Chapter 82: My Maternal Aunt's Suitor
Chapter 82: My Maternal Aunt's Suitor
Time seemed to freeze as a suggestive atmosphere filled the air.
Neither of us knew who looked away first, but Sister Chi Yan and I both released each other at the same time, our movements slightly frantic.
Chi Yan was breathing heavily, her cheeks flushed with a lingering crimson. She wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead and cast her gaze elsewhere. "That wasn't a bad dance."
I stared at her flushed face and replied with a light chuckle, "It’s only because Sister Chi Yan led so well."
Chi Yan didn't answer. Unwilling to meet my eyes, she gave a soft "mm" and walked back toward her original seat.
I followed behind her and asked, "Sister Chi Yan, did you study dance before?"
She shook her head. "No. When I was little, your maternal aunt and I practiced with a private coach, but learning to dance was too exhausting. Neither of us stuck with it."
I smiled. "Even so, the way you two dance is better than almost anyone else."
The image of Chen Xiao, who also practiced dance, flickered through my mind. Ballet was truly grueling; Chen Xiao only treated it as a hobby.
As we drew closer to my maternal aunt, I began to notice something was off.
A young man in a crisp, tailored suit was standing beside her, constantly whispering something in her ear.
When my maternal aunt saw us approaching, she quickly stood up and hurried over, intimately wrapping her arm around mine.
"Oh my, how did I never notice that my Yuanyuan and Yanyan make such a perfect match? That dance was simply beautiful."
Hearing her praise, I said helplessly, "Auntie, stop talking nonsense."
Who praises their own first cousins for being a "perfect match"?
Chi Yan spoke up coldly, "You and Wei Yuan make a pretty good match, too."
My maternal aunt’s face darkened. She gritted her teeth in annoyance, looking as if she wanted to go ten rounds in a shouting match with Chi Yan.
I looked over at the man in the tailored suit. It seemed this was the Wei Yuan that Chi Yan and Qi Ji had mentioned.
I leaned in and whispered into my maternal aunt's ear, "What's going on?"
"He's like a piece of gum stuck to my shoe," she muttered irritably. "Let's go. I don't want to stay here anymore."
I glanced at the man just as Wei Yuan looked over. Our eyes met, and for a moment, sparks of hostility flew between us.
At this social level, suitors rarely did anything truly over the line or rude. However, when someone was relentlessly persistent, you couldn't exactly resort to violence. If repeated rejections didn't work, the best course of action was simply to ignore them.
"No need."
I pulled my maternal aunt along as we walked toward him. As the distance closed, Wei Yuan proactively extended his hand toward me. "Hello, I'm Wei Yuan."
I nodded. "Hello."
Wei Yuan’s expression stiffened slightly, and he withdrew his hand without a word.
I pulled my maternal aunt down to sit, and Wei Yuan asked with a smile, "You must be Qingqiu's nephew, right?"
"Qingqiu?" I asked playfully. "Are you and my maternal aunt very close?"
Wei Yuan’s expression didn't flicker. "Of course. I’ve been pursuing Qingqiu for over a decade, from high school through university to the present. You could say that, so far, she has been half of my life."
My expression turned strange. Over a decade? So you started chasing her shortly after I was born?
"So, you're my maternal aunt's simp?"
Wei Yuan’s face sank slightly at the word, but he immediately followed up with a smile. "You could put it that way."
I was surprised. He didn't even get angry at that?
Just as I was about to speak, my maternal aunt suddenly interrupted. "Qi Ji, make him leave."
Qi Ji stood up helplessly and went over to Wei Yuan to chat for a bit.
Half a minute later, Wei Yuan walked over and gave my maternal aunt a slight nod. "Qingqiu, see you next time."
With that, he turned and headed for the exit of the banquet hall.
I was a bit stunned. He gave up that easily?
Once he was far enough away, my maternal aunt whispered to me, "His family has a lot of influence, and he’s well-bred. Even though he’s persistent as a leech, there’s no need to use insulting language. It just invites trouble. Besides..."
As her red lips moved, a wave of fragrance hit me, mingled with the faint scent of alcohol. I asked, "Auntie, have you been drinking?"
"Mm." She picked up a wine glass and held it to my lips. "Want to have a drink with me?"
I took the glass. "Besides what?"
"Besides, this guy has actually helped me block a lot of other leeches."
