Sang Yan's words, coupled with his blunt tone, clearly indicated that this path was a dead end.
Sang Zhi felt irritated by what he said. Though she initially wanted to ignore him, she couldn't resist the urge to argue. Feeling that text and voice messages lacked impact, she scrolled through her contacts and directly called him.
The phone rang once.
Sang Zhi was fuming, mentally rehearsing a lengthy tirade of thousands of words, ready to unleash it the moment he answered.
But the call was directly hung up.
Sang Zhi: "..."
The next moment, Sang Yan sent another voice message: "Don't call me for no reason."
Sang Zhi suppressed her anger and also sent a voice message: "I'm talking about an internship, not dating. And what's wrong with me dating someone older than you? It's not like I'm dating someone older than Dad."
Her voice message, which lasted over ten seconds, had barely been sent for a second.
Sang Yan immediately replied: "Type if you have something to say."
"..."
He clearly hadn't even listened to it.
Sang Zhi was furious and continued sending voice messages: "Aren't you sending voice messages too?"
After waiting for a while, Sang Yan didn't reply.
Sang Zhi: "Just because you didn't date in college and still don't have a girlfriend now, you shouldn't take out your frustration and jealousy on me."
Still no reply.
Sang Zhi was seething inside but didn't want to end the conversation, making it seem like she was completely in the wrong. Pressing her lips together, she reluctantly typed out the same message.
This time, Sang Yan replied quickly: "I'm taking time out of my busy schedule to reply to you, and you expect me to type? Dream on."
"..."
Sang Yan's tone was smug: "Also, your big brother here has a girlfriend now."
Sang Zhi: 【？】
Sang Yan: "Can't help it. The girl has been chasing me for so long. If I don't agree, she might..."
Sang Zhi didn't want to hear his unbearably narcissistic words and tapped the voice message again, forcefully cutting him off: 【Bye.】
Sang Yan sent another message.
It was very short, just one second long.
Sang Zhi stared at it for two seconds before hesitantly tapping to listen.
Sang Yan sneered: "Little brat."
Sang Zhi exploded.
Before she could reply, Sang Yan added: "I'll say this one last time. Don't lose your brain when you're in a relationship. I let the incident of you going to Yihe to meet an online friend during high school slide because you were young and rebellious."
Sang Zhi knew she was in the wrong about that matter and immediately backed down.
Sang Yan's tone was indifferent: "This time, I won't bother lecturing you about other things. If you want to date, go ahead. But if you try not coming home for the summer break, I'll fly straight to Yihe and break your legs."
"..."-
Sang Zhi decided to give up on trying to persuade Sang Yan.
Thinking back, Sang Yan had always been the one who disciplined her the most since they were young. As Sang Zhi reflected, she couldn't recall a single instance where Sang Yan had ever stood up for her in front of their parents.
He either bullied her or lectured her.
She realized she had been approaching this from the wrong angle.
Since there were still two months until summer break, Sang Zhi wasn't in a hurry.
Not long after the May Day holiday, Duan Jiaxu's 26th birthday arrived.
Their birthdays were close, only half a month apart. So, not long after Sang Zhi's birthday, she had already prepared a gift for Duan Jiaxu.After class, Sang Zhi didn't return to her dorm. She calculated the time—Duan Jiaxu probably hadn't gotten off work yet at this hour. But she still needed to pick up the cake, and factoring in the travel time, it would be about right.
Before Sang Zhi even left the campus, she suddenly received a message from Liang Jun, asking her to meet and discuss the short film project.
For this competition, although Liang Jun was the team leader, Sang Zhi was generally more invested and spent more time on it. So when team members had issues, aside from asking in the group chat, they usually reached out to Sang Zhi privately to communicate.
Glancing at the time, Sang Zhi replied: 【I have something to do today. If you have any questions, let's talk on WeChat.】
Sang Zhi: 【Or tomorrow?】
Liang Jun: 【No problem, let's talk on WeChat.】
While chatting with him, Sang Zhi boarded the subway.
She had chosen this cake shop based on online recommendations. It wasn't near Yihe University, nor was it close to Duan Jiaxu's home or workplace. Sang Zhi had made a reservation online earlier and now had to make a special trip to pick it up.
The cake shop was located in a large shopping mall.
Sang Zhi wasn't very familiar with the way and followed the signs for a while before finally finding the place and walking in. The staff brought out the cake she had ordered and showed it to her.
On the plaque was a line she had specifically asked the staff to write:
—Happy 26th Birthday, Duan Jiaxu.
The corners of Sang Zhi's lips curled up, her eyes crinkling with a hint of childish vindictiveness. Carrying the cake box, she left the shop, wondering if she should buy something else.
Or perhaps she could go shopping with Duan Jiaxu later.
The last time she went to his place, she noticed his refrigerator was completely empty, aside from drinks.
