Starting Off By Confessing To My Classmate's Mother

The woman appeared to be in her forties. Fine wrinkles had settled at the corners of her eyes, giving her a worn and weathered look. Compared to the stunningly beautiful women around Li Zhiyan, she fell far short.

"Now this... this is what you'd call a proper 'old auntie,'" Li Zhiyan mused to himself, his thoughts tinged with disinterest.

It was clear—his preferences leaned heavily toward elegant and beautiful mature women, not someone like her.

With this amusing yet peculiar thought lingering in his mind, Li Zhiyan climbed the stairs.

---

"Mom, I'm back!"

As soon as he reached the apartment door, he called out cheerfully.

This little habit wasn't just for show. Since Aunt Fang lived alone, it was a way to deter others from trying anything inappropriate. A simple "Mom" could give the illusion of her having someone around to protect her, and that was invaluable.

"Son!"

The door opened, and Aunt Fang's soft voice greeted him. The warmth in her tone carried an inexplicable sense of safety and comfort, as though they truly were mother and son.

After stepping inside, Li Zhiyan took in the modest yet cozy room. His heart lightened slightly—this life, at least, seemed to offer Aunt Fang a glimmer of hope. She wouldn't have to face the same dark end as in his memories.

Still, he couldn't help but admire her once more. Aunt Fang, with her delicate and refined temperament, had an undeniable charm. Despite falling from grace—from being a lady of a wealthy family to struggling to make ends meet—she bore it all with grace and without complaint.

"Fang Auntie, long time no see! I saw your noodle stand downstairs—it's locked up for now, but it seems business is booming?"

Hearing his compliment, Aunt Fang opened the pot of boiling water and began preparing noodles.

"Yes, the stand has been doing well lately. It's taken up what little savings I had left to set it up, but now that the business is steady, I think I'll manage."

Her voice was steady, but the relief in it was unmistakable.

Li Zhiyan felt a weight lift from his chest, though there were still matters to resolve—helping Aunt Fang divorce her husband and dealing with the debt collectors slated to harass her that evening. Both tasks were critical, not only for her safety but also for his own reward from the system—a hefty 100,000 yuan bonus.

"That's great news, Aunt Fang. I'm glad things are looking up for you."

He paused briefly before adding, "I'll be heading back to school soon, though. I won't be able to visit as often, but I promise to come by every Sunday."

"Little Yan..."

Hearing he'd be leaving soon, Aunt Fang felt a sudden pang of sadness. It was a strange, inexplicable sense of loss, as though something irreplaceable was slipping away.

"Don't worry, Aunt Fang," he reassured her with a smile. "Even when I'm at school, we can still chat on QQ. And like I said, I'll visit every week!"

Her eyes softened as gratitude welled up in her heart.

"You've done so much for me, Little Yan. I don't even know how to repay you."

"Aunt Fang, let's not talk about repayment, alright?" He chuckled. "If I ever need something, I'll let you know. For now, just cook me some noodles. You know I can't get enough of your cooking!"

---

Aunt Fang chuckled as she started preparing the noodles. She added the thick-cut, handmade variety into the boiling water, her movements as graceful as ever.

"Alright. As long as you're here, Auntie will always make you noodles."

Watching her work, Li Zhiyan casually asked, "By the way, Aunt Fang, did the auntie next door ever divorce after the, uh... 'incident' the other night?"

Aunt Fang's hand froze for a moment before she resumed stirring the noodles. Her expression betrayed a mix of embarrassment and exasperation.

She knew precisely what he was referring to, though his misunderstanding amused her. That wasn't domestic violence; it was something far more personal. How could she possibly explain this to a boy like him?

Her cheeks flushed as memories of that night surfaced. She had confronted her neighbor afterward, only to be met with a barrage of shameless retorts. The neighbor had dismissed her concerns with crude remarks about "human nature" and even joked about offering a "free live show."

To her relief, they had been unusually quiet since then—likely due to visiting relatives. But now...

"Divorce? No, their relationship is as strong as ever," Aunt Fang replied, her tone casual despite the color rising in her cheeks. "You don't need to worry about these things, Little Yan. They're adults and will sort things out themselves."

Li Zhiyan nodded, still puzzled. "If it were me, I'd have called the police. She sounded like she was suffering so much that night."

Aunt Fang felt her face heat even more. She quickly diverted the topic.

"It's just too warm in here," she said, brushing off his concerns. "Summer heat always gets to me. Why don't you turn on the fan and sit over there for a bit?"

Instead of complying, Li Zhiyan set the fan directly in front of her.

"I'm young; I can handle the heat. You should cool off, Aunt Fang."

The breeze ruffled her hair, and for a moment, she felt an overwhelming sense of affection for the boy in front of her. If only he were truly her son…

---

The noodles were soon ready, tossed with Aunt Fang's homemade spicy sauce.

"Here you go, Little Yan. Eat up!"

"Thank you, Aunt Fang!" He dug in enthusiastically, savoring every bite. "I've been craving your noodles for so long. After this, let me help you with the stand, alright?"

Her heart warmed at his offer. It felt so much like how a mother and son would interact.

"AHHH!"

Just as she was about to respond, an all-too-familiar sound echoed from next door.

Her face flushed red as she froze mid-motion.

The neighbor's "activities" had resumed—and during the day, no less!

Li Zhiyan tilted his head, puzzled. "Aunt Fang, is the neighbor getting beaten again? That poor woman, even during the day!"

Aunt Fang nearly dropped her chopsticks, her face burning with embarrassment.

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