“…” Duan Jiaxu was both exasperated and amused. “Fine, bring over your textbook.”
The tutoring session was scheduled for two hours every day, three times a week. Originally, it was supposed to start at 9:00 AM and end at 11:00 AM. However, Sang Zhi overslept until 10:00 AM, and with her morning routine and breakfast, they didn’t officially start until 11:00 AM.
They took another hour of rest for lunch.
Duan Jiaxu didn’t seem to be in a hurry either. Even though the time had come, he still watched her as she worked on her exercises. After she finished, he took each one to review, casually bringing up the topic from earlier in the morning, “Don’t you want to find a tutor?”
Sang Zhi replied ambiguously, “I don’t want to study.”
”At your age,” Duan Jiaxu chuckled, “what else do you want to do besides studying?”
Sang Zhi was caught off guard and puffed out her cheeks: “You wouldn’t understand.”
Duan Jiaxu pointed out the mistakes and had her review them again. Then he said, “Alright, if I can’t understand, you can do whatever you want, but make sure to manage your free time. At the very least, don’t let it interfere with your studies.”
Sang Zhi: “I know.”
”Go back and digest the material on your own,” Duan Jiaxu closed the textbook, “That’s it for today.”
Sang Zhi nodded.
The class ended, and Duan Jiaxu leaned back in his chair. Soon, his eyelids flickered, as if he had suddenly remembered something. He elongated his tone, “Little one—”
”…”
How accustomed was he to calling her like this?
Couldn’t he change it?
Sang Zhi was about to reprimand him when she heard him say, “I heard that you think I look handsome, huh?”
”…”
She immediately choked back the words in her mouth.
Duan Jiaxu slowly leaned closer to her, his breath gently chuckling. “Show me what you took just now, let me take a look.”
Sang Zhi didn’t want to show him. She felt extremely lucky at that moment that she hadn’t brought her phone with her. She pretended to pat her pocket and calmly said, “My phone is in my room.”
However…
Duan Jiaxu naturally responded, “Go get it.”
”…” Sang Zhi reluctantly said, “I don’t want to.”
”How about taking a few more shots?” Duan Jiaxu propped his cheek, his voice carrying a hint of teasing. “Whatever poses you want, I will cooperate with you. And then you can pick the best-looking one to show to your little friends, let our Little Sang Zhi save some face for us.”
Sang Zhi felt uncomfortable and said, “…No need.”
”I see—” He seemed a bit regretful. “That’s a pity.”
”…”
”Are you not going to reconsider?” Duan Jiaxu laughed, “Little One, don’t you think you’re wasting it?”
Sang Zhi was a bit annoyed by his teasing. Without responding, she hopped off the chair, silently picked up her belongings, and returned to her room. She tidied up her things and stared in the direction of her pillow, lost in thought.
Perhaps she was being influenced.
In that moment, despite her irritated feelings, Sang Zhi surprisingly felt that it was a real shame.
She even had the impulse to change her mind.
Afterwards, Sang Zhi didn’t hear any sound of Duan Jiaxu leaving. She could hear the sounds from outside, and it seemed that he and Sang Yan had started playing games again, but this time in her brother’s room.
Sang Zhi felt a bit frustrated, but even if Sang Yan wasn’t around, she couldn’t bring herself to bring up the matter again.
Sang Zhi scrolled through the photo on her phone and felt that maybe just this one was enough. She decided not to be greedy.
Sang Zhi thought about going out, but then felt she had no reason to disturb them. Suddenly remembering that Li Ping usually served fruits to guests, Sang Zhi hesitated. She didn’t want to rely on Sang Yan, but she also didn’t want to neglect Duan Jiaxu. With some hesitation, she walked out of her room, went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took out a watermelon.
Placing the watermelon on the counter, Sang Zhi picked up a fruit knife but wasn’t sure where to start. She scratched her head, then simply grabbed a tray, placing the watermelon and the knife on it. She struggled to lift it and made her way to Sang Yan’s room.
Upon hearing the movement, Sang Yan and Duan Jiaxu instinctively shifted their gazes toward her.
Duan Jiaxu: “……”
Sang Yan: “…”
Sang Zhi placed the watermelon next to the two of them, thinking she was being considerate and said, “I brought you some fruit.”
”…” Sang Yan’s brow twitched. “If you wanted some, you could have just asked. I could have cut it for you instead of you going through all this trouble.”
