What's Wrong With Being Fifteen Years Older Than Me?! - Chapter 9

This was the first time in her life that Ye Li had received such an expensive birthday gift. The young girl was simple-minded and easily won over, so for the next few days, she was filled with gratitude. But this feeling didn’t last long, because Auntie Lu gave her a handwritten collection of first-year English notes and began to supervise her homework every night. Ye Li felt miserable inside but didn’t dare to complain since she was living in someone else’s home.

The days passed quickly, and before she knew it, Ye Li was in her third year of junior high. Her English grades had finally improved from a failing grade to a barely passing one under Auntie Lu’s strict supervision. Before the winter break that year, Ye Li’s father came back to China and, upon learning about her grades, commented awkwardly, “This child probably has no talent for foreign languages.” He was implying that after more than two years of private tutoring from an excellent English teacher, she was still only barely at the class average. There was no hope for her. To save Ye Li from embarrassment and hurt feelings, Lu Zhiyun would add, “Xiaoli works very hard.”

“Haha, she works hard and she’s still like this? That proves she has no talent,” her father said with a wild laugh. Ye Li, now fifteen, felt incredibly embarrassed.

Because his job abroad didn’t give him a lot of freedom, Ye Li’s father left again soon after. This time, Ye Li, who was older, didn’t cry her eyes out like she did the first time.

As the Lunar New Year approached, the streets were decorated with festive lanterns and a cheerful red color. The contrast of the red against the white snow created a beautiful sight. After receiving a text from her desk-mate and good friend Han Yueyue, Ye Li put her phone in her pocket and quickened her pace. She was wearing a light yellow down jacket, light-wash jeans that showed off her long legs, and a pair of white winter boots. In the past two years, she had grown from 5’2” to 5’6”. Her growth had slowed down recently. People said that girls mostly stop growing after fifteen, unlike boys, who often have a sudden growth spurt after that age. She secretly wished she would grow another inch to get to an even 5’7”.

Soon, she arrived at a small apartment complex. As she was wondering how to get in, a small girl wearing a beige beanie excitedly waved at her. Ye Li looked closer and recognized her. It was Han Yueyue. She hadn’t grown much and was still as short as she was in her first year. The little girl’s cheeks were rosy from the cold, like red apples, and white mist came from her mouth every time she breathed out.

“Let’s go in. My older cousin has been waiting for us for a while.” Han Yueyue naturally walked over and took Ye Li’s arm, leading her inside.

The cousin Han Yueyue mentioned was named Qin Shu. She was a junior at Jingchuan High School. Ye Li had met her through Han Yueyue. She was a stylish older student who always found cool and interesting movies to watch, so Han Yueyue always took Ye Li to her place. Girls this age often find it hard to say no to anything new. They were eager to do things that were a little outside their comfort zone.

Qin Shu’s home was on the fifth floor of a new apartment building with an elevator. They found the place easily.

“Cousin, we’re here.” Han Yueyue stood in front of the door and rang the doorbell. A moment later, a girl wearing a fluffy pajama set came out to open the door. Her features were more refined than Han Yueyue’s. Probably because she was two years older, she put more effort into her appearance and wore makeup. She had several silver earrings hanging from her ears. After glancing at Han Yueyue, Qin Shu looked at Ye Li and raised her eyes. “How did you get taller again after only a little while?” she teased.

“Right? Cousin, she’s almost taller than you now. Why don’t you guys compare?” Han Yueyue egged her on fearlessly.

Qin Shu rolled her eyes at her and let them in.

“What movie are we watching today? What was that last one we watched? It was so disgusting when those guys kissed each other.” Han Yueyue chattered as she followed her.

“You’ll see when we get there,” Qin Shu said, not wanting to explain too much.

The three of them went into her room. Qin Shu started setting up the projector screen while Ye Li and Han Yueyue pulled the curtains shut to create a dark, movie-theater atmosphere. When Qin Shu finished and turned around, she saw that Han Yueyue had already taken her spot.

“Hey, get up. Where am I supposed to sit?” Han Yueyue tore open a bag of chips from the snack pile, took a bite, and said, “You can sit next to Ye Li. I want to sit here today.”

Qin Shu didn’t argue and sat next to Ye Li instead.

“Do you want something to eat?” Ye Li realized the girl was talking to her. She smiled and shook her head. “I just ate before I came out.”

“Here, have this to chew on.” Qin Shu held out her hand and offered her a piece of gum.

