The words exploded in Sang Zhi's mind like fireworks, instantly leaving her dizzy and disoriented. Her lips parted slightly, but in her bewildered state, she couldn't utter a single word.
Her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest.
Thump, thump.
It almost drowned out the howling wind.
Sang Zhi even felt her palms sweating in this weather that was only a few degrees above freezing.
Before she could figure out how to respond, Duan Jiaxu casually released her wrist, turned around, and silently positioned himself in front of her.
The distance between them closed in an instant.
Sang Zhi instinctively averted her gaze.
Duan Jiaxu leaned down slightly, his narrow peach blossom eyes curving with an unreadable emotion as he met her gaze for two seconds. Then, he reached out and tugged her scarf downward.
Exposing her entire face.
The girl's delicate and refined features were accentuated by the unconscious upward curve of her lips, deepening the dimples at the corners of her mouth. Her bright eyes shifted away uneasily but soon returned to him.
Due to her allergy, her face was slightly swollen, with red rashes dotting her cheeks.
At a glance, it almost looked like she was blushing.
Duan Jiaxu's eyes darkened, and his Adam's apple slowly bobbed. His hand, still resting on her scarf, lifted slightly, and he gently brushed his thumb over her dimple with the lightest touch.
Sang Zhi's back stiffened.
In just a moment, Duan Jiaxu withdrew his hand, his thumb and index finger unconsciously rubbing together. He straightened up and let out a low chuckle. "Why are you blushing again?"
"..."
He drawled, "And you're even smiling to yourself."
Sang Zhi's mind went blank as she pulled her scarf back up. Forcing composure, she lowered her eyes and mumbled vaguely, "You're laughing too."
Duan Jiaxu asked with amusement, "Then why do you think I'm laughing?"
"How would I know? It's not like this is the first time you've laughed like this." Sang Zhi sidestepped him and continued walking ahead, muttering to herself, "Let's not stand here anymore. It's too cold."
Staring at her retreating figure, Duan Jiaxu stood still for a few seconds, then couldn't help but chuckle again before quickly catching up to her.
Once in the car, Sang Zhi still didn't remove her scarf.
Duan Jiaxu didn't start the car immediately. Instead, he turned to her and said in a playful tone, "Little one, aren't you going to take off your scarf in the car? Aren't you afraid of suffocating?"
Sang Zhi explained without changing her expression, "I'm covering the rash on my face."
"I've already seen it," Duan Jiaxu said, amused. "Why keep covering it?"
Sang Zhi paused, realizing he had a point, and reached up to remove her scarf. She fell silent, fiddling with her phone for a moment before turning to look out the window.
While waiting at a red light, Duan Jiaxu casually glanced in her direction.
He could only see her profile.
Noticing that she seemed lost in thought, her fingers unconsciously tapping on the window frame, her eyes drooping slightly, and the corners of her lips lifted—her emotions were impossible to hide.
A moment later, as if she had noticed something, she reached up and touched the corner of her mouth, her expression stiffening. Perhaps afraid he might see, she deliberately toned it down the next second.
Duan Jiaxu withdrew his gaze, lowered his lashes, and smiled as well.
Since the next day was the weekend, only Ning Wei was in the dormitory at the moment. The other two roommates had probably gone to attend club activities or were out on dates with their boyfriends.
Hearing the door open, Ning Wei looked over. When she saw Sang Zhi's face, she gasped in shock. "What happened to your face?""I accidentally drank milk tea." Sang Zhi placed the items in her hand on the table. "I'm allergic to milk."
"Ah? Are you okay? Did you go to the hospital?"
"I did, and I got a shot."
"That's good." Ning Wei sighed. "You're so unlucky. If you're allergic to milk, how many things can't you eat?"
Sang Zhi thought for a moment. "It's not too bad."
She took off her jacket and casually asked, "Why didn't you go out today?"
"I did, but I just came back after having a meal." Ning Wei opened a bag of potato chips. "My boyfriend has to finish his homework tonight and doesn't have time to hang out with me. What about you? How was your date with that brother of yours?"
Hearing this, Sang Zhi grew quiet and suddenly crouched down beside her.
Ning Wei turned her head and offered her the potato chips. "Do you want some?"
"I'm not eating. I just ate." Sang Zhi, like a little puppy, had round, bright eyes as if she were about to reveal a huge secret. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Ning Wei, I'm going to tell you something in secret."
