Perhaps it was because the heating in the room was too strong, but Duan Jiaxu’s body temperature gradually rose. His fingertips slid down Sang Zhi’s back, and the places it touched seemed to ignite, burning with heat.

Duan Jiaxu’s other hand rested on the back of her neck, with a force that was neither too light nor too heavy, yet somehow felt overpowering.

Unknowingly, Sang Zhi, who had been sitting with her back to him, was now straddling him. Her hands instinctively moved upward, resting on his shoulders and gripping his clothes.

His scorching lips lingered on her collarbone, biting with increasing force.

Sang Zhi’s entire consciousness was consumed by him.

The only thing she could see was his raven-like eyelashes and his pale skin. The only sound she could hear was his breath, so close it seemed to brush against her ear, seductive and alluring, pulling her deeper into a descent, making her lost within it.

Duan Jiaxu’s kisses trailed upward from her collarbone, landing repeatedly on her exposed skin. He sucked on her earlobe, then continued upward, biting down on her ear cartilage.

It brought an unfamiliar and unbearable sensation, but Sang Zhi did not resist in the slightest.

She only wanted to get closer, wanted more.

Her mind was blank, overwhelmed, and she was unsure of how to react. She only knew to cling to him, her grip on his body gradually tightening.

Everything became tangible at this moment, impossible to ignore.

The distance between them closed even further.

Duan Jiaxu held her back, pressing her towards him as if he wanted to merge her into his body.

Then, Sang Zhi suddenly felt something hard and scorching press against her from below. She inhaled sharply, her thoughts still a bit muddled, and instinctively looked down.

In the next moment, Duan Jiaxu’s movements stopped.

Their gazes met.

His brows were filled with intense emotions, his eyes deep, like they were tinted with ink. His lips were vividly colored, still glistening with a hint of ambiguity. His Adam’s apple moved distinctly up and down, the lines sharp and handsome.

Unbeknownst to her, several buttons of his pajamas had come undone, revealing a broad expanse of his chest.

It was as if he was blatantly tempting her.

Duan Jiaxu’s lips curled into a smile as he grabbed her wrist, slowly guiding her hand downward. He let out a low, hoarse chuckle, his voice breathless, dripping with a kind of careless seductiveness as he murmured, “Why are you touching me there?”

In an instant, Sang Zhi realized where her hand had been placed and her mind exploded.

Duan Jiaxu tilted his head slightly, planting a kiss on her chin. His eyes narrowed slightly, and when he smiled, he looked every bit the devilish charmer, like a bewitching male spirit.

“Do you like it?”

After that, Duan Jiaxu didn’t make any further moves. He buried his face in her neck, his breath hot against her skin. But after a moment, he suddenly stood up, lifting Sang Zhi in that same position and carrying her back to her room.

Duan Jiaxu laid her down on the bed, leaning over to look her in the eye. Then, he firmly rubbed his thumb against the corner of her lips. “A little reminder……”

“……”

“Remember to lock your door when you sleep tonight.”

With that, he left the room.

Sang Zhi was still in a state of shock, reeling from the fact that she had just touched him there. She lifted her eyes, staring at the door that had been gently closed, momentarily frozen.

After a while, Sang Zhi crawled out of bed and quietly made her way to the bathroom inside the room.

She looked at herself in the mirror and noticed that the area above her left collarbone was covered with fine, red marks. After some thought, she lifted the hem of her pajama top and saw that there was also a red patch on her stomach where he had touched her.

Sang Zhi stared at the mirror in a daze for a long time. She pressed her lips together, then left the bathroom and leaned against the bedroom door, listening for any sounds outside.

All she could hear was the soft patter of water. Sang Zhi opened the door slightly and peeked out.

She found that Duan Jiaxu had gone back into the bathroom. And from the sound of it, he was taking a shower again.

Was it because he had worked up a sweat?

Closing the door, Sang Zhi returned to bed and lay down.

She habitually buried herself under the covers, replaying the recent events in her mind, then couldn’t help but roll over, only to tumble off the bed. But since she was wrapped in the blanket, it didn’t hurt much.

She got up, tossed the blanket back onto the bed, and picked up her phone from the table.

Sang Zhi wanted to look something up online.

Before she could open the browser, she suddenly noticed that Sang Yan had replied to her with, 【?】

Sang Zhi remembered the issue that had been bothering her lately and her emotions became more subdued with a hint of seeking help, 【Mom and Dad found out I’m dating Brother Jiaxu.】

Sang Yan replied coldly, 【Oh.】

【Sang Zhi: But they don’t approve.】

【Sang Yan: Because he’s old?】

【Sang Zhi: Aren’t you the same age as him? How can you say he’s old?】

Sang Yan, seemingly tired of typing, started sending voice messages again, “Your brother here is a post-90s kid, thank you.”

Sang Zhi wasn’t in the mood to joke around with him. 【Can you help me talk to them?】

Sang Yan drawled, “What do you want me to say? That you’re getting married?”

