The distance from the main entrance to the dormitory building where Sang Zhi lived wasn’t far, about a ten-minute walk.
Sang Zhi wanted to say something, but she didn’t know where to begin. After a while, she managed to squeeze out a sentence, “Brother Jiaxu, are you off work tomorrow?”
Duan Jiaxu chuckled gently. “Tomorrow’s Saturday.”
”I see.”
The two of them were making small talk, with Sang Zhi trying her best to proactively bring up questions to prevent the atmosphere from becoming too awkward. After all, he had kindly given her a ride.
They continued this somewhat forced conversation all the way to the dormitory building.
Sang Zhi finally breathed a sigh of relief and waved at him, “Goodbye, Brother Jiaxu. It’s so late, please drive safely. Take care.”
She had only taken a few steps when Duan Jiaxu suddenly called out, “Sang Zhi.”
Sang Zhi turned back.
In the next moment, he raised the plastic bag he had been holding throughout their conversation. “Go back and make yourself some honey water. Don’t wake up with a headache tomorrow.”
Sang Zhi paused for a moment, then slowly took the bag: “Thank you.”
”You’ve come all the way here alone, so if you need any help, you can reach out to me.” Duan Jiaxu ruffled her hair, his lips curling into a smile. “My teasing was just a joke. I know people your age have their own things to do. I don’t really think Little Sang Zhi lacks a conscience.”
”…”
”As for that term ‘old,'” Duan Jiaxu couldn’t help but chuckle, his voice taking on a husky tone, “Why isn’t it considered profanity? Young lady, use more civilized language.”
Sang Zhi didn’t dare to look at him. “I won’t say it anymore.”
Duan Jiaxu said, “Just knowing it was wrong is enough. Go back.”
After a moment’s thought, he added, “If you have time, you can come find me for a meal.”
Sang Zhi tightly held the plastic bag in her hand and nodded slightly. “Okay.”
”I’m alone here, but then I heard from your brother that you’ve come here for your university study.” Duan Jiaxu lowered his gaze and looked gently at her. “I’m very happy about it.”
Sang Zhi returned to her dormitory.
The room was empty, with all the lights turned off. She switched on the lights, walked to the balcony, and leaned against the railing, looking down. However, the night was too dark, and she couldn’t quite make out Duan Jiaxu’s figure.
She walked back to her desk and placed the items she was holding.
She opened the box of honey, scooped some into a cup, and added hot water. Her stomach felt a bit uncomfortable, and drinking a few sips of water eased it.
Thinking about Duan Jiaxu’s last words, Sang Zhi’s lips tightened. Her gaze fixed on an empty spot in the air, and a heaviness settled in her chest like a stone.
It was so strange.
Why did she feel so down?
He said he’s alone.
Isn’t his home around here? Why is he alone?
It probably wasn’t as she thought.
If it were true, then after she came here, she hasn’t really been in touch with him much. She even avoided answering his calls. Wasn’t this behavior despicable?
That man hasn’t done anything wrong to her.
He has been kind to her from the beginning.
Was her behavior really too unappreciative?
But Sang Zhi was well aware.
If she continued to spend time with him like before, listening to him talk, and receiving his kindness, she would definitely start liking him again, just like before.
After taking a shower, Sang Zhi called her family as usual and then lay in bed for a while. She felt somewhat tired and drifted off to sleep after a short while.
However, due to the alcohol, her sleep wasn’t restful.
At 2 in the morning, she heard the faint sounds of her roommates returning.
They had probably just come back, but they were trying not to wake her, so they only turned on a small table lamp and moved quietly. Despite their efforts, they still made some noise.
After waking up, Sang Zhi found it hard to fall back asleep. She lifted her head and whispered, “You can turn on the light, it’s okay.”
Hearing this, Ning Wei immediately looked up at her, her tone tinged with guilt. “I’m sorry we disturbed you.”
”It’s okay,” Sang Zhi said, “I just woke up from a nap, and now I can’t sleep again.”
”Then let’s not sleep for now,” Wang Ruolan suddenly said excitedly, “Sang Zhi, let me tell you some gossip.”
”Ah,” Sang Zhi responded.
Wang Ruolan continued, “Ning Wei is no longer single.”
Ning Wei’s cheeks turned rosy, and she scolded, “Lower your voice.”
Sang Zhi’s reaction was a beat behind. “Who is it?”
”Someone from our department, the one who’s been sitting next to me all day today,” Ning Wei’s mood seemed upbeat, her tone a bit embarrassed. “I didn’t expect it to happen so suddenly.”
Wang Ruolan chimed in, “Sang Zhi, you should have stayed a few more minutes.”
Good moods were contagious, so Sang Zhi also laughed. “So, when you said you were interested in someone from the department earlier, it was about this guy.”
Ning Wei nodded, “Yes.”
Their other roommate, Yu Xin, happened to have finished taking a shower and came out at that moment. She asked curiously, “What are you all talking about?”
Wang Ruolan: “We’re discussing Ning Wei’s situation.”
”Oh, speaking of which, Ning Wei, you really moved fast,” Yu Xin remarked. “It hasn’t been that long, and you’re already not single. I haven’t even found someone I’m interested in.”
