Tang Yan was stuffing her cheeks with food so quickly that Ji Yuqing had to gently remind her, “Slow down, slow down.”
Her cheeks puffed up, and she could hardly speak clearly through her mouthfuls of food. She was indescribably happy—happy that Aunt Ji was tasting her cooking, happy that Aunt Ji praised it, happy about everything.
“Eat more, Aunt Ji!” Tang Yan mumbled, her words garbled by the food.
“You have some too,” Ji Yuqing replied with a smile.
“Mm.” Tang Yan beamed and continued shoveling food into her mouth.
All of a sudden, Ji Yuqing set down her chopsticks and looked at her. “Do you have any plans for the weekend?”
Tang Yan paused, then lifted her head. “No plans… Is there something you need, Aunt Ji?”
“Tomorrow, come with me to the hospital, alright? I need a follow-up checkup,” Ji Yuqing said, smiling as she spoke.
“Does that mean it’s all healed?” Tang Yan asked excitedly.
“I think it was almost better, so I wanted to have the doctor check it. If everything looked fine, I wouldn’t need the cane anymore.”
“That’s great! Sure, what time?”
“Oh, look at how excited you are,” Ji Yuqing said, amused. “Tomorrow, get a good night’s sleep. We’ll go after breakfast.”
“Okay!” Tang Yan nodded.
After dinner, Tang Yan insisted on cleaning everything up so that Aunt Ji could rest. Besides, these chores were naturally hers to handle now.
While Tang Yan washed the dishes, Ji Yuqing stayed in the living room, watching TV. As soon as Tang Yan lifted her head from the sink, she could see Ji Yuqing’s figure. She bustled about as though she had boundless energy, brimming with youthful vigor. Seeing such a harmonious, heartwarming scene, Tang Yan secretly wished it would go on forever. The sweetness of the evening would likely linger through the night.
When she finished the dishes, Tang Yan took a container of yogurt from the freezer—one of the items she had bought earlier at the supermarket—and crept up behind Ji Yuqing on the couch. “Aunt Ji, here.”
Caught off guard, Ji Yuqing looked surprised. “You bought this?”
Tang Yan nodded, looking slightly shy.
“Thank you, Yan Yan!” Ji Yuqing said, taking the yogurt at once. “Have one with me. You might end up liking it.”
“No, no, it’s all yours, Aunt Ji. I bought it just for you,” Tang Yan replied, waving her hand.
“Come on, just try one,” Ji Yuqing encouraged. “If you don’t like it, I won’t make you have it again.”
Under her gentle insistence, Tang Yan grabbed one for herself and sat on the other end of the sofa. She took a tentative sip. The smooth, creamy texture was unlike any other yogurt she had tasted, and she instantly found it delicious.
“Well? Does it taste okay?” asked Ji Yuqing.
“It’s really good.”
Tang Yan couldn’t tell if she liked it purely for the flavor or if she was simply biased because it was Aunt Ji’s favorite. Either way, from that moment on, she found herself loving this brand of yogurt too.
“As long as you like it,” Ji Yuqing said.
They had a suspenseful American TV series playing in the background. Both of them appeared to be watching intently, but in reality, each was lost in her own thoughts.
After a while, Tang Yan began fidgeting with her fingers. “How’s your mother doing, Aunt Ji?”
“Yesterday, I called the nursing home. They said she was doing alright, but it’s been a while since I visited her. After my checkup, if everything is fine, I’ll probably go there.”
“I’d like to go with you,” Tang Yan said eagerly.
“That’s a place for older people with various illnesses. Are you sure you want to go?” Ji Yuqing asked. “A lot of young people aren’t willing to visit those places these days.”
“I don’t see a problem,” Tang Yan replied. “Everyone gets old eventually. I’ll be old one day too.”
“It’s rare to see someone your age thinking like that,” Ji Yuqing said with a quiet sigh, then added in a teasing tone, “It won’t be long before I become an old lady myself.”
Tang Yan protested, clenching her small fists. “That’s not true at all, Aunt Ji—you’re clearly still very young.”
“I’m in my thirties, about to hit forty,” Ji Yuqing reminded her with a gentle laugh.
