Secretly, But Unable to Hide It

Chapter 35

Hearing Sang Zhi’s words, Duan Jiaxu turned his head to look at her. His eyes appeared bright in the dim light and the corners of his lips curved up with interest as he said, “You won’t finish talking about them all night?”

“Exactly.”

“Little Sang Zhi is that popular, huh?”

“Of course.” Sang Zhi said confidently, “I’m pretty.”

Duan Jiaxu’s eyebrows rose but didn’t say anything.

This sudden silence felt as though he was denying her words.

Sang Zhi felt a bit unhappy. She withdrew her gaze and picked up the phone on the table. “You should go to sleep. Why are you prying into young people’s lives?”

“……”

Sang Zhi snorted. “You won’t get it.”

“Are you two siblings doing it on purpose?” Duan Jiaxu’s tone was lazy, his voice rising at the end, “Attacking my age all day long, did you plan this beforehand?”

Sang Zhi looked at him. “How did my brother attack you? Aren’t you two the same age?”

It was like the pot calling the kettle black.

“He thinks he’s still young.” Duan Jiaxu chuckled, then returned to the previous topic, “Alright, start talking.”

Sang Zhi didn’t react. “About what?”

“Brother is here to check for you.” He said, then suddenly remembered something, his tone turned into a teasing one, “Oh. Right, little Sang Zhi, get a notebook for Brother.”

“……”

“I will take notes for you.”

Sang Zhi stared at him for a few seconds then quickly turned away. She opened her phone and made it clear she didn’t want to continue the conversation. “I’m not telling you.”

———pr

This translation is by Pocketrobbin at S h a n g h a i f a n t a s y . c o m

The next morning, Sang Zhi still couldn’t harden her heart. Reluctantly, she helped him wash his face and also wiped his arms and hands.

This time, Duan Jiaxu didn’t suddenly open his eyes like last time nor did he say anything else.

But Sang Zhi never looked into his eyes, her gaze vacant. She tried hard to stay focused and take it as if she were wiping the body of an immobile corpse.

Before leaving, Sang Zhi thought for a moment and asked, “Brother Jiaxu, is there anything else you need? I can bring them over when I come tonight.”

“Hmm?” Duan Jiaxu seemed still a bit sleepy, his eyelids half-closed. “The keys are in my coat’s pocket. Take them and help bring Brother’s laptop.”

“……” Sang Zhi said, “Why do you need a laptop?”

Duan Jiaxu lifted his eyes and smiled. “For work.”

Sang Zhi was taken aback, her expression instantly turning a bit unpleasant. “You’ve taken leave and you’re a patient, why will you work? Your boss won’t pay you extra.”

Duan Jiaxu looked at her, not saying anything.

“I’m not taking it. I’ll help you with anything else other than that. I’m leaving.”

After saying that, she left the ward.

On the subway, Sang Zhi listened to a few voice messages from Jiang Ming, “Sang Zhi, are you free? My friends and I are playing at the arcade. Do you want to join us? I heard from Ning Wei that you haven’t returned to the campus yet. It’s not safe to return alone so late. Shall I come and pick you up?”

She hesitated for a moment and replied, 【Sorry, I didn’t check my phone yesterday. Thanks for your concern.】

Sang Zhi returned to her dorm first, took a shower, and changed her clothes.

Then she went to the teaching building for her classes. Sang Zhi’s schedule was quite packed. She was so busy from morning till six in the evening that she didn’t even have time to eat. After class, she took the subway to Duan Jiaxu’s place.

After exiting the subway, Sang Zhi followed the navigation on her phone to find the location.

The area was full of residential buildings, with the city library nearby. However, there was still a small distance to Duan Jiaxu’s place. Nearby, there was a food street and a small square, making the place lively.

Sang Zhi used a key card to enter the community, found Duan Jiaxu’s building, and went up to the fifteenth floor.

Each floor had four apartments and Duan Jiaxu’s place was facing south. She walked over, used the key to open the door, and, unfamiliar with the layout, felt along the wall until she found the switch to turn on the lights.

The interior decoration leaned towards dark tones. The living room’s sofa and coffee table were gray-black and the walls were painted in similar colors. The wooden floor had a dark square rug in the center.

A half-open book lay on the sofa next to a tall floor lamp.

The curtains were closed, making the place feel stuffy.

Sang Zhi took off her shoes and hesitated for a moment when she saw the only pair of slippers on the shoe rack, ultimately deciding not to wear them. She walked in her socks, thinking about what to bring.

She glanced around the living room.

Suddenly, she noticed three photo frames on the TV cabinet.

One was a group photo of Duan Jiaxu and his dorm mates in graduation gowns. Next to it was a photo of her and him at his graduation ceremony. It was the first time Sang Zhi had seen this picture, and she instinctively looked at it a few more times.

