The contact was extremely brief, lasting barely a second.
Sang Zhi’s mind was still blank, and she hadn’t even had time to react. The next moment, she felt Duan Jiaxu stiffen as well, then immediately straighten up and take a step back.
A moderate distance opened between them.
They were standing behind the bus stop, in the shadows where the light was extremely dim. Sang Zhi instinctively looked up, her expression dazed, meeting his somewhat shadowed gaze.
For some inexplicable reason, she didn’t dare to meet his eyes and immediately averted her gaze, inexplicably taking a step back herself, unsure where to put her hands and feet.
She didn’t know what the right reaction should be.
Reacting too strongly would seem strange, but reacting too little might also be inappropriate.
Maybe she should just act as if nothing happened.
Treat this accident as something trivial and continue talking to him normally as usual.
But Sang Zhi couldn’t utter a single word.
In her confusion, she thought of wiping her forehead with her sleeve, but as she raised her hand, she felt the gesture was too obvious and instead changed it to scratching her head.
Soon, Sang Zhi heard Duan Jiaxu speak. His breathing was heavy, as if he were suppressing some pain, and his voice became low and hoarse as a result: "Sorry."
Sang Zhi paused and looked at him again.
Only then did she notice that Duan Jiaxu looked extremely unwell. In this single-digit weather, fine beads of sweat had formed on his forehead, dampening the hair at his temples. His lips were pale to the point of purple, his jaw muscles tight, his entire body tense.
As if he might collapse at any moment.
Sang Zhi froze.
She had never encountered such a situation before and instantly recalled that she seemed to have bumped into him somewhere. Anxious, she stammered in fright: "Brother... are you in pain? Did I bump into you somewhere..."
"What bump?" Duan Jiaxu steadied his breathing and forced a slight smile. "That little touch of yours, are you giving me a chance to fake an injury?"
"Sorry." Sang Zhi inexplicably felt like crying, her eyes gradually reddening, her voice nasal. "Brother, wait here for me, I’ll go hail a cab."
This time, Duan Jiaxu didn’t say anything else, replying slowly, "Go ahead."
Just as she reached the roadside, an empty taxi happened to drive by. Sang Zhi quickly flagged it down, said a word to the driver, and immediately jogged back to Duan Jiaxu.
She supported Duan Jiaxu as they walked toward the taxi.
Duan Jiaxu’s pace was slower than before, as if even moving caused him pain. He suddenly chuckled, his tone tinged with amusement: "This time it really feels like helping an old man."
Sang Zhi couldn’t bring herself to laugh.
"Little Sang Zhi, I don’t think it’s a stomachache?" Duan Jiaxu turned his head to look at her, as if pondering, speaking slowly. "But I still—"
"..."
"It really hurts a bit."
After getting in the car, the driver glanced back and noticed Duan Jiaxu’s pallor: "Had too much to drink or what? What’s going on? You’re not going to throw up in the car, are you?"
Perhaps sitting down had eased the pain a little, as Duan Jiaxu’s complexion wasn’t as bad as before. He chuckled lightly and said, "Don’t worry, driver, I can hold it in."
The driver frowned and made things clear first: "If you vomit, it’s two hundred yuan.""If he vomits, we'll pay for the cleaning," Sang Zhi quickly assured. "Uncle, he's not drunk—he's unwell. Please take us to City Hospital, thank you."
The driver said nothing more and started the car.
After speaking, Sang Zhi instinctively glanced toward Duan Jiaxu. He was leaning against the seatback in a relaxed posture, one hand pressed against his lower right abdomen.
Not wanting to burden him with conversation, Sang Zhi remained quiet.
It was Duan Jiaxu who broke the silence first: "Sang Zhi, fasten your seatbelt."
She reflexively said "Oh," reaching for the seatbelt behind her right shoulder. As she moved to buckle it, she noticed he hadn't fastened his either. Halting mid-action, she released her own and leaned toward him.
Noticing her movement, Duan Jiaxu's eyelids flickered: "What's wrong?"
Sang Zhi reached for the seatbelt beside him, murmuring, "I'll fasten yours for you."
Duan Jiaxu chuckled: "Why are you fastening mine? I told you to fasten your own."
"I'll do yours so you can rest properly," Sang Zhi shook her head insistently. "Brother, try to sleep for a while. It won't hurt as much when you're asleep. I'll wake you when we arrive."
"Alright then, thank you, little Sang Zhi." Duan Jiaxu didn't refuse, remaining seated while tilting his head to watch her. "Now you're taking care of your brother."
Fortunately, City Hospital wasn't far.
When the driver stopped at the hospital entrance, Sang Zhi paid the fare and helped Duan Jiaxu inside before registering him for emergency care.
After taking X-rays, the doctor confirmed it was acute appendicitis. Listening nearby, Sang Zhi gathered he'd been enduring this for quite some time—any later and it might have perforated.
That would have become a serious problem.
Pursing her lips, she glanced at him.
Duan Jiaxu didn't seem particularly concerned, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he simply smiled.
