Heart Flutter

Chapter 53

“Look at you. Slow down or you were going to choke,” Pei Wen began, flustered as she handed Tang Yan tissues and patted her on the back.

Tang Yan choked so hard her face turned bright red. After downing a few large gulps of water, she finally caught her breath and asked, “Why had you asked that, Sister Pei Wen?” while trying her best to appear shocked yet unruffled.

Taking a sip of soy milk, Pei Wen said, “For someone like Sister Yu Qing, it was not just men who would be moved by her; even women found it hard not to be attracted to her. She was that kind of woman, brimming with charm. To be honest, I once had those sorts of thoughts about her myself.”

Tang Yan was stunned, her eyes widening as she stared fixedly at the person opposite her.

“But still…” Pei Wen set down the soy milk bottle. “I gave up on my own.”

“Why… why was that?” Tang Yan asked curiously.

“I felt that I did not deserve her, and she definitely would not have liked someone like me. Besides, if she ever found out I had such ideas, she might feel disgusted and keep her distance. Eventually, I came to terms with it, and I found this arrangement just fine. She was like an idol I admired, a goal I strove for. Working alongside her let me learn a great deal, and I was able to improve my abilities.”

Tang Yan nodded silently in agreement, thinking that liking someone more capable than oneself indeed provided motivation.

“So,” Pei Wen continued with certainty, “I could tell at a glance that you once felt the same way about her as I did.”

Tang Yan’s face grew redder. She gently bit her lower lip and did not dare respond.

“Alright, no need to hide it anymore. I guessed as much the first time I saw you,” Pei Wen added.

“Would you tell Aunt Ji?” Tang Yan asked anxiously.

“No, I would not. I will keep your secret,” Pei Wen promised.

On the way back, Tang Yan asked why Pei Wen was willing to keep her secret. Pei Wen replied that she had known Ji Yuqing for six years but had never seen that particular smile in her eyes before, which was both beautiful and rare.

After the two of them finished breakfast and returned to the hospital ward, they suddenly found several more people there. In one glance, Pei Wen recognized them as colleagues from the company; they greeted her enthusiastically. All of them were Ji Yuqing’s subordinates, bringing flowers, fruit baskets, and various supplements that quickly filled the table. Once the lively gathering ended, they gradually left. Although Ji Yuqing was pleased that everyone cared about her, she also found it somewhat overwhelming. She had once been formidable in the workplace, yet now she lay in a hospital bed, observed by everyone, with her proud dignity left nowhere to rest.

Only after they left did Ji Yuqing speak up. “Why did they all come here?”

Pei Wen explained, “As soon as they heard you were injured and in the hospital, every one of them insisted on visiting. There was no stopping them.”

Seeing that Ji Yuqing remained silent, Pei Wen feared she might be upset and quickly added, “This morning, they all went to the boss to request leave so they could see you, and the boss approved it immediately.”

“Never mind, it’s alright. It was just a bit noisy, but they meant well.”

Relieved, Pei Wen pressed her lips into a smile. Then she received a call from the police station and had to leave. Before departing, she reminded Tang Yan to take good care of Ji Yuqing and to call her if there was anything she needed. The two exchanged phone numbers and WeChat contacts.

Tang Yan stood by the ward door to see Pei Wen off, remaining there in a daze until Aunt Ji called her back inside. “Yanyan.”

“Yes, I’m here!” Tang Yan hurried to her side immediately.

“There was something I wanted to talk to you about,” Ji Yuqing said.

Tang Yan obediently brought over a chair and sat beside the bed.

“What were your thoughts on the situation with me and your cousin?” Ji Yuqing asked calmly.

Tang Yan lowered her gaze for a moment, then looked up and said, “I hoped he would receive the punishment he deserved.”

Because this was no small matter, Ji Yuqing wanted to double-check. She did not want Tang Yan to regret this choice one day. “Sending him to prison—was that truly what you wanted?”

Tang Yan nodded resolutely and explained, “From childhood to now, Tang Yawen was always wild and uncontrollable. My uncle’s family had to clean up his messes many times, but that never changed him. If he did not receive a severe lesson this time, there was no telling what worse harm he might cause in the future.”

“What you said was true, but he was still your family,” Ji Yuqing said hesitantly.

Tang Yan promptly interrupted. “No, you were my family now, Aunt Ji. He hurt you, and that was unforgivable!”

Just as she finished speaking, a knock sounded at the ward door. Both of them paused, bringing their conversation to a halt.

“Knock, knock, knock.” The sound came again.

“Please come in,” Tang Yan called.

To her surprise, it was their counselor, Mr. Chen, who had actually shown up with a large bouquet of bright roses and a basket filled to the brim with fruit. Anyone who did not know better might have assumed he was there to court someone rather than visit a patient.

