There was a sudden gust of wind by her ears.

It brought a faint scent of lime mixed with a light tobacco aroma. The sunlight fell on him, casting a golden outline that added a touch of softness.

After two months of not seeing him, Duan Jiaxu’s hair was cut a bit shorter. Sang Zhi wasn’t sure if it was her illusion, but he seemed to have grown taller. However, everything else seemed unchanged.

He was still so carefree and dazzling.

Sang Zhi’s heart skipped a beat.

She felt a guilty conscience as if she had been caught doing something wrong. She didn’t know where to place her hands and feet, and her spine straightened involuntarily.

After a while, she stuffed the plush toy in her hand into his, saying softly, “I didn’t know it was yours.”

Sang Zhi lowered her head and awkwardly took a step back.

Not hearing his response, she pointed to the books in the car trunk and explained seriously, “I came to help my brother move. I saw there were things in the car and wanted to help take them upstairs.”

She waited a few more seconds but he still didn’t speak.

Sang Zhi hesitated and added, “If I had known the stuffed toy was yours, I wouldn’t have taken it.”

“……” Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow and straightened up, repeating her words as if questioning, “You wouldn’t have taken it if you knew it was mine?”

Sang Zhi immediately nodded, “Absolutely wouldn’t take it.”

“Absolutely wouldn’t?” Duan Jiaxu’s voice was lazy and slightly reproachful, “Kid, do you have a conscience?”

“……”

If she took it, she was called a thief. If she didn’t take it, she was said to have no conscience.

This man was more fickle than the weather.

Duan Jiaxu continued, “Don’t you remember the big favor Brother did for you?”

At those words, most of Sang Zhi’s dissatisfaction dissipated, and she mumbled, “I remember.”

“Then shouldn’t you treat Brother better?”

Sang Zhi glanced at him and remained silent.

Duan Jiaxu chuckled lightly and stopped teasing her. He handed the stuffed toy back to her. “If you like this, just keep it.”

Sang Zhi’s right hand moved slightly. Suddenly, she recalled his earlier words, ‘targeting me’, and quickly withdrew her hand, not daring to take it.

“Don’t want it?” Duan Jiaxu retracted his hand. “Then I’ll throw it away?”

Sang Zhi paused before taking it from him.

Duan Jiaxu found it amusing. “If you want it, take it. Why are you so awkward?”

Hearing that, Sang Zhi was somewhat dissatisfied. “You just called me a thief.”

“Brother was just joking with you.” Duan Jiaxu took the stack of books out of the car and closed the trunk with his free hand. “Let’s go up.”

Sang Zhi followed him without saying a word.

Duan Jiaxu glanced at his phone and then asked, “Are you upset?”

Sang Zhi continued to remain silent.

Duan Jiaxu offered, “How about I give you the stuffed toy to make it up to you?”

Sang Zhi bluntly said, “This stuffed toy is ugly.”

“Ugly?” Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow and glanced at it. “It’s okay.”

“Why did you buy this?”

“I didn’t buy it.” Duan Jiaxu thought for a moment and said nonchalantly, “I forgot where it came from.”

Sang Zhi suddenly understood something and asked, “Brother, was this given to you by someone else?”

Duan Jiaxu responded, “Hmm? Maybe.”

Sang Zhi lost interest. “Then I’ll give it back to you.”

“You don’t like it?” Duan Jiaxu reached out his hand. “Then give it back, Brother will take it.”

Sang Zhi silently handed it back.

Duan Jiaxu asked, “Is your backpack heavy?”

Sang Zhi replied, “It’s alright.”

Duan Jiaxu asked again, “We’re going to the fifth floor, can you make it?”

“Of course. I’m 13, not 3.” Sang Zhi frowned, unhappy that he was treating her like a baby. “And if I can’t make it, are you going to carry me up?”

Duan Jiaxu looked her up and down and smirked. “It’s not impossible.”

Sang Zhi retorted, “In your dreams.”

Duan Jiaxu paused and then burst out laughing. “In my dreams?”

Sang Zhi pursed her lips. “Exactly.”

“Okay.” Duan Jiaxu conceded. “In my dreams.”

The stuffed toy, placed on top of the books, was quite large and oddly shaped, making it particularly noticeable. Sang Zhi glanced at it a few more times before lowering her gaze and looking away.

The stairway was wide, but there were many people going up and down.

To prevent her from getting squeezed, Duan Jiaxu walked in front, letting her follow behind him.

They walked quietly up to the fifth floor.

Sang Zhi’s physical strength wasn’t good, and at this moment, she was panting heavily, her face slightly red and sweat was coming out of her forehead. Reaching the last step, she leaned against the wall. She squatted down, looking as if she wouldn’t move, saying, “I can’t, I need to rest for a while.”

Duan Jiaxu looked at her for two seconds. “Okay, I’ll come get you in an hour.”

“……”

Sang Zhi immediately grabbed his right leg, acting spoiled. “I just need a short rest, not an hour.”

Duan Jiaxu teased, “Kid, your stamina is too poor.”

Sang Zhi retorted, “It’s your school that’s stingy, not even building an elevator.”

“It’s only six floors, what elevator?”

Sang Zhi mumbled, “Then you’re unlucky, living on the fifth floor out of six.”

“Alright, get up.” Duan Jiaxu looked at his phone again and said, “Your legs will go numb if you squat.”

He seemed to be in a hurry.

This time, Sang Zhi obediently stood up.

They walked along the corridor with Sang Zhi following behind, curiously looking around.

Soon they reached the door of room 525.

The door wasn’t locked so Duan Jiaxu pushed it open and placed the books on the desk closest to the door.

Sang Zhi walked in slowly, turned her head, and met Sang Yan’s gaze.

Sang Yan and Duan Jiaxu had beds opposite each other. At that moment, Sang Yan was sitting on his chair, his long legs propped on the desk, leisurely drinking water. “Good buddy, thanks for your hard work.”

His posture was particularly annoying.

Sang Zhi complained, “You said you’re too busy to come down to get me.”

Sang Yan remained expressionless. “I was. I just finished cleaning up and sitting down for a rest.”

Hearing another voice, a chubby young man poked his head out from the bed. “Oh, is this Sang Yan’s sister?”

Sang Zhi nodded. “Hello.”

Another young man came out from the balcony. “Holy crap, Little Sister is quite cute.”

Sang Yan twisted the bottle cap and tossed the water bottle over. “Watch your language.”

The other young man caught the bottle deftly and tossed it back. “Who are you lecturing? You usually say—” He stopped mid-sentence, realizing something, and smiled. “Oh, I slipped. Little Sister, don’t learn from me.”

Sang Zhi silently nodded.

Her gaze moved to Duan Jiaxu but quickly lowered again.

Duan Jiaxu tidied up the desk and then moved his chair next to Sang Yan’s. With a small smile, he mimicked the other young man’s tone and called her, “Little Sister, sit here.”

Sang Zhi softly replied.

Then, Duan Jiaxu walked into the bathroom.

The small dorm room suddenly became lively. Sang Zhi quickly understood that the chubby young man was named Qian Fei, and the one who cursed was Chen Junwen. They were both easygoing and talkative.

Sang Yan seemed to have a good relationship with them, chatting while playing on his phone and occasionally chiming in.

The conversation soon led to planning to have dinner outside the campus, including Sang Zhi.

Not long after, Duan Jiaxu came out of the bathroom, having changed his shirt. He returned to his spot but didn’t join the conversation. He opened a drawer to find his wallet.

Chen Junwen looked at him with a playful grin and said, “Old Xu, we just moved in. Let’s go eat hot pot together.”

“Tonight?” Duan Jiaxu shook his head. “You guys go ahead, I have something to do.”

Sang Zhi immediately looked at him.

Qian Fei said, “What are you up to? Do you have a girlfriend or something? Absolutely not! Our dorm is a unit! If you want to find a girlfriend, you have to help me find one first!”

Chen Junwen argued, “No, help me find one first.”

Qian Fei stated, “I don’t have many requirements, just as long as she doesn’t have a bad temper.”

Chen Junwen stated, “As long as it’s a girl.”

Qian Fei added, “A guy is fine too.”

“……”

Sang Zhi stared at them and suddenly blurted out, “Aren’t you guys chasing after my brother?”

Sang Yan: “……”

Chen Junwen looked at her in horror and said, “Little Sister, you can’t eat whatever or speak whatever!”

Qian Fei sat up on the bed, looked thoughtfully at Sang Yan, and rubbed his chin, saying, “Now that you mention it, Sang Yan does look quite fine.”

Sang Yan’s temple twitched. “You two, get lost.”

Duan Jiaxu silently laughed on the side, slung a pure black backpack over his shoulder, and started to walk out. “I’m heading out first, you guys talk.” Halfway through, he remembered something, stopped, and rubbed Sang Zhi’s head. “That stuffed toy, if you want it, just take it.”

After speaking, he left the dormitory.

Chen Junwen sighed. “Then let’s head out too.”

Qian Fei said, “Sure, I’m hungry.”

Sang Yan looked at Sang Zhi. “Little Brat, do you want to eat hot pot?”

Sang Zhi was silent for a few seconds and then shook her head. “I’m going home.”

“Then something else?” Sang Yan frowned. “I’ll take you home after we eat.”

