“……….”
Hearing this, Sang Zhi feels like she should apologize to him.
Sang Yan looks tired and agitated, he walks faster. Sang Zhi runs slowly behind him to follow him. She says boldly: “But he also doesn’t know that you live with your girlfriend. Moreover, she wouldn’t misunderstand you…..”
Sang Yan is quiet.
Sang Zhi says again: “You could just explain the situation clearly to him, if not I would help you to explain it.”
Sang Yan walks while takes out his phone. He takes a look at it.
“Moreover Papa also asked you to pick me up.” Sang Zhi says ,” Why are you angry with me?”
“…..” Sang Yan glances at her: “How old are you now?”
Sang Zhi answers: “20 years old.”
“The time I was 20 years old,” Sang Yan says: “Every time I came back for summer holiday, no one would pick up. I also needed to pick you up, the most annoying student. Do you remember it?”
“Why do you always compare yourself to me?” Sang Zhi says: “At our family, are we in the same position?”
“……”
Sang Yan is too lazy to mind her. He doesn’t drive today so they take a taxi to Sang Yan’s apartment.
Sang Zhi gets on the taxi before him, she sends a message to Duan Jia Xu. {I’m here, my Ge also comes to pick me up.]
Very quickly, Sang Yan also gets on the taxi after putting the luggage on the the trunk. He sits beside her.
The driver starts to drive.
Sang Zhi asks. “Why are we going to your place first? I want to go home immediately.”
Sang Yan doesn’t answer, he seems to be so tired. He just closes his eyes after getting on the taxi.
“Pa Ma aren’t home.” Sang Zhi feels a bit hungry. She takes initiative to say: “If not, treat me lunch.”
“……..”
Sang Zhi plays with her phone and feels bored: “Why you don’t answer me, Sao Zhi is really angry to you? You could explain it to her, it’s just a small matter.”
Sang Yan still doesn’t give any response.
Sang Zhi remembers something again. “But since when you start to live together with Sao Zi?”
“…..”
“Then what about YI Fan Jie?” Sang Zhi says with curiosity. “Didn’t you guys promise to not take boyfriend or girlfriend to stay at the apartment? This isn’t good, wouldn’t she be awkward?”
Sang Yan just opens his eyes slowly and watches her.
Sang Zhi responds: “You don’t rent jointly with her anymore?”
Sang Yan closes his eyes again and says nothing
Sang Zhi feels uninterested so she just let him be.
The taxi stops in front of Sang Zhi’s apartment building.
Sang Zhi doesn’t plan to get off from the taxi together with him, she plans to let him off and let the driver sends her home. But Sang Yan looks at her and lifts his chin. He says: “Go up and call after your Sao Zi, let’s go out and have a breakfast.”
“…….” Sang Zhi is stupefied, “Why don’t you go up by yourself? I even don’t know her.”
Sang Yan unloads Sang Zhi’s luggage and urges her impatiently: “Hurry up.”
Sang Zhi just bears with him. “Oh.”
She takes the key from Sang Yan and gets inside the building. Sang Zhi has come over here for few times during her senior high school so she is quite familiar with the area.
These two years she hasn’t been coming around.
She takes the elevator upstair. She hesitates for a while and doesn’t open the door immediately. She just presses the bell and waits outside for a while. After a while, someone opens the door.
The woman is wearing a simple pajamas. She looks so seductive and beautiful. Sang Zhi pauses and calls after her: “Yi Fan Jie.”
Wen Yi Fan doesn’t expect that person to be Sang Zhi. She is holding chopsticks with her hand, she looks at behind Sang Zhi. “Zhi Zhi, how come you are you here?”
“My Ge asked me to come upstair.” Sang Zhi gets in and takes off her shoes. “You still rent jointly with my Ge?”
Wen Yi Fan: “Em.” Then she goes to pour a glass of water for Sang Zhi.
Sang Zhi takes it and thanks her. “Where is My Ge’s girlfriend? Is she inside the room?”
The TV is on, it broadcasts the recently popular drama. Wen Yi Fan sits down on the sofa and looks at the TV. She continues to eat her breakfast and answers casually: “It’s me.”
“……”
Sang Zhi couldn’t believe what she hears, she is startled: “Ah?”
Wen Yi Fan tidies up her hair and says gently: “What is it?”
Sang Zhi doesn’t respond too overly:”Nothing.”
She still wants to say something then suddenly notices the note on the cover of Wen Yi Fan’s meal. It’s writing that Sang Yan said to her.
Sang Zhi immediately points at it: “Yi Fan Jie, are you really angry to my Ge?”
