Secretly, Secretly; But Unable to Hide it (偷偷藏不住) by Zhu Yi (竹已)~ Chapter 69

Sang Yan’s third-year.

He has graduated for so many years.

How could he suddenly remember it, Sang Zhi doesn’t remember it clearly. This time the elevator door is opened. She gets in and says: “What do you mean moving to the dorm?”

Sang Zhi tries to recall.

During the third-year of college, for meeting Duan Jia Xu once more, she indeed said that she wants to help him out to make an opportunity to meet Duan Jia Xu again.

Sang Zhi remembers that she got a new toy from Duan Jia Xu’s dorm. She also remembers she left her homework there.

Then there’s another chance to meet him again.

Sang Yan gets inside the elevator and says nothing.

Sang Zhi’s expression is stiff, she presses the lift button silently. She looks at Sang Yan and grumbles: “How old was I when you were in your third-year? I couldn’t remember it.”

Sang Yan just says: “oh” with his indifferent tone.

Looking at this, Sang Zhi is relieved. She looks at her phone and sends a message to Duan Jia Xu. [My Ge and Qian Fei Ge want to go to have a midnight snack, are you going out too with them?]

Duan Jia Xu: [No.]

“…..”

Sang Zhi immediately has impulse to go home.

Duan Jia Xu: [You are going?]

Sang Zhi feels that it’s wasteful to try hard, she feels so depressed. She types: [Then I’ll go back now.]

The time Sang Zhi is about to mention it to Sang Yan, Duan Jia Xu calls her.

Sang Zhi glances at Sang Zhi, then she just answers it.

Duan Jia Xu says: “Why do you want to go home?”

She says lowly: “What’s the point of me going if you aren’t?”

Sang Yan and Sang Zhi exit the elevator. Sang Zhi follows Sang Yan to his car.

Sang Zhi then hears the rustling noise like he is changing his clothes. Duan Jia Xu sounds happy. “I planned to not going because I didn’t know that you’ll be going okay?”

Sang Zhi: “Then what was your plan before?”

“Stay at the hotel.” Duan Jia Xu says: “I’ll chat with you for a while, then sleep.”

“It sounds so pathetic.” Sang Zhi blinks and smiles, “Then it’s better for you to come out too.”

She gets on Sang Yan’s car.

Sang Zhi sits on the backseat and fastens her seatbelt. She says: “Where would we go to have barbecue?”

Sang Yan drives the car: “Nearby.”

After two seconds silence, Sang Zhi coughs and says politely: “Then let’s pick up Jia Xu Ge first.”

Sang Yan says nothing else and just drives toward the hotel.

Sang Zhi is worried that Sang Yan doesn’t know where Duan Jia Xu lives so she tells him the name of the hotel.

The time they arrive at the lobby of the hotel, Sang Yan suddenly speaks up: “Should I just let you off here?”

Sang Zhi is still playing with her phone, she is startled: “Aren’t we going to have barbecue?”

Sang ZHi suddenly considers Sang Yan’s advice: “Okay”

“Okay?” Sang Yan laughs coldly: “Dream on.”

“……”

Sang Yan feels embarrassed: “Couldn’t you restrain yourself?”

Sang Zhi just realizes that she is played by him, she releases her breath and says unhappily: “I just come to meet my boyfriend now, how could you say that I don’t restrain myself?”

Sang Yan suddenly asks a question: “Is it true that Duan Jia Xu is the one that pursued you?”

Sang Zhi opens her eyes big: “What do you mean?”

“I am just asking,” Sang Yan then notices Duan Jia Xu’s figure. “Tell Duan Jia Xu to get on.”

“No, tell me first what do you mean?” Sang Zhi is furious, she cares about her face. “You think that I lied to you? It’s him who chased after me, moreover how could you stay that I am not restraining myself! These days I even didn’t have time to meet him! He looked for me for several times but he couldn’t meet me!”

Duan Jia Xu notices them and opens up the backseat door.

Hearing Sang Zhi’s words, he laughs: “What are you guys fighting for?”

“……” Sang Zhi shuts up.

Sang Yan is too lazy to mind these two so he just drives his car.

Sang Zhi is calm and collected, she looks at Duan Jia Xu.

He probably just takes shower so she could smell his shower gel scent. His hair is fluffy. He wears his casual clothes. He looks so handsome and gentle.

Duan Jia Xu shifts closer to Sang Zhi and watches her.