The doctor then wrote in the medical record and instructed Sang Zhi to make payment first before they could schedule the surgery.
Nodding, Sang Zhi studied the bill while turning to leave. Before she'd taken more than a few steps, Duan Jiaxu called out: "Sang Zhi."
She turned back: "What is it?"
"There's a card in here—the password is your brother's birthday." Duan Jiaxu handed her his wallet from his pocket, his tone gentle and refined. "Thank you for helping, little Sang Zhi."
She stared at him for a few seconds before accepting it: "Okay."
This was just a minor surgical procedure with minimal risk and short duration.
When she returned after paying, Duan Jiaxu noticed the time and said proactively: "Little Sang Zhi. It's nine o'clock—you should head back to campus. It's not safe to be out later."
Sang Zhi didn't move.
"It's nothing serious," Duan Jiaxu said. "After this surgery, I'll recover in a few days. Just come visit your brother when you have time."
Handing the forms to the doctor, Sang Zhi stated: "I'll wait until you come out before going back."
"This will take about an hour." Duan Jiaxu raised his eyebrows, his complexion still sickly pale. "Won't you be bored waiting alone out here?"
In low spirits, Sang Zhi grumbled: "Stop talking."
"Alright." Duan Jiaxu smiled again. "Brother won't say anymore."
Sang Zhi fell silent, standing quietly beside him. Suddenly it occurred to her—if she hadn't arranged to have dinner with him today, judging by what he'd said on the phone earlier, he probably wouldn't have come to the hospital at all.
Her heart felt inexplicably heavy.
After Duan Jiaxu entered the operating room, Sang Zhi sat outside waiting.Not wanting her roommates to worry, she sent a message in the dorm group chat saying, "I might be back late tonight," then opened a webpage to search for "post-appendicitis surgery precautions."
After a while, Sang Zhi put away her phone and suddenly remembered the accident at the bus stop. She subconsciously touched her forehead. Perhaps it was psychological, but the spot he had touched began to feel warm at that moment.
As if it were burning.
At that moment, his warm breath still seemed to linger around her.
An extremely intimate distance.
Forget it.
Don’t think about it.
Don’t! Think! About! It!
She was the one who bumped into him first, and he was the one who ended up apologizing even though he was the one who got bumped into.
Analyzing the situation, it seemed like she was the one who took advantage of him. Besides, it was just a touch on the forehead—nothing major.
They weren’t kids anymore…
And judging by his reaction, he didn’t seem to take it too seriously.
Before Sang Zhi could continue overthinking, her phone vibrated in her hand. The caller ID showed "Mom." Noticing the time displayed at the top of the screen, Sang Zhi quickly answered, "Mom."
Li Ping’s voice came through the phone, "Zhizhi, you’re not back in the dorm yet?"
Because she had come so far away for school, Li Ping had made an agreement with her before she left: they would call every night at ten. If Sang Zhi had something going on, she could just send a WeChat message to let her know.
Sang Zhi didn’t lie, "Yeah."
Li Ping asked, "Did you go out with friends?"
"No," Sang Zhi said, "Mom, I ran into my brother’s friend here—the one who tutored me in middle school, Duan Jiaxu."
Li Ping replied, "Oh, I remember him."
"Since he’s helped me out a lot, I wanted to treat him to a meal," Sang Zhi explained. "But he’s sick, so I took him to the hospital. We’re at the hospital now."
Li Ping asked, "Sick? Is it serious?"
Sang Zhi said, "They said it’s acute appendicitis. It shouldn’t be a big deal."
"Then take good care of him. That child doesn’t really have anyone in his family," Li Ping sighed. "But make sure you take care of yourself too, and head back early, okay?"
"..." Sang Zhi was caught off guard by her words and mumbled, "What do you mean he doesn’t have anyone in his family? How do you know that?"
"Ah?" Li Ping said, "I don’t think I’ve mentioned this to you before? But don’t bring it up in front of him. Your brother’s friend, I think it was during the winter break of his freshman year? He borrowed thirty thousand yuan from your brother."
"..."
"Your brother was so young back then—where would he get that kind of money? So he asked your dad for it," Li Ping said softly. "He said it was for his mother’s medical treatment. The money was paid back later, but I heard his mother didn’t make it."
Sang Zhi was speechless for a long moment before finally asking, "What about his father?"
"I don’t know about that," Li Ping said. "But if his father were around, how could he let a child borrow money like that?"
After the surgery, he needed to stay in the hospital for a week.
Duan Jiaxu was assigned to a two-bed room. He was wearing a hospital gown, his hair falling over his forehead. His face was pale, and he didn’t look too well.
The surgery was performed under local anesthesia, so he was still conscious, with an IV drip in the back of his hand. Looking at Sang Zhi beside him, Duan Jiaxu curved his lips and reminded her again, "Little Sang Zhi, you should head back to school now."
Sang Zhi said softly, "I know.""After you leave, hail a taxi and send the license plate number to your brother," Duan Jiaxu said. "Then call your brother when you get back to the dorm."
