Heart Flutter

Chapter 42

Tang Yan stifled a quiet laugh. Aunt Ji’s words warmed her from head to toe, penetrating all the way to her bones.

Ji Yuqing turned her face away and swallowed nervously. The air in the car suddenly felt awkward, even a bit charged. She hurriedly reached out her right hand and switched on the car’s music system. As the rhythm filled the space, the atmosphere grew more restless.

When the traffic light turned green, she released the brake and pressed the gas, driving through the intersection. Her palms were damp against the steering wheel. Suddenly recalling something else, she said, “Oh right, we were going to eat out tonight.”

Tang Yan froze, then quickly responded, “…Sure!”

Eyes still on the road, Ji Yuqing continued, “You remember Aunt Zhang, Zhang Miya. She’s hosting dinner tonight.”

Tang Yan nodded as she remembered. “I recall—she’s Dou Dou’s mother.”

“It’s Dou Dou’s first birthday, so she invited a bunch of us out for a meal,” Ji Yuqing explained.

“Do… do I have to go too?” Tang Yan asked, somewhat uncertain.

Ji Yuqing smiled. “Of course. You and I are a package deal.”

Realizing how silly her question sounded, Tang Yan then stammered, “But I didn’t prepare any gift…”

“Don’t worry. I already got two gifts ready.” Aunt Ji always managed to think of everything.

Before long, they arrived at the restaurant, brightly lit against the dusk sky. After parking, Ji Yuqing opened the trunk and took out two presents. She handed one to Tang Yan and said, “Take this inside with you.”

Tang Yan took it carefully. “Alright.”

They headed to private room 1012, which was Dou Dou’s birthday date. Ji Yuqing led the way with Tang Yan following close behind. At a corner of the corridor, they found the correct room. Ji Yuqing knocked, and a tall man—easily over one meter eighty—opened the door. He wore a neat suit and sported a cropped haircut. His features were sharp, and he smiled when he saw Ji Yuqing. “Finally. Miya’s been asking about you for a while.”

“Yan Yan,” said Ji Yuqing, introducing him, “this is Aunt Zhang’s husband—our IT whiz.”

Tang Yan gave a polite nod. “Hello, Uncle.”

“Not much of a whiz,” he replied modestly. “Come on in.”

“This is a little gift for Dou Dou,” said Ji Yuqing, handing over the present in her hands. Tang Yan followed her lead and offered hers as well. “Uncle, this is for Dou Dou.”

He took both gifts a bit awkwardly. “You really shouldn’t have. It’s enough that you came. Miya’s going to scold me for this later.”

“It’s nothing,” Ji Yuqing said with a smile. “Just a token from me, as Dou Dou’s godmother.”

“Got it, got it. Come in, everyone’s waiting.” He ushered them inside.

The private room contained a large round table that could seat twenty people, and every seat was nearly full by the time they arrived. At once, everyone’s attention shifted to Ji Yuqing and Tang Yan. Most of them knew Aunt Ji, but a few were there as friends of Aunt Zhang’s husband. Many looked curiously at the young girl who had come with Ji Yuqing.

“Old Ji, who’s this lovely young lady?” asked a rather plump, jovial-looking man with a grin.

“Yeah,” said a flashy woman with heavily made-up eyes. “You haven’t been hiding a secret daughter from us, have you?”

“You’re all mistaken,” Ji Yuqing replied calmly and unruffled, showing no sign of being upset by their teasing. She led Tang Yan to their seats. “She’s the daughter of a friend of mine. She’s here in Huadu for school, and I’m just helping keep an eye on her.”

“Yes, exactly,” Aunt Zhang added, stepping in so no one would keep guessing. She alone knew the ins and outs of how Tang Yan’s mother was connected to Ji Yuqing. “Tang Yan, feel free to order whatever you want, okay? Make yourself at home.”

Tang Yan nodded quietly.

Aside from little Dou Dou, she was by far the youngest person at the table. Even if she wanted to join the conversation, there really was nothing she could say, so she simply focused on her meal while listening to the adults chatter. They seemed especially interested in Aunt Ji; nearly every other sentence mentioned her.

“Back in our school days, Yuqing was famous for being the campus beauty—tons of guys had a crush on her. Even people from other schools used to come just to catch a glimpse.”

“That was ages ago,” said Ji Yuqing, embarrassed, waving a dismissive hand. “I’m not so young anymore.”

Propping her chin in her hand, Tang Yan thought it made perfect sense. Aunt Ji truly looked the part of a former campus beauty.

“Don’t say that,” another woman chimed in. “A woman who’s never been married is just in a different league than those of us who have been stuck dealing with family chores for ages. She still has the time to take care of herself.”

