His lips seemed to brush against her earlobe, bringing a faint, elusive sensation. His breath was slightly scorching as it swept over her ear, wave after wave, making Sang Zhi instinctively lean back.
But there was no more room to retreat.
With a constant feeling of doing something wrong, Sang Zhi nervously paid attention to the movements from Sang Yan's side, wanting to push him away a little.
The next moment, Duan Jiaxu grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his embrace. At the same time, he tilted his head slightly and gently kissed her lips. Yet the movement of his other hand was anything but gentle—he pinched her chin and pressed it downward.
Following the force, Sang Zhi's lips parted.
His tongue slipped in, entwining with her timid one, inch by inch inward, devouring everything about her.
Desire surged wildly, carrying an overwhelming sense of invasion.
As if he wanted to swallow her whole.
In the movie theater, the background music was deafening.
It drowned out all their sounds.
Sang Zhi's heart pounded violently against her chest, leaving no room for any other thoughts.
The two were extremely close, and Sang Zhi felt as if she could sense his heartbeat, beating at a rhythm strikingly similar to her own.
After a long while, Duan Jiaxu released her, his thumb gently brushing the corner of her lips. Staring at her dazed expression, he chuckled softly and leaned close to her ear again, his voice hoarse as he whispered, "Don't be afraid."
Sang Zhi remained sitting there in a trance, as if her soul had left her.
Duan Jiaxu kissed her chin once more, his voice now carrying a touch of tenderness.
"Let's keep it quiet." -
This little interlude lasted only a few minutes in total.
But for the rest of the movie, Sang Zhi couldn't focus on anything that was happening. Her attention was entirely on her burning lips and Duan Jiaxu, who occasionally fed her popcorn from the seat beside her.
She had no idea how much time had passed.
The movie's end credits appeared on the screen, and the lights in the theater gradually brightened. The couple in front of them didn't move, seemingly waiting for a post-credits scene.
Not particularly interested, Sang Zhi stood up. "Let's go."
Duan Jiaxu hummed in agreement.
Noticing that Sang Yan had been unusually quiet, Sang Zhi leaned over to take a look. His 3D glasses were tossed carelessly on the seat beside him, as if he hadn't worn them at all. He was leaning back in his seat, fast asleep, though it was unclear how long he had been out.
Unsure whether he had noticed what had just happened, Sang Zhi scratched her head and tried to act calm. She nudged his shoe with the tip of her own to wake him up. "Brother, let's go."
Sang Yan opened his eyes. He didn't seem to have noticed anything, his gaze drifting to his phone beside him as he looked somewhat tired. Soon, he stretched lazily and responded indifferently, "Yeah."
The three of them left the cinema and got into the car in the parking lot.
It was already quite late, so Duan Jiaxu drove to Sang Zhi's school and found a parking spot near the entrance. Sang Zhi unbuckled her seatbelt and was about to get out when Sang Yan, sitting in the back seat, suddenly muttered, "I think I'll head back now."
Sang Zhi turned around. "What?"
Sang Yan didn't elaborate and got out of the car.
Sang Zhi gave him a strange look, then turned to Duan Jiaxu, feeling awkward as she said, "Did he find out?"
Duan Jiaxu laughed. "Probably not."
Sang Zhi let out a sigh and mustered the courage to step out of the car. She walked over to Sang Yan, her heart uneasy, and muttered, "Why are you going back now? Can't you wait a bit and go back with Brother Ji Xu?"
"You two go on your date," Sang Yan said without looking up from his phone. "I'm heading back to Nanwu.""……"
Sang Zhi froze for a moment, not quite processing it: "Huh? Now? It's already nine o'clock."
Sang Yan said carelessly, "I'll go to the airport to see if there are any tickets left."
Duan Jiaxu also got out of the car. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow: "Leaving already?"
"Mm." Sang Yan glanced at Duan Jiaxu, as if wanting to say something but finding it too sentimental. He reached out and pinched Sang Zhi's cheek hard, saying, "Take care of yourself at school. Your brother's leaving."
"……" Sang Zhi muttered softly, "Didn't you just say you weren't going back until August?"
Sang Yan: "Something came up."
"Then why didn't you say so earlier?" Sang Zhi pursed her lips, her tone sullen. "I would've taken the day off today. I'd already planned where to take you this weekend, and now you suddenly say you're leaving."