I took a small sip of the wine; it was spicy yet mellow. "Then I guess he’s somewhat useful. Is he an ex-boyfriend?"
My maternal aunt gave me a playful side-eye, seeing right through my attempt to probe. "Get lost."
She leaned against my ear, her warm breath making my neck tingle.
Her voice turned sweet and delicate, like a young girl's. "I only have one man, you know..."
Hearing her seductive voice sent a wave of numbness through me. I couldn't help but let out a silly chuckle as I wrapped my arm around her soft waist, feeling a surge of satisfaction.
My maternal aunt noticed my movement and gave me another playful look. There were many eyes in the banquet hall, and holding her waist was a bit too suggestive, but she didn't push me away.
Qi Ji, her dance skirt swaying, walked over to us. Her smiling face carried a hint of feigned grievance. "Little brother, didn't you say you couldn't dance?"
I didn't know how to answer that awkwardly, so my maternal aunt came to my rescue. "Qi Ji, don't even think about hitting on my Yuanyuan. I won't allow it."
Qi Ji looked at my arm around my maternal aunt's waist and laughed softly. "We can still be friends, can't we?"
My maternal aunt raised her glass and gave me another sip of wine. "Not even friends."
Qi Ji chuckled at that, a look of realization dawning on her face. She stopped trying to get close to me and sat to the side, chatting idly with my maternal aunt.
My maternal aunt kept drinking glass after glass. Seeing this, I couldn't help but try to stop her. "Auntie, drink a little less."
Because the alcohol was starting to hit her, the corners of her eyes were slightly red, radiating a touch of flirtatiousness. She pushed my hand away, her tone willful. "I want to drink."
I frowned and took the glass from her. "Auntie, you're drunk."
"I'm not drunk." She shook her head, a flush rising on her fair skin. Though her eyes were still somewhat clear, she was obviously intoxicated. "I feel upset, so I'm going to drink."
I fell silent. I knew exactly why she was feeling upset.
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
She leaned into my chest, her hand stroking my cheek as she blew her fragrant breath into my face. "Talk to me."
Seeing that I remained silent for a long time, she laughed softly and shook her head, holding out her hand. "If you won't talk, give me back my glass."
I pulled her closer by the waist. "Let's go home, Auntie."
The corners of her mouth curled into a tantalizing smile. "Go home for what? Hmm? Will I feel better if I go home?"
I saw the flash of mischief and playfulness in her eyes. I leaned in and whispered into her ear, "I'll definitely make you feel good once we're home."
Qi Ji watched us from the side with a beaming smile, the knowing look in her eyes growing more intense.
Hearing my words, my maternal aunt pinched my ear, her breath like orchids. "You said it yourself."
"I said it."
My maternal aunt opened her arms to me, acting like a spoiled child. "What if I can't walk?"
I sighed softly. I slid one arm under her armpits and the other under her knees, lifting her up in a bridal carry.
She laughed girlishly and wrapped her arms around my neck, resting her face against my chest, her expression hazy with intoxication.
The others stood up to see us off.
I lowered my voice and said, "Auntie, you've gotten heavier."
"Hmph." She let out a soft huff. "Can't carry me anymore?"
"I can carry you just fine." Estimating that Qi Ji probably couldn't hear us, I boldly squeezed her rounded thigh where my hand was resting. "I guarantee I'll still fuck you until you can't even stand up."
"Is that so?"
My maternal aunt stroked my chest, her words becoming explicit. "Then I'll have to put that to the test tonight."
After saying goodbye to everyone, we reached the entrance of the banquet hall. The heavy rain still hadn't stopped; lightning occasionally streaked across the night sky, followed by the rumble of thunder.
A wave of damp air hit us. Chi Yan tossed an umbrella over and said bluntly, "There's no one else around. Who are you still putting on a show for?"
My maternal aunt opened the umbrella to shield us from the storm. "I'm putting on a show for my little husband."
I felt a bit awkward hearing that. Chi Yan curled her lip slightly, opened her own bamboo-handled umbrella, and walked off into the curtain of rain alone.
"Let's go!"
My maternal aunt straightened up and bit my ear, her expression resentful. "Holding me in your arms, yet your eyes are fixed on someone else."
I withdrew my gaze from Chi Yan’s retreating figure. With a light laugh, I adjusted my hold on my maternal aunt and stepped out onto the red carpet, which was already soaked through by the rain.