Everyone felt it was too early, not yet time to consider so much.
Sang Zhi was still young.
The time they had been together wasn’t very long either.
They thought the future might bring changes—perhaps in a few years, things wouldn’t be the same as they were now. Maybe not everything would follow its intended path; along the way, some unforeseen circumstances might arise.
The result would simply be...
A breakup.
But this was something Duan Jiaxu had never considered since he and Sang Zhi got together. He had never been with her holding the attitude that they might separate in the future.
From the very first day they were together, he had been thinking about their future.
A future that would last forever.
Duan Jiaxu remembered that day when Sang Zhi lay on his back, tears falling as she said, "Why am I nineteen? Can’t I be twenty-nine? I don’t want to be so young."
It must have been then.
She already knew her parents didn’t approve of her being with him.
Yet she worried that if he found out, it would affect his mood. So she could only bear the sadness alone, striving by herself to change her parents’ minds.
She would anxiously comfort him after learning that Sang Rong had said certain things to him, yet feel utterly powerless, only able to tell him not to be unhappy.
She would also overthink because of this, worrying that he might give up because of it. Then, returning to Yihe ahead of time, at the airport, sobbing, she would tell him all the secrets she had kept for so many years.
Hoping he wouldn’t feel inferior because of it.
Hoping he could clearly understand how good he was, worthy of her lingering affection all these years.
Such a wonderful Sang Zhi.
In everything she did, she always considered him first.
Whether in the past or now, despite being so much younger than him, despite it being his role to take care of her, she always wanted to be his armor, shielding him from harm.
Duan Jiaxu didn’t want her to be caught in a dilemma between him and her parents anymore.
This matter had to be resolved.
No matter how early or late.
The small living room fell into silence.
Duan Jiaxu lowered his head slightly, silently mocking himself. He felt the time was unbearably difficult and began to wonder what else he could do if they still didn’t agree.
It seemed this was already all he had.
After a moment of contemplation, Sang Rong finally spoke: "The house will only be under Zhizhi’s name?"
The silence broken, Duan Jiaxu actually felt relieved and nodded.
"Yes."
Sang Yan, who had been left out of the loop and ostracized by the three of them, listened to Duan Jiaxu’s words in confusion. Once he sorted out his thoughts, he immediately spoke up because of their conversation: "Wait a minute. Dad, isn’t that bullying?"
"..." Li Ping slapped his thigh sharply. "What are you saying?"
"Can we be a little reasonable?" Sang Yan was so speechless he laughed. "No, how come I never noticed before that you guys care about social status? Mom, when you introduced me to blind dates, didn’t you agree as long as it was a woman, no matter how poor she was?"
Li Ping was so angry her head hurt: "Can your conditions compare to your sister’s?"
"..."
"With someone like you, if any girl is willing to take you, I’d want to burn incense and pray to Buddha."Sang Yan suppressed his irritation and continued, "Let me ask you something. If we found some rich second-generation kid for that little brat—someone who can't do anything but comes from a wealthy family—would you two be happy with that?"
Li Ping replied, "That's not the issue."
"Then what is?" Sang Yan glanced at Duan Jiaxu and clicked his tongue. "Mom, take a closer look. Duan Jiaxu's conditions might be slightly worse than mine, but he's still passable, isn't he?"
Li Ping couldn't stand his attitude: "Worse than you? Then he wouldn't even be human!"
Sang Yan was used to such retorts and simply ignored her. "Alright, he treats that little brat very well, and he's not poor either. There's nothing to pick on."
Li Ping exchanged a look with Sang Rong, reined in her temper, and sighed softly. "Let your father finish."
Sang Rong turned to Duan Jiaxu and continued, "When do you plan to buy a house?"
Duan Jiaxu answered, "I expect to do it this year."
"You and Zhizhi haven't settled things yet," Sang Rong said. "Are you planning to put the house under her name?"
Duan Jiaxu nodded. "Yes."
Sang Rong asked, "Aren't you afraid you might break up in the next couple of years?"
Sang Yan frowned. "Dad, that's not very nice. Why are you jinxing their relationship?"
Li Ping had had enough. She grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the room.
"Get in here!"
With two people suddenly gone from the living room, the atmosphere grew noticeably quieter.
Duan Jiaxu remained unfazed. He smiled faintly and replied to Sang Rong in a soft voice, "Then keeping the house wouldn't be of much use to me. It's better to leave it to her."
"Son, no one spends that much money just dating someone," Sang Rong said with a laugh. "If others found out, their first thought would probably be that you're being extorted by our family."
Duan Jiaxu was taken aback, but before he could speak, Sang Rong continued, "Put the house under your own name. This is money you've earned through your own efforts. Zhizhi's mother and I actually don't care much about these things."
"..."
"To be honest, Zhizhi has talked about you two quite a few times with her mother and me," Sang Rong said gently, reaching out to pat his shoulder. "But since we've only heard her side, we weren't entirely sure. Last time, when we said those things to you, we wanted to see how you'd react."
Duan Jiaxu nodded. "I understand."
