Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The atmosphere was stifling.

Sang Zhi sipped her drink carefully, shifting closer to Ning Wei at the bar as people pressed behind her to get the bartender's attention. Unfortunately, Zhi’s drink was entirely too strong for her to do more than just delicately taste it on her tongue, the worry about come home safe and don’t leave your friends on repeat in her head from her parents' coaching earlier in the day.

She really needed to find her own place.

As it was, Sang Zhi really didn’t understand why Ning Wei had insisted on coming to this specific bar for her birthday. It was overcrowded - already an irritation for Zhi - and extremely loud by her standards. There was no real conversation to be had, not that she was feeling particularly chatty. Ning Wei’s friends were having a great time, however, so Zhi suffered in silence, following the group dutifully.

She deserved a fun night. Why did it suddenly feel like a chore?

“Sangsang, cheer up,” Ning Wei said, giving her a look. It said I love you but don’t be a stick in the mud. “Give me enough time and I’ll find a nice distraction for you.”

Blinking, Sang Zhi shook her head and held up her drink. “I’m fine, Weiwei.”

“You are not! You’ve been killing yourself for that bitch at work. You deserve to have fun,” was her friend's response with a devious grin.

Sang Zhi gave a wan smile, not refuting the difficulty at work. Xiaoyu had been relentless, Zhi having pissed her off the very first week on the job by speaking up when an executive asked for more varied opinions. That was six months ago. It was her first job, however, so Zhi needed to last a year or two before moving onto a different company. Such a short employment at her first job would look terrible on her resume.

She wasn’t sure how to convey that the bar Ning Wei had chosen - further from home, different from her brother's bar, the lack of a private VIP corner - meant that she was going to be on edge all evening. Instead, she sipped at her drink and wrinkled her nose. The drinks were very strong, what were the bartenders thinking?

Just then, an arm shot across her vision to hail one and Sang Zhi looked up to see the prettiest man she’d ever seen. His features were sharp yet delicate, soulful eyes glancing at her for only a moment before brightening when he got the bartender’s attention.

Sang Zhi scowled.

Placing his order, the man happened to glance down and see her face. "Pardon me… did I step on you?"

Sang Zhi shook her head and turned dismissively, sipping her drink. Handsome men tended to be the worst in her experience, egos always precariously balanced and needing constant reassurance. They seemed to think that she owed them something, whether it was attention or adoration, and it was exhausting. At least unattractive men allowed her to manage their disappointments early.

She felt her phone vibrate in her bag when the man leaned into her ear, startling her. "Not having a good time?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

Ning Wei noticed him at that point and patted Sang Zhi’s shoulder. "Don't mind my friend, she's had a ghastly week."

"That so?" he said, barely glancing at Ning Wei as his attention was so focused on Sang Zhi. His drink arrived and he picked it up thoughtfully. "What happened?"

"None of your business," Sang Zhi replied, stepping around the man to mumble privately to her friend. "Weiwei, I'll be right back."

Ning Wei frowned at her, head tilting to the guy like are you kidding me, he's gorgeous but Sang Zhi shook her head, holding up her phone. Understanding gathered in Ning Wei's eyes and she shrugged.

With approval gained, Sang Zhi went to the fortunately spacious restroom, locking herself in a stall. God, she hated crowds. Something about the press of people, the lack of breath, the spike of adrenaline as her body tried to avoid panicking… it reminded her of unpleasant memories.

Not that she’d ever explained that to Ning Wei, the butterfly that was her friend fluttering about crowds without concern.

Sang Zhi’s phone vibrated in her hand, reminding her of the missed message, and she winced at the name.

[Sang Yan]: Why am I just finding out you're bar hopping from Yifan?

Wen Yifan was Sang Yan’s girlfriend, who Sang Zhi had confided in about the invitation, grumpy that she couldn't think of an excuse to bail. She'd only told her parents that they were going to a KTV and staying at Ning Wei's overnight for her friend’s birthday, not wanting to deal with their scrutiny.

[Sang Zhi]: Who said anything about hopping? I'm not a bunny.

Almost immediately she regretted sending such a glib response, especially when her phone started vibrating in her hand, her brother calling her.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Where- you?" Sang Yan demanded. The line was so garbled that she frowned. It didn't take much imagination to know he wanted to know her location, so she exited the stall and bathroom, heading outside. It didn't matter if she couldn't get back in. Ning Wei would understand.

"What?" Sang Zhi asked, the line clearing immediately by the time the queue for the bar came into sight.

"Where are you?"

"You're not serious. You can't leave your bar to come pick me up," she argued as she walked down the street and around a corner that was fortunately empty. Leaning against the brick of the building, she sighed as he started yelling over the phone.

Holding it away from her ear, she looked up at the night. The sky was obscured, whether it was from light pollution or smog Sang Zhi didn’t know. She just hated it. There was a strange sort of stifling disconnect when she couldn't see the stars.

"I'll ask one last time, where are you?" Sang Yan finally ended his diatribe with the frustrated question.

"I’m an adult. I’m perfectly fine and will talk with you tomorrow," Sang Zhi said, ending the call and silencing her phone.

She was twenty five years old for fucks sake. She didn't need a keeper. Taking a breath, she knew Sang Yan would be blowing up her phone with texts - how rebellious she was, did she want to end up dead in a ditch, don't accept drinks from strangers - all things she knew full well. She frequented his bar, called Overtime, often enough to hear rumors of such situations. Nothing that had ever happened under his watch, though.

Standing up, Sang Zhi mentally girded her loins to deal with Ning Wei and her friends again, when she noticed the man from the bar was leaning against the other side of the corner, frowning at his phone.

Sound must have escaped her, some sort of surprised hiccup maybe, because he glanced up as if realizing she was there.

"Oh. Hello again."

Sang Zhi narrowed her gaze at him. "Hi."

"Boyfriend trouble?" he asked, nodding at her phone.

"Brother trouble," she said, unsure why she specified. Had he been listening?

"Quite protective, is he?"

Yes. Yes, he had been listening.

Sang Zhi gave him an appraising look, trying to figure out his angle. Handsome men were usually more of a bother than they were worth, and this particular one seemed unabashed about eavesdropping. Did he have no shame?

"Why are you out here?" she asked.

Kicking off the wall, he stepped closer. Sang Zhi held her ground, quirking an eyebrow up at him. Damn he was tall. Even with her three inch heels, he had at least another half a foot on her.

"Your friend saw you leave and was worried you wouldn't be able to get back in," he answered. "I'm Duan Jiaxu, by the way."

"Sang Zhi," she replied reluctantly. Exchanging names built expectations. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

"Did you want to go back in?" he asked.

"Not really."

"Then what would you like to do? I'm at your disposal," Jiaxu murmured with an intent glance.

Sang Zhi looked away, humming noncommittally to herself. Ning Wei had not lied about giving her a distraction.

"Do you have an ID on you?" Sang Zhi asked.

Jiaxu blinked, slowly reaching into his back pocket for his wallet, producing it to her. Taking a picture of it with her phone, Sang Zhi ignored the dozen text alerts from her brother to message Wen Yifan.

[Sang Zhi]: Why did you tell my brother?

Handing the ID back, she nodded at Jiaxu. "At my disposal, huh? Do you like noodles?"

He pocketed his wallet, giving her a rather amused look, as she received a response on her phone.

[Wen Yifan]: I didn't. He stopped by your parents and saw through your lie pretty quickly. I had to tell him something before he called in a missing persons claim. Your parents don’t know, though.

Well, that was a relief. Attaching the photo of Jiaxu’s ID to her message back to Yifan, she typed.

[Sang Zhi]: Small favors. DON'T share this with Sang Yan. It's just a precaution.

Jiaxu was watching her with a secret smile that made her frown.

"What?" she asked.

"Just waiting for you to finish",” he replied, unconcerned.

[Wen Yifan]: Have I ever before? Have fun, sis.

Have fun. Wrinkling her nose, Sang Zhi looked around for some idea of where they were. Ning Wei had called the taxi from her home and brought them to an area of town completely unfamiliar to Zhi. “Do you live nearby?” she asked. Eyebrows raised, Jiaxu nodded.

“Then where is a decent noodle house?” she asked impatiently. “I’m starving.”

“This way,” Jiaxu said, holding out his hand in a direction. “Did you not eat before coming out?”

“Weiwei doesn’t believe in eating before a night out,” Sang Zhi replied, falling in step with him. “It’s a waste of alcohol, apparently.”

“How much did you drink?”

Sang Zhi shrugged. “Only a bit. It wasn’t a good drink. You?”

“I don’t drink,” he said softly.

Sending him a perplexed look, Sang Zhi actually took a moment to study him. Jiaxu was attractive, sure, with hair that fell just so into his eyes like an idol and an easygoing gait that made him seem approachable… but she could see a wariness there.

Huh.

“What brought you out then?” she asked, surprised at her curiosity. It had to be boring to go to a bar without some sort of entertainment.

“Ah, work,” he said vaguely. “I usually have to make an appearance.”

“What do you do?”

Jiaxu answered something about learning algorithms and game balancing and while Sang Zhi understood the terminology - her degree depended on it - that was the extent of her knowledge. All she deciphered was that he was some sort of game developer. It surprised her, her first inclination being that he worked in finance, but no, apparently gaming.

“Do you work for A Dream of Jianghu?” she asked, the gaming franchise marketing revolving around similar technology in the past few years.

“Er, no,” Jiaxu admitted with a surprised expression. “Are you familiar with that game?”

Sang Zhi shook her head as they approached the restaurant. “No, but the advertising campaign for it was memorable.”

He nodded, pulling the door open for her. Once seated - it was very casual with only an attendant waving them to choose their own table - she looked at the menu thoughtfully. Choosing something relatively safe, she looked up to see Jiaxu watching her.

“What is it?” she asked.

He hesitated a moment before leaning over into her space. “I’m rather glad I stepped on your foot.”

“You did not.” Sang Zhi sniffed in mild amusement and turned back to her menu. Pulling out her phone to order, Jiaxu placed his hand on her phone, stopping her.

“What are you doing? I’ll pay,” he offered.

“No, thank you,” she said, pulling her phone back and scanning it in. Placing the order, Sang Zhi looked up to see another curious expression on Jiaxu’s face, but he went through the same process to order his own food as well.

“Are you from Nanwu?” Jiaxu asked her as he finished.

The waiter arrived with water at that moment, so Sang Zhi poured herself a glass. “Yes, almost my whole life. I lived elsewhere for university, but came back home when I was done.”

“What university?”

“The one in Yihe,” Sang Zhi said with a smile. There were many fond memories of the campus and her friends. Ning Wei moving to Nanwu had been a real joy. “You?”

Jiaxu’s expression was narrowed before turning speculative. “I went to Nanwu University and stuck around.”

Humming in agreement, Sang Zhi looked around, unsure of what else there was to talk about. She wasn’t good at first dates, let alone unintentional ones, and this didn’t really feel like a first date. It was closer to a hook up, but he was being rather gentlemanly so it felt odd to remain silent.

“Is your friend from University?” he asked and she could have kissed him for ending the awkward silence.

“Ning Wei was my roommate. She moved here only a month ago, but has already found a bevy of friends that are very unlike me,” she said without bitterness. She didn’t begrudge her friend’s socialite nature. She just didn’t have the mental fortitude to handle it all the time.

Looking down, Zhi saw her phone light up with a message from Ning Wei. “Speaking of,” Sang Zhi said, holding up her phone. Jiaxu nodded to it, agreeing to her checking her phone.

[Ning Wei]: Where did you go?

[Sang Zhi]: My brother is currently sending me a novel in text about how furious he is.

[Ning Wei]: Damn. Did you go home?

Sighing, Sang Zhi looked around, wondering what photo she could take to satisfy her friend. Gaze landing on Jiaxu, he gave her a look of confusion. Holding up her phone, she opened the camera app. “Do you mind a photo?”

He tilted his head and held up his hand in a V, obviously approving, so Sang Zhi took the photo and sent it to Ning Wei.

[Ning Wei]: Oh, okay. Have fun. ;)

[Sang Zhi]: Talk to you tomorrow. Happy birthday, Weiwei.

Putting her phone aside, she sent an apologetic smile to Jiaxu. He simply continued on with the previous conversation.

“What did you mean, ‘unlike me’?” he asked.

“I don’t go out much.”

“Why not?”

Sang Zhi sent him a suspicious look - why did he care? - but she was saved from answering by the arrival of their food. She wasn’t sure if it was the few sips of alcohol wearing off or all the mental energy of the evening, but she was famished. Immediately taking a bite, she closed her eyes and tilted her head back, humming happily at how delicious the food was.

Opening her eyes, she saw Jiaxu staring at her. A sensual awareness spread through her, the tilt of his face and the heat in his gaze causing her heart rate to rise. Quickly taking another bite, she raised her eyebrows. “What?”

“You know exactly what,” he replied softly. He held her stare for another few moments before finally dropping his eyes to his own food and eating.

Sang Zhi bit back a smile, shaking her head at herself and trying to think of something safe to ask. She’d forgotten herself for one moment and the tension had ratcheted up instantly. That’s what she got for letting her guard down.

Suddenly, letting it down didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

“How did you discover this place?” she finally asked.

As they ate, Jiaxu explained how his apartment was close due to its proximity to his work and the various dishes they’d explored. Finally, he ended with, “We order take out from here every week.”

“Long hours?”

Shrugging, he hummed. “I like keeping on top of projects.” Taking a drink, Jiaxu’s gaze practically smoldered from over the rim of his glass.

Sang Zhi held it, eyebrows slowly raising. She had had hook ups in the past - with far less raw chemistry - but it’d taken her the years throughout university to build up the confidence. Finally, after graduating, it didn’t seem like such a big deal. So the voices of Ning Wei and Wen Yifan ringing through her ears, have fun for once, made her eyes roam Jiaxu’s plainly. He was clearly interested, downright shameless with innuendo.

Decision made, Sang Zhi dabbed her lips with her napkin, finished with her food.

“Full?” he asked, setting his own utensils down.

Humming in agreement, she stood and smoothed down her dress. Ning Wei had insisted on the deep green garment, its hemline modest but the back scandalously bare. She hadn’t thought much of her outfit at all until this moment, catching Jiaxu’s eyes wandering up her body. Fighting the inclination to blush, Sang Zhi focused on her breathing and remaining aloof. He stood as well, motioning for her to walk ahead of him through the doors and it was much easier to maintain her unaffected presence with the slight chill in the air.

“Are you cold?” Jiaxu asked her as she crossed her arms.

“A little,” she said. “Do you live far?”

If he was shocked by her presumption, Jiaxu didn’t show it. Instead, he shook his head and nodded in a direction. “Just a few blocks that way.”

She began walking, not bothering to wait for him. If he didn’t want her to come over, then a taxi was just as easy to hail from his apartment building as the restaurant. Implying her presence at his place was far less awkward than a bumbling amount of talk.

Sure enough, Jiaxu caught up to her a few moments later and spent the walk sending her curious glances. Eventually, he directed her into his building. It was a newer building with a shopping quarter on one side and a private elevator that he called, presumably for the residents. Entering it, Sang Zhi watched Jiaxu press the number 8 button and felt her eyebrows raise as the door closed and it began to lift. It was likely the uppermost floor.

Turning, Jiaxu stared at her.

Sang Zhi stared right back.

The space between them felt electric, a spark that could ignite at any moment.

The elevator pinged its arrival to the top floor, the door sliding open directly into an apartment.

In a burst of movement, Sang Zhi grabbed for Jiaxu’s shoulders as he simultaneously reached for her. Her lips raised up for him and he leaned down, obliging.

His kiss was soft, hesitant, as if he wasn’t quite sure what to make of her. She pressed into him, impatient and demanding, deepening the kiss. Zhi’s fingers ran the rest of the way up from his shoulders to his neck, his hair, gripping him where she wanted him and he wrapped his arms around her to lift her. Hopping up, she wrapped her legs around his hips and he carried her out of the elevator.

Jiaxu only made it a few feet, however, depositing her on the cool marble of a kitchen counter. His hands traveled down her legs to lift a foot at a time so could unbuckle the straps there blindly, each shoe dropping with a clunk to the ground as she delved into his mouth.

That task done, his long fingers tangled at the hair on her nape as her own fingers began to work the buttons of his shirt. Freeing him from the first layer of fine cotton, she was presented with the next layer of a simple white tank, and trailed her hand over his bare shoulders with a hum of approval.

Pulling away from her mouth, Jiaxu began to explore her face and neck with his lips. Zhi couldn’t help the soft whine that escaped her when he nuzzled at a place right behind her ear.

“Fuck,” he muttered, hands abandoning her hair to rest on her neck, where the clasp of her dress front was. “This okay?”

Sang Zhi placed her finger on his lips. “Hush.” She didn’t want him to talk, talking would make her think too much. Reaching up, she undid the clasp herself, tacit approval. The fabric sagged but didn’t fall. Jiaxu licked her finger.

Her vision went a bit blurry, the sensation of his tongue running slowly up her skin felt all the way down to her toes. His gaze ignited and his hands roughly grabbed her ass, pulling her off the counter onto him again as he went further into the apartment. Sang Zhi pressed her nose into his neck, trailing kisses along his pulse point, until the world tilted, Jiaxu throwing them onto a bed.

The weight of him was delicious.

So was the press of him in between her thighs.

Carding her fingers through his hair, Sang Zhi pulled him down to nip at his lips, her own tongue darting out in little licks on the edge of his mouth and he groaned. She felt him kick off his own shoes, right hand trailing from her knee up her thigh, but she wrapped her leg around him to push him over onto his back. He didn’t resist.

Sitting up atop him, the top of her dress fell, baring her chest. It hadn’t been practical to wear a bra with the open back, and by the way Jiaxu’s focus was so intense… Zhi wasn’t complaining. Instead, she scooted down, feeling the length of him through his pants and had a satisfied little smile as she worked on his belt buckle and zipper.

His length jutted out terribly through the material, so Sang Zhi curved her fingers into the waistline of his pants and boxers, tugging. Jiaxu lifted his hips so she could successfully divest him of his pants, his cock popping out in front of her. Before she could touch him, he sat up to run his hands down her back to the zipper of her dress, slowly tugging it open, so he could pull the skirt up and over Zhi’s head.

Now with only her underwear and hair to cover herself with, Sang Zhi popped up on her knees to look down into Jiaxu’s eyes. His pupils were blown with arousal, his fingers stroking her spine. For one breathless moment, Sang Zhi felt she could see through Jiaxu, to all his fears and sorrows and desires.

There was a terrifying amount of intimacy in that glance, so she ran her fingers against the hem of his undershirt to break the stare and strip him of the last of his clothes. As he reappeared, Jiaxu instantly caught her mouth against his own and pushed her onto her back once again.

His hand splayed over her collarbone, running down her sternum before pivoting around to the bare of her breast, causing her to arch her back. Shivers erupted over her, his touch exploring methodically over her body as his tongue licked her lips, her jaw, her neck. Traveling down, Jiaxu took his time watching her with dark eyes as he pinched gently at a nipple, Zhi unable to completely bite back her gasp.

She felt his hands stroke her body desperately, his lips place kisses over her ribs and against her breast before finally swirling his tongue around her nipple. A soft whine escaped her, heat spreading through her at the sensation, so he did it again.

His other hand was gripping her thigh as Jiaxu shifted down, kisses abandoning her breasts to nuzzle down her stomach and belly button. Biting gently into the bone of her hip, Zhi couldn’t help but shift them up and he took the opportunity to pull off her underwear. After that slight interruption, he sat back for a moment to admire his handiwork.

Sang Zhi felt flushed, breathing hard, completely bare.

The moment hung for too long, causing a scowl to slowly grow on her face.

Jiaxu huffed out a breath - a laugh? exasperation? Zhi didn’t know - and he immediately set back to touching her, scooting further down to run his nose against her inner thigh. A delicious amount of anticipation flooded through Sang Zhi, inhaling sharply, fingers threading into his hair as he moved up and up and up…

A hand appeared, long fingers spreading her open as he kissed the small sensitive flesh of her clit with a small satisfied groan.

Sang Zhi writhed, whimpering as his tongue swirled around her nub, thoughts completely scattered as Jiaxu eased a finger into her. His eyes looked up from her cunt, dark and steady, and he flicked his tongue. A cry escaped her.

It was as if the last semblance of control snapped. Jiaxu devoured her, driving her body into a frenzy, Zhi unable to refrain from little sounds of pleasure. A twist of his tongue and the curling of his finger inside her and Sang Zhi saw stars, cresting with a keening moan.

Awareness eventually caught up with her, Jiaxu still staring at her but now with a satisfied glint in his eyes as he lapped at her folds greedily. Blinking, Zhi was a bit dizzy, but only had a moment to breathe before Jiaxu shuffled up to capture her lips against his own. His tongue dove into her mouth, a depraved sort of excitement shooting through her again as she could taste herself on his tongue, as he rolled them back over.

On top of him, Sang Zhi pressed into his kiss deeper, her fingers digging into his shoulders. Abandoning his mouth, she began to explore the curve of his shoulders, the bones of his ribs, the plane of his stomach with her lips, fingertips trailing just behind for what was left behind. It wasn’t until she lowered herself far enough to feel his cock bump against her jaw that he hissed between his teeth, head falling back.

Sliding her hand slowly along his thigh, she felt the base of his cock in her hands, fascinated by the weight of him in her hands. He groaned as she gave him an experimental squeeze, watching the way his form tensed and pulsed. She nuzzled against the root of him, her tongue sliding up the length of him and…

Suddenly, he sat up, startling her into relinquishing her hold on him. Jiaxu pulled her up into his lap, wrapping an arm around her and leaning, hand blindly reaching for something near the bed as he trapped her against him. She nuzzled at his skin, the rustling sound becoming evident as he unwrapped a foil of protection. Understanding dawned on her then, a small smile spreading across Zhi’s face as she took it out of his hands. Slowly aligning the contraceptive, she rolled it down his cock and grinned as a frustrated breath escaped him.

He kissed that grin right off her face.

His hands gripped her hips, his cock nudging at her entrance. Sang Zhi tossed her head back, entire form focusing on slowly guiding him into her, whimpering as he nestled deep inside. Jiaxu’s breath was labored against her neck, wrapping his arms around her to gently roll his hips, moans escaping them both.

She couldn’t think straight, vibrating with a renewed hunger as he drove up into her, unsure which direction to climb to make the pleasure rise. Jiaxu nipped at her ear, causing her to lean and he followed her over onto her back, settling more securely between her legs. Driving into her with a new angle, she cried out sharply in relief.

Passion overwhelmed Zhi as Jiaxu leaned on his elbows for a moment, breathing hard, adjusting. Slowly he began to thrust, a deliberate rhythm that had her greedily lifting her hips, trying to spur him for more. He groaned, pace slightly increasing, and she yanked his head down to bite his bottom lip, impatient.

Threads of control frayed, his driving into her finally reaching a momentum that drove her up, up, and Zhi started nodding frantically, breathing deep, a hum of approval breaking away from her. He was pressing into her hard, filling a void she hadn’t known existed, and a moan was ripped from him as she shuddered her release, Jiaxu following her quickly.

When Sang Zhi finally gathered her wits, she found herself tucked into the crook of Jiaxu’s arm. He must have cleaned up during those boneless moments of recovery, the sheets pulled over them. She remained still, pondering what her next move should be. This was the difficult part of hooking up with someone, the awkward afterglow chat. She wasn’t very good at it, but that didn’t usually matter. She never saw them again anyway.

Jiaxu, however, seemed content to just nuzzle into her neck and fall asleep, arm draped over her. Zhi looked at him in mild amusement. His face held no worries when slumbering.

She laid there, enjoying the security of being held. Jiaxu was, if nothing else, rather charming with his raw sex appeal mixing with a boyish nonchalance. His performance was something to live up to, as Sang Zhi couldn’t remember a previous partner ever being so attentive to her needs.

No wonder Ning Wei was constantly telling her to go out and play.

Sang Zhi laid there for a long time, knowing she couldn’t stay. It was likely nearing midnight and she needed to get home before Sang Yan did something stupid, like tell her parents that she’d been gallivanting out who knows where. Slowly peeling Jiaxu’s arm off of her, she eased out of the bed. He muttered in his sleep, which made her smile at him before leaving the bed.

Walking through his room, she found the en suite bathroom and quickly used the facilities. Looking at herself in the mirror, she looked truly and properly fucked. Humming to herself in approval, she inspected herself for any potential marks - a hickey or something would be difficult to hide - and satisfied that she was clear, washed her hands and smoothed down her hair.

Returning to the bedroom, she darted around carefully gathering and putting her clothes back on. There was a chill in the air and Sang Zhi paused. Did she dare?

Turning to Jiaxu’s closet, she quietly slid it open. Seeing the multitudes of various dress shirts and business jackets, Zhi pulled a white long sleeved dress shirt off a hanger and put it on. Knotting it at her waist to look somewhat stylish, she glanced at Jiaxu on the bed as she eased the closet shut again.

Rummaging through his pants, she found his phone. Unlocking the camera function that luckily didn’t need a passcode, she stood in front of the mirror in the room in such a way to capture both her body - his shirt wrapped around her - and his sleeping form in the background. You couldn’t see Zhi’s face, which was perfect, so she posed with her hand in a V. Grinning, she snapped the photo, wincing when it made the small shutter sound. After editing it for a moment, she tiptoed her way over to his bed and left his phone on the nightstand.

Repressing a sigh, Sang Zhi looked down at Jiaxu. It was tempting to leave a kiss, but she didn’t want to risk waking him.

Shaking her head, she realized how much time she’d wasted in giving him a little picture souvenir, payment for her taking his shirt. Zhi made her way out of the bedroom and gasped.

The floor to ceiling windows of his living room had a beautiful view of the city. The clouds had dissipated and she could see the stars in the sky so much easier from up here. Tearing herself away from the window, she found her shoes and bag. Quickly pulling her phone out, Sang Zhi winced at the notifications. Struggling into her shoes, she clasped them and cast one more wistful glance around before calling the elevator to leave.

The taxi ride home was uneventful. She sent a quick text to Sang Yan when she arrived home, ignoring the slew of texts that he’d been sending all evening. He didn’t reply.

Rolling her eyes, Sang Zhi quietly walked through her home, aiming to take a shower. Her parents were already in bed, so her brother’s fury was completely unnecessary. Nothing disastrous had happened.

She’d just stolen a man’s shirt who had fucked her senseless.

Grinning to herself, she lifted the sleeve to her nose and breathed in. Damn, even through degrees of separation, he smelled good.

Entering her bedroom, she pulled it off and folded it carefully to hide in a box that lived in the corner of her closet. It wouldn’t do for her parents to find it, they were nosy enough as it was, it wouldn’t do her any favors to flaunt her very mild escapades.

Taking a quick shower, the last evidence of the night was washed away. After, Sang Zhi curled up in bed and fell into a comfortable sleep with the memory of Jiaxu’s arms around her.

The next morning, miles away from Sang Zhi’s home, Jiaxu woke to an empty bed. Frantic, he called out for Sang Zhi, confused, but there was no answer. Slumping back down into the bed, he saw his phone on the nightstand. Last he knew, it was in his pants, so…

Picking it up and unlocking it, he saw the photo of Sang Zhi in his shirt, fingers posed in a V, his sleeping form in the background. Added in the corner was a small word scrawled. Thanks.

Banging his head on the wall, Jiaxu groaned.

Fuck.

Chapter Text

Jiaxu was a certifiable moron.

Waking up early after such an amazing night, he expected to find Sang Zhi sleeping next to him, with a delight of messy hair and bare back, maybe up for another round. Instead, he was met with a cold bed, a stolen shirt, and a smattering of incredibly hot memories.

Pulling on some boxers, Jiaxu padded through his home, irrationally hopeful that perhaps she was just making coffee or something. But it was completely empty.

Fuck.

He didn’t get her contact information.

How was he going to find her now? There were several million people who lived in Nanwu, even narrowing the overlap with Yihe, but he pulled out his phone anyway. His search for her name cropped up dozens of results and he groaned in frustration.

It would fucking figure that the first woman he could think of being properly interested in, well, ever, would be so difficult. Nothing in Jiaxu’s life had come easy.

There were moments the night before where he hadn’t been entirely sure what had happened. He’d been at the bar for the weekly meetup with his colleagues and had waved down a bartender to place their typical order. He hadn’t meant to step on someone, but one glance down and he saw a beautiful woman wearing the most adorable scowl.

It was utterly ridiculous that Jiaxu had a very bizarre compulsion to kiss it off the stranger's face. Instead, he apologized offhandedly, surprised when she simply turned away with an irritated huff.

He had to find out why.

No one turned away from him that quickly. Usually there was some sort of hesitation, Jiaxu’s own handsome qualities giving him enough time to send an apologetic smile, dazzling the subject with his charm.

She’d taken one look at him, seen that instinctive smile, and snubbed him.

Jiaxu felt the tug of attraction instantly. Conversing with her was impossible, however, as she brushed him off and left before he could even ask her name. Unsure of what to do with such a sudden and startling desire for a complete stranger, he’d returned to his colleagues with their order, confused. He’d stayed for a while until his phone vibrated, which was the perfect excuse to prompt his farewells, making his way carefully through the bar crowd. Once outside, he read the message.

[Xu Dong]: I received another bill. I expect repayment next week.

Frowning at his phone, Jiaxu walked a few steps before looking up and seeing the attractive woman from the bar was in front of him, arguing on her phone. “You can’t leave your bar to come pick me up.” Then she disappeared around the corner.

Not entirely sure how safe the area was, he walked to the corner and could hear a tinny, angry voice nearby and Jiaxu peered around the building. Sure enough, the perplexing woman shared the other side of his wall, staring up at the sky. She was holding her phone away from her ear, obviously bored with whoever was yelling at her.

Waiting for her to be done - he wasn’t about to leave her outside, in the dark, alone - Jiaxu leaned against the wall to ponder the message from his uncle with a frown on his face. His ma’s treatment had been over ten years ago, surely they couldn’t keep sending bills for it? Unfortunately, Ma was still living with his uncle as Jiaxu couldn’t quite convince her to leave.

"I’m an adult. I’m perfectly fine and will talk with you tomorrow," the woman said, annoyance clear as she sighed. Jiaxu wondered if she’d go back into the bar so that he could leave, when he heard a surprised sound next to him and he looked up to see that she’d noticed his presence.

“Oh, hello again,” he said.

“Hi,” she said shortly.

“Boyfriend trouble?” Jiaxu asked. It would have been more reasonable to assume it was a parent, but the opportunity to ask if she was attached was there, so he took it.

“Brother trouble,” she grumbled.

That explained a lot.

“Quite protective, is he?”

She frowned, scanning Jiaxu’s form slowly before shaking her head, obviously discarding a thought. “Why are you out here?” she asked instead.

Pushing away from the wall, Jiaxu pondered his options. He hadn’t been looking for her. He simply happened upon her and decided to make sure she made her way back inside safely to her friend. Ah, her friend.

“Your friend saw you leave and was worried you wouldn't be able to get back in," he lied. It had been ages since Jiaxu had felt so compelled to influence a conversation, but something about the way this woman held herself above just pushed at his buttons… “I’m Duan Jiaxu, by the way.”

A pause. Then, “Sang Zhi.” She didn’t look particularly thrilled to have told him.

“Did you want to go back in?” he asked.

“Not really,” was her quick response. Tilting his head, Jiaxu wondered if he could keep the evening going with her as Sang Zhi was full of interesting contradictions. She went to a bar, but didn’t want to be there. She saw him - someone as pleasing as could be - and scowled at him.

Jiaxu was utterly fascinated.

"Then what would you like to do? I'm at your disposal," he offered. Damn, that sounded terribly suggestive, and he hadn’t meant it that way. Well. Maybe a little bit. She was absolutely gorgeous.

"Do you have an ID on you?" Sang Zhi asked.

It wasn’t such an odd request, considering their meeting. Women ran into the creepiest schmucks all the time so Jiaxu was happy to pull his ID out and hand it to her. She quickly took a photo, handing it back to him without a glance as she typed on her phone.

“At my disposal, huh?” she asked with a distracted glance. “Do you like noodles?”

And that was how Jiaxu found himself heading to dinner with Sang Zhi.

As they walked to the restaurant that he recommended, Jiaxu tried to pull information from her, where she was from and who her friend was… but each time he managed to reveal a little bit, she’d say something that would send him in a mental tailspin.

Sang Zhi asked him about his job, and when presented with information about learning algorithms in gaming, surprised him with a question about A Dream of Jianghu, a game he’d worked extensively on. It was an act of self preservation to lie by omission and say he’d not worked on it, currently, since she brought it up so specifically. Then she mentioned going to Yihe University and he had to pump the mental brakes a moment to consider if she somehow knew him.

Or if she somehow knew a person who had a vested interest in hurting him. His hometown had many people who wanted to exert some form of control over him, and it wouldn’t be the first or even the third time Jiang Ying had recruited someone from there into that type of a cruel scheme.

Then Jiaxu realized he was being paranoid. Sang Zhi hadn’t approached him at all, he’d approached her. She was a mystery, a puzzle box that Jiaxu wanted to turn her over in his hands to know the entire workings of her.

But she made it difficult by not being loquacious.

Instead, it was a game to find out what answers Jiaxu could glean from her. Sang Zhi had an disinterested ease about her that meant she could answer a question without really answering it. So while, yes, he found out the friend she’d been with was from university, he didn’t find out what they studied or when they graduated.

Sang Zhi seemed content to keep things impersonal, which just enticed Jiaxu more. While she was distracted with her phone for a minute, her friend understandably checking on her, he found it amusing that she decided to use him as the excuse for leaving. That implied a rather provocative reason for their departure.

Apparently that didn’t bother Sang Zhi at all.

The more she evaded Jiaxu’s questions - what was unlike me supposed to mean? - the more alluring he found her. He was thwarted by the arrival of food and then completely lost his thought process when she took a bite and hummed softly in enjoyment.

It was decidedly innocent in nature.

But tell that to his cock, which hardened instantly.

Sang Zhi sent him a questioning glance. “What?”

“You know exactly what,” he’d murmured back. It was too tempting to stare at her, to let the tension sit and see how she’d react. She didn’t drop his gaze.

Interesting.

Jiaxu turned to his food, attempting to cool the sudden heat through his body. She did as well, content to eat in relative silence which gave him ample time to wonder what had made her so guarded, dancing around his questions with her own.

After all, kind recognized kind. Jiaxu had built his own strategies to avoid questions as well.

Sang Zhi finally motioned to the restaurant to question how he found it, obviously pleased with the food. Explaining how close his workplace was, he agreed with her question about long hours, when the opportunity to fall into another innuendo presented itself and he couldn’t resist.

“I like keeping on top of projects,” Jiaxu said into his glass.

He had no qualms with being as open as possible about his desire for her. And fuck if Jiaxu had been teased and confounded by the woman all evening, it was impossible not to imagine what she’d be like in his bed. Would she be quiet and held together as she presented to him now? Or would she be demanding and greedy?

Damn. His pants felt uncomfortably tight.

Sang Zhi scanned him with an appraising eye and he forced himself to relax, struggling to breathe normally with how his body felt taut like a pulled string. He could see the heat in her gaze, but couldn’t decipher anything else in her expression.

Eventually, she went back to eating.

Jiaxu had no idea if he’d passed her appraisal or not.

However, once they finished their meal and stepped outside, Sang Zhi turned to him. “Do you live far?”

Motioning in a direction - his building was only a couple blocks away - she immediately started walking and Jiaxu grinned to himself. Apparently she’d deemed him worthy.

Catching up to her, he led them to his building, the residential elevator opening with the wave of his keys. Sang Zhi had no hesitation in entering the lift, Jiaxu following her and hitting the button for his floor.

It was quiet.

It surprised him how at ease he felt. Honestly, Jiaxu should probably slow things down. Simply get her a glass of water, have her meander through his home and absorb the achievements of his life through his things, and try to lay a foundation to have another night. Another opportunity to learn about her. Another day with her.

He desired her, absolutely, but wanted more than just this moment. All evening his heart had been beating to a rhythm of more than just a brief encounter.

Then Jiaxu looked at her.

Sang Zhi looked back.

It occurred to him as the tension rose that he was in terrible trouble.

The elevator dinged, announcing their arrival by opening the doors. She practically launched herself at him and he opened his arms to catch her, his lips finding hers instantly. Jiaxu was overwhelmed, the sense of rightness hitting him square in the chest, that she was a perfect blend of confounding and compatible.

He didn’t want it to end.

She hopped up on his hips and Jiaxu had to catch her, his hands roving under her thighs, squeezing her ass. Fuck, Sang Zhi felt too good against him, his cock straining against his pants. He carried them into the apartment before the doors closed on them, setting her down at the first surface he found, a counter.

Shoes. He had to remove her shoes. Some idiot in his brain had taken hold of the thought of securing her so tightly that Sang Zhi wouldn’t be able to leave. Shoes had to go.

She held his face in her hands, so insistent with her kiss like he might disappear. Each shoe fell to the ground with an unceremonious clunk and Jiaxu took the opportunity to run his hands along her legs, admiring the softness of her skin. Leaning into her, he shifted his attention to her hair, directing her face up so he could lay kisses along her jaw, her neck, behind her ear.

And was rewarded by the most delicious whine from her.

Jiaxu was dizzy with desire, the sound tossing out the last thought of slowing down he’d had. Instead, he felt for the clasp at her neck, practically vibrating with excitement and pulling back to check her own expression. “This okay?”

Sang Zhi had a tousled look about her and put her finger on his lips. “Hush.” Reaching up, unclasping the fabric with a flick of her fingers.

Oh, she wanted it quiet. How did she keep issuing Jiaxu with challenges? He opened his mouth, tongue darting out to slowly lick up her finger, and Sang Zhi practically melted, a soft moan escaping her. Triumph streaked through Jiaxu, already winning once against her decree of silence.

Picking her up once again, he carried her through to his bedroom, following her down onto the bed, proceeding to get very well acquainted with her.

Jiaxu rubbed his forehead, images of her straddling him, breasts bared as she scooted down with a devious look in her eye, then later when she was spread open in front of him, eyes glazed over while he explored her slick folds with his tongue, her edict of silence long discarded by lovely little sounds escaping her throat.

It all flashed through his mind and he groaned. Jiaxu wanted to explore her again. Wanted to see where her limits were, where his limits were, unravel each other and stitch together something new and beautiful.

Which he very much couldn’t do at home in his boxers, alone. What did he do now with only a messed up bed and a stolen shirt?

Jiaxu had no idea.

~~~

As days turned into weeks, Jiaxu’s mood plummeted. He went from making appearances at the regular Friday night unwind with his coworkers to just staying the entire evening, eyes swinging to the front every so often to see if Sang Zhi would appear.

She didn’t.

A month had passed until one Monday morning, Chen Junwen knocked on his door. “Hey Jiaxu, you have a minute?”

Jiaxu agreed, putting his work aside. Chen Junwen was an old friend from university that had been in many of his classes who had been looking for a new challenge, so Jiaxu had offered him a position as a lead programmer at his company about six months prior. It’d been nice to have such a good friend at work with him.

“I just thought I’d offer an ear,” Chen Junwen said, sending him an unsure look. “You’ve been here at the office more often than not, and while everyone is glad you’ve been coming with us on Friday’s… they know something is off.”

“Off?” Jiaxu asked, tilting his head in consideration.

“Well, you come and enjoy the evening with everyone, but… they’re worried there’s something wrong. You haven’t mentioned any new projects in a while, especially from A Dream of Jianghu’s team, so there’s a bit of a speculation that the company isn’t doing well…”

Groaning, Jiaxu shook his head fervently. “No, nothing like that is happening… I hadn’t gotten to reviewing the new proposals from Siyun since we had such a crush of them last time, you remember, you came in right as three of them ended that same month-”

Chen Junwen nodded in understanding. “I just thought you might want to know what’s been rumored… what is bothering you, then, if not work?”

Jiaxu grimaced. He should have hidden his frustration better.

“I met someone,” he admitted softly. Chen Junwen’s eyebrows raised.

“Ohhh. Really?” his friend asked. The delight on his face was entirely unnecessary.

“Ah… sort of. I didn’t get her number, so it’s not like we’re seeing each other…” Jiaxu mumbled, rubbing his neck in embarrassment. He really was an idiot. How hard was it to ask for someone’s contact before fucking?

Chen Junwen’s face split into a large grin. “Oh, you poor bastard.”

“I met her at that bar, so I thought maybe she’d return…”

Laughing, Chen Junwen clapped his shoulder. “I can’t wait to let them all know that you’re just being weird because of a woman.”

Sighing deeply, Jiaxu conceded it was the easiest way to avoid any terrible speculation about the company. It was going to open him up to a bunch of mild ribbing. They liked him enough to feel comfortable with that, but he was still their boss… but he would rather them do that than surprise him with resignation letters, abandoning a ship they assumed was sinking.

“Fine,” Jiaxu agreed. “It’s not a secret. I just wish I had an idea of where to find her.”

“Did she attend university? You could probably contact them about past graduates,” Chen Junwen offered.

Jiaxu blinked and shook his head. “She did, but even if I figured out the year and major she graduated with, they wouldn’t be able to give me any information. The most they could give me is that she did exist whenever she attended.”

Humming in agreement, Chen Junwen said, “Unlucky,” and left.

Jiaxu resisted the urge to bang his head on his desk. He just wanted to talk to Sang Zhi. He wanted to see if she was interested in exploring something more. That he wasn’t an absolute idiot for still thinking of her, constantly, weeks after their encounter.

If she wasn’t interested, Jiaxu would understand. He just needed to hear her say that.

Had he known that she would have just up and left… Jiaxu would have done things very, very differently.

He would have started with getting her fucking number.

Sighing, he went back to work.

~~~

Another fortnight passed and Jiaxu went back to his old habits of only making an appearance for the Friday night meet up, not staying for more than a half hour before leaving due to the intense ribbing. His team seemed to appreciate the return to normal.

Sang Zhi had said she didn’t go out much anyways.

Then proceeded to ignore his question as to why.

Instead of wallowing over the problem, Jiaxu finally conceded that it just wasn’t meant to be. No woman had to be worth all this grief, especially not after such a short acquaintance from weeks prior. She simply didn’t want to be found. She was the one who took a picture of his ID, she was the one who found him in a bar connected to his life, she was the one who came to his home.

She couldn’t be any more clear that she’d decided to cut him loose.

The rejection hurt, honestly, but Jiaxu refused to let it affect his day to day, spending extra hours layering contracts carefully so as to keep his team busy but not overworked.

Unfortunately, that resolve did nothing for him night to night. Vivid, impossible dreams haunted him. The illusion of her body, under him and writhing, over him and stepping on him, away from him and looking down at him.

It really began to make Jiaxu wonder about his desires.

He’d always gone that extra mile of service for people throughout his life. Long hours at jobs, trying to make up for wrongs he’d not committed, and people had taken full advantage of that. Some still did, his uncle's threatening texts as regular as Jiaxu’s weekly calls to his mom. Jiaxu usually just wired over the money, not wanting to hear the same abusive words again.

So it was a little alarming to find himself so excited by the existence of someone who he wanted to use him that way, and more. Sang Zhi could have asked Jiaxu for anything in that short time they were together and he would have done it.

How had she affected him so quickly?

Jiaxu wasn’t sure, but it didn’t stop him from waking up each morning with frustration running through his veins and a raging hard-on.

~~~

Another month passed.

Slowly, the memories of that night began to fade, the edges of Sang Zhi’s form fuzzing in his dreams.

It had been so long that Jiaxu’s colleagues stopped teasing him about mooning over a woman and Chen Junwen brought it up only once after that discussion in his office, to see if Jiaxu had found a way and contacted her. At Jiaxu’s negative reaction, he shook his head at Jiaxu’s misfortune but eventually agreed that the woman didn’t want to be found.

New Year's Eve arrived. Jiaxu hadn’t thought much of the holiday, not having planned anything in particular to celebrate, but Chen Junwen invited him out to party and he couldn’t think of a single reason to refuse.

Chen Junwen picked Jiaxu up and started explaining that he was taking them to his friend’s New Year’s Eve event at a bar on the other side of town.

“I haven’t had a chance to meet up with him since I’ve been back,” Chen Junwen said. “He went to Nanwu too. You might have shared a class with him? Qian Fei.”

Jiaxu shook his head. “When did you meet?”

“Senior year, during that awful coding project,” Chen Junwen shuddered. “He gave me good advice that helped narrow my focus and I found some pretty foundational bugs in his project.”

There had been so many sleep deprived seniors that year - Jiaxu among them - he wasn’t surprised at Chen Junwen bartering his skills with a random senior. He was thinking about it as they walked up to the bar, a small queue set up for later on in the evening.

There was a giant neon sign scrawled stylistically across the entrance. Overtime.

Jiaxu pondered the name, mildly amused. “They must have a lot of workers that come here, huh?”

“There’s an entire tech plaza across the way, so yeah, they get a lot of traffic from there. I think Qian Fei’s friend opened the bar to keep in touch with everyone from university, but…”

“Chen Junwen!” a voice called the moment they entered. As Chen Junwen went forward to greet his friend, Jiaxu took in the decor.

Overtime had a dark ambiance with wood floors and walls, ironwork features, and various billiard games in the back. The main floor was rather spacious with small standing tables placed to not inhibit traffic to the rather impressive mirrored bar that dominated the room. Jiaxu could see short staircases that led to various smaller alcoves that overlooked the room. It had a comfortable vibe, open yet intimate enough to be a fun night out for a group of friends.

They had arrived fairly early in the evening before the crowd for New Years Eve would appear, so the music wasn’t too loud, even when Chen Junwen followed his friend further back to a set of tables set up for the group.

“...and this is my friend, Duan Jiaxu. He’s a Nanwu graduate of our year,” Chen Junwen said as he clapped a hand on Jiaxu’s back and brought him forward towards the table. “He’s also technically my boss, but,” he grinned with a shrug.

“Nice to meet you,” Jiaxu said, noticing there wasn’t just one person but a group of about five.

“I’m Qian Fei,” the jolly man said, quickly introducing the rest of the group. “This is Sang Yan-”

Jiaxu startled slightly, losing track of the rest of the names immediately, and stared at the man. Sang. It wasn’t a terribly common surname, but confusion spun his head so suddenly that it was a miracle he managed to remain cheerfully polite through the rest of the introductions.

Sang Yan was tall, albeit not as tall as Jiaxu, with a rather mean resting face. Despite that, he still had all the markers of being relatively attractive - muscular enough, well dressed - but Jiaxu could draw no obvious similarities to Sang Zhi. Jiaxu forced himself to take a surreptitious breath to calm down.

The man in question hadn’t been unaware of Jiaxu's scrutiny and eyed him speculatively. “What will you guys have?”

“I’ll take a beer,” Chen Junwen said, completely unaware of the mental meltdown happening in Jiaxu’s head. “Jiaxu?”

“Orange juice, please,” he managed. Sang Yan squinted at him, looking even meaner than before.

“Okay,” he said distrustfully before walking to the bar and chatting with the bartender there.

Qian Fei blinked at Jiaxu. “Juice?”

“I have an allergy,” Jiaxu replied. He didn’t, but as far as he was concerned, his alcoholic father was more of a deterrent than any biological reason.

“Ah, I’ll let him know. Sang Yan might read into it too much,” Qian Fei said.

“What do you mean?” Chen Junwen asked as they took their barstool seats.

“He owns this place,” one of the other men mentioned. “It’d just be like mean ol’ Sang Yan to get uppity that you think his alcohol isn’t good.”

Sang Yan owned the bar. As in owned Overtime. It niggled at Jiaxu’s brain, a connection he could make but remained elusive. He watched Sang Yan from across the room, feeling like he suddenly held many mismatched puzzle pieces.

As Jiaxu watched, a woman appeared from the back and spoke with Sang Yan. She was beautiful, long hair and serene features denoting the kind of beauty that models held. Sang Yan’s countenance lightened when she patted his cheek affectionately.

“Don’t stare,” Qian Fei whispered to Jiaxu. “Sang Yan gets moody.”

Turning, Jiaxu blinked at Qian Fei. “What?”

“Wen Yifan is, yes, very beautiful and very attached to Sang Yan.”

Jiaxu was struck speechless. He’d not been looking at her, he’d been looking at Sang Yan. He opened his mouth to say that, but then realized that wouldn’t necessarily be much better. Finally, he managed to say, “She just looks familiar. Did she attend Nanwu, too?”

“Uh, no,” Qian Fei frowned. “Fu Zheng Chu, you work with her. Where did Wen Yifan attend college again?”

“Yihe University,” was the reply from a rather younger looking man in between bites of peanuts. “Best. Journalism. School.”

Jiaxu repressed a sigh at his hometown rearing its head once again. It was just a coincidence. Yihe University was renown.

“She works for a news agency,” Qian Fei explained. “As well as Fu Zheng Chu here.”

“Is it interesting work?” Jiaxu asked, latching on to any conversation to distract from his attention to the couple across the room.

“Wen Yifan scolds me all the time,” Fu Zheng Chu frowned. “But, to be fair, I usually deserve it.”

The table gave a polite laugh and Jiaxu was presented with his glass of orange juice placed in front of him, attached to an arm that led up to the aforementioned woman. “Here you go,” Wen Yifan said in a lyrical sort of voice, glancing down at him.

Her eyes widened, just slightly, but enough to set Jiaxu on edge. She recognized him. In a good way or bad way? He couldn’t tell. Instead, Jiaxu muttered a thanks and she retreated quickly, disappearing into a back room behind the bar, casting strange looks at him as she left.

Sang Yan frowned at him from the bar. Jiaxu busied himself with sipping his drink.

It promised to be a strange night.

~~~

A few miles away, Sang Zhi sat in her room in her parents home, alone. She was freshly showered, enjoying a bowl of fruit while she pondered the stack of manhua’s on her nightstand. She was just about to choose one when her phone dinged, a message having come in.

Expecting it to be Ning Wei to ask once again to come to her boyfriend's New Year’s Eve party that Sang Zhi had declined weeks ago, she was surprised to see that the message was actually from Wen Yifan.

[Wen Yifan]: You have to come to Overtime tonight.

Chapter Text

[Wen Yifan]: You. Are. Coming. Tonight.

Wen Yifan was relentless. The first message had arrived as Sang Zhi was in the shower, a few hours before the new year, and they just kept coming. She glared at her phone as she finished drying her hair. She had no intention of going out. Her parents had a fancy party across town, so they were gone for the weekend and she was wonderfully alone. Sang Zhi just wanted to curl up in that delicious smelling dress shirt and imagine Duan Jiaxu’s hands on her body.

[Wen Yifan]: You’ve been in a funk for months.

Sang Zhi wasn’t even sure why she’d stolen the shirt. Sure, it’d been a little cold, but nothing that she wouldn’t have survived on the walk of shame home. Jiaxu had just been such an experience that she felt that she’d earned a little memento.

[Wen Yifan]: Even your brother has noticed.

It really was unfortunate to feel so much regret over one of the best nights of her life. None of her past hookups had been nearly so satisfying. Sang Zhi had been dreaming of Jiaxu - his hands, his lips - ever since. It was truly unfair that he had been so damn good at pleasuring her body.

[Wen Yifan]: Trust me, it’s worth coming tonight.

Not to mention her heart. It was stupid and terrifying to feel so much for a guy who she’d only spent one night with. None of her other hookups had ever affected her in such a way. Then again, those encounters had been about as bland as her actual relationships. But since Sang Zhi had slept with Jiaxu, she refused to have expectations. It was the usual benchmark from past boyfriends where she was discarded with a slew of criticisms. She was boring. She was a homebody. She was too nervous. Why was she so beautiful and yet so dull?

At least they hadn’t called her stupid.

[Wen Yifan]: Get out of that shirt and come out, Sang Zhi.

A week after acquiring the shirt, Sang Zhi admitted stealing and occasionally snuggling in it to Wen Yifan, the only thing she could think of telling her friend about that night. Any other details made Sang Zhi feel exposed.

[Sang Zhi]: I regret telling you about that.

Sending the reply, Sang Zhi flounced onto her bed and tried to excise the negative thoughts from her head, echoes of the past men who’d made her feel less than. She wasn’t boring, she just liked her routine. She wasn’t a homebody, she just hated crowds. She wasn’t nervous, she just wanted clear paths to fire exits. Completely reasonable.

[Wen Yifan]: You will regret not coming out.

Sang Zhui stared at her phone, frowning. Wen Yifan rarely pushed her like this, it just wasn’t in her temperament. Yifan had been disappointed when Sang Zhi had declined her brother’s invitation to his bar over a week ago, but she’d understood. Sang Yan just wanted to keep her nearby like the overprotective brother he was, which frustrated Zhi.

It wouldn’t be quite so depressing if Ning Wei had come, socially skilled at managing the crowd with Zhi’s uneasy nature, but her social friend had a new boyfriend and plans already.

What was Sang Zhi going to do but watch people from her booth and drink alone?

However, Wen Yifan had never been so insistent.

[Sang Zhi]: Fine.

Sighing, Sang Zhi got up and considered her wardrobe. Despite Wen Yifan’s assumption, Sang Zhi hadn’t been wearing the shirt… yet. So instead of digging into the box it was hidden in, she started shoving through clothes on the rack, considering each. The most appropriately festive dress she had to wear for the occasion was a scandalously short black wrap dress that had a shimmering thread through the fabric. Glittery enough for the New Year celebration but not overtly so.

Her legs would be freezing but her arms would be warm in the long sleeves. It was a rather comfortable dress that flowed nicely around her, not at all restrictive. Piling her hair on top of her head with little tendrils escaping, she quickly applied her makeup and perfume before snagging her platform heels.

Annoyance mixed with a foolish feeling as she pulled on her coat and exited the house. It was downright frigid and she was traipsing to a bar to sit around and do nothing for a few hours. She didn’t care about the new year, it wasn’t as if anything would change for her. Sang Zhi was a creature of habit.

Her job was stable, if not annoying, but the clock was ticking till she could move on from there. She’d brought up finding a new place with her parents, but that had worked them up so much that she’d simply ended the conversation. She wouldn’t mind traveling, but the effort in making sure her food allergies weren’t triggered was exhausting.

She didn’t have any interest in starting a new hobby - drawing had enough of her free time - so that only really left dating.

Sighing, Sang Zhi shook the thought away. Since meeting Duan Jiaxu a couple months ago, her patience with the men she was dragged to meet - Ning Wei’s new boyfriend had a rather large friend group - was extremely short. They were nice guys, as far as she knew, but Sang Zhi’s past boyfriends always were until they found something lacking in her. Being nice was not enough.

There needed to be something else.

However, Sang Zhi wasn’t sure what.

If she was completely honest with herself, those past relationships were boring. She had very little interest in all their sports balls and vehicles and, eugh, the amount of bragging. She’d been less of a person and more of a quiet ornament. Sang Zhi could admit that it obviously wasn’t going to work out when she would struggle with school or work and they wouldn’t shut up about their damn hoop record.

So when Jiaxu had shown interest in her, plying her with questions all that evening, it had completely bewildered her. Usually, men only showed only a shallow curiosity about her life, especially with such resistance to her actually answering, so his focus on getting proper answers from her was just… odd. Then they’d arrived at his home and Sang Zhi had thrown herself into the safety of no strings attached, her past experience pointing to being dropped once sexual curiosity had been sated. There was no reason for Sang Zhi to open herself up and get hurt.

It hadn’t worked. The ever present ache that grew in Sang Zhi’s chest was testament to that.

Turning a corner to enter Overtime from the back, she was immediately greeted by the staff and Wen Yifan.

“Sang Zhi, he’s here,” Wen Yifan burst excitedly at Sang Zhi, taking her coat and placing it in her brother’s office quickly.

“Who?”

“Yes, who is here?” Sang Yan interjected as he stepped into the back, eyeing Sang Zhi. “I thought you didn’t want to come hang out with your ‘big lout of a brother’.”

Before Sang Zhi could answer, Wen Yifan sent her boyfriend a bright smile, ignoring the first question entirely. “Her friend bailed on her so she came to see me. We haven’t caught up in a long time. Go entertain your friends.”

Frowning, Sang Yan kissed Wen Yifan’s cheek, looking between the pair suspiciously. “Be good.”

“I’m always good!” Sang Zhi called to his retreating back. Her brother shook his head as he left.

Once he was gone, Yifan grabbed a bottle of wine - Sang Zhi’s favorite - and drinking glasses, pulling her through to a side door to climb the steps to a private area up in the rafters. Sang Yan had set it up after a rather infuriating evening where he spent more time rebuffing men who’d try to talk to either of the ladies than on his actual owner duties. Sang Zhi appreciated the spot because it assured complete privacy yet also gave her a place to watch people without being observed.

They settled into the booth across from each other, Zhi dropping her bag on the seat, and Yifan immediately peered over the railing. The bar must have reached capacity at some point before Sang Zhi’s arrival as it was very busy below them, music filtering up with the mild drone of conversation.

“Look,” Wen Yifan said and pointed at a group that Sang Yan was approaching. The group was boisterous, many of the people familiar to Sang Zhi, including her brother’s old roommate Qian Fei and one of her old schoolmates Fu Zheng Chu.

Following Wen Yifan’s finger stood Duan Jiaxu. Sang Zhi’s mouth gaped open. “He’s here?”

“Did you contact him?” Wen Yifan asked. “That picture of his ID has nothing on him in person, I almost dropped his drink.”

Sang Zhi couldn’t tear her eyes away from Jiaxu. He held a glass in his hand, looking decidedly casual with his other hand in his pocket as he watched the group interact.

“I didn’t… How is he here?” Sang Zhi asked, frowning as she watched Qian Fei cheerfully throw an arm over Jiaxu’s shoulder. Granted, the familiarity confused Sang Zhi for a moment till she remembered Qian Fei had a habit of becoming affectionate when drunk. Apparently Duan Jiaxu just slotted in perfectly with the group.

“Chen Junwen brought him. They graduated together.”

Sang Zhi hummed in understanding, spotting the man in question. Of all of Sang Yan’s old roommates, Chen Junwen was the one she was the least familiar with, the man having moved away immediately after graduating. But that meant Jiaxu had been in Sang Yan’s graduating class as well, him having mentioned his attendance at Nanwu…

“What happened, anyway?” Wen Yifan pressed, looking at Jiaxu. “He seems like a nice guy.”

Sang Zhi remained silent, mentally cursing the word nice. Something must have shown on her face, however, as Yifan glanced at her warily. “Zhizhi-“

“It was just a hookup, okay?” Sang Zhi admitted. “I didn’t get his number. Just his shirt.”

Wen Yifan frowned. “So all these weeks of moping, you actually… didn’t ask? Didn’t try?”

Shrugging, Sang Zhi realized how cowardly it sounded and said nothing, reaching for the wine to pour some into her glass. Wen Yifan sighed.

“You and your brother are so painfully similar sometimes,” she muttered. “So, answer me this, Sang Zhi. If he came up here, what would you do?”

Sang Zhi frowned. “He wouldn’t come up here.”

Wen Yifan rolled her eyes, as if saying try me. “Answer the question.”

Instead of doing so, Sang Zhi took a long sip of her drink. Wen Yifan waited patiently.

“Damn it, Yifan,” Sang Zhi muttered, finally breaking after a few long moments. “I don’t know.”

“Do you want to find out?”

“Are you crazy? Sang Yan is here!”

Wen Yifan waved her hand dismissively. “I can distract him.”

“What… what if Jiaxu doesn’t remember me?” Sang Zhi asked quietly, looking into her drink. It had been weeks. A man that was that attractive did not bother with chasing after women - they chased him. “Look at him. He isn’t hurting for attention.”

“Zhizhi,” Wen Yifan groaned. “Must you always think the worst?”

“I’m sorry, which of us said that Sang Yan was, I quote, ‘just tolerating me’? My brother’s been in love with you since the moment you stepped foot in his high school. Now that was thinking the worst.”

Wen Yifan shook her head. “Don’t try to distract me. This funk you’ve been in started with him. Why are you so scared?”

Sang Zhi scowled at Wen Yifan. “I’m not scared.”

“Then go say hi.”

“In front of Sang Yan?” Sang Zhi recoiled. “No way. Sang Yan will have an aneurysm.”

“Then I guess I’ll go get him,” Wen Yifan said with a smile, peering at Sang Zhi’s face to see if she agreed. Hearing no objection, Yifan got up and disappeared down the stairs.

Sang Zhi took a long sip of her drink before staring back down at Jiaxu. She couldn’t read his expression from up here, but he honestly seemed a bit lost. Fu Zheng Chu must have said something stupid, as usual, because she could see the way Sang Yan stiffened in irritation, glaring at him, with Qian Fei stepping forward to interject. A few moments later Jiaxu leaned over to say something to Qian Fei.

Sang Zhi frowned, wondering what they were talking about.

Wen Yifan appeared on the floor at that moment, her drink in her hand. Instead of immediately going to Jiaxu as Sang Zhi expected, she walked over to Sang Yan to get his attention. His eyebrow shot up by what she whispered in his ear and he rushed off. Yifan smiled apologetically at the rest of the group before slowly approaching Jiaxu. They spoke for a few moments before Wen Yifan shrugged and motioned with her glass to the hallway that led to the staircase. It would lead to Sang Zhi.

Jiaxu glanced in the direction, then back at Wen Yifan. Setting his drink down, he tilted his head at Yifan, who gave him a small smile before leaving in the same direction as Sang Yan.

A moment passed. Then Jiaxu started to slowly walk to the hallway.

Sang Zhi suddenly felt incredibly hot, wishing she hadn’t worn the long sleeve dress. Her heart was beating quickly in her chest, so she took another sip of wine to calm herself. Making sure her appearance was as perfect as she could in a panicked ten seconds, she settled into her seat to wait.

~~~

Jiaxu wasn't wrong. It was the strangest evening of his life.

There was a question in the air, like an equation that should add up in a particular way, but there was a missing element that the entire solution hinged on.

Sang Zhi had to be here, somewhere.

It had occurred to Jiaxu that at some point coincidences stopped being coincidences when so many struck in a row. At that point, it was just evidence.

The first was that Sang Yan owned the bar. While Jiaxu had thought nothing of Sang Zhi’s argument with her brother on the phone, it finally connected with the conversation he’d accidentally overheard the night he met Sang Zhi. She’d mentioned her brother leaving his bar for her. Not that he was at a bar. That he was running a bar.

Then there were a few conversations where Sang Yan grumbled about a little demon said in that affectionate, exasperated way when referencing a sibling. Added with the protective glare he was constantly scanning the room with, it wasn’t much of a stretch to imagine the man calling Sang Zhi that night to chew her out.

And finally, Wen Yifan’s reaction. She’d been surprised by him, which was unusual as they’d never met. And the typical suspicion Jiaxu felt at people who were connected to Yihe went out the window with so many of Sang Zhi’s friends attending the same university.

The evening wore on without much for Jiaxu to do but observe. He hadn’t been the most social while at Nanwu University, missing a lot of the school events for either whatever part time job he’d had at the time, or had to return to Yihe at his uncle’s behest. He wasn’t ignored, however, Qian Fei pulling him into conversation as often as he could, the man just a beacon of good will that Jiaxu couldn’t help but like. He wondered how different his school experience would have been had Jiaxu befriended him at the time.

“Sang Yan!” Qian Fei suddenly called out from beside Jiaxu, startling him. The man in question turned, eyeing Qian Fei. “Where has your sister been? I haven’t seen Sang Zhi in weeks-“

Jiaxu’s ears began to roar, a blend of relief and anticipation hitting him at once. There it was. The confirmation he’d been looking for all evening. Jiaxu stared at Sang Yan who waved Qian Fei’s rambling questions away.

“The little demon didn’t want to come,” Sang Yan said, glancing up, and Jiaxu almost burst out with why not? before choking it down. How the hell would he be able to explain saying that?

“That’s just like her,” Fu Zheng Chu complained from the other side of the table, obviously inebriated. “She never liked having fun, not even when we were kids.”

Sang Yan’s brow darkened into an even meaner expression than normal. Qian Fei noticed and twittered nervously, trying to diffuse the conversation by saying, “Fu Zheng Chu, you don’t mean that. Sang Zhi is a lot of fun.”

There was that undertone again, some sort of unspoken reference that Jiaxu didn’t know, Sang Yan’s glare too pointed to not mean something. Jiaxu watched as Fu Zheng Chu caught sight of it, grumbling something about birthdays and turned his attention back to his neighbor. A few moments passed where the conversation continued on, and Jiaxu decided to chance it.

“Who’s Sang Zhi?” he murmured to Qian Fei.

The man shot a look at Sang Yan before responding. “His little sister. Although, she’s an honorary sister to all of us, except maybe Fu Zheng Chu who grew up with her. He’s just sour because she’s always rejected him.”

Jiaxu licked his lips, thinking quickly. “Why wouldn’t she want to come? Is she avoiding him?” he asked, motioning to Fu Zheng Chu.

“Naw, he’s an idiot. Sang Zhi hates crowds,” Qian Fei explained. “If you don’t see her at the beginning of the night before people arrive, you usually won’t see her at all.”

It took everything in Jiaxu to not deflate at that statement. Glancing around, the room was rather busy, and it added an explanation of how little she’d wanted to be at that bar months ago. Jiaxu started to ask another question but thought better of it when Chen Junwen appeared at that moment with a new round of drinks and the group cheered.

Sipping his orange juice, Jiaxu wondered what he was supposed to do now. Scanning the room wasn’t going to make Sang Zhi appear. If that was the trick, he’d have conjured her up dozens of times in the past hour already. Alternatively, his mood was buoyed by the fact that he at least had found her. Maybe he could come back another time and run into her.

He saw Wen Yifan wade through the crowd towards their group, smiling softly at Sang Yan who gave her an affectionate leer. Jiaxu felt a stab of envy, for the closeness between the two was so apparent. Sang Yan held a mean, grouchy expression for any moment not directed to Wen Yifan, where his face would soften in fondness.

Jiaxu looked away before someone got the wrong idea again. It was far less likely, however, as Qian Fei had roped in Chen Junwen into wailing with some song in the background unfamiliar to Jiaxu, definitely not paying attention to their surroundings.

But then he was surprised by Wen Yifan approaching him. Sang Yan had disappeared.

“You’re the odd one out, it seems,” she said.

Shrugging, Jiaxu looked at his friend fondly. “I usually am.”

“Why?” she asked.

It was an incredibly simple question with so many potential answers that Jiaxu couldn’t bring up in polite conversation. Instead, he shrugged. “Habit, I guess.”

“Do you also have a habit of… losing things?”

Jiaxu considered the question, not entirely sure where she would have drawn that assumption. However, before he could answer she continued.

“Like shirts?” she said into her drink, taking a sip.

Shock struck Jiaxu dumb for a moment. Wen Yifan knew. This beautiful woman in front of Jiaxu had definitely recognized him through Sang Zhi. Which meant Sang Zhi had mentioned him. He just needed to know how to find her.

“Only my favorite one,” he replied slowly. “Do you know where it went?”

She tilted her head at his word favorite, a soft smile appearing on her face. Shrugging, Wen Yifan motioned her glass towards a hallway that led to the bathrooms. “There’s a staircase in that hallway. Might be helpful.”

Then she sailed away.

Presented with a very clear path to where Sang Zhi must be, Jiaxu took a sip of his drink to think for a moment. Could he act normal? Could he simply show up and say hello? Ask how she was and if he could have her number?

Maybe.

Adrenaline was pumping through him so suddenly that his hand shook as he placed his glass on the table. It was a good thing Chen Junwen was so distracted or he’d have picked up on Jiaxu’s sudden nerves and given him a hell of a hard time.

Walking through the hallway of bathrooms, Jiaxu found a back exit and a rather dusty looking path up towards an upper floor. It obviously wasn’t in public use, cordoned off with a rope, which he stepped over. Climbing the stairs, he wasn’t sure what to expect when he reached the top.

He didn’t pause, his heartbeat and footsteps far too loud on the wooden staircase to hide his presence, so when he reached the top he immediately turned the corner and… there she was.

Sang Zhi sat scooted in the inside of a booth with her back to him, looking down at the bustling bar. She didn’t seem to notice him yet. He took a moment to drink her in, the surroundings of a singular booth placed up in a space that was more of an attic than anything else, the soft hum of music, the otherworldly presence of her sitting above everyone.

Words failed Jiaxu.

Regardless, he stepped forward, sliding into the booth next to her and watched her, wondering how she’d react.

She stiffened, obviously knowing he was there but she didn’t say a word, didn’t acknowledge him in any other way. Her eyes were glued to the open floor below them.

Fuck, what was Jiaxu supposed to say with her sitting there, ignoring him? Like he was so insignificant it wasn’t worth the bother to even ask him what the hell he was doing up there, a place so obviously designed for her own personal use? Why did that reserve she held excite him so damn much? Was she even real or was this another one of his incredibly vivid dreams?

Reaching out, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Something small, irrelevant, but enough to confirm that he wasn’t dreaming.

That evoked a reaction from Sang Zhi, who faced forward, blinking quickly as she licked her lips. Jiaxu felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest, unsure what damage she was about to deal him.

Turning, Sang Zhi stared at him.

Jiaxu stared right back.

He leaned in, the moment hanging, trying to think of something to say, anything.

“Sang Zhi-”

She darted forward, grabbing his collar roughly and he immediately surrendered, her lips instantly finding his. A groan escaped him as he slid his hands around her waist and pulled her close.

It felt like a fucking miracle. One of Jiaxu’s hands traveled up to her neck, fingers spearing into her hair and pulling her head back so he could lick along her jawline to her ear, pressing kisses along the tendon of her neck as she moaned. Desire shot through him, his other hand finding purchase on a knot on her dress. It was incredibly tempting to just unravel it, slide down and unravel her, but no, fuck, Jiaxu was not going to repeat past mistakes…

He wanted to speak, to ask for her number before he forgot, to know her home and her work and everything in between just so he wouldn’t lose her again. But it was incredibly hard for Jiaxu to pull away, especially when Sang Zhi grabbed him by the hair and brought his lips back to hers.

Thoughts of slowing down and talking left Jiaxu. He wouldn’t lose her, he’d just discovered where to find her, and that was enough for him.

Sang Zhi’s tongue delved into his mouth in a positively filthy way as if trying to discover all of his secrets and he pressed her back over onto the plush seat. Her fingers ran through his hair, down his neck, shivers exploding over him as she started to unbutton his shirt, to touch his throat, his collarbone, his chest.

Jiaxu’s hands stroked her sides, shifting her in increments, excessively annoyed at being pinched between a table and the seat, wishing that they were at home, in his bed, with all the time in the world.

She pressed her bare leg against his groin and he couldn’t help the groan that vibrated through him, grinding against Sang Zhi in a wonderfully unsatisfying way. His hand discovered how short her dress was, the smooth skin of her leg leading to the dress bunching up at her waist indecently as he shifted over her, but it didn’t seem to bother Sang Zhi who started nipping at his neck…

Suddenly, he felt a strong grip on the back of his shirt that abruptly, violently yanked him backwards, away from Sang Zhi. Before Jiaxu could properly gain his footing, a fist crashed directly into his face and his world exploded in pain.

A shriek went up around him as he crashed to the ground, but Jiaxu couldn’t make sense of it, pain radiating through his head and ardor instantly extinguished. Dazed, he slowly managed to sit up and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Jiaxu had suffered worse before - the punch landing square on his cheek so at least his nose wasn’t broken - and was finally able to look up to see Sang Zhi standing between him and his attacker, yelling.

After an evening of finding out just how protective her brother was, Jiaxu didn’t need to look beyond Sang Zhi to confirm that it was Sang Yan who’d punched him. The man’s fists were still clenched as he glared down at Jiaxu while Sang Zhi laid into him.

“What is wrong with you?” Sang Zhi yelled as Wen Yifan appeared at the stairs, huffing her breath. Her mouth dropped open when she saw Jiaxu on the floor.

“Is that,” Sang Yan spat out, motioning at Jiaxu as if he were a piece of dirt under his shoes, “-why you’ve been so stupid lately?”

“Excuse me?” Sang Zhi hissed. “Of everyone here, you’re the stupid one, using your fists instead of your words-”

“I’m defending you!”

“You’re starting a fight, like always,” she said. “That accomplishes nothing, idiot!”

“It worked, didn’t it?” Sang Yan argued. “Now he’s paid a price for hurting you-“

Sang Zhi gave him the most fierce scowl, grabbing her brother by the collar and shaking. “Shut up!”

“It’s obviously not his first time messing-“

“Shut. Up.”

“Look at him! I can’t keep up, chasing all these jerks from you!”

The words stopped Sang Zhi, staring at her brother, asking in a horrified voice, “What jerks?”

Sang Yan shifted, glancing around uncomfortably, avoiding the question. “You always…”

“Always what?” Sang Zhi demanded flatly. “Because I’m unaware of you meeting any of my ‘jerks’.”

Wen Yifan stepped forward, giving Sang Yan a suspicious look. “Sang Yan, you didn’t-”

“This explains so much,” Sang Zhi muttered, shaking her head. Then she swept her gaze around the room, obviously frustrated, her eyes misty and her lip wobbling… then a laugh escaped her, a bitter, hollow sound that filled Jiaxu with dread and she shook her head at her brother.

“I’m done with you.” Then she shoved Sang Yan hard, walking past him to stomp down the stairs.

“Sang Zhi,” Jiaxu mumbled as he struggled to stand up, to follow her, but Sang Yan grabbed him by the collar before he could make more than a few steps.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Sang Yan,” Wen Yifan said, putting a hand on his arm. “Are you going to do more stupid things?”

Shoving Jiaxu into one of the booth seats, Sang Yan plopped down across from him. “Look, there’s a whole table between us.”

“You have long arms.”

Sang Yan waved her off. “Go get the little demon.”

Wen Yifan gave him a dubious look before disappearing down the stairs. Jiaxu eyed the man in front of him, wondering what his purpose was in keeping him there. Honestly, he’d expected Sang Yan to immediately boot him from the premises.

Instead, Sang Yan took the wine on the table and poured it into the abandoned glass to take a sip. “I’ll try her way. Talk. How long have you been seeing my sister?”

“I’m…” Jiaxu started to say I’m not seeing her before deciding against it. Seemed like a quick way to get his nose broken considering the embrace Sang Yan had caught them in. “We met in October.”

Sang Yan seemed to consider that. “Long time to hide a boyfriend.”

“I’m not…” Jiaxu started again, rubbing the back of his neck. “I wish I was her boyfriend, but I don’t have her number.”

“You don’t have her number,” Sang Yan stated flatly. “I don’t believe it.”

Knowing there was no way to convince the man, Jiaxu shrugged. Setting his hand down, he felt Sang Zhi’s bag next to him and fiddled with the strap. Hopefully Wen Yifan found her - it could be unsafe for Sang Zhi to leave without her things.

“So she’s been touchy for weeks and you didn’t have her number,” Sang Yan repeated in an incredulous way.

“Sang Zhi knew where to find me,” Jiaxu said. “But I didn’t know where to find her. Until tonight.”

“Fuck.” Sang Yan finished the glass of wine with an angry look on his face. Considering Jiaxu, Sang Yan chewed on his tongue before placing the glass in front of Jiaxu and pouring another drink.

Warily, Jiaxu shook his head.

“Don’t give me that allergy bullshit,” Sang Yan said.

“My dad was an alcoholic,” Jiaxu declared, pushing the glass back.

“What does his weakness have to do with you?” Sang Yan frowned.

Everything. Jiaxu glared at the drink.

Scoffing, Sang Yan picked up and downed the drink before placing it back on the table. Shaking his head, Sang Yan muttered to himself. “It would figure the little demon would find someone who looks like the devil himself.”

Jiaxu tilted his head. Bearing the mark of Sang Yan’s protective streak on his cheek made him wonder if this had happened before. Sang Zhi seemed incredibly private, more so than Jiaxu in some ways. Her evasive answers made a lot more sense in light of Sang Yan’s reaction.

“You really haven’t been in contact?” Sang Yan asked.

“I’ve only met her once before,” Jiaxu stated flatly. “And have been hoping to run into her for weeks. Why would I lie?”

Sang Yan huffed with a glare. “By how close you two were, it didn’t seem like you’d only met once before.”

Wen Yifan saved Jiaxu from having to respond at that moment by returning, holding coats. “Here,” she said, placing them in front of Jiaxu, sending him a pointed look. She had gathered another coat with his which he assumed was Sang Zhi’s. “She’s going home.”

As before, Wen Yifan was giving Jiaxu a path to Sang Zhi. He wondered what he’d done to earn such support.

But instead of taking the coats, Jiaxu waited, looking at Sang Yan. He didn’t particularly want or need the other man’s approval, but it didn't make sense to provoke Sang Yan if Jiaxu truly wanted to explore a future with Sang Zhi. She obviously had a very loving family. He didn’t want to jeopardize that.

“Why is she leaving? I barely got to see her,” Sang Yan grumbled.

Wen Yifan gave him an irritated look. “And who’s fault is that?”

“Mine,” Jiaxu offered without thinking. He didn’t know how annoyed Wen Yifan was with her boyfriend, but taking fault had never not worked in the past…

Wen Yifan glanced at him, taken aback, before narrowing her gaze in suspicion. Sang Yan raised his eyebrows, as if surprised to find an ally in Jiaxu.

“But he…” Wen Yifan started in confusion, looking between the two.

Jiaxu put his hands on the coats, looking at Sang Yan expectantly. Sang Yan narrowed his eyes at him, chewing on his tongue for a moment. Finally, he gave one short nod, scowling as if he wasn’t sure why he was agreeing.

With that, Jiaxu practically jumped out of the booth, grabbing the coats and Sang Zhi’s bag. He rushed out so quickly that he barely noticed Wen Yifan’s bewildered expression, skipping steps as he jumped down the stairwell.

He found Sang Zhi at the bottom, looking decidedly uncomfortable as she shifted from foot to foot. Seeing him, she hesitated, as if on the verge of saying something then thinking better of it.

“Can I walk you home?” Jiaxu asked, throat tight as he knew everything hinged on her response. Sang Zhi stared at him, her brows furrowing together in confusion, before slowly nodding with a hum of agreement.

He helped her into her coat. Taking a few moments, he adjusted the front of it to make sure it was securely closed, ignoring the way Sang Zhi stared up at him in concern. As soon as he pulled on his own coat, she reached up and touched his cheek. Jiaxu winced at the tender bruise that was likely appearing there. He reached up to pull her hand down, to brush off the concern, but she surprised him, taking hold of his fingers and pulling him outside.

Jiaxu didn’t mind. She was holding his hand. That had to count for something, right?

Chapter Text

Her brother was infuriating.

Sang Zhi stomped down the stairs, frustration coursing through her. Of course Sang Yan would horrifically embarrass her, exposing how much she’d thought of Jiaxu over the past few weeks. Her brother wouldn’t listen to her to shut up, instead jumping to wildly dramatic accusations about her popularity with men and the need to chase them off. It was humiliating.

She wouldn’t have cared what Sang Yan had said if it had been to anyone else. She would have turned a bored eye to the claim and ignored him. But in that horrifying moment when Jiaxu was ripped away from her and then immediately punched in the face, Sang Zhi had felt so mortified that there was no calm to keep. She didn’t know what to do to get her brother to be reasonable, to shut up, to not be so Sang Yan.

She shook away the prickle of angry tears before they could begin, walking directly to Sang Yan’s little office to get her coat. Oh, damn it, her bag, her phone. She’d left them upstairs. As she approached the stairs again with her coat in hand, she glared at the steps and wondered if she dared return.

At least Wen Yifan was up there. She’d keep Sang Yan from doing anything truly stupid, her brother's anger usually burning itself out quickly. But as Sang Zhi stood there indecisively biting her lip, Wen Yifan darted down the steps, “Sang Zhi-”

“Do I need to call the cops?” Sang Zhi asked, alarmed at Wen Yifan’s appearance.

“He just wants to talk to Jiaxu,” Wen Yifan reassured her. “You know your brother - after the initial shock of anger passes, he’s more reasonable.”

“He didn’t have to punch him,” Sang Zhi muttered, looking at the ceiling and blinking furiously. “Now everything is ruined.”

“Zhizhi,” Wen Yifan said as she pulled Sang Zhi to sit on the steps, wrapping an arm over her. “You weren’t even in contact with him… did you think it was going well?”

Frowning, Sang Zhi remained silent, carefully arranging her coat over her lap.

“You’ve never been like this with a guy before,” Wen Yifan continued. “And you’ve been evasive for weeks.”

“I didn’t think anyone noticed,” she mumbled, splaying her fingers across her hairline, leaning over. “You’re right. Sang Yan can’t ruin something that doesn’t exist.”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” Yifan said. “Jiaxu is definitely interested, he went right up to speak with you when I told him you were here.”

Sang Zhi snorted, not wanting to break Wen Yifan’s misconception that they had used that time for talking. “He won’t want to bother with me now, though, seeing how Sang Yan is,” she said instead. “Not even for something casual.”

“You don’t do casual, Zhizhi. You overthink and plan and-” at Sang Zhi’s grimace Wen Yifan paused and glanced up the stairs. “So tell me, why is he up there still talking with your brother? I can’t imagine going through the trouble for something casual.”

Frowning, Sang Zhi sat up. “Self preservation? I don’t know.”

“You didn’t see his face when you stormed dramatically off,” Wen Yifan said, sending her a knowing look. “Why are you giving me excuses?”

Sighing, Sang Zhi looked down at her hands fiddling with the hem of her skirt. “I… like him.” Frowning again, she shook her head. “I wasn’t supposed to like him. Not this much.”

“Why not?”

“Because…” Sang Zhi started, struggling to articulate the emotions swirling in her chest. “It’s too much. Obsessing over one night? I shouldn’t put so much meaning into it.”

“Sometimes it happens like that,” Wen Yifan said softly. “You just look at a person and just know your whole life is entwined with theirs.”

Sang Zhi stayed quiet, knowing that her first glance with Jiaxu had not gone that way at all. She wasn’t an impulsive person, that every decision she made took an agonizing amount of time to consider. It was only after weeks of urging her to have fun for once by Ning Wei and Wen Yifan that she’d surprised even herself by going home with Jiaxu.

It wasn’t until almost a week later that Sang Zhi realized that she’d been thinking of Jiaxu ridiculously often, the night having concentrated with a potency that constantly distracted her. It wasn’t ever anything important - a bowl of noodles, a bottle of orange juice in a vending machine, the back of a tall man that she’d have to confirm wasn’t him. Then it finally occurred to her, during an absolutely boring meeting at work, that the strange ache she’d felt in her chest was because she missed him.

But at that point, it was too late.

She’d thought of going to his neighborhood, to see if she could find him, but it felt so artificial and forced that she couldn’t do it. Resignation had already settled in and Sang Zhi was no stranger to disappointed hopes.

“Zhizhi, what are you afraid of? Don’t tell me you are feeling shy,” Wen Yifan asked.

“These things don’t last,” Sang Zhi muttered. “If it wasn’t Sang Yan interfering, it’d be my parents.”

Wen Yifan sighed. “What makes you think they’ll disapprove of Jiaxu?”

Because I like him. Because they always quit things for me. Because they don’t trust me.

“Is it just another excuse?” Wen Yifan asked. “Reject the possibility before there’s a chance to reject you?”

Sang Zhi did not like that Wen Yifan was likely right.

“Do you really think-” Sang Zhi said, then shook her head in disbelief, “-that one night could lead to something more?”

“I’m not the one you should ask,” Wen Yifan said. “But why not?”

Sang Zhi sighed deeply. It was as if the time apart had intensified her reaction to meeting Jiaxu once again. His lips and hands and everything had been just so much at once, pulling an irrational want from her very core, far beyond just her body. The initial suspicion she held over his handsome features had quickly morphed into something else terrifyingly quickly. She wanted his attention, his touch, his smiles.

But she knew nothing about him. It was frightening to feel so out of control with her desires. She’d never felt the strings of her heart pulled askew so much by a man.

“What do you want to do?”

Wen Yifan was peering at her, trying to push Sang Zhi into a decision, but she needed time to think. Even if Jiaxu was interested, her parents were overbearing as always, denying her discussion of moving out of their home. Instead, they'd offered to bring blind dates home for her, apparently preferring her to get married than live alone. Sang Zhi had managed to put them off, but who knew how long that'd last.

Sang Zhi didn’t like feeling resentful towards their love.

Usually Sang Yan was her escape from such scrutiny. She'd need to address whatever nonsense he'd spoken of about her 'jerks' later. But punching Jiaxu had been completely uncalled for…

Well, maybe not completely uncalled for, Sang Zhi realized. Remembering what position they’d been caught in, Jiaxu’s lips trailing down her neck, his hand skimming up her leg, the sheer relief at his form pressing down against her once more…

It had answered a question that had been plaguing her for weeks. Would he still want me again, even after knowing my body?

“If he still wants to talk to me-” Sang Zhi began, but Wen Yifan smiled, pulling Zhi’s coat from her.

“You’ll know if he wants to walk you home,” she said. “Let me grab his coat, too.”

Sang Zhi nodded, releasing it to Wen Yifan, who left for a moment to retrieve Jiaxu’s from the main floor.

A seed of hope sprouted in Sang Zhi’s chest, that despite the disastrous series of events, it might be okay. That maybe she’d made the wrong choice weeks ago, avoiding the possibility of something more, for fear of it being unceremoniously yanked away.

“Ready?” Wen Yifan asked as she reappeared. Sang Zhi nodded and Yifan disappeared up the stairs.

Sang Zhi stood with anxious energy, shifting on her feet, unsure of what to do with herself while she waited. Thinking about their kiss was probably a bad idea, but she couldn’t help it. She hadn’t meant to accost him, not without some sort of polite conversation, but then he’d touched her ear and she completely lost her mind. Thoughts of his hands on her neck, her breasts, her hip as he slammed into her flashed through her so quickly that the glance they’d held felt electric and exhilarating. Then he leaned in a bit, his scent washing over her and she had to press her lips to his, to search for some truth in him that only he could provide.

Fortunately, her fervor had been wonderfully reciprocated.

Impulsivity had its merits, apparently.

As she tried to pull her mind away from such devious thoughts, steps could be heard, thunk-thunk-thunk, and there Jiaxu was, skipping down the stairs three at a time with his long legs. If Sang Zhi had attempted that, she would have fallen flat on her face. But he landed gracefully, holding up their coats, her bag on his arm.

“Can I walk you home?” he asked breathlessly.

His enthusiasm was reassuring. Sang Zhi opened her mouth with an apology on her tongue, but realized it would be a weird way for her to respond to his question, so closed her mouth and hummed affirmatively.

He held out her coat, helping her into it as she turned, then spent an inordinate amount of time to make sure her clasps were secure. Sang Zhi stared up at him as he handed her her bag, phone peeking out from inside, a little awed at the care he was giving her when she was to blame for the shiny bruise on his cheek. He pulled on his own coat and she reached up, fingers brushing against the bruise softly and he winced. It filled her with guilt, knowing that of all the places to lose her caution, her brother’s bar while he was on the premises was probably the worst. If she hadn’t lost her head, perhaps he wouldn’t have received such a mark.

Jiaxu moved to brush her hand aside but Sang Zhi tangled her fingers with his before she could think about it, pulling him out of the building. She didn’t have any supplies with her, and wasn’t about to take the time to find them at the bar with all those people, so she tugged Jiaxu along by the hand, a destination in mind.

“I thought I was walking you home,” Jiaxu said, resisting her pull slightly.

“I’m not going home,” Sang Zhi replied, refusing to look at him. If she looked at him, she’d feel worse about the bruise. Or she might try to kiss him again. She wasn’t sure.

“Oh?” Jiaxu asked, slowing. “Where are we going?”

“Away from my idiot brother,” she said.

“Okay,” he chuckled. “But why are you rushing?”

Glancing at him, Sang Zhi realized that dragging him along with her wasn’t necessary. He smiled at her, eyebrows raising. “Hmm?”

Embarrassed, she nodded, asking the first inane thing that popped into her head. “Were you having a fun night… before-”

“It was going fine,” he grinned. “But it’s definitely better now.”

“How hard did Sang Yan hit you?” Sang Zhi asked, frowning in confusion. How was he so cheerful about it? “It’s just like him to use his fists. I’m really sor-”

He stopped abruptly, reaching up to place his finger on her lips, leaning in. “Hush.”

Desire shot through Sang Zhi so fast that she felt dizzy, blinking fast as she looked at Jiaxu without inhibition. It was incredibly tempting to lick his finger as he had done to her months ago. He shifted, stepping closer, shaking his head.

“Don’t you dare look at me like that, Sang Zhi,” he murmured with a deep velvety voice, dropping his hand as he stared down at her.

Sang Zhi swallowed and looked away, trying to shake the sheer heat that was pulsing through her. What about his stare made her lose her thoughts? Focus. She needed to at least bandage his bruise. So she started to walk again, leading them to a shop. Motioning to a bench, Sang Zhi directed Jiaxu to sit. “I’ll be right back.”

Darting into the building before he could protest, Sang Zhi could feel him watching her through the shop’s window, choosing a bruise cream and an instant ice pack. Paying for it, she then skipped out quickly and broke the ice pack so it’d chill faster than the truly frigid air around them, then she leaned down to apply the cream to Jiaxu’s face.

He winced as she dabbed at the injury. Grimacing in sympathy, Sang Zhi murmured, “Sang Yan is such an idiot.”

“It’s really not a big deal,” Jiaxu said, watching her with soft eyes.

“Why not?” she asked, frowning, capping the bruise cream. She simply didn’t understand how he was so blasé about the unnecessary use of force.

Jiaxu didn’t answer, instead hissing as she gently placed the cooled ice pack against his cheek, closing his eyes. Sang Zhi sighed, wondering at his silence.

“Were you upstairs all night?” he asked instead.

“No, I’d just arrived a little bit ago.”

“Ah,” Jiaxu said, placing his hand over her own that was holding the pack to his face. “So I did conjure you.”

Sang Zhi sniffed in disbelief, ignoring the fluttering in her stomach from the heat of his hand on top of hers. “For what purpose?”

He opened his eyes with an intense look, an eyebrow slightly quirked. His other hand came up to touch her hip before running it around the back of her and pulling close for a hug, the uninjured side of his face pressed into her stomach through her coat.

Blinking at the unexpected hug, Sang Zhi pet his hair thoughtlessly. A hug was so benign, so completely opposite of the tone of their past touches, it was downright cozy in comparison.

If he was speaking of conjuring her… did that mean he was thinking of her as much as she was thinking of him?

Instead of asking that, however, she asked, “Does it feel better?”

Jiaxu nodded with a hum, pulling the ice pack off and she stepped back. Standing, he gathered the things, putting them in the bag. “Ready to go home?”

Looking up at him, Sang Zhi shook her head. “Not really.”

A smile split across Jiaxu’s face, looking down at her with amused eyes. “Then what would you like to do? I’m at your disposal.”

Sang Zhi couldn’t help but laugh at the repeat of their previous conversation. “At my disposal, huh?”

“I don’t know any noodle places around here,” Jiaxu broke the script with a mock disappointment. “So I’m really at your mercy.”

“The best one is closed tonight anyway,” she replied, pulling her phone out of her bag to check the hour. “I know someplace we can go, though.”

“Then let’s go,” he said, holding out his hand for her to take. She looked up at him, then at his hand, and placed her hand slowly in his. She wasn’t even sure where the hesitancy had come from. Jiaxu’s requests were so straightforward it almost felt like a trick.

“Which way?” he asked. “I haven’t explored this side of Nanwu.”

Sang Zhi pointed and they headed in the direction, towards her old high school. There was a park near there that was a few blocks away from the university that she used to meet Sang Yan at when he’d be tasked to take care of her while her parents were away.

“What do you do for work?” he asked.

“Digital marketing,” she replied. “Building ad campaigns and outreach data on products and such.”

“So, that’s why you know of A Dream of Jianghu?”

Sang Zhi nodded, confused as to why he was bringing it up. “Their advertising emphasizing immersive dialogue was interesting. I don’t really follow video games, but it made a wave through our department. My boss was angry about it.”

“Do you like your work?”

“The work is fine,” she replied. He gave her a look, almost like he didn’t believe her, so she asked her own question. “When did you move to Nanwu?”

“Well, I came here for university, but after graduation I had to go home for a couple years. I actually did work on A Dream of Jianghu for a while-” he sent her a rather abashed look at her shocked expression “-until the parent company chose me to set up a smaller sister studio here a couple years ago.”

“A smaller studio?”

“We mostly focus on integrating similar progression systems for their other games,” Jiaxu explained, shrugging. “And while the team is only about a dozen people right now, we’re situated right next to Nanwu University and get quite the influx of interns every break to keep ideas fresh. We even hire some, or recommend them to the other studios when they graduate.”

Sang Zhi hummed. “Where is your hometown?”

A strange expression passed over Jiaxu’s face before he mumbled something she couldn’t quite hear. “Huh?”

“Yihe,” he said.

“What? Really?”

“Yeah,” Jiaxu said hesitantly. “My ma still lives up there with my uncle, but it’s… complicated.”

Sang Zhi nodded, hearing the discomfort in his voice and changing the subject. “It wasn’t until I met Wen Yifan that I considered going to Yihe University. With their digital media degree being the best in the country, it was easier to convince my parents.”

“Do you live near them?”

She hesitated. How did she condense a lifetime of their overprotective habits?

“I live with them,” she finally admitted. “Which was part of why I went to school in Yihe. I wanted to live somewhere without the shadow of my family.”

Jiaxu sent her a speculative look as they stopped at a street crossing. There was still a decent amount of traffic, mostly taxis, people hurrying to their various New Year’s Eve events. They crossed without incident, a park coming into view past some buildings, greenspace against the water.

“I didn’t know this was here,” Jiaxu said. “I guess I didn’t have any reason to head this direction.”

“Sang Yan used to meet me here after school to eat dinner when my parents were busy. The noodle place is just around the corner, if you are ever in the area,” she replied, looking for a bench overlooking the water before spying one. It was nearing midnight, but there were plenty of people milling about the park, looking at the water.

“That depends,” Jiaxu said, following her to the water.

“On?”

“If you give me your number or not.”

They found a bench, but Sang Zhi didn’t sit immediately. Instead, she held out her hand. Jiaxu dug into his pocket, produced his mobile phone and unlocked it, then placed it in her hand. Sitting down, Sang Zhi opened the social page on it to search for her name.

Seeing the search history with multiple spelling variations of her name, she blinked, a sharp pang stabbing in her chest. He’d been looking for her.

Quickly typing her name to hide the fact that she’d noticed, Sang Zhi found her profile and clicked it to send a request. Her phone vibrated in her bag. She handed the phone back to him as he sat down next to her.

Tilting his head, Jiaxu looked at her contact as if he wasn’t quite sure it was real. “I would not have guessed your account by this photo.”

“It’s just a doodle I made a long time ago,” Sang Zhi replied, pulling out her phone to accept the request. He had a sunset for his icon. Or was it a sunrise?

Just then, a loud boom was heard with light reflecting over the water. Sang Zhi looked up, seeing fireworks begin to burst in the distance. They were ages away from them, the fireworks definitely over city center, but it wasn’t a bad view.

“Happy new year, Duan Jiaxu,” she said, glancing at him.

“Happy new year, Sang Zhi,” he replied, looking rather pleased.

They sat there, watching the fireworks for a moment in silence. Sang Zhi buried her hands in her pockets, rather cold, but didn’t want to complain for fear that it’d bring their time to a close. It occurred to her that both nights with Jiaxu had started with her uncharacteristically letting go of her caution. Not thinking had its benefits.

She resolved to stop thinking when with Jiaxu altogether. But since the silence tugged at her, she began to talk.

“My parents would bring us here when we were younger,” Sang Zhi said as the fireworks continued. “The past few years… we’ve all had different plans. Mama and baba have to schmooze with the company and Sang Yan is usually handling his bar.”

“What do you do?” Jiaxu asked.

“Oh,” she said, thinking for a moment. Honestly, she usually stayed home, just like she’d planned that night before being called out, catching the edge of the fireworks from her window. That sounded absolutely pathetic of her. “Ning Wei invites me out, usually.”

It was true. Sang Zhi just didn’t typically accept the invitation. Jiaxu hummed in understanding, before shifting in his seat, bringing his arm around the back of the bench.

“What about you? Do you have a New Year’s Eve tradition?” Sang Zhi asked.

“I’m usually along for the ride for whatever my friends want to do, designated babysitter,” he shrugged.

“Because you don’t drink?”

Jiaxu hummed in agreement. “They’re easy to take care of, fortunately. Just need to drive them home, dump them at their doorstep, and they sort themselves out.”

She wanted to ask who took care of him, but it seemed too personal. It couldn’t be his family, with them living in Yihe. What did he do when he was sick?

The sky exploded with a burst of fireworks in quick succession, ending with a bang. Sang Zhi leaned a bit into Jiaxu, finding him warm, but it did nothing for how chilled her legs were.

“Are you cold?” Jiaxu asked.

“A little,” she admitted begrudgingly.

Standing up, Jiaxu sent her a smile. “Do you live far?”

Sang Zhi suppressed a sigh as she stood with him, shaking her head. Motioning in the direction away from the water, they continued on their way. Suddenly, Jiaxu let out a chuckle.

“What?” she asked.

“I’d been hoping to run into you again,” Jiaxu said. “But I could have found you if I’d just mentioned your name to Chen Junwen.”

Sang Zhi blinked, thinking about the connection before nodding with a small smile. “I guess. I’ve only met him a couple times through the years, though. Qian Fei is the one who checks in with me from the old roommate group.”

“Was there another?” Jiaxu asked. Typically roommate situations were four to a room. Sang Zhi nodded.

“A man named Su Haoan. He was the reason Sang Yan banned me from visiting him on campus,” Sang Zhi said as she rolled her eyes. It felt like a massive overreaction to her, but what did she know, she hadn’t met the man in question. Technically he was the roommate she knew the least about, but whatever. She’d had little need to meet Sang Yan on campus anyway.

“Ah, Su Haoan,” Jiaxu murmured. “Your brother has good instincts.”

“I don’t know,” Sang Zhi disagreed with a toss of her head. “He did just punch you.”

“Believe me, your brother-” his voice dropped even lower as he repeated himself, “-has good instincts.”

She glanced at him as she directed him to a walkway with elaborate landscaping between houses that would lead to her home. His tone was a delightful blend of warning and promise, sending a rush of anticipation through her.

Her parents weren’t home after all. They wouldn’t be back for a couple of days.

Arriving at her gate, Sang Zhi turned to him. “This is it,” she said. Jiaxu looked up at the townhome, four stories tall, and nodded.

“Then you better get inside,” he said.

“Would you like to come in?” she asked. “No one is home.”

After so much turmoil of the night, emotions vacillating so drastically, Sang Zhi wasn’t entirely sure what Jiaxu would think of her proposition. They had each other's number, so that was something, but she had utterly failed to ask him if he was interested in more than just a casual fling.

Frankly, she wasn’t too concerned about that at the moment, resolved to not think, simply wanting to feel him around her, and here was an opportunity for all those dark looks to be fulfilled…

He gave her a smile but shook his head. “I shouldn’t.”

Shouldn’t sounded like something Sang Zhi could change, so she slowly raised her hands to touch his lapel, raising her chin in challenge. His pupils dilated and she sent him a coquettish pout. “Why not?” she asked softly.

Dropping the bag in his hands with a crackly thunk, Jiaxu caught her wrists and deftly caged her with his arms, body pressing her back until her shoulders hit the brick wall that fenced her home. A gasp escaped her, thrilled with the contact of him pressing into her once again, even through the thick of their coats. However, instead of kissing her as she expected, he stooped to put his lips to her ear.

“I would like nothing better,” he growled in a low voice, “but to follow you inside. To strip you slowly and find out just how many surfaces I could fuck you against in your childhood home.”

Sang Zhi closed her eyes and tilted her head back, thoughts of his form domineering over her as he slowly pulled fabric from her body, discovering skin as they would travel through her home, the licks and nips she could return as they’d climb the stairs. She whimpered and he squeezed her wrists a little tighter, as if afraid she would manage to pull out of his grasp.

“Fuck, Sang Zhi, I just want to pull you apart with my tongue when you make those sounds,” He hissed, hot breath sending shivers through her. “To spread you open and lick all the edges and corners of you, to have you uncover all your secrets to me. Would you like that?”

Nodding her head furiously, she lifted a leg to run up against the inner of Jiaxu’s thigh, knee gently rubbing against the bulge she found there, and he shook his head, nose skimming her neck.

“Oh, I know you would,” he said, voice vibrating against her skin. “But I’m not. I’m not crossing that damn threshold until you want me there for more than just warming your bed. I’m not going to be haunted by the memory of your delicious body through your home if you ever decide to bring me back and meet your family.”

Surprise shot through her, but his nose skimmed along under her jaw to her other ear which sent a new wave of goosebumps across her.

“You’d… want…?” to meet my family? She attempted to say but lost her voice to another whimper as he kissed the spot under her ear.

“Yes,” he said, voice vibrating against her skin. “I very much want.”

It didn’t matter that her question was unclear. She tugged at her hands, desperate to touch him, to pull him with her into the house and fulfill all of her fantasies from the many weeks, but he groaned and shook his head, pulling away from her abruptly and nudging her firmly towards the gate.

“Go on inside,” Jiaxu ordered with an intense look, taking a few steps back.

Sang Zhi scowled at him, the sudden space between them very unwelcome as far as she was concerned, her body practically thrumming with need.

“Fuck,” Jiaxu muttered quietly to himself before addressing her again. “Sang Zhi, please, go inside.”

“Fine,” she grumbled, pulling out her keys to unlock the gate. She stepped through, holding it open and sent him a look over her shoulder. His nostrils flared, and he leaned forward as if grappling with himself, but shook his head slightly as if to clear his thoughts.

“Goodnight, Sang Zhi,” he managed to call as she closed the gate and walked to the entryway. Unlocking the front, she entered her home and caught one last glance of him before shutting the door

Immediately, she turned to lean against it, taking a deep breath and blowing her hair off of her face. Her hands were shaking, she just wanted to open the door back up and jump on Jiaxu, pull him inside, give him no choice but to placate her demands.

The worst part was that she knew he was right. Satisfying desires was one thing, but if he’d come inside, Sang Zhi would barely be able to function thinking of his dark, promising stare peering at her from all sorts of angles around her home. Interacting with her parents would become a whole new minefield with such memories peppering the rooms.

So she ran up the stairs. She definitely wasn’t going to think about the idea that had just come to her.

