“……”

The hall fell silent for a moment, and then Sang Zhi heard laughter around her. She wasn’t sure if anyone else had taken out their phones, but she quietly put away hers and turned off the screen.

At that moment, Sang Zhi felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

Thank goodness no one there knew about their relationship.

This little incident lasted less than five seconds. In the next moment, Duan Jiaxu, as if nothing had happened, calmly and earnestly finished his speech.

The smile on his face was faint, making him appear both distant and focused.

“……”

Sang Zhi truly thought he was incredible.

In her whole life, she had never encountered someone as impressive as him.

After he finished speaking and handed the microphone back to the host, Sang Zhi suddenly remembered something. She picked up her phone and sent him a WeChat message, 【Just stay in your original seat for now.】

【Sang Zhi: Let’s meet outside the school gate.】

She absolutely! Did not want! To be embarrassed with him!

Once the message was sent, Sang Zhi glanced around. She suddenly noticed that the schoolmate who had been sitting with her earlier was now looking in her direction.

When their eyes met, the schoolmate grinned and gave her a thumbs-up.

Sang Zhi: “……”

Perhaps Duan Jiaxu had seen her message because after stepping off the stage, he didn’t walk towards her. Instead, he just glanced at her, raised his brow slightly, and obediently returned to his original seat.

From where Sang Zhi sat, she could only see half of his profile.

She sneaked a look at him.

She noticed that Duan Jiaxu seemed to know the man sitting beside him. He was now tilting his head to listen to the other man speak, then he gave a faint smile without saying anything.

Sang Zhi withdrew her gaze.

No matter what, this time, she was definitely going to scold him.

She! Absolutely! Wouldn’t! Go easy on him!

At that moment, Sang Zhi’s phone vibrated.

It was a message from Duan Jiaxu.

【Duan Jiaxu: Are you angry?】

Sang Zhi typed out 【A little】, thought about it, then deleted it and changed it to 【Mm】. She stared at it for a long time, but in the end, she didn’t send it. She decided to let him worry for a bit and seriously reflect on his behavior.

As the speech segment ended, it was time for the awards ceremony. Sang Zhi went on stage with a few others who had been called, receiving the certificate from the host.

The large screen behind them displayed each person’s work for thirty seconds.

Sang Zhi turned to look at it and felt an inexplicable sense of embarrassment.

She hadn’t expected Duan Jiaxu to come. When she drew her character’s design, she had never shown it to him. On the rare occasion that he passed by her, she would immediately switch to another screen out of caution.

The large screen now showed the character’s front, back, and side views.

The man stood casually, revealing a white tail behind him as he was holding a fan in his hand. His eyes were curved as he smiled gently and he was wearing a red robe that exposed a large part of his chest.

Sang Zhi instinctively glanced in Duan Jiaxu’s direction, only to catch him looking back at her. She pretended to be calm and looked away, posed for a photo with the organizers, before quickly stepping down from the stage.

The final segment was over.

After the organizers spoke for a few more minutes, the ceremony officially ended. A group photo was taken, and then Sang Zhi was the first to leave the hall.

She found a spot to wait for Duan Jiaxu.

The temperature outside was very low, so Sang Zhi took a scarf out of her bag and wrapped it around her neck.

Before long, Duan Jiaxu also came out. Compared to earlier, he now wore a long coat over his suit, his tall and straight figure looking mature and steady, with less of the carefree attitude from before.

He walked over and stood in front of Sang Zhi.

Her dark eyes stared directly at him.

“I was wrong.” Duan Jiaxu reached out to her, admitting his mistake with a knowing smile. “I just saw you struggling to get a good shot, so I switched places to give you a better angle.”

“You could have just switched places without saying anything.” Sang Zhi replied stiffly, “Why did you have to say it out loud?”

“Isn’t it called, showing off our love in a high-profile manner?” Duan Jiaxu pondered for a moment, then thoughtfully said, “I thought girls your age liked that sort of thing.”

“……”

“I came here once a couple of years ago and saw a student confess on stage.” Duan Jiaxu said leisurely. “Now that I have a girlfriend, I thought I should give it a try.”

“……”

Sang Zhi suddenly remembered that time Duan Jiaxu had joked about confessing to her with heart-shaped candles under her dormitory building.

As expected.

He really was an old-fashioned man to the core.

“It’s no big deal. No one knows it was you. Besides, I’ve attended several of these award ceremonies before.” Duan Jiaxu pinched her cheek. “Your Brother knows what he’s doing.”

“……”

You sure do.

But comparing this to an actual on-the-spot confession, this was indeed a hundred times better.

Sang Zhi’s anger started to fade and she muttered, “If you do this again, I’ll really pretend I don’t know you. If someone asks, I’ll say you’re just someone who looks like my boyfriend.”

Duan Jiaxu smiled. “Didn’t you already pretend not to know me today?”

“That’s because we haven’t left the school yet.” Sang Zhi said confidently. “I was planning to talk to you once we got outside.”

Duan Jiaxu didn’t seem to mind. He took her hand in his. “Shall we go back?”

As the conversation shifted, Sang Zhi noticed that he hadn’t mentioned her artwork. She wasn’t sure if he hadn’t noticed or had just forgotten. She quietly let out a small breath of relief and held his hand back.

“Mm.”

When they got to Duan Jiaxu’s place, Sang Zhi went to her room to change her clothes, then lay down on the sofa and pulled up the video she had just taken. The progress bar quickly reached the end, where Duan Jiaxu’s last words on stage played.

She blinked and replayed it several times, the corners of her lips lifting into a smile.

Duan Jiaxu grabbed a bottle of water from the kitchen and sat down beside her. Noticing her expression, he chuckled and teased, “You clearly like it.”

Sang Zhi didn’t deny it and kicked him lightly. “Anyway, you can’t do this anymore in the future.”

Duan Jiaxu let her kick him but then caught her ankle, lifted it, and gently bit her calf.

His bite wasn’t hard, just a soft touch of teeth against her skin, slightly wet and a bit ticklish. Sang Zhi tried to pull her leg back, but he held onto it, making her exasperated. “Are you a dog? Why do you keep biting people?”

“Fox spirit.” Duan Jiaxu paused, his voice lazy, “I just like to eat people.”

“……”

“Come here.” Duan Jiaxu loosened his tie and leaned in closer. Despite his words, he was the one who moved toward her, speaking frankly, “It’s been a while since I’ve tasted you.”

As soon as he finished speaking, his lips pressed against hers.

He was still wearing his suit, the tie hanging loosely on his chest. With his eyes filled with desire, he looked like a beast in a gentleman’s clothing.

His tongue slipped into her mouth, brushing against her teeth and softly sucking on her tongue. As if afraid of hurting her, his movements were gentle yet patient.

Sang Zhi reached out to grab his tie.

Soon, Duan Jiaxu let go of her, meeting her gaze without continuing. Then he suddenly smiled and bit her lip. “Did you really draw me like that?”

“……” Sang Zhi had almost forgotten about this matter, but his words brought out a guilty feeling. She mumbled defensively, “Who said it was you?”

After a moment, Sang Zhi added indignantly, “And what do you mean by ‘like that’? It’s not like it’s ugly— I even won third prize.”

“You drew it well, but making me show some skin for others to see,” Duan Jiaxu slowly began to unbutton his shirt with one hand, “isn’t very appropriate, is it?”

“……”

It was just a small patch of chest.

Anyone who didn’t know better would think she had drawn him naked.

Duan Jiaxu curled his lips and pulled his shirt open. “Did you draw it while looking at me?”

“……” Sang Zhi couldn’t take it anymore. Like a gentleman unmoved by temptation, she tugged his shirt back in place and changed the subject, “Did you prepare a birthday gift for me?”

“Mm.”

“What did you have for me?”

Duan Jiaxu leaned back against the chair, raised his long, distinct hand, and pulled his shirt open again, revealing his collarbone and firm chest.

Then, Sang Zhi heard him drawl out three words in a tempting tone, “A visual treat.”

“……”

———pr


Duan Jiaxu initially intended to go to his room to change, but Sang Zhi didn’t want him to, insisting he stay in his current attire. She even buttoned his shirt and fixed his tie, making him look like a boss even at home.

Though the outfit wasn’t particularly comfortable, Duan Jiaxu didn’t complain, indulging her. He propped his face on his hand, watching her sip water from her cup, and suddenly said, “Little Friend, you’ll be 20 tomorrow.”

Sang Zhi glanced at him. “I know.”

Duan Jiaxu asked, “What’s your birthday wish?”

“World peace, I guess.”

“Oh.” Duan Jiaxu’s expression remained casual, his tone almost sounded as if rehearsed, “Want to get a marriage certificate with Brother Duan?”

“……” Sang Zhi replied, “I’m still so young.”

“Then let’s get engaged first. Once you graduate, we can get the certificate.” Duan Jiaxu shamelessly played with her fingertips. “It’s better to settle it now, so I can get a chance to get married before I turn 30.”

Sang Zhi blinked and teased, “Poor you.”

Duan Jiaxu asked, “What do you mean?”

“If you only get married at 30, when will you have kids?”

“Don’t I already have one?” Duan Jiaxu kissed the back of her hand, his voice tender and affectionate, “I don’t have the energy to care for another.”

“Am I still a kid?” Sang Zhi couldn’t help but retort, her tone displeased. “Just the other day, a little boy I was tutoring called me aunt.”

“Still taking part-time jobs?” Duan Jiaxu said lightly, “Don’t go anymore. Just focus on your studies and hang out with your classmates when you’re free.”

It wasn’t like she was lacking anything. Duan Jiaxu didn’t want her college years to be as hard as his.

Sang Zhi fell silent instantly.

“Whether you want to pursue further studies or start working right away after graduation,” Duan Jiaxu met her eyes, his tone becoming more serious, “I’ll take care of you.”

Sang Zhi didn’t know what to say, so she just nodded slightly.

Not long after, Duan Jiaxu changed the topic, “Not happy being called aunt?”

They locked eyes for a few seconds before he suddenly laughed, lowering his head to kiss her again. He murmured, “Little Friend, remember? You used to get angry with me like that too.”

———pr


After Sang Zhi’s birthday, Duan Jiaxu returned to Nanwu. The words he had spoken on stage were actually caught on video and uploaded to the school forum.

Luckily, the video quality wasn’t great and the distance was far, making it hard to see his face clearly.

It was Ning Wei who told Sang Zhi about it.

She mentioned that the person in the video looked a lot like Duan Jiaxu.

Taking a break, Sang Zhi went to check the video and skimmed through the comments.

【Even low quality can’t hide his good looks.】

【Which company is this? I’m ready to submit my resume.】

【Upstairs, you can apply, but it’s useless. Didn’t you hear him say, ‘My girlfriend is filming me’?】

【If he looks like this, his girlfriend must be a goddess.】

【Honestly, I used to think this kind of behavior was lame, but after watching this video…… I guess looks really do matter. I’m so jealous. I’m hugging my broken heart right now……】

Halfway through reading, Ning Wei asked, “Is that your Brother Duan?”

Sang Zhi coughed, giving a vague answer, “He does look a bit like him.”

Ning Wei didn’t expose her, sighing lightly. “If it were my boyfriend up there, he probably wouldn’t even know where I am. The fact that he could notice what you were doing is impressive.”

“……” Sang Zhi suddenly remembered something. “Now that you mention it, I just realized— I even switched spots.”

Ning Wei was silent for a few seconds. “Sigh.”

Sang Zhi asked, “……What’s wrong?”

“I want to change boyfriends.”

“……”

———pr


On Qingming Festival, Duan Jiaxu came over from Nanwu, having booked a same-day round-trip flight. During this period, a project had been launched at his studio, keeping him busy, so he didn’t have time to stay in Yihe for long.

The two drove to a cemetery on the outskirts.

Duan Jiaxu held Sang Zhi’s hand, silently leading her to one of the spots.

Then, Duan Jiaxu squatted down, cleaned the tombstone, and placed the items they had brought. With a smile, he called out, “Mom.”

Sang Zhi also squatted down beside him, obediently saying, “Aunt.”

Xu Ruoshu in the photo looked very young and had an outstanding appearance. She seemed like a very gentle person with a bright smile on her face. When she passed away, she was only in her 40’s.

Duan Jiaxu introduced her, “This is Sang Zhi.”

He paused, then added, “My wife, your daughter-in-law.”

Many years had passed and Duan Jiaxu’s emotions were very calm. Just like every previous visit, he slowly told his mother about what had been happening in his life recently.

Sang Zhi silently listened on the side.

He patiently recounted everything and after an unknown amount of time, he stood up and said, “We’re leaving now, I still have a flight to catch later.”

“By the way, I forgot to tell you, Dad’s condition isn’t good. We don’t know if he’ll wake up again.” Duan Jiaxu paused, then said in a light voice, “I’ll be settling down in Nanwu from now on, but I’ll come visit you whenever I have time.”

Duan Jiaxu looked at Sang Zhi. “Let’s go.”

Sang Zhi bit her lip slightly and softly said to Xu Ruoshu, “Aunt, don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Brother Jiaxu.” Then she added seriously, “I’ll treat him well.”

“……” Duan Jiaxu chuckled. “What are you doing?”

Seemingly dissatisfied with his laughter, Sang Zhi shot him a silent glance and continued, “Then, Aunt, we’re leaving now. I’ll come visit you when I have the chance.”

The two of them left the cemetery.

Duan Jiaxu found it particularly amusing. “Why do I feel like you’re treating me as your wife?”

Sang Zhi felt wronged. “I didn’t say anything wrong.”

“Hmm.” Duan Jiaxu patted her head, coaxing softly, “You’ll treat me well.”

Sang Zhi pulled out her phone from her pocket and checked the time. “Let’s quickly grab something to eat, then head to the airport. Otherwise, we’ll be late.”

“Mm.”

The two got in the car and drove back to the city, parking in a shopping district near the airport. They randomly chose a restaurant to have a meal.

When they were finished, it was just past 5 o’clock. Duan Jiaxu went to pay the bill and the two left the restaurant, walking towards the escalator.

As they reached the second floor, Sang Zhi heard the sound of people arguing. She instinctively looked in that direction and saw a middle-aged woman with a child arguing with a younger woman.

Sang Zhi’s expression froze.

She noticed that the younger woman was Jiang Ying.

The next moment, the middle-aged woman suddenly grabbed Jiang Ying’s hair, her voice sharp and terrifying, “Your father’s such a beast, and your family still wants to hire a lawyer to reduce his sentence? Are you people even human?”

“What does that have to do with me?!” Jiang Ying’s voice was hysterical as she pulled her hair back. “Get lost! What does it have to do with me?! Are you crazy?!”

Soon after, security guards, alerted by the commotion, came over to break up the fight.

Sang Zhi glanced at Duan Jiaxu.

His expression didn’t change much, as if he hadn’t heard the voices.

Just as they were about to continue down, Jiang Ying’s gaze shifted over, noticing Duan Jiaxu. She seemed a bit dazed, her eyes reddened as if filled with blood and her tears welled up.

But this time, unlike any previous encounters, the other party didn’t come over to cause trouble for him. Instead, she lowered her head in a pitiful and exaggeratedly weak manner.

Sang Zhi didn’t watch any longer. She pulled Duan Jiaxu down the stairs, hesitating as she asked, “Didn’t her father pass away?”

Duan Jiaxu thought for a moment. “It’s probably her stepfather.”

“Oh.” Sang Zhi said, “I heard from Shi Xiaoyu before that something happened in Jiang Ying’s family, but I didn’t ask for details.”

Duan Jiaxu gave a soft hum.

Seeing how Jiang Ying had just been treated, Sang Zhi could imagine what kind of situation Duan Jiaxu might have faced in the past.

But he wouldn’t express himself like Jiang Ying did, neither through his voice nor in any other way. He had no way to escape such misplaced anger.

He also felt it had nothing to do with him.

But still, he felt powerless.

Sang Zhi remembered the time when Duan Jiaxu had appendicitis and, despite the excruciating pain, hadn’t planned to go to the hospital. Did he disregard his own health because, at some point, he had considered giving up on life?

Her nose tingled and she suddenly stopped walking, hugging him as if to comfort him.

Duan Jiaxu was taken aback. “What’s wrong?”

“I wasn’t just talking nonsense in front of Aunt earlier, I was very serious.” Sang Zhi buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled, “I will treat you well.”

Duan Jiaxu found her serious appearance both silly and adorable, and he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hmm, I know.”

The obsessed and troubled Jiang Ying, burdened by her own shadows, had blamed Duan Jiaxu, who was also a victim. Only after experiencing something similar did she begin to understand.

The malice she had projected would eventually be returned to her in kind.

Everything seemed like a cycle.

So, your suffering is also in the past.

For someone as gentle as you toward the world, you will surely be rewarded in kind.