Secretly, But Unable to Hide It

Chapter 57

As soon as the words were spoken, the woman’s expression froze, and she quickly noticed Sang Zhi standing to the side. Realizing instantly that this man was taken, she coughed awkwardly and said, “Sorry to bother you.”

Without lingering any longer, she left swiftly, leaving the two standing there.

Duan Jiaxu lowered his gaze, slightly bent over to meet Sang Zhi’s eyes, and reached out to take the laptop bag from her hand. Seeing her displeased expression, the corners of his eyes curved downward, indicating that he was in a good mood. “Are you upset?”

Sang Zhi looked at him as well, her face expressionless as she said, “Why would I be upset?”

Duan Jiaxu held back a laugh. “Then why didn’t you say anything just now?”

Still quite annoyed, Sang Zhi didn’t want to pay him any attention. She brushed past him, walking ahead with a stiff tone, “Someone was asking you for your WeChat, not mine. What was I supposed to say?”

“I didn’t give it to her, did I?” Duan Jiaxu followed her, admitting his mistake with a lighthearted attitude, “Spare me, please.”

Sang Zhi couldn’t help but turn around. “Did I say anything?”

Duan Jiaxu carefully thought about it, then teased, “Mm, you said you were jealous.”

“……” Sang Zhi pressed her lips together firmly, refusing to admit it. “You’re the one who’s jealous.”

Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow. “You’re sure you weren’t jealous?”

Sang Zhi remained silent.

“Did I misunderstand?” Duan Jiaxu said, “Because it seemed like you were.”

Sang Zhi still didn’t respond.

Duan Jiaxu persisted, “Are you really not?”

“……” Seeing that he wasn’t going to let it go, Sang Zhi felt that she had been too obvious, so after a few seconds, she gave up and confessed, “So what if I am?”

Duan Jiaxu was momentarily stunned, then burst out laughing. He laughed for quite a while before finally speaking, still with a trace of laughter in his voice, “Nothing.”

Sang Zhi snapped angrily, “Can’t you just……”

“Hmm?”

She finished her sentence coldly, “Can’t you just wait for me quietly?”

Duan Jiaxu laughed. “How was I not being quiet?”

Sang Zhi stared fixedly into his eyes.

His eyelashes were long and dense, his pupils light-colored, always seeming to reflect light, making him look both affectionate and enchanting when he looked at people. His face carried a nonchalant smile as if he was constantly flirting.

She directly accused him, “I just saw you flirting with that person.”

It was an extremely shocking conclusion.

“……” Duan Jiaxu almost choked. “What?”

“It’s true.” Sang Zhi’s expression didn’t change as she seriously framed him. “Otherwise, why would someone come up to you out of nowhere to ask for your WeChat?”

“Little Friend, are you blaming the victim?”

“That’s not the same at all.”

“How exactly was I flirting? Describe it to me.”

Sang Zhi hesitated, unable to think of a description. She lowered her head, thinking carefully, and after a long time, she finally stammered out an accusation, “You looked at her.”

“……”

Sang Zhi suddenly felt justified and sternly accused him, “Yes, you looked at her.”

Duan Jiaxu was amused. “And that’s flirting?”

Sang Zhi muttered, “Not necessarily, it depends on the context.” Then, she scanned him up and down with a strange expression. “You even dressed up specifically before coming out.”

Duan Jiaxu looked down at his outfit, a simple t-shirt and sweatpants, and instantly realized that no matter what he did now, it would be wrong. Hearing her twisted logic, he turned his head, chuckled, and pinched her cheek. “You’re so petty.”

Sang Zhi frowned. “You’re the petty one.”

Just then, they exited the subway station, and Sang Zhi pulled out an umbrella from her bag. “It’s super sunny today.”

She glanced at him and childishly added, “I’m not sharing it with you.”

“Really not sharing?”

Sang Zhi was silent for two seconds, then relented, “If you really want, I can share.”