But with so many things in hand, it wouldn't be convenient to shop.
Sang Zhi didn't dwell on it for long and quickly decided against it. Seeing that it was still early, she went into a nearby boutique store to browse. Just as she was about to leave, she faintly heard people arguing outside.
A few customers in the store also curiously stepped out to see what was happening.
Sang Zhi wasn't particularly interested in joining the commotion and left the store with her purchases. The arguing outside grew louder; from the content, it sounded like a mother and daughter, and the younger voice sounded somewhat familiar.
One was yelling, while the other was crying softly.
The older woman's voice was sharp and harsh, full of anger: "Try bringing this up one more time?! Are you out of your mind, acting crazy all day long! If you want to hassle that bastard's son for money, go ahead, bother him all you want. But marry him? Are you trying to kill me with anger? How could you face your father?"
"I just want to torment him for the rest of my life!" the younger woman sobbed. "What's wrong with that?!"
Both of their tones were fierce, and Sang Zhi found it a bit frightening. Without looking in their direction, she silently headed toward the escalator.
The older woman continued to berate: "Are you trying to disgust me to death? Are there no other men in the world? If you really want to marry that Duan whatever, fine! From now on, I'll consider you dead too!"
The younger woman screamed hysterically: "Then should Duan Jiaxu just act like nothing happened?! He thinks he can live happily with someone else? Not a chance!"
Just as Sang Zhi stepped onto the escalator, her breath caught, and she instinctively glanced toward the source of the voice. Immediately, she saw that the younger woman was Jiang Ying, the same person she had seen at the hot pot restaurant before.
At that moment, as if sensing her gaze, Jiang Ying suddenly looked over.Meeting Sang Zhi's gaze.
Her eyes were reddened with tears, the grievance in them gradually fading as her gaze shifted downward, settling on the cake box in Sang Zhi's hand.
The escalator descended.
Sang Zhi had no fondness for this woman and actively averted her eyes. She reached the second floor and continued downward, listening as the sharp sounds of argument faded into silence.
Her good mood dissipated in an instant.
Sang Zhi recalled what Jiang Ying's mother had said.
—"The son of a beast."
Then she connected it to what Duan Jiaxu had previously mentioned about Jiang Ying's identity.
—"My father's creditor."
Sang Zhi vaguely guessed something.
It was probably that Duan Jiaxu's father had done something that harmed Jiang Ying's father, and then they took their anger out on Duan Jiaxu?
But what did that have to do with him.
Sang Zhi couldn't help muttering "ridiculous," her heart suddenly feeling stifled.
The son paying for the father's debts—even the law doesn't stipulate that.
Remembering the cup of water Jiang Ying had thrown on Duan Jiaxu during the hot pot meal earlier, she pursed her lips and let out a frustrated sigh.
Whatever.
At least she'd thrown it back.
She just didn't know if Jiang Ying had bothered Duan Jiaxu again.
When she'd asked him before, he said no.
So probably not.
But Sang Zhi also felt that, given Duan Jiaxu's personality, even if Jiang Ying did cause trouble for him again, he likely wouldn't mention it to her. He'd handle it alone.
She just didn't know if he would endure it silently.
Though, judging by his attitude toward Jiang Ying, it didn't seem particularly friendly.
Probably wouldn't tolerate it.
Sang Zhi didn't dare ask Duan Jiaxu about too personal matters, afraid it might upset him. She stopped dwelling on it, boarded the subway, and headed to the building where Duan Jiaxu worked based on memory.
Checking the time—it was about right.
Sang Zhi pulled out her phone and texted him: 【Are you off work yet?】
Admirer: 【Getting ready to. What's up?】
Sang Zhi: 【Oh.】
Sang Zhi: 【Nothing.】
After waiting outside the office building for a few minutes, Sang Zhi saw Duan Jiaxu emerge. Dressed casually in a simple shirt and suit pants, he stood tall and slender, noticeably striking as he glanced idly at his phone.
He hadn't noticed Sang Zhi and was heading toward the parking lot.
Sang Zhi blinked and followed behind him. A moment later, her phone vibrated again.
Admirer: 【You don't seem to have class tonight.】
Sang Zhi: 【But I have other plans.】
Admirer: 【What plans?】
Sang Zhi thought for a moment: 【Picking someone up.】
Then added: 【And taking them to celebrate their birthday.】
The next second, Duan Jiaxu, who was walking ahead of her, suddenly stopped as if recalling something. Then, he lifted his eyes, turned around, and fixed his gaze on her, the corners of his eyes lifting slightly.
"Here to pick me up?"
Sang Zhi walked up to him, muttering, "I've been following you for a while."
"How do you walk so quietly?" Duan Jiaxu glanced at the cake box in her hand, took it from her, and chuckled softly, "I'd forgotten about the birthday thing."