Tang Yan felt a swell of pride. After all, this perfect woman was her Aunt Ji.

Talk of marriage naturally led to more discussion, the kind that inevitably popped up at these gatherings. It might be late to the table, but it never failed to appear eventually.

A woman with fair skin and a round figure, wearing a glimmering gold necklace, swept her gaze around the room and asked, “So out of everyone here tonight, is there anyone else not married?”

They all turned in unison to look at a timid, skinny man sitting quietly. He wore glasses and had a polite air about him. The moment everyone stared, his face flushed and he became visibly awkward. “I… I’m not married yet.”

Curious to see who they were talking about, Ji Yuqing tilted her head to take a look.

“Want me to set you up with someone?” someone suggested.

“Yes,” said another. “A warm home with a wife and child is one of life’s real joys.”

“…”

The man with glasses gave a shy smile. “I doubt any woman would like me. Besides, housing prices in Huadu are through the roof. I could never afford a place here. Might as well stay single. Living alone isn’t so bad.”

Someone else suddenly turned to include Ji Yuqing in the conversation. “Hey, isn’t Yuqing single too? Why not match you two up?”

Tang Yan immediately disliked the idea. Match them up? That sounded thoughtless and impulsive. Besides, just from a glance, he did not seem like Aunt Ji’s type at all. Tang Yan was sure Aunt Ji would never like someone like that. Of course, these objections all took place in her head. Outwardly, she could only watch anxiously to see how Aunt Ji would react.

“Don’t joke around,” said Ji Yuqing, smiling faintly as she lifted a glass of red wine for a small sip. No one could tell what she truly felt.

“We’re serious,” insisted someone across the table. “You think we’re joking?”

“Exactly. Xu Zhiqiang is really decent and honest. He doesn’t smoke or drink. Sure, maybe he earns less than you, but…”

“I say a woman really does need a stable marriage in the end. Otherwise, when she grows old, she’ll be lonely with no one to depend on. If she ever ends up bedridden, who’d take care of her?”

“…”

The whole table erupted into a round of “helpful” matchmaking, each person thinking they were right. Their sole aim was to push Ji Yuqing and Xu Zhiqiang together.

Xu Zhiqiang, blushing fiercely behind his glasses, lowered his head and dared not look at Ji Yuqing, who sat directly across from him.

Meanwhile, Ji Yuqing responded with a calm, airy remark. “When I’m old, I’ll just be a wealthy old lady. I can hire help, just the same.”

“That’s not the same,” someone cut in. “Having family is different from hiring outsiders. Didn’t you see that news story about an elderly person who had no family and was harmed by her caregiver?”

“Li Jie is right,” another said. “It’s safer to have family than to rely on outsiders. Once people reach old age, the person they can truly count on is their spouse. Even your kids might not be guaranteed to help you.”

Sipping her wine, Ji Yuqing merely shook her head. She believed everyone had their own way of living, and she had no desire to argue about hers.

At last, Xu Zhiqiang could bear it no longer. With his face still burning, he raised his head and spoke in a loud voice, “Stop it! A forced marriage won’t make anyone happy.”

“Xu Zhiqiang, we’re only trying to help you,” someone responded. “You don’t appreciate it.”

“Right. If this works out, you’d better thank us big time.”

“…”

Finally, Zhang Miya—who had remained outside the matchmaking crowd—broke in, sounding curious. “But Yuqing, do you really not plan on getting married someday?”

“What’s gotten into everyone today?” asked Ji Yuqing with a laugh. “This is Dou Dou’s birthday party, remember? Why is the focus on me? You know me well, Miya. I’ve never been too keen on marriage.”

Zhang Miya nodded thoughtfully. “Then what do you plan to do from now on?”

“My plans?” repeated Ji Yuqing, letting her hand rest on Tang Yan’s shoulder. “Well, for now I’ll look after this girl until she finishes university.”

Her sudden touch made Tang Yan stiffen. A shiver ran through her, as if an electric charge had paralyzed her on the spot.

“So what about after she graduates?” someone at the table asked. “By then you’ll be, what, thirty-nine? You still won’t consider getting married?”

Smiling faintly, Ji Yuqing offered no straightforward answer. “I’m not really thinking that far ahead. One day at a time suits me fine.”

“Little girl, you’re Tang Yan, right?” asked the pot-bellied uncle.

Tang Yan nodded, feeling shy.

“What kind of boys do you like? Bright and cheerful, steady and mature, or maybe a bad-boy type?”

Tang Yan stared blankly. “Huh?”

At that, Ji Yuqing straightened in her seat, folding her hands on the table and smiling politely. “Uncle Wang, don’t ask her that. She’s still young.”