“You still look young to me—definitely not like you’re in your thirties,” Tang Yan insisted.
Amused, Ji Yuqing turned to her. “Then how old do I look?” Their eyes locked in that instant.
It felt as though time froze. Within Ji Yuqing’s gaze, Tang Yan saw a profound tenderness and warmth. Her mouth went dry, her mind felt beyond her own control. She blurted out, rather foolishly, “You look like… you’re my age.”
At those words, Ji Yuqing burst out laughing, breaking that subtly charged moment. “Silly girl, no matter how young I might appear, I’m not as young as you. You’re eighteen, in full bloom, and now you’re just flattering me.”
“I’m not!” Tang Yan mumbled, sounding aggrieved. “I mean it.” She truly believed that none of the women she had met could compare to Aunt Ji. Of course, she didn’t dare say that out loud—she was too timid.
“In about two months, you’ll be on winter break,” said Ji Yuqing. “Why don’t I take you abroad for a little vacation?”
Tang Yan’s eyes widened. “Ab-abroad?”
“Yes.” Ji Yuqing smiled.
Tang Yan barely believed her own ears. She had never gone farther than Huadu in her entire life. The only other trip she’d taken was to a nearby island with Aunt Ji, so the thought of traveling internationally felt like a dream.
“What’s the matter?” Ji Yuqing asked when she saw her stunned expression. “You don’t want to go?”
Tang Yan quickly shook her head. “It’s just… so surprising. But going abroad must cost a lot of money.”
“Money isn’t an issue. The main thing is that you get to expand your horizons and see more of the world. Every young woman should experience that if she can.”
That night, Tang Yan lay in bed, tossing and turning over the prospect of going abroad. She tried to imagine what a foreign country would be like, or how it would feel to travel there, but her limited experience left her unable to picture it clearly.
She pondered Aunt Ji’s words about broadening her perspective and seeing a bigger world. Right then, her phone pinged from the bedside table where it was charging. The familiar notification sound told her she had incoming messages on WeChat. She rolled over, grabbed her phone, and saw they were from Pei Wen:
Pei Wen: How are things going so far? playful face emoji
Tang Yan typed back: There’s no progress at all…
She felt a little shy just typing it.
Pei Wen: Why are you hiding things from me? I’m on your side, you know.
Tang Yan: There really hasn’t been any progress. Aunt Ji still sees me as a child; I don’t think she’d even consider something like that.
Pei Wen: She seems to care about you a great deal. I’ve never seen her act this way toward anyone else, not even me. But you shouldn’t rush. So, what’s your plan?
Tang Yan: My plan is to focus on my studies first, to make myself stronger so that when I do stand before her one day, I’ll have the confidence and the ability to tell her everything.
Pei Wen: Sounds good. Just don’t wait too long. She’s getting older each year, and I’d like her to have a solid relationship sooner rather than later.
Tang Yan read that message and paused before replying: But what if Aunt Ji finds the idea of me liking her disgusting? Or what if she hates the thought of being with a woman? If she found out that the child she took care of had feelings for her, wouldn’t she think I was gross?
Pei Wen: That possibility does exist. However, based on all these years I’ve known her, two things are clear. First, she absolutely won’t be with a man. And second, there’s a chance she doesn’t like women either.
Tang Yan: So there’s still a fifty-fifty chance I might win her over.
Pei Wen: You already have an advantage—at least you get to spend every day by her side. You know the saying: feelings grow over time. I really believe in you.
Tang Yan: Let’s hope so.
Pei Wen: By the way, don’t be fooled by that tough, businesslike front she puts on. Inside, she’s quite softhearted. Probably something to do with her family background. Even though she seems as though she doesn’t need anything emotionally, she’s still craving warmth deep down. If you find ways to do something for her, she’ll be really touched.
Tang Yan stayed up half the night thinking about that. She wanted to do something for Aunt Ji. For too long, Aunt Ji had been the one comforting her and giving her warmth, when in fact, maybe it was Aunt Ji who needed it most.
Tang Yan: Why are you helping me?
Pei Wen: Simple. Because, from my point of view, you’re the best person for her.