At that time, she only reached his shoulder and looked somewhat immature. She wore a light blue dress and stood twenty centimeters away from him, a small dimple showing at the corner of her mouth.

Duan Jiaxu had his hand on her head, looking nonchalant, but his smile was bright.

It was a pretty good photo.

Sang Zhi licked her lips, sneakily took out her phone, and snapped a picture of the photo. As her gaze shifted, she noticed another framed photo, also a group photo.

This one was clearly an old photo, with different tones.

In it, Duan Jiaxu looked about ten years old.

He wore a school uniform, standing next to a woman slightly shorter than him. Their facial features were very similar, both wearing faint smiles.

Recalling Li Ping’s words, Sang Zhi immediately understood who this person was. She crouched down, thought for a moment, and whispered, “Hello, Aunt, I’m Sang Zhi, the sister of Brother Jiaxu’s friend.”

After a few seconds, Sang Zhi added, “Brother Jiaxu didn’t come home yesterday because he was unwell and had a minor surgery, but it’s not serious. I’m here to get some things for him, so please don’t worry.”

After speaking, Sang Zhi stood up and searched on her phone for what to bring for a hospital stay. Following the list, she gathered the items, but when she noticed the words ‘undergarments’, she hesitated.

Then she turned to his bedroom closet.

“……”

Why did she have to do this again?

Sang Zhi closed her eyes, opened the closet, and saw two new boxes inside. She breathed a sigh of relief and tossed the boxes into the bag.

She looked up, wondering whether to bring more clothes.

Suddenly, she noticed a very familiar tie.

It was the birthday gift she had given him on her first visit to Yihe City.

Sang Zhi’s gaze lingered on it for a few seconds before she abruptly shut the closet.

Forget it.

This should be enough.

She already had done her best.

Sang Zhi left Duan Jiaxu’s place and walked to the elevator. Bored, she took out her phone to browse, then put it back in her pocket once the elevator arrived.

Inside stood a woman with a delicate face, wearing branded clothes and a strong perfume. She seemed to be calling someone on the phone, but the person wasn’t answering, so she looked unhappy.

The woman glanced at Sang Zhi and stepped out.

Sang Zhi then entered the elevator.

As the elevator doors were closing, Sang Zhi noticed the woman seemed to be heading towards the direction of Duan Jiaxu’s apartment.

But it could also be the one next door.

Sang Zhi lowered her gaze, not thinking much about it.

By the time Sang Zhi arrived at the hospital, it was almost eight o’clock.

She entered the ward and found that an elderly man, around sixty or seventy, had moved into the other bed. Beside him sat a middle-aged man, likely his son.

Three men of varying ages were chatting together.

Sang Zhi put the bags she was holding on the table.

Noticing the noise, Duan Jiaxu turned his head and blinked. “Why did you bring so many things?”

Sang Zhi was so tired that she was panting a little when she spoke. She immediately sat down on a chair and took off her coat. “It’s not that much, I felt like you might need all of it.”

Duan Jiaxu glanced into the bags and said slowly, “Why bring so many clothes?”

“I only brought two sets and a coat you can wear if you get cold.” Sang Zhi took a bottle out of her bag and drank some water. “I also brought chargers and other things for you.”

Duan Jiaxu nodded. “Have you eaten?”

“Not yet.” Sang Zhi just remembered this, but she wasn’t feeling hungry. “I came over right after class and didn’t have time. I’ll eat later.”

Hearing that, Duan Jiaxu glanced at the time. “It’s already eight o’clock and you still haven’t had dinner?”

Sang Zhi took out a chocolate bar and started nibbling on it while replying to messages on her phone. “I’m not very hungry, I’ll eat in a bit.”

“Go eat now.”

“……” Sang Zhi looked up, feeling a bit annoyed. “I’m not saying I won’t eat. I just brought so many things over, can’t you let me sit for a while?”

At that moment, the old man in the next bed suddenly spoke, smiling kindly. “Young man, is this your wife?”

“……”

Sang Zhi’s anger vanished in an instant. She looked up sharply and almost choked.

Duan Jiaxu’s expression froze, and then he laughed, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. “Grandpa, how could you tell she’s my wife?”

The old man looked at Sang Zhi, his face kind. “The young lady is very pretty.”

Afraid that Sang Zhi would feel embarrassed, Duan Jiaxu spoke again, “Grandpa, this is my sister, not my wife.”

Upon hearing that, the old man looked at Duan Jiaxu. “Ah, I know your wife is beautiful.”

Sang Zhi: “……”

Duan Jiaxu: “……”

At this moment, the middle-aged man spoke up, somewhat embarrassed. “Sorry, my dad is quite hard of hearing…… that’s why he wasn’t saying much earlier.”