~~~

Jiaxu was completely dazed, feet operating on autopilot as he headed home.

He had not expected to find Sang Zhi that night.

It was utterly promising to find that her pull was just as strong as the night they had met. That he hadn’t simply imagined such intense desire, that Sang Zhi was as captivating today as she’d been months before.

There was a feeling that it was an irrevocable situation. Now that he knew her, there was no desire to know another. She’d sunk into Jiaxu’s bones.

He’d almost made his way home when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

Pulling it out, Jiaxu unlocked it and opened the message. His eyes widened and he quickly shut off the screen, blinking furiously. Sang Zhi was an absolute menace of contradictions. Their first meeting had been her scowling at him, ignoring him, before somehow leading him to his own home. She upended his entire life in the best of ways, his body craving her and his heart missing her and his mind floundering for answers. Now, after months of being haunted by her, Sang Zhi sent that in retaliation to him trying to be damn honorable…

For all the words she didn’t say, the picture she’d sent spoke thousands.

It felt like it took forever to get home after that quick glance, him rushing to strip off his coat and shoes once arrived, lazily leaving them in the entryway. Flouncing down on his couch, Jiaxu flicked his phone awake.

Sang Zhi appeared there in a photo taken from an above angle with dim lighting, her bare legs peeking out from under his stolen dress shirt, her knees spread as if straddling air on a bed. The shirt was barely buttoned, covering all of the important parts of her, but definitely insinuating a lack of any other clothing. Her chin and mouth just barely made it in the frame, full lips open as her right hand disappeared under the hem of the shirt.

Jiaxu had never been so glad to have a phone number.

Chapter Text

Sang Zhi was going to kill him.

Jiaxu’s thoughts had been full of her on the walk home, positively drunk on her presence, wondering how he should approach their next meeting. He’d reach out in the morning, see if perhaps she’d want to meet up sooner rather than later… but then she’d usurped his honorable thoughts by sending him that. He’d already been in a heightened state of arousal with the taste of her skin on his lips, so Sang Zhi sending him a provocative photo of her only wearing his stolen shirt…

Rushing through entering his home, Jiaxu had thrown himself at his couch, pulling up the photo, excitement rushing to his cock at examining it more closely. If she’d wanted to punish him for not having followed her inside earlier in the night, well, she’d succeeded in the most tantalizing way ever. Groaning, he threw his head back, staring at his ceiling. Pressing against her through the puff of their jackets, kissing and licking at her ear, her neck, awash in her soft scent… it hadn’t gone far enough to appease the lust plaguing him.

She wasn’t even nude in the damn photo. She didn’t need to be. She was enough.

Closing his eyes, he could imagine her hand reaching up to finish unbuttoning the shirt, his shirt, and the hem parting to show her delectable skin that he could almost taste, licking his lips. Jiaxu would reach to run fingertips against the dip of her waist, the swell of her hips, but the image was flighty, Sang Zhi’s form just out of reach.

Since his imagination wasn’t quite cooperating, he imagined that she would flounce back onto her butt, propped up on pillows, looking down at him with an eyebrow curved and challenging. Jiaxu wouldn’t shy away from that, not at all, he’d crawl right up to her and nuzzle her leg, hands skimming up her calves. His tongue would taste the sweetness of her thigh and he’d be heady with the scent of her arousal.

He was intoxicated by the thought of her prim little form waiting for his attention all while wearing his shirt. Fuck.

Reaching down, Jiaxu unfastened his pants and let his cock free. The rush of cool air did nothing to deter his erection, his hand bringing up his phone again to see the photo of Sang Zhi’s pouty lips, her smooth skin, the suggestion of her touching herself for him. Biting his lip, Jiaxu wrapped his hand around his dick and pumped a few times, a slight groan escaping him as his mind flashed to months ago with Sang Zhi’s curious exploration of his cock had nearly made him spill into her hair.

The friction of his palm added just an edge of discomfort and he dropped his phone next to him, his thoughts quickly flashing through all of the delicious positions Jiaxu had put her in before, the gasp she’d given when he softly pinched her nipples, the desperate moan when he’d finally managed to tongue her folds, the feel of her cunt wrapped around his long fingers…

Quickening his strokes, Jiaxu’s thoughts flicked to future desires, to flipping her around and propping her ass up, her writhing in anticipation as he’d slowly press his cock into her quim from behind, hands gripping her hips tightly as his thumbs rested on the back dimples he was convinced were there…

His memory was perfect of how wet she’d been before, sheathing his cock in the most luscious way, so it was easy to imagine breaths quick and frantic as Jiaxu would thrust into her, slowly leaning over to encompass her fully, to possess Sang Zhi so thoroughly that it would prove she was his and would only be his. She would fucking like it, so help him, keening in pleasure as she would throw her head back and buck against him.

With a groan, Jiaxu’s thoughts focused on that key point of holding her, possessing her, hand pumping furiously as the tingle in his spine and balls built and, with a gasp, he finished out onto his hand.

Moments passed. He sat there bonelessly on the couch, knowing there was a mess to clean up but not particularly caring, only somewhat satisfied. It would have been better with Sang Zhi there, but he suspected that everything was better with her around. Prolonging desires would be worth it if it meant he could convince her into a more permanent relationship status.

Jiaxu wanted far more than simply her body.

Which is why when she’d sent him such a coy glance upon arriving at her home, he’d declined going inside. Sang Zhi had obviously been displeased by his decision, utilizing the unspoken but positively humming sexual tension to try and change Jiaxu’s mind… so he’d given into his desire and captured her in his arms to tease all the things he’d love to do to her, if only they were something more.

She’d quivered in his arms, eyes dark and needy, but he somehow found it in himself to step back and make her go inside.

Which had prompted her to scowl at him.

At that moment, Jiaxu realized just how fucking gone he was.

It had all started with Sang Zhi’s scowl.

Jiaxu rubbed his neck with his other hand, trying to make sense of it. It wasn’t that he wanted her unhappy, not at all, but something about her displeasure breaking past the carefully aloof mask made him want to roll onto his back in submission and give her everything. There was probably some subconscious reason for his compulsive reaction, something to do with so many of the requests and demands made in his life from strangers delivered with saccharine sweetness, but Sang Zhi’s displeasure felt more honest than anything else in his life.

He didn’t really care. All he knew was he liked her scowl, inordinately, and wanted every opportunity to kiss it off her face.

So while Jiaxu was perfectly content with diving into a relationship, to discover if they really suited as well as he suspected, Sang Zhi hadn’t been nearly as forthcoming with her own thoughts about anything official.

Definitely the next thing he needed to ask.

Now that Jiaxu had her phone number, he had time to learn all about her, to discover why she held such an aloof stature, to find out what the hell unlike me meant, to spend all day texting her and… shit.

He’d left her on read.

As he rushed to clean himself up, Jiaxu pondered what the appropriate reaction was to such a risky - but decidedly welcome - first text. They hadn’t even exchanged hello’s yet. After washing his hands and changing into pajamas, Jiaxu settled into bed to finally respond. While it was terribly late into the night, that was not the sort of text you ignored.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I didn’t know it was possible for me to be jealous of my own clothes.

As he waited for a response, he thought of all of the events of the night. Invited to a bar by Chen Junwen, the sense of anticipation upon their arrival, relief that it wasn’t all in his head when Qian Fei had said her name. The shrewd invitation from Wen Yifan to find the one who’d been haunting him. Getting punched had sucked, but he’d definitely earned it. Jiaxu had even liked Sang Yan, despite the interrogation.

And the walk with Sang Zhi was wonderful.

Watching how she navigated her home turf was interesting, the shortcuts and familiarity making her relax in a new way to Jiaxu, speaking far more freely than he remembered. When she spoke of her choice to attend college elsewhere to avoid the shadow of her family, Jiaxu had felt that down to his core, it being so similar a reason for him to come to Nanwu.

His phone vibrated in his hand.

[Sang Zhi]: Jealous? You’re the one who left.

The irony of that response made Jiaxu smirk. Now they were even for leaving when the other didn’t want them to, apparently, but he wasn’t going to point it out. Months of missing her didn’t matter in the face of the potential future.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I regret it immensely. How can I make it up to you?

A response came instantly.

[Sang Zhi]: I’m sure you will think of something.

Despite relieving the pressure that Sang Zhi’s presence simply built around him with her presence, Jiaxu was amazed at how that small flirtation sent another stirring through him. Making up for all of this time wasted would be enjoyable, but it felt like their steps were terribly out of order. Wasn’t he supposed to start with a coffee date or something?

[Duan Jiaxu]: Can I take you out to dinner?

[Sang Zhi]: I can check my schedule tomorrow. My boss likes to add things at the last minute. But I need to sleep now. Good night.

He nodded at his phone, pushing away the disappointed feeling. She was right as Jiaxu noted the time, far beyond the midnight hour.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Good night.

Taking a deep breath, Jiaxu put his phone on the charger and went to bed as well.

~~~

Sang Zhi woke up what felt far too early by a furious amount of knocking. Finally, she rolled out of bed and pulled on some pajama pants, blearily squinting in the full sun coming through her windows. Opening her door, she was immediately pushed aside by Sang Yan.

“Whaaat?” She grumbled sleepily as she leaned against the door, looking at her watch. “What time is it?”

It was just after nine, but Sang Yan ignored her, walking to her en suite bathroom and opened the door, peering around, before walking over to her balcony and doing the same.

“What are you looking for?” she asked.

Wen Yifan appeared at the door, looking exasperated. “I told you she was alone.”

Sang Zhi was suddenly incredibly glad to have had the foresight to text Wen Yifan that information the night prior. Sang Yan was obviously looking for evidence of Jiaxu spending the night. She bit back a smile, amused at her brother’s concern.

Sang Yan frowned, as if he didn’t quite believe it, until he took a long look at Sang Zhi and his gaze gradually narrowed. “What are you wearing?”

Sang Zhi blinked, looking down and realizing that she had indeed fallen asleep in Jiaxu’s stolen shirt. Wen Yifan gave her an alarmed look.

Reaching for her robe, Sang Zhi tossed her head in irritation as she put it on. “What?”

“That is a guys shirt.”

“Says who?”

Sang Yan gave her a disbelieving look. “Fine. What’s your deal with Duan Jiaxu?”

Sang Zhi frowned at her brother. “Why? Going to punch him again?”

“I might,” Sang Yan muttered. “That’s his shirt, right?”

“How about we go downstairs and give Sang Zhi a minute to wake up, then have a cup of tea?” Wen Yifan said, walking around to push Sang Yan out of the room.

Humming in agreement, Sang Zhi closed the door as they left, making an ugly face at Sang Yan’s frown. Of course he’d show up without warning, barging in. As frustrated as Sang Zhi had been the previous evening, she was suddenly very glad she hadn’t had to explain Jiaxu had he stayed.

Changing out of Jiaxu’s shirt, she put on the matching pajama top and sighed to herself, mentally preparing for dealing with her brother. She was still mad at Sang Yan, and he was going to be terribly nosy. Any reasonable person would be too hungover from celebrating the night before to start such an inquisition. How he managed to avoid hangovers was beyond Sang Zhi, but she began to suspect it was just an occupational perk of owning a bar.

Slowly leaving her room to walk downstairs, she found Wen Yifan bustling about the kitchen while Sang Yan held a mean staring contest with the teapot, a cup of steaming tea in his hand. Yifan noticed her and smiled. “I cut some apples, so let’s have a nice chat.”

Sang Zhi stuck her tongue out at her brother as she sat across from him, who gave her a really? look in reply.

Wen Yifan sat at the end of the table, pouring a cup for Sang Zhi. Placing it in front of her, she smiled. “Now. Sang Yan,” she said.

Sang Yan immediately crossed his arms. “I didn’t agree to anything,” he said. His girlfriend gave him a narrow look and he grimaced. “Sorry, little demon,” he finally mumbled.

“For what?” Sang Zhi squinted at him. “Embarrassing me? Or the campaign to chase off ‘jerks’?”

“Aw, they weren’t anyone important,” Sang Yan denied. “Just guys at the bar.”

“Really,” she replied flatly. “So you didn’t have anything to do with my breakups?”

“What breakups?”

Sang Zhi glared at him.

“Just how many boyfriends have you had?” Sang Yan continued with a surly look. “No one tells me anything.”

“I wonder why when you’re so punch happy,” she muttered.

“Look.” Sang Yan pointed his finger at her. “If you stumbled upon your little sister getting mauled by a guy-”

“Jiaxu wasn’t mauling me,” Sang Zhi interjected, embarrassed he’d bring up the position he found her in front of Wen Yifan. “Sang Yan!”

“Sang Zhi,” he mimicked her in a mocking voice. “He said you met in October, how true is that?”

Sang Zhi blinked, unsure of how forthcoming Jiaxu had been during his conversation with her brother. “...we did.”

“And that you haven’t been in contact since.”

She grimaced, glancing at Wen Yifan, who was sipping her tea thoughtfully as she watched them. “That is correct.”

“So you’re all worked up over a guy you met twice now?” Sang Yan clarified with a confused frown. “I don’t believe it, give me your phone.”

Sang Zhi’s eyes widened, incredibly glad her phone was upstairs on the charger and nowhere near the table. He’d have pulled it right out of her hand and possibly seen their minimal message history - proving the truth of Jiaxu’s claim- but also the rather provocative photo she’d sent him as well…

“Come on,” Sang Yan said, holding out his hand.

“No!” she glared. She would need to change her passcode just to be extra safe. Sang Yan had a knack for guessing her passwords. “What business is it of yours?”

“You’re my sister, acting like a fool, so I have to make sure you don’t get tricked,” her brother claimed. Finally, he’d given her something to work with.

“I’m acting a fool?” Sang Zhi hissed, leaning over the table. “Who spent an entire summer after junior year in their room, moody about someone being gone, snapping at everyone? Who spent six months furious over someone’s choice to go to the best journalism school in the country? Who spent a freaking year pretending to be a roommate just so he could make sure she was taken care of? Don’t talk to me about being a fool.”

Sang Yan opened his mouth, thought better of saying anything, and closed his mouth again.

“Zhizhi,” Wen Yifan said, setting down her cup with a small smile. “I’m not sure emulating your brother's behavior is the most effective way of courting.”

Sang Yan grumbled under his breath, reaching over to prod Wen Yifan’s side who giggled. “I’ll show you effective.”

“Sang Zhi,” Wen Yifan said as she caught Sang Yan’s hand. “Can you just tell your brother what you told me?”

Looking away, Sang Zhi muttered under her breath. “I like him.”

“Pardon?”

“I like him,” Sang Zhi said, enunciating each syllable as if speaking to an idiot. Which, as far as she was concerned, Sang Yan was.

“And that’s reason enough to let her figure this out for herself,” Wen Yifan said, giving Sang Yan a look. He didn’t look convinced, taking a sip of his tea.

“Duan Jiaxu better watch out,” Sang Yan muttered, taking a sip of his tea.

“How about instead of being an idiot, you make yourself useful,” Sang Zhi said. “Since I mentioned moving out, Mama and Baba started to-”

“Why do you need to move out?” Sang Yan demanded, folding his arms.

Sang Zhi groaned loudly, dramatically flouncing over the table onto her arms. “Why do you only listen to half of what I say?” she grumbled through the wood.

“What are you talking about, Zhizhi?” Wen Yifan asked, sending Sang Yan a look.

Popping her head up, she said with a distant stare, “they want to bring blind dates over.” Sang Yan began to laugh. Sang Zhi glared at him. “It’s not funny.”

“Oh, it’s hilarious,” he refuted. “Find someone you like right when our parents decide it's time for you to settle down? Who did they mention?”

“I don’t know, they mentioned a couple people they knew who have sons,” Sang Zhi whined. “Does it matter?”

“If da brings over his boss's son, yes,” Sang Yan shrugged. “If it’s one of ma’s friends, eh…”

She wrinkled her nose. It would be just as dire if she snubbed her father’s boss as to embarrass her mother.

“You do realize the easiest way to put them off,” he continued lazily.

“How?”

“Bring someone over first.”

Sang Zhi sent Sang Yan a confused look. “You don’t like Jiaxu, but you want me to bring him to meet our parents?”

“I didn’t say anything about not liking him.”

“Your fist said otherwise,” she glared.

“He’s not wrong,” Wen Yifan interjected before either could start that argument again. “Why does it worry you, Zhizhi? Your parents have always been gracious to me.”

Sang Zhi opened her mouth, took a breath, then closed it again with a frown. It was ridiculous. While Jiaxu had mentioned meeting her family, it felt like some far away concept, removed from their current status, especially with that purr in his voice by her ear. As Sang Yan had pointed out, they’d only met twice. Once again with everything involving Jiaxu, she felt completely overwhelmed. “Isn’t it too soon?”

“Honesty is never too soon,” Wen Yifan said. “And I hardly think he’ll mind.”

“Why?” Sang Zhi and Sang Yan asked in unison with completely different tones. Sang Zhi’s had been confused while Sang Yan’s was suspicious.

Wen Yifan looked between the two and sighed in exasperation. “Okay, nevermind,” she muttered. “Did you chat about anything important last night?”

“We didn’t,” Sang Zhi muttered, looking down at her tea. “We just watched the fireworks from the park. He mentioned taking me to dinner, though.”

Sang Yan perked at that, tilting his head. “Did you tell him about your allergies?”

Sang Zhi wrinkled her nose.

“You didn’t, did you? See, this is why you do things in a proper order-”

“Like pretending to rent a room?” Sang Zhi snarked.

“-ha, ha,” Sang Yan deadpanned. “I knew Wen Yifan long before I rented a room from her. And, while unconventional, it worked, right?”

Reaching out to take Wen Yifan’s hand, Sang Yan turned a fond eye to her whose cheeks pinked.

“I know I’m a grump, but I only want the best for my sister,” he said.

“I know,” Sang Zhi sighed. “But you didn’t have to hit him.”

“Yes, I did,” Sang Yan refuted.

“Why?”

“So he knows what he’s fighting against.”

~~~

Across town, Jiaxu was awoken by a call from Chen Junwen. The sun had definitely been up for a while with the streams of light breaking through his blinds.

“Where the hell did you go last night?” the man demanded in a hungover mumble. “I thought you were driving me home.”

“Oops,” Jiaxu replied flatly, not at all concerned. “Something came up. Where did you end up?”

“Qian Fei’s lumpy couch,” Chen Junwen said, a sound of protest heard from the background. “My bed would have been way better.”

“Sorry.”

“Do you think you could get my car? We can meet for an early lunch.”

Jiaxu thought about it a moment before shrugging. He’d taken the car keys last night after Chen Junwen’s third drink. He had no idea where Qian Fei lived, maybe it was terribly out of the way, but it was the least he could do for abandoning his friend last night. “Sure.”

“Ughhh,” Chen Junwen made a rather alarming burping sound and mumbled, “see you soon.”

Ending the call, Jiaxu looked at his phone with amusement. Chen Junwen always regretted the amount he drank the next day, but a few minutes later texted him the meet up time and information of the restaurant. It wasn’t too far from Overtime, and Jiaxu assumed they were all in that general area.

It was stupid how excited he was getting ready. That was Sang Zhi’s area, so there was a chance of running into her, and he had a valid reason to be there. Well, beyond wanting to see her. That was a valid reason enough, right?

When he arrived at the restaurant after picking up the car and driving it over, both men were already at a table, Chen Junwen wearing a terribly bunched up expression as if the world was too bright with Qian Fei watching him in amusement.

“How did you avoid a hangover, Qian Fei?” Jiaxu asked as he sat down. The man had kept up with drinks the night before without batting an eye.

“Qian family genetics. We are blessed with a happy personality and the ability to drink anyone under the table with no repercussions,” the man shared cheerfully. “Although Sang Yan is a challenge.”

Nodding, Jiaxu looked over the menu. “Have you ordered?”

They hadn’t, simply drinking water as they waited. Discussing options, Jiaxu tacked more onto their order, mentioning covering the bill to make up for leaving them without a ride the night before. Even if Qian Fei hadn’t initially been a part of the plan, Jiaxu felt bad anyway.

After their order had been taken, Chen Junwen squinted at Jiaxu suspiciously. “You’re in a good mood.”

Looking down with a restrained smile, Jiaxu adjusted his cutlery and napkin on the table.

“Something came up, you said. What came up?” Chen Junwen continued, pointing at his face. “You look too chipper for sporting such a bruise.”

Jiaxu looked between his friend and Qian Fei, who looked confused but interested. Chen Junwen suddenly snapped his fingers with a shocked face, knocking into the table as he leaned over. “Did you run into her again? The elusive woman?”

Taking a sip of his water, Jiaxu wondered how long he could keep his friend guessing just for the hell of it. Qian Fei slapped Chen Junwen’s shoulder, saying, “fill me in! What woman?”

“He’s been dejected for months, making everyone at work wonder what was wrong with him,” Chen Junwen continued. “He met someone before she disappeared without a trace.”

Jiaxu bit his tongue. Not entirely without a trace. She did leave evidence of her thievery.

“Did she show up last night?” Qian Fei asked in an excited voice. “How did you meet? Tell me, tell me!”

Jiaxu hesitated. It was weird to describe Sang Zhi to two who were presumably more familiar with her personality than he was. “I met her a couple months ago. I didn’t get her number before the night ended, though.”

“You didn’t get her number?” Qian Fei asked, unconvinced. “Strange woman to leave you behind… what kind of woman is she?”

“She seems to be…” Jiaxu struggled with an appropriate descriptor. “Circumspect.”

It was true. She’d spent half of that first night staring at him with suspicion, as if he was going to trick her, then the rest of the night throwing caution to the wind and blowing his mind in the process.

Qian Fei frowned. “Did you do something?”

“I don’t think so,” he replied, rubbing his neck. “But I did see her last night-“

“How did it go?”

Thinking of how quickly she’d jumped into his arms and kissed him, Jiaxu grinned compulsively, prompting the other two to make jeering noises as their food arrived.

“That’s odd that you’d run into her over here,” Chen Junwen said as he started piling things on his plate. “Was she at the bar?”

Jiaxu became very interested in his food, humming an affirmation, unsure how common knowledge the upstairs rafters were to the rest of the patrons of Overtime. “She arrived late.”

Qian Fei suddenly narrowed his gaze at Jiaxu. “I saw you talk with Wen Yifan before you disap-“ he broke off suddenly. “Wait!”

Chen Junwen took a bite, alarmed. “What?”

“Not Sang Zhi!”

Chen Junwen choked on his food, coughing, and Jiaxu raised his eyebrows in surprise. Qian Fei apparently had an uncanny ability to guess correctly.

“Uh-“ Jiaxu began.

Qian Fei interrupted him by slapping the table before turning to Chen Junwen, listing off his fingers, saying, “the asshole asked me about her, we didn’t see her which means she was upstairs, she arrived late, he’s being evasive as hell, and sporting a bruise-“

Chen Junwen finally managed to swallow, croaking out, “how old is she again? The last time I saw her she was a scrawny kid, all knobbly knees-“

Jiaxu leaned back in his seat with a small frown on his face, oddly offended on her behalf. There was nothing scrawny about Sang Zhi.

Qian Fei whacked Chen Junwen on the arm. “She’s graduated college, you twit.”

“Oh,” Chen Junwen blinked, then shrugged, “I guess that’s fine then,” and went back to his food. Qian Fei squinted at Jiaxu as he filled his own plate.

“Sang Yan found you, didn’t he?”

Jiaxu sighed. “Yes, it was Sang Zhi I saw upstairs before her brother came and interjected.”

Chen Junwen and Qian Fei looked at each other and started to laugh. Jiaxu was perplexed, it had been so long since he had been the butt of a joke that he just smiled like really? as he started to eat.

“Oh, man, talk about a strange coincidence. Had you just said her name to me weeks ago, I could have helped,” Chen Junwen said. That made Qian Fei laugh more.

“That thought had occurred to me,” Jiaxu said. “Now that I have her number - yes, she gave it to me, you jackass - I realize that I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“What do you mean?” Qian Fei asked.

“This jerk is as perpetually single as Sang Yan was through college,” Chen Junwen explained. “So he doesn’t have a clue what passes for a normal relationship.”

Qian Fei gave Jiaxu such an appalled look that Jiaxu had to cover his laugh with his hand. “You remained single. You.”

Jiaxu nodded, focusing on his food, waiting for the inevitable question.

“But why? If I had half your good looks-“

Chen Junwen shook his head. “It baffles the entire office.”

“Never mind that,” Jiaxu said, not wanting to go into the history of his romantic entanglements. “How am I supposed to woo her?”

Chen Junwen gave a don’t look at me expression to Jiaxu as he continued eating. Qian Fei gave him an assessing look.

“Why did you describe her as circumspect?” he asked.

Jiaxu took his time chewing, thinking about his words carefully. Both men waited patiently, eating their own meals. Finally, Jiaxu swallowed.

“Sang Zhi seems reserved, feeling out situations for a while to see if she’s comfortable with them,” Jiaxu said. “I can only guess why. I’d love to find out, though.”

Qian Fei’s expression cleared. “How many times have you met her?”

“Twice now.”

Nodding, Qian Fei gave a small smile. “She likes the sea. Half of the time Sang Yan picks her up, she’s somewhere near the waterfront.”

That was strangely helpful without giving Jiaxu any real insight. He grinned at Qian Fei, “thanks.”

The conversation moved along from there, Chen Junwen asking Qian Fei about his girlfriend, and Jiaxu listened attentively. They were further along, having dated a few months, with Qian Fei pondering if he had enough yet to offer before proposing.

“Where was she last night?” Chen Junwen asked. “I’ve been here almost six months and I still haven’t caught up with everyone.”

“Shiwen is at a family wedding out of town,” Qian Fei grumbled. “She’s been overrun with wedding planning since she’s in her cousin's bridal party. I knew I wanted to propose to her the moment I met her, but I’ve had to wait all this time. And now her family is pressuring her.”

“Pressuring her?” Jiaxu asked. He hadn’t been to many weddings.

“Yes, yes, you know. When one family member gets married, well, ‘when is it your turn’?” Qian Fei explained. “‘Not getting younger’, and so forth.”

Jiaxu nodded politely. He could remember only once when his mother had ever brought up his relationship status, and was so quickly shut down by his uncle that it hadn’t come up again. His mother was too busy with helping with Jiaxu’s younger cousins in Yihe to really bother him about it anyway.

“What’s the problem?” Chen Junwen asked as Jiaxu checked the time. He’d need to finish up the meal soon so he could give his mom a call. “You want to get married. She’s getting pressured to get married. Isn’t that great?”

“I don’t want her to think I’m proposing because of other people,” Qian Fei said with a frown. “I want her to know I’m proposing because I love her.”

Jiaxu looked at the man, amused. “Why not say that?”

Qian Fei glanced at him. “What?”

“You love her, and want to marry her. What else is there to say?” Jiaxu asked. It seemed incredibly simple to him.

“Am I supposed to take the advice from the perpetually single guy?” Qian Fei leaned over to ask Chen Junwen quietly, who shrugged.

“Duan Jiaxu makes up for his lack of relationship experience by just being that nice of a guy, so he might be right,” the man said. “But don’t look at me, I’ve been too busy to date.”

“We’ll find you a nice woman here soon,” Qian Fei assured him. Jiaxu grinned.

Chen Junwen checked his watch and winced. “As nice as this meal has been, I need to get going.”

Jiaxu nodded, needing to do his own amount of errands before work the next day. “It was nice to chat with you, Qian Fei. You should come by for lunch during the week.”

“Can do! My office isn’t too far from yours,” Qian Fei smiled.

As Jiaxu paid for the meal, the other two went outside to wait. Pushing through the door to exit the restaurant, he nearly bumped into Sang Zhi who was right by the door. His eyes went wide, happiness streaking through him that he had managed to run into her. Quite literally.

Sang Zhi looked luminous in the sunlight, hair down and swirling around her thick, cream color coat.

Behind her was an amused Wen Yifan and a sullen Sang Yan, standing with Chen Junwen and Qian Fei, the latter two who were very interested in his arrival.

“Hi,” Jiaxu said stupidly.

For a moment, Sang Zhi looked almost as surprised as him by his sudden appearance, but then shifted to looking around nonchalantly. It made him slowly grin, delighted that despite all her purposeful coolness, she obviously wasn’t as unaffected as she pretended. “Hello,” she finally replied to a place just over his shoulder. “What brings you here?”

“We just finished eating,” he explained. “An apology lunch for abandoning them last night.”

“Abandoning,” Sang Yan scoffed under his breath, which made Wen Yifan smack his arm gently.

“Sang Zhi, I haven’t seen you in weeks, what have you been up to?” Qian Fei asked. “We missed you last night.”

Sang Zhi sent an alarmed look to Jiaxu before nodding solemnly. “It has been hard to get time off work,” she said. “Xiaoyu has been relentless about staying late.”

“Ah, and she takes it out on you? What a terrible boss,” Qian Fei replied.

“I keep telling her to quit-“ Sang Yan started before Wen Yifan elbowed him.

“Well don’t be a stranger,” Qian Fei said. “We should head out, right Junwen? Enjoy lunch.”

Jiaxu blinked as the pair waved and walked away, leaving him.

“Weren’t they your ride?” Sang Zhi asked.

“Yeah,” Jiaxu said, which made Sang Yan laugh at him.

“Come on,” Wen Yifan grabbed Sang Yan’s arm and pulled him inside. Sang Zhi looked surprised by being left alone with Jiaxu. He took that moment to look at her, smile, and mentally thank his good fortune for running into her.

“How has your morning been?” Jiaxu asked, at a loss of something else to say. Somehow, her presence always made him feel a bit dumb.

“Sang Yan woke me up at dawn,” Sang Zhi told him with an amused look. “You can guess why.”

While Jiaxu grappled over her meaning, he followed her as she walked down the sidewalk, leading them to an open pavilion with a fountain.

“Aren’t you hungry?” He asked when they sat.

“They’ll order for me,” she replied nonchalantly. “I just need to check something.”

“What’s that?” Jiaxu asked.

Sang Zhi turned to face him, leaning close up into his face with curious eyes. “Did you mean what you said yesterday?”

His mind went blank. What had he said yesterday? It was hard to remember with her leaning so close and practically shimmering in the sunlight. “Uhh-“

“Because it sounds ridiculous,” she continued, tucking some hair behind her ear, looking away before darting her glance back at him. She was uncomfortable. “But not unwelcome.”

What was she talking about?

Jiaxu blinked multiple times in succession. “I wouldn’t have said something if I didn’t mean it.”

Sand Zhi relaxed, her lips pulling into a wide smile and Jiaxu was struck momentarily dumb.

“I’m glad,” she murmured, looking at his lips.

“Don’t do that,” Jiaxu softly replied. “I’m already struggling here.”

“Struggling?” She asked, eyebrows knitting together in concern.

“You look beautiful today.”

“Didn’t you just see me last night? You didn’t struggle then.”

“You looked beautiful then too,” Jiaxu said. “But I had already stolen a kiss to satisfy me for a while.”

She gave him an exasperated, fond look and he leaned in. That made her laugh, putting her hand on his chin to push him to the side, his lips managing to kiss her cheek.

“How is your bruise?” She asked.

“Fine,” Jiaxu said, having completely forgotten about it. “Why do I have the feeling your brother wanted to give me another one?”

She laughed again, shaking her head. “I should go.”

“Can I take you to dinner tonight?” He asked. If he rushed home now, Jiaxu could get through all his tasks for the weekend.

“As long as you don’t keep me out too late,” Sang Zhi replied cheekily.

“There goes my idea for stargazing,” Jiaxu said with mock disappointment.

“My parents will be home this evening, so I can introduce you when you drop me off after,” she said. Suddenly, her earlier vague question clicked with the rather assertive claim he’d made under the influence of her tantalizing skin the night prior.

Jiaxu smiled, completely befuddled and utterly enchanted. It was probably odd of him to be excited at the prospect of meeting her parents. Despite the rather explosive interaction with Sang Yan, Jiaxu seemed to have weathered it well, her brother reduced to simple glares. Honestly, he’d eventually meet them anyway if his bid to become her boyfriend went well that night.

“I do have to warn you, though,” Sang Zhi said. “My parents are very protective.”

“You have to juggle them on top of your brother?” Jiaxu asked, and she gave a small laugh.

“Yes,” Sang Zhi said. “They will ask a lot of questions.”

“I wouldn’t expect less,” Jiaxu replied. It fit, honestly, for Sang Zhi to have such a protective family. There was a reason for it that he didn’t understand, but there was no rush. “What do you want to eat tonight?”

“Noodles, of course.”

Jiaxu laughed. “Of course.”

“I really should go join my brother,” she said with a pout.

It was as if every expression she wore was a challenge, Jiaxu’s gaze narrowing on her mouth far too quickly. As he internally wrestled with not simply pulling her close for a thorough kiss, she leaned over, pecked him on the lips, and stood up in such quick motion that he barely had a moment to process it.

“Text me what time later!” she called as she dashed back down the sidewalk. With a little wave, Sang Zhi disappeared into the restaurant.

Jiaxu grinned, standing up and departing as well. He had a lot of work to do if he wanted to be ready that night.

Chapter Text

There was a feeling of satisfaction as Jiaxu put the last of his laundry away, finishing his tasks for the weekend. With that done, he got a bottle of tea and sat down on his couch with his laptop to search for places to take Sang Zhi to dinner. Her request for noodles was fortunately broad, so he eventually narrowed it down to a little Italian place near the waterfront that also had a nice path against the water to walk along if they finished early enough.

Jiaxu opened his phone to text Sang Zhi the time when he’d pick her up, and once finished was surprised by a message from an unknown number. He grinned upon reading it.

[1 9 5924 3003]: Duan Jiaxu, this is Sang Yan. My sister says you are taking her to dinner tonight.

He quickly added the number into his contacts and replied.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Yes. How did you get my number?

He couldn’t imagine Sang Zhi having given it to him. Or he really hoped she hadn’t, as their message history wasn’t particularly safe for her brother's eyes. Or Jiaxu’s nose, depending on the perspective.

[Sang Yan]: I asked Chen Junwen for it. You need to make sure you don’t order beef or lamb tonight.

Jiaxu blinked. Of all the things for the man to message him, food restrictions hadn’t been on his mind.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Okay. Why?

[Sang Yan]: My sister has no sense.

With that ridiculous, cryptic response, Jiaxu snorted a laugh. What did that even mean? No wonder Sang Zhi was so private if her brother meddled to such a degree. But then Sang Yan sent another message.

[Sang Yan]: She’s allergic.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Wouldn’t she say something about it?

[Sang Yan]: Look, do you want tonight to go well or not?

Again, Jiaxu was perplexed. Didn’t Sang Yan dislike him?

[Duan Jiaxu]: Why are you helping me?

[Sang Yan]: Actually, just tell me where you’re taking her.

The audacity of the man made Jiaxu chuckle again. Completely ignoring his question and demanding his own answers. Since Sang Zhi had requested noodles, Jiaxu had figured an Italian place would be a nice option.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I was thinking Acapella?

[Sang Yan]: Should be fine. Avoid cream dishes.

Jiaxu frowned in confusion at his phone. Now he had a list of things to not offer Sang Zhi and he wondered if she even had interest in them. She obviously was capable of her own decisions, having bought her own meal months ago, so the overstep was strangely amusing. It felt like he should give some sort of response, but Jiaxu hadn’t the foggiest idea what.

His phone rang in his hand as he struggled to think of something. His ma was finally calling him back after she’d missed his call earlier. It wasn’t unusual to play a bit of phone tag with his ma as Xu Ruo Shu kept very busy with his cousins.

“Hello?” Jiaxu answered.

“Hello my son, Happy New Year!” she said breathlessly. “May the new year be healthy and good for you.”

“Happy New Year, ma. Are you okay?” he asked, hearing the way she was panting for breath. “What were you doing before you called?”

“I’m fine, fine,” she replied. “We just arrived home from Chang Le’s practice.”

Jiaxu knew that his younger cousin was on some sort of high school dance team and frowned. “She had practice on New Years?”

“Have you not been reading my texts? Her team is going to the nationals and holidays are no excuse to take a break if they want to do well,” Xu Ruo Shu admonished him with a tsk. “She and her sister work so hard.”

“Ah,” Jiaxu replied. “So Chang Ru is doing well too?”

“Yes, she’s almost done with her fall semester! I’ve been taking food to her since she’s been so stressed with finals,” his mom explained. “I can barely keep my feet under me for how much there is to do!” She laughed a moment before a coughing fit overcame her.

“Ma,” he said, concerned. “That doesn’t sound good-”

“It’s nothing. The cold is irritating this time of year,” she brushed him off. “What did you do for New Years?”

Frowning, Jiaxu hummed under his breath, disliking the little care his mom put into her health. “Did you at least go in for a checkup? Your doctor should know if any symptoms have started to-”

“Duan Jiaxu, I don’t need you to pester me,” she snapped. His uncle mustn't be home for her to pull out his full name. “I’ve always taken care of everything I’m supposed to. They aren’t concerned, so I’m not concerned.”

Wincing at the anger in his moms voice, Jiaxu relented. “Okay. I’m sorry.” Still, it worried him. She had been declared cancer free almost ten years ago, but that didn’t make her invulnerable if it came back. What if something else was wrong? She wasn’t getting younger, and Xu Ruo Shu never slowed down. Jiaxu was well aware of what stress could do to one's body, his own hard work having put himself in the hospital before.

“Did you go out with friends?” she asked.

“Yeah. Do you remember me talking about Chen Junwen before? My friend from university? He’s working with me now and brought me to a gathering with other Nanwu graduates. It was nice,” Jiaxu said. He bit his lip, wondering if he dared bring up Sang Zhi. “I met someone.”

“Who?”

“A woman who I might start dating.” He was fairly confident he was in accord with Sang Zhi, but Jiaxu didn’t want to jinx it until he properly asked.

“Oh?” she asked. “Why?”

“What do you mean ‘why’?” Jiaxu asked in confusion.

“I thought you and Jiang Ying-“

“No.” His reply was so fierce and sudden that shame creeped up his neck. He shouldn’t be so rude, but he was flustered at the old argument coming up once again. Jiaxu thought he’d put that to rest ages ago. “I mean, no, ma,” he tried again with a calmer tone. “There has never been or will be anything of the sort between me and Jiang Ying.”

His mother sighed and he could imagine the frown on her face. “We promised her-”

“You, you promised her, ma,” Jiaxu said. “I… I’ve paid off the compensation, I’ve paid for everything, da’s debt to them, why would you think I’d even think of it-”

“She’s a lovely girl-” Xu Ruo Shu started and Jiaxu put his hand on his brow. As she continued to list off the favorable characteristics of the woman that Jiaxu struggled to stay neutral about, he held the phone off his ear. While he knew his ma was well intentioned, it didn’t hurt any less that she refused to listen to him.

“Ma,” Jiaxu interrupted her. “Do you really want to spend our chat talking about her?”

“Well, what else would you like to discuss?” she asked.

He wanted to tell her about Sang Zhi, but it felt like a quagmire at this point, trying to sink him into another discussion about the Jiang’s and how much the Duan’s owed them. Instead, he mentioned the meal with Chen Junwen and Qian Fei that morning.

“Sounds like you had a good time,” Xu Ruo Shu said absentmindedly. There was background noise, voices, and Jiaxu knew their call was done. “Jiaxu, I have to go now. Chang Ru is here to do some laundry, so I’ll talk with you soon, okay?”

Humming an agreement was rather irrelevant for how quickly she ended the call. Jiaxu sighed. So much for a goodbye. But at this point, he was used to it.

Looking through his contacts really quickly, he sent a quick text before closing the app and turning some music on his phone. Setting it down on a cradle in his bathroom, he went to shower and prepare for his date with Sang Zhi, thoughts dwelling on the past.

After the incident with Jiaxu’s father killing Jiang Shan while drunk driving, Xu Ruo Shu had thrown herself into working, to make amends for the terrible shame Duan Zhicheng had brought to their family. Jiaxu’s father, the coward that he was, tried to avoid punishment by throwing himself through a window and caused even more strife.

It had been a rough adjustment for Jiaxu, having been only fourteen at the time. His ma begged everyone and anyone for money to satisfy the debt, trying to make up for the horrid situation, and it wasn’t until she dragged Jiaxu to his uncle's house that he realized how broke they really were.

His uncle, Xu Dong, agreed to take them in - with conditions. Jiaxu was to work to offset the cost of their living there while his ma helped with his two young cousins. Xu Dong was struggling, having been left with his two daughters as his wife had passed during the birth of his youngest. So Xu Ruo Shu and Jiaxu moved in with him, with his ma caring for the children and working when she could to chip in. It seemed like a perfect solution.

However, it was awkward for Jiaxu, as his uncle was curt if not downright hostile to him, so he spent most of his day at school and work. His uncle's home was simply a place to lay down at night. Until the day after Jiaxu graduated high school. His uncle had woken Jiaxu rudely by throwing a duffel bag on him. “Get out.”

After years of being treated like a nuisance, avoiding family dinners and outings, Jiaxu wasn’t surprised and had done exactly as requested. But it wasn’t until he was through the front door that his uncle imparted another comment.

“Duan’s are no longer welcome in my home. My sister is a Xu and finally free of your Duan curse. I expect you to support her accordingly,” Xu Dong had said. Jiaxu had one momentary glance of his mother’s tearful face before his uncle slammed the door.

It was still dark when Jiaxu started walking with his meager belongings, at a loss of what to do next. Fortunately, he only needed to figure out what to do for a couple months until he went to Nanwu University, where he’d already applied for hardship accommodations. He had recently reached adulthood so he was able to shift his financial priorities and rent a small room for the time in between.

But his ma had stayed, running ragged for her nieces who she’d come to love as her own, as Jiaxu worked and paid and studied and tried hard to not let anger seed in his heart for such a cruel start to his adult life.

It was probably a good thing his ma was so dismissive of Jiaxu’s potential of having a girlfriend. She obviously wasn’t enthused, still keeping that harebrained idea that he’d marry Jiang Ying, the daughter of Jiang Shan, as if it would fully cement the Duan’s apology to the Jiang’s.

Jiang Ying had been a misery throughout the whole tragedy by making Jiaxu her personal punching bag. His ma’s assumption that he would continue to be absolutely beggared belief, but that was his ma, her entire personality flipping from the softhearted kind mother he grew up with to a skittish woman just begging and begging and begging for forgiveness.

Xu Ruo Shu had placed her son in a specific box, packed away neatly with all the pain her husband had caused, and gave it to a future with the Jiang’s, completely removed from her. Jiaxu knew she still loved him, but it was warped and messy since he reminded her of a life before so much strife.

He took his time with the shower, the water soothing on his back with such grim thoughts. Unfortunately, as the years had gone by, Jiaxu had become used to being an afterthought to his mother. He could understand, to a degree, but it didn’t stop the hurt.

He shook the thoughts away. It did no good to dwell on the awful realities of previous years. Instead, Jiaxu focused on preparing for the evening.

~~~

Sang Zhi was terribly nervous.

Her parents had texted her as they left the resort they’d been at for the holiday, anticipating being home sometime after seven. She texted back saying she’d be out for a while, but hoped they’d been refreshed enough after their journey that she could see them before bed. Maybe they could have a cup of tea to talk about their trip?

The idea of introducing Jiaxu to them suddenly felt like a horrible idea. She’d never introduced any of her previous relationships as it always seemed too soon, even after months, but here she was, less than a day of rediscovering Duan Jiaxu and all the regular conventions were thrown out the window.

Sang Zhi suddenly wished she had brought at least one or two of her previous boyfriends to meet them, because at least then she’d know what to expect. Would they be incredibly cold, assuming the worst as Sang Zhi usually did, or would they be warm, keeping up appearances until wronged?

Not knowing was the worst part.

When Sang Yan had finally brought Wen Yifan over, Sang Zhi had known Yifan long before there was any sneeze of their romantic relationship, having occasionally had dinner at his place. Zhi had been a big advocate behind the scenes of how wonderful Yifan was and there was no way of knowing how much that influenced her parents opinion. Granted, Sang Yan had years of matchmaking fussing from ma that they were probably happy at him bringing home any girl, but Sang Zhi didn’t expect that to work for her. They were just getting started with her, far later than she’d expected, and they had always treated her differently than her brother.

Throwing herself back in her chair with a dramatic sigh, Sang Zhi held up her phone to check the time. It felt like ages before Jiaxu was supposed to pick her up. What was she supposed to do with all this nervous energy?

Standing up, she walked over to her closet to ponder her outfit. Digging through the closet, she pulled out a couple options, clicking pictures of each with her phone and sending photos to Ning Wei.

[Sang Zhi]: Weiwei, what should I wear?

[Ning Wei]: What’s the occasion?

Sang Zhi grimaced, realizing that Ning Wei was about to be annoyed with her.

[Sang Zhi]: I have a date.

[Ning Wei]: !!! WITH WHO?

Before Sang Zhi could even think of how to explain the series of events from the night before - her friend wasn’t one to forget a handsome man, so she’d definitely remember Jiaxu - Ning Wei started blowing up the roommate chat.

[202 - Ning Wei]: SANGSANG IS GOING ON A DATE

[202 - Yu Xin]: Whoa! With who?

[202 - Wan Ruo Lan]: ???

[202 - Sang Zhi]: What is wrong with you all? It’s just a date.

Typing it out made Sang Zhi feel weird. Jiaxu wasn’t ‘just’ anything. Which didn’t make sense, as she was still learning all about him. But before she could send a text to scold Ning Wei, the woman herself was calling her.

“Hello?” Sang Zhi answered.

“Spill! Is this why you didn’t come out last night?” Ning Wei demanded. “I was feeling bad about it, there were a couple of cute guys and one seemed really bummed you didn’t come!”

Sang Zhi rolled her eyes. She knew which guy Ning Wei was referencing, the unusually tall friend of Wei’s boyfriend having shadowed her to an awkward degree at the last party Sang Zhi had been invited to. He’d fit perfectly into the ‘difficult to manage’ category that she usually put fairly attractive men into. Purposefully clueless with all their nice efforts to gain her attention.

“Do you remember your birthday?” Sang Zhi asked. It was a valid question considering how hungover Ning Wei had been the next day. Sang Zhi had brought over hangover food to her that morning as Weiwei was so nauseous, a bit of an apology for having bounced from her party so early. Her friend had latched onto the story Sang Zhi had told her about stealing a guy’s shirt, proud of her little Sangsang’s confidence.

“Hmm. Didn’t you leave early? Wait!” Ning Wei shuffled a few moments. “Wasn’t that the night you-“

“Yes, Weiwei,” she replied. “I hooked up with that hot guy from the bar. I, uh, ran into him again last night.”

“No way! Another hookup? Sangsang, you’re so lucky-“

“No! He was-“ a perfect gentleman didn’t quite hit right with the sultry words Jiaxu had teased her with in her ears last night, but Ning Wei didn’t seem to care, talking over Sang Zhi with excitement.

“-he was quite attractive, and you were so shy with details so he had to be a good lover-“

“Weiwei!” Sang Zhi laughed exasperatedly, interrupting her. “Slow down! We didn’t sleep together last night.”

Finally, Ning Wei paused. “Oh? Why not?”

“Because…” Sang Zhi took a deep breath. “He wanted my number, so…”

“Oooo, he must be really into you!”

“Sure,” Sang Zhi agreed, not really wanting to think about it too much. It honestly made her nervous, the idea of someone liking her so much over such a trifling acquaintance. So what if their bodies entwined together in such a pleasurable way? She could still be a disappointment. But she wasn’t about to dwell on that again. She was determined to try.

“I just really don’t know what to wear,” she added, trying to pull Ning Wei back to the topic at hand.

“Send me what you have laid out - yes, I know you pulled some stuff already - and I’ll give you some direction.”

Ending the call, Sang Zhi took a couple pictures before sending them to Ning Wei. Meanwhile, the 202 group chat was pinging so much that Sang Zhi had to silence it. She was nervous enough without having to explain anything. Ning Wei would likely give some scant details with Zhi’s stubborn silence.

With Ning Wei’s distant help, Sang Zhi ended up choosing jeans and a long sleeved shirt, a thick cable knit jumper over it all. It was still bitterly cold, but she’d look put together and nice, especially with her boots. By the time she’d figured it all out, she had to rush to refresh her makeup to be ready downstairs, pacing as she waited for Jiaxu to arrive.

What was wrong with her? Sang Zhi had never worked herself up so much over a guy before. But sure enough, she got a ping on her phone.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I’m here. Should I ring the doorbell?

Darting outside was faster than texting back a quick no, so Sang Zhi grabbed her bag and did just that. Upon opening the door, she caught sight of the back of Jiaxu, leaning against the half wall by the gate.

Quickly locking up, Sang Zhi emerged past the gate and he turned to smile at her. “Good evening, Sang Zhi.”

His voice had the same croon from the night before.

I would like nothing better but to follow you inside.

The words floated through her mind, unbidden, as his gaze didn’t waver from her and Sang Zhi blinked, heart rate elevating. “Hello,” she managed to reply, hopefully with some semblance of cool.

Jiaxu motioned behind her, his smile morphing into a more devious expression as if he knew her thoughts and Sang Zhi turned, glad for the distraction. A car waited there and he followed her around to open the front door for her.

Closing it, Jiaxu’s quick jaunt around the car gave Sang Zhi a moment to shove the errant thoughts away. They were supposed to return to meet her parents, what was wrong with her? It wouldn’t help if she was going to be keyed up like this all night.

As Jiaxu settled in his seat and began to drive, Sang Zhi glanced around the car and noted how well maintained it was. She knew nothing of vehicles but the cleanliness spoke well of his care for things.

“How was your day?” he asked.

Sang Zhi was mildly amused at the mundane choice of topic, and sent him an arch look. “Fine. What about you?”

Thinking about it for a moment, Jiaxu grinned. “It was interesting, but productive.”

She wasn’t sure how to interpret that, so she looked out through the window. “Where are we going for dinner?”

“Acapella, if that sounds alright with you,” Jiaxu replied. “You didn’t specify what kind of noodles, so…”

“Oh, I love Acapella!” Sang Zhi said, surprised. “I haven’t been in a while. I’ve been too busy.”

“What have you been busy with?”

“Work, mostly. My boss, Xiaoyu, doesn’t like me much,” she explained nonchalantly.

“Is that why your brother mentioned you quitting earlier?” Jiaxu asked.

Sang Zhi laughed. “You caught that, I see. Yes, he’s hated my job since I got on her bad side the first week.”

“What did you do?”

She sent him a scandalized expression. “What makes you think I did something?”

Jiaxu grinned at her. “You’re smart and beautiful. Anyone would feel threatened.”

She sent him a suspicious look, but that seemed to increase the amusement in his eyes.

“Oh, you definitely did something if you’re giving me that look,” he said.

With a huff, Sang Zhi tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I may have brought an idea to her boss before fully vetting it with her,” she admitted. “It was completely in our scope of abilities and the big boss asked for more ideas.” In a low voice, she added, “it’s not my fault Xiaoyu’s approach was boring.”

“I showed up my boss once, accidentally,” Jiaxu said. “He took it in stride and then introduced me to his boss I’d interrupted him with - his wife.”

Sang Zhi laughed. “Were you scolded?”

“No,” he replied. “Unless you count them bringing it up at every karaoke night with the team for years.”

“How did they get to work in the same company?” Sang Zhi asked.

“They didn’t initially - I was interning for Li Xun right before they got married - but then she was hired after him for a producer role. The company wanted both of their talents that much, I guess,” Jiaxu explained. “They’re incredibly hard working and good at their jobs, so it’s worked out well, unusual as it is. Siyun found my boasting over her husband very funny.”

The rest of the drive to the restaurant was pleasant, Sang Zhi sharing little things about her job that weren’t terrible - designing character ad campaigns were her favorite, as it gave her opportunity to draw - and Jiaxu offered his own creative interests in the form of quest design.

Jiaxu had apparently planned the evening carefully, because when they entered the restaurant and gave the name, they were immediately led to a curved two person booth in the corner. Sang Zhi slid into the booth and arranged her coat and bag next to her, trying to ignore the way Jiaxu settled in the seat next to her, incredibly close. The table was cozy, but well lit and open to the restaurant.

Taking their drink order, the host left them with the menus.

“What do you usually order here?” Jiaxu asked. “I have only been once before.”

Humming a bit, she turned the menu to him. “I usually get the shrimp scampi. I’ve heard good things about the chicken marsala as well.”

“Heard good things? You haven’t ordered it?” he asked.

Sang Zhi hesitated. Was it weird to bring up her food allergies? Usually dairy was only a problem if it was uncooked, but she’d never wanted to tempt the scant amount of cream that could lurk in such dishes. “It doesn’t agree with me,” she finally replied. He accepted her response without question.

As the waiter appeared with their drinks, he asked if they were ready to order. Jiaxu motioned to Sang Zhi, so she ordered her shrimp scampi and sipped her water while he ordered the chicken picatta. She knew so little of his preferences, which made Sang Zhi pay close attention.

He told her about the one time he’d eaten at Acapella, which was in university with Li Xun, when he’d completed his internship in his last year. It was where Li Xun had officially offered Jiaxu a job after he graduated, so he’d always had fond memories of the place.

Sang Zhi could hear the affection for the man in Jiaxu’s voice and tilted her head. “Li Xun sounds less like a boss and more like a good friend… or maybe an uncle.”

“He and his wife have always been very helpful when I’ve had trouble. I don’t have many people to rely on,” Jiaxu explained. “Moving to Nanwu made them sad, but they understood the reasons behind it.”

“That sounds so different to me,” she said. “I’ve always had someone fussing over me. If not my parents, Sang Yan was on it.”

“What was it like growing up with a brother?”

Sang Zhi considered carefully. It was too easy to joke about how terrible Sang Yan was to grow up with, always overbearing and never helping when she was actually in a spot of trouble… but really, she loved her brother as fiercely as he loved her. They just showed affection through their bickering.

“He was always very busy, being older than me. Didn’t have time for a little sister,” she said.

“I always wanted an older brother. I thought it’d be nice to have someone to band together with if I got into trouble with my parents,” Jiaxu said.

“Oh, an older brother wouldn’t have helped at all,” Sang Zhi asserted. “Sang Yan would just scold me when I got into trouble.”

That made Jiaxu smile and lean in close, murmuring, “but don’t you like getting in trouble?”

She narrowed her gaze at him, amazed that he could shift the tone from mild to tantalizing so quickly. His returning stare didn’t waver and Sang Zhi could practically feel the heat of him through her clothes. If any other person had asked her that question, she’d have instantly said no, not at all, but with Jiaxu… well, his question sounded entirely too leading.

However, the waiter returned bearing their meals and the moment was broken, releasing her from answering. Sang Zhi felt incredibly thirsty all of a sudden and took a sip of water. Jiaxu simply unraveled his napkin as if nothing had happened.

“Did you always want to design games?” she asked, grasping for a topic as she spooled her pasta on her fork. Jiaxu nodded.

“Some of my fondest memories are of playing board games as a kid. Video games are a more relevant medium, so,” he said, cutting his chicken. “I didn’t have much time for playing them when I was young, so designing them was a dream come true.”

“You didn’t have time?” It boggled Sang Zhi, her own upbringing filled with a lot of idle hours as her parents worked and her brother found her presence a nuisance. It was one reason she’d spent so much time drawing.

Her question made him pause, taking a long time to swallow his bite.

“There was a family tragedy when I was in high school. I had to work a lot of jobs on top of studying,” Jiaxu said. “My da was in the hospital for a long time till he passed away a few years ago.”

“Oh,” Sang Zhi said sadly. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you,” he replied. “It was a long time ago.”

With that, Jiaxu sent her a reassuring smile to her concerned look, shifting the topic to other things. He asked all about her favorite movies and books, responded with his own, and Sang Zhi was delighted at just how similar some of their tastes were. Until they reached the topic of other entertainment.

“Favorite amusement park ride?” he asked.

Thinking of the last time she’d been to an amusement park, Sang Zhi shook her head. “None.”

“Really? What about a carousel?”

“They make me sick.”

“Ferris wheel?”

“I’m scared of heights.”

“Okay. So that leaves roller coasters out of the question?” Jiaxu asked.

“Definitely. I have only been to an amusement park a couple times in my life. I didn’t really have fun,” she admitted.

“Why not?”

Sighing, Sang Zhi put her fork down and gave him an unsure glance. “Well, I don’t like the rides, the parks are always so crowded…”

“And you don’t like crowds,” Jiaxu stated.

“I don’t,” she agreed. She stared down at her plate in thought. He’d offered up something sad about his past, could she do the same? Sang Zhi didn’t like to talk about her fear of crowds, but it felt important to tell Jiaxu, especially if she was introducing him to her parents. She was long past the point of being elusive about such things.

“I don’t talk about this much,” she continued, giving him an unsure glance. “But if you’re meeting my parents, well…” She shrugged.

Jiaxu frowned in concern, giving her his full attention. “What is it?”

“I don’t like crowds because… when I was little, me and my family went to a mall for holiday shopping. It was very busy with people, all rushing and stressed, when a fire broke out and people panicked,” Sang Zhi explained. “I was separated from my parents-“

Jiaxu cursed under his breath. “Were you okay?”

“I was trampled a bit and ended up with a broken leg and bruises, but I wasn’t caught in the fire directly, so…” she broke off. “Thirteen people died. I feel pretty lucky.”

“How old were you?”

“Six,” she said. “I don’t remember a lot about the day, snippets really, but… the press of people, feeling suffocated between the panic and smoke…”

Sang Zhi stared off into the restaurant, not entirely sure why she was explaining so much. She didn’t need to. Rarely had she even wanted to. But then Jiaxu reached under the table to squeeze her hand and suddenly she felt a bit lighter. At least he wasn’t annoyed with her for bringing so maudlin.

“Was Sang Yan there too?” he asked.

Nodding, Sang Zhi said, “he was supposed to be watching me, since Mama and Baba were making some sort of expensive purchase. I don’t remember, it was boring to me, so I went to look at the pretty grown up dresses. Which was unfortunately in a big window right in the path of an escape route.”

Shaking her head, she tried to give a small laugh but it was forced. “Sorry, it was a long time ago. I should probably be over it by-“

“Don’t apologize,” Jiaxu interrupted. “I’m glad to know. I don’t think I’d be very comfortable in crowds either if I’d experienced that.”

She looked at him and an overwhelming affection washed through her that baffled and alarmed her. How did Jiaxu just understand with such a short explanation? Granted, she hadn’t told a lot of people, but they always seemed to think she should be well past the anxiety of crowds now that it’d been so much time.

His brow pinched in confusion. “What?”

“Thank you,” Sang Zhi said.

That just seemed to confuse him further. She turned back to her plate with a genuine smile, which seemed to appease Jiaxu. The mood was dampened but not ruined.

“How is your dinner?” she asked.

“Delicious,” Jiaxu replied. “Yours?”

“Amazing,” Sang Zhi said with a grin, taking a bite.

“After dinner, I was thinking we could walk along the path by the water, if you want,” Jiaxu mentioned. “Unless it’s too cold.”

“That sounds good,” she said.

Jiaxu hummed in agreement.

Dinner passed too quickly for Sang Zhi. It was strange, confiding in someone with such a short acquaintance, but in some ways it made it easier. She hadn’t known Jiaxu very long, but he simply radiated safety to her. It didn’t make any sense, really.

Later, they walked on the sidewalk path close enough to see the crashing waves reflecting the moonlit sky, hand in hand. Sang Zhi couldn’t remember the last time she’d touched someone so much, but Jiaxu seemed to be very tactile, constantly taking her hand or even stroking her hair. It was almost like he was assuring himself that she wouldn’t disappear, which made her feel a bit guilty for having run off so long ago.

“Have you had a nice time?” Jiaxu asked.

“Yes,” she replied with a smile. “I can’t remember a night going so well.”

“So would I make an acceptable boyfriend?”

Sang Zhi bit her lip and tapped her chin with an exaggerated thoughtfulness. “I’m not sure.”

Her teasing manner made him laugh, which filled her with joy. “What are your qualifications?” he asked.

“Well, you’re definitely tall enough,” Sang Zhi turned to him and stepped close, looking up. He had to look down, crane his neck even, to stare back at her. “And you seem to have a good temper - you could have punched Sang Yan right back, but didn’t.”

He grinned but shook his head. “I know a losing battle when I see one. I definitely earned that punch.”

“It seems like you have good morals…” she said with a raised eyebrow. “Which is pretty much all I require.”

Jiaxu’s expression softened, and he leaned down closer to touch his forehead to hers. “So will you agree?”

“Yes,” Sang Zhi whispered. “As long as I’m an acceptable girlfriend.”

“So very acceptable,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around her to pull her tight against him. Sensations flooded through Sang Zhi at the softness of his voice, his nose bumping against hers, their breaths melding together.

Then he kissed her.

Sang Zhi grabbed at his lapel greedily, trying to pull him down into her, as if she could absorb his very essence into her chest that was exploding with wings and feathers and light.

It wasn’t frantic in the same way from the previous night at the bar, no, that felt like sating an irrepressible hunger. This kiss felt like the warmth on a summer day, when everything in the world aligned perfectly, so much that Sang Zhi couldn’t help trying to drink him in. Jiaxu was like an immovable stone, holding her so securely as she melted against him, simply content with sampling her lips.

Unfortunately, air became a necessity and she pulled back with a gasp. Her eyes caught his instantly as they breathed hard, and he grinned. “I think that far surpasses ‘acceptable’.”

Heat rose to her cheeks, so Sang Zhi ducked her head under his chin, unused to such public displays, even if the beach was deserted.

“I do need to tell you something,” Jiaxu said softly, reluctantly. “Before you agree.”

“What is it?” she asked, pulling back.

He hummed for a moment, obviously looking for the words. “You know how you told me that you went to Yihe University to avoid the shadow of your family?” he asked. She nodded.

“I did the same thing, coming to Nanwu,” Jiaxu said. “My da… he killed someone drunk driving.”

“Oh,” Sang Zhi said. “That is what you meant by your family being complicated?”

“Yeah.” He grimaced, looking off into the water. She wasn’t sure how to soothe his concern, but she hardly understood all the ramifications of such a tragedy.

“When did it happen?” she asked.

“Years ago. I was fourteen. He’s passed away, and in some ways it’s a relief but…” Jiaxu looked down at her with a worried look. “It is a part of me. A Duan wronged someone and I’ve spent much of my life making up for it.”

Sang Zhi frowned. “I don’t understand. You were a child when it happened. How were you responsible?”

Jiaxu blinked.

She stared back at him, brow furrowed.

“Well, someone had to pay the compensation. My ma couldn’t…” he trailed off, nervously.

A wave of sympathy crashed over Sang Zhi and she wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tight. It was a terrible story and she would spend more time thinking about it later, but he obviously was worried about it, which made her sad. He had his own fears. He wasn’t infallible like all the other men she’d dated pretended to be. He was real in a way no one had been before.

“I don’t… talk about it much. It’s not a happy thing,” Jiaxu said. “But you needed to know.”

“Thank you for telling me,” Sang Zhi said as he stood there, arms loose around her. “It doesn’t change anything for me.”

“Really?” Jiaxu asked in a soft, surprised voice.

She pulled back, looking up at him earnestly. Bringing her hands up to his face, she pulled him down to kiss his forehead. “Really.”

A smile slowly spread across his face, eyes wide as if awed by her. “Okay.”

“Okay,” she agreed.

Sang Zhi took his hand in hers and began walking again, towards his car. “So, boyfriend… My parents will probably ask how we met.”

A smile split across his face at her title and Jiaxu nodded, replying, “That is likely.”

“I’m not really sure how they’re going to react. I’ve never introduced them to anyone before,” she said. “I probably should have warned them.”

“I’m sure it will be fine. What’s the worst thing that could happen?” he asked.

They’ll convince you that I’m not worth the effort.

Sang Zhi shook the thought away, humming under her breath, “they might disapprove.”

“Why? I have a good job, own my car and home-“

“You own your apartment?” Sang Zhi said in surprise. He laughed.

“Yes. Should I write out a resume with all my qualifications to bring? I can make sure to add ‘tall’, ‘even tempered’ and-“

She shoved him and he laughed again, catching her wrists to pull her close. “I’m not worried about meeting them. Considering what you told me earlier, well, it makes sense for how overbearing your brother is. I expect they have similar reasons.”

“But they always interfere,” she said in a quiet voice. “Even when it isn’t necessary.”

“I promise you, Sang Zhi,” Jiaxu said, stopping their pace to look down at her with an amused yet serious face. “That your parents will not scare me off. The only one who can tell me to go… is you.”

Sang Zhi didn’t know what to say to that. So she said nothing and instead pulled him down to press her lips against his.

They didn’t leave the beach for a while.

