Back to Auntie’s School Days - Chapter 7

The strange thing was, Auntie Zhu had lived next door for so many years. If there really was something between her mom and Auntie Zhu, how had she never noticed a single clue?

Jian Hao followed behind Jian You, locking the bike in the shed, entering the building, and heading upstairs. Just as they were about to enter the classroom, Jian Hao froze, a realization hitting her.

Come to think of it—

During those periods when she stayed up late reading novels, she would often hear her mom leave her room, followed by the sound of another door opening. Much later, she would hear a door open again, followed by her mom’s footsteps returning.

She had always assumed her mom was just getting up in the night. But once, unable to hold it in, she happened to hear her mom’s footsteps. She decided to wait for her mom to finish before going to the bathroom herself—otherwise, getting caught staying up late would mean a lecture. But she waited and waited. After more than half an hour, she still hadn’t heard a door or footsteps. She assumed she’d been too focused on her novel and missed it. Yet, when she finally came out of the bathroom, she ran into her mom opening the front door from the outside.

Before she could even panic about being caught awake, her mom was the one who looked flustered, asking why she wasn’t asleep yet.

“I woke up to use the bathroom. What are you doing out in the middle of the night?”

“Your Auntie Zhu has a stomach ache. I went to bring her medicine.”

Looking back, her mom had plenty of excuses for going to Auntie Zhu’s house, regardless of the hour…

Lost in these memories, Jian Hao kept her head down as she entered the classroom.

Consequently, she didn’t see that the moment she appeared, Tan Yanqing—sitting in the front row—suddenly stopped writing. Her thick, feather-like lashes flickered. Her eyes, which usually paid little attention to anything, lifted slightly, tracking Jian Hao as she walked over.

The scope of her “secret” glance wasn’t large; she could only see from Jian Hao’s waist down—a blur of azure blue school uniform.

Tan Yanqing arrived early every day, while Jian Hao and Jian You would duck in just as the morning self-study bell rang. Ever since Jian Hao joined the class, every morning after stepping off the podium and walking past Tan Yanqing’s desk, she would chirpy greet her.

“Tan Yanqing, morning!”

It was a daily, unshakeable ritual.

It didn’t matter if Tan Yanqing acknowledged her or not.

Over time, this sentence had almost become a biological clock for Tan Yanqing. It felt like a new sun rising; it was as if the day didn’t truly begin until she heard those words.

Tan Yanqing’s grip on her pen tightened slightly. Yesterday after school, on the way back, Zhu Xinsui noticed she was walking and offered a ride. She was going to refuse, but Zhu Xinsui said she wanted to see if the new bike was easy to ride and asked for her company. Just as she climbed onto the back of Zhu Xinsui’s bike, Jian You and Jian Hao had sped past them.

Though Jian Hao had only been in the class for a week, her personality was clear: extroverted, friendly with everyone, a lover of excitement and gossip, and a natural storyteller. Several times during breaks, classmates would gather around her to hear her talk about web novel plots they’d never heard of. She loved to smile; no matter who she was talking to, her eyes would curve like crescent moons. People say the moon is most beautiful when it’s full, but Tan Yanqing uniquely loved the sliver of a crescent. Jian Hao’s curved eyes were the most beautiful Tan Yanqing had ever seen.

But yesterday, when they locked eyes as they passed, those eyes weren’t curved.

Jian Hao’s face was somber; she seemed to still be angry.

Tan Yanqing did indeed suspect Jian Hao was faking amnesia. She had asked because Jian Hao was simply too close to her. When she first joined this class, others had tried to befriend her, but they eventually drifted away because she was too cold. She became a loner, with Zhu Xinsui being the only classmate she really spoke to.

Jian Hao’s arrival brought back the feeling of when she first started. Excessive passion, excessive concern, excessive praise… this excessive kindness made Tan Yanqing feel uneasy.

She had called out the “fake amnesia” because she wanted Jian Hao to stay away.

But she hadn’t expected Jian Hao to run away crying, nor to throw a heartbroken insult her way.

Even if Jian Hao’s tone while “scolding” her was delicate, sounding more like acting spoiled.

Even if she could tell Jian Hao was fake-crying.

In the classes that followed, the person behind her had lost her usual boisterousness. She didn’t even kick her chair anymore.

Tan Yanqing originally felt she had achieved her goal—Jian Hao wouldn’t bother her anymore, and her ears would have some peace. But after going home, the image of Jian Hao’s retreating back, crying into her hands, appeared before her eyes at regular intervals.

She felt she should apologize, yet she also felt she hadn’t done anything wrong. It was Jian Hao who had intruded into her world without permission. She hadn’t asked Jian Hao to be good to her.

But—

She didn’t want Jian Hao to bother her, but she shouldn’t have made her cry. Even if it was fake.

So, if Jian Hao said “morning” to her today, and she gave a “mhm” or a nod, would that count as an apology?

The tip of her pen, pressed against the paper for too long without moving, bled into a small black dot.

Jian Hao was about to reach Tan Yanqing’s desk.