After speaking, the middle-aged man leaned close to the old man’s ear and raised his voice, “Dad! That’s his sister! Not his wife! His sister!”

The old man exclaimed, then nodded as if he suddenly understood. “Oh, they’re not married yet?”

Listening to that, Sang Zhi also felt anxious and couldn’t help but speak up, “Grandpa, no, it’s not like that.”

“Young man, I see you’re not too young anymore, why aren’t you getting married yet?” The old man continued, “You can’t keep the young lady waiting for too long.”

“……”

Sang Zhi felt like she was suffocating.

Duan Jiaxu couldn’t hold back his laughter, his chest heaving. “Grandpa, can you stop making me laugh? I have a wound on my stomach.”

The old man became serious. “Young man, I’m not joking. Your girlfriend is so pretty and takes good care of you. If you don’t cherish her, you’ll regret it.”

Duan Jiaxu gave up arguing, “Okay, I understand.”

Sang Zhi was still struggling. “Grandpa, really, we’re not.”

“Young man, you must treat her well.” The old man continued earnestly, “The young lady didn’t even mind bringing so many things for you.”

Duan Jiaxu nodded. “Okay.”

“……” Sang Zhi couldn’t stand it anymore. “I’m leaving.”

Hearing her words, Duan Jiaxu turned his head. Noticing Sang Zhi’s expression, he suppressed his smile, coughed lightly, and pretended to be serious. “Don’t take it to heart, Grandpa can’t hear well. Just think of it as a joke, okay?”

Sang Zhi pretended not to hear him. She exhaled slowly and said, “Grandpa, I’m really not his girlfriend. He’s much older than me. If he were a bit older, he could even be my dad.”

Duan Jiaxu: “……”

“Yes, being a dad is good.” The old man nodded repeatedly, seeming to agree very much. “You should get married soon and have a big, healthy baby. Settle down, everything will be fine.”

“……” Sang Zhi also gave up. She looked at Duan Jiaxu. “Brother Jiaxu, I’m leaving.”

Duan Jiaxu covered his wound with one hand, seemingly trying hard to suppress his laughter, his voice sounding a bit hoarse, “Okay, be careful on the way, and remember to eat.”

Sang Zhi pressed her lips together and put on her coat. “Mm.”

“Call me when you get back to the dorm.”

Sang Zhi made a sound of acknowledgment. She didn’t want to pay attention to the old man anymore but still forced herself to say goodbye out of politeness.

She quickly bid farewell and then turned towards the door.

The next second, she could still hear the old man behind her saying, “Is your wife going back?”

Accompanied by Duan Jiaxu’s roguish laughter, as if he found the old man’s words very amusing, he echoed, “Yes, my wife is going back.”

“……”

Could he have some decency?!

———pr

For the next six days, Sang Zhi continued to visit whenever she was free.

The old man in the next bed remained. He seemed to have quite a few children, with a different person accompanying him every day. He talked a lot and often chatted with Duan Jiaxu and Sang Zhi.

And the topic was always the same.

As if that was the only thing that interested him.

Just like now.

The old man looked at the two of them and asked kindly, “When do you plan to get married?”

Duan Jiaxu replied lazily, “We’re not getting married, we’re not in that kind of relationship.”

Hearing that, the old man immediately frowned, clearly disapproving. “How can you not get married? Aren’t you wasting the young lady’s time?!”

Sang Zhi: “……”

The old man, taking on the air of someone with experience, earnestly advised, “Get married early and settle down. Marriage isn’t something to be afraid of. If two people are compatible, life together will be good.”

Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow. “Okay.”

The old man asked again, “Then when do you plan to get married?”

Duan Jiaxu glanced at Sang Zhi. He hadn’t shaved for days and stubble had grown on his chin, making him look more mature. He replied nonchalantly, “The young lady hasn’t reached the legal age for marriage yet. Maybe in two years.”

“……”

Eventually, Sang Zhi just tuned out their conversation. When they started talking, she put on her earphones and pretended not to hear anything.

———pr

After a week in the hospital, Duan Jiaxu had his stitches removed and was discharged.

That day, Sang Zhi arrived early to help him pack. Before leaving, the old man sat on the bed, looking at them with a broad smile. “You’re leaving the hospital?”

Duan Jiaxu nodded. “Grandpa, take care of yourself and get well soon.”

The old man also nodded. “You two take good care of each other.”

Duan Jiaxu was about to say something, but this time, Sang Zhi spoke first, “Got it.”

Duan Jiaxu turned to look at her.

Noticing his gaze from the corner of her eye, Sang Zhi looked back. Seemingly having endured for a long time, she stared straight at him, her dark eyes revealing no emotion.

Then, she said each word slowly and clearly, “We’ll get married as soon as possible.”

“……”