If the person standing before her had been Sang Yan, Sang Zhi wouldn't have let a single word slip about what she didn't want to tell him. In fact, without telling him the truth, she would have even dared to shamelessly cling to him for a long time.
But now, the person in front of her was someone Sang Zhi was meeting for the first time.
From the very first sentence he spoke, Duan Jiaxu had been exceptionally gentle, as though nothing she said could provoke his anger. She couldn't read him, and because of their distant, unfamiliar relationship, she didn't dare act too boldly.
The moment his tone shifted even slightly, Sang Zhi completely lost the courage to keep hiding the truth.
Sang Zhi fell silent for a few seconds before reluctantly confessing, "I wasn’t paying attention in class."
Duan Jiaxu: "Mm."
"The teacher called on me to answer a question, and I managed to answer it." Sang Zhi paused, slowly choosing her words. "Then he asked me if I wanted to take his place and become our class’s homeroom teacher. I thought that definitely wouldn’t work, so I refused."
"..."
Duan Jiaxu: ?
Sang Zhi cautiously glanced at him, as if trying to gauge his reaction, then quickly averted her gaze. She stood obediently in place, looking utterly earnest. "Then he said he was going to call my parents."
After uttering those last words,
Sang Zhi felt as if the entire world had fallen silent.
Having concealed part of the story, she was actually feeling quite guilty. Seeing that he remained silent for so long, she couldn’t help but say, "Don’t you not believe me."
Hearing this, Duan Jiaxu finally spoke, his voice laced with laughter. "I really don’t quite believe it."
He seemed genuinely amused. His shoulders trembled slightly, his chest rising and falling with soft, fragmented laughter mingled with shallow breaths. He was already good-looking, but when he laughed, he became even more dazzling, his lips bright and vivid.
The two of them were standing close.
Sang Zhi could smell the lingering scent of cigarettes on him, which made her even more uncomfortable.
She forced out a sentence: "What I said is true."
Duan Jiaxu: "Oh? You’re not lying to me?"
Sang Zhi nodded vigorously, her expression extremely sincere. "No, it’s true. If you don’t believe me, you’ll find out tomorrow when you go. Even if I lied to you now, the teacher would tell you the truth tomorrow."
"Is that so..."
As soon as the words left her mouth, the door opened again.
Sang Yan didn’t look at them as he walked toward the wardrobe and said bluntly, "Kid, get out."
Although Sang Zhi felt somewhat guilty about falsely accusing him earlier, she still didn’t want to leave just like that and mumbled, "Can’t I stay here?"
Sang Yan turned around, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "I need to change clothes."
"Then this big brother..." At this, Sang Zhi tugged at the hem of Duan Jiaxu’s shirt. "This big brother should leave too, right? I don’t think he really wants to watch you change clothes either."
Sang Yan simply pretended not to hear. "Close the door on your way out."
Taking his silence as agreement, Sang Zhi tugged Duan Jiaxu along as she walked out. "Okay, we’ll close it."
"..."
Sang Yan watched them for a moment, then waved his hand, too lazy to bother anymore.
Because this topic couldn’t be overheard by a third person,
Once they were out of the room, Sang Zhi immediately pulled Duan Jiaxu into her own room, cautiously closed the door, and asked urgently, "Big brother, so will you come tomorrow? I’ve told you the truth..."
Duan Jiaxu lowered his eyelids and said lazily, "Why don’t you ask your brother to go?""How could I!" Sang Zhi widened her eyes. "I just wrongly accused him... If I tell him, he'll immediately tell my mom."
Duan Jiaxu was still smiling. "Your brother isn't that kind of person."
"..."
His tone made it unclear whether he was serious or joking.
Although Sang Zhi had threatened him earlier, it was just empty talk, and now she was completely at a loss.
With no way out, she remembered what happened before and reminded him resentfully, "Brother, if you hadn't said those things to my brother earlier, we wouldn't have argued."
Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"
At that moment, the door opened.
Sang Yan stood outside, looking at Duan Jiaxu. "Let's go."
As if he hadn't heard what Sang Zhi just said, Duan Jiaxu nodded. "See you next time, kid."
Sang Zhi couldn't believe it.
How could it be "next time" already!
