“Huh? You’ll be 27 next year, right……” His words were somewhat out of the blue. Sang Zhi didn’t react immediately but quickly realized something was off. “No, why are you suddenly asking about my age?”

“I noticed you’ve been mentioning it a lot tonight.”

“……What?”

“I didn’t catch it just now,” Duan Jiaxu laughed, “but now I do.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, seeing Qian Fei getting married made you want to get married too?” Duan Jiaxu teased in a casual tone.

Sang Zhi: “……”

“What are you thinking at such a young age?”

“……”

“Let Brother do the math for you. Didn’t you realize you’re not even of legal marriage age yet?” Duan Jiaxu said, “You’ll be able to marry in a year, so don’t rush.”

“……” Sang Zhi suppressed her irritation and stopped looking at him. “I can’t be bothered to talk to you.”

“Also, next year I’ll still be 26, not 27.” Duan Jiaxu added, “I won’t acknowledge that extra year.”

Sang Zhi couldn’t help but argue, “You’re already 26 this year, not 25.”

“My birthday hasn’t passed yet, so I’m still 25.” Duan Jiaxu turned the steering wheel and drove into Sang Zhi’s neighborhood. “For us older folks, age sensitivity is a thing. Understand?”

After a few seconds of silence, Sang Zhi found it strange and started speculating, “Has someone been calling you old lately?”

Duan Jiaxu lazily replied, “Apart from you, who else would call me old?”

Sang Zhi paused, feeling a bit guilty. “I haven’t said it that many times.”

“En, you’ve been saying it since I was 20.” Duan Jiaxu added softly, “I’ve never felt young in my life.”

“……”

The car just happened to arrive at Sang Zhi’s building.

Sang Zhi quickly unfastened her seatbelt, pretending not to hear his words. “I’m going in. Thanks, Brother Jiaxu. Remember to rest early for tomorrow’s flight.”

“Wait a minute.”

Sang Zhi turned her head. “What is it?”

Duan Jiaxu loosened the tie around his neck, then suddenly took out a square box from another pocket. He was smiling as he handed it to her. “A New Year’s gift for our Zhizhi.”

“……”

She had thought he had forgotten.

Sang Zhi blinked slowly and took the box. “Thank you.”

———pr


Back home, Sang Zhi glanced at the living room. As expected, Sang Rong and Li Ping had not returned yet. She went straight to her room, sat on the carpet by her bed, and took out the box Duan Jiaxu had given her.

It was a simple, plain-colored box with a logo printed in the center.

She opened it.

Inside was a silver bracelet, designed to look like a fox. The head and tail were at opposite ends, connected by a chain with small diamonds, forming a loop.

Inside, the letters ‘SZ’ were engraved.

Sang Zhi put the bracelet on her wrist and stared at it for a long while.

Then, she took out her phone and hesitated before searching online for the meaning of gifting a bracelet. The first result that popped up stated that the meaning depends on who is giving it.

Sang Zhi clicked to read more.

【When a man gives a bracelet, it means he likes you and will stay with you for life.】

Reading that, Sang Zhi’s heart skipped a beat. She licked her lips and continued reading.

【Elders often give bracelets to juniors to express their eternal care and blessings.】

“……”

Fine.

Sang Zhi’s mood inexplicably became a bit empty.

After a while, she sighed, put the bracelet back in the box, and stopped thinking about it. She got up, pulled her suitcase over, and began packing for her return to school the next day.

Besides the things she had brought back before, Sang Zhi also packed the set of cosmetics Duan Jiaxu had previously given her. After taking a shower, she cut a piece of cake in the kitchen and ate it.

Then she went back to her room and lay down on the bed.

Sang Zhi took out her phone, set the alarm, and then messaged Duan Jiaxu on WeChat, 【So we leave at six tomorrow? Let’s take a taxi.】

【Brother #2: Mm.】

Sang Zhi remembered something and asked, 【Brother Jiaxu, why aren’t you drinking alcohol?】

At Qian Fei’s wedding, even Sang Zhi had a small glass, but Duan Jiaxu didn’t drink a drop. She had thought he’d be forced to drink a lot.

Thinking about it, she realized she had never seen him drink.

A while passed.

【Brother #2: I’m allergic to alcohol.】

【Sang Zhi: Oh, just as well.】

【Sang Zhi: It’s not tasty anyway, much better than me not being able to drink milk or eat beef.】

As it was getting late, Sang Zhi started feeling sleepy while holding her phone. She closed her eyes and gradually fell asleep. But just before losing consciousness, she suddenly remembered what Duan Jiaxu had said today.

