What's Wrong With Being Fifteen Years Older Than Me?! - Chapter 31.2

The next afternoon, Han Yueyue came to see Ye Li, and Ye Li immediately told her about her plans to study in the U.S. Han Yueyue’s face, usually calm and composed, was now a mask of pure shock and disbelief. Her expression seemed to say, So your brain finally started working, huh?

Ye Li felt a bit awkward under her stare. She quickly pulled Han Yueyue to her computer and made her sit down in the chair, hands on her shoulders.

“Quick, help me figure out which schools I should apply to.”

The web browser had a dozen tabs open, each one a different American university.

Han Yueyue’s eyes widened. “This is a lot.”

A tired voice came from behind her. “I was up all night researching. These are the ones that are left after I’ve weeded out the bad ones.”

Han Yueyue turned her head, looking at her in disbelief. “You didn’t sleep at all last night?”

“Just help me look!” Ye Li grabbed her head and turned it back toward the computer screen.

After quickly scrolling through all the websites, the clear-headed Han Yueyue concluded.

“So you’re looking to study in either New York, LA, or Miami?”

“Yep,” came the firm reply.

Han Yueyue was puzzled. “But there are a lot of other good schools in other cities. What about Boston, Princeton, or Chicago? Why are you limiting yourself to just these three?”

“I’m not considering those.” Ye Li’s voice was sharp.

She knew that her Aunt Lu might not necessarily choose one of those three cities to work in, but she couldn’t predict the future.

“Alright. If I had to recommend one, I’d say New York or California. Actually, my parents are leaning toward sending me to a school in California.” Han Yueyue turned her head and smiled. “Hey, why don’t you apply to the same school as me, Ye Li? Then we can be together for the next four years!”

“I’m not going there to play,” Ye Li said, folding her arms behind her.

“Hey, Han Yue, when you apply, can you teach me the process? My dad’s not very educated, so he doesn’t know anything about it. Your family is all teachers, so you should have a better idea,” Ye Li said, her voice softening a bit as she asked for a favor.

“Of course! Just come to me, and we’ll apply together!” Han Yueyue readily agreed.

Then, a mischievous grin spread across her face. “You know, when my sister finds out we’re both going to study abroad, she’s going to freak out. She’ll probably try to get an exchange student spot at our school that very night!”

“I don’t think so. Studying abroad is a big deal, not some kind of joke. I don’t think your sister would be that impulsive.”

“There’s something you don’t know, is there? My sister’s ex-girlfriend, sister A-Lian, went to America. I don’t know which school.”

“Why would I care about that?” Ye Li shrugged, a hint of nonchalance in her voice. The comment reminded her that the woman had added her on WeChat nearly a year ago, but they still hadn’t spoken.

“So I think if my sister does decide to go abroad, it’ll probably be to go after her!” Han Yueyue said with confidence.

Ye Li just stared at her. “…”

“Hey, don’t look at me like that! I’m serious. My sister might just have a moment of redemption!”

“I think if your sister heard you describe her as a ‘prodigal son returning home,’ she’d be on the next flight back to beat you up,” Ye Li said, her face expressionless.

After Han Yueyue left, Ye Li tried to contact her Aunt Lu again, but the woman still wasn’t replying to her messages or answering her calls. It was as if she had disappeared into thin air. Every time this happened, Ye Li would feel inexplicably irritable, even wishing she could fly to America immediately. But then she would remember how vast the world was and that even if she went, it would be useless if she didn’t know where to find her. Her heart would sink once more.

Finally, Ye Li couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed her keys and ran out the door.

It had been a long time since she had visited Aunt Tang’s house alone. She bought some snacks and fruit for the children at a nearby supermarket, just like an adult visiting a friend’s house. Mustering her courage, she pressed the doorbell.

Unexpectedly, Aunt Tang wasn’t home that night. Her husband opened the door instead. It was too awkward, so Ye Li just dropped off the groceries and left in a hurry.

After that, she didn’t rush home. Instead, she wandered the streets, listening to music on her headphones as she walked through the bustling city, moving forward with a stubborn resolve.

It was almost 11 p.m. when her phone rang, and the music cut out.

“My husband said you came by this evening? You were asking about Lu Zhiyun again, weren’t you? What’s with you, kid? When she was here, you could’ve just talked to her, but you had to be all weird and awkward. And now you’re desperate to get in touch with her.”

Ye Li was scolded, but after hanging up, she still received a WeChat message from her.

Tang Qianxia: This is Lu Zhiyun’s new number.

Ye Li: Thank you, Aunt Tang.

The street was too noisy, so Ye Li walked into a nearby park. Cicadas buzzed loudly in the summer night, and insects buzzed in the depths of the park. The girl found a quiet, secluded spot and sat down on a park bench.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the dialer and tried calling the new number. The moment the 

Besides the sound of the cicadas, all she could hear was the frantic beating of her own heart.

Finally, the ringing stopped, and a familiar, gentle voice came from the other side of the ocean.

“Hello?” The woman didn’t use English since she saw the call was from a number in China.

It was really her.

It was only in the last couple of days that Ye Li had realized she might have fallen in love with her long ago. She just hadn’t dared to admit it. After all, in this world, it wasn’t easy for a girl to love a woman so much older than her.

She desperately tried to calm her racing heart. The girl spoke, a hint of nervousness in her voice. “Are you not going to take care of me anymore?”