After a short flight, her feet touched the ground again—she was back in the country. Tang Yan had originally planned to take the airport shuttle into the city, but Mr. Chen insisted on driving her. He said it was on his way anyway, and since she didn’t want to make a fuss about it, she didn’t refuse again.
It took a little over an hour to get into the city. By the time they arrived, the streetlights were on, and the whole city had slipped into neon night mode.
“It’s just about dinner time—how about we grab a bite together?” Chen Yuyan asked casually, one hand on the wheel, turning to gauge her reaction.
“Sorry, Mr. Chen. I have something I really need to take care of right away. I’m afraid I won’t be able to join you for dinner,” Tang Yan declined politely but firmly this time.
“Oh, I see.” Chen Yuyan looked a little surprised. “That’s a shame.”
“You can go home and have dinner with your wife and kids. I’m sure they’ve missed you.”
Chen Yuyan suddenly laughed. “You must be new. I’ve been divorced for years now—long single. Bet you didn’t expect that.”
“I’m sorry.” Tang Yan realized she may have said something inappropriate. Her throat tightened and she didn’t know what else to say.
“No worries. Nothing’s off limits.” Chen Yuyan pulled the car over and parked smoothly by the curb. “If it’s something urgent, go take care of it.” He gave her a wink, completely relaxed and without a trace of superiority.
Tang Yan nodded slightly, grabbed her bag, got out of the car, and circled around to the trunk to retrieve her suitcase.
She stood by the roadside, one hand on her suitcase, watching Mr. Chen drive away. Then she glanced at her phone—6:30 PM. Still time. She hailed a cab and headed to the department store.
She hadn’t brought much back from Japan. Most of the trip had been work, and she’d barely had time to shop. She did, however, buy a handbag at the duty-free store before returning—Mr. Chen said it was way cheaper than in domestic malls. She didn’t really know much about brands and had just picked the one he recommended.
At the department store, she pulled her suitcase behind her and wandered through, scanning the shelves. She was looking for a gift for Aunt Ji. Now that she was earning her own money, she had this spontaneous urge to get her something nice.
Passing by a boutique, her eyes were drawn to a silk scarf on a mannequin in the display window. She could already picture how beautiful Aunt Ji would look wearing it.
A salesperson came out and enthusiastically invited her in. Tang Yan waved and said, “I want the scarf the mannequin’s wearing.”
“You’ve got great taste! That’s our brand-new release.” The salesperson quickly took it down and wrapped it up. It wasn’t until she was paying that Tang Yan realized it cost three thousand yuan.
She took a deep breath, but surprisingly didn’t feel any pain over the price. After all, it was for Aunt Ji. Normally, she would think twice even before spending three hundred on herself.
After buying the scarf, she wandered around some more and suddenly spotted a pair of high heels. The style looked just like what Aunt Ji usually wore—probably her taste. She bought them too.
By the time she was done, she’d spent over ten thousand yuan.
As she stepped out of the mall and was about to hail a cab, she ran into a young girl selling flowers—five yuan apiece. Tang Yan thought for a moment, then bought all of them so the girl could go home early.
In the cab ride back to that house, her heart was pounding wildly. Thankfully, she was the only one who could hear it—otherwise the driver might’ve asked if she needed to visit a cardiologist.
From afar, she could already see the warm lights glowing on the first floor. Her nervousness spiked. Just thinking about seeing her again sent a rush of dopamine through her brain.
Not wanting to startle Aunt Ji, she quickly asked the driver to stop a bit early. After paying, she got out, hauling her suitcase, shopping bags, and flowers. The short walk of under a hundred steps somehow felt endless.
She finally arrived at the door. Just as she raised her hand to punch in the code, she hesitated. Instead, she pressed the doorbell and tried to calm herself with deep breaths.
The door opened. Ji Yuqing stood there in loungewear, her hair down, no makeup. Her skin was still firm and flawless.
“Yanyan?”
“I’m back,” Tang Yan said, swallowing hard, her heart racing in her chest.
“Perfect timing—I just made dinner. Come in.” Ji Yuqing’s voice was soft as ever, her every move and expression as elegant as Tang Yan remembered.
Tang Yan dragged her suitcase and all her bags inside, then called out nervously as Ji Yuqing turned to head back in, “Aunt Ji!”
“Hmm?” Ji Yuqing turned her head.
“These are for you,” Tang Yan said, handing her the bouquet.
“What are you buying me flowers for?” Ji Yuqing chuckled but took them.
“No reason. I just wanted to get them for you,” Tang Yan replied firmly, nothing like her usual timid self.
Ji Yuqing looked genuinely surprised. It had been a while since they’d seen each other—Yanyan really had changed.
Inside, Tang Yan unpacked everything she’d bought: the handbag from the duty-free shop, the scarf, the heels, and some cosmetics.
Ji Yuqing stood nearby, speechless as she watched Tang Yan pull out item after item.
“They’re all for you,” Tang Yan said.
“You shouldn’t have. That’s a waste of money. I can buy things myself,” Ji Yuqing said, a hint of reproach in her voice.
“I just wanted to do it…” Tang Yan paused. “You’ve always bought so much for me before. Now that I can earn my own money, I want to give something back.”
She hoped saying that might make it easier for Aunt Ji to accept.
“It’s sweet of you to think that way, but don’t do this again. I’ll take the things in—dinner’s in a bit,” Ji Yuqing said.
Tang Yan stood in the living room watching her turn and walk into the bedroom, and followed without thinking too much.
When Ji Yuqing turned and saw her right behind, she got startled and immediately sat down on the bed.
Tang Yan didn’t waste time. She stepped forward, placed both hands on Ji Yuqing’s shoulders, and confessed, “I missed you like crazy while you were gone.”
Ji Yuqing couldn’t meet her eyes. Her gaze flitted everywhere but Tang Yan’s face. “Seeing you doing so well now… I’m really proud of you. Really happy.”
“Aunt Ji, I like you. Even though you’ve been gone all this time, I still like you so much,” Tang Yan said, slowly leaning down, forcing Ji Yuqing to recline until she had nowhere left to retreat.
“Yanyan, don’t… don’t do this. We can’t…” Ji Yuqing’s voice trembled as she turned her face away.
“There’s no such thing as can or can’t.”
Tang Yan kissed her—deep, firm, unwilling to let go. Ji Yuqing tried to push her away again, her lips flushed from the kiss, her mind a complete mess.
“From this moment on, I’m going to pursue you,” Tang Yan said, hands braced on either side of the bed, her gaze steady and resolute like stone.
It was a declaration—one that had aged and fermented for over three years. At last, it was finally spoken.