As soon as the words fell, the woman's expression faltered, quickly noticing Sang Zhi standing nearby. She instantly realized this man was taken, coughing awkwardly: "Sorry to disturb you."
Without lingering further, she swiftly departed.
Leaving the two standing in place.
Duan Jiaxu lowered his gaze, leaning slightly to meet her eye level, and took the laptop bag from her hand. Studying her deeply displeased expression, the corners of his eyes curved downward as if in good spirits: "Are you angry?"
Sang Zhi met his gaze, her face impassive: "Why would I be angry?"
Duan Jiaxu suppressed a laugh: "Then why didn't you say anything earlier?"
Still thoroughly irritated, Sang Zhi didn't even want to acknowledge him, stepping past him to walk ahead, her tone rigid: "She asked for your WeChat, not mine. Why should I say anything?"
"Didn't I refuse to give it?" Duan Jiaxu easily caught up, offering an unserious apology: "Have mercy on me."
Sang Zhi couldn't help turning back: "What did I say?"
Duan Jiaxu pretended to ponder before teasing: "Hmm, you said you were jealous."
"..." Sang Zhi pressed her lips tightly, retorting with wounded pride: "You're the jealous one."
Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow: "Really not jealous?"
Sang Zhi remained silent.
"Did I misunderstand?" Duan Jiaxu continued, "It looked pretty convincing to me."
Still, Sang Zhi uttered no sound.
Duan Jiaxu: "Truly not?"
"..." Seeing him persist endlessly, and aware her reaction was obvious, Sang Zhi finally snapped after a few seconds: "So what if I am jealous!"
Duan Jiaxu froze momentarily before bursting into laughter. He chuckled to himself for a long while before speaking, his words still laced with fragmented amusement: "It's nothing."
Sang Zhi fumed: "Can't you just..."
Duan Jiaxu: "Hmm?"
She finished coldly: "Can't you just wait there properly without causing trouble."
Duan Jiaxu laughed in disbelief: "How was I not behaving?"
Sang Zhi stared fixedly into his eyes.
His lashes thick and long, pupils pale as if always tinged with light, his gaze simultaneously intimate and mesmerizing when meeting others'. That perpetually casual smile made him seem like he was deliberately provoking reactions.
She directly pronounced his guilt: "I saw you giving that person 'the look'."
An astonishingly bold accusation.
"..." Duan Jiaxu nearly choked: "What?"
"Obviously," Sang Zhi maintained her deadpan expression, seriously fabricating charges: "Otherwise if you'd just stood there properly, why would someone randomly come ask for your WeChat?"
"Little friend, are you practicing 'victim-blaming' here?"
Sang Zhi: "That's completely different."
Duan Jiaxu: "How exactly was I 'giving the look'? Describe it for me."
Sang Zhi paused, momentarily unable to articulate. She lowered her head, carefully considering before finally stammering out an accusation: "You glanced at her."
"..."
Sang Zhi immediately regained her righteous indignation, seriously condemning: "Yes, you glanced at her."
Duan Jiaxu laughed in exasperation: "That counts as 'giving the look'?"
Sang Zhi muttered: "Well, not exactly. It needs contextual analysis." Then, she scanned him up and down with a strange expression: "And you specifically dressed up before coming out today."Duan Jiaxu lowered his gaze, looking at his short-sleeved athletic outfit, and instantly understood that no matter what he did now, it would be wrong. Hearing her twisted logic, he tilted his head, chuckled softly, and pinched her cheek. "Petty."
Sang Zhi frowned. "You’re the petty one."
Just as they stepped out of the subway station, Sang Zhi rummaged through her bag for her parasol and deliberately remarked, "It’s super sunny today."
She glanced at him and added childishly, "I’m not sharing it with you."
Duan Jiaxu: "Really not sharing?"
Sang Zhi fell silent for two seconds before relenting. "Well, if you want to share, I can still let you."
"Give it to me."
Sang Zhi obediently handed him the umbrella.
