Secretly, But Unable to Hide It

Chapter 37

Sang Zhi felt that his reaction was a bit frightening.

What’s wrong with this old man?

Could it be that her reaction just now was too much?

But if she had just stood by and watched him be bullied without doing anything, like a bystander, would she still be considered human?

Sang Zhi felt that there was nothing inappropriate about her actions.

“Brother, you don’t need to take what happened just now to heart.” Sang Zhi thought for a moment and continued, “When I was extorted in my second year of middle school, you helped me too.”

Duan Jiaxu responded with a hum.

Sang Zhi added, “Now that you’re old, it’s my turn to help you.”

“……”

As they passed by a trash can, Sang Zhi threw the tissues in her hand into it. When she turned back, she noticed Duan Jiaxu’s expression had stiffened and the smile on his face had faded a bit.

He seemed to have calmed down a lot.

It was like he suddenly realized what he had been thinking.

And that Sang Zhi saw it.

Duan Jiaxu lowered his eyes, his lips pressed into a straight line, seemingly finding it all a bit unbelievable. His tone was almost absurd as he murmured, “I must be crazy.”

“……”

He did seem a bit crazy.

However, being publicly splashed with water was indeed quite humiliating.

Sang Zhi didn’t know how to comfort him. She walked into a men’s clothing store and changed the subject, “Brother, you should change your clothes. Wearing wet clothes isn’t comfortable.”

Duan Jiaxu remained silent.

Sang Zhi casually picked up a piece of clothing and stuffed it into his hand. “How about this one?”

Only then did he react, his eyelashes fluttering slightly. “Mm.”

While he went into the fitting room, Sang Zhi wandered around the store again. She spotted a piece of clothing she liked and was about to pick it up when her phone suddenly rang.

Sang Zhi retracted her hand, glanced at the caller ID, and immediately answered, “Brother.”

Sang Yan’s voice came through, sounding a bit lazy, “Little Brat, when is your vacation? I’ll book your flight ticket.”

Sang Zhi frowned. “Why the rush? There’s still more than half a month left.”

“Then you’ll book it yourself?”

“Transfer the money to me and I’ll do it myself.”

“Why should I transfer money to you? Am I your dad?”

“Oh, Dad.”

“……”

“It’s the end of the month. It’s time to give my living expenses.” Sang Zhi touched a man’s coat in front of her. “Brother, you’ve delayed it to the last day already.”

“……”

“If you don’t transfer the money, don’t bother. Just use that money to buy a coffin instead.”

Sang Yan snorted. “You get double the living expenses each month. Don’t you have any shame?”

“It’s not double.” Sang Zhi didn’t even blink, speaking confidently, “Dad said he gives half and you give the other half.”

“How high are the prices in Yihe?” Sang Yan asked, “Do you need six thousand a month?”

Sang Zhi looked at the size of the clothes, flipping through them. “I’m already being frugal, not even buying extra candy. Otherwise, I’d be overspending.”

“Is candy there a thousand yuan per bag?”

“No.” Sang Zhi’s expression didn’t change. “A thousand yuan per piece.”

“……” Sang Yan said, “Fine, just pretend I don’t have a sister.”

Sang Zhi was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly said two words, “Coffin.”

Sang Yan immediately hung up.

Listening to the mechanical beeping in her ear, Sang Zhi glanced at her phone’s screen and shrugged indifferently. She put it back in her pocket and continued looking through the sizes. Finding an XXL one, she took it off the rack.

When she turned around, she saw that Duan Jiaxu had already changed his clothes and come out. The black sweatshirt she had casually picked for him fit quite well.

Sang Zhi, holding up the clothes in her hand, walked up to him and asked, “Is this one good?”

Duan Jiaxu glanced at it and casually said, “Were you on the phone with your brother?”

“Yes, he asked if I had booked my ticket.” Sang Zhi answered honestly, then handed him the clothes she was holding. “Brother, can you help me try on this one?”

