What's Wrong With Being Fifteen Years Older Than Me?! - Chapter 6

“No, you don’t have to.” The girl clutched the sanitary pad and quickly dashed to the bathroom along the wall, her face a mask of solemnity.

Hearing the glass door close, the scantily-clad woman on the sofa remained still, like a rigid plaster statue. A moment later, it dawned on her. Maybe, just maybe, she scared the kid? She really shouldn’t have been so exposed in front of the little girl, showcasing her unrestrained personal habits. After all, it would be just the two of them for a long time. Even if they were the same gender, the little girl had her own sense of modesty. Yes, she really shouldn’t have done that.

Realizing her mistake, Lu Zhiyun hurriedly got up, turned off the TV, and scurried into her room, closing the door behind her.

Ye Li sat on the toilet for a long time. When she cautiously opened the door a crack, the living room was empty, and the TV screen was dark. A sense of relief washed over her. She let out a sigh and slowly walked out. Her dad had told her that this auntie had lived abroad for a long time and that she needed to respect other people’s habits. With that thought, Ye Li looked at the closed door, clenched her hands, and took a deep breath, as if preparing herself for something. For the next month or so, the auntie never again appeared in front of Ye Li wearing only her underwear.

The carefree summer vacation for a graduate with no homework flew by. Soon, it was time for Ye Li to start junior high. She woke up early that day, made her bed, and opened the curtains to let the morning sun stream in. She didn’t need anyone to remind her of anything. She even learned to use the toaster herself, preparing breakfast for two.

“My little Xiaoli is so great.” Lu Zhiyun’s face was bare, and her long hair fell casually over her shoulders. The soft morning light hit her straight, pale nose, and a few strands of her brown hair seemed to shimmer with gold, making her look calm and gentle. Ye Li took a bite of her jam-smeared toast and looked away.

This woman really loves to give compliments. It was so different from her dad, who always told her to “be good” and “be sensible,” especially after her mom passed away.

There was still half an hour before their planned departure time. Ye Li had nothing to do. She aimlessly walked around the hallway, occasionally peeking into the living room to check on the situation. The auntie was still standing in front of the bathroom mirror, carefully applying makeup. Ye Li pouted, wondering if all women became this high-maintenance when they grew up. She watched as the woman picked up an eyebrow pencil and carefully drew the silk sleeve of her top, sliding down to her elbow, revealing a section of her pale, slender arm.

After finishing her makeup, the woman began to curl her hair. With the curling iron, each strand of her long hair became a springy wave. The hairstyle instantly transformed her gentle demeanor into one of vibrant, stunning beauty.

The final step was perfume. She wore perfume every day, and sometimes the scent was different each time. But Ye Li couldn’t tell the difference; to her, it was just a nice smell.

By the time the woman was completely ready, the half hour was gone. Her timing was perfect. Today, she was wearing a caramel-colored dress with long sleeves and a French vintage style. An orange headband matched her smooth, wavy hair. Today, she smelled like a Parisian woman on a French street. Ye Li noticed she really loved wearing dresses.

The apartment complex wasn’t far from Ye Li’s new school—only a ten-minute walk. She had secretly tested it herself once. But the woman insisted on driving her. The bright red MINI drove along the busy street, weaving through the morning rush hour traffic, its vibrant color and compact size standing out.

Lu Zhiyun’s hands rested casually on the steering wheel. “Are you nervous about your first day of school?” she asked naturally. The girl in the passenger seat shook her head. “Not really.”

In a moment, they arrived at the main gate of Jingchuan Junior High. Lu Zhiyun pulled the car over to a temporary parking spot. Ye Li was prepared to get out. After more than a month, she was no longer reluctant to call her by name. “Auntie Lu, I’m going in now.”

“Wait a minute.” The woman got out of the car, too. Ye Li didn’t understand but waited patiently on the curb. She watched as the slender, caramel-colored figure went to the back of the car and took out a school bag.

The bag was unique, with a British style that was completely different from the cartoon-printed kids’ bags Ye Li had seen or used before.

“It took a little longer to arrive because it was shipped directly from overseas. It’s for you,” the woman said with a soft smile, her clear eyes sparkling. Through her eyes, Ye Li saw a reflection of herself: a girl wearing an oversized new school uniform, the baby hairs at her hairline looking soft and fluffy.