Sang Yan chuckled: "Do I need a little brat like you to show me around?"
Sang Zhi inexplicably felt like crying. She sniffled, her eyes growing moist, and began to lose her temper: "You don't even have a job. Why are you in such a hurry to go back? If you were only planning to stay for two days, why did you even come?"
"Speak like a human," Sang Yan said. "What do you mean, no job?"
Come to think of it, Sang Zhi hadn't been home in nearly six months.
So even though Sang Yan hadn't been particularly nice during this visit—nine out of ten sentences were sarcastic—Sang Zhi still felt a sense of comfort and happiness.
Her voice choked up, growing quieter: "Can't you stay a few more days?"
"No," Sang Yan laughed, baffled. "Why are you crying now?"
"……"
"What would I do staying here? Loaf around in Duan Jiaxu's place all day, playing watchdog for him?" As he spoke, Sang Yan pointed at Duan Jiaxu. "Is this dog treating you badly?"
Sang Zhi wiped her tears: "No."
Sang Yan asked again: "Unhappy with the internship?"
"Mm." Like when she was little and someone bullied her, Sang Zhi sobbed as she complained to him: "Someone's bullying me..."
"Then quit," Sang Yan said. "Are we that short on money?"
"Then I'd just let her bully me for nothing..." Sang Zhi cried while complaining. "And you blocked me, and you stole my Red Packet, and you've been scolding me ever since you got here..."
"How much was that? My flight here cost more than eight hundred. How long are you going to hold onto that?" Sang Yan said. "Alright, I was just teasing you. I'll give it back later."
"……"
"Also, a few words count as scolding? As if I've ever said anything nice to you. Just be happy staying here. It's not like you're never going back. Aren't you embarrassed crying over this?" Her crying gave Sang Yan a headache. He glanced in Duan Jiaxu's direction, signaling him to handle it. "Go find your old flame."
Duan Jiaxu spoke up: "Wait a bit longer. I'll drive you there in a while."
"If you're not bothered, I'm afraid I'll miss the last flight," Sang Yan's tone was still infuriating. "I'm off. You take care of this brat. Damn, nineteen years old and still acting like you're nine."
"……" -
Taxis were plentiful near Yihe University. Sang Yan quickly hailed one and left.
"Little girl, are you pretending I don't exist?" Duan Jiaxu walked up to Sang Zhi, half-joking. "Crying like this over another man right in front of me."
Sang Zhi silently tugged at his clothes and began wiping her tears."Hey—" Duan Jiaxu didn't take offense, instead speaking playfully, "Don't lift it so high, your brother's showing skin."
Sang Zhi's voice carried a heavy nasal tone as she mumbled, "No one's looking anyway."
"Are you really that unhappy interning at this company?" Duan Jiaxu spoke slowly, coaxing her gently, "Didn't you tell me your mentor hasn't been bullying you lately?"
"I don't want to talk about this with you every day," Sang Zhi said quietly, "Besides, crying just because I got scolded is pretty embarrassing."
"Hmm?" Duan Jiaxu chuckled, "How many times have you cried in front of me? What's there to be embarrassed about?"
"That was when I was little. It doesn't happen now." Sang Zhi had stopped crying, but her eyes were still red-rimmed as she spoke seriously, "I really don't like crying. Only children cry when things go wrong. At my age, I should be thinking about how to solve problems."
Duan Jiaxu watched her for a long moment, the corners of his eyes curving downward: "You'll always be my little crybaby."
"..."
"If you feel crying is a child's privilege," Duan Jiaxu's tone turned uncharacteristically serious as he ruffled her hair, "then you can stay a child forever, alright?"
Sang Zhi lifted her gaze.
His pupils were naturally light-colored, carrying an innate gentleness that seemed to melt into liquid: "I'll take care of you."
That phrase had felt like a stubborn curse during her younger years.
She had repeatedly asked him not to call her that anymore, hoping to break free from it someday, yet as time passed, it began to feel like an impossible task.
But now, hearing those words again.
They brought her an entirely different feeling.
What felt magical was that all these contrasting emotions were brought to her by the very same person.
Sang Zhi stayed quiet for a few seconds before silently nuzzling into his embrace.
Duan Jiaxu stroked her hair, thinking for a moment before asking: "Do you want to go home?"
