Secretly, But Unable to Hide It

Chapter 19

Sang Yan was choked by Sang Zhi to the point of struggling for breath, his neck turning slightly red. Hearing her words, his mouth twitched and he suddenly started coughing violently.

“Huh?” Chen Mingxu didn’t react immediately. He glanced at Sang Yan’s face again and his expression instantly became complicated. “Sang Zhi, did you say this is your dad?”

Sang Zhi was terrified, her mind conjuring up countless scenarios of being scolded by everyone if her lie was exposed, a situation akin to the end of the world for her. She lacked any confidence and dared not speak again, only nodding.

Duan Jiaxu, who was standing nearby, stared at Sang Zhi’s expression and suddenly lowered his head, laughing.

Her big, round eyes were covered with a layer of moist tears, the rims of her eyes were red, and her cheeks were smudged with dirt, making her look both pitiful and disheveled.

This sight made the words Chen Mingxu wanted to say get stuck in his throat.

The person Sang Zhi called ‘dad’ and ‘Sang Zhi’s brother’ stood together, clearly of the same age and both wearing the same volunteer uniform.

But hearing Sang Zhi say so, they did look somewhat alike.

Chen Mingxu pondered silently.

Although he didn’t know why she lied, Chen Mingxu didn’t want to continue questioning. He raised his hand and touched his already balding head. “Have the wound treated first.”

The school had set up tents in two corners of the sports field, with volunteers from the Red Cross and the school doctor sitting underneath, in case students got injured.

Sang Yan barely managed to calm his emotions and said expressionlessly, “Okay.”

He then carried Sang Zhi towards the tents.

Chen Mingxu held back Duan Jiaxu and said a few words to him. Seeing that there were guardians around, he felt relieved and went elsewhere to check on the other students.

The two siblings walked silently ahead.

After a few seconds, Duan Jiaxu followed.

Sang Zhi lay on Sang Yan’s back, her heart in her throat, unable to settle. She couldn’t help but look towards Duan Jiaxu, her expression seemingly asking for help.

The next second, Sang Yan spoke coldly, “What did you just call me?”

Sang Zhi immediately withdrew her gaze, not daring to speak.

“Am I your dad?”

“……”

“Did you hit your leg or your head?”

Having hurt all over from the fall, Sang Zhi didn’t want to say a word. She had just managed to deal with the teacher under pressure and felt slightly relieved, only to face Sang Yan’s reproach again.

Her throat tightened and a flood of grievances overwhelmed her.

“Why are you always scolding me? You’ve been scolding me all day.” At this moment, Sang Zhi felt like the most pitiful person in the world. She bit her lip hard, trying to hold back her sobs but failing. “I’ll tell Dad…… Go away, I don’t want you to carry me anymore……”

“……” Sang Yan immediately fell silent.

After a couple of seconds, he said, “Your ankle is sprained. If I don’t carry you, how will you walk?”

“I can walk by myself.” Sang Zhi kicked her uninjured leg, trying to get down. “I want to walk by myself. I don’t want you to carry me……”

Sang Yan turned his head, impatiently saying, “Can you be a bit more obedient?”

“No!” Sang Zhi’s tears were still falling, staring at him. “Why should I be obedient? You’re always scolding me. You’ve been scolding me all day……”

Sang Yan’s arrogance faded significantly. “……Brother was just teasing you.”

This softened attitude was of no use.

Once emotional, Sang Zhi started speaking without thinking, “If you dislike me so much, why didn’t you tell Mom to abort me before I was born?”

“……”

Sang Yan frowned. “What are you saying?”

His tone rose, volume slightly higher, showing clear disapproval of her words.

This tone made Sang Zhi pause for a few seconds as if she couldn’t believe it. She stared blankly at Sang Yan, blinked after a few seconds, and then tears streamed down her face once again. “You’re scolding me again……”

Sang Yan: “……”

There was still quite a distance to the tent.

It seemed Sang Zhi wanted to cry all her tears of this life.

Listening to their conversation and Sang Zhi’s sobs, Duan Jiaxu scratched the skin under his eyes and couldn’t help but call out, “Hey, Sang Yan.”

“What?”

He walked up, glanced at Sang Zhi, and said, “Let me carry her.”

Hearing that, Sang Zhi’s crying weakened and she looked up at Duan Jiaxu.

This reaction was very telling. Sang Yan slightly turned his head, asking with great respect, “Do you want him to carry you?”

Sang Zhi completely stopped crying, staring fixedly at Duan Jiaxu.

