Since it was more convenient, Duan Jiaxu drove directly to the airport.

He had originally planned to drop Sang Zhi off at her school on the way, but since she wanted to see him off, he didn’t stop her. On the way, he contacted a reliable driver service. After arriving at the airport, he stayed with her while they waited for the driver to arrive.

He handled things calmly, without any sense of urgency. However, Sang Zhi felt anxious and tugged at him, urging him to head inside. “Don’t wait anymore or you might be late.”

Duan Jiaxu followed her lead, smiling as he said, “It’s still early.”

“I’ll take you through security and then I’ll come back out. The driver should be here by then.”

After a moment of thought, Duan Jiaxu agreed, “Alright.”

As they walked, Sang Zhi slowly said, “I’ll be home during the May 1^st holiday, so there’s no need for you to come over. Also, I ordered a box of snacks online for you. It should arrive tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t always eat takeout. Just because you’re alone doesn’t mean you should be lazy. If you have time, you can come to my house for meals. If you feel awkward going alone, you can bring my brother with you.”

Duan Jiaxu was amused. “Have you started learning how to take care of children now that you’re of marrying age?”

“What do you mean taking care of children?” Sang Zhi gave him a look. “I’m taking care of an elder in my family.”

Hearing that, Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow, seemingly indifferent to her words. “Hmm? Whether someone is old or not doesn’t really matter.”

“……”

“As long as they’re part of your family, it’s fine.”

———pr


After Duan Jiaxu passed through security and Sang Zhi could no longer see his figure, she left the airport. The driver arrived just in time and Sang Zhi greeted him before getting into the car.

She opened WeChat and sent a message to Duan Jiaxu. After exiting their chat window, she idly scrolled through her messages and noticed that Shi Xiaoyu had sent her a message ten minutes ago.

【Shi Xiaoyu: Did you see Jiang Ying today?】

Sang Zhi hesitated before replying with a simple, 【En.】

【Shi Xiaoyu: She just called me, crying non-stop, but she wouldn’t say what happened……】

【Shi Xiaoyu: Her mood hasn’t been great lately. If she did something wrong, I apologize on her behalf.】

Sang Zhi instantly understood.

Shi Xiaoyu was likely trying to find out what had happened, since Jiang Ying hadn’t explained much.

Sang Zhi replied concisely, 【We just happened to pass by and saw her being harassed by a woman. Nothing else happened. She didn’t do anything wrong.】

There was a long pause before Shi Xiaoyu responded.

【Shi Xiaoyu: Alright, I understand. Thank you for telling me.】

Shi Xiaoyu explained on Jiang Ying’s behalf, 【The matter has nothing to do with her, it’s her stepfather’s issue. Her mother is also planning to divorce him.】

Sang Zhi wasn’t particularly concerned about it and replied with another, 【En.】

【Shi Xiaoyu: Sigh, I find it all rather baffling. While I can understand that family’s feelings, they’re going too far…… It has nothing to do with Jiang Ying. She’s not even close to her stepfather.】

This time, Sang Zhi didn’t respond.

【Shi Xiaoyu: Previously, Jiang Ying couldn’t figure things out, and because of it, her life has also been miserable. She’s been unhappy for over a decade and has had few friends. But recently, because of this latest issue, she’s had some clarity. She probably won’t bother your boyfriend anymore.】

【Shi Xiaoyu: But she might still find it hard to forgive.】

“……”

Sang Zhi couldn’t understand why Shi Xiaoyu was telling her all this. She stared at the screen for a while, then laughed angrily. 【There’s no need for forgiveness.】

【Sang Zhi: It’s unnecessary.】

Blaming someone else’s crime on Duan Jiaxu and then magnanimously offering a statement like ‘she won’t bother you anymore, but she can’t forgive’, as if they thought they were being so kind and generous.

But Duan Jiaxu had done nothing wrong, so he didn’t need the forgiveness meant for someone else.

He never initiated trouble and only wanted to stay away from such matters. Even when treated unfairly, he never fought for himself.

He just wanted to live his life in peace.

【Sang Zhi: You don’t need to tell me about these things anymore. I’m not close to Jiang Ying and I’m not interested in whatever’s happening with her.】

【Sang Zhi: And I know she’s a victim.】

【Sang Zhi: But she’s not the only one.】

Afterward, Sang Zhi put down her phone and looked out the window.