"Okay." Sang Zhi gripped the strap of her shoulder bag and hesitated before asking, "Does this surgery hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt." Duan Jiaxu smiled. "There's anesthesia, so you won't feel anything."
Sang Zhi nodded. "Then I'll come see you again tomorrow."
"Come when you don't have classes." Duan Jiaxu said, "Brother doesn't have much going on here anyway, no need for little Sang Zhi to come running back and forth every day."
"..." Sang Zhi glanced at him. "Goodbye, Brother Ji Xu."
"Mm, goodbye."
Watching her leave the hospital room, Duan Jiaxu picked up his phone from nearby. Noticing Sang Yan had called him, his eyebrows lifted slightly as he leisurely returned the call.
Listening to the mechanical beeping in his ear, Duan Jiaxu suddenly remembered what happened near the bus station.
And Sang Zhi's reaction.
The young girl had been completely caught off guard, seemingly frightened to the point where she didn't even dare look at him. Probably feeling somewhat awkward too, she hadn't said a word for the longest time.
Maybe she was quite bothered by this matter?
Before the call could connect, Duan Jiaxu hung up.
Finally having time and energy to think about this matter.
Come to think of it, this kid would be turning twenty in a few months, right? Even disregarding age, his recent behavior could be seen as taking advantage of the young girl.
And she was his buddy's sister.
Also a kid he'd practically watched grow up.
Besides, she was already twenty - maybe he shouldn't keep teasing her like that anymore. If this kid started overthinking things and misunderstood him as having beastly intentions, that wouldn't be good.
Young girls probably cared more about these things?
Duan Jiaxu rubbed between his eyebrows, inexplicably feeling a bit of... guilt.
He suddenly remembered her previous online romance.
Just then, his phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. It was Sang Yan calling.
Duan Jiaxu answered, contemplating whether to confess about the incident.
Sang Yan's voice came through, sounding lazy: "Bro, did they cut out your appendix? How does it feel?"
"Pretty good." Duan Jiaxu curled his lips, speaking casually. "You should try it sometime."
"Handsome guys don't have that thing, understand?" Changing the subject, Sang Yan brought up something else. "I heard my sister took you to the hospital?"
Duan Jiaxu: "Yeah."
"For something that minor? Couldn't you get to the hospital yourself?" Sang Yan said idly, "Do you have any self-respect? When it started hurting, you should've just gone to the hospital yourself."
Duan Jiaxu: "Did you call just for this?"
"I happened to have some free time, heard you were sick, so thought I'd call to celebrate." Sang Yan said, "Since you're fine, forget it. I'm going to sleep."
"Wait," Duan Jiaxu fell silent for a few seconds. "I need to tell you something."
"Go ahead."
Duan Jiaxu considered how to phrase it.
How should he put this.
Say he accidentally kissed your sister, and the young girl seems quite bothered by it.
Hope you as her brother don't mind.
Wouldn't that be ridiculous?
"Never mind." Duan Jiaxu said, "It's nothing."
"..." Sang Yan was quiet for a moment too before saying, "This is exactly what I can't stand about you - a grown man talking like a little girl. Why can't you just say what's on your mind?"
Duan Jiaxu: "Hanging up.""Wait a minute." Sang Yan seemed to have gotten interested. "Bro, I heard you're going on another blind date soon? Your boss is quite enthusiastic—how many has he set you up with now?"
"..."
"Did any of them work out? I see you're still single." Sang Yan said, "Alright, bro. Let me teach you something—don't talk the way you used to."
Duan Jiaxu didn't even bat an eyelid: "How do I talk?"
"Your tone... I've always been too polite to point this out." Sang Yan spoke slowly, "You know, it's a bit too old-fashioned."
"..."
"You don't seem like someone who'd go for older women either," Sang Yan continued, "Bro, let me tell you—people born in the 90s don't fall for that style anymore."
Duan Jiaxu's eyebrow twitched: "The 90s generation?"
"We 90s kids are more trendy, get it?" Sang Yan said leisurely, "I know you 80s folks don't understand, but you need to keep up with the times."
Duan Jiaxu was only one year older than Sang Yan.
One born in 1989, the other in 1990.
Duan Jiaxu was rendered speechless before finally chuckling: "You've got too much time on your hands. I'm hanging up."
He checked the time, calculating how long it would take to get from here to Yihe University. Just as he was about to call Sang Zhi to see if she'd gotten on the bus yet, he noticed movement at the door from the corner of his eye.
Duan Jiaxu looked up.
Immediately, he saw the person who had left earlier had now returned. She stood by the door, unmoving, as if afraid he'd scold her. Her voice was very soft: "Brother Jiaxu, maybe I should stay with you after all?"
"..."
"I feel like if I were sick," Sang Zhi scratched her head, "you probably wouldn't leave me either."
Author's note:
Sang Yan: We 90s kids are more trendy.
Sang Yan: Absolutely no one from the 90s generation would fall for your! Old-fashioned! Ways!
Sang Zhi: qwq
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