Back to Auntie’s School Days - Chapter 43

“It’s so distressing. I got up at six this morning, and as soon as I walked into the living room, I saw her slumped over the table, fast asleep. Just like that day, half a bottle of wine was gone… When I woke her up and asked, she told me she couldn’t sleep and drank to help her rest… Like I’d believe that… I don’t even know when she learned to drink… She went out to eat with Tan Yanqing yesterday; surely they didn’t say something to each other again? I saw her eyes were swollen, like she’d been crying… Anyway, those few bottles in my wine cabinet, take them all to your house today. I can’t have alcohol in my house anymore… What do you think we should do? Forget the age gap for a second—she watched her grow up. It’s fundamentally impossible. How is being together any different from something scandalous? Anyway, Yanyan is definitely unwilling to bring this up, so the two of us will just pretend we don’t know. As for Tangtang, I’ll go talk to her after she’s settled down for a while… I think she’s just had too little exposure to people, plus she’s young, so this kind of thing happens. When she’s a bit older, she’ll probably be fine… But my daughter sure has high standards; that cold block of ice has had plenty of pursuers since she was a kid… Hey? Did you ever like her?”

Jian Hao came out of her room to use the bathroom, only to hear Jian You speaking with Zhu Xinsui in the kitchen.

To thank them for their help during the five days she was missing, Jian You had said she would treat them to a meal once everyone was free. Since Tan Yanqing had returned from her business trip yesterday and was off today, and Zhu Xinsui happened to be free this weekend, the meal was set for today. Originally, they talked about going to a restaurant, but both Zhu Xinsui and Tan Yanqing felt it wasn’t necessary and suggested eating at home instead.

So, they decided on hotpot at home.

Tan Yanqing was on her way. Zhu Xinsui lived nearby and had arrived early to help Jian You wash the vegetables and meatballs.

Jian Hao had been in her room doing homework with Guan Xinting; they hadn’t heard her come out, so their voices weren’t lowered.

In truth, there was no real need to whisper. It was a fact that she had gotten drunk and slept on the living room table all night. If it weren’t for the fact that Jian You didn’t dare scold her right now—fearing she might run away again in a fit of pique—she certainly wouldn’t have been fooled by that “sleep aid” excuse.

When Jian Hao emerged from the bathroom, the topic between Jian You and Zhu Xinsui had already changed, perhaps because they sensed she had heard them.

Back in her room, Jian Hao sat at her desk, staring blankly, motionless and silent. They had already finished their homework. Since Guan Xinting had been invited to stay for hotpot, she wasn’t in a rush to go home; right now, she was lying on Jian Hao’s bed, watching a comedy show on Jian Hao’s tablet, giggling uncontrollably.

Compared to her, the low pressure radiating from Jian Hao was all too obvious.

Although Guan Xinting was watching the show, she kept an eye on Jian Hao. She didn’t turn off the program but lowered the volume to make her concern seem less deliberate. “Why are you just sitting there? Come watch this with me. I’m telling you, this person is hilarious!”

Jian Hao lowered her gaze.

After being woken up by Jian You this morning, Jian Hao understood that traveling through time wasn’t something she could do just because she wanted to. If she wanted to make amends, she could only do so by being better to Tan Yanqing in the days to come.

But could simply being “good” to Tan Yanqing ever compensate for those seventeen years of regret and persistence?

And what she owed Tan Yanqing wasn’t just seventeen years; it was thirty-four. Tan Yanqing had raised her for seventeen years, too!

Jian Hao bit her lip. After a few seconds, she looked at Guan Xinting. “Remember when I told you there was someone I liked?”

Guan Xinting nodded. “I remember. You talk about it every day; how could I forget?”

Jian Hao whispered, “Guess who that person is?”

“No idea. Definitely not from our school, though.”

Jian Hao had mentioned some details before—how the person would drive her out to play, buy her gifts, or pick out food for her when they ate at restaurants… It sounded like someone with financial freedom and mature charm, an adult in society, rather than the “pure love” types at school who would split a single popsicle in half to share.

Guan Xinting paused, then suddenly realized something. She turned off the tablet and sat up to face Jian Hao. “You weren’t with that person during those five days you were gone, were you?”

And then she’d returned, only to become a different person—gloomy and no longer smiling. It was as if— “Did you guys break up?”

Without waiting for Jian Hao to answer, Guan Xinting slapped the bed in anger. “That scumbag!”

