This touch was incredibly brief, lasting no more than a second.
Sang Zhi’s mind went blank, and she hadn’t even had a chance to react. In the next moment, she sensed that Duan Jiaxu had also stiffened, and then he quickly stood up straight and took a step back.
A small but noticeable distance opened up between them.
They were standing behind the bus stop, with their backs to the light, and the lighting was dim. Sang Zhi instinctively looked up, her expression dazed, meeting his slightly somber gaze.
For some inexplicable reason, she didn’t dare to hold his gaze and immediately averted her eyes. Without knowing where to put her hands and feet, she took a step back.
She didn’t know what the right reaction supposedly was.
Reacting too strongly would seem strange, but reacting too mildly might also be inappropriate.
Perhaps she should just pretend nothing happened.
Treat this unexpected incident as something trivial and continue conversing with him normally, just as they always did.
But Sang Zhi found herself unable to say anything.
Amid her chaotic thoughts, she tried to use her sleeve to wipe her forehead. As she raised her hand, she felt that the gesture was too conspicuous, so she ended up ruffling her hair instead.
Soon, Sang Zhi heard Duan Jiaxu speak. His breath sounded heavy, as if he were suppressing some pain. His voice became lower and hoarser as he said, “I’m sorry.”
Sang Zhi hesitated for a moment, then looked at him again.
Only now did she notice that Duan Jiaxu’s complexion was extremely poor. Despite the weather being relatively cool, there were fine beads of sweat on his forehead, and his temples were dampened. His lips were so pale they appeared almost purple, his jaw clenched, and his entire body seemed tense.
It was as if he might collapse the next moment.
Sang Zhi froze.
She had never encountered a situation like this before. In an instant, she remembered that she had bumped into him earlier. She grew anxious, stumbling over her words, “Are you feeling very unwell, Brother? Did I bump into you?”
”What did you bump into?” Duan Jiaxu’s breathing gradually steadied, and he managed a faint smile. “You just gave me a little nudge, giving me the chance to pretend I got hit.”
”I’m sorry.” Sang Zhi felt inexplicably close to tears. Her eyes began to redden, her voice nasally, “Brother, please wait here for a moment. I’ll go flag down a taxi.”
This time, Duan Jiaxu didn’t say anything further, simply saying slowly, “Go ahead.”
As she reached the roadside, a vacant taxi happened to pass by. Sang Zhi quickly hailed it down, exchanged a few words with the driver, and hurriedly jogged back to Duan Jiaxu’s side.
She supported Duan Jiaxu as they walked towards the taxi.
Duan Jiaxu’s walking pace was slower than before, as if every movement caused him pain. All of a sudden, he chuckled, his tone carrying a hint of playfulness. “Seems like you’re really assisting an elderly person this time.”
Sang Zhi couldn’t muster a laugh.
”Little Sang Zhi, I feel like it’s not just a stomachache,” Duan Jiaxu glanced at Sang Zhi, appearing contemplative. His speech slowed down, “But also…”
”…”
”It’s really a bit painful.”
After getting into the taxi, the driver glanced back and noticed Duan Jiaxu’s complexion, “Did he drink too much or is there some other situation? He won’t vomit in the car, will he?”
Perhaps the pain had eased a bit after sitting down, and Duan Jiaxu’s complexion wasn’t as bad as before. He chuckled lightly. “Don’t worry, Mr. driver. I can endure it.”
The driver frowned and clarified, “If he vomits, it’s two hundred for cleaning.”
”If there’s vomiting, we’ll compensate,” Sang Zhi quickly explained, “Uncle, he’s not feeling well, and it’s not from drinking. Could you please take us to the city hospital? Thank you.”
The driver didn’t say anything more and started the car.
After speaking, Sang Zhi subconsciously glanced in Duan Jiaxu’s direction. He leaned against the seat, his posture relaxed, one hand still covering his lower right abdomen.
Sang Zhi didn’t want to make him talk more, so she didn’t initiate conversation either.
It was Duan Jiaxu who spoke first, “Sang Zhi, fasten your seatbelt.”
She instinctively complied and pulled the seatbelt from the rear right, intending to fasten it. But suddenly, she realized he hadn’t fastened his seatbelt either. Sang Zhi stopped moving, and she immediately loosened the seatbelt, moving over to his side.
Perhaps noticing her action, Duan Jiaxu’s eyelids twitched, “What…”
Sang Zhi reached out to touch the seatbelt next to him and muttered, “Let me fasten it for you.”