"Earlier, when we mentioned being concerned about your family situation, it was mainly because we were afraid Zhizhi might get hurt because of it. But if you can protect her, that's enough," Sang Rong said. "I also know that her mother's and my attitude has been affecting both of you. Young people in love, and here we are meddling."
Duan Jiaxu's nerves, tense all evening, finally relaxed a little. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
"Because of what we said to you, I've been feeling somewhat guilty. I know this hasn't been easy for you, and I know the fault doesn't lie with you—it has nothing to do with you. You don't need to lower yourself because of it."
Duan Jiaxu looked at Sang Rong, his throat tight.
He had always known that Sang Rong and Li Ping were kind people. Duan Jiaxu understood their perspective completely—they were worried about Sang Zhi and only wanted what was best for her.
So he could only strive to be better.
He had thought that if this conversation didn't go well, he would work even harder. He would try his best to make them overlook his father and no longer dwell on those matters.
But he never expected Sang Rong to comfort him instead.On the contrary, he told him not to worry.
"Look at A-Yan's reaction—he probably thinks we're bullying you," Sang Rong said with a laugh. "I'm not some stubborn old man either. With what you said tonight, it's enough. I believe you can keep your word."
"..."
"Come over for a meal when you have time in the future."
They sat for a while longer.
Li Ping and Sang Yan came out of their rooms. Everyone avoided mentioning what had just happened and changed the subject. As it grew later, around nine o'clock, Sang Yan took the initiative to say they should head back.
The two of them left the Sang residence together.
Sang Yan walked ahead and casually asked, "What else did my dad say to you afterward?"
Duan Jiaxu's lips curved into a smile, his mood clearly bright. "He's not opposed anymore."
"What's wrong with you?" Sang Yan's tone carried a hint of mockery. "What kind of talk was that? Can't a man live with a little more backbone?"
"What do you mean?"
"A man should have some assets of his own," Sang Yan said lazily. "Although whose name is on the property deed isn't that important, if you spoil her like this, I can already tell your future life is going to be miserable. That little brat will definitely be spoiled rotten by you."
Duan Jiaxu was still smiling. "That's fine by me."
Sang Yan glanced at him. "One more thing."
"Yeah?"
"Don't take everything upon yourself," Sang Yan said, playing with his car keys, his tone casual yet as sarcastic as ever. "So dramatic."
Sang Yan had driven over and gave Duan Jiaxu a ride back.
When Duan Jiaxu got home, he video-called Sang Zhi. She answered almost immediately, her small face instantly appearing on the screen, her dark, bright eyes fixed on him.
Duan Jiaxu smiled. "You're not in the dorm?"
Sang Zhi found a cup, propped her phone against it, and continued munching on potato chips. "No, I'm at your place. I don't have class tomorrow morning, so I can sleep in."
Duan Jiaxu had nothing else to do, so he lay on the sofa and watched her eat chips.
Noticing his expression, Sang Zhi blinked. "You seem really happy today."
Duan Jiaxu lowered his head and chuckled softly. "Yeah, I am pretty happy."
"Why?" Sang Zhi stared at him for a long moment, her lips pressing together before curling upward. For some reason, she started smiling too. "What's with you today? Your smile looks so silly."
"I went to see your parents today," Duan Jiaxu admitted, no longer hiding it. "They're not opposed anymore."
Hearing his last sentence, the potato chip in Sang Zhi's hand fell with a clatter. "Huh? They're not opposed? What did you say to them?"
He kept smiling without answering.
Sang Zhi asked a few more times, "Really? They're really not opposed anymore?"
Even though Duan Jiaxu didn't reply, as she kept talking, Sang Zhi began grinning foolishly too. Clearly, his mood had rubbed off on her, and the long-standing worry was finally resolved.
She picked up her phone, bringing her face closer to the screen to look at him.
"Duan Jiaxu."
"Yeah?"
She beamed. "I'm so happy."
It wasn't just because her parents were no longer opposed.
It was also because she was happy that he had gained their approval.
Duan Jiaxu looked at the small dimple by her lips and suddenly felt an urge to bite it. He gently rubbed the screen with his thumb, his gaze tender and soft. "Yeah, I'm happy too."
"Duan Jiaxu," Sang Zhi called him again.
"Yeah.""This matter is considered closed from this moment onward." Sang Zhi straightened up and said with utmost seriousness, "No one has the right to think less of you because of this ever again."
"......"
She murmured quietly, "You're the best."
In one evening, Duan Jiaxu had been comforted by three different people, each using their own way of speaking to soothe the scars he had carried since his youth. The persistent, dull ache that had been with him seemed to vanish without a trace at this moment.
Perhaps he had been somewhat unfortunate in the past.
But at this moment.
Duan Jiaxu felt that he might actually be extremely fortunate—
After Duan Jiaxu went to Nanwu, Sang Zhi's daily life didn't change much.
She attended classes every day, participated in activities and competitions, spent time in the library, and stayed at his place for a few days whenever she had free time. Though she no longer had the routine of seeing him daily, she gained a new responsibility she hadn't undertaken before.
Whenever she had time, Sang Zhi would visit Nanwu Municipal Hospital to check on Duan Zhicheng's condition.