She thought back to the wish she had casually made on her birthday.

——World peace.

Wishing that there would no longer be criminals lurking in dark corners of the world.

Wishing that before committing a crime, the culprits would think three times about the consequences of their actions and how many families they would hurt.

Wishing the culprits would consider how their families would live because of their actions.

If that wish was too grand, then, Sang Zhi wished that one day, everyone would be able to distinguish between a criminal and a family member.

———pr


Sang Zhi had bought a ticket to return home for the May 1^st holiday, but it turned out to be useless. One night in late April, Duan Zhicheng passed away.

He never opened his eyes before he died.

His life was left with only the panic after hitting someone, the unrepayable guilt of his crime, and the debt and sorrow his last action caused his family.

Nothing else.

When Duan Jiaxu received the call, he was exceptionally calm.

He had known for a long time that this day would come. It was only a matter of time. His emotions barely fluctuated as he booked the earliest flight back to Yihe.

As soon as the plane landed, Duan Jiaxu called Sang Zhi.

The two met at the entrance of the hospital.

Sang Zhi walked over and held his hand. Her lips moved, but no words came out. She had no idea what to say. In the end, all she managed to utter were five words, “I will stay with you.”

Duan Jiaxu gave a light hum in response.

Entering the morgue, Duan Jiaxu’s gaze fixed on one of the bodies covered with a white cloth. He stared at the name tag that read ‘Duan Zhicheng’ and walked over, slowly pulling off the cloth.

It revealed Duan Zhicheng’s stiff and bloodless face.

Duan Jiaxu withdrew his hand, his emotions distant. “Congratulations.”

Until death, you don’t have to face the consequences of your crime.

After thinking for a moment, Duan Jiaxu spoke softly, “If you see Mom in the afterlife, don’t bother her anymore. Stop hurting her and let her have some peace.”

After saying those things, Duan Jiaxu lowered his gaze and stared at Duan Zhicheng’s face. Feeling there was nothing more to say, he quickly put back the cloth covering him.

Duan Jiaxu turned to Sang Zhi. “Let’s go and complete the paperwork.”

Sang Zhi raised her head, nodded, and cautiously observed Duan Jiaxu’s expression. She felt sad for him, but his calm demeanor left her at a loss. She leaned closer and took his hand again.

“Why that expression?” Duan Jiaxu said gently, “It’s okay, I’m not sad.”

After all, he had long outgrown the age of dreaming.

He knew that miracles in this world were rare. He hoped Duan Zhicheng would wake up, but he also understood that the chance of that happening was so slim as to be negligible.

The two of them left the morgue.

Sang Zhi suddenly stopped and opened her arms toward him. “Hug me.”

Duan Jiaxu was startled but obediently bent down to embrace her. He could feel her hands lightly patting his back as she murmured softly, “I can’t tell you that it doesn’t matter.”

Because it could never feel like it doesn’t matter.

“But I can accompany you through the sadness. I can be with you through everything.” Sang Zhi said, “You don’t have to carry all the burden on your own.”

I hope this can make things feel a little less unbearable.

Hearing her words, the curve of Duan Jiaxu’s lips slowly faded. As if lost in thought, he lowered his eyelashes and suddenly called her, “Zhizhi.”

“Hmm?”

“Am I really getting too old?”

Sang Zhi didn’t know why he suddenly asked that, but she seriously denied it, “No.”

Duan Jiaxu’s Adam’s apple bobbed as if suppressing some emotion. After a moment, he murmured, almost inaudibly, “Then why do I not have my parents anymore?”

“……”

Sang Zhi felt a lump in her throat and she tightened her hold on him. Her eyes reddened and she struggled to speak without choking up. Slowly, she said, one word at a time, “I’ll stay with you.”

Everything I have, I’ll give to you.

All the warmth I’ve ever received, I’ll share it with you.

“I’ll make you a promise, okay?” Sang Zhi said. “In the future, we’ll have a home and I’ll be with you for a long time. My family will also become your family.”

“Mm.” Duan Jiaxu echoed softly, “We’ll have a home.”

Sang Zhi gently patted his head. Mimicking his earlier tone, she earnestly said, “Whatever others have, our Jiaxu will have too.”

Duan Jiaxu let out a raspy laugh.

“Okay.”

All the inescapable, unforgettable pasts— in this moment, as Duan Zhicheng left— finally, they were completely in the past.

———pr


In mid-July, Sang Zhi’s summer vacation began.

As soon as her final exam ended, Sang Zhi took a car to the airport and returned to Nanwu. Early the next morning, Duan Jiaxu called her out to look at a newly opened residential area in the city.

They checked out a model home.

It has three bedrooms, two living rooms, two bathrooms, and a small balcony. The space wasn’t large, just over 100 square meters, but the layout and surroundings were quite nice.

Everything was perfect.

Except for the price, which was a bit hard to accept.

Afraid that the agent might hear, Sang Zhi leaned close to Duan Jiaxu’s ear and whispered, “This is so expensive.”

“My Zhizhi needs a house to hide her sweetheart.” Duan Jiaxu whispered back lazily, mimicking her tone. “If I buy something cheap, you might feel embarrassed to show me off.”

“……”

“I’m still waiting to be hidden away.”

“……” Sang Zhi frowned. “Just buy a two-bedroom house. 70 or 80 square meters will do.”

“Kid, this will be our marital home.” Duan Jiaxu continued, “One room for us, and another for our future child.”

Sang Zhi seriously replied, “That’s just two rooms.”

“Let’s also make a study.” Duan Jiaxu raised an eyebrow, his tone suggestive, “I haven’t tried it in a study yet……”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.

Sang Zhi gritted her teeth and reached out to pinch his face.

Duan Jiaxu couldn’t help but laugh, his chest vibrating with the sound. His eyes curved into beautiful crescents as he stopped joking and asked, “So, do you like this one?”

Sang Zhi glanced around again and said only one word, “Expensive.”

“Mm, then we’ll take this one.” Duan Jiaxu had already visited before and thought this house was suitable. He just hadn’t made a decision yet because he wanted to get Sang Zhi’s opinion. “I’ll tell the agent and we can come back with our documents to make the purchase.”

Sang Zhi didn’t say anything more.

After leaving the sales office, Sang Zhi couldn’t help but ask, “How come you……”

Duan Jiaxu asked, “Hmm?”

Sang Zhi mumbled, “Well, you’re pretty handsome.”

Duan Jiaxu smiled. “And then?”

“Your temper’s not bad either.”

“Mm.”

“Your education and work abilities are pretty good too.”

“What’s the matter?”

“And now,” Sang Zhi didn’t quite know how to describe her emotions, feeling a bit unbalanced and somewhat useless, “you’re even quite rich.”

Duan Jiaxu reacted and casually added, “I’ve got a good figure too.”

“……” Sang Zhi didn’t want him to get too full of himself, so she retorted, “Your figure is just average.”

Hearing that, Duan Jiaxu shifted his gaze to her. “Average? Alright.”

“What?”

“After all, I rely on my looks to make a living.” Duan Jiaxu reached out and scratched her chin, his tone lazy, “Looks like I need to work harder.”

“……”

The two got into the car.

Sang Zhi glanced at her phone and casually said, “Can you drop me off at Shang’an? I’ve got a high school reunion today and I promised to go.”

Duan Jiaxu reminded, “We’re having dinner at your house tonight.”

“I know, my mom told me.” Sang Zhi continued, “I’ll be back in the afternoon. I’ll just have lunch with them and chat for a bit. I won’t stay long.”

“Mm.”

Duan Jiaxu dropped her off at Shang’an Plaza, then went to a nearby supermarket to buy some things before heading to the Sang family’s house.

Since it was the weekend, both Sang Rong and Li Ping were at home. Duan Jiaxu sat in the living room and chatted with them for a while, then followed Li Ping into the kitchen to help her out.

After a while, Li Ping glanced at the cabinet and said, “Jiaxu, could you go to Zhizhi’s room and bring out a plate? She took it there last night for a midnight snack and forgot to bring it down.”

Duan Jiaxu nodded. “Yes.”

He turned on the tap, washed his hands, and then headed to Sang Zhi’s room.

Duan Jiaxu had been in this room once, years ago. Back then, she had nervously pulled him inside and, in a panicked voice, asked if he could pretend to be her brother to meet her teacher.

Even after so many years, the room hadn’t changed much.

The space was small, with just a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe inside. The warm tones gave the room a cozy feel and most of the decorations were in light pink.

The quilt was messily spread on the bed, with a few pieces of clothing scattered next to it.

Duan Jiaxu instinctively went over to pick them up and also neatly folded the quilt. As he glanced up, he noticed a few stuffed toys on the bed.

They were all gifts from him.

On the desk were many trinkets, along with a makeup bag and a schoolbag, all traces of his presence in her life over the years.

Duan Jiaxu walked over to the desk and was about to pick up the plate when he noticed a sketchbook beside it. He smiled slightly and casually picked it up, then flipped through a few pages.

The next second, a piece of paper fell out.

Duan Jiaxu’s gaze froze and he instinctively looked down.

He immediately noticed what was written on it—

「My dreams:

1. Get into Yihe University

2. Duan Jiaxu」

The handwriting was extremely childish and the paper was somewhat crumpled, yellowed with age.

The second dream had been heavily scribbled out with a black pen, so much so that the paper had torn slightly, yet it was still clear what those three words were.

Duan Jiaxu stood still for a long time before slowly picking up the piece of paper. He raised his head and his gaze shifted to the milk bottle on the windowsill.

It was filled with paper stars.

He walked over, picked up the bottle, and gently rubbed it with his thumb.

———pr


When Sang Zhi got home, it was just after 5:00 PM.

Li Ping was the only one in the living room, sitting on the sofa watching TV. Hearing the noise, she glanced over and casually said, “You’re back?”

Sang Zhi nodded and asked, “Has Brother Jiaxu come over yet?”

“Yes, he helped Mom in the kitchen all afternoon and just went to rest in your brother’s room.” Li Ping replied. “It’s almost time, go call him out so we can get ready for dinner.”

Sang Zhi agreed and jogged over to Sang Yan’s room. She had no reservations with Duan Jiaxu, so she directly grabbed the door handle and pushed it open, immediately seeing the man sitting on the sofa.

He was lazily leaning against the back of the chair, a cigarette burning in his hand, eyes downcast as he looked at his phone. He was dressed in a white shirt and suit pants, with fine hair falling over his forehead.

The room was dimly lit, making his figure appear shadowy and indistinct.

The next moment, Duan Jiaxu lifted his eyes.

His appearance was stunning and captivating.

A scene that was all too familiar.

It was like returning to that afternoon many years ago.

Back when Sang Zhi was very young, burdened with countless worries, she had recklessly and anxiously opened this very door, and then she saw the 20-year-old Duan Jiaxu.

That young man who was outstanding in every way, always carefree and nonchalant.

He seemed indifferent to everything, taking all of her wild actions in stride without the slightest change in expression.

Gentle yet distant, dazzling, and radiant.

A treasure that couldn’t be hidden even in the dim light.

Sang Zhi had crashed into his world.

And this man had come to occupy her entire adolescence.

He was her dream at the time, yet unreachable.

Sang Zhi felt a bit dazed, standing there in a trance.

History seemed to be repeating itself. Just like back then, Duan Jiaxu lowered his eyes, extinguished his cigarette, and then got up to open the window. But this time, something was different— because in the next second, he reached out his hand towards her.

“Come here.”

Sang Zhi didn’t say anything, obediently walking over.

At the same time, Duan Jiaxu grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms. He leaned close to her ear, his voice hoarse, “You are……”

He paused, then seriously and cleanly finished his sentence.

“My only wish in this life.”

Sang Zhi looked up and met his gaze. She pressed her lips together, her throat tightening.

At that moment, Sang Zhi recalled her much younger self.

Back then, she tried so hard to hide all of her feelings, cautiously approaching him with the sweet yet bitter secret she dared not tell anyone.

She had once cried hysterically alone and hidden all those memories in a box. She crossed off the dream she thought was impossible to achieve, pretending it never existed.

She had even whispered to herself, choking on her words, “I won’t like you anymore.”

Each word was clear and distinct.

Yet, the moment she met him again, it all fell apart.

Those deep, unresolved feelings of unrequited love, the secret she wanted to hide in her heart forever and not let anyone know, in the end, became something she couldn’t conceal.

At this moment, it seemed there was no need to hide anymore.

Because the dream she had always held on to, from some point onward, had also regarded her as his only dream.