Duan Jiaxu’s lips seemed to brush against Sang Zhi’s earlobe, creating a sensation that was barely there. His breath, slightly heated, fanned against her ear, wave after wave, causing Sang Zhi to instinctively lean back.

But there was no room left to retreat.

There was always a feeling of doing something wrong, and Sang Zhi, nervously keeping an eye on Sang Yan, wanted to push Duan Jiaxu away.

The next moment, Duan Jiaxu grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms. At the same time, he tilted his head slightly and gently kissed her lips. However, his other hand was not so gentle. He pinched her chin and pressed down.

Following his force, Sang Zhi’s lips parted.

His tongue slipped in, hooking onto her hesitant tongue, inch by inch, devouring her completely.

Desire surged, overwhelming her with its intensity.

It felt as though he wanted to swallow her whole.

In the cinema, the background music was deafening.

It drowned out all other sounds.

Sang Zhi’s heart pounded violently against her chest, leaving her no room to think about anything else.

Their proximity was so close that Sang Zhi felt as though she could even hear his heartbeat, its rhythm almost identical to hers.

After a long while, Duan Jiaxu released her, his thumb lightly brushing the corner of her lips. Seeing her dazed expression, he chuckled and leaned closer to her ear, his voice husky, “It’s okay.”

Sang Zhi remained seated in a daze as if her soul had left her body.

Duan Jiaxu kissed her chin, his voice tinged with affection.

“Let’s keep it down.”

This brief interlude lasted only a few minutes.

But Sang Zhi couldn’t pay any attention to the rest of the movie. Her focus was entirely on her burning lips and Duan Jiaxu, who occasionally fed her popcorn.

She didn’t know how much time had passed.

The credits began to roll on the screen and the lights in the cinema brightened. The couple in the front row remained seated, seemingly waiting for the post-credit scene.

Sang Zhi wasn’t interested and stood up. “Let’s go.”

Duan Jiaxu hummed in agreement.

Noticing that Sang Yan hadn’t moved, Sang Zhi leaned over to check on him. His 3D glasses were tossed onto the seat next to him as if he hadn’t worn it at all. He was now slumped against the chair, asleep, though it was unclear how long he’d been out.

Unsure if he had noticed anything earlier, Sang Zhi scratched her head, trying to appear calm. She nudged his shoe with her toe to wake him. “Brother, time to go.”

Sang Yan opened his eyes. He didn’t seem to have noticed anything, glancing tiredly at his phone. Slowly, he stretched and lazily replied, “Okay.”

The three of them left the cinema and headed to the parking lot.

It was already late. Duan Jiaxu drove to Sang Zhi’s school and found a spot near the entrance. As Sang Zhi unbuckled her seatbelt and prepared to get out of the car, Sang Yan mumbled from the back seat, “I think I’ll just head back.”

Sang Zhi turned around. “What?”

Sang Yan didn’t say much more and got out of the car.

Sang Zhi looked at him strangely, then glanced at Duan Jiaxu, awkwardly asking, “Did he find out?”

Duan Jiaxu smiled. “Probably not.”

Sang Zhi let out a breath and reluctantly got out of the car. She walked over to Sang Yan, feeling uneasy, and muttered, “Why are you leaving now? Why not wait a bit and go back with Brother Jiaxu?”

“You two go on your date.” Sang Yan replied, looking down at his phone. “I’m heading back to Nanwu.”

“……”

Sang Zhi was momentarily stunned, not quite processing it. “Huh? Now? It’s already 9:00.”

Sang Yan casually dismissed it. “I’ll check at the airport to see if there are any tickets.”

Duan Jiaxu also got out of the car. Hearing that, he raised an eyebrow. “Leaving already?”

“Yeah.” Sang Yan looked at Duan Jiaxu, as if he wanted to say something, but found it unnecessary. He reached out and pinched Sang Zhi’s cheek hard. “Take care at school. Your brother’s leaving.”

“……” Sang Zhi mumbled softly, “Didn’t you say you’d leave in August?”

Sang Yan replied, “Something came up.”

“Then why didn’t you say so earlier?” Sang Zhi pouted, her tone sulky, “I could have taken the day off. I even planned where to take you this weekend and now you’re suddenly leaving.”

Sang Yan chuckled. “Do I need a little brat like you to take me out?”

