Chapter 22
The sky gradually darkened.
The nearby streetlights hadn’t lit up yet, making Duan Jiaxu’s gaze appear even deeper. He stared at Sang Zhi intently, his lips slightly pursed. His emotions were difficult to discern, and he remained motionless.
This kind of silence felt like the calm before a storm.
Nervously and anxiously, Sang Zhiang Zhi added, “My parents have never hit me.”
Duan Jiaxu replied with an ambiguous tone, “I’ll hit you?”
Sang Zhi glanced at him and breathed a sigh of relief without showing it, “Aren’t you going to?”
Duan Jiaxu chuckled: “Did I say no?”
”…”
His eyelids twitched, suddenly noticing a conspicuously different mark on Sang Zhi’s otherwise clean school uniform. It was near the collar, clearly a burn mark caused by a cigarette ash.
Duan Jiaxu’s gaze froze for a moment, thinking he might have seen it wrong, and he approached slowly.
Sang Zhi, however, thought he was really going to scold her. She clenched her lips, her expression apprehensive, and hesitantly unfolded the hand she had kept hidden behind her, timidly placing it in front of him.
Duan Jiaxu’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he pointed at the mark on her collar, “How did this happen?”
Sang Zhi was taken aback and followed his pointed finger. Only then did she notice the mark on her clothes. She subconsciously rubbed it with her fingertip, but it didn’t come off.
”Little One,” Duan Jiaxu asked in a low voice, “Did someone bully you?”
Sang Zhi hesitated before nodding.
Duan Jiaxu’s expression instantly turned grim. He instinctively checked her for any injuries, and furrowed his brows. He asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
”I didn’t want to bother you. My brother also told me to be honest and not cause you trouble,” Sang Zhi replied in a soft tone, “I wasn’t planning to keep it a secret. I’ll tell my mom and dad when I get back.”
Duan Jiaxu patiently asked, “Did they hit you?”
Sang Zhi thought for a moment and shook her head, “They just patted my face, took twenty yuan from me, and told me to bring them money tomorrow.”
Why did you run over there?”
”My friend asked me to go.” Reminded of Yin Zhenru, San Zhi’s mood worsened, and her voice lowered accordingly. “She felt scared, so she asked me to go with her.”
There was a hint of incredulity in Duan Jiaxu’s words: “Why didn’t she tell her parents?”
”Because those people said that if she told her parents, they would come to our school every day to find us.” Whatever he asked, Sang Zhi answered, “So she’s afraid to tell her parents.”
Upon hearing this, Duan Jiaxu crouched down halfway, making eye contact with her.
Then suddenly, he blurted out, “Extend your hand.”
His intention was clearly not to give her something. Suspiciously, Sang Zhi looked at him without moving, and only after a moment did she reach out her hand.
Duan Jiaxu raised his hand and unexpectedly gave her palm a light smack.
The force was gentle, almost like he was exchanging a palm slap with her.
Sang Zhi immediately withdrew her hand and asked, “What are you doing?”
Duan Jiaxu lazily responded, “Hitting you.”
”…”
”Listen carefully, Little One. In the future, if anyone tries to deceive you into going to an unsafe place, even if they’re your good friends, you mustn’t go.” He stood up straight and rubbed her head. “Do you understand?”
Sang Zhi begrudgingly said, “But you shouldn’t hit people either.”
”Huh? Why can’t I hit people?” Duan Jiaxu chuckled softly, his tone tinged with amusement. “If you don’t behave—”
Sang Zhi’s expression became cautious.
He drew out his words, his tone playful, “Whenever I see you, I’ll give you a little hit.”
”…”
Seeing that it was getting late, they didn’t linger in the same place.
”This time you were quite brave, huh?” Duan Jiaxu held onto her arm as they slowly walked out of the alley. “You didn’t even cry after being bullied.”
Sang Zhi shrugged, “Well, they didn’t hurt me.”
”Where did that friend of yours run off to?”
”I don’t know.”
Duan Jiaxu: “You’re at an age where you probably understand some things, right? If this friend isn’t treating you well, if they’re a bad friend, you shouldn’t associate with them in the future.”
Sang Zhi silently nodded.
”Remember to tell your parents when you get back,” Duan Jiaxu said, “And in the future, if you encounter any other issues, don’t keep it a secret either. They’ll always protect you.”
I understand.”
Seeing that she seemed to have taken his advice to heart, Duan Jiaxu didn’t bring up those matters again and asked, “When your brother picks you up, how did you two get home?”
Before he could say the words “by taxi,” Sang Zhi suddenly remembered something and immediately swallowed the words, changing her response, “By bus.”
”By bus?” Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you afraid of getting accidentally stepped on with that foot of yours?”
Sang Zhi mumbled, “I’m not.”
As they exited the alley and headed towards the road for the bus, they would pass by the entrance of Nanwu University. The pedestrian traffic noticeably increased, likely consisting of university students going out for dinner.
Duan Jiaxu seemed to not have paid attention to her response and was planning to flag down a taxi by the roadside.
Soon, a male student whom Duan Jiaxu recognized rode by on a bicycle, playfully greeted him, “Hello, Senior.”
Duan Jiaxu suddenly called out to him, “Lin Hai.”
The student stopped his bike, “Yeah?”
”Can you lend me your bike for a bit? I’ll return it later.”
”Sure.” Lin Hai readily got off the bike, noticing Sang Zhi standing beside him. He curiously asked, “Senior, is this your sister?”
Duan Jiaxu nodded in response.
”Hello, little sister!” Lin Hai waved to his and ran in the direction of the school gate, shouting at the back, “I’m off, senior! My girlfriend is waiting for me!”
”Go,” Duan Jiaxu casually patted the dust off the back of the bike seat and turned to Sang Zhi. He asked, “Little One, shall brother give you a ride home?”
Without hesitation, Sang Zhi took a step toward him.
The corner of Duan Jiaxu’s lips curved slightly as he teased, “Are you that excited?”
”…”
”Still smiling secretly.”
Sang Zhi instinctively touched the corner of her lips.
But there was no smile there at all.
Just as she was about to retort, Duan Jiaxu had already mounted the bicycle. With his back turned and a playful tone, he urged her, “Get on.”
”…”
Shameless.
Peek-Aboo 
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