In an instant, her mind seemed to be flooded with a rush of blood, all reason vanished. Sang Zhi stood up, also picking up a glass of water from the table and lifted it over the woman’s head, pouring it down.
The woman’s attention was entirely on Duan Jiaxu, and she hadn’t reacted at all. She screamed and shouted, “Who are you? What’s wrong with you?” 你發什麼神經？」
Sang Zhi stood in front of Duan Jiaxu with a cold face, and retorted, “What’s wrong with you?”
”Do you have any right to interfere?” Facing others, the woman didn’t have the same aggressive demeanor she had towards Duan Jiaxu, “Do you know why I splashed him…”
”I don’t care about your reasons.” Sang Zhi interrupted her, her eyes red with anger, and said each word deliberately, “If you dare to hit him, I will definitely hit you back—”
”…”
Her tone was extremely cold, “I’m absolutely not afraid of getting my hands dirty.”
The woman became somewhat embarrassed and angry. Her face turned red in an instant, and her hand lifted.
In the next moment, Duan Jiaxu also stood up, pulling Sang Zhi behind him. He stared at the woman, his gaze chilly, yet still smiling, “That won’t work.”
”…”
”I actually do mind getting dirty.”
”…”
The manager of the hotpot restaurant came over at this time, trying to mediate the situation in a friendly manner.
The woman was dragged away by her friend. Seemingly feeling embarrassed as well, she didn’t insist on staying, but her eyes were fixed on Duan Jiaxu.
Like a vengeful ghost.
The atmosphere relaxed immediately.
However, people nearby still occasionally glanced at them.
Sang Zhi’s momentum instantly deflated. She couldn’t eat anymore. She settled the bill at the counter, and then tugged at Duan Jiaxu to leave the hotpot restaurant. She pulled out some tissues from her bag and handed them to him.
Duan Jiaxu pulled one out and wiped the water off his face. “Did I scare you?”
Sang Zhi also pulled out a tissue, kneeling down to help him wipe the water off his hair. It was the first time she had encountered such a situation, and she was so angry that she felt like crying. Her words came out a bit stifled, “I wasn’t scared. Who is that person?”
”Just someone irrelevant.” Duan Jiaxu bent down slightly, pondering for a moment, and then chuckled, “Strictly speaking, she’s my father’s former creditor, I guess?”
”I saw her when I went to your house last time,” Sang Zhi didn’t press for details, “Why didn’t you just call the police? Will she come to bother you again in the future?”
”She went to my house?” Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow. “I’ll have to talk to the property management about that.”
”…”
Sang Zhi pulled out another tissue and wiped the water off his forehead, “Brother, if you think it’s ungentlemanly to hit a woman, will you avoid her when you see her in the future?”
”…”
”Don’t let her bully you.”
Duan Jiaxu suddenly asked, “Why didn’t you ask me why she acted like that?”
”Didn’t you say she’s your father’s former creditor?” Thinking about what had just happened, Sang Zhi became a bit angry again, “I don’t think it has much to do with you, and couldn’t she just talk to you if she had something to say?”
After a few seconds of silence, Duan Jiaxu asked again, “But are you not even going to ask?”
”I didn’t ask. It’s none of your business anyway,” Sang Zhi said, “I just saw her inexplicably come up and pour water on you.”
—”It’s none of your business anyway.”
Duan Jiaxu’s heart skipped a beat, and his expression finally changed somewhat.
He suddenly lowered his gaze and stared at her. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.
The distance between them was quite close, and he could still see the fine fuzz on her face, her moist eyes shimmering with light. Her skin was as white as transparency, and her lips were right in front of him, with a rosy hue.
In fact, compared to before, her changes were not insignificant. The baby fat on her face had disappeared, and her features had become delicate and beautiful. The word “Kiddo” really didn’t apply to her anymore.
He hadn’t paid much attention to it and had simply ignored those changes.
But in that instant, Duan Jiaxu suddenly felt it keenly.
It was as if something was off.
His heart felt like it had been pierced through, and all the negative emotions were instantly pulled out and carried away.
Then, something else was stuffed in.
Sang Zhi didn’t meet his gaze and didn’t notice his emotions. She looked serious and spoke with a solemn tone, “My brother said that if you’re being bullied, you shouldn’t just endure it.”
”…”
”I can protect you, but I can’t always be there,” Sang Zhi tried to come up with a solution, “Next time you see her, hide or call the police, alright?”
”…”
After talking for a while, Sang Zhi didn’t hear any response from him.
She lowered her gaze and met his eyes.
His gaze was deep and slightly narrowed, a small droplet of water still clinging to his eyelashes. He was staring boldly at her as if he were electrifying her.
Sang Zhi blinked, hesitated, and withdrew her hand, asking softly, “What’s wrong?”
Duan Jiaxu straightened up as well, still looking at her with an unwavering gaze, without any intention of averting his eyes. His expression seemed contemplative, as if he were lost in thought.
She felt a bit puzzled and uncomfortable under his intense gaze. “What’s the matter?”
”Nothing,” Duan Jiaxu paused for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled. There was a hint of playfulness in his eyes and smile. “I forgot to mention, thank you for protecting Big Brother, Little Sang Zhi.”
Sang Zhi hesitated and replied with a gentle “You’re welcome.”
She looked around and suggested, “Do you want to go buy some clothes nearby to change into?”
Not hearing his response, Sang Zhi turned her head again and once again met his gaze. She touched her face and said, somewhat bewildered, “Why are you staring at me like that?”
”Am I?” Duan Jiaxu finally averted his gaze, his lips curving into a smile. “Then I won’t look anymore.”
Sang Zhi gave him an odd look and pointed, asking, “Should we go to that one?”
Duan Jiaxu laughed. “Okay.”
”You got splashed with water and you’re still so cheerful,” Sang Zhi couldn’t help but remark, “Did it splash your wits away?”
”Well, it seems like it.”
”…”
Perhaps it was due to a recent illness that clouded his mind, or maybe it was because of the grandpa in the adjacent bed who had been talking nonstop for a week, or perhaps it was really the shock of being splashed with water that momentarily scrambled his thoughts.
At this moment.
Duan Jiaxu suddenly felt an urge to act like a rogue.
Peek-Aboo 
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