Hidden Love

There was a long queue outside the women's restroom, the line already extending beyond the doorway.

Sang Zhi had no intention of using the toilet—she only wanted to wash her face. She slipped directly through the gap between people and the door, walked to the sink, and turned on the faucet.

Suddenly, she noticed in the mirror that her eyes were still red, her lips pressed into a tight line. She looked less like someone who had just finished scolding others and more like someone who had been scolded herself.

Belatedly, Sang Zhi felt somewhat embarrassed that she had ended up crying from anger during the argument. She let out a sigh, grabbed a tissue, and wiped her face.

Thinking back to the words she had painstakingly prepared yesterday, which had left her mouth dry from talking, Duan Jiaxu's nonchalant attitude, and her own foolish realization that Sang Yan had actually made some sense in the end—

The anger she had just managed to suppress flared up again.

Sang Zhi tossed the tissue into the trash bin, left the restroom, and returned to her seat with a stern expression.

It was a table for four. At the moment, Duan Jiaxu and Sang Yan were sitting on opposite sides—one in the outer seat, the other by the window.

Seeing the seating arrangement and unwilling to sit next to Sang Yan, Sang Zhi could only nudge Duan Jiaxu and say stiffly, "Move to the inside."

"Impressive," Sang Yan spoke up at that moment. "How old are you now, still using words like 'cutting ties'?"

After Duan Jiaxu shifted inward to make room, Sang Zhi sat down, pretending not to have heard him. But the more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt, and she soon retorted, "Then let's sever our relationship."

"What relationship?" Sang Yan sneered. "Let me remind you, the Sang family has had eighteen generations of only sons."

"..." Sang Zhi glared at him. "I'll tell Auntie later."

"Oh." Sang Yan corrected himself, "One generation. Only sons."

Used to their bickering, Duan Jiaxu didn't consider it a big deal and watched with amusement from the side. Soon, he placed the menu in front of Sang Zhi, cutting off their argument. "Order first."

Sang Zhi pressed her lips together, suppressing her anger as she began flipping through the menu.

But Sang Yan wasn't finished, adding fuel to the fire: "How long have you two been together? If your elbow keeps twisting outward like that, it's going to snap."

"Can you be a little reasonable?" Sang Zhi, already on edge, flared up instantly. She slammed the menu shut. "What would you think if I went home next time, rushed to your place, and beat up your girlfriend?"

"How is that the same?" Sang Yan said. "Ungrateful brat."

"How am I ungrateful? And how is it not the same?" Sang Zhi argued with him. "Hitting someone is wrong no matter what. Can't you be reasonable? It's not even that serious."

"Reasonable?" Sang Yan stared at her for a few seconds, then laughed instead. "Sorry, but I don't like such a girly way of solving problems."

"..."

"And, this classmate," Sang Yan tapped his knuckles lightly on the table, speaking slowly, "when my buddy and I fight, what's it to you?"

"..." Sang Zhi immediately looked at Duan Jiaxu.

Duan Jiaxu was slouched in his chair, propping his cheek with one hand, meeting Sang Zhi's gaze. He reached out and ruffled her hair, chuckling. "Stop arguing with your brother."

Sang Zhi said stiffly, "He's the one picking a fight with me."

Duan Jiaxu: "I hit him too. We're even."

Hearing this, Sang Zhi glanced toward Sang Yan but didn't see any wounds on his face. Comparing the two, Duan Jiaxu seemed to have come off worse.

But it was also possible that Duan Jiaxu had been considerate in his fighting—avoiding the face and aiming for the body instead.Sang Yan didn't speak either, keeping his head down as he looked at his phone.

He somehow appeared pitiful.

Sang Zhi's anger instantly dissipated by more than half. Remembering the main reason he had come, she fell silent for a few seconds before turning to Duan Jiaxu and blurting out, "Why did you hit my brother?"

"..."

Upon careful thought, if her partner hadn't been Duan Jiaxu but a man of the same age, Sang Yan definitely wouldn't have started a fight with him right away.

So the biggest reason Sang Yan hit Duan Jiaxu was probably their relationship.

Thinking of it this way.

Sang Zhi felt as if she had no presence at all.

Seeing that neither of them considered this a big deal and were holding no grudges, Sang Zhi's emotions quickly settled. After ordering the food, she casually asked, "Did you go to the hospital?"

Duan Jiaxu: "Yeah."

Sang Yan glanced at him but didn't say anything.

"Oh." Sang Zhi looked at Sang Yan and took the initiative to ask, "Brother, where did he hit you?"

Sang Yan's tone was indifferent: "What's it to you?"

This cold war had lasted almost two weeks. Sang Zhi frowned and said irritably, "Was what I said earlier unreasonable? I'm not just picking a fight for no reason. Also, is it necessary for you to stay angry for so long?"

Sang Yan lifted his eyes, his expression lazy: "Duan Jiaxu, is your girlfriend sick?"

"..."

"Tell her I have a girlfriend." Sang Yan clearly had no intention of ending the conflict. He enunciated each word carefully, saying seriously, "So, don't, talk, to me, unless necessary."