The car only has a dim light.

At first Sang Zhi couldn’t see his features clearly but because now he is close, it becomes clear. His eyelashes are so long. She only gazes at him and doesn’t do anything else.

Sang Zhi wants to say something.

But Sang Yan already speaks up first. “Please do not do anything that you shouldn’t do on my car.”

“……”

The words break up the romantic atmosphere around them, Duan Jia Xu’s eyes move, he gazes at Sang Yan. He says nothing and just extends his hand out and puts in front of Sang Zhi.

Sang Zhi pauses and places her hand on his.

Duan Jia Xu smiles and holds her hand. He looks at the window and raises his eyebrow. He speaks up: “Ge.”

“……..”

“Could you let us off in front?”

Sang Yan pretends to not hear him.

He just drives to the nearby barbecue restaurant and parks the car. He switches off the engine. Then he turns his head and says to Duan Jia Xu: “You think that I’m your driver?”

Duan Jia Xu laughs: “Didn’t I call you Ge before/”

Sang Zhi says: “It’s better for us to eat barbecue.”

Duan Jia Xu looks at her: “Okay.”

Actually there’s no other reason.

It’s late now, there’s also no other place to go to. Moreover, she thinks if she goes with Sang Yan to have barbecue then she doesn’t need to lie to Li Ping, she wouldn’t feel so guilty.

The restaurant is near Qian Fei’s apartment.

Three of them get off the car and walk to that restaurant.

Sang Zhi actually feels a bit embarrassed to act intimately in front of her Ge with her Ge’s best friend. But it’s been days since she met Duan Jia Xu, she doesn’t want to let his hand go. So she simply thinks that Sang Yan doesn’t exist.

Sang Yan also doesn’t mind too much about them, he just lowers his head to look at her phone.

After a while, Sang Yan lifts up her hand. He notices their intimate action. He raises his eyebrow and remembers something. He asks randomly: “Duan Jia Xu, let me ask you something.”

Duan Jia Xu: “Em?”

Sang Yan continues: “Do you remember during our third-year we moved to a dorm, my Mei—“

“……”

Sang Yan clearly wants to mention about what happened before.

Sang Zhi stops breathing and immediately lets go of Duan Jia Xu’s hand. She is panic and slaps Sang Yan’s arm. She is furious: “Ge! Could you shut up!”

Sang Yan is puzzled: “Why are you so emotional?”

Sang Zhi feels annoyed: “You could talk anything you want but don’t implicate me.”

Duan Jia Xu doesn’t have any brother or sister so he doesn’t understand what happened between then. He jus feels that they are so funny. “Why are you guys start to fight again?”

Sang Yan glances at Sang Zhi but he says nothing.

“It’s nothing.”

—–

Qian Fei comes first to take a table for them. Except him, there’re several other men. Sang Zhi had met them before but she couldn’t remember their name. She just knows that they are Duan Jia Xu’s and Sang Yan’s classmates during university.

She is the only woman here.

Sang Zhi sits down between Sang Yan and Duan Jia Xu.

A man notices Sang Zhi and asks: “Sang Yan, this is your Mei?”

Sang Yan: “Em.”

“Oh, last time I met her during Qian Fei’s wedding. I have a bit impression of her.” Sang Zhi is young so that man waves his hand at her and greets her. “Xiao Mei Mei, hi.”

Sang Zhi nods: “Hi.”

All of the other men also greet her.

Sang Zhi nods. She is afraid that Duan Jia Xu would feel embarrassed so she hesitates and removes her hand, who is held by Duan Jia Xu under the table. But in a next moment, Duan Jia Xu holds her hand again.

Then she hears Duan Jia Xu adds: “Why are you calling her Xiao Mei Mei? Call her Sao Zi (sister-in-law).”

“….”

Sang Zhi chokes and looks at him.

Qian Fei starts to explain. “Sang Yan’s Mei Mei is also Duan Jia Xu’s, em…. girlfriend.”

All fo them doesn’t think that this matter is a great issue but all of them are turning quiet. Then suddenly they roar and starts to want to gossip.

“Duan Jia Xu, you are awesome. This girl I have an impression. I remember that during our graduation, she came over right? Three of us also took photo together, didn’t you say that time she is your Mei?”

Duan Jia Xu laughs and says shamelessly: “I don’t remember it.”

Sang Zhi doesn’t join the chatter, she just drinks her water.

