The words came unexpectedly.
Sang Zhi swallowed the words that were about to leave her lips. She glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall—it was only just past four thirty. There was still an hour left until five thirty.
A small, uncontrollable anticipation began to ferment in her heart, mingled with a few inexplicable threads of nervousness. But soon, remembering what she had just promised Yin Zhenru, her heart seemed to have sprung a leak, and all her emotions slowly drained away.
Sang Zhi found it difficult to speak up, yet she felt it would be wrong to go back on her word. She glanced in Yin Zhenru’s direction, her expression full of hesitation.
Growing impatient with her lack of response, Sang Yan asked again, “Did you hear me?”
Sang Zhi slowly let out an “Ah?” as if she hadn’t heard clearly.
Sang Yan forced himself to repeat patiently, “I said, Duan Jiaxu will come to pick you up later, around five thirty. He’ll probably call you then. Stay in the classroom and do your homework for a while.”
Sang Zhi asked, “Five thirty?”
Sang Yan replied, “Yeah. And behave yourself today—don’t cause trouble for anyone.”
“…” Just as Sang Zhi was about to retort,
Sang Yan cut in with, “Alright, I’m busy,” and then hung up without a second thought.
Listening to the mechanical beeping from the receiver, Sang Zhi set her phone down and stared silently at the screen. Suppressing her frustration, she began packing her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and limped toward the door.
Yin Zhenru came over and linked arms with her.
After walking for a while,
Sang Zhi, recalling past incidents, asked suspiciously, “You’re not taking me to see Fu Zhengchu again, are you?”
“Huh?” Yin Zhenru was taken aback and quickly waved her hands. “No, I haven’t hung out with him in a long time either. Lately, he’s like a different person—studying all day long.”
“As long as it’s not him,” Sang Zhi said. Yin Zhenru had never lied to her before, so she didn’t doubt her, but added, “Then I’ll go with you to grab something to eat. But I have to be back by five thirty to meet my brother.”
The “nearby” Yin Zhenru mentioned was the backstreet behind the school, a lane just outside Nanwu University. It was filled with small stalls and shops, and the two of them had been there a few times before.
Going there and back would take about an hour.
Yin Zhenru fell silent for a few seconds before nodding. “Okay.”
The two of them headed downstairs.
Because of her leg, Sang Zhi walked slowly, carefully placing one foot on a step before bringing the other down, then moving to the next. She didn’t let Yin Zhenru support her, instead holding onto the handrail as she inched along.
Yin Zhenru, who was usually very talkative, was unusually quiet today for some reason.
Sang Zhi initiated a conversation: “Why did you suddenly come find me today?”
“Hmm?” Yin Zhenru seemed lost in thought and reacted slowly. “Has it been that long since I last saw you? Well, we’re in different classes now, and I’ve made some new friends, so I haven’t had much time to hang out with you. I’ll introduce you to them another day.”
Sang Zhi didn’t think much of it—Yin Zhenru had always been popular. “It’s fine, I was just asking.”
Yin Zhenru said, “I just missed you, so I came to see you.”
Sang Zhi nodded, a smile curling her lips and deepening the dimple at the corner of her mouth. Though she wasn’t one for sentimental words, hearing her friend say that still made her happy.
Once outside the school grounds, they turned left, walked straight, and then turned left again.They chatted intermittently along the way, mostly about recent class matters. Noticing Yin Zhenru seemed distracted, Sang Zhi found the conversation increasingly dull and couldn't help asking, "You seem a bit off today."
Yin Zhenru immediately looked up, "What's wrong?"
Sang Zhi asked, "Are you unhappy?"
Yin Zhenru replied, "N-no, not at all."
"Then why do you seem so quiet?"
"Really?" Yin Zhenru rubbed her nose, "Maybe I'm a little tired."
"Did you stay up late last night?"
"...Yeah."
As they reached the backstreet, Sang Zhi glanced at the nearby shops and casually suggested, "What do you want to eat? Should we get some wontons?"
Yin Zhenru didn't respond but instead asked, "Sang Zhi, did you bring any money today?"
Hearing this, Sang Zhi lowered her head hesitantly and pulled out a banknote from her pocket, "I have twenty. That should be enough, right?"
Yin Zhenru suddenly looked down, her tone tinged with shame and guilt, and pointed toward another alley, "I don't want wontons. Let's go over there."
Sang Zhi followed her gaze. The alley was somewhat dark, with fewer people around, and a few teenagers were standing at the entrance smoking. Seeing this, she stopped in her tracks and asked, puzzled, "Why go there? I've never been, and it doesn't look like there's any food there."
"It's just—" Yin Zhenru's expression grew anxious, "I don't want to eat. I want to go to an Internet cafe."
Sang Zhi was stunned, clearly not expecting to hear those words, "Internet cafe?"
Yin Zhenru responded awkwardly, "Yes."
Sang Zhi reminded her, "Yin Zhenru, you can't enter an Internet cafe if you're underage. They require ID."