They hadn't reached an agreement yet!
Realizing Duan Jiaxu was really about to leave, Sang Zhi immediately grabbed his arm. "Are you leaving so soon? It's already this late—why not stay for dinner?"
Duan Jiaxu politely declined. "Next time."
Sang Zhi stared at him, not letting go at all.
What next time!
Did you just forget what we were talking about? Are you so old you have memory loss?
But she didn't dare say these things out loud, only pitifully asking, "When is next time..."
Duan Jiaxu curved his lips but didn't speak.
Watching their interaction that seemed like a life-or-death separation, Sang Yan raised an eyebrow. "What are you two doing? Did you hit it off at first sight? Duan Jiaxu, you better watch out—my sister is only twelve."
Sang Zhi instinctively retorted, "Thirteen."
Hearing this number, Duan Jiaxu seemed surprised, his gaze returning to Sang Zhi.
"Thirteen?"
His tone sounded utterly incredulous.
As if her being thirteen was some kind of unbelievable fantasy.
This reaction directly hit Sang Zhi's sore spot. She instantly forgot she needed his help and said unhappily, "Are you trying to say I'm short and don't look thirteen at all?"
Sang Yan leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, adding fuel to the fire. "That's exactly what he means."
Duan Jiaxu scratched the skin under his eye and shook his head. "No."
But his words didn't sound entirely sincere.
Sang Zhi stared at them for a few seconds before losing her temper. "Forget it, I'm not talking to you anymore." Unlike her earlier argument with Sang Yan, she seemed genuinely hurt this time, muttering softly, "I'll still grow taller anyway."
Seeing this, Sang Yan felt a rare twinge of guilt and tried to comfort her. "Isn't being short a good thing? When you're thirty, people might still think you're eighteen."
This felt more like rubbing salt in her wound.
Sang Zhi said stiffly, "So is that why people think you're my dad—because you're tall?"
"..."
Sang Yan's guilt instantly vanished.
The little girl's eyes were still red, looking thoroughly bullied, yet she refused to back down.
Since he seemed to be the source of upsetting her twice, Duan Jiaxu sighed and softened his attitude. "Thirteen years old, second year of middle school?"
Sang Zhi refused to look at him, answering stiffly, "First year."
"Which school?""Xuri Middle School." Sang Zhi paused, unsure if her sudden idea was correct, but still added without much backbone, "Class One, Grade Seven."
Duan Jiaxu drawled as he repeated: "Xuri Middle School, Class One, Grade Seven—"
Then, he bent down to meet her eyes.
"Kid, what's your name?"
Sang Zhi pursed her lips lightly and whispered, "My name is Sang Zhi."
"Sang Zhi?"
"Yes." Sang Zhi unconsciously avoided his gaze. "The 'Zhi' from 'childish'."
Duan Jiaxu affectionately pinched her cheek: "Well then, little Sang Zhi."
"..."
He lowered his voice, as if sharing a secret with her that no one else should hear.
"Do you know when next time will be?"
After saying goodbye to Li Ping, the two left the Sang residence.
The sun had completely set, with twilight hues dyeing the entire sky, and the temperature had turned noticeably cooler.
Duan Jiaxu suddenly asked: "Your younger sister should be quite obedient, right?"
"Obedient?" Sang Yan snorted derisively. He had somehow found a lollipop and was now chewing on it. "That little devil's going through her rebellious phase. She's really difficult to manage."
Rebellious phase.
Difficult to manage.
Well, it wasn't that bad.
Duan Jiaxu considered for a moment. After all, she was just a child whose mind hadn't fully matured yet, and it wasn't clear if anything serious had happened. He still brought it up with Sang Yan: "Your sister's been summoned for a parent-teacher meeting. She just asked me if I could go see the teacher for her. You should decide how to handle this."
Sang Yan clicked his tongue: "No wonder she insisted on you staying for dinner. I knew that little devil was up to no good."
Duan Jiaxu smiled without responding.
"Probably nothing major anyway. She's been called in several times, always for the same few reasons." Sang Yan looked down while replying to a message, asking absentmindedly, "Are you free tomorrow? If you are, help me go instead. I've got something going on tomorrow."
"Tomorrow, huh..."
