Secretly, But Unable to Hide It

Chapter 31

“……”

Sang Zhi suddenly remembered the summer vacation of her second year of middle school.

She had been in front of the escalator on the third floor of Shang’an Plaza when Fu Zhengchu had confessed to her. Then, Duan Jiaxu suddenly appeared behind them, just like this time.

She had no idea how long he had been standing behind her.

Initially, shouting out those two words made Sang Zhi feel relieved, but as soon as the person being scolded heard it, her feelings of guilt surged up, mixed with a bit of frustration.

She instinctively denied it, “I wasn’t referring to you.”

Duan Jiaxu responded with a faint hum as if he believed her.

Sang Zhi sighed in relief.

Duan Jiaxu then asked, “Then who were you referring to?”

“……” Sang Zhi’s scalp began to tingle and her head was muddled from drinking. She stammered, “Someone you don’t know.”

Duan Jiaxu let out a trailing “Ah” and said, “Is that so?”

Sang Zhi quickly nodded.

“Then, I’d really like to meet the person who made little Sang Zhi scold like that.” Duan Jiaxu laughed. “Would little Sang Zhi tell Brother about it?”

“……”

She had already said it was someone he didn’t know but he still wanted to ask.

Who should she say now?

Who should she say?!

If she had known, she would have just blamed Sang Yan from the start.

But she had already claimed it was someone he didn’t know, so saying it was Sang Yan now seemed too late. And making up a random person made her feel guilty.

Sang Zhi turned her face away and deliberately changed the subject, “Why are you so nosy?”

“Hmm?” Duan Jiaxu stepped down two steps and stood beside her. “Maybe because this ‘old thing’ is bored.”

“……”

“Let’s go, young…… one?” Duan Jiaxu emphasized the word ‘young’ and said slowly, “This old thing will take you back to school.”

“……”

After speaking, Duan Jiaxu continued walking down the steps.

Sang Zhi’s palms unknowingly began to sweat. She followed him uneasily and hesitantly explained, “That word, I think, is quite…… quite civilized.”

“……”

“I mean, I think,” Sang Zhi nervously fidgeted with the chain on her bag, stammering, “It shouldn’t be considered as swearing.”

As they walked out, they arrived at the parking lot.

Duan Jiaxu took out his car key from his pocket and pressed it. It was as if he didn’t hear what she had just said and only said two words, “Get in.”

Sang Zhi didn’t move. “Brother Jiaxu, where do you live?”

“Wenting Garden.”

Sang Zhi had only been in this city for a little over a month and wasn’t familiar with it. She vaguely responded with an “Oh.”

Duan Jiaxu explained further, “Near the city library.”

“That seems to be in the opposite direction of my school.” Sang Zhi pointed to the nearby subway station. “It’s so late, I’ll just take the subway back. No need to trouble you—”

“Young one.” Duan Jiaxu played with the car key in his hand and smiled. “Brother wants to settle accounts with you and take you back on the way.”

“……”

“It’s not specifically to take you back.” He deliberately paused and looked at her lazily. “Understand?”

“……” Sang Zhi felt guilty and said nothing more. She walked silently and uneasily to the front passenger seat, pulling the door open with force. To her surprise, the door was still locked.

She instinctively looked back at Duan Jiaxu.

She saw him walking over and standing beside her. Though he wasn’t close, she felt an unprecedented pressure. Duan Jiaxu paused for two seconds, then pressed the car key again and opened the door for her.

Sang Zhi quickly got in and took off her bag.

Soon, Duan Jiaxu sat in the driver’s seat and glanced at her. “Buckle up.”

Sang Zhi responded and obediently fastened her seatbelt.

He didn’t start the car immediately but tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. After a while, he suddenly stopped and began to question her, “How much did you drink today?”

Sang Zhi thought for a moment. “Altogether, it should be just one or two bottles.”

Duan Jiaxu said, “Be careful when you’re out, and don’t drink with people you don’t know well.”