Duan Jiaxu opened it, tilting most of it toward her, and casually asked, "Did you have breakfast?"
"I did," Sang Zhi said. "I had a cup of soy milk and a pancake."
"Anything else you feel like eating?"
Sang Zhi couldn’t think of anything at the moment and shook her head.
Duan Jiaxu thought for a moment. "I’ll go buy some fruit."
Sang Zhi blinked. "I want watermelon."
"Alright."
The two entered a nearby fruit stall.
The stall was small but crowded with customers. Following the vendor’s recommendation, Duan Jiaxu picked out a watermelon. Sang Zhi didn’t stay with him, instead selecting a few plums from a small rack nearby.
Afterward, Duan Jiaxu went to pay, telling Sang Zhi to wait outside.
With other customers still shopping, Sang Zhi stood in the shade outside the store, inadvertently blocking the way. She glanced around and moved to a spot under a tree. Pulling out her phone, she checked the time.
Suddenly, the light in front of her dimmed, and from the corner of her eye, she could tell someone had stepped in front of her.
Sang Zhi’s first thought was that Duan Jiaxu had finished shopping and returned. She looked up. "Why are you so…"
The next moment, she realized the person in front of her wasn’t Duan Jiaxu and immediately swallowed the rest of her words.
It was a young man. With delicate features and a bright, boyish smile, he pointed cheerfully at her phone. "Sorry to bother you. Could I get your WeChat?"
Sang Zhi was taken aback and instinctively replied, "Sorry, I have a boyfriend."
The man let out a regretful "ah" and scratched his head. "Alright."
Sang Zhi’s gaze involuntarily shifted, noticing that Duan Jiaxu had already finished buying the fruit and was standing not far away, his expression unreadable as he calmly watched the two of them.
"…"
After the man left, the two walked side by side toward Duan Jiaxu’s home.
The entire way was silent.
Sang Zhi glanced at him from time to time, her expression uneasy. Soon, she cleared her throat and said with feigned calm, "That guy was just asking for directions. I pointed him the way."
Duan Jiaxu: "Mm."
Before Sang Zhi could relax, Duan Jiaxu spoke again with a faint, teasing smile. "Did you flirt with him?"
"…"
Sang Zhi averted her gaze and remained silent, not responding to the remark. She also felt extremely awkward, having just criticized Duan Jiaxu so much only to be caught in a contradictory situation moments later.
Duan Jiaxu’s voice was leisurely, feigning nonchalance. "Your brother just went to buy some fruit."
Sang Zhi: "…"
Duan Jiaxu: "Couldn’t you behave for just a few minutes?"
"…" Sang Zhi said seriously, "I think we’re even now."
The implication was clear: You can shut up now.Duan Jiaxu's gaze drifted downward, showing no intention of stopping as he spoke slowly and meaningfully, "Looking at it this way, you even dressed up specially today..."
Before he could finish, Sang Zhi lost her nerve and said, "I take back what I just said."
Duan Jiaxu lifted his eyelids lazily. "How did you answer that person earlier?"
Sang Zhi replied honestly, "I said I have a boyfriend."
Duan Jiaxu pretended not to hear clearly. "Have what?"
Sang Zhi glanced at him. "Boyfriend."
Duan Jiaxu curved his lips, turned his head, and met her gaze. "Right here."
"..."
Duan Jiaxu's home only had one room and no study. Sang Zhi had originally planned to review at the dining table, not intending to intrude on his private space. But he proactively brought her in instead.
He usually worked in his room at home, where there was a desk. Duan Jiaxu had already cleared the table in advance, leaving it empty except for a power strip.
Sang Zhi sat in the chair and placed her laptop and review materials on the desk. Noticing Duan Jiaxu's presence out of the corner of her eye, she turned her head and asked, "Then what are you going to do now?"
Duan Jiaxu patted the bed naturally. "I'll just lie here."
Sang Zhi asked, "Are you going to sleep?"
"No," Duan Jiaxu said. "Haven't seen you in days, so I want to look at you a bit more."