“Give it to me.”

Sang Zhi obediently handed the umbrella to him.

Duan Jiaxu opened it, tilting most of it towards her, and casually asked, “Did you have breakfast?”

“I did.” Sang Zhi replied, “I had a cup of soy milk and a pancake.”

“Is there anything else you want to eat?”

Sang Zhi couldn’t think of anything and shook her head.

Duan Jiaxu thought for a moment. “I’ll go buy some fruit.”

Sang Zhi blinked. “I want watermelon.”

“Okay.”

They walked into a nearby fruit stall.

The stall was small, yet crowded with customers. Amid the hustle and bustle, Duan Jiaxu selected a watermelon based on the owner’s recommendation. Sang Zhi didn’t stay with him. She went to a small shelf nearby and picked out a few plums.

Then, Duan Jiaxu went to pay and asked Sang Zhi to wait outside the crowd.

There were still others wanting to buy and Sang Zhi was inadvertently blocking people’s way, so she looked around and moved to stand under a nearby tree. She pulled out her phone and checked the time.

Suddenly, the light in front of her dimmed and she could tell from her peripheral vision that someone had come to stand in front of her.

Sang Zhi’s first thought was that Duan Jiaxu had finished buying the fruits and returned, so she looked up. “Why are you so—”

The next second, Sang Zhi realized that the person in front of her wasn’t Duan Jiaxu and she instantly swallowed the rest of her words.

It was a young man. He had a clean and bright appearance, with a sunny smile on his face. He cheerfully pointed at her phone. “Sorry to bother you, but can I have your WeChat?”

Sang Zhi was momentarily stunned and instinctively replied, “Sorry, I have a boyfriend.”

The man sighed with disappointment and scratched his head. “Okay.”

Sang Zhi’s gaze involuntarily shifted and she saw that Duan Jiaxu had already come out of the crowd as well, holding the fruits. He was standing not far away, his expression unreadable, quietly watching Sang Zhi’s side.

“……”

After the man left, the two of them walked side by side towards Duan Jiaxu’s house.

They walked in silence.

Sang Zhi kept sneaking glances at him, feeling increasingly uneasy. Soon, she cleared her throat and tried to sound calm as she said, “That guy was just asking for directions and I pointed him in the right way.”

“Mm.”

Just as Sang Zhi was about to relax, Duan Jiaxu spoke again with a faint smile, “Were you flirting with him?”

“……”

Sang Zhi quickly looked away, staying silent and not responding to that question. She felt extremely embarrassed, considering how she had just accused Duan Jiaxu of flirting and now found herself in a similar situation.

Duan Jiaxu’s voice was slow and deliberate as if speaking casually, “I just went to buy some fruit.”

Sang Zhi: “……”

“It was only a few minutes, can’t you behave a bit better?”

“……I think we’re even now.” Sang Zhi replied seriously.

In other words, she was telling him to drop the subject.

Duan Jiaxu glanced down, clearly not ready to let it go. He speak slowly with a deeper meaning, “From what I see, you even dressed up a bit today……”

Before he could finish, Sang Zhi gave in and said, “I take back what I just said.”

Duan Jiaxu’s tone was lazy as he asked, “How did you respond to that person just now?”

Sang Zhi answered honestly, “I told him I have a boyfriend.”

Duan Jiaxu acted like he hadn’t heard. “What did you say?”

Sang Zhi looked at him. “Boyfriend.”

Duan Jiaxu’s lips curved as he met her gaze. “I’m here.”

“……”

Duan Jiaxu’s place had only one room, without a study. Sang Zhi had planned to review at the dining table, not wanting to intrude on his personal space. But he took the initiative to lead her inside his room.

It was where Duan Jiaxu usually worked when at home. He had already cleared the surface of the desk so it was now empty except for a power plug.

Sang Zhi sat down, placing her laptop and study materials on the desk. Noticing Duan Jiaxu nearby, she turned to ask, “What are you going to do now?”

