Then she doesn't come out again. She could hear the noise outside that last around an hour. Sang Zhi finally falls asleep.
The time she wakes up, she is so thirsty.
The sky is still dark.
Sang Zhi gets up and plans to go to the living room to pour a glass of water.
She is afraid to disturb her parents so she moves lightly. She takes a glass of water and plans to return back to her bedroom. The time she passes the living room, she suddenly notices that someone is on the balcony.
Sang Zhi stops.
She recognizes it is Duan Jia Xu.
He is sitting on the chair on the balcony. He is smoking. He seems not to notice her.
Sang Zhi couldn't make out his expression. He looks like he is in a bad mood.
Sang Zhi hesitates for a while and comes over.
Very quickly, Duan Jia Xu notices her. He immediately smiles. "Why aren't you sleeping?
Sang Zhi opens the French window slowly and asks: "Ge Ge, you couldn't sleep?"
Duan Jia Xu throws away his cigarette and says: "Em, Ge Ge is having difficulties sleeping in a bed other than my own."
"You should lay down for a while then you could sleep." Sang Zhi says. "If not you could sleep on the sofa inside my Ge's bedroom. I remember you use to sleep there."
"Okay." Duan Jia Xu says gently. "It's late, go back and sleep."
Sang Zhi doesn't move, she asks: "Ge Ge, are you in a bad mood?"
Duan Jia Xu: "Em, a bit."
Sang Zhi is silent for few seconds and doesn't ask the reason. "Then let me pour you a glass of water."
She is about to go out but then Duan Jia Xu calls after her.
Perhaps because it's late at night, he has an urge to spill out his feeling.
"Xiao Sang Zhi, let Ge Ge tells you a little secret." Duan Jia Xu looks at her. "Ge Ge has a creditors, a lot debts."
"........" Sang Zhi looks back at him. "You owe a lot of money?"
Duan Jia Xu smiles and says: "Not money."
He thinks about it and says: "You could say it is money too."
"A lot?" Sang Zhi doesn't know what should she say, she could only say. "Don't worry Ge Ge. When I grow up, I will earn money and help you to return it together."
Duan Jia Xu is startled, then he laughs.
This time Sang Zhi feels that his mood has turned better.
After a while, he pinches Sang Zhi's cheek lightly. "Thank you, Xiao Sang Zhi. But those aren't Ge Ge's debt. No need Xiao Sang Zhi to help Ge Ge to return it."
"........"
"Xiao Sang Zhi later on if you earn money." Duan Jia Xu says. "You should buy a pretty dress for yourself to wear."
—–
The next day, Duan Jia Xu takes the earliest flight back to Yi HE.
Sang Zhi thinks that this time is his last time to come to Nan Wu because he has no other reasons to come back. He has entered the society.
In the beginning of July, Sang Zhi's entrance examination for senior high school is out. She has smoothly gotten into the best senior high school. Before the semester starts, she receives a new schoolbag from Duan Jia Xu.
It is her award to enter the best senior high school.
In fact Duan Jia Xu is at a very far distance from her.
But sometimes she feels that he is everywhere.
On the first day of the senior high school, Sang Zhi notices that Fu Zheng Chu also gets into the same high school as her. He also in the same class as her. It's been a long time since they talked with each other. She thinks about Fu Zheng Chu's last confession so she doesn't feel well to take initiative to talk with him.
But Fu Zheng Chu comes over to greet her, he seems to not holding any grudge.
Sang Zhi is relived.
The winter vacation of the Grade 10.
Fu Zheng Chu seizes a chance of doing the homework together to ask Sang Zhi out. Compared to last time, he is much bolder than before.
"Sang Zhi, I like you. It's okay if you are willing to be my girlfriend now. If not, I'll ask you again in three years."
Hearing this makes Sang Zhi is at loss.
Her first response, she unexpectedly recalls what happened when she was thirteen years old, the time Fu Zheng Chu confessed toward her and Duan Jia Xu appeared. Duan Jia Xu taught her.
–" During puberty it is normal to have that kind of thought, but you also shouldn't hurt anyone. You should thank him for liking you. Then refuse."
It's a moment of silence.
"Thank you for liking me." Sang Zhi looks at his eyes and says seriously. "But I have someone that I like so I couldn't accept you."
"......"
To be Continued
YOU ARE READING
Secretly, Secretly; But Unable to Hide it
RomanceThe year she was thirteen, Sang Zhi liked a man. The man appeared cold and lazy and spoke carelessly. He would often come over to her home, nestled in her brother's room playing games the entire afternoon. When he occasionally sees her bringing frui...