~~~

Despite all of Jiaxu’s earlier assurances, Sang Zhi was quite visibly nervous as he walked with her through the neighborhood on their way to her home. He wasn’t sure what else to do, so he pushed his own nerves aside to not add to her worry.

Frankly, there were so many revelations in the last twenty four hours that Jiaxu could spend all week ruminating over them, but her story of being caught in a panicked mob as a child… well, that put her family’s overbearing actions into a new focus that Jiaxu could understand.

That Sang Zhi had shared it at all had filled Jiaxu with a bittersweet happiness. She could have refrained, continued to be elusive and shy with details, but had chosen to tell him anyway. It was a sign, the sign, that it was okay to tell her his own dark history. That she could share and he could share and neither would immediately judge.

As they rounded a corner, Sang Zhi stopped at seeing an attractive older woman throwing a bag into a garbage bin before turning back towards the house. She caught sight of Sang Zhi and smiled broadly.

Sang Zhi dropped his hand and darted forward to the woman, who pulled her into a hug and said, “Oh, Zhizhi, Happy New Year. It was such a long weekend without seeing your pretty face!”

“Happy New Year, Mama,” Sang Zhi replied as she hugged her back, smiling, before turning back to Jiaxu. “Let me introduce you. This is Duan Jiaxu. My… boyfriend.”

The woman turned to him with a surprised, but not unkind expression. Sang Zhi rushed to say to Jiaxu, “this is my mama, Li Ping.”

Jiaxu bowed respectfully, putting on his most easygoing smile. Li Ping glanced between them, giving a longer look to her daughter, before motioning them inside. “Well, this is… unexpected. Let’s go say hi to your father as well, shall we?”

Sang Zhi sent him a quick glance that Jiaxu had no way to discern, but he followed them through the gate and inside.

The home opened into a large high ceiling living space as Jiaxu passed through the threshold. Stairs acted as a natural separation to the dining room and kitchen, steps reaching up further than the ceiling. It was well furnished and tastefully decorated, obviously well maintained. He could imagine it being a very comfortable home for the family of four.

“Sang Rong!” Li Ping called to a man who was puttering in the kitchen. “Your daughter is home! With her… boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” He responded, wiping his hands on a towel and stepping forward. “That’s, uh, a…”

“Delightful,” Li Ping spoke over him, giving him a look. “Come. Sit and have some tea.”

Sang Zhi took his coat before leading Jiaxu through to the dining area where tea was already set out for three. Her parents had obviously anticipated a nice chat with their daughter, but Sang Rong quickly rectified it with another cup. Sitting down, Jiaxu had absolutely no idea what their opinion of him was. Apparently, Sang Zhi had inherited her reserved facade from her parents.

Sang Zhi sat next to him as Li Ping walked around to pull a bowl of fruit out from the fridge and set it down before attending to the kettle.

“This is my Baba, Sang Rong,” Sang Zhi said. “This is Duan Jiaxu, Baba.”

Jiaxu stood up quickly to give another bow before sitting again, and he could swear he caught amusement in the older man’s eyes as he sat but Jiaxu wasn’t going to bank on that goodwill. It was true that her parents were being surprised by him, but honestly, everything involving Sang Zhi had surprised Jiaxu, so they were all on an even playing ground.

“Nice to meet you,” Jiaxu said. Really, this was almost like meeting a client whose contract he really wanted.

“Nice to meet you as well,” Sang Rong replied as Li Ping brought over the tea kettle. “I must say, we had no idea our Zhizhi was seeing someone.”

“Baba,” Sang Zhi frowned at him.

“Now, don’t get grumpy,” he replied. “You are so secretive. When did this happen?”

“It’s… fairly new,” Sang Zhi said, glancing at Jiaxu. “But we’ve known each other for a while.”

Jiaxu managed to keep a straight face, a little bit amazed at how deftly she avoided any specific details. No wonder he’d gleaned so little from her that night. Sang Zhi was very practiced at avoiding straight answers.

“Oh?” Li Ping said as she poured hot tea into each cup. “Is this why you didn’t want to come with us to the Xian’s?”

“No,” she replied. “I told you, I needed to be close by in case something happened at work. Xiaoyu emailed me at least three requests yesterday.”

Sang Rong tutted under his breath. “Your boss needs to leave work at work and stop calling you at odd hours.”

“Yes, Baba,” Sang Zhi said in exasperation.

“It’s the holiday. Does she have no life outside work?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where did you two meet?” Li Ping interrupted the obviously tired line of questioning, pulling the attention back to Jiaxu. He smiled.

“I was brought along with my colleague to Overtime to meet up with some fellow Nanwu graduates-“

“He’s friends with Sang Yan’s old roommate, Mama,” Sang Zhi interjected. “Or, well, he works for you now, right?”

Jiaxu blinked at her, the not so subtle point at his success surprising him, and nodded. Who was he to argue with her strategy? “Yes, Chen Junwen is my lead programmer.”

“Oh, what a nice young man he was. He is back in town, then?” Li Ping smiled. “Sang Yan never mentioned it.”

“Unfortunately, we had a bit of a crunch of contracts, so our company was very busy. It wasn’t until recently that we were able to meet up,” Jiaxu said, before taking a sip of tea.

“What kind of work do you do?” Sang Rong asked.

“Well, my company focuses on learning algorithms for-“

“Video games, Baba,” Sang Zhi spoke over Jiaxu, which made him glance at her in amusement. “It’s a studio by Minyang Hi-Tech Park.”

Sang Rong looked between the two of them before glancing at his wife. Li Ping pushed the bowl of fruit at Sang Zhi, who stabbed at a piece of apple with a little fork before eating it.

“Well, that’s definitely a lucrative market,” Sang Rong eventually said. “Nice area of town. Are you from Nanwu?”

Jiaxu shook his head. “Yihe is my hometown, but I attended Nanwu since their computer science degrees are considered the best in the video game industry.”

“Yihe?” Li Ping asked, glancing at Sang Zhi. “What does your family think of you being so far away?”

It was the first question that actually made him nervous, but he didn’t need to go into detail. They didn’t need to know how his ma had railed against his decision to not stay local, especially when Yihe University boasted so many robust options.

Sang Zhi must’ve felt him tense, since she placed her hand on his wrist under the table.

“My ma misses me a lot, but she helps my uncle with my cousins - my aunt passed away when my younger cousin was a baby. And my da is gone as well, so ma is well taken care of with my uncle,” Jiaxu said. He didn’t need to say that he wasn’t welcome at that home.

“Oh, that does sound like a good arrangement. It’s nice of your ma to help with family,” Li Ping said sympathetically. “Do they visit often?”

“When she can,” Jiaxu said. “It’s difficult to schedule with how busy my cousins are.”

“Oh? How old are they now?”

“One is attending university and the other is in high school,” he explained.

“I see,” Li Ping said into her teacup.

Jiaxu felt as if he had made a misstep but wasn’t exactly sure how. In any case, he hadn’t been dishonest. His ma did prioritize his mostly grown cousins, having only visited him twice since he’d moved to Nanwu and for very short stays. She didn’t know what to do with herself in Nanwu without the girls to fuss over.

“Mama, it’s getting late,“ Sang Zhi said. “We both have work tomorrow…”

“Oh, of course,” Li Ping said graciously. Sang Rong nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, Duan Jiaxu.”

There was little fanfare in getting his coat and saying their farewells. Then Jiaxu was waving at Sang Zhi from the gate as she peered at him from the front door. It closed and he took a deep breath.

Kicking off toward his car, it had seemed to go well, but Jiaxu was determined to not overthink it. Best just to wait and see what Sang Zhi thought.

And she’d agreed to be his girlfriend.

Jiaxu could suffer through any sort of inquisition if Sang Zhi was the reward.

Chapter Text

When Sang Zhi closed the front door after Jiaxu’s farewell wave, she turned to find both of her parents exchanging a look. She knew that look. It was the look of over thirty years in marriage, conveying information without a word.

“How was your trip?” she asked, knowing better than to prod at their thoughts about Jiaxu just yet.

“Oh, we had a wonderful time. You should have seen the decorations! The Xian’s spent so much time making sure everything was just perfect,” her ma said with a smile. “Xian Bo was so sad you didn’t come with us.”

Sang Zhi smiled. “How is she? I haven’t seen her since that event during Golden Week.”

“She’s very happy but so busy planning her wedding.”

“Oh, her boyfriend proposed? That’s… great,” Sang Zhi replied, a vague recollection of a disinterested man attached to her friend. She wasn’t terribly close to Xian Bo. Their friendship was one of mutual boredom as they were both dragged along to events of their parents.

“Yes,” Li Ping smiled. “Her mother is so excited, she told me all about what they’re planning. She asked how you and your brother had been doing.”

In other words, when were either of you going to get married? The Sang children were terribly behind on such life aspirations. Sang Zhi had wondered at her brother for not proposing, since he’d been with Wen Yifan for so long and they always seemed in such accord, but it was none of Zhi’s business.

“I’ll be sure to warn Sang Yan,” Sang Zhi joked and her father laughed.

“Leave them be, dear. They’re still young.”

“Sang Yan is over thirty!” Li Ping contradicted Sang Rong.

“On that note… I’m going to bed,” Sang Zhi said, heading to the stairs.

“Just a minute, Zhizhi,” Sang Rong said. “Why did you bring that fellow to meet us tonight?”

It was fortunate she was so practiced with sending her parents a bland expression, because her heart jumped up into her throat. “What do you mean? Would you rather me not introduce him?”

“You’ve been… subdued the last few weeks,” Li Ping said. “Was it because of him?”

“No, I told you, work has been ridiculous,” Sang Zhi replied with an exasperated expression. While work was always dumb, she had been out of sorts from missing Jiaxu. She was the one who built up all the implications of a fling. It wasn’t his fault. But Sang Zhi wasn’t about to explain that to her parents. “He’s been great.”

“Is he why you wanted to move out?”

“You don’t think it’s ridiculous that your grown daughter still lives with you?” she retorted.

“Not at all,” Li Ping said. “We know how hard things are for young people nowadays and love to have you here.”

Sang Zhi suppressed a sigh. She was not struggling like her peers, her years of living with her parents making it easy to pay off the college debt she’d accrued. At this point, her account just kept growing. But, as per usual, she was not given an angle to debate from.

Her ma continued. “I thought we had discussed introducing-“

“You discussed. I didn’t agree to it,” Sang Zhi muttered.

“But why didn’t you tell us you were seeing someone then? My friend's son was so excited to meet you,” Li Ping said.

“I…” Sang Zhi stammered. “I didn’t…”

Li Ping and Sang Rong exchanged a look again. A frustrating sense of helplessness hit Zhi, which prompted a sting of tears behind her eyes, but no, she wasn’t going to cry or get upset. Shaking her head, she finally managed to say towards the ground, “Thank you, but no. I didn’t think you were serious about setting me up with someone.”

“I asked about your availability! You said you’d check your schedule!” Li Ping pointed out. “It just seems strange for you to introduce a boy to us with no warning. Are you truly dating him?”

“Yes,” Sang Zhi said, slightly affronted at her ma calling Jiaxu a boy, like they were both teenagers playing around. “And I don’t know what else to say, so… goodnight.”

“Sang Zhi,” her father said as she began to walk to the stairs. “We worry about you.”

She turned. “I know,” she said softly. “But there’s no reason to.”

With that, she retreated up the stairs to her bedroom. Shutting the door behind her and locking it, she took a deep breath.

Well, that could have gone better.

They were at least polite to Jiaxu. Sang Zhi had been nervous the whole time, waiting for something terrible to happen, but they weren’t the type to fly off the handle at a moment's notice. No, they observed and held their peace until later, undermining Sang Zhi just when she thought she had a handle on the situation.

Jiaxu, at least, had handled the interrogation with ease. He didn’t boast - Sang Zhi had to prompt it - and seemed mostly comfortable, until her Mama started dissecting his family life. Sang Zhi hadn’t anticipated that level of scrutiny during the first meeting, which was foolish of her, because one’s family gave all sorts of insight into a person.

Which is why Sang Zhi had never brought a boyfriend home before. Worries lurked over what one would glean about her from her family.

Pulling her phone out of her bag, she worried her lip with her teeth as she wondered what to text Jiaxu. He had been incredibly gracious in light of their questions, which is why Sang Zhi wanted to send him something.

[Sang Zhi]: Are you home?

The response was quick.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Almost.

[Sang Zhi]: Sorry about my parents.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Don’t be. They were nice.

[Sang Zhi]: They seemed to like you okay. They’re mostly confused.

With a large sigh, Sang Zhi started to get ready for bed. Going through the routine was comforting to Zhi, the pattern of brushing her hair, washing her face, cleaning her teeth. As she worked, there were pings from her phone.

[Duan Jiaxu]: It’s been an eventful couple days. I think we are all allowed to be a bit confused.

[Duan Jiaxu]: It’s probably embarrassing for me to admit, but I looked for you in October. And November.

[Duan Jiaxu]: …and December.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I won’t say how, because it will make me sound crazy.

Sang Zhi laughed as she read the messages. It was tempting to call him and hear his voice, but she was so tired that she’d likely be incoherent and weird on a call. Instead she texted back.

[Sang Zhi]: Well, I’m glad I left an impression. I’ve thought of you often since October.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Then I left an impression as well?

[Sang Zhi]: You definitely did.

[Duan Jiaxu]: When can I see you again?

Sang Zhi smiled as she turned off the lights and climbed into bed. There was an amusing quality in his eagerness. He had no shame about asking, boldly declaring his desire to see her without any thought of how it might look. Any of her previous boyfriends would have put her on edge, but with Jiaxu it felt so natural, different from the men she always met who would come up with the most outlandish reasons to ‘be in the area’ and ‘happen to see you’.

The irony that Sang Zhi had accidentally - but genuinely - ran into Jiaxu multiple times was not lost on her. It just made it all that more humorous to her. Somehow, it was okay because it was him.

[Sang Zhi]: My boss has set up a pretty heavy work week. Some clients were busy with the holidays and put her off. There’s at least two important meetings, so I doubt I’ll have much time.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I might be able to work around your schedule. Benefits of being ‘the boss’ at my studio.

[Sang Zhi]: I can try to meet for lunch, but my office is on this side of town. It’s not very convenient for you.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Let me worry about that.

[Sang Zhi]: Then… Wednesday?

[Duan Jiaxu]: That sounds two days too long.

Laughing under her breath at him wanting to see her tomorrow, Sang Zhi snuggled down into her pillows, typing quickly.

[Sang Zhi]: These forces are out of my control.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Wednesday it is.

[Sang Zhi]: I’m all ready for bed. How about you?

Yawning deeply, she wasn’t surprised that it took him a moment to respond. He was probably in the middle of getting ready.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Just brushing my teeth now before heading there.

[Sang Zhi]: I wish I was there with you.

It felt incredibly embarrassing to admit, but he was her boyfriend now, right? It wasn’t weird for her to miss him, or to tell him so.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Me too. If you hadn’t needed to be home tonight, I would have asked you to mine.

Suddenly, Sang Zhi was not nearly as tired as she thought she was. The tumult of moods in the past twenty four hours disappeared at the subtle invitation to play.

[Sang Zhi]: Oh? What would you do with me there?

[Duan Jiaxu]: I would have taken your coat and boots and put them up. I’d have you explore the living room while I got you a tea.

[Sang Zhi]: What would I find in your living room?

[Duan Jiaxu]: A couple photos. Some awards from school. A place in my lap when I returned and pulled you to the couch.

She giggled, a bit surprised at Jiaxu’s daring. She’d never had such a text exchange before, but he played into it with seeming ease.

[Sang Zhi]: I like the sound of that. What would you do with me there?

[Duan Jiaxu]: Take off your sweater. It did an admirable job keeping you warm and was lusciously soft, but it’d serve me better on my floor. What were you wearing underneath?

[Sang Zhi]: A button up blouse.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Buttons are fantastic. I would be able to slowly pull your shirt open button by button, to press my face into your neck and breathe in your skin.

[Sang Zhi]: I would also unbutton your shirt. It wouldn’t be fair otherwise.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Of course.

[Sang Zhi]: Were you wearing an undershirt like before?

[Duan Jiaxu]: Yes. It’s only proper.

[Sang Zhi]: Proper, hmm? Then I’d be decidedly improper and pull that off of you too.

[Duan Jiaxu]: So you have me without a shirt and it’s cold. What would you do about it?

It was too easy to remember him without clothes. Too easy to imagine a scene on his couch that Sang Zhi had only taken a quick glance of, facing the large window overlooking the city. Too easy to imagine his hands on her, his hot breath on her neck.

Heat was flashing through her just from her imagination, so she put her hand up her shirt to trail fingertips along her sternum and brush against her breasts. It was a poor imitation of Jiaxu's long fingers, but it would have to do.

[Sang Zhi]: I’ll point out that I was very well prepared to see you.

[Duan Jiaxu]: How so?

[Sang Zhi]: I wore a pale pink bra with a front clasp.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Sang Zhi, you’re wrecking my calm.

She was wrecking his calm? Jiaxu was the one who was spinning her thoughts into a frenzy, refusing to come in the night before and make good on his claim of exploring her body. Desire pooled in her stomach with a tinge of regret that they were so far away.

[Sang Zhi]: So I’d unhook my bra and run my hands up your arms, because Jiaxu, I need you.

There was a slight pause. It was long enough for Sang Zhi to close her eyes as she waited, wondering how he would respond to such a shameless statement, but held her hand against her skin still. Her phone vibrated so she opened her eyes.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I can imagine the sight of you perfectly. You’re so fucking beautiful, Sang Zhi. I wouldn’t be able to keep from touching you were you in front of me right now.

[Sang Zhi]: Where would you touch me?

[Duan Jiaxu]: Where to start? I would kiss at your neck and trail down to your ribcage, unable to resist tasting the skin of your breast as my fingers brushed along your nipples. Can you touch yourself there for me?

With that direction, Sang Zhi pinched her nipples and whimpered. Her own hand was a terrible substitute, but she still managed to run her free hand against her skin, only venturing the places Jiaxu had mentioned. She desperately wanted to dip her fingers into her panties.

[Sang Zhi]: Yes.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Good girl.

It was ridiculous how the praise zinged through her. She lost herself in the sensation a few moments before her phone vibrated in her hand again.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Those jeans you were wearing would be troublesome as well, so I’d flip you onto the couch and work on undoing the button and zipper there so I could pull them down past your hips, my lips exploring your abdomen.

Heat flashed through her and she bit her lip. She was going to lose eloquence soon, so she needed to make the best of her next response.

[Sang Zhi]: I wish I could feel your fingers dip inside my panties, to feel how wet I am for you. To rub my clit and press inside me.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Fuck, Sang Zhi, me too. You looked so damn beautiful when I felt your cunt tighten around my fingers, your little body asking for more. My cock is so hard, wanting to feel you again. I can hardly wait to have you in front of me again, spread open on my couch so I can delve into your folds with my tongue and taste you. You will have to manage with your fingers until then.

With that approval, Sang Zhi dropped her phone, both hands pushing past the band of her panties, arousal dampening her fingers instantly as she explored herself. Her legs spread open as she deftly pressed against the sensitive nub that was practically throbbing for attention. A soft moan escaped her, mind turning over the scenario in her head, Jiaxu’s form pressed onto her, into her, tongue flicking around her clit, and she pressed a finger inside of herself. Frustration built in her gut, unable to reach the areas he’d plucked at so effortlessly, which only heightened the desperation to crest.

Her phone vibrated next to her and she could imagine him asking her all manner of dirty questions of how she felt, hands wet between her legs, and a desire so keen hit her of wanting him there… and that was it. Sang Zhi gasped as her pleasure spiked, holding back the moan in her throat for fear that she’d be too loud, and her thoughts flew.

After a few moments of bliss, she finally returned to earth to catch her breath. Getting up to wash her hands and change her underwear she wasn’t surprised by feeling heat flush over her, a bit embarrassed but satisfied, unsure of just what sort of madness that was. She’d never attempted such a thing, never thought to, but Jiaxu just invited so many erotic thoughts.

She heard her phone vibrate again and crawled back into bed, lifting her phone and smiling at the messages.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I wish I was there to hear your moans, to watch you touch yourself. I have to touch myself, too, wishing it was your hand on my cock. I wish you were here.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I’m going to assume good things from your silence.

A wave of sleepiness hit her, but Sang Zhi couldn’t leave him hanging with such uncertainty, especially after he’d just pulled her through an orgasm with simple text. It should be embarrassing, but she felt rather calm and content.

[Sang Zhi]: Very good things. Very sleepy.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I’m glad. Me too.

[Sang Zhi]: I wish you were here to hold me.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I’ve been holding you in my dreams for weeks.

She blinked sleepily at her phone, the admission making her feel a bit heady. But then he sent another text.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Good night, Zhi.

[Sang Zhi]: Good night, Jiaxu.

With that, she plugged her phone in and rolled over, adjusting the pillows around her. Almost instantly, she fell asleep with thoughts of Jiaxu’s arms around her.

~~~

Monday was terrible.

Tuesday as well.

Wednesday started off promising until Jiaxu received a text from Sang Zhi that morning.

[Sang Zhi]: Jiaxu, something came up. I’m going to have to ask for a rain check for lunch. 😔

[Duan Jiaxu]: Anything wrong?

[Sang Zhi]: Just work. Xiaoyu is relentless.

[Duan Jiaxu]: How about dinner on Friday?

[Sang Zhi]: I’d love to, but there’s a company karaoke thing I have to go to.

Jiaxu sighed. That quip she’d made ages ago about not getting out much suddenly made a lot more sense. She just mustn’t have time because her work schedule was ridiculous.

Since lunch wasn’t viable, he instead arranged brunch with Sang Zhi on Saturday to make up for it. He really wanted to see her, the sooner the better, but she was clear about being unavailable.

The rest of the week passed fairly uneventfully, Jiaxu growing more and more impatient. He didn’t hear much from Sang Zhi, something about her boss having strict rules about socializing during office hours, but was mollified by the little tired texts Sang Zhi would send him as she was heading home and falling into bed.

So when Friday rolled around, Jiaxu was glad for the distraction of Chen Junwen knocking on his door as he was about to clock out.

“Hey,” Chen Junwen said. “Do you have plans for the evening?”

“Ah… nothing unusual,” Jiaxu replied, the typical Friday night plans revolving around making an appearance at the bar that his workers always frequented. “Why?”

“I know there’s the usual, but Qian Fei wants to meet up at Overtime tonight,” Chen Junwen said. “He has ‘news’ that he was specifically vague about… but also asked me to include you.”

“Huh, okay,” Jiaxu agreed as he grabbed his laptop bag and started to lock up his office. “I have my car today, want to ride with me?”

Chen Junwen nodded and followed him through the office, the pair bidding farewells. Jiaxu’s colleagues were all buzzing amongst each other, excited for their time off, and the boss leaving would start the evening early.

Jiaxu almost wished he’d gone with them as usual. It wasn’t like he was going to run into Sang Zhi again, as her evening was spoken for. And Chen Junwen was rather chatty with him as they drove across town to Overtime.

“How are things going with Sang Zhi?”

“Great,” Jiaxu said with a sigh. Chen Junwen’s eyebrows raised.

“Really? Why do you sound so bummed?”

“Her job sucks,” Jiaxu said petulantly. “I haven’t been able to see her since last weekend.”

That made his friend laugh. “Oh, damn, how will you survive,” he added sarcastically. “So that’s why you’ve been morose all week? It’s only been a few days.”

“Too many days,” Jiaxu muttered.

“I am so glad I gave Sang Yan your number now,” Chen Junwen said with a grin. “You can coordinate a protest.”

“Ha, ha,” he replied. “Thanks for that, by the way.”

“What did Sang Yan want?”

“He warned me about Sang Zhi’s food allergies.”

“Ohhh, right,” Chen Junwen said. “I’d forgotten about that.”

“What do you mean?” Jiaxu asked.

“I don’t know the specifics, but I went out to lunch with them and Qian Fei often enough to know Sang Yan would always argue with her over the menu,” his friend replied with a shrug. “It was obviously an old argument.” Squinting at Jiaxu, Chen Junwen added, “nice of Sang Yan to warn you.”

“I guess,” Jiaxu said. “Although I doubt she’d see it that way.”

“She’s used to it.”

Jiaxu didn’t argue. He was the newcomer to the group, whether or not he was dating Sang Zhi, and Chen Junwen was experienced with the group and could likely be correct.

The drive to Overtime took a while through Friday night traffic, but they arrived in good time. Qian Fei caught sight of them and waved them over to the table which only held Sang Yan. There were already three beers and a soda at the table, which meant Sang Yan knew Jiaxu was invited. Jiaxu wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, but it wasn’t this small group of four. It had an odd camaraderie, as if he was suddenly a part of a little roommate group despite sharing none of the same experiences.

Chen Junwen and Jiaxu sat down at the table and Qian Fei only lasted a moment before bursting out, “hello, hello! Now that we are all here… I’m getting married!”

Jiaxu grinned, feeling out of place for such an announcement, but congratulated Qian Fei regardless. Immediately, they took up their respective drinks - the soda was definitely for Jiaxu - to toast Qian Fei.

“How did you propose?” Chen Junwen asked after. “She must have just walked in the door from her cousin's wedding, huh?”

Qian Fei was glowing, he was so happy. It was infectious, a smile tugging on Jiaxu’s lips despite his own subdued mood.

“I was thinking after that lunch this last weekend that you were right, Duan Jiaxu,” Qian Fei started, making Jiaxu look up in alarm, like what did I do? “Why wouldn’t I just tell her? There was no reason to complicate it. So I spent the next few days planning how to surprise her with dinner after work yesterday.”

As Qian Fei explained the specifics of his proposal, Jiaxu felt his phone vibrate and patted his pocket for it, keeping his attention to the conversation. He didn’t want to be rude after being so kindly included. When there was a lull in the conversation, Jiaxu checked it. Xu Chang Ru was finally responding to his text from the other day.

[Xu Chang Ru]: Sorry for the delay, I’ve been busy moving things from my dorm. You know your ma, cousin. Chang Le says auntie hasn’t been to the doctors in months.

Frowning, Jiaxu excused himself from the table to head towards the quieter hallway where the restrooms were. Once there, he gave a fond glance at the staircase that went up to the private area by the rafters, where he’d discovered Sang Zhi previously. Climbing past the security rope he sat on the steps - he wasn’t about to go up there without permission - and considered his response to his cousin. He thought of calling, but the chance of someone eavesdropping on his cousin's side was too high.

[Duan Jiaxu]: So you’ve noticed the cough as well?

[Xu Chang Ru]: I have now that I’m here for break. I couldn’t make it over as often as I liked before with school, and she’s usually ferrying Chang Le to practice anyway. Even so, it’s hard not to notice it. She’s always out of breath.

Rubbing his forehead, Jiaxu considered his response. He should have noticed over the weeks during their regular calls, but she’d never sounded that bad before.

Guilt simmered in his gut, a familiar feeling when Jiaxu thought of his ma. She had been incredibly displeased when he’d relocated to Nanwu, but the Dream Studios wanted a branch by Nanwu University and he was tired of how often Jiang Ying would somehow appear at places he frequented…

It had been the right decision, even if Jiaxu did feel like he’d abandoned his ma, but she refused to leave the girls. Perhaps now, with Chang Le almost out of high school and looking at her own prospective future, Jiaxu could convince Xu Ruo Shu to leave. Then he could take care of her the way she should have been taken care of years ago.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Why didn’t anyone tell me?

He liked Chang Ru. She had never treated him with suspicion, despite her father’s distaste for Jiaxu, instead treating him like a bit of a novelty, an older brother. Chang Ru usually let him know if she was concerned about something, so it was surprising for her to not tell Jiaxu about his ma’s condition.

[Xu Chang Ru]: Da said not to. That he would take care of it.

Jiaxu couldn’t think of a neutral reply to that. Chang Ru knew how much her father hated Jiaxu, and should know better than to assume Xu Dong would tell him anything.

He stayed there a few minutes, staring down at his phone, deep in thought. Jiaxu hadn’t missed any payments, and his uncle had mentioned new doctors bills… which Jiaxu should have been more suspicious of anyway. Were they hiding her doctor visits, even from his cousins?

But why?

It really only left terrible, frightening options.

“Hey.” Sang Yan appeared in the hallway wearing his customary frown. “Why are you hiding over here?”

Startling, Jiaxu said, “I just got some news from home.”

“Good news or bad news?”

Jiaxu paused, unsure if he really wanted to open this line of questioning. Sighing, he resigned himself to a little bit of honesty.

“My cousin was letting me know how bad my ma’s health has gotten. She didn’t realize, since she’s been at school,” he said. “So, probably bad news, but there’s no way to know how bad yet.”

“That sucks,” Sang Yan said. “I’d offer you a drink, but…”

The comment utterly surprised Jiaxu, who snorted into a full on laugh. Laughing was by far the best option to stave against the hopelessness that pressed into his chest. Sang Yan looked at him, mildly alarmed, before scoffing into a laugh as well.

“I appreciate the thought,” Jiaxu eventually managed to reply.

“You know,” Sang Yan began. “I was half expecting you to show up with my sister tonight.”

“She has a work thing,” Jiaxu said, glancing down at his phone for the time. Five after seven. Not that late, but considering her previous days of not leaving before nine…

Sang Yan hummed an agreement under his breath. “I heard you met my parents.”

“Yeah. They seem like nice people.”

“They are.”

Jiaxu sent Sang Yan a bit of a confused look, wondering why the man was bringing it up. “Do they get along with your girlfriend?”

“Sure,” Sang Yan said, sending his own confused look. “Who wouldn’t love Wen Yifan?”

He couldn’t argue with that. Wen Yifan’s orchestrations had brought Jiaxu to reunite with Sang Zhi, solidifying her place as a favorite. Jiaxu vaguely wondered where she was but Sang Yan had a different purpose to his conversation.

“My parents might seem resistant at first,” Sang Yan continued. “But they’re reasonable. As long as the little demon is happy, they’ll relax.”

“I’ll do my best,” Jiaxu said.

“Let me know the next time you’re picking Sang Zhi up,” Sang Yan finally said. “I’ll join in on the fun. Maybe even bring Yifan, make an evening of it.”

Snorting under his breath, Jiaxu nodded. “Sure.” Opening up his texts, he typed a quick message to Sang Zhi before sending it.

[Duan Jiaxu]: How is the karaoke?

“Come on,” Sang Yan said. “The guys will wonder what happened to you.”

Standing, Jiaxu followed Sang Yan back out of the hallway to the table where Qian Fei and Chun Junwen were giggling between each other with their beers.

“Speaking of,” Chun Junwen said, spying Sang Yan as they approached. “How long until you’re going to make an honest woman of Wen Yifan, Sang Yan?”

Jiaxu sat down and was surprised that Sang Yan dropped into the seat next to him. He expected the man to get defensive, but he simply rolled his eyes. “I’d get you two more drinks, but you both are apparently already drunk.”

“C’moooooon,” Qian Fei whined, obviously tipsy by the flush of his cheeks. “You gotta give us something. You’ve been together for years, after years of pining for her. Add it all up, and it’s what, ten? Fifteen years?”

“I didn’t pine after her,” Sang Yan refuted. “She chased after me.”

Chen Junwen snorted which made Qian Fei laugh.

“How is Wen Yifan?” Jiaxu asked, aiming to diffuse the inquisition.

Sang Yan glanced at him with a slightly surprised expression, as if not expecting him to jump into the fray. “She’s good. She will be happy to hear about your engagement, Qian Fei.”

“Where is she tonight?” Chen Junwen asked. “I want to ask about her chasing.”

“Work,” Sang Yan said simply before taking a long drink of his beer and finishing it.

“So you really aren’t going to explain why you haven’t beat me down the aisle?” Qian Fei asked.

Sang Yan’s eyes caught something across the room and he swore under his breath and stood up, excusing himself. Jiaxu watched as Sang Yan walked over to some patrons getting heated to diffuse the situation.

Saved by the drunks, apparently.

“That’s just like him,” muttered Qian Fei.

“What is?” Jiaxu asked curiously.

“Always finds an escape when badgered,” Chen Junwen explained.

It amused Jiaxu that, when scrutinized, Sang Yan became as elusive as his sister in his own way. Sipping his soda, Jiaxu listened as Qian Fei moved the conversation along to Chen Junwen, mentioning various friends of his fiancée to potentially introduce the man to. Chen Junwen wasn’t having it, however.

“That’s awkward, Qian Fei,” he argued. “It’s one thing to meet up at the same place, but another to actually arrange something.”

“It’s how it works at your age,” Qian Fei said. “Unless you’re online dating.”

Chen Junwen shook his head. “Been there, done that.”

Jiaxu snorted into his glass. Qian Fei gave him a narrow look.

“What is it? That’s the look of someone who has a story.” Qian Fei said. “What happened?”

“Nothing!” Chen Junwen insisted as Jiaxu started to laugh harder.

“C’mooon,” Qian Fei whined. “I told you about the time I embarrassed myself with that girl from my university science class!”

Jiaxu’s phone vibrated, so he pulled it out to read the text as the men bickered.

[Sang Zhi]: I’m so bored.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Can you leave early?

[Sang Zhi]: Maybe. What are you up to tonight?

[Duan Jiaxu]: I’m at Overtime with the guys.

As they argued, Sang Yan returned, giving Jiaxu a questioning glance before nodding at the pair.

“Am I going to have to kick these two out as well?” Sang Yan grumbled as he sat back down.

“Duan Jiaxu is holding out on us, Sang Yan,” Qian Fei complained.

“All right, all right,” Jiaxu set his phone aside and started despite Chen Junwen’s protests. “Picture this: I’m trying to sort out the last of the data transfers after a fortnight of hell finishing two projects at once, and I get an emergency text from him,” Jiaxu pointed at Chen Junwen, who decided it’d be a great time to finish his drink. “He’d only been back in Nanwu for like three weeks. He gave me no details, other than the address for a restaurant, and I arrived, completely exhausted, to find this guy in the middle of a raucous birthday party.”

Qian Fei barked a laugh before holding his breath, wanting to hear the rest. Sang Yan smirked into his glass as he listened.

“A group of ladies are all cooing over him, covering him with sticky lipstick kisses, and Chen Junwen just looks so confused as to how he ended up there that he calls out to me in a panic, which makes them all turn and look at me,” Jiaxu continued with a grimace.

“My online date wasn’t a date at all, she was the birthday girl’s best friend on a mission. She wanted to pack the bar with men for the party, so…” Chen Junwen mumbled.

“First time you had women chasing you, huh, Chen Junwen?” Sang Yan said.

“Fuck you.”

“So you called him for support? Mr. Good Looks?” Qian Fei hooted as he nudged Jiaxu. “What did you do?”

“Well, I was immediately brought into a gaggle of ladies, despite my protests,” Jiaxu said. “And acquired my own badges of lipstick. Chen Junwen was in no position to get himself out of there, at least four drinks in, so I spent the next hour plying the ladies with more drinks - they were all so drunk it was easy to redirect the glasses from me to other ladies gallantly - then called for a bathroom break, grabbed this poor sop and left.”

Qian Fei cackled, putting Chen Junwen’s shoulder sympathetically. “And that's put you completely off online dating?”

“Can’t trust it,” Chen Junwen muttered, before shaking his head. “At least I didn’t get mugged.”

“Are you sure? That one woman had her hand down-“ Jiaxu started until Chen Junwen yelled out in protest.

“Hey, shut it!”

They all laughed, Qian Fei so hard that he almost fell out of his chair.

“Just for that, I’ll get you another drink,” Sang Yan said, motioning to the bar. “You apparently have more luck with the ladies when you’re drunk.”

“Fuck off!” Chen Junwen laughed. The insult held no bite as Sang Yan just grinned as he departed.

Eventually he returned with glasses, a waiter trailing after him with some food. Loading up their plates, they began to eat. The evening continued on comfortably, drinks running freely and Sang Yan occasionally disappearing to handle various duties. Qian Fei and Chen Junwen progressively got more and more drunk, and while Qian Fei definitely held his liquor, Junwen wasn’t faring too well. Jiaxu had relaxed, putting the worry of his ma to the back of his head, simply enjoying the small celebration. The only thing that would make it better was seeing Sang Zhi.

She called him a couple hours later, and a ridiculous grin must have appeared on Jiaxu’s face for how quickly Qian Fei and Chen Junwen quieted their animated conversation. Sang Yan simply rolled his eyes.

“Hello?” Jiaxu answered softly, turning away from the table.

“Hello. Are you still out?” Sang Zhi asked over the line. There was a soft melody in the background, which meant she was likely still at the KTV.

“Yes. Qian Fei had news,” he replied.

The man in question leaned over. “Is it Sang Zhi?”

At Jiaxu’s nod, Qian Fei tugged at his hand, exclaiming into the phone, “Sang Zhi! I’m getting married! Shiwen said yes!!”

“Hey!” Jiaxu protested, but laughed at the antics nonetheless. Yanking the phone back, he said to her, “sorry about that…”

But she was laughing as well. “Tell him I say congratulations.”

“She says congrats,” Jiaxu rushed to tell Qian Fei before turning back to his call. He was about to say something when Sang Yan interrupted him.

“Ask the little demon when she’s heading home.”

Huffing in irritation - he wasn’t going to sit there the whole call and convey messages - Jiaxu knew Sang Zhi heard her brother because of her giggle through the line. He would have ignored Sang Yan, but he wanted to know the answer as well.

“Are you heading home soon?” he asked instead, sending Sang Yan a frown.

“No,” she grumbled under her breath. “The big boss is here and he keeps putting the microphone in my hand.”

“When do they usually leave?” Jiaxu asked.

“Oh, I’ll be here for another hour at least,” Sang Zhi sighed. “But I’m looking forward to our meal tomorrow.”

Jiaxu hummed in agreement, terribly aware of the audience in front of him. Saying what he truly felt - that he couldn’t wait to be near her - would be a bit too much with the expectant faces around him. So he went a safer route.

“Text me when you get home?”

“Okay. Will you be with the guys much longer?” she replied.

“Probably not. We’re all winding down here and Junwen looks like he’s about to pass out,” Jiaxu said.

“I’m not!” Chen Junwen slurred slightly.

Jiaxu patted the man's shoulder, finishing, “And I gotta get him home.”

“Ah, your usual job,” Sang Zhi said. “I’ll text you later.”

He hummed in agreement as the call ended.

~~~

Ending the call, Sang Zhi looked at her phone with a sigh at the time. It was too bad that Xiaoyu had accused her earlier in the week about not being a team member, so here she was, playing along with her colleagues to hopefully dissuade that line of thinking.

It wasn’t the easiest for Sang Zhi. Her immediate coworkers were nice enough and only Xiaoyu was truly difficult, but Sang Zhi wanted to be anywhere then at the karaoke on a Friday night.

Honestly, she just wanted to leave so she could implement her plan.

“Aren’t you going to sing something?” Xiaoyu demanded the moment Sang Zhi returned from outside the booth.

“Oh, I already did,” Sang Zhi replied neutrally. She had done a couple of songs with her coworkers, managing to keep her voice hidden in the drone of voices.

Fortunately, Xiaoyu was too tipsy to refute her and simply frowned as if struggling to remember.

“I actually need to go,” Sang Zhi stated. “But it was a fun night.”

Flashing what she hoped passed as a quick smile, Sang Zhi went to pick up her sweater and bid her goodbyes. There were a couple of her coworkers who wished her well, and even the boss over Xiaoyu waved Sang Zhi off. “See you on Monday!”

It was a relief that no one but Xiaoyu seemed to mind. Exiting the building, Sang Zhi quickly hailed a taxi - it was worth the cost to get home quickly - and climbed in, giving directions to her home. A thrill of excitement passed through her.

The ride home didn’t take long. When she arrived, she tipped the driver and asked him to stay - who was happy to leave the tab running - which was a relief. Sang Zhi didn’t want to have to wait outside for another taxi with her plans. The biggest hurdle that worried her as she approached the front door - that chimed loudly with her arrival - was sneaking to her room without her parents realizing she’d returned.

Fortunately, they’d gone to bed. There was a light left on for her but it was otherwise silent.

Turning it off, Sang Zhi snuck up the steps to her room and set to work. Pulling off her work clothes and refreshing her appearance was a must. Then came executing the wildest thought that had occurred to her as she listened politely to her coworkers sing. Digging into her closet, the same thought from that night long ago ran through her head. Did she dare?

Packing a small tote with a few items, Sang Zhi then finished getting dressed and then wrapped herself up in a long coat, and tiptoed back down the stairs to put her heels on outside. She half expected her ma to show up just at the worst possible time, which kept her from freezing at the door. Fortunately, no one appeared and Sang Zhi made it outside to the idling taxi without a problem.

Flicking through her phone, Sang Zhi tapped quickly to find an address nearby where she remembered going to Jiaxu’s home. The memory was a little fuzzy, but she remembered the noodle house that they’d visited and it wasn’t far from there. The driver immediately put the car in gear to go.

An anxious energy built up in Sang Zhi. This was completely out of character for her. She hadn’t attempted any surprise like this for her previous boyfriends. Granted, the way Jiaxu had sent disappointed responses to her apologies all week - work had been brutal and blocked their arrangements at every turn - she figured it’d be a nice surprise.

And Sang Zhi wanted to see him.

When she arrived about a block from the noodle house, Sang Zhi was relieved to see that she recognized the street fairly well. Jiaxu’s building was only another block away. Hoping that she wasn’t too early, she paid the taxi driver quickly and hopped out. Nerves jangled through her as she tried very hard to not think too much. It had been easily an hour since she’d called him, so there was a possibility he was still making his way home.

[Sang Zhi]: Did you make it home?

Sending off the text, she set down the street, trying to ignore the chill in her feet. Her heels felt a bit ridiculous considering what she wore under her coat, especially in icy weather. Nevertheless, she managed to make it to Jiaxu’s building without stumbling and made her way to the private elevator.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Yeah, I just got here. You?

With a satisfied smile, Sang Zhi walked up to the doorbell attached to the elevator and pressed the button. A moment passed with silence as she took a deep breath.

A light came on, then switched off. The elevator rumbled, announcing its descent.

Sang Zhi waited, practically vibrating with excitement. Between seeing him again - nerves were still there, despite all of his assurances of wanting to see her - and the pent up frustration of Jiaxu’s teasing over the week, she couldn’t help it.

The elevator dinged and opened its doors to an empty lift.

Stepping inside, she smoothed her hair a moment as the door closed and began to rise. She didn’t wonder why Jiaxu hadn’t come down to get her. Sang Zhi would have done the same thing.

She was desperate for some privacy with him, and his building's foyer was decidedly public.

The elevator dinged again, the doors sliding open, and Jiaxu was there.

With a yank forward, Jiaxu pulled her fully clear of the elevator and straight into his arms. Sang Zhi gasped in surprise at the force, immediately accosted by his lips as he leaned down to kiss her.

It was all she could do to not fall over, fingers clutching his shirt tightly as desire overwhelmed her. Jiaxu gripped her back and neck, forearms strong and braced around her, and she moaned.

He took the opportunity of her open mouth to delve into it with his tongue, as if he would not survive if he didn’t drink from her lips.

Desperate, shaking hands patted across her, Jiaxu’s focus suddenly shifted to her coat and a semblance of thought broke through Sang Zhi’s desire. Managing to regain her balance, she pushed him back a moment, breathing hard.

His own breath was labored, his eyes dark. Sang Zhi put her hand up to the few clasps that kept it closed and slowly started popping them open one by one.

Jiaxu’s expression froze.

She dropped the coat to the ground.

Was he still breathing?

Because what was left of her outfit was that long ago pilfered dress shirt, barely buttoned to hide that pink bra she’d mentioned in their previous naughty texts. It had felt incredibly terrifying to run around in public without pants, even with a large overcoat.

But Jiaxu’s intense stare was worth it.

Chapter Text

Jiaxu exited the elevator of his apartment, hitting the entryway light switch. He had just dropped his keys onto the counter while thoughtlessly switching out his shoes when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

[Sang Zhi]: Did you make it home?

Sending a text confirming that fact, Jiaxu put his coat up.

The doorbell rang.

Curious, he turned back from walking further into his home to look at the security system screen, a slow smile growing on his face in surprise. Sang Zhi was there in the eye of the camera, shifting from foot to foot. She had managed to leave that horrid karaoke early after all.

Hitting a button that would send the elevator down to pick her up, Jiaxu felt a rush of excitement. All week he’d thought of how to bring her home, thwarted at each attempt by her schedule, and had planned on spending as much time with her the next day after brunch. It was so early on in their relationship that Jiaxu didn’t want to push her, to beg for more of her time, instead attempting to keep a cool composure he didn’t feel.

Her appearance at his door was indicative that he was not alone in his suffering.

The elevator dinged its arrival, opening the door, and there Sang Zhi was. There was a distinct lack of thought as Jiaxu simply reached in and pulled her out of the lift, instantly catching her lips with his own.

A thunk indicated that something had dropped to the ground as he thoroughly sampled her lips. There was nothing to hold him back and his plans began to shuffle through his mind on just how he could explore her, tongue running along the seam of her mouth, trying to absorb her essence into himself.

Sang Zhi moaned deep in her throat and Jiaxu began to pull at her coat, the long puffy thing obscuring all of her form from him. She shook her head slightly, managing to straighten and push him back a moment.

Jiaxu was about to ask why, what’s wrong? but with a bite of her lip, she started unbuttoning the long coat. There was something delightful in how methodical she was, staring at him for his reaction, as she finished the buttons and slipped it off in a quick smooth motion to the ground.

She was wearing his shirt.

And nearly nothing else.

Jiaxu's brain short circuited, thoughts spinning around the way he could see just the hint of a pink bra she’d told him about. How the one light he’d managed to turn on showed the silhouette of her body, the thin material swathing her form in a way that made a dark place in the back of Jiaxu’s mind purr in approval. He wished for some way to cement the sight, keep the memory of her scandalous appearance at his door in only the sheer dress shirt, scant underthings, and heels.

After a long pause as he took his time studying her, Sang Zhi raised an eyebrow in challenge. As she began to open her mouth, Jiaxu quickly pressed a finger to her lips before she could say something and that felt dangerously familiar.

Sang Zhi licked his finger.

He felt it right down into his groin, which was already uncomfortably hard, but managed to keep his wits about him.

There was an appeal in taking his time, in wringing the most pleasure from the experience, especially armed with the knowledge that she shouldn’t disappear this time. So Jiaxu turned the light back off, plunging the room into a gloomy blue glow and began to lead them both backwards towards his couch.

Sang Zhi pressed against him, a satisfied smile on her face as if she knew just how strongly she affected him, and tugged him down by his tie. Hovering her lips near his, Sang Zhi managed to unknot the silk as Jiaxu finally felt the side of the couch hit the back of his knees. He sat on the armrest, looking at her in the ambient light, hands splaying against the skin of her legs to feel just how bare she was underneath the hem.

As he found the softest lace imaginable covering her ass, Sang Zhi went to work on the buttons of his own shirt. Jiaxu couldn’t help but bite back a smile at the fact that she was always divested of her clothes first in some way and began to help her, tugging at his clothes without nearly as much care as she. Leaning over, her breath was hot at his ear, and shivers passed through him.

“Is this a nice surprise?” she asked.

Jiaxu nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He wanted so much of her at once, right then, desperately… it was overwhelming. It was also slightly terrifying, not wanting to do too much, but feeling as if he’d perish if he didn’t taste her in that moment. He pulled her back and looked at her for one solid moment.

The blue moonlight from the windows cast against Sang Zhi’s skin, giving an ethereal glow, her long hair billowing around her as she blinked at him.

Something about her expression, the intimacy of the space, the soft breaths passed between them… and Jiaxu reached up to smudge her lips with his thumb. Gripping her neck gently, he steered her to sit down on the couch and fell to his knees in front of her. Slowly, Jiaxu began to unbutton the few clasps of her shirt, biting his lip as he uncovered her bra, watching her chest heave with breaths as he began to explore her ribcage with his fingertips.

He had no inclination to remove any of the clothing, preferring to leave the shirt on her. A stupid, primitive part of Jiaxu’s brain hummed in approval that it was his shirt that adorned her, his things that she wanted, his presence and touches and kisses that made her close her eyes and gasp just under her breath in the most delicious of ways.

With a soft growl, Sang Zhi’s patience came to an end as she threaded her fingers through his hair and tugged him to her, lips capturing his own.

Who was Jiaxu to argue with such demand?

Her tongue tangled with his own, and if he wasn’t completely hard before that, her warm form underneath him and insistent kisses were definitely enough. His hands roamed her body, the shirt falling open, and he blindly released her front bra clasp. Sang Zhi’s back arched up into him and he groaned as she wrapped her legs around his hips to grind against him through his pants and her scant lace.

Jiaxu’s hands were shaking. He couldn’t take his time. He needed her now.

Grabbing for a foil from his pocket - thank fuck he’d decided to start keeping one on him - Sang Zhi caught sight of it and started to unbuckle his belt, apparently as eager as he was. He pulled his waistband down as she wrapped her hand around his cock. Groaning, he gripped her wrist in warning. There was no space for teasing, otherwise he was going to spill right into her hand.

“Sang Zhi,” Jiaxu gritted out, nearly dropping the condom as he put it on. “I… I’m not going to be able to wait-“

She helped roll the rubber down and shimmied her knees together so he could pull her underwear off. “Good.”

With that done, Sang Zhi returned her legs around his hips and writhed against him, moaning out, “I don’t want to wait, I want you now."

Jiaxu needed no further encouragement. Gripping her hips, he pulled her ass to the edge of the couch, his cock sliding with the slick of her arousal against her clit. The breathy, desperate sounds that emitted from Sang Zhi were music to his ears before he finally pulled back and slid slowly home into her.

Her body trembled in his arms as he echoed her moan. Jiaxu thought he remembered how perfect her cunt felt wrapped around his cock, but it was even better than before. He could sit inside her, twitching his cock and reaching down to flick a finger across her clit, and she was completely at his mercy.

And he at hers.

For there was no stopping once Jiaxu got started. He needed to press into her, needed to chase her arousal, to lap at her skin and nibble on her neck and keep the rhythm of his cock pumping into her body to elicit the most delicious sounds from her mouth.

It wasn’t pretty, it was messy and desperate and he was mildly concerned about hurting her with his enthusiasm, but Sang Zhi’s nails dug into his shoulders, whining, “more.”

So he obliged.

It only took a few moments, but the low moans from Sang Zhi’s lips turned into a babble of epitaphs as Jiaxu increased his rhythm. Reaching down again, he pressed the pad of his thumb against her clit. She screamed, falling to pieces around him, tensing around his cock and triggering his own release.

Falling onto her, Jiaxu wrapped his arms under her, resting his forehead against hers as he tried to gain his breath. She was panting, hands trailing along his neck and shoulders thoughtlessly.

He needed to move but he really didn’t want to.

Nevertheless, Jiaxu pushed himself up and was about to deal with the messy aftermath when Sang Zhi grabbed his chin and kissed him.

It was a sweet kiss, sedate in comparison to the frenzy of fucking they’d just partaken in, but Jiaxu loved it. They both knew just how frantically they could desire each other, but the quiet moments were still unexplored. So he kissed her back before trailing his lips down her neck, before pulling away to put on his boxers and handle the used condom. She was pulling on her underwear as he returned from disposing of it.

“What now?” Sang Zhi asked in a quiet voice as buttoned up the shirt and tried to tame down the knots in her hair.

“It’s been a long week,” Jiaxu said. “So I think putting you to bed is in order.”

It sounded ridiculous, like he was coddling her, but she’d been working incredibly long hours and all Jiaxu wanted to do was take care of her. The small little smile that appeared on her face betrayed how pleased it made her as well. So Jiaxu reached down to pick her up, making her yelp in surprise, and carried her to his bed.

Tucking in with her sounded like the best thing in the world to Jiaxu, so he did exactly that before stripping his own clothes for bed. Eventually joining her, he cuddled her against his form under the covers, when a dubious thought appeared.

“You’ll wake me if you leave, right?” Jiaxu asked. It was a ridiculous fear, worry over her leaving again without a word. He’d spent weeks cursing his own assumption of her staying before.

Sang Zhi blinked up at him from where she was nestled into the nook of his shoulder. “Yes,” she said sleepily. He squeezed her securely against himself and she sighed happily under her breath with a soft, “But where would I go? I’m exactly where I want to be.”

Jiaxu absolutely agreed.

~~~

The next morning, Sang Zhi woke early with Jiaxu’s arm thrown over her back. It had been strange, sleeping with another bedfellow, body parts tangling with hers throughout the night, but oddly reassuring. She had known the rather desperate need between them, but hadn’t imagined the comfort of simply being held. His bed and embrace was as comfortable as ever.

Sang Zhi didn’t need to wake up so early, however, so she rolled over to wrap herself against Jiaxu and he shifted in his sleep to accommodate. It sent such joy through her that she nuzzled into his neck and fell back asleep.

Slowly waking to the sensation of a finger trailing on her arm, Sang Zhi opened her eyes, squinting at the morning light streaming through the blinds to see Jiaxu studying her intently.

“Good morning,” he murmured.

“Morning,” she said, pulling the sheet up to her mouth. “What time is it?”

“Just after nine. Plenty of time till we need to leave for brunch,” Jiaxu replied.

“Oh. Good,” she said dumbly, grinning as she reached up with her other hand to press the slack of the sheet over his mouth.

It was ridiculous to be so worried about morning breath, but Sang Zhi felt strangely exposed.

He gazed at her with an amused glance as she felt the light stubble on his cheeks as she held the fabric up. It was a small, intimate discovery that she didn’t expect, which made her feel silly. Of course he'd need to shave. It felt honest, these quiet moments with Jiaxu, and made all of Sang Zhi's previous relationships pale in comparison.

“Usually I don’t sleep so late,” Sang Zhi mumbled through the cotton. “Your bed is comfy.”

Kissing her hand through the sheet, she could feel Jiaxu's smile. "You're welcome anytime," he replied.

"So… what do you want to do?” she asked.

“Well, I was going to go make some tea… unless you prefer coffee?”

“Tea is fine," Sang Zhi replied. Speculatively glancing around in thought, it occurred to her where she'd dropped her tote, so she asked, "Can you get my bag from the front door?”

Jiaxu agreed before darting in for a kiss through the layers of sheet, making Sang Zhi giggle. Extricating himself from the bed, he didn’t bother putting on any more clothes than his current boxers, and Sang Zhi couldn’t help but trail his bare back with her eyes as he disappeared into the next room.

A few moments later, he popped in to deliver her bag without comment and left again.

It was unnerving how Jiaxu knew to give her space. Raising from the bed, Sang Zhi dug through her bag for her toothbrush and darted into the en suite bathroom to do some damage control to her appearance.

After brushing her teeth and deciding against pants under her long shirt - Jiaxu was rather naked himself - she emerged to the living room to find him pouring boiling water into cups at the adjoined kitchen. He smiled at her appearance, the casual scan over her bare legs so quick and appreciative that Sang Zhi bit back a smile as he pushed forward a steaming cup on the counter to her.

"I wasn't sure what flavor you'd like-" he motioned to a wooden tea box of many options, "so help yourself. I'll be right back."

Nodding, Sang Zhi inspected the box as Jiaxu disappeared back into his bedroom, likely to do his own morning ablutions. Making a selection and dropping it into the cup, she stirred it thoughtlessly as she walked over to an iron wrought shelving unit with various photographs and trinkets.

Amidst a bevy of awards that Jiaxu had apparently earned over the years - math competitions and coding challenges - there was a photo of him as a boy with an older woman who must be his mother, both looking relaxed and happy. Next to that, Sang Zhi found a graduation photo of Jiaxu with a man who looked like a younger version of Chen Junwen, both in silly poses.

But tucked behind it was another photo, so Sang Zhi set down her tea and lifted it, frowning. It was a stark contrast to the previous graduation photo. Jiaxu looked younger, in another color scheme, so she guessed it was high school. His expression was tight, a strained smile barely pulling his lips as he looked at the other subjects in the photo that were blurry. From the height, it seemed to be his mother and two younger girls, but none of them were paying him any mind, the woman addressing some sort of upset with the children.

He was practically ignored.

Sang Zhi didn’t like it.

Why even bother taking his photo if they weren't there to celebrate him? Strange to make the effort…

Hearing Jiaxu's steps as he finished in the bedroom, she startled and replaced the frame to look at the next one. It was a happier photo of a more recent Jiaxu, holding a trophy with a team of elated faces around him. The engraving was too small, so as she felt his approach, she pointed.

"What was this award for?” she asked.

Jiaxu stepped up behind her, running his hands along her stomach as he peered over her shoulder. “Ah, it was an award for A Dream of Jianghu. Best new mobile game or some such thing. With how tight the competition was, we didn’t expect to win.”

Nodding, Sang Zhi’s thoughts became distracted by the way that Jiaxu’s arms pulled her back, spooning her into his embrace. She hadn’t realized how much she’d wanted a hug after uncovering a hint of Jiaxu’s painful upbringing.

He pulled her hair to one side and nuzzled her bare shoulder, stubble gone and smelling distinctly minty. She smiled, desire igniting in her chest, glad of the distraction. The flurry of desperation that had fueled them both the evening before had only scratched the surface, so Sang Zhi shifted against him and bit her lip with a devious expression as she felt the evidence of his burgeoning interest.

Humming into the skin at her neck, Jiaxu mumbled, “what you fucking do to me, Sang Zhi.” His fingers gripped the edges of her hip bones and he ground his arousal into her backside.

She reached behind - to do what, she wasn't even sure, but she needed to touch him - and gasped when he suddenly spun her around, capturing her wrists in his hand and pressing her up against the wall by the shelf. Moaning at being manhandled in such a domineering fashion, Jiaxu took the moment of surprise to lift her with his other arm onto his hips.

Thoughts flew out of Sang Zhi’s head, her mind immediately tossed into that moment at the gate by her home, Jiaxu wasting no time in drawing his lips against the bottom of her jaw. Shivers passed through her, pinned to the cool wall as he traveled down kisses until thwarted by the buttons of her long ago pilfered shirt.

She tugged at her hands so Jiaxu let them go. However, he immediately shimmied further down onto his knees in front of her, unbuttoning the lower buttons so he could nudge the hemline at her thigh with his nose.

“You’re so beautiful, Sang Zhi,” he said, his glance flickering up to her face. “I can’t get enough of you.”

Jiaxu’s hands splayed up her skin to caress the lace of her underwear and heat spiked through her, so she shifted her hips to let him tug the offending undergarment down, one leg stepping out. With clear opportunity, Jiaxu kissed along the inner of her thigh, trailing up to the crux of Sang Zhi’s legs.

"I've been thinking of this," he said with a throaty voice, hot breath against her core causing her to shiver, "for months."

With that, Jiaxu nuzzled against the sensitive nub and she gasped out, legs instinctively widening. She rather felt than heard the soft chuckle that escaped him as he drew one of her legs over his shoulder, half propping her up against the wall, and she couldn't help but grab hold of the iron furniture to keep from tipping over. It was a solid unit, but trinkets and frames still clattered over from her sudden grasp.

The loud upset did nothing to deter Jiaxu, however, and Sang Zhi looked up as she melted back the wall, feeling pinned by the heat of his tongue against the cool of the wall as he delicately explored the folds of her cunt far too carefully. He was being slow, a thorough exploration that made Sang Zhi whine as he darted his tongue to circle lazily around her clit.

"Jiaxu-"

"Hmm?" His question vibrated in the most delicious of ways and she lost her complaint. Looking down at him, Sang Zhi felt speared by his dark glance as his eyes stared up at her. Her other leg wobbled and he smoothly brought it over his other shoulder, taking all of her weight against the wall, effectively immobilizing her from retreat.

And she fucking loved it.

A deep moan escaped her as Jiaxu brought his hands into play, one to grip her thigh and keep her steady, the other under her ass to support her. All of his attention shifted then to the tempo of his tongue flicking against her clit, a slow and frustrating pressure building in her core. Sang Zhi canted her hips, trying to encourage an increase of pace, and was rewarded by a rumble of Jiaxu's amusement vibrating against her core.

Flushed all over as he remained at that same infuriating tempo, Sang Zhi moaned in frustration and Jiaxu quickened his tongue, chasing her arousal for a moment before settling back to a sedate pace. She whimpered, unsure of what sort of delicious torture he was subjecting her to as he continued to tease then retreat.

She was so close.

Overwhelmed with such desire that the ache for release was tinged with pain, Sang Zhi couldn't contain her breathy whines, eyebrows scrunched together in utter frustration as she tried to chase his tongue with the tilt of her hips.

"Please, Jiaxu- please, I… I need…" the words babbled out of her.

Rolling her clit against his lips and tongue, Jiaxu instantly set into an energetic pace and Sang Zhi tensed at the onslaught, keening as she crested almost immediately. Her presence flew from her body as all of her world revolved around the pleasure of Jiaxu's touch.

Eventually, Sang Zhi regained her wits and found that he'd slowly slid the both of them down from the wall to the floor. Jiaxu was right there next to her, propping her head up with his arm, leaning with breath hot against her ear.

"There's your beautiful voice," he murmured, hands stroking down her boneless body. "I want to hear every whimper you make, every gasp you breathe, every moan that vibrates through you."

A shiver passed through Sang Zhi, a hypersensitivity after such a crushing orgasm, and Jiaxu gripped around her hips to the inside her thighs once again, fingers sliding against the slick of her folds.

"I couldn't touch your pretty cunt. I didn't want to drop you," he continued. "But you have more pretty sounds for me, right, Sang Zhi?"

With that question, Jiaxu dipped a long finger inside of her and Sang Zhi wailed, the sensation of an oncoming orgasm almost sharp. There was no resistance, her legs widening once again, so he inserted another finger, and another, filling her so thoroughly that she gripped his wrist to immediately deepen his angle.

"Good girl," he growled into her ear, slightly twisting to hit a spot just so and Sang Zhi fell apart again.

~~~

They didn't make their brunch reservation.

It was just as well, since Sang Zhi still hadn't put on pants. As she'd slid her panties back on after their last bout of lovemaking, Jiaxu had bumped up the thermostat for her comfort, expense be damned. It was definitely worth it as they settled onto the couch, her legs spread over his lap, and he got to stroke the soft skin of her thighs… when her stomach made a loud rumble.

She'd turned her eyes to his, looking sheepish, and asked, "Do you know what sounds delicious right now? Noodles."

Jiaxu wasn't about to deny Sang Zhi anything, so he grabbed his phone to pull up the app for the noodle house they'd visited before and handed it to her. She squealed happily and started debating which dishes to order. She could have ordered the whole menu for all he cared.

After food was delivered - a ridiculous spread of food that meant he'd have leftovers for days - Jiaxu couldn't argue that eating in was a vastly better option than the plan he'd initially made. Especially with the hums of approval escaping Sang Zhi as she twisted noodles into her mouth. The privacy of the meal proved to be indispensable as she vividly regaled him with stories from the previous karaoke night, toes bouncing in tandem with her narrative.

Listening with half an ear - she was so beautiful when animated and was doing an admirable job trying to navigate office politics - Jiaxu considered how different his day was going than what he'd planned. He'd been urged by his younger coworkers to take her to a rather fancy brunch place, assured that the restaurant was 'all the rage' with young women because of social media. It was along the coast and he had hoped after they ate that Sang Zhi would want to walk around. Explore a bit, enjoy the brisk seaside air and beautiful weather. Maybe catch a few kisses, plan another dinner date where he could hopefully bring her home.

Instead, he had spent the majority of his morning chasing her pleasure in the best ways possible. Jiaxu wouldn't soon forget the sight of her propped up against the wall on the throne of his shoulders as he worshipped her body to the best of his abilities. It took quite a bit of coaxing to pull audible desires from her, but she eventually caught on. Then he drank from her like she was a spring of freshwater after wandering the desert for weeks.

Sang Zhi had upturned all he knew of relationships, and it was inevitable to feel foolish for not trying harder to find her before. Jiaxu would show Sang Zhi every day how glad he was that she had deigned him her attention. How exquisite his time with her was to him. Especially when she made those sounds...

"What's that look?" she asked him before taking another bite.

Ah, fuck.

"I was thinking that after we're done eating, maybe you'd like to get out of the apartment? I could show you some of the nearby shops…" he asked, deflecting from where his mind was creeping. She'd only been in his home less than twelve hours. He could restrain himself from ravishing her every moment.

She squinted at him suspiciously, uncomfortably close to that ever alluring scowl, so he tickled her foot. Gasping in mock outrage, Sang Zhi pulled her feet back, setting down her carton of noodles. Propping up on her knees, she started to prod his side, which made him laugh and grab her hands. Fuck, it was fun to play with her, but Jiaxu was trying to get her out of the house before he accosted her once again.

"What sort of shops do you like?" he asked, releasing her. Sang Zhi fluffed her hair with a superior glance before turning thoughtful.

"Bookstores," she said. "Is there one nearby?"

"There's two. A used bookstore I check in with every week or so since their inventory cycles pretty quickly, and a regular one," Jiaxu replied, rubbing the back of his neck as he realized how little he remembered of what other shops were in that particular shopping center. He didn't typically venture past his normal haunts. Coffee, books… occasionally, he'd go to the local internet cafe to see what games were rising in popularity, but that was rare. He didn't have a lot of leisure time to explore more.

"I probably should go get dressed, then," Sang Zhi said with a little wrinkle of her nose.

"I hate that I agree with you."

A laugh huffed out of her at his dry reply. Leaning over to peck his lips, Sang Zhi then stood up, grinning as she started to unbutton her shirt. Jiaxu felt his eyes widen - that minx - as he watched her take slow steps backwards, around the couch, pulling the fabric off her body slowly. By the time she'd reached his bedroom door, she shot him a sassy look over her shoulder as she popped her hip out, displaying her pert ass. He felt his cock harden all over again before he was met with the shirt thrown at his face as she disappeared into his room.

Pulling the shirt off his head and gripping it tightly in his hands, Jiaxu took a deep breath to keep his ardor under control. It was a bit dangerous of him to play with Sang Zhi's pleasure while denying his own - his own cock had been painfully hard through all of his ministrations to her body, neglected - but fuck if the anticipation wasn't half of the fun. However, Jiaxu wanted her to know without a shadow of a doubt that he wanted her, not just whatever pleasure he could get.

Not to mention, there hadn't been a condom in arms reach. In the future, he would pepper them throughout the room and never have such a problem again.

Laying back on the couch for a moment to center himself on less lust filled thoughts, Jiaxu eventually managed to get up and go into his bedroom, tossing the shirt on his pillow. Sang Zhi had moved to the bathroom, so he dressed quickly, a quirk of confusion at an empty hanger in his closet. The mystery was explained when she exited the bathroom wearing yet again one of his shirts. She'd tied it just like in the photo on his phone, this time paired with a high waisted skirt and some sort of tights she must have packed.

He must've made some sort of choked sound, because she gave him another saucy smile before packing things in her bag and leaving the room. Rubbing a hand over his face, Jiaxu knew leaving the apartment was for the best - they couldn't spend all weekend in a sex fueled haze - and he wasn't even sure how much time they had before Sang Zhi had to go.

When he emerged from his room, Jiaxu found Sang Zhi grumbling under her breath as she balanced on one foot to put on a heel. Seeing him, she wrinkled her nose.

The effect, as usual, charmed him.

"Is there a shoe store nearby?" she asked as she struggled putting on the second one. "I forgot I was wearing heels, and with the snow-"

"I think so," Jiaxu replied, snagging his phone from the couch to search for the nearest one. There was one it that shopping center he'd thought of earlier, so he glanced at her feet with a frown. Reaching over, he tugged her into his arms. "I'll just need to hold onto you tight. So you don't fall, of course."

Giggling, Sang Zhi nodded, so Jiaxu picked up her coat from the floor - abandoned the night before for the best of reasons - and helped her into it. The long puffer swathed her form so well that Jiaxu dusted her face with kisses as he buttoned it closed by touch alone, delighted by her smile.

With that, he grabbed her bag and her hand and called the elevator to go out.

Chapter Text

Walking the couple of blocks to the shoe store went slowly, but less to do with the thawing sidewalks and more to do with how much Sang Zhi enjoyed being cuddled up underneath Jiaxu's arm as they traveled.

Fortunately, the shop had a pair of cute chunky oxfords that fit Sang Zhi - and her outfit - rather well. On much more stable footing, she paid for the shoes despite Jiaxu's protests, and they made their way towards one of her declared favorite places, the bookstore.

Jiaxu followed her into the fantasy manhua section, and as they meandered the aisles, Sang Zhi would occasionally pause to inspect a book.

"What's that one about?" Jiaxu asked about the third book she picked up.

Sang Zhi blinked a few times, unaccustomed to anyone being interested in her reading material. "What?"

"Why did you pick that one up? What makes it different from all the others here?" he clarified.

Smiling, she held up the book to Jiaxu, pointing at the cover. "It's a modern take on a famous folktale. See how the colors contrast? The brightness is for the modern setting, while the dark implies an older time period or even heavenly place. The art style is grounded in a traditional style with modern, thicker strokes for the male character, and a hazy watercolor for the more ethereal presence of the Seventh princess-"

Glancing up at him, Sang Zhi realized that she was in a bit of a ramble and shrugged. "And… I've read or recognized most of what's here. This title was only released last week and their various ads have been interesting. So many influencers have been talking about it."

"Do you need to know this for work, or…?" he asked.

"Work?" Sang Zhi frowned in confusion. "No. My company mostly does television commercials and print ads for household or personal care products."

"Then why do you know so much about cover design?" Jiaxu pressed, looking just as confused.

"Oh!" she said, finally understanding what he was asking. Shoving the book in his hands and pulling her phone out of her pocket, Sang Zhi tapped it to life for a few moments before twisting the screen to face him. "I notice art styles because I draw as a hobby, like this one. I find myself examining covers without being able to help myself."

Jiaxu traded the book for her phone, tilting his head as he studied her digital drawing. Sang Zhi knew her art style was definitely on the side of whimsical, drawing from real life settings with an arrangement of cute animals. The piece she decided to show him was one of her favorites - a floating swan on a stream staring at the moon.

"This is beautiful, Sang Zhi," Jiaxu murmured as he tapped to zoom in and inspect the detail she had put into it. "I had no idea-"

That made her giggle. "When would it have come up?"

"I don't know," he said, handing her the phone with a frown. "But I feel like I should've known."

Shrugging, Sang Zhi pocketed her phone as she walked toward the cash registers. "Now you do. Drawing takes up most of my free time. What do you do with yours?"

Jiaxu grimaced and shook his head. "I don't usually have much free time. When work is slow, I might pick up a video game or book, but it isn't consistent."

That puzzled Sang Zhi. She could understand being too busy for leisure activities, but there was usually something one did to relax. Why did Jiaxu feel so compelled to work?

Greeted by the cashier as they approached the checkout, she was so distracted by that troubling thought that Jiaxu pulled out his wallet and paid for the book before Sang Zhi could tap her own phone to the kiosk. Scowling at him for managing to sneak the purchase, she conceded that a book was a reasonable gift as opposed to her expensive new shoes. He caught her glance and raised his eyebrows. Suddenly, her pulse was in her ears, thoughts traveling to a similar dark expression as he looked up at her from the ground...

"Here you go, miss," the cashier held out a bag to Sang Zhi, startling her.

"Thank you," she murmured, taking the bag. Her feet fortunately went on autopilot as they exited the store.

Eventually, Sang Zhi glanced up at Jiaxu who was walking nonchalantly next to her. "You can't do that."

"Do what?"

"Look at me like that," she muttered, looking away.

Jiaxu chuckled under his breath. "Like what?"

It was truly unfortunate that they were walking along a rather busy street. Sang Zhi had the most outlandish desire to pull him into a dark corner and kiss him senseless. As it was, she pretended not to hear him.

But she could still see a bit of a grin pulling at his lips.

The rest of the afternoon passed too quickly. There were still those flashes of heat that Sang Zhi did her best to ignore, not wanting to make a scene in public. Eventually, they turned back towards Jiaxu's apartment, where she planned on calling a taxi to go home. Jiaxu would hear nothing of the kind, however, and led her to the garage where his car was.

"I need to go pick up some things with my car for work anyway," he said. Sang Zhi wasn't entirely convinced, but he opened the passenger door so she reluctantly agreed with a shrug, taking a seat. He took a moment to place her bags in the back seat before walking around to the drivers side.

"What things?" she asked as he got into the driver seat.

Jiaxu started the car and started to navigate out of the garage. "The boring answer or the short answer?"

"...the boring one."

"After a project is finished, we make a set of physical copies for the client, and create additional keys for cloud based access. I need to pick up a couple of drives to basically make a close-out packet of their project. It's really tedious, so I do housework while it transfers," Jiaxu explained. "We've sent the data to the client already. This is mostly a failsafe."

"Someone accidentally deleted a file one too many times?" Sang Zhi asked.

Grinning, Jiaxu nodded. "I've seen it happen too often to not make triple copies of everything."

Humming in understanding, Sang Zhi looked out the window as he pulled onto the thoroughfare. “It happened at my work. A project that had been finished for a few weeks before I arrived, all delivered to the client, who proceeded to corrupt it somehow. I hadn’t been a part of it, fortunately, but the boss's boss was furious that we didn't have any copies - which was standard procedure, I’m not sure who failed that task - and we all had to help to fix it. I was new, not assigned a team yet, so I got drink duty," she said. "It's how I got in trouble with Xiaoyu."

"How so?"

"Since I was wandering between departments, delivering drinks and being a general task gopher, I could see what each team was working on. I don't know what miscommunication happened, but at some point Xiaoyu's team was doing a different theme than what I saw another team doing… which didn’t make sense since they were supposed to be recreating what had already been done," Sang Zhi explained. "I wasn't sure who to speak to about what I saw and ended up asking a friendly sort of coworker at the drink station who turned out to be Zhang Hui… Xiaoyu's superior."

Jiaxu winced sympathetically, turning onto a neighborhood street.

"Yes, it was terrible. Then Zhang Hui pulled me into that meeting and asked how I, a fresh graduate, would fix it."

"No pressure," he replied with a frown.

"I didn't make many friends with my idea, though," Sang Zhi admitted. "The initial project was a bit… dull. Very short, minimal explanation, leaning into a basic theme of Xiaoyu’s. So I mentioned incorporating cute sprite characters that showcase the product's qualities without undermining all of the qualities of Xiaoyu's theme. It meant more work for everyone, including Zhang Hui, who had to bring the client back in to approve the adjustments."

"And it went well?"

"The client had been threatening lawsuits for the ‘breach of contract’, saw the adjustments, and loved it. Especially since it meant he was getting more for a discounted rate."

Jiaxu grinned at her, the neighborhood becoming more familiar to Sang Zhi as they approached her home. "But you kept the client."

"Yes, which is why everyone but Xiaoyu has forgiven me," she said with a smile. “They are one of our largest clients and I think it was successful - Xiaoyu refuses to share those data sets with the team.”

“With you, you mean,” Jiaxu stated.

Sang Zhi frowned slightly. “I guess. We’ve moved onto other projects now, so it isn’t important.”

“Yes, it is. How can you improve on your next projects if you don’t see the gains and the losses? You’re operating in the dark,” he said with a sigh. “It’s inefficient.”

The thought had occurred to Sang Zhi during the many times she’d turned in a task only to be rebuffed and have to start from scratch, again. But she knew Xiaoyu was under budget constraints and had to justify payroll, so she wouldn’t waste Sang Zhi's time frivolously, right?

Jiaxu reached over to squeeze her hand. “Sorry. I’m not criticizing your company-“

“Yes, you are,” she interrupted with a laugh, not at all offended.

“-okay, I am, but just your boss. She sounds vindictive, which isn’t professional and makes me wonder if she would sabotage your job in some way.”

Sending Jiaxu an exasperated look, Sang Zhi shook her head. "It's fine. I have been looking for a new job, but it's a slow process."

He smiled, parking the car next to Sang Zhi's home. "I’m glad. This is your place, right?”

Humming in agreement, she unbuckled her seatbelt. Saying goodbye felt awkward, because she didn’t want to go but needed to, so she leaned over to kiss him quickly. Her parents were likely inside and it was embarrassing thinking about them catching her in his embrace if they happened to go outside.

Jiaxu grinned, reaching to cup her jaw as he bent over the middle console to murmur against her lips, "Not nearly enough, Sang Zhi."

With that he pulled her closer, kissing her so thoroughly that Sang Zhi forgot where she was. She threaded her fingers through his hair to ground herself, tugging slightly, which made him gasp into her mouth. Jiaxu's hand snuck through the opening of her coat to wrap around and stroke her spine, rewarded by her arching into him. It was too heated, too quickly, which fortunately Jiaxu noticed and retreated. Touching his forehead to hers, he hummed in disappointment.

"A little better," he said with a gravelly voice. "But you probably need to go inside."

Awareness of her surroundings finally filtered into Sang Zhi's mind, his fingers still circling the bumps of her spine through her top. "Yes," she said softly.

"I'll get your bags-"

"No, no, it's fine," she insisted, reaching into the back to grab them. She had dawdled in the car far too long for her parents to not notice, so she should be fast. "You have work to do. I'll call you later."

Kissing his cheek quickly before he could reply, Sang Zhi jumped out of the car and slammed the door shut. He looked bewildered but gave a small wave, which she eventually returned at the front door before pushing inside into her home.

~~~

Confirming that Sang Zhi made it safely into her home, Jiaxu sighed and shifted the car into drive, pulling out onto the road to head to his office.

Strictly speaking, the project close out he had mentioned to Sang Zhi could have waited until Monday. But he wasn’t entirely sure if she would have been so obliging for him to give her a ride if he wasn’t already doing something. He’d no idea that his explanation would lead to such a concerning discovery about her workplace. He didn’t want to alarm Sang Zhi, but if it was her first job, he wasn’t sure if she realized how unprofessional such conditions were. If her boss - Xiaoyu was it? - was established well enough in the industry, she could weave any sort of discord into work events and sully Sang Zhi’s name before she even had a chance to start.

It was an entirely different frustration for Jiaxu to feel. Knowing she was busy with work was one thing. Realizing that it was likely unnecessary busywork that was designed to exhaust Sang Zhi was downright infuriating.

As he pulled into a space at his office, Jiaxu wondered how he could help. He could surprise her with lunch, definitely. Offer her some rides, if her commute was long. He didn’t really have contacts with any marketing firms, but Siyun might.

Wincing to himself, Jiaxu discarded the last thought with a shake of his head as he unlocked and entered the office. That’d be a step too far. Fuck, if it wasn’t frustrating.

As he grabbed a drive to connect to his work computer, Jiaxu’s phone rang. Xu Chang Ru lit up on the screen.

“Hello?” Jiaxu answered.

“Hello cousin,” Chang Ru sounded breathless, like she was outside jogging. “How are you?”

“Fine,” he replied blandly. “Had to escape the house to talk to me?”

“For once, no. I escaped the house for me. Baba has been in a fury and I have no idea why,” she replied. “That’s not why I called, though.”

“Okay, what do you need?”

“Auntie has been going to the doctors regularly for the last six months. I had to snoop, but I found her appointment book with all her handwritten appointments,” Chang Ru said. “They’re usually when Chang Le is in school. She hasn’t said anything about them.”

“Does your da know?” Jiaxu asked.

“I guess. I asked why auntie sounded so bad lately. He told me to mind my own business,” Chang Ru stated. “I know you haven’t been home in a long time-“

Sighing, Jiaxu said softly, “I'm not welcome, Ruru.”

“Your mom would love to see you. And Chang Le might be a brat, but she knows how much you’ve paid for her dance expenses-”

Rubbing his brow, Jiaxu grumbled. “She wasn't supposed to know about that.”

“Like I’m not supposed to know about my dorm fees being handled?” Chang Ru said in exasperation. “Cousin Jiaxu, it’s the worst kept secret.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Well, Baba doesn’t even pretend like he can afford it. He just comes home late after work, reeking of cigarette smoke,” she replied softly. “He’s been checking out slowly for years.”

“It’s hard raising two young girls after your ma passed-“

“Cousin Jiaxu, I’m not a little girl. You can stop repeating excuses for him,” Chang Ru said firmly. “Auntie has always been there for us, taking on both parental roles. He’s just along for the ride.”

The last statement was said with such derision that Jiaxu sighed. He kept to the same excuses that he’d built as a teenager, practicing them until he thought it was convincing. Jiaxu wasn’t going to be responsible for ruining the girls’ relationship with their only living parent. It was hard enough coming up with an explanation as to his own absence without blaming his uncle.

“I can’t say when I can come up next and corner ma about her health,” Jiaxu finally said, stepping away from the topic of his uncle. “We have some important projects coming up and I don’t exactly have a replacement here. And…”

He hesitated, deliberating in his head back and forth. His ma had completely ignored his reference to dating, and would likely be furious at him for not fulfilling her wish to the Jiang’s. But Jiaxu wanted to yell on rooftops about his relationship with Sang Zhi. Hiding it felt dishonest and slimy.

“I just started seeing someone,” he finally settled on, which made Chang Ru gasp aloud through the line. “I don’t want to get up and travel out of town when things are so new.”

“Ohhh, who is she? Is she pretty? Does Auntie know?”

“I mentioned the possibility to ma, but-“

“-she started talking about Jiang Ying,” Chang Ru finished for him. “I don’t know if you should tell her, she still regularly visits the Jiang’s.”

“I’m not going to hide my girlfriend, Ruru,” he said with a frown. “But I agree I need to be delicate-“

Chang Ru snorted. “Cousin, you have no idea. Auntie has lunches with Jiang Ying. It was right there, in her appointment book. Every Wednesday.”

With a large sigh, Jiaxu threw himself into his chair, staring at the ceiling.

“I’ll figure out something. I thought we were done with the Jiang’s after I paid off the settlement.”

“Well, if I see Jiang Ying, I’ll warn her off-“

“No!” Jiaxu shot up. “Absolutely not. You avoid her or ignore her. Please.”

Chang Ru was silent for a few moments as Jiaxu tried to control the spike of anxiety in his chest. Eventually, she spoke. “What did she do to you?”

“Just avoid her, Ruru.”

“What about your ma?”

Sighing deeply, Jiaxu replied, “Jiang Ying won’t do anything to her. Until I can work out a plan on how to convince ma it’s never going to happen, we’ll just have to let it be.”

~~~

Sang Zhi could see her parents working in the kitchen, their backs to the front door, so she shut the door softly and tried to dart surreptitiously to the stairs. She knew if she made it to her room, it was possible for her to appear from upstairs as if she'd been there for a while and avoid an inquisition…

"Oh, look who's home!"

Repressing a wince, Sang Zhi plastered a smile on her face as if she hadn't noticed her mother. "Oh, hello Mama, Baba."

"Did you have a nice day with Ning Wei?" her mother asked while washing a bowl in the sink.

Dropping her bags on a bench by the foot of the stairs, Sang Zhi nodded, a little confused because she hadn’t mentioned any plans with Ning Wei. "It was nice to catch up, since we've both been so busy with work-"

The sound of footsteps descending the stairs interrupted her, and Sang Zhi looked up to give a quip to who she assumed would be her brother, but found a man she'd never met. He was attractive, hair coiffed to perfection and his tie pressed, a collection of pleasant features that put Sang Zhi on edge. Snapping her mouth shut, she stepped to the side to give him a wide berth.

"Sang Zhi, this is Su Haoan. Your father invited him over for dinner,” Li Ping said warmly as the man gave Sang Zhi a bow of his head.

