Seeing his back, Sang Zhi hesitated for a few seconds. She had intended to crawl onto his back, but she seemed to remember something and quickly withdrew her hand. She said solemnly, “You can’t carry me.”
Upon hearing this, Duan Jiaxu turned around: “You won’t let me do that either?”
Sang Zhi nodded and continued on her own, “The doctor said you should avoid strenuous physical activity for three months.”
Duan Jiaxu was slightly taken aback, a smile forming at the corner of his lips, “You remember even in this state?”
As if not hearing his words, Sang Zhi didn’t respond, but instead lowered her gaze, using her fingers to count slowly, “You had the surgery in November. So, December, thirteen, fourteen…”
”That’s not right.” Feeling something amiss, Sang Zhi frowned. “Twelve, thirteen…”
”…” Duan Jiaxu couldn’t help but laugh. “Twelve, one.”
Only then did Sang Zhi look at him. Her mind was a mess, and she didn’t understand why she suddenly jumped from twelve to one. She hesitated, “How many months is that…? Brother, can you help me count…”
”Three months.”
Sang Zhi nodded, not sensing anything wrong. She struggled to stand up, sniffing as she asked, “It’s been three months… Can you carry me then?”
Duan Jiaxu laughed: “Yes.”
Before Sang Zhi could climb onto his back, she suddenly remembered something else. “But I weigh over 48 kilograms…” As she spoke, tears started to well up in her eyes, and she began to cry in a breakdown, “I weigh over 48 kilograms…”
”…”
”I, I haven’t…,” She looked down and her expression froze, her crying becoming even more mournful. “I haven’t developed… I don’t have a chest, wahhhh… I don’t have…”
Duan Jiaxu was still crouched on the ground. Perhaps he hadn’t expected to hear such words, he was stunned for a few seconds, then he burst into laughter. His chest heaved as he laughed, almost out of breath, and his voice turned somewhat hoarse.
”What are you on about?”
”Why are you laughing at me?” Sang Zhi sobbed, tears falling, pointing at him with unhappiness, “You don’t have any either. Why are you laughing at me?”
”Well, I don’t have it either.” Duan Jiaxu quickly composed himself. “So can we comfort each other?”
”…” Sang Zhi immediately stopped crying, as if she had found an ally, and willingly crawled onto his back. “Then, then you also shouldn’t be too sad.”
Duan Jiaxu stood up, trying to suppress his laughter. “Alright, I’m not sad.”
Sang Zhi wiped her tears with her gloves. “Brother, what if I feel like vomiting again?”
Duan Jiaxu tossed his clothes into a nearby trash can, looked around, and soothingly said, “Let me know if you feel like vomiting.”
She hiccupped, “But what if I can’t hold it back?”
”Then just don’t hold it back,” Duan Jiaxu said, “Just make sure you don’t vomit on my head.”
Sang Zhi acknowledged with an “oh” and didn’t say anything further.
Afraid that she might feel more uncomfortable sitting in the car, Duan Jiaxu didn’t get in and instead carried her on his back, walking in the direction of Yihe University. He casually asked, “You have a flight tomorrow, why did you still drink today?”
Sang Zhi rested her chin on his shoulder and whispered, “I’m unhappy.”
”…”
She was on the verge of tears again, her voice muffled, “Just… just unhappy.”
Duan Jiaxu glanced at her, “Why are you unhappy?”
Sang Zhi didn’t answer.
Duan Jiaxu looked forward, his expression difficult to discern in the dim light of the night, “Is it because of the person you like?”
Sang Zhi wiped her tears again and made a sound of agreement.
”Can’t you tell me who it is?”
”Yeah.”
”Then describe this person to me.” Duan Jiaxu’s tone was calm. “What kind of person is he? Is he good to you?”
Sang Zhi lifted her head and looked at his profile. After a while, she tilted her head and stumbled over her words, finally managing to say, “A, a man…”
For a long time, Sang Zhi didn’t manage to finish her sentence.
”What kind of man?” Duan Jiaxu asked, “A handsome man?”
Sang Zhi shook her head and said, word by word, “A… a male, male fox spirit.”
Duan Jiaxu: “……”
What kind of description was that?
”He’s a very good person, and he’s good to me too,” Sang Zhi’s mood suddenly plunged, her voice sobbed, “But he’s good to everyone, he’s good to everyone…”
”…”
At this point, Sang Zhi suddenly became angry. Her voice also instantly became louder as she cried and shouted, “A ladies’ man!”
”Is he a scumbag?” This time, Duan Jiaxu didn’t laugh. He remained silent for a few seconds before asking, “Do you like him so much?”
Sang Zhi was genuinely heartbroken. She buried her face into his shoulder, tears falling incessantly, and her sobbing continuously escaped her throat. She couldn’t restrain herself and cried like a child.
Duan Jiaxu continued to inquire, “Can he make you this sad?”
”…”
His tone was gentle, “Then why not stop liking him?”
Sang Zhi didn’t respond anymore, she just kept crying.
Duan Jiaxu didn’t say anything either.
He entered the entrance of Yihe University and walked towards Sang Zhi’s dormitory building based on his previous memory. The sound of the person on his back crying gradually diminished until it disappeared completely, as if she had fallen asleep.
The campus was quiet and bustling at night, filled with students coming and going in groups. Walking along the path into the dormitory building, the lights emitted a warm yellow glow, tinting the tiny snowflakes with color.
In an instant, it felt like entering another world.
A sense of tranquility settled in.
It was so quiet that one could hear the sound of snowflakes drifting down.
Suddenly, Duan Jiaxu turned his head to look at her.
He noticed that Sang Zhi had closed her eyes, as if she had cried herself to sleep, tears still seeping out. Even in her sleep, she looked so distressed.
Duan Jiaxu called out to her, “Sang Zhi.”
All he received was a silent response.
Her breathing was steady and rhythmic, brushing against his neck. It was warm and gentle.
Duan Jiaxu stared at her for a long while, then suddenly chuckled and whispered, “Do you like someone like that?”
”…”
”A male fox spirit?”
”Then,” Duan Jiaxu murmured, “Can I become that way?”
The young girl showed no signs of response, pulled into the realm of dreams by fatigue and drowsiness. She was oblivious to any words.
”Then I’ll only be good to you, is that okay?” Duan Jiaxu continued, “Then you wouldn’t be so heartbroken, alright?”
”Letting someone else take care of you, I still… can’t help but worry.”
”Is that alright?”
”…”
”If you don’t object, I’ll take it as you agreeing.” Duan Jiaxu waited for a while.
His brows and eyes gradually relaxed, his voice carried a smile, “Alright, we’ve both agreed.”
”Brother’s conditions are acceptable too,” Duan Jiaxu said nonchalantly, “Not poor, quite handsome. Except for being a bit older than you.”
”When I was twenty, you said I was old, and now you’re almost twenty yourself,” he seemed to find some logic in that, teasing, “So, our Little Sang Zhi is also getting older.”
He had taken care of this young girl for so many years.
If she could meet someone she liked, who would always treat her well.
That would certainly be wonderful.
But he was afraid that she would be hurt in this process.
That she would be like tonight, not daring to share her thoughts even when drunk.
Even crying while asleep.
Duan Jiaxu mused.
Aside from her family, there probably wasn’t anyone else who could treat her better than he did.
”Brother will earn more money so you can afford candies that cost a thousand yuan each,” Duan Jiaxu said, “And then you’ll forgive Brother for —”
”Acting like an old ox trying to eat tender grass.”
He chuckled: “Alright?”
Peek-Aboo 
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