She never mentioned this to Duan Jiaxu. She simply felt that since he wasn't here, she should help keep an eye on things for him. This way, if any real problems arose, she could inform him promptly.
Days passed one after another.
In early March, the results of the game design competition Sang Zhi had participated in last semester were announced. To her surprise, her work had placed. Though it was only third prize, it still brought her exceptional delight.
Just as she was about to tell Duan Jiaxu this news, she received a message on WeChat from someone she rarely contacted.
It was Shi Xiaoyu, whom she had run into at the supermarket a few days earlier.
She wanted to talk to Sang Zhi about Jiang Ying.
Shi Xiaoyu: 【I want to tell you something.】
Sang Zhi: 【What is it?】
Shi Xiaoyu: 【After what you told me last time, I've been consciously observing Jiang Ying's behavior and have directly asked her some questions. She didn't hide anything from me and answered straightforwardly.】
Shi Xiaoyu: 【I don't think there's anything fundamentally wrong with her—she's just somewhat obsessive and won't listen to anyone. She acts completely normal when she doesn't encounter your boyfriend. Not sure if this counts as a psychological issue.】
Sang Zhi felt somewhat confused: 【Why are you suddenly telling me this?】
Shi Xiaoyu: 【I just want to say a few words on her behalf. She's actually not a bad person. It's just because of what happened with her father that she developed psychological shadows, but she wouldn't actively hurt others.】
Shi Xiaoyu: 【Some things recently happened in her family, and I think she's come to understand things better now. She probably won't bother your boyfriend anymore. You don't need to worry, and I also want to apologize for what happened before. I'm sorry.】
Sang Zhi didn't know how to respond.
Since she wasn't directly involved in what Jiang Ying had done, she didn't feel she had the standing to comment. Reading these messages, she couldn't help but recall how Duan Jiaxu had been treated, making her feel unsettled and in low spirits.
Sang Zhi stared at the screen for a long time before finally replying with just an "Mm"—
The award ceremony for the game competition was held in the auditorium of Yihe University. Scheduled for the day before Sang Zhi's birthday, it attracted numerous participants—students and teachers from hundreds of colleges, along with representatives from dozens of companies.
Sang Zhi had been looking forward to this ceremony. But when the day actually arrived, she couldn't muster any excitement.
Because Duan Jiaxu had stood her up.Ever since Duan Jiaxu returned to Nanwu, she had been tearing off calendar pages every day, eagerly awaiting her birthday. As the day drew closer, she had even planned where she wanted to go with Duan Jiaxu.
In the end, all she got was a message from him: "Something came up last minute, I can’t make it back. I’ll make it up to you next time."
Sang Zhi was actually quite upset, but she knew he was busy and didn’t want to take it out on him.
So she could only sulk quietly by herself.
Now, sitting in the auditorium and seeing the WeChat message from Duan Jiaxu, Sang Zhi didn’t feel like replying right away. She glanced at the time displayed at the top of her phone, thinking she’d reply in ten minutes.
Let him feel it.
What it’s like to be ignored.
The award ceremony wasn’t starting immediately. Several professors on stage were discussing academic topics. Sang Zhi listened for a while but quickly grew bored and stopped paying attention.
She lit up her phone screen again, looking at the message, and felt that ten minutes might not be enough.
Sang Zhi still didn’t reply.
After a while.
Duan Jiaxu sent another message: 【Why aren’t you replying to me?】
Just as Sang Zhi was wavering, debating whether to reply, the classmate next to her suddenly nudged her shoulder and exclaimed excitedly, "Sang Zhi, look at the one o’clock direction. Damn, he’s so handsome!"
"……" Sang Zhi instinctively looked up.
Instantly, she saw the man who had just been messaging her on WeChat—the same liar who had told her the day before that he was too busy all March to come back and celebrate her birthday with her.
Duan Jiaxu was dressed very formally today, in a tailored suit and a dark red tie, looking refined and gentle. Tall and slender, with strikingly handsome features, the outfit made him appear both restrained and irresistibly attractive.
Sang Zhi rarely saw him dressed like this, and her gaze seemed glued to him, unable to look away. She even forgot she was sulking, feeling an impulse to run over and hug him immediately.
It had only been a little over a month since they last saw each other.
Her classmate was still talking: "Hey, which company’s representative is he? Seems like he’s from some game company—"
Standing in place, Duan Jiaxu scanned the room and quickly located Sang Zhi. His eyebrows lifted slightly, and the corners of his lips curled into a faint smile as he walked toward her.
Sang Zhi’s seat happened to be right by the aisle.
Classmate: "Hey, is he coming over to us... Oh my god, he really is, he’s coming over..."
By the time Duan Jiaxu stopped beside Sang Zhi, her classmate had fallen completely silent.
Duan Jiaxu leaned down slightly and tapped twice on Sang Zhi’s phone, lighting up the screen. He lifted his eyelids, his peach blossom eyes narrowing slightly, and drawled, "Classmate, check your phone?"
"……"
"Your boyfriend seems to be looking for you."
OpenNovel