“Nice to meet you, Sang Zhi,” Su Haoan said. Dropping his voice, he added, “or should I call you ‘little demon’?”

The audacity of the question caused her eyebrows to knit together. She’d known of the man, a faceless entity her brother had warned her against ages ago, and now he was here in her home teasing her?

“Why would you invite Sang Yan’s old roommate to dinner?” Sang Zhi asked her parents, ignoring the man next to her.

“You were Sang Yan’s roommate?” Sang Rong asked as he brought over a pot full of stew to the table.

“Yes, sir. I did not realize you were his father until I saw the family photos on my way upstairs-“

“Go wash up quickly, Sang Zhi, we'll wait,” Li Ping ordered before turning to their guest. “Please sit, Su Haoan.”

Spinning on her heel to grab her bags and head upstairs, it took everything in her to not stomp her feet petulantly. It was irritating that her parents were continuing with poorly veiled matchmaking, especially after she'd brought Jiaxu over. Instead, Sang Zhi took her time settling her things in her room and washing her hands. It fortunately gave her a moment to take off her coat and change out of Jiaxu’s shirt to a chunky sweater. It’d be a disaster if her parents noticed her wearing men’s apparel.

Reluctantly descending the stairs after she had stalled as long as she could, Sang Zhi found Su Haoan in the seat next to her regular space. Repressing a sigh, she lowered herself next to him, eyes trained on the meal spread on the table, ignoring the bright expressions on her parents’ face.

“There you are, Zhizhi,” Li Ping said. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in a week, you’re so busy with work.”

Sang Zhi poured a glass of water for herself, ignoring their guest which earned her a sharp look from her mother, who then took the pitcher to pour one for him.

“How is Sang Yan? He was a good roommate in college, but we lost contact a couple of years ago,” Su Haoan asked, making Sang Zhi frown into her water.

“Good, good. He runs a very successful bar in town, near the tech district. We had our doubts - especially since he isn’t using his degree - but it seemed to turn a profit very quickly,” Sang Rong explained as he portioned out a dish for everyone.

Sang Zhi refused to participate in the conversation, poking at her food with little interest. Sang Yan’s degree wasn’t languishing, he was just using it in a unique way.

Su Haoan laughed. “You could argue the same for me, as my degree isn’t exactly in construction.”

“That’s why you've been assigned to me so I can teach you and build the best app for construction companies.”

“How is your mother doing? I haven’t heard from her in a while,” Li Ping asked.

As Su Haoan continued to schmooze to her parents, a feeling of dread compounded in Sang Zhi’s stomach. The man next to her was fairly attractive, well off, and polite. His mother was friends with her mother, and he worked with her father. The only impediment would be Sang Yan, who would likely be vocal about disliking the man, but when had that ever bothered her parents?

And for all she knew, Su Haoan could claim ignorance to whatever slight Sang Yan had against him. It was college, years ago. Let bygones be bygones.

Despite her relationship status, her parents wanted her to know she had options. Even if the current option was making her skin crawl.

“Is there something wrong with the meal, Zhizhi?” Sang Rong asked her, concerned. “You’ve barely touched it.”

“It’s delicious, Baba,” Sang Zhi said weakly, forcing a smile and trying to muster up more of an appetite as her stomach twisted. Working through a few tasteless bites, she continued to remain aloof throughout the conversation around her, which turned back to the mobile application that Su Haoan was helping to design for the company Sang Rong worked for. The particulars were even less interesting than Sang Zhi could imagine - change orders and employee time card complications with various job sites - but it kept the attention off her. As soon as she was getting comfortable that she’d avoid any true scrutiny, Su Haoan turned to her.

“What do you do for work, Sang Zhi?” he asked.

“Marketing,” she replied flatly.

“Oh? Have you done anything I would have seen?”

The question irritated her. Marketing was a wide industry and Sang Zhi had absolutely no idea where he could have stumbled onto one of the ads she’d worked on.

“No.” It was severely tempting to ask if he’d frequented many beauty stores but would rather not earn her mother’s ire.

“Sang Zhi, you told us about the ad for that skincare company you worked on the last few months,” Li Ping interjected with a disapproving wave of the hand. “What company was that again?”

Sang Zhi shrugged.

Li Ping was not to be deterred, however. “I believe it was a skincare product-”

“Miracle Moisturizer,” Sang Zhi finally said. “A ‘perfect base for your day, with SPF 30 and vitamin C to brighten your complexion’-“

“That was it,” Li Ping said with a pleased smile at Sang Zhi’s rote participation.

“Does it work?” he asked.

She sent him a frown. “Our study groups indicated it did.”

“But you didn’t try it?”

She flipped her hair over her shoulder, answering mildly, “I wouldn’t have time to do my job if I was sitting there product testing all of the many, many products we represent.”

"Interesting," Su Haoan replied. Sang Zhi sent him an unimpressed look. What was interesting about that?

He decided to drop the topic, however, and addressed her parents. “Well, thank you for the lovely meal. I need to get going if I’m going to have anything to present on Monday-“

“Oh, I didn’t ask you to dinner to give you more work!” Sang Rong said. “It can wait till our Tuesday meeting.”

Su Haoan simply smiled and bowed.

“See him out, Sang Zhi. I’ll see you at the meeting, Su Haoan,” Sang Rong said as he stood as well, gathering dishes to take to the sink.

Annoyed, Sang Zhi stood up to follow Su Haoan to the door, where he grabbed his jacket and suitcase. If she hadn’t been so focused on getting up the stairs, she would have noticed the extra set of dress shoes by the front door when she’d come home. She waited a moment for him to switch shoes.

Walking to the gate, she opened it for him and refrained from slamming it on him. Su Haoan looked amused but turned to address her with the brick wall between them.

“You’re even more icy than your brother,” he said, causing her to stiffen. “What did I do to you?”

Sang Zhi took a breath to center herself. Managing the expectations of insistent, attractive men was an annoyance, and showing any sort of emotional weakness usually gave them an opening.

“You can’t be blind to what that was, right?” she asked.

“A terribly masked set up? Yes,” Su Haoan stated. “I’ve heard no end of your virtues from my ma in the last few weeks. She was…” his eyes scanned her form, “-mostly correct.”

“I have a boyfriend. Who my parents have met,” Sang Zhi said flatly. “You could be Adonis himself and I would not care.”

That made him laugh with a sarcastic quip. “He must be very impressive.”

Su Haoan’s derisive tone cut into her chest. Jiaxu deserved no such treatment from the man in front of her - a man he presumably knew with how Jiaxu had approved of Sang Yan’s interference with Zhi meeting Su Haoan before. But offering Jiaxu’s name was going to open up the conversation to more questions, and she wasn’t about to entertain that.

“Good night,” she said and turned to leave.

“I did nothing wrong, by the way!” Su Haoan called after her. “I was invited to dinner and was told my host has a pretty daughter. I'm allowed to be curious!”

Sang Zhi didn’t bother to turn, entering her home and shutting the door. Inside, she found her ma drinking a cup of tea at the kitchen table, looking at the door expectantly. Mentally sighing with the impending discussion, Sang Zhi walked over reluctantly.

“Where’s Baba?” she asked.

“Taking a shower,” Li Ping said, pouring an additional cup of tea.

The invitation was clear so Sang Zhi sat down and took the cup gingerly. Fiddling with the handle, she waited.

“How’s your boyfriend?”

There it was.

“Fine,” Sang Zhi said, blowing on the tea. “Why? Did you think we had broken up already?”

“Sang Zhi,” Li Ping sighed. “I would have no idea. You share so little of your life.”

Taking a sip, Zhi could admit it wasn’t an untrue statement. “It’s hard to see Jiaxu with how much I’ve been working. He’s very patient and obliging with my schedule, probably more so than he should be.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Sang Zhi sent her mother an unconvinced look which made Li Ping smile. “It really is, Zhizhi. We want someone for you who thinks you hung the moon.”

“Then when I brought him over, why were you so…” Sang Zhi struggled to find the word. Cold didn’t fit. They were painstakingly polite. “…detached?”

“You surprised us with him with no notice! We had just gotten back from a trip where I’d been lauding your accomplishments to my friends who have some rather dashing sons,” her ma complained. “And, yes, Su Haoan’s mother was there, but I had no idea your father was going to invite him for dinner tonight. It was just a coincidence. You didn’t need to be so ‘detached’.”

“You surprised me with him,” Sang Zhi repeated back to her ma with a playful wrinkle of her nose. Li Ping laughed.

After a few moments, they both sobered and sat in contemplative silence. Eventually Sang Zhi asked quietly, “What concerns do you have about Jiaxu?”

Her mother sighed, looking into her cup. “His family is in Yihe. I don’t know them, I don’t know anyone in Yihe, yet… it keeps taking you away.”

Sang Zhi reached over to take her ma’s hand. “Don’t think like that, mama. Jiaxu built his studio here. He chose Nanwu. I don’t think he’d want to move back.”

Considering the quiet moments of vulnerability where Jiaxu would admit to leaving the dark of his past in Yihe, Sang Zhi felt rather certain of her claim. Li Ping shook her head.

“He may not want to, but what of his family? Circumstances change, and if he’s this obliging for you, as you say, I would expect nothing less for his own family. If he wasn’t… well,” Li Ping trailed off with a disapproving look.

Sang Zhi frowned. “It’s too early for you to be worrying about me moving away. We’re just dating.”

They weren’t just anything as far as Sang Zhi was concerned, but for her mother to hold Jiaxu’s loyalty to his family as potentially both a virtue and a vice was confusing.

“Promise me you will stay in Nanwu?” Li Ping asked in a warbling voice, squeezing her hand.

“I always want to be near you, mama,” Sang Zhi said, scooting over to wrap her arm around her ma’s waist. “But that isn't fair. I am an adult and will make decisions on what makes me happy.”

Li Ping let out a wet chuckle, wiping her eyes. “I know I’m being selfish. You’re my baby girl.”

“You know how homesick I get. I wouldn’t be able to stay away for long,” Sang Zhi said, leaning her head onto Li Ping's shoulder. “I love you Mama.”

With a large sigh, Li Ping brought her arm around Sang Zhi tightly and squeezed her close. “I love you too, Zhizhi.”

Chapter Text

On Sang Zhi's desk sat a brown paper bag. The sticker on it displayed information plainly, the words unchanging no matter how long she stared at it.

Sang Zhi

Order: 2488Z3

Number 7

Chicken

Extra sauce

She hadn’t ordered herself noodles. She hadn’t even brought a lunch from home, let alone order the delicious bowl from the restaurant by Jiaxu’s home. She’d anticipated a busy day which meant a protein bar from her bottom desk drawer with a green tea from the cramped break room vending machine.

It was only Tuesday and Sang Zhi was already behind.

“What’s wrong?” a muffled voice asked. She glanced at her neighboring coworker and found Wan Zhe, wearing a facemask. He’d acquired a cold over the weekend but knew their team was too behind to take time off. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

Sang Zhi shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong,” she responded, slowly unpacking the meal and arranging it on her desk. But she had a prickling feeling of tears in the back of her eyes, which made absolutely no sense because she was happy. Jiaxu had asked for her work address, so it wasn’t a surprise for something to show up from him. It was a thoughtful, and not at all abnormal, thing for a boyfriend to do.

So why did she feel so raw?

It was ridiculous.

As Sang Zhi started to eat, her phone vibrated on her desk, so she unlocked it with a few taps. She smiled as she read the reply to the request she'd sent that morning before work.

[Ning Wei]: Ohh, shopping? I'm free Saturday. What's the occasion?

[Sang Zhi]: There's a friend's wedding in a couple weeks.

As she finished sending the reply, thinking about Qian Fei and his excited text for her to look out for her invitation, when her phone vibrated again. Sang Zhi switched messages, joy spreading through her as she read the name.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Hope the noodles are a nice surprise. I can't wait to see you again.

As Sang Zhi considered her reply, the sound of a fast paced set of heels made her look up and grimace as Xiaoyu stepped into sight, cold anger apparent on her features. She walked directly towards Sang Zhi's desk, causing her previous joy to flee. Taking a small breath, Sang Zhi centered herself for Xiaoyu’s upset.

“What. Is. This.”

Xiaoyu whacked the bowl of noodles off the desk, which spilled in a dramatic fashion all over the hard floor, and slapped down a green folder in front of Sang Zhi. Gasps echoed through the small space as her coworkers peeked up over their work stations.

“A proposal for-“

“I know it’s a proposal. Why didn't you send it to me?”

Righteous indignation stained Sang Zhi's cheeks as she considered her words carefully.

She'd known that the folder was going to upset Xiaoyu, giving it directly to Zhang Hui's assistant instead of Xiaoyu. Sang Zhi was tired of all her work being negated by her direct boss, so she clung to the excuse that Zhang Hui had given her. She just hadn't expected lunch from Jiaxu to be sacrificed in the process.

"He directly requested it,” Sang Zhi replied as evenly as she could, anger burning through her.

“If he requested something, he wants it to go through me. So I can bring it up to a decent standard. This is an embarrassment to our team, let alone our company. You've been warned about this before, Sang Zhi,” Xiaoyu hissed. “Just because you've struck luck once doesn't mean you get to subvert company policies."

Xiaoyu stalked a few steps away before pausing to turn around. "And eating at your desk is forbidden. Clean that mess up.”

With that, Xiaoyu left in high dudgeon, presumably out of the building. Sang Zhi could only blink back tears, embarrassment coating the anger at Xiaoyu’s words and the splattered noodles on the floor. Carefully rolling away from her desk, Sang Zhi took the delivery bag and used some napkins to push the ruined noodles back into the bowl.

It wasn't uncommon for her coworkers to eat at their desks, including Sang Zhi, so they could work during their lunch breaks. Being behind was usually one reason, and the fact that the break room was cramped meant that no one wanted to spend more time in there than they had to.

“Here,” Wan Zhe offered, holding out some paper towels and a spray bottle. “Don’t feel bad, Sang Zhi. You know how Xiaoyu is-“

“Thank you, Wan Zhe,” Sang Zhi interrupted firmly to the floor, blindly accepting the items, glad that she had the occupation of her hands so she could hide the tears brimming in her eyes. Wan Zhe got the hint, leaving the supplies on the floor next to her, and went back to work, giving Sang Zhi the time to collect herself.

Eventually, the mess was tidied so Sang Zhi grabbed her purse and beelined it to the restrooms to hide in a stall for a few minutes.

The project she'd turned in to Zhang Hui wasn't particularly difficult, a set of cartoon characters to potentially expand on that project she'd explained to Jiaxu the other day. Zhang Hui wanted some ideas that would align with the current campaign.

Sang Zhi had assumed the campaign was doing terribly, since the entire team had heard nothing of its success, Xiaoyu refusing to discuss it. Zhang Hui's request over a week ago had been a balm to Sang Zhi's worry, and she had returned her very broad ideas to the man just the day before. Since Xiaoyu refused to discuss the project, Sang Zhi assumed she wouldn't want to know. It was probably petty of Sang Zhi, but she was tired of having to repeat work four or five times over to meet an impossible standard of Xiaoyu's, which frankly, was simply a difference in art styles.

That sensitivity in her chest, the rawness and hurt, was expanding quickly as she blinked furiously to keep tears back. Digging her phone out of her bag, she wanted to dial Jiaxu but wasn’t sure how to explain her agitated mood without prompting another concerned conversation about her job. Sang Zhi had recognized that pinched look on Jiaxu's face, the same one that everyone seemed to get when she talked about her job.

She needed to get herself under control. So instead of calling Jiaxu, she tapped a quick message.

[Sang Zhi]: Thank you for lunch. It was delicious. I miss you too. Hope your day is going well.

Sighing as it went off into the cellular void, she closed her eyes for another moment of calm until she had to pull herself together to go back to her desk. It was just as well that the noodles were ruined, as Sang Zhi's appetite had completely fled, emotion churning inside of her.

~~~

Jiaxu didn’t see Sang Zhi's response until an hour later. His day had been long, the previous day holding the disappointing information of a week of meetings that Siyun had inputted into the work calendar, so he had sent the noodles as a bit of an apology for not being as available as he usually would be for Sang Zhi's schedule.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I'm glad you enjoyed it. It’s busy this week. I have a lot of dull meetings. How about you?

He didn’t expect an immediate reply as Sang Zhi usually didn’t get much of an opportunity to use her phone during the day.

However, Jiaxu still hadn’t received a reply when he was traveling home that night. He managed to make dinner, go through his daily tidying, and a shower before she finally replied as he was about to go to bed.

[Sang Zhi]: It’s a busy week too. I’m tired, so good night. Sleep well, Jiaxu.

Frowning at his phone, Jiaxu replied with his own good night, and went to bed thinking of all those potential ways he could help. Unfortunately, with his back to back schedule, it would have to wait till later in the week, depending on the negotiations.

Said negotiations didn’t go well. The week marched on to an unusually slow beat, meaning Jiaxu had barely heard from Sang Zhi at all and it was Friday.

“So are the terms acceptable?” Siyun asked over the group video call.

“I am still unsure why we need Catnap Studios to work on this particular issue-“ one of the callers asked, bringing up a concern they’d been bringing up all week.

Jiaxu had experience with remaining completely impassive, but after a week of explaining and re-explaining to the five person team what exactly Catnap Studios would be building for their mobile game… even Jiaxu struggled to keep from groaning in frustration. He settled on a deep sigh, thankful that he could mute himself in the call.

“Dream Studios will have it all outlined in the contract with Catnap, and have explained what Duan Jiaxu’s team will bring. If you’re still unsure, take the weekend to think it over and contact me directly. Duan Jiaxu, thank you for your time, I think we will end the meeting here,” Siyun said before addressing the rest of the call. “Thank you all for attending. Have a good afternoon.”

Before anyone could interject, Jiaxu took the opportunity to disconnect and let out a groan. Rubbing his eyes for a moment, it was a relief for Siyun to end it there. They’d been back and forth with this company all week and it didn’t seem to matter how many times they overviewed the scope of work, the five-person team spent more time arguing semantics between themselves than actually hearing the solutions Jiaxu’s team could provide.

Siyun was very good at negotiating, but even she had apparently reached her limits.

His phone rang and he grinned as he picked up. “Hello Siyun.”

“Are you sure you even want this contract? They are incredibly disorganized,” Siyun stated instead of a greeting. Jiaxu could imagine the frown on her face.

“It’s not a particularly complicated project, just large. It should be fine,” Jiaxu said. “I think the worst is that they’re not local to either of us, being in Beiyu, so there may be some communication delays.”

“Hmm. Well, I’ll let you know what they decide, hopefully on Monday. Have a good weekend, Xiaoduan,” Siyun said fondly.

“You too,” Jiaxu replied before she ended the call. Leaning back in his chair, he pondered the rest of his day. He had a plethora of options for work, but nothing particularly pressing.

Maybe he could surprise Sang Zhi. She’d been rather quiet all week with only a few texts, but honestly, he hadn’t much opportunity to respond, being locked in meetings.

His mind made up, Jiaxu grabbed his things and walked to the office next door and knocked. Chen Junwen, sitting at his desk inside, glanced quickly at Jiaxu and went back to typing. “What's up?”

“I’m taking off early. All of these meetings have been awful,” Jiaxu said. “You okay with wrapping up for the weekend, Junwen?”

“If that’s the easy price for not being stuck in that many meetings, absolutely,” the man replied, still not looking up from his computer.

“Don’t worry about finishing the-“

“Jiaxu, I can handle the office while you’re gone,” Chen Junwen said. “Share a little of the load, will you?”

Jiaxu blinked. He’d not considered his work ethic a detriment to anyone, usually taking on extra tasks to lighten others work. But it was true. He’d brought Chen Junwen on as the lead programmer because he trusted him, and knew he’d be a good option if Jiaxu himself wasn’t around. Now that he'd been there almost half a year, Chen Junwen was almost completely apprised of all the inner workings to the company as Jiaxu was.

“Okay,” Jiaxu agreed, sending his friend a sheepish smile. “See you Monday.”

Leaving the office, Jiaxu decided to text Sang Yan.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Hey Sang Yan. Do you have lunch ideas that are Sang Zhi approved?

He could assume noodles again, but he’d already sent some earlier in the week and it was a good excuse to reach out to the man.

Fortunately, Sang Yan didn’t seem to mind. After replying with a few options, he sent another text.

[Sang Yan]: And the little demon loves crispy taro crusted duck. I had to get it for her every time she came home for a weekend during university.

Well, that was a great idea. Jiaxu could surprise and spoil her? That sounded like fun.

Sending a thank you text in response, Jiaxu looked up the closest restaurant and placed an order of the duck and a couple other offerings.

When he got there, however, there was a mishap at the restaurant with his order, as it had somehow tripled. The owner was so apologetic, yet bemoaned the loss of profit that Jiaxu ended up paying for it all, figuring it could be shared with Sang Zhi’s colleagues in some way. He just needed to get the bag of the crispy duck to her.

Jiaxu was oddly nervous as he drove to the unknown office building. Sang Zhi seemed like the type who liked a little bit of warning before any public surprises, so when he pulled up in a parallel parking space next to her building, he picked up his phone to text her.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Hey, I know you're working, but can I drop off lunch for you and your team?

As he waited for a response, he could see that the text was delivered, but did not show read. She was truly unable to look at her phone.

Sighing, Jiaxu got out with the many bags. He had enough food for a dozen people, having ordered far too much food in the first place even before it had been tripled, and it might as well not go to waste.

Walking into the office, the receptionist glanced up at him with a smile. "Welcome. Lunch delivery?"

"Uh, yes," Jiaxu said, placing the bags on the counter. He pulled out his phone to remind himself of Sang Zhi's floor. "Is Sang Zhi available?"

The receptionist blinked at him owlishly before shaking her head. "I'm not sure who you mean. What department is she in? I can ask-"

But before she picked up the phone from the cradle, Jiaxu could hear sharp words come from the nearby stairwell. "-hope you're happy, he gave you the day off."

Looking up, he could see Sang Zhi, wearing a white mask over a flushed face, walking in step with another woman with a distinctly unpleasant expression on her face. Jiaxu's attention narrowed on Sang Zhi’s face. Was she crying?

"I didn't ask to go home, I can still help-" Sang Zhi began croakily before an intense sneeze interrupted her words. No, not crying, but her eyes were red and puffy.

"You'll just waste our time," the woman said as they descended the stairs. "Like you’re wasting mine right now.”

“I’m sorry, Xiaoyu-“

“For what? I already have double the work due to your incompetence, but at least now I'll be able to complete tasks correctly the first time,” the woman said as they landed on the ground floor.

“Sang Zhi?” Jiaxu asked, hoping to interrupt the diatribe. He couldn’t stand the derisive tone of the other woman. Sang Zhi swayed as she turned wide, glassy eyes to him, obviously unwell.

“Jiaxu! What are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d surprise you with lunch,” Jiaxu said, motioning to the bags on the desk as he looked at Sang Zhi in concern. Her face was covered in a mask, but there was a flush along her neck and forehead, so he stepped forward to place his hand against her brow. Definitely feverish. “Are you sick?”

“I’m fine,” Sang Zhi replied in a voice that was anything but fine.

He sent her a disbelieving look before noticing the woman was still there, her previously disgusted look having morphed into something presumably more pleasant. Jiaxu couldn’t tell. She’d already shown her ugly side.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me, Sang Zhi?” she asked in a simpering tone.

“Xiaoyu, this is my boyfriend, Duan Jiaxu,” Sang Zhi muttered. “Jiaxu, my boss Shi Xiaoyu.”

Then she broke out into sneezes, covered by her mask.

“Nice to meet you,” Xiaoyu said with a polite bow. Jiaxu returned the bow with bare minimum effort, irritation lining his smile, more worried about Sang Zhi who looked like she was going to tip over at any moment. “The boss sent her home, so it’s rather convenient that you’ve arrived. Go on, Sang Zhi. Enjoy your time off.”

The last statement was said with such a sneering tone that Jiaxu gritted his teeth. “I expect she’ll be too busy recovering from her illness to enjoy it,” he stated flatly while fury churned in his chest. “But I’m glad my girlfriend has at least one superior with common sense.”

A little frown appeared on Xiaoyu’s brow, but Jiaxu ignored her and pulled the large handbag off of Sang Zhi’s shoulder. She allowed him to take her bag but clung a green folder tight to her chest.

“Let’s get you home,” Jiaxu murmured to Sang Zhi, taking her hand and leading her to the door. He couldn’t stay longer as he was liable to say something stupid that could put Sang Zhi’s job at risk. Xiaoyu opened her mouth to reply, but he simply pulled his girlfriend out of the building.

“I’m parked pretty close,” he said as soon as they were outside. She was unsteady on her feet, shivering despite her thick coat. He sent her worried glances as he led her to the car.

“How long have you been ill?” he asked as he opened the door. She closed her eyes as he fussed over her, securing her with the seatbelt, her acquiescence concerning him.

“I felt fine until Wednesday night, but I had to finish this proposal,” she said quietly with a gunky voice. “It was rejected again, so I'll try to work on it this weekend."

Nodding, Jiaxu closed her door to get into the drivers and started the car, pulling out of the parking space carefully.

“I can take you to the doctors-“

“It’s just a cold, Jiaxu,” Sang Zhi grumbled. He sighed.

“Then let’s get you home,” he said. “I can stop and get you some medicine-“

Shaking her head, Sang Zhi leaned her head against the edge of the seat closest to him. “I haven’t seen you all week,” she whined softly, eyes barely open.

He shot her an amused, yet sympathetic look. “You want to come to my place?”

“You have work,” she mumbled reluctantly.

“I took the afternoon off,” Jiaxu reassured her. “Chen Junwen graciously offered to close out the week for me.” When there was no response after a few moments, he glanced over to see Sang Zhi had closed her eyes, obviously dozing.

While Jiaxu didn’t relish that she was sick, he was strangely glad that she wanted him to take care of her. It bestowed a trust in him that he wasn’t entirely sure he’d earned yet, it being only a few weeks into their relationship. Then again, he hadn't many relationships to really compare.

Not wanting to disturb her, Jiaxu navigated through town on streets with fewer stops until they finally arrived at his building's garage.

“Sang Zhi,” he murmured after parking the car. He stroked her hair which made her stir with a pained moan. “Are you sure you don’t want to go home? I’m sure you’d be more comfortable there, and your parents-“

“No,” she mumbled. “Don’t want to be alone.”

Jiaxu frowned, but exited the vehicle. Why would she be alone at home? Granted, he knew nothing about her family's schedule, but her parents obviously doted on her. Walking around the car, he opened the door and looked at her pitiful expression with a sigh. Gathering her bags in his hands, he kneeled and spun around. Taking her warm hand, Jiaxu pulled her arm over his shoulder so he could carry her on his back.

“You’re... carrying me?” she mumbled into his neck, sniffling slightly.

“Of course,” he replied, standing up. Bumping the door closed with his knee, he locked the vehicle and headed upstairs.

It wasn’t a bother, Sang Zhi’s form light despite her limpness, and once he entered his apartment, he placed her down on the couch gently. She immediately curled up into a ball, shivering. Reaching over to the edge of the couch, Jiaxu pulled a blanket over her form, coat and all.

“I know you probably want to fall asleep, but don't yet, okay?” he instructed. She hummed in agreement.

After searching through his home, Jiaxu eventually returned with a thermometer, various medicinal options, water, and a fluffier pillow. Setting up Sang Zhi’s comfort was the first priority, taking her temperature to confirm her fever. Then he helped her take off her coat and work shoes.

“I can get you some of my clothes if you want to change, but they’ll be a little big,” he offered, holding out some medication. She shook her head and pulled off her mask to sit up and take the pills from him.

“I’m sorry,” she said after she finished swallowing them, looking rather dejected.

“For what?” Jiaxu asked, holding up the blanket to motion her back down onto the couch.

“I’m… I don’t…” she mumbled, sniffling strongly so Jiaxu offered her a box of tissues. After wiping her nose, Sang Zhi sighed. “I’m ruining your afternoon. And you’re being so nice.”

Jiaxu laughed. “Isn't this my job as your boyfriend? I’m not happy you’re sick, Sang Zhi, but I’m happy you’re here… being sick. Are you hungry? Sleepy?”

Sang Zhi’s face scrunched up in the most adorably miserable expression which meant Jiaxu had to bite back another smile. “Sleepy,” she said finally, laying her head down on the pillow.

“Then you rest,” he said, stroking her hair for a moment. Her eyes closed. “I’ll try to be quiet.”

She nodded. Standing up, Jiaxu was about to leave when Sang Zhi grabbed his hand.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Smiling, Jiaxu squeezed her hand a moment before going to the front door to arrange her work bag, coat, and shoes. Walking into his kitchen, he looked over his supplies to make a basic soup. She would need sustenance later and he was an absolute idiot to forget to grab a bag of her crispy duck from that reception desk. He’d just been so angry at the time and had to take Sang Zhi away from the cause as quickly as possible.

Sighing at the state of his fridge, Jiaxu pondered going to the grocers before glancing at Sang Zhi. She said she didn’t want to be alone. So he swiped open his delivery app to start building a list of groceries.

Jiaxu was almost done when his phone vibrated with a text delivery in his hand.

[Sang Yan]: Have you heard from my sister? She’s not answered my texts.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I went to bring Sang Zhi lunch earlier but she was sent home for being sick. She’s here now.

Almost immediately, his phone started ringing in his hand. Smirking at Sang Yan’s name popping up, he answered it but stepped into his bedroom quickly to not disturb Sang Zhi.

“Hello?”

“Where is ‘here’?”

“My place,” Jiaxu said. “I offered to take her home, but she said she didn’t want to be alone?“

“Ma’s visiting family, and da would be at work,” Sang Yan explained. “Does she need anything?”

“Not that I know of,” Jiaxu said. “I’m about to place a grocery order-“

“I can run to the store,” Sang Yan said. “Just send me your address.”

Blinking, Jiaxu could not remember the last time someone had offered to do a favor outside of work. He was so baffled that he said nothing.

“I know what to get the little demon to make her feel better,” Sang Yan stated. “I’ll head out now.”

Before Jiaxu could decline the man’s help, Sang Yan hung up.

~~~

“Sang Zhi,” a voice murmured, pulling her reluctantly from her slumber. Groaning slightly, she burrowed her face into her pillow. Her head felt as if it had been filled with cement. Her bones ached. Her nose was completely congested. Her mouth had that gross, stale taste, like it was full of cotton.

“You need to wake up.” She could feel a cool and comforting hand brush her face, checking if she was still feverish.

Opening her eyes, she winced at how bright the lights seemed, even if the sun had obviously gone down by the shadows in the room. Jiaxu kneeled next to her, peering at her in sympathetic concern.

“What time is it?” she asked, voice cracking.

“Time for you to eat something,” he said, tucking her hair behind her ear and handing her a glass of water. “How are you feeling?”

Sitting up, Sang Zhi took a sip. A clattering of sound from the kitchen caused her to look up and see Sang Yan wiping down the countertops.

“Brother-?” she croaked in confusion.

“Yeah, he made you soup,” Jiaxu said. “After he strong armed his way over.”

Sang Yan scoffed. Sang Zhi felt a wave of overwhelming affection that both of them were so obliging with her being only a little sick.

Fortunately, there were plenty of tissues at her disposal to hide the strange desire for tears. She dabbed at her eyes and nose.

Jiaxu pulled out a tray and helped sit her up comfortably with pillows so she could eat while sitting on the couch. Sang Yan brought over a bowl and then kicked Jiaxu slightly with his foot. “My turn.”

Sang Zhi felt a bit stupid as Jiaxu shook his head with a grin, walking over to the kitchen to serve himself a bowl. When had Sang Yan and him become such friends?

"So, you couldn't have called me and told me you were sick," Sang Yan groused as he sat in the neighboring armchair, giving a pointed look at the spoon. "You had to bother your boyfriend to take care of you."

"I didn't call him," Sand Zhi croaked as she picked up the spoon.

"Yet here you are."

"No one is home," she said as she took a careful sip. Sang Yan's soup was the best part about being sick. It always tasted especially comforting.

“I know ma is visiting auntie and grandma, but da should be home soon-“

Sang Zhi shook her head. “There's some big project with an app. He mentioned working late all weekend."

“What app?” Sang Yan asked with a frown. “He hasn't mentioned an app to me.”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “Some sort of construction application to make it easier to manage projects. He brought Su Haoan by last week to discuss it.”

Sang Zhi focused on her soup, not thinking much of the words. It wasn’t until Sang Yan sat forward with a frown that she remembered her brother's dislike of the man.

“Su Haoan?” he asked. “My old roommate?”

She glanced at Jiaxu, who wore an uneasy expression, wondering if she should have mentioned it before. She hadn't considered the information particularly important, but turned her gaze back to her brother. “Yes. Da brought him to dinner the other night. Su Haoan said he didn’t realize you were his son.”

Sang Yan scoffed, pulling out his phone, typing on it quickly.

"What did he do?" Sang Zhi asked. "I remember you telling me to not visit you on campus because of him, years ago-"

Her brother shook his head, pondering his response. "Nothing you need to worry about," he finally said. "I’ve just known the mouthy asshole for too long.”

It had always confused her how adamant Sang Yan had been about avoiding campus, but it just hurt her head to think too hard about it. Instead, Sang Zhi took a few more bites of soup before a wave of sleepiness hit her. Setting her spoon down, she leaned back.

"How long?" Jiaxu asked.

"High school. Did you ever run into him in university?” Sang Yan replied, standing up to take the tray from Sang Zhi, who yawned.

"Yes," Jiaxu said shortly.

Sang Yan set the tray down on the counter and Sang Zhi closed her eyes. It hurt to think. She felt herself begin to drift back to sleep when Sang Yan returned.

“Well, I texted Wen Yifan that I’d stay at home with you tonight, so we should get you home while-“

Sang Zhi sat up, wincing at the ache that pressed between her eyes. “No,” she said, shaking her head.

“She can handle one night, little demon,” Sang Yan said.

“No. I'm staying.”

She could see Jiaxu look between the two, confusion apparent. “Sang Zhi doesn’t need to go,” he interjected. “She can rest here as long as she needs.”

Sang Yan glared at him before looking back at Sang Zhi, who responded with her own scowl. “I’m staying. I’m all comfortable here on the couch,” she insisted again, annoyed when she suddenly broke out into an onset of sneezing.

Her brother opened his mouth as if to argue.

“I’m-“ sneeze “-perfectly-“ sneeze “fine here,” she interrupted before he could voice any opposition. He sighed.

"Fine,” Sang Yan said grumpily. "I know when I'm not needed."

As her brother prepared to leave, shoving things into a bag not too gently, Jiaxu walked over to hand Sang Zhi more pain relief medication, which she took quickly. "I'll be right back, okay?" Jiaxu told her, taking her water to place on the coffee table. "Your phone is here. I'll see your brother out."

Sang Zhi felt the cold plastic of her mobile phone be placed in her hand and nodded. Jiaxu stroked her hair for a moment, causing her to close her eyes again with another sigh, and a moment later, she could hear both of them enter the private elevator.

Not wanting to fall asleep until Jiaxu returned, she forced herself to check her phone. There were dozens of text messages that she'd missed. Jiaxu's message about lunch, a handful from Ning Wei with outfit ideas, and Sang Yan had sent multiple texts of just her name, eventually landing on a simple question mark when she hadn't responded.

She'd have to ask what was so important later. As the vice squeezing her head lessened, Sang Zhi leaned back against the pillow and fell into a doze once again.

~~~

As the elevator doors closed, Jiaxu glanced at Sang Yan. He wanted to ask what they were talking about with Wen Yifan, but doubted he'd get anything from the man next to him who was chewing on his tongue with an annoyed look on his face.

"Did Su Haoan even graduate?" Jiaxu asked instead as the elevator descended. From what Jiaxu remembered of the man, he spent more time partying than studying.

Sang Yan flipped his phone up and nodded as he prodded it awake. "Qian Fei told me once that he was on some sort of remedial program towards the end, so Su Haoan did graduate."

"That's surprising."

Snorting, Sang Yan shrugged. "His family is pretty affluent here in Nanwu. He used to never shut up about his family's company, so… I'm not surprised they found a position for him."

Ah. Nepotism.

“I know you didn’t participate in many of Nanwu’s social events,” Sang Yan began, “but-“

“I remember Su Haoan,” Jiaxu replied. “I sometimes worked the sobriety shuttle and…”

Jiaxu wasn’t entirely sure how to express the distaste he’d always felt around Su Haoan in college. Jiaxu had interjected more than once against Su Haoan during those pickups with the sobriety shuttle, the drunk man refusing to leave inebriated female students alone. While there had not been any definitive proof, Su Haoan had been a part of the group of affluent, spoiled boys who left a path of destruction in their wake.

Who knew how many students had been impacted by people like him.

“Yeah,” Sang Yan said as the elevator hit pinged with its arrival to the ground floor. “Whatever you’re thinking is probably true. But Wen Yifan knows worse.”

“Wen Yifan-?” Jiaxu gaped at Sang Yan.

“Their families go way back. I’m sure you’ve heard of Suwen Inc? Both of their grandfathers started the company together a century ago,” Sang Yan explained as the doors opened. “Su Haoan used to pick Wen Yifan up from our high school. A ‘favor to grandpa’ he’d tell her.”

Shaking his head, Sang Yan grumbled. “I’ll see what I can find out about why he's working with da.”

“Well, thanks for bringing-" Jiaxu started.

Sang Yan waved him off, obviously uncomfortable with any words of appreciation. "It's just soup. See you later."

Amused, Jiaxu remained in the elevator as Sang Yan exited. The man was gruff but far more soft than he let on.

Returning to the apartment, he found Sang Zhi half asleep on the couch and sat on the edge next to her. Her eyes opened, looking absolutely miserable, which made him smile in sympathy. She had to be uncomfortable, sleeping in her work clothes on the couch all afternoon.

"How do you feel about a bath?" he asked. She nodded, so Jiaxu went to draw her one and gather some supplies. He was adjusting the temperature of the water when Sang Zhi appeared wrapped in the blanket, leaning heavily on the doorway and shivering.

"I was coming to get you," Jiaxu scolded.

"I can walk," she protested with a frown.

"But I like to get you," he said, helping take the blanket from her as she shakily sat down on the edge of the tub. "Do you need any help?"

Sang Zhi mumbled something about a hair tie from her bag, which prompted Jiaxu to go look for one. It took a while to find the specific pocket in which a couple hair ties were at, and in his haste, he dropped the green folder on the ground that spilled papers every which way. Swearing under his breath, he left the mess to return with the hair tie, finding her undressed and wrapped in a towel, shivering while waiting for the tub to fill.

"Thank you," she said, taking it from him. He nodded and retreated. Eventually the sound of the running water shut off and he was pleased to hear splashing of her getting in.

Returning to the papers all over the floor, he could see various character drawings, each adorable in their own way. As Jiaxu picked them up, he could identify different ailments that each suffered from, and a common denominator of treatment by the advertised product. It seemed rather clever to him - sweet but not childish, professional yet homey - but it was marred by red ink scribbles all over the margins showing just how deficient it apparently was.

Frowning, he tucked everything back into the folder and left it by her bag. Tidying the kitchen was in order, putting away the soup, and refilling Sang Zhi's water, changing the pillowcase. Eventually, he went into his bedroom to put on pajamas and find a tee shirt of his that she could wear.

After she'd been in the bathroom for a half hour, Jiaxu was about to go knock in concern but then heard the tub begin to drain. She emerged from the bathroom, clinging to her towel with eyelids drooping, and he quickly offered her the shirt.

“I’m so tired,” Sang Zhi whined.

“Then it’s a good thing you can rest all weekend,” he said with a smile. Jiaxu rubbed the towel along her shoulders, glad her hair was piled atop her head in a messy bun and mostly dry. She groaned in appreciation, which had Jiaxu scolding the back of his mind for going down an absolutely inappropriate path, and instead pulled the shirt over her head. It was a good system at drying her and keeping her mostly modest.

He really didn’t need to be ogling her when she was ill.

Sang Zhi leaned heavily against him, which made it impossible for Jiaxu to not to wrap his arms around her in a hug. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

Jiaxu helped her by pulling the sheets back and tucking her in, then smiled as he sat on the edge. “If you need anything, I’ll be out on the couch-“

“Why?” Sang Zhi asked, grabbing his hand and hugging it to her chest.

“You’ll sleep better without me taking up all the bed-“ he began, which made her shake her head slightly, yet emphatically. Suppressing a laugh, Jiaxu stroked her hair again. “Really, Sang Zhi, it’s fine.”

“Are you worried I’ll get you sick?” she mumbled.

“No.” It hadn’t occurred to him at all, as it didn’t matter. Jiaxu wasn’t about to not take care of her if she was ill. He would cheerfully get sick if it relieved her discomfort.

“Then you’ll stay,” she said before mumbling, “Don’t want to be alone.”

Helpless to resist Sang Zhi’s decree, Jiaxu nodded. “I’ll stay with you, but give me a few minutes.”

She released his hand with a pout before being overcome with a large yawn, which amused him as he left. Jiaxu went to check on the locks and turn out the lights. Grabbing both of their phones, he put hers on the charger on the nightstand. It was rather early, but Jiaxu didn’t mind.

Crawling into bed next to Sang Zhi, she immediately curled up on his side. Jiaxu laughed and pulled her off him just long enough to get comfortable before sliding her closer, a little alarmed at how warm she was despite the medication. She sighed happily and closed her eyes, definitely at the end of her energy by the boneless way she melted into him.

Kissing the top of her head, Jiaxu smiled to himself as he held her close.

She was right where she belonged.

Chapter Text

Sang Zhi woke the next morning feeling Jiaxu’s arm laying across her stomach. Her head felt clearer, but her nose and throat were still congested. As she shifted to slip out of bed, Jiaxu jerked awake. “What’s wrong?” he asked in that groggy, alarmed way of someone pulled out of rest in concern.

“Water,” she whispered as she spied a glass on the nightstand. Reaching over, she grabbed it and started drinking greedily. Sang Zhi gasped when she finished, her throat soothed a bit by the liquid.

“Feeling better?” he asked, propping up on his elbow and rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah," she said, ignoring how her throat still croaked a bit.

"What time is it?"

"Early," Sang Zhi replied, seeing the time shine up from her cell phone as she set down the glass. It was just after six, as Xiaoyu had always insisted that Sang Zhi be at the office by seven to set up tasks before everyone else. Waking up so early had become a habit.

“Let’s get you breakfast,” Jiaxu said, stretching for a moment. Then he turned to her. “But first,” he leaned forward to kiss her forehead, “good morning Sang Zhi.”

“Good morning,” she attempted. He smiled, leaving the covers to pull on some pants then shuffle his way into the kitchen. Sang Zhi wrapped a blanket around herself and followed, sitting on a stool at the counter, then watched as he refilled her cup to set in front of her.

“Would you like soup, or eggs and toast?” he asked as she took a small drink.

“Soup, please,” she whispered, and saw him go through the process of reheating some of the leftover soup for her. Leaning on her hand, she watched him quietly.

Jiaxu was wonderful. There was no doubt about it, his attention to her - even while sick - was so easygoing and natural that Sang Zhi could feel that raw, tight feeling expand in her chest. She always had the strange desire to cry when she was under the weather. But Jiaxu's actions were born of experience, gently pushing for comfort without demands, as if he'd done this type of caregiving often. While Sang Zhi was far from an invalid, she remembered the days before her illness was discovered and Jiaxu's attention was… just right.

Before she could help it, tears began to fill her eyes as she followed Jiaxu fussing in the kitchen, setting the bowl in front of her with the warmed soup and a spoon. He caught her expression - she probably looked pitiful, so she quickly looked away and snatched a tissue to busy herself with - and returned it with his own confused look.

“Are you okay?”

“Thank you Jiaxu,” she whispered, ignoring the question. Her voice was starting to warm up, still slightly painful, but she could at least be heard.

“For what?” he asked.

“Everything. I’m being such a bother.”

Chuckling slightly, Jiaxu shook his head. “This is easy. When both the girls caught a stomach virus… that was an ordeal.”

“Tell me about them,” Sang Zhi whispered, thankful for a topic that didn't revolve around her messy emotions as she picked up her spoon. His eyebrows shot up in surprise before shrugging. Taking a pan out from the cupboard, he started to prepare more ingredients.

“Xu Chang Ru is the eldest. She was a toddler when my aunt died. Xu Chang Le was only a couple of months old and was so little and needy, ma focused on her while I handled Chang Ru,” Jiaxu said, grabbing eggs from the fridge.

Sang Zhi nodded to show she was listening, sipping the broth that soothed her itchy throat.

“I used to take her to this nature park near her home when she was little. She loved exploring the woods,” he continued. “She’s in her first year at Yihe University for environmental science.”

The words her home didn’t escape Sang Zhi. The home for his cousins seemed to be a very different place to Jiaxu. He cracked open some eggs and scrambled them before pouring them into the pan.

“Chang Le has always been loud. She was a happy baby until my aunt passed, but it took months of crying for her to accept ma. Now she’s using that loud talent to yell chants on her dance team. Ma mentioned they were going to compete at the nationals… I should ask where it’s being hosted,” Jiaxu said as he cooked.

“So she is good at it?” Sang Zhi asked. She knew nothing of dance teams.

“Yeah, according to ma,” he replied. “Chang Le doesn’t talk to me much.”

Finishing the eggs, Jiaxu slid them onto a plate and put some bread in the toaster. “Do you want anything other than the soup?”

Sang Zhi shook her head, taking another long drink of water. He got his toast and placed his food on the counter before walking around to sit next to her.

“What about your ma?” Sang Zhi asked.

Jiaxu took a bite, obviously thinking of how to answer as he chewed slowly. Eventually, he replied, “when I was little, she had all the time in the world for me. She used to call me her little prince.”

Her brow furrowed in concern.

“After…” Jiaxu paused with a sigh. “After my da’s crime, there was a lot of pressure to make it right. I remember being so angry that everything had changed.”

He kept his eyes moving between his plate and various points in the kitchen. Sang Zhi could see how uncomfortable it was making him, so put her hand on his shoulder to tell Jiaxu he didn’t need to say more, but he continued.

“Ma was sick years ago, but she was treated and is now in remission. I’ve been worried about her lately because she sounds terrible on the phone, but insists she’s fine,” he said. “Chang Ru called me the other day and let me know ma has been visiting her doctor. Ma hadn’t told me though. I don’t know why she’s hiding it.”

Suddenly, Jiaxu's actions with her illness made more sense. He did have caregiving experience, more so than she'd realized. Sang Zhi tilted her head. “Does she not want to worry you?”

“I always worry,” Jiaxu admitted with a grimace. “Mostly because I’m so far away. Even the most convenient flight is still hours away.”

That made her frown. The concern for his family was reassuring, but she could see how it pulled at him. “Then why did you move to Nanwu?”

If she understood that, maybe she’d be able to explain it to her own mother. Jiaxu could have chosen anywhere. Why so far away from home?

Jiaxu set his utensils down, sending her a pensive look.

“My years at Nanwu University were the happiest I’d been since our family struggles. As I had to leave Yihe, the University of Nanwu was the first place I thought of,” he explained before adding, “they have a robust computer science degree.”

Had to leave Yihe.

Sang Zhi latched onto those words, blinking in confusion. What did that mean? “What hap- I mean, why did you have to leave?”

She felt more than saw Jiaxu shift in his seat. He was silent for a long moment, which she took the opportunity to eat more of her soup, before finally answering.

“I told you about my da's crime, and while you're understanding… at the time, it brought a lot of shame to my family,” he said, looking down. "Friends I'd grown up with turned on me when the victim's daughter started harassing me. Neighbors who'd been kind my whole life suddenly wouldn't acknowledge me or ma."

"That's terrible."

"It's partially why we moved in with my uncle, actually," Jiaxu explained in a tired tone. "We couldn't afford our place anymore with paying the victim's family, even after selling most of our possessions… and while ma bore the shame without complaint, even she couldn't ignore the amount of times I came home bruised…" he cut off before shaking his head. "It was better after we moved. My uncle's neighborhood wasn’t as close knit, so I only had to worry about myself at school."

“Oh,” Sang Zhi whispered, horror dawning over her features as she reached to snag his hand. The implication was dark and heavy and she felt a tinge of embarrassment for asking. “So…”

“The victim's family caused so much trouble over the years that it’s better I’m in Nanwu, believe me,” Jiaxu said with a tight smile, squeezing her hand. “What about your family? Did your ma travel far to see them?”

Nodding, she latched onto the new topic. “My grandma lives up in the mountains and after my uncle passed, auntie moved in to help with her care. Mama visits them regularly.”

“Anyone else?”

“I think Baba has some cousins, but we don’t know them. His parents passed away when I was a baby.”

Jiaxu nodded. He seemed to deliberate over a question. Sang Zhi waited, unsure if he was going to impart some more sad knowledge of his family and upbringing or prod at her own, and was surprised when he finally spoke.

"Is Wen Yifan sick?"

Blinking, Sang Zhi shook her head slowly. "What… no, why?"

"You and your brother last night-"

Sang Zhi remembered how much they'd gone back and forth about her the night prior and held up her hand. "It’s not something we really talk about," she admitted. "But… Wen Yifan sleepwalks. I worry about her staying alone overnight."

Understanding dawned on Jiaxu's face.

"I know it's not really my place, she's so much older than me…" Sang Zhi said before glancing at Jiaxu. "Has my brother told you how they started dating?"

Shaking his head, Jiaxu finished up his toast and turned his full attention to her. Trying to clear her throat of the gunk, Sang Zhi took another long drink of water before finally beginning.

"They both transferred to the same high school year and were in the same class. She…" Sang Zhi frowned, unsure of how to explain the dynamics that she had pieced together over time. "Her da passed away and her ma remarried. She moved schools a lot because of family drama."

"That's hard," Jiaxu said.

"She hasn't told me a lot of it, but… yes. I think Sang Yan always worried about her, since she switched schools again her senior year, and he was stuck here. I don’t know how much they stayed in contact after that.”

"But they reconnected?"

“Eventually, I guess.”

Jiaxu threw her a questioning glance and she continued with a grimace. “I don’t know if or how much they talked - she went miles away after high school to Yihe University - but I do know he’s been independent since he graduated, with his bar and… such. Then his apartment burned down.”

“What?” Jiaxu’s eyebrows jumped up in surprise, and she shrugged, moving to the couch.

"Yeah. I don’t know what happened," Sang Zhi replied as he followed suit to sit next to her. "But he needed someplace to stay and someone mentioned an open room to him, so he moved in and found Wen Yifan."

"He moved in with her?" Jiaxu asked, incredulous.

She nodded. "I don't know if he knew she would be there or not, even though I tease him about it. They’re still in that apartment."

"Wow," he replied in amusement. "Did they start dating immediately, or…?"

"No,” Sang Zhi said with a shake of her head. “It was months, I guess. But… I’ve never seen Sang Yan interested in another. It’s always been Wen Yifan.”

"Love at first sight?" Jiaxu murmured.

Sang Zhi blinked at him, considering. The words from her discussion with Wen Yifan weeks ago echoed in her head. You just look at a person and just know your whole life is entwined with theirs.

It was strange to think of her brother afflicted in such a way.

"Maybe… maybe connection at first sight?" Sang Zhi finally said. "I don't believe in love at first sight."

A slow smile spread on Jiaxu's face as he replied, "Not at all?"

"Well," Sang Zhi said cautiously. It seemed like a rather heavy topic and her head still felt a bit foggy. "It would be nice, and easy, if it existed. Like all of my favorite fairy tales. But love involves choice and understanding and work. Sang Yan has chosen Wen Yifan every step of the way. Even when she argued with him."

"Your brother seems easy to argue with."

A croaky laugh escaped Sang Zhi. That was one way of putting it.

“Well, it took some time. The first time I met her she’d barely string two words to him at a time,” Sang Zhi said. “I think he made it a mission to push her buttons so Yifan would argue with him.”

“Really?” Jiaxu asked in surprise.

“I don’t remember much of her when she was in high school, I only met her once at a school function their class volunteered for… but she seemed shy to me,” she replied. “Sang Yan had to be extra ridiculous to prompt any response. Then years later, I went to meet Sang Yan for dinner and found her at the apartment as well. We had a whole discussion about digital marketing and Yihe and she couldn’t hide the affectionate glances she sent his way.”

“So that was before they were dating?”

“I don’t know. But I did go home and tell Mama all about the beautiful friend of Sang Yan’s.”

“Do your parents like her?”

Sang Zhi nodded. “They haven’t bothered him about proposing simply because they know how important her career is to her. Her upbringing…”

“I get it,” Jiaxu said. She smiled at him, not sure how much she could really say. Wen Yifan hadn’t told her much, but Sang Zhi had inferred how insecure her family life had been. Fortunately, Jiaxu put his arm around her, motioning to the television.

“So, what do you want to watch?”

~~~

The rest of the morning passed uneventfully, the talking having been a bad idea by how much the itch in Sang Zhi’s throat had grown. Fortunately the other symptoms had abated - it was amazing how a good night's rest made up for the week's stress. Eventually she remembered to text Ning Wei.

[Sang Zhi]: I am so sorry, but could we meet for shopping next Saturday?

[Ning Wei]: Next week should be fine. What happened?

[Sang Zhi]: Just a cold.

[Ning Wei]: Oh no! Do you need me to bring you anything?

[Sang Zhi]: No, thank you. Jiaxu has everything I need at his place.

Even if it was only an oversized tee, a blanket, and an abundance of cuddling, Sang Zhi was content. She really didn’t need much.

[Ning Wei]: You’re staying with him when you’re sick??? 😮

[Sang Zhi]: Why not?

[Ning Wei]: Wow. He must be really into you. You’re so lucky Sangsang. My boyfriend hasn’t even seen me without makeup.

Confused, Sang Zhi put her phone away to focus on the movie she’d put on the television. Jiaxu had gotten up to make her a cup of mint tea. Was she messing things up? Would Jiaxu find her unattractive if she was so sloppy with her appearance?

As he returned, he caught her expression.

“Something wrong?”

“I was supposed to go dress shopping with Ning Wei today,” she said, shoving the concerning thought aside.

“Dress shopping? What’s the occasion?” he asked as he settled next to her.

“Qian Fei’s wedding. He’s a meticulous planner, and his bride even more so. He sent me an informal invite yesterday, so now all we have to do is wait for the real ones,” Sang Zhi said, shifting to lay her head on his legs so she could look directly up at him.

“We?”

She sent him a disbelieving look. “Did you think you weren’t invited?”

“Weddings are for good friends and family,” Jiaxu said. “I don’t think I qualify-“

“You aren’t coming as my date?”

“Are you asking me?”

Sang Zhi scowled.

Jiaxu held a completely innocent look for a moment before breaking out into a chuckle. He leaned over to give her a quick kiss and said, “you must be feeling better.”

Bewildered, she turned her attention back to whatever was on the television. She hadn't been following what they were watching, despite choosing it, simply content to be with Jiaxu.

Her phone pinged, so Sang Zhi picked it up.

[Wen Yifan]: How are you feeling?

[Sang Zhi]: Better. Was Sang Yan upset about leaving me last night? I was surprised he didn’t argue more.

[Wen Yifan]: We discussed not interfering. He might not be happy but he’s fine. I have an interview over on that side of town. Do you want me to bring you anything?

Sang Zhi hesitated. Honestly, she was well enough that she should go home, needing to work on her proposal, but it was hard when Jiaxu seemed to want her there as much as she wanted to stay. While she'd denied Ning Wei's help, Wen Yifan would be able to visit her home much easier and it would be nice to have her clothes and toiletries. It was nice to pretend the real world didn’t exist in the small world of Jiaxu’s couch, Monday would loom on her before she knew it.

“What’s wrong?” Jiaxu asked, catching her biting her lip.

Sang Zhi shook her head. “Wen Yifan is going to be in the area and offered to bring me some things from home.”

Can I stay here?

“That’s nice of her. I figured we’d pick you some things up this afternoon if you were feeling better, but if Wen Yifan does it you can stay and rest,” he replied nonchalantly.

He hadn’t expected her to go. Warmth spread through Sang Zhi and she hid her smile in her blanket. Mumbling through the fabric, “I need to do some work.”

“I promise not to distract you.”

“Impossible,” she declared softly, peeking up at him.

“You’re impossible,” Jiaxu said, lips landing on the top of her head with a smile. “What work do you need to do?”

Sang Zhi wrote out a quick reply to Wen Yifan - thank you, that would be helpful - and bit her lip.

“My proposal. Xiaoyu is unimpressed. Then again, she rarely finds anything decent in my work, despite my coworkers encouragement.”

Jiaxu nodded and Sang Zhi relaxed. She hadn’t realized how tense work made her when Jiaxu would ask questions. He was genuinely curious, not unkind. She’d work on the proposal later.

Staying wrapped up in Jiaxu’s world was a far better idea.

~~~

A few hours later, Jiaxu was in the middle of doing some dishes while Sang Zhi spread out all of her work over his coffee table, legs curled up under her on the floor as she did adjustments on her tablet. He was glad to see she didn't look quite so pale, eyes brighter than the previous evening, but had to find something to occupy himself so he wouldn’t be a nuisance.

His thoughts kept steering to the woman Jiaxu met the day before who had berated Sang Zhi. The boss who was prohibiting Sang Zhi from resting by stressing her out with work. Something about Xiaoyu gave him an uneasy feeling, but he couldn't place it.

The door chimed with an arrival and he walked over, smiling and hitting the button to invite Wen Yifan in before wiping down the counters. When the elevator doors opened and the woman stepped out, Sang Zhi looked up from her work and smiled. Yifan gave Jiaxu a little nod of the head before walking over to Sang Zhi.

"I need to get something from my car, okay, Sang Zhi?" Jiaxu said, grabbing his keys. She aimed her smile at him and nodded, so he took the open elevator and left.

It felt silly to leave his own home, but Jiaxu had been waiting for an opportunity to head down to the corner shop and pick up a couple things. Sang Zhi's plea to not be left alone rattled in his head in an uncomfortable way, so taking the opportunity of Wen Yifan's visit worked out well.

However, when he returned with a crinkling bag of various fresh fruits and a package of health drinks under his arm, Sang Zhi was glaring down at her work as Wen Yifan spoke in a soft but concerned way.

"-is that constructive? You know how we feel about this, Zhizhi."

"I've been looking, Yifan. There's just not many digital marketing positions currently."

"But these comments-"

"How are they wrong? My drawings are childish."

"I was going to call them whimsical."

Sang Zhi huffed, fingers finding a corner of a paper and twisting it around. Jiaxu set his items on the counter and walked over. "What's wrong?"

Wen Yifan looked up at him, all sisterly concern showing in her expression. "One of her bosses gave her this assignment. Xiaoyu saw the assignment - did Zhang Hui even see them, Zhizhi? - and left 'constructive criticism'."

Jiaxu frowned, glancing at Sang Zhi in question. "May I?"

Sang Zhi steepled her fingers over her forehead, hiding her face, but nodded. Jiaxu crouched down, looking at the various papers all over the coffee table and felt his frown deepen as he inspected the papers more thoroughly.

The little drawings weren't unlike something he'd seen on some billboards throughout town. It connected to Sang Zhi's story of reworking a project that had gotten her into trouble with Xiaoyu in the first place. His mouth fell open when he realized that these sprites were in the same style as those ads, with different afflictions that presumably the product would alleviate.

"Wait, those ads were yours?" he asked.

"The original concept her boss presented had no sprites at all," Wen Yifan explained, tapping at Sang Zhi's tablet to show the initial design before her inclusion. "More of a bullet point list of benefits. Then Sang Zhi showed the sprites you see around town and they approved them. These are new designs Sang Zhi's been working on to incorporate more uses of the product."

Sang Zhi looked up, shaking her head. "The campaign must be doing poorly if they want to include more things-"

"That makes no sense, Zhizhi. Companies don't spend more money on advertisements that aren't working."

Looking closer, Jiaxu could see aggressive red script peppered all over one of the sprites. Things like incorrect anatomy and childish were on each of the new drawings. Anger spiked in his chest but he refrained from commenting.

"I know she wants me gone," Sang Zhi stated calmly. "I've tried to speak to HR about transferring teams, maybe work under Zhang Hui, but was denied. When Xiaoyu isn't there, it's a dream job. I just wish I had some idea of how successful this campaign had been."

"Well, I've seen those sprites all over town, if not in other cities when I travel for work," Jiaxu said. "It definitely isn't a failure."

Sang Zhi sent him a small smile but shook her head. "Well, either way I have to return this with some adjustments."

"Are all your projects like this?" Jiaxu asked, tilting his head as he picked up a paper with the scope of work.

"What do you mean?"

"Having to work on your own? Vague directions on the task?" he continued, pointing at the directions. "'Create new artwork to align with current campaign'. Which campaign phase? What kind of artwork? How much artwork?"

Sang Zhi frowned, considering. Jiaxu could feel himself fall into a project lead mindset, taking all of the pieces of the assignment together and could intuit what was desired, but it wasn't exactly clear.

"I usually float between projects and help my coworkers with the projects they're working on. This is the only project I have, so I don't…" Sang Zhi trailed off, frown deepening.

"Don't what?" Wen Yifan pressed.

"Everyone has so many different jobs they have to switch between all the time, so I don't like bothering most of them with feedback-"

Wen Yifan sighed.

"-and Xiaoyu scolds me for wasting their time-"

"It's a creative industry, Zhizhi. Collaboration is part of the job. You know this," Wen Yifan said. "You asked me, with only a handful of marketing classes in uni, for input, and my input is that your little adjustments are fine. If you keep fiddling with it, you're going to overwork it."

"But I haven't changed anything! I just adjusted the proportions a bit. Xiaoyu won't accept it like this," Sang Zhi said. "This task wasn’t from Xiaoyu in the first place. Zhang Hui gave me those directions."

"He doesn't want it directly?"

"I gave it to his assistant and it sent Xiaoyu into a fury-"

"You don't know if he saw it?" Wen Yifan asked but Jiaxu sent a sharp glance to Sang Zhi. A fury?

"Well, he hasn't talked to me about it," Sang Zhi admitted. "But he would know Xiaoyu would look at it, since she's in charge of me."

"Sang Zhi," Jiaxu said, chewing on his tongue a moment as he tried to straighten his thoughts. "I know you enjoy your job and the work you do… but why haven't you left?"

Why subject yourself to one woman's ire? Why stay in such an unprofessional environment?

Jiaxu didn't ask those following questions, however. Wen Yifan blinked at him in surprise before turning to Sang Zhi to hear her answer.

Sang Zhi opened her mouth once, closed it, opened it again. Finally, words escaped. "Because I can do it."

"I don't understand," he said as Wen Yifan said in a sad voice, "oh, Zhizhi."

"You couldn't," Sang Zhi said, looking at Jiaxu. "You don't know my past. But so much of my life, I was too sick to do much of anything but draw and study…" she cut herself off, shaking her head. "I know Xiaoyu is acting terribly. But I know I'm not the only one with problems, and if I quit, she wins. This campaign is important to me, and I was hoping after it was launched I'd be able to see the results of my labor, to see something I built become successful and do good in the world instead of being too weak to-"

Sang Zhi's voice fell into a whisper as she obviously struggled and Jiaxu reached out to take her hand, thankful when she didn’t pull away. She gave a deep breath and continued on. "Most new hires don't launch product campaigns until after a couple of years of working. I was given an opportunity that most of my coworkers haven't even earned yet. I didn't want to leave until the campaign was finished and I'd have proof of my abilities." A small smile flitted across Sang Zhi's face and she added, "While I don't have any data, I assumed it was successful due to how irritated Xiaoyu gets."

Squeezing her tightly, Jiaxu nodded. "So that's why you told your brother you wanted to remain a year?" he asked, and she nodded.

"I didn’t know how hard it would be to work under Xiaoyu after stepping on her toes. The campaign was supposed to run for a year, but with Zhang Hui now asking for me to revisit it… well, they are likely looking to extend the contract," Sang Zhi said. "I was going to remove myself from it, but when Zhang Hui approached me to draw more sprites, I couldn't tell him no."

"What reason did HR give for denying your transfer?" Jiaxu asked. "It sounds like he'd enjoy having you in his department."

"There's no position on his team, and he doesn’t really create projects, he’s the creative liaison with clients for multiple departments. And during my performance review, the person from HR told me that while she knew I had some decent work, there were whispers of me being difficult to work with which made transfer unlikely," Sang Zhi said with a wince. "She wasn't from our office, though, so I'm not sure how she heard that. I try to be available for everyone, but sometimes my work is late when multiple people approach me at the same time…"

Wen Yifan frowned. "That's not difficult to work with, that's being overloaded. Do you not have an HR person on premises?"

Sang Zhi shook her head. "He's on medical leave right now, they had to fly in a woman from another branch. She was thorough with everyone's performance review a couple months ago, interviewing people about the workplace atmosphere. She clearly outlined that I was to turn things into Xiaoyu, explaining that I could face disciplinary action if I don't, which is why Xiaoyu was so angry when she found my submission went to Zhang Hui."

"So Xiaoyu wants to hide your work from him," Jiaxu stated.

"She wants to make sure it's the best it can be before showing-"

Wen Yifan shook her head, "First drafts aren't meant to be perfect. That's why they're a draft."

"So what do you suggest? I don't get any useful feedback," Sang Zhi grumbled.

Jiaxu interjected. "I would start by approaching Zhang Hui for data about the current campaign. Asking for it shows commitment to the work and the lack of access to such information. It could make things worse with Xiaoyu, but from what I saw when I picked you up yesterday… it is already pretty bad," he said with a commiserating wince. "You could even tell him that you submitted this-" he motioned to the papers in front of him "-and ask for clarification on the critique. Are they displeased when they write 'childish'? It doesn't say either way."

Sang Zhi looked at him with wide eyes. "If he hasn't seen it, that will imply-"

"That isn't your problem," Jiaxu said. "Xiaoyu is making her own choices. I have never seen this level of unprofessionalism from someone, even as an intern. If Xiaoyu is so spiteful to try and ruin your work reputation, you need to cover your bases to show yourself above reproach."

Chapter Text

When Monday rolled around, Sang Zhi was nervous preparing for work. She had stayed almost the whole weekend with Jiaxu, putting aside her project not long after Wen Yifan left, knowing both of them were right.

Sand Zhi didn’t want to be a problem, but clearly, she was to be one whether she kept her head down or not. So she gripped at her bag tightly, determined, as she made her way into the office, wondering what sort of critical workload Xiaoyu would give her the moment she walked in.

Silence greeted her when she walked through the sea of desks. Sang Zhi was usually one of the first people to arrive, so she sat down and began to pull up the docket of tasks on her computer.

It was… surprisingly blank. There were some requests from the previous week with her coworkers project and typical weekly automated tasks, but nothing new from Xiaoyu. As Sang Zhi got to work, people slowly filtered in.

“Good morning Sang Zhi!” Wan Zhe said as he arrived. “Was it you who ordered lunch last week?”

“Oh,” Sang Zhi replied, vaguely remembering Jiaxu showing up with a large food delivery. She'd been too distracted. “No, my boyfriend did, but I was sent home because I caught someone’s cold.”

Looking chagrined at her pointed look, Wan Zhe said, “sorry about that. At least they let you go home.” After a moment, he leaned over. “Boyfriend, huh? That hopefully will put some rumors to rest.”

Blinking, Sang Zhi swiveled to face his desk. “Rumors?”

“Zao at reception said a hot guy picked you up last week. Don’t be surprised if-“

At that moment, Yi Ran shuffled over to Sang Zhi’s desk and gave a cajoling smile. “Who was the guy who dropped off the food last week? Your brother?”

Sang Zhi shook her head, oddly annoyed at the assumption. “My boyfriend.”

Yi Ran deflated a moment before shaking it off. “Ohh, do you have a picture? Zao wouldn’t shut up about him-“

Sang Zhi simply didn’t know how to respond, both amused and annoyed at her coworkers interest, but swiped her phone awake. She made a mental note to take more photos with Jiaxu, but… there was a photo, from that one night of noodles, so Sang Zhi begrudgingly pulled it up to hold up to Yi Ran.

“Whoa,” Yi Ran said as Wan Zhe shuffled around to glance as well. “I thought Zao was making a big deal out of nothing, but good for you Sang Zhi!”

“Thanks,” Sang Zhi said, feeling oddly proud yet embarrassed. Jiaxu was attractive, but not just with his looks. He was so much more than that. Supporting her in so many ways that Sang Zhi wasn’t sure she’d earned yet. Which reminded her…

“Do you know why the docket is so empty? Xiaoyu usually has mine filled with extras by now-“

Both of them shook their heads. “Maybe she got hit by a bus,” Yi Ran joked.

“Do you think she caught my cold as well?” Wan Zhe asked.

“Sang Zhi,” Zhang Hui’s voice cut over them, startling the group. “I need to see you in my office. Ten minutes.”

“Of course, sir,” Sang Zhi bowed slightly, heart suddenly racing. As her coworkers dashed back to their desks to begin their tasks, a foreboding sensation grew in Sang Zhi’s stomach. With a few taps on her phone, she sent off a message.

[Sang Zhi]: Xiaoyu isn’t here today. Zhang Hui wants to speak with me. Something’s wrong.

[Duan Jiaxu]: What could be wrong?

[Sang Zhi]: I don’t know.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Stick to facts. You haven’t done anything.

Taking a deep breath, Sang Zhi agreed with Jiaxu and gathered her bag with the marked documents and took the stairs to the next floor to Zhang Hui's office. Knocking gently, he called her in and Sang Zhi pushed inside.

~~~

After receiving Sang Zhi’s text, Jiaxu’s morning dragged on. He hoped that whatever came from the meeting was good, but wasn’t entirely convinced Sang Zhi would avoid censure or worse. At least that would mean she could leave the terrible environment… but Sang Zhi would take it hard.

Sighing, he distracted himself with work. An email came in from Siyun, approving the contract from the company in Beiyu, Sunset Arts, who had wasted his whole week with meetings. He quickly set up a job file and sent off an email to connect their cloud database up with Catnap Studios’ own when his phone pinged.

[Sang Zhi]: I’m out of the meeting, but have to explain fast.

Jiaxu tapped his foot impatiently, watching the three dots appear and disappear as Sang Zhi typed. Finally, another text appeared.

[Sang Zhi]: Zhang Hui wanted to see how I was coming along with the additional campaign materials. Xiaoyu is out for some emergency, so he will be overseeing it for now. He was confused as to why I hadn’t seen the data, and Jiaxu, the numbers are incredible.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I told you it must have been doing well. How long will Xiaoyu be out?

[Sang Zhi]: I don’t know, but he told me to keep doing what I was doing and he’d check on me during the week. I need to go and make myself useful! I’ll talk to you later. 🙂

A sigh of relief passed through Jiaxu. He really hadn’t wanted Sang Zhi to lose her job when it was so important to her, even if her direct boss was awful. With that, he got back to work.

The difficult client from Beiyu - Sunset Arts - started off on a bad foot. No matter what Jiaxu tried, Catnap couldn't communicate with their database, which meant Jiaxu spent the rest of the day running back and forth with his server manager, trying to figure out what firewall was upsetting what protocol, but it just refused to cooperate.

“This was supposed to be a simple job,” Jiaxu grumbled later in Chen Junwen’s office as the man searched up the contract on his computer. “It’s large but not terribly complicated. If we run into this problem every time…”

He trailed off with a groan. Chen Junwen nodded. “Have they given us all their signatures?”

“Yeah. They are asserting that it’s a problem on our end, and seem rather unimpressed that we haven’t even managed to snag the batch files to begin working,” Jiaxu replied, rubbing his forehead.

Chen Junwen suddenly whistled. “This is supposed to be done in six weeks?”

“It was supposed to be ten weeks…” Jiaxu said weakly, standing up to glance at his monitor to check the contract. There it was. Six weeks. Shit. “Hold on.”

Pulling out his phone, Jiaxu dialed Siyun. She answered promptly.

“I was waiting for your call, Jiaxu. Before you ask, Sunset cut down on the learning vocabulary, so we are working with our current set,” she started, obviously aware of the reason he was calling. “No expansion necessary.”

“Hello to you too, Siyun,” Jiaxu said. “That’s a relief but still doesn’t help us with the issues we are having connecting their server with ours.”

After explaining the specifics with Chen Junwen glancing at him in concern as Jiaxu spoke, Siyun sighed over the line.

“There’s nothing for it then. You will have to go to their office and smooth over the problem,” Siyun said, making Jiaxu grimace. “If we finish early, there’s a monetary bonus, so you’ll need to plan to be out there in five weeks as well to make sure the transfer back goes smoothly.”

“I understand,” Jiaxu replied. “I’ll start looking at flights. Thanks Siyun.”

After he hung up, Jiaxu muttered, “I already regret this contract.”

Chen Junwen nodded. “I get this sort of work is typically easy for us, but it’s going to be tight, Jiaxu-“

“They cut the expansion vocabulary.”

“Oh, thank fuck,” Chen Junwen said, visibly deflating. Jiaxu nodded.

“I guess I’ll go look at flights to Beiyu, then,” he sighed before leaving Chen Junwen.

~~~

Sang Zhi had never had such a good day at work. After conferring with Zhang Hui on the project, he was able to confirm some of the ailments the client was actually interested in portraying which gave Sang Zhi the afternoon to make adjustments. She had it all ready to go by five, so she started to check in on her coworkers to see where she could help.

She was in the middle of estimating the cost of banner materials for a charity organization when her phone vibrated.

[Duan Jiaxu]: So if Xiaoyu is away, does that mean I can take you to dinner?

Sang Zhi grinned, picking up her phone to reply without concern. The entire atmosphere of the office had been light and pleasant the whole day.

[Sang Zhi]: Most of my coworkers leave by six, and I don’t have anything else on my docket.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I’ll pick you up at six then.

[Sang Zhi]: See you then.

With a restrained giggle, Sang Zhi returned to her task, feet tapping.

“I thought you were fired for sure,” Wan Zhe said, leaning over from his desk. “Instead you get to work under normal operating hours like the rest of us.”

“I hope that Xiaoyu isn’t dealing with anything serious,” Sang Zhi said.

“When she’s been such a witch to you?” Wan Zhe asked in surprise. “You’re entirely too nice.”

Yi Ran peeked between their monitors. “I heard she had to go home because a family member was in an accident. If we are lucky, she’ll just transfer there.”

“Go home? Is she not from Nanwu?” Wan Zhe asked.

“No, she’s from Yihe,” Yi Ran said. “And I know we have an office there because I overheard her and that borrowed HR person talk about their favorite restaurants. If she transferred, she’d be out of our hair.”

“We can only hope,” Wan Zhe said. “Do you want to go out and celebrate, Sang Zhi?”

Sang Zhi laughed and shook her head. “My boyfriend is picking me up to go to dinner. Maybe another time.”

When both of her coworkers burst out into crooning teases, Sang Zhi shushed them.

“Where do you think he’ll take you?” Yi Ran asked finally.

“I don’t know. It doesn’t need to be anything special,” Sang Zhi replied. Honestly, after a hellish week with Xiaoyu and then recovering from her illness, she was glad her Monday had been downright relaxed. It meant she wouldn’t be too tired to try and convince Jiaxu to order in.

It had already felt like an age since she’d been able to properly kiss him.

~~~

Making the six o’clock time to pick up Sang Zhi was far more difficult than Jiaxu had anticipated. Rushing through delegating the tasks that the week could bring, Chen Junwen finally messaged him to tell him that he had it and to worry more about the things he’d need in Beiyu. Finding a flight for the next morning, Jiaxu had just enough time to confirm his ticket and send an email with the information to the Beiyu company.

He wasn’t used to leaving the office for travel on such short notice.

Driving over to Sang Zhi’s office, he wondered what restaurant she’d be interested in. It was a good thing she would have an easier week with her boss gone, as he wouldn’t worry while he was away.

Even if leaving felt uncomfortable in a weird way. He’d had to travel before, what did it matter now?

After parking, Jiaxu waited in the large courtyard for only a moment before Sang Zhi was exiting the building. Her coworkers gave him interested glances, but she paid them no mind as she practically skipped over to him.

A grin spread over his face before he could help it. “Hi.”

“Have fun, Sang Zhi!” a female coworker called out to her.

“Hi,” she replied with a sheepish tone. “Don’t mind them.”

“Oh?” Jiaxu took her hand and leaned close to her ear. “Don’t mind them taking photos right now?”

Sang Zhi glanced over her shoulder and sure enough, the woman was holding up her phone conspicuously, and sent the pair a thumbs up before turning away with a laugh.

Jiaxu watched her coworkers walk off and made the wonderfully terrible mistake of looking down at Sang Zhi’s face.

She was scowling.

A wave of desire crashed into Jiaxu, a choked gasp escaping him that he tried to cover up with a laugh. Tipping her chin to face him, Jiaxu knew better than to try and kiss the scowl off her face in public.

“They’re ridiculous,” she asserted with a fierce look. “I already showed them a picture, they didn’t need to sneak another photo-“

“A picture, huh?” he asked, swinging an arm behind her to aim her at his car. “What picture?”

Sang Zhi followed along, digging through her bag for her phone while avoiding eye contact.

“Just from dinner ages ago,” she said after unlocking it, flashing the screen at him with the photo from that noodle night so long ago. He grinned.

“I’d forgotten you’d taken that. Here,” Jiaxu said, taking her phone from her and angling the selfie mode down at them. Before she could protest, he was snapping photos of the two of them, her bewildered expression at the sudden onset making his grin widen.

“Jiaxu-“ she began, but he just crowded around her, stooping so he could rest his chin on her shoulder. A smile bloomed across Sang Zhi’s face. Click.

“Are you pleased with yourself?” Sang Zhi asked after his antics.

“Absolutely. Are you hungry?”

“Yes,” Sang Zhi said as they approached his vehicle. “But do you think we could get something quick and eat at your home? I think I left something there over the weekend.”

“Sure,” Jiaxu replied, popping open the car door for her. Even if he’d spent so much time with her over the last few days, he’d be lying to himself if he denied how much he wanted her. With her illness over… well, his interest in privacy was definitely high.

As soon as they arrived at Jiaxu’s apartment, Sang Zhi darted into the room from the elevator to begin looking around different corners of his couch. Jiaxu placed the bag with their take out on the counter and was going to unpack it when she called him over.

“Do you think my tablet pencil rolled under your couch?” she asked, checking between the cushions. “I don’t see it, do you?”

“Umm,” Jiaxu said as he walked over, confused. Bending over, there was a good three inch gap that only showed a couple of dust bunnies that he should have swept up during the weekend. “I don’t see it-“

Sang Zhi grabbed him by the shoulder, spinning him, and shoved him onto the couch. Jiaxu only had a moment to gape as she immediately straddled him and pressed her lips to his.

Instinct immediately kicked in and his hands immediately fell to her waist, sliding up her back. Pride streaked through him as Sang Zhi shivered, her own hands combing into his hair as she took control of the kiss. Jiaxu couldn’t help the soft groan that escaped him, thoughts narrowing instantly to the minx twisting in his lap.

Eventually, she pulled away to pepper his face with kisses. “I was hoping we’d come back here,” she said before running her hands down his chest and then pulling on the shirt tails tucked into his pants.

“Er,” Jiaxu said, feeling a bit sluggish. “Are you really missing-“

His thought was cut off as Sang Zhi unzipped his trousers and pressed her left palm against his bulge.

Her missing tablet pencil really didn’t matter.

Jiaxu grabbed her wrist, holding her palm there in a delicious torture, “Sang Zhi, I-“

She brought up her other hand to tap her finger to his lips, “shhhhh.”

Fuck.

Before he could gather his wits enough to flip her around, instruction be damned, Sang Zhi pushed off of him and settled on her knees in between his legs, effectively out of reach.

“I want you,” she began, taking his hand away from her wrist and nuzzling it to her face with slight kisses at his fingertips, “to be quiet.” Then she began to work on his pants, widening them and tugging on the band of his underwear to pull his cock free.

A groan escaped Jiaxu, already failing her rule, as Sang Zhi’s fingers ran across his sensitive flesh. He wanted to lean back and bask in the soft caresses of her hand, but he didn’t dare look away, Sang Zhi’s expression enamored with the swell of his dick. She gave a few experimental pumps before leaning in and running her nose along the bottom ridge of his cock.

Jiaxu moaned, the sight alone almost enough to send him over the edge. He’d thought of her like this for weeks, exploring and playing with him, but there just hadn't been opportunity.

Her hand tugged at the fabric trapping him and he lifted his hips for her to pull them away. Fingers stroked around the base of his penis, sliding down to gentle squeeze around his balls, which sent a rush of blood to the area. Eyes dark and proud, Sang Zhi placed a kiss right as the base of him before running her tongue up his shaft. Wrapping her lips around the head of his cock, Jiaxu couldn't help the way his hips bucked, jostling her. She sent him a sloppy grin as she began to work on his cock in earnest, mouth pressing as far down as she could, bringing her hand up to make up for the difference. The sensation of his cock bumping the back of her throat made Jiaxu moan again.

As Sang Zhi continued, he was about to pull her off - reaching completion with her after giving her an orgasm or two was highly preferable - when she began to add suction to her ministrations, squeezing the base of him, and Jiaxu felt his eyes roll back in his head.