Sang Zhi suddenly felt like crying. Sniffling, her eyes welled up, and she started to sulk. “You don’t even have a job. What’s the rush to leave? If you were only planning to stay for two days, why did you even come?”

“Say something reasonable.” Sang Yan added, “Who said I don’t have a job?”

It had been almost six months since Sang Zhi had last been home.

So even though Sang Yan hadn’t given her a good face this visit, with nine out of ten sentences aimed at annoying her, Sang Zhi still felt a sense of comfort and happiness.

Sang Zhi’s voice choked with emotion and she spoke softly, “Can’t you stay a few more days?”

“No.” Sang Yan laughed, finding her reaction odd. “Why are you crying?”

“……”

“What would I do if I stayed here? Hang around in Duan Jiaxu’s place all day, bored out of my mind? Play watchdog for him?” Sang Yan pointed at Duan Jiaxu as he spoke. “Isn’t this dog treating you well?”

Sang Zhi wiped her tears. “That’s not it.”

Sang Yan asked, “Not happy with your internship?”

“Mm.” Like a child who had been bullied, Sang Zhi whimpered and complained, “Someone’s been mean to me……”

“Then quit.” Sang Yan said, “It’s not like we’re short on money.”

“Then I’d just be letting her bully me for nothing……” Sang Zhi sobbed as she grumbled, “You even blocked me, snatched my red envelope, and kept scolding me after coming here……”

“How much was it? My flight here cost more than 800 yuan. How long are you going to hold this grudge?” Sang Yan said, “Alright, I was just messing with you. I’ll give it back later.”

“……”

“And what do you mean I kept scolding you? When did I ever say anything nice to you? It’s fine as long as you’re happy here. It’s not like I’m never coming here again. Are you really crying over this?” Sang Yan, overwhelmed by her tears, glanced at Duan Jiaxu, signaling him to take over. “Go to your old boyfriend.”

Duan Jiaxu spoke up, “Wait for a while, I’ll drive you there.”

“You don’t mind the trouble but I’m worried about missing the last flight.” Sang Yan’s tone was still as provoking as ever, “I’m leaving now, you take care of this little brat. Seriously, 19 yet still acting like 9.”

“……”

There were plenty of taxis near Yihe University and Sang Yan quickly flagged one down and left.

“Young Lady, are you pretending I don’t exist?” Duan Jiaxu walked up to Sang Zhi and said half-jokingly, “Crying like this over another man right in front of me.”

Without a word, Sang Zhi tugged at his shirt, using it to wipe her tears.

“Hey……” Duan Jiaxu wasn’t angry, instead, said playfully, “Don’t pull it up so high or I’ll be exposed.”

Sang Zhi mumbled through her heavy sniffles, “No one can see anyway.”

“Is your internship at that company really made you that unhappy?” Duan Jiaxu asked gently, his voice soft as he tried to comfort her, “Didn’t you tell me that your mentor wasn’t bullying you anymore?”

“I just don’t want to talk about it every day.” Sang Zhi said quietly, “Besides, crying just because I got scolded is pretty embarrassing.”

“Hmm?” Duan Jiaxu chuckled. “How many times have you cried in front of me? What’s there to be embarrassed about?”

“That was when I was little. I don’t do that anymore.” Sang Zhi had stopped crying, though her eyes were still red. She said earnestly, “I don’t like crying at all. Kids cry when they encounter problems. At my age, I should be thinking about how to solve them.”

Duan Jiaxu looked at her for a long moment, the corners of his eyes curling downwards. “You’re clearly a little crybaby.”

“……”

“If you think crying is just a kid’s right,” Duan Jiaxu said, his tone uncharacteristically serious as he rubbed her head, “then you can be a kid for life, alright?”

Sang Zhi looked up.

His eyes were naturally soft, with a light color that seemed like they could turn into water. “I’ll take care of you.”

That word, when she was younger, had felt like an annoying curse.

So she had asked him many times to stop calling her a kid, hoping to break free from that label as soon as possible. Yet as the days passed, she realized it was something she could never truly escape.

But now, when she heard that word again, it brought her an entirely different feeling.

The amazing thing was that all of these feelings were brought to her by the same person.

Sang Zhi stayed silent for a few seconds, then without a word, she leaned into his embrace.

Duan Jiaxu stroked her hair, thought for a moment, and asked, “Do you want to go home?”

