What's Wrong With Being Fifteen Years Older Than Me?! - Chapter 10

“So, Xiaoli, you miss me?” The woman on the other end of the line gave a soft laugh. Her voice was slightly raised, casual and lazy, yet incredibly magnetic, making the tips of Ye Li’s ears tingle.

Ye Li immediately furrowed her brow and inwardly retorted. What does this have to do with missing you? How strange. Before she could come up with a reply, she heard a snippet of an English conversation on the phone. It sounded like someone was calling Auntie Lu.

“Jasmyne on! We have…” The rest of the sentence was inaudible due to the foreigner’s fast pace and the poor phone quality, and since Ye Li’s English listening skills were so-so, she couldn’t understand the rest.

“Auntie Lu, you should go if you’re busy. I’m fine,” Ye Li quickly said, trying to change the subject. The thought of admitting she missed her was too embarrassing.

“Okay, I’ll come back as soon as I’m done here.” The call was cut short, as the other person was clearly in a hurry.

“Jasmyn! Jasmyn? Jasmyn…” Ye Li lay on her bed, mimicking the foreigner’s tone. It was a funny sight. But on a more serious note, Auntie Lu’s English name was interesting. It was Jasmine. How old was she when she chose that name? A small smile crept onto the girl’s lips.

Time flew by. After the tense and fierce competition of the high school entrance exams, Ye Li’s score was exactly ten points above the Jingchuan High School admission line. Her math skills were as stable as ever, but to her surprise, she scored ten points higher on her English exam than on her usual practice tests. Her dad called her a lot, telling her to thank Auntie Lu and to listen to her so she could continue to learn from her.

Han Yueyue also got into Jingchuan High School. She was in the gifted class because of her excellent grades, while Ye Li was in a regular class. But that didn’t stop her from coming to find Ye Li every so often, bringing along her cousin Qin Shu, who was now a senior. The three of them were reunited.

As for what happened between Ye Li and Qin Shu, the two of them had already laughed it off. Qin Shu explained that she had just gotten caught up in the moment and was curious, which was why she made that request. Since the other person said that, Ye Li decided not to dwell on it and forgot all about it.

But not long after that, Qin Shu came out to them. It was the first time in Ye Li’s life that she had ever heard the term. The English term “coming out of the closet” is used to describe when a person from a sexual minority group publicly reveals their sexual orientation or gender identity. So, Qin Shu liked girls. Ye Li felt even stranger.

That afternoon was the students’ break between dinner and evening study hall. The three of them sat on the bleachers of the school sports field. In the distance, boys were playing basketball, their youthful energy and sweat on full display, while girls strolled on the running track. The setting sun colored the sky a fiery orange, its golden light casting a soft, hazy glow on their faces. Ye Li squinted, playing with a small blade of grass she had plucked from somewhere.

They chatted with each other, and the topic of what kind of person they liked came up. Han Yueyue held her oval-shaped face in her hands, her eyes filled with longing. “I hope I can find a boy just like Ye Li—handsome, loyal, and cool.”

“Then why don’t you just go for Ye Li?” Qin Shu teased.

“But Ye Li is a girl,” Han Yueyue said, blushing a little.

“Hey, Ye Li, what kind of person do you like?” Qin Shu said, bumping her lightly with her elbow.

“I don’t know.” Ye Li lowered her gaze, swiping the blade of grass she was holding against the concrete bleacher.

“How can you not know? I heard a lot of people in our year are already dating. Don’t tell me Ye Li is like my cousin and likes girls?” Han Yueyue guessed boldly.

“What are you talking about?” Ye Li rolled her eyes.

It was strange. At that moment, she couldn’t help but think of Auntie Lu in a dress. The thought made her feel even more uneasy, so the girl stood up and coolly announced, “I’m going back to the classroom!”

Watching her tall figure leave, Qin Shu laughed and picked up the piece of foxtail grass Ye Li had been playing with. “Are you sure you want a boyfriend who’s that difficult?” she asked, teasing Han Yueyue.

Han Yueyue’s oval face showed a hint of embarrassment. She pursed her lips and asked, “Cousin, are you saying Ye Li is difficult?!”

Qin Shu narrowed her eyes and smiled. “It suits her.”