“……”

Although she didn’t give a definite response, her reaction showed how unbearable it was to be carried by him.

Sang Yan took a deep breath and endured the humiliation, saying, “Fine.”

Without another word, he put Sang Zhi down.

After making sure she was steady, Duan Jiaxu squatted and carried her.

Sang Zhi lay on Duan Jiaxu’s back. She glanced at Sang Yan, wanting to say something but quickly looked away because she was still angry.

Duan Jiaxu adjusted his posture while looking ahead. He asked casually, “Besides your foot, where else hurts?”

Sang Zhi sniffled, whispering, “My hand hurts.”

“Anything else?”

“My knee hurts a bit too.”

“Mm, stop crying.” Duan Jiaxu said, “Brother will apply medicine for you later.”

Sang Zhi nodded silently.

From this angle, she could only see his side profile.

The hat Duan Jiaxu had put on her head earlier had been returned to him during the game. Now, it was back on his head. They were so close that she could smell the faint scent of tobacco from him.

The sun shone from another direction, bathing half of his face in light as his hair glimmered with a halo, his lips pressed lightly together. The upper half of his face was in the shadows, eyes slightly narrowed, and nose straight.

His features were sharp and clear, revealing no emotions.

Soon, as if noticing her gaze, Duan Jiaxu suddenly called out to her, “Kid.”

Sang Zhi immediately looked away, pretending she hadn’t done anything.

Before she could respond, Duan Jiaxu spoke again, “Take off Brother’s hat.”

“……”

Sang Zhi obediently did so. “Then what?”

Duan Jiaxu’s tone was casual, “Then put it on your head.”

Sang Zhi was stunned.

Noticing her daze, Duan Jiaxu instinctively turned his head. Seeing her silly expression, he raised his brows and chuckled lightly, “Aren’t you feeling the sun?”

When they arrived at the tent, Duan Jiaxu put Sang Zhi on a chair.

There weren’t many injured people and most were suffering from heatstroke.

Sang Yan called the school doctor over to check on Sang Zhi’s injuries.

The school doctor examined Sang Zhi’s ankle, brought an ice pack and some medicine over, and said, “It’s nothing serious, not severe. Just apply some ice and medicine. Also, don’t exercise for a few days.”

Duan Jiaxu glanced over and asked, “Doesn’t she need to go to the hospital for a check?”

“No need, it’s just a slight sprain.” The school doctor added, “But to be safe, you could go to the hospital to see if there’s any damage to the muscles or bones.”

Sang Yan said, “You should still go and have it checked.”

Sang Zhi looked down at her slightly swollen ankle and said nothing.

Duan Jiaxu grabbed a bottle of saline solution and iodine from nearby and then squatted in front of Sang Zhi. “Let’s treat the other wounds first, then go to the hospital.”

Sang Yan walked over. “Let me do it.”

Only then did Sang Zhi speak, stubbornly saying, “No.”

“……” Sang Yan stared at her, holding back his frustration. “Fine, I’ll go get you a bottle of water.”

Seeing this, Duan Jiaxu looked at Sang Zhi, raised an eyebrow, and smiled. “You trust me that much?”

Sang Zhi’s eyes were still red. She lowered her head, spread her palm out in front of him, and muttered, “My brother is so impatient, he’ll make it hurt a lot.”

Duan Jiaxu asked, “Little Sang Zhi is afraid of pain?”

Sang Zhi nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed. She added, “Who isn’t afraid of pain?”

“Is that so? But it might still hurt a little.” Duan Jiaxu lowered his eyes and unscrewed the cap of the saline solution. “Can you bear it?”

Sang Zhi immediately retracted her hand and hid it behind her back. “Can’t you be gentle?”

“It will hurt a little bit.” Seeing her wary and defensive look, Duan Jiaxu couldn’t help but laugh. “Even a little isn’t acceptable?”

Sang Zhi was resolute. “No.”

“Alright then,” Duan Jiaxu said, “Brother will be very gentle.”

Sang Zhi looked at him sceptically. She hesitated for a long time before slowly extending her hand back to him. “Brother, I hold grudges.”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“Is it that serious?” Duan Jiaxu paused, looking up at her. “How about I let someone else apply it for you?”

“……”

“I don’t want little Sang Zhi to hold a grudge against me.”

Sang Zhi pursed her lips. “No.”

Duan Jiaxu’s tone carried a hint of amusement as he slowly poured the saline solution onto her wound. “Nothing is okay with you. Are you reasonable?”

