What's Wrong With Being Fifteen Years Older Than Me?! - Chapter 11

“None of them are…” Tang Qianxia’s face was filled with shock, but before she could finish, a clear voice came from the kitchen.

“Could someone come help me?”

“Coming!” Ye Li immediately pushed her chair back, taking the opportunity to escape the other woman’s questioning. Tang Qianxia was left alone at the table, her mouth open as she swallowed the rest of her words. The bespectacled man in the living room, who was watching the baby, laughed and teased her. “Got shut down, didn’t you? Why are you talking about these things with a kid?”

Tang Qianxia glared at him and muttered to herself, “No one understands my good intentions.”

The kitchen was filled with the aroma of freshly baked cake, which soon spread throughout the entire living room. The alluring golden cakes were placed on a cooling rack, and Ye Li helped out on the side.

“I didn’t know you could make cakes, Auntie Lu.” The woman smiled brightly. “The last apartment had limited space, so I made sure to get a built-in oven in this one. If you ever want cake, I can make it for you anytime.”

As she spoke, a strand of hair fell in front of her face, blocking her view. Lu Zhiyun couldn’t move it since she was wearing oven mitts. Ye Li stepped forward. “I’ll do it.”

The girl’s fingers were long and slender, with the texture and vitality of youth. She gently tucked the stray hair behind the woman’s ear, her eyes filled with concentration, as if she were touching a priceless work of art. The moment Ye Li’s fingertip brushed against the soft lobe of the woman’s ear, a strange sensation made her curl her fingers and unconsciously take a step back.

“All done.”

Lu Zhiyun’s eyes curved up slightly. “Thank you, Xiaoli. Now, please take this out.”

Tang Qianxia took a slightly cooled piece of cake from the tray Ye Li brought out and tempted her one-year-old daughter with it. “Baby, do you want to eat cake? Your Auntie Lu made it.”

Ye Li, who had just sat down, froze a little. Am I in the same generation as a baby that young?

Later, when her husband was ready to go home, Tang Qianxia, who wasn’t ready to leave, waved them off. “I finally broke free of my chains. Let me enjoy one day of being single again. I finally weaned her. Being a mom is so tiring. I want to drink. I want to drink right now.”

Lu Zhiyun said, “We just moved in today. There’s no alcohol.”

“I’ll go to the store downstairs. What kind of alcohol do you want, Auntie Tang? Beer or hard liquor?” Ye Li asked, getting up.

“Baijiu would be great. I’ve been holding it in for too long; I want something strong. Thank you, Ye Li.”

Ye Li grabbed the keys and put on her shoes. She could vaguely hear Auntie Lu’s voice.

“Something’s wrong with you. Are you and your husband having problems?”

Ye Li didn’t listen to the rest.

The new apartment was very close to the street. A short walk downstairs was a store. The girl walked into the nearest one with her hands in her pockets. She went to the alcohol aisle and grabbed a bottle of baijiu. After a second of thought, she also grabbed a can of beer.

When she got back upstairs, Tang Qianxia was crying. Ye Li went up to her and whispered, “Is Auntie Tang okay?”

“She’s just showing off to me. She’s fine,” Lu Zhiyun said with a helpless shrug. Then she looked at Ye Li. “Xiaoli, it’s getting late. If you’re tired, you can go to bed.”

The girl froze, her eyes flickering. She pulled out a chair and sat down. “I’m curious. I want to listen, too.”

As she expected, as Tang Qianxia got tipsy, she wanted to pull Auntie Lu into drinking with her. Ye Li took out the can of beer she had bought and placed it on the table. “Auntie Lu isn’t good with alcohol. You should have this instead.”

At that moment, a subtle look of surprise crossed Lu Zhiyun’s eyes, but it was quickly hidden by her long eyelashes.

“See? A daughter is so much more considerate!” Tang Qianxia said, taking a sip of baijiu.

Since Ye Li was a minor, she drank juice to accompany the two women. She didn’t expect that with just one can of beer, the woman next to her would start to show signs of being tipsy. Lu Zhiyun’s face was flushed, her eyes a little hazy. She was no longer the elegant and intelligent beauty she normally was; she was more like a lazy, seductive little wildcat. She was more bold and open than when she was sober. Even Tang Qianxia couldn’t help but complain to Ye Li, “Your Auntie Lu is always so reserved. She needs a little alcohol to reveal her true nature.”

“Xiaoli, do you think that’s true?” The woman turned to her, one hand propping up her face. Several strands of her brown hair were loosely wrapped around her fingers. Her lips were naturally rosy and glistening, like sweet fruit. As she spoke, her lips curled up slightly, making them even more tempting.