It was embarrassingly quick. The combination of her grip anchoring him down from truly rutting into her mouth, the brush of her tongue rolling against the sensitive flesh, and her soft approving hums sent Jiaxu over the edge.

~~~

Blowjobs were a messy business as far as Sang Zhi was concerned. She gave Jiaxu a moment of dazed silence before pulling his shirt over his sensitive dick and skipping up on her feet to retrieve some drinks.

Jiaxu dazedly got up and disappeared into his room - likely to the accompanying bathroom - but returned after a few minutes all properly dressed just as Sang Zhi was popping open her container of noodles.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for ages,” Sang Zhi said as she gathered her chopsticks.

“Really?” Jiaxu asked as he sat down next to her.

“Yes. Being sick ruined those plans,” she declared, popping open his container. “This looks delicious.”

Jiaxu hummed in agreement. As she ate, she filled him in about the meeting with Zhang Hui, Jiaxu nodding as she went along. He looked decidedly more interested in her than his own dinner, picking at it, which Sang Zhi was more than willing to accommodate.

“How about you? Was your day all right?” she asked when she had finished her meal. How she’d managed to eat so much amidst explaining was a mystery to her.

“Unfortunately, no. We can’t communicate with a client’s servers and I’m going to have to go and see what is happening,” he said with a wince.

“Oh. When do you leave?”

“Tomorrow morning,” Jiaxu said with an apologetic expression. “I only got the instruction late in the afternoon, because if we don’t get the project code-“

Sang Zhi blinked. Jiaxu continued on with his complicated explanation - which was rather unnecessary as far as she was concerned - but she could see how he seemed… nervous?

“Jiaxu,” she interrupted him, placing a hand on his arm. “Are you okay?”

He stilled, looking a bit lost for a moment. “It’s just very sudden, and we just started dating-“

“Oh. Jiaxu, things like this happen, you don’t-“

“It’s stupid, I know. I just have this feeling-“

Sang Zhi bit her lips to keep herself from interrupting his train of thought, but Jiaxu still quieted. After a moment, he took her hands in his own and gave her a serious look.

“I’ve never felt anything like this before. I’ve never liked someone as much as I do you,” he said solemnly. “And when things go well, it… they somehow go wrong. I don’t want to go wrong with you, Sang Zhi.”

A smile spread on her face before she could tamp it down, so she shook her head. “You won’t.”

“You don’t know that. Can you promise to tell me if there’s a problem?” Jiaxu asked.

“Yes, Duan Jiaxu,” she said as she stared at his face. There was a terrible undercurrent in the room, something she’d have to think about later, but all Sang Zhi wanted to do was assure him of her sincerity. So she leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss that seemed to mollify him.

“I am sorry you will be gone,” Sang Zhi said. “When will you be back?”

“Depends on if there are problems. They were strangely uninformed about typical server protocols - usually we utilize a cloud - so hopefully I’ll be back in a day or two,” Jiaxu replied.

Sang Zhi frowned, mind already calculating the few hours they had before he’d have to leave. She decided she didn’t like it.

“Sang Zhi,” Jiaxu whispered, eyes darkening.

A delicious awareness filled her as she watched him struggle to articulate further words.

“Do… can I take you to my-” began to tumble out of his mouth and Sang Zhi silenced him with a new kiss, pressing her entire body into his own.

Jiaxu stood up, pulling her with him before giving her a boost for her to jump up into his arms. Sang Zhi loved how easily he carried her, and he quickly relocated them to his bedroom.

Once he plopped her on the bed, Sang Zhi managed to pull him down onto herself, hands immediately working to divest him of his shirt. Jiaxu groaned as she discovered skin, peeling the fabric away to greedily explore his bare chest. It was her turn to groan as his tongue delved hungrily into her mouth, robbing her of breath. Suddenly, he pulled away. “One… one second,” he murmured, sounding as flustered as her, as he pressed up from the bed.

Sang Zhi nodded with only a little bit of a petulant frown, simply drunk on his kisses as he walked away for a moment to pull his full-length mirror closer to the bed. Propping up on her elbows, she grinned as he took her hands and lifted her to her feet. A moment later, Jiaxu flipped their positions to where he sat on the end of the bed with her standing between his legs.

“What are we doing?” she whispered, a little confused.

“You’ll see,” Jiaxu returned in a dark voice. Carefully, he reached for the buttons of her blouse, unbuttoning them slowly. Sang Zhi bit her lip, reciprocating with unbuttoning Jiaxu's shirt, until he twirled her to remove her garment. As she turned, she could see herself in the reflection of the mirror, where he paused her to work on the side zipper of her trousers. In a moment, the fabric pooled at her ankles, which he helped her to step out of.

Sang Zhi hadn’t thought too carefully about her underwear that day, but they at least matched, the dusty grey set that was nude enough to wear under her work attire. The color did nothing to hide the wet arousal seeping through her panties, however, which caused her cheeks to pink as he unbuttoned his own pants to let them fall to the floor.

“Beautiful,” Jiaxu muttered, hands running along the sides of her body, squeezing lightly. Sang Zhi felt her heart tick up, her breath shallow, and he nudged her further around to fully face her clad self standing in front of him in the reflection.

Pulling her flush to his body with the warmth of his chest on her back, Jiaxu’s hand dipped into her panties and he grinned. “We won’t need these,” he murmured as he hooked a finger around the material and they slipped to the ground. He slipped his shirt off as she managed to get one foot out, when he sat down and dragged her onto his lap.

Sang Zhi’s legs straddled him backwards, ass nestled against his groin, and Jiaxu brushed her hair over her shoulder. He flicked the hooks of her bra apart, which was instantly pulled away. Nestling his face at her ear, she could see his ravenous glance in the reflection as he whispered. “Do you see how gorgeous you are? Your body is perfect, and I want to watch you.”

He licked up the side of her neck which made Sang Zhi arch slightly with a moan. One of his arms wrapped across her chest to squeeze her breast and flick her nipple while the other banded across her hips to pull her tight against his erection. She wasn’t entirely sure what to do with her hands, so she gripped the back of his head with one as he suckled on her neck and dug her nails into his other as it trailed across her waist to the crux of her thighs.

“Look at your pretty cunt,” he took a break from her neck to whisper in her ear. He widened his legs, spreading Sang Zhi’s own to display the state of her body's arousal in the mirror, which was practically vibrating with want. Dipping his hand down, he delicately traced her folds, causing her to moan once again. She tilted her head back, hips canting to chase his touch, eyes shuttering unbidden as he circled his fingertips near her clit.

“Don’t close your eyes, Sang Zhi,” he softly ordered, pulling his hand away to shift her a moment. Popping her eyes open, Sang Zhi felt just as she saw in the reflection as Jiaxu positioned his cock to peek underneath her. Readjusting their position by tilting her hips further back, he speared up right along the folds of her sex without penetrating her.

“Jiaxu-“ Sang Zhi moaned, trying to pull her legs together to facilitate better friction, but he anchored his legs apart, keeping her spread open. Her hand came down to grip his cock against her clit, and he rocked up in approval, and she cried out.

“Don’t look away,” he murmured, repeating it like a mantra, eyes glittering over her shoulder in the reflection. Sang Zhi could barely form a thought, gyrating in little movements against his cock, and he hissed.

“You can do it, Sang Zhi,” Jiaxu encouraged, other hand pinching gently at her nipple and a new shiver passed through her. Gripping him firmly, she pressed the side of his penis to her clit while arching her hips, that delicious friction building quickly.

“Yes,” he hissed, releasing her a bit so she could pitch the correct angle.

Sang Zhi watched her mirror counterpart lean, her breasts falling forward, his cock in her hand as she gyrated against him like a cat in heat, her eyes glazed…

Jiaxu brought his hand down, fingers deftly finding the aching part of her and pressed so suddenly that Sang Zhi jerked up, orgasm flooding her body without warning.

Crying out, she watched as she canted backwards, spasms passing over her body uncontrollably. Her vision went blurry, Jiaxu's fingertip still swirling around her clit, slowing.

“Fucking beautiful,” he murmured. "You ready for me, Zhi?"

Thoughts were a bit hazy for Sang Zhi, a strange emptiness inside of her, but she nodded as Jiaxu shifted. She focused on catching her breath as she could hear him tear a package open, awareness filtering in of him pulling a condom around his dick. Lifting her slightly, he shifted just enough to press the tip of his cock to her entrance, holding her there. A renewed heat flashed through Sang Zhi and she impatiently sank down onto him with a relieved moan, her cunt slick with her previous release, which caused him to curse at her ear approvingly. That was what she’d been missing.

A strange sort of afterglow heat spread through her, her entire form feeling full and taut and sensitive and a crash of renewed arousal was suddenly there. She dropped her head back, leaning on his shoulder, trying to gain purchase on riding him, writhing in a frenzy. He punched up with his hips, sending sharp spikes of pleasure through her, an endless whine emitting from her, unable to be held back.

“Look, Zhi.” Jiaxu’s voice was sharp with need and Sang Zhi lifted her eyelids just enough to see the utterly sinful display of them, her body being pounded up into by Jiaxu’s cock that hit a hidden, delicious place inside of her. Her legs were pinned open, her hands having found Jiaxu’s hair, her skin glistening with sweat. Thoughts scattered at the sight of her body completely exposed, tits flushed and body sweaty, needy and pulled apart, being utterly filled and possessed by Jiaxu.

Sang Zhi wailed as the orgasm hit her.

Jiaxu rolled his hips up, pounding up into her in a frenzy, tempo reaching a desperate degree. Her cunt fluttered around his cock, waves still pulsing through her when Jiaxu cried out her name, stiffening inside her as he reached his completion.

Then they collapsed back onto his bed together.

~~~

Jiaxu wasn’t entirely sure how much time had passed.

Sang Zhi was asleep on his arm, curled up against his side so her legs weren’t off the edge of the bed. Jiaxu was flat on his back, feet touching the ground, with evidence of their sex still wrapped around his dick. Slowly, his mind began to work and he slid his arm out from under Sang Zhi to go and dispose of the condom.

In the bathroom, Jiaxu used the facilities and washed his hands, taking a moment to throw some water in his face as the memory of Sang Zhi propped up on him, riding him like a queen… his cock stirred again, which frankly surprised him. Between the blowjob, momentary rest, and energetic sex a few minutes ago… hadn’t he had enough?

But stepping back into his bedroom, Jiaxu saw Sang Zhi’s naked form and realized there was never enough. He was in love with her, utterly wrecked by her, and couldn’t imagine a future that didn’t include her.

It frankly amused him that she didn’t seem to believe in love at first sight. When Jiaxu might have been slightly skeptical before, he absolutely believed in it now, remembering her scowl up at him that night long ago, imprinting on him indelibly.

He really didn't want to wake her, didn’t want to end their night, didn’t want to go to Beiyu. But with a sigh, Jiaxu pulled on some boxers and jogging pants and leaned down to Sang Zhi on the bed. Nuzzling her chin, he whispered, “Zhizhi.” He'd not called her that before, but he'd heard Wen Yifan call her that and it… fit.

She stirred, a petulant whine escaping her. “No.”

Grinning, Jiaxu brushed her hair away from her face. Her eyes fluttered open. “Hi, beautiful,” he said, leaning to bump his forehead against hers. “I would like nothing more but to tuck you in, but I need to pack and want to get you home safely.”

With a sigh, Sang Zhi nodded and started to get up. Jiaxu reached down to gather her clothes to hand her, which she begrudgingly started to pull on. He dragged a shirt over his head and checked the time. It wasn’t that late, fortunately, but that didn’t make the idea of parting with her any easier.

After she’d managed to put her appearance to rights, Sang Zhi gathered her things from the living room as he put on his shoes.

Driving her home felt too quick. There wasn't much conversation - Jiaxu's heart felt strangely contradictory, a bittersweet fullness aching in his chest - Sang Zhi took his hand in her lap, fingers drawing across the skin of his palm, contemplative. It wasn’t until Jiaxu parked in the alley next to her home that she looked up to give him a small smile. Jiaxu grasped her hand to bring it to his mouth, kissing the delicate bone at her wrist, before releasing her to hop out and open her door.

“You’ll let me know when you arrive?” Sang Zhi asked as she pulled her bag onto her shoulder.

“Yes,” Jiaxu replied, his chest feeling raw. It was stupid - they’d just had a rather unforgettable evening and he’d only be gone a few days - and entirely ridiculous for him to feel so affected.

Sang Zhi pressed into his body, his arms wrapping around her without thought, tucking her head under his chin. “I’ll miss you,” she murmured.

Squeezing her, Jiaxu nodded. Forcing a smile to his face, he said, “I'll miss you too. I’ll be back soon.”

Pulling back, Jiaxu cupped her face with both hands and pressed his lips to hers, trying to imprint as much of his love as he could. Sang Zhi gave a happy little sigh and melted into him, but Jiaxu kept it short, aware of their position in front of her home. Releasing her, he kept the cheerful disposition as best he could. “Go inside, Sang Zhi.”

“Mmm,” she said, looking a bit dizzy. He turned her and nudged her lower back. “Goodnight Jiaxu,” she said in a soft voice, walking through the gate to her home and finally disappearing inside.

Taking a deep breath, Jiaxu returned to his car and went home, worry rooting in his chest for no reason he could directly pinpoint.

Chapter Text

Jiaxu had a beastly week.

The moment he'd arrived at the terminal to head to Beiyu, it'd gone wrong. First, his plane had been delayed, so he spent some time sending emails to shuffle his appointments with the server team to later in the day. It felt like an age before he'd finally arrived in the western city and taken a taxi to their studio, but in reality it was just after lunch. He was hungry but wasn't about to push off their appointment again.

One of the clients that Jiaxu recognized from the many video call meetings they'd had was very friendly, but unsure of the details of their server set up, so it was a bit of a relief when they dropped him off with the two guys hanging out in an office.

After introductions, the one named Huo Ran said, "Boss won't let us use a cloud system."

"Er," Jiaxu said. "At all?"

With the two men's negative reactions, Jiaxu realized he had far more of a struggle ahead of him than just simple security protocols.

It took a better part of the week to convince the client lead that having unimpeded access to their code would expedite things. Jiaxu was baffled at their concern over some sort of corporate espionage ("those cloud things aren't really secure, are they?") so he facilitated a ‘private’ server (utterly indistinguishable from the system they’d already set up) with his own server team in Nanwu. Why Sunset Arts hadn't mentioned any of the concerns prior to signing the contract, Jiaxu couldn't fathom.

But after dealing with their rather outlandish requests - they wanted him to show directly how his code would work with their game, which required hours of his time - all the way into the weekend, Jiaxu confirmed with Chen Junwen of Catnap Studios' access. He finally could go home.

"Thanks for coming in on a Saturday, Junwen," Jiaxu said into his phone as he packed. "This delay is going to make the next few weeks a mess."

"Probably," his friend replied. "Should we look at hiring a temp to hopefully make up for lost time?"

"I'll ask Siyun about it, but either way, we're all looking at some long days," Jiaxu replied with an apologetic tone. "I'll make it up to you all somehow."

~~~

"So, what's he like?"

Sang Zhi pulled out a dress from a rack to inspect, glancing at Ning Wei who wore an absolutely delighted expression. They'd finally managed to get together for the day of shopping the Saturday after Jiaxu had left town.

"I know he's handsome, but you've barely told me anything about him! What does he do for work?" Ning Wei pressed, pulling the dress out of Zhi's hands to return to the rack. "That's not your color."

"What is my color, then?" Sang Zhi asked. "He works at a game studio."

"Which game studio?" Ning Wei pulled out a slate blue dress and held it up to Sang Zhi. "Much better. You look better in creams and pastels, but we should definitely push you into a splash of more color."

"I think it's called Catnap?" she replied, face twisting up as she thought. "And why more color? I don't want to draw attention-"

"Sangsang, anyone who knows you knows that you don't like drawing attention to yourself," her friend said exasperatedly. "And if this family friend is as close as you say he is-"

"Qian Fei was my brother's roommate in college. I'd be dragged along to lunches with them all the time-"

"-then he'll just be happy to have his little mei-mei attending and not worry a whit about your clothes," Ning Wei finished. After a moment, her eyes lit up. "Jiaxu is your date, right?"

Sang Zhi hesitated, turning to the dressing rooms, glad to have a handful of dresses to try on. "I… think so?"

Ning Wei narrowed her gaze on Sang Zhi as she disappeared behind a curtain. "What do you mean?"

"I mentioned it, but he didn't really agree," she said through the curtain, quickly changing into a bright yellow dress with lace trim. Stepping out, she patted the material with a shake of her head. "I think this is too bright."

"Right, too neon for you. Maybe we could find a sunflower shade-" her friend shook her head, motioning her back to the dressing room. "Did you ask him?"

"Well… no, not exactly. I kind of mentioned him going with me, but I was sick and then the conversation just carried on… I figured Qian Fei would invite him, so it felt silly to invite him with me-" Sang Zhi stuttered. Changing into a new dress, she poked her head out from the curtain with a concerned look. "Did I mess up?"

"What? No," Ning Wei laughed. "He probably didn't think about it. You can clarify when he comes home. When is he supposed to be back?"

"He was only supposed to be gone a day or two, but it's been all week," Zhi complained. "I vaguely know about the issue - apparently the company has some antiquated views on cloud database systems - but it sounds like there will be more hiccups due to that aspect so I'm not sure how busy he'll be when he gets back."

Jiaxu had been as communicative as he could be during the week, sending her texts and calling her later in the evening once he'd returned to his hotel room, sounding absolutely exhausted. Sang Zhi smiled to herself, thinking of the previous night's conversation.

I can't stop thinking about you. It makes it really hard to work, Zhizhi.

He'd almost been whining in a deep, sleepy tone, right before they'd ended the call for the night. It was reassuring, but Sang Zhi hated that he was so overworked.

Ning Wei hummed, which startled Sang Zhi out of her thoughts and to step out in the next dress.

“Oh, that’s much better,” Ning Wei grinned. “He won’t know what to do with himself if he sees you in this.”

Sang Zhi twisted around as she considered the slate blue dress. It was a rather demure cut from the front - a sweetheart neckline that flowed tightly against her form and ended just above the knee - but the back was almost completely bare, the straps crossing the tips of her shoulders, showcasing her spine.

“It isn’t too much for a wedding?” Sang Zhi asked, unsure. “The color is beautiful and this chiffon feels like a dream, but the back-"

"We'll find you a nice jacket to go over it," Ning Wei assured her. "This goes to the top of the list."

"If you say so," Zhi replied, going back into the dressing room. There were still a couple more dresses and she sighed, knowing that Ning Wei would insist on seeing each one of them. As she changed, her friend continued to talk through the curtain.

"Have you heard Wang Ruo Lan's news?"

"No." Honestly, Sang Zhi could barely keep up with her old roommates group chat, which made her feel a bit bad. Every time she checked it, they were discussing something - whether it was a new movie or interesting events nearby them - and she was so out of the loop she would just give small text affirmations and leave it at that.

"Well, she got a promotion at work," Ning Wei explained. "Oh! Also, Yu Xin's probationary time is almost over."

"Oh, that's great," she replied as she struggled into a new dress that was downright itchy.

"Now Wang Ruo Lan can focus on all the autobiography and documentary books she likes," her friend continued on. "You should give her a call, maybe she can give you some info on the illustration side of publishing."

Sang Zhi pulled the curtain back. The fabric bunched up awkwardly at her waist, making her look bloated. "This dress is a no. And why would I ask her about that?"

"C'mon, Sang Zhi," Wei said in exasperation, while motioning her back into the dressing room. "I only know about new books releasing because of the way you gush over their marketing campaigns and how famous whatever your favorite artist is doing for the cover art-"

Zhi wrinkled her nose at her friend before pulling the curtain closed.

"-you could totally ask her to give you tips about the industry-"

"Okay, okay, Weiwei. I'll give her a ring," Sang Zhi said, knowing it'd be easier to agree than argue. She'd been interested in working with a publisher to market books ever since she found out it was a viable job. It was unfortunate that Ning Wei remembered that so well, as she knew her friend had the best intentions, but it wasn't like she would relocate to Yihe to work with Wang Ruo Lan. Her digital marketing experience had way more local application to commercials and print ads.

"And you can tell her all about Jiaxu."

That made Sang Zhi laugh.

~~~

By the time Jiaxu arrived back in Nanwu on Sunday afternoon, he was ridiculously tired. His plane had flown through a lot of turbulence, so despite trying to get ahead by organizing the calendar, it was rather futile to concentrate. Eventually, his plane landed and he rushed through deplaning and getting to his car. Once driving, Jiaxu called Sang Zhi as he navigated out of the airport parking lot.

It went to voicemail. A minute later, a text popped up on his dashboard screen from her.

[Sang Zhi]: Sorry, I’m with my ma right now. Can I call you back?

Jiaxu hit the preset button with “okay”. It was a bit disappointing, but honestly he was so tired that he wouldn’t be great company. He wanted a shower and a nap.

Then his phone rang. Xu Chang Ru.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Jiaxu. Are you busy?” his cousin asked.

“I just got back from a trip, heading home, why?” he replied.

“I’m at the house to do some laundry, and Jiang Ying was just here, visiting with Auntie. She brought her a whole ginseng wellness basket,” Chang Ru said. “Have you talked to your ma lately? She sounds even worse than usual.”

With a sigh, Jiaxu replied, “no. Work has been busy and she keeps her calls short, claiming to focus on Chang Le’s upcoming competition. You didn’t say anything to Jiang Ying, right?”

“No, I didn’t. I just overheard them from the doorway.”

“Overheard them?”

“She knows you have a girlfriend, Jiaxu. Jiang Ying asked about you, brought up that you’re seeing someone and started the waterworks for Auntie. Auntie ate it all up, mentioning that this was just a phase and it’s only a matter of time till you-“

“-come to my senses, fulfill the family promise, yeah,” Jiaxu finished for her. Pulling into his garage, he frowned. “How did Jiang Ying find out? Did ma tell her?”

“It sounded like she’d seen you with your girlfriend. But you haven’t been up here, let alone with anyone, so I don’t know.”

A sense of foreboding settled in Jiaxu’s gut as he parked, considering. “Well, thank you for letting me know. Are you doing okay?”

“Classes are ramping up, and my roommates are kind of fighting right now, so I was glad to come by and see Auntie,” Chang Ru said.

“Fighting?”

“Nothing serious, really. A difference of opinion I have no desire to involve myself in,” she explained. “But I need to finish my laundry and get back. I have early classes on Mondays.”

Ending the call, Jiaxu sat in his car for a few extra moments considering the warning. How had Jiang Ying found out he was dating someone?

~~~

Sang Zhi gave a silent, internal sigh. Her ma had invited her to a charity luncheon a few days prior and she honestly couldn’t come up with an excuse to say no. It was filled to the brim with women of all ages in fancy dress, milling about as they inspected various vendors. After they’d had a small lunch of various tea foods, her mother had disappeared to speak with some friends and Sang Zhi found her attention drawn to a table with handcrafted beaded jewelry. She was inspecting a piece she thought might appeal to Ning Wei when a voice addressed her.

“Oh, you’re absolutely lovely, dear! It’s such a surprise no one has snatched you up,” the woman said, patting Sang Zhi’s hand. “But perhaps that’s lucky for me.”

Snatched her? Sang Zhi couldn’t help the small frown on her brow, eyes skimming the room for her mother. “I’m sorry, I-“

“Oh, where are my manners? Li Ping has spoken so much of her beautiful Sang Zhi, I quite forgot we hadn’t been introduced. Feng Lin,” the woman smiled, holding out her hand, before adding, “I do believe you’ve met my son, Su Haoan?”

Forcing a polite smile to her face despite her unease, Sang Zhi nodded and shook the woman's hand gingerly. “I understand he’s working with my father.”

“It’s quite the thing, too, all of the fancy things you young people do with your phones,” Feng Lin said. “He’s quite good at it.”

Nodding again, Sang Zhi remained silent. Her mother appeared next to her, fortunately ending the lag of conversation that even Sang Zhi knew had gone on too long.

“Lin!” Li Ping said, greeting the woman fondly. “I see you found my daughter.”

Feng Lin gave Li Ping a look that Zhi struggled to interpret. “She’s just as lovely as you claimed. It’s a pity we haven’t had time to get together lately. I was thinking of hosting a small get together… perhaps next week?”

Li Ping gave Sang Zhi her own glance.

Zhi stared back blankly.

“That would be welcome. I’ll discuss it with Sang Rong and see when we are available. Do you have a busy week at work, Zhizhi?” her mother asked.

“Oh, unfortunately yes,” Sang Zhi said, thinking fast. “A… client is coming into town for a preview package and I’ve been assigned to show them Nanwu hospitality-“

She didn’t even know what she was saying. That was entirely out of her job description, unless she was showcasing a project, yet…

“Oh goodness, they must really value you at work,” Feng Lin said. Sang Zhi bit the tip of her tongue to avoid wincing. “Perhaps the following week?”

Li Ping sent Sang Zhi a suspicious glance.

“Uhm… maybe,” Sang Zhi said.

“I’ll let you know, Feng Lin,” her mother interjected. “I’m sure we can find time.”

Sang Zhi tried hard to not let her irritation sour her expression. What was the point of this?

“Mama-“ she started.

“But I see Zhao Jia! We will see you later, Feng Lin,” Li Ping said with a smile, steering Sang Zhi away, who rushed a quick farewell nod to the other woman.

“Mama-“

“I’m sure you can manage one evening, Sang Zhi,” her mother interrupted her. “She means well and loves to entertain. Feng Lin and her husband have been pivotal in facilitating donations-“

“Oh, as long as you reach your quota,” Sang Zhi muttered.

“Don’t be ridiculous. What harm is there in one evening with friends?”

“Your friends, mama.”

“There will be young people there, I’m sure.”

Yes, like Su Haoan, Sang Zhi thought with a frown. But before she could argue the point, Li Ping had led them to Zhao Jia and her daughter Xian Bo, the conversation effectively ended.

After congratulating Xian Bo on her recent engagement, Sang Zhi asked a few nonconsequential questions about her wedding plans - it was set a little later than Zhi expected, in the early autumn - and Sang Zhi eventually managed to excuse herself and ducked into the foyer to check her phone. Dialing Jiaxu, she stepped into a small corner tucked away from the main room as it rang.

On the fourth ring, Jiaxu’s muffled voice picked up. “Hello?”

Sang Zhi was about to respond when words broke over her shoulder. “Sang Zhi, you’re looking lovely today.”

A sound somewhere between a gasp and a yelp escaped her and she dropped her phone. Turning, Zhi saw Su Haoan grinning at her and she glared at him. “What are you doing?” she demanded, reaching down to pick up her phone. The screen was blank and she stifled a groan.

“Just saying hello,” he replied, eyes trailing her movement appreciatively. “Oh, is your phone okay?”

“Why are you here?” Sang Zhi asked sharply, frowning down at the device, trying to turn it back on. It remained blank.

“I’m picking up my mother,” he explained. “Father is busy with work.”

Nodding absently, she sighed. The screen refused to respond. She’d have to run to a repair shop as soon as her mother was ready to leave.

“Did you meet her?” Su Haoan continued. “My mother?”

Sang Zhi looked up and gave another nod. There wasn’t anything further she was interested in saying to him, but felt a frown grow on her face as he seemed to become more amused.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing. How’s your brother been?”

“Fine,” was her clipped answer. Irritated by their entire exchange, Sang Zhi started to push past him, back to the event hall. Su Haoan held out his arm to stop her.

“Is Sang Yan… seeing anyone?”

Sang Zhi’s eyebrows rose in disbelief, before Su Haoan shook his head and waved at her obvious suspicion. “No! That’s… I'm not interested in him, I just need-“

She shifted onto her back foot, folding her arms. “By the way he speaks of you, he’d rather eat glass than talk to you.”

Su Haoan considered that for a moment before shrugging a shoulder. “I’m aware.”

“What did you do?”

“It was just a misunderstanding.”

“I see.”

“You will,” he muttered. Sang Zhi felt her frown deepen. Was that a threat?

“Darling!”

His mother had appeared, rushing over to embrace him. “You’re just on time! Oh, and Sang Zhi! I'm so sorry to interrupt… but isn’t it lovely for a man to be so attentive?”

Blinking furiously to school her face into a more neutral expression when all she wanted to do was smack the man, she tilted her head. “I’m sure you’re very… proud.”

“He’s so handsome as well,” Feng Lin continued, and Sang Zhi was gratified to see the man give his mother an aggrieved look. “I don’t know why so many nice women won’t give him a chance.”

“Mother,” he sighed, checking his wristwatch. “We don’t want to be late-“

“But you two look so well together, so maybe it was for the best,” she continued with a pat on Sang Zhi's shoulder, despite Su Haoan tugging on her arm. “Make sure to check your calendar, Sang Zhi!”

There was something gratifying about watching the man flee with his mother, but Sang Zhi couldn’t help wondering what on earth Su Haoan had meant.

~~~

Jiaxu had just arrived home, flouncing face first into his bed and on the edge of sleep, when his phone rang. Struggling to get it out of his jacket pocket, he finally picked up.

“Hello?”

There was ambient noise, like a hall or auditorium, and he heard a male voice say “Sang Zhi, you’re looking lovely today,” before there was a clack and the line went dead silent.

“Hello?” he repeated, bringing his phone away from his ear to see Disconnected. He hadn’t checked the name before answering, but it was Sang Zhi, so he dialed her back.

“The number you have dialed is temporarily disconnected.”

Rubbing his brow, Jiaxu squinted as he tried to push the headache building there away. It was likely a mixture of dehydration and too little sleep, but there was no way he’d get to nap now, worried about whatever happened with Sang Zhi's call. Getting up, he went to find some water and painkillers.

Standing in the kitchen, sipping water after his pills, Jiaxu pondered what he should do. She hadn't spoken, but was obviously at an event being complimented. A twinge of jealousy wound around in his chest, not helping his mood. It was ridiculous to feel threatened when he knew how Sang Zhi disliked such situations. Shaking off the irrational feelings, he pulled up his text messenger and typed out a question.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Do you know what plans Sang Zhi had with your ma today? I just got back into town and thought I'd surprise her.

It was stupid. He felt stupid. Sang Zhi had told him she was with her ma, and him showing up unannounced was stupid. But a moment later, he received a response.

[Sang Yan]: There was some sort of charity event at Botanical Manor.

Jiaxu pondered why Sang Yan knew that so quickly but sent his thanks in reply before grabbing his keys and heading out.

Botanical Manor turned out to be a large event building in a remodeled Victorian style home, the affluence apparent by the sculpted gardens that wove in between buildings. There was a sign inviting attendees that showed that the event was almost at an end, which explained the people exiting the building. Jiaxu hadn’t a clue what the purpose of the event was, but with his clothes still wrinkled from his flight, he felt a bit underdressed. One of the few gentlemen was wearing a bow tie for goodness sake.

Nevertheless, he skimmed the crowd. He’d known Sang Zhi had a fairly comfortable life - her childhood home had all the markings of wealth, miles above his own - but it would be interesting to see how she fared in the setting.

Jiaxu couldn’t find her. Instead, his eyes landed on her mother who gave him a quizzical glance.

“Duan Jiaxu?” Li Ping approached him and he bowed. “What a surprise.”

“Hello Mrs Sang,” he replied. “Is… erm, I was looking for Sang Zhi, do you know where she might be?”

“Ah, she left early,” Li Ping said. “There was an incident with her phone, so she went to get it repaired before her evening plans.”

Jiaxu nodded, the concern he’d had easing that she was well despite her phone issues.

“Did you have pleasant travels?” Li Ping asked. “I hope your family is in good health.”

He wasn’t entirely sure what she’d been told about his travel plans. “It was okay,” Jiaxu rubbed the back of his neck, ignoring the ache from the tense flight. “However, it wasn’t for family but for work. The client had some concerns that I needed to be present for.”

“Oh, I see,” she said. Something in her expression pinched. “Zhizhi mentioned you were traveling, so I assumed…”

"Ah, no," he explained. "Catnap collaborates with many studios across the country, so I was in Beiyu."

“Then why did you open a studio in Nanwu? Why not stay in Yihe?”

There was an earnest concern in Li Ping’s face that Jiaxu suddenly realized had nothing to do with his job. Why did you choose Nanwu?

“Mrs Sang,” he began to give himself a moment. “My life is in Nanwu. There wasn’t any other place to consider.”

“But I'm sure your family misses-“

you.

Li Ping's voice stilled at the grimace that Jiaxu couldn't withhold.

An awkward moment passed, Jiaxu looking around desperately, trying to think of something, anything, to explain about his family that wouldn’t make her hate him, but he was admittedly not feeling his best with a headache running rampant between his temples.

“Duan Jiaxu,” Li Ping said and he shifted uncomfortably to attention, dreading her next words. “I don’t know if Sang Zhi has mentioned it, but my family lives up in the mountains which is many hours drive to get to. Yet… Nanwu is my home.”

There was sympathy in her voice. “While I don’t know your situation, I do know how hard extended family can be. My husband has always been very supportive.”

Relief spread through Jiaxu. Li Ping wasn’t pressing to be rude, she simply wanted an understanding of what Sang Zhi could one day meet. But what assurance could he offer?

“I haven’t much experience with dating, Mrs Sang,” Jiaxu said, which surprised her, “but I will do everything to make Sang Zhi happy.”

Li Ping tilted her head. A moment passed as she read his earnest expression, then she nodded. “Sang Zhi was planning on meeting a friend later for dinner, hence why she ran along to repair her phone.”

Jiaxu nodded attentively, a relieved smile spreading over his face as she continued to explain the location of the restaurant. An amused glint appeared in her eyes as he thanked her. Saying his farewells, he dashed back to his car.

Sitting on the short brick wall in front of the restaurant, Jiaxu leaned his forearms on his knees as he fiddled nervously with his phone. When he'd arrived, he’d poked his head into the restaurant and seen a woman that he vaguely recollected, but no Sang Zhi, so he retreated to wait. Tapping between tabs as he checked his email, reorganizing his calendar for the week, as there were always endless tasks to achieve with whatever downtime he could manage, his headache be damned.

Then his phone rang. Sang Zhi.

“Hello?” he answered.

“I am so sorry, Jiaxu, my phone broke when I called you back before,” Sang Zhi’s voice was contrite. “I just got it repaired. How is the work going?”

Grinning, Jiaxu realized that her mother must not have warned her of his return to Nanwu. “It’s almost finished. Do you have any plans for the evening?”

“Ning Wei invited me to dinner with her friends when we were shopping yesterday. I’ve been so busy with work that I felt bad to decline-“ her voice began to blend between the line on the phone and when he looked up, glimpses of her form could be seen between the landscaping, “and I’ve missed seeing her like we did in university-“

Jiaxu stood up, smile widening further as she turned the corner and saw him. After one stunned moment where he waved with his phone at his ear, Sang Zhi launched herself at him with a delighted laugh.

Happiness spread through Jiaxu as he pocketed his phone quickly and hugged her tightly to him. Even the edge of his headache was soothed.

“When did you arrive?” she demanded, leaning back with a sudden pout. “I would have met you.”

“A couple of hours ago,” he replied as he brought his hands up to cup her neck. “But first-“

Pulling her face close, Jiaxu brushed his lips to Sang Zhi’s, incredibly satisfied with having the opportunity to kiss off her expression. A small gasp escaped her and he tensed, the desire to press in and explore her mouth exceedingly tempting, but he managed to contain himself, knowing that much more would probably be too much of a spectacle for her.

Pulling back, he caught Sang Zhi’s glazed expression as he touched his forehead to hers. “I missed you,” he murmured.

“Sangsang!”

Sang Zhi jumped and stepped back, her cheeks flushing pink which made Jiaxu grin again. They both turned to see the woman Jiaxu had met briefly once before, who was looking at them with a sly expression. “I was wondering what had kept you.”

“I’m sorry I’m late Weiwei,” Sang Zhi replied.

“Never mind that. Is this him?”

“Duan Jiaxu, this is my best friend Ning Wei,” Sang Zhi told Jiaxu. “Ning Wei, my boyfriend, Duan Jiaxu.”

Reaching out a hand, Jiaxu smiled. “Hello. I think we spoke once before…”

The woman wore bright clothes, a complicated hair style of various clips, and an infectious smile. Shaking his hand, she nodded. “I remember. Are you joining us for dinner?”

“I wouldn’t want to impo-“

Sang Zhi dipped her head down into her hand as if stifling a giggle when Ning Wei interrupted him.

“Nonsense, we have a whole group. Come meet my boyfriend!” she declared before twisting around to lead them inside.

Jiaxu stifled a sigh, glancing at Sang Zhi for her input. She was holding back a smile.

“I do think I’ve mentioned how social Ning Wei is,” she said. “But we don’t need to stay long.”

Ordinarily, Jiaxu would love to attend anything with Sang Zhi. It was unfortunate he was so tired between the work of the week and his flight. Regardless, he mustered up a smile and took Sang Zhi’s hand. “I don’t mind. I’m just glad to be with you.”

Sang Zhi lifted herself up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek and nodded.

Walking in together, Jiaxu saw a group of people revolving around Ning Wei. Approaching, she gave quick introductions and pulled an extra chair over for Jiaxu. He nodded politely, content with simply existing in Sang Zhi’s space, watching the dynamic of the group with interest.

Ning Wei definitely was the pull, loquacious and silly, but kept checking in with each person to keep them engaged. Jiaxu was a bit impressed, as there was a skill there to make sure no one felt left out. Her boyfriend, Chen Qiang, was very agreeable but content to let her run the show as he leaned back in his seat and spoke with another person. Honestly, most of the group was friendly and relaxed, which explained Sang Zhi’s ease. The only exception was Chen Qiang’s friend who was pouting into his drink and sending confused glances towards Sang Zhi.

“I can’t wait for you to see the dress we found Sang Zhi, Duan Jiaxu,” Ning Wei said as she plopped into a chair next to them, taking a piece of fruit from a bowl to eat.

“Oh?” Jiaxu replied.

“She’s going to be radiant for her friend’s wedding,” Ning Wei continued, making Sang Zhi wrinkle her nose at her.

“Ning Wei, this isn’t necessary-“

“Sang Zhi always looks beautiful,” Jiaxu replied, before leaning near Sang Zhi’s ear. “And telling you that is completely necessary.”

Her cheeks pinked once again and Ning Wei gave Zhi a nudge. “Is he always so shameless?” she asked in not a quiet voice. Jiaxu grinned. Sang Zhi took a sip of wine, avoiding Ning Wei's gaze.

"I see," Ning Wei said before shaking her head. “When is the wedding again?”

“A few weeks,” Sang Zhi replied.

“You’re getting married?” Chen Qiang’s friend called out from behind them. Sang Zhi’s face flushed and Jiaxu blinked, looking at the one person who had remained aloof throughout the evening.

Jiaxu didn’t take it personally. There was a very obvious interest in Sang Zhi from the man, but Sang Zhi had only given him a passing nod in greeting, squeezing Jiaxu’s hand, obviously unaware of the man let alone his attention.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Jiang Ming. Sang Zhi’s family friend is,” Ning Wei’s voice was as sharp as Jiaxu had ever heard it, making her boyfriend tense. “I was just telling Duan Jiaxu about Sang Zhi’s dress, so he will be prepared.” Leaning over, she whispered loudly, “it’s slate blue.”

Sang Zhi looked down, fiddling with her purse in her lap. With his head still pounding, Jiaxu wasn’t entirely sure what was making her uncomfortable - the attention from the loud man? Ning Wei’s comment? - but he knew she was. Resting his arm on the back of Sang Zhi’s chair, he squeezed her opposite shoulder and tried to smile.

Ning Wei then turned to Jiang Ming and pulled him aside to begin asking him about work, diffusing the man's attention and Jiaxu felt Sang Zhi relax. She glanced at him sideways and leaned into him.

"She means well… but I wasn't sure if you were actually attending Qian Fei's wedding with me, since you were invited separately from me, and I mentioned it to her…" she muttered with an apology in his voice. "I love Ning Wei, but she is a bit pushy."

Remembering their conversation when Sang Zhi was sick, Jiaxu nodded. "I was just teasing before. I'd love to go to the wedding with you."

A smile spread across Sang Zhi's face that made Jiaxu grin in response like a fool.

"It's coming up soon, right?" he asked, not entirely recalling the details. He'd need to make sure to black off the time in the calendar for him and Chen Junwen.

She nodded, giving him the date. Pulling up his phone in his opposite hand, he quickly added it to the work calendar. Lifting the screen, Jiaxu showed her. "Nothing will interrupt my attendance now."

Sang Zhi nodded, but continued to skim over the details of his workweek and she frowned. "Isn't that too many things due at once?"

"Oh," Jiaxu said, looking at the mess of tasks - dozens each day - and appointments. "I keep track of all of my team's progress. I don't do all of these directly, but have to be aware in case of any problems."

"What happens if there's a problem?"

"We work through it," he replied.

Humming under her breath, Sang Zhi sipped her drink, turning her gaze to the room. Jiaxu relaxed, perhaps leaning a bit into her as his arm was on the back of her chair, but followed her glance around the room. Ning Wei had pulled over another friend to talk with the previously upset guy and abandoned them for her boyfriend.

Sang Zhi looked back at him with a soft expression. He pushed a smile on his face, which made her brow wrinkle up. "You look tired, let's go, Jiaxu," she said quietly. Before he could deny it, she was standing and pulling him up towards Ning Wei.

"We have to go, Weiwei, but I'll talk to you later, okay?" Sang Zhi suddenly stated, leading Jiaxu along. He barely got out a 'nice to meet you!' farewell before they exited the building and Sang Zhi hailed a taxi.

"I have my car-" he said and she sent him a stern look, silencing him. Pushing him into the back seat of the taxi, she followed him in and gave the driver the address to Jiaxu's home. She fussed about his seatbelt and affection crowded his heart.

Jiaxu figured it wasn't the first time he'd left his car somewhere, so it wouldn't be a big deal to pick it up later. Glancing at Sang Zhi, he could see her texting and switching between message tabs, and just felt happy that he'd managed to see her. Closing his eyes, the drive began to lull his senses.

~~~

Sang Zhi felt Jiaxu lean over onto her shoulder, fast asleep, and gave him a fond smile. She should have taken him home the moment she'd found him in front of the restaurant. Arguing with her brother through text, she started to badger Qian Fei to get Sang Yan to be more agreeable about coming and getting Jiaxu's car. Sang Zhi would have done it if she drove, but she'd not had much interest in learning and it'd never been necessary before.

Looking at Jiaxu, his face relaxed in sleep, Sang Zhi worried her lip with her teeth. His work schedule looked abominable, yet he continued to push himself. She'd have to pay attention to make sure he didn't make himself sick.

She could definitely do that.

Chapter Text

Sang Zhi was nervous.

She'd managed to get Jiaxu home on Sunday, requesting his car keys which he'd given her without comment, and given him a quick kiss before leaving. While her day had been long with so many social commitments, going over to Sang Yan's apartment to cajole his driving skills had been far more successful when Wen Yifan heard of Zhi's need. He'd groused the entire way of her dragging him on the bus to Jiaxu's car.

It was always fun to irritate her brother.

But then Monday arrived with the anxiety inducing return of Xiaoyu. Sang Zhi’s docket filled like normal, but tasks stopped by five so she could leave on time with the team. On Tuesday, the comments left on her work were simply “accepted” without complaint. Wednesday brought Sang Zhi to the break room to accidentally overhear Xiaoyu explain to another manager that she had to return to her hometown for an urgent family situation, scant on details. Thursday, Xiaoyu put her approval on the newest draft of sprites that Sang Zhi had finished per Zhang Hui’s direction.

Sang Zhi hadn’t opportunity to see Jiaxu the entire week, balancing his new extremely demanding client with his regular clients, and his hours skyrocketed as he tried to appease them and help his team. She could only imagine how much worse his daily schedule looked like. So Sang Zhi remained vague about her work, not telling him about Xiaoyu’s return, not wanting him to worry.

However, by Friday, Sang Zhi was an absolute nervous wreck, waiting for something dire to happen. It all seemed to come to a head when Xiaoyu called her to her office. After offering Sang Zhi a chair, she simply stared at her with a frown.

“You… you wanted to see me?” Sang Zhi finally asked in a meek voice.

“We’ve had some misunderstandings, haven’t we, Sang Zhi?”

Sang Zhi nodded. “I swear, I didn’t mean to overstep-“

Xiaoyu held up her hand, brushing the apology aside. “You’ve stated as much. That’s not why I wished to speak with you.”

“Okay.”

“Your work with the project has been… good. Zhang Hui looked over your latest proposal of the updated sprites and stressed to me how valuable your work has been there,” Xiaoyu stated in a tight tone, as if admitting it was painful, holding out a paper with data from the past few weeks. “The new phase of the campaign was approved with a six month extension. The animation team is waiting for you.”

“Thank you,” Sang Zhi said with wide eyes.

“That’s all.”

Sang Zhi nodded, stood up and walked carefully to the door. Pausing, she turned. “I hope that your trip wasn’t because of bad news.”

Xiaoyu's expression was vaguely surprised, but she responded with a curt, “thank you.”

Sang Zhi nodded and left the office promptly. The document with updated data was an olive branch that she hadn't been expecting, but it was downright weird after months of heinous behavior.

However, if Xiaoyu was to be reasonable from now on, Sang Zhi wasn’t going to complain.

~~~

Jiaxu had never been so glad that Siyun was the ultimate professional and didn't say 'I told you so' when he gave her a project update over the phone on that same Friday afternoon. After that warning about how disorganized the company was, she would have been well within her rights.

"The problem with their server has been addressed, but only because we're working in batches," Jiaxu explained. "We will only make the deadline if we all put in overtime, which I'd rather avoid."

"What would you suggest?" Siyun asked.

"I don't know if there's someone who might be interested in temporarily helping from your office?" Jiaxu asked. He could almost hear Siyun tapping her lip in thought.

"There is one employee who's finished her probation and interested in the language algorithm. She's familiar with the emotion data packs, as she's worked in character design and model work, but has shown interest in Celestial," Siyun finally replied. "I can see if she's interested in a temporary job down there."

Jiaxu sighed, relieved. "Do you think she'll be able to pick it up quickly?"

"Yes. You would have to train her about any differences for this project, however."

He thought about it for a moment, calculating how quickly Chen Junwen had picked up the nuances of their protocols. If she had Siyun's approval, she was likely talented.

"That shouldn't be a problem. Let me know if she agrees. Thanks Siyun," he replied. It would be an unfortunate mark to need to pull another salary in for this project, but if they made the deadline, they'd still make profit. Ending the call, Jiaxu leaned back in his chair to consider his phone.

[Duan Jiaxu]: It looks like it'll be a long weekend.

[Sang Zhi]: Oh. 😔 Maybe I could bring you dinner?

[Duan Jiaxu]: I would like that, but I'll be providing dinners for the team, so there's no need.

Sighing, Jiaxu sat up and set his phone down on his desk, rubbing his brow. He sent a quick email to Chen Junwen to let him know of the potential new arrival when his phone vibrated.

[Sang Zhi]: Okay.

He frowned at the message. There wasn't much he could offer her when he had so much work to do, so he picked up his phone.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Do you have weekend plans?

She didn't reply immediately, so Jiaxu set his phone back down and started working. He was partly through a tricky bit of code when he finally got a response, a solid half hour having passed.

[Sang Zhi]: Just a few errands with Wen Yifan.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I hope you have fun.

[Sang Zhi]: Thanks. Don't work too hard.

[Duan Jiaxu]: It will go quickly. I'll text you when I can.

~~~

The shoe store was fortunately pretty quiet for a Saturday afternoon, which pleased Sang Zhi as she didn't like to be rushed while she shopped. She struggled to latch a pair of nude heels to her ankles as Wen Yifan looked at the displays with a disinterested air. The text from the day before wouldn't stop circling in Sang Zhi's thoughts.

It will go quickly.

Why did Jiaxu's words bother Sang Zhi so much? Something about the phrase seemed more like a force of habit than an assurance.

"Sang Zhi?" Wen Yifan asked, peering at her face. "You okay?"

"Oh," Sang Zhi replied, clearing the scowl off of her face as she realized that Yifan had been trying to gather her attention. "Yes. Did you find a pair that you liked?"

"I already have a pair of heels that will go with my outfit," her friend said, shaking her head. Sang Zhi frowned.

"What's the point of shoe shopping if I'm the only one who gets something?" Zhi said crossly. "You haven't even tried anything on."

"Do you like the ones you're wearing?"

Sang Zhi looked down at her feet and stood up, wobbled a moment, and winced. Something about the design pinched her toes and, honestly, they didn't feel very stable.

"I don't think they'll work," she said, sitting down. "What have you found?"

Wen Yifan placed a box onto the couch and popped open the lid. Inside was a pair of kitten heels in a satin black. "I thought perhaps a shorter heel," she said. "I know Jiaxu is tall, but I don't know how your brother would handle it if you were clinging to your boyfriend all evening due to being unbalanced."

Sang Zhi wrinkled her nose. "Just call me clumsy, Yifan."

Wen Yifan bit back a smile.

"I'll try these on only if you promise to look for something for yourself," Sang Zhi declared, pulling the straps of the nude pair off her feet. At her pointed look, Wen Yifan gave an almost imperceptible sigh and went back to browsing.

"How is work?" Yifan asked. "Were your sprites approved?"

As Sang Zhi slid the new black pair of heels onto her feet, she marveled at how comfortable they were. Standing up, she explained all that had happened in the last week between Xiaoyu's absence, Zhang Hui's interest and support of her work, and the calm week with Xiaoyu's return.

"So yes, they were approved, but it's strange," Sang Zhi noted as she walked around to test the shoes out. "While she's giving me a lot of work, it's not as much as before. I leave with everyone else. I have so much more free time." She even managed a small twirl without losing her balance.

"Oh? I would think you'd be seeing Jiaxu more."

"He has a huge project right now, so we haven't been able to meet up," Sang Zhi refuted. "He went out of town for a few days, but even after coming back he hasn't been available."

The sound of a cell phone rang nearby and they both grabbed their purses.

"It's mine," Wen Yifan said, pulling it out. "Hello?"

Sang Zhi considered the shoes as Yifan left to take her call. Checking her phone for messages, she saw the reminder text from her brother that made her sigh. If Wen Yifan didn't get a new pair of shoes, Sang Yan would be miffed at her.

It had always been a bit of an odd game to get Wen Yifan to accept gifts.

As she packed the heels up and put her own shoes back on, Sang Zhi squinted at the box that Yifan had set down, noting the size and style. If her friend managed to leave without purchasing anything, well, Sang Zhi would rectify that. 

Wen Yifan returned wearing a hollow expression. "Sorry about that. Where were we?"

"Who was it?"

"No one important," she replied with a practiced nonchalance, which made Sang Zhi frown. "Wrong number."

Then why did you leave to take the call?

Sang Zhi had seen the expression on Wen Yifan's face before and knew there was someone specific behind it. She'd not uncovered exactly who, as Yifan wore secrecy like a coat. It was only after years of knowing her, discovering quite by accident, that Sang Zhi knew anything about her friend's sleepwalking. However, Sang Zhi wasn't about to push when she had a direct order from her brother to make the most of the afternoon, so she pointed at the box Wen Yifan had previously chosen. "What color is your dress? Will those match?"

Wen Yifan chuckled in an exasperated way and Sang Zhi knew she'd need to lean in hard on her annoying little sister instincts, to badger and cajole her friend into making a choice. It seemed to work, Yifan relaxing as time went on, laughing at some of Sang Zhi's more outlandish choices, before finally settling on a demure pair of heels for herself. Sang Zhi even managed to put both shoes on her credit card before Wen Yifan noticed and frowned at her.

"I'll pay you back," the woman insisted and Sang Zhi scowled.

"You won't dare."

Wen Yifan quirked her brow. "Why not?"

"Because I'll tell my brother on you," Sang Zhi said and stuck out her tongue.

Yifan laughed and wrapped her arm around Zhi's waist, squeezing her in a gentle side hug as they walked to their next shop. Sang Zhi smiled.

~~~

Later that evening, Sang Zhi stared up at a house in mild awe. The house was downright palatial. She wondered just what sort of family that the Su’s were that they had such wealth. While Sang Zhi could knew she was privileged and had never struggled growing up, her childhood home was nice but not this nice. There was a foyer where her and her parents' coats were taken before being seen into the sitting room. Her mother was completely unimpressed, comfortable in the way of someone who had visited before.

No wonder her parents had taken the interest from Su Haoan so seriously.

The man himself was by the wet bar, keeping his distance while his own parents welcomed them, simply raising his drink to Sang Zhi.

“Your home is lovely,” Sang Zhi said politely to the hostess. It was difficult to know what was expected of her in such company. While she'd been in more proper social situations before, it had been years since it was expected for her to make a quiet appearance, and never with such single minded focus.

“Oh, you’re so sweet, dear, come here,” Feng Lin said, taking her by the arm and leading her over to a settee. “Haoan! Don’t ignore our guests.”

Su Haoan sauntered over, a pleasant expression plastered to his face as his mother practically pushed him to sit next to Sang Zhi. He gave an apologetic wince to her, holding up his drink. “Would you care for a drink?”

“Wine is fine,” she said. Haoan started to get up when his mother stopped him.

“Your father will get it,” she smiled, turning back to Sang Zhi’s parents who were settling into their own seats. She was about to speak when the doorbell was heard. “Oh, excuse me, that will be the other guests…”

Sang Zhi accepted the glass of wine from the older man who introduced himself as Su Haoyu and nodded in thanks. He then left the pair to speak with Sang Rong about their shared construction application project which didn’t interest Sang Zhi in the least so she looked around the room for something interesting.

“I’m surprised you agreed to this,” Su Haoan stated, giving her a speculative look. Sang Zhi ignored him, taking a sip from her glass. There wasn't any real choice with the way her ma had pounced on her the moment she'd returned from shopping with Yifan. She'd been corralled up to her bedroom and changed into a stiff outfit before she could think of an excuse.

“I’m not entirely convinced you do have a boyfriend,” he continued. “Otherwise-“

“I do,” Sang Zhi refuted sharply. “What's wrong with me attending a gathering?”

Su Haoan grinned. “Otherwise he wouldn't leave you alone.”

“He’s working.”

“This late in the evening?”

Sang Zhi shrugged a shoulder. She didn’t need to justify anything. It was unfortunate that she still felt a bite of disappointment in her heart. Jiaxu had texted her and called her over the last week, yet… they hadn't really had time to meet up. She missed him.

Internally shaking off her thoughts, she resolved to at least stop by his office the next day. He'd warned her that the schedule would be rough, which she'd seen in that quick glimpse of his work calendar. It wasn't his fault.

“Well, good luck,” Su Haoan said into his glass, tipping the rest of his drink into his mouth.

Sang Zhi frowned, watching as his throat bobbed, confused as to his meaning. Deciding she would find another seat, she began to stand when the bustle of people was heard by the door and Su Haoan grabbed her arm to keep her still.

“Trust me,” he muttered in a low voice, releasing her instantly. Sang Zhi acquiesced, eyes darting to the door.

As Feng Lin ushered in the newcomers, Sang Zhi took note. Two older couples and two younger adults. The younger two were enamored with their phones, the man flinging himself onto a couch rudely while the woman stood by the window. The elder couples, however, were full of smiles and banter with Feng Lin until the moment they saw the Sang’s. Their conversation halted, expressions cooling.

Sang Zhi glanced at her parents. Her father looked concerned with a quick glance to his wife while Li Ping stiffened a bit before managing a small smile.

“I wasn’t aware this was that kind of dinner, Feng Lin,” one of the older women said.

“Now, Che Yanqin, is that any way to act with my guests? We were in the injured party, might I remind you, and if I can let bygones be bygones-“

Sang Zhi sent a confused look to Su Haoan who had a stiff smile on his face.  

“I do hope your family is well, Zhao Yuandong,” Li Ping offered graciously. “We haven’t seen you in quite some time.”

The other older woman, who had a smile so painted that it reminded Sang Zhi of a wooden puppet, nodded in response before glancing at the previous woman in worry. “We are well,” she finally said with a nervous titter.

“When do we eat?” the young man demanded, not looking up from his phone.

“Wen Ming-“ Che Yanqin began to scold him and Sang Zhi’s eyes widened, tuning out the words. The surname wasn’t uncommon, but with how strangely Su Haoan had been acting… did he know Wen Yifan? Was this her family?

“Oh, my manners,” Feng Lin said with chagrin. “Sang Zhi, you poor dear, these are my good friends, Wen Liang Xian, Che Yanqin, and their son Wen Ming. And this is Zheng Liang Chen, Zhao Yuandong, and their daughter Zheng Kejia. And this lovely woman is Sang Zhi, the lovely daughter of our Sang friends here.”

Sang Zhi awkwardly stood up to give small bows to each person who mostly gave her nods in return. Wen Ming didn’t bother, however, suddenly focusing on her over his phone with an odd grin.

Sitting back down next to Su Haoan felt far safer than any alternative. Twisting her wineglass in her hand, she spoke under her breath. “What is this?”

“Dynasty,” he replied softly. “Da’s been friends with both of the Wen's since birth due to our grandfathers forming Suwen Inc., and it was always assumed our families would join.”

Sang Zhi's blinked, having had no idea Su Haoan was from such family with connections to such a large corporation. She took a long drink of her wine.

“What happened?” she asked after finishing it off.

“They only had sons. So it was presumed I and…" he sent her a knowing look before giving a sigh. "And then, Wen Liang Zhe had the audacity to die, which prompted his widow Zhao Yuandong to remarry Mr Zheng,” he nodded to one of the gentlemen, presumably the new husband. “Can I refresh your wine? I need another drink.”

Sang Zhi shook her head and Su Haoan stood, walking away. The conversation around was stilted but Feng Lin skillfully navigated everyone into talking. Zhao Yuandong was talking to Li Ping about some sort of event she’d been hoping to attend and wouldn’t it be lovely if they could go together? Che Yanqin had a forced smile on her face that Sang Zhi could see slip when she thought no one was looking.

Sang Rong had joined the men at the wet bar, regaling them with humorous stories of his job, which would usually concern Sang Zhi as they were typically rather dull… but the men erupted in laughter.

She just wanted to leave. Everything felt strange and fake and there was a simmering anger in the room, which made no sense to her.

“So you’re the new lamb, huh?” said the young woman, Zheng Kejia, as she wandered over.

Sang Zhi blinked. “Pardon?”

“Well, they didn’t pull this little intimate gathering for no reason. They must be desperate for Su Haoan to move on from… what was her name?” Kejia continued.

“There was no moving on, I was never stuck,” Su Haoan said as he returned. Kejia emitted an elegant sound that was certainly not a snort.

“I’m sure.”

“What is going on?” Sang Zhi asked in a fierce whisper.

“You don’t know?” Kejia said incredulously before giggling. “I thought it was obvious."

"I know Mama wanted to introduce me to him-" Sang Zhi gave Su Haoan a dirty look, who appeared unaffected, "-but I convinced her it wasn't necessary-"

Sang Zhi trailed off as Zheng Kejia interrupted to ask through a giggle, "then why are you here?"

"Feng Lin invited me to a family dinner! It was…" Sang Zhi started before wincing, remembering how unabashed the woman was about her intention, speaking of snatching her and whatnot, "...completely obvious. What is wrong with you?" she asked, glaring at Su Haoan. "Why can't you court someone in a normal way? Why is your mother involved?"

He rolled his eyes. "I think you're vastly underestimating my mother's criteria for an acceptable wife. You should be flattered."

"I have a boyfriend!" Sang Zhi hissed. Zheng Kejia's eyebrows shot up, glancing at Su Haoan in confusion.

"Oh, is there going to be another fight?" Zheng Kejia asked, amused. "Let me know so I can record it."

"I did warn you," he stated blandly to Sang Zhi, ignoring Kejia. "Mother tries this often. Since…"

Wen Yifan's name was unspoken, but Sang Zhi could practically hear it. Blinking furiously, she considered the room of strangers, many with an inordinant amount of wealth and influence that she felt a bit dizzy. Was this what Wen Yifan had grown up around? Her eyes darted to the door, the desire to leave so strong that she subconsciously turned towards it.

"Sang Zhi," Li Ping called out from her chat with the other ladies. "Could you come here?"

Sang Zhi took a moment to clear her expression. She could tell it amused her companions, but she straightened, ignoring them, and walked over to her mother. Her head was spinning. There were so many unanswered questions ( was this why Wen Yifan didn't speak of her family? ) , questions that she'd paid no attention to for years ( what happened to make Sang Yan hate Su Haoan so much?), but none that she could dare ask in present company.

"Yes, Mama?" Sang Zhi asked, sitting down on the chaise next to her mother.

"We couldn't have Su Haoan hogging you all evening," Zhao Yuandong said with a smile. "You're quite pretty. How old are you?"

Sang Zhi answered dutifully and it continued into an inquisition of almost every aspect of her life. Her struggles with food restrictions - "Don't worry, I let my chef know!" assured Feng Lin - if she got good exercise, if she liked her job, how long she felt she'd want to be in a career before becoming a mother… it felt like an age had passed before Su Haoyu announced that dinner was ready and they retired to another extensively furnished dining room where she found herself seated, once again, next to Su Haoan.

The table was round and huge, giving way to many dishes on the turntable, where Sang Zhi picked at her food. Su Haoan seemed to be on his third or fourth drink, eyes glazing over each time she glanced at him. Fortunately, he didn't seem particularly interested in chatting.

Honestly, the evening felt neverending. A headache was building behind her eyes, the entire situation uncomfortable. Why had her mother insisted Sang Zhi come if it was to do some bizarre courtship ritual for a man she wasn't interested in? Li Ping knew that Sang Zhi was utterly, completely serious about Jiaxu. Wouldn't it be embarrassing - disastrous even - when Sang Zhi declined… whatever this was?

Because not only was her mother's social credit on the line, Su Haoan was working with her father on some sort of mobile application as well. Would it affect Baba's company?

Dread began to pulse through Sang Zhi as she looked around, seeing all the incredibly rich details of their decor, her heartbeat becoming louder and louder in her ears. Breath was hard to catch suddenly, and glancing at the guests, she could feel their eyes on her, foreboding, judgmental. Her stomach swooped suddenly, vision blurring as she stared at whatever delicacy was on her plate.

A firm grip on her arm startled her as Su Haoan jumped up from his seat, pulling her up. "I'll be happy to show you the way to the facilities, Sang Zhi," he declared loudly, interrupting everyone from their conversations. Sang Zhi sent him a wide eyed look, wondering if it would be better or worse if she vomited all over him, but bit back the impulse at the last moment as he started to pull her out of the room.

Once they were out in the hall, Sang Zhi could breathe. Su Haoan released her as he led the way. "Bathroom's just down here. You okay?"

"No," she said shortly, pushing into the fortunately nearby room to get away from him. Locking the door harshly for the sound, she slid down against the door. The cool of the wood chilled her, soothing the heat of her nausea, while emotions continued to churn through her. It was the closest thing to a panic attack she'd had in years.

A tear dripped down her cheek as feelings of failure spread through her. With that sort of pressure, it was no wonder Wen Yifan didn't speak of her family.

"Look," Su Haoan said through the door as Sang Zhi dabbed at her eyes. "I get that you didn't quite understand what you were agreeing to when you came. But the evening will only last another hour."

Standing up, she took a shaky breath and cracked the door open. "Why an hour?"

"That's just how it is," he replied with a shrug. "Us 'kids' can usually bail earlier than the other adults. I'll even sober up to drive you. Think you'll manage without losing your dinner?"

Sang Zhi checked the mirror before wincing and rubbed at the runoff of mascara with her sleeve. Better.

Finished, she presented herself to Su Haoan waiting by the door. "Okay. Any other advice?"

Su Haoan rubbed at the back of his neck, considering, before finally deciding. It offered all of the confirmation and implications Sang Zhi had been worried about.

"Don't mention Wen Yifan."

~~~

The cursor blinked at him on the screen in a soft beat.

Jiaxu rubbed his eyes, fingers spreading across his face as he pushed his glasses up to relieve one kind of pressure with another.

Fuck was he tired.

He'd been pushing himself just a little bit harder, knowing that the newcomer would probably have a bit of a learning curve to their work, and Chen Junwen was off that evening to go pick the woman up. Jiaxu's own car was on restriction, but with how tired he was, it was just as well that he didn't drive. Glancing at the clock, he scratched at his head and decided he was done. Jiaxu was more likely to cause some sort of stupid mistake if he kept on like this.

Packing up his stuff, he shuffled through the office, locking up as he went, and started on his way home. The bus wasn't a particularly glamorous way to travel, but he didn't have to pay attention to his driving, so he checked his phone. There was a text from his ma, happily informing him of Chang Le's dance team champion results at the competition that weekend, multiple texts overlapping his notifications to where he saw…

[Sang Zhi]: I miss you.

Jiaxu frowned, squinting at the timestamp. When had she sent this? It was only a while ago, a time she was usually in bed for her early work day. Annoyed at himself, he wondered if she was asleep yet. Yet, he was so damn tired he didn't even notice his phone vibrating?

His bus stop arrived as he considered what to reply, hoping it wouldn't wake her if she was asleep.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I miss you too. I can take a bit of time off to have dinner with you, if you're available tomorrow?

Stepping off the bus, he hit send and walked the few blocks to his home. As he approached, however, Jiaxu saw a form bundled up in a puffy coat on a cement planter in front of his building with a couple of bags stacked next to them. It took a moment for his sleep-addled brain to connect that the shivering form was Sang Zhi, concern punching his chest through the happiness of seeing her. Quickening his steps, Jiaxu walked up to her. Her head was staring down at her phone, typing things out before deleting them, hair covering her face.

"Sang Zhi?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"

Sang Zhi looked up, eyes subdued, and he could see a few beer bottles on the other side of her. "Jiaxu," she said in a soft, relieved way as he sat down next to her and took her hands. They were freezing. A little hiccup escaped her as she leaned into him without hesitation and Jiaxu, confused, patted her hair.

"What happened?" he tried again.

She shook her head, forehead nuzzling into his shoulder. "I missed you."

Missed me enough that you were drinking?

"It's cold. Let's get you inside," he said, standing. She let him pull her up, weaving a slight bit as he grabbed her bags. They were heavy, a far cry from the little overnight bag she'd brought once before. What had happened?

Leading her into the building and a quick elevator ride upstairs, Jiaxu deposited her bags by the door, helping Sang Zhi into a chair at the counter-top bar. While she wasn't exactly drunk, she wasn't sober, as she slumped over the bar and stared at him steadily. He decided to heat some water, knowing the moment that he stopped moving he'd probably be out for the night.

"So," he began, spooning some honey into a mug. "Is Xiaoyu back?”

Sang Zhi blinked slowly as the words soaked in her brain.

“Yes,” she finally said. He poured the warmed water into the mug and stirred it before setting it in front of her. Zhi sat up to sip it.

“What did she do?”

Sang Zhi shook her head, lip wobbling the slightest bit. “She’s been okay.”

Considering how quiet Sang Zhi had been about her work troubles previously, Jiaxu didn’t believe her for a moment. Walking around the counter, he wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her from behind. She gave a deep sigh, enjoying the moment before pulling back to give him a rueful look.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “You look exhausted and I’m being such a-“

Jiaxu silenced her with a kiss, unable to hear bother once again. It was meant to be a quick, chaste one, but Sang Zhi brought her hands up to his face and pressed in, as if his kiss was vital. Dazed, Jiaxu tilted into the counter for stability, the scent and taste of Sang Zhi washing over him.

After a few dizzying moments, Jiaxu pulled back, touching his forehead to her own. His tired thoughts were in no way prepared for the effects of his girlfriend on his body. “Sang Zhi.”

She nodded, tucking her head into his chest. "I really wanted to see you," she murmured.

Sighing with defeat, Jiaxu concluded that he just wasn't awake enough to push for a clearer answer at this moment. Instead, his eyes caught the door with her bags. "Were you planning to stay?"

"If I could," she said into his chest in a small voice. "If not, I'll call a-"

"Of course you can," Jiaxu said, cutting her off. As far as he was concerned, she could have moved in yesterday. Pulling her away gently, he gave a small smile. "How about you grab what you need and get ready for bed? I need to check on a few things."

Sang Zhi gave another wobbly smile - what the hell had put that look on her face? - and shuffled over to the door to remove her shoes and grab one of her bags. After she disappeared into his bedroom, Jiaxu sent off a text to Chen Junwen.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Did everything go smoothly with pickup?

[Chen Junwen]: Yes. I got her dinner to-go and then dropped her off at the hotel before heading home.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Glad to hear it. Thanks for picking up my slack.

[Chen Junwen]: Get some rest, you look like shit. It’ll scare our newbie and then where will we be?

Jiaxu huffed a laugh at that. So much for being the 'boss'. But he wasn't offended. If anything, Junwen's candor was appreciated.

With that last work task done, he locked up and turned off the lights, bringing Sang Zhi's mug with him to set on the nightstand. Changing into clean pajamas felt wonderful. He was pulling open the sheets when Sang Zhi appeared in the bathroom doorway. He tried not to focus on the fact that she'd stolen yet another shirt from him - a simple white undershirt - and left to do a quick brushing of his teeth, returning to find Zhi snuggled down into the bed.

Plugging his phone in and hitting the lights, Jiaxu slid between the sheets and a long, relieved sigh escaped him. Laying horizontal in his actual bed was amazing, and Sang Zhi shimmying closer to nestle into his arms felt even better.

"Good night Jiaxu," she whispered.

He tried to respond, but all he could manage was a mumble before falling to sleep.

Chapter Text

Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz.

The vibration of a phone alarm going off pulled Jiaxu from his rather cozy sleep. His arm was pinned down, his sleepy thoughts realizing it was Sang Zhi, so he grabbed backwards for his phone blindly, trying to smack it back to sleep. He just wanted another ten minutes, but the bed shifted, releasing his arm and the buzzing stopped. Light flashed over his face and he blearily squinted his eyes to see Sang Zhi fussing with her phone.

"What time is it?" he asked, wrapping an arm around her waist. It felt entirely too wonderful to wake up next to her and he pulled her backwards, tight against his body.

"It's early, go back to sleep," Sang Zhi murmured, relaxing into him. "I forgot to set my alarm for earlier."

Peeking at her screen, Jiaxu could see the hour was just after five and buried his face back into her neck. Did Sang Zhi always wake up at this time? He knew she had an unusually early day, but this seemed excessive, even to him. She shuffled out of bed against his quiet tug of protest, a little groan escaping her as she rubbed her head.

"Why earlier?" he asked.

"I think it'll take me a bit longer to get to work," she said, searching through her bag with her phone flashlight. The light shone up in her face and she hissed, "my head is killing me."

"I'll get you some medicine," Jiaxu said, forcing himself out of bed. Turning on the bathroom switch with the door slightly ajar to give some ambient visibility, he padded groggily to the kitchen to find some painkillers. He yawned as he started the hot water kettle before setting the pills out with a glass of water.

Sang Zhi appeared all dressed for work, quickly grabbing the medication to take. He then watched her bustle around to another one of her bags, pulling out various things needed for work.

"What's the rush?" Jiaxu asked.

"The bus arrives in five minutes-"

"I'll drive you," he stated. "It's too far for the bus, isn't it?"

Sang Zhi paused the packing of her bag before she nodded silently. She wasn't looking at him, focusing on her belongings.

"Come have some tea," Jiaxu said, getting a mug from the cabinet. "I'll only be a few minutes."

He rushed through getting ready, unsure of just how long it would take for him to get her breakfast and to her office across town before six. The bus would have taken far longer, yet she had still arrived at his doorstep. The questions from the night before started crowding in Jiaxu's head, but by the way she was avoiding his eye, he wasn't sure how to approach the topic.

When they finally made it to his car and started on the journey, Jiaxu glanced at her. "Did the medicine help?"

Sang Zhi nodded. "A bit, yes, thank you. It might be a busy few weeks for me during work because with my new sprites being approved, I'll be working with the animation team more."

"Did Xiaoyu give you trouble?"

"No," she said. "She gave me some updated figures and sent me along."

"Were you working late last night?"

Sang Zhi shook her head and sent him an embarrassed glance. "I was thinking about how we hadn't seen each other and there was no reason why I couldn't come to you when you get home from work. I can help things go smoothly while you focus on finishing your project."

Then why were you so sad?

There was also a contradiction with her words, warning of her schedule becoming busier… yet wanting to help with his. But with the way she was holding her head and wincing, he didn't push it.

They arrived at the breakfast place, Jiaxu maneuvering into a parking spot. Sang Zhi nodded when he said he'd be right back, and he thought of her words while he placed the order and waited.

While Jiaxu would like nothing better to come home to Sang Zhi, he wasn't often at home during crunch weeks. Rubbing his temple, Jiaxu considered his options. He could push for some sort of answer for her sudden appearance at his doorstep, or he could wait until he had the time to have a proper conversation.

Sighing, Jiaxu gathered their prepared breakfast and made his way back to the car. Sang Zhi smiled weakly as he climbed in, which made his heart stutter. Something was going on with his beautiful girlfriend and he had no idea what.

All he could do was assure her of his affection.

It wasn't until later that morning, after dropping off Sang Zhi at her work and arriving at his own, that Jiaxu got a text that confused him.

[Sang Yan]: Was Sang Zhi with you last night?

[Duan Jiaxu]: Yes.

[Sang Yan]: Thought so. Thanks.

Jiaxu squinted suspiciously at his phone. Where was the indignation?

[Duan Jiaxu]: Did something happen? She seemed upset but didn't want to talk about it.

[Sang Yan]: The little demon disappeared on ma and da last night.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Why?

[Sang Yan]: I'll find out.

With that uncertain reply, Jiaxu turned back to his work, but focus eluded him. Sang Zhi had come to him before anyone else, filling him with a sense of satisfaction, yet… hadn't mentioned anything. The expression on her face had hurt him and he wasn't even involved in whatever had happened.

Pinching his nose, Jiaxu wasn't sure what else he could find out until Sang Zhi wanted to tell him. Checking his phone, he realized she'd never responded to his dinner invitation, so he tapped on the screen.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Are you busy this evening?

A knock at his door caused Jiaxu to look up, seeing Chen Junwen - with a stiff, uncomfortable smile - and the new employee at his door. "Hey Jiaxu," Junwen said. "You're here early."

Giving a tight smile as he stood, Jiaxu nodded as they entered. "Figured I'd get an early start."

Standing, Jiaxu took in the employee politely. She was in a crisp outfit, hair pulled back in a professional ponytail. She had sharp features and clasped her hands behind her back, exuding a quiet confidence. Siyun really had a knack for finding some talented programmers.

"This is Yu Xin from Dream Studios," Chen Junwen introduced. "Our boss, Duan Jiaxu, the owner of Catnap."

Her eyes widened slightly and she nodded in greeting. "You built the Celestial system," she stated. "I remember when that update came out for Jianghu. It was incredible."

Jiaxu blinked in surprise before smiling. "I didn't build it alone. My team up in Yihe was invaluable at the time. Are you familiar with the system?"

Yu Xin sent a quick glance to Chen Junwen before answering succinctly. "Yes."

"Well, that should make this process a bit smoother," Jiaxu said with visible relief. "The project you've been brought on uses a foundational system of Celestial. If you're familiar with that, you should be up to speed in no time."

Chen Junwen was staring at Yu Xin as if he wasn't entirely sure what to make of her. The Celestial system wasn't exactly easy to access - Dream Studios had safeguarded it to the best of their abilities - but since Yu Xin had been working at said parent company, she'd probably been studying it in between her own work.

Jiaxu walked around his desk to surreptitiously nudge his friend, who'd been unusually quiet. "If you need anything during your stay here, please let me or Junwen know. I hope your accommodations are comfortable."

She nodded.

"Then I'll let you show her her desk, Junwen?" Jiaxu looked at his friend, sending him a confused look. The man shook himself slightly, sending a nervous look to Jiaxu, before hurrying out the door. It wasn't until Yu Xin had bowed in farewell, following Chen Junwen out, that Jiaxu even realized that the woman was relatively attractive, which would definitely account for his friend's awkward demeanor.

He snickered to himself a moment before shaking his head. Hopefully they would finish the project before Junwen embarrassed himself. It didn't look likely with at least another four weeks to look forward to.

Jiaxu's phone vibrated.

[Sang Zhi]: I need to go run some errands after work, but I can make my way over to your house around seven I think.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Perfect. Do you need me to pick you up?

[Sang Zhi]: No, thanks.

Jiaxu sighed, the hours of the day stretching out in front of him interminably. At least he'd see her that night.

~~~

Sang Zhi slunk into her childhood home carefully, noting the dark rooms, ears straining for any sound. It seemed clear, so Mama's words from earlier, telling her they'd be busy that night Friday, had been true.

She'd managed to build up the confidence to talk to her mother that afternoon during her lunch break. Her mother had asked about her night - how was Sang Yan's? - and Sang Zhi had clung to the provided excuse before explaining she was going to be gone longer, saying that Ning Wei's house sitter bailed on her suddenly and her friend needed someone to watch her cat. Her mother was full of confused concern as to why Sang Zhi disappeared without a word, but Zhi could only offer vague apologies.

Her parents had always been her closest companions… until they thought she wasn't being rational. By the time it reached that point, Zhi felt like she couldn't win, so she simply pulled away until it was forgotten. She knew that she'd have to tell them at some point that she was capable of making her own choices, but…

It didn't have to be today, did it?

Her Mama's insistence that the gathering at the Su's was just a kindness to a friend, Sang Zhi felt blindsided by the implication of bringing her to meet a prospective partner. That was definitely not an effort in accepting Jiaxu. A resigned ache had taken over her heart to think of how hurt Jiaxu would be if they rejected him. Considering all the sad hints about his youth, Sang Zhi didn't want that to happen.

So Sang Zhi had grabbed some things after returning home early and went to Jiaxu's place. He hadn't been there. With a gaping ache in her chest and a possibly long wait, she'd gotten some beers to pass the time.

As she sipped at the cans, Sang Zhi reflected on what the sort of man Jiaxu was. He wasn't very forthcoming about his family, but considering the tragedy of his da and the way he seemed neglected in his own photos - how few pictures of his childhood were there if that sad high school graduation photo made it into a frame? - she wasn't exactly surprised. That particular thought had her finishing her second beer, wondering how anyone could be so cruel to such a wonderful person as Jiaxu.

The moment Jiaxu had appeared, arriving home late and confused and tired, the ache had soothed in Sang Zhi's chest.

Unfortunately, the Sang Zhi of today needed to grab a few things she'd forgotten for the upcoming week, which is why she'd returned to her childhood home. Switching shoes, she shuffled up the stairs to her room quietly.

There were a few things she hadn't realized she'd need. Regular clothes had been simple and while she wasn't entirely sure they would have time to do any celebration for Valentine's Day, Sang Zhi didn't have something for the occasion. Considering her dress options, she packed a couple into the suit bag that held her outfit for Qian Fei's wedding.

That task done, she set to gathering all the accouterments, and found a box in one of the bags. Opening it, she brushed her fingers against the silken material, a slate blue tie that would match her dress for Qian Fei's wedding rather well. Sang Zhi wondered if it was a silly gift for Valentine's day, but there was a silly pleasure in the thought of him wearing something she'd picked out for him, let alone something that would pair them so obviously together.

Shaking the thoughts away, she packed it with the rest and double checked she had everything for the wedding. It was in a little over a week and she didn't want to have to return before she had a better plan on how to speak with her parents.

Looking around her room fondly, Sang Zhi eyed the telescope next to her balcony door. It would be too obvious to take it, a clear sign that she was clearing out, so she patted it and said, "I'll be back for you, Celeste, don't worry."

Sang Zhi sighed, pulling the bags over her shoulder and turned off the lights. Making her way quietly down the stairs with all of the extra things, she made it to the ground floor when the lights flashed on. Sang Zhi yelped, spinning around.

"What are you doing?" Sang Yan demanded with his arms folded and a frown. He was leaning against the pillar with the light-switch.

"Sang Yan, you idiot," Zhi replied, taking a deep breath. "You scared me."

"Oh, do we have that kind of relationship? Where one cares about scaring the other?" he asked darkly, leaning back against the cabinet.

Sang Zhi frowned. "Of course we-"

"Then I shouldn't be getting a panicked call at midnight from Ma, asking if you'd come to stay the night with us?" Sang Yan stated.

Her eyes widened and she asked, despite knowing the answer, "what did you tell her?"

"Yes, of course, but I guess I'm just not as important to my sister as some other people," he replied. The words were unabashedly a dig at Jiaxu and Sang Zhi suddenly felt much more secure in her choices. Setting her bags down, she turned to him.

"I couldn't come to your house," Sang Zhi refuted, shaking her head.

"Why not?" Sang Yan demanded, offended.

"Because I didn't want to upset Wen Yifan."

That caught her brother's attention, straightening suddenly and walking closer. "Explain."

"Mama, Baba, and I went to Su Haoan's family home last night," Sang Zhi said, twisting her hands together, "and met all manner of their family friends. Including some family friends… a woman named Zhao Yuandong."

Sang Yan blinked. It was rare to see her brother speechless, but she felt an unkind satisfaction in it. While Sang Zhi had been suspicious of the connection between Wen Yifan and the guests from the beginning, she had pushed the idea aside until Su Haoan had confirmed it by warning her about not speaking about her friend.

"She is Wen Yifan's mother, right?" Sang Zhi continued. "The one Yifan never speaks of. From the family she never speaks of. With, apparently, a step father and step sister and an aunt and an uncle and-"

"Which uncle?" Sang Yan asked sharply.

Sang Zhi gave him a quelling look. She was asking questions, while he was once again remaining obtuse.

"What happened between you and Su Haoan? He kept asking about you, or, well, Yifan-"

"Sang Zhi," her brother said, gripping her shoulder slightly. "Which uncle?"

Glaring at him, Sang Zhi shook him off, trying to remember the man's name. "Wen… Liang Xian?"

Sang Yan visibly relaxed at the surname, eyes darting over her as if checking her physical health, before he started to pace.

"Su Haoan is a childhood friend of Yifan's," he finally admitted. "They were together often growing up, and from what she's told me, they fought like siblings more than anything else, no matter what he implied. It wasn't until…"

Cutting himself off, Sang Yan bit his lips together, glaring. "Su Haoan's an asshole, but he didn't do anything."

"Then why did you ban me from campus?" Sang Zhi asked with a confused frown.

"He enjoyed pissing me off," her brother grumbled. "With his history with Yifan, you think I wanted to hear any comments about you? I lived with the fucker."

With a roll of her eyes, Sang Zhi could admit Sang Yan had a point. "Then why does Jiaxu dislike him?"

"You'd have to ask Jiaxu," he replied. "But considering Su Haoan's wealth and Jiaxu's poverty-"

"What?" Sang Zhi asked, confused. Where did Sang Yan get that idea? He'd only just met Jiaxu, who had all the markings of being well established. He'd mentioned his qualifications, owning his car and apartment. Honestly, it was hard for her to imagine Jiaxu struggling with money. Then again, he'd mentioned working a lot of jobs in the past, and paying the compensation due to his family's struggles, but she hadn't thought of how much that would have affected his university years.

Sang Yan snorted, sending her an unimpressed look. "You thought I wouldn't look into him? The guy dating my sister? Really, little demon?"

A trickle of unease dripped into Sang Zhi's stomach. Did Sang Yan know about Jiaxu's father? About the compensation? While Jiaxu didn't talk about it much, it wasn't likely he'd be pleased if Sang Yan knew about it.

Sang Yan seemed to chew on his thoughts for a moment before shaking his head, obviously ready to turn back to the original topic. "So why didn't you come home?"

"Those people…" Sang Zhi broke off, at a loss for words. "I… I don't think Mama and Baba were thinking that Su Haoan's mother would take such a shine to me, but Feng Lin invited all of the family friends to show me off as… as Su Haoan's suitor?"

Sang Yan frowned, but she continued on. "It wasn't that anyone was impolite. But Mama has a presence there, and Baba is working on that application with their software company, and everything seemed so neat and tidy and I… I felt sick. Su Haoan was decent enough and got me out before I vomited all over the table, but…"

Her eyes filled with tears and she looked down. Sang Yan leaned over to peer into her face.

"I'm so scared," Zhi admitted, rubbing her nose with her sleeve as she sniffled. "Jiaxu works so hard at everything, I'm sure with enough time he'll be accepted by Mama and Baba, but I kept thinking about how they'd rather just overrule me, again."

"It's not like they can force you to do anything," Sang Yan pointed out. "Were you planning on breaking up with Jiaxu?"

"No," Sang Zhi said. "But I couldn't stay here, pretending everything was fine. I couldn't go to you, because Wen Yifan would have asked questions, and anyways, I… I really wanted to see Jiaxu."

Sang Yan seemed to accept that, wrapping an arm over her shoulder and giving a short squeeze. "I get it."

"You do?"

"I…" he started and winced, as if admitting such things to his sister was unpleasant. "On bad days, being near Yifan… eases me."

Sang Zhi nodded.

"Come on, I'll drive you," he said, apparently satisfied with the conversation, and reached for one of her bags.

"What are you going to tell Wen Yifan?" she asked with a furrowed brow as she followed him, switching her shoes.

Sang Yan remained silent as they exited their childhood home.

"Well?" Sang Zhi asked, shoving her items into the back seat of his car after they climbed in.

Turning the engine over, Sang Yan stared at the dashboard for a moment, squeezing the steering wheel. "I'll tell her what you've told me. You said Su Haoan was asking about Yifan? Her family wasn't?"

Sang Zhi nodded, worried. "I didn't mention her, and he warned me not to speak of her. I guess he figured I'd know her-"

"-because of me," her brother nodded with a scowl and put the car in drive. After a few moments of maneuvering onto the thoroughfare, he sent her a sideways glance. "What did Jiaxu think about you being ambushed like that?"

Sang Zhi looked out through the window. "He's too busy right now. I don't want to burden him."

"He's too busy," Sang Yan said flatly.