Wen Yi Fan takes a look at it and then she lifts up her head and says frankly and ignorantly: “No ah, I am eating it now….”
Sang Zhi is relieved: “I thought you misunderstand my Ge to do two-timing in relationship.”
Wen Yi Fan turns silence for few minutes and considers. She says: “Ah, this means two-timing?”
“…….”
“I thought he is afraid that he couldn’t wake up so he called a takeaway and purposely made this note.”
Sang Zhi explains: “No.”
Wen Yi Fan: “So he really does two-timing in relationship?”
Sang Zhi shakes her head quickly and wants to explain more to her. Wen Yi Fan speaks up and says: “Just let him be, how dare he is.”
“……….”
Wen Yi Fan raises up her thumb and seems proud: “Awesome.”
“…….”
—–
Perhaps because he is waiting for too long, Sang Yan calls over. But after a while, he personally comes back home. Hearing the bell, Sang Zhi goes to the door and returns to the kitchen.
Sang Yan looks at her: “What are you guys doing?”
Sang Zhi: “Sao Zi is cooking noodle for me.”
Wen Yi Fan ties up her hair and takes the knife. She is mincing the meat on the chopping board. She looks at Sang Yan and reminds Sang Zhi gently: “Don’t call me that way, your Ge is doing a two-timing relationship.”
Sang Yan: “……..”
Sang Zhi is very sensible, she goes outside the kitchen and gives space for both of them. She goes to sit down on the sofa and watches the kitchen glass door. She couldn’t hear it clearly what are they talking about.
After a while, Sang Zhi starts to chat with Duan Jia Xu.
[Do you know who is my Ge’s girlfriend?]
Duan Jia Xu: [I never hear it from him, why?]
Sang Zhi: [She is very beautiful Jie Jie.]
Sang Zhi: [My Ge’s senior high school classmate. In the past she rented jointly with my Ge Ge. I didn’t expect them to be together. I feel my Ge doesn’t deserve her.]
Duan Jia Xu: [She is really that beautiful?]
Sang Zhi: [?]
Sang Zhi: [How could you be so curious?]
Sang Zhi feels a bit regretful for mentioning to him. She looks at the phone for a while then adds. [But surely I’m more beautiful than her.]
—–
Sang Zhi feels like a ‘third-wheel’ being there, she listens to the conversation between Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan while she is eating her noodle slowly. She doesn’t want to disturb them so after she is done, she says that she wants to leave.
Wen Yi Fan also wants to go out so she plans to drive Sang Zhi back home.
Sang Zhi sits down on the front passenger seat and continues to chat with Duan Jia Xu. [Why did you call a takeaway for my Ge?]
Duan Jia Xu: [As my token of gratitude.]
Duan Jia Xu: [I want to thank him for picking you up.]
Sang Zhi laughs.
Hearing her sudden laughter, Wen Yi Fan asks: “You are chatting with your boyfriend?”
Sang Zhi blinks and nods: “Em.”
“I heard from your Ge, that your boyfriend is his roommates during college?”
“Right.”
“It’s good. He should be older than you but he would be caring toward you.” Wen Yi Fan says, “Moreover you guys should know him more throughly. I think your Ge trusts him.
It’s rare thing for her to hear someone praises Duan Jia Xu to be with her. Sang Zhi is happy and smiles.
“But it’s not the most important. Previously your Ge showed my boyfriend’s photo.” Wen Yi Fan sighs in admiration: “He is so handsome.”
“……”
“Compare to your Ge–” Wen Yi Fan just stops and seems to notice that she is talking about that person’s Mei Mei. She just swallows her words and changes her words: “He is okay.”
“…….”
Sang Zhi doesn’t know clearly whether Sang Yan has told Li Ping about his girlfriend but she doesn’t take initiative to mention the girlfriend to Li Ping. For next few days, she just lives an uninteresting life. If she is not eating, she would be sleeping. It stays for few days, Sang Zhi feels bored. With the recommendation from several classmates, she finds a job as a tutor. She also doesn’t forget about the possibility that Duan Jia Xu comes to visit their house. She mentions it to Li Ping few times.
Li Ping understands her daughter’s intention: “Duan Jia Xu wants to come over to celebrate the New Year?”
Sang Zhi nods nervously: “Is that okay?”
“It’s better not.” Li Ping considers and says gently: “Mama is worried that he would feel awkward to spend with strangers. If he just wants to visit as your boyfriend. It’s a bit early.”
Sang Zhi turns quiet and quickly turns serious: “Mama, are you not listening to my words these period of time?”
Li Ping: “I’m listening.”
