Hearing this, Duan Jiaxu turned to look at her. His eyes seemed particularly bright in the dim light, the corners of his lips curving upward as he asked with amusement, "You couldn't finish talking about it even in one night?"
"Of course not."
"Little Sang Zhi is that popular?"
"Yeah," Sang Zhi said matter-of-factly. "I'm pretty."
Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
The sudden silence felt like a denial of her words.
Feeling somewhat displeased, Sang Zhi averted her gaze and picked up her phone from the table. "You should go to sleep. Why are you snooping into young people's lives?"
"..."
Sang Zhi snorted. "You wouldn't understand anyway."
"Are you two siblings conspiring against me?" Duan Jiaxu's tone lifted lazily. "Attacking my age all day long—did you plan this in advance?"
Sang Zhi glanced at him. "How does my brother attack you? Aren't you two the same age?"
The pot calling the kettle black.
"He thinks he's still young." Duan Jiaxu chuckled softly before returning to the previous topic. "Alright, start talking."
Sang Zhi didn't catch on. "About what?"
"Your brother will screen them for you." At this, he seemed to remember something, his voice tinged with teasing. "Ah, right. Little Sang Zhi, get me a notebook."
"..."
"I'll take good notes."
Sang Zhi stared at him for a few seconds before turning her back, lighting up her phone screen with clear intent to end the conversation. "I'm not telling you."
The next morning, Sang Zhi still couldn't harden her heart and reluctantly wiped his face again, then went on to clean his arms and hands thoroughly.
This time, Duan Jiaxu didn't suddenly open his eyes like last time, nor did he say anything else.
But Sang Zhi never made eye contact, her gaze distant. She tried to focus intently, as if cleaning an immobile corpse.
Before leaving, Sang Zhi thought for a moment and asked, "Brother Ji Xu, do you need anything else? I can bring it when I come tonight."
"Hmm?" Duan Jiaxu seemed still drowsy, his eyelids half-closed. "There are keys in my jacket—take them. Help me bring the computer from my room."
"..." Sang Zhi said, "What do you need a computer for?"
Duan Jiaxu looked up and smiled. "Work."
Sang Zhi was taken aback, her expression instantly turning grim. "Didn't you take time off? And why work when you're sick? Your boss won't pay you extra."
Duan Jiaxu looked at her without responding.
Sang Zhi: "I'm not bringing it. I'll help with anything else. I'm leaving."
With that, she left the hospital room.
On the subway, Sang Zhi listened to several voice messages from Jiang Ming: "Sang Zhi, are you free? My friends and I are playing games on the field. —Want to join? —Ning Wei said you haven't returned to school yet. It's not safe to go back alone so late—should I pick you up?"
She hesitated before replying: [Sorry, I didn't check my phone yesterday. Thanks for your concern.]
Sang Zhi first returned to her dorm to shower and change clothes.
Then she attended classes in the teaching building. Her Friday schedule was quite full, with classes until 6 p.m. Without time to eat, she took the subway directly to Duan Jiaxu's apartment after class.
Exiting the subway station, Sang Zhi followed her phone's navigation to find the location.This area was entirely residential, with the city library nearby, but it was still a short distance from where Duan Jiaxu lived. There was a food street in the vicinity and a small square, making it particularly lively.
Sang Zhi used her access card to enter the residential complex, found the building where Duan Jiaxu lived, and went up to the fifteenth floor.
Each floor had four units, and Duan Jiaxu’s apartment faced south. She walked over, unlocked the door with a key, and fumbled along the wall to find the light switch.
The interior decor leaned toward dark tones—the sofa and coffee table in the living room were gray-black, and the walls were painted a similar color. The wooden floor was centered with a dark square rug.
On the sofa lay a book opened halfway, next to a tall floor lamp.
With all the curtains drawn, the apartment felt somewhat stuffy.
Sang Zhi took off her shoes and hesitated before the only pair of slippers on the shoe rack, deciding not to wear them. She walked in wearing only her socks, pondering what to pack.
She glanced around the living room.
Suddenly, she noticed three photo frames on the TV cabinet.
One was a group photo of Duan Jiaxu’s entire dormitory in graduation gowns, and beside it was the photo of the two of them taken at his graduation ceremony. It was her first time seeing this photo, and she unconsciously stared at it a little longer.
Back then, she only reached his shoulder and still looked somewhat youthful. Wearing a pink-blue dress, she stood about twenty centimeters away from him, a small dimple appearing at the corner of her lips.
Duan Jiaxu had his hand resting on her head, his expression casual but his smile bright.
The photo was actually quite nice.
Sang Zhi licked her lips, then stealthily took out her phone and snapped a picture of the photo. As her gaze shifted, she suddenly noticed another photo frame—also a picture of two people.