Duan Jiaxu patted the bed, replying naturally, “I’ll just lie here.”

“Are you going to sleep?”

“No.” Duan Jiaxu said, “I haven’t seen you in a few days so I want to look at you a bit more.”

Upon hearing that, Sang Zhi leaned her face close to his for a few seconds before ruthlessly saying, “You’ve seen enough. Now go to the living room and watch TV or take a nap. I need to review.“

The two of them locked eyes for a few seconds.

Suddenly, Duan Jiaxu grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms, catching her completely off guard. “Can’t I stay here?”

Sang Zhi instantly found herself sitting on his lap, her gaze meeting his captivating eyes once again. Then, he curled his lips into a smile and whispered, “Even if I keep quiet?”

Sang Zhi was momentarily dazed, nearly agreeing. But she quickly regained her senses, holding onto a shred of rationality as she reminded him, “You said you wouldn’t distract me.”

“Fine.” Duan Jiaxu stopped teasing her, brushing his finger against her cheek and drawling, “Such a heartless girlfriend.”

Sang Zhi got up from his lap.

Duan Jiaxu asked, “By the way, have you booked your flight home?”

Sang Zhi returned to her desk and softly replied, “I’m not going home this summer.”

“You’re really not going back?” Duan Jiaxu chuckled. “Where will you stay then?”

“In the dormitory.”

“Did you tell your family?”

“Yeah.”

Duan Jiaxu stood up and opened the curtains. “Alright, study hard then, Little Friend.”

Sang Zhi asked, “What about you?”

“I’m going to make lunch.” Duan Jiaxu said as he ruffled her hair gently. “What would you like to have? I’ll make something delicious for you. My Zhizhi is studying hard.”

Sang Zhi blinked. “Anything is fine.”

“Okay, I’ll go out to get some ingredients later. If you want anything to eat, just grab it from the fridge or the cupboard.” After a moment of thought, Duan Jiaxu added, “If someone knocks on the door, don’t open it recklessly.”

Sang Zhi mumbled, “You’re treating me like a kid.”

“Mm, I’m afraid someone might steal you away.”

“……”

They each focused on their own tasks until lunchtime.

Duan Jiaxu prepared a simple meal and called Sang Zhi to eat. After the meal, Sang Zhi helped him clear the table. Following the principle that if he cooked, she should do the dishes, she volunteered to wash the dishes.

But she accidentally broke one in the process.

Since she insisted on doing it herself, Duan Jiaxu didn’t intervene and just leaned against the door, watching her. When he saw what happened, he didn’t show any displeasure. Instead, he laughed and said, “Stand still. I’ll clean it up.”

Afraid of being scolded, Sang Zhi quickly turned off the faucet without a word.

Duan Jiaxu swept up the broken glass and looked up at her. “Never washed dishes before?”

“……” Sang Zhi said stiffly, “If I do it a few more times, I’ll get the hang of it.”

“What’s the point of that?” Duan Jiaxu handed her a paper towel to dry her hands, chuckling softly. “I never asked you to do the dishes.”

Sang Zhi blurted out, “But I can’t just let you—”

“……”

She quickly stopped herself and cleared her throat. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Duan Jiaxu replied calmly, his voice tinged with a faint smile. “I know.”

Sang Zhi carefully finished washing the remaining dishes, being much more cautious this time. She muttered to herself, “Next time, I’ll buy you a new one, the plastic one that won’t break.”

Then she wiped down the counter before heading to the living room.

Duan Jiaxu sat on the sofa, filling the electric kettle with water, and slowly said, “It’s 12:30 now, lunch break. Want to chat with me for a bit or take a nap?”

Sang Zhi hadn’t kept up with her study plan today and didn’t want to waste any more time. “A study dog doesn’t deserve a nap.”

“……” Duan Jiaxu’s eyebrows twitched. “So you plan to keep studying?”

“Yeah.”

“Not tired?”

