Back to Auntie’s School Days - Chapter 8

“Jian Lai.”

Tan Yanqing’s voice, as clear as a mountain spring, rang in her ear. It took Jian Hao two seconds to realize she was being called.

“You’re finished shopping?” Jian Hao broke off another piece of ham for the kitten, glancing at Tan Yanqing with feigned nonchalance. She stood up, twisting the top of the bread bag tight. “Let’s go, then.”

Tan Yanqing’s eyelids lifted slightly. She hadn’t expected Jian Hao to be squatting here waiting for her.

Tan Yanqing didn’t say a word and started walking straight ahead, not exactly looking like she intended to walk back to class with Jian Hao.

But Jian Hao didn’t mind at all. Once Tan Yanqing was beside her, Jian Hao matched her pace and started chatting idly. “It’s so hot today.”

It was hot enough that she had tied her long-sleeved school jacket around her waist. She glanced at Tan Yanqing, who was still wearing her autumn jacket, zipped up to the collarbone. Beneath it was the white collar of the summer uniform, buttoned all the way to the top, resting primly and meticulously against her neck.

Tan Yanqing had herself covered up so tightly she reminded Jian Hao of those thick cotton quilts people used to cover popsicle tricycles on the street.

Jian Hao looked up, noting that Tan Yanqing’s face was clean and free of sweat, as if she carried her own built-in air conditioner. Catching the cold gaze behind the glasses, Jian Hao remarked, “You don’t seem to feel the heat at all.”

She hadn’t expected a reply, but two seconds later, a soft “Mhm” vibrated from Tan Yanqing’s throat.

Jian Hao arched an eyebrow in pleasant surprise and kept the topic going. “I’m very sensitive to heat. That’s why I like cold things and… people.”

The last word was bitten softly between her teeth with an almost imperceptible tenderness. The suggestive undertone made Tan Yanqing instinctively look at her.

Jian Hao laughed again, her eyes curving into crescents that mirrored the faint moon still hanging in the blue sky.

Tan Yanqing’s habitually cold eyes suddenly glazed over for a split second.

Jian Hao didn’t notice, because she had turned back to see the kitten following her. She squatted down again to feed it the last of the ham.

Tan Yanqing’s gaze naturally fell onto the top of Jian Hao’s head.

Jian Hao wore her medium-length hair loose, without a hair tie. The school wasn’t strict about hairstyles for seniors, so no one scolded her for it. She wore a heart-shaped clip on the right side, pinning the stray hairs behind her ear. From Tan Yanqing’s angle, she had a clear view of the right side of Jian Hao’s face, unobstructed by hair.

There was still a hint of baby fat on her cheeks. Her skin was very pale but had a healthy, jade-like flush. It was clear she had been raised well by her family.

Tan Yanqing couldn’t help but wonder what kind of family could raise a girl to be this full of love—someone who not only didn’t lack affection but could give so much more to those around her.

Jian Hao was like a sun.

But a sun and a moon at the same time? Isn’t that a contradiction?

No.

Because the contradiction wasn’t Jian Hao.

The contradiction was her.

Just like how she liked Jian Hao’s closeness, yet feared it. She wanted Jian Hao to be angry and ignore her, yet she didn’t want Jian Hao to cry because of her…

Tan Yanqing’s gaze on Jian Hao’s face intensified, as if she were scrutinizing not just the girl, but her own inner thoughts.

“Tan Yanqing, why did you call me just now?”

Still feeding the cat, Jian Hao turned her head toward the person standing beside her.

The question was sudden, and the turn was abrupt. Tan Yanqing was caught off guard; terrified of being caught staring, she quickly jerked her head away to avoid Jian Hao’s gaze.

But the tips of Tan Yanqing’s ears turned red—burning red.

Her right hand, hanging at the seam of her trousers, curled slightly before she stuffed it into her jacket pocket. The moment her hand went in, it brushed against two plastic bags. For a moment, the faint rustle of plastic crinkling filled the pocket. But the break-time calisthenics had just ended, and the air was filled with the noisy chatter of students returning from the playground, so the sound of the plastic wasn’t obvious.

Inside her pocket, Tan Yanqing’s hand clenched into a half-fist.

“It was nothing,” she said.

“Oh.” Jian Hao didn’t think much of it and looked back at the cat. “No more ham~ I’ll feed you next time!”

She stood up and flashed a smile at Tan Yanqing. “Let’s go!”

The two of them headed upstairs together.

All her life, Jian Hao had a lot to say to the adult Tan Yanqing. The adult version never found her annoying; she would listen to Jian Hao’s long, rambling stories and give soft replies.