"Yeah. If you can't, forget it. I'll just tell Mom later."
He had just promised her, and now he was going to tell the parents.
That kid would probably cry again.
"Even if I weren't free, I'd have to make time." Duan Jiaxu lowered his eyes and said casually, "Can't go lying to a child."
Hearing the sound of the front door closing, Sang Zhi stole a glance, then ran barefoot to Li Ping: "Mom, why did brother come back?"
Li Ping: "He said he was playing basketball nearby and just stopped by to take a shower."
"But it's so late already. Why didn't you ask them to stay for dinner?"
"Your brother's friend has things to do." Li Ping didn't pay much mind to the matter and asked leisurely, "Zhizhi, did your brother really hit you?"
"..." Sang Zhi immediately felt guilty, not daring to ask further, and turned to run toward her room. "I'm going to do my homework!"
Returning to her room, she locked the door.
Sang Zhi kicked off her slippers, jumped onto the bed, and grabbed a nearby stuffed toy to hug. Her mood remained low, but her thoughts gradually drifted, Duan Jiaxu's final words echoing repeatedly in her mind.
—"Do you know when next time will be?"
That should have been in response to her question, "When is next time?"
Does that mean he'll come?
Sang Zhi finally breathed a sigh of relief, rolled over, swung her legs alternately, and happily hummed a tune. She looked at the darkening sky outside, continuing to think about what had just happened.
Earlier still—
Duan Jiaxu raised his hand and pinched her cheek.
"..."
"?"
Sang Zhi immediately sat up.Did that man just pinch her cheek?
Right?
How could he pinch her cheek?
It's their first meeting!!! How! Could! He! Pinch her cheek!
Forget the pinching.
Why! Did! He! Have! To! Lean in so close!
And... and! Call her "Little Sang Zhi"...
Forget it.
Sang Zhi calmed her emotions, pretending not to care, and emphasized: "Forget it."
Just consider it a small advantage he took in return for helping her.
Her gaze swept around and happened to land on the mirror on the desk.
Meeting her own eyes in the mirror, she noticed her completely flushed face.
Sang Zhi's composure instantly crumbled.?
Why! Are! You! Making! A! Face! Like! You! Were! The! One! Who! Gained! An! Advantage!!!
Having lived for thirteen years, this was the first time she had ever felt such emotions.
Sang Zhi fell back onto the bed, wrapping herself up in the blanket at a loss, feeling the air inside growing thinner.
Then, listening to the sound of her heartbeat growing louder and louder—
Early the next morning.
After washing up, when Sang Zhi walked into the living room, Sang Rong and Li Ping were already seated at the dining table having breakfast. Since she had already found someone to help, she pretended nothing had happened and didn't mention the parent-teacher meeting to them.
She sat down at the dining table.
Li Ping served Sang Zhi a bowl of lean meat porridge.
Freshly awake, no one felt like talking.
The house was quiet and peaceful.
Sang Zhi slowly sipped her porridge, suddenly recalling Duan Jiaxu's reaction from the day before. She sighed and softly asked, "Dad, am I a bit short?"
Sang Rong looked at her and asked, "Did someone say something to you?"
Sang Zhi nodded, immediately blaming everything on Sang Yan: "Brother said so."
Li Ping: "Don't listen to your brother."
Sang Zhi poked the bottom of the bowl with her spoon: "But my classmates are only twelve, and they're all taller than me. Yin Zhenru is already 1.6 meters tall."
Sang Rong comforted her: "You're still young, you'll grow taller."
"Both of you are tall, why can't I grow taller? When I ride the bus, people even offer me their seats, thinking I'm an elementary school student." Sang Zhi's mood was particularly low as she asked gloomily, "Was Brother 1.5 meters tall when he was thirteen?"
Li Ping hesitated and said, "Your brother is a boy, so..."
Sang Rong suddenly interrupted her, answering Sang Zhi's question: "No."
"..."
"Where would he be that tall." Sang Rong said calmly, "Dad doesn't remember clearly, but Dad vaguely recalls. Your brother back then probably wasn't even 1.4 meters tall."
"..."
Author's note: Sang Yan: Just to make my sister happy, I'm not even qualified to be 1.4 meters tall.
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