“I know that you guys are doing this for my own good, you guys are worried that I wouldn’t live well.” Sang Zhi says seriously: “But you should also be clear what kind of person Duan Jia Xu is. If he is not a good one, Ge Ge would disapprove too.”
“…….”
“His current economic condition is not lacking now. During university, he studied very hard and always got the scholarship. Now he is also working very diligently. He is not someone without any positive characteristics.” Sang Zhi says: “Now I am also studying hard so I could find a good job and earn my own money. I feel I’m in a very good situation.”
Li Ping listens to her quietly.
“Moreover for his family condition, previously a woman looked for me but he always protects me. Now there’s no trouble.” Sang Zhi straightens her lips and says: “He also feels unhappy because of this but he also has no way. I feel for a lot of matters, he already does his best.”
“Em.”
“In the past I said a lot of things to you because I don’t want to let you worry about it, I want you to be relieved.” Sang Zhi says: “I also want you to know that I’m serious. I’m not together with him just because of my impulse. I am really feeling good and great.”
“Mama knows.”
Sang Zhi doesn’t know whether Li Ping really believes her this time, but now she feels very depressed. She always feels that her words are ineffective. Yet she is afraid that Li Ping would be annoyed so she doesn’t mention it anymore.
Under this condition, Sang Zhi is also worried to take Duan Jia Xu home.
Day just passes by so quickly, it’s almost the end of the year.
Several weeks before the end of the year, Duan Jia Xu books a ticket to come to Nan Wu four days after the New Year.”
Duan Jia Xu tells her that the earlier flights are sold out. He tells her that he would go to Wen Si Yun’s (his boss) to celebrate and eat with her family. He doesn’t want Sang Zhi to be worried.
Sang Zhi knows clearly that Duan Jia Xu is just comforting her.
Sang Zhi is very busy, everyday she is accompanying her parents to visit her relatives. However at night she would have a video call with Duan Jia Xu.
Four days after the New Year.
Duan Jia Xu arrives at Nan Wu in the afternoon.
Sang Zhi doesn’t lie to her parents and just tells them that she would go and find Duan Jia Xu.
Duan Jia Xu doesn’t let Sang Zhi pick him up at the airport. He get off the plane and just takes taxi to find her.
They both meet each other in front Sang Zhi’s apartment complex.
Sang Zhi accompanies him to go to the nearby hotel to put his luggage. Then they go together to stroll around. She accompanies him to have dinner then he sends her back to her apartment.
Sang Zhi lets Duan Jia Xu’s hand go and the time she wants to say goodbye. Just in time they bump to Sang Rong and Li Ping, who just arrive home.
Because he is unprepared, Duan Jia Xu looks startled. He stands up straight and smiles toward them. He greets them politely.
It’s been a long time since they last meet him.
Sang Rong greets him politely too, he asks about his condition and says: “Let’s go upstair to sit. It’s been some time since you were here. How could I never A Yan mentions about you?”
Duan Jia Xu nods and answers politely.
Sang Zhi feels her parents act like they don’t know about the relationship between Duan Jia Xu and Sang Zhi.
Sang Zhi follows behind them and couldn’t help herself to hold Li Ping’s hand. She calls after her with a low voice: “Mama.”
Li Ping feels she is funny. “What is it? Do you think we would eat him?”
“…….”
They get into the apartment. Four of them are sitting on the sofa. Sang Yan is not home, he supposedly is going out with his friends. Sang Zhi feels so nervous, she doesn’t know what would they say to Duan Jia Xu.
Li Ping and Sang Rong indeed don’t say anything.
They are treating him like he is a son of a friend, there’s nothing different from the past.
After a while, Li Ping suddenly stands up and says that she would cut some fruits for them. She goes to the kitchen and then calls after Sang Zhi: “Zhi Zhi, come and help Mama.”
Sang Zhi is startled, she glances at Duan Jia Xu then she answers slowly: “Okay.”
Cutting fruits doesn’t need a lot of time, Sang Zhi helps to take out some fruits. Then she washes it cleanly. Li Ping doesn’t let her to cut it so she just stands there and watches Li Ping cuts it.
They stay in the kitchen for several minutes.
The time Sang Zhi is out, Sang Rong and Duan Jia Xu are still chatting. There’s no change. They both look normal.
Sang Zhi looks at Duan Jia Xu for a while, then she just turns relieved when she feels nothing is happening.
After half an hour, Duan Jia Xu takes initiative and says: “It’s late, Shu Shu A Yi, today I’ll go back first. I don’t want to disturb your rest. Another day I would come over to visit.”
Sang Rong and Li Ping stand up and send him to the door.
Now it’s already 09:30 p.m.