Han Yueyue just stared at her, confused.

Soon after starting high school, Ye Li moved. The old apartment was chosen because of its proximity to her junior high school. However, her new school, Jingchuan High School, was far away, and even with a car, it took a lot of time to get there. After much consideration, Auntie Lu decided to move. The new apartment was much closer to the school—just a walk across the street.

The first time Ye Li was brought to the apartment, she was shocked to discover that she could see the school’s main gate from the balcony. Though it was close, it had a minor drawback: it was an old walk-up building from the last century. Luckily, it was only on the third floor. To improve the living experience for the next three years, Auntie Lu had rented the apartment six months in advance and had a construction company completely renovate it. That’s why Ye Li didn’t move in until almost a month after school started.

Tang Qianxia also came to help on moving day, though it was more of a housewarming. After all, she had a one-year-old baby, so her hands were full.

“Lu Zhiyun, I have to say, this is too extravagant. You spent so much money on renovations, and when you move out, the landlord will get all the benefit,” Tang Qianxia said.

Lu Zhiyun smiled, unconcerned. “As long as it’s comfortable to live in, it’s worth it. That’s what money is for, isn’t it? Besides, the rent here is very cheap. Even with the renovation costs, it’s still cheaper than what I was paying in the US after three years.”

“You were earning US dollars and spending US dollars in the US. It’s not the same! This apartment was a dump. You should have just bought a new one instead of spending all that money on renovations.” Tang Qianxia paused and looked at her. “But you’ll just be wasting money if you buy a new one since you’ll be going back to the US anyway. You are going back, right? Your parents live there. What am I going to do without you?”

“We’ll see,” Lu Zhiyun said with a smile, her eyes on the girl who hadn’t stopped moving things. Ye Li knew how much money the other woman had spent on her education, so she worked even harder.

Watching Ye Li move things in and out without saying a word, Tang Qianxia couldn’t help but say to Lu Zhiyun, “That kid must be 5’7” now. She’s grown so fast in the last three years!”

Lu Zhiyun nodded, a satisfied smile on her face. “I think so. I’m only 5’6”.”

“Come on, don’t say ‘only.’ How am I supposed to feel? I’m only 5’4”!” Tang Qianxia rolled her eyes, then pulled the woman closer and whispered, “This girl is tall and pretty. I bet a lot of guys at school like her. Don’t say I didn’t warn you early. My cousin’s son’s wife’s daughter was neglected and got pregnant in her second year of high school. She had to drop out and go home to have the baby.”

“Xiaoli wouldn’t…” A flicker of doubt crossed Lu Zhiyun’s eyes.

“You have to nip things like dating in the bud. Don’t give it a chance to start,” Tang Qianxia said fiercely, not forgetting to talk to her baby, who was biting on a pacifier. “My baby, you’re not allowed to date early when you grow up, or Mommy will spank your little bottom.”

Lu Zhiyun was speechless.

That night, Tang Qianxia’s husband came home. He was a typical urban elite who worked at the Jingchuan TV station. After a satisfying meal, Lu Zhiyun remembered the cake she had baked in the kitchen. “Wait here, I’m going to get my cake.” The woman got up and slowly walked to the kitchen.

Tang Qianxia’s husband went to look after their mischievous and energetic child, leaving only Ye Li and Auntie Tang at the dinner table.

“Ye Li, can you give me some advice?” Tang Qianxia moved her chair closer.

“About what, Auntie Tang?” Ye Li asked, sitting upright and taking her eyes off the open kitchen.

“I’ve found a few dating prospects for your Auntie Lu. They’re all quality men. I really want her to stay in China. If she can find someone here and get married, that would be great. Besides, she’s at the age where she should be thinking about marriage. Thirty is a turning point for women! Okay, let me tell you about them. The first one is a university professor, too. He has a Ph.D. from a top university in China, is 33, and is a local from Jingchuan. The second one is a rich second-generation heir whose family is in the jewelry business. He’s a little younger, but he’s 28. The third is a Cambridge graduate who also came back from overseas. He’s her age and is starting his own business. He’s a hot stock. So, Ye Li, which one do you think is a good match for our amazing Lu Zhiyun?”

The girl looked up with an emotionless expression. “None of them are good enough.”