The girl took the bag, a little overwhelmed. Her usual awkward coolness disappeared, and she looked like a happy child who had just received a treat. “Thank you, Auntie Lu.”

The bag felt a little heavy, heavier than she expected. Ye Li didn’t think much of it then, assuming that this style of bag was just like that.

“You’re welcome. Oh, and there’s this, too.” Lu Zhiyun took out a palm-sized, new leather wallet from her shoulder bag and handed it to Ye Li. “I bought you a little wallet. You can put your allowance in there to buy things you like. I put a hundred yuan in it for your spending money today. I wanted to give you a month’s worth at once, but I don’t think it’s safe for a young girl to carry so much cash.”

A hundred yuan? Isn’t that too much? Ye Li thought about the allowance her dad used to give her; it was never more than ten yuan at a time. “Auntie Lu,” she said, trying to hand the wallet back. “A hundred yuan is too much. I won’t spend it all.”

“Xiaoli, just take it. A young girl always wants to buy the little things she likes. I may not be a rich lady, but I can afford this,” the woman said. Her skin was as white as cream in the sunlight, her shoulders lightly shaking with laughter. Ye Li put her hand down again.

With the words, “I’ll pick you up after school,” ringing in her ears, the girl turned with her new school bag and walked confidently into the school gate.

The first-year students’ building was separate. Ye Li’s class was in room 10 on the second floor. When she first entered the classroom, it felt very lively. She later learned that most of the new students were from local elementary schools, and many had been classmates before. Of course, a few, like Ye Li, were from smaller towns.

She found an empty seat by the window. She was curious as to why her new school bag was so heavy. When she looked inside, she saw it was filled with all kinds of snacks, all with imported packaging and English labels she couldn’t understand. There was also a bright red apple and a small orange.

Is she treating me like a kindergartener? Ye Li rubbed her temples in frustration and quickly closed the bag so no one else would see.

After dropping Ye Li off at school, Lu Zhiyun drove toward Jingchuan University in the opposite direction. Before she resigned from her job in the US, she had already submitted her resume to companies in China. With her impressive credentials, many multinational corporations offered her positions. However, after careful consideration, Lu Zhiyun chose to be a university English teacher. The salary wasn’t as high as the multinational corporations had offered, but she hadn’t come back for the money. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have quit her job in the US that paid hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Only being a teacher would give her a schedule that matched a junior high student’s and gave her the summer and winter breaks she needed to take care of herself.

Lu Zhiyun taught public English to university students. Since she didn’t have a teaching degree, the school didn’t place her in the more professional English department, which was a good thing since it was a more relaxed job. Today was her third day of work, and she had a class at ten in the morning.

Before the bell rang, Lu Zhiyun arrived at the classroom. There were many more students today than on the previous two days. The classroom was almost full, mostly with boys. After methodically explaining the lesson, Lu Zhiyun slowly closed her textbook and looked up at the students. “Do any of you have any questions?”

A shy male student raised his hand. “Teacher, do you have a boyfriend?” The classroom burst into laughter.

“That question doesn’t count. You have one more chance,” Lu Zhiyun said, her voice clear and serious but not unkind.

On her way back to the office, Lu Zhiyun ran into a colleague. “Teacher Lu, ever since you came to our school, the number of students skipping public English classes has dropped significantly.”

“It just goes to show you that being beautiful makes a difference.”

Lu Zhiyun smiled politely and replied, “Maybe they’re just intrigued by a new face.”

“Teacher Lu, do you really not have a boyfriend? A few of the single male teachers here have been asking me about you. I can’t get them to stop, so please don’t be offended.”

Lu Zhiyun paused, holding her books, then answered directly, “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

Around five in the afternoon, after she finished writing her lesson plan in the office, Lu Zhiyun looked at her watch and stretched her arms. Just then, a knock came from behind her.

“Teacher Lu.” The door was already open. She turned and saw a polite, scholarly-looking male teacher wearing glasses. He seemed to be from the office next door. Lu Zhiyun had met him once on her first day when she couldn’t find her office.

“Hello, can I help you?”

“Well, I heard there’s a new Japanese restaurant in Jingchuan that’s really good. Would you like to join me for…”

Before he could finish, Lu Zhiyun glanced at her watch and said apologetically, “I’m sorry, Teacher Zhang, but I have to pick up my child at 5:30.”

The male teacher froze, the expression on his face a mix of shock and confusion.