"..." Sang Zhi got angry again, "Then give me back my eight hundred yuan."

Sang Yan couldn't be bothered with her.

Duan Jiaxu chuckled: "Are you two going to argue all night?"

"Who wants to argue with him?" Sang Zhi lowered her head to take a sip of water, swallowing her anger as she said, "If he doesn't want to talk, fine. Who cares."

Just then, several dishes were served.

After arguing with Sang Yan for so long, Sang Zhi was already starving. Her remaining anger vanished instantly. She picked up a scallop and put it in her bowl, as if forgetting what she had just said, and started making conversation again: "Brother, who is your girlfriend?"

Sang Yan didn't answer.

Sang Zhi looked at Duan Jiaxu: "Do you know?"

Duan Jiaxu put on gloves and shook his head with a smile.

Sang Zhi was suspicious: "You've been talking about this girlfriend for months, but I haven't seen any trace of her. I haven't even seen a photo. Yesterday when I video-called Mom, she didn't mention it either."

Sang Yan didn't want to dirty his hands, so he only picked up food that didn't need shelling: "If you have something to say, just say it directly."

Sang Zhi: "Did you make up this person because you don't want to go on blind dates?"

"..." Sang Yan looked up, his tone light, "Why would I need to make it up?"

He clearly didn't want to discuss this topic. Sang Zhi glanced at him and changed the subject: "So when are you planning to return to Nanwu? I still have work these couple of days, but I can accompany you around on the weekend."

Sang Yan: "I came to see my bro. Why would I need you to accompany me?"

"..."

Duan Jiaxu peeled a bowl of shrimp and placed it in front of Sang Zhi. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow and said to Sang Yan, "I'll accompany you? Can I bring my family along?"

Sang Zhi didn't want to engage with Sang Yan either and lowered her head to eat the shrimp.

Sang Yan reached out and unexpectedly took the bowl full of shrimp from in front of Sang Zhi: "Whatever."

Sang Zhi looked up abruptly.

She watched as he poured all the shrimp into his own bowl, then placed the empty bowl back in front of Duan Jiaxu, leisurely uttering two words: "Thanks for the hard work."

"..."Sang Zhi truly had no idea.

Why could Sang Yan be so, so annoying.

To make it easier to snatch food from him, Sang Zhi simply moved to sit next to Sang Yan. Whatever he picked up with his chopsticks, she would immediately move her chopsticks to grab the food he wanted and put it in her own bowl first.

Later, Sang Yan started doing things himself, putting on gloves to peel mantis shrimp.

As soon as he finished peeling one and tossed it into his bowl, Sang Zhi would pick the shrimp meat out of his bowl and pop it into her mouth in one bite.

Sang Yan stared at her expressionlessly: "Are you a robber?"

Sang Zhi chewed her food, her cheeks puffing in and out as if in defiance. Soon, she swallowed the food in her mouth and said earnestly, "Just helping you taste it."

"..."

"But I couldn't really taste it," Sang Zhi said, "Peel twenty more for me, and I'll try again."

Sang Yan: "Get lost."

Duan Jiaxu had already finished eating and was sitting in his seat. Seeing this, he beckoned to Sang Zhi with his finger, his lips curving into a smile as he said, "Come sit back here."

Sang Zhi: "What for?"

Duan Jiaxu chuckled lightly: "I'll serve you."

Sang Zhi blinked, obediently said "Oh," and got up to return to her seat.

"..." Hearing the word "serve," Sang Yan's mouth twitched, and he pulled off his gloves, "You two are seriously disgusting when you're in a relationship."

After dinner ended, Duan Jiaxu went to pay the bill.

The three of them left the restaurant, and Sang Yan took Duan Jiaxu's car keys out of his pocket, yawning: "I'm heading back, you two do whatever you want."

Sang Zhi somehow felt that since Sang Yan had come all the way to an unfamiliar city, he might feel lonely, pitiful, and helpless, so she didn't want him to be alone: "Brother, how about we go watch a movie?"

"Me, with you two?" Sang Yan said drowsily, "Do I have a problem with my brain?"

Sang Zhi lowered her head, scrolling through her phone: "Why didn't you say anything before coming? You came last night, and I already booked movie tickets yesterday afternoon. I can't refund them now."

She checked the showtimes: "But not many people booked tickets anyway. Maybe I should book the seats next to them too."

Sang Yan: "I'm not going."

"Then I'll book them," Sang Zhi said to herself, "These are couple seats, you can only book two tickets at once, but there aren't many seats in the theater anyway."

Sang Yan: "Are you deaf?"

Sang Zhi completed the payment: "Booked."

"..."

The cinema was still some distance away, so the three of them got into the car.

Since things had come to this, Sang Yan couldn't be bothered to drive either. He tossed the car keys to Duan Jiaxu and got into the back seat. He made no move to let Sang Zhi join him, closing the door as soon as he got in.

Sang Zhi tactfully took the passenger seat.