Tang Yan stood up stiffly, managing only a nervous, “Mr. Chen…”

“Hello there, Tang Yan,” Mr. Chen said with a beaming smile that wrinkled his face. He stepped in and placed the roses and fruit basket down, acting completely at ease.

“And you are…?” Ji Yuqing asked, unable to remember who he was. Due to work, she met countless people daily, and if they left no deep impression, she quickly forgot them.

Mr. Chen grew a bit awkward. “We have met before.”

Equally embarrassed, Tang Yan offered an explanation. “Aunt Ji, this was our counselor, Mr. Chen.”

“Ah, so you are Yanyan’s counselor. Hello,” Ji Yuqing replied politely.

Mr. Chen’s discomfort lessened. “I heard from Tang Yan that you were in the hospital. Since I had no classes today, I thought I would drop by.”

“That was too kind of you. This is just a small injury, nothing worth mentioning,” Ji Yuqing said. The two of them proceeded with awkward small talk, leaving Tang Yan no chance to interject.

“Not at all, not at all. I really liked Tang Yan as a student,” Mr. Chen continued. “She studied very diligently, and several teachers had high praise for her.”

“Is that so That’s good. Yanyan truly was a worry-free child,” Ji Yuqing replied.

Glancing at Tang Yan, Mr. Chen seemed to feel her presence was unnecessary and said, “Tang Yan, I need to discuss your future studies with your aunt.”

It was clear he wanted Tang Yan to step out. She looked at Aunt Ji, seeking her opinion. When Ji Yuqing nodded slightly, Tang Yan understood and quietly left, though she did not go far, choosing instead to sit on the long bench in the hallway.

At first, Mr. Chen indeed talked about Tang Yan’s academics, and Ji Yuqing cooperated. Yet once his focus shifted, he naturally moved on to personal topics and ended up sitting at her bedside. During their conversation, he casually revealed that he was divorced but financially stable, owned an apartment in Hua, and had no mortgage. Ji Yuqing was no fool and, seeing his intentions, politely turned him down. “Mr. Chen, I really was not considering such matters right now.”

Mr. Chen gave an awkward laugh. “That’s alright. People our age tend to be cautious in love after being hurt, but two were always better than one, and you could look after each other.” Glancing at Ji Yuqing’s cast, he added, “You really needed someone to care for you.”

Unwilling to offend him—he was Tang Yan’s teacher, after all—Ji Yuqing kept a faint, professional smile and parried his hints. “Tang Yan can look after me. Girls are quite attentive.”

“That’s hardly a lasting solution. One day Tang Yan will graduate, start working, and find someone of her own. How could she be with you forever The only person who can stay by your side for a lifetime is a partner,” he insisted.

Meanwhile, Tang Yan sat outside, bored, repeatedly checking the time on her phone. She grew increasingly uneasy and restless as the minutes ticked by. Finally, the door opened, and Mr. Chen stepped out. Tang Yan immediately stood up. “Mr. Chen.”

His discomfort and disappointment vanished in an instant, skillfully concealed. After closing the door, he cleared his throat, stood up straight, and said, “Tang Yan, come here. I had something to ask you.”

“Huh?” Tang Yan was taken aback for a moment before nodding. “Alright…”

She followed him to the end of the corridor, where the emergency exit was, and he stood by the window with one hand behind his back. Once she arrived, he turned around and asked, “Had your aunt been married before”

Tang Yan shook her head, wondering what her teacher meant by this.

“Then had anyone ever hurt her emotionally”

She shook her head again. “I do not think so. Why were you asking these questions, sir”

“To be honest, I liked your aunt quite a bit. She seemed intelligent, graceful, beautiful, and poised,” he said, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Seeing her like this, I really wanted to take care of her, but she did not seem interested. Was a man like me not good enough What sort of man did she like”

Hearing that, Tang Yan felt as if she had been doused in cold water from head to toe. With an embarrassed smile, she responded, “I really was not sure.”

Looking momentarily stunned, the counselor patted Tang Yan on the shoulder. “Alright, we will leave it there for now. Let us keep in touch. If your aunt needs anything, just call me. In the future, I will make sure to look out for you in your studies.”

When their talk ended, Tang Yan watched the counselor walk away. Raising her hand to her forehead, she let out a wry smile. The person she liked was so outstanding that she never expected even her counselor would become a romantic rival.

She lingered there in a daze for a long time, her mind in turmoil. Just then, she received a message from the counselor asking for Aunt Ji’s WeChat. Without hesitation, Tang Yan deleted the conversation. She acted as though she had never received it at all. Clutching her phone, she strode quickly back toward the ward, her footsteps brisk and her bearing confident.