Secretly, But Unable to Hide It

Chapter 25

The sofa in the living room was L-shaped, with a transparent coffee table in front of it. Duan Jiaxu and Sang Yan were sitting side by side, with a space of two people between them.

One end of the sofa was left empty.

Sang Zhi instinctively sat down there, right next to Duan Jiaxu.

Because of this sudden situation, Sang Zhi’s mind went blank. She even forgot to put her phone away, its camera still facing Duan Jiaxu. And she looked both anxious and nervous.

Noticing her expression, Sang Yan threw his game controller aside, frowned, and asked, “Little Brat, what are you taking pictures of?”

Sang Zhi didn’t know how to explain and looked up hesitantly.

Seeing the direction the phone was pointing, Duan Jiaxu’s eyebrows rose and his lips curved into a smile. Then, he leaned forward slightly, moving closer to Sang Zhi with interest, and said, “Hmm? Taking pictures of me?”

Sang Zhi shrank back and immediately pressed the phone screen against a cushion to hide it. “N-no.”

“Really?”

“……”

“Why are you taking pictures of Brother?” Duan Jiaxu drawled, chuckling, “Is Brother that good-looking?”

Hearing his words, Sang Yan immediately snorted. “Can you not be so shameless?”

Then Sang Yan seemed to have thought of something and turned to look at Sang Zhi. “You weren’t planning to take a photo to snitch on me, were you?”

Before he could finish, Sang Zhi suddenly stood up and sputtered while avoiding their gaze, “I told my classmates that I have a very handsome brother.”

Sang Yan’s voice halted.

Sang Zhi’s cheeks were a bit red as she spoke, slowly moving towards the bedroom. She was out of reasons to give, and she added after a pause, “But I’m too embarrassed to show them your picture.”

Sang Yan: “……”

After speaking, Sang Zhi immediately ran back to her room, leaving behind a silence.

The living room suddenly became quiet, so quiet that it was strangely awkward. The two young men sat at opposite ends of the sofa, their expressions starkly different, with a clear contrast in their emotions.

After a moment, Sang Yan turned to look at Duan Jiaxu. His lips formed a straight line and his face gradually lost expression as frustration bubbled inside him. “I thought she was taking pictures to tattle to our parents.”

Duan Jiaxu restrained his smile and hummed in reply.

Reflecting on Sang Zhi’s words, Sang Yan slowly exhaled, trying to suppress his temper. However, the anger ignited instantly. “This is even worse than tattling.”

“……”

After a few more seconds of silence, Sang Yan couldn’t hold it in any longer and suddenly stood up. “You wait here.”

The next second, Duan Jiaxu stood up as well, seemingly trying to stop Sang Yan. He chuckled softly. “Bro, there’s no need to argue with a kid about this matter, right?”

Sang Yan: “?”

“Kids don’t know any better, no need to take it to heart.”

Sang Yan stared at him blankly.

“Kids at this age,” Duan Jiaxu patted Sang Yan’s shoulder, his voice pausing for a few seconds as if suppressing a laugh, “are a bit concerned about saving face. You should understand her.”

Saving face.

Understand.

“……”

Sang Yan’s brow twitched. “Understand your mother.”

———pr

Sang Zhi stayed in her room for a few minutes, crouching by the door to listen to the sounds outside. She could vaguely hear Sang Yan and Duan Jiaxu talking, but the distance made it hard to hear clearly.

She thought about the excuse she had just made.

It still seemed quite reasonable.

After a while, Sang Zhi boredly pulled out the ‘loot’ from earlier.

The pixel quality wasn’t very clear. From the angle she had taken, only Duan Jiaxu’s profile could be seen, sharp yet soft. His lips were slightly curved, and he seemed to be in a good mood.

Sang Zhi suddenly felt that everything just now was worth it.

She couldn’t help but smile, touching the screen lightly with her fingertip before quickly pulling it back.

