After escorting Tang Yan into the car, Ji Yuqing walked around to the driver’s seat and got in as well. She closed the door, then turned sideways to pull out the seatbelt on Tang Yan’s right side. Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, Tang Yan suddenly grabbed her by the wrist, her hazy eyes filled with the strong smell of alcohol. “Aunt Ji, I really liked you.”
Ji Yuqing froze for a moment but maintained a calm appearance. “Yan Yan, you drank too much and are talking nonsense.” She pulled her hand away, placed it back by Tang Yan’s side, then sat up straight in her own seat and fastened her seatbelt. Still, she could not help glancing over to see that Tang Yan was leaning back against the seat, eyes half-closed, as if she was asleep or perhaps not.
She looked away, started the car, released the handbrake, and eased her foot off the brake as she murmured to herself, “Yan Yan, we are heading home now.”
Tang Yan, seated beside her, did not respond.
Night had already fallen on the city. With all four windows closed, it felt as if they were driving in silence, the sounds of the outside world shut away. Before them lay a still, peaceful vista of lit-up homes. Perhaps because the quiet was too stark, Ji Yuqing lifted a hand to turn on the car’s music system, selecting a piano instrumental piece to make the trip home less monotonous.
After about half an hour, they arrived at their destination.
Ji Yuqing parked the car in front of her garage, turned off the engine, switched on the interior light, and gently nudged Tang Yan’s shoulder. “Yan Yan, wake up. Come on, we’re home.”
There was no response.
With no other choice, Ji Yuqing climbed out of the car to help her. It was clear the girl was quite drunk tonight.
“Yan Yan, we are getting out now.” Ji Yuqing hooked an arm under Tang Yan’s to support her. At once, Tang Yan leaned her entire weight against her, nearly causing Ji Yuqing to hurt her back. Luckily, she stood firmly enough. “Can you hear me?”
Tang Yan raised her face, and even her breath smelled of alcohol as she let out a silly giggle. “Aunt Ji, where are we?”
“We are home.” Ji Yuqing shut the car door behind her and helped Tang Yan toward the front door.
Tang Yan felt as if she was walking on clouds, light as air, finding it all quite amusing.
They entered the house, and Ji Yuqing managed to free one hand to turn on the living room lights. She continued leading Tang Yan inside, all the way to her bedroom. At last, she took a deep breath and planned to make one last effort to get the girl onto the bed.
She never expected to topple onto it herself.
Because the old injury in her leg had not fully healed, she accidentally stumbled, causing her to fall onto the bed. Tang Yan fell right on top of her, pinning her so tightly that she could not move.
Ji Yuqing tried to sit up, and after several attempts, finally managed to push Tang Yan aside. She had only lifted herself halfway before Tang Yan draped herself over her again, wrapping both arms around Ji Yuqing’s waist as though clinging like an octopus—naive and affectionate all at once. In that moment, Tang Yan’s face drew close to hers, as if she was both acting coy and confessing her feelings.
“Aunt Ji, Yan Yan really liked you—liked you so much. Yan Yan wanted to stay with you forever.”
And so, Ji Yuqing lay there on Tang Yan’s bed, unable to move, her mind momentarily blank and yet amused at the same time. Her emotions felt complicated and impossible to express.
Just then, the coolness of Tang Yan’s lips brushed her cheek. Ji Yuqing instinctively tried to dodge, her heart pounding in her chest.
Stammering, she said, “Yan Yan, from now on… from now on, you cannot drink so recklessly again.”