“Most of them were people I knew, and my roommates were there too.”

“Mm, I’m just reminding you.”

“I know.”

Sang Zhi thought she was in for a long lecture. But after that, Duan Jiaxu just started the car and didn’t mention the matter again. The ‘settling of accounts’ she had imagined didn’t happen.

Instead, it made Sang Zhi feel uneasy.

She didn’t speak up to avoid distracting him while driving. She took out her phone from her bag to scroll online.

Coincidentally, she saw a red dot on her WeChat contacts. Sang Zhi clicked on it and saw that someone named ‘Jiang Ming’ had added her.

This name reminded Sang Zhi of Ning Wei’s words.

She didn’t how the other party got her WeChat number but Sang Zhi didn’t like adding strangers and planned to ignore it and exit the app. However, her hand trembled and she accidentally approved it.

“……”

Forget it.

At this moment, Duan Jiaxu spoke. “Kid, shall we talk?”

Sang Zhi immediately looked up. “Huh?”

Duan Jiaxu asked, “Why did you call Brother names?”

Sang Zhi sneaked a glance at him, not knowing how to explain. In the end, she honestly said, “I don’t like being treated like a child.”

“……” Duan Jiaxu’s eyelashes flickered. “Is that it?”

“Mm.”

This ‘mm’ was quite serious.

Duan Jiaxu found it amusing yet baffling. “Why don’t you like it? It’s just like how even after you get married, your parents will still see you as their child. It’s the same thing.”

“……”

Sang Zhi felt a bit upset.

This person not only wanted to be her brother but also seemed to want to be her father now.

She didn’t want to argue with him anymore and turned to look out the window.

Midway, they passed by a convenience store. Duan Jiaxu got out to buy something and quickly returned with a plastic bag. Sang Zhi didn’t ask what he bought.

Before she knew it, they had arrived at the school gate.

The car couldn’t enter the campus, so Duan Jiaxu found a spot to park and said, “I’ll walk you in.”

Sang Zhi nodded, unbuckled her seatbelt, and got out.

The distance from the main gate to Sang Zhi’s dormitory building wasn’t far, about a ten-minute walk.

Sang Zhi wanted to say something but didn’t know what to say. After a long pause, she finally managed to squeeze out a sentence, “Brother Jiaxu, don’t you have to go to work tomorrow?”

Duan Jiaxu chuckled lightly. “Tomorrow is Saturday.”

“Oh.”

They made small talk intermittently.

Basically, Sang Zhi racked her brain to come up with questions to keep the atmosphere from becoming too awkward since he was kindly sending her back. They continued this awkward chat all the way to her dormitory building.

Sang Zhi finally breathed a sigh of relief and waved at him. “Goodbye, Brother Jiaxu. It’s late, so drive carefully. Stay safe.”

She hadn’t walked a few steps when Duan Jiaxu suddenly called out to her, “Sang Zhi.”

Sang Zhi turned around.

In the next second, he raised the plastic bag he had been carrying all the way. “Make some honey water when you get back so you don’t have a headache tomorrow.”

Sang Zhi paused and slowly took the bag. She said, “Thank you.”

“If you need any help, feel free to ask me.” Duan Jiaxu rubbed her head, his lips curving into a smile. “I know at your age, you have your own things you want to do. I never really thought little Sang Zhi was heartless.”

“……”

“As for the term ‘old thing’,” Duan Jiaxu couldn’t help but laugh, a low, raspy sound, “how is that not swearing? Speak more politely, young lady.”

Sang Zhi didn’t dare look at him. “I won’t say it again.”

“As long as you know it’s wrong, that’s fine. Go on.”

He thought for a moment and added, “Come have a meal with Brother if you have time.”

Sang Zhi tightly held the plastic bag and nodded slightly. “Okay.”

“Since I’m here alone, I was happy to hear from your brother that you’re coming here for university.” Duan Jiaxu looked at her warmly.

