Secretly, But Unable to Hide It

Chapter 42

Please only read this translation at S h a n g h a i f a n t a s y . c o m to support the translator

The MC was preparing on stage when suddenly music started playing in the banquet hall.

The entire room fell silent instantly.

It also interrupted the conversation between Duan Jiaxu and Sang Yan.

Sang Yan glanced at him coldly and took out his phone from his pocket.

Duan Jiaxu lowered his eyes, took a sip of water, and smiled.

After a few seconds, Sang Zhi felt that the matter should be over by now. Taking advantage of the gap, she glanced in Duan Jiaxu’s direction. At that moment, he was looking at the stage, seemingly listening intently to the MC’s introduction, and wasn’t looking her way.

Sang Zhi withdrew her gaze and leaned toward Sang Yan’s ear, whispering, “Brother—”

Before she could finish her sentence, Sang Yan interrupted her abruptly, “Little Brat, don’t call me that, I feel like vomiting when I hear that word now.”

“……” Sang Zhi continued to ask, “What’s up with Brother Jiaxu?”

Sang Yan was looking at his phone. Hearing her question, he raised his eyes and directly showed her the screen.

Sang Zhi took a look.

The screen showed a webpage with the search bar reading— Yihe City Mental Hospital.

“……”

Sang Yan clicked his tongue. “This is all I can do to help him.”

The next second, Sang Zhi saw Sang Yan hand the phone to Duan Jiaxu, adding a very concerned sentence, “You can apply for admission directly after you go back.”

Duan Jiaxu glanced at it and replied gently, “There’s really no need, thanks, Bro—”

This time, before Duan Jiaxu could finish speaking, Sang Yan reached out, grabbed his neck, and pressed him down forcefully, as if he couldn’t take it anymore. “I’ve lived for over twenty years and have never been called ‘older brother’ by an old man like you.”

Duan Jiaxu was slightly taken aback, not resisting. Being treated like this, he instead laughed, his shoulders shaking slightly, “What’s the matter?”

Sang Yan stared at him for a few seconds. Just when Sang Zhi thought he was going to drag Duan Jiaxu out and beat him up, Sang Yan suddenly let go and turned to Sang Zhi, saying, “Switch seats with me.”

Sang Zhi, who had been watching the show unfold, was a bit slow to react and dumbfoundedly responded, “Huh? Switch seats with you?”

“If I sit next to him,” Sang Yan said lightly, “Qian Fei would probably think I’m deliberately causing trouble.”

“……”

Sitting in Sang Yan’s seat, Sang Zhi quietly moved all her utensils over.

She didn’t look in Duan Jiaxu’s direction and was just about to refill her cup with tea when her phone, placed on the side, vibrated.

Sang Zhi withdrew her hand and casually glanced at it.

Sang Rong had sent a voice message in the family group chat.

She clicked on it directly.

Sang Rong’s voice came through, “Zhizhi, Dad bought a chocolate cake and put it in the fridge. If you want to eat it, you can. Your mom and I have social engagements today and will be back late.”

Sang Zhi replied with a, “Got it.”

Then she exited the chat window and scrolled down a bit.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Duan Jiaxu’s gaze also looking in her direction. Sang Zhi instinctively raised her head and immediately turned off her phone screen. “What are you doing?”

Duan Jiaxu’s eyelashes lifted slightly and he suddenly asked, “Who is Zhizhi?”

Sang Zhi found it strange. “You already know.”

Duan Jiaxu smiled, “Is it your brother?”

“What do you mean my brother?” Sang Zhi was confused. “It’s me, my nickname.”

“Oh.” Duan Jiaxu picked up the teapot and poured some into her cup, asking, “Why haven’t I heard your brother call you that?”

“He does occasionally.” Sang Zhi said, “Just rarely.”

“Who else calls you that?”

“My parents,” Sang Zhi thought for a moment, “and my uncles and aunts…… basically, people who are close to me.”

Duan Jiaxu hummed thoughtfully.

After a while, Duan Jiaxu casually asked, “By the way, who is Brother Number 2?”

“……” Sang Zhi’s expression remained unchanged as she pointed to Sang Yan. “Number 1.”

Then she pointed to Duan Jiaxu, “Number 2.”

“How did I become your Brother Number 2?” Duan Jiaxu leaned back in his chair and looked at her. He leisurely said, “Didn’t your brother just acknowledge me as his younger brother?”

Sang Zhi looked at him and reminded him, “My brother is younger than you.”

“The age on my ID is fake.” Duan Jiaxu laughed, speaking without seriousness, “It’s reported higher. Actually, I’m a bit younger.”

“Then how old are you really?”

“Hmm?” Duan Jiaxu said, “I was born in ‘96.”

“……” Sang Zhi was stunned by his shamelessness, staring at him for a while before stammering, “I can still accept ‘90, but you say ‘96′?”

“Why?”

“I think you look like you’re born in ‘69.”

Who was he trying to fool?

How could someone his age pretend to be eighteen?

Duan Jiaxu’s eyebrows rose. “What are you talking about?”

Recalling how he enthusiastically called Sang Yan ‘older brother’ earlier, Sang Zhi hesitated before asking, “Brother, why are you acting so weird today? Have many people recently told you that you look old?”

“Sang Zhi, your brother is here too.” Duan Jiaxu picked up his cup and slowly took a sip. “When you call ‘brother’, are you referring to me or your brother?”

Sang Zhi paused. “You never said anything about this before.”

“Wasn’t your brother not around then?”

“Oh. Brother Jiaxu.” Sang Zhi didn’t care much about the term of address and continued to ask, “Did a blind date say they weren’t interested because you’re too old?”

“Blind date?” Duan Jiaxu asked, “I heard you suggested I go on a blind date with your brother?”