Sang Zhi couldn’t help but type 【You’re so annoying】, but quickly deleted it and changed it to, 【No, just help me talk to them about Brother Jiaxu. I feel like what you say might be more effective. They still see me as a kid and whatever I say don’t have much impact.】

“Why are you in such a hurry? In twenty years, if you’re still single, they’ll naturally agree.”

“……”

Sang Zhi resisted the urge to curse. 【I want to bring him home for the Spring Festival.】

Sang Yan’s tone was lazy, “You haven’t even told me the reason they’re disapproving. If it’s because of his age, there’s not much I can do. After all, your boyfriend is indeed a bit old.”

Staring at the screen, Sang Zhi muttered, “You’re the one who’s old.”

Thinking of what Li Ping had said, Sang Zhi figured Sang Yan was probably aware of Duan Jiaxu’s family situation. She exhaled and then hesitantly typed, 【It’s because of his family matters.】

“What about it?”

Sang Zhi paused.

His response seemed as if he didn’t know anything.

Sang Yan lost his patience. “Can you just say what you mean? Do I have to ask you everything one by one?”

Sang Zhi asked suspiciously, 【You don’t know about his family?】

“What the hell? Why would I ask about his family matters?”

He really didn’t know.

Sang Zhi had assumed Sang Yan knew and had then told Sang Rong and Li Ping. If that wasn’t the case, did Duan Jiaxu contact Sang Rong directly when he borrowed that 30,000 yuan?

Sang Zhi wasn’t sure.

But if Sang Yan didn’t know……

Sang Zhi thought for a moment. 【Alright.】

【Sang Zhi: If you don’t know, then never mind.】

【Sang Yan:?】

【Sang Zhi: Bye.】

【Sang Yan: ?】

Sang Zhi decided to handle it herself, planning to talk things over with her parents face to face when she went home during the holidays. She lay back on her bed, opened the web browser on her phone, and expressionlessly typed into the search bar—— Is it okay to be a virgin at 30?

She stared at it for a few seconds, then changed the first few words to—— Does it affect your health?

After staring at it for a while, Sang Zhi didn’t press search. Although no one would know what she was looking up, she still felt inexplicably embarrassed and silently closed the browser.

Sang Zhi didn’t really mind this issue either.

After all, they had been together for over half a year.

And at his age!

It did seem kind of pitiful……

Maybe when the time actually came, Sang Zhi would feel nervous and unsure, but at this moment, thinking of the word ‘pitiful’ made her want to laugh. She turned over, pushed the thought aside, and found an anime to watch.

After a few minutes, Sang Zhi suddenly noticed the time on the screen.

Her attention then shifted to the bathroom outside the room.

There was still the sound of running water.

It had already been almost half an hour.

Didn’t he usually finish showering in less than ten minutes?

She stared blankly for a while.

Suddenly, Sang Zhi sat up, realizing something. She curiously got out of bed, walked to the door, and opened it slightly to peek outside. Just at that moment, the sound of water stopped.

She held her breath, quickly closed the door, turned off the light, and lay back on the bed. Soon after, she heard the bathroom door open, followed by the sound of slippers slapping against the floor.

It sounded like he was heading to the kitchen.

Sang Zhi turned on the small night lamp on the side and stopped watching the anime. Most of her attention was now focused on the man outside. She could hear Duan Jiaxu sitting down on the sofa, and before long, the TV in the living room was turned off.

It became quiet.

In this serene atmosphere, Sang Zhi gradually closed her eyes.

But before she could fall asleep, she heard the sound of Duan Jiaxu walking again, this time from the living room to her room’s door. She immediately opened her eyes and looked towards the door.

The next second, the handle turned.

After a long moment, the door was pushed open from the outside.

Only then did Sang Zhi speak up, “What are you doing?”

Duan Jiaxu leaned lazily against the doorframe and said, “Didn’t I tell you to lock the door?”

Sang Zhi whispered, “I forgot.”

He stood with the light behind him, his figure appearing vague and indistinct. But his voice still carried a smile, as mischievous as ever, “So, can I sleep with you tonight?”

Sang Zhi was stunned.

The two of them stared at each other for a while.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Sang Zhi scratched her head and blurted out, “Are you going to take another shower later?”

“……”

Duan Jiaxu was also momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter, not feeling awkward at all. “Do you know what I was doing?”

But it was Sang Zhi who felt embarrassed, so she didn’t say anything more.

Soon, Duan Jiaxu straightened up, walked over to the bed, and stood in front of Sang Zhi. She could smell the faint scent of tobacco on him, mixed with mint, which was particularly pleasant.

Duan Jiaxu bent down and kissed her forehead. “Did I scare you?”

Sang Zhi was silent for a few seconds before honestly replying, “No.”

“Is that so?” Duan Jiaxu chuckled, his tone teasing, “Then next time, I can be a little more forward.”

“……”

“Sleep.”