Sighing, she turned to give him an irritated look. "He was understanding when I was working long hours. Now it's his turn for a little bit. I'll explain to him after he's done with this project. I don't want him to worry."

That made her brother snort under his breath. "Good luck with that."

She sent him a frown, but was glad to let the topic drop.

~~~

Jiaxu checked the time, considering the hour. Things were going well, watching the uploads by his employees, taking his time with inputting it. His hope that another body working would keep them from working into the dark of night had been accurate. Honestly, they'd blown past the day's projections and it was all thanks to the new arrival, Yu Xin.

He'd double checked her work twice - just snippets of code chosen at random - knowing that there were a few coding pitfalls that he himself had run into years ago when adjusting it to fit the needs of the application, and was curious about her solution to them. She'd worked deftly around them without issue and Jiaxu couldn't help but be mildly impressed.

With that thought, he quickly sent out a company message letting everyone know to finish up, which caused a few mild cheers from the other room. Grabbing his coat and packing up his laptop, he'd do another check in the evening before bed, but as of now… Jiaxu could go enjoy dinner with his girlfriend.

Jiaxu took a slight detour to stop by Yu Xin's desk, who didn't even look up at him, switching through tabs quickly as she scrutinized the code diligently.

"You're doing good work, Yu Xin," he said. "With your help, we'll probably finish the contract with time to spare."

"Thanks," she said, not looking away from the screen.

Amused, Jiaxu asked. “Is there anything the company can do to make your stay in Nanwu more comfortable?”

She glanced around as if cataloging all of the amenities in the office, gaze eventually landing on Chen Junwen’s door. “I can’t think of anything. You have a nice office.”

Finally looking at him, she gave a small polite smile. “I appreciate that my hotel is in walking distance.”

Jiaxu shrugged. He had no idea where Chen Junwen had booked the room, but he was glad it was convenient. “Well, I’m off, and you should be too.”

Yu Xin nodded and went back to finishing her task. Jiaxu waved at his other employee’s gathering their belongings to leave and went to knock on Junwen’s door. The man opened it, pulled Jiaxu in, and shut it so quickly that Jiaxu blinked at him in surprise.

“She left yet?” Chen Junwen asked.

“Err,” Jiaxu said. “Who?"

"Yu Xin."

"Is there a problem?”

His friend shook his head, wincing as if realizing how ridiculous he looked.

“She’s done really good work, I was checking on her code-“ Jiaxu started and Junwen waved him off.

“I know. I looked up her credentials after this conversation this morning. She asked me about Celestial in the car when I picked her up last night, and so I figured she’d need some sort of explanation since someone wasn’t particularly specific when I joined,” Chen Junwen explained in a quick, embarrassed tone, sending Jiaxu an annoyed look. “She let me babble about the whole damn system last night the entire way of picking up her dinner and dropping her off at the hotel. I must’ve looked like an idiot since she’s been darting through the code like she breathes it.”

“Ohhhh,” Jiaxu said, the situation becoming clearer. It would figure Junwen had already stepped in it. “So what now?”

Chen Junwen groaned, dropping into the seat in front of his desk. “I don’t know.”

“Well, enjoy hiding in your office,” Jiaxu said with a slap to Junwen’s shoulder. “I am going to head home.”

“You're useless,” his friend muttered. "Absolutely useless."

“You’ll be fine. You were professional about it, right?”

Chen Junwen straightened, offended. “Of course. I might be an idiot, but I’m a professional idiot.”

Jiaxu laughed, exiting the office. Glancing around, most of the room was cleared out except for Yu Xin who was still typing away. Giving her a little wave, he was surprised that she noticed enough to return it.

Shaking his head, he laughed to himself as he started home. Chen Junwen’s habit of making terrible first impressions continued.

When he approached his building, Jiaxu found that his girlfriend had just arrived, pulling things out of her brother's car. Sang Yan was arguing with her from the driver's side about the parking and she was gesticulating wildly in refusal.

“-told you to leave them and I’d bring them up after parking-“

“I can carry them myself, you don’t need to park,” she argued and Jiaxu walked up behind her and snagged the large clothes bag off her shoulder. Spinning around to see him, she smiled. “Jiaxu!”

“Hey,” he said, nodding at Sang Yan. He returned his own exasperated one to Jiaxu.

“Sang Yan was just leaving,” Sang Zhi ordered, pulling the last bag out of the car before slamming the door shut with a huff. “I’ll text Mama later.”

“All right, all right, I’m going,” Sang Yan groused as he got in. Peering at her through the open passenger window, he added, “don’t worry about Yifan, okay?”

Sang Zhi nodded. Not entirely sure what Sang Yan was talking about, Jiaxu went to take the other bag as her brother drove away but Zhi twisted away. “I got it,” she said. “I didn’t expect my errand to take that long.”

“It’s okay, I obviously ran late as well,” Jiaxu replied. “How about we go set these down and find some dinner?”

A smile bloomed across Sang Zhi’s face and all of the worries of the previous evening melted from Jiaxu’s thoughts.

~~~

The next few days passed pretty uneventfully. Jiaxu had to go into work for the weekend, which meant Sang Zhi was left to her own devices at his home so he gave her a code for the front door and information on the way deliveries worked for the building. Jiaxu wasn’t entirely sure what had prompted his girlfriend to essentially move in with him - despite her insistence that she was only there for a few days - and he wondered what her parents thought of the change.

With the help Yu Xin’s arrival provided, Jiaxu was also able to get home by seven or eight at night (as opposed to midnight) which left him with the opportunity to simply be with Sang Zhi. She'd get off work a little earlier than him, and warmth passed through him when he would come home to see her curled up on the couch with a book or doodling with a sketchbook, snack in hand.

And it was wonderful.

It had been a long time since he'd had to share a living space, so there were constant little upsets - nearly bumping into each other when passing through to the bathroom, her still trying to figure out where all of the dishes were in his kitchen and him scratching his head at how to fit all of her clothes in his closet - but it was always alleviated with a small apology and smile.

Truly, Jiaxu was happy.

He planned with Sang Zhi to have a Valentine’s Day dinner, and multiple requests from his coworkers convinced Jiaxu that it would be too cruel to not end the day early. The only exception was Chen Junwen, who didn’t look at the day with much excitement. But even Yu Xin mentioned that she had plans.

So when the day came, he shooed everyone out but Chen Junwen, who insisted on locking up.

“I need to get some extra work done before this weekend anyway,” he said. “I have some groomsman duties for Qian Fei’s wedding later this week."

Jiaxu shrugged. “If you’re sure. We’ll find some time to give you after this project.”

Junwen waved him off and Jiaxu left.

After arriving home, Jiaxu found the bathroom barricaded with a humming Sang Zhi. Smiling, he called out to her that he was home, which prompted a chirpy welcome through the door. Then he quickly removed his tie to change into a more appropriate night attire - a dark suit with a silver button up shirt, sans tie, leaving his collar undone - tucked a box into his jacket, and went to wait on the couch with his phone.

When Sang Zhi appeared, Jiaxu about swallowed his tongue. The black dress was made with a silken material, cinched in some fancy way from bust to knee with a slit that went up to show her thigh, hugging her in the most delicious of ways. Her hair hung in loose curls as she stooped over to put on her earrings.

“Should I cancel our reservation?” he asked, standing up and tucking his phone in his pocket. She sent him a confused look before switching to the other ear, hair hanging low off her shoulder as she leaned. His eyes followed her curves slowly.

“Are you not hungry?” she asked, managing to get the earring in without involving her hair. Straightening, she reached for her shoes and he intercepted her, sliding his hand around to the small of her back and pulling her close.

“Oh, I’m hungry,” he murmured, leaning down to whisper kisses against her neck. “You look particularly appealing.”

She exhaled a soft, excited breath, so he continued down to her collarbone. “Hmm?”

“Jiaxu-“ she started when a loud growl could be heard from her stomach. An embarrassed giggle escaped her and Jiaxu straightened up with a grin.

“Okay, no skipping dinner,” he said.

“I didn’t have much time for lunch, the meeting with the animators went long,” Sang Zhi explained. “But…”

She stepped up to him, fingers tugging his unbuttoned collar to pull him down, and stood on her tiptoes to leave a kiss against the side of his neck.

“I have to reciprocate,” she said, eyes fluttering up to meet his. Jiaxu could drink in her playful expression for hours.

“So, you’re saying if I do it to you, you’ll do it to me?” he asked, crowding her over to the wall, unable to hold back from rubbing her waist and hips through the softness of her dress. Her own hands pushed under his suit jacket, wrapping around his sides.

“It’s only fair,” she replied.

“Well, in the pursuit of fairness,” Jiaxu murmured, hand coming up to cup her cheek, nose brushing against her own. Then he kissed her, her body arching wonderfully against his, and he pulled her tighter. Her lips parted and he took his time, touching and tasting her with his tongue. Her lips thoroughly sampled, he moved to her ear while she pressed kisses along his cheek and jaw.

His fingers brushed against the thin zipper running down her spine, and he reached to try to find the pull…

Then his stomach grumbled.

They both froze. A moment passed.

Sang Zhi giggled again.

“All right, all right, let's not be late for our reservation,” Jiaxu conceded with an amused grumble. It was hard to focus with the way that Sang Zhi’s lipstick had smudged all over her mouth in the most debauched of ways. But he told himself to calm down - they had all evening to enjoy themselves.

“It’s very important to keep up our strength with good meals,” Sang Zhi said as she pulled him through rooms to the bathroom mirror. She was well aware of the damage to her lipstick - a shade brighter than her usual makeup - as an amused Jiaxu found it all over his lips as well.

Using a specific cleanser to tidy up, she stopped him from rubbing the lipstick off on his neck with the fancy towelette she'd handed him. The red mark just barely peeked out from his collar.

“That’s my hard work, you know,” she said before leaning up into his ear. “I’ve marked you as mine.”

“Sang Zhi,” Jiaxu practically choked out. “Aren't we trying to go to dinner?”

She sent him a saucy grin before exiting the bathroom to presumably find her shoes. Jiaxu counted to twenty, trying to shake the excitement from his body.

Then counted again.

When he finally emerged, Sang Zhi was in a short coat and heels, smiling at him brightly, bag at her shoulder. Jiaxu blew out a breath quietly as he grabbed his coat and keys, ushering her to the elevator.

The drive over was difficult, Jiaxu's attention entirely focused on the split of Sang Zhi's dress, showing her leg. He eventually rectified the situation by placing his hand on the smooth skin, rubbing circles with his thumb. She then reciprocated by reaching up and stroking the hair at his nape. He studiously kept his eyes on the road, trying to concentrate on getting them to the restaurant safely.

They arrived at their destination, a glass building that was easily fifteen stories tall with some interesting architectural elements. Jiaxu parked in the valet queue and hopped out, waving off the attendant from opening Sang Zhi's door. He wasn't about to let her out of arm's reach for the entire evening, a rather primitive part of him feeling possessive over her. It was ridiculous, but when he opened the door for her and she stepped out to take his arm, Jiaxu grinned.

She was beautiful and she was his.

"I've never been here," she said, glancing up at the building. "Where is the restaurant?"

"On the top floor. I wanted to see if the view is as good as I've always heard," he replied, guiding her into the front lobby. There was another couple waiting for the elevator, which Jiaxu felt was perhaps for the best, as he and Sang Zhi didn't typically behave in them. The other couple was chaperoning without even realizing it as they climbed floors in the conveyance.

When they got out, Jiaxu gave his name to the host, who bowed and immediately seated them at a table by the window. Sang Zhi looked all around, drinking in her surroundings with such wide eyed excitement that pride sung through Jiaxu's chest. Watching her expressions was a quiet joy that he'd never tire of.

Settling into the chair next to her at the rather cozy circular table, Jiaxu nodded at the window at her. The landscape spread out for quite a few miles, showing both sides of the river and the twinkle of all the city lights. Sang Zhi leaned over him a bit, looking for something in the distance. A delighted grin appeared and she pointed.

"Look, it's my neighborhood," she said, glancing up at him.

"Mmm," he agreed, putting his arm to rest on the back of her chair. He was too content by her proximity, gazing down at her. The view was spectacular.

Sang Zhi's cheeks pinked and she picked up the menu. "Do you know what's good here?"

Jiaxu had a handful of recommendations from his research, but it wasn't until he made the reservation that he found out how seriously the restaurant took their profession. After mentioning his girlfriend's food restrictions, the host on the line had proceeded to discuss a special menu with offerings that would fit under the criteria. Sang Zhi would have no reaction due to them.

Jiaxu was grateful, but also very aware that they could afford that attention to detail, as the menu looked as filled in as any typical place. He was more than happy to pay for it.

There was wine offered, which he declined but Sang Zhi accepted, the sommelier recommending a specific dish to pair. After their order was placed, a parade of amuse-bouches started, bite size culinary delights that she couldn't get enough of.

"Jiaxu, this one is delicious," she said after nibbling on a mushroom tartlet. "I think I could eat a plate of just them."

He grinned, enjoying her enthusiasm, when a woman's voice called out over them in surprise.

"Sang Zhi?"

Chapter Text

"Sang Zhi?" a voice called in surprise. Jiaxu could see Sang Zhi's confusion - who could she have possibly run into here? - and they both twisted around to see who was calling her name.

Jiaxu saw that it was a young woman, rather pretty, wearing a risqué yet expensive looking outfit and a downright delighted expression. Her date hovered behind her with a frown.

"Funny to see you again so soon!" the woman said. She pulled out a chair to sit at their table, throwing a passing comment to her companion. "You can go sit down. I'll be there in a minute." He left.

"Hello Zheng Kejia," Sang Zhi said stiffly. At least Jiaxu's girlfriend knew who the woman was."How have you been?"

"Fine, thank you," Kejia replied. "Is this the boyfriend?"

The stress on the word cause Jiaxu to look at Sang Zhi in confusion, who sent him a nervous glance in response. Kejia looked over Jiaxu as if cataloging all of him, eyes snagging on his neck for a moment in amusement. It wouldn't be the first time Jiaxu had felt himself scrutinized in a downright predatory manner, which made him lean back into his seat with a bored expression. You're not worth me thinking about.

"Yes," Sang Zhi said in a tight voice. "Duan Jiaxu, meet Zheng Kejia."

He sent a brief nod. Kejia's eyebrows lifted. "Your name is so familiar, do you work at Suwen?"

"No," he replied shortly.

It didn't seem to dissuade the woman, who began to list off multiple extravagant hobbies that she may have met him at. Jiaxu simply continued to shake his head, glancing at Sang Zhi again. Who was this woman?

Finally, Kejia gave up with a sigh. "I'm sure I'll figure it out sometime."

"Well, we are keeping you from your date-" Sang Zhi attempted, to which the woman laughed.

"Oh, he'll wait. They always do," she replied loftily before leaning over the table to Zhi with a low voice. "But… I couldn't ask you last week."

Sang Zhi tensed, flashed another quick glance at Jiaxu, and replied quietly, "ask what?"

"Have you seen her?"

Sang Zhi didn't immediately answer, but that hesitation was all the confirmation Zheng Kejia needed, who reached over to clasp Zhi's hand. Jiaxu couldn't help but shift, prepared to interject if the woman did something outlandish.

"Oh, please, how is she doing?" Kejia coaxed. It was a plea that made him relax. While his girlfriend was uncomfortable, she wasn't scared.

"Why don't you ask her?" Sang Zhi asked, sounding truly curious.

"She cut us all off! I know Mama tried to find her at work, but after a few tries, the security guard warned her of harassment charges and so…" Kejia trailed off.

As that was a procedure Jiaxu knew too much about, he frowned at the woman. Whoever they were talking about couldn't have pursued that lightly.

A waiter appeared with their main courses, concerned, "Oh, were we adding a member to your table?"

"Nope, I was just leaving," Kejia stated, standing up, before turning to Sang Zhi again. "Can you give her a message?"

Sang Zhi seemed to hesitate again. "If you give me your number, I will see if she's interested," she offered. "But I wouldn't be surprised if she said no."

For some reason, that made Kejia laugh. "I appreciate it, but she has my number. It's blocked and everything. Just…" the woman tilted her head in thought, "-let her know that Mama misses the first frost."

Sang Zhi nodded and the woman eyed Jiaxu once again.

"I'm sure I'll see you around, Sang Zhi," Kejia said. "Have a nice evening with your boyfriend."

Then she sauntered off out of sight.

~~~

Taking a sip of her wine seemed like a good course of action to calm herself. Sang Zhi had been in no way prepared to run into the woman she barely knew, worried that Kejia might mention the stressful dinner from last week and she really didn't want any mention of Su Haoan, considering Jiaxu's reaction to him before.

"Who was that?" Jiaxu asked when the woman had fully disappeared.

Setting her wine glass down, Zhi looked at Jiaxu. She'd felt him bristle at the woman's scrutiny - Kejia's interest was definitely pointed - but wasn't entirely sure if that was all that had irritated him. Whatever it was, it was subtle. They obviously didn't know each other.

Licking her lips, she pulled her napkin into her lap for something to do with her hands. "First frost is a nickname for Wen Yifan. I didn't know anyone but my brother called her Shuangjiang."

Jiaxu's expression cleared in understanding before a new frown appeared. "I see."

"I… I just met Kejia recently, so I talked to Sang Yan about it, since Wen Yifan avoids talking about her family," she explained. "I really don't want to invite any trouble for her."

Jiaxu tilted his head, something about her words causing him to relax. "When did you meet her?"

"The other day with my Mama," Sang Zhi replied. It wasn't untrue. Her mother had been there.

He gave her a small smile, nodding. Relief eased through Sang Zhi, a tension in her that she hadn't noticed until it began to fade. Picking up her utensils, she peered at his plate.

"What did you get?"

Jiaxu accepted the subject change, explaining the dish he'd gotten and offered her a bite. Sang Zhi agreed readily. He reached up, brushing her lips with his thumb before holding up his fork. Zhi blinked, mind skipping to similar moments of him touching her lips, and opened her mouth.

"Sometimes, your expressions are far too dangerous," Jiaxu murmured, leaning closer. Biting on the fork that he provided, Sang Zhi smiled at the taste as he slowly pulled the silver from her mouth.

She took her time chewing, eyes not leaving his. Swallowing, she asked, "why? What am I thinking?"

Jiaxu just shook his head. "I'll tell you later," he said. "Eat."

Sang Zhi hummed, taking a sip of wine before picking up her fork. If they kept flirting like this, they wouldn't get any eating done, and she definitely wanted to not be distracted by her stomach later. The wine warmed her body, pairing well with the entree in front of her, and they worked on their respective meals. If Sang Zhi spent a few extra moments enjoying a bite with a little happy hum or glancing at Jiaxu with lowered lashes, well, he didn't complain.

He did shift a lot in his seat, though, with a bit of a flush to his cheeks. It drew Zhi's attention to his neck, and seeing the edge of the lipstick mark made her internally preen with pride. Which reminded her of her gift, so once she took a last bite of her dinner, she grabbed her bag.

"I have something for you," she declared. It was easy to find, bulky corners on top of her other things.

Jiaxu tilted his head as Sang Zhi presented the box to him with a shy smile. "It's nothing fancy, but I hope you like it," she said.

Opening the box, Jiaxu looked at the tie and smiled. "Thank you. Where did you find this color?"

"It's a similar fabric and color of my dress for Qian Fei's wedding," Sang Zhi admitted. "I thought it would be nice to match a little."

That made Jiaxu's smile widen and he leaned over to give her a quick kiss. She smiled in return, pushing away her plate and picking up the small dessert menu.

Then a thin box was placed over it and Sang Zhi glanced up at him in surprised.

"What, am I not supposed to get my girlfriend something for our first romantic holiday?" Jiaxu asked, steepling his fingers to rest his chin on.

"Oh," she replied. None of her previous, lazy boyfriends had attempted any sort of gift beyond vending machine teas and snacks.

"Open it," he urged.

Why was she nervous? It wasn't going to be anything bad. Her hands felt useless as she pried open the box, hinges tight, and saw a necklace, a circular charm resting against the velour. It looked a little bit like a haloed star, bursting in an asymmetrical pattern, with tiny chips of rainbow gems inlaid into it.

"It's lovely, Jiaxu," she murmured, fingertips shifting the pendant to see how it shimmered.

"Here," he said, taking the box from her and unraveling it from the packaging. Sang Zhi pulled her hair aside, turning her back to Jiaxu so he could put the necklace on her. Once the clasp was set, she dropped her hair and smiled down at it.

The chain was a bit long, which didn't surprise Sang Zhi at all with how dainty her neck was, so it rested against her sternum between her breasts at the top of her dress.

Looking up to smile at Jiaxu, Sang Zhi saw his gaze was narrowed on the resting place of the necklace.

"Why this pendant?"

"You sparkle like a bright star."

Sang Zhi laughed. "You're so cheesy."

Jiaxu took her hand, kissing it, and chuckled with her. "I know."

The waiter appeared to take their dessert order and Sang Zhi gave a contented sigh, leaning into Jiaxu's side. "Thank you."

His face twisted up into amused confusion. "You're… welcome?"

"Your schedule is so busy," she explained. "This could have waited until a better time."

"I appreciate your understanding about my schedule, Sang Zhi, but I'm not going to let it dictate my entire life," Jiaxu said with a fond look. "I didn't really have much else but work before. Now I have a rather enticing, lovely distraction."

He pressed a kiss against her temple, such a small but affectionate gesture that filled Sang Zhi with joy.

A buzzing sound interrupted the moment. Jiaxu gave her an apologetic look, patting for his pocket to pull out his phone. "Sorry."

He gave a cursory glance to the screen before silencing the call. "Anyway, my… hmm, boss, Siyun, sent an employee down from Yihe to help expedite things."

"Is the contract that far behind?"

"Well-" his words were cut off by his phone vibrating on the table again. Jiaxu clicked the ignore button swiftly, "-we get a bonus if we finish before a certain date. I'm half convinced that's why they're being so difficult, but they were the ones who insisted on the-"

His phone began vibrating once again. Jiaxu shot it a dirty look.

"Do you mind if I take this call really quick?" he asked begrudgingly.

"No, go ahead," Sang Zhi said, spying the waiter approaching with her strawberry dessert. Jiaxu gave her hair another kiss before picking up the phone and answering it.

"Hello?"

Sang Zhi's dish was set in front of her and she thanked the waiter, picking up her phone to take a picture. Once that was done, she shuffled the dish over to show Jiaxu the elaborate plating, glancing up at his face, and blinked in surprise.

His expression had gone entirely cold.

~~~

"Jiaxu, it's Jiang Yang."

Of all of the voices to hear on the other end of his mother's cell phone number, he had not expected the woman who inflicted so much misery throughout Jiaxu's life. The room disappeared for just a moment, a hollow, lonely feeling wrapping around him as he froze. Then the rush of icy anger through him brought the room back into focus.

"Why are you using this phone?" he asked in a low, angry tone, eyes flashing around the room, a conditioned response when hearing her voice. "Where's ma?"

"You block my calls."

It was incredibly tempting to say damn right, but Jiang Ying had a longstanding habit of only confronting him if she could corner him, so he took a quick, bracing breath. "Right. So, again-"

"Your ma is in the hospital," Jiang Ying explained over the line. Fear, worry, guilt flashed through him so quickly that Jiaxu felt both his hands tighten. Then resignation coated over Jiaxu, realizing that while he may absolutely despise speaking with the woman on the line, there was no way to avoid it.

"When? What happened?" he questioned sharply.

"We were having dinner and she collapsed."

"Is she stable?"

"Yes."

"Is she awake?"

"No," Jiang Yiang replied with a loud sniffle. "I didn't know who else to call."

Jiaxu felt a new spike of anger at Jiang Ying and her lies.

"Why didn't you give my number to the staff?"

She ignored his question.

"I called your uncle, but he won't answer. Want me to call Xu Chang Ru?" she bit out in a wet, angry voice.

Hissing under his breath, Jiaxu glared up at the ceiling for a moment, knowing that it was incredibly likely his uncle was in the bottom of a bottle somewhere, and his older cousin would likely be at her dorm, leaving his younger cousin Chang Le alone at home. Jiaxu wasn't about to give Jiang Ying any angle to expect more favors from him, however.

"No," he begrudgingly admitted. A hand reached out and took his own. Jiaxu startled, having forgotten where he was, glancing next to him. Right, Sang Zhi. She squeezed his hand with a concerned expression.

"What should I do, Jiaxu?" Jiang Ying asked - sobbed really - over the phone.

That tether to Sang Zhi helped the icy rage give way to a soft freeze, his mind falling back to old habits of survival when living in Yihe. It made his voice even, albeit emotionless. "Give me the doctor's number. I'll call Chang Ru."

"I'm scared, Jiaxu. She couldn't breathe-"

"Send me the doctor's number."

"Will you unblock me?" Jiang Ying asked in a thick voice. Jiaxu hated how hopeful she managed to make it sound through the phone.

"Yes."

Then he hung up.

~~~

"What happened?" Sang Zhi asked, squeezing his hand in concern. It was frightening, watching Jiaxu's expression turn angry and then distant, as if removing himself mentally from his body.

A moment passed, as if he didn't even hear her, when Jiaxu looked at their joined hands. She squeezed again, peering into his face. "Jiaxu?"

"Ma's in the hospital. I-"

Sang Zhi stood up abruptly, waving down the waiter, who diverted directly to their table. "We need the check."

"Of course, miss. Would you like me to package your dessert?"

Sang Zhi agreed while pulling on her coat and gathering their items. Jiaxu seemed strangely immobile, obviously affected as he hesitantly thumbed through tabs to change something on his phone, but his stillness worried her. The waiter returned promptly with the bagged food and the check which Sang Zhi threw her card onto without thinking.

As the waiter left, Jiaxu frowned and glanced up at her, looking confused. "I was taking you out. Why did you pay?"

Sang Zhi was at a loss. There was an strange rawness to the question that she couldn't quite figure out. Was it really the time? "You can take me out again another time."

Jiaxu frowned deeper but nodded. "I'm sorry Sang Zhi-"

She pressed her finger to his lips. "Don't."

Jiaxu stared at her but quieted. She didn't need apologies from him, let alone concern. He was the one with a family emergency.

The receipt arrived and she quickly signed - it was quite a surprising amount but she didn't care - and tugged Jiaxu to his feet. "Are you okay to drive?" she asked as she led them to the elevator.

"Yes," he said.

After the bustle of exiting the building and making it into the car, Jiaxu seemed to improve with having a purpose in driving, so Sang Zhi searched for the earliest flight to Yihe on her phone as they drove. Apparently, there weren't a lot of travelers on Valentine's Day, so she managed to book an overnight flight for him that would leave later that evening.

"Should I drop you off at home?" Jiaxu asked. Confused, Sang Zhi wondered if he was going someplace else after they returned to the apartment, until she realized he meant her childhood home. Uneasy, she sent him a concerned look.

"If… if you don't want me staying at your place when you're gone-"

"No," he refuted which made Sang Zhi blink. A pit opened in the bottom of her stomach, wondering if she'd misunderstood all of his welcoming motions the last few days, when Jiaxu went on. "I have to go to Yihe and you… you just mentioned once that you don't like being alone at-"

Relief filled Sang Zhi, shaking her head. "I like your apartment."

"I like you there too."

Sang Zhi gave him a small smile, mentally clinging to the words. Jiaxu was still rather mechanical and quiet, but the assurance that she could stay at his place - that was beginning to feel more like home than anywhere else - was a relief.

Without needing to go anywhere else, they arrived at the apartment quickly. Jiaxu pulled into the garage, found his designated spot and turned off the car. Unbuckling himself, he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about tonight-"

Sang Zhi unbuckled herself swiftly, throwing herself over the middle console to hug him tightly. Jiaxu buried his head into her neck, shuddering breaths escaping him as his arms banded around her.

"It's okay," she mumbled into his coat. "It's scary when someone is in the hospital. But I'm here and will worry about packing while you talk to who you need to. I already bought your plane ticket, so we need to hurry-"

Jiaxu squeezed her tighter, as if scared to let go of his anchor.

"Jiaxu," Sang Zhi mumbled, stroking his hair.

"I have to soak you in as much as possible," he replied in a thick voice. "Before I have to go."

"Do… should I try to get off work?" she asked hesitantly. It was already unheard of for her to basically barge into his home so soon into their relationship - had it even been six weeks? To go on a trip with him during a family crisis felt even more unconventional.

"Fuck," Jiaxu muttered. "I would love for you to come and meet ma and my cousins, but I want it to be for happy reasons, not… besides, your work is at a critical stage."

He pulled her away and gave her such a soulful look that Sang Zhi nodded. Then he sighed and touched his forehead to hers. "I know I'll be distracted and miserable, but Sang Zhi, you're the bright star I'll look forward to. To come home to."

Worried tears prickled her eyes but she nodded again. "Okay, Jiaxu. Let's go inside and get you ready."

Extricating herself from him, they exited the car and went up to the apartment. Sang Zhi immediately tugged the suitcase out from his closet and started to pack while he spoke on the phone in the living room. It was difficult to know how long he'd be gone, and she worried about his difficult work client, but there was only so much she could do.

"Just… yes, stay with your sister. The doctor still hasn't called me back, so I'll go directly to the hospital after I land-" Jiaxu's words filtered from the other room and Sang Zhi shoved a bag of various toiletries into the suitcase before tipping it closed and zipping it up. Glancing around the room, she struggled to think of anything else she could pack for him.

Spying her notebook from her own corner of belongings, Sang Zhi pulled it out with a pen and wrote out a small note. Ripping it out from the spine, she folded it up - far less pretty than any paper stars or origami she'd done in her childhood - but when she was finished, it was a sturdy square that wouldn't be crushed, fairly straightforward to fold and unfold.

With that task done, Sang Zhi rolled his suitcase into the other room and glanced at her phone. The hour was getting later, they needed to hurry. Jiaxu could miss his flight.

Texting the flight confirmation over to him, Sang Zhi started to gather his laptop things. Jiaxu lifted his phone from his ear from the alert, sending her a grateful look, before returning to his call with an exasperated sigh. "Fine, you win. I'll pick you both up in the morning, Ruru. Try to get some sleep. Ma wouldn't want you to make yourself sick. Okay. Bye."

Hanging up, Jiaxu took a deep breath. "Chang Ru wants to go to the hospital right now, but Chang Le wouldn't do well overnight by herself," he explained. "I had to promise to pick them up when I get there."

"Where's your uncle?" Sang Zhi asked, pushing cords into a side pocket. "Couldn't he help?"

Jiaxu snorted darkly. "Probably drunk somewhere."

Sang Zhi blinked, having not heard of Jiaxu talk about the man much, but hadn't assumed someone so irresponsible. Anger flashed through her as new, awful information settled in with the other assumptions Sang Zhi had made of Jiaxu's childhood.

"Do you need me to call a taxi?" she asked, taking his laptop bag and stacking it on his suitcase. She busied herself with his coat on the hook, slipping the square into a pocket while Jiaxu was distracted.

"Already done so. And I've let Chen Junwen know what's going on. I won't bug Siyun tonight - she probably has plans - but the Yihe office is there so I can talk to her in person," he said as he flipped through tabs on his phone.

Sang Zhi hummed in understanding. He looked up as she began to list everything that she'd packed, gesturing with her hands, "there should be enough shirts, pants, and such for a few days-"

Jiaxu walked over to reached out to take her hands in his own. "I'm sure you got everything I need."

Suddenly, Sang Zhi felt her lip wobble, which was entirely unfair and it made her bite on her lips, puffing her cheeks to hold in the surge of emotion. Jiaxu chuckled, running a hand down her cheek. "Don't worry, Sang Zhi. It will go quickly."

She nodded in concern, not trusting her voice. Those damn words again. She had given him all the necessities, but Sang Zhi wouldn't be able to call or text him at every moment. Gathering his coat, she helped him into it, brushing away invisible lint as he shifted it around his shoulders by the lapels.

"You'll need this," Sang Zhi said, finding a scarf and winding it around his neck. She remembered how bitterly cold Yihe could be, and all she wanted to do was keep Jiaxu warm and safe.

He stared down at her. He opened his mouth as if to say something as she continued to fuss over the comfort of his coat. Reaching up, Jiaxu placed his hands on her head, cupping her jaw with one and petting her hair with the other. Instead of words, he kissed her.

Sang Zhi gripped at his clothes, pouring all of her assurance and affection into him. He couldn't leave without knowing how much she cared about him, not when his family only seemed to neglect him. Her entire world had upended to revolve around this beautiful man and he deserved to feel it.

Jiaxu slowly pulled away, hugging her to himself one long moment before grabbing the handle of his suitcase, bags piled on top. She reached for her purse and he took it from her, placing it back down.

"Stay here. It's late," Jiaxu said.

"But I can see you off," Sang Zhi insisted.

"And I'll feel better about leaving if I know you're safe at home," he replied, brushing her hair with his hand again. Bittersweet joy fluttered around Zhi's heart at it being their home. "I'll call you when I land."

She gave him a small nod.

It physically hurt to watch Jiaxu take a deep breath and call the elevator. When he stepped in, he gave her an attempt at a smile and a little wave. Then the door closed.

Sang Zhi tore through the apartment to his bedroom, for there was a window there that faced the street. It took a few minutes, but she saw Jiaxu walk out and place his things in the waiting taxi. He looked up at the building, but likely couldn't see her, and then climbed in.

The taxi drove off.

She sat on the bed, slumping over in her maudlin mood. Jiaxu's necklace glinted as it hung off her neck, so she took it, a feeling of wistful longing passing through her. Jiaxu had called her his star in the car, far more beyond the cheesy joke he gave at dinner, and she could only hope her note was enough to protect him from what he feared in his hometown. One would think Jiaxu was simply concerned about this mother's condition, but his reaction betrayed a deeper hurt. For there was a true dread in all of his words, his movements, as if mentally preparing himself for something awful in Yihe. Sang Zhi wished she'd a better idea of what he was to face, but there had been no reason to press Jiaxu for that information before, especially with how busy they'd both been. All of the hints whispered around him, though, between the lack of photos, the way he'd tense when mentioning his hometown, and now the terrible knowledge of a drunk uncle... Sang Zhi wanted to do more.

While her family had been overbearing, they were always loving.

A feeling of inadequacy filled her, Jiaxu's pain out of her reach to soothe. Curling up into his spot on the bed, Sang Zhi hugged his pillow to herself as she sniffled.

~~~

Jiaxu rushed through check in at the airport, pushing his luggage onto the conveyor belt and pocketing his physical ticket. Getting through to his gate was pretty straightforward, him making it just in time for boarding, but it wasn't until he pulled out his ticket that he found a square note in his hand as well.

Tucking it back into his pocket, Jiaxu thanked the attendant and boarded the plane. Once settled in his seat, he pulled it back out to marvel at it. It was small and square with a small heart drawn onto the corner. Sang Zhi must have snuck it into his coat.

The flight was fortunately not full, so he was afforded a private row and shifted over to the window seat as soon as they closed boarding. Peering out of the window, the tarmac looked foggy and cold.

"Good evening, Flight CXJ90, Nanwu to Yihe. It looks like the weather isn't cooperating currently, so we will remain until they can de-ice the wings and-"

Jiaxu tuned out the captains voice, knowing that the delay was unavoidable. With the relative privacy, he unwrapped the square, trying to pay attention to how it folded in on itself.

Jiaxu ~

I know the time apart will be hard, but after all of the tough things, there will only be time for joy.

Keep this with you when you're feeling down. I'll be thinking of you.

~ ♡ Zhizhi

All across the paper were small little symbols of "health" and "protection" and "safety".

A tear dripped down Jiaxu's nose and he wiped it away.

Sang Zhi never ceased to surprise Jiaxu, the fold of paper a thoughtful talisman. He'd never received anything like it. Sure, Junwen and Siyun had accidentally happened upon finding out about the struggles he'd had in his past, and helped him with small things. Sang Zhi's support felt completely different, perhaps because he'd chosen to tell Sang Zhi about the cowardice of his father, unable to bear the idea of falling more in love with her just to be rejected. Her reaction there had spun him around in confusion. There was no hesitation of her treating him with concern, like he was a victim.

He'd not allowed himself to think himself as such… ever.

Years of abuse had beaten it out of him.

He brushed his fingers against the ink, a swelling in his heart threatening to burst. Sang Zhi didn't care about the past. Speaking of Yihe was always difficult, so Jiaxu had taken comfort in that distance in Nanwu to just... not worry about it. He'd stepped around specifics from his hometown when they came up - his ma's reaction to his dating someone, his uncle's demands for more money, his cousins concern over his ma's health - thinking he'd fix those situations before they became a problem. He should have been more proactive, checking on his ma more often, and this was the result of his carelessness.

Jiaxu hoped in a strange way that the entire situation with his ma was overblown, but there was a bone deep certainty that it wasn't. Who knew how soon he would get back home to Sang Zhi.

His plane landed in Yihe in the early morning. Typically the flight was only a couple of hours, but between the delay on the tarmac and the opposite winds, it was longer. When they finally made it into the air, the lights were dimmed and he attempted to sleep. It wasn't particularly restful, however, so by the time the plane had landed, Jiaxu felt a bit stupid with weariness. He saw that the doctor had attempted to call him back while he was traveling, but left a vague voicemail, so Jiaxu needed to be quick.

It was half after six a.m. when he finally picked up his luggage and looked into renting a car. Jiaxu wasn't entirely sure how often he'd need to drive, or even who would come with him, but knew better than to ask his uncle for his vehicle. When he finally got into the rental, he sent Siyun a quick text about the situation and then dialed Sang Zhi.

"I've arrived," he said when she answered.

"Did you get any rest on the plane?" Zhi asked in a quiet voice. He wondered if she'd managed to step away from her desk.

He hummed noncommittally. "Were you okay by yourself last night?"

Sang Zhi made a positive humming response. "Your home is cozy. I just missed you."

Jiaxu smiled despite himself. "I need to get going, but I'll try to call you later."

She agreed and they said their goodbyes before hanging up.

Driving through Yihe felt a bit strange. It had been a while since the last time he'd visited, but it was largely the same, memories haunting the streets he'd pass.

As soon as he found out what his ma's illness was, Jiaxu would reach out to Siyun to let her know more specifics about the situation. He'd been fortunate that Chen Junwen was so good at his job - that week in Beiyu truly showing his friend's abilities - and able to take over the office while Jiaxu was away.

Pulling up to his uncle's house just before eight, Jiaxu felt the first twinge of apprehension. Deciding it was better to avoid any confrontation, unsure if his uncle was even home, he opted to call Chang Ru.

She answered immediately. "Hello?"

"I'm outside. Are you and your sister ready?"

Instead of answering, Chang Ru hung up. The door opened and she waved at him as she and Chang Le switched their shoes quickly. Jiaxu stepped out of the car to give a tight smile, eyes darting around for anything unusual. Chang Le jogged up to him as Chang Ru locked up and Jiaxu felt a bittersweet stab in his chest. They'd both grown out of their baby faces, looking more like the adult women they were becoming.

Chang Le looked at him with hesitation and he opened his arms. "Hey kiddo."

She wrinkled her nose and stepped up to hug him, which frankly surprised Jiaxu. He'd been distant for a lot of her life, too old to be anything but a vague parental figure, and then left before they could foster much more of a rapport.

She sniffled into his coat and he sent Chang Ru an alarmed look as she approached. "I'm sorry," his younger cousin mumbled.

"What for?" Jiaxu asked, confused. Pulling her away, Chang Le sent him a tearful look.

"I should have known auntie was sick," she blubbered and Chang Ru sent him an exasperated look as she approached and gave him her own hug.

"She's been berating herself all night," Chang Ru muttered under her breath. Sending him a tense smile, she added as she pulled away. "It's good to see you."

"You too, Ruru," Jiaxu said. "Let's get going."

It grated against his instincts to not stop and get his cousins breakfast, but Jiaxu knew he'd already delayed too long, so he started to drive directly to Yihe Medical.

"Auntie always said that her cough was just a thing from recovering from her lung thing," Chang Le explained from the back seat, fiddling with her hands. "And she was always careful to mask at competitions, but there were a few times she had to step out because she couldn't breathe-"

"It's not your fault, Chang Le," Jiaxu overruled, wondering at Chang Le's understanding of his ma's past diagnosis. "She's been hiding it from me too."

"She doesn't want to worry us," Chang Ru said next to Jiaxu. "Auntie doesn't like to talk about past things, right?"

"Right," Chang Le muttered. Jiaxu could see her look out the window in the rear view mirror, obviously deliberating over saying something more.

"Has your dad been home?" Jiaxu asked.

The girls both shook their heads. "We… he's gone a lot, cousin," Chang Ru said, sending Chang Le a look, which the girl ignored.

"It's awful when he's home, he's always so angry and throws-"

"Lele," Chang Ru hissed. Jiaxu sent her an alarmed look, before eyeing Chang Le through the rear view mirror.

"What does he throw?" he asked mildly, gripping the steering wheel to contain the spike of anger.

"Mostly bottles, but-"

"He's not home much, Jiaxu," Chang Ru interrupted.

"Yes, it's been at least two weeks, and we leave on competitions weekends, so…"

"It's really fine, cousin."

The girls' effort at reassuring him didn't do much to calm Jiaxu, but he simply sighed. One problem at a time. He wasn't about to confront his uncle, anyway. His mother was the priority right now.

"How's Nanwu?" Chang Ru asked, obviously looking for a different topic as she peered at him. Jiaxu sighed again, missing Sang Zhi fiercely, but he nodded.

"It's good. I've been really busy with work, so I haven't had as much free time lately, but it's… good," he said.

"Was… work? Understanding?" she attempted again.

Jiaxu sent her an amused glance. Chang Ru was obviously dancing around the topic of his girlfriend, so it meant that her younger sister had no idea of the news.

"Er, work helped me pack up and found me the flight, despite a late meeting," Jiaxu replied.

"Why would your superior do that?" asked Chang Le in confusion. "Don't you just go in and work and get paid? Why were you working so late?"

Chang Ru understood though and sent him a smile.

It felt good, having an ally in his elder cousin. Jiaxu knew he would need it.

Once they arrived at the hospital, they were directed to a room on the fourth floor - the ICU wing. Climbing up the floors by the elevator, Jiaxu felt himself begin to float, emotions pulling back as he knew who was likely by his mother's door. Sure enough, as Jiaxu stepped onto the floor, he caught sight of the woman who'd caused so much more additional misery to his life, sitting on a bench outside his ma's room number. She saw him and jumped up.

"Jiaxu!"

Then Jiang Ying ran up and flung her arms around him.

Chapter Text

It was exactly the recurring nightmare that Jiaxu always imagined. How Jiang Ying's scent washed over him, his stomach churning with disgust. The violating way she nuzzled into his chest and he straightened, tightened, tried to close any vulnerable angles.

His hands balled into fists.

Jiang Ying pulled back, looking up at him with wet eyes. There was a moment where Jiaxu hoped some trickle of shame would penetrate her psyche for the liberties she'd just assumed, but instead her eyes narrowed in on his neck.

"What's on your neck?" Jiang Ying asked suspiciously. It was not the time for such an irrelevant concern, yet a vindictive delight hit him as Jiaxu realized that Sang Zhi's lipstick mark from the night before still hadn't rubbed off. His girlfriend had marked him in a loving, possessive way, and Jiaxu was proud of the claim. It was the reminder he needed to push past his revulsion of the woman in front of him.

"Where's ma?" he asked in a flat voice, taking a step back from Jiang Ying as his eyes danced around the ward, calculating each staff member. It seemed like there was a shift change happening, the floor full, but it was always better to have witnesses when dealing with the woman. Who knew what his cousins were thinking, watching the way Jiang Ying kept touching him, their eyes wide as she kept gripping his arm as if it was her right.

"Just in there," Jiang Ying said, finally gave him some space to motion to a door, brow furrowed. "A doctor is with her now, but they won't let me see her even though I said I was practically fam-"

"Is she awake?" Chang Le interrupted, trying to step by, but Chang Ru pulled her back.

"Let cousin Jiaxu go first, Lele," Chang Ru murmured, pulling her aside, giving them distance from Jiang Ying. Chang Le pouted but acquiesced.

Jiaxu stepped around Jiang Ying to mutter to them, "I'll see what's going on, give me a minute," before knocking on the door. "Ma?"

He rolled open the door to the suspicious glare of the doctor who'd been about to exit. The doctor asked, "you are?"

"Xu Ruo Shu's son, Duan Jiaxu," Jiaxu declared and the doctor nodded, motioning him back into the room. Jiaxu closed the door for privacy.

"I'm Dr Wu. We've been trying to reach you," the doctor scolded.

"I came as soon as I could," Jiaxu explained. "There were some weather delays in Nanwu. What is her condition?"

The doctor nodded and led Jiaxu over to his mother's bed. Jiaxu wasn't sure what to expect, but seeing his ma, laying so still in a hospital gown with a tube down her throat flashed an unwanted memory over his vision. He could be walking through this room and seeing his father, misery and anger and guilt swirling through him…

"…with her medical history, it's not uncommon for her oxygen levels to become low, especially under stress, which meant we had to intubate to give her lungs a rest during treatment…"

Jiaxu shook himself. This wasn't da, no, this was ma. She was alive.

"…when will she wake up?" Jiaxu asked, glancing at the doctor for reassurance. Da never did. Whether or not that was for the best, Jiaxu didn't know, but ma couldn't leave them.

The doctor hesitated. "We have to keep her sedated for the moment, which is why she's in the intensive ward for monitoring. When she was brought in, she woke up just enough to fight intubation, and was very disoriented. We weren't sure if it's due to the blow to her head or just a side effective of the hypoxia-"

"Blow to her head?" Jiaxu asked, walking around the bed to see the side of his ma's face where he discovered a large bandage spread over her temple, bruise peeking out from the edges of the gauze.

"She has some lacerations across the side of her face," Dr Wu said, looking at him with a grim expression. "And some head trauma. The witness said in your mother's panic to breathe, she crashed into something and hurt herself."

Jiaxu's hands balled into fists before he could help himself, so he shoved them into his pockets. The paper square bumped against his hand and he took a breath. "Is… is ma's injury consistent with that claim?" he asked quietly, glancing at the doctor.

Dr Wu remained silent, instead giving him a grim look.

Jiaxu took a long breath, fingers flipping the square in his pocket over and over. "I see."

"During our examination, there were some other concerning markers that we were compelled to report. You'll need to speak with a hospital worker about her conditions at home," Dr Wu said.

Shifting uncomfortable, Jiaxu looked at his mother helplessly. "What other markers?" he whispered.

"Mostly bruises. Not uncommon for someone her age, but… the placements are suspect."

Jiaxu closed his eyes, rubbing his brow. What a fucking joke of a son he was. Between the conversation in the car and now this… how long had she been taking the brunt of someone's fury? The fact that he couldn't pinpoint exactly who to blame for the injuries was extremely disturbing. Was it his uncle, furious at the lack of a more lavish lifestyle after gambling away his salary between games and drink? Was it Jiang Ying, who'd spent years showing him just how cruel she could be? Both of them? Or someone else?

He'd have demanded her move to Nanwu had he known. But, shit, she still wouldn't have left Chang Le, the girl still in high school. Not if his uncle was gone so much and only terrorized them when home.

Fuck.

"Your mother is doing well despite how severe our interventions seem. We're keeping a close eye on her, to make sure she improves before we can send her to a different wing," the doctor explained sympathetically.

"How long until you can remove the tube?"

"A day or two. Her lungs are very weak, likely due to a mild infection, but we found it before it could cause something more concerning, like pneumonia."

Jiaxu nodded. "I could hear how bad she was getting… but she told me that her doctor wasn't concerned."

"We've let her doctor, Dr Mao, know that she was admitted. As her injury takes precedence, she will follow up about the infection later," Dr Wu explained. "As soon as she improves, we can see how your ma's lungs tolerate taking over breathing. If all goes well, we can wake her at that point."

"Thank you, doctor," Jiaxu said. "Can my cousins come in and see her? She's practically their mother."

"Of course," the doctor said, and Jiaxu went over to open the door and wave his cousins in. Chang Le rushed over to the bed, doing a valiant job of trying to retain her tears at the wounds on Xu Ruo Shu, lip wobbling. Chang Ru followed at a more sedate pace, giving Jiaxu a look. It wasn't until Jiang Ying tried to enter the room that Jiaxu's arm raised, barring her.

"What is it, Jiaxu? Why can't I see her? I've been so worried!" Jiang Ying pleaded, words increasing in volume.

Glancing back at the doctor who seemed to be allaying some of his cousins more fearful questions, Jiaxu grabbed Jiang Ying's elbow to twist her around and shove her away from the doorway. She yelped in protest, but had no choice as he stepped out with her, closing the door.

The cold rage crept through his body like an old friend, and Jiaxu bared his mouth in the cruelest smile he could manage. "Tell me about last night, Jiang Ying," he stated softly. Jiang Ying looked momentarily dazzled before her eyes darted up to the right as she tried to explain.

"I was having dinner with your ma like I do every Wednesday, Jiaxu," Jiang Ying said. "We've been having dinner for years."

"Where at?"

"At your uncle's home," she replied. "Your ma loves cooking for me."

It was impossible to refute the claim, but it just made him wonder how much additional work the woman had demanded from his ma. Folding his arms, Jiaxu leaned back against the wall, a barrier from her entering his mother's room, tilting his head for her to continue.

"Well… we'd just finished eating, just catching up you know, and then it was like... like an asthma attack?" Jiang Ying looked at him, gauging his reaction. He remained impassive.

"She started gasping and flailing around, and I kept asking what was wrong, how could I help, but she was turning blue so I called the paramedics. I tried to get her to sit down, but she jerked out of my hands and flung herself away, cracking her head against the counter," her voice had gotten progressively quieter, almost unsure, as Jiaxu remained completely unmoved.

"The paramedics arrived really quickly, though!" she added, sending him a confused flicker of a smile, which faded again as he didn't react. "Then I followed the paramedics here and have been waiting here since, all night! I'm so tired, Jiaxu."

I'm so tired Jiaxu, carry me. I'm so tired Jiaxu, you do my homework. I'm so tired Jiaxu. You owe me.

"You can leave," Jiaxu finally replied stonily. "There was no reason to stay."

"And leave your ma alone?" Jiang Ying asked him in disbelief. "I should be here to comfort Chang Le and-"

"You can leave," he tried again.

"But," she started, frowning in confusion, "you're here."

"I am," Jiaxu agreed. "So you can go."

Jiang Ying stared at him for a long moment, eyes gliding over his face as if confused by his sincerity. Eventually, her gaze landed back on the mark on his neck and her face clouded over.

"What is that?" she demanded, reaching up and pulling harshly on his collar. Who knew what the lipstick kiss looked like on his skin by this point. "Why didn't you answer me earlier?"

"What is what?" he asked, purposefully obtuse, shaking her off. Like hell if he going to offer anything up to the woman willingly.

"That lipstick smudge on your neck. It was Valentine's day yesterday. You were at dinner, weren't you?" Jiang Ying asked in a hateful tone. "Some bitch-"

"You will not say another fucking word," Jiaxu interrupted in a low voice. "Go."

Jiang Ying glared at him for a long moment. Jiaxu had never dared to directly contradict her, having for so long been berated and threatened that he'd learned not to bother, the only option leaving him to remove himself.

He couldn't fight against the combined efforts of her and ma.

But with the clear suspicion of Jiang Ying being the entire reason his ma was in the hospital, there was no reason to hold back. He could handle her abuse, but his ma had always been obsequious in her interactions with the Jiang's.

Now a line had been crossed.

"My da did an unspeakable thing. I have been spit on, reviled, and accepted it all. I have listened to endless complaints and derision from you and said nothing. But I finished paying that debt, years ago," Jiaxu said. "What payment can you offer me for your abuse? I'm not your fucking toy."

"You owe me," Jiang Ying hissed.

"Owe you what? I've paid the debt."

Her eyes narrowed, lip quivering, as Jiaxu glared at her. He wasn't entirely sure what she was thinking, but she looked around to check their audience, but the busy staff didn't notice them.

Straightening, Jiang Ying called out loudly, "your da killed my da!"

Jiaxu could feel some onlookers turn, the stares from strangers a familiar sensation after years of her outburst, but it meant little to him now.

"You are to never contact me or my family again," Jiaxu said coolly. "This has gone on for too long. I have done all that was required of us, so there's no reason for you to insist on this connection that should have ended years ago."

Jiang Ying's entire face contorted in rage, as if furious that he could remain so unaffected. Breathing hard, she tried again, yelling, "You're murderers!"

More eyes swung towards them.

"Then what do you want from us?" he retorted. Adrenaline rushed through Jiaxu, having never been so certain in his resolve, fury of his ma's condition and assurance that the woman in front of him couldn't ruin his life. Jiang Ying had tried, succeeded even, many times in his life to ruin the progress of goodwill, but Jiaxu was truly, finally, out of her reach.

"You promised me," she said in a loud, trembling voice.

"I have never promised you anything," Jiaxu said harshly. "I just endured."

As if her entire world had turned upside down, Jiang Ying seemed to realize his resolve. A violent gleam entered her eyes as she abruptly grabbed him by his clothes and shoved him hard into the wall, screeching, "But your mine!"

In some dark, twisted way, Jiaxu knew it would happen. It had been too long of Jiang Ying simmering in silence, a shadow from his past that would one day explode spectacularly in his face. Years of allowing past liberties of her violence had prepared him for this moment.

"You owe me!" she screamed, grabbing him by the neck. With all of her weight, Jiang Ying slammed his face into the wall. Pain burst through his head, a splinter of heat across Jiaxu's brow, as if plastic or glass gave way.

Dazed, things filtered into Jiaxu's consciousness in a strange way. The way that Jiang Ying's insults were hurled at him with such familiarity, they practically faded in his ears. How he simply went down, sliding along the wall as she punched at him, blows glancing off in an irrelevant way, before staff appeared. The amount of hands that grabbed Jiang Ying off of him, yanking backwards as she screeched at him about his debt, as if that gave her rights to her mistreatment.

Security guards ran towards them. He could feel a sea of eyes watching, patients and staff crowding in the hallway. One man, garbed in a white coat, kneeled in front of him, trying to talk to him over the roaring sound. Jiaxu flinched as something wet dripped into his eye, so he brought his hand up and found blood on it.

Then he began to laugh.

~~~

Sang Zhi positively drooped exiting the elevator into Jiaxu's apartment. Placing her bag on the bench and removing her jacket and shoes, she put slippers on and flounced onto the couch.

What a long day.

It had been hours since she'd heard from Jiaxu, his first call having settled her heart a bit, but then… nothing. It made her worry. Even on his busiest work days he managed to text her. Pulling up the messenger, she frowned at the history.

[Sang Zhi]: I hope everything is well.

[Sang Zhi]: We are on the last stage of animation, sound design just needs to adjust a few things.

[Sang Zhi]: Which is good since they pushed my presentation up to tomorrow.

[Sang Zhi]: Thinking of you.

Heaving a large breath, Sang Zhi dropped her phone down onto her chest. It wouldn't do any good to wallow.

With that thought, she got up and looked for some sort of quick dinner.

Jiaxu's fridge was typically well stocked, as far as Sang Zhi could tell, but it was reaching a point where it needed to be replenished. She opened an app on her phone to make a list, wanting to make good on her promise to keep up his place. She'd almost finished the task when she heard the doorbell ring.

Padding to the door to check the security feed, she saw Wen Yifan at the camera and buzzed her in.

"Yifan!" Sang Zhi said happily, helping take her bags as soon as her friend stepped out of the elevator.

Wen Yifan smiled, following her to the living room. "Sang Yan said you were staying here. Is Jiaxu home? I know he's been working late, so I thought I'd bring you dinner."

Sang Zhi shook her head. "He's actually not in Nanwu."

Wen Yifan sat down, tilting her head. "And you're here." Glancing around the space, she pointedly looked at the various things of Sang Zhi's strewn about the room. "With your stuff."

"Yes."

Yifan's expression turned amused. "Far be it from me to bicker about accidentally moving in with a man, but…"

"To be fair, Sang Yan moved in with you," Sang Zhi muttered.

"…ah, so it's a Sang family trait. Your poor parents," Yifan replied. "Have you told them about this?"

Instead of answering her, Sang Zhi went to get some plates and utensils. Wen Yifan pulled the boxes of food out of the bag, patiently waiting for a reply.

"Jiaxu had to go to Yihe," Sang Zhi said when she returned, ignoring the previous question. She sat next to Yifan and started pulling a portion onto her plate. "His ma is in the hospital. We were at dinner last night when he got the call, so he flew out."

"Oh! Last night?"

"Yeah."

"Is she okay?"

"I don't know," Sang Zhi admitted. "I haven't heard from him all day."

"Does he have an extensive family?" Wen Yifan asked.

Sang Zhi took a large bite, thinking while she chewed. One of the best things about Yifan was that she was never in a hurry for an answer, which always put Zhi at ease. It was no wonder the woman was such an effective reporter.

Finally, she swallowed. "No. He's her only child, so Jiaxu will probably have to make a lot of decisions."

"Oh, his da isn't around?"

Sang Zhi gave Yifan a side glance. Did she know about Jiaxu's past? Yifan's question didn't sound suspicious, but her friend was focused on her food, avoiding Zhi's eyes.

"No, his da has passed," Sang Zhi explained.

"Oh," Wen Yifan said mildly, making Zhi narrow her eyes in response. "That's hard."

Frowning, Sang Zhi decided to leave it be. Perhaps Wen Yifan's reaction was from her father being long gone as well, so Sang Zhi continued. "He has an uncle nearby and two cousins, though."

Standing up, she walked to the shelf that held Jiaxu's photos and unearthed the high school graduation frame that had concerned her before. Bringing it to Yifan, she pointed at the two girls.

"I think this is Chang Ru, the elder, and Chang Le," she said. "Their ma passed, so Jiaxu's ma stepped in."

"They look like a handful."

"It's from his high school graduation, so they're older now," Sang Zhi explained. Looking at the photo made her frown, however, the expression on photo-Jiaxu's face so clearly pained that it made her sad. "He was arguing with Chang Ru on the phone about his arrival."

"I'm sure he'll give you a call tonight and let you know what's going on," reassured Wen Yifan with a smile. "And I can keep you company in the meantime."

"Did Sang Yan…" Sang Zhi started to ask, then frowned. Wen Yifan glanced at her and shrugged.

"Tell me about your dinner at the Su's? Yes."

Sang Zhi sent her a concerned look. Wen Yifan chuckled under her breath.

"My relationship with my family is complicated, yes, but I don't blame you for being there, Zhizhi. From what I remember of Feng Lin, I doubt you were given much of a choice," she said. "She never listened to me, anyway."

"Do… could you tell me a little about them?"

Wen Yifan spent a long moment chewing on her meal, then sighed.

"My best memories when I was little was with my da. When he passed, it was like… Ma struggled," Yifan said. "She didn't know what to do, remarried almost immediately, and Kejia despised me."

"I saw her last night at dinner," Sang Zhi admitted. "She didn't seem to despise you, instead she begged me to give you a message, but… you severed ties with them for a reason."

Reaching out to squeeze Zhi's shoulder, Wen Yifan nodded. "I appreciate your wariness. I still get occasionally bothered by random people who don't know… the fact that you want to protect me means a lot, Zhizhi. What did she say?"

"Mama misses the first frost."

Wen Yifan shook her head with a shrug. "That's nothing new. My number is fairly public for work, so I get messages like that often."

"Then why didn't Su Haoan want me to mention you at dinner?" Zhi asked.

Sighing, Wen Yifan said, "when I left, it was considered the ultimate betrayal by the family. I imagine it was tense enough with your parents attendance."

Thinking of that strange simmering undercurrent of the evening, Sang Zhi asked, "Why?"

Looking up, Yifan considered her words carefully. "Despite all of the family's intentions… they didn't account for Sang Yan."

It was always assumed our families would join. Su Haoan had mentioned that. Sang Zhi gaped at Wen Yifan as the implications of her families presence that evening fully sank in. We were the injured party, and can let bygones be bygones…

No wonder the conversation had been so stilted.

"Oh. I see," Sang Zhi shook her head, not wanting to know the particulars of her brother's disruption. "I don't understand though. Why would Feng Lin approve of me with our connection to Sang Yan? Su Haoan made it seem like he needed to talk to you, which is such a roundabout way to reach you."

Wen Yifan sent her an amused look. "Maybe it isn't about me at all. Su Haoan might actually like you, hence his mother's involvement. You definitely fit his type."

That made Zhi scowl. "I don't want to be his type."

Looking thoughtful, Yifan continued. "I haven't seen Su Haoan in years. I'll try to reach out to him when work calms down. It's been rather hectic lately, I'm barely home."

"But you've made time for me," Sang Zhi pointed out, touched. Wen Yifan nodded.

"I had to make sure you were okay cohabiting with your boyfriend," she replied with a nudge. "I'm not sure how long your Mama will buy your excuse."

Sang Zhi sighed. "I know. I explained to her before how I wasn't interested in Su Haoan, but she still pushed me into that… strange night."

"Well, she came to our apartment yesterday to see if you were there," Yifan explained. "Neither of us were home, though, so she called Sang Yan, who pointed out that you were an adult and probably had plans with your boyfriend on Valentine's Day."

That made Sang Zhi feel a bit better. Despite Sang Yan's initial reluctance to Jiaxu, he at least was allowing Sang Zhi the space. "That… was nice of Sang Yan."

"I think he understands now," Wen Yifan said with a tilt of her head. "But he also was once at the mercy of your ma's matchmaking efforts, long ago."

With a snort, Sang Zhi nodded. "You should have heard the way Mama would complain to Baba. Sang Yan would show up, order food, and then leave with take out without saying a word to his 'date'. He didn't care about being rude."

Wen Yifan smiled, shaking her head fondly. "I know… I know your parents stubborn when it comes to you. But you need to be firm, Zhizhi, or they'll think this is just a fling."

"When have I ever had a fling?"

Yifan held up a hand to stop her. "When have you ever shown interest in anyone? When have you ever told your parents about your dreams or fears? You went to Yihe University to get away from them and then gave them nothing of your time there. While I know you're frustrated with them… have you ever stood up to them?"

Sang Zhi frowned, thinking about different situations in her youth, trying to think of something she'd felt that strongly about. The closest thing was going so far away to Yihe, but she'd spent weeks researching the positive aspects of the university - that had such a robust arts department - that her Mama had bemoaned the distance, but had allowed it.

And proceeded to video call her every day.

With or without distance, Sang Zhi never had a boyfriend over - no one was really worth that effort - and her friends had usually been accepted. With her general anxiety, Sang Zhi didn't have much interest in staying out past curfew or going to wild parties, so there wasn't any typical situations to point out.

"Are you saying this is my fault?" Sang Zhi asked.

Wen Yifan shook her head. "No. From what you've told me, you've never had a reason to rebel against them. But it's time to stand up for what you want, Zhizhi. Putting it off will only make it worse."

"So what do I do?"

"Talk to them. Be honest."

~~~

[Duan Jiaxu]: Are you still awake?

It was almost midnight, far later than he wished, but Jiaxu still sent the message despite the utter desire to just lay down and float into dreamland. Instead, he stayed standing by the window of his accommodations - a guest room in Siyun and Li Xun's home - knowing the moment he became flat was the moment he'd be gone to the world for a while.

Sang Zhi immediately began to video call him.

Seeing the reflection of his face in the camera feed, Jiaxu hesitated. The hospital staff had patched him up pretty well, the stitching tape keeping the split on his eyebrow together comfortably, but it did nothing for his bruise.

But, fuck, the idea seeing Sang Zhi made him accept the call, holding the phone on his uninjured side. "Hello."

"Jiaxu-" she sounded sleepy and relieved, blinking quickly, as if she'd been sleeping.

Despite feeling bad about waking her, he couldn't help the smile that spread on his face seeing her lovely face. Her soft voice sent an absolute rush of warmth through him and he sat down to lean back against the headboard. "Did I wake you?"

Sang Zhi hummed, burrowing into a pillow - his pillow, which sent a trill of excitement through him - to where he could only see her eyes, mumbling, "is your ma okay?"

"She's stable but under anesthesia," Jiaxu said, straightening the camera angle. "They had trouble treating her, so they had to knock her out and put her on a breathing tube. Depending on how she recovers, they'll lift the anesthesia in a day or two."

He could see the moment when Sang Zhi's eyes narrowed in on his own injury, brow furrowing. "What happened to you?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, Jiaxu let out a long breath. "I… did a stupid thing."

She simply sent him a reproachful look, waiting for him to continue.

"After I landed, I got the girls and we went to the hospital. The reason I left Yihe - my da's main debtor - was sitting in wait outside my ma's room. After meeting with the doctor and seeing the extent of ma's injuries-" Sang Zhi gasped at that point, sitting up, "-yes, injuries, not just an illness. The doctor let me know that the injuries were too suspect to not be reported."

"Oh, Jiaxu," Sang Zhi replied softly, hugging herself.

"So I went to find out exactly how true the suspicion was," Jiaxu continue directly with a sad smile. "I told the woman to leave, but she refused, so I clearly laid out she was to have no contact with me or my family again. She was so angry that she decided to throw herself at me and smash my face against a defibrillator box. I've been talking with officers and social workers for a better part of the day. Luckily, Siyun showed up when she did."

"Your boss arrived?"

"Siyun is more like an honorary aunt who happens to be a sort of boss. I met her and her husband, Li Xun, when I was in university. They would invite me to all their holidays, gave me the first sense of a proper family since my childhood. I'm staying with them right now," he explained. "She'd gotten my text that morning and rushed to make it over."

Sang Zhi let out a shuddering sigh, finger brushing against the screen. "I'm glad there's someone reliable there. Is it very painful?"

Jiaxu shook his head. "It looks worse than it is."

"So how is everyone? Your cousins? Did they witness the attack?"

Shrugging, he explained, "Chang Ru came out hearing the commotion, keeping her sister inside, and stayed with me when they treated me. Then Siyun arrived."

Sang Zhi leaned back into the covers, eyes sad. "I'm sorry, Jiaxu."

He shrugged. "It was worth it. She shouldn't bother us anymore."

She didn't seem to know what to say to that, but Jiaxu didn't need her to. He hadn't explained how dangerous Jiang Ying was, not wanting to bring up past drama when it didn't matter for his future in Nanwu.

"What did you do today?" he asked instead, slowly sinking into the bed. "Was work okay?"

With a nod, Sang Zhi explained her day and how her project was pretty much complete, the client scheduled to arrive the next day. "…and Wen Yifan came over this evening for a bit to have dinner. She was sorry to hear about your ma."

Jiaxu hummed in acknowledgment, Sang Zhi's voice soothing after such a long and difficult day.

"I should let you sleep," she murmured. "But I miss you."

"I miss you too." The words felt so inadequate. His whole body wanted to wrap around her and hug her close. "I'm sorry that I'm-" not there. Not near.

"Ah!" Sang Zhi cut in with a whine. "This is the worst. I can't interrupt your apologies with a kiss."

He smiled despite himself. "I'll give you a call tomorrow when I get an update from the doctor. They're monitoring her closely, so we were told to go home and rest."

"Okay," Sang Zhi said, yawning. "Goodnight Jiaxu."

"Goodnight, Zhizhi."

Chapter Text

Jiaxu sat in his ma's room, working on his laptop to finish as many code requests as he could while he waited for her to wake. It was Friday afternoon and he'd just sent his cousins to finally get some lunch. They hadn't wanted to leave and he had to pull out a rather hard guilt trip to get them to get some food.

Glancing at Xu Ruo Shu, he wondered how long it was going to take for the anesthesia to fully wear off. She'd tolerated the removal of the tubes fine, taking over breathing on her own with a simple oxygen mask slipped over her lower face. As soon as she woke up they could look into moving her to a less intensive room. Her facial bruise still looked rather gnarly, but that would take time to fade.

He turned back to the screen and continued typing for a few minutes when he heard the door open and close. A moment later, a cup of coffee appeared in front of him. Looking up, Jiaxu saw Siyun with a comforting smile, who said, "I thought I'd come by and check on you during my break. How is it going?"

Taking the cup from her, Jiaxu nodded and she took a seat in a nearby chair. "Fine, just waiting for her to wake."

"I'm sure she will soon," Siyun said with certainty. "Have the police updated you on Jiang Ying?"

Jiaxu nodded. "She's still in custody as they're investigating, and they're also working on putting a protection order in place. Her attacking me is enough for that, even if they're unsure about ma's situation."

"Was there any evidence of Jiang Ying and your ma fighting?"

"I don't know," Jiaxu said. "I haven't been inside the house, even when dropping off the girls last night. I think Chang Ru would have told me if there was, though. But we don't know how long it was until Jiang Ying called the paramedics, since Chang Le was at practice."

Siyun nodded. They were silent for a while, each sipping their coffee, when Siyun sighed, shifting into a more professional tone. "I see you've been keeping up on the Sunset project. There isn't much time before it's due, is there?"

"No, only a couple weeks," he replied, motioning to his screen. "Which is why I'm doing what I can here. I've been impressed by your protégé. She tears through bug reports quickly."

"I'm glad. Yu Xin always been interested in the Celestial system," Siyun said, smiling. "I am curious though. What is the black out date tomorrow for?"

"Ah," he said with a grimace, closing and packing up his laptop to distract himself from the guilt stewing in his gut. Jiaxu wanted to go. He wanted to see his girlfriend, wanted to spend a lovely evening hand in hand with her. There just wasn't enough time. The broken promise of taking Sang Zhi left a bitter taste in his mouth, but Jiaxu had no other option but to swallow it.

Jiaxu couldn't remember the last time he'd broken his word.

"Chen Junwen's university roommate is getting married. The groom is a friend of my girlfriend's, so I was going to be her date," he explained.

"You didn't tell me you got a girlfriend!" Siyun scolded mildly. "Tell me about her. When did this happen?"

Feeling a bit sheepish, Jiaxu told Siyun about their chance encounter months ago - sticking to how fascinating he'd found Sang Zhi through dinner - and then losing contact. Siyun looked amused at how badly he'd fudged things up from the beginning by not getting Sang Zhi's number, but when Jiaxu mentioned finding her again on New Years Eve, Siyun grinned.

"I hope she didn't disappear at midnight," she joked.

"No, I actually got her number and walked her home… we started officially dating soon after," Jiaxu said, pleased. "She's… everything, Siyun."

"Do you have a picture?"

Jiaxu pulled out his phone, realized that all of their photos together were on Sang Zhi's phone, and instead pulled up his girlfriend's social media page. He didn't check the app often, too used to hiding his personal life from Jiang Ying, when he saw that Zhi had posted the silly selfie he'd taken of the two of them in front of her office.

❤ my favorite person ❤

Reading her caption, warmth traveled through Jiaxu, especially after reading some of the comments. Her brother made a not unkind quip about his position being usurped, Ning Wei cheered, and others he didn't know gushed. Holding his phone out to Siyun to see, Jiaxu tried to contain his excitement, "I hope you can meet her soon. She's been so concerned about ma and the girls, sending me encouraging little notes all day, even if I can't reply quickly."

"Oh, she's so pretty! Does she know…" Siyun glanced at Jiaxu's mother in concern, but he caught her meaning.

"A little. I told her about da and his crime," Jiaxu admitted. "I… didn't expect her to get so upset about it."

"She was mad at you?"

"Not at all. She wanted to know what I had to do with it. That I was a child. Then gave me a hug," Jiaxu said down to his coffee cup. "She didn't think less of me for it."

Siyun hummed in approval, but before she could say anything further, Jiaxu's ma moved slightly and gave a little cough. Jiaxu set down his cup and jumped up, walking over to the bed to take his ma's hand. "Ma?"

"I'll get the doctor," Siyun said, disappearing quickly.

"Ma?" Jiaxu asked again, peering into her face. Ruo Shu's eyes squinted open, eyebrows knit as she tried to speak.

"Jiaxu?" It was faint, difficult to hear under her oxygen mask, but it was there. Jiaxu felt a tear slip down his nose before he could wipe it away, squeezing his mother's hand.

"We've been so worried," he said. She reached up, weakly, to pet his hair.

"My little prince," she said with a soft sigh. "Who hurt my little prince?"

Jiaxu realized that she could see the bandage stitches on his brow and winced, but before he could answer, Dr Wu rushed in with a nurse in tow. Jiaxu backed up from the bed to keep out of the way during the examination.

It took time. Xu Ruo Shu's mental capabilities seemed accurate but sluggish. It wasn't until the doctor asked about her last memory that they could see a spike of agitation on the monitors, heart rate increasing.

"She was so angry. Why was she so angry?" Xu Ruo Shu asked slowly, becoming breathless and confused. "I… I didn't…"

The doctor nodded, patted her shoulder and smiled. "Ease yourself. Rest for a bit longer."

Motioning for Jiaxu to follow, the doctor went outside after a quick word to the nurse. Finding his cousin's on the other side of the door, the doctor warned them about remaining calm and let them in. Siyun was no where to be seen, but Jiaxu assumed she was giving them privacy.

Eventually, the doctor turned to him. "Your ma seems to be fine, but you just may need more patience than usual. The brain will do a lot to protect itself from harm."

Jiaxu nodded. "Anything else you suggest?"

"Give her some time. Her memories made be a bit spotty around her injury, and she will need to come to terms with the attack herself. I'll put in the orders to move her to a lower priority suite so we can keep an eye on her for a day or so," Dr Wu said, sending a reassuring smile to him. "She's doing well."

