The indoor lighting was cold and white, casting a clear and distinct outline on Duan Jiaxu’s face. His eyes were lowered, with dense and long eyelashes that accentuated his deep brown eyes, shimmering with subtle light.
Duan Jiaxu continued to gaze at her, without any sense of pressure. He had always been incredibly patient, never hurrying or displaying signs of impatience. He quietly waited for her response.
At this critical moment, an inexplicable memory crossed Sang Zhi’s mind – the scene of their first meeting. He was casually lounging on the sofa, his expression indifferent yet playful. In the face of her outrageous speculation, he had merely smiled and nonchalantly agreed, “Well, if it makes you look better, then why not?”
After all these years, he had grown older, but it seemed like he hadn’t changed much. He had matured a bit more, yet he remained the person she liked.
In a moment of reverie, she suddenly had the illusion that time might actually wait for people.
They stood and sat, one by one.
In the span of just a dozen seconds, Sang Zhi suddenly snapped back to reality. Her voice trembled slightly, but she still pretended to ask calmly, “Is the meaning I understand from your words the same?”
”Hmm?” Duan Jiaxu withdrew his hand, lightly licking the chocolate sauce from his fingertip. “Is there a second meaning that can be inferred from that statement?”
Sang Zhi fell silent for a moment and softly inquired, “Didn’t you call me Kiddo before?”
”If you’re willing,” Duan Jiaxu curved his lips, a faint smile in his words, “I could call you that even when you’re ninety years old.”
”…” Sang Zhi lowered her gaze and continued nibbling on the cake.
”It’s just a form of address,” Duan Jiaxu chuckled, his speech slow and leisurely, “Otherwise, if you call me ‘Gege,’ would you really be treating me as your real brother?”
Sang Zhi felt a bit awkward and decided to playfully oppose him, “Yes, I’ll treat you like a real brother.”
”I see,” Duan Jiaxu glanced at her, not revealing her playacting. He adopted a tone as if discussing something, “So, Gege plans to turn over a new leaf in 2015 and stop being a human being, is that okay?”
Without much concern, Duan Jiaxu casually added, “Maybe I’ll become an animal instead.”
Sang Zhi coughed twice and couldn’t help saying, “It’s not that serious.”
”Can you give me an answer then?” Duan Jiaxu lightly tapped his fingertips on the table, his tone somewhat nonchalant. “If you don’t say anything soon, I might start nervously gasping for air.”
I haven’t seen you nervous, Sang Zhi muttered in her heart.
”Who asks whether they can pursue someone before actually doing so?” Sang Zhi pondered for a moment, then couldn’t resist a retort, “Come on, ask, ‘Can I pursue you?'”
”If I didn’t ask,” Duan Jiaxu pulled out a chair and sat down beside her, “wouldn’t you just consider all those things as an elder’s care?”
Silence for three seconds.
”Then it’s up to you,” Sang Zhi diverted her gaze, feigning an indifferent expression, “It’s your business, and I can’t control that.”
Duan Jiaxu chuckled softly: “So, do you have that intention towards me?”
Thinking about Ning Wei’s words, Sang Zhi denied very seriously, “No.”
After a few seconds, she was worried that her words might dampen his enthusiasm, so she deliberately added, “But if you pursue me for a while, who knows, I might change my mind.”
After saying that, Sang Zhi lifted her head and glanced in Duan Jiaxu’s direction a few times.
”Deal then,” Duan Jiaxu propped his chin with one hand and asked, “But can you give me a little spoiler? How long do I have to pursue you approximately?”
”What spoiler?” Sang Zhi frowned, feeling a bit embarrassed, “Why do you talk like I’m definitely going to be won over by you?”
Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow, “Is there a reason I can’t win you over?”
Sang Zhi: “Of course, I’m not easy to win over.”
Duan Jiaxu: “Then how about we sign a contract and set a deadline?”
Sang Zhi felt a bit aggrieved, “Do we need to sign a contract for this?”
Duan Jiaxu mused with a casual tone, “Well, people of our age prefer things to be more secure.”
Sang Zhi swallowed the last bite of cake and stood up: “I’m not signing with you.”
Duan Jiaxu lazily said, “Then I’ll be patient and pursue you for a decade or two. But if you end up with someone else by then, I’ll go to your parents and complain.”
Sang Zhi: “Complain about what?”
Duan Jiaxu thought for a moment, tilted his head, and inquired, “Complain about how you made me pretend to be your brother at your parents’ meeting?”
Sang Zhi struggled to express herself, “That was hundreds of years ago.”
She ignored him and walked to the restroom to rinse her mouth. When she looked up at the mirror, she noticed a layer of chocolate cream on her cheek.
Sang Zhi immediately remembered Duan Jiaxu’s actions just now. She washed it off with water and quickly walked out. She asked, “Jiaxu-ge, why did you smear something on my face?”
Duan Jiaxu was tidying up the things on the table, “What do you mean?”
”I have makeup on,” Sang Zhi said unhappily, “and you ruined it.”
Upon hearing this, Duan Jiaxu glanced up, raised an eyebrow, and with a playful and teasing tone, replied, “Little Sister even put on makeup for Gege, and she claims she’s not interested.”
”…” Sang Zhi defended herself, “I put on makeup no matter who I see.”
”Why do you always bring people down?” Duan Jiaxu put the cake back in the box and laughed. “You say you’re not interested in me, can’t I at least have some fun and think about it?”
Sang Zhi was quite particular, “Then just don’t say it out loud.”
Duan Jiaxu nonchalantly said, “If I don’t say it, how would you know?”
Peek-Aboo 
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