——”If it’s for our Zhizhi, how is it a loss?”

———pr


At five o’clock the next morning, Sang Zhi woke up.

The sky was still dark and she couldn’t hear any movement from Li Ping and Sang Rong outside. To avoid waking them, Sang Zhi moved quietly and quickly washed up in the bathroom.

When she came out, Li Ping, wrapped in a coat, also came out of the master bedroom.

“Zhizhi.” Li Ping looked a bit weary. “Your dad and I drank last night so we can’t drive you to the airport. Shall I call your brother to take you?”

“No need.” Sang Zhi felt a bit guilty for waking up her mother. “I’m going with Brother Jiaxu. He came here yesterday for Brother Qian Fei’s wedding and is also heading back to Yihe today.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, go back to sleep.” Sang Zhi said, “Brother also drank, don’t call him.”

Sang Zhi returned to her room and sent a WeChat message to Duan Jiaxu, 【Brother Jiaxu, are you up?】

Duan Jiaxu replied instantly, 【Yes.】

Relieved, she sat down at her vanity and quickly applied light makeup. Sang Zhi changed her clothes, then grabbed her suitcase and headed out.

At this hour, the temperature outside was colder than expected, the biting chill seeping through her pores and into her bones.

Sang Zhi sniffed, took out her phone, and called Duan Jiaxu.

The call was answered quickly. His voice came through, clear and smooth, not sounding tired at all, “Are you out?”

Sang Zhi responded, “I’m about to leave the complex. Where are you?”

“Right outside your complex, at the bakery.” Duan Jiaxu said, “I’m buying breakfast. Have you eaten?”

“Not yet.”

“What do you want to eat?”

“A sandwich would be fine,” Sang Zhi thought for a moment, “and an egg tart.”

“Alright.”

Sang Zhi hung up, her hands freezing stiff. She huddled her neck, took out her gloves from her bag, put them on, and continued dragging her suitcase slowly.

As she left the complex, she immediately spotted Duan Jiaxu not far away, holding a black luggage bag.

Duan Jiaxu walked over, handed her the plastic bag he was carrying, and casually took her suitcase, placing his own luggage bag on top of it.

Sang Zhi glanced at him. “Have you eaten?”

“No, I’ll eat in the car.” Duan Jiaxu added, “You should have some soy milk first to fill your stomach.”

“Oh.” Sang Zhi hooked the plastic bag on her wrist. She then took off her gloves, poked a hole in a bottle of soy milk with a straw, and handed it to him. “You drink.”

Duan Jiaxu accepted it and smiled, “Thanks, Zhizhi.”

They waited by the roadside for a while before hailing a taxi. Sang Zhi got in, took out a sandwich from the bag, and handed it to him as well before unwrapping one for herself.

Just as she was about to take a bite, she noticed Duan Jiaxu wasn’t eating, just looking at the sandwich in her hand.

“……” Feeling embarrassed under his gaze, Sang Zhi hesitated and handed her sandwich to him. “Do you want it?”

Duan Jiaxu took it, his tone almost flirtatious, “Thank you, Zhizhi.”

Sang Zhi: “……”

It was baffling.

There was only one egg tart left in the bag. Sang Zhi could only take it out and eat it, glaring at him with some dissatisfaction as he ate her sandwich. “Are you going to eat two?”

“Mm.”

Since he paid for it, Sang Zhi couldn’t say much. But remembering that she had told him she wanted a sandwich, she could only hint, “Then why didn’t you buy three?”

“Why buy three?” Duan Jiaxu seemed puzzled, his tone playful, “I can’t eat three.”

“……”

Sang Zhi held back her frustration and continued eating her egg tart.

Not long after, Duan Jiaxu finished one sandwich and unwrapped the other. He paused, raised his eyebrows slightly, and offered it to Sang Zhi. “Want some?”

Sang Zhi, with pride, didn’t even look up. “No.”

“Can you be full just by eating an egg tart?”

“No.”

“Then why not eat?”

“I won’t eat someone’s handout.”

“……” Duan Jiaxu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed softly, as if he found it quite interesting. “Why do you say it’s a handout?”

Sang Zhi continued drinking her soy milk. “You gave it to me only because you couldn’t finish it.”