Jiaxu nodded, relief sweeping through him. Ma was going to be okay.

~~~

Sang Zhi's Friday passed fairly quickly. While she was inordinately worried about Jiaxu and the concerns circling his ma, she had to put it aside to make sure that the last of the finishing touches on the commercial proposal were complete and ready to go to show the client that afternoon. There just wasn't time to be distracted.

Ning Wei reached out to her at lunchtime, asking to meet for lunch on Sunday. Apparently, their old roommate Yu Xin was in town and had been convinced by Ning Wei to carve out the time from her busy schedule. Sang Zhi didn't really want to commit to anything when she was in such a low mood, but it had been a long time since she'd seen her friend, so she reluctantly agreed.

Then Ning Wei asked if she was ready for the wedding the next day.

Sang Zhi didn't know what to reply with, so she didn't at all.

All of the excitement that she had held for the wedding had bled out of her Thursday morning as she realized there was no reasonable way for Jiaxu to make it. Sang Zhi was happy for Qian Fei, but it really sucked having to go to the event alone, yet again. There were sure to be single people there, which usually meant someone would attempt to flirt with her. Or worse, talk.

Things like this were supposed to be about the bride and groom, not picking up a date.

Now she just had a pretty dress and a silly amount of anxiety about the event.

The meeting with the client went well, but even the enthusiasm of the client couldn't boost Sang Zhi's spirits. When it was over, she opened her phone to send a message to let Jiaxu know, and found a voicemail from him. He'd called in the middle of her presentation. Alarmed that something dire had happened, she listened to the voicemail quick and breathed a sigh of relief at the news. "They weaned ma off the breathing tube this morning and she's woken up! I might be too busy to give you a call tonight, but I'll try."

He sounded happy.

Later, she fell asleep with her phone in her hand.

He didn't call.

Saturday morning, Sang Zhi woke up, determined to blunt the edge of her disappointment in tidying up the apartment. Jiaxu sent a small text apologizing for how busy his previous day had been, but didn't respond after she asked to talk.

Disappointment was building into frustration, but Jiaxu had all the reasons in the world for not responding, so the apartment ended up very clean by the time she stopped for lunch.

Mid-afternoon, she pulled her dress from the closet after taking a shower. It was truly beautiful, the fabric soft with a slight shimmer. She looked at her other dresses, wondering if she should choose something different - this dress should be saved for Jiaxu - when Wen Yifan called her.

"When are you arriving?" Wen Yifan asked.

"What do you mean?" Sang Zhi asked.

"I thought you said you'd get ready for the wedding with me," Yifan said in a confused tone. "My friend is coming over to help with my hair and makeup, did you forget?"

"Oh, right," she replied, vaguely remembering discussing it. "I don't know if I should still wear the dress though-"

"Sang Zhi," Yifan's voice was exasperated. "Don't. Just… I'll send your brother to come pick you up. Gather the dress and everything else. Bye."

With that, Sang Zhi looked at her phone in surprise. Wen Yifan had actually hung up on her. It was just the push to get Sang Zhi to finish drying her hair and pack up all of the pieces of her outfit. Including the dress.

When Sang Zhi got into her brother's car after placing the bags in the back seat, Sang Yan gave her a suspicious look. "Why so glum?"

Sang Zhi didn't want to talk about it, so she shifted in her seat, folding her arms and looking out through the window.

"I see how it is," he grumbled. "Wen Yifan mentioned Duan Jiaxu was gone. Are you going to be like this all night?"

"Just let me sulk for a little bit," Sang Zhi muttered quietly. "I'll be on my best behavior when we see Qian Fei. It's not his fault, anyway."

"Is it Duan Jiaxu's?"

That made Sang Zhi sit up, aghast. "No!"

Sang Yan grinned. "Just making sure."

She rolled her eyes, flinging herself back into her seat.

When they arrived at his apartment, he motioned her to Wen Yifan's bedroom before disappearing into his own. Sang Zhi was introduced to Wen Yifan's friend, a very pretty girl named Zhong Siqiao, who apparently worked all manner of odd jobs and prided herself on being of use for any problem, one of her skills being hair and makeup.

She took one glance at Sang Zhi and smiled broadly, apparently excited. "Thank you for your trust today, my new friend. I will do my very best."

Her enthusiasm was contagious, Sang Zhi finding herself smiling despite the melancholy in her heart. After inspecting the dress - which Siqiao pulled out a little steamer from her bag to occasionally work on the wrinkles that Sang Zhi couldn't even see - Siqiao bounced between the two women, either helping with setting some curlers or doing the next step in their makeup.

When they were done, Sang Zhi couldn't help but smile. She felt beautiful, hair mostly down but pulled to the side in soft waves. Her makeup was understated except for a slight shimmer at the corners of her eyes and a boost of a "few strategic lashes", according to Siqiao. Sang Zhi had even put Jiaxu's necklace on, cinching the chain to lay closer to her collarbone.

Wen Yifan looked amazing, but she'd always had an ethereal beauty that had awed Sang Zhi their first few meetings. Siqiao was beaming as she opened the bedroom door to announce them to Sang Yan.

Sang Zhi came out first, a little nervous because she knew the secret of her dress having no back, but she had the jacket on. Sang Yan - who was wearing an entire all black ensemble suit - was a typical brother and just grunted, "you look nice, I guess. Glad you're covered."

"Sang Yan!" Wen Yifan scolded from the door, wearing a lovely coral dress. "Can't you at least say your sister looks pretty?"

Sang Yan's glance at Yifan was a completely different story. Sang Zhi made a face and went back into the bedroom to help Siqiao pack her things. She didn't want to watch her brother be mushy with his girlfriend.

"They really are just something else," Siqiao said with a content, yet sad smile after following her in.

"Do you have a sweetheart?" Sang Zhi asked. Siqiao laughed.

"Oh, no. I don't have time for men and they don't have time for me," she said brusquely. "I'm always working."

"That's too bad. You're really great to hang out with. I didn't want to go at all until you cheered me up," Sang Zhi admitted.

"I heard that!" Yifan said from the other room. Sang Zhi stuck her tongue out at the doorway, but wasn't surprised when they remained in the other room.

"Why not?" Siqiao asked.

"My boyfriend was supposed to take me, but something unexpected came up, so," Sang Zhi explained with a shrug. "It's not his fault, but I miss him and keep thinking about how much better it'd be if he was coming."

"Oh, in that case, come here!" Siqiao ordered, pulling Zhi over the bedroom balcony doors, opening them. Sang Zhi shivered as the chilled wind blasted in. "Give me your phone and stand by the railing."

Sang Zhi blinked before acquiescing. As Siqiao began to direct her poses - first order, to remove the jacket, damn the cold, and lift her chin up towards the sky, to show her entire back - Zhi began to smile sadly at the thought of sending Jiaxu yet more photos for him to miss her with.

"Oh, that smile was meant to break hearts," Siqiao said, clicking furiously with the phone, obviously taking pictures. "He's going to regret missing out."

"I'm sure he already does," Sang Zhi admitted, expression turning melancholy. He had been full of so many apologies. Click click click. "But Jiaxu will like photos anyway."

Siqiao continued to take photos, the sun setting in the background giving a bit of a glow to the sky, when a voice cut over their fun.

"Where's the rest of the dress?" Sang Yan asked grumpily. Sang Zhi rolled her eyes, stepping back inside with Siqiao and closing the doors.

"Right here," Zhi said, pulling the jacket back on. Only the barest strip of skin could be seen between the hem of the jacket and the top of her skirt. "See? I'll leave it on all night, no matter if I get hot."

"You better," he grumbled. "You coming or not? We're going to be late."

Thanking Siqiao, Sang Zhi retrieved her phone and tucked it into a pocket of the dress and grabbed her clutch. It might not be the evening she envisioned, but she was determined to have a good time.

Even if her whole being missed Jiaxu.

The wedding hall was huge. Music filtered in from the live band on the stage and the lighting was low enough to make spotlights pop, giving that fun party sort of vibe - very different from the stiff weddings that Sang Zhi remembered as a child - and there were many people laughing and chatting as they waited for the ceremony to start.

Sang Zhi gripped her brother's arm, and he sent her a look that was meant to be annoyed, but was actually fond. She could tell. She gave him a similar look back.

Greeting Qian Fei and his bride Shiwen, Sang Zhi couldn't help but smile broadly through her congratulations. She'd met the bride a couple of times when they'd both been at Overtime, and had found the kind woman perfect for the cheerful Qian Fei. He was practically bursting with pride.

After that, Sang Yan led both ladies to their table and they placed their belongings in their assigned seats. Sang Zhi kept her lipstick and phone in her pockets - the flounces hid the slight bulges thankfully - as Sang Yan pulled Yifan by the hand to talk with someone, leaving Zhi standing at the table awkwardly. She wasn't about to follow her brother. Should she try to be social? She didn't know most of the people in the room, but that didn't mean much at a wedding.

She was making note of the fire escapes due to how full the hall was - of course Qian Fei would have dozens of friends and family with how gregarious he was - when Chen Junwen almost bumped into her, looking frazzled. He wore a suit that matched the wedding party, causing Sang Zhi to blink. He must've been very busy between all of the additional workload of Jiaxu's leave and picking up wedding duties.

"Are you okay, Chen Junwen?" she asked, peering at him. "Here, have a drink."

She took the water pitcher and poured him a drink, handing it to him. He seemed to be surprised that she was addressing him at all, but took the drink and downed it.

"I legitimately don't think I've slept in days," Junwen said after putting the glass down. "Have you heard from Jiaxu?"

Sang Zhi nodded, attempting a smile she didn't particularly feel, despite being happy for the news. "His ma's awake."

"That's a relief," Junwen replied. Suddenly, he seemed to catch eye on something behind her, which made her turn to look but failed to see what was so concerning. "Excuse me, I have to-"

Chen Junwen muttered something that Sang Zhi completely failed to catch and dashed off. Bewildered, she poured herself a glass of water and picked it up, that awkward feeling lingering. Looking around, she tried to find something to occupy herself with. There seemed to be an open appetizer table, so she set her water down and wandered over to pick up a plate. There was quite a few food options, but she was wary of any of the prepared dishes - who knew what was in them - and only picked fruit.

"You look like you need this."

A glass of red wine was held out in front of her and Sang Zhi turned to see Su Haoan standing there with a winsome smile.

"Of course you'd be here," Sang Zhi said, taking the glass from him and stepping away from the table. Sipping the wine, she was pleasantly surprised. It was a decent vintage.

"Honorary roommate," Su Haoan said, holding up his arms with a tilt of his head, moving with her. "And despite irritating the shit out of your brother, Qian Fei had no such qualms with me."

Sang Zhi gave him a bored look. "Shouldn't you be entertaining your date?"

"Ah," he looked down, as if pleased she'd asked. "No, I didn't bring one. But I will say not for lack of Zheng Kejia's requests."

Glancing at Wen Yifan across the room, Sang Zhi frowned.

"You're not going to be a problem, are you?" she asked.

"I'm never a problem," Su Haoan said with such confidence that Sang Zhi sent him a disbelieving look. Since she didn't particularly care to speak with him, she was about to make an excuse to leave when he spoke again.

"Kejia mentioned running into you the other night," Su Haoan said, speaking into his glass. After a sip, he added, "with your boyfriend. I guess he does exist. Where is he?"

Sang Zhi sent Haoan a sour look as set her plate down on a nearby table, taking an apple. "Did you think I would lie?" she asked, nibbling the fruit as she ignored his question.

"Honestly, no. But it wouldn't be the first time a woman has been unimpressed by a matchmaking mother and made one up."

"I'm sure that's quite a blow to your ego."

Su Haoan shrugged. "The problem isn't finding an interested woman. The problem is finding one that has the tenacity to deal with my mother."

"Oh, on that count, I definitely don't qualify," Sang Zhi replied, chuckling to herself at being considered tenacious. Never had such a word been applied to her. Tipping the last of her wine into her mouth, she realized after swallowing that perhaps she shouldn't have drank it so quickly, but the room felt suddenly far less intimidating.

"Are you joking? You sat through an inquisition with not only ma, but the other Suwen matriarchs, with the patience of a queen," Su Haoan said incredulously.

"I didn't do that for you," she said with a frown, looking around. Holding up her wineglass, she asked, "where can I get another one?"

Su Haoan gestured towards the other side of the room where Zhi saw the bar, so she began to make her way over. Once arrived, she waved down the bartender, glaring when she felt Su Haoan lean on the counter next to her. His proximity was entirely unnecessary. "You don't have to talk to me, you know," she complained.

"You're the only interesting person here," he declared. Another word that Sang Zhi distrusted.

"Rude," she replied. "I'm sure Qian Fei and Shiwen put a lot of work in their choice of guests and entertainments, and here you are, spurning them."

The bartender arrived and she ordered another wine, not particularly wanting to think too hard about her drink choice. Mixed drinks had too many allergy risks.

"So who did you do suffer through that interview for?" he asked.

Sang Zhi breathed out a long sigh, annoyed at the line of questioning. "Baba is working with your company. Mama is busy with… something, I don't even know what, but wants your ma's help. I'm not about to embarrass my parents just because your ma has delusional aspirations."

"Well, your ma works with charity organizations to supply tuberculosis treatments for impoverished areas," Su Haoan said. "Suwen, Inc. has quite a bit of… pull, in charity circles."

He broke off at Sang Zhi's glare.

"Of course they do," she said, annoyed that he knew more about her mother's work than she did as she received her refilled glass. Looking over at her brother, she saw him and his girlfriend chatting with a group of people. "Since you seemed to want to speak to her so badly, what do you want to tell Wen Yifan?"

Su Haoan followed her gaze over to the group and shook his head. "I do need to talk to her, but… this isn't the place."

"Because it's a wedding?"

"Because it's catastrophic."

She sent him a narrow look. "For you or her?"

Su Haoan glanced at her in surprise. He chewed on his tongue for a minute before shaking his head. "For the company."

"And we both know how much she cares about that," Sang Zhi retorted, turning away. "I'm going to sit down. Don't follow me."

Leaving Su Haoan, she was glad that he listened, letting her return to her table unimpeded. Sitting down, she pulled out her phone and sighed. All of Wen Yifan's past family entanglements were exhausting and Sang Zhi would be glad of the day she could truly be done with them. Glancing at the time, she wondered when the ceremony would start and who knew how long the night would stretch on. Sipping on her wine, she opened her camera reel to look at the photos Siqiao had taken before they left.

"Sang Zhi!"

Trying not to wince, she clicked her screen off and plastered a polite smile onto her face as the man dashed over to her, practically yelping at her, "it's been ages!"

"Hello Fu Zheng Chu," she said, turning in her seat. "How are you?"

It was hard to think of the man who plopped in her brother's chair as anything but the whiny boy that followed her around too much since elementary. Sang Zhi could think of the dozens of attempts he made to invite her on various outings, long before they even got to high school, and it was just so annoying.

Fu Zheng Chu went on a long winded explanation of all of the work he was doing at Nanwu TV and all of his appreciation of Wen Yifan's help, and Sang Zhi tried to listen attentively. Taking a large swallow of wine, she almost choked, but managed to get it down. With that inebriated rush, Zhi felt a bit more able to deal with the inanities of her childhood friend.

"Hey." Sang Yan appeared, glaring at Zheng Chu, kicking the chair. "You're in my seat."

"Oh, sorry, Sang Yan," Fu Zheng Chu said, abandoning the spot to find his own at fortunately a different table. "Maybe I'll see you later, Sang Zhi?"

She blinked fuzzily at him. Whatever head bob she did seemed to appease him, because he walked off, pleased.

How much time passed? "Is the ceremony starting?" Sang Zhi asked Sang Yan, looking around. Many people were taking their seats, and Wen Yifan sat on Sang Yan's other side.

The empty chair next to Sang Zhi mocked her. She scowled at it, tipping the last of her wine into her mouth as a microphone blasted the announcement of the wedding couple.

When the ceremony was over, courses of food were rolled out and set onto the tables for people to take as they pleased. Sang Yan proceeded to fill a plate for her, which she was too tipsy to truly complain about. Knowing her brother, he'd probably thoroughly gone over the potential allergens in each dish with the groom.

Picking at her plate, Sang Zhi found she didn't have much of an appetite. She'd rather have another glass of wine, but settled for the water she'd poured earlier. The room was growing warmer and she desperately wanted to take off the jacket.

"My friends!" Qian Fei's voice boomed suddenly across the table, and if Sang Zhi hadn't been drinking, it would have startled her. "Look at my beautiful wife!"

He held up the hand of said woman, who was blushing and smiling and looking so radiant that Sang Zhi smiled. They all issued their congratulations and Sang Zhi found a glass of baijiu in her hands in a loud toast. It was all so raucous, just the sort of thing that Zhi typically avoided, but tipping half of the drink back, the rice wine went straight to her head and she couldn't help but laugh.

Speaking with each person at the table, Qian Fei finally shuffled along to her and patted her hair. "Sang Zhi mei-mei, I am so happy you came. I know you don't like crowds, so you being here means a lot," he said with a bit of a slur.

"I'm really happy for you both," she replied. "May you have many happy years."

"We must all get together soon," Shiwen said, taking Sang Zhi's hand. "You and Wen Yifan and Su Tian-"

Sang Zhi just nodded, uncertain of all the other women Shiwen continued mentioning. It hadn't been the first time Shiwen had mentioned a dinner with the other ladies who presumably frequented Overtime, but Sang Zhi had always remained distant to the group, assuming they were just being polite. The way Shiwen's face glowed and her hands gripped Sang Zhi's, well, she couldn't doubt the woman's sincerity.

Another toast broke out, Sang Zhi grabbed her glass of baijiu and finished it as cheers rang out.

The bride and groom moved onto another table, but that didn't stop the rest of the guests around Sang Zhi to not continue celebrating. No, they started talking about all of their memories of Qian Fei - whether they were university friends, or coworkers - and Sang Zhi leaned on her hand, trying to focus on the stories.

It was futile, the alcohol haze making it difficult to follow beyond a few sentences.

"…really saved me from embarrassment, causing such a distraction in class that I was able to sneak out and make it to the bathroom and back before the professor even noticed…"

The bathroom. Right. That sounded like a swell idea to Sang Zhi, the amount of drinks in her suddenly brought into clear focus, and she stood up abruptly. Banging her leg on the edge of her chair, she winced and waved off Sang Yan and Wen Yifan's concern, muttering about the bathroom and headed off. There was a sensation a little bit like floating, the equilibrium of her body readjusting to standing with the lag of alcohol in her blood, which made her giggle.

Taking care of business, she found the privacy of the stall rather comforting. However, she definitely wanted a new glass of wine. So when she emerged from the restroom, Sang Zhi went back to the bar. Another glass certainly wouldn't hurt, and honestly, she wasn't even sad anymore. The alcohol had dulled the sharpness in her heart, so when she received her next glass, she took another long sip.

She was truly drunk now.

"So where is the guy?" Su Haoan appeared once again, obviously back to get his own refill as he stumbled into the counter.

"What guy?" Sang Zhi felt a bit sluggish. "The groom?"

"No, your guy," he clarified. "There's an empty seat next to you, so I assume he was busy again. Working?"

Sang Zhi swallowed thickly, a lump in her throat as she glanced over at Jiaxu's vacant seat. It's not like she cared that people could see she arrived without a date, but the empty seat just made it look like he didn't care about her, and that upset her.

She knew he cared, he cared so much and he couldn't be in two places at once when he had to deal with police and…

"Police?" Su Haoan asked, face screwed up in drunken confusion.

Blinking, Sang Zhi realized at some point her muddled thoughts had started to filter through her mouth. "Wha?"

"Is he involved in something bad? 'Cause you deserve better than that, Sang Zhiiiii," Su Haoan dragged out the last syllable. She waved down the bartender who refilled her glass.

"You're so dumb," she said into her wineglass, taking a long drink before repeating, "so dumb."

He shrugged as if he agreed. "But I'm here."

Unlike him was unspoken. Offended, Sang Zhi straightened as tall as she could and started waving her finger at Su Haoan. "He's everywhere, doing all he can. You're useless, rich boy, doing nothing. You don't want me, and I def'nitely don't want you."

"That's not true," he refuted, speech becoming more disjointed, leaning into her space. "I want you. You're beautiful. You argue wi' me."

Sang Zhi held her chilled glass to her forehead as she stepped back, groaning softly under her breath. Her experience with attractive men feeling like they were owed something by her reared its head again.

Knowing that dissuading Su Haoan would be futile - he'd just confirmed that - she finished off her wine. What number was it again? Four? Five? Sang Zhi didn't know, but she didn't care. She just wanted to be left alone. Setting the glass down, she didn't care if she was rude and walked away, brushing Su Haoan's mild entreaties to stay that she barely heard.

Pushing back the door into the relative privacy of the bathroom was a relief. Sang Zhi stared at herself in the mirror. It felt like a far safer place to spend the rest of the evening. Her cheeks were flushed, eyes glossy, but her lipstick had faded a little. Taking her lipstick out of her pocket, it was difficult to get her hand to cooperate, so she went slowly with reapplying the stain. There. That was better.

But it was so hot.

As she peeled the jacket off, dropping it on the counter, she noticed the the bathroom had emptied significantly and sighed contentedly, leaning her bare back against the cool tile. Taking a towel from the basket - the venue was fancy with fabric towels - she felt her necklace bounce against her chest as she leaned to run some cool water into the fabric and dab it at her neck.

Much better.

Grabbing her phone, she checked her phone for messages yet again.

[Sang Yan]: Where did you go?

Scowling, she looked at herself in the mirror again. She looked great and Jiaxu wasn't even here to appreciate it. Opening her camera app, she positioned herself in the shot somewhat similarly to an angle she'd remembered doing so long ago, feeling unfairly vindictive. Fingers in a V, a tilt that just hinted at the bareness of her back, and just the edge of her chin.

Sang Zhi quickly scribbled in missing you over some dead space and hit send. That was a far better thing to punish Jiaxu with than any of those lovely shots Siqiao had taken. Responding to her text would have done a lot to alleviate her concern. A call would have been even better.

Primping her hair in front of the mirror to kill time, she remained in the bathroom for a long while. The ladies who passed her by gave her strange looks but said nothing, and Sang Zhi wondered how long hiding would be effective. Her phone pinged.

The hope that rose in her chest that Jiaxu was responding - finally - was immediately punctured.

[Li Ping]: I miss you, Zhizhi, do you think we could do lunch tomorrow?

She frowned, shaking her head at having to think up an excuse when her brain was so muddled. At least she had a valid reason to decline, her plans with Ning Wei and Yu Xin set.

[Sang Zhi]: I have plans but soon.

Sending it off before thinking too hard about it, Sand Zhi pouted as she checked the time. She could probably get away with another toast and then make her excuses to leave. With that plan in mind, she tucked her phone into her pocket and stumbled out of the bathroom into the dimly lit hall that led back to the main atrium. Sang Zhi made it about three steps before she walked right into a solid chest.

Confused and about to mumble an apology, she looked up into the rather amused eyes of Duan Jiaxu.

Chapter Text

It had been the absolute craziest day of timing in Jiaxu's life.

He couldn't quite believe how it all worked out. His ma verbally pushing him out of the room to the expectant Siyun, ready to take him to the airport, the girls next to her as they claimed that they had ma handled. It had been a concerted effort to convince Jiaxu to go and he couldn't help but feel glad they had.

The only thing that didn't quite work was making the wedding in time, no, that would have been impossible with the sheer miles he'd traversed since that afternoon. Upon arriving in Nanwu, Jiaxu had rushed to and through his apartment, found where Sang Zhi had put that tie, changed into his wedding attire, then jumped into his car and sped over to the wedding venue.

He'd managed to greet Qian Fei and his bride without being too hasty, but they were both so happy and inebriated that it didn't matter too much. They were more concerned about Jiaxu, sporting a bruise and bandage on his brow. Chen Junwen was no exception to that, either, as he was nearby in his groomsmen attire. Jiaxu brushed it all off, because all he wanted was to find Sang Zhi as soon as possible, so he was glad when they were interrupted by some guests roping the newlyweds and Junwen away.

Finally, he was free. Jiaxu's eyes scanned the hall for Sang Zhi, then made his way over to the table where his seat was marked next to hers… to find her chair empty and a drinking Sang Yan giving him an incredulous frown.

"How the fuck-" he began, but then saw Jiaxu's bruise. "What happened to your face?"

"Smashed it."

"No shit," Sang Yan said. "How?"

Jiaxu shrugged. He wasn't about to be detailed about the matter when it was on the path to be resolved. "Accident." It was the same vague response he'd given everyone else but his girlfriend.

Sang Yan hummed, obviously not believing him, but snorted. "Good luck with the little demon."

It was unclear on what the man was exactly referencing without seeing Sang Zhi, so Jiaxu looked around the room, wondering if she was somehow caught in the middle of a drinking game. There were many guests celebrating that way, it just really didn't seem like the sort of thing she would seek.

"Where is she?" Jiaxu asked. He couldn't find her anywhere.

Sang Yan shrugged, lifting his phone and obviously sending a message. Jiaxu left him, making a circuit through the hall when his phone vibrated, so he pulled it out of his pocket. Jiaxu swallowed thickly at the provocative mirror selfie from her that made his mind go into some rather dangerous territory. What was it with Sang Zhi and devious selfies?

However, he now knew where to find her and glanced up to look for a sign that would direct him to the correct place. Once Jiaxu arrived by the restrooms, his suspicion was quickly confirmed when Sang Zhi stumbled slowly out. He couldn't help but choke back a laugh when she bumped into him.

Sang Zhi was drunk.

"Jiaxu?" Sang Zhi asked and he could see her delayed reaction, struggling to fully realize him in her alcohol fuzzed mind. It was amusing to watch the moment that his presence connected, as her confused, sad eyes suddenly lit up like shooting stars and she reached up to grab his face. "Duan Jiaxu, how are you here?"

Laughing, he let her inspect him closely. A furrow appeared on her brow as she noted the cut on his eyebrow and the shiny purple of his bruise. He must have passed as real because she pressed her whole form into him, as if she needed reassurance from his entire body.

"Unfortunately, I can't stay for more than the night," he said, touching his forehead to hers. "I'm sorry I'm late."

Sang Zhi scowled at him. "Stop saying sorry."

Jiaxu laughed again, that familiar splinter of desire for her damn scowl far easier to control when she clung to him as if he was the only reason she was upright. It didn't seem to matter to her that she was inebriated, though, as she realized he was truly there and pushed up onto her tiptoes to kiss him.

It was a relief to feel her and hold her and be wanted by her after such a rough few days that Jiaxu allowed one selfishly long moment to let her do as she pleased. Closing his eyes, his arms wrapped around and his fingers found that they could glide down her bare spine, as there was no back to the dress. He groaned, trying to remain fairly passive with the kiss, but the memory of a similar backless dress months ago heated his blood. There was a hint of alcohol on her tongue, though, which made him try to pull back, not wanting to push her inebriated state. She clung to him, prolonging the moment as he murmured against her lips. "Zhizhi-"

"He's your boyfriend?" a rude male voice cut over in astonishment. "Duan Jiaxu?"

Breaking away, Sang Zhi opened her eyes and hummed in agreement, as if the entire idea of Jiaxu was a happy thought, pressing in to nuzzle against his chest. Pride wasn't a sensation Jiaxu was super familiar with, but being claimed by her? Elation streaked through him.

Glancing at the voice's owner, Jiaxu saw that it was Su Haoan, looking at him in such a familiar disgusted way that it mentally transported Jiaxu to his university years. They'd always been at odds - university life had a lot of gossip and for some reason Jiaxu had always been pitted against the man, despite having nothing to do with him if he could help it - but Jiaxu remembered the disparity of their situations.

Fortunately, Jiaxu was quickly pulled from his memories when Sang Zhi tugged on his tie - the same shade as her dress, a pop of blue against the black of his suit - and sent him a brilliant smile.

"This looks good on you. Did you know, Jiaxu?" she asked, not giving any mind to Su Haoan. "This means… I'm your person."

She reached up to pull his tie to her dress, showing the matching color, then she let go to do a little spin, a delighted giggle escaping her as the skirt swished out. Jiaxu grabbed her as she tipped and she clung to him, sending another large smile to him.

"I'm wearing your color, Sang Zhi, doesn't that make me your person?" Jiaxu asked softly, forgetting any audience.

Her face scrunched up in the most adorable confusion. "But I wanna be yours," she pouted.

Jiaxu tapped the familiar starburst necklace resting on her chest and smiled. "Don't worry, you are," he said as he bumped his forehead to hers again affectionately. "Come on, let's go back to the table."

For some reason, Su Haoan was still standing there when Jiaxu wrapped an arm around Sang Zhi's waist and aimed her towards the atrium. The man stepped in front of them, addressing Sang Zhi. "He's beat up, is he a good idea?"

The sentence wasn't quite right, but Su Haoan was obviously not sober either. Jiaxu tried to remain neutral but couldn't help his exasperated expression, determined to ignore the man as he pulled a clinging Sang Zhi around and through the doorway.

Sang Zhi had no such qualms about replying as they passed, muttering, "you're a worst idea."

The atrium was open and far more public, but Jiaxu wasn't worried about Su Haoan doing anything. The man wasn't a threat. He was just irritating. Especially as he followed them, vying for Sang Zhi's attention.

"How did you meet Ol' Xu, Sang Zhi?" Su Haoan asked, slurring. Suddenly, the man laughed. "No wonder you're always alone. He never stops working. Barely finished school with all the slum jobs of 'is."

"You sure are talking a lot about me, Su Haoan," Jiaxu said mildly, steering Sang Zhi around a seating area. "Been missing me?"

"I have," Sang Zhi interjected, gripping the side of his suit jacket and pouting. "I missed you so much." Jiaxu smiled as they entered the wedding hall. It sounded silly - he'd only been gone a couple days - but he'd felt the same.

"Sang Zhi," Su Haoan tried again, touching her arm. "Why are you wasting your time with someone like Duan Jiaxu? You should listen to me-"

Jiaxu felt sudden resistance when Sang Zhi abruptly found her legs, yanking her arm away of Haoan's grasp and swirling to face him with a furious expression. "No!" she snapped, and Jiaxu just managed to catch her hands before she shoved Su Haoan. "Leave me alone."

"Sang Zhi," Jiaxu said, stepping between them to crowd her backwards. She immediately acquiesced, but she wasn't looking at Jiaxu, instead peering around him to glare at Su Haoan.

"He's better than you," she practically hissed at the man and Jiaxu wrapped his arm around her waist to tug her away. "You don't even come close."

With some space from the man, Jiaxu was about to address what the hell Su Haoan thought he was doing when Qian Fei must have caught wind of the upset - were all of the men in Sang Zhi's life attuned to her moods? - because he appeared. "What are you doing, Haoan? Why are you bothering Sang Yan's sister?" the groom demanded.

"I'm not bothering her-"

"I'm pretty sure I just heard otherwise-"

As Su Haoan was pulled away, protesting, with the help from a groomsman, Qian Fei glanced back at Sang Zhi in confusion. Meanwhile, Jiaxu could see his girlfriend glaring daggers at the retreating group. He hadn't expected her to attempt to fight the man.

"All right, Zhizhi, let's go sit down," he said gently, tugging at her hand. She gripped it tightly, wobbling as she followed him with an almighty frown. Finding the table, he was glad that it was absent of guests - her brother gone - likely pooled for some sort of festivity elsewhere. Perfect for Jiaxu to privately gauge his girlfriend's mood. Setting her in the chair, he pulled off his jacket to have better movement, draping it over the back of his seat.

"You feeling okay?" he asked as he sat next to her, wondering how much she'd managed to drink. Jiaxu unbuttoned his sleeves to roll them up, the hall rather warm.

Humming affirmatively, Sang Zhi grabbed a half full glass of clear liquid off the table. Finishing it off, she winced.

"That wasn't… wasn't water," she said with a grimace, panting as if the very alcohol had been spicy. "It's so hot, Jiaxu."

Alarmed at even more alcohol making a way into his girlfriend, Jiaxu picked up a pitcher, sniffing it to make it sure it wasn't somehow more of the clear baijiu. Pouring a glass, he sipped it to test and then offered it to Sang Zhi.

Her eyes had a glazed look, staring at his lips. It did fucking terrible things to his groin but Jiaxu mentally shook the thought away. There was no guarantee on if they could even explore that rather appealing idea later, not when Zhi was so drunk. "Here," he said, lifting it to her face. "It's water."

She grabbed his hand with both of her own and drank. Jiaxu helped her, concerned about what that entire ordeal had been about.

"What was going on with Su Haoan?" Jiaxu asked, setting the glass back on the table when she was done.

Sang Zhi shook her head and glared at the table, muttering, "he's annoying. He broke my phone."

"Just now?"

Shaking her head again, she said, "when you came back from Beiyu."

Remembering the day that he'd been unable to reach Sang Zhi, Jiaxu said, "that was a while ago."

"Yes," she mumbled. "He skulks and then startles me. He made me drop it."

Jiaxu frowned. "Where did this happen?"

Sang Zhi shrugged, hands fiddling in her lap, but he peered into her face with concern. While he knew she'd been around Su Haoan, he hadn't realized how focused the man was on Sang Zhi.

"He's just stupid drunk," she finally said. "He knows I have a boyfriend."

Jiaxu hummed. The man had not been surprised by her boyfriend, but by who her boyfriend was. He wasn't entirely sure that would dissuade the man. If anything, there was a possibility Su Haoan would become even more interested in bothering her.

She kept glancing at him and then looking away, obviously unsure.

That was not at all what Jiaxu wanted the night to be about, so he took her hand and kissed it. "How was the ceremony?" he asked, hoping to divert the conversation into safer territory.

Sang Zhi relaxed, nodding toward the couple that had reunited and moved to toast with some family members. After explaining some of the ceremony, she said, "they're so cute together. Qian Fei almost cried when he recited his vows."

Smiling, she added with a soft happy sigh, cheeks flushed. "He really loves her."

Jiaxu had never thought Sang Zhi looked so lovely, her eyes soft and dreamy. He wondered if she'd have a similar look on her own wedding day. It probably should scare him for how badly he wanted to see it for himself, but there was just a sense of calm, of rightness. He shook the thought away.

One day.

At that moment, Chen Junwen appeared with a few other men, including Sang Yan. They were loud and brought their glasses to refill at the table. Jiaxu kept a polite smile on his face, Junwen introducing him vaguely since Sang Zhi didn't seem interested in talking with them, but it was clear that Jiaxu didn't quite belong. It didn't help that he declined any drink, citing driving duties.

It didn't bother Jiaxu. He was usually the odd one out.

There was a strange awareness as well, his peripherals picking up on different men spying Sang Zhi, as if interested, but with Jiaxu's arm around her they didn't venture forward. She was ignorant to it, however, reserved as the group celebrated in front of them. A stupid part of Jiaxu was delighted at ruining other men's ambitions just by his own physical presence.

As people drank more, Jiaxu watched his girlfriend as he sipped his water. Sang Zhi took the glass of baijiu pushed into her hand and only took a tiny drink before setting it down. She followed the conversation politely, but her eyes had a glazed look about them, as if she had nothing to contribute and was daydreaming something more interesting. Jiaxu was entertained just watching her, in her flushed drunken haze, wondering when they could leave.

She suddenly looked at him. Swallowing, Jiaxu hoped she hadn't noticed how long he had been staring. "What?" she asked curiously.

He shook his head. "How much longer do you want to stay?"

"You just got here," Sang Zhi mumbled.

"I'm enjoying showing you off as my girlfriend, and I'm happy to congratulate the happy couple, so if you want to we can stay longer, but," Jiaxu dropped his voice, leaning close into her ear. "I'd rather be with just you."

Her face flushed as she sent him a quick glance before looking away, blinking excessively. Sang Zhi gripped at her dress and her eyes got that faraway look once again. He grinned, peering to catch her eye, "what are you thinking now?"

Jiaxu hadn't meant to be suggestive. But, fuck, if her blush didn't make him think of the last time he'd pinned her apart in such wonderful ways, seeing far more flushed skin than just her face.

"One more toast," she said, ignoring his question.

"Okay," he agreed, relaxing back into his seat as he tried hard to think of something else, rubbing circles into her shoulder.

When the group finished their next toast, Jiaxu stood and helped Sang Zhi up. Sang Yan narrowed his gaze at her.

"Where's your jacket, little demon?" he groused.

She turned to him with a slight sway and gave a nonchalant shrug. "Don't know. Lost."

If anything, Sang Yan's expression grew darker as he could see just how low the cut of the back went. Jiaxu quickly grabbed his jacket to smooth over her shoulders, covering her. Sang Zhi's expression went from petulant to pleased in an instant, burrowing her face into one of the lapels.

"Eugh, Sang Zhi," her brother complained.

"We're heading home," she declared with a hiccup. "Where's Yifan?"

Sang Yan's expression seemed to shift in quick succession, and while he may have been too drunk to parse exactly what about the slurred statement of Sang Zhi's felt off, Jiaxu knew immediately.

She'd claimed Jiaxu's place as home.

Apparently, she saw Wen Yifan, because Jiaxu had to catch Sang Zhi as she tripped stepping away from the table. He managed to get her back upright as she started to giggle.

"I have no feet," she mumbled at him. "They're gone."

"They're still there," he said dryly, "just maybe a bit out of sync."

Sang Zhi giggled harder. Oh, Jiaxu could tell he was going to have a fun time walking her to the car.

Grabbing her purse, Jiaxu said goodbye to Sang Yan and helped his girlfriend find Wen Yifan.

"Sang Zhi," Wen Yifan said as soon as they approached, looking just as flushed as Sang Zhi with a glass in her hand. "Who's… it's Jiaxu. How is he Jiaxu?"

"I made it," he said succinctly. "Hi Wen Yifan."

Sang Zhi shuffled forward, almost as if to give a hug, but refrained. "We're going home."

A smile spread across Yifan's face and she nodded. She wrapped her arms around Sang Zhi and mumbled. "Be safe. Rem'ber some honey water."

The affection between the two ladies made Jiaxu smile.

"Okay," Zhi replied. She seemed to hold onto the hug a moment longer before whispering something in Wen Yifan's ear. The woman pulled back, frowning, then glanced around the room.

"Cata… catastroph-? hmm, okay. Thanks, Zhizhi," she replied. "See you."

Sang Zhi returned to Jiaxu, placing her head on his shoulder as they made their way over to the newlyweds. Congratulating the couple once again, Sang Zhi was pulled by the bride for a moment, which gave Qian Fei the opportunity to talk to Jiaxu.

"You know Su Haoan?" Qian Fei murmured quietly.

"We've met, but weren't friendly," Jiaxu explained.

"What's his deal with Sang Zhi?" the groom asked with a confused frown.

Jiaxu could only shake his head. He really didn't know yet, but then Sang Zhi appeared - without his jacket - to pull him to a stage, a photographer at the ready, obviously a place for guests to get some photos with the newlyweds. After capturing those shots, Qian Fei and Shiwen stepped out to give Jiaxu and Sang Zhi their own photos.

Jiaxu wrapped his arm around her back, looking fondly down at Sang Zhi. She smiled, then sent him a side glance. He probably looked like a besotted fool, but he didn't care.

"Very nice! Now look forward," the photographer directed. After that picture was captured, Sang Zhi darted up to kiss his cheek and Jiaxu laughed. Who knew what the photographer was managing with Sang Zhi's chaos, but Jiaxu felt just as childish, snagging her ears gently to hold out and she gave a overdramatic reaction.

"All right, all right-" the photographer was amused but obviously had other guests in queue.

Qian Fei was behind the man, however, holding up this thumbs in delight. As Jiaxu thanked the photographer and helped put his jacket back over Sang Zhi's shoulders, he could see some of the photos that the man had managed to get. Sang Zhi went to look closer, giggling with Shiwen.

"How much am I going to have to tip him to get all of those?" Jiaxu asked Qian Fei, who laughed and waved him off.

"Have a safe trip home, Duan Jiaxu. I'm glad you were able to make it. Sang Zhi was looking rather glum," Qian Fei said. "She's all happy now. But… I do hope your ma recovers well."

"Thank you," he said. "May you have many happy years, Qian Fei."

Finishing their farewells, Jiaxu spotted Su Haoan heading towards someone on the opposite side of the room, which Jiaxu was glad for. He didn't want to deal with the guy outside. Taking Sang Zhi's hand, he pulled them to the atrium.

Once they'd passed through the room and reached the street, Sang Zhi was enthusiastic about their walk to his car, grabbing his arm and wearing a serious expression as if she was about to depart into the deep sea, but that quickly devolved when she couldn't manage twenty feet without finding the only obstacle in the path and somehow tripping over it.

"I'm glad I got to see Qian Fei with his bride," Jiaxu said, after catching her for a third time.

"Shiwen is so nice," she said with a solemn nod. "So pretty. I'm so happy for Qian Fei."

"Do you know his bride well?"

Sang Zhi shook her head, blinking slowly. "Met her a little bit… twice? No," she hiccuped and halted her steps, holding up her hand to try to count. Jiaxu watched as her face scrunched up in thought, before she shook her head.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Sang Zhi looked at him and blinked. "Five," she said, showing him her whole hand, swaying.

"You okay?"

She puffed up her face, leaning over to take a slow breath. "Dizzy."

Patting her back, he looked over to see if anything was amiss. "Do you think you can make it a little more? We're almost to the car."

Honestly, Jiaxu wanted to carry her. But with her bent over, he could see how his suit jacket only covered her a little below her waist and who knew what would happen with the lower portion of her dress if he gave her a ride on his back.

Sang Zhi mumbled in annoyance, kicking out a foot. "My feet hurt."

"Then let's get to the car so we can take those shoes off," he coaxed, tugging her gently. She whined but followed, almost completely inverting to look straight up at the sky. Jiaxu put his arm up behind her to keep her from keeling backwards.

"See the stars, Jiaxu?"

He glanced up briefly, noting the sky was clear, but light pollution was making it hard to see more than the brightest constellations.

"Yes, they're nice."

"Maybe we can get my telescope," she said, then wrinkled her nose. "It's been so cloudy."

"You like stargazing?" Jiaxu asked, surprised. He'd joked once about taking her stargazing without realizing that she'd actually be interested in it. Not that he had any knowledge of astronomy, but with the enthusiastic smile and excessive nodding Sang Zhi was giving him, he likely wouldn't need to.

"My telescope is named Celeste," she said fondly, looking up again. After a moment she frowned. "The stars are hard to find right now. Are they hiding?"

"Not all of them," Jiaxu replied. "But your eyes might be drunk."

"Eyes can't drink, Jiaxu," Sang Zhi argued with another hiccup. "Where would their stomachs be?"

Laughing, Jiaxu was glad when they finally arrived at his car and he settled Sang Zhi in the front seat. Kneeling next to the open door, he tried to belt her in but she hindered that immediately by reaching for her feet. Jiaxu took over, unstrapping the thin buckles and she immediately kicked them off, toes wiggling. Grabbing his tie, Sang Zhi tugged him closer and he kissed her forehead, clicking her seat belt in at the same time. A pout appeared when he pulled away, Sang Zhi obviously feeling shortchanged.

"Why did you kiss me there?" she asked.

"You've been drinking," Jiaxu said gently, stroking her hair.

"You didn't text, you didn't call, and now you're not kissing me," Sang Zhi said quietly to herself, as if she didn't hear him, turning away.

Mildly amused at how quickly her moods were shifting back and forth, Jiaxu tapped her chin. "Hey."

She shook her head.

"Sang Zhi," he tried again, trying to peer into her face. "C'mon, don't hide from me. Don't cloud my star."

Her lip wobbled and Jiaxu wondered if he'd made a massive miscalculation, when Sang Zhi turned back to throw her arms over him, sniffing.

"That was sweet," she mumbled into his neck. "No one says sweet things to me like you."

"That's a shame, Zhizhi," Jiaxu replied into her hair. "You deserve all the sweet things. But I think right now we need to get you home."

She hummed, nodding and letting him go so he could stand - shaking out the ache of kneeling out of his legs - and closed her door. Making his way around the car, he got in to turn it on and began to drive.

Glancing at Sang Zhi, who sat limply back in her seat staring at him, Jiaxu could see a frown begin to grow on her face.

"What is it?" he asked. Frankly, he was amazed she hadn't fallen asleep.

"You didn't get to eat," Sang Zhi said.

"I'm fine," Jiaxu insisted.

"I didn't eat much either," she stated. "I was too angry at Su Haoan."

A prickle of irritation crawled up Jiaxu's back. "What did he do?"

"He makes it sound like... Like you don't like me," she grumbled, obviously indignant on Jiaxu's behalf. "That you string me along, 'cause you weren't anywhere at all those things. Jiaxu, you're everywhere. Okay?"

"Okay," he agreed, wondering what things? Just how many times Sang Zhi had run into the man? She'd mentioned a dinner with her parents and obviously he talked to her at the wedding, but it seemed like more. "Has he been bothering you?"

Sang Zhi hummed noncommittally. "He's like all of them."

"Them?"

She scowled, shifting her glance away. "Handsome men."

Blinking, Jiaxu sent her a sideways glance. What did that mean? Looking down at himself, he suddenly began to wonder if he was lacking in some way.

"What handsome men?"

"You know."

He really didn't. Biting his lips together, Jiaxu tried a different approach. "So, these handsome men treat you like…"

"Like I'm supposed to notice them," Sang Zhi said to the window flippantly. "When I don't, they chase me. They don't give up."

The frustrated way she grumbled that out painted more of a picture in Jiaxu's head, but he was still puzzled. Sang Zhi had snubbed him upon first impression, months ago, which did imply she'd found him handsome, so that was a mild relief. But he hadn't realized being approached was so routine for her that she had to build a strategy to avoid notice. What had he done different?

"Did I chase you?" Jiaxu asked, sending her a worried glance, unsure of which response to even hope for. That night in October was a fond memory, no matter the months of misery that followed, but he didn't remember doing anything particularly out of the ordinary. Offering to keep someone company wasn't exactly groundbreaking.

Sang Zhi shook her head nonchalantly. "I didn't let you."

"You didn't?"

She hummed, perhaps with a tinge of melancholy. He couldn't deny her claim, considering how Sang Zhi had completely disappeared as quickly as she'd swept him up that night. Later, when they reconnected, she'd very quickly agreed to date him. There hadn't been much chasing at all, just contending with schedules.

Jiaxu wondered if he should do more.

"So, I didn't chase you… have…" he hummed, trying to collect his thoughts. "Is there something I should be doing, that you're missing?"

After all, Sang Zhi should have the world. He didn't want to skip on anything when it came to her.

She turned to smile at him. "You're everywhere, Jiaxu, remember?"

"Right," he replied, not entirely sure what she meant by it, as he pulled into the garage to park.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, unaware of the lull in the conversation. "Can we get noodles? They're open late!"

Jiaxu shifted the car into park and turned to glance at her, amused at her sudden confidence in her walking abilities. "How about we try to get you inside first?"

Sang Zhi sent him a pout.

He sighed, not feeling particularly equipped to deny her. At the very least, Jiaxu would like her to change into some pants so that he could carry her if need be. "As lovely as this dress is on you, it's doesn't look particularly warm, so maybe if you change-" he tried to continue but she interrupted him with a quick kiss happily.

"Okay!"

The sheer joy radiating from her made him laugh, unsure of where she was on the sobriety scale. Jiaxu hopped out of the car to help her out, and watching her try to refasten her shoes lowered his estimation once again, but he couldn't argue that food and water wasn't a good idea. After helping her with her heels, Jiaxu stood and pulled her out of the car.

Her body instantly pressed against him, blinking softly up at his face with a smile as he gripped her to keep her upright.

"Sang Zhi?" he asked, concerned for her balance.

It took a moment for her to find her feet, her thoughts obviously elsewhere. "Jiaxu."

"Yes?" he replied, wrapping an arm around her to pull her to the elevator. Once there, he pushed the button to call the conveyance.

"I'm glad you're here," Sang Zhi said, staring up at him.

"I had promised you," he murmured, looking down to kiss her temple.

"But your ma-"

Jiaxu tightened his arm around her. "They all pushed me to come, so don't worry about it. Ma is in good hands for the night."

The elevatored pinged, opening. Shuffling them both in, he hit the floor number while Sang Zhi rested against his chest. He couldn't help but tease her. "You can barely stand, Sang Zhi, how are we going to go to the noodle house?"

Humming, she blinked up at him as the floor moved, her hands spreading for better contact over his chest. Sang Zhi stared at his mouth, fingers stroking on the front of his shirt, before glancing up with darkened eyes.

Suddenly, Jiaxu was overtly aware of being in an elevator with her.

There was a long, tense moment where desire rushed through Jiaxu so swiftly that he grappled with the delicious thought of pressing her to the side of the small room. He'd never been shy about wanting her, but didn't want to push it when she'd been drinking quite so freely.

"Sang Zhi," he said in a low, pained tone, unsure if he was warning or encouraging her.

"Jiaxu," she replied slowly, as if tasting each syllable on her tongue. She focused on his tie, stroking the silk to smooth it. His thoughts went a decidedly unhelpful direction, his hands gripping at her waist.

The elevator pinged. Sang Zhi leaned into him and he let her push him out backwards, unsure of just what she was thinking. She hooked a finger in the knot at his neck clumsily, loosening it, as Jiaxu shuffled them both until he felt his back bump into the kitchen counter. Sang Zhi's entire form pressed against him, forehead bumping his chin as she tried to unbutton his collar. The heat of her breath and her gentle touch at his neck sent a shiver through him, her slow opening of the fabric making Jiaxu feel strangely revealed.

He splayed his hand wide around to the small of her back to keep her steady against him, relishing how well her body fit against his own, and could feel just how dangerously low that hem went. Sang Zhi sighed happily, body shifting against him, his jacket slipping off from her shoulders.

Jiaxu tried to calm his breath, excitement racing through him to an uncomfortable degree. He wanted her, desperately, the unfulfilled promise of Valentine's Day suddenly there, but it was far more important for Sang Zhi to set the pace.

She gave up on his buttons, focus too muddled to manage more than one or two, running her palms down his front to tug at his shirt tails. With that task done, she slipped her hands lower to palm his burgeoning erection. A groan escaped him.

"Zhi-" he began, but she cut him off with her lips. Tracing the seam of her mouth with his tongue, Jiaxu gripped her closer, his hand rubbing the dips of her back. A beat of a moment passed and she opened her mouth, tongue tasting like a bit of wine, keeping him in check from totally devouring her. She squeezed his groin, causing his hips to rock into her, and she moaned.

Wrenching away with a gasp, he laid kisses all down her neck and collarbone, saying softly into her skin, "you've been drinking, Sang Zhi. You'll have to use me."

"Use you?" her voice was breathy, obviously aroused but confused.

"I'm at your disposal," Jiaxu murmured, looking into her eyes and stroking her skin.

As the concept settled in Sang Zhi's mind, Jiaxu wished he could exactly see which avenues her thoughts were taking. "Such delicious thoughts, where do you want to go?" he asked.

She hummed to herself, apparently coming to a decision because she reached for his shirt, yanking out the tails before trying to fiddle with his belt. Managing to get the leather to loosen, she didn't have quite enough dexterity to truly divest him of the rest of his clothes. So Jiaxu helped Sang Zhi, yanking the two layers of shirt off and grinned at the way her eyes glazed at his bare chest.

"I'm… I always lose clothes first," Sang Zhi said, running her hands over his chest, happily tracing the edges of his body. "But… do you like my dress, Jiaxu?"

She stepped back, turning each way to show the angles of her form in the material, and his arms still loosely around her as she swayed.

"I didn't expect the photo you sent me," he said. "It's a beautiful dress, but mostly because it's on you."

Sang Zhi tugged him forward, away from the counter and towards the living area. Jiaxu, unsure of her aim, kicked off his shoes and followed. She halted next to the couch, turned her back to him and then slowly leaned over the back of it. Jiaxu felt his brain trip over the lovely scene of Sang Zhi, tugging the hem of her skirt up to reveal her ass clad in a pair of thin nude panties. He must've been too slow to react, however, because she sent him a reproachful pout over her shoulder.

"Jiaxu…"

"Wha?"

"Why aren't you touching me?"

The scolding tone sent a rush right to his cock and he laid a hand on her back, feeling the lovely bumps of her spine and she grumbled, wiggling around. "Not like thaaat."

Sang Zhi leaned back enough, reaching into her panties, and Jiaxu could see the tips of her fingers press the silk material away from her cunt, arousal evident by the soft little gasp she gave as her fingers slipped around. Fuck, if that didn't go straight to his cock.

Dropping to his knees, Jiaxu stroked her thighs as he watched her fingers press between her folds. Heady with the scent of her, he laid kisses up her inner leg, unable to help himself.

"Oh," she said breathy. "That… that's a good idea."

He wasn't sure what idea she'd had before, but with her approval, Jiaxu flipped around to face her cunt straight on, pulling her a bit away so he could look at her fingers play with herself through the material. Utterly entranced, he couldn't help but reach up to pad his thumb against the spot she was so insistent on. She moaned, lifting on her heels when Jiaxu pressed his face into the junction of her thighs.

He could feel a shiver pass through her and her knees buckled. It wasn't a position he'd even been in, the couch supporting her in a way to give Jiaxu a rather alarming amount of access to explore her with his mouth through the material. Sang Zhi abandoned her own efforts, instead carding her hand through his hair. Jiaxu nestled his face lower into her folds, the silk of her underwear already damp.

She whined, Jiaxu gripping at her hips to keep her steady as she tried to tilt further into his face.

He pressed his tongue wide against her thin underwear, mapping the lips of her sex until he found the small nub trapped in the soaked fabric. He felt more than saw Sang Zhi arch, and backed off with his tongue, causing a sound of protest.

Fuck, if Jiaxu's cock wasn't practically bursting out of his pants.

Caging her knees together with his arms, Jiaxu tugged on her underwear, happy to be rid of the offending garment, but they got caught halfway down and he didn't even think, wrenching them asunder so he could widen her stance. Jiaxu needed to taste her without any barrier, licking up her opening back to her clit, setting a steady pace of circling her with his tongue.

The sounds escaping her were absolutely filthy and he loved it. Sang Zhi was held in a balance between his arms, his tongue, and the couch. Her grip on his hair had only tightened, trying to direct him but unsure how when her thoughts were obviously fevered.

He hadn't even pressed his fingers into her cunt yet, simply running his fingertips along the seam of her sex, slippery with her desire.

"Jiaxu," she moaned, body tensing in that way of not quite being satisfied. "Jiaxu Jiaxu Jiaxu…"

His name on her lips never failed to stroke that primitive part of his brain, so he sucked her clit with his lips gently. The consistent wails of encouragement had him keep tempo before flattening his tongue once more with an approving hum.

She orgasmed, canting as best as she could into his face, a soft sound keening out of her that Jiaxu would never tire of hearing. As she slowly came down, he licked along the seam of her cunt, heady with the taste and scent of her. Then Sang Zhi slumped over the couch.

His cock practically ached with release, but Jiaxu was used to denial and peeked around to see if Sang Zhi was balanced enough for him to stand.

Doing so was a bad idea for his dick, however, as her skirt was still bunched up at her waist and her cunt was exposed and swollen and, fuck if he didn't just want to press his cock right into her, feel the warmth and welcome of her body with his.

"Sang Zhi?" Jiaxu asked instead, trying to shake the thought away as he ran a hand up her spine, hoping she hadn't passed out inverted. It would do terribly things to her head. She mumbled, gripping something in her hand, wiggling her hips.

"What?" he asked and she pushed up.

"Jiaxu. I… I… the mirror," her words were disjointed, but he could see the foil of a condom in her hand. She must've found all of the extra foils he'd tucked into the edges of the couch at some point. "Want you."

"You liked that, huh?" Jiaxu asked, thinking about the memorable time of exploring the mirror in his room. He took the condom from her and quickly opened it. "You liked me watching all the parts of you come undone?"

Sang Zhi gasped, "yes, Jiaxu."

Fuck, he was just as affected, especially as he undid his pants and rolled the condom on with a hiss. It was tight, which was for the best, since he wasn't sure he wouldn't instantly fire off inside of her without the constriction.

Placing his hand on her lower back, Jiaxu stepped closer, hissing once again as she impatiently rubbed her cunt against his cock. Gripping her hip, he angled himself at her entrance. Sang Zhi was shaking, trying to push off the couch into him, and Jiaxu grabbed her hair, tugging her head to the side gently.

"So fucking desperate for me, are you?"

"Yes, Jiaxu," Sang Zhi panted. The sight of her with her skirt bunched up at her lower back, her skin shimmering with sweat, and his hand pulling her on her hair… well, Jiaxu adjusted his stance for better leverage, cock at her entrance, leaning over to tug her ear back to his lips.

"So use me," he crooned.

With a frustrated whimper, Sang Zhi found a grip on the couch to pull backwards, her cunt sheathing his cock shallowly. The heat of her made Jiaxu moan and forget his command, instinctively plunging deeper into her further, inch by slow inch.

Writhing, she tried to find the perfect angle that would trap him inside of her further, crying out, "I need you, Jiaxu, fuck me, you-" the words were so disjointed, Jiaxu got lost in the pleas and started to fully impale her in a slow rhythm.

Sang Zhi's supple form was all Jiaxu could see, the scent of her body making him dizzy, the taste of her cunt still on his lips, and her body came undone around his cock. Jiaxu sped up, one hand gaining purchase on her hips, the other tugging her hair back as his primitive thoughts overwhelmed his mind, wreck her, possess her, be one with her, mine.

And he erupted, lost in her.

Chapter Text

There wasn't much space left to think as Sang Zhi's mind floated, brain still hazed with alcohol and post-coital endorphins, awash in satisfaction. There was a vague understanding of Jiaxu lifting her from the back of the couch, the top of the furniture no longer pressing into the edge of her rib cage. She felt rather sleepy, honestly, but there was a rather critical reason not to sleep. What was it? Sang Zhi wondered as she was arranged into a comfortable position, half flounced over a handful of pillows. She was on the couch, again. Properly, this time.

Why wasn't she supposed to sleep?

A few moments later, she heard, "Zhizhi." His voice was soft at first, but then grew more insistent. "Sang Zhi."

Ah, Jiaxu. That's why.

"Drink," he ordered, and Sang Zhi felt the rim of a mug at her lips. Jiaxu had helped her drink earlier, and was slow with tipping the contents into her mouth, but the liquid felt like gold on her tongue. She'd been so thirsty.

A hand pet at her hair, and he murmured, "good girl."

Pausing her drink, she gasped for a replenishing breath before diving back into the cup.

She couldn't fall asleep. Jiaxu mentioned he wouldn't be home for long. Wake up, wake up, wake up.

With that repeated thought, Sang Zhi opened her eyes wide no matter how dizzy she was, focusing on Jiaxu's form as she finished the drink. He looked terribly tousled, hair askew and face flushed, his shirt missing. Releasing the cup into his hand, she stared at him, keeping her attention on him intently.

"I'm going to tidy a bit, but I'll be back in a minute with more, okay?" he said softly. His hand hadn't left her hair, tucking strands behind her ear as she leaned over a pillow. Sang Zhi nodded dumbly.

The first thing he did was remove her shoes, which caused a happy sigh from her, before he took them away and shuffled with different tasks around the room. She couldn't follow Jiaxu with her eyes, but felt soothed by hearing his soft movements.

Eventually he returned, sitting next to her with a refreshed mug. She shifted to lean onto him, dismayed to find he put on a shirt, but he caught her to keep her upright.

"Let's get you in something more comfortable," Jiaxu said, holding up a pajama top.

"What time is it?" Sang Zhi managed to ask, quietly. He manipulated her around to look for the fasteners of her dress and she halfheartedly patted at her side to indicate the clasp.

"Not that late, really. We left the wedding before nine, so-"

"When do you leave?"

Jiaxu sighed, finding the clasps to her dress and releasing them. "Tomorrow morning. It… I didn't think I'd be able to make it at all, but Siyun saw it on the calendar and…"

She frowned at him, not understanding. If he wasn't going to make it, how had he? Jiaxu managed to button up the pajama top over her dress, and she mumbled, "then how are you here?"

"Siyun is helping until I can get back. She really shouldn't, but I guess she's so happy for me having a girlfriend that she arranged everything that she could."

Standing up, Jiaxu lifted Sang Zhi to her feet. The dress fell to the floor and he handed her some bottoms which she somehow managed to get into with his hand on her back for balance. Settling onto the couch, Sang Zhi felt slightly more sober despite the echoes of alcohol in her system, wrapping around Jiaxu's arm to hug him to herself.

"Do you want more to drink?" he asked.

"Okay."

Sang Zhi accepted another glass of the hangover cure, wanting anything to stay awake longer.

"Do… do you know how long you'll have to stay in Yihe?" she asked. Jiaxu shook his head.

"I'm unsure, ma's recovery is still uncertain. We should know more in the next week. However, the way the company is set up… I can do a lot from there. That flexibility is usually helpful, but not when I'm desperately missing someone here," he said.

"Then why didn't you call?" Sang Zhi asked in a small voice. It felt so stupid to complain when she could tell how much Jiaxu had to do.

"Well, after the interviews with the officers on Thursday, Ma woke up on Friday, which meant a lot more tests, and there was lot of traffic through her room… frankly, if it wasn't for my cousins and Siyun, I don't know if I'd have even eaten let alone had a moment to call you," he explained. "And by the time Siyun cornered me with my cousins to take me to the airport this morning, I couldn't surprise you half so well if you heard me at the airport-"

Sang Zhi nodded, snuggling into his side.

"I wouldn't have drank so much if I'd known you were coming, though," she mumbled.

"Why did you?"

She sighed. "I didn't think about it much at first, but then people kept talking to me…" she frowned. "I don't mind being alone. Why do they have to talk to me?"

Jiaxu grinned, adjusting their position so he could wrap an arm around her. "Because you're beautiful," he said, kissing the top of her head.

"But I'm boring," she said into his shirt.

"Who the hell told you that?" Jiaxu asked. Sang Zhi shrugged.

"It's what all of my exes have said. Why don't like I like to go out, why don't I like amusement parks and roller coasters, why don't I have fun?" she explained, feeling oddly open and bare. But in this cozy space with just Jiaxu, it felt safe.

He was quiet for a moment, considering his words. Eventually, Jiaxu sat up and cupped her face. Peering into her face solemnly, he said, "you're anything but boring, Sang Zhi."

She blinked hard, wanting to argue about it. Wanted to give him all her dullest moments so he'd know she was right. Wanted to fall into old habits that protected her so well in the past. But… the way Jiaxu was staring down into her eyes, like he was holding the world in his hands by her very being, it was hard to refute.

"If I am everywhere, you are everything," Jiaxu asked, stroking her hair. "Do you understand?"

I love you.

The thought echoed through her thoughts like a klaxon. A new understanding of her fear, why she had such a terrible instinct to set up excuses - being boring and dull - to cushion herself from disappointment. Sang Zhi had never felt so out of control in her life, a page at some point turning and laying all of her hopes onto one person who could shatter her heart. But with Jiaxu holding her so gently, eyes so earnest, after expressing again and again how much she meant to him, Sang Zhi couldn't deny him.

Nodding slowly, she stared as a smile grew on his face. Nothing of her old habits mattered anymore.

Only Jiaxu did.

~~~

A bit later, Jiaxu ordered noodles to be delivered. He watched as Sang Zhi slowly made her way through more water, telling him a bit about her presentation the previous day. After the food delivery, Jiaxu was glad to see her eat a decent amount before settling back into the cushions. She was content to sit and cuddle with him as the alcohol waned, and Jiaxu couldn't say he minded, cozy despite the emotional weight in the room.

"How are your cousins?" she eventually asked, arms wrapped around his waist, as if she was safeguarding from his departure.

"They seemed well. Chang Le actually gave me a hug, which was a surprise," Jiaxu explained.

"Why?"

"Ma was always more involved with Chang Le than Chang Ru, so I wasn't the one she ever went to when she was little. Then I moved away, so…"

"Do you miss them?"

Jiaxu thought about it a moment. Even with Jiang Ying's harrassment, would he have still left, if not pushed out by his uncle?

"Yes, but my uncle…" he said. "He was clear about me being unwelcome. I tried to convince Ma to move here when I started Catnap - I looked, briefly, into finding a place for her and the girls - but I knew he would never agree to letting them move without him, so I figured I'd need to wait for the girls to became old enough."

"Why… why are you unwelcome?" Sang Zhi asked, sounding sad. "I don't understand."

Jiaxu shifted uncomfortably. "Da and Uncle didn't really get along. I don't remember seeing him and my aunt much when I was little, and da was rarely home. I… Ma doesn't talk about it, but I remember having a lot more when I was little, and I think da provided better for us than Uncle did his family. After da's crime… if Uncle hadn't been desperate for someone to help with the girls, he would've been happy - gleeful even - to deny us a home."

"That's terrible," Sang Zhi mumbled, squeezing him. "Why is he so petty?"

"I avoided him when I could. It was hard to hear him threaten to throw us out all the time - never around my ma, though - but it was worse when he'd gloat over my da's downfall."

"How old were you?"

"Fifteen maybe? He's always punched down. It was the least of my problems then."

That prompted another squeeze from Sang Zhi. Jiaxu relished in the feeling, unsure of how to broach the next thing.

"When Ma woke up… they could confirm she was of sound mind, but is sluggish and scared. She slept a lot, which the doctor recommended, but became agitated when the detective approached to ask questions," he said. "From what I understand, it's… likely that she's been subjected to some physical abuse, and hasn't told anyone."

"You think it is your uncle?" Sang Zhi asked, taking the worst of the words from him. Jiaxu nodded.

"He's always demanded money from me, and has been claiming more expenses - doctor visits, of all things - and I don't always get to it as quickly as I could. A small resistance, but…" he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I never thought he'd hurt his own sister."

Sang Zhi nodded. "What will happen?"

"If Ma refuses to say anything, Uncle won't even be questioned. The workers at the hospital are fine with attributing it all to our debtor, who attacked me in front of witnesses and surveillance."

"I can't believe you did that," Sang Zhi said sadly, stroking his cheek gently.

"She's always been violent in quiet spaces. For her to corner Ma… I try to avoid any information about her, but she seemed desperate," Jiaxu explained. "It wouldn't be the first time she'd given me a bruise. At least this one will be repaid."

~~~

The next morning arrived too quickly for Sang Zhi's liking. After all of the liquids and food making its way into her, she'd felt better but tired from all of the drama of the day. Jiaxu insisted on relocating to the bed around midnight and she couldn't argue, even if she wanted to make the most of their little time.

Waking up to the squeeze of Jiaxu's arms around her was the best, however. He nuzzled into her neck, breathing deeply through her hair.

"Mmm, good morning, Zhizhi," his voice rumbled. "How are you feeling?"

Sang Zhi gave a halfhearted whine at waking up, before replying softly, "surprisingly well. You?"

Her head hurt, but she wasn't about to tell Jiaxu that. It was her own fault and she didn't want to focus on that when there was limited time.

Jiaxu chuckled softly into her skin. "I am very good," he said. "It might be a short trip, but fuck, was it memorable."

Sang Zhi felt her face flush when the events of the night before made its way through her mind. The wedding was a bit fuzzy - annoyance at the beginning making the drinks a bit too quick, then the drunken surprise at Jiaxu being in front of her - but by the time they arrived home…

Use me.

The way Jiaxu had murmured those words to her had flashed heat right through her body to her core. She didn't know what to do with such a power, but could hear the logic of his request. She'd been drinking. Jiaxu wanted her, but on her terms.

Sang Zhi pushed up, rolling on top of Jiaxu. He blinked up at her sleepily.

"When is your flight?" she asked. He reached over to the nightstand to grab his phone.

"It's not yet eight, so I have another hour till I need to leave-"

Sang Zhi bent over to capture his lips with her own, intent on making the morning even more memorable.

Jiaxu dropped his phone somewhere on the bed, hands coming up to trace along her body, and she writhed against him.

Fuck, there were too many clothes.

Sang Zhi set to removing them as quickly as possible, the promise of skin far more important than any button or stitch. She couldn't help but giggle when her leg got caught while trying to remove her bottoms, but Jiaxu righted her quickly and the next thing she knew, his body was covering her without barriers and she moaned happily.

Jiaxu was careful with his weight, and Sang Zhi had a wild, intrusive thought that she wanted him right at that moment, to fuck her bare, to be that intimately connected to him. However, when Jiaxu reached for a foil and unwrapped it, Sang Zhi helped him pull it on.

She wanted him any way she could have him.

It was a different sort of coupling. While they had quite a few mind blowing encounters in the past, Sang Zhi was so caught up in the emotion of wanting to be one with him, to imprint on Jiaxu in an irrevocable way, their motions were almost languid in comparison to previous bouts.

Every stroke was slow, deep, a touch inside Sang Zhi that felt vulnerable and special. She gripped at his back, fingers digging into his skin, incoherent sounds of encouragement gasping out of her as she lost herself into her thoughts of loving this man so much.

They went at a languid pace, but it was no less fulfilling against the furious need of the nights before. Sang Zhi clung to Jiaxu, holding on, when he pitched his hips just so and she couldn't help the spasm of pleasure that crashed over her and Jiaxu rutted deep and all she could feel was him, his breath at her lips and heat inside her.

Jiaxu came undone in her arms as she shattered around him.

Later, they made their way out of bed for water and leftover noodles. Time was unkind, however, speeding through so quick that they both got dressed and Sang Zhi went with Jiaxu to the airport.

He hadn't even brought his suitcase back, knowing he'd be returning soon. Standing in front of security, Sang Zhi kept her arms wrapped around his waist, frown deep on her face.

Just because she had to say goodbye again so soon didn't mean she had to like it.

"Sang Zhi," Jiaxu said with affectionate exasperation, stroking her hair. "I hate to say goodbye again. But…"

"It will go quickly?" she asked softly with a slight wince. Sang Zhi hated the words, the rote way they were spoken exposing something she didn't know the depth to.

Jiaxu blinked, surprised. "…yes. With Ma awake, the doctor was very confident she'd recover quickly, so hopefully, I won't need to stay long."

"Okay," she replied, squeezing him tightly. "I am already missing you."

He bumped his forehead to hers. "But I'm everywhere, and you're everything. Okay?"

Sang Zhi nodded, blinking to keep her eyes from watering.

I love you.

It felt like a bad time to say it, though, his eyes obviously sad about leaving and his smile tight, trying to put on a brave face. There were people milling about, and it just didn't feel right to say it in such a public place.

By the time Sang Zhi wrestled with that thought, though, Jiaxu had to leave. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and he walked away, turning to wave at her from past security, and disappeared. Sang Zhi went on her way, wiping at her eyes. She had brunch with Ning Wei to get to.

"You're a terrible friend."

Those were the words that Sang Zhi was greeted with when she finally arrived at the restaurant and found the table with Ning Wei and Yu Xin. She was only a few minutes late, so she frowned in confusion.

"Hello to you too, Yu Xin," she said as she sat down. "How have you been?"

"I've been here for days and just found out you're dating Duan Jiaxu?" Yu Xin tsk'd in fake irritation.

Blinking, Sang Zhi poured herself a glass of water. "I don't understand."

"Sang Zhi, he's responsible for the Celestial system, which is a feat of connecting art to code! Without that language, half of the emotional rendering I do wouldn't even exist-" Yu Xin started but Ning Wei held up her hand at Sang Zhi's amused confusion.

"Apparently, your boyfriend is a big deal," Ning Wei summarized.

"Oh," was Sang Zhi's eloquent reply.

"When did this happen?" Yu Xin asked. "I've barely seen him, but-"

"What do you mean, seen him?" Sang Zhi said.

"Apparently, Yu Xin is here to help his company with some contract," Ning Wei supplied nonchalantly as she perused the menu. "Shall we order?"

Both of her companions gave her a look, which Ning Wei smiled at. Sang Zhi turned back to Yu Xin.

"You're the temporary worker from Yihe he mentioned?"

"Yes. When did you meet him?"

"We've been dating since the New Year," she explained. "Is there that much work?"

"Oh, yes. I've been working consistently since arriving because the sooner I finish, the better," Yu Xin replied, scanning the bar code to place her order on her phone.

"Why?" Sang Zhi asked.

Yu Xin hesitated, glancing at Ning Wei in suspicion. "There's a… distraction."

"That sounds an awful lot like a guy," was the woman's response, fluffing her short hair. Yu Xin shook her head.

"There's nothing of the sort. When have I ever been shy telling you about a guy?" Xin grumbled at Ning Wei.

Sang Zhi placed her order, watching the two in amusement. It reminded her of good days at the dorm, when the two in front of her would banter and she would share secret looks with Wang Ruo Lan.

Ning Wei began to name off various male students from their year and Yu Xin shot them down one by one in a scandalized voice. "Him? No! And I didn't have time for dating in university anyway."

"Oh, maybe they approached me about asking you out," Ning Wei agreed with a grin. "You were very popular."

Yu Xin rolled her eyes before turning to Sang Zhi. "But enough about that. You've been dating Duan Jiaxu for a bit, then? How is it going?"

Both of her companions gave her such a scrutinizing look that Sang Zhi couldn't help but laugh. "It's going fine."

"Sangsang!" Ning Wei grumbled. "I'm about to shake you."

"Well," Sang Zhi replied, trying to look forlorn and serious. "It's been very hard at work, as I'm sure you know Yu Xin, and he had to leave town unexpectedly-"

"I was wondering, his co-lead has taken over and didn't give any information on why he left-" Yu Xin interjected.

"-because his ma was hospitalized-"

Twin gasps of surprise echoed around Sang Zhi. Ning Wei asked, "Is she okay? What about the wedding?"

"-she's okay," Sang Zhi assured them, giving them an exaggerated frown. "I hate to admit it, but I was upset. For him, for his ma, but… I knew he'd miss the wedding. His ma's health is more important."

"Oh, Sangsang," Ning Wei said sadly. "I'm so sorry. I know you were looking forward to it."

"Which is why I drank maybe a smidgeon too much," she continued, holding up her fingers in a pinch. "And wasn't very prepared when Jiaxu somehow made it. He was late, but…"

Ning Wei's mouth dropped open and she squealed, reaching over to hug her over the table in excitement. "Sang Zhi! How dare you keep us in such suspense! He was there? Really?"

Sang Zhi laughed, nodding earnestly. She calmed herself when a server appeared to drop off their food.

"So it's your fault I've had a backlog of requests in the queue with no response," Yu Xin said before taking a bite of her lunch. "I didn't think Duan Jiaxu being gone would mess up my weekend, but the co-lead hasn't approved anything either."

"I don't know about my fault. But is the co-lead… Chen Junwen?" Zhi asked, tilting her head, remembering how Jiaxu had mentioned his friend being his lead programmer. Yu Xin nodded, squinting at her suspiciously. "He was one of the groomsmen yesterday. Probably had more to drink than I did, really."

"Oh, great," her friend grumbled.

"He's been friends with the groom since university," Sang Zhi continued as her phone vibrated. "I wouldn't expect any reply this weekend, not with his history of hangovers."

That made Yu Xin frown.

Pulling up her phone, Sang Zhi unlocked it and smiled.

[Qian Fei]: Thank you for coming again, Sang Zhi mei-mei! I posted the link to the photo booth album on the wedding page, you should look at it!

[Sang Zhi]: Shouldn't you be on your honeymoon? Thank you!

[Qian Fei]: Shiwen and I don't leave for another few days. We have to visit with all the family that came out first.

Sang Zhi was about to respond but Ning Wei pulled the phone out of her hand. "Is that Jiaxu?"

"He's on a plane right now, Weiwei, returning to Yihe," Sang Zhi said in exasperation. "But, look-" she tapped at the screen and it opened up the photo booth album. Ning Wei squealed.

"Photos! Yes!"

Sang Zhi went back to her food, amused at Ning Wei's excitement. It took a few minutes, which didn't surprise Zhi as she knew how many guests had been there.

"Sangsang, I told you that dress was the one. Just look!" Ning Wei turned the screen to show them. Sang Zhi could see the way that it hugged her body, the flush of alcohol on her face as she gave a gentle smile to the camera, but it wasn't what snagged Zhi's current attention. It was the way Jiaxu had an arm around her, looking down at her with such an enamored expression that she began to blush again.

Yu Xin whistled softly. "Dang, Sangsang, I do not wonder at my workload now."

Sang Zhi tried to pull the phone out of Ning Wei's hand, but her friend tugged it back. "It keeps going!"

It was only a couple more photos, the pair of them becoming more and more silly, but that same delight was all over Jiaxu's face. And one photo, Sang Zhi was looking up at him with such admiration that she knew her face had become bright red.

Their interest in each other was not subtle.

Then it switched over to most of the guys, Chen Junwen and Sang Yan dragged into frame with others as they all took a drink with Qian Fei. They all looked ridiculous, really, but the next shot showed their laughter and cheer.

"Looks like it is was a fun wedding," Ning Wei said as Sang Zhi took a drink. "I'm so jealous. You need to hurry up and get married so we can party."

Sang Zhi choked, spluttering on her water. Yu Xin laughed.

"It's barely been six weeks, Weiwei!" Sang Zhi scolded after she cleared her throat, dabbing at her mouth.

Ning Wei waved her hand dismissively. "What is six weeks when he looks at you like that?"

The rest of the lunch went quickly, Sang Zhi laughing at the antics of her two extroverted friends as they gave updates on other things in their lives during their meal. Ning Wei's boyfriend had gotten a promotion but wasn't happy about it, the additional hours cutting into his leisure activities. Yu Xin had gone on a disastrous date on Valentine's Day, complaining about the man briefly.

"It was an absolute bust, practically a catfish. He was the same guy, thankfully, but showed up in sweat pants. Who does that?" Yu Xin grumbled, throwing her utensils onto her plate, finished. "He said something about coming from the gym, which made even less sense. I don't expect much romance, but at least make an effort! I didn't even bother ordering, thanking him for his time, and left."

Ning Wei sent Sang Zhi a look that said there's our straightforward friend. Sang Zhi gave a single shoulder shrug.

"Who goes on a date after the gym? On Valentine's? I don't get it," Yu Xin continued. "But I was able to get a few more hours of work done."

"You aren't going to overdo it, are you?" Sang Zhi asked. "I mean, Jiaxu has been arriving home at a decent hour, thanks to your extra hours, but it sure seems like-"

"Wait. 'Arriving home'?" Ning Wei interrupted, tilting her head at Sang Zhi with a bright curious expression.

"Oh," Sang Zhi trapped her breath in her mouth, blowing it out slowly. "Yes, uhm, if you somehow run into my parents, you have a cat I've been watching-"

"Sang Zhi!"

"Look, Mama introduced me to some," Sang Zhi wrinkled her nose, trying to describe the mess with the Su's, "-older families that have some very outdated thoughts on marriage. Essentially thinking they needed to find a wife for their son."

She said the last very quietly. Both of her friend's eyebrows raised, sharing a glance.

"I pretty much left their house that night and went right to Jiaxu's," Sang Zhi admitted. "I'm… still figuring out how to tell them."

Ning Wei just gaped at her. Yu Xin looked amused.

"You moved in with him?" finally stuttered out of Wei.

"Is… is that bad?" Sang Zhi asked, wincing.

Her friend opened her mouth a few times before shutting it. Finally, Ning Wei said, "I'm speechless. All of our discussions, years of pushing you to get out there, all for you to just move in with the first guy you actually like."

"Well, not the first-"

"Do not bring up your exes," Yu Xin interjected. "Even I knew you didn't like them."

Sang Zhi frowned, confused. "Then… why did I date them?"

"They were just for practice," Ning Wei said, waving her hand flippantly. "To your question, though, no, it's not bad, assuming Jiaxu is fine with it. It's early, sure, but… have you ever done something half way? All of those projects, eugh, I can hear you scolding me for my portion on the day they were assigned now."

Wei patted her shoulder and Sang Zhi sighed.

"I… do have a delicate question, though," Zhi mumbled, leaning over the table.

The other two leaned in as well.

"What do you guys do for birth control?"

Ning Wei gave a broad smile while Yu Xin sat straight up and shook her head. "Condoms. I'm out. Enjoy, Weiwei."

"No, don't go, Xin," Sang Zhi said, feeling bad.

"It's fine, I have some things to do anyway. I don't want details, I have to work with him," Yu Xin said with a wrinkle of her nose. "He's attractive, sure, but he's sort of my boss. It's weird. No thanks."

Ning Wei shrugged. "That makes sense. Think we can steal you occasionally while you're in town?"

"Probably," Yu Xin agreed, standing up to grab her coat and purse. "I'll be in touch. And Sangsang… I am happy for you. Duan Jiaxu seems like a great guy, even outside of building a revolutionary emotional coding system."

Sang Zhi huffed a laugh. "Thanks?"

"Bye," Yu Xin said, pulling her phone up as she left.

"Well, that's a fun discovery," Ning Wei said. "I should have remembered how much interest Yu Xin had in that game. It's all the same to me, though, so I didn't think to ask. Did Jiaxu not mention her?"

"He didn't mention her by name. Just that he was happy to be home at a decent hour because of her extra help," Sang Zhi explained.

"I see," her friend said, smiling. "To answer your other question, I made an appointment with my doctor a couple weeks ago and got something that works for me. You should do that. There's a lot of options and it's best to talk with a professional."

Sang Zhi nodded. "We haven't had a scare or anything, I'm just…"

"You wouldn't be you without being cautious," Ning Wei said with a shrug. "But… the sex is good, right?"

"Weiwei," she replied, glancing around in embarrassment. "Keep your voice down."

Ning Wei mimed zipping her mouth shut but sent a pointed look.

"Yes! Okay?" Sang Zhi said. "It's…"

Thinking of the previous night, her words drifted off as she looked unseeing into the distance and Ning Wei laughed.

"I believe you, Sangsang. Anything to put that look on your face must be good."

Chapter Text

Jiaxu almost missed his flight, he'd been so resistant to leaving Sang Zhi at the airport. She'd insisted on going with him to see him off, giving him a tight hug at the security checkpoint, and he couldn't help but wave at her as he walked out of her view.

It had been a rushed trip, sure, but Jiaxu had no idea just how much they could fit in such a short period of time. They had both been insatiable.

The return to Yihe was a little less stressful, the knowledge of his ma's recovery a relief, but Jiaxu had to attribute most of his improved spirits to Sang Zhi. Her quiet support, tugging at his worries, had gone a long way in comforting him. It made the world seem a little brighter. A little warmer, despite the biting cold. So when Jiaxu finally returned to Yihe Medical to see his ma that Sunday evening, it was like the gloom of his previous life had been chased away.

As he was making his way back to the hospital, Jiaxu's phone vibrated with a text from Qian Fei with a link to photos of the wedding. Sliding his finger over all of the captures, Jiaxu smiled at the pictures of him and Sang Zhi and their progressive silliness.

Which is how Siyun found him, approaching his ma's room, looking a bit tired. Smiling, she closed the door behind her. Jiaxu quickly pocketed his phone, not wanting to share just yet.

"She's doing well, Jiaxu. She's sleeping less and I think the doctor mentioned she could go home soon," Siyun informed him. "She's been quite grateful for my help with the girls, and… may have told me a story or two about your baby years."

"What story?" Jiaxu asked in alarm. There had been a distinct decline of family stories told to him, so he couldn't even think of one that his ma would tell.

With a tilt of her head, Siyun smiled. "Nothing bad, just a mishap with a large bag of rice-"

Jiaxu groaned. "I was three!"

"Which made it all the more impressive that you were trying to help and got the entire bag out by yourself-"

"Yes, thank you, Siyun," Jiaxu sighed, before motioning at his ma's door. "I do appreciate all of your help, though. Going to the wedding was… everything."

Referring to Sang Zhi as everything was quickly becoming Jiaxu's favorite thought.

"I thought it might be," she replied.

"I'll pay you back as soon as this all settles."

Siyun smiled and nodded. "If you feel it is necessary. Truly, it wasn't much of a bother, your ma is a good patient. I should get home, though. I'll come by again soon. Tell your ma bye for me."

Thanking her again, Jiaxu watched her leave and stepped into his ma's room, which also held his cousins. At the bed on the other side of the room was another patient with a family member, quietly talking.

Multiple patients to one room wasn't uncommon, but Jiaxu wished there was a bit more privacy to ask his ma more about the grim night she'd been admitted.

"Hello ma, cousins," he said, smile genuine.

"You're back! My son is back!" Xu Ruo Shu exclaimed, causing a glare from the neighboring patient for her volume. She dropped her voice. "Oh, how fine you look!"

As it wasn't uncommon for his ma to extol him, Jiaxu pulled a chair over and took her hand, asking, "how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," she said, squeezing his hand. "Was your trip okay?"

"It went well," Jiaxu said, unsure of what to really say about it. Siyun had spoken to his ma about him leaving for about a day, but he wasn't entirely sure what Siyun had said to convince her. All he knew was that Xu Ruo Shu had insisted he leave, which is when the others had ambushed him about being taken to the airport.

"Was your girlfriend happy?" Chang Le demanded. Jiaxu blinked at her before glancing at his ma for her reaction. He figured Chang Ru had filled her sister in about his girlfriend - she had been a part of the ambush as well - but to state it in front of his ma surprised him.

Xu Ruo Shu was looking at her bed coverings, the hand he wasn't holding twisting the blanket, but it didn't seem like she was angry or disappointed, which was an improvement from the last time he'd mentioned seeing someone who wasn't Jiang Ying.

"Lele," Chang Ru chided. "Let's go get some fresh water for auntie. We'll be right back."

Chang Le frowned. "But I-"

The older sister pulled on the curtains to give the bed some privacy, grabbing Chang Le's arm and yanking her with her. He could hear Chang Ru admonishing her sister as they closed the door.

"Did you think Jiaxu might have wanted-" was all he caught before her voice disappeared.

Jiaxu turned to his ma, noting how calm she was, and sighed. "You don't seem surprised," he said.

Xu Ruo Shu shook her head, biting her lips hard together before responding, "you tried to tell me. I remember ignoring it."

"Is it really that disappointing?" Jiaxu asked. "I've… always been clear. I could never be with-"

He shuddered, not even wanting to say Jiang Ying's name. The woman caused his entire body to physically recoil. His ma squeezed his hand.

"It's not disappointing," she whispered. "But… I'd always hoped… I didn't think little Ying was like that."

"What? What do you mean?" Jiaxu asked.

Ruo Shu sighed, glancing at the shadow's of the other family before leaning closer to him.

"We have always kept in contact. She missed you," his ma explained quietly. "I knew she always held affection for you, seeing how you labored so over our debt and to be of service…"

Jiaxu could taste blood in his mouth from biting the inside of his cheek too hard. He didn't want to refute his ma, but this wasn't anything she hadn't said before. Why bring it up again?

"You're an attractive young man, Jiaxu. Jiang Ying is pretty and has such an attention to detail. There was no harm in humoring her, as you've never been serious about anyone before," she said.

It didn't escape Jiaxu that half of the reason he'd never been seriously interested in a woman was because they always seemed to lose interest after an initial date. He'd suspected that Jiang Ying was involved, likely stalking them and outline all of his faults with gruesome particulars, but had no proof. Attention to detail, indeed.

"We started a tradition soon after you left, every Wednesday, we'd meet somehow. Lunch, dinner, it didn't matter. She asked a while ago if we could meet for dinner at the house. Ying said she didn't have a date for the holiday," Ruo Shu said with a slight frown.

Jiaxu nodded, squeezing her hand when she seemed to struggle to explain the next part.

"I… I made her favorite dish. She told me once no one made her da's duck like me. It… I didn't think…" she broke off, tears brimming in her eyes, before shaking her head. "We'd just finished eating when she asked about you. Asked about your girlfriend."

"She knew about my girlfriend?" Jiaxu asked, confused but alarmed. He didn't really use social media, to the point that the only way Jiang Ying would have known about his photo on Sang Zhi's page would be if she knew Sang Zhi's name at all. A frown grew on his face. How had Jiang Ying known?

There was a pause, Xu Ruo Shu taking a deep breath.

"I didn't know what to tell her. I know I've said some things out… out of habit to you, but they didn't work for her. She just got more and more upset. I tried to give her water, she screamed at me, asking why I didn't make you come back, come to her, why were you still in Nanwu with some-"

Xu Ruo Shu stopped.

"Ma-" Jiaxu started to say, uncertain on even what platitude he wanted to give, but his ma interrupted him.

"Your girlfriend is lovely, Jiaxu. Jiang Ying held up her phone to show me a photo of the two of you, screaming at how could you do this to her, she owned you, and… but I didn't hear any of that. I was staring at the photo," Ruo Shu said softly, voice thick, tears leaking down her face. "I… I can't remember the last time I saw you happy. That light extinguished from your eyes the day my husband shattered our world."

She dabbed at her face, as if it was somehow her fault, and Jiaxu felt his face screw up to hold back his own tears. Squeezing her hand, Jiaxu waited for her to recollect herself and she sent him a guilty look.

"It wasn't until I saw how happy you were… I had nothing to say," she finally continued softly. "It was difficult to breathe, seeing how wrong all of Jiang Ying's hopes had been, how I… I must have hurt you. When I stopped speaking… Jiang Ying hadn't looked at me with such vitriol since the day I…"

Jiaxu knew the day she spoke of. It was after they'd gotten the confirmation of Jiang Ying's da passing, so Ma had dragged them to the Jiang's house to beg on their knees for forgiveness. They'd had so many insults and threats hurled at them, despite his ma's groveling. It was the start of a very long process of servitude from both of them.

"Then… she looked at that photo, furious, and smashed it right across my face. And…" she coughed for a moment, the tears not helping her breathing, "…then she slammed me into-"

"Stop, ma."

He knew her the extent of her injuries and didn't really want to know specifics, able to fill in the blanks. The investigators had gotten enough from Xu Ruo Shu and the doctors. Instead, he put an arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him, wringing her hands. "I'm a foolish old woman, Jiaxu, but I'd never imagined her capable of such-"

"Ma," Jiaxu said in a small voice, feeling fifteen again. "She's… she's always been like that."

Xu Ruo Shu looked at him, tearful eyes widening, and he couldn't keep eye contact, instead looking around the room with shame. It wasn't the most flattering thing from him to admit, being regularly beaten by a girl. But what had his option been?

"Why didn't you say something?" she whispered. "I knew you got into scrapes, but-"

"Many of them were bullies from school, yes… but she had her moments, ma," he said. "And no one believed me, assuming the worst of me for da's crime. Why would you listen any more than them, when we owed them so much?"

Xu Ruo Shu's face scrunched up as she tried to control her tears. Jiaxu wrapped his other arm around her, letting her sob silently into his chest. He didn't want to make his ma's guilt worse, the pain of the past a festering wound between them, but it felt good to be honest.

There was so much lost time between them, and her cancer scare from years ago had added more stress that there hadn't been space to work it out. Jiaxu squeezed her tighter, to make sure his ma knew he didn't hold it against her.

Eventually, his ma's tears had calmed to where she just clung to him silently. Jiaxu couldn't explain it, but the silence was comforting. Over the years, his ma's hysterical apologies and pleas had become meaningless. The quiet didn't hold judgment or excuses. There was still hurt, but it was a path to mending their frayed connection.

Which is how the girls found them later. Chang Ru tried to pull her little sister back once seeing them, but Xu Ruo Shu saw them and started to pat at her face to wipe her tears. Jiaxu found a tissue to give her.

"I'm rather thirsty, Lele, would you mind refilling my glass?" Ruo Shu asked, dabbing her eyes. "Thank you for getting that fresh water for me. And I'm sure Jiaxu would like to share about his trip now that we're all here together."

Taking the moment of Chang Le filling the glass, Jiaxu wiped his own face. "O-okay," he said, a rush of heat hitting his ears as he realized what he and his girlfriend had done with most of their time. He'd have to think fast, give the tidbits of the ceremony that Sang Zhi had mentioned, talk about their lovely walk, and hopefully that would be enough.

He was suddenly incredibly grateful that Qian Fei sent him access to those photos.

As he explained what he remembered of the hall and the guests, Jiaxu pulled out his phone for the picture of him and Sang Zhi, glad to have something to show them, even if he hadn't much time to survey them himself.

Chang Le immediately reached to take the phone out of his hand, giggling. "Oh, you're so cheesy, cousin Jiaxu," she said, shifting to where all three of them could look at them.

"She's so pretty! No wonder you wanted to go so badly," Chang Ru added in.

"I had promised her-"

"My boy never breaks a promise," his ma said, glancing up from the photos to send him a fond look.

Jiaxu smiled back, glad that his short absence hadn't any detrimental effects. For all of the misery of Jiang Ying's attack, her actions had help bridge the distance Jiaxu had built from his family. It had been a long time since his ma had properly heard his words, and the happiness in Xu Ruo Shu eyes made him glad.

"You didn't tell me that Yu Xin was working at Catnap," Sang Zhi said when Jiaxu called her later.

"Er, do you know her?" he asked.

"She was a roommate with me and Ning Wei. She used to play your Jianghu game a lot in her downtime," she explained, amused. "We caught up at lunch since, apparently, she's in town for a big project-"

Jiaxu rubbed his neck, glancing up at the ceiling tiles of the hospital floor with a grin. "You have a rather robust network of friends for someone who doesn't like to leave the house," he teased.

"I did not leave my dorm much, it's true," Sang Zhi retorted. "I can only imagine what would have happened if I had."

"Clearly, world domination. Each of us poor fools one at a time."

Sang Zhi laughed through the line and Jiaxu smiled.

"Did Yu Xin complain about how much work there is?" he asked.

"No, that's not like her. She mostly wants to power through it as efficiently as possible so she can get to the next thing," Sang Zhi said. "She was a bit grumpy about… what did she call it? Queued requests?"

"Huh. When I landed, they were all approved," Jiaxu said, puzzled.

"Well, I mentioned that Chen Junwen was probably nursing his hangover, so not to expect much," she replied. "Enough about your work, though. How is your ma doing?"

"She is doing better and can go home. She has to come back tomorrow for a few further tests, but she keeps complaining about missing her bed," Jiaxu said. "We are just waiting for some discharge paperwork."

"What does that mean? Will you be staying… there?" she asked, sounding concerned. He didn't need to stretch his imagination to know she meant his uncle's house.

"Well, my uncle hasn't been heard from in the better part of two weeks, so until he returns, I'm not going to leave them by themselves," Jiaxu stated plainly. "The girls mentioned he's been gone more and more. I even sent some extra money to him, hoping that'll be incentive for him to stay out till I have a better plan."

"Do you want me to research some rentals in the area?" she asked. "Just in case?"

Jiaxu chuckled, brow furrowing in confusion. That really wasn't her job, to worry about his ma and cousin's living situation. "I mean-"

"It's really not a big deal and I'm sure I'll have some free time with my project presentation finished," Sang Zhi continued. "I remember there being some really nice buildings when I'd go exploring with Wang Ruo Lan."

"Who?"

"Oh, our fourth roommate. She and I were the quiet ones. She's still in Yihe and I'm sure would have some ideas."

"If it's not too much trouble," Jiaxu said. It frankly sounded like Sang Zhi wanted to be useful and had a limited amount of opportunities. Who was he to deny her? "I don't know if we will even need it though."

"I understand. I just… I miss you," Sang Zhi said softly. "If this is how I can help, then I want to do it."

"Okay," he said.

"Okay," she replied.

Jiaxu's throat felt sticky, a strange compulsion to say I love you on his tongue, but damn if it felt too big for a simple phone call. Especially for the first time.

Chang Ru appeared at the doorway, motioning inside and Jiaxu straightened.

"Hey, Sang Zhi, they're calling me in," he said sadly. "I'll give you a call tonight when we get settled?"

"Just text me. I'm sure your family will feel happy to be home… you should focus on them," Sang Zhi said.

Sighing, Jiaxu nodded even if she couldn't see it. "Okay. I miss you."

Saying goodbye, the call ended and Jiaxu stepped into his ma's room.

They had a lot of work to do to get her home.

Hours later, after all manner of instructions from the doctor and follow up appointments made, the sun was fully set when they finally made it to Jiaxu's uncle's house. He eyed the building unhappily, taking his time in the car as Chang Ru ran in to see if it was still vacant of her da.

When she returned, she nodded. "It's clear."

The relief was only temporary, as Jiaxu helped his ma step shakily into the house, her balance still a little questionable. He eyed the dark walls, frowning. It was as if the entire house was telling him he wasn't welcome, despite Chang Le rushing inside to turn on various lights.

"You can bring me to the couch, please," Xu Ruo Shu said to him, and he did so. Checking that she was comfortable, he went to get the rest of the bags.

Each time he crossed the threshold, it felt like a weight pressed on him. After depositing the bags in the living room, he went into the kitchen and frowned. There was no obvious sign of a struggle, any blood from his ma's injury long cleared up. With that question in his mind, he called for Chang Ru.

"Yes?" she asked when she appeared.

"Did you see anything odd in here before?"

She shook her head. "Not really. It's kind of tidy, but it's obviously hard to tell with, well…"

Chang Ru motioned him to the under sink cabinet and his frown deepened when he saw signs of water damage in the back wall.

"We have to mop up the floor a lot due to all the water," she explained. "So, if there's been concern about Auntie's injury…"

"Jiang Ying would have cleaned it up with this mess," Jiaxu said with a sigh. "Ruru, how long has the house been like this?"

Jiaxu could easily imagine just how bad the water damage was, rot seeping into the studs. The only good thing was that it was relatively clean and he didn't see any obvious signs of mold. That would only add another concern on his ma's vulnerable health.

Chang Ru frowned. "I don't know. Da doesn't do any work on the house, being gone so much, so I guess it's just gotten worse over time."

He nodded. "Right."

Chang Ru started on some laundry and Chang Le stayed nearby his ma so Jiaxu started to check things other areas around the house. He'd need to feed them - the refrigerator was full of expired food he would eventually have to deal with - so he ordered delivery and started a list on all of the problems he saw throughout the rooms.

The kitchen and bathroom were the worst of it, but again, no mold. Just an unpleasant feeling of being in a house that needed to be repaired. As he walked down the hallway, he paused in front of the small room that had been his years before. Opening the door, he wasn't surprised to find it full of various boxes, junk of his uncle's that had accumulated over the years.

Nodding to himself, Jiaxu closed the door. He'd sleep on the couch.

This building had never been his home.

Chapter Text

The light rain fit Sang Zhi's mood perfectly when she walked into work on Monday, clicking her umbrella closed and sliding it into a wet-bag. She'd been thinking about Jiaxu as she fell asleep the night before, worried about him staying at a place that held so many bad memories. Hopefully work wouldn't be troublesome, as she wasn't sure what her responsibilities would be now that her presentation was over.

It would be just her luck that Xiaoyu would be in a bad mood to match the weather.

But Xiaoyu was absent again. Since Sang Zhi had been working on her own so well, she reached out to other teams to see where she could help since her task docket was empty. She was in the middle of pricing something for her desk mate when she got a text message.

[Wen Yifan]: Su Haoan shouldn't bother you anymore.

Sang Zhi frowned at her phone. Why did that sound so ominous?

[Sang Zhi]: What do you mean? What happened?

There was a long pause and she returned to her work, eyeing her phone occasionally in worry. When there was no reply, Sang Zhi sent another text that just held a spam of question marks.

She was about to toss her phone down in annoyance - it felt good to act petulant when ignored - but it vibrated again.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Good morning. How is your morning?

[Sang Zhi]: Work is okay. Xiaoyu is gone again. Wen Yifan is acting strange.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Strange how? I wish I could see your pretty smile.

Amusement buoyed Sang Zhi's mood, shaking her head in exasperation. Clicking her camera app and smiling into the lens for a quick selfie, she sent it and a reply.

[Sang Zhi]: You just need to ask.

[Duan Jiaxu]: You're beautiful.

[Sang Zhi]: Where's mine?

Fortunately, she got that text off before Zhang Hui walked onto the floor, quickly sliding her phone into her purse to avoid any scrutiny. She had work to do.

When she left for lunch, Sang Zhi opened the returning selfie of Jiaxu and was relieved that he looked well rested. All of that travel had to be terrible on his body, and staying at such an inhospitable place worried her, no matter how much his family was glad for his help.

The only hiccup during the day happened after lunch. Sang Zhi returned to her desk to find that her computer refused to log her in. She frowned, confused. It was standard procedure to lock the computer when stepping away, but she hadn't changed her password…

Calling the IT department, she wrinkled her nose at the antipathetic tone of the help desk employee, trying to explain that no, she did not forget her password, it just won't accept it, but it didn't matter. He simply reset it for her and Sang Zhi finally could access her computer again.

Sometimes computers just were like that, in Sang Zhi's experience.

When she finally logged out for the evening, it was raining heavily. Sang Zhi wasn't thinking about much more than the take out dinner she was going to grab on her way home, sliding her coat on and grabbing her purse. Opening her umbrella as she stepped out of her building, she was more focused on avoiding puddles than her surroundings, and startled when a voice called out to her.

"Sang Zhi!"

Glancing around, Sang Zhi felt her heart skip in alarm, but walked carefully over to her caller anyway. "Baba!"

"You have no pity for your old man, making him loiter in front of your workplace to see his daughter," Sang Rong said with a teasing smile, standing underneath a canopy. "Your mama and I were in the area and thought to take you to dinner. How about it?"

A seed of apprehension dropped into Sang Zhi's stomach, but she plastered a smile on just the same, taking her da's offered arm and holding her umbrella over them both. "Sounds great. What have you been up to?"

Leading her to the car, Sang Rong regaled her with some of the drama of one of his job sites, and Zhi spied through a window heavy with raindrops her ma sitting in the front seat. The seed in her gut practically flourished into a sapling by the pinch on her ma's brow.

Climbing in and shaking her umbrella closed, she murmured, "Hello Mama."

Li Ping turned in her seat with a concerned expression as Sang Rong got in the drivers seat. "Sang Zhi, it's such a relief to see you."

"You knew I was okay, I call you almost every day," Sang Zhi replied as her dad started driving.

"It's just not the same," her ma said sadly, facing forward. "We were going to Yutou, if that sounds good?"

Sang Zhi nodded, the restaurant famous for one of her favorite dishes, taro crusted duck. She wasn't very hungry anymore, but perhaps she could manage something.

The drive over was fairly quiet, her da occasionally trying to start a conversation, but Sang Zhi hummed simple responses as she watched raindrops race down the glass of the window.

She could tell that there was a larger motive to dinner, thinking of her discussion with Wen Yifan. Be honest. She should have gone to their house to do this in private. It was going to be awkward.

They parked and darted through the rain into the restaurant. After a few minutes of waiting in the foyer, they were eventually led to a table by a window. Settling into their seats, Li Ping reached over to grab Sang Zhi's hand.

"Oh, I've missed your pretty face, my sweet daughter."

"It's been busy at work. Didn't I tell you they approve another set of sprites?"

"Yes, but even when you were working so much before, I could bring you treats and tea to your room…"

"How long is your friend going to need a cat sitter?" her da asked as he served each of them water from the pitcher on the table, "your ma misses you fiercely."

Guilt pressed into Sang Zhi as the sapling in her gut grew into a small tree.

"A little bit longer," Sang Zhi said softly. Maybe she could put them off for another day, speak to them at their home. Avoid having any emotional fallout in public.

"Even if you're helping a friend, you could come home to visit more often," Li Ping said. "I miss you."

"I miss you too," Sang Zhi replied. "I'll try to make it over soon."

The waiter came over with some menus, but her da brushed them aside. "We know what we want."

Not wanting to seem out of sorts, Sang Zhi ordered like she typically would, even if she wasn't sure how much of it she could manage when her stomach was tied up with roots of anxiety. The waiter thanked them and left.

"Feng Lin asked about you the other night," Li Ping said with a tilt of her head. "She was curious to know if you liked the gathering."

Sang Zhi blinked. That night had been awful, some sort of alien agitation built underneath the very floorboards of the home, warning of future trouble. "It was… kind of her to invite me, but…"

How did she explain the suffocating panic that had coursed through her that night? That while everyone was busy with their dinner, Sang Zhi could only feel their eyes on her, stifling her, like she'd been caught in a terrible crowd?

"Have you seen Su Haoan since?" her ma asked. "Feng Lin was quite touched that he offered to drive you home."

"He was at Qian Fei's wedding," she offered quietly. What was there to say about him? Su Haoan had annoyed her all night at the wedding, prodding at her disinterest in him, mocking her boyfriend until he found out it was Duan Jiaxu. Then he'd acted confused, insulted even, why she'd prefer Jiaxu over him, trying to convince her to his opinion.

"Did you chat at all?" her dad asked.

"Yes," Sang Zhi said. The night was fuzzy, but it wasn't like she was insensible. She knew she wouldn't get away without telling her parents something, so she steeled herself and continued, "he mentioned that your charity works with access to tuberculosis vaccines and such, Mama. That Suwen has been helping fund those efforts."

Li Ping nodded with an impressed raise of her brow. "He is more informed on the family company than I knew. Why did it come up?"

"I didn't know that's where your charity was focusing until Su Haoan told me," Sang Zhi replied, ignoring her question. "You don't talk about what your charity supports."

"What does that matter?"

"It doesn't," she said softly, looking down. "I just… thought it was odd he knew more than your daughter."

"Zhizhi," Li Ping tried again, in a softer voice. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything's…" Sang Zhi trailed off, frowning when she found that she couldn't say the word fine.

If I am everywhere, you are everything. Do you understand?

If she was everything, why was it so easy to feel like nothing?

It was a terrible idea to have this discussion in public. Frustration was branching through Sang Zhi's chest, a desire to say something, but having no idea what path of words would satisfy.

"Sang Zhi?" Sang Rong asked.

It was a struggle to speak. Zhi shook her head, surprised at their patience.

"Why did you bring me to the Su's party?" she asked, finally.

"What do you mean?" Li Ping said, confused. "It was a lovely evening with friends."

"For you," Sang Zhi said with a frown. "The ladies' weren't interrogating you about your future."

"Feng Lin was just curious about you."

"But why? I don't have any interest in her son."

Li Ping waved her hand dismissively. "She's a bit presumptuous, I know, but that's just Feng Lin."

"But that's not me."

Li Ping shared at glance with Sang Rong before looking back at Sang Zhi. "She didn't mean any harm."

"She didn't mean harm?" Sang Zhi said, surprised by the catch in her throat. "Okay. But you know I have a boyfriend. How could that not cause harm, me being paraded in front of another suitor? What was I supposed to say that night?"

"Zhizhi," Li Ping leaned over the table, frowning. "Would you believe me if I said I didn't know that was her purpose?"

"Does it matter?" Sang Zhi asked bitterly. "Each of your work involves Suwen. You put me in an impossible situation - keep quiet and betray my own relationship, or betray both of you - and it was all of your own making!"

"Would you like me to call Feng Lin right now?" Li Ping asked, emotion causing her voice to wobble. "Tell her that it was kind of her to show you such consideration but you aren't interested?"

"Wouldn't that hurt your cause?"

"Sang Zhi," Sang Rong's voice cut in sharply. "Your Mama has been worried sick since your departure. You will not be rude."

Li Ping shushed him and Sang Zhi looked away through the window at the waterlogged patio. She longed to leave, but the conversation had to be done. She couldn't do the same thing she always did when they looked a little too closely at her. She had to state some sort of truth to them, the advice from Wen Yifan pushing her.

Be honest.

"Sang Zhi?" her ma tried again.

"I'm not a little girl. I'm no longer injured from a panicked crowd. I'm no longer sick from something unknown. I've wanted for nothing, as you both provided so much. But," Sang Zhi wiped at her eyes which were leaking tears against her will, "I don't know how to show you I'm capable of handling my own affairs. I don't know how to convince you about things I love. I don't know how to tell you things without being scared."

"Zhizhi," Li Ping said softly, squeezing Sang Zhi's hand again. "Why would you be scared? There's no reason for that."

Sang Rong leaned over to add his hand on top of Li Ping's.

"There's no reason to be scared?" Sang Zhi repeated, staring at their hands, feeling terribly far away from the connection despite the touch. They still didn't understand. "When I had to come up with ironclad reasons to go to Yihe University, because you'd deny my choice since it was so far away? When I mentioned finding a friend to roommate with here, an idea you hated, to gain some space?" Her voice grew progressively louder as she found her confidence. "When you look at my boyfriend with such suspicion when I told you how much Jiaxu means to me?"

That flustered her father, who shifted. "You'd only just met him-"

"Yet I know he's who I want to spend the rest of my life with!"

The words were angry, but Sang Zhi stated them clearly. It hung over the table awkwardly.

Hesitantly, Li Ping asked, "you are sure?"

"Yes," Sang Zhi said. Not wanting to dissect it any further - she'd felt like she'd talked too much as it was - she pulled her hand away to grip her purse. "I need to go."

She got up despite her ma's protest, grabbing her things and heading for the door. Her da caught up with her as soon as she pushed through the doors, the downpour prompting her to snap her umbrella open immediately before getting soaked. Rushing out into the rain, she was surprised to find that her da had followed her all the way to the street.

"Baba-"

"Zhizhi, you don't have to go," he pleaded, looking miserable and quickly becoming wet. "Come inside, we're all feeling the edge of our hunger."

Sang Zhi shook her head, taking pity on him by putting the umbrella over both of them, but glanced up and down the street for a taxi. "No, not tonight, Baba. I'll come by in a few days."

Her da frowned, seeming to weigh his options as she squinted through the rain for any sort of escape. She'd take a bus at this point.

"Did you really move in with that fellow?" Sang Rong suddenly asked and she turned to him in surprise.

"His name is Jiaxu. How did you find out?"

"By asking right now," he said with a sad smile. Sang Zhi frowned, feeling stupid at playing directly into her da's trap.

"Are you disappointed?" she asked.

Sang Rong simply shook his head, wrapping his arms around her. Zhi stiffened in surprise, but relaxed quickly. "It's a surprise, but… you're right. You're not a little girl anymore."

"You can trust me, Baba," Sang Zhi said, tears filling her eyes. "I know what I want."

"Okay, Zhizhi," he said in a pained voice. "But… it's not easy."

"For me either," she replied.

"Let us know if you need anything."

"Well," she said, pulling out of his arms. "I need a taxi."

Helping her hail one, Sang Rong packed her inside the vehicle. Sang Zhi gave him her umbrella, feeling bad for leaving him out in the rain, then closed the door. Her da waved at her as the taxi drove off.

Sang Zhi wiped at her cheeks the entire way.