Yin Zhenru said, "That one lets you in."
"Then it must be an unlicensed Internet cafe, right?"
"...Yes."
"No." Sang Zhi frowned, refusing her suggestion, "Why do you want to go to an Internet cafe?"
"I want to play a game..." Yin Zhenru said with a pained expression, "My grades have dropped recently, and my parents won't let me touch the computer."
"You still can't go to an unlicensed Internet cafe."
Yin Zhenru tugged at her hand, "Just come with me. I'm too scared to go in alone."
"No, my parents don't allow me to go to such places." Though Sang Zhi could be willful at times, she knew when to listen and didn't budge an inch, "If you want to play, you can come to my house."
Yin Zhenru shook her head, "That game takes a long time to download."
Sang Zhi said, "Then I'll download it for you today, and you can come to my house to play tomorrow. After that, focus on studying. Once your grades improve, your parents will let you play."
"But we're already here." Yin Zhenru's eyes darted around, "Just come with me this once. I'll only go this time and never again, okay?"
Sang Zhi stared at her without saying a word.
The two stood in a stalemate for a while.
After failing to persuade her, Yin Zhenru got angry and started walking toward the alley on her own, raising her voice, "Forget it, then. I'll go by myself. You go home."
The teenagers at the alley entrance merely glanced at her but made no other moves.
Sang Zhi felt uneasy but was also worried something might happen to her. Gripping her backpack strap, she reluctantly followed, "Yin Zhenru, can you please not go?"
The alley was dimly lit, with no streetlights. The path was narrow, and garbage piled on one side made it look dirty and messy.Sang Zhi couldn't keep up with Yin Zhenru's pace and had to call out several times before Yin Zhenru finally stopped and turned to look at her. Glancing around, Sang Zhi had no desire to stay any longer. "Stop messing around, let's go back."
Before Yin Zhenru could respond, Sang Zhi noticed several people emerging from a nearby building.
They were three girls wearing vocational school uniforms.
The leader had wine-red hair and heavy makeup that obscured her original features. Her uniform was covered in bizarre patterns, and she held a cigarette, blowing smoke rings as she said to Yin Zhenru, "What took you so long? We've been waiting forever, little girl."
Yin Zhenru turned slowly, her voice trembling. "Th-the teacher kept us after class..."
The red-haired girl sneered, "Is that so? I thought you'd run off. I was planning to visit your school tomorrow for some fun."
"..."
"Did you get money from your parents?"
"Sis, I really don't have any money. My parents won't give me any... b-but my friend brought some..." At this, Yin Zhenru glanced back at Sang Zhi, pleading, "Sang Zhi, didn't you bring money?"
Sang Zhi instantly understood what was happening. She looked at Yin Zhenru, her dark eyes unreadable.
Yin Zhenru couldn't meet her gaze and immediately looked away.
Hearing this, the red-haired girl finally noticed Sang Zhi standing behind Yin Zhenru. She swaggered over. "How much did you bring?"
Sang Zhi pressed her lips together and pulled a twenty-yuan bill from her pocket.
The red-haired girl took it. "That's it?"
Sang Zhi nodded.
The girl clicked her tongue twice. "Little girl, are you really that poor?"
The two girls behind her burst into laughter. "Looks like she's a cripple too."
"Little cripple," the red-haired girl instantly changed her address, tapping Sang Zhi's cheek with her cigarette-holding hand. "You might not have money, but your parents must. Lend some to your big sister, huh?"
Afraid of being burned by the cigarette, Sang Zhi didn't move, slowly murmuring an acknowledgment.
The red-haired girl finally withdrew her hand, saying softly, "Then come find me here after school tomorrow. Oh, and if you dare tell any teachers or parents, I'll visit your school every day for some fun."
After a two-second pause, Sang Zhi murmured agreement again.
Satisfied, the red-haired girl turned back. Passing Yin Zhenru, she yanked her hair hard and sneered, "You better bring me money tomorrow too. Don't give me that 'my parents won't give me any' crap - steal it if you have to."
Yin Zhenru's body swayed back from the force, trembling as she spoke through tears. "Sis, please don't hit me... I'll definitely bring you money tomorrow..."
After the threats, the three girls chatted and laughed loudly in front of them for quite some time before finally leaving the alley.
Leaving Yin Zhenru and Sang Zhi standing where they were.
Sang Zhi looked at Yin Zhenru, expressionless. "You know them?"
"I met them at the internet cafe yesterday." Yin Zhenru began crying. "Sang Zhi, I'm sorry, I was just so scared... I used up all my allowance, and my parents won't give me more. I didn't know what to do..."
Sang Zhi didn't respond, turning to walk toward the alley entrance.
Yin Zhenru panicked, quickly following. "Don't be mad at me. We just need to give them money, they probably won't hurt anyone... Once vacation comes, everything will be fine..."
"..."
"Sang Zhi..."Sang Zhi suddenly turned her head and asked, "Were you being extorted by them?"
Yin Zhenru nodded pitifully.