Ye Li didn’t say anything. She just awkwardly looked away and shook her head.

“See, Tang Qianxia? My kid still sides with me. I’ll reward you, Auntie.” The woman murmured to herself. Before Ye Li could react, a kiss was planted on her cheek. This time, her reaction was a little stronger. She covered her cheek in embarrassment and said, “I’m a lot older now. Please don’t just kiss me like that anymore, Auntie Lu.”

“Lu Zhiyun, if you don’t change this habit of kissing people when you drink, how is your future husband going to be able to handle you?” Tang Qianxia said with a laugh.

“I’m perfectly free and happy on my own. I haven’t even thought about marriage,” Lu Zhiyun said, propping up her chin, her eyes lowered, as if she were talking to herself.

It was the first time Ye Li had heard her say she didn’t want to get married. She was a little surprised. And besides that, there was a sense of relief she couldn’t explain.

In the end, Tang Qianxia got too drunk, and Ye Li and Lu Zhiyun helped her to Lu Zhiyun’s room. The moment she hit the bed, the woman fell asleep, spread out, and took up most of the bed.

Ye Li said, “Auntie Lu, why don’t you sleep in my room tonight? I can sleep on the sofa.”

“Why would you sleep on the sofa, Xiaoli? We can just sleep together.” In reality, since the first night they had slept together, Ye Li had not shared a bed with her. The woman’s casual tone made her unexpectedly nervous.

She heard the sound of the bathroom door opening and closing and lay in her room, tossing and turning. They were both girls. Why was she so nervous? But this self-talk couldn’t calm her heart, which was beating wildly.

Soon, she felt a dip in the bed. The woman’s perfume mixed with the fruity scent of her body wash wafted into Ye Li’s nose. She instinctively held her breath, tightened her brow, and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep. She stayed stiff like that for a long time, until she heard a faint murmur from behind her.

“Xiaoli, you can’t date early…” Only then did Ye Li relax her shoulders. She carefully turned over and saw that Auntie Lu was already asleep. She was just talking in her sleep. It seems like I’m the only one who’s overthinking this. Auntie Lu obviously doesn’t think anything of it. I’m just thinking too much.

The girl returned to her back and closed her eyes, a helpless smile on her face as she looked at the ceiling.

The next morning, Ye Li was woken up by her alarm. The moment the sound rang out, she used the fastest reflexes of her life to turn it off. When she looked at the other person on the bed, she was still asleep. It was just past 6 a.m. on a fall morning, and Ye Li was seeing her sleeping face for the first time. The woman’s pale face was serene. Her brown hair was spread over her body, her long, inky eyelashes casting a soft shadow, and her lips were as delicate and beautiful as cherry blossoms. A person who was beautiful when they were awake was also beautiful when they were asleep.

The girl quietly got out of bed and got ready. After she was all set, she put on her school bag and went downstairs. The food stalls on the street were steaming with warmth and the aroma of food. People were bustling about. It was only 6:30 a.m., but since it was right in front of the high school, business was already in full swing. Ye Li bought breakfast for herself and then, after a moment of thought, asked the owner to pack two more portions. When she got back upstairs, neither of the women was awake. Ye Li quietly left the breakfast and went on her way.

A few days later, after evening study hall, Lu Zhiyun heard the school bell and slowly walked onto the balcony. She leaned her arm on the railing, gazing out into the distance. The geometric pattern of the ceiling light cast a textured light onto the floor, which created a beautiful shadow that accentuated her high, straight nose. Today, she was wearing a long, violet-colored fringed dress that revealed a hint of her milky white skin, highlighting her mature charm without losing her gentle nature. The soft night breeze gently rustled Lu Zhiyun’s wavy hair and violet skirt. The hanging plants on the wall swayed with the breeze as well. The scene was peaceful and beautiful.

The entrance to Jingchuan High School was bustling. Students poured out of the gate, and parents waited to pick them up. Ye Li, with her school bag slung over one shoulder and her hands in her pockets, was just leaving the school when a buzz-cut boy in a school uniform stopped her.

“Are you Ye Li?”

…Lu Zhiyun had just spotted her when she saw a boy walk up to her and start talking. By the way he was dressed, he was a student from Jingchuan High School. Not long after, Ye Li left with him.

Her friend’s warning suddenly echoed in her ears. You have to nip things like dating in the bud… Her heart tightened. The woman immediately turned and went inside, grabbed her phone and keys, and rushed out the door.