Werent they a scumbag? An adult in society, acting ambiguously with a high schooler and even taking them away for five days… Guan Xinting didn’t dare ask Jian Hao if anything had happened between them during those five days. Given Jian Hao’s past infatuation with that person, Jian Hao would have agreed to anything they said.

So? Did they just discard her once they got what they wanted?

“Pah!”

Jian Hao was caught off guard by her reaction and gave a small smile. As the corners of her mouth settled, she shook her head dejectedly.

“No.” She explained, “My disappearance had nothing to do with her. Don’t let your imagination run wild.”

“Really?”

“Why would I lie?”

Guan Xinting breathed a sigh of relief; at least she wasn’t a “love brain” (obsessively infatuated). She got off the bed and sat next to Jian Hao.

“Then who is it?”

Jian Hao hesitated. “You know her.”

“?!”

Jian Hao had always described the person as very charming, and Guan Xinting knew plenty of charming women—everyone had their own unique charm, after all. With so many people, how was she supposed to guess? But if it were someone Jian Hao would like and often hung out with… Guan Xinting went through a whole list in her head and found nothing.

She said, “Just tell me straight. Don’t worry, I definitely won’t tell Auntie Jian.”

Jian Hao glanced at her. “My mom already knows.”

“You told Auntie Jian but not me?” Her status as the “first best friend” felt like it was crumbling.

“I didn’t tell her; it was her…” Jian Hao slumped onto the table, looking utterly depressed.

Guan Xinting was shocked. “She actually came here to talk to Auntie Jian? Wait, that’s not right. Didn’t you say it was a secret crush? How did she know you liked her? And why did she tell on you?” She frowned at Jian Hao.

Jian Hao said, “On my birthday, I got carried away and confessed to her. I was really sad after she rejected me, so I came back and sneakily drank my mom’s wine… and then… the running away happened.”

“…”

Guan Xinting stayed silent to process this. After a while, she said, “So you actually ran away because your confession failed?” She sounded exasperated. “Seriously, Jian Hao? Are you really that weak?”

The Jian Hao she knew was an “undefeatable cockroach” who grew braver with every setback—a little sun. She wasn’t like this.

“Who is she?” Guan Xinting brought the topic back on track. Regardless, she was now even more curious about who this sacred being of a secret crush was!

“…Auntie Tan,” Jian Hao’s lips moved slightly as she mumbled.

“Who?”

“Auntie Tan.” This time her voice was a bit louder, enough to be heard clearly.

“…”

Guan Xinting silently rose from the chair, went back to the bed, and turned on the tablet. The sounds of the comedy show started again, but Guan Xinting wasn’t laughing. After about a minute, she let out a sharp breath and sat back down next to Jian Hao.

Propping her chin on one hand, she said with a serious face: “My ears were broken just now, so I went to wash them. Now, say it again—who is the person you like?”

Jian Hao had already reached the “it doesn’t matter anymore” stage. She didn’t hide it at all, looking Guan Xinting straight in the eye.

“Tan Yanqing. The person I like is Tan Yanqing.”

The afternoon light spilled generously into the room. The November light was a pale blue-green, but the light falling on Jian Hao’s cheeks had the white-pink hue of a strawberry that had just ripened. Oh, it was scorched ripe by the secret thoughts of a seventeen-year-old girl.

Guan Xinting said woodenly, “…I take back what I just said. Student Jian Hao, you aren’t weak at all.”

Jian Hao slumped back onto the table. Guan Xinting followed suit, and they lay there face-to-face.

She started muttering: “You could kill me and I still wouldn’t have guessed your crush was Auntie Tan… When did you fall for her? Oh, you told me, fifth grade… Jian Hao, you’re incredible. I should have realized… actually, I suspected everyone before, even Auntie Zhu out there, but I never once thought of Auntie Tan.”

“Why?” After a long time, Jian Hao finally spoke.

“Because—” Guan Xinting choked on her words, “—you call her Godmother!”

The room fell into a brief silence. After a while, Guan Xinting asked, “So, do you still want to be with Auntie Tan?”

“…”

She didn’t speak. Seeing her expression, Guan Xinting assumed she had given up and arched an eyebrow. “She rejects you once and you just give up?”

Jian Hao didn’t answer. Instead, she whispered, “I told you, she met a scumbag girl before who broke her heart. She doesn’t have any interest in that kind of thing.”

Guan Xinting said, “But that was over ten years ago. Even the most passionate love turns to ash by now.”

But what if that scumbag girl was me?