Duan Jiaxu chuckled: “Why would you fasten it for me? Let me do it myself.”
”I’ll fasten it for you so you can sit properly,” Sang Zhi shook her head, insisting, “You should rest for a while. Once you sleep, the pain will lessen. I’ll wake you up when it’s time.”
”Alright, thank you, Sang Zhi.” Duan Jiaxu didn’t refuse either, sitting still and tilting his head to watch her. “I appreciate you taking care of me.”
Fortunately, the city hospital wasn’t far away.
The driver parked the taxi at the hospital entrance, and Sang Zhi paid the fare. She supported Duan Jiaxu into the hospital and then helped him register at the emergency department.
The doctor had Duan Jiaxu take an X-ray, confirming it was acute appendicitis. Sang Zhi listened nearby, understanding that he had delayed seeking treatment for quite a while, and if he had waited any longer, it could have led to perforation – which would have been a much more serious issue.
She bit her lip, giving him a quick glance.
Duan Jiaxu seemed unfazed, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.
Afterward, the doctor jotted something down in his medical record, instructing Sang Zhi to go pay first and then arrange for surgery.
Sang Zhi nodded, looking at the paperwork, then turned and started walking toward the exit. Before she had taken more than a few steps, Duan Jiaxu called out to her, “Sang Zhi.”
Sang Zhi turned around: “What’s the matter?”
”There’s a card inside, the password is my birthday,” Duan Jiaxu handed her his wallet from his pocket, his tone polite and gentle, “Thank you for helping, Sang Zhi.”
She stared at him for a few seconds, then took it from him. “Alright.”
This was just a minor surgery in the surgical department, with very low risk and a short duration.
After she finished paying and returned, Duan Jiaxu noticed the time and said proactively, “Sang Zhi, it’s nine o’clock. You should head back to school; it’s not safe to be out so late.”
Sang Zhi didn’t move.
”It’s not a big deal,” Duan Jiaxu said, “After the surgery, I’ll rest for a few days, and I’ll be fine. When you have time, come visit me.” Sang Zhi handed the form to the doctor, saying, “I’ll wait for you to come out before I leave.”
”That’ll take about an hour.” Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow, his complexion still pale, almost sickly. “Aren’t you going to get bored waiting alone outside?”
Sang Zhi’s mood wasn’t great, and she muttered, “Just stop talking.”
”Sure.” Duan Jiaxu smiled again. “I won’t say anything, I promise.”
Sang Zhi didn’t say anything further, standing silently by his side. She suddenly realized that if she hadn’t made plans to have dinner with him today, as he had mentioned in his phone call earlier, he probably wouldn’t have gone to the hospital.
Her heart felt strangely choked.
After Duan Jiaxu entered the operating room, Sang Zhi sat outside waiting.
To prevent her roommates from worrying, she sent a message in the dorm group chat saying, “I might be coming back late tonight,” and then opened a web page to search for “postoperative precautions for appendicitis.”
After a while, Sang Zhi put her phone away and suddenly remembered the unexpected incident at the bus stop. She subconsciously touched her forehead. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but at this moment, the spot where he had touched her started to feel warm.
As if it was burning.
In that moment, his exhaled breath seemed to still linger around her, in an incredibly intimate proximity.
Forget it.
Stop thinking about it.
Stop thinking about it.
She was the one who bumped into him first, and he even apologized despite being the one bumped.
Considering the specific situation, it might actually be her who benefited from the encounter. And it was just a touch on the forehead, not something significant.
They weren’t children anymore.
Judging by his reaction, it seemed he didn’t take the incident too seriously.
Before Sang Zhi could continue her random thoughts, her phone in her hand vibrated, showing a call from “Mom.” Noticing the time at the top of the screen, Sang Zhi quickly answered, “Mom.”
Li Ping’s voice came through from the other end of the phone, “Zhizhi, haven’t you returned to the dorm yet?”
Since she had come so far for school, before Sang Zhi came, Li Ping had agreed with her to have a phone call every night at ten o’clock. If she was busy, she could send her a message on WeChat.
Sang Zhi didn’t lie, “No.”
Li Ping: “Are you out with friends?”
”No,” Sang Zhi said, “Mom, I met that friend of Brother’s here, the one who tutored me back in junior high, Duan Jiaxu.”
Li Ping: “Oh, I remember.”
Peek-Aboo 
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