Facing the young Tan Yanqing now, Jian Hao still had plenty to say. Her mouth never stayed still.

“Jian You already handed in the registration form,” she said. “We can start training today!”

Tan Yanqing: “Mhm.”

“Do you have shoes for running?” Jian Hao looked down at the canvas shoes on Tan Yanqing’s feet. “Won’t your feet hurt running in those?”

Tan Yanqing: “I have some.”

Jian Hao: “Then remember to change when you go home at lunch. We’ll train during afternoon self-study.”

“Mhm.”

Tan Yanqing replied with single words, but Jian Hao was used to her cool demeanor and didn’t mind.

She wasn’t a masochist who enjoyed being given the cold shoulder or the slight ache in her chest. She didn’t mind Tan Yanqing’s coldness only because she knew how wonderful Tan Yanqing would be to her in the future.

Tan Yanqing’s kindness wasn’t on the surface; it was in the tiny details of daily life. Her goodness was hidden between the lines, requiring one to feel it with their heart.

Jian Hao used the patience she’d learned from being indulged by “Auntie Tan” to tolerate the current Tan Yanqing. She turned around and began walking up the stairs backward, facing Tan Yanqing. “What were you buying just now?”

“A pen.”

“I have plenty of pens! If you ever run out, you can just tell me!”

Tan Yanqing didn’t speak; she just lowered her lashes.

Neither of them noticed that at the landing behind Jian Hao, a few students were play-fighting and wrestling, moving toward the stairs.

Just as Jian Hao started to turn back around, she was bumped hard.

Jian Hao’s hand had been reaching for the banister; with a bit of effort, she could have stabilized herself. But when her peripheral vision caught the person beside her, she let go, letting her body fall toward Tan Yanqing.

Suddenly, Jian Hao’s body tilted backward and her feet stumbled. She was on the verge of tumbling down the stairs. But in the next second, a powerful arm wrapped around her waist, catching her in a firm grip. As she was pulled forward, her body leaned into the other person.

Jian Hao’s hands naturally rested on Tan Yanqing’s shoulders, her head leaning into the hollow of Tan Yanqing’s neck. Her slightly heavy breathing brushed against Tan Yanqing’s skin—warm and soft. It tickled her neck, but the itch was in her heart.

Tan Yanqing’s entire body froze.

Just as she was about to pull her hand away, the person in her arms snuggled closer. The hands on her shoulders reached back, wrapping around the nape of her neck in a hug.

“That scared me to death,” Jian Hao whimpered, burrowing further into Tan Yanqing’s embrace. “Luckily I have you~”

The two were pressed together, their noses filled with each other’s scent.

Tan Yanqing’s body felt cold even in an embrace, and even the scent of her laundry detergent had a hint of mountain fir and snow. And Jian Hao? Perhaps because she was still clutching the bread, and the bag had loosened during the movement, Tan Yanqing smelled something sweet and soft, like bread filled with blueberry jam.

Moreover, because Jian Hao wasn’t wearing her jacket, the sensation of the softness pressed against her chest felt even more direct.

The ice in Tan Yanqing’s eyes cracked, but she quickly regained her composure. The hand on Jian Hao’s waist moved up to grab the arms wrapped around her neck, giving a gentle tug to pull Jian Hao out of her arms.

Then, she let go of Jian Hao’s arms and looked coldly at the student who had bumped into her, who was now standing there paralyzed with fright. “Apologize.”

The student recognized Tan Yanqing as the monitor of Class 2—a top student and a teacher’s pet. They knew she wasn’t someone to mess with, and since they were in the wrong, they apologized profusely to Jian Hao.

The moment the student spoke, Tan Yanqing turned and walked away.

Jian Hao watched her retreating back, a secret smile curving her lips. Once she was sure Tan Yanqing was out of earshot, she told the student, “It’s fine~ Thanks a lot~!”

Then she trotted off to catch up with Tan Yanqing.

The student: Thanks…? For what?

Evening

Jian You had applied to Teacher Gao for forty minutes of training time. All the long-distance runners were allowed to skip the last self-study period to go to the playground.

Six people had signed up—three boys and three girls—and Jian You organized the warm-up.

After setting the three boys off on their run, Jian You stood before Tan Yanqing and Jian Hao. She said to Tan Yanqing, “I really didn’t expect you to sacrifice study time to run. Do you want to beat me that badly?”

Tan Yanqing gave her a flat look. “Can we start now?”