Sang Zhi nodded firmly. “Not tired.”

Duan Jiaxu wondered, “Why are you so dedicated to studying?”

“I want to get a scholarship.”

“That’s impressive.” Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow and poured hot water into a cup, making her oolong tea. “Alright then, go ahead. If you get tired, just lie down on the bed for a bit. There’s plenty of time.”

Worried he might think she didn’t want to spend time with him, Sang Zhi seriously added, “I’m really not tired. I’m not tired at all. I’m full of energy and will study hard all afternoon.”

Duan Jiaxu nodded. “Alright, you’re not tired.”

But even though she said that her biological clock was right on time.

Sang Zhi had woken up at 7:00 this morning, wandered around various shops outside campus, took the subway to Duan Jiaxu’s place, and spent the whole morning studying. By now, she was indeed running low on energy, and after eating and drinking, fatigue quickly crept in.

Her eyelids started to droop.

Sang Zhi glanced sideways at the large bed beside her, which seemed incredibly tempting at the moment. But she thought of her words to Duan Jiaxu, as well as the pile of material she hadn’t reviewed yet.

She sighed, stood up, and decided to wash her face in the bathroom.

As soon as she left the room, she could see Duan Jiaxu sitting on the sofa. Hearing her footsteps, he looked up and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Sang Zhi replied, “I’m just going to the bathroom.”

A moment later, Sang Zhi came out of the bathroom. She glanced in Duan Jiaxu’s direction, hesitated, and then cautiously said, “I’m going to study hard, so try not to disturb me.”

Duan Jiaxu lazily replied.

Only then did Sang Zhi feel at ease and returned to the room.

Back at the desk, Sang Zhi still felt tired and couldn’t focus. She realized her efficiency was too low, so she decided to take a 15-minute nap before continuing to study.

But then she remembered what she had just told Duan Jiaxu again and felt it would be awkward if he knew she ended up napping. It would seem like she was avoiding spending time with him, even though that wasn’t her intention.

She genuinely wanted to study.

But now……

She was really sleepy!

If she went out to explain and then came back to nap, it would seem strange. Besides, she had already said she was going to study hard, so Duan Jiaxu probably wouldn’t come in.

It was just 15 minutes, just a blink of an eye.

After convincing herself, Sang Zhi grabbed a stack of study materials, lay down on Duan Jiaxu’s bed, and closed her eyes while holding them. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she suddenly heard three knocks on the door.

Her heart skipped a beat and she immediately opened her eyes.

The doorknob turned as if it was about to open.

At that moment, Sang Zhi felt like a thief, her mind going blank as she rolled off the bed, scrambling to hide. In her haste, she accidentally bumped into the bed frame.

She didn’t have time to feel the pain and half lay on the carpet beside the bed, hiding behind it.

Meanwhile, Duan Jiaxu’s voice called out, “Zhizhi, do you want—”

His voice trailed off, the volume dropping as he asked in a puzzled tone, “Where did she go?”

“……”

The door hit the wall with a dull thud.

Then, Duan Jiaxu’s footsteps approached, getting closer. Soon, Sang Zhi, half-lying on the floor, found herself face-to-face with the standing Duan Jiaxu.

“……”

The air froze for three seconds.

Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing down there?”

Sang Zhi dumbly opened her mouth, trying to think of an excuse. Her gaze dropped, noticing the study materials still in her hand. She cleared her throat and said seriously, “I’m studying here.”

Duan Jiaxu teased, “Then why didn’t you respond when I called you?”

“……” Sang Zhi replied, “I’m studying in secret.”

There was a chair but she didn’t sit on it. There was a bed but she didn’t lie on it.

Lying on the floor, secretly studying?

Duan Jiaxu went along with her story, asking with a playful tone, “Why study in secret?”

A few more seconds of silence passed.

Sang Zhi’s expression turned serious as she awkwardly blurted out, “Because it’s thrilling.”

“……”