Sang Zhi looked at the picture a few more times, then suddenly turned off the screen and hugged her phone tightly. She tried to calm her excitement, pretending not to care at all, and stood up to look in the mirror.

When she felt she was perfectly composed, Sang Zhi coughed lightly, hid her phone under her pillow, and quietly opened the door to peek outside. Then, she quickly ran to Sang Yan’s room and sat in front of the desk.

Sang Zhi opened her physics workbook, deliberately finding something to do.

However, her attention was entirely on the living room.

Before long, someone walked in.

Sang Zhi didn’t look up but she could guess it was Duan Jiaxu. She scratched her head, pretending to be engrossed in doing a problem.

Duan Jiaxu sat beside her. Propping his face with one hand, he glanced at her workbook. “Kid, let me see your final exam paper.”

Sang Zhi made a sound of acknowledgment, pulled out her exam paper from the physics book, and placed it in front of him. She looked back at the question she was doing, but her pen soon stopped. Hesitating, she asked in a small voice, “Brother, can you stop calling me that?”

Hearing her speak, Duan Jiaxu looked up, seemingly not understanding her words. “Hmm?”

Sang Zhi glanced at him without speaking.

Duan Jiaxu understood. “Kid?”

Sang Zhi looked away and nodded silently.

“You don’t like Brother calling you that?”

“It’s not that.” Sang Zhi muttered, “It’s just that I’m not a kid anymore.”

“Not a kid anymore?” Duan Jiaxu found it amusing. “Do you think you’re a big kid now?”

“……”

Sang Zhi pressed her lips together, ignoring him.

Duan Jiaxu didn’t think it was a big deal and didn’t care much. “Brother is just used to calling you that.”

Sang Zhi’s stance was firm. “Then you need to break that habit.”

“Alright, so what should I call you then?” He dragged out his tone, “Little Sang Zhi?”

Sang Zhi’s lips moved slightly, dissatisfied.

Can’t he drop the word ‘little’?

Must he emphasize her being small?

Forget it.

Sang Zhi decided to endure.

At least it was better than before.

She didn’t argue with him and reluctantly nodded.

Mentioning this matter, Duan Jiaxu recalled the first time he saw Sang Zhi and reached out to rub her head. “You seem to have grown taller.”

Sang Zhi said seriously, “I will keep growing.”

“Mm.” Duan Jiaxu’s tone was casual, not very serious. “You’ll grow taller than Brother and protect me.”

“……” Sang Zhi imagined that scenario and mumbled, “I don’t need to be that tall.”

Duan Jiaxu just laughed, continuing to look at her exam paper. “Kid, didn’t you pay attention in class?”

He had just agreed, yet he was calling her kid again.

Sang Zhi pretended not to hear.

Duan Jiaxu lazily asked, “Did you hear what Brother said?”

Sang Zhi felt aggrieved but didn’t dare to continue pretending not to hear. She leaned over to defend herself. “I did, but I don’t understand.”

“How can you get this question on phase changes wrong?”

“Oh.” Sang Zhi pointed, “I wrote too fast. I meant to choose A.”

Duan Jiaxu smiled faintly. “B is the right answer to this question.”

“……”

Their eyes met.

Sang Zhi felt embarrassed but thought she couldn’t lose her momentum. She boldly declared, “I just don’t understand. I did listen to the class. I’m just too stupid to understand.”

“Didn’t Brother tell you to pay attention in class?” Duan Jiaxu said, “Have you forgotten?”

“That was so long ago……”

“So, do you need Brother to remind you every day?”

Sang Zhi hesitated for two seconds and said slowly, “That’s fine too.”

“……” Duan Jiaxu was both angry and amused. “Bring your textbook over.”

The tutoring schedule was set for two hours daily, three times a week.

Originally, it was supposed to start promptly at nine and end at eleven. But Sang Zhi slept until ten, and with her washing up and eating breakfast, they didn’t start until eleven.