“……”

The saline solution wasn’t strong, causing only slight discomfort at the wound. Sang Zhi watched his movements, feeling it was bearable.

As if to distract her, Duan Jiaxu casually said, “Already in the second year of middle school and still don’t know how to be reasonable?”

Sang Zhi frowned. “Although I told you before that I don’t know how to be reasonable, I’m actually a very reasonable person.”

Duan Jiaxu laughed again. “Is that so?”

After cleaning the wound on her hand, Duan Jiaxu rolled up her right pant leg to treat the injury on her knee.

His tone made Sang Zhi unhappy. “It’s true.”

Duan Jiaxu’s expression was serious and focused as he stared at her wound, making his tone seem distracted, “Hmm, little Sang Zhi is the most obedient.”

Sang Zhi glanced at him and silently closed her mouth.

“By the way, you just told your teacher that your brother is your dad.” Duan Jiaxu smiled, suddenly bringing this matter up. “Do you think he’ll believe it?”

Sang Zhi thought for a moment. “My teacher has never met my dad before.”

“En?”

Sang Zhi continued, “There’s nothing to doubt about.”

“……” Duan Jiaxu screwed the cap back on, laughing. “Is your brother that old? He’s even wearing the same clothes as me.”

Sang Zhi then noticed this point, her expression freezing. After a long pause, she said, “Then why didn’t you remind me earlier?”

Duan Jiaxu began applying iodine without saying a word.

Sang Zhi hesitated before asking, “If the teacher asks, can I just say you two are wearing parent-child outfits?”

“……” Duan Jiaxu looked up, stared at her for a long while, and said meaningfully, “Kid, do you have a conscience?”

“Huh?”

Duan Jiaxu said lightly, “I treat you so well, yet you help your brother bully me?”

Sang Zhi paused, not understanding. “How is it bullying you?”

Duan Jiaxu pretended not to hear.

Sang Zhi blinked, feeling a bit at a loss. She explained herself, “Brother, I think I…… I treat you…… quite well, right?”

This time Duan Jiaxu responded, placing the hat from her head back onto his own.

Sang Zhi: “……”

She couldn’t help but say, “You’re pretty childish.”

Duan Jiaxu replied lightly, “Mm, even insulting people.”

“……” Sang Zhi widened her eyes, feeling wronged. “How did I insult you? Besides, you’re so big, how could I bully you? Don’t wrongly accuse me.”

“Extend your hand.”

Sang Zhi paused, then extended her hand obediently.

Duan Jiaxu held her wrist to fix it in place, then lowered his eyes and slowly applied iodine to the wound on her palm. He completely ignored her words, as if genuinely angry.

Sang Zhi whispered, “Brother, why aren’t you talking to me?”

“……”

After trying to be nice for a while with no result, Sang Zhi felt a bit defiant. “You’re really petty—”

Seeing him look over instantly, Sang Zhi immediately corrected herself, “No, I mean, you’re vengeful— no, I mean, you have a really good memory.”

“A good memory?” Duan Jiaxu’s eyes slightly lifted, finally responding to her, “Isn’t that still saying I’m vengeful?”

“If you want to interpret it that way—” Sang Zhi stopped and spinelessly took back her words, “Of course, that’s not what I meant.”

“What do you mean, then?”

“It’s a compliment.”

Duan Jiaxu stood up, grabbed a pack of wet wipes from the side, and tore it open. “But Brother doesn’t like hearing that.”

Sang Zhi: “……”

He’s really difficult to deal with.

Duan Jiaxu bent down slightly and leaned close to Sang Zhi, intending to wipe the dirt off her face. “How about saying something else?”

Startled by the sudden closeness, Sang Zhi instinctively leaned back.

Thinking she didn’t like people touching her face, Duan Jiaxu paused, not minding, and handed her the wipe. “There’s dirt on your face. Wipe it clean.”

Sang Zhi was silent for a moment but did not take it. She then leaned forward instead.

The implication was obvious.

Sang Zhi said matter-of-factly, “I can’t see it.”

“So difficult.” Duan Jiaxu chuckled softly, slowly wiping her face. After cleaning it, he didn’t stand up immediately, instead saying, “Kid, do you think……”

Sang Zhi felt inexplicably nervous. “What?”

Duan Jiaxu tilted his head, dragging out his words, “This is like serving an ancestor?”

Robbin: I’ve bought the physical book and found two additional extra chapters. I’ll be updating the chapters from 89 to 91.