Hearing the word ‘help’, Duan Jiaxu slowly took it, his eyelids lifting slightly as he asked calmly, “Who are you giving this to?”

“My brother.” Sang Zhi looked around. “It’s a New Year gift.”

“……”

“I’m also planning to buy one for my dad so I don’t have to shop again when I get back.” Saying so, Sang Zhi raised her eyes and pointed at the one he was wearing, “By the way, do you like that one?”

Duan Jiaxu’s expression was relaxed. “It looks good.”

“Great, this one then.” Sang Zhi nodded and took out her phone, noticing an Alipay transfer notification.

She opened it.

【Sang Yan transferred 5,000 yuan to you.

Note: Don’t call me brother next time we meet.】

“……”

He was cutting ties with her.

How heartless.

Sang Zhi blinked and quickly replied, 【Okay.】

She picked out another piece of clothing and went to the cashier to pay.

Duan Jiaxu took out his phone from his pocket and also walked up, seemingly intending to pay for all three pieces himself.

“Hey, I’ll pay.” Sang Zhi didn’t want to spend his money. Pushing his phone back, she immediately opened the payment code on her own phone and told the cashier, “I’ll pay for all three.”

After speaking, she turned around and said seriously, “Brother, consider this my New Year gift to you.”

“Okay.” Duan Jiaxu chuckled. “I’ll make it up to you another day.”

Hearing their conversation, the cashier glanced at the two and curiously asked, “Are you two siblings?”

Sang Zhi was stunned for a moment, then nodded. “Mm.”

The cashier asked again, “You don’t look alike. Are you biological siblings?”

Duan Jiaxu stood nearby, casually looking at his phone and seemingly nonchalant. He didn’t hear Sang Zhi answer immediately. After a few seconds, she slowly responded.

But it wasn’t a denial.

Duan Jiaxu heard her respond with another hum, then softly added, “More or less.”

———pr

Possibly influenced by that woman’s mood, Duan Jiaxu didn’t say much afterward. He seemed to be lost in thought, somewhat distracted.

Sang Zhi had originally planned to speak to him as little as possible during this period. But seeing him like this, she could only grit her teeth and force herself to make small talk, hoping he would forget about that matter.

Seeing her flustered state, Duan Jiaxu immediately laughed. He seemed unaffected by the incident and even teased Sang Zhi with a few jokes.

Sang Zhi was at a loss for what to do.

The two of them went to a nearby noodle shop for dinner. Seeing that it was getting late, Duan Jiaxu drove Sang Zhi back to school. After that, he drove back to his own apartment complex.

Duan Jiaxu used his key card to enter the building, took the elevator to the fifteenth floor, and as soon as he stepped out, he saw a woman standing in front of his door. He stopped in his tracks, instantly recalling Sang Zhi’s words.

He then took out his phone and called the property management.

The woman’s expression was extremely ugly as if she had been waiting for a long time. “You still know how to come back? I thought you were off sleeping with that college student today.”

The call connected.

As if he hadn’t heard the woman, Duan Jiaxu’s voice was cold and calm, “I live in Block B, 15th floor of Building 12. There’s a stranger at my door. Could you come and handle it? Thank you.”

The woman suddenly shouted, “Duan Jiaxu!”

Duan Jiaxu hung up the phone, took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and lit it. He bit the cigarette and leaned against the wall, silent.

The woman’s eyes reddened. “Who was that girl today?”

“……”

“I’m asking you a question!”

Duan Jiaxu’s expression was tired, his eyelids drooping. The bright elevator lights made his skin look extremely pale, giving his handsome face a slightly sickly appearance.

He remained motionless.

Not giving the other party any response at all.

The woman suddenly walked up to him and raised her hand as if to slap him.

Noticing her movement out of the corner of his eye, Duan Jiaxu lifted his eyes and looked at her coldly, a smile without any warmth tugging at his lips.

She was getting angrier and her hand was about to fall.