They took an hour break for lunch halfway through.

Duan Jiaxu didn’t seem to be in a hurry as he watched her do her exercises. After she finished, he took them to check one by one and casually brought up the matter from that morning, “You don’t want to find a tutor?”

Sang Zhi ambiguously replied, “I don’t want to study.”

“At your age,” Duan Jiaxu laughed lightly, “what else do you want to do besides study?”

Sang Zhi was at a loss for words and puffed up her cheeks. “You don’t understand.”

Duan Jiaxu pointed at her mistakes, making her review them a few times before saying, “Fine, I don’t understand. Whatever you want to do, you can do it, but you have to find time outside of your classes. At least don’t let it interfere with your studies.”

Sang Zhi responded, “I know.”

“Think over the questions by yourself.” Duan Jiaxu closed the textbook. “That’s all for today.”

Sang Zhi nodded.

As soon as the lesson ended, Duan Jiaxu leaned back in his chair. Soon, his eyelids moved slightly, as if he suddenly remembered something, and he drew out his words, “Kid……”

“……”

How accustomed was he to calling her that?

Couldn’t he change it?

Sang Zhi was about to reprimand him when she heard him say, “You think Brother is handsome?”

“……”

She instantly swallowed back the words she was about to say.

Duan Jiaxu slowly leaned closer, letting out a long breath and laughing, “Show me the picture you just took.”

Sang Zhi didn’t want to show him and was extremely glad she hadn’t brought her phone with her. She pretended to check her pockets and said calmly, “My phone is in my room.”

But then Duan Jiaxu naturally said, “Go bring it over.”

“……” Sang Zhi put on a bold face. “I don’t want to.”

“You don’t want to take a few more pictures?” Duan Jiaxu rested his face on his hand, his voice teasing, “However Little Sang Zhi wants to take them, Brother will cooperate with you. Then you can pick the best one to show your little friends and make them envious of our little Sang Zhi.”

Sang Zhi felt uneasy. “……No need.”

“Is that so?” He seemed a bit regretful. “What a pity.”

“……”

“Won’t you reconsider?” Duan Jiaxu smiled. “Kid, don’t you think it’s a waste?”

Annoyed by his teasing, Sang Zhi didn’t respond. She jumped off her chair and silently gathered her things to return to her room. After returning, she stared at her pillow, speechless.

Maybe she had been brainwashed.

At that moment, in her embarrassment and anger, Sang Zhi really felt it was a pity.

She even had an impulse to take back her words.

Afterward, Sang Zhi didn’t hear any signs of Duan Jiaxu leaving.

Listening to the sounds outside, it seemed like Duan Jiaxu and Sang Yan had started playing games again, but had moved to Sang Yan’s room. Sang Zhi felt a bit frustrated, but even if Sang Yan wasn’t there, she still wouldn’t be able to bring up the matter again.

Sang Zhi flipped through her phone and looked at the photo she had taken earlier, feeling that just this one seemed enough.

She decided not to be greedy.

Sang Zhi thought about going over but felt she had no reason to disturb them.

Then she suddenly remembered that whenever guests came over, Li Ping would always cut some fruit to serve. Sang Zhi didn’t expect Sang Yan to do so and felt that she shouldn’t treat Duan Jiaxu poorly. She hesitated before walking out of her room. Then she went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took out a watermelon.

Placing the watermelon on the countertop, Sang Zhi picked up a fruit knife but didn’t know where to start. She scratched her head, then decided to put both the watermelon and the knife on a tray.

She then struggled to carry it into Sang Yan’s room.

Noticing the noise, both Sang Yan and Duan Jiaxu looked over.

Duan Jiaxu: “……”

Sang Yan: “……”

Sang Zhi placed the watermelon next to them and said thoughtfully, “I brought you some fruit to eat.”

“……” Sang Yan’s temple twitched. “If you want to eat, just call me and I’ll cut it for you. No need to go through all this trouble.”