———pr

Sang Zhi returned to her dormitory.

The room was empty and dark. She turned on the lights, walked to the balcony, and leaned on the railing to look down. But the night was too dark and she couldn’t spot Duan Jiaxu.

She walked back to her desk and put down everything she was holding.

Sang Zhi opened the jar of honey, scooped some into a cup, and added hot water. Her stomach was a bit uncomfortable so she drank a few sips to ease it.

Thinking about Duan Jiaxu’s last words, Sang Zhi’s lips straightened and she stared at a point in the void, feeling like a stone was pressing on her chest.

How strange.

Why did she feel so bad?

He said he was alone.

Wasn’t his home there? Why was he alone?

It shouldn’t be what she was thinking, right?

If it was, then her behavior of not contacting him much after coming to Yihe and even ignoring his calls wasn’t very good.

He had never done anything wrong to her.

He had been kind to her from the beginning.

Was her behavior too ungrateful?

But Sang Zhi knew very well that if she stayed with him often, listened to him talk to her often, and received his kindness often, she would definitely start liking him again, just like before.

After taking a shower, Sang Zhi called home as usual, then she lay on her bed for a while. She felt a bit tired and soon fell into a drowsy sleep.

But because she had drunk alcohol, she didn’t sleep well.

At two in the morning, Sang Zhi heard her roommates moving around.

They had probably just returned but didn’t want to wake her, so they only turned on a small lamp and moved quietly, though some noise was inevitable.

After waking up, Sang Zhi couldn’t fall back asleep. She lifted her head and said softly, “You guys can turn on the light, it’s fine.”

Hearing her speak, Ning Wei immediately looked at her, her tone a bit guilty, “Did we wake you?”

“No.” Sang Zhi said, “I just took a nap and can’t sleep now.”

“Then don’t sleep for now!” Wang Ruolan suddenly said excitedly, “Sang Zhi, I have some gossip for you!”

“Ah?”

Wang Ruolan continued, “Ning Wei is no longer single!”

Ning Wei’s cheeks turned red as she scolded, “Keep your voice down.”

Sang Zhi’s reaction was a bit slow, “Who is it?”

“From our department, the one who was sitting next to me today.” Ning Wei looked very happy, her tone a bit embarrassed, “I didn’t expect him to suddenly……”

Wang Ruolan said, “Sang Zhi, you should’ve stayed a few more minutes.”

Good moods were contagious and Sang Zhi also smiled. “The one you mentioned before that you were interested in?”

Ning Wei nodded. “Yes.”

Another roommate, Yu Xin, had just finished her shower and came out. She curiously asked, “What are you guys talking about?”

Wang Ruolan said, “About Ning Wei.”

“Hey, speaking of which, Ning Wei, you really move fast.” Yu Xin said, “It’s only been how long and you’re already in a relationship? I haven’t even found someone I want to pursue.”

“He said it was love at first sight!” Ning Wei took her change of clothes and walked towards the bathroom with a smile. “I’m not telling you guys anymore, I’m going to take a shower.”

As Ning Wei went inside the bathroom, Wang Ruolan continued, “By the way, Sang Zhi, I heard Jiang Ming ask the class monitor for your WeChat. Did you accept him?”

Most of the people at today’s gathering were Ning Wei’s acquaintances. Besides them, there were a few from Ning Wei’s department and some from their class, including their class monitor, who was a male.

Sang Zhi hummed in response.

Wang Ruolan asked, “Do you have feelings for him too?”

Sang Zhi muttered, “My hand slipped and I accidentally accepted it.”

Thinking about this, Sang Zhi remembered to check her phone. She retrieved it from beside her pillow, opened WeChat, and saw several messages from Jiang Ming, whom she had just accepted.

There was also a message from Duan Jiaxu.

Sang Zhi hadn’t given him a note so his name on her phone was just ‘Duan Jiaxu’. She paused for a moment before opening Duan Jiaxu’s message.