Sang Zhi answered honestly: "Yes."
"If you want to go home, then let's go. I'll take leave and go back with you. And if you really don't like this job, just quit." Duan Jiaxu sighed, "What's wrong with this company? Making my kid cry like this."
"..."
"Should I go have a word with your boss?"
His tone sounded like a parent discovering their child had been bullied at school, threatening to talk to the principal.
Sang Zhi inexplicably laughed, her bad mood dissipating largely under his comfort.
Duan Jiaxu lowered his eyelashes, smiling along with her. He leaned down, kissed her forehead, and whispered: "I don't want to just be your boyfriend."
Hearing this, Sang Zhi's heart skipped a beat, leaving her somewhat stunned.
The next second, Duan Jiaxu finished his sentence seriously.
"I want to be someone you can depend on too."
—
Back in her dorm, Sang Zhi checked her phone and noticed Sang Yan—who had blocked her for two weeks—had finally sent a message, transferring her 5,000 yuan.
Along with a note.
Sang Yan: 【Including living expenses.】
Sang Zhi accepted the money, asked about his current situation, and soon turned off her screen. Thinking about Duan Jiaxu's words earlier, she drifted into a daze, feeling like something had filled an empty space in her heart.
Not long after.
Sang Zhi snapped out of it, blinked, and found herself grinning foolishly.
—
The next day, Sang Zhi went to work as usual.
After Zhang Hui's reprimand yesterday, Shi Xiaoyu hadn't targeted her much. But Sang Zhi wasn't sure whether, after a day had passed, she would revert to her usual attitude.Sang Zhi no longer wanted to bicker with her. She thought to herself that if Shi Xiaoyu continued behaving as before, there seemed to be no need for her to stay here indefinitely. Although she had come to learn, she hadn’t actually learned anything.
The thing she spent the most time thinking about every day was how to oppose Shi Xiaoyu.
It felt like a waste of time.
Fortunately, Shi Xiaoyu’s attitude remained similar to the previous day.
In the following days, their interactions continued in the same manner.
Shi Xiaoyu no longer deliberately made things difficult for Sang Zhi, only assigning her tasks that needed to be done. Occasionally, if she felt Sang Zhi hadn’t handled something well, she would merely offer a few mild comments.
Gradually, Sang Zhi began to relax.
Before she knew it, the weekend had arrived.
Sang Zhi accompanied Duan Jiaxu to look at an apartment in a residential area near Yihe University. She had assumed he would look for a place similar to his previous one, but this apartment was noticeably larger—two bedrooms, two living rooms, and two bathrooms, with the master bedroom having its own ensuite.
In total, it was around seventy square meters, and the rent was significantly higher than his previous place.
While the agent was on a phone call, Sang Zhi pulled Duan Jiaxu aside. "Why rent such a big place when you’re living alone?"
Duan Jiaxu didn’t answer directly and instead asked, "What do you think of this one?"
Sang Zhi replied instinctively, "It’s quite nice."
"Then let’s go with this one."
"..." Sang Zhi was taken aback. "Wait, why do you need two bathrooms if you’re living alone?"
Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow, lost in thought for a moment. "Well, it’s not exactly just me living here."
Sang Zhi immediately understood what he meant. After a few seconds of silence, she emphasized, "I’m not going to live with you."
"Mm," Duan Jiaxu said casually. "But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to keep a room for you."
Sang Zhi muttered softly, "Isn’t that a waste?"
"It’s not too bad," Duan Jiaxu replied nonchalantly. "If you stay over even for one night, I’d consider it worth it."
"..."
Sang Zhi didn’t take his words too seriously.
After finalizing the decision, Duan Jiaxu moved in not long after. He didn’t have much luggage—just a few boxes—so there was no need to hire a moving company.
The residential area was right next to Yihe University, only a five-minute walk away.
This made it much more convenient for the two of them to meet.
Every morning, Duan Jiaxu could drop Sang Zhi off at her workplace on his way. After work, they would return to the area and have dinner at the nearby food street, and just like that, another day would pass.
Unconsciously, half of August had gone by.
It happened to be a Friday, and with fewer tasks at work recently, Sang Zhi left on time. She sent Duan Jiaxu a WeChat message and found out he had to work overtime. So, she packed a meal for herself and returned to the university.