Hearing this, Sang Zhi brought her face close to his, paused for several seconds, then said mercilessly, "Done looking? Go watch TV in the living room or take a nap. I need to study."
They stared at each other for a few seconds.
Suddenly, Duan Jiaxu grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his embrace, completely catching her off guard. "Can't I stay here?"
Sang Zhi instantly found herself sitting on his lap, her gaze meeting his mesmerizing eyes again. Then, he curled his lips and whispered, "Not even if I don't say a word?"
Sang Zhi felt dazed for a moment, almost agreeing. But she quickly regained her senses, a trace of rationality remaining as she reminded him, "You said you wouldn't distract me."
"Fine." Duan Jiaxu stopped teasing her, rubbing her cheek with his thumb as he drawled, "Such a heartless girlfriend."
Sang Zhi got up from him.
Duan Jiaxu added, "By the way, did you book your flight home yet?"
Sang Zhi sat back at the desk and murmured, "I'm not going back this summer."
"Really not going back?" Duan Jiaxu laughed. "Then where will you stay?"
"The dorm."
"Did you tell your family?"
"Yeah."
Duan Jiaxu stood up and opened the curtains. "Alright, study then. Little one."
Sang Zhi asked, "What are you going to do?"
"Going to make lunch," Duan Jiaxu rubbed her head gently. "What do you want to eat at noon? I'll make something delicious for you. My Zhizhi works hard studying."
Sang Zhi blinked. "Anything is fine."
"Mm, I'll go out in a bit to buy some ingredients. If you want anything to eat, help yourself from the fridge or cabinets." Duan Jiaxu thought for a moment and added, "If anyone knocks on the door, don't open it randomly."
Sang Zhi muttered, "You're treating me like a child."
Duan Jiaxu said, "Yeah, I'm afraid you'll get stolen."
"..."
They each went about their own tasks until lunchtime.Duan Jiaxu prepared a few simple dishes and called Sang Zhi out for dinner. After the meal, Sang Zhi helped him clear the table and, adhering to the fair principle that whoever cooks doesn’t wash the dishes, she volunteered to do the washing up.
Then, midway through, she accidentally broke a bowl.
Because she had insisted on doing it herself, Duan Jiaxu didn’t help and just leaned against the doorframe watching her. Seeing what happened, he showed no sign of displeasure and instead smiled, saying, “Stay where you are, I’ll clean it up.”
Afraid of being scolded, Sang Zhi didn’t dare make a sound and turned off the faucet.
Duan Jiaxu took a broom and swept up the broken glass, then looked up at her and asked, “Never washed dishes before?”
“...” Sang Zhi braced herself and replied, “I’ll get the hang of it after a few more tries.”
“What’s the point of learning?” Duan Jiaxu handed her a tissue to wipe her hands and chuckled softly. “I never asked you to wash them anyway.”
Sang Zhi blurted out, “Well, I can’t let you do it every time in the future...”
“...”
She immediately stopped herself and coughed lightly. “I didn’t think that far ahead.”
Duan Jiaxu feigned calm and hummed in agreement, a faint smile in his voice. “I know.”
Sang Zhi continued washing the remaining dishes, being much more careful this time, and muttered to herself, “I’ll buy you a new one next time, a plastic one that won’t break.”
Afterward, she also wiped down the kitchen counter before heading out to the living room.
Duan Jiaxu was sitting on the sofa, filling the kettle with water, and said slowly, “It’s half past twelve now, naptime. Want to come chat with me? Or go take a nap?”
Sang Zhi hadn’t kept up with her study schedule for the day and didn’t want to waste any more time. “Study slaves don’t deserve naps.”
“...” Duan Jiaxu’s brow twitched. “So you’re planning to keep studying?”
“Yeah.”
“Not sleepy?”
Sang Zhi nodded firmly. “Not sleepy.”
Duan Jiaxu wondered, “How come you’re so dedicated to studying?”
“I want to get a scholarship.”