It was a single line.

【If you’re ever out this late again, remember find someone to accompany you back.】

Sang Zhi stared at it for several seconds, wanting to reply ‘Got it’, but seeing the time, she decided to do it tomorrow.

Wang Ruolan was still talking, “He seems to have noticed you left and asked where you were so he could take you home. He’s quite nice.”

“Mm.” Sang Zhi opened the chat window with Jiang Ming and replied politely.

Yu Xin chimed in, “Sang Zhi, are you about to get into a relationship as well?”

“No.” Sang Zhi was in a bad mood. She sat up abruptly, the sudden movement startling the other two.

Yu Xin asked, “……What’s wrong?”

Sang Zhi stared at them, then slowly said, “Let me ask you a question.”

Wang Ruolan replied, “What is it?”

Sang Zhi spoke seriously, “It’s about a friend of mine.”

Yu Xin responded, “Okay, we know it’s not you.”

“……” Sang Zhi pretended not to hear. “My friend used to like one of her brother’s friends. This friend of her brother treated her like a sister. Later, she found out he seemed to have a girlfriend, so she gave up. Recently, she ran into him again. What do you think she should do?”

Wang Ruolan asked curiously, “How old is he?”

Sang Zhi replied, “He finished postgrad three years ago.”

“Then,” Yu Xin calculated, “he’s around twenty-five or twenty-six.”

Wang Ruolan said, “That’s not too bad. Does he have a girlfriend now?”

“I don’t know.” Sang Zhi shook her head. “But he probably doesn’t.”

Otherwise, he wouldn’t say he was alone.

Yu Xin asked, “Do you still— no— does your friend still like him?”

“I don’t know.” Sang Zhi rested her chin on the edge of the bed, feeling gloomy. “Also, that person still just treats my friend like a sister.”

Yu Xin said, “Then it depends on whether your friend still likes him. If she does, she should pursue him. If not, just stay friends and keep in touch occasionally.”

Sang Zhi didn’t respond.

Wang Ruolan continued asking, “Then what’s your friend struggling with?”

“She just feels very unhappy.” Sang Zhi sighed softly. “She feels upset every time she thinks about him being in a relationship with someone else.”

Yu Xin asked, “How old was your friend when she liked him?”

Sang Zhi replied, “Around first year of middle school.”

Yu Xin paused, then calculated the age gap. “That’s normal. If he liked you back then, he’d be a pervert!”

“……”

Wang Ruolan added, “And this guy is 25 now, right? If he hasn’t had a relationship by now, that means he has no sexual experience. A 25-year-old guy with no sexual experience is unusual!”

Sang Zhi was stunned. “Huh?”

Yu Xin said, “Not necessarily unusual, but maybe there’s something wrong.”

Sang Zhi froze for several seconds, then her face turned red. Her gloomy mood disappeared completely. “What are you two talking about?”

Wang Ruolan said, “Sang Zhi, describe this guy for us.”

“He’s very handsome, has excellent grades, and,” Sang Zhi scratched her head, “his personality is just, he’s……”

Yu Xin got impatient with her hesitation, “He’s what?”

Sang Zhi didn’t know how to describe Duan Jiaxu’s personality and way of speaking. After a long pause, she said, “He’s quite flirty? Like a playboy……”

“You say it yourself, handsome and flirtatious. How could someone like that not have a girlfriend?” Wang Ruolan probed, “By the way, how did you meet him?”

Sang Zhi replied quietly, “He’s my brother’s friend. He often came to my house.”

There was a moment of silence.

“Sang Zhi, I don’t think you need to mind about that.” Yu Xin thought for a moment, looking serious, “Not counting before he met you, if he hasn’t been in a relationship all these years, there’s only one possibility.”

Sang Zhi stared at her anxiously, her heart racing. “What?”

“He might like your brother.”

“……”