Duan Jiaxu, sitting on the couch, watched Sang Zhi’s actions and couldn’t help but laugh.

Misunderstood, Sang Zhi was unhappy. “I don’t want to eat. I brought it for you two.”

Sang Yan: “So you brought a whole watermelon in?”

“……” Sang Zhi lost her confidence. “I don’t know how to cut it.”

Sang Yan stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly got up, took the tray, and headed to the kitchen. “Unbelievable. How long have I been playing this game? Now I have to serve you again.”

“……”

Scolded, Sang Zhi also felt unhappy but didn’t dare to talk back.

The next moment, Duan Jiaxu beckoned her over, pointing at Sang Yan’s game controller. “Come and play with Brother.”

Sang Zhi reluctantly walked over and sat in Sang Yan’s place.

They were playing 《The King of Fighters》. Although Sang Zhi didn’t like this game much, she used to play it often with Sang Yan and was fairly good at it. But she couldn’t concentrate, pressing the buttons randomly without really trying.

Soon, her character lost more than half of its health.

Duan Jiaxu stopped and asked, “Do you know how to play?”

Sang Zhi nodded. “Yes.”

“Then you don’t like this game?”

“Mm.”

Duan Jiaxu released the controller, pointed to the game cards in front of them, and lazily said, “Pick one you like.”

“Okay.” Sang Zhi rummaged through them and chose Super Mario. “This one.”

“Alright.”

Before long, Sang Yan came in with a plate of watermelon. He looked at his phone as he spoke, “I have to go out for a bit, I’ll be back soon.”

Sang Zhi asked, “Where are you going?”

“You’re too nosy, Little Brat.” Sang Yan shook his phone. “Just eat your watermelon.”

Then, he grabbed his wallet from the drawer and was about to leave when he suddenly remembered Duan Jiaxu. “Hey, are you coming with me or staying here?”

Duan Jiaxu’s eyes were still on the screen. “I’ll stay a bit longer. I have a part-time job later, so I’ll go directly from here.”

“Okay.” Sang Yan said, “I’ll probably be back before you leave.”

Soon, the house was unexpectedly left with just the two of them.

Duan Jiaxu was playing first, and Sang Zhi, feeling bored, started a conversation, “Brother, do you know where my brother is going?”

“Hmm?” Duan Jiaxu replied casually, “Maybe he’s trying to find a date before Valentine’s Day.”

“……”

Sang Zhi suddenly remembered that this year, Valentine’s Day coincided with the first day of the Lunar New Year.

It wasn’t far off now.

She turned to look at Duan Jiaxu. Thinking about his charming personality and looks, she asked as if it was unintentional, “What about you?”

“Hmm?”

Sang Zhi was silent for a few seconds, inexplicably holding her breath. “Brother, do you plan to date?”

Duan Jiaxu’s eyes lifted slightly. “Me?”

“……”

“We’ll see.” He smiled.

Sang Zhi suddenly recalled him saying he would work back home after graduation. Linking it to his current words, her chest felt heavy, as if a big stone was pressing down on it, making her feel helpless.

It was her turn to play, so Sang Zhi used it as an excuse to change the topic, quietly playing the game.

In this quiet moment, Sang Zhi had a very selfish thought.

She felt that if she said it at her current age, he would think it was childish and take it as a joke. But when she grew older, she wouldn’t be able to say it anymore.

Only now was the right time to say it.

Staring at the screen, Sang Zhi’s heart was pounding. She nervously licked her lips and mustered the courage to ask, “Brother, can you not date?”

Duan Jiaxu paused and turned to look at her as if he thought he had heard wrong.

“What?”

“Don’t date.” Sang Zhi’s face was expressionless as if it was a matter of course. “It’s better to focus on your studies.”

Duan Jiaxu stared at her for a long time. Seemingly finding it ridiculous, he laughed, “Kid, be reasonable. Why don’t you tell your brother not to date?”