~~~

Monday was a busy day for Jiaxu of ferrying Xu Ruo Shu to her various tests, hurrying to not be late for whichever appointment and then waiting in long queues for whichever necessary personnel to become available. By the time they returned home and finished eating dinner, Jiaxu was glad that his ma asked Chang Le to help her with her nighttime routine, the woman looking downright haggard. Jiaxu picked up her dishes, taking them to the sink. Chang Ru appeared at his side, however, to shoo him away.

"I'm sure you could work on other things, Jiaxu," she said. "I'll put up the food and build a grocery list for tomorrow. You've been doing all of the work."

Jiaxu couldn't fault her logic, sighing and agreeing. "Thank you Ruru… I do need to check on work."

She shrugged and he set up his laptop on the table, plugging in the cord to see what sort of damage there was to the Sunset project. Clicking through various tabs, there were only a handful of critical concerns, which had notes of Junwen's efforts and even a note or two from other junior programmers. Ironing out the kinks of everyone's solution would take time, but it was far less of a mess than he'd feared.

"Do you think da is going to show up?" Chang Ru asked over moving dishes into airtight containers.

"I don't know," Jiaxu said. "He's always kept his messages to me very short. I don't even know where he works."

Chang Ru nodded. "Last I knew, it was some sort of cleaning work at an office. Well, I can stay here instead of the dorm for a while. The next semester doesn't start for a couple weeks."

"I appreciate that," he replied. "I'll need to check with Chang Le about her dance schedule… I hope she didn't miss too much time."

"She mentioned her coach was understanding. Their next competition isn't for another month, so she shouldn't be too behind at practice," Chang Ru explained.

Jiaxu nodded, glad that it seemed to be under control. One less thing to worry about. His phone vibrated. Picking it up, he frowned at the text.

[Sang Zhi]: Are you busy?

It was a bit earlier than their typical nighttime call, but Jiaxu swiped his thumb across the screen to dial Sang Zhi without hesitation. Standing up, he motioned at the phone at his ear to Chang Ru, who nodded, and grabbed his coat to step outside.

"Hello?" Sang Zhi's voice was quiet.

"Hey," he replied, walking over to lean against the rental car's trunk. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to hear your voice," she said quietly while he pulled his coat on. "How was your day?"

Was he imagining the slight falter in her words? Jiaxu felt a wave of affection, since he, too, was missing her. "Well, we had a busy day at various specialists, so Ma's grateful to be home. We had dinner and I'm looking at work stuff right now. What about you? What were you up to tonight?"

There was a slight pause before Sang Zhi answered. "I saw Mama and Baba."

Jiaxu straightened, humming in response. She hadn't mentioned her parents much at all since that night she introduced him to them. Sure, Jiaxu had run into Li Ping that one afternoon, but the interaction hadn't necessarily been terrible, just stilted. With all of Sang Zhi's warnings of their overprotective measures, Jiaxu had been surprised that neither had somehow tracked him about their daughter, her brother's concern about her disappearing on them sticking in his mind.

"Baba figured out that I've, uhm," Sang Zhi broke off with a sigh before continuing. "I didn't tell them that I've been staying with you. Baba knows now, though."

"Okay," he replied, not entirely sure how to process that information. Why had she avoided telling them? Granted, it wasn't as if she and Jiaxu had had a conversation about her moving in with him, but they'd been so comfortable, it didn't seem necessary. It wasn't exactly a flattering look for Jiaxu with her parents, but he only really cared what Sang Zhi thought of him. He hadn't figured they'd be particularly overjoyed about the living change so soon into their relationship.

"I just… I thought you should know," she said softly. "I'll let you get back to-"

"Was your da upset?"

Sang Zhi was quiet another moment. "Not about that."

"What about then?" Jiaxu rubbed his forehead in confusion.

"Mama's been missing me. Baba doesn't like it when Mama is sad, so my absence is… noted."

"I see," he replied, feeling sympathy for her parents. He missed her. Jiaxu could only imagine how jarring it'd be to have such a treasured daughter simply leave without warning one day. "What are you thinking about it?"

Was this call a notice that she'd be vacating his place? A stupid part of Jiaxu's brain didn't appreciate the idea, her presence in his apartment making it seem worthwhile to go home, but he wasn't currently there to convince her otherwise. Honestly, her staying with her parents would give them the time they apparently missed while he was out of town.

"They'll get used to it," Sang Zhi stated, negating his worry. "I… shouldn't have stayed with them for so long. It gave them ideas."

"What do you mean?"

He could practically hear her shake her head when she answered, "it doesn't matter. I'm happy with where I am."

"Are you in my bed?" Jiaxu asked. "I quite like you there too."

Sang Zhi laughed, which made him relax as it had been his aim. She had sounded so low at the beginning of the call.

She sobered a bit before continuing in a firm voice. "They will get used to it. It just… seems unfair sometimes. I don't remember Sang Yan having nearly as much trouble."

Far be it from Jiaxu to know what was normal for families when he grew up in a house with dysfunction soaking through the very walls, but he smiled to himself. "They love you. If you need to blame me-"

"No!"

The response was so sharp and sudden, Jiaxu blinked with a confused chuckle escaping him. It seemed natural to him to take the heat, as, well, he'd usually taken the brunt of blame for most things wrong in his life… it'd be nice to take the blame for something right in his life for once.

"You have nothing to do with this, Jiaxu," she stated. "You've done nothing to warrant their reaction. They can remain unconvinced, but dismissing-"

The line suddenly went quiet, hollow of sound. Had she disconnected or simply silenced herself?

"Sang Zhi?" he asked. What had been dismissed? "Are you still there?"

She sighed. "I've never brought someone home, so they haven't taken our relationship very seriously. I've…"

Jiaxu felt a frown grow on his face, unsure where all the trepidation was coming from. He knew they'd been a bit surprised by his appearance, but it ultimately didn't mean much to him. Sang Zhi obviously preferred spending time with him, which was all that mattered.

"They ambushed me one night to go to a dinner with Su Haoan's family," she finally admitted. "Mama insists that she didn't know that his ma was interested in me as a partner for that insufferable…" she cut off, the implication of Su Haoan's name rife, before continuing "…but that was the obvious aim of the evening."

"Okay," Jiaxu said. "When was this?"

"That night I was drinking in front of your place," Sang Zhi said, regret all through her tone. "I… my house didn't feel like home anymore."

That was the night he'd arrived home to her heavy bags and sad eyes. The night a couple weeks ago, where she'd claimed she'd just stay a few days and then wonderfully never left. She'd denied any problems at work, instead, apparently feeling all of the hurt from her parents.

"So, you were… are upset because they won't listen to you?"

"… no. They don't have to listen to me," she claimed, voice wet. "But you haven't done anything worth all of this suspicion. You're the best thing in my life."

"Wait," he said, straightening. "Are you upset on my behalf?"

Sang Zhi gave a small hiccup of a sob, barely audible over the line, and Jiaxu felt the distance keenly. "Ye-yes. You don't deserve any of-"

"I don't care about what I deserve, Sang Zhi," he interrupted. "Your parents can think whatever they want. They can arrange all the blind dates for you and tell me all the horrid things I'd be getting myself into… but it doesn't matter."

He could hear a burst of fresh tears but Jiaxu had to paint the largest picture before explaining the beauty in it.

"It doesn't matter, Zhizhi, because, as I told you before I left, you're my everything," he said, wondering at what else he'd could reassure her with. Suddenly, he remembered. "Didn't I say once that the only one who can tell me to go is you?"

She sniffled loudly, but hummed in agreement.

"Was this why you were so upset? Then and now?" he asked.

"You've… your family has had such troubles, Jiaxu," Sang Zhi mumbled. "It hurts to think that you might not feel welcome with mine. I'm sorry."

Jiaxu held his breath a long moment, forcing his sigh out silently as to not seem affected over the phone. There was a sharp ache in his chest at just how Sang Zhi must've felt the need to hide her parents reaction.

It wasn't as bad as she feared, though. Her brother seemed fine with him, after a warming period. Wen Yifan had advocated for him from the very beginning, leading him to Sang Zhi up those stairs.

But… hadn't he had done the same? He'd held back details on his family's thoughts on his relationship, trying to shelter Sang Zhi from any misgivings.

"To be honest, Sang Zhi," Jiaxu said. "I'm sorry too. My Ma has been pushing me to come home and settle down with our debtor ever since I moved away."

Silence rang over the line once again.

He'd been avoiding the topic with his ma throughout the weeks, figuring that with enough time, he could bring his ma around about his girlfriend, but Jiang Ying's attack had completely negated the need. At least now his Ma was no longer encouraging a relationship with Jiang Ying and seemed open to Sang Zhi, in theory.

However, he'd not told Sang Zhi any of that. She didn't seem comfortable with a lot of scrutiny, hiding away from gatherings, and Jiaxu wasn't about to borrow the trouble early. Meeting the family was stressful enough without adding potential reasons they may reject the suitor. There was time for talking about that when he'd bring her to meet.

"But," Sang Zhi's voice had shifted from sad to concerned. "You… you said that it was better to be away, as she wouldn't leave you alone."

"Yes."

"And she attacked you."

"Yes."

"And your ma still wanted you to… to marry an abuser?" She sounded angry, which was an improvement over sad, even if Jiaxu knew it'd cast his ma in a bad light.

"Before… yes. Now? No," Jiaxu explained. "Ma is still in shock by the violence displayed to her. She didn't… didn't know."

Sang Zhi remained silent. He wished he knew what she was thinking, so he continued, "I didn't mention it because there is no way I'd move back here and subject myself to that misery. It was never going to happen. Ma has been apologetic. She knows about you - since I went to the wedding and my cousins spilled the beans - and seems happy for me. For us."

"Oh," she said.

"Oh?"

"I don't know what to say," Sang Zhi admitted. "For us both to be worried about our families reception and feel awful about it all. Wen Yifan has been scolding me for days."

"Scolding you?"

"About my parents. That I should be firm with them."

"I was firm with mine and it didn't make a difference. But it did make me move cities, which I'm very glad for now," Jiaxu said with a smile. He could hear her own amused huff over the line. "Sometimes I guess it takes something out of our control to make them believe."

"You're not mad my parents were pushing me to Su Haoan?" she asked in an unsure voice. "Or… that I didn't tell you?"

"I… was concerned. Mostly because I didn't realized Su Haoan had been around you that much. Despite being an asshole, he definitely appeals to parents on paper," Jiaxu said, ignoring the churning in his chest. "I wish you'd told me, but I… I know we haven't been dating long, so I know we're probably going to mess up... but we both want to navigated these things together, right?"

"Right."

While there was an angry heat through him, Jiaxu couldn't directly apply it to Sang Zhi. It wasn't due to someone trying to convince Sang Zhi of a better partner, no, that felt hypocritical to be upset about when he'd hidden such similar information from her with his ma and Jiang Ying. No, his anger revolved around the feeling of being powerless yet again. He wanted to help Sang Zhi with her problems, and she hadn't come to him until now.

Then again, Jiaxu had only admitted his own troubles after her confession.

"You also almost flattened Su Haoan at the wedding, remember?" Jiaxu said with a soft chuckle as he thought of the wedding. Sang Zhi had at least showcased her disapproval of such machinations very clearly to the man in question.

"Oh," Sang Zhi said. "Yes. He's just… eugh. I don't know why he thought I'd want to hear anything he'd say, when Yifan told me some of the things she dealt with growing up… it's no wonder she's severed ties with them all."

"Did you find out what was weird about Wen Yifan the other day?"

"No. Neither her or my brother will respond," Sang Zhi said with a sigh before amending. "Well, Sang Yan said they were busy, but that was it."

"Your brother will make sure things are fine," Jiaxu said, trying to be reassuring. "He's told you not to worry as well, right?"

With a large sigh, Sang Zhi hummed in agreement over the line. Jiaxu looked up at the sky, exhaling a large breath. It felt like something had shifted, navigating a minefield of both their misgivings.

"I wish I could come home," Jiaxu said softly. "Ma still has some tests and she occasionally has some vertigo, so I'll know more by the end of the week."

"I understand," Sang Zhi replied.

"How… how are you feeling now?"

"Better."

"Just wait until all of this is over with my ma, Sang Zhi," Jiaxu said with gusto. "And this project finishes. I'll have time to get to know your parents more."

"Oh, just like that?" she asked with a giggle.

"Of course," he replied. "Despite your concern, I think highly of them and wouldn't have avoided getting to know them. You know why?"

"Why?"

"They raised you. They love you. And you're my favorite person," Jiaxu said warmly. "I owe them for my everything."

Chapter Text

Xiaoyu's return to the office was met with little fanfare. There wasn't any information on why the woman had been absent for a couple days, but Sang Zhi learned quick to regret it. Xiaoyu's antics of overloading Sang Zhi's task docket had come back with a vengeance, leaving Zhi working far beyond typical hours once again.

At least she was too busy to miss Jiaxu too much.

Sang Zhi did notice her computer acting weird a few more times - usually around lunchtime - but it just meant that each time she had to make a quick call to the IT help desk yet again.

"It's very strange," the help desk employee said on Thursday over the phone. "I can see the history of password resets, but it's always at about the same time. I wonder if there's a bug in the system that's effecting you."

"What do I do about it?"

"Nothing, until I can figure out why it's happening. I'll check and see if it's happening to anyone else, too."

Thanking the man, Sang Zhi hung up. It was completely out of her control, so she inputted her new password and got back to work.

The news from Jiaxu about his ma was mixed. While the woman's injuries were healing nicely, they had run some tests and found something concerning. Jiaxu was apologetic on the phone and Sang Zhi could hear how the uncertainty was wearing on him. She reached out to Wang Ruo Lan, who gave her input on nice neighborhoods, then Zhi put together a list of the rentals she'd found with various things she thought were nice about them - both were close to Chang Le's dance studio, one was larger with nice sunlight, the other having more bedrooms - which she sent Jiaxu. He sent an appreciated text reply, still rather busy, but Sang Zhi didn't mind that he couldn't discuss it in depth.

So when Sang Zhi went into work on the following Friday, she wasn't surprised by the deluge of tasks put on her docket. It was a long morning, but nothing out of the ordinary. Xiaoyu had seemed distracted all week, so Sang Zhi picking up the mundane tasks made sense.

By the time four o'clock hit, Sang Zhi stretched out at her desk, tired of having so many expense reports to double check. Frankly, it was a silly amount of busywork, but who was she going to argue about it? There was an end of week energy in the room, people hurrying around quickly to avoid staying late with tasks.

Her desk phone rang. Answering it promptly, Sang Zhi blinked at being called to Zhang Hui's office immediately. Glancing at the door, she found all of his window blinds had been shuttered, so she stood up and locked her computer.

Walking over to the office, she knocked and was admitted. There were a few people in the room, including Zhang Hui and Xiaoyu, the latter who's eyes all swung to her in disapproval, making Sang Zhi shrink in confusion. What had happened?

"Hello. You requested me?"

"Sit down, Sang Zhi," Zhang Hui said, motioning to a chair, introducing the two other gentlemen in the room as his boss and a company lawyer.

When she nodded in greeting and professional pleasantries were satisfied, the lawyer looked at Sang Zhi directly.

"We have a few questions for you."

~~~

Jiaxu's week wasn't going great. Between running his ma to all her appointments, he was busy trying to finish up critical aspects of the Sunset Arts project, trying to make up for all of his lost time during his absence.

Wednesday, he received a call from the detective working on his ma's case.

"We have not any other suspicion beyond Jiang Ying for your mother's injuries, but as she has no history of charges, she was released on Monday," Detective Zheng told Jiaxu. "Did you know about it?"

Dread knotted in Jiaxu's stomach, and he was glad to be in a relatively private stairwell in Dream Studios. Memories splintered from Jiaxu's mind, all of the harassment and violence he'd sustained by her over the years, all undocumented. He finally replied, "no. Why was she released?"

"She will still make an appearance before a court, but a…" Detective Zheng paused and Jiaxu could hear a shuffle of papers, "-a Xu Dong vied for her. Isn't that your uncle?"

"Yes," Jiaxu said reluctantly.

"I see," the detective said. "Well, your temporary protection order went through, so call if she contacts you in any way."

"Thank you, detective," Jiaxu replied, ending the call.

He felt a bit hollow, a new awareness of his surroundings building around him, knowing that no matter what sort of protective order existed, Jiang Ying was likely to break it.

However, Xu Dong was a whole new aspect of the situation. Why would he be in contact with Jiang Ying? Why would he care? He was barely at home and spent all of his time gambling, and harassing Jiaxu would put his monetary support in jeopardy.

It didn't make sense.

The next few days were nerve wracking, knowing his uncle could appear at any moment to throw him out, and Jiaxu's ma had too many important appointments for him to miss. Finally, Friday arrived, but proved to be a long, terrible day for Jiaxu.

His ma's appointment did not bring good news.

The hours seemed to drag until he could give Sang Zhi a call. When that time finally came late that evening, Jiaxu walked from the house, his feet taking him on a path without aim.

She took so long to pick up, he wondered if he was going to get her voicemail.

"Hello?" her voice sounded quiet. It was such a relief to hear her that Jiaxu choked a little on her name.

"Sang Zhi."

"What's wrong?" she asked, voice sharpening instantly.

"We've… there's been tests all week, but today at ma's appointment, they…" Jiaxu started to say, but stopped to lean against a concrete wall and rub his forehead. "Her cancer has returned."

"Oh, Jiaxu, I'm so sorry," Sang Zhi said softly. "When… how did… I'm sorry, what… what is next?"

Jiaxu chuckled under his breath, Sang Zhi's confusion completely similar to his own muddled understanding. It was hard to deliver the news to his cousins, but thankfully his ma had reassured them. While Chang Ru had turned to questioning about the process, Chang Le was practically glued to Xu Ruo Shu, his ma patting her hair. The sight had caused a twist in Jiaxu's chest and he'd stepped out before he interrupted whatever comfort the women could give each other.

"They'll start treatment immediately," he explained. "I'm… I'm not even sure what that means, because I was in Nanwu when she was diagnosed before…"

He was dangerously close to crying, the memories of that past semester dark in his mind.

Jiaxu had flown up to see his ma upon the news, having borrowed yuan from Chen Junwen, just to help. His professors had been understanding about the trip, offering extended deadlines, yet Jiaxu hadn't expected to return, knowing that a large absence would put his scholarship at risk.

But his ma had screamed at him when he'd shown up at the door.

What are you doing here? You're supposed to be studying! Your education takes priority, Jiaxu, what are you doing? This isn't a big deal, my treatment isn't so bad, it will go quickly.

She hadn't the breath to waste, Jiaxu's attempts at explaining taking an absence from school only upsetting her worse. Xu Ruo Shu was so worked up, she leaned heavily against the door frame to breathe, when his uncle arrived home with a bag labeled with a local pharmacy.

The only saving grace was that Jiaxu hadn't entered the house.

You were told you aren't welcome here. If you want to help, you can pay the bills. Otherwise be gone.

Jiaxu got a brief hug with Xu Ruo Shu, telling her he loved her and would do everything he could. She patted his hair a moment before his uncle cleared his throat, and she went inside.

Cut off from his ma as his uncle slammed the door shut, Jiaxu had no other option. He went back to school.

But he had options this time.

"My uncle took care of ma last time," Jiaxu said, choking down the guilt of it. "I was… useless then."

"Jiaxu," Sang Zhi said with firm, angry words. "You've never been useless a day in your life. While you may have been an adult back then, it's hard to care for someone so far away at a critical time. I can't imagine you left her unsupported- do you think they'd be so comfortable now if not for your sacrifices? Never say the word 'useless' again."

Jiaxu let the words wash through him, hiding his face under a hand as he felt the impact of her words. Sang Zhi was beating back years of guilt with her soft voice.

"I wish you were here," he admitted softly, trying to keep the tears out of his voice. "I'm glad to hear you but I wish…"

"If I was there, I would give you the biggest hug, Jiaxu," she said, and he wrapped his arms around himself. "It's okay to feel sad. I know doctors and hospitals are scary… but everyone will do their best."

"Yes," he replied. "They only caught it because she'd been admitted. She was doing her regular testing with her doctor, but with the additional protocol of her injury, they were able to detect it sooner…"

"That's good," Sang Zhi said. "With them finding it so early, they can help before it gets worse. Is… is there anything there you'd like to change? Since you're allowed to help this time."

The word allowed ached. It settled in Jiaxu's mind that he'd been barred from helping last time, his uncle controlling all of the information about his ma and remaining silent about the work required, simply demanding money.

Money had always been his uncle's motivation. Who knew what his uncle would demand if - when, really - he returned home to find another payday in Jiaxu's sick mother waiting at home.

Suddenly, it occurred to Jiaxu that he could change things. All the variables that felt terribly out of reach were suddenly there, able to grasp.

Looking up at the dark sky, he said, "I'm getting them out of that damn house."

Once Jiaxu had a plan, he felt a lot better. That call with Sang Zhi had relieved a lot of his feelings of inadequacy, an echo from his youth that had no bearing on his current abilities. Utilizing the list of rentals that Sang Zhi had sent him a couple days ago, he conferred with Chang Ru quietly the options when his ma was napping the next day and Chang Le was at dance practice.

"Are you sure you can afford this place?" Chang Ru asked, worrying her lip with her teeth as she looked at one of the listing printouts the next day.

"Money is the least of my problems now, Ruru. I don't live lavishly and have been saving for years. I just work all the time," Jiaxu said, trying to ignore the niggle at the back of his brain of that not being a flattering trait. He needed to work. It was practically his best friend at this point.

"Well, the doctor mentioned that we might need more equipment in the house if auntie becomes too weak, so I think this place would be good," Chang Ru said, holding up the slightly larger of options, the floor plan open and with a large primary bedroom. "It's on the ground floor and while it has less bedrooms, we could put a bed for me with your ma when I'm home from university and you can have the extra bedroom."

The logistics of such a shuffle made Jiaxu look at his cousin fondly. She wanted to help as much as he did at that age.

"I think it will be good, Jiaxu. Look at all the light from those windows," she said, looking down at the paper.

"Yeah," he said, a twinge of relief in his chest. Knowing that they could remove themselves from his uncle's house made Jiaxu feel a lot better.

"Why are you so rushed to leave, if it's not the cost?" Chang Ru asked with a scrutinizing look.

Sighing, Jiaxu admitted defeat to himself. There was no hiding the information from his cousin. "Jiang Ying was released."

"What?!" she cried out. "How? When?"

"Last Monday, I think," Jiaxu replied. Not wanting to upset his cousin further, he decided to remain vague and not admit Xu Dong's involvement. "I'm not sure how she got out. I keep thinking she is going to show up here, restraining order be damned."

"Well, in that case, how soon do you think we can move?"

As it turned out, quickly. With Chang Ru's approval, Jiaxu called the agency and found out that the listing agent was actually nearby the unit and offered to meet him there that hour. When Jiaxu arrived, the late afternoon sun was hitting the large windows and gave an inviting glow to the rooms. Usually, Jiaxu would be more thoughtful when considering something, but he had some flexibility with the lease, so he just accepted it.

There was already a decent amount of furniture, so they could just move critical things over. Leaving his uncles home would do wonders for his anxiety, the endless concern of the man appearing wearing on him in a way he hadn't realized until he brought his ma over that Sunday.

"Look, ma, this space is renovated and is just around the corner from Chang Le's dance center. You can rest easier," he said. Xu Ruo Shu looked around the room, touching the furnishings gently, as if worried she'd sully them somehow.

"Can you afford this?" she practically whispered. Jiaxu forced a nonchalant laugh and nodded, taking her hand.

"You don't need to worry about it, ma," Jiaxu said.

Ruo Shu sent him a reproachful look. "You know I will," she said.

"Truly, I can afford it. Money is one of the few things I have now. Time? Not so much," he replied somberly. "I feel like my money is better used for your comfort while we get through this."

She seemed to deflate, the cough in her chest stealing her sigh, but nodded. "Okay, my son."

~~~

Sang Zhi's alarm went off.

She snoozed it, staring at the clock as the time ticked on. 9 minutes until it trilled at her once again.

She didn't move.

She'd been awake for almost a half hour, routine pulling her out of sleep early.

There wasn't any reason to get up, though.

During that meeting on Friday, a lot of uncomfortable accusations were made that she still wasn't sure how to process. Zhang Hui had been a staunch defender, but it hadn't mattered. When his boss and a company lawyer were in the conversation, he only had so much influence.

Xiaoyu had remained strangely quiet, watching the scene with a cool indifference, only answering in short responses the bare minimum. Sang Zhi could imagine her laughing gleefully over the results of the meeting later.

Sang Zhi was put on leave without pay, effective immediately, pending their investigation.

The alarm went off again.

Sang Zhi poked snooze again.

The situation didn't make any sense to her. They'd claimed of evidence of her leaking project details to a competitor of their client, but not shown any proof. They'd asked if she'd ever taken project details off the premises, and she couldn't lie… she had brought them to Jiaxu's, the idea of some sort of subterfuge completely alien to her. People worked from home often, were there security protocols over that work that she was unaware of? That no one spoke of?

So now it was almost the middle of the week and Sang Zhi had nothing to do, barred from her workplace.

When Jiaxu had called on Friday, she had been sobbing in his bed, feeling hopeless about the situation. What could she have said to convince her of her innocence? She was going to be fired and likely blacklisted from the whole industry, the accusation an unforgivable mar on her reputation.

Jiaxu's news had knocked her right out of her misery, and she latched onto the distraction of supporting him, his news about his ma truly terrible. He had such tenuous link to his family, but it sounded like they were all relying on him, so Sang Zhi could at least offer him assurance from his worries.

It didn't feel right to mention her work problems when he was already so overloaded with problems that were literally life or death.

Eventually, Sang Zhi got out of bed. She'd spent the last few days in a sort of haze, confused with her purpose, unable to concentrate on anything. The day passed slowly. At some point, Sang Zhi pulled up a job search app on her phone, wondering if any of her previous job searches had updates, but it wasn't like she could apply until she knew the results of her current status. And, really, the accusation was a cloud over that.

Her resume wouldn't even be looked at if their investigation concluded she'd leaked something, even on accident.

Her phone pinged.

[Wang Ruo Lan]: Did any of those listings help?

[Sang Zhi]: Yes, thank you.

[Wang Ruo Lan]: You didn't tell me what it was for, are you moving up here?

Sang Zhi hesitated, the thought not having occurred to her. She didn't have much of a desire to move, but with her current situation…

Instead of texting her friend back, Sang Zhi dialed her. Wang Ruo Lan answered promptly but with an obvious question to her voice.

"Sang Zhi?"

"Hey Wang Ruo Lan. Is it a bad time to talk?"

"I'm just finishing up a manuscript cover, but it's nothing I can't talk while doing. How are you?" her friend replied while Zhi could hear noises of tapping in the background.

"Oh, I'm fine. Ning Wei mentioned you had a new job, I was wondering how that was going," Sang Zhi said, trying to feign cheerfulness when her voice likely sounded depressed.

"It's been great. The hours are consistent and everyone has been so kind," Wang Ruo Lan said. "Frankly, I'm relieved to be working with books I'm familiar with. Technical writing was so not for me."

The thought made Sang Zhi smile. "I hated that class," she said. "I think I only passed because of yours and Yu Xin's help."

"It was a good entry point, but I'm happier now," Wang Ruo Lan stated. "And speaking of awful jobs, I heard it's been rough at yours. Did you get a position up here which is why you asked about rentals?"

"Not exactly," she replied with a sigh. "My boyfriend is there right now, and it looks like he could be there a lot longer with some family things… their living situation is tense, so I was just trying to help."

"Long distance, huh?" Wang Ruo Lan said sympathetically.

"I guess. I thought maybe it'd be a short trip, but… no, there's no sign of his return now," Sang Zhi said. "His ma's ill and has to start a new treatment. I miss him."

"Well, if you come out, you're welcome to stay with me," her friend replied.

Sang Zhi blinked.

Why hadn't she thought of that? She didn't have work. The lawyer had given her a vague timeline of their investigation, mentioning they'd reach out to her with an update in about two weeks. She had ample savings, thankfully, which could be pinched in the future if her career was ruined… but it's not like she'd ever be destitute between her parents and brother.

"Are you sure?" Sang Zhi asked. "I, uh, have some time off work right now…"

"Absolutely. Yu Xin has been gone and it's been kind of lonely. Do you know why she's been so quiet lately?" Ruo Lan asked.

"Project crunch. She actually is temporary relief at my boyfriend's company," she replied. "And with his absence…"

Wang Ruo Lan hummed under her breath. "I don't think that's it. Xin has always managed to respond to me before. I think something else is going on, but I guess I won't know until she's back. When does the project end?"

Sang Zhi winced. "I have no idea. It was only supposed to be a few weeks, but maybe they got an extension?"

"Maybe. Well, I need to finish my own work before I end up being here all night playing catch up. Let me know when you're arriving-"

"I don't even know if I'm coming out!"

"-and I'll be sure to make up the guest bedroom. See you soon, Sangsang," Wang Ruo Lan said, amusement bleeding over Sang Zhi's objection. She then hung up.

Sang Zhi frowned as she looked at her phone. Her friends were incorrigible sometimes, but she couldn't deny that her friend had cheered her up.

She lasted a day. Wednesday morning looked just as bleak as all the previous days.

Staying in Jiaxu's apartment - usually a place that had become a comfort to her - was simply a bitter reminder that she'd failed. Sang Zhi couldn't go to work, had nothing better to do, and felt completely rudderless. The idea of flying out to Yihe, while presumptuous, at least gave her something to do.

Taking the bus to her parent's house in the middle of the day felt odd, but there were quite a few connections to make her way across town and she needed her proper suitcase from home. However, it was nearing dinner time by the time Sang Zhi arrived.

She hadn't warned her parents that she was visiting ahead of time, so she wasn't sure if they'd even be home when she changed her shoes and carefully opened the front door.

"Hello, Mama? Baba?" Sang Zhi called out.

"Zhizhi!" Li Ping greeted from the kitchen, quickly wiping her hands on her apron and rushing to meet her. "I'm so glad you're here."

Sang Zhi didn't hesitate, wrapping her arms around her mothers waist, squeezing. Her ma didn't say anything, but wrapped her up in a tight hug. Tears sprung in Sang Zhi's eyes unbidden, all of her sadness and guilt and feeling of helplessness rising up her throat as she clung to her ma.

"Sang Zhi," her mother murmured. "Are you all right?"

Nodding into her ma's shoulder, Sang Zhi wiped at her eyes as she pulled away. "I'm sorry, it's been a hard couple of days."

Her mother took her hand and pulled her to the table, walking over to get a plate of apple slices to put in front of her, before returning to her place at the counter. "Well, your dad should be home in a bit, and you should stay for dinner. Is… is there anything you'd like to talk about?"

Sang Zhi sighed, taking a minute to collect her thoughts while eating some fruit. She didn't want to mention her job - they'd probably be concerned but secretly pleased, as they hadn't been impressed with her boss for a while - but mentioning Jiaxu also seemed like an uncertain move.

Her mother was patient, however, sending Zhi curious glances.

"I… I might go visit a friend out of town soon. I got time off from work-"

"They gave you time off? That's wonderful, I knew they had to give you a break at some point with how hard you've been working," Li Ping said with a smile. "Did you finish your project then?"

Sang Zhi nodded, chewing on an apple. She was about to say they should be showing up in a few choice locations soon, but who knew if the entire project hadn't been scrapped by the higher ups at that point. It was entirely dependent on what they found in their investigation.

"My friend works in publishing, so I thought she could give me some pointers about the industry if I decide to go in that direction," Sang Zhi said. "It's been long enough at my job that I can look at a new company, maybe."

"Which friend is this?"

"Wang Ruo Lan. She was one of my roommates in university."

"Oh, I remember her, the quiet girl. I quite liked all of your roommates. How is Ning Wei? And her cat?" Li Ping asked.

Sang Zhi wrinkled her nose. "You don't have to pretend, Mama. I know Baba told you where I've been staying."

Li Ping sighed, looking down for a moment. Finishing her task, she came to sit next to Sang Zhi.

"I… didn't know that you felt so stifled here," she said. "You may remember how upset we were when Sang Yan moved out, but… he's our eldest, our son, and there's a old way of thinking that a man must strike out on his own. With you, our precious daughter, well… we never wanted you to struggle, to feel that pressure. But," Li Ping reached out to take Zhi's hand with apologetic eyes, "it seems we pressured you anyway."

"Mama," Sang Zhi began to interrupt but her ma stopped her.

"It wasn't our intention. I'm sorry Sang Zhi," Li Ping continued, eyes tearing up. "It is terrible to find yourself shut out of your children's lives. It's why we've never…"

Blinking, Sang Zhi gripped her ma's hand, peering as the woman looked away. "Never…?"

"You remember that summer," Li Ping whispered. "Your brother was inconsolable. I don't know how much you understood, being so young, but…"

Sang Zhi felt her forehead scrunch in confusion. The only summer her ma could be referencing was after Wen Yifan had transferred schools and Sang Yan had sulked in his room, refusing most meals until Sang Zhi had broken his doorknob to scold him. He'd begrudgingly began to attend meals downstairs after that.

"After all that trouble with the Wen's, he wasn't the same. At least," Li Ping smiled through her tears, "not until he brought Yifan home that day, years after all that drama."

"What drama?"

Her mother shook her head. "It's not important now. Sang Yan is happy and we adore Wen Yifan. But for so long, he shut us completely out. I hadn't realized you had, too. It hurt."

This was Sang Zhi's opportunity, but she didn't know how to soften it. Wringing her hands, she just blurted out, "Jiaxu's ma is sick."

"Sick?"

"She had cancer a few year ago, and they recently found signs of its return," Sang Zhi's explained. "Jiaxu has been away to… help."

Li Ping seemed to process that information right as Sang Rong appeared through the glass back door, smiling at seeing Sang Zhi. Opening the door, he became concerned as he read the grim mood of the room he entered.

"Sang Zhi! Oh… did you break up?" he asked in an uncertain tone.

"No!" Sang Zhi refuted with a scowl as Li Ping scolded him.

"Sang Rong! Jiaxu's ma has cancer," Li Ping explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," he said, setting his work bag down. "Is there… anything we can do?"

Sang Zhi blinked, a sudden stab of love for her parents hitting her. They were both looking at her with such concern, offering to help, if only to make her happy. She wrinkled her nose to hide the itch in her eyes, looking away. "I don't think so. I… I came by for my big suitcase."

Her parents exchanged looks, Li Ping sending her husband a small nod.

"Well, I'm sure we can find it after dinner, if… if you're staying?" Sang Rong asked, obviously unsure on what Sang Zhi's thoughts of dinner with them were.

Sang Zhi nodded. "I am. And… would you mind driving me to the airport when I book my flight?"

"Sure, Zhizhi," Sang Rong said, giving her a small smile. "When do you want to leave?"

"I'll look at flights. I have an appointment tomorrow, so maybe after that."

With that accord, Sang Rong went to wash up for dinner while Li Ping set to serving, giving Sang Zhi the dishes to put out. The routine of her task made Sang Zhi smile, glad that things seemed normal again.

She'd missed her parents.

Chapter Text

Moving the family over to the new rental was far easier than Jiaxu had initially worried. They left a lot of belongings, not needing to fully vacate the previous space as it was still inhabited by Jiaxu's uncle, so simple comfort items and necessities were brought to their new home fairly swiftly.

Equipment arrived from the medical supply distributor, as they expected Xu Ruo Shu to become weak with the medication and having safety handles was a priority. Installing them was fairly straightforward, so by Wednesday, they were mostly moved into the new space, ready to get his ma's medication fully started.

Taking her to the hospital for her first treatment, Jiaxu made sure to bring his laptop, his ma warning him of the long process. As Ruo Shu began the infusion, he'd found that she was right about the empty time that he could work in, trading instant messages with Chen Junwen during the day of various management duties that the man was handling.

"I hate to ask, Jiaxu," the man said on the phone when Jiaxu stepped out to discuss the project. "But do you know when you'll be back?"

Sighing, Jiaxu replied, "no. Ma's treatment is going to be three times a week for around four weeks, maybe longer, depending on bloodwork."

"What about Sunset Arts? Weren't you supposed to hand off the close out package to their office in Beiyu?" Chen Junwen asked.

Jiaxu frowned, having put that thought off for another day, but sighed when he realized just how close the contract was to finishing. "I'm sure I can make a quick trip, but I hate asking Siyun for more."

"I can do it-"

"No, Junwen. There is something particular about the way they phrased the contract… it's better for me to do it," Jiaxu said. "The board was pretty excited for our work except for one member, so I have to work around him."

"It's next week though," Junwen said. "What are you going to do?"

"I'll think of something," Jiaxu said, not entirely sure what, but he didn't want to speak in front of his ma who had put her book aside to close her eyes. Saying goodbye to Junwen, Jiaxu hung up.

"You okay ma?" he asked.

"Just tired," she said. "It really takes all my energy away."

Patting her hand, Jiaxu nodded. "Nap, then. I'll be here."

Xu Ruo Shu gave him a small smile and adjusted her chair back to recline, closing her eyes.

Wiling away the hours on his laptop, Jiaxu was surprised by how much work he was able to get done, even with interruptions from nurses checking on his mother. They were definitely on schedule to finish the Sunset contract early, but what was he to do? His ma having multiple treatments a week would make it difficult to leave her.

Siyun was an option, but Jiaxu hoped he could avoid involving her. He already owed her for his impromptu trip to surprise Sang Zhi in Nanwu and while they seemed to get along, it was a delicate time for his ma.

Eventually, a monitor pinged and a nurse arrived to check on the system. With the treatment finished, the nurse shook his ma gently, who nodded awake groggily, and let the nurse do ending tasks - blood pressure, heart rate, temperature - as Jiaxu packed up his bag.

Calling a wheelchair despite Ruo Shu's request to avoid it, it was apparent that Jiaxu's ma needed the aid, her legs almost giving out from under her when transferring her over. It was jarring to see his ma so weak, but Jiaxu followed instructions to bring the car up to the front of the hospital to load her up in the car.

Worrying about how he was going to get Xu Ruo Shu into the apartment, he helped the nurses load her up as soon as he arrived. It was then he realized that carrying her wouldn't be a burden, his ma always having been kind of wiry.

"I can walk," his ma protested when they arrived home. "I was never this weak last time."

"You're also recovering from an assault, Ma. Let me carry you," he insisted. "We don't want to add any other injuries, right?"

Sighing, she agreed. Lifting her on his back was easy, and he made a mental note to get her more snacks with how light she was, and he got her inside without much incident. A portable wheelchair could be useful, if not to give his ma a bit more dignity.

~~~

Thursday proved to be a busy day for Sang Zhi. She had a quick check up with her doctor the morning before her flight to Yihe. Going over her current birth control methods was awkward but necessary considering how active she'd been with Jiaxu. It was reassuring to have the new prescription to pack, and it would only be a few weeks before they could relax a bit with barrier methods.

Stepping into the elevator to go to Jiaxu's apartment, Sang Zhi's mind floated over the risqué memories of the small room before she shook herself out of it, opening her phone to text Wang Ruo Lan her flight information. Almost instantly she received a chirpy response.

[Wang Ruo Lan]: I'm so excited! We can go to all our old haunts. See you soon.

Sang Zhi simply sent a thumbs up emoji and got to work packing her last few things for the trip. Soon enough, Zhi's phone rang.

"Are you ready, Zhizhi?" Sang Rong asked over the line. They'd arranged for him to drive her to the airport as soon as she'd known her departure time that afternoon. Her mother had been sad, but it clashed with something on her schedule. Li Ping had more than made up for it with the hugs and kisses she'd given Sang Zhi's after the previous night's dinner though.

"I'll be right down," Sang Zhi said, stacking her bags on top of the suitcase and gathering her heavy coat. Wang Ruo Lan had warned her of a storm passing through, icing the area, so it was important to pack warm.

When she made it downstairs, her da was waiting in the street cutout for her, looking up at the apartment building with a fairly impressed look.

"Duan Jiaxu does well for himself, hmm?" he asked as he took her bags to place in the trunk.

"I would say so, owning his apartment and car," Sang Zhi said, always happy to boast on Jiaxu's behalf. "But why are you surprised? He started up his own studio."

Waiting until they both got in the car, Sang Rong buckled himself in and began to drive, the trip to the airport a decent way.

"We don't know much about him, beyond the little you've told us. Your Mama seemed concerned, but that's just because she doesn't want you to leave Nanwu… and I don't either," he said.

"Yet you agreed to take me to the airport," Sang Zhi pointed out.

"You said this man is your choice," her da replied softly. "And I'll always support you, Zhizhi."

It didn't escape Sang Zhi's notice that her da called him a man as opposed to fellow for the first time. For all of her trouble communicating with her parents, it did seem as if they'd finally heard her.

Driving to the airport was uneventful, fortunately, and her da parked in the short term lot. He pulled out her bags and a red box that he presented to her, smiling.

"Here's a little gift from us," Sang Rong said. "May Duan Jiaxu's mother recover quickly."

Blinking at the box, Sang Zhi inspected it a bit closer, seeing it was a myriad of ginseng teas and liquid vitamin boosts. It was small enough to tuck into her carry on, albeit a bulky addition, which she did carefully.

"Thank you, Baba," she murmured, once again surprised.

With that, Sang Rong grabbed her bags and headed inside. As soon as they checked her in, he escorted her to the security gate and gave her a sad smile, opening his arms. Sang Zhi stepped into them without hesitation, glad to be able to say goodbye without it feeling fraught.

"I'll call you when I land," she said. "Okay?"

"Okay," Sang Rong said tightly. "Be safe, my dear daughter."

Nodding, Sang Zhi walked through the checkpoint, turning to wave once at her da.

He waved back until she was out of sight.

Upon arriving in Yihe, the plane had to circle the runway three times due to some sort of delay. Sang Zhi sighed in relief when they finally landed, although a new anxiety sprouted in her chest. What if Jiaxu wasn't happy she'd come? It was a difficult time for his family, so she needed to be clear that she was only there if he needed her.

"Sang Zhi!" Wang Ruo Lan waved at her as soon as she appeared through the Arrivals gate. Ending her call with Sang Rong - confirming her safe landing - Sang Zhi ran over to hug her friend and was amazed at the change in her friends appearance.

"Wang Ruo Lan, don't you look so pretty! That haircut really suits you! When did you start wearing contacts?" Sang Zhi gushed, amazed at the difference in her friend. Ruo Lan laughed.

"It has been a long time, hasn't it?" she replied. "My glasses were such a bother, so I only wear them around bedtime when I'm reading manuscripts. You look lovely, as always."

Thanking her friend, Sang Zhi fell in step with Wang Ruo Lan as they went to the luggage carousel and gathered the rest of her belongings. It was busy, a lot of travelers annoyed at the delay, but eventually Sang Zhi and Wang Ruo Lan made it out to her little car.

As soon as Ruo Lan started driving, she glanced at Sang Zhi and asked, "so… did you tell your boyfriend you were coming?"

Sang Zhi shook her head. "I want to surprise him, but I'm not sure how. I don't think showing up at his house would be a good idea when there's so much going on at home, especially when I haven't met his family yet."

Wang Ruo Lan nodded, humming as she thought. Sang Zhi's phone vibrated, so she pulled it out to look at it.

[Sang Yan]: Are you working late again? I need to talk to you before dinner.

Sang Zhi made a face, sighing. How did her brother always have such bad timing? Ruo Lan sent her an amused look.

"Who is that?"

"My brother," Sang Zhi replied as she texted back.

[Sang Zhi]: No. What dinner?

[Sang Yan]: You weren't invited to ma and da's?

[Sang Zhi]: I'm not in Nanwu.

Muttering a small apology to Ruo Lan for the call she was about to receive - her friend had definitely witnessed such scenes in university - it was completely expected that Sang Zhi's phone immediately began to ring.

"What do you mean you're not in Nanwu?" Sang Yan demanded without a greeting, loud and tinny through the speaker.

"Hello to you too, brother," Sang Zhi grumbled. "Baba brought me to the airport earlier. I'm in Yihe."

Sang Yan was silent for a moment. She could imagine the way he chewed on the thought, obviously unhappy that she'd left without much of a farewell, but it wasn't like Sang Zhi was going to be gone long. Besides, he went on little trips all the time, usually inviting her over to keep Wen Yifan company.

"I hate that place," he muttered almost indistinguishably before asking, "why are you there? What about work?"

Swallowing hard, Sang Zhi pulled all of her nonchalance out, glad that he couldn't see her face. Skipping over the why, she stated, "my project wrapped up and they gave me some time off."

"After months of working you insane hours… they gave you some time off. Just like that. How much time?"

"You know…" Sang Zhi said vaguely. "A while."

"Did you quit?" Sang Yan demanded.

"No."

"Then what happened?"

Sang Zhi groaned. "I have time off, you silly dog. What else am I supposed to say?"

He hummed, obviously not believing her. "Is Duan Jiaxu there with you?"

"He's here in Yihe," Sang Zhi confirmed, rolling her eyes. Sang Yan had always been overprotective, but it wasn't the time to argue about her competence as an adult woman. It'd just challenge him to show up in Yihe and argue with her more.

"When are you coming back?"

Sang Zhi groaned. "Can you stop? How about you tell me what you needed to talk about."

"Don't need to now," he said moodily. "Let me know when you're heading home."

Then he hung up.

"He hasn't changed, has he?" Wang Ruo Lan said in amusement.

"Not at all," Sang Zhi said with a sigh.

After they got to Wang Ruo Lan's home - a cute two bedroom apartment - they dropped off Sang Zhi's bags and left to find dinner. Since Sang Zhi was staying with Wang Ruo Lan, she didn't want to just immediately abandon her friend to search out Jiaxu, who had warned her of being late for their typical evening call due to balancing his work with his ma's appointments. Walking around the city felt nostalgic to Sang Zhi, the restaurant they chose one of their favorite places to eat at after a long study session during school.

They kept the conversation to their friends - Ning Wei with her boyfriend, Yu Xin with her work - and catching up with Wang Ruo Lan's life.

"There's a friend at work who wants to set me up with someone," Wang Ruo Lan told her with a wrinkled nose. "I don't know though…"

"Why not? You're successful, smart, and pretty," Sang Zhi asked.

"I guess I just…" her friend frowned. "Don't like the pressure of a blind date. All the expectations, you know?"

"Yes," Sang Zhi said. She remembered their university years that, while Wang Ruo Lan was pretty and kind, she seemed to disappoint the men that Ning Wei would shove her direction. After meeting Ning Wei, they always seemed to expect someone more vivacious.

"Besides, I'm in no rush. I have a nice job, stable home, and my parents aren't pushing me about it yet," Wang Ruo Lan said with a smile.

"I'm glad they're understanding," Sang Zhi said.

"So… your boyfriend, hmm?"

Sang Zhi tilted her head, wondering what her friend would ask.

"What's he like?"

She smiled, unable to help herself. "He's…"

What did she even say? How when he looked at her she felt seen? That he worked so hard and seemed to push aside all of his own comfort for the people around him? That he had a downright sinful touch that made her body sing?

Wang Ruo Lan watched her, eyebrows raising as Sang Zhi felt her cheeks blush.

"He's great," Sang Zhi finally said, reaching for her phone. "Here."

Pulling up the photos from Qian Fei's wedding - honestly, she'd looked at them far more than was probably normal - it seemed like a safer alternative than explaining with mediocre words. She handed it over to let Wang Ruo Lan look.

"Oh, Sangsang, you look so good together!" her friend said, laughing. "And he treats you well?"

"Very well," Sang Zhi said. "He texts and calls me whenever he can, since his ma's health takes a lot of his time."

As Wang Ruo Lan listened, the phone began to vibrate in her hand. Giving it back, Sang Zhi smiled as she saw the name on the screen.

"Hello?" she answered, putting her finger up for a moment.

"You will be glad to know," Jiaxu said over the line, "that I only have a few more days of this blasted project and will be able to talk to you more often."

"I will be glad that you'll be able to rest more often," Sang Zhi replied. "Are you working on it right now?"

"I've been at Dream Studios all day to talk with Siyun about the close out procedure," he explained. "I'm setting up the data transfer for the completed work right now."

"You're at Dream Studios?" she asked. Wang Ruo Lan tilted her head in question and pulled out her own phone.

"Catnap's parent company, yes. And…" he sighed. "I had to ask Siyun to help out with Ma next week. The Beiyu company had some particular clauses in their contract, so I'll have to leave her for, hopefully, just the day to turn it in."

"Oh, Jiaxu," Sang Zhi said sadly. "You must hate that."

"There isn't another option," he replied. "Ma does understand though, and school is still out of session, so the girls can go with her."

She hummed in response, not sure what to say.

"How is your night?" Jiaxu asked. Wang Ruo Lan showed Sang Zhi her screen with the address to Dream Studios and a general time of arrival.

"It's been okay. I'm at dinner with my friend," she said, tilting her head and made a little steering motion. You want to drive me there?

Wang Ruo Lan nodded.

"How is Ning Wei?"

"Oh, she's great. Her boyfriend got a promotion, though, so she's had more free time as his hours increased," Sang Zhi explained - she'd correct his assumption about which friend she was with later - as they both got up and gathered their things. "How much longer are you going to be at your, uh, old workplace?"

"Probably another half hour or so, just to get the hard drives set up so I can just upload the last of the teams work on Tuesday," Jiaxu explained. That would give them plenty of time to get over there. Anxiety bubbled in Sang Zhi's chest, but she wasn't going to let that stop her.

"Do you think I could call you back then? We were just finishing up eating," Sang Zhi said apologetically as she followed Wang Ruo Lan out to the car.

"Oh, of course," Jiaxu said. "I'll chat with you soon."

Ending the call, Sang Zhi got into the vehicle and asked, "are you sure you want to drive me across town? I can take the metro."

"And miss out on this moment? No way," Ruo Lan said, pulling them out of the parking space.

"What?" Sang Zhi asked, aghast. She hadn't factored in an audience.

"Don't worry, I won't interrupt. I just want to see the guy," her friend replied reassuringly. "You haven't told me a thing."

"He's smart, kind, stupidly handsome, and buys me noodles any time I ask," Sang Zhi explained quickly.

"Ah, yes, the noodle test. Truly a testament to a man's worthiness," her friend laughed.

"You won't need to stay," Zhi insisted. "But… what if he's mad?"

"Why would he be mad?"

"It's presumptuous for me to show up."

"Or supportive, since you know how hard things are right now."

"But we haven't been dating that long," Sang Zhi said.

"What does that matter if you both like each other?" Wang Ruo Lan asked.

"Isn't it weird?"

"No."

"Ruo Lan-"

Her friend sighed in exasperation, saying, "Sang Zhi, you overthink everything. I'm going to channel my inner Ning Wei and tell you to just stop it. He'll be happy to see you. If not, I'll be nearby, ready to bring you home."

~~~

Jiaxu had never been so glad for Siyun.

She'd left hours ago, but knew what he needed to complete the project - the branded hard drives he typically offered were in Nanwu - there was a shuffle of resources to get him the supplies. Catnap would return the favor, definitely, but Jiaxu not having to stop in Nanwu to get all of the extra equipment was a time saver.

With how particular this client was, Jiaxu was ready to be rid of them.

Siyun had offered to be the ferry for his ma and cousins to Xu Ruo Shu's treatment while he was gone, recognizing before Jiaxu even had to ask that it would be necessary. Chang Ru didn't drive and there was no one else. Jiaxu hated the idea of a taxi for them.

Jiaxu was still rather nervous about leaving his ma, though, despite his cousins efforts. Chang Le took his ma's health very seriously, always grabbing her drinks and insisting on naps, trying to keep Xu Ruo Shu's spirits up with discussing their favorite dramas. Chang Ru took a step behind, working on the functions of the house, guaranteeing there was no laundry or dish unwashed while his ma was awake, careful to not disturb her auntie's naps.

The relationship they all had as a unit made Jiaxu happy… and a little sad.

While his family hadn't intended to push him out, he was an element they weren't sure how to incorporate into their daily routine. They had a rhythm to their mornings that he mostly stayed out of the way for, focusing on cooking breakfast for them as they interacted with each other.

While Jiaxu's ma often expressed her happiness of his presence, their common interests hadn't overlapped in a long time, so he was at a loss of what to talk to her about. His work? Not exactly entertaining. Gaming? Again, not much of an interest for any of his family. He'd mostly been badgered about Sang Zhi. While he answered what he could, there were just some things he was ignorant of. Did Sang Zhi have a favorite skincare brand? How did she feel about crispy pork?

Jiaxu wasn't entirely sure where pork landed on her allergies, and couldn't tell them the first thing about his girlfriend's skincare. All he knew was that she was beautiful.

He picked up a lot of information during those mornings, though. Chang Ru complained endlessly of a classmate that she disliked, having to work with the frustrating peer on a collaboration project. Chang Le was worried about graduating, her grades not exactly robust, but also not wanting to take time away from dance to study.

Ma gave them small encouragements when she wasn't out of breath.

Shaking his head away from thoughts of his family, Jiaxu focused on the computer in front of him, finishing up the last of the available data transfer. There was still one module left to do, but at least the bulk of them were done. It felt stupid to do all this work when Jiaxu knew that Sunset Arts had access to the work, but with how snarky that one board member was, he'd make sure to complete the project properly.

Sighing, Jiaxu grabbed his bag and left the small cubicle that had been allocated for his temporary use.

"Heading out?" a man asked, pausing his work. It was Jia Yang, a young programmer who Jiaxu had led years ago on a project.

"Yes, it should be good finishing up overnight and I'll check on it later," Jiaxu said. "Thanks, Jia Yang. I don't know how you got the branded hard drive so fast."

Jia Yang grinned and shook his head. "It's not big deal. I owe you a dozen favors for old times sake. How is Catnap doing?"

Jiaxu smiled, saying, "Great, nightmare clients aside."

"It's almost over, at least," Jia Yang replied. "Well, I'm wrapping up soon, so I'll see you later."

Jiaxu nodded, bidding his farewell before heading to the elevator. He was glad that the junior programmer had found his groove - there were definitely days that Jiaxu hadn't been sure if Jia Yang could code with the garbled strands he'd show Jiaxu. His thoughts continued to be distracted as he rode the elevator down to the ground floor and exited the building. Digging into his pocket for his rental key, Jiaxu glanced toward the parking garage across the street and blinked.

Sang Zhi was there.

In front of him.

Sang Zhi.

In Yihe.

Was she just a figment of his imagination?

She was standing in the middle of the pavilion, clinging to her coat as she shivered, wearing a hesitant smile.

Striding up to her with long steps, Jiaxu deposited his bags unceremoniously on a concrete step and enveloped her in a hug. Sang Zhi's scent washed over him, that lovely blend of soap and something floral and her, and he buried his face in her neck, tears pricking his eyes.

"Jiaxu," she murmured, petting his hair. Truly, it was the only angle allotted her, as he was practically picking her up.

"How… when did you… what are you doing here?" he finally got out, relaxing his grip to look down at her. Sang Zhi stroked the skin at his nape and smiled.

"I'm here for you, Jiaxu. Why else? I missed you," she said softly. "I can help any way you need me."

Terrible, wonderful images filled Jiaxu's mind, but Sang Zhi tapped his neck with a stern look.

"Don't you give me that look, Duan Jiaxu," she ordered softly.

Blinking to clear the risqué thoughts away, Jiaxu smiled. He needed to restrain himself in public, so he'd simply have to wait for a better opportunity.

"Is it okay that I surprised you?" she asked. "I wasn't sure if… if it'd be a bad idea or not."

"I'm so glad you're here," Jiaxu said, smile broadening. "How long can you stay?"

"A week or two," Sang Zhi said.

"Xiaoyu gave you that much time off?" Jiaxu asked in surprise. That seemed unusual, but he was so glad to see her that he brushed it off. "Where are you staying?"

"My friend Wang Ruo Lan - who I was at dinner with earlier - is letting me stay at her place," she replied with a smile. "Don't worry. It's truly no problem for me to be here, Jiaxu."

Jiaxu released her, staring at her fondly. He was so happy Sang Zhi was there, but had no idea how his ma would react. A pinging sound was heard and Sang Zhi lifted her phone out of her pocket. Reading the text, she spun around to wave at the street, and Jiaxu could see a woman wave back before getting in her car.

"Is that your friend?" Jiaxu asked as the car pulled out onto the road.

"Yes, she has some work to do tonight so…" Sang Zhi explained. Holding up her phone, Jiaxu could read the text chain of her reminding Sang Zhi of her door code and to let her know if she needed anything. "It's just like when we were roommates in university, really, as we all came and went with our different schedules. What did you have planned tonight?"

"Well, there was a lengthy call I was going to have with my girlfriend-" he started, causing Sang Zhi to giggle, "-as I headed home. Then I'd have dinner before checking with Ma about next week."

"And now?"

"Now I think I'd like to go with my girlfriend for a late dinner and then see her to her lodgings safely," he said, taking her hand and leading them to his rental car. "I'd have you come meet everyone, but it's a bit late tonight and I'm selfish. I don't want to share you."

Sang Zhi laughed.

Jiaxu took her hand, leading her to his rental car parked in the garage. She talked about seeing Yihe after so many years - "the trees feel different," she said, which Jiaxu understood completely - and he added his own thoughts of seeing the city again after so much time - "the streets are brighter now," he said, which made Sang Zhi nod - until they finally reached his car.

Thankfully, the garage was empty, so as they approached the vehicle, Jiaxu pushed Sang Zhi against the door and lowered his lips to her own.

Her gasp of surprise quickly shifted into a moan when his tongue delved into her mouth. Jiaxu brought his hands up to cup her face, tangle one at the hair on her nape, pressing into her with a fever that even surprised him. Sang Zhi writhed under him, fingers clawing at his jaw, her tongue dancing against his own, as if she was just as famished as he.

Desire streaked through Jiaxu, but the frustrating responsible part of him kicked the primitive part of his brain back and he slowly released her. "Fuck, have I missed you," he murmured. "I didn't mean to maul you."

Sang Zhi let out a deep breath, looking at him with a dazed expression.

"Maybe I should get a hotel," Sang Zhi said. "Then you can maul me all you like."

Jiaxu laughed, trying to ignore the way his pants tightened at that idea. By the sly look Sang Zhi sent him, she was just as aware.

"Okay, okay, get in the car before we get arrested for public indecency," Jiaxu said in amusement, stepping back to open her car door.

Sang Zhi kissed his cheek before taking her seat. Jiaxu closed her door and shook off the pulsing heat from his body as he jogged around to the other side.

Before he entered, though, something made Jiaxu turn and look around the garage. It was empty of people, a handful of parked cars still there, presumably from other office workers staying late.

Why did it feel like someone was watching him?

Shaking the thought away, Jiaxu got in the car. He had a meal to have with his girlfriend.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Jiaxu woke up with a pep in his step. The previous evening with Sang Zhi had been wonderful, as a small part of him felt guilty, like he'd somehow abandoned her in Nanwu, so her having the time to come out was a relief.

As he had eaten his dinner and Sang Zhi ate her dessert - she'd already eaten with her friend - Jiaxu caught her up with all of his ma's treatments and how she was handling them. Xu Ruo Shu was especially tired and weak, but was obviously trying to rally her spirits for the family.

Since that hour was already late, Jiaxu delivered Sang Zhi to her friend's home - a brightly lit apartment building with a friendly doorman - and made sure she made it safely inside.

The pot in Jiaxu's hand hissed, startling him out of his daydream, to pull the almost-scalded porridge off the heat. His thoughts were so full of Sang Zhi and the busy schedule, he'd almost ruined the breakfast he was making that would hopefully settle Ruo Shu's stomach before her upcoming treatment. Finishing the dish, he brought it to the table. Chang Le was already there, scribbling furiously in a notebook as she ate.

"You seem happy today," his ma noted as she entered and sat down.

"He came home really late," Chang Le said through her mouthful of toast. Xu Ruo Shu gave her a chiding glance and the girl swallowed before continuing. "What were you doing last night, cousin?"

"Just work," Jiaxu replied, not entirely sure how to broach the topic of Sang Zhi's arrival. His ma had such little energy, he worried that meeting his girlfriend might be too much for the woman.

Chang Le squinted at him. "Liar."

"Chang Le!" his ma scolded. "Don't be disrespectful."

"Sorry, cousin," Chang Le muttered quickly. "But he was smiling like an idiot when he came in! I saw him when I was getting a glass of water."

"Why were you up at midnight?" Jiaxu asked, folding his arms. He wasn't upset at the accusation his cousin had hurled at him. He was a liar. It was an unfortunate habit when it came to his personal matters.

"I was studying," she grumbled, motioning to her notebook. "Curse stupid physics."

"Still the struggle, huh?" Jiaxu asked.

With a dramatic sigh, Chang Le flounced her body on the table. "Yes," she said. "At this rate I'll need to get a tutor."

Since Jiaxu wasn't entirely sure how dismal his cousin's grades were, he shrugged. "Just let me know. I can help you with some things when I'm done with work, or I can hire someone. Okay, Lele?"

She nodded miserably from her sprawled position.

Biting back a grin, Jiaxu sighed and sat down next to his ma. "I… do have news, though. There are no expectations, so don't think we have to change anything."

It was something he and Sang Zhi had discussed the night before. Jiaxu had been completely honest with Sang Zhi before the initial trip - he'd love for her to meet his family - but recognized that his ma just might not be up for such an occasion.

"What is it?" Xu Ruo Shu asked, eyebrows knitting together in concern.

"My, uh… my girlfriend arrived last night," Jiaxu stated.

"Ha!" Chang Le sat up suddenly, banging her hand on the table. "I knew it!"

Xu Ruo Shu's eyebrows knitted together. "Really, Jiaxu?"

"What on earth is all this noise for?" Chang Ru asked, stumbling around the door frame with a bleary expression.

"Jiaxu's girlfriend came to Yihe!" Chang Le crowed happily.

"Yes, Sang Zhi arrived last night and surprised me when I was leaving work," Jiaxu explained.

"Why do you always call her work, cousin?" Chang Le asked. Chang Ru snorted as she poured herself a cup of tea.

"To avoid nosy questions from girls like you," Jiaxu quipped. But before Chang Le could respond, his ma interjected.

"Oh, no, what can I do?" Xu Ruo Shu asked, twisting her hands. "She's going to expect-"

"She'll expect nothing, ma, because she came out to help," Jiaxu explained, taking his ma's hands to calm them. "Sang Zhi isn't looking to be entertained."

"How long is she here?" Chang Ru cut in, plopping down in a nearby chair.

Realizing that was a detail he'd failed to ask the night before, he shrugged with his reply. "I'm not sure, but… at least a week."

The table fell silent, Jiaxu glancing at each of his family members curiously. "Each one of you have badgered me constantly for details about my girlfriend, yet with her arrival you're strangely silent. Why?"

Chang Ru shook her head. "I'm excited to meet her. Although… how much does she know? Really know?"

"Er," Jiaxu started and winced. "She knows about da. She knows about the debt. She knows we were attacked by Jiang Ying."

Chang Le sent a confused look to her sister, asking, "why does that matter Ruru?"

"I just wanted to know if we needed to be avoiding mentioning anything," Chang Ru replied. "But I guess not."

"She doesn't think poorly of us, Jiaxu?" Xu Ruo Shu asked in a quiet voice. "For our part?"

Jiaxu huffed a laugh, utterly flummoxed. Sang Zhi had been more than reassuring when he'd admitted to the family shame. "No, ma."

"And she wants to meet us?"

"Yes," he replied. Sang Zhi had been full of concern about their reception of her. It was amusing to see both parties so anxious. "I thought perhaps she could come over tomorrow for a meal, if you're feeling okay."

Jiaxu knew his ma struggled on the days of her treatment, so aiming for the weekend was better since it gave her time for her body to settle.

Xu Ruo Shu thought about it, then nodded. "I should hopefully not be nauseous by tomorrow."

"We'll plan late in the day so you have time to rest," Jiaxu said. "But, speaking of, we probably should get going to your appointment."

"Okay," she replied, slowly standing to start gathering her things.

Chang Ru squinted at Jiaxu as soon as his ma disappeared into the other room. "Is it a good thing that Sang Zhi has come?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Jiaxu asked, confused.

"With Jiang Ying around-"

"Wait, she's out?" Chang Le interjected. "I thought she was going to jail!"

"She doesn't know where we are, Ruru," Jiaxu said. "And she still has to go to court before a judge, Chang Le."

He wasn't even entirely sure how the woman had gotten Xu Dong to vouch for her. Jiang Ying was proving to be more evasive than ever.

But with Xu Dong's absence…

"Well, keep an eye out. Didn't she used to harass people around you?" Chang Ru asked.

"How could you possibly know that?" Jiaxu asked in alarm. It's not something he'd ever discussed with his cousins.

Chang Ru shifted in her seat, eyes trained on her cup of tea. "You used to come home all messed up," she said softly. "Da would laugh about it. Say that no one would dare be your friend now with Jiang Ying scaring them all off."

Dark memories edged Jiaxu's vision, those evenings between school and 'home' grim. Jiang Ying often knew where he was, and had taken to leading groups of boys to him for a flogging. Even if he did befriend someone, it would only last a day or two before Jiaxu was met with excuses on why they couldn't hang out any longer.

"How old were you?" Jiaxu asked, horror filling his lungs. It was difficult to breathe, imagining the wide eyes of his cousin as a child, taking in all of his grim reality.

Chang Ru shrugged. "Little. It made me sad and angry, but da scared me. Then you left."

Jiaxu nodded, frowning deeply. "I'm sorry, Ruru-"

"What are you sorry for?"

"You shouldn't have seen that," he said.

Chang Ru reached up and ruffled his hair. "You're an idiot."

It was such a role reversal, like she was the elder admonishing him, that Jiaxu couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. It felt far safer than any other expression of emotion he had available.

"Get out of here before auntie is late," Chang Ru said, nudging his arm. "But be careful."

Nodding at his cousins - Jiaxu could see the way Chang Le was bursting with questions for her sister - he went to gather his things. They had an appointment to get to.

~~~

Sang Zhi hadn't expected a very entertaining Friday, since Jiaxu had warned her that he would be busy between work and taking his ma to treatment, but it was definitely better than going stir crazy in Nanwu, unsure of what was going on with her job.

It gave Sang Zhi all day to do whatever she wanted. She grabbed lunch with Wang Ruo Lan, and they brainstormed all the places she needed to see before she left. The creek walk was one of them, a specific confectionery store another. Sang Zhi texted Ning Wei to ask if there was anything she wanted for nostalgia's sake from Yihe after the meal, ending up with a request for some starfish shaped chocolate treats.

So by the end of the day, she'd managed to get quite a few friends and family members some sort of gift and was ready to go to dinner with Jiaxu. Once she arrived downstairs, she found him already parked at the curb wearing an apologetic expression.

"I am so sorry Zhizhi," Jiaxu said immediately when she pushed through the doors. "I couldn't shake her."

Sang Zