Sang Zhi walked over, picked up the two bags, and hung them on her wrist. She glanced at the cake Duan Jiaxu had made on the table, which was still more than half left. She seriously called out to him, “Jiaxu-ge.”
”Hmm?”
”Well, you haven’t really confessed to me yet. You just asked if you could pursue me and I said yes. I haven’t rejected you either,” Sang Zhi cautiously explained, “So, can I take this cake back?”
Duan Jiaxu looked down at her, feigning confusion, “So, if I confess to you right now, would you accept it?”
Sang Zhi choked, “Of course not.”
”That’s alright,” Duan Jiaxu gently declined, “I’ll keep it for myself.”
Sang Zhi pointed to the one they bought, “Can’t you eat this one?”
Duan Jiaxu: “No.”
Sang Zhi held back her frustration: “And you don’t like sweet things.”
“I like them now.”
Sang Zhi exploded, finally blurting out what she had been holding back, “Why are you so petty! I’m not asking for something extravagant. You should at least make some effort to pursue me!”
Instant silence.
Sang Zhi realized what she had just said and quickly tried to explain herself, feeling awkward, “What I meant was, you should at least make an effort to pursue me so I can figure out if I’m interested in you.”
Duan Jiaxu cleared his throat, seemingly suppressing a smile, “It’s okay.”
Having pushed her buttons, Duan Jiaxu stopped teasing her there. “If you’re not interested, I’ll keep pursuing you a bit longer.”
He reached out and pinched her cheek, speaking gently, “Put it in the box and share it with your friends when you go back. If you like it, I’ll make it for you every day from now on.”
Sang Zhi took the items and returned to her dormitory.
At this moment, Wang Ruolan hadn’t returned yet, and Yu Xin was standing next to Ning Wei, gossiping with her. Seeing her return, Ning Wei waved at her with a smile, “Xiao Sang, did you have a good time on your date?”
Sang Zhi placed the things in her hands on the table and replied seriously, “Is there a curfew tonight?”
”Yeah.” Yu Xin replied, “Curfew is at twelve.”
Sang Zhi: “What time is it now?”
Yu Xin: “It’s only ten. Why, something up?”
Sang Zhi opened her wardrobe: “I want to go out for a run.”
”…” Ning Wei seemed puzzled. “Aren’t you worried about the cold?”
”A little bit.” Sang Zhi looked at them. “I’m feeling a bit excited.”
Yu Xin: “You don’t look like it’s just a bit.”
Sang Zhi touched her face. She calmed her emotions and then inexplicably started to giggle. “I’ve been holding back my laughter all night. I feel like my face is going to cramp.”
Ning Wei joined her laughter and guessed, “Did he confess to you?”
”Sort of,” Sang Zhi said, “He said he’s going to start pursuing me.”
Ning Wei curiously asked, “How long do you plan to let him pursue you?”
Sang Zhi blinked, unsure. “What’s a suitable duration for pursuing?”
Ning Wei: “I’ve been with my boyfriend for a little over a month. But sometimes, I regret agreeing to him so soon. Men are often at their best when they’re pursuing you.”
”Oh,” Sang Zhi scratched her head, “So, what’s a good duration?”
Yu Xin: “You should decide for yourself. Whenever you feel it’s suitable.”
Sang Zhi: “I think now is quite suitable…”
Sang Zhi suddenly felt a bit melancholic, sighed, and said, “But I’m a bit worried that his affection is just a fleeting impulse. Maybe he’s never had a girlfriend before, and then suddenly he has someone of a suitable age around, and he thinks it’s a good match.”
Ning Wei: “But based on what you said, and with your relationship the way it is, if he came to you and said those things, he must have made up his mind, right?”
Sang Zhi paused, seriously pondered, and then chuckled, “You’re right.”
After sharing the cake with her friends, she returned to her seat and opened the bag that Duan Jiaxu had given her. Inside was a portable small camera, pure black in color, with a somewhat vintage design.
Sang Zhi turned on the camera, took a test shot.
Then, she opened the photo album to check the results of the photo she had taken and instinctively swiped right.
She discovered there was another photo inside. The photo was of Duan Jiaxu.
The photo was taken at close range.
In a very stereotypically masculine move, he took a close-up shot, capturing his features sharply. In the photo, he appeared as if he had just taken a shower, his hair slightly damp, his peach blossom eyes shining brightly, and his lips tinted with the color of water.
His gaze was fixed on the camera, his smile carrying a hint of roguishness.
In the next moment, Sang Zhi’s phone buzzed.
It seemed like the person on the other end had timed it well, sending her two WeChat messages.
Brother No.2: [The real gift is in the camera.]
Brother No.2: [Remember to set it as wallpaper.]
Sang Zhi: […]
Sang Zhi replied, speechless: [No.]
Afterward, she opened Duan Jiaxu’s profile, changed his nickname back to “Duan Jiaxu,” a faint smile painting her lips. She glanced at the message Duan Jiaxu had just sent, suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, and thought for a moment before changing his nickname to “Suitor.”
In the next moment, her phone vibrated.
Sang Zhi checked and saw that Sang Yan had transferred two hundred yuan to her on WeChat, accompanied by a note: [Buy whatever you want.]
Sang Zhi accepted the money. Thinking about today’s events, she felt an inexplicable sense of impending pressure. She hesitated and gradually messaged him: [Ge, I might be starting a relationship.]
Gege: [?]
Gege: [Are you attending college or an arranged marriage?]
Sang Zhi: [Is it abnormal to date while in college?]
Gege: [It’s up to you. Just be careful and don’t get deceived.]
Sang Zhi: [Oh.]
A brief awkward silence.
Sang Zhi continued: [He’s a bit older.]
Gege: [?]
Gege:[He can’t be older than me.]
Sang Zhi: [He is.]
This time, Sang Yan sent a voice message directly, with a somewhat unfriendly tone: “Is he really older than me? Little Devil, where did you meet this person?]
Sang Zhi didn’t dare to confess and made up a story: [He’s a graduate student from our school.]
Sang Yan: [Focus on your studies, Little Devil, instead of playing at love. And let me tell you, even being a day older than me is unacceptable. I can’t stand an older guy calling me ‘Gege.’]
Sang Zhi was indignant: [Why do you have so many issues?]
Sang Zhi: [What’s wrong with calling you Ge?]
Gege: [?]
Gege: [Do you remember Duan Jiaxu?]
Sang Zhi: “…”
On the other side, Duan Jiaxu emerged from the bathroom after taking a shower.
He towel-dried his hair, grabbed a bottle of cold water from the fridge, and casually checked his phone. He noticed that Sang Yan had sent him a few messages.
A faint smile played at the corners of Duan Jiaxu’s lips as he opened the messages to read.
Sang Yan: [My sister seems to have a potential partner.]
Sang Yan: [She’s out on her own. Keep an eye on her for me.]
Sang Yan: [Don’t let her get deceived.]
Duan Jiaxu chuckled softly, a trace of amusement in his eyes. He unscrewed the bottle cap, took a leisurely sip of water, and then replied: [Sure.]
Peek-Aboo 
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