance. No matter how bold he was, he would not do anything reckless in front of so many witnesses.

Tang Yan merely cast him a cold glance before looking away, as if she had never seen him. Seizing the moment, Tang Yawen grabbed her backpack strap, lowering his voice through clenched teeth. “Tang Yan, are you really going to act like this?”

She turned her face aside and answered icily, “I’m not the Tang Yan I used to be, the one who let everyone push her around. If you insist on provoking me, I’ll fight back without hesitation.”

Only she knew how much courage it took to utter such a daring, defiant threat. Her whole body trembled. She would have been lying if she claimed she felt no fear, but she did not want to be the timid girl who cowered before him anymore. She wanted to resist—no matter what it took.

“Oh, you think I’m scared of some little girl?” Tang Yawen sneered, clearly not taking her warning seriously.

Just then, Ji Yuqing arrived in her car. She parked, glanced through the windshield, and noticed that Tang Yan was in a tense standoff with a young man. Without hesitation, she got out of the car and walked toward them.

Tang Yan saw Aunt Ji as well. Not wanting to keep arguing, she jerked his hand off her bag and ran over. Before she could say anything, Aunt Ji told her, “Get in the car.”

Obediently, Tang Yan hopped in and fastened her seat belt. Feeling provoked, Tang Yawen shouted at the stranger who had intervened on Tang Yan’s behalf. “Who are you? Why are you butting into our family business?”

Ji Yuqing laughed lightly. “Young man, this is a university. If you keep harassing a female student, the police can take care of you.”

Rendered speechless, he looked up again to see that she had already climbed into her car. He dashed forward to yank the door open, but Ji Yuqing quickly hit the lock. No matter how hard he pulled, the door would not budge.

Through the window, Tang Yan saw how furious he looked and felt a small surge of relief.

As the car started moving, he could only watch, powerless. If he tried to stay close, he risked the wheels running over his feet. He stood there, fuming, as the car drove farther and farther away. He stamped his feet in anger, a fire flaring in his chest. Still, he memorized the car’s license plate—he refused to believe he could not track them down eventually.

Only after leaving the campus and merging onto the main road—with no sign of him following—did Tang Yan finally exhale. Remembering the moment she had stood up to him, she realized she was still trembling. Regardless, she had managed it. She believed she could do even better next time.

With her hands on the steering wheel and her gaze fixed on traffic ahead, Ji Yuqing asked coolly, “Who was that boy you were just arguing with? Someone who liked you?”

“No,” Tang Yan denied immediately. “That’s the cousin I mentioned before, Aunt Ji.”

Ji Yuqing’s foot slipped on the brake, causing the car to jolt. Tang Yan lurched forward but was saved by her seat belt. Feeling a little dizzy, she asked, “What’s wrong, Aunt Ji?”

“Nothing,” Ji Yuqing replied, though she gripped the steering wheel more tightly, her tone noticeably sharper. “Why would he show up at your school?”

“I have no idea,” Tang Yan mumbled, pursing her lips.

Sensing she was hiding something, Ji Yuqing glanced at her. “Tell me the truth. He’s been pestering you for a while, right?”

Tang Yan’s fingers twisted nervously. She hesitated, but she was not used to lying. Finally, she nodded.

They stopped at a red light, and Ji Yuqing turned her head to look at her. “I was initially quite upset about all this, because you kept it from me. But I also understand. Tang Yan, sometimes you don’t have to bear everything by yourself. Of course, if you think of me as an outsider, I’ll respect that.”

She sounded scattered, probably because she was still angry.

“Aunt Ji isn’t an outsider,” Tang Yan murmured, lowering her head. One hand gripped the other so tightly it hurt. She held on until the pain made her release her grip.

“But…”

“But what?” Ji Yuqing asked, darting another glance at the red light’s countdown.

“I just thought I’d be causing trouble for you,” Tang Yan admitted, practically burying her face in her lap so no one could see her expression.

Without hesitation, Ji Yuqing blurted out, “You will never be a burden to me.”

Even she was surprised at how naturally those words came out.

Tang Yan peeked up, astonished.