This one was clearly an old photo, its tones noticeably different.
In the photo, Duan Jiaxu appeared to be only about ten years old.
He was wearing a school uniform, standing next to a woman slightly shorter than him by half a head. Their eyes and eyebrows were strikingly similar, and both wore faint smiles.
Recalling Li Ping’s words, Sang Zhi instantly understood who this person was. She crouched down, thought for a moment, and whispered, "Hello, Auntie. I’m Sang Zhi, Brother Ji Xu’s friend’s younger sister."
After a few seconds, Sang Zhi added, "Brother Ji Xu didn’t come home yesterday because he was sick and had a minor surgery, but it’s not serious. I’m just here to get some things for him, so please don’t worry."
After saying this, Sang Zhi stood up, took out her phone, and searched for "what to bring for a hospital stay." She gathered the items listed one by one. When she noticed the words "underwear," her gaze paused.
Then she turned to the wardrobe in his room.
"..."
Why was she doing this again?
Sang Zhi closed her eyes briefly, opened the wardrobe, and saw two new boxes inside. Relieved, she tossed the boxes directly into the bag.
She looked up, debating whether to pack a few more clothes.
Suddenly, she spotted a strikingly familiar tie.
It was the birthday gift she had given him during her last visit to Yihe City.
Sang Zhi stared at it for a few seconds, then abruptly shut the wardrobe door.
Forget it.
This was enough.
She had already gone above and beyond.
Sang Zhi left Duan Jiaxu’s apartment and walked to the elevator lobby to wait. Bored, she took out her phone and scrolled through it briefly before putting it back in her pocket. Just then, the elevator arrived.Inside stood a woman with delicate features, dressed in branded clothing and wearing a strong perfume. She seemed to be calling someone, but the other party wasn’t answering, so her expression was rather unpleasant.
The woman glanced at Sang Zhi and walked out.
Sang Zhi then stepped into the elevator.
Just as the elevator doors closed,
Sang Zhi saw the woman heading in the direction of Duan Jiaxu’s apartment.
Or maybe it was the one next door.
Sang Zhi lowered her gaze and didn’t pay it any mind.
By the time Sang Zhi reached the hospital, it was almost eight o’clock.
She entered the ward and noticed that the other bed was now occupied by an elderly man in his sixties or seventies, with a middle-aged man sitting beside him, likely his son.
Three men of varying ages were chatting.
Sang Zhi placed the bags she was carrying on the table.
Noticing the movement, Duan Jiaxu turned his head, his eyelashes fluttering slightly. "Why did you bring so much stuff?"
Sang Zhi was so tired she was slightly out of breath as she spoke. She immediately sat down on a chair and took off her coat. "It’s not that much. I thought you might need everything."
Duan Jiaxu glanced into the bags and said leisurely, "Why so many clothes?"
"I only brought two sets, plus a coat for when you feel cold." Sang Zhi took a bottle from her bag and drank some water. "I also brought the charger and some other things."
Duan Jiaxu hummed in acknowledgment. "Have you eaten?"
"Not yet." Sang Zhi only remembered then, though she didn’t feel particularly hungry. "I came straight after class and didn’t have time. I’ll eat later."
Hearing this, Duan Jiaxu glanced at the time. "It’s eight o’clock, and you haven’t eaten?"
Sang Zhi took out a chocolate bar to munch on and pulled out her phone to reply to messages. "I’m not very hungry. I’ll eat in a bit."
"Go eat now."
"..." Sang Zhi looked up, feeling a bit annoyed. "It’s not like I’m not going to eat. I just carried all this stuff over. Can’t you let me sit for a while?"
Just then, the elderly man in the next bed suddenly spoke up, smiling warmly. "Young man, is this your wife?"
"..."
Sang Zhi’s irritation vanished in an instant. She jerked her head up, nearly choking.
Duan Jiaxu’s expression froze for a moment before he suddenly laughed, his tone tinged with disbelief. "Uncle, what makes you think she’s my wife?"
The elderly man looked at Sang Zhi, his face kind. "This young lady is very pretty."
Worried that Sang Zhi might feel embarrassed, Duan Jiaxu added, "Uncle, this is my younger sister, not my wife."
Hearing this, the elderly man turned to Duan Jiaxu. "Ah, I know your wife is very pretty."
Sang Zhi: "..."
Duan Jiaxu: "..."
At that moment, the middle-aged man spoke up, looking somewhat apologetic. "Sorry, my dad is quite hard of hearing... That’s why he hasn’t been talking much."
Then, the middle-aged man leaned close to the elderly man’s ear and raised his voice, shouting, "Dad! That’s his younger sister! Not his wife! It’s his sister! Not his wife!"