Sang Zhi shook her head again.

Sang Yan, losing patience, stood up and said, “Think it over. I’m going to the bathroom.”

Sang Zhi silently stood up as well, moved Duan Jiaxu’s chair back to his spot, and then noticed the stuffed toy on his desk. She hesitantly picked it up, feeling a bit down.

Qian Fei, putting on his shoes, happened to see her action and instinctively commented, “Duan Jiaxu hasn’t thrown that thing away yet? Is he crazy?”

Hearing him, Chen Junwen glanced over as well. “It seems like he uses it as a decoration on his bed.”

“Having that thing next to you when you sleep isn’t creepy?”

Sang Zhi gripped the stuffed toy tighter, mustered her courage, and pretended to be curious, “Did Brother Jiaxu’s girlfriend give him this?”

Chen Junwen immediately replied, “What girlfriend? He doesn’t have time for a girlfriend.”

Qian Fei added, “Yeah, he’s busy like a dog.”

Chen Junwen sighed. “Why don’t I have a girlfriend even though I’m not busy?”

“Do you need to ask? Because you’re ugly.” Qian Fei looked at the stuffed toy in Sang Zhi’s hand and thought for a moment. “I think Duan Jiaxu got that as a prize in some competition he participated in.”

Chen Junwen confirmed, “Yeah, last semester.”

Hearing their words, Sang Zhi’s grip loosened and she let out a light breath.

The dorm had two bathrooms. Perhaps because Sang Zhi was there, Chen Junwen and Qian Fei didn’t change clothes in the room but instead took their clothes and squeezed into the other bathroom.

Sang Zhi stared at the stuffed toy in her hand, quietly unzipped her backpack, and stuffed it inside. But it was too big, so she took it out, removed everything from her backpack, and placed the items on Duan Jiaxu’s desk. After freeing up half the space, she managed to stuff the stuffed toy in.

She zipped up the backpack with a smile.

At that moment, Sang Yan and the other two came out of the bathrooms simultaneously.

Sang Zhi felt like a thief. She quickly turned around and calmly walked back to Sang Yan’s spot.

Sang Yan pulled out a tissue to wipe his hands and asked, “Have you decided?”

Sang Zhi replied, “I’ll eat at home.”

Sang Yan nodded. “Okay, I’ll take you to the bus stop.”

———pr


At 10:00 PM, Duan Jiaxu returned to the dormitory.

Chen Junwen and Qian Fei were sitting in front of the computer playing games and shouting battle cries. Sang Yan was lying motionless on the bed. Hearing the sound of Duan Jiaxu’s return, he groggily lifted his head. “Hey, Duan Jiaxu.”

Duan Jiaxu put his backpack on the table. “What?”

“My sister just called me.” Sang Yan handed him his phone. “She said you left something at our house. I asked her what it was but she wouldn’t tell me. Call her yourself.”

Duan Jiaxu opened the closet, not finding any of his home clothes inside. “You call her, then give me the phone.”

Sang Yan, half asleep, opened the phone to find Sang Zhi’s number, dialed it, and handed the phone to Duan Jiaxu. He took it from Yan, put it to his ear, and went to the balcony to collect his clothes.

The other end picked up and a voice called out, “Brother?”

Duan Jiaxu lazily asked, “Kid, what did I leave at your place?”

“……” Sang Zhi fell silent, then guiltily said, “Brother, it’s not that you left something at my place, it’s that I left something at yours.”

“What is it?”

Sang Zhi honestly replied, “Homework.”

Duan Jiaxu responded nonchalantly, “Do you want me to have your brother bring it to you tomorrow morning?”

“But I haven’t finished it yet……”

“……”

Duan Jiaxu’s movement s paused. He was silent for a few seconds before he understood her intention.

“You want me to help you finish it?”

Feeling that her request was unreasonable, Sang Zhi stammered, “I could have done it myself, but there’s a 500-word journal entry that I can’t finish by tomorrow morning.”

“……”

Duan Jiaxu laughed at the absurdity. “Why don’t you ask your brother to do it for you?”

“He wouldn’t help me.”

Duan Jiaxu asked, “So you think I would?”

Both fell silent.

After a long pause, Sang Zhi’s voice came back, sounding tearful and muffled, “Please help me…… The teacher is very strict. I used to dare not do other homework, but I never dared to skip Language……”

“……”

“Why are you crying now?” Both amused and exasperated, Duan Jiaxu said, “Kid, here’s the deal. You get up early tomorrow and go to school to finish it. I’ll bring it to you early. How about that?”

She started crying. “That won’t do.”

Duan Jiaxu asked, “Why not?”

“I-I can’t get up early…… wuuwuuwuu……”

“……”