Heart Flutter

Chapter 57

Tang Yan had remained silent for a long time after receiving the household registration book. No single word could capture how she felt at that moment.

“You… you wouldn’t blame me for moving your registration here without asking, would you?” Ji Yuqing asked cautiously.

Tang Yan lowered her head, fiddling with the red cover in her hands. She gently shook her head, still not speaking.

“What’s wrong? Are you so surprised that you can’t talk?” Ji Yuqing leaned forward to look at her face.

Only then did Tang Yan nod. She suddenly lifted her face, her eyes brimming with tears that threatened to spill. Seeing this, Ji Yuqing felt a painful tug in her heart. She reached out and pulled Tang Yan into her arms, softly patting her back. “No one will ever bully you again. Now you can leave your old life behind, once and for all.”

Tang Yan buried her face in Aunt Ji’s long hair, breathing in its scent and closing her eyes. Aunt Ji always knew exactly what she needed—she had always been gentle and attentive. Tang Yan felt that she had fallen for her completely, beyond any possibility of escape.

“Aunt Ji, thank you…”

“Silly child,” Ji Yuqing said with a smile. “When you find someone you love and decide to settle down, then you can move your registration out of here.”

Tang Yan only nodded slightly. She did not dare to say that the only person she wanted to settle down with was Aunt Ji herself.

Releasing her, Ji Yuqing continued, “I might not be able to take you to school this afternoon.”

“It’s all right. I can catch the bus on my own,” Tang Yan said.

“The weather was getting colder, so be sure to dress warmly at school. If you catch a cold, it’ll be such a hassle,” said Ji Yuqing.

“I understood. You be careful, too, Aunt Ji,” Tang Yan said. Over the past few days, she had spent almost every moment with Aunt Ji while she was recovering. Suddenly having to go back to school made her reluctant to leave. She wished she could stay with her every day.

But Tang Yan knew that if she truly wanted to be with her aunt, she still had a long road ahead. Aunt Ji was such a remarkable, accomplished person, and Tang Yan had to work hard to become someone worthy of her.

That thought alone filled her with energy, making her eager to return to school and enrich herself with knowledge. On the foot of the bed lay a neatly folded set of clean clothes, and from a drawer, Tang Yan took out a diary and tucked it into her bag.

(Knocking on the door)

Tang Yan looked toward the sound and saw that Ji Yuqing was balancing on a crutch with one hand and carrying something in the other—a gift box.

“Aunt Ji.”

“I almost forgot to give you this. I asked someone to bring it back from France.”

Tang Yan was surprised. She had been with Aunt Ji almost the whole time—when had Aunt Ji arranged this?

“What is it?” Tang Yan asked.

Supporting herself on the crutch, Ji Yuqing came closer and handed her the box. “Open it and see,” she said.

Tang Yan accepted the box and unwrapped it in front of Aunt Ji. A faint, pleasant fragrance drifted out, tickling her nose. “Is this perfume?”

“That’s right. You turned eighteen this year—you should have a perfume of your own. Last week, Xiao Ji went to France for a business trip, so I asked her to pick this up. It’s perfect for a young woman,” said Ji Yuqing.

Tang Yan inhaled deeply, delighted by the scent. “It smells wonderful, I love it. Thank you, Aunt Ji.”

“Have you packed everything?” asked Ji Yuqing, sweeping her gaze around the neat, orderly room.

“It’s all ready—I just need to put it in my backpack,” Tang Yan replied.

“I already called a car for you,” said Ji Yuqing, glancing at her watch. “It should be here in about five minutes.”

“Aunt Ji, I can take the subway back to school,” Tang Yan said.

“I just wouldn’t feel right about that,” said Ji Yuqing, stepping forward to help Tang Yan with her things. Tang Yan quickly moved to stop her. “I can do it myself, Aunt Ji. You need to rest.”

“Well… then let me show you how to use the perfume,” Ji Yuqing offered.

“All right, sure,” Tang Yan agreed eagerly.

She watched as Ji Yuqing raised the perfume bottle and sprayed a fine mist into the air. Then, she motioned for Tang Yan to walk through it. “This way, the fragrance settles evenly on you. You can also dab a bit on your wrists and behind your ears—that way it smells even better once it disperses.”

“I got it!” Tang Yan nodded.

A gentle smile appeared on Ji Yuqing’s face. “All right, hurry up and finish packing. The car will be here soon.”

Once she had packed, Tang Yan shouldered her bag and headed out. Ji Yuqing insisted on seeing her off at the door. A white Toyota waited in front of the house. “That’s the one,” Ji Yuqing said.

“Okay, Aunt Ji, I’m off now,” Tang Yan said.

With a faint smile, Ji Yuqing seemed somewhat uneasy. “Call me if you need anything.”