Duan Jiaxu slightly tilted his head and subconsciously lifted the hand holding the cigarette.

It touched her bare palm.

The woman reflexively pulled her hand back, tears immediately springing to her eyes from the pain. She glared at him, hysterical. “How can you be so despicable?!”

Seeing her tears, Duan Jiaxu’s eyes curved into crescent moons. “Looks like it hurts?”

“……”

“No, seeing you in pain,” Duan Jiaxu drawled with a light laugh, “why am I so happy?”

“……”

“How dare you treat me like this?!” The woman suddenly started crying, staring at him intently. “Your whole family owes me.”

Duan Jiaxu ignored and bypassed her while taking out the keys from his pocket.

“Was that girl today your girlfriend?” The woman’s words seemed to be squeezed out through gritted teeth, “Don’t even think about it, someone like you……”

“……”

“Doesn’t deserve to live a good life.”

Duan Jiaxu acted as if he hadn’t heard her, using his key to open the door.

The woman seemed ready to force her way in, but realizing he had no intention of preventing the door from slamming into her, she stopped in her tracks.

“Duan Jiaxu, your whole family deserves to die.” She pounded on the security door, crying and shouting, “That’s why your mother is dead, you—”

He closed the inner door, shutting out all her noise.

Duan Jiaxu extinguished the cigarette, walked to the bathroom, and flushed it down the toilet. He turned on the faucet, carefully washing his hands, including the part that had accidentally touched Jiang^[1]姜 – ginger Ying’s arm.

Soon, Duan Jiaxu came out to the living room and glanced at the photo on the TV cabinet.

He walked over and squatted in front of it. His lips curved up as if he found it extremely amusing. “Mom, did you hear what she said just now?

Don’t take it to heart.”

The woman’s gentle smile was forever frozen in time.

Duan Jiaxu rubbed her face with his thumb, revealing a smile similar to the woman’s in the photo. “Do you think she’s impressive too? Saying the same things for so many years and never getting tired of it.”

Duan Jiaxu took a shower in the bathroom.

By the time he came out, it was almost midnight. He sat on the sofa and casually turned on the TV. The dialogue of the characters filled the once-quiet living room with some liveliness.

Duan Jiaxu opened his laptop, suddenly recalling the random thought he had today. His gaze swept over to the photo of him standing next to Sang Zhi.

At that time, she was only fifteen.

When he graduated from university, she was just preparing to start high school.

And she even regarded him as her own brother.

Duan Jiaxu closed his eyes and lit another cigarette. Outside, someone was setting off fireworks, which crackled loudly in the sky.

He looked out calmly, his eyes reflecting the light.

Just then, the clock struck midnight.

Duan Jiaxu’s phone dinged, interrupting his thoughts. He lifted his eyes lazily and saw that Sang Zhi had sent him a message on WeChat.

Duan Jiaxu reached out to open it.

【Little Sang Zhi: Happy New Year, Brother Jiaxu. Wishing you happiness every day.】

【Duan Jiaxu: Mm, happy new year.】

【Little Sang Zhi: I’m going to sleep now. You should sleep early too.】

【Duan Jiaxu: Okay.】

He opened Sang Zhi’s profile and changed her nickname to ‘Sang Zhi’, then he thought for a moment and changed it to ‘Zhizhi’. After a while, Duan Jiaxu changed it back to ‘Little Sang Zhi’.

Duan Jiaxu remembered the night he stayed over at Sang Zhi’s house. Hearing that he had many creditors, she stood beside him, earnestly saying, “Brother, don’t worry. When I grow up, I’ll make money to help you pay off the debts.”

Duan Jiaxu then recalled Jiang Ying’s words.

——”Someone like you doesn’t deserve to live a good life.”

Duan Jiaxu’s lips straightened and his Adam’s apple moved.

“Mm, I don’t.”

He turned off the screen, his expression gentle as he murmured softly, “But our Little Sang Zhi does.”

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