Online Friends

An Nuan returned home later than usual.

"Nuannuan, your mother won three awards today at the school's traditional style competition: Best Temperament, Best Figure, and Best Talent. She really is something."

She ran into Professor Ling, who lived across the hall, downstairs. Professor Ling was not yet forty and kept her figure well... though that was only in comparison to most people her age, not including Liu Yuewang.

Liu Yuewang was younger than Professor Ling, and she was An Nuan's mother.

"That's just because this competition wasn't your specialty, Auntie, since it emphasized tradition... If it had been a dance competition without the 'traditional' restriction, your belly dancing would have conquered all the judges," An Nuan said with a smile. It wasn't much of an exaggeration; both she and her mother had learned belly dancing from Professor Ling.

They only danced for fun at home. Among the city's neighborhoods, excluding the old streets and alleys, the neighborhood relations in these school-subsidized housing complexes were the best at maintaining traditional interactions. Everyone was a long-time colleague who had worked in the same unit for over a decade or even decades, which was completely different from the neighborhood relations in newly built commercial residential areas.

Professor Ling was pleased and patted An Nuan on the shoulder. "The college entrance exam is coming up soon, so remember to relax. When you're relaxing, dance a bit, listen to some music, and come over to Auntie's place to hang out."

"I will!" An Nuan said in a sweet, soft voice, taking Professor Ling's arm as they headed upstairs.

"This girl has such long legs." Professor Ling looked at An Nuan with envy. "If only I had a daughter like you. I feel like Zhizhi's legs aren't even half as long as yours."

"It's not that exaggerated. If Zhizhi heard you, she'd insist on having my legs amputated," An Nuan giggled.

Chu Lingzhi was Professor Ling's daughter, living right across the hall. The two girls were close in age, and although they didn't attend the same school, they had a good relationship.

"Children say the darndest things, children say the darndest things," Professor Ling quickly added.

An Nuan opened the door. Professor Ling saw Liu Yuewang sitting on the sofa, still wearing the qipao from the morning's competition. At thirty-six, the woman possessed the gentle temperament and skin of a young girl, which was truly enviable. Her delicate brows and soft corners of her mouth always made one think of the line: "The moon hangs over the willow branches, we meet after dusk."

"Still admiring yourself?" Liu Yuewang was looking at her phone, her expression a mix of shy, quiet sweetness. Professor Ling greeted her.

Liu Yuewang turned her head, stood up, and teased, "What are you saying? Go back and cook for your Zhizhi. She just had an ice cream here and is already complaining that she's hungry."

"That glutton..." Professor Ling scolded, turning to open her own door.

An Nuan closed the door and changed her shoes. She took off her sweatpants and jacket, preparing to head to the bathroom in just her shorts and tank top. With only the two of them at home, there was no need to be overly modest when it came to dressing lightly.

The young girl's legs were straight and slender, tightly wrapped in her small panties, and she bounced along as if she had brought a volleyball home hidden inside them.

Liu Yuewang frowned, crossing her arms as she watched An Nuan. "Didn't I tell you to come home early today?"

"I practiced volleyball a bit longer and lost track of time." The skill one naturally masters as they grow up is lying. An Nuan's face didn't flush, her heart didn't race, and her expression remained natural. Of course, she couldn't tell the truth about being delayed while chatting with Liu Chang'an on the pedestrian bridge.

"Sit down, I have something to tell you." Liu Yuewang tapped the coffee table.

An Nuan had been mentally prepared. She sat down calmly, though what she really cared about was the shy, sweet smile she had seen on her mother's face when she walked in—the kind that reminded her of a woman in love.

Only a woman in love would have that expression while looking at her phone. It must have been a message from a crush that made her heart flutter.

Women are all the same when they're in love, whether they are eighteen or thirty-six.

But it was hard to say; it could just be an expression, and she might be overthinking it. An Nuan sat down and saw Liu Yuewang pick up her phone again. She didn't seem to be replying to a message, and with a hint of boredom, she placed the phone on her lap, glancing at the screen before looking at An Nuan seriously once more.

"Do you have anything you want to tell me?" Liu Yuewang looked at her daughter's face, as if looking at herself eighteen years ago. The powerful genetic transfer made their features extremely similar, though An Nuan had the aura of a young girl, while Liu Yuewang's figure held more of the charm of a mature woman.

"Nope." An Nuan giggled. "Mom, your qipao is really beautiful. It shows off your figure so well. You must have made every man at school stare today... no, women too."

Liu Yuewang did indeed have a great figure; only a confident woman would dare to wear a qipao. With this type of garment, even the slightest bit of fat on the waist, a little slackness in the hips or thighs, or slightly thick arms would be magnified to the most conspicuous degree.

The slit of the qipao wasn't high, but when she sat down, the small portion of thigh skin revealed was still dazzlingly white, reminiscent of a cup of milk slightly overflowing the rim—white, rounded, and milky, making one want to lean in and take a sniff.

"What I want to talk about is you and Liu Chang'an from your class." Liu Yuewang looked a bit helpless. She glanced at her phone before finally putting it down, focusing her attention on An Nuan. "The college entrance exam is almost here. I don't need to say much; you know how you should handle this."

An Nuan became serious as well, also crossing her arms, though her curves weren't as full as Liu Yuewang's.

"Liu Chang'an and I are just friends. He was just clearing up a misunderstanding that day." Of course, An Nuan wouldn't disparage Liu Chang'an by using the explanation he had given her.

"But it looks like he really likes you. Mom has been through this; I can tell what tone and behavior someone has when they talk about the person they like."

An Nuan shook her head and wrapped her arms around Liu Yuewang's neck. "Mom, what kind of 'experienced person' are you? As an elder, if you aren't good at something, don't pretend to be."

Liu Yuewang glared at An Nuan and rolled her eyes, pressing her chest in annoyance. In truth, the qipao was a bit tight; if she breathed too heavily, the frog buttons would pull and deform at the edges.

"I saw you playing on your phone earlier. Which uncle were you chatting with so happily? If you really meet someone you like, you have to let me vet him," An Nuan took the opportunity to probe.

"What are you talking about? Just a netizen." Liu Yuewang patted An Nuan's back. "Go on, go take a shower."

An Nuan giggled. As an only daughter, she was her mother's little confidante, and many things could be brushed off with a bit of acting.

Once she reached the bathroom, An Nuan's smile faded... A netizen? An online romance?