Chapter 42
The host on stage was getting ready. Without warning, music started playing in the banquet hall.
The entire room fell silent instantly.
The conversation between Duan Jiaxu and Sang Yan was also interrupted.
Sang Yan gave him a cold look and took out his phone from his pocket.
Duan Jiaxu lowered his gaze, took a sip of water, and smiled briefly.
After a dozen seconds or so, Sang Zhi felt like this matter should have already been put behind them.
Taking advantage of the lull, she glanced in Duan Jiaxu’s direction. At that moment, he was looking toward the stage, seemingly paying close attention to the host’s introduction and not looking their way.
Sang Zhi withdrew her gaze and leaned in closer to Sang Yan’s ear, whispering, “Gege—”
Before she could finish her sentence, Sang Yan abruptly cut her off, “Little Devil, don’t call me that way. Hearing those two words now makes me want to throw up.”
”…” Sang Zhi continued, “So, what’s Jiaxu-ge doing?”
Sang Yan was looking at his phone. Hearing her question, he looked up and directly handed her the screen.
Sang Zhi glanced at it.
The screen displayed a webpage, and the search bar read — Yihe City Mental Hospital.
”…”
Sang Yan clicked his tongue and said, “I can only help him this far.”
The next moment, Sang Zhi saw Sang Yan handing his phone to Duan Jiaxu again, accompanied by a very concerned remark, “You can directly apply for admission after you go back.”
Duan Jiaxu glanced at him and replied gently, “Really not necessary, thanks, Ge—”
This time, before he could finish, Sang Yan reached out, grabbed his neck, and pressed down forcefully, as if he couldn’t tolerate it any longer. “I’ve been alive for over twenty years and haven’t been called like that by a grown man like you.”
Duan Jiaxu was slightly taken aback but didn’t resist. Being treated this way, he actually burst into laughter, his shoulders shaking with a delicate chuckle. “What’s wrong?”
Sang Yan stared at him for a few seconds. Just when Sang Zhi thought Sang Yan was going to drag Duan Jiaxu out for a fight, he suddenly let go, turned his head to Sang Zhi, and said, “Switch seats.”
Sang Zhi, who was watching the scene from the side, was a bit slow to react to this and blurted out, “Ah, switch seats with me?”
”If I sit next to him a while longer,” Sang Yan said nonchalantly, “Qian Fei will probably think I’m causing trouble.”
”…”
Sitting in Sang Yan’s seat, Sang Zhi quietly moved her utensils over.
She didn’t look in Duan Jiaxu’s direction, intending to pour herself more tea, when her phone, placed beside her, vibrated.
Sang Zhi pulled back her hand and casually glanced at it.
There was a voice message from Sang Rong in the family group chat.
She opened it directly.
Sang Rong: “Zhizhi, I bought a chocolate cake and put it in the fridge. If you want to eat it, you can. Your mom and I have a social engagement today, so we’ll be back late.”
Sang Zhi replied with an “Okay.”
Afterward, she exited the chat window and scrolled down.
She noticed from the corner of her eye that Duan Jiaxu’s gaze was also directed this way. Sang Zhi instinctively looked up and immediately turned off her phone’s screen, asking, “What are you doing?”
Duan Jiaxu’s eyelashes lifted slightly, and he suddenly inquired, “Who is Zhizhi?”
Sang Zhi found it strange, “You already know, don’t you?”
Duan Jiaxu smiled, “Is it your older brother?”
”What do you mean ‘my older brother’?” Sang Zhi was puzzled. “It’s me, my nickname.”
”Oh,” Duan Jiaxu casually picked up the teapot and poured water into her cup, asking as he did so, “Why don’t I hear your brother call you that often?”
”He does occasionally,” Sang Zhi said, “but rarely.”
”Who else calls you that?”
”My parents,” Sang Zhi pondered for a moment, “and also my uncles and aunts… Well, it’s mostly people I’m close to.”
Duan Jiaxu nodded thoughtfully.
After a while…
”Oh, right,” Duan Jiaxu said casually, “What’s this ‘Brother No. 2’ thing?”