“Hey, what are you two eating? I want some, too.” Han Yueyue reached over. Qin Shu sighed and gave her a piece as well.

The movie started. The subtitles were in Korean. Less than ten minutes later, a phone rang, interrupting the movie. As if she knew who it was, Qin Shu impatiently said to the person beside her, “Who forgot to turn off their phone?”

“Cousin, it’s my mom. She’s probably telling me to go home. I don’t think I can watch the movie with you guys today.” Han Yueyue didn’t dare to hang up and just turned down the volume.

After Han Yueyue left, only Qin Shu and Ye Li remained in the room. Ye Li watched the movie attentively, more so than she did with her English lessons. But the movie’s plot quickly started to shock her. The two girls, who were initially just close friends, suddenly started kissing. Not only that, but they also ended up in bed together. The most shocking part was that there were no cuts. All of the intimate scenes were shown right in front of her.

Can girls do that, too? Ye Li wondered for the first time. Even though the movie was fictional, she couldn’t help but blush. The atmosphere in the room became a little awkward.

“Hey, Ye Li,” Qin Shu said, bumping her with her elbow.

Ye Li turned her head. In the dim light, Qin Shu’s lips, which were glistening from the juice she had just drunk, had an audacious sparkle. She looked at her with an interested expression. “Want to kiss?”

Ye Li’s eyes widened. She, of course, didn’t kiss her. In fact, she didn’t even finish the movie. She fled in a panic. Not wanting to go home too early, Ye Li wandered the streets alone until it was dark before going to Auntie Lu’s friend’s house.

Auntie Lu’s parents had already settled abroad. She went back to the US every Chinese New Year. Since she couldn’t take Ye Li with her, she entrusted her to her friends. The first two years, Auntie Lu usually stayed in China for half of the winter break before leaving, but this time she had to leave early to take care of her sick mother in the US.

“Auntie Tang, I’m back,” Ye Li said politely as she walked in.

Tang Qianxia had gotten married last year and had a little princess who was still an infant this year. “Is it cold outside? Come on in, dinner is almost ready.” The woman was wearing a black sweater and setting the table. In the cradle next to her, the baby was quietly looking at her with wide eyes.

After dinner, Auntie Tang’s family of three watched TV in the living room and invited Ye Li to join them, but she chose to stay in her room. Before the other woman got married, Ye Li didn’t mind celebrating the holiday at her place. But this year, she felt like a third wheel. The sounds of laughter and happiness from the living room were loud, but they had nothing to do with her.

Lying in bed, Ye Li pulled the blanket closer. Her phone suddenly vibrated with a text message.

[Han Yueyue: Ye Li, did you leave without finishing the movie, too?]

The message made her remember the embarrassing situation from earlier and the intimate scenes from the movie that she couldn’t get out of her head.

[Ye Li: Yeah, something came up, just like you, so I came back early.]

After replying, she put her phone on her chest. A moment later, she couldn’t help but pick it up again and open the text messaging app. Auntie Lu said she didn’t use social media and that she used another app in the US that Ye Li couldn’t download. So they usually contacted each other through text messages or calls.

The screen still showed their last message exchange. It was from the night before.

[Lu Zhiyun: Tang Qianxia told me that you seem a little reserved at her place. She asked me to tell you not to feel like a guest. Just act like you’re at home. If you have any problems, you can talk to her. Don’t keep it to yourself. If you still can’t figure it out, I’ll help you when I get back to China, okay?]

Ye Li had only replied with three words: I got it. She stared at her phone, her mind racing. Auntie Lu was thirty this year. Just like Auntie Tang, she would probably get married and have kids soon, right? If that happened, it would be even harder for her to stay at her place. Would her dad come back once Auntie Lu got married? Probably not. She was old enough to live on her own in a dorm and take care of herself. But what kind of man would someone as amazing as Auntie Lu marry?

Lost in her thoughts, Ye Li didn’t notice that her finger had slipped and accidentally sent a period. By the time she realized it, it was too late. The phone rang right away.

“Xiaoli, are you asleep?” The woman’s voice was calm and gentle, like a feather lightly tickling Ye Li’s ear. She couldn’t help but clutch the edge of the blanket, pretending to be composed. “No, not yet.”

“It’s pretty late in China now. Did you want to talk to me about something?” the woman asked patiently.

Ye Li’s hand on the blanket relaxed. She listened to the thumping in her chest and asked, “Oh, I just wanted to ask when you’re coming back…”