“Let’s go home,” Ji Yuqing said, glancing up at her with a bright smile.
“Okay!”
Leaving the airport, they found the sky a vivid, cloudless blue. The winter sun hung low on the horizon, and it no longer felt quite as cold as it had in the morning.
“Such gorgeous weather,” Tang Yan said sincerely.
“That’s because someone is in a very good mood.” Ji Yuqing teased, pressing her key fob to unlock the car parked a short distance away.
Tang Yan froze for half a second—surprised and delighted that Aunt Ji was joking with her—then hurried after her, practically skipping.
“Where are we going now? Straight home?” Tang Yan fastened her seat belt the moment she got in.
“Supermarket,” Ji Yuqing replied while starting the engine. “New Year’s is a week away—we need supplies. Even if it’s just the two of us, we still need the proper holiday spirit.”
“Mm‑hmm, got it,” Tang Yan answered happily.
Two people were fine with her—no outsiders, everything more relaxed and pure.
With a single week left before lunar New Year, Zhao Xiaoyun sat cross‑legged on her rented bed and opened the ticket‑booking app. Every seat was long gone—even post‑holiday Lantern‑Festival tickets were sold out. It was Spring Festival travel season, after all. Crestfallen, she tried several other “fast‑ticket” apps. After countless attempts she finally snatched a single standing‑room ticket.
Hard‑won—but on a slow train that meant standing more than twenty hours, shoulder to shoulder in the holiday crush. Pure torment.
Still, she decided to share the good news with her family. It had been ages since she last called home, and guilt tightened her chest as she dialed her mother.
Someone picked up at last—only to unleash a torrent of abuse: “You worthless girl! So you still remember this is your home? That I’m your mother? Why haven’t you died out there!”
Clutching the bed sheet, Zhao Xiaoyun’s rehearsed words evaporated. She offered a weak excuse: “I’ve… been busy with work here, so—”
“New Year decorations and the house renovation all cost money. How much can you send?”
Her fingers dug deeper into the sheet. Why was every conversation about money? They never asked if she was eating well or living decently all alone up north. Her nose stung.
“Hello? Say something! Your brother’s tuition next term is huge. As his sister, don’t you think you should help?”
She set the phone on the bed without hanging up and sagged backward, cushioned only by a soft pillow. Staring blankly at the ceiling, she felt drained—utterly drained. When would this life ever change?
Sometimes she wondered if she was adopted. Her brother was lazy and dull yet got to stay in school; she had been pushed out to work and pay the bills.
Who knew how long she lay there. At last she picked up the phone—the call had ended. Sniffling, she reopened the ticket app and, without hesitation, refunded the precious ticket. Exhaling deeply, she then messaged her supervisor: I’ll stay on duty through New Year.
The manager was thrilled, promising triple pay. Zhao Xiaoyun no longer cared. She simply did not want to go home.
Ji Yuqing and Tang Yan had just reached the supermarket, and “crowded” barely described it. Red lanterns and paper “Fu” characters hung everywhere, and New Year discounts blared on every aisle.
“So many people!” Tang Yan gaped, inching along.
“Of course—everyone’s stocking up,” Ji Yuqing said.
Tang Yan had no experience with holiday shopping, so she followed Aunt Ji’s lead—learning for the future when she would have to manage on her own.
Midway through, Tang Yan’s phone rang. It was Xiaoyun.
While Ji Yuqing took produce to the scale nearby, Tang Yan answered, keeping one eye on her aunt.
“Hey, Xiaoyun.”
“I’ve decided not to go home for New Year,” Zhao Xiaoyun said.
“Why not?”
“Holiday pay here is triple. I want to earn a bit more,” she replied, feigning cheer.
“But spending New Year alone will be lonely. How about I ask Aunt Ji if you can join us? She’ll say yes.”
“No, no,” Zhao Xiaoyun laughed it off. “I don’t want to intrude. I might even have to work on New Year’s Eve.”
“Well… all right. If you need anything, just call. I’ll help however I can.”
By then Ji Yuqing had finished weighing the produce and called her over.
“It’s noisy on your end—where are you?” Zhao Xiaoyun asked.
“Shopping for holiday supplies with Aunt Ji. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay, bye‑bye.”
After hanging up, Ji Yuqing asked, “Who was that?”
“Xiaoyun. She’s staying in Huadu for the holiday.”
“We could invite her for New Year’s dinner,” Ji Yuqing suggested.
“I offered, but she said she might be working overtime.”
They had nearly completed the list. At the dairy case, Ji Yuqing searched for her favorite brand of yogurt but couldn’t find it. Tang Yan helped scour the shelves—when a familiar voice sounded behind them.
Turning, Tang Yan saw a gentle, bespectacled woman in her fifties.
“Teacher Li!” Tang Yan called.
Ji Yuqing turned as well. Tang Yan hastily introduced her. “This is our major‑course instructor.”
“Hello, Teacher,” Ji Yuqing said with a smile.
“Fancy meeting you here, Tang Yan. I just graded your exam and entered the score,” Teacher Li said warmly.
Startled, Tang Yan dared not ask for the grade. Teacher Li patted her shoulder. “You did very well. If your other subjects are this steady, you’re sure to win a scholarship this term.”
With the teacher’s praise, Tang Yan’s confidence soared.
“Thank you, Teacher!”
“It’s my pleasure,” Ji Yuqing added.
Teacher Li chuckled. “And who is this you haven’t introduced?”
“My aunt,” Tang Yan said after a slight pause.
Teacher Li laughed. “I thought so—much too young to be your mother! You two could be sisters.”
“You flatter me,” Ji Yuqing replied modestly.
“I still have more shopping—see you after the holiday.” Teacher Li waved and left.
When she was gone, Ji Yuqing laid a hand on Tang Yan’s shoulder, eyes brimming with pride. “Yan‑yan, you’re amazing.”
Tang Yan smiled, lips pressed tight. She wanted to become even better.
On the drive home they discussed how Tang Yan would spend the scholarship money. She first thought of repaying Aunt Ji—after all, Ji Yuqing had spent plenty on her these past months—but a small scholarship hardly mattered to her aunt.
“I’ll buy Aunt Ji a present,” Tang Yan decided.
“Why buy me a gift?” Ji Yuqing asked, amused.
“Because you’ve given me so many things, and I’ve never given you anything decent.”
“Silly girl, I don’t need presents. That money is your reward for hard work—use it for yourself. My greatest wish is to see you spend four happy, safe years in Huadu.”
At that, Tang Yan suddenly looked up. “After four years… will I have to move out of Aunt Ji’s house?”
The question caught Ji Yuqing off guard. Four years could feel long or short. She glanced at Tang Yan and smiled. “After graduation you’ll start working and likely move closer to your job. But this will always be your home—come back anytime.”
Even so, Tang Yan couldn’t hide her gloom. She couldn’t imagine living alone.
Seeing her head bowed for so long, Ji Yuqing asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Tang Yan shook her head. “Just thinking about the future. It makes me sad.”
Ji Yuqing’s hands tightened on the wheel. For some reason, those words left her own feelings in a tangle. After a moment she joked, “You can’t bear to leave Aunt Ji, hm?”
Tang Yan nodded, forcing a smile. “Right.”
Ji Yuqing patted her head. “Silly girl.”
In that instant, Tang Yan longed to pour out everything—to confess her hidden love. Sweet yet painful, the crush gnawed at her. Countless times she opened her mouth, and countless times she swallowed the words, nails digging into her palm while her face remained calm.
In the end, she stayed silent.
Now was not the moment. If Aunt Ji rejected her, she had no idea how she would go on living under the same roof.