“Couldn’t finish it? Such a small sandwich,” Duan Jiaxu said, “I could eat three more.”

Sang Zhi tilted her head. “Then why didn’t you give it to me earlier?”

“I was just teasing you.” Duan Jiaxu’s deep and bright eyes stared directly at her, and he said calmly, “If you act cute, wouldn’t Brother give it to you?”

“……”

This man was becoming more shameless with age.

Sang Zhi couldn’t resist the urge to retort, “You wish.”

“Do you need to prepare?” Duan Jiaxu placed the sandwich into her hand. “Then go ahead, Brother will wait.”

Sang Zhi, being unusually serious, repeated earnestly, “I said, you wish.”

“Mm.” Duan Jiaxu smiled. “Our Zhizhi is so cute when acting cute.”

“……”

Sang Zhi suddenly understood how Sang Yan felt yesterday.

Duan Jiaxu could really be so shameless that it made her feel suffocated with anger, yet she couldn’t think of any way to retaliate.

Sang Zhi stopped paying attention to him, finished the sandwich, put on her jacket’s hood, and leaned back in her seat with her eyes closed. She had woken up early that day so she soon fell asleep.

When she woke up again, they had already arrived at the airport.

The two of them retrieved their boarding passes and chose two adjacent seats. Still feeling sleepy, Sang Zhi found a spot in the waiting area to continue napping.

When it was time to board, Duan Jiaxu woke her up.

The two of them were seated in a row of three seats and they chose the inner ones. Duan Jiaxu had Sang Zhi sit by the window and reminded her to fasten her seatbelt.

Sang Zhi took out a bottle from her bag, the water inside was filled by Duan Jiaxu in the waiting area. She opened the cap and took small sips.

Duan Jiaxu asked Sang Zhi, “Are you cold?”

Sang Zhi shook her head. “No.”

Soon, the person next to Duan Jiaxu took his seat.

The man placed his bag in the overhead compartment, then sat down and threw a glance at Duan Jiaxu before quickly looking away.

A moment later, as if realizing something, he looked back at Duan Jiaxu and stared at him for a while.

“Hey, aren’t you Duan Jiaxu?”

Upon hearing that, Duan Jiaxu turned his head.

Sang Zhi also looked over.

The man, about Duan Jiaxu’s age, wore black-framed glasses, had a fair and clean face, and was dressed in a simple sports jacket.

“It’s really you.” The man said excitedly, “I’m Yuan Lang, remember? We were in middle school together.”

Duan Jiaxu quietly looked at him, not saying a word.

“Long time no see. How many years has it been……? We used to be desk mates, right?” Yuan Lang continued, “I heard we had a class reunion recently, why didn’t you go? I missed it because my mom was sick.”

Duan Jiaxu looked away and smiled faintly. “I didn’t have time.”

“That’s understandable.” Sensing Duan Jiaxu’s coldness, Yuan Lang laughed awkwardly, “I heard from Jiang Ying that you’re quite busy with work. You must be earning a lot.”

Noticing Sang Zhi, Yuan Lang curiously asked, “Is this your girlfriend? Wait, didn’t I hear you and Jiang Ying were getting married?”

Sang Zhi was stunned.

“……” Duan Jiaxu also seemed to find it incredulous and he turned his head. After a few seconds, he asked with a tight smile, “What did you say?”

“Aren’t you? I can’t remember who told me……” Yuan Lang felt a bit embarrassed. “Don’t mind me, I just said it without thinking.”

Sang Zhi leaned closer to Duan Jiaxu and whispered, “Who is Jiang Ying?”

Duan Jiaxu replied flatly, “The woman we ran into at the hotpot restaurant before.”

“……”

Sang Zhi recalled for a moment and was unable to make sense of the two’s relationship.

Yuan Lang asked again, “So is this your girlfriend?”

Duan Jiaxu turned his head and whispered something to the other party but Sang Zhi didn’t quite catch it.

Then, Duan Jiaxu turned back to look at her.

Sang Zhi hesitated. “Then……”

Seeing her expression, Duan Jiaxu explained seriously, “We have no relationship and she’s not an ex-girlfriend either.” He stared at Sang Zhi, his eyes softening. “Moreover, didn’t I promise you?”

Sang Zhi didn’t understand. “What?”

“That before I get a girlfriend,” Duan Jiaxu continued slowly, “I’ll show her to our Zhizhi first.”