Duan Jia Xu looks at her. “I just remember this time, this woman is my girlfriend.”

—–

Though she doesn’t know most of them, but Sang Zhi doesn’t feel awkward.

Sang Zhi keeps on chewing her chicken and says nothing.

She feels that they are living different kind of world. She watches them drinking, even Sang Yan, who has his car, also couldn’t escape of drinking.

But Duan Jia Xu, he doesn’t drink any. He refuses to drink.

Sang Zhi also has a glass of beer, she just drinks it slowly.

Perhaps because Duan Jia Xu notices that Sang Zhi is bored, after a while, Duan Jia Xu leans closer and asks her: “Are you full?”

Sang Zhi nods.

Then Duan Jia Xu stands up and makes an excuse that with a woman here, they would be to restrained so they leave. The men don’t say anything to make them leave and just let them be.

Sang Zhi releases her breath and holds her bag. She reminds Sang Yan: “Ge, don’t drink too much.”

Sang Yan: “Em.”

Two of them go to bus stop.

Sang Zhi doesn’t drink too much but she could feel that her face is hot. She takes out her hand and covers her face. Suddenly she remembers that Duan Jia Xu never drinks. She never sees him drink.

Previously she had asked him about it, he said he is allergic.

But now she suddenly recalls that it should be related to his Papa’s accident. She lifts her head and asks her: “You really allergic toward alcohol?”

“Em?” Duan Jia Xu laughs; “I’m not sure.”

“…..”

Sang Zhi suddenly understands and says: “Oh.”

Duan Jia Xu says: “If not, let me try?”

“Ah?” Sang Zhi says: “Do you want to drink alcohol?”

“Em, later on I’ll drink.”

“…….”

Sang Zhi couldn’t make it out what this person thinks about now.

In a moment she feels that she is wrong.

This place is not far away from her home, they could just get on the bus and gets off at the second stop. They both keep on chatting till they enter the apartment complex.

The time they about to arrive in front of Sang Zhi’s apartment building, Duan Jia Xu stops.

Sang Zhi also stops.

Then Duan Jia Xu pulls her and hugs her.

There’s no one else except them.

He bends his body and holds her chin. He says hoarsely: “I’ll try whether I am allergic to it or not.”

Without waiting for Sang Zhi’s response, he just kisses her lips.

Her lips have a faint taste of alcohol yet it tastes like it has a high level of alcohol that let them feels drunk. This kiss is much more passionate than their last one. His tongue pries open her her tooth. It rolls up with her tongue.

His movement is fine and smooth, yet it is rough at the same time.

Sang Zhi feels that her lips are hurt, she bites his tongue.

Duan Jia Xu stops and bites her lips back, but then he lets her go. He says: “It seems that I’m not allergic.”

He smiles and says again: “I think I could kiss you some more.”

Sang Zhi mumbles: “How could you?”

It’s a silence.

“I think it’s too not good,” Duan Jia Xu watches her and touches her lips softly: “I feel that everyday I should meet you.”

“………..”

“One day of not meeting you.” Duan Jia Xu pecks her lips: “I miss you so much.”

—–

Doing this near her house makes Sang Zhi feels guilty, she feels afraid to be noticed.

Though she think there’s only a small chance that Li Ping and Sang Rong would come out, but she doesn’t let Duan Jia Xu sends her and just says goodbye to him.

Her action makes Duan Jia Xu laughs but he just stands there and watches her leave.

Sang Zhi runs lightly toward her apartment building, she turns her head and notices that Duan Jia Xu is still standing there. She waves her hand toward him and signals him to leave quickly.

Duan Jia Xu also waves his hand toward her and laughs. He leaves.

Sang Zhi uses her key to open the door and get in.

She walks inside and waits for the elevator.

She presses the button and looks at the elevator.

Then she hears the door is opened again, she looks over and notices Li Ping comes inside. She is startled: “Ma, why are you coming out this late night?”

Li Ping looks at her and smiles. She says: “I came down to throw away the garbage.”

Sang Zhi isn’t sure whether Li Ping saw Duan Jia Xu or not, Sang Zhi has no courage so she doesn’t say to much. She just nods.

Indeed.

In a next moment, Li Ping speaks up: “I saw it before, your Ge’s friend sent you back home?”

Sang Zhi scratches her head: “……Em.”

“Duan Jia Xu?” Li Ping says: “Isn’t he at Yi He too? For the National Day, he comes home with you?”