”He said he fell in love with me at first sight.” Ning Wei grabbed her change of clothes and walked playfully toward the bathroom. “I’m done with the chit-chat. I’m going to take a shower.”
After she went in, Wang Ruolan added, “Oh, Sang Zhi, by the way. I heard that Jiang Ming asked for your WeChat number at the gathering. Did you accept it?”
Most of the people at the gathering were familiar with Ning Wei. Apart from them, there were also a few people from Ning Wei’s department and a few from their class, including their class monitor, who happened to be a guy.
Sang Zhi responded with an “Mmm.”
Wang Ruolan: “Do you also have feelings for him?”
Sang Zhi muttered, “My hand shook and I accidentally accepted.”
Bringing this up, Sang Zhi remembered to check her phone. She retrieved her phone from beside the pillow, opened WeChat, and saw that Jiang Ming, whom she had just accepted, had sent her a few messages.
There was also a message from Duan Jiaxu.
Sang Zhi hadn’t added a note to his contact, so his nickname was just “Duan.” She paused for a moment, then opened the message from Duan Jiaxu.
It was just one sentence.
If you’re at school this late in the future, find someone to accompany you back.
Sang Zhi stared at it for several seconds, considering replying with “Got it.” But when she noticed the time, she decided to reply the next day instead.
Wang Ruolan was still talking, “He seemed to have noticed that you left and wanted to ask where you went. He said he wanted to send you back. He seems like a nice person.”
”Alright,” Sang Zhi opened the chat with Jiang Ming and politely replied a few sentences.
Yu Xin: “Sang Zhi, does that mean you’re going to be in a relationship soon too?”
”No.” Sang Zhi wasn’t in the best mood. She suddenly sat up with a bit of force, startling the other two.
Yu Xin: “What’s wrong?”
Sang Zhi stared at the two of them and then slowly said, “I have a question for you.”
Wang Ruolan: “What?”
Sang Zhi answered in a serious tone, “It’s about a friend of mine.”
Yu Xin quipped, “Okay, I know it’s not about you.”
”…” Ignoring the interruption, Sang Zhi continued, “My friend used to like her brother’s friend, and this friend of her brother treated her like a little sister. Later, she found out that he seems to have a girlfriend, so she gave up. Recently, they met again. What do you think she should do?”
Wang Ruolan was curious: “How old is she?”
Sang Zhi: “He graduated from his bachelor’s degree three years ago.”
”In that case,” Yu Xin calculated, “He’s probably around twenty-five or twenty-six.”
Wang Ruolan: “Well, that’s not too bad. Does he have a girlfriend now?”
”I don’t know,” Sang Zhi shook her head, “but probably not.”
Otherwise, she would talk about it with anyone.
”Or maybe, your friend still likes him,” Yu Xin suggested.
”I don’t know,” Sang Zhi rested her chin on the edge of the bed’s railing and said in a subdued tone, “It’s not exactly liking, and that person just treated my friend like a little sister.”
Yu Xin: “Well, then you should see if your friend still has feelings for him. If she does, she can pursue him. If not, they can just be normal friends and occasionally stay in touch.”
Sang Zhi remained silent.
Wang Ruolan: “Why is your friend so caught up in this then?”
”She just feels unhappy,” Sang Zhi exhaled softly and admitted it, “She feels upset every time she thinks that person is in a romantic relationship with someone else.”
Yu Xin: “How old was your friend when she liked him?”
”Second year of junior high,” Sang Zhi replied.
Yu Xin was momentarily taken aback, then calculated the ages in her mind, “Well, that’s quite normal. If he liked you back when you were that age, then that guy must be messed up.”
”…”
Wang Ruolan: “And also, this guy is already twenty-five this year. If he’s never been in a relationship, that means he probably lacks sexual experience.”
Sang Zhi was caught off guard, “Huh?”
Yu Xin: “Not necessarily messed up, but he might have some issues.”
Sang Zhi remained bewildered for a few more seconds, then her face instantly turned red, and her melancholic mood vanished, “What are you two talking about?!”
Wang Ruolan: “Sang Zhi, describe this guy for us.”
”He’s handsome, does well in his studies, and then…” Sang Zhi scratched her head, “his personality is, well, he’s just…”
Yu Xin’s impatience grew with her hesitation: “He’s just what?”
Sang Zhi struggled to describe Duan Jiaxu’s personality and way of speaking. After a pause, she finally said, “Well, he’s quite charming, a bit like a playboy.”
”You can describe him as handsome and charming, and yet you think he doesn’t have a girlfriend?” Wang Ruolan said, “By the way, how did you meet this person?”
Sang Zhi replied quietly, “He’s a friend of my brother’s, and he often comes to our house.”
A moment of silence followed.
”Sang Zhi, I don’t think you need to worry about it.” Yu Xin pondered for a moment, looking quite serious. “Excluding the time before he met you, if he hasn’t been in a relationship all these years, there’s only one possibility left.”
Sang Zhi stared at her with wide eyes, her heart racing, “What possibility?”
”He probably likes your brother.”
”…”
Peek-Aboo 
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