After he left, Sang Zhi lay back down, thinking about what ‘a little more forward’ meant. She reached out and touched her stomach, then suddenly pulled at her collar and glanced down.

Her expression was a bit complicated.

Sigh.

It seemed like she was a bit too flat.

But Duan Jiaxu’s figure was quite good.

He even has abs, broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs.

Didn’t that make her look……

Sigh.

“……”

Sang Zhi let go of her collar and gloomily burrowed into the blanket.

———pr


Once the weekend was over, Sang Zhi returned to school.

Her name was on the scholarship list that had been announced earlier and the money was deposited into her account at the end of the month. Her internship salary from the summer had also been transferred to her card. The bank sent a message, and Sang Zhi stared at the amount, feeling oddly inflated.

In the following days, Sang Zhi resumed her routine of spending every day in the library until the exam week ended. Because she had to study, she and Duan Jiaxu saw each other less during this time, so she didn’t return to Nanwu immediately and booked a flight for two days later.

She stayed at Duan Jiaxu’s place for two days.

On the night before she was to leave, Sang Zhi remembered something and took the initiative to ask, “How are you spending the Spring Festival this time?”

“Watching the Spring Festival Gala at home,” Duan Jiaxu replied, “and waiting for you to chat with me.”

Sang Zhi was nibbling on a potato chip and cautiously asked, “Do you want to come to Nanwu? We can spend the holidays together. If you don’t want to come to my house, I can sneak out.”

Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow and pinched her cheek. “I’ll think about it.”

There were still two weeks left until the Spring Festival but Sang Zhi was worried there would be no tickets left, so she mumbled, “You need to decide quickly. If you don’t feel like going anywhere and just want to stay in Yihe, that’s fine too. I’ll still contact you every day.”

“Okay.” Duan Jiaxu smiled. “Remember to contact me daily.”

Sang Zhi’s flight was scheduled for early the next morning.

At 6:00 AM, Duan Jiaxu woke her up.

She moved slowly, but luckily there was no need to pack. She had brought her suitcase from her dormitory and hadn’t opened it. After freshening up and having breakfast, Duan Jiaxu drove her to the airport.

Not knowing if Duan Jiaxu would come to Nanwu for the Spring Festival, Sang Zhi realized they might be apart for almost a month.

Sang Zhi truly felt reluctant to leave. After arriving at the airport, she didn’t immediately go through security, instead, she clung to him and chatted for a long time. Like a little adult, she gave him all sorts of reminders.

Duan Jiaxu listened with great interest.

When it was almost time, Sang Zhi, acting like a clingy little person, kept holding onto him without letting go. Finally, she sighed regretfully, stood on tiptoe to give him a kiss, and then said, “I’m leaving.”

Duan Jiaxu also kissed her back. “Mm.”

“Remember to decide soon,” Sang Zhi said, “or there won’t be any tickets left.”

Duan Jiaxu said, “I know.”

Sang Zhi blinked and added, “I hope you’ll come.”

“Mm.”

“But don’t feel pressured because of what I said,” Sang Zhi added, “If you don’t come, we can still video chat.”

Duan Jiaxu smiled. “Aren’t you leaving yet?”

“I’m leaving.” Sang Zhi was a bit displeased, “You get annoyed just because I talk a little.”

“If you don’t leave soon,” Duan Jiaxu paused, staring at her round and bright eyes, suddenly wanting to kiss her dimple, and murmured, “I really won’t let you go.”

———pr


When she got off the plane, it was just after 11:00 AM.

Sang Zhi wasn’t sure if Sang Yan would come to pick her up, so she sent a message in the family group chat, 【I’m at the airport.】

She then went to retrieve her checked luggage.

When she looked at her phone again, Sang Yan had already replied in the group, telling her his location. Sang Zhi dragged her suitcase out. She looked around and quickly spotted him.

Sang Zhi walked over and called out, “Brother.”

Sang Yan glanced at her, took her suitcase, and grunted in response. He was clearly in a bad mood.

Sang Zhi followed him and casually asked, “Didn’t you say yesterday that you wouldn’t come to pick me up and told me to take a taxi?”

“Hmph.”

“……What’s your problem?”

“Why don’t you ask Duan Jiaxu what his problem is?” Sang Yan, still grumpy from being woken up, suppressed his irritation and said, “He started calling me at 8:00 in the morning, every ten minutes. I put my phone on silent……”

“……”

“So he sent me a delivery.”

Sang Zhi almost laughed and defended Duan Jiaxu, “He probably just wanted to treat you to breakfast.”

“And what of the note he left?” Sang Yan sneered, reciting it smoothly, “’My boy friend has a fever and hasn’t been reachable for three days. I’m out of town and can’t come back, so please make sure he wakes up and eats. Thanks.’”

“……” Sang Zhi asked, “So what?”

“Your sister-in-law,” Sang Yan looked at her, his tone icy, “was the one who opened the door.”