"What is it?"
"That friend of my brother's," Sang Zhi said, tugging at the hem of Ning Wei's clothes, her eyes curved into happy crescents. "Seems to like me a little."
"You look like you just won the lottery." Ning Wei laughed at her. "How did you find out?"
"He told his coworker I'm his friend, and he said to me," Sang Zhi imitated his tone, drawing out her words, "Do you really think of me as your brother?"
"Hey, doesn't that sound like he's telling you not to randomly claim him as family?"
Sang Zhi blinked. "Do you think he said that to distance himself from me?"
After saying it, Ning Wei also felt her words weren't quite right. Worried about affecting Sang Zhi's mood, she quickly added, "No, I was just saying it casually."
"Probably not." Sang Zhi thought back to what had just happened and said very seriously, "What he meant was probably that he doesn't see me as a little sister anymore. But it's not about distancing himself."
"Then does he know you like him too?"
"Probably not." Sang Zhi grinned. "I haven't shown it."
"You could pretend you're not interested in him and let him chase you for a while." Ning Wei suggested. "After all, men are like that. If you agree right away when he confesses, he might think it was too easy and won't cherish you properly."
Sang Zhi was stunned and mumbled, "What if he doesn't chase me?"
"..." Ning Wei said, "He probably will."
"And I'm not completely sure either." Sang Zhi muttered. "I don't know why he likes me... I find it a bit strange."
"Why would there need to be a reason?" Ning Wei asked. "Then why do you like him?"
Sang Zhi answered honestly, "He's handsome."
"..." Ning Wei said, "You're so shallow."
"Also, he's a good person and treats me well." Sang Zhi said seriously, counting on her fingers. "His grades and everything are great too. Aside from being a bit old, there's nothing bad about him."
Ning Wei munched on potato chips and said, "Well, aren't you about the same? Aside from being younger than him, there's nothing bad about you either."
"Then," Sang Zhi cleared her throat lightly, "I'll just wait for him to chase me?"
"Sure."
"If he doesn't chase me," Sang Zhi still felt uncertain and said stiffly, "Maybe, maybe I'll go chase him instead."
"..."After dropping Sang Zhi off at her dorm, Duan Jiaxu returned to his car. Just as he was about to drive home, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, answered briefly, and hung up shortly after.
Starting the engine, he drove toward the city's care center.
The care center was excessively quiet.
Unless necessary, Duan Jiaxu rarely visited this place. He also seldom came to see his father, Duan Zhicheng, who had been lying in a hospital bed for eleven years.
Doctor: "Your father's condition hasn't been great lately."
Duan Jiaxu hummed in acknowledgment.
"Having been bedridden for ten years, his bodily functions and immunity are very weak," the doctor explained. "Recently, his pulmonary edema has worsened. We recommend a minor surgery to drain some of the fluid. Otherwise, it could lead to a lung infection, which would be serious."
"Doctor," Duan Jiaxu said indifferently, as if these matters didn't concern him much, "do you think he can wake up?"
The doctor fell silent for a few seconds before replying in an overly official tone, "As long as he's alive, there's always a chance for miracles."
Duan Jiaxu merely smiled, offering no comment on that statement.
Where were all these miracles supposed to come from?
Truthfully, Duan Jiaxu didn't hold even the slightest expectation that Duan Zhicheng would ever wake up.
So many years had passed that not even a trace of hatred remained.
All that was left was weariness.
Duan Jiaxu lowered his gaze, studying Duan Zhicheng's appearance. After years in bed, his father had changed significantly—completely unconscious, lying there like a corpse.
Duan Jiaxu actually wanted to know whether he regretted anything.
Soon, Duan Jiaxu looked away and said gently, "Then I'll trouble you with this."
After paying for the surgery and the next two months' expenses, Duan Jiaxu left the care center. The matter didn't affect his mood much and was quickly pushed to the back of his mind.
Returning home, he sent Sang Zhi a WeChat message reminding her to apply the medicine.
Then, Duan Jiaxu took a bottle of cold water from the refrigerator. Thinking about Sang Zhi's reactions earlier that day, he slowly recalled what she had said while drunk.
—"I have someone I really like. But he just doesn't like me back."
—"Zhizhi isn't happy."
—"He's a good person, and he treats me well too. But he's nice to everyone, he's nice to everyone..."
It couldn't really be him who made her so sad, could it?
Duan Jiaxu felt something wasn't quite right.