Sitting on the sofa, Duan Jiaxu watched Sang Zhi’s actions and couldn’t help but laugh.
Misinterpreting her intentions, Sang Zhi was not pleased, “I didn’t want any, I was just bringing it for you.”
Sang Yan: “You brought in a whole watermelon?”
”…” Sang Zhi lost her confidence. “I don’t know how to cut it.”
Sang Yan stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly got up, lifted the tray, and walked toward the kitchen, saying, “I can’t believe this. How long have I been playing this game? Now I have to take care of you.”
”…”
Being scolded, Sang Zhi also felt unhappy, but she didn’t dare to argue.
In the next moment, Duan Jiaxu waved at her and pointed to Sang Yan’s game controller. He said, “Come play games with me.”
Sang Zhi walked over hesitantly and took a seat in Sang Yan’s place.
They were playing “The King of Fighters.” While Sang Zhi wasn’t particularly fond of the game, she used to play it with Sang Yan quite often and had some experience. However, she was finding it hard to concentrate, pressing buttons on the controller randomly without much thought and not playing seriously.
Before long, her in-game character had lost most of its health.
Duan Jiaxu paused and asked, “Do you know how to play?”
Sang Zhi nodded: “Yes.”
”Then don’t you like playing this?”
”Yes.”
Duan Jiaxu let go of the controller, pointing to the stack of game cartridges in front of them nonchalantly. “Go ahead and pick one you like.”
”Oh.” Sang Zhi looked through the stack and chose “Super Mario.” “I’ll play this.”
”Sure.”
Not long after, Sang Yan came in with a plate of watermelon. He seemed to have received a message on his phone, and while looking at it, he said, “I’ll be out for a moment, I’ll be back soon.”
Sang Zhi: “Where are you going?”
”You’re quite nosy for a little brat like you,” Sang Yan teased, waving his phone, “Enjoy your watermelon.”
Afterward, he picked up his wallet from the drawer and was about to head out when he suddenly remembered Duan Jiaxu’s situation, “Hey, are you coming with me or staying here?”
Duan Jiaxu’s gaze was still fixed on the screen. “Stay for a while. I have a part-time job to finish, so I’ll just head over from here.”
”Okay,” Sang Yan said, “I’ll probably be back before you leave.”
Soon, it was just the two of them left in the house.
In this round, Duan Jiaxu was playing first. Feeling a bit bored, Sang Zhi started a conversation, “Brother, do you know where my brother went?”
”Hmm?” Duan Jiaxu responded absentmindedly, “Maybe he’s trying to find a partner before Valentine’s Day.”
”…”
Sang Zhi suddenly remembered that this year’s Valentine’s Day happened to be the first day of the Chinese New Year.
She turned to look at Duan Jiaxu, thinking about his flirtatious personality and demeanor. With an almost nonchalant tone, she asked, “What about you?”
Duan Jiaxu: “Huh?”
Sang Zhi fell silent for a few seconds, inexplicably holding her breath, “Brother, are you planning to be in a relationship?”
The corners of Duan Jiaxu’s eyes lifted slightly, “Me?”
”…”
”It depends on the situation.” He chuckled.
Sang Zhi suddenly recalled what he had mentioned before – his plan to return home and work after graduation – and connected it with his current response. A heavy feeling pressed on her chest like a big stone, making her feel helpless and suffocated.
It was her turn to play the game, so she treated the topic as if it had passed and quietly continued playing.
Amidst the silence, a selfish idea suddenly crossed Sang Zhi’s mind. She felt that at this age, she could still say such things and be treated by him as innocent child’s talk, something to be laughed off.
As she grew older, she wouldn’t be able to bring up this topic again. Only now was the right time to speak up.
Staring at the screen, her heart pounding like a drum, Sang Zhi nervously licked her lips and mustered the courage to ask, “Brother, can you not have a girlfriend?”
Duan Jiaxu paused. He turned his head to look at her, as if he thought he had misheard.
”What?” he asked.
”Don’t date.” Sang Zhi’s face remained expressionless, as if it were a matter of course. “It’s better to focus on your studies.”
Duan Jiaxu stared at her for a while, seemingly finding it absurd. He chuckled, “Little One, let’s talk reasonably here. Why don’t you ask your brother not to date?”
Peek-Aboo 
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