Thinking about it, it had been several months since she last saw Sang Yan, so she turned around to talk to him: "Brother, so when are you going back home?"

Sang Yan replied lazily: "Next week."

Sang Zhi calculated the time: "That'll be August already."

Sang Yan: "Pretty much."

"August?" Duan Jiaxu fastened his seatbelt and, hearing this, glanced at Sang Yan before starting the car, "Alright. I'm moving at the end of the month, you can help me out then."

Sang Yan: "?"

Sang Zhi was also hearing this for the first time: "Huh? You're moving?"

"Yeah, the lease is up," Duan Jiaxu said, "Not planning to renew. The agent recommended a few places near your school, planning to check them out this weekend."

"Me help you move?" Sang Yan's tone carried a hint of chill, "Are you out of your mind?""No problem," Duan Jiaxu said gently. "As long as you're willing to help."

"..."

At the movie theater.

Sang Zhi collected the tickets and bought a bucket of popcorn. Staring at the tickets in her hand, she hesitated over how to assign the seats.

If she sat with Duan Jiaxu, then there would be no point in inviting Sang Yan to watch the movie with them—it would almost seem like she was isolating him.

But if she sat with Sang Yan in the couple seats, that would also feel strange.

Finally, Sang Zhi settled on a plan.

She handed one of the tickets to Sang Yan. The words "couple seats" on the ticket were printed in bold, making them especially noticeable: "You two sit together later."

Duan Jiaxu: "?"

Sang Yan: "?"

Sang Zhi came up with a fitting reason: "I want to lie down."

Not long after, the three of them entered the theater.

Sang Zhi took one of the seats, lifted her chin, and gestured for the two of them to take the adjacent one.

Sang Yan was utterly speechless: "Are you out of your mind?"

"What's wrong?" Sang Zhi was baffled by his scolding. "What's the issue with you two sitting together? We came to watch a movie as a group—we can't just leave you sitting alone."

The theater was nearly empty. Besides the three of them, there was only one other couple sitting in the row in front. Hearing the commotion, the woman glanced back.

Sang Yan ignored her and walked over to the neighboring seat.

His attitude was practically a silent agreement.

Sang Zhi’s eyes met Duan Jiaxu’s, and she signaled for him to hurry and follow.

Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow but did as she said.

Sang Zhi put on her 3D glasses, tossed her phone aside, and started munching on popcorn. Then, she overheard the couple in front chatting.

"Darling, look diagonally across from us—" the woman whispered, though her voice was loud enough for Sang Zhi to catch a few words. "Those two guys seem like they're gay."

Sang Zhi froze mid-action: "..."

"And they brought a girl along," the woman giggled. "Probably to avoid suspicion."

A moment later, Duan Jiaxu returned and sat down next to Sang Zhi.

Sang Zhi looked at him.

Duan Jiaxu: "Your brother told me to get lost."

"..." Sang Zhi wasn’t particularly bothered by the couple seat situation, since she and her roommate often bought couple tickets. After a brief silence, she said, "Forget it, let's not worry about it."

The seats in this theater were very soft, almost like a two-person sofa. There was no gap between them—they were directly connected to the adjacent seat, though a partition blocked the middle.

So Sang Zhi could only see Sang Yan’s legs, not his current expression.

Sang Zhi held a piece of popcorn up to Duan Jiaxu’s lips: "Do you want some?"

Duan Jiaxu opened his mouth, extended his tongue, and swept the popcorn inside. Just then, the movie started. He watched her for a moment before putting on his 3D glasses and turning his attention to the screen.

After eating too much, Sang Zhi grew tired of the popcorn and set it aside, picking up her cola to drink instead. She focused on the big screen, gradually immersing herself in the film.

After some time, the stunning visual effects on screen faded, and the male and female leads, in a desperate situation, embraced and kissed passionately.

Sang Zhi felt moved and started munching on popcorn again. The next moment, she suddenly noticed that the couple in front, who were snuggled closely together, also seemed to be kissing.

"..."

Startled, she instinctively glanced at Duan Jiaxu.

Only then did she realize he was leaning extremely close, his gaze not on the movie but fixed on her. Because he was wearing dark glasses, Sang Zhi couldn’t quite make out the expression in his eyes.She could only see his lips curving slightly as they gradually drew closer to her direction.

Sang Zhi's breath hitched, instantly understanding his intention, she whispered, "There are cameras."

As if he hadn't heard, Duan Jiaxu's lips pressed against hers the next moment. His touch was gentle—he nibbled her lower lip, gave it a light lick, then quickly pulled away.

A moist, warm sensation.

Sang Zhi's expression froze before she pointed to the side, utterly shocked yet not daring to make much noise, reminding him, "My brother—my brother is right there."

Duan Jiaxu chuckled softly.

Worried the popcorn in her hands might spill, he reached over to take it and set it aside. His lips neared her ear as he also lowered his voice, his words carrying a faint breath.

"Isn't that rather thrilling?"

Author's Note: Duan Jiaxu: This Sang Yan is really getting in the way.

Sang Yan: Why the hell did I even come here????????

Sang Zhi: …………