Sang Zhi replied honestly, “Mm.”

“If you want to go home, then go. I’ll take time off to go with you. And if you don’t like that job, then don’t do it anymore.” Duan Jiaxu sighed, “What’s with that company, making my kid cry like this.”

“……”

“Should I go have a word with your boss?”

His tone was like a parent finding out their child was bullied at school, saying they would talk to the principal.

Sang Zhi couldn’t help but smile, her bad mood dissipating thanks to his comfort.

Duan Jiaxu’s eyelashes lowered and he smiled along with her. He bent down, kissed her forehead, and whispered, “I don’t just want to be your boyfriend.”

At those words, Sang Zhi’s heart skipped a beat, leaving her a bit stunned.

The next second, Duan Jiaxu seriously finished what he was saying.

“I also want to be someone you can rely on.”

———pr


Sang Zhi returned to her dormitory and took out her phone to check WeChat. She noticed that Sang Yan, who had blocked her for two weeks, had finally sent a message and transferred 5,000 yuan to her.

He added a single line.

【Sang Yan: Including your living expenses.】

Sang Zhi accepted the money, chatted with him for a while, and then quickly turned off the screen. Thinking about what Duan Jiaxu had just said, she suddenly found herself lost in thought, feeling like a once-empty spot in her heart had been filled by someone.

Not long after, Sang Zhi snapped out of it, blinked, and then started to giggle to herself.

———pr


The next day, Sang Zhi went to work as usual.

Because of Zhang Hui’s reprimand yesterday, Shi Xiaoyu didn’t target her as much. But Sang Zhi wasn’t sure if, by the next day, Shi Xiaoyu would revert to her old ways.

Sang Zhi didn’t want to keep clashing with the other party. She quietly thought to herself that if Shi Xiaoyu continued to act as she had before, there might be no reason for Sang Zhi to stay at this company. Although she had come there to learn things, she hadn’t learned anything at all.

The thing she spent most of her time thinking about each day was how to deal with Shi Xiaoyu.

It felt like a waste of time.

But fortunately, Shi Xiaoyu’s attitude remained the same as the day before.

In the days that followed, this was how they interacted.

Shi Xiaoyu no longer deliberately made things difficult for Sang Zhi, only assigning her tasks she was supposed to do. Occasionally, if she felt Sang Zhi hadn’t done something well, she would just mention it lightly.

Sang Zhi finally began to feel relieved.

Before she knew it, the weekend had arrived.

Sang Zhi accompanied Duan Jiaxu to look at an apartment near Yihe University. She thought he would choose a place similar to the one he had before, but this time, the apartment he found was significantly larger, with two bedrooms, a living room, and two bathrooms, with the master bedroom having its own bathroom.

It was about 70 square meters in total and the rent was considerably higher than his previous place.

While the agent was on the phone, Sang Zhi pulled him aside. “Why do you need such a big place when you’re living alone?”

Duan Jiaxu didn’t answer and instead asked, “Do you think this one is okay?”

Sang Zhi responded instinctively, “It’s nice.”

“This one then.”

“……” Sang Zhi was stunned. “No, why do you need two bathrooms when you’re living alone?”

Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow and said thoughtfully, “It’s not exactly living alone.”

Sang Zhi instantly understood a bit of what he meant. She stayed silent for a few seconds and then insisted, “I’m not moving in with you.”

“Mm.” Duan Jiaxu responded leisurely, “But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to leave a room for you.”

Sang Zhi muttered, “Isn’t that a waste?”

“It’s not too bad.” Duan Jiaxu said nonchalantly, “If you come over even for one night, it’ll be worth it.”

“……”

Sang Zhi didn’t take his words too seriously.

Shortly after he finalized everything, Duan Jiaxu moved in. He didn’t have much luggage, just a few boxes of belongings, so there was no need to hire a moving company.

The apartment complex was right next to Yihe University and was only a five-minute walk away.

Meeting each other became a lot more convenient.

Every morning, Duan Jiaxu would take Sang Zhi to work on his way. After work, they would return together and grab dinner at a nearby food street, and just like that, the day would pass.

Before they knew it, half of August had gone by.

It was a Friday and there hadn’t been much work at the company lately, so Sang Zhi left work on time. She sent Duan Jiaxu a message on WeChat and found out that he had to work overtime, so she got herself a takeaway meal and headed back to the university.