Back in her dorm, Sang Zhi turned on her computer, bit down on a spoon, grabbed the air conditioner remote, and switched it on.
The familiar hum of the machine filled the room.
Then, for some reason, the air conditioner started making a loud clattering noise.
Sang Zhi paused, looked up, and noticed no cool air was coming out. Feeling puzzled, she turned it off and on again, but the result was the same.
The dormitory building was old, and the air conditioner model was outdated as well.
Sang Zhi had no idea how to fix it, so she went downstairs to find the dorm supervisor. The supervisor didn’t come up to check and simply told her to apply for repairs. However, since it was the holiday period, the school’s maintenance staff were also on break. Even if she applied, no one would come to fix it until the semester started.
Alternatively, she could look for an off-campus repair service.
Sang Zhi didn’t know where to find one, so she returned to her dorm and tried tinkering with it herself for a while.She considered just toughing it out.
But then decided the weather was completely unbearable.
Sang Zhi turned on the fan and finished her meal first. Afterward, she messaged Duan Jiaxu on WeChat about the situation, wondering whether she should find a hotel to stay in for the night and see if she could get someone to repair the air conditioner tomorrow.
Before she could make up her mind,
Duan Jiaxu had already replied.
【Come to my place.】
【Didn’t I give you a key?】
Sang Zhi thought about it and realized there was really no need for her to be overly sensitive. She packed a change of clothes, brought along her skincare products, and even grabbed her laptop before heading to Duan Jiaxu’s apartment.
She had been there often enough that she didn’t feel out of place. After entering, she turned on the air conditioner and lay on the sofa scrolling through her phone.
Sang Zhi was used to spending time alone at home, so she didn’t feel bored, and the time passed quickly.
It was almost 9 p.m. when Duan Jiaxu finally returned.
Sang Zhi was munching on a bag of potato chips while watching a TV series and casually asked, "Have you eaten?"
Duan Jiaxu responded, "Yeah."
Sang Zhi didn’t press further.
Duan Jiaxu took off his shoes and came over to sit beside her before asking, "What’s wrong with your dorm’s air conditioner?"
"It’s making a loud noise," Sang Zhi said, "and there’s no airflow."
Duan Jiaxu: "Alright, I’ll help you find someone to fix it tomorrow."
Sang Zhi nodded and offered him the potato chips. "Want some?"
"No," Duan Jiaxu ruffled her hair and instructed, "I’m going to take a shower first. You’ll sleep in the master bedroom—I’ll make the bed for you in a bit. You can also use the bathroom there."
"Okay."
Although it wasn’t her first time visiting, this was Sang Zhi’s first time staying overnight. As it got later, she gradually began to feel a bit awkward. After Duan Jiaxu went into the bathroom, she finished the remaining potato chips and headed into the master bedroom’s bathroom to get ready for her shower.
This bathroom was larger than the one outside and even had a bathtub.
On the vanity, there was body wash, shampoo, and a range of toiletries, all suited for a woman’s use.
Sang Zhi had never been in this bathroom before and was momentarily taken aback. She blinked, picked up each item to examine them briefly, and then quickly stepped into the shower stall.
She usually took a long time showering, sometimes dragging it out for an hour.
By the time Sang Zhi came out, it was almost 10 p.m. After blow-drying her hair and applying body lotion, she hesitated for a moment before deciding to go to the kitchen to get a jelly cup.
Sang Zhi opened the bedroom door.
She saw that Duan Jiaxu had already finished his shower and was lying on the sofa. He was wearing pajamas—a dark blue checkered shirt with matching shorts. A towel was draped over his shoulder, and his hair was still damp, falling over his ears and forehead.
Duan Jiaxu was looking down at his phone, seemingly watching a video, his expression casual and relaxed.
Sang Zhi didn’t disturb him and went straight to the kitchen.
When she returned to the living room, she was debating whether to go directly back to the room or say something to him first when Duan Jiaxu called out to her, "Zhizhi, do me a favor."
Sang Zhi obediently went over. "What is it?"
She sat down beside Duan Jiaxu, tearing open the jelly cup packaging as she asked, "Do you want some too?"
Duan Jiaxu set his phone aside and shook his head. The corners of his lips curved upward as he raised one hand, his fingers sliding up to rest on a button of his shirt. Then, in a drawn-out tone, he said, "I’m a little hot."
"…"
"Help your brother undo this button."
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