After all these years apart, if she had developed feelings for him beyond that of a brother during their recent time together, how had she concluded that "he just doesn't like me back"?
Just because of those few times he had treated her like a child?
After pondering for a moment, Duan Jiaxu called Qian Fei.
The phone rang only a few times before Qian Fei picked up, cutting straight to the point: "You've got one minute to talk. After that, I need to wash up..."
"You were right before," Duan Jiaxu said, taking a sip of water. "That 'male vixen' the girl mentioned probably doesn't exist."
"Right? I'm too damn good at this. I'm practically a love expert."
"Or maybe he does exist," Duan Jiaxu said. "And it's most likely me."
"See!" Qian Fei grew excited. "The moment I heard 'flirty, promiscuous, and shameless,' I knew it was you!"
"..."
"Then why not just go for it? What's with all the guessing?"
"I can't," Duan Jiaxu chuckled. "I have to chase her properly."
"..." Qian Fei was baffled. "Didn't you just say she likes you? What's there to chase?""My girl thinks I just don't like her." Duan Jiaxu lifted his eyelids, speaking unhurriedly, "I need to lay my cards on the table with her, make her happy."
"What the hell? Since when did she become 'your girl'?" Qian Fei was speechless, "Also, does this girl know that you're aware she has feelings for you?"
"She doesn't know." Duan Jiaxu chuckled softly, "And I'm pretending not to know either."
"Gotta save some face for my little one."
Qian Fei felt inexplicably sour: "You sure know how to play the game."
Duan Jiaxu: "Alright, one minute's up, hanging up now."
"Wait," Qian Fei asked curiously, "How are you planning to lay your cards on the table?"
Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow: "Haven't figured it out yet."-
Sang Zhi's nineteenth birthday was the first one she wasn't spending with her family.
Her birthday happened to fall on a Sunday. Duan Jiaxu had made plans with her in advance to go out and celebrate that day. Sang Zhi arranged to have lunch with her roommates, then returned to her dorm to wait until the agreed time before going out to meet him.
Duan Jiaxu hadn't driven over, waiting right outside her dorm building. Wearing the black hoodie and fitted pants she'd given him earlier, he stood there looking just like a college student.
Just as Sang Zhi was about to walk over, someone suddenly called out to her from nearby: "Sang Zhi."
She instinctively turned around.
Noticing Jiang Ming standing under a tree on the other side, holding a bag with a bright, clear smile: "I sent you a WeChat message, did you see it?"
Sang Zhi checked her phone and said, "I didn't look."
"Nothing important," Jiang Ming said, "Just came to give you your gift."
Sang Zhi hesitated before accepting it: "Thank you."
Jiang Ming: "Do you have plans later?"
Catching Duan Jiaxu's faint gaze in her peripheral vision, Sang Zhi felt inexplicably awkward. She forced a smile and pointed in Duan Jiaxu's direction: "Yeah, I made plans with someone."
"I see." Jiang Ming glanced at Duan Jiaxu, seeming somewhat disappointed as he rubbed his nose, "Well, I won't bother you then. I'll head off first."
Sang Zhi waved: "Okay, bye."
With that, Jiang Ming walked off in the other direction.
Sang Zhi walked up to Duan Jiaxu and asked, "Where are we going?"
Duan Jiaxu lifted his eyelids, his fingertips lightly hooking the bag. Sang Zhi's hand loosened, and the bag instantly fell into his grasp. He smiled naturally and said, "I'll carry it for you."
"..." Sang Zhi responded, "Okay, then you hold it."
The two walked toward the school gate.
Duan Jiaxu asked casually, "That guy - is he the male fox spirit?"
She knew he'd bring it up.
Sang Zhi remained silent for a few seconds, gathering all her focus to respond seriously: "No."
Duan Jiaxu made a thoughtful sound.
A long while passed without him saying anything.
Sang Zhi couldn't help but glance over.
Just then, Duan Jiaxu happened to stop walking: "Then take a look."
Sang Zhi: "Huh?"
The next moment, the corners of Duan Jiaxu's lips curved upward. His eyes slightly narrowed as he leaned down to meet her eye level. After a few seconds, he straightened up, his words carrying a teasing tone: "Finished looking?"
Sang Zhi was confused: "At what?"
"Look at me," Duan Jiaxu said in an unserious, somewhat roguish tone, "Do I look like that male fox spirit you mentioned?"
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