Jian You nodded. “You guys start. I need to take something to the PE teacher.” She turned toward the equipment room. “If you feel unwell, tell me. Don’t just keep quiet.”

Tan Yanqing stepped onto the track and began a slow jog.

Jian Hao habitually ran by her side. After fifty meters, she spoke up: “I know you didn’t agree to sign up just to spite Jian You. It’s because you love running.”

Tan Yanqing’s eyelashes fluttered.

Jian Hao looked at her and smiled. “But because Jian You never asked you before, you never took the initiative to sign up for the sports meet.”

Tan Yanqing looked at Jian Hao, her eyes filled with a new sense of scrutiny. She was wondering: How did she know that?

Jian Hao, of course, had learned this back in the days of her first crush, when she had set an alarm for 6:00 AM every day just to accompany the adult Tan Yanqing on her morning runs.

Jian Hao edged closer to Tan Yanqing, meeting her gaze without a care in the world.

As Tan Yanqing looked at her, she realized Jian Hao wasn’t just sun-like in personality; she looked bright, too. Her features were delicate, and her eyes were watery and sparkling. When she stared at someone, the light in her eyes was like a book of love poems—no matter which page you flipped to, you’d find deep affection.

Jian Hao laughed and lowered her voice. “I believe you can definitely outrun Jian You.”

After all, Auntie Tan had won first place in marathons before. Plus, she had once seen Tan Yanqing’s name in the school archives of No. 1 High for breaking the girls’ 5,000-meter record.

“But she doesn’t have much pocket money, so when it’s time for her to buy the burgers, I won’t go,” Jian Hao added.

Tan Yanqing heard this, glanced at Jian Hao, then glanced behind her before looking back and speeding up slightly.

Jian Hao was wondering what Tan Yanqing was looking at when she heard Jian You’s voice behind her, laced with a half-smile.

“I heard that.”

Jian Hao froze and turned around to see that Jian You had caught up with them at some point. Jian You gave Jian Hao’s arm a playful twist. “Jian Lai, look at you, taking sides already!”

Jian Hao quickened her pace, shouting as she ran ahead, “How am I taking sides? Tan Yanqing isn’t an outsider!”

Jian You chased after her. “Then go live at her house! Why are you still hanging around mine?”

At that moment, Jian Hao happened to run past Tan Yanqing. She turned her head. “Tan Yanqing! Can I stay at your house?!”

“You’d actually go if she let you?!” Jian You rolled up her sleeves, fuming. “Jian Lai, you stay right there! See if I don’t beat you to a pulp!”

“It’s a new era! We don’t solve problems with violence!”

Everyone on the playground was drawn to their antics.

Slow jogging on the track, Tan Yanqing’s pace gradually slowed. Her gaze followed the two girls chasing each other in the distance. The crimson twilight of the evening cast a bit of warmth into her eyes, and her lips curled upward unconsciously. When she realized she was smiling, her gaze turned restrained. The soft light in her eyes vanished as the sun dipped further below the horizon.

A rustling sound came from her right pocket as she ran. she pulled out two small snacks. Tan Yanqing looked at the words “Sour Girl” printed on the plastic bags, then looked up at the distant, running figure of Jian Hao.

She hadn’t gone to the store to buy a pen this morning; she’d gone for candy.

She didn’t know why, but when she saw Jian Hao go downstairs, she had followed. When she saw Jian Hao head toward the store alone, she instinctively bought two bags of candy, intending to use them to coax her. But Jian Hao didn’t seem to be angry with her anymore…

Tan Yanqing pursed her lips and stuffed the candy back into her pocket.

Training ended, and it was time for school to let out. Jian You told Jian Hao to go upstairs and grab her backpack while she waited below.

When Tan Yanqing and Jian Hao finished packing and Tan Yanqing realized Jian Hao was no longer at her desk, she simply said goodbye to Zhu Xinsui and left the school.

She walked home alone, shielding herself from the surrounding bustle as if she were the only person in the world, needing to answer to no one.

But then, a voice from outside her world broke through.

“Tan Yanqing!”

“Tan Yanqing! Wait for me!”

Tan Yanqing stopped and turned around.

Jian Lai, with her school jacket tied around her waist and wearing a plain white T-shirt, was riding a red bicycle. She was weaving through the crowd of people pouring out of the school gates, heading straight for her.

Jian Lai’s hair fluttered in the wind, and the bright smile on her face was like the sun finally shining into Tan Yanqing’s world.

The bike skidded to a stop in front of her. “Tan Yanqing!”

Jian Lai grinned. “I’m taking you home!”