“That impressive, huh?” Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow, poured hot water into a cup, and made her a cup of oolong tea. “Go ahead then. If you get sleepy, just lie down on the bed for a bit. There’s still plenty of time.”
Worried that he might think she was making excuses to avoid spending time with him, Sang Zhi added very seriously, “I’m really not sleepy, not at all. I’m wide awake, and I’ll study hard all afternoon.”
Duan Jiaxu humored her. “Okay, you’re not sleepy.”
Although she said that, her body clock was spot on.
Sang Zhi had woken up at seven that morning, gone shopping at various stores off-campus, then taken the subway specifically to Duan Jiaxu’s place and studied all morning. By now, her energy was truly depleted, and after eating her fill, exhaustion washed over her.
Her eyelids were heavy and fighting to stay open.
Sang Zhi turned her head and looked at the clean, spacious bed beside her, which now seemed like a temptation. She thought back to what she had just told Duan Jiaxu and the large amount of material she still hadn’t reviewed.
She let out a sigh, stood up, and decided to go wash her face in the bathroom.
As soon as she stepped out of the room, she could see Duan Jiaxu sitting on the sofa. Hearing the noise, he lifted his eyes and looked over, asking, “What’s up?”
“Nothing,” Sang Zhi said. “I’m just going to the bathroom.”
Soon, Sang Zhi came out of the bathroom. She glanced in Duan Jiaxu’s direction again, hesitated for a moment, and then said, just in case, “I’m going to focus on studying now, so please try not to come in and disturb me.”
Duan Jiaxu lazily hummed in acknowledgment.
Only then did Sang Zhi feel reassured and returned to the room.Back at the desk, Sang Zhi was still drowsy, unable to focus her attention. Feeling that her efficiency was too low, she decided to take a fifteen-minute nap before returning to continue her review.
Thinking back to what she had just emphasized to Duan Jiaxu, she felt a bit uneasy about letting him know she was still taking a nap. It was as if she didn’t want to chat with him and had used studying as an excuse.
But that wasn’t her intention at all.
She had genuinely intended to study.
But right now.
She! Was! So! Tired!
Suddenly going out to explain to him and then coming back to sleep seemed strange. Besides, she had already told him she was going to study seriously, so he probably wouldn’t come in, right?
Just fifteen minutes—it would be over in the blink of an eye.
After mentally preparing herself, Sang Zhi grabbed a stack of review materials, lay down on Duan Jiaxu’s bed, and closed her eyes while pretending to read. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she suddenly heard three knocks on the door.
Her heart leaped, and she immediately opened her eyes, looking toward the door. The doorknob turned as if it were about to open.
In that instant, Sang Zhi felt like a thief caught in the act. Her mind went blank. She rolled over, scrambled off the bed in a fluster, and accidentally bumped into the edge of the bed.
She didn’t have time to register the pain as she half-lay on the carpet beside the bed, hiding behind it.
At the same time, Duan Jiaxu’s voice sounded: “Zhizhi, do you want—”
His voice trailed off, growing quieter, tinged with confusion. “Where did you go?”
“…”
The door hit the wall with a dull thud.
Then came the sound of Duan Jiaxu’s footsteps approaching from the door. Soon, Sang Zhi, lying half on the floor, met the gaze of Duan Jiaxu standing above her.
“…”
The air froze for three seconds.
Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow slightly. “What are you doing here?”
Sang Zhi stared blankly, her mouth slightly agape, scrambling for an excuse in her mind. Her gaze dropped to the review materials still in her hand. Clearing her throat, she said seriously, “I’m studying here.”
Duan Jiaxu teased, “Then why didn’t you answer when I called you just now?”
“…” Sang Zhi said, “I’m studying secretly.”
With a chair to sit on and a bed to lie on, she chose to lie on the floor and study secretly.
Duan Jiaxu followed her lead, joking, “Why study secretly?”
After a few more seconds of silence.
Sang Zhi, with a grave expression, dryly uttered four words: “Because it’s thrilling.”
“…”
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