Sang Zhi takes her coat and says: “Let me send you down.”
Duan Jia Xu smiles and says: “No need, it’s near.”
Li Ping doesn’t stop her, she says: “Wear more clothes, it’s cold outside.”
Sang Zhi: “Okay.”
She wears her shoes and says to Duan Jia Xu. “Okay, let’s go.”
Duan Jia Xu says nothing else and reminds her, “Zip up.” Then he looks at Sang Rong and Li Ping and says gently: “Shu Shu A Yi, Happy New Year.”
They both go out and wait for the elevator.
Sang Zhi finally has chance to ask. “What did my Pa say to you? The time I was cutting fruits?”
“Nothing.” Duan Jia Xu says, “We just chatted.”
“Really?”
Duan Jia Xu looks at her and laughs: “What else would he say?”
Sang Zhi feels a bit insecure, yet looking at how calm he is, she says nothing else. This time the elevator door is opened, she gets in and grumbles: “Nothing.”
Duan Jia Xu doesn’t let her to send him outside and just lets her to go back inside.
Sang Zhi stands there and then takes out a red pocket out of her pocket. She then passes it to him. “Happy New Year.”
Duan Jia Xu raises his eyebrow: “You give me red pocket?”
“Em.” Sang Zhi says: “It’s not from the red pocket that I got, this is from my tutorial job.”
Duan Jia Xu looks at it.
Sang Zhi smiles: “The red pocket is drawn by me, is it nice?”
She uses oil painting material.
The background is red, in the middle there is a man caricature and also an ear and tail. It is so cute. On the bottom there is a writing “Duan Jia Xu’s 2016 red pocket.”
Duan Jia Xu points at it: “This is me?”
“Right.”
Duan Jia Xu laughs: “How could you also draw a dog’s ear.”
Sang Zhi is speechless: “It’s Hu Li’s ear (Fox’s ear).”
“Then you do admit that Nan Hu Ling Jing (Foxy man) is me?” He leans closer and kisses her forehead.
Sang Zhi: “Em.”
Duan Jia Xu looks at her: “Okay, Nan Hu Li Jing is me.”
“……”
“But I don’t admit I am Zhong Yang Kong Tiao.” (Zhong Yang Kong Tiao: Central air-conditioning is a buzzword on the Internet, referring to men who radiate warmth and love to two or more women at the same time, as if the central air-conditioning that blows cold air to anyone.)
—–
Duan Jia Xu returns to his hotel room.
He takes off his coat and throws it on the bed. Two red pockets fall from his pocket to his bed. One is from Sang Rong, one is from Sang Zhi.
The room is quite and cold.
Duan Jia Xu slowly ends his calm expression, his smile disappears.
Duan Jia Xu’s Adam Apple moves and suddenly he remembers what happened years ago.
Because of Xu Ruo Shu’s illness, he called every relatives he had to borrow some money. But he would be scolded and hung up.
Everyone was turning their back on their family.
That time he had no way. At last he thought of Sang Yan, who that time he just knows for a year. Because he knows that his family’s condition is okay, Duan Jia Xu mentioned about borrowing money from Sang Yan.
But Sang Yan was a college student. Sang Yan didn’t ask a lot of questions and just asked Sang Rong to borrow it. After a while, he got a call from Sang Rong. Sang Rong was asking about his mother’s condition.
Then Sang Rong immediately transferred that amount of money to his account, he even sent a message: [Hai Zi (Kid), no need to rush yourself to return it. Take a good care of your Mama. Wait till you get a job and be stable, we could talk about it. If you still need anything, you could find Shu Shu.]
Duan Jia Xu wouldn’t forget it forever.
No one is willing to help them, including his relatives. Yet this family, who is unrelated to him, yet he is willing to help him.
It’s a favor that he wouldn’t forget forever.
Duan Jia Xu bends his body and takes the red pocket from Sang Rong.
He recalls what Sang Rong said to him when Sang Zhi is in the kitchen.
His tone is calm.
Sang Rong says a lot of things but Duan Jia Xu remembers it clearly.
— “Your family condition, I and Zhi Zhi’s Mama. Indeed we are a bit…. minding it.”
If it’s said by other people, he wouldn’t really mind it.
But it’s Sang Zhi’s family members.
They are people that are willing to help him in the most difficult time.
Duan Jia Xu lowers his head and sits down on the bed. He then picks up the red pocket from Sang Zhi.
He feels an intense feeling of powerless and inferiority.
88tangeatdrinkread 
TAT poor Duan Jia Xu
LikeLiked by 13 people
Ohhh dear! I feel for him.
LikeLiked by 7 people