When Auntie Tan rejected her, aside from the inappropriate status, could it also be because she looked like Jian Lai? The kind of resemblance that made her angry and grit her teeth in hatred whenever she saw her.

Guan Xinting asked again, “What’s Auntie Jian’s attitude?”

Jian Hao said, “She’s acting like it never happened.”

“I figured as much.” Guan Xinting said, “Auntie Tan doesn’t seem to be acting like it happened either; otherwise, she definitely wouldn’t have sought you out… Yesterday she even picked us up from school and treated us to dinner.”

Jian Hao froze. “Right. Why isn’t she avoiding me?” She had even explained that her half-month absence was due to a business trip… Why?

“Like I said, she didn’t take it seriously.” Guan Xinting sighed. “She definitely thinks of you as a kid… thinks you’re just joking.”

Jian Hao lowered her eyes, looking at the fine hair on her arm. She heard herself ask Guan Xinting, “What do you think I should do?”

“Mmm… is your liking Auntie Tan serious?” Guan Xinting sat up and looked at her. “If it were serious, how could you not know what to do?”

It wasn’t that she didn’t know what to do, but that she didn’t know how to do it.

She was about to speak when two “tap-tap” knocks sounded on the door. Zhu Xinsui’s voice came from outside: “Dinner is ready.”

“Coming!”

The two came out of the bedroom one after the other. Guan Xinting went to the kitchen to see if she could help. Jian Hao walked to the dining table.

The weather today was quite nice. The brilliant white light filled the room, making the house—which hadn’t yet started its central heating—feel warm.

Tan Yanqing was standing by the dining table. It was unclear when she had arrived. Today she was wearing glasses, and a few loose strands of her tied-up hair draped over the side of her face, obscuring it. Looking from the side, her expression was unclear, but one didn’t need to look to know—she usually didn’t have much of an expression. She was wearing a slim-fit dark gray turtleneck, and she had rolled the sleeves up to her elbows. Standing there mixing the hotpot dipping sauces, she looked as methodical and efficient as if she were performing a scientific experiment.

When Jian Hao reached the table, Tan Yanqing looked up for a moment, then placed two bowls she had just finished—one oil-based and one sesame paste-based—in front of her.

Although her gaze didn’t linger on Jian Hao, the first thing that caught Jian Hao’s eye was those pale, translucent arms. She remembered the feeling of hooking her arm through them.

Only after Tan Yanqing’s arm withdrew, like a bright meteor across the night sky, did Jian Hao’s gaze fall on the two bowls of dipping sauce.

Jian Hao liked sesame paste sauce, while Tan Yanqing habitually ate the oil-based kind.

Anyone with experience in a secret crush will understand the desire to use the same things as the other person. Even back when she had gigglingly begged Tan Yanqing to make her an identical oil-based sauce, and her mom had teased her for being a “copycat,” she hadn’t cared. She wanted to eat what Auntie Tan ate and use what Auntie Tan used. If she couldn’t have Auntie Tan, she would at least have the same things as her. After all, it was her Auntie Tan—she loved and pampered her and wouldn’t blame her.

Since then, whenever they had hotpot together, Tan Yanqing would always prepare the sauces for Jian Hao first. She knew Jian Hao’s tastes perfectly, and Jian Hao’s palate had long been spoiled by her. Whenever she went out with others and had to mix her own, it never felt as fragrant as Tan Yanqing’s, and then her mind would be occupied by thoughts of her. She would often take a photo and send it to Tan Yanqing with a caption: 【Waaaah Auntie, yours still tastes the best. I miss you.】 【Hotpot again, but the sauce still isn’t as good as yours~ cry.jpg It would be great if you were here~】

Then she would receive a message from Tan Yanqing with the sauce recipe, or: 【This late, with classmates?】 【Do you need me to pick you up?】 【Message me when you get home】 【Smile.jpg Auntie misses you too】 【I’ll go with you next time. Pinky swear.jpg】

Sometimes she thought that it wasn’t her fault she fell in love with Tan Yanqing; Tan Yanqing was to blame, too.

—She was too good to her.

In fact, at times, some of Tan Yanqing’s actions and words gave Jian Hao the illusion: Is she flirting with me on purpose?

If Tan Yanqing had been an iceberg to her like she was to everyone else, how could she have fallen irredeemably in love with her at such a young age? To be honest, if it weren’t for her confession being rejected, she truly would have suspected that Tan Yanqing intended to entice her into falling for her.