“I was just giving you two a suggestion.” Sang Zhi said seriously, “Isn’t it just socializing? Having a companion can also give you some confidence.”

Duan Jiaxu smiled faintly. “But your brother isn’t willing.”

Before Sang Zhi could speak again, Duan Jiaxu’s eyes curved slightly as he leaned closer to her and whispered, “How about going with me?”

It took Sang Zhi several seconds to understand what he meant. “You want me to accompany you to a blind date?”

Duan Jiaxu whose expression froze: “……”

Sang Zhi felt a bit displeased. “How can I come to accompany you? People would have opinions.”

“Hmm?” Duan Jiaxu asked. “What kind of opinions?”

“They would say,” Sang Zhi continued slowly, “that you brought your daughter to a blind date.”

“……”

———pr

After the wedding banquet, there was a segment called ‘disturbing the bridal chamber’.

Sang Zhi couldn’t follow along. Seeing that it was almost time, she told Sang Yan she was leaving and went to wish Qian Fei a few words of congratulations.

It was nearly nine o’clock in the evening.

Sang Yan had been drinking, so Sang Zhi didn’t plan on having him take her home. She knew the area and intended to take a bus home.

Just as she exited the banquet hall, she heard a voice from behind, “Why are you walking so fast?”

Sang Zhi turned her head and casually asked, “Are you leaving too?”

“No.” Duan Jiaxu played with the car keys in his hand, his eyes downcast as he said softly, “It’s late. I’ll take you home.”

Sang Zhi glanced at him, noticing it was Sang Yan’s car key he was holding. “You didn’t drink?”

“Mm.”

“It’s fine.” Just then, the elevator arrived. Sang Zhi walked in and said, “I’ll just take a bus nearby. Brother Jiaxu, you don’t need to make a round trip. It’s too much trouble.”

“It’s alright.” Duan Jiaxu lifted his eyes and there was a faint smile on his lips. “It’s only troublesome if it’s someone else.”

“……”

Sang Zhi pressed her lips together and didn’t say anything.

Duan Jiaxu changed the topic, “When do you plan to return to school?”

“Tomorrow. That’s why I need to go back and pack my things.” Sang Zhi replied. “School starts the day after tomorrow.”

“En, I’m going back tomorrow too.” Duan Jiaxu asked, “What time is your flight?”

“My brother booked it for me.” Saying so, Sang Zhi took out her phone from her pocket and said softly, “I forgot what time it was. Let me check.”

The elevator descended to the underground parking lot and the two of them walked out together.

“Is that so?” Duan Jiaxu nodded slightly, laughing inexplicably. “Then check it.”

Sang Zhi looked at her phone. “It’s the 8:20 AM flight.”

“My ticket……” Duan Jiaxu symbolically took out his phone and glanced at it, his tone natural, “It’s also at 8:20. Then, shall we go together tomorrow?”

Sang Zhi looked at him and nodded.

They found where Sang Yan had parked and got into the car.

Just as Duan Jiaxu was about to fasten his seatbelt, he felt something in his pocket. He took it out and found it was the red envelope from earlier. “Is this yours?”

Sang Zhi looked at it but didn’t move. “Are you going to return it to me?”

“Mm.” Duan Jiaxu smiled. “For our Zhizhi.”

Except for the time he called her that when she was drunk, this was the first time Sang Zhi heard him say it. Her breath stopped for a moment and she unconsciously played with the zipper on her clothes. “Why are you calling me that?”

Duan Jiaxu’s tone was lazy and casual, “Didn’t you say that people close to you call you that?”

Sang Zhi responded awkwardly but didn’t take the red envelope. “You should keep it. You even called out to my brother like that, wouldn’t it be your loss if you gave it back?”

“If it’s for our Zhizhi,” Duan Jiaxu looked at her without moving, pausing for two seconds before looking away with a faint smile on his face, “how is it a loss?”

“……”

Sang Zhi said nothing more and took the red envelope. She fastened her seatbelt and leaned on the window, looking out.

The car started and there was silence inside. After a while, Sang Zhi spoke first, “Brother Jiaxu.”

“Hmm?”

“Look at Brother Qian Fei. He used to say he couldn’t find a partner.” Sang Zhi continued, “Now he’s married, and he seems to really love that sister.”

“Mm.”

“When you saw getting married,” Sang Zhi chose her words carefully, speaking slowly, “didn’t you feel like finding a partner too?”

“Why are you either talking about blind dates or telling me to find a girlfriend lately?” Duan Jiaxu found it amusing. “I’m only 25, right? What’s the rush?”

“Then when do you plan to wait until? Even my brother has someone pursuing him.”

She didn’t want to keep urging him either.

But she was afraid he would decide not to look and no one else would urge him.

Then he would spend another year alone.

He wouldn’t go to the doctor when he was sick and do everything by himself.

A soft love song was playing in the car, gentle and lingering, adding a bit of romance to the atmosphere.

Duan Jiaxu’s features were sharp and defined, and the streetlights outside cast a warm yellow light, softening his expression. He was looking ahead, seemingly unconcerned.

Seeing him not speak, Sang Zhi thought she had annoyed him and remained silent for a while before saying, “Don’t be upset. My mom always tells my brother to find a partner as well and my brother is also not happy. I just don’t want…… Sigh.”

She didn’t know how to bring up his family matters and didn’t know what to say, so she whispered, “I won’t mention it again.”

Duan Jiaxu suddenly asked, “How old are you this year?”

She didn’t know why he was asking her that.

Sang Zhi was stunned for a while, then thought for a moment and said, “19 after my birthday.”

After answering, she didn’t hear him respond.

Sang Zhi was a bit confused. “What’s the matter?”

Then, she heard Duan Jiaxu laugh, his tone seemingly implying something, “Then wait another year.”