The warm, yellow light from outside spilled in, casting varying shades of brightness and shadow on Duan Jiaxu’s face. Shadows were created beneath his eyes by his eyelashes, and his irises had a light color, naturally exuding gentleness. He cleared his throat, as if suppressing a chuckle, and made a meaningful sound of agreement.
Sang Zhi awkwardly added, “You should hang up now.”
”In a moment,” Sang Yan’s voice softened a bit, sounding enigmatic, “Duan Jiaxu, you’re older than me, right?”
Duan Jiaxu replied calmly, “Why?”
Sang Yan: “My sister’s boyfriend is also older than me.”
”Yes,” Duan Jiaxu turned the steering wheel, his eyelids not twitching at all, “Same age as me.”
A moment of silence.
Sang Yan seemed to chuckle in exasperation: “Don’t tell me—”
Sang Zhi’s scalp tingled, anticipating his next words, and she completely lost the courage to confess. She hurriedly interrupted, “No, absolutely not. Gege, what are you thinking?”
Sang Yan’s voice turned cold: “I’m just talking here and you just deny it.”
Sang Zhi reluctantly composed herself and said with annoyance, “Saying it like that, who wouldn’t guess what you’re about to say?”
Sang Yan: “Did you two go out to eat together?”
Sang Zhi confidently replied, “Yes, for Jiaxu-ge’s birthday, I had a meal with him. Unlike you, who has no emotional attachment, yet has the audacity to claim the gift I bought is from you.”
Duan Jiaxu quietly listened to the siblings’ quarrel.
Sang Yan mocked, “A grown man celebrating a birthday, how sentimental.”
”…”
Seeming to find his speculation a bit far-fetched, Sang Yan didn’t bring up the previous topic again: “Well then, go ahead and have your meal. And Little Devil, remember to get back to school early. I’m hanging up.”
The car suddenly fell silent.
Whether it was a figment of Sang Zhi’s imagination or not, without Sang Yan’s voice, the awkward atmosphere seemed to escalate to its peak.
She feigned indifference, huddled in her seat, and played with her phone.
Based on what they just said, it seemed like every time she talked to Sang Yan about something, he immediately turned around and told Duan Jiaxu. This older guy pretending to know nothing in front of her. He probably laughed at her pretentiousness every day in his heart.
Annoying man!!
How annoying!!
Sure enough.
Not long after.
Duan Jiaxu’s voice carried a hint of curiosity as he calmly asked, “What boyfriend?”
Sang Zhi didn’t want to lose her momentum, so she sat up straight and explained seriously, “What I told my brother was that I might start dating, not that I’m already in a relationship.”
He chuckled lightly: “A graduate student?”
”…”
Duan Jiaxu: “Is it still possible for me to take the graduate entrance exam now?”
Sang Zhi felt embarrassed and continued to play dead.
”If you don’t take the exam, how are you going to explain it to your brother later?” Duan Jiaxu’s tone slightly lifted at the end. He wasn’t entirely serious. “Tell him that you didn’t work out with that graduate student boyfriend, and you ended up with me. How about that?”
Sang Zhi struggled for a moment before managing to say, “When did I end up with you?”
Duan Jiaxu laughed: “You’ve already come clean with your brother. Why won’t you admit to having those intentions towards me?”
Sang Zhi: “Can’t I genuinely be interested in a graduate student?”
At her words, the corners of Duan Jiaxu’s eyebrows lifted slightly, and he casually said, “I only have an undergraduate degree.”
”…”
Every sentence was a hint.
The person you’re interested in, even if you describe their appearance, age, background, and everything else that doesn’t match me, that person is still me.
So, it must be your description that’s inaccurate.
Sang Zhi stared straight at him and suddenly looked a bit dejected. She spoke softly, “Did you know all along?”
Duan Jiaxu glanced at her: “Know what?”
Sang Zhi remained silent.
While waiting at a red light, Duan Jiaxu glanced at her a few times.
With her head lowered, lips slightly downturned, and eyelids drooping, it was clear she wasn’t in a good mood, although it was difficult to determine what exactly was on her mind.
She was showing it so obviously.
He still had to pretend as if he hadn’t noticed.
Duan Jiaxu was quite amused. “Let me ask you something serious.”
Sang Zhi whispered, “What?”
Duan Jiaxu: “Do you really have feelings for me?”
Sang Zhi turned her head to look at him, and her brows and eyes relaxed slightly. After several seconds of silence, she looked out of the window and finally let out a sigh. She replied ambiguously, “A little.”
”Okay.”
Sang Zhi’s tone expressed how peculiar she found his response. “That’s your reaction?”
Duan Jiaxu: “Huh?”
”Why didn’t you pursue me?” Sang Zhi also felt a bit melodramatic and muttered, “I’m clearly interested in you, but I didn’t agree. I was just waiting for you to woo me every day.”
”But didn’t you say it was just a little?” Duan Jiaxu didn’t seem too concerned and speculated about reasons for her, “I suppose it’s because we haven’t reached the stage where we can be together.”
Sang Zhi didn’t say anything.
Before knowing it, the car had arrived at a supermarket near Duan Jiaxu’s home. He found a parking spot and teased her, “This is Zhizhi’s first time in a relationship, so there are many considerations. Gege understands.”
Sang Zhi couldn’t help saying, “What if I keep not agreeing?”
Duan Jiaxu helped her unfasten the seatbelt and raised an eyebrow: “Then you’ll have to wait every day for your Gege to chase after you.”
”…”
Duan Jiaxu pondered for a moment and chuckled gently: “I guess this will probably be your only romance in your lifetime.”
Sang Zhi didn’t deny it, her expression was a bit uneasy.
Duan Jiaxu’s gaze lowered, meeting hers, his eyes forming a beautiful crescent shape. Then, he spoke, his voice gentle, as if coaxing her, “So, what other young ladies have—”
”…”
”Our Zhizhi must have too.”
The two entered the supermarket.
Duan Jiaxu’s intention was simply to buy some vegetables and meat. They would prepare dinner at home. He headed towards the fresh produce section, but Sang Zhi didn’t follow him. She went to the snack aisle on her own and gathered a bunch of snacks.
Then she returned to his side and threw them into the shopping cart.
She repeated this process multiple times.
Peek-Aboo 
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