The elderly man let out an "Ah," nodding as if he finally understood. "So they’re not married yet?"
Sang Zhi, listening from the side, couldn’t help feeling anxious and spoke up, "Grandpa, no, it’s not that kind of relationship."
"Young man, you don’t look that young anymore. Why aren’t you married?" the elderly man said. "You shouldn’t keep a young lady waiting for too long."
"..."
Sang Zhi felt like she was suffocating.Duan Jiaxu couldn't hold back his laughter, his chest heaving: "Sir, could you stop making me laugh? I still have a wound on my stomach."
The old man turned serious: "Young man, I'm not joking with you. Your partner is so pretty and knows how to take care of people. If you don't cherish her, you'll regret it later."
Duan Jiaxu gave up the fight: "Alright, I understand."
Sang Zhi was still struggling: "Grandpa, it's really not like that."
"Young man, you must treat her well," the old man said earnestly. "This young lady brought you so many things and doesn't even mind any trouble."
Duan Jiaxu nodded: "Sure."
"..." Sang Zhi couldn't take it anymore. "I'm leaving."
Hearing this, Duan Jiaxu turned his head. Noticing Sang Zhi's expression, he suppressed the smile on his lips, cleared his throat, and pretended to be serious: "Don't mind this matter. He can't hear well, just treat it as a joke, okay?"
Sang Zhi acted as if she didn't hear. She slowly let out a breath and made a last-ditch effort: "Grandpa, I'm really not his partner. He's much older than me. A little older and he could be my dad."
Duan Jiaxu: "..."
"Well, being a dad is good," the old man nodded repeatedly, seeming to strongly agree. "You should get married early and have a chubby baby soon. Once you settle down, everything will be fine."
"..." Sang Zhi also gave up and looked at Duan Jiaxu. "Brother Ji Xu, I'm leaving."
Duan Jiaxu covered his wound with one hand, as if trying hard to hold back laughter, his voice sounding somewhat hoarse: "Alright, be careful on the way back, remember to eat."
Sang Zhi pressed her lips together and put on her jacket: "Mm."
Duan Jiaxu: "Call me when you get back to the dorm."
Sang Zhi responded with an "Oh." She didn't want to pay any attention to the old man at all, but to maintain superficial politeness, she reluctantly bid them farewell.
She quickly said goodbye, then turned and walked toward the door.
The next moment, Sang Zhi could still hear the old man behind her saying: "Hey, is your wife going back?"
Accompanied by Duan Jiaxu's roguish laughter, as if finding his words extremely amusing, he echoed: "Yeah, my wife is going back."
"..."
Could he have any! shred! of dignity!-
For the next six days, Sang Zhi continued to visit whenever she had time.
The patient in the next bed was still that old man. He seemed to have many children, as his caretakers changed daily. He was quite talkative and often chatted with Duan Jiaxu and Sang Zhi.
And it was always about the same topic.
As if that was the only thing he was interested in.
Like right now.
The old man looked at them both kindly and said: "When are you two planning to get married?"
Duan Jiaxu said lazily: "We're not getting married. We're not in that kind of relationship."
Hearing this, the old man immediately straightened his face, clearly disapproving: "How can you not get married! Aren't you just wasting this girl's time!"
Sang Zhi: "..."
With the demeanor of someone who's been through it all, the old man advised earnestly: "Get married early, settle down early. Marriage isn't something scary. When two people are compatible and together, life will be very good."
Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow: "Alright."
The old man asked again: "So when are you planning to get married?"Duan Jiaxu glanced in Sang Zhi's direction. He hadn't shaved for several days, with stubble growing on his chin, making him appear more mature. He said in a casual, roguish manner, "The girl hasn't reached the legal marriage age yet. Let's wait another couple of years."
"..."
Later on, Sang Zhi simply tuned out their conversation. Whenever they started talking, she would put on her earphones, pretending not to hear even if she did.
After a full week in the hospital, Duan Jiaxu had his stitches removed and was discharged.
That day, Sang Zhi went over early to help him pack his things. Before leaving, the elderly man sat on the hospital bed watching the two of them, beaming: "Getting discharged today?"
Duan Jiaxu hummed in agreement: "Take good care of yourself, uncle. Get well soon."
The old man nodded: "You two should treat each other well."
Just as Duan Jiaxu was about to say something,
This time it was Sang Zhi who spoke first: "Understood."
Duan Jiaxu turned his head to look at her.
Noticing his gaze from the corner of her eye, Sang Zhi also looked over. As if having endured it for a long time, she stared directly at him, her dark pupils revealing no emotion.
Then, she said word by word: "We'll get married as soon as possible."
"..."
Author's note: Duan Jiaxu: Huh??????????
Sang Zhi: Whatever, I've abandoned my dignity too.
OpenNovel