Yue looked amused and spoke in Cantonese. "Then let's start. Do you even understand what I'm saying, brat?"
I huffed and responded back in Cantonese. "*Aaji*, of course I understand. I'm not stupid!"
Yue froze. Then she reached out to pinch both my cheeks, continuing in Cantonese. "You little rascal! You understood this whole time? I thought they were just teaching you the white devil's tongue, but you were hiding this? No wonder your teacher called you gifted."
I laughed and wiggled away, rubbing my cheeks.
Yue huffed and switched back to English. "Fine. Since my adorable nephew hustled me, I guess I'll try out for the role." She looked at the script again and hesitated. "...Do you really think I'm good though?"
I paused, seeing the flicker of insecurity on my aunt's face. And then I realized the situation she was in.
After all, it was the same one I had been in when I was an adult.
Auntie Yue was ambitious. And she was good. But she probably never had anyone tell her she was good.
Like she said, her parents... my grandparents were strict. Considering how they cut my mom off for turning her back on her future and having me, I didn't have to imagine how they'd feel about their other daughter going into acting and being a barista.
Despite her tough act, Auntie Yue was probably a ball of insecurity. And unless that was nipped in the bud... it would lead to disaster later.
I didn't need to know the future to tell that. I'd seen enough of it to know the pattern.
But I ALSO had seen enough of it to know the pattern to stop it.
I hugged Yue tight and said, "Auntie's a superstar! My superstar! You can do it!"
Yue froze. For a solid three seconds, she didn't move. But then her breath hitched and she squeezed me tight. "...Thank you, Alex." Her voice was warm and soft. For a second, the tough exterior she put on faded. In its place, the young woman who was definitely my mom's younger sister emerged, just as warm and kind as my mom was.
I patted her back and said, "No. Thank you, Auntie. I love you. You can do it!"
Simple, carefree words that only a child could say. Not only that, words paired with genuine sincerity and trust.
I knew exactly just how impactful and lifechanging those words could be. As well as how much of an anchor it could be when things got tough.
And I saw how it affected Auntie Yue when she leaned knelt to look into my eyes, her own a bit red from tears. "...You're going to break SO many hearts when you get older, you brat." She let out a watery laugh and ruffled my hair. "Enough, enough." She stood up and wiped her eyes dry. "God, am I on my period or something? I'm so fucking emotional today... Or maybe my nephew's just that cute. Dammit. Making me want kids too..."
I padded behind her after I took off my shoes and said, "I'm Auntie's kid too!"
Yue laughed. "Damned right you are. I'm practically raising you all by myself anyway." She let out a teasing smile and said, "I have you for... what, four hours out of the day? That's already about the same that your mom has you anyway."
"Mmhm!"
Yue walked into the kitchen and put on an apron before washing her hands. "More than your dad too. Hell, look at me. Not even twenty and already cooking for a brat like you."
I smiled. "That's because Auntie's the best! Just like a big sister!"
Yue paused. "A big sister... Huh." She looked at me and then let out a warm smile. "Alright. Then from now on, you call me Big Sister Yue."
"Deal!"
Yue laughed and said, "Come on. Let's make you some PROPER food."
===
After an early dinner, some proper wushu training, and helping him with his homework, Yue tucked Alex into her bed. The kid was exhausted from all of it, so she let him nap while she reflected a bit.
Staring at Alex's slightly chubby face while he was asleep, Yue frowned and said, "...I thought he hated me. But I guess the kid just needed to warm up to me, huh?"
Yue could still remember the disastrous past attempts at babysitting. How much Alex had cried and begged to go home to his mom and dad. How she couldn't get him to relax or calm down at all and was stressed out of her mind.
But he was different now. More mature. Happier too.
Yue sat on the couch opposite her bed, staring at Alex's cute chubby face and his mussed up black hair. "Guess he just had to grow up a bit."
School was good for the brat, clearly. Just one year of kindergarten and a day of first grade and he was already a well-behaved kid.
Yue let out a deep sigh, lost in thoughts. "...But he was pretty clingy. Is he that lonely at home?"
Alex had waddled around after her everywhere like a baby duckling.
It was cute. And Yue loved it. But she was also a bit concerned.
"Sis said that she wanted me to keep an eye on if Alex was strange, right?" Yue murmured.
That implied that Alex had been a bit off at home.
But Yue could clearly understand why that was.
That stubborn bastard Wang worked from 6 AM to 6 PM and was barely home. Then her big sis Mei worked from 12 PM to 5 PM. The time she had free was either spent doing chores or probably being loveydovey with her husband.
Alex was probably just left alone most of the time.
No, since Yue had been busy running around during last summer for auditions, Alex wasn't 'probably' left alone, he DEFINITELY was left alone. At least for half the day.
Yue subconsciously clenched her fist. "Stupid sis... Isn't this exactly what we talked about not doing?"
Yue, and especially Mei, should know all about parents who were never around. Both their parents had worked throughout their childhood and were never home, leaving them to be practically raised by their big brother.
And that big brother was so fed up by it that he actually left America to go back to mainland China the moment he was a teenager, leaving Yue and Mei alone with their parents.
So for Mei to repeat that cycle and leave Alex alone...
Yue clicked her tongue and then flopped into the bed beside Alex, pulling him close. "Don't worry, Fatty. Your Auntie- Your Big Sis Yue will take care of you."
Alex mumbled in his sleep.
Yue couldn't make it out. But from what she could tell, it sounded something like, 'Stupid Auntie. No selling your body.'
Yue rolled her eyes and gently poked Alex's cheek. "You silly brat. What kind of movies are your dad letting you watch?" She gently kissed Alex's forehead and said, "I'd never do that. Not when I'm your superstar." She smiled and said, "Unlike other pretty girls, your auntie has the skills to make it. I don't need to sell favors. Dummy."
Did Alex understand? Or did he just calm down from hearing her voice? Either way, he relaxed and nuzzled against her side.
Yue chuckled and then got up, tucking Alex into bed. After that, she walked to the other room and picked up the landline phone to leave a voice message on Mei's phone.
"Hey, Sis. Alex and I are at my house. How about you take it easy for a week and let me watch him? Seems like he's used to me now, so it'll be fine. I've got his things here and I'll bring him to school. Call me when you get this."
There.
Yue hung up the phone and stretched. Then she sat down at the kitchen table, flipping through some other scripts. "Rush Hour 2 is set for next year, so the audition won't be for a bit. But since my cute nephew believes in me..." She eyed a few scripts that she had been hesitating on auditioning for. "...Princess Mononoke. That sounds like he'd like it. And... they ARE looking for a new pink ranger for the Power Rangers Lost Galaxy after that plot twist..."
She glanced back at Alex's sleeping form.
She hesitated.
But then Yue started to properly prepare.
After all, if Alex called her his superstar...
"...I might as well be a princess and a power ranger to prove it, right?" Yue smiled to herself and started rehearsing the lines.