Li Zhiyan suddenly brought up last night, catching Shen Hongmei off guard.
Almost immediately, her face flushed slightly.
Although her memory of the event was incredibly hazy, with many parts completely fragmented,
one glance at the chaotic room was enough proof.
Last night had been utterly insane.
Despite Shen Hongmei's inner resilience, she was, after all, a woman. With Li Zhiyan bringing it up again, she couldn't help but feel a little unnatural.
But this trace of unease was quickly suppressed by Shen Hongmei.
"Li Zhiyan, what happened last night was a mistake."
"Auntie and you both drank too much. Sleeping together was nothing more than a reflex of basic human nature."
"So, forget about it."
"In the future, if you face any difficulties in life, you can come to Auntie for help."
Li Zhiyan didn't back down.
"Aunt Shen, I like you. I want to be with you."
Shen Hongmei shot Li Zhiyan a glance, and after a minute's silence, she said, "Get in the car."
Once Li Zhiyan got in, fastened his seatbelt,
Shen Hongmei drove him to a parking spot by the side of the road.
Then, she gently placed her long, stocking-clad legs on the dashboard.
"Xiao Yan, what is it that you like about Auntie?"
"We've only met a few times. The most intimate moment was just last night."
"In such a short span, getting to know even a classmate well is difficult enough."
"Let alone developing feelings for someone?"
Shen Hongmei had weathered numerous storms in life; her career had once hit rock bottom.
At its worst, she had to mortgage her house and car, nearly having them repossessed by the bank.
Because of this, her approach to problems was thorough and mature—she didn't want to get entangled with Li Zhiyan.
After all, no mature woman would desire a romantic relationship with someone twenty years her junior.
Unless it was a transactional arrangement—but Shen Hongmei wasn't that kind of woman.
"I like Auntie because you're beautiful."
"You've got long legs, great charm, a nice figure, fair skin, and you're so elegant."
"Rational—these qualities all make me adore you very much."
"Plus, Auntie taught me seven things last night."
Looking ahead at the long legs that easily stretched up to the windshield, Li Zhiyan's heart felt ablaze.
As a young man, he was in the prime of vitality and energy.
Trapped in the enclosed car, inhaling Shen Hongmei's intoxicating scent, his mind couldn't help but wander.
This time, Shen Hongmei was truly taken aback.
She hadn't expected him to openly mention even her figure and those specific qualities.
"So, you only like superficial things?"
"Aunt Shen, the time we spent together was brief, so I can only see these things on the surface for now."
"But if we were to be together,"
"I'd be able to discover the deeper aspects."
"I'll work hard at it."
Shen Hongmei gently touched Li Zhiyan's head.
"Xiao Yan, you're still a child—so naive."
"Aunt Shen, I admit it."
"In front of you, I am indeed just a naive child."
"But my feelings for you are genuine."
In his heart, Li Zhiyan desperately wanted to pull Shen Hongmei into his arms and kiss her fervently, just like last night.
But he knew, under these circumstances, it wasn't realistic.
"You like Auntie because of these strengths."
"Long legs, nice figure—those are indeed merits."
As she looked at her plump, shapely legs,
Shen Hongmei couldn't help but feel satisfied. Her height of 183 cm had been her most standout feature. Some claimed such tallness was a flaw in women.
But Shen Hongmei had never felt that way.
So every day, she'd step out in seven-centimeter high heels.
Natural beauty is the best gift, and Shen Hongmei had no intention of changing anything forcefully.
"But."
"There's a difference of 22 years between us. You're 20 years old, right?"
Li Zhiyan replied, "Yes, just a few months away from 21."
"You're 20 now, and Auntie is 42. If we were to be together,"
"Right now Auntie still looks youthful, but in a few years, or even over a decade…"
"At that time, you'll be only in your thirties,"
"the prime of your life, while Auntie will already be an old woman."
"By that time, all of Auntie's strengths,"
"whether it's my figure or what you appreciate, might still exist."
"But staring at a face etched with crow's feet, could you still savor it as sweetly as last night?"
"Your feelings for Auntie are mostly driven by the hormones and impulsiveness of youth."
"You simply desire Auntie physically."
"Once those hormones and impulses subside,"
"all that beauty will vanish. By then, you'll still be young."
"But Auntie's fate will undoubtedly be miserable."
"Auntie isn't a woman who acts in emotional ways. If Auntie truly decides to be with you,"
"it would be irresponsible to herself—and to you."
"Auntie cannot gamble her limited youth to test whether you want to play house or just look for a woman to satisfy yourself."
Listening to Shen Hongmei's words,
Li Zhiyan felt all the more the maturity of this woman. Her way of thinking far surpassed that of typical women; she was extraordinarily thorough and rational.
Yet this only strengthened Li Zhiyan's resolve.
He was determined to make Shen Hongmei his.
Not only because she was Xu Qianqian's mother—winning Shen Hongmei would deal a blow to Xu Qianqian, who had always looked down on him as a fool.
But also because he genuinely liked Shen Hongmei.
Whenever he was with her, he felt an overwhelming sense of security—a feeling he deeply cherished.
"Aunt Shen, I'm not looking for a woman for venting."
"If we're together, I'd be willing even if we don't do that kind of thing."
Shen Hongmei smiled gently at this moment.
"Auntie believes you on that, because you're a kind-hearted child—not the type who treats women as tools for indulgence."
"But the problem between us isn't just about age."
"Let's skip over the age gap for now."
"Pretend that issue doesn't exist at all."
"Let's talk about other matters instead."
"If the two of us were to be together,"
"we'd face a great deal of societal pressure."
"You're my daughter's classmate. If this were to reach my daughter,"
"and your classmates find out, what would they say?"
"Moreover, your parents are close to my age. If they find out their son is dating a woman old enough to be his mother, how would they feel?"
"What would your relatives and friends think about it once they hear?"
"And nowadays, men seem to compete over whose girlfriend is younger and prettier. If you dated a woman twenty-two years older, you'd attract behind-the-scenes ridicule."
"You'd feel bad about it."
"Feel embarrassed."
"Even going out together would be filled with countless inconveniences."
"People would assume I'm your mother."
Looking at Li Zhiyan, Shen Hongmei felt he was growing ever more juvenile in her eyes.