"Then why did you call me here?" Sang Zhi was clearly angry, her voice tinged with fury. "You should have told your parents or your teacher. Why did you call me here?"
"Didn't you hear what they said just now..." Yin Zhenru was startled by her harsh tone and sobbed, "If I tell my parents, they'll come after me every day. I'm too scared..."
"..."
"And... and..." Yin Zhenru's voice grew muffled, "Isn't your family quite wealthy?"
An overwhelming sense of betrayal surged within her.
Sang Zhi stared at her, momentarily speechless. She didn't say another word and silently walked out of the alley.
Yin Zhenru wiped her tears and followed her anxiously.
After a long pause, Sang Zhi spoke up, "Don't come looking for me anymore."
Yin Zhenru began crying again, "Sang Zhi..."
"You don't need to listen to their threats," Sang Zhi said calmly. "Tell your parents when you get home. They won't just ignore you. Those girls don't look much older than us. There's nothing to be afraid of."
"..."
Yin Zhenru lowered her head, unsure if she had taken in her words.
After speaking, Sang Zhi also fell silent for a moment before saying, "I'm leaving now. Goodbye."
Yin Zhenru didn't follow her this time.
Sang Zhi didn't dare linger in that area any longer and quickened her pace. She only stopped when she reached the familiar vicinity of the usual beef offal shop. She stood there in a daze for a while, feeling somewhat lost, when she suddenly remembered Duan Jiaxu.
Sang Zhi's nerves tightened, and she frantically dug her phone out of her backpack.
Only then did she realize it was already past six.
Duan Jiaxu had called her over a dozen times.
Having kept him waiting for so long, Sang Zhi grew anxious, afraid of being scolded and worried he might be angry. Just as she was about to call back, another call came through from him.
She hurriedly answered.
As if he hadn't expected her to pick up this time, there was a noticeable pause of several seconds on the other end before he asked, "Sang Zhi?"
Sang Zhi obediently hummed in response.
Duan Jiaxu let out a sigh of relief. "Where did you run off to? Didn't your brother tell you to wait for me at school?"
Sang Zhi replied, "I'm near Chen's Wonton Shop. My brother did tell me."
A few seconds of silence passed.
Duan Jiaxu said, "Wait for me there."
A few minutes later, Duan Jiaxu appeared at the entrance of the wonton noodle shop. He seemed to have run over, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead and a faint flush on his face. Unusually, there was no trace of a smile in his expression.
Seeing that Sang Zhi was completely unharmed, the tension in his brow eased slightly before tightening again.
Sang Zhi took the initiative to greet him, "Brother."
Duan Jiaxu's tone was flat. "Where did you go just now?"
Sang Zhi hesitated for a moment, then honestly pointed toward the alley she had been in earlier.
"Over there?" Duan Jiaxu glanced in that direction, his gaze lingering for a moment. He looked back at her, as if finding it unbelievable, and let out an exasperated laugh. "The internet cafe?"
"..."
"Who told you to go there?"
Sang Zhi glanced at him, too afraid to speak.
Duan Jiaxu's chest rose and fell slightly, as if he was restraining his temper. "And you didn't answer your phone?"
"...""If you don't want me to pick you up, tell your brother." Duan Jiaxu paused, staring straight at her. His peach blossom eyes suddenly narrowed as the corners of his lips curved upward. Lowering his voice, his tone returned to its usual casual demeanor, yet somehow carried sharp thorns. "You know your brother is poor and doesn't have that much time to spare."
Only then did Sang Zhi speak: "I didn't..."
She nervously gripped her backpack straps, hesitating about how to explain what had just happened. She didn't want to trouble him, and was afraid he would think she was foolish for being so easily tricked into going there.
Seeing that Sang Zhi appeared somewhat ashamed, Duan Jiaxu's anger subsided slightly. But he still withdrew his smile and said expressionlessly, "Do you know what you did wrong?"
"..."
"Hmm?"
"..."
He deliberately emphasized his words: "Speak."
Sang Zhi had never seen Duan Jiaxu angry before. Suddenly she recalled how Sang Rong used to scold Sang Yan in exactly the same tone right before beating him when he got into trouble.
It sounded exactly like Duan Jiaxu's tone right now.
Another phrase instantly popped into her mind:
—"If children don't behave, just give them a good spanking."
Sang Zhi abruptly hid her hands behind her back and timidly took a step backward.
Her movement was exaggerated and sudden, appearing somewhat strange and inexplicable. Duan Jiaxu was taken aback, not understanding what she meant by this. His stern expression cracked slightly.
The next moment, Sang Zhi swallowed nervously and cautiously said, "Brother, I'm sorry."
The little girl's voice was timid and tense, as if genuinely frightened. As Duan Jiaxu's anger gradually faded and he was about to say something, she astonishingly added: "—Please don't hit me."
"..."
"Let's... let's just reason this out." Sang Zhi retreated several more steps, not daring to get too close to him. "I'll listen this time, I know how to be reasonable now..."
"..."
OpenNovel