Sang Zhi turned on her computer and holding a spoon in her mouth, grabbed the air conditioner remote to turn on the AC.

The familiar sound of the AC starting up filled the room.

But then, it began making an odd, loud clattering noise.

Sang Zhi paused, glanced up at it, and noticed that there wasn’t any air coming out. Feeling puzzled, she grumpily turned it off and then back on again, but the result was the same.

The dormitory building was old and the AC was an older model too.

Sang Zhi didn’t know how to fix it, so she went downstairs to find the dormitory manager. The manager didn’t come up to check, instead telling her to file a repair request herself. However, since it was the holiday period, the university’s maintenance staff were also on vacation, and even if she reported it, she’d have to wait until the new semester started for someone to come and fix it.

Or she could also find a repairman from outside.

Sang Zhi had no idea where to find one, so she returned to her dorm and fiddled with the AC for a while longer.

She thought about just putting up with it.

But then she realized that the weather was simply unbearable.

Sang Zhi turned on the fan and finished her meal first. Then she messaged Duan Jiaxu on WeChat about the situation, thinking about whether she should find a hotel to stay at that night and see if she could get someone to fix the AC tomorrow.

Before she could decide, Duan Jiaxu had already replied.

【Come to my place.】

【Didn’t I give you a key?】

Sang Zhi thought about it and realized there was no need to be too formal. She packed a set of clothes, grabbed her skincare products, and even took her laptop, then headed over to Duan Jiaxu’s place.

She had been there quite a few times, so she didn’t feel uncomfortable. Once inside, she turned on the AC and lay on the sofa playing with her phone.

Sang Zhi was used to being home alone so she didn’t feel bored and the time passed quickly.

It was close to 9:00 PM when Duan Jiaxu finally returned.

Sang Zhi was holding a bag of potato chips, munching on them while watching a drama. She casually asked, “Have you eaten?”

Duan Jiaxu responded with hum.

Sang Zhi didn’t ask anything further.

Duan Jiaxu took off his shoes and sat down next to her, then asked, “What happened to your dorm’s air conditioner?”

“It’s just really loud,” Sang Zhi said, “and there’s no air coming out.”

Duan Jiaxu replied, “Okay, I’ll help you find someone to fix it tomorrow.”

Sang Zhi nodded and offered him some chips. “Want some?”

“No, thanks.” Duan Jiaxu ruffled her hair and said, “I’m going to take a shower. You can sleep in the master bedroom. I’ll go make the bed for you later and you can use the bathroom there to shower.”

“Okay.”

Even though it wasn’t her first time there, it was the first time Sang Zhi was staying overnight, and as it got later, she started to feel a bit uneasy. After Duan Jiaxu went into the bathroom, she finished the chips and then headed into the master bedroom’s bathroom to take a shower.

This bathroom was larger than the one outside and even had a bathtub.

On the sink, there were bottles of body wash, shampoo, and a range of toiletries, all suited for women.

Sang Zhi hadn’t been in there before and she was a bit surprised. She blinked and picked up each item to look at it before quickly heading into the shower.

She always took her time when showering, often spending up to an hour.

By the time Sang Zhi finished, it was almost 10:00 PM. She dried her hair, applied body lotion, and then hesitated before deciding to go to the kitchen to get a jelly snack.

She opened the bedroom door and saw that Duan Jiaxu had already finished his shower and was leaning on the sofa. He was dressed in pajamas, a dark blue plaid shirt and matching shorts. A towel was on his shoulder and his hair was still damp, hanging over his ears and forehead.

Duan Jiaxu was staring down at his phone, seemingly watching a video and looking relaxed and nonchalant.

Sang Zhi didn’t disturb him and headed straight to the kitchen.

When she returned to the living room, debating whether to go straight back to the bedroom or say something to him first, Duan Jiaxu suddenly called out to her, “Zhizhi, can you help me with something?”

Sang Zhi obediently walked over. “What is it?”

She sat down next to him, tearing open the packaging of the jelly as she spoke, “Do you want some?”

Duan Jiaxu put down his phone and shook his head. The corners of his mouth lifted into a slight smile and his fingers landed on one of the buttons of his shirt. Then, in a deliberately lazy tone, he said, “It’s a bit hot.”

“……”

“Help me unbutton this.”