Just as Tan Yanqing was mentally preparing her response, the scent of a fried dough stick (youtiao) drifted past her nose—Jian Hao walked right by.

Without saying a single word.

Jian Hao shoved her backpack into her desk and started stuffing the dough stick into her mouth. She had to finish breakfast before the bell rang.

“You guys didn’t eat at home?” Zhu Xinsui asked.

Jian Hao nodded. “We woke up late, didn’t have time.”

It was all her mom’s fault! All that talk about Auntie Tan liking Auntie Zhu kept her awake all night, making it impossible to get up.

“Oh.” Zhu Xinsui hesitated, then asked, “Did you finish your homework?”

Jian Hao nodded. “All done.”

Zhu Xinsui added, “Is there anything you don’t understand? I can teach you.”

Jian Hao took a bite of her breakfast, her deer-like, expressive eyes fixed on Zhu Xinsui for a moment. “What do you need my help with?”

Having her thoughts read, Zhu Xinsui’s face flushed slightly. She spoke shyly, “I just have a question for you.”

“Shoot.”

Zhu Xinsui hesitated, glanced at Tan Yanqing, then leaned in close to Jian Hao’s ear. “Does Jian You hate me?” she whispered.

Jian Hao nearly choked on her food. “Why would you think that?”

Zhu Xinsui lowered her head, sounding aggrieved. “She didn’t even say hi when she saw me yesterday.”

Ah, I didn’t realize Auntie Zhu looked so dorky but was actually quite sensitive.

Jian Hao’s eyes darted around as a plan formed. A mischievous smile tugged at her lips. “If I tell you why, can you do me a favor in return?”

Without a second thought, Zhu Xinsui nodded. “Sure.”

Jian Hao smiled and leaned into Zhu Xinsui’s ear to whisper something.

After listening, Zhu Xinsui blinked in a daze. Realizing why Jian You was ignoring her, she muttered to herself that Jian You was a big dummy. Then she asked Jian Hao, “What do you want me to do?”

Jian Hao leaned in again and whispered her request. Zhu Xinsui nodded. “No problem.”

Though they were intentionally whispering, how could their hushed conversation not reach the ears of the person sitting right in front of them?

Tan Yanqing’s eyes remained downcast, fixed on the black dot where her pen had bled. Though small, the ink had soaked through the worksheet and into the book beneath it.

Like a drop of ink accidentally spilled into her heart, it soaked through her defenses and spread with lightning speed, making her realize she wasn’t nearly as indifferent as she appeared.

Tan Yanqing’s world hadn’t seen the sun in a long time. She looked out the window; it was a cloudy day, another one without sunlight.

Meanwhile, in the back row, Jian You stared at the back of Jian Hao’s head as she whispered with Zhu Xinsui and took a savage bite of her dough stick.

I guard against everyone else, but the thief is in my own house!

After the second period was a long break.

The lowerclassmen had to run to the playground within five minutes for calisthenics. The only perk of being a senior was not having to participate in those boring activities.

Having only eaten one dough stick, Jian Hao wasn’t full. She originally wanted to ask Jian You to accompany her to the school store for bread, but Jian You had been called away by the PE teachers to prepare for the sports meet. She turned to ask Zhu Xinsui, but remembered she’d gone to the teacher’s office to ask about a problem.

The only person left in the classroom she was familiar with was Tan Yanqing.

Looking at Tan Yanqing, Jian Hao felt a bit apprehensive.

Growing up, she could hide some things from her mom, but never from Auntie Tan. She used to think it was because Auntie Tan was a cop, but she didn’t expect the current Tan Yanqing to be able to see through her act at a single glance.

Are those cold eyes really that sharp?

Ultimately, Jian Hao glanced at Tan Yanqing—who was focused on her homework—and left the classroom to go buy bread alone. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to ask; she just knew that even if she did, Tan Yanqing wouldn’t go with her.

Better not to annoy her.

When she went downstairs, the calisthenics hadn’t finished. The path to the store was sparse, with only a few seniors and Student Council members who didn’t have to do the exercises.

The store was empty too.

When Jian Hao finished her purchase and stepped out, she came face-to-face with a cold-faced Tan Yanqing. She opened her mouth to say hi, but Tan Yanqing just swept a glance over her and walked past.

Jian Hao: “…”

She recalled Tan Yanqing’s frown from yesterday, and her heart sank again.

If I ever travel back, even if she buys me a hundred cakes, I won’t talk to her for a long time! Hmph! I’m going to be cold and aloof too!

Jian Hao made this vow with iron-clad resolve.

However, when Tan Yanqing came out of the store after buying her things, she saw Jian Hao squatting by the roadside where they had met. She was munching on bread while breaking off small pieces of ham sausage to feed a school cat.

Tan Yanqing paused for a second before walking toward her.

As she got closer, she heard the person on the ground muttering:

“Mimi, now that you’ve eaten my sausage, you’re my cat. When Tan Yanqing walks by later, you have to lie down at her feet and act cute to help me gonglue (conquer/woo) her, okay?”

Tan Yanqing instinctively frowned.

Gonglue her?

What did that mean?

Was she going to attack her?