Sang Zhi understood: "Older people don't really like celebrating birthdays."
Duan Jiaxu said casually, "Not exactly young anymore."
Hearing him admit it so directly for the first time, Sang Zhi turned to look at him.
"Hope you can let me," Duan Jiaxu recalled his age and said leisurely, "get married before I turn twenty-seven."
"..." Sang Zhi couldn't help retorting, "Before you're twenty-seven, I won't even have graduated from university yet.""Alright." Duan Jiaxu unlocked the car with his key, speaking lightly, "You didn't refuse."
"..."
"I'll take that as agreement."
Sang Zhi got into the passenger seat, feeling aggrieved. "Do you have any shame?"
"Chasing after a girl," Duan Jiaxu said calmly as he started the car, "especially a stubborn one like you—how could I afford to have shame?"
Unable to win the argument, Sang Zhi dropped the subject. She took out her phone and asked casually, "Didn't my brother and Qian Fei wish you a happy birthday?"
"Those guys can't even remember their own birthdays, let alone anyone else's," Duan Jiaxu said with amusement. "But a few of my colleagues remembered. I forgot about it myself once I got busy today."
Sang Zhi made a sound of acknowledgment and opened WeChat to message Sang Yan: [Do you know what day it is today?]
Just then, Liang Jun contacted her again about the short film project, so Sang Zhi replied to him as well.
Noticing her phone constantly buzzing, Duan Jiaxu glanced over and asked in a seemingly casual tone, "Who are you chatting with?"
Sang Zhi answered honestly, "A senior from my department."
"..."
After a few seconds, Duan Jiaxu asked again, "What does he want?"
Sang Zhi: "He's talking about the competition."
Duan Jiaxu lazily uttered three words: "Is he handsome?"
"..."
"Good morals?"
"..."
"Taller than you by a head?"
Sang Zhi turned to look at him. "He has a girlfriend."
Duan Jiaxu's gaze remained fixed ahead, his voice calm and unruffled. "I was just asking."
Sang Zhi lowered her eyes and continued replying.
"I've told you before," Duan Jiaxu said in a steady tone, as if stating something very serious, "no early dating."
"..." Sang Zhi was baffled. "I'm already an adult."
"Being an adult means you can date? Since when?" Duan Jiaxu said. "What I mean by 'early dating' is when two people's combined ages are less than forty-five—that's early dating."
"..."
Duan Jiaxu let out a drawn-out "ah," feigning surprise. "Our combined ages happen to be exactly forty-five."
Sang Zhi fell silent for a few seconds. "Then I'll wait a few more years."
"Hmm?"
"In three and a half years, I can find someone my own age," Sang Zhi said matter-of-factly. "Why should I settle for someone so much older than me? I'm in no hurry to date anyway."
"..."
Just then, Duan Jiaxu's phone rang.
Sang Zhi glanced at it for him and said, "It's my brother."
Duan Jiaxu made an acknowledging sound. "Answer it for me. Put it on speaker."
Sang Zhi complied. "Okay."
Sang Yan's voice filled the small car. "It just occurred to me—is it your birthday today? Congrats, man. Almost thirty and still no girlfriend. Let me tell you something—I have—"
Sang Zhi: "..."
It was obviously her who reminded him, and now he's acting like he just remembered.
Sang Zhi was so exasperated she wanted to pretend she didn't know him and didn't bother making a sound.
Duan Jiaxu said lazily, "Hanging up."
Sang Yan added, "Let me ask you something—did my sister give you a gift?"
Duan Jiaxu: "Yeah."
Sang Yan: "That one was from me."
Sang Zhi: "..."
"Nothing else, just wanted to wish you well. I'm hanging up." Sang Yan paused, then suddenly brought up another topic. "Oh, right—have you met my sister's boyfriend?"
Sang Zhi's gaze froze.
Noticing Sang Zhi's reaction out of the corner of his eye, Duan Jiaxu curled his lips and deliberately repeated, "Boyfriend?"Sang Yan clicked his tongue: "Didn't I tell you before? Seems like he's a graduate student."
Duan Jiaxu pretended to have just remembered, smiling as he said: "Seems like I've met him."
"What's he like?" Sang Yan said coolly, "That little brat is quite infatuated. For this person, she even wanted to call and argue with me today, insisting on staying in Yihe during summer break—"
Seeing him ramble on endlessly as if determined to spill everything.
Sang Zhi abruptly cut him off: "Brother!"
An awkward silence fell for two seconds.
Both ends of the call instantly went quiet.
Sang Zhi slowly looked at Duan Jiaxu, so embarrassed she wished she could crawl through the phone and punch Sang Yan.
The next moment.
"Did I just hear my sister's voice?" Sang Yan paused, as if realizing something, his tone carrying a thoughtful note, "Are you two together?"
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