“I will. Please go inside, Aunt Ji,” Tang Yan answered as she opened the car door and climbed in. From the window, she saw Aunt Ji still standing there, unwilling to leave, silently watching her go. Tang Yan waved, and Ji Yuqing waved back with her free hand.

“Going to Huadu University East Gate, right?” the driver asked.

“Yes, that’s right,” Tang Yan replied. The moment she confirmed it, the car started and pulled away. Tang Yan looked back to see herself growing farther and farther from her aunt. She had not moved; she remained there alone, looking in Tang Yan’s direction until her figure became smaller and smaller, eventually disappearing from sight.

After the car exited the residential complex, Tang Yan finally turned around to face forward, yet her mind stayed with Aunt Ji, weighed down by a swirl of worry.

The driver struck up some small talk. “Huadu University is the best in the country. You must be a top student.”

“I’m doing all right,” Tang Yan said modestly.

“You’re from out of town, aren’t you?” he asked, sounding curious.

“Mm, I’m from the south,” she replied.

“The person who saw you off—was she a relative?”

“She’s my aunt.”

“Well, she sure cares about you. She reminded me several times to drive slowly and make sure you arrived safe and sound.”

“Really?” Tang Yan let out a small laugh, trying to appear calm. Underneath it all, she was brimming with happiness.

When she arrived at school, it was already a little past four. The gate buzzed with activity, and private cars and taxis were parked here and there. Tang Yan was about to ask for the fare when the driver smiled. “Your aunt already paid through the app. Never used a ride-share before?”

Tang Yan gave an awkward grin, thanked him, and got out. She must have looked a bit naive at that moment.

It had been a while since she had last been on campus, and many of the leaves had turned yellow and begun to fall. With her backpack on, Tang Yan walked toward her dorm. A breeze blew by, and she caught a faint hint of floral fragrance. Initially, she wondered where it came from, but soon realized it was the perfume Aunt Ji had sprayed on her that afternoon. The bottle itself was still tucked into her bag.

It differed from the fragrance her aunt usually wore. Aunt Ji always had a soft but captivating scent that Tang Yan found endlessly alluring. The perfume she wore now was lighter and more floral—something suited to a younger woman. Because Aunt Ji had picked it out for her, she adored it.

She had expected the dorm to be empty, but when she opened the door, everyone was inside. “Hey, I’m back,” Tang Yan called.

All three roommates turned to look at her, and Xia Zihan was the most excited. She immediately set aside what she was doing and dashed over, taking Tang Yan by the hand and leading her in. She excitedly described how much she had missed Tang Yan these past days, going to class alone and eating meals by herself… until she abruptly paused, sniffing the air like a curious cat. “What’s that smell? It’s so nice.”

On a nearby bed, Han Shuang turned around, too. “Yeah, I caught a whiff of it just now,” she said.

Xia Zihan leaned in closer. “Are you wearing perfume?”

A little embarrassed, Tang Yan nodded.

“What brand is it?” Xia Zihan asked, taking another deep inhale. “This is so intoxicating—like catnip.”

“I’m not really sure. Aunt Ji gave it to me,” Tang Yan replied softly. She was unfamiliar with perfume and cosmetics; Aunt Ji usually handled everything.

“Did you bring it? Show us! It smells so much better than any of mine, and it doesn’t feel overpowering,” Xia Zihan pressed.

Urged on by her roommates, Tang Yan took the bottle from her bag. Instantly, the three other girls gathered around to study it. They had sharp senses for cosmetics and quickly determined that it was a niche French brand unavailable in their country.

Xia Zihan hurriedly took a photo of the bottle, noting the model and brand. “I’ve decided—I’m going to buy this through a reseller.”

“Count me in. I’ll give you the money,” someone chimed in.

“…”

Tang Yan could not relate to her roommates’ excitement. Instead, she turned to Xia Zihan and asked, “Would you mind lending me your notes from these past few days? I need to catch up.”

“No problem—here!” Xia Zihan said, handing them over.

From the moment she returned to school until nine at night, Tang Yan pored over the notes, barely stopping. She even skipped dinner. All the dorm chatter seemed distant, because in that moment, two things filled her mind—her studies and Aunt Ji.

“Tang Yan, take a break. You can keep working on it tomorrow.”

“Hey, this show is really good—watch it with me!”

“Want something to eat?”

…

Tang Yan turned down every offer.

Suddenly, she set down her pen, picked up her phone, and opened her call log. The first number on the list was Aunt Ji’s. She pressed it, listening to it ring again and again, so many times that she nearly gave up, thinking her aunt must have already gone to bed.

But just as she was about to hang up, someone answered.

“Yanyan?”

“Aunt Ji, are… are you doing all right?” Tang Yan asked.