”…” Sang Zhi’s expression remained unchanged as she pointed to Sang Yan, “Number 1.”
Then she pointed to Duan Jiaxu: “Number 2.”
”Why did I become your ‘Brother No. 2’?” Duan Jiaxu leaned back in his chair, tilting his head to look at her, and said leisurely, “Did your brother just accept me as his little brother?”
Sang Zhi glanced at him, reminding him, “My brother is younger than you.”
”The age on my ID is fake,” Duan Jiaxu chuckled, his words light-hearted, “I reported it higher. In reality, I’m a bit younger.”
”So, how old are you actually?”
”Hmm?” Duan Jiaxu said, “I’m born in ’96.”
”…,” Sang Zhi was surprised by his shameless answer. She stared at him wide-eyed for a moment, then said slowly, “You could have said you were born in ’90 or something, but you said ’96’.”
”Why?”
”I’d guess you’re more like ’69’.”
Who are you trying to fool?
How old are you trying to pretend to be, eighteen?
Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow: “What are you trying to say?”
Considering what he had just willingly done, calling Sang Yan “Gege,” Sang Zhi hesitated and asked, “Gege, why are you acting so strangely today? Have a lot of people been saying you’re getting old recently?”
”Sang Zhi, your Ge is here too,” Duan Jiaxu lifted his cup, took a slow sip, and said, “When you call me ‘Gege,’ are you addressing me or your actual brother?”
Sang Zhi paused, then responded, “Why didn’t you comment on it before?”
Duan Jiaxu replied, “Because your brother wasn’t around back then, right?”
”Oh, Jiaxu-ge,” Sang Zhi didn’t mind the way she addressed him and continued asking, “Did someone comment on your age being too old during your blind date and didn’t like you?”
”Blind date?” Duan Jiaxu repeated when she mentioned this, “Did you suggest that I team up with your brother for a blind date?”
”I was just giving you both some advice,” Sang Zhi said seriously, “Isn’t it similar to a social gathering? Having a companion gives you a bit of confidence.”
Duan Jiaxu smiled faintly: “But your brother isn’t too keen on the idea.”
Before Sang Zhi could say anything else, Duan Jiaxu’s eyes slightly curved. He leaned in a bit closer, and with a teasing tone, he asked, “How about you team up with me then?”
After a few seconds of confusion, Sang Zhi finally grasped the meaning behind his words, “You want me to accompany you on a blind date?”
Duan Jiaxu’s expression froze for a moment: “…”
Sang Zhi’s mood soured a bit: “Why would I accompany you on a blind date? People will have opinions about it.”
”Hmm?” Duan Jiaxu asked, “What kind of opinions?”
”They might say,” Sang Zhi slowly continued, “that you went on a blind date and brought your daughter along.”
”…”
After the wedding banquet, there was a “wedding night prank” segment.
Sang Zhi couldn’t possibly join in with them. Seeing that the time was about right, she informed Sang Yan and went to wish Qian Fei well a few times.
It was approaching nine in the evening.
Sang Yan had been drinking, and Sang Zhi didn’t intend to let him drive her. She knew the area and planned to take a nearby bus home after leaving.
Just as she exited the banquet hall.
Not long after, she heard Duan Jiaxu’s voice from behind, “Why are you walking so fast?”
Sang Zhi turned around and casually asked, “Are you leaving too?”
”No,” Duan Jiaxu played with the car keys in his hand, his brows slightly furrowed. He said softly, “It’s quite late. Let me give you a ride home first.”
Sang Zhi glanced at the car keys, which belonged to Sang Yan, “Haven’t you been drinking?”
Duan Jiaxu: “Hmm.”
”You’d better not.” The elevator arrived just in time, and Sang Zhi stepped inside, saying, “I’ll just take a nearby bus. Jiaxu-ge, you don’t have to make a round trip again, it’s quite troublesome.”
”It’s alright.” Duan Jiaxu lifted his eyelids, his lips forming a faint smile. “It might not be considered bothersome to have someone see you off.”
”…”
Sang Zhi pressed her lips together and remained silent.
Duan Jiaxu changed the subject, “When are you planning to return to school?”
”Tomorrow, so I need to go back and pack my things,” Sang Zhi said, “Classes start the day after.”
”Okay, I’m also heading back tomorrow,” Duan Jiaxu said, “What time did you book your flight for?”
”My brother booked it,” speaking of which, Sang Zhi took her phone out of her pocket and whispered, “I also forgot what time, let me check.”
The elevator descended to the underground parking lot.
The two of them walked out.
”I see,” Duan Jiaxu lowered his chin, a few inexplicable chuckles escaping his throat. “Then take a look.”
Sang Zhi glanced at her phone: “The flight is at 8:20 tomorrow morning.”
”My ticket,” Duan Jiaxu casually took out his phone and checked, “is also at 8:20. How about we go together tomorrow?”
Sang Zhi looked at him and nodded.
They found the parking spot where Sang Yan had parked earlier and got into the car.
Duan Jiaxu was about to fasten his seatbelt when he felt something in his pocket. He took it out and realized it was the red envelope from earlier. “Is this your red envelope?”
Sang Zhi looked over with no reaction, “Do you want to give it back to me?”
”Yes,” Duan Jiaxu smiled, “Here you go, Zhizhi.”
Other than when he was drunk last time, it was the first time Sang Zhi heard him address her like this. Her breath caught for a moment, her fingers unconsciously playing with the zipper on her clothes. “Why are you calling me that?”
Duan Jiaxu’s tone was lazy and nonchalant, “Didn’t you say close people call you that?”
Sang Zhi awkwardly responded with an “Oh” and didn’t take the red envelope, “You can keep it. After all, you already called someone “Gege”. If you give it back to me now, isn’t that a bit unfair to you?”
”I’m giving it to Zhizhi,” Duan Jiaxu stared at her without moving, pausing for a couple of seconds before averting his gaze. His voice carried a faint hint of amusement when he added, “How is it unfair?”
”…”
Sang Zhi didn’t say anything more and took the red envelope. She fastened her seatbelt and leaned against the window, gazing outside as the car started. Silence filled the car for a while.
After a moment, Sang Zhi spoke up, “Jiaxu-ge.”
”Hmm?”
”Look at Qian Fei-ge,” Sang Zhi said, choosing her words carefully, speaking slowly and gently, “Before, when he got drunk, he used to say he couldn’t find someone. Now he’s married, and he seems to really like that sister-in-law.”
”Yeah.”
”When you saw them,” Sang Zhi continued, “did you ever have the thought of wanting a companion too?”
”Either you’re setting me up for blind dates or telling me to find a girlfriend lately,” Duan Jiaxu found it amusing, “I’m only twenty-five after all, there’s no need to rush.”
Sang Zhi: “So until when are you going to wait? Even my brother has someone pursuing him.”
She didn’t want to keep pressuring him.
But she also feared that he might decide not to look for anyone at all, and then there wouldn’t be anyone else urging him.
Next year, he will spend the New Year alone again.
He wouldn’t even go to the doctor when he’s sick, doing everything alone.
Inside the car, soothing love songs played softly, creating a gentle and spacious atmosphere that seemed to imbue a touch of romance.
Duan Jiaxu’s distinct facial features were sharp and clear, illuminated by the soft light from the street lamps outside. This warm yellow light softened his expression. His gaze was fixed ahead, seemingly nonchalant.
Seeing him remain silent, Sang Zhi thought she might have annoyed him with her talk. After a long pause, she continued, “Don’t be unhappy. I see my mom always talking about my brother, and he’s not happy about it either.”
She didn’t want to bring up his family matters and didn’t know how to continue the conversation. She whispered, “I won’t mention it anymore.”
Duan Jiaxu suddenly asked, “How old are you this year?”
She didn’t understand why he was asking this.
Sang Zhi was momentarily puzzled, then thought for a moment before replying, “I turned nineteen on my last birthday.”
Sang Zhi felt a bit confused and asked, “Is something wrong?”
Then, she heard Duan Jiaxu chuckle, his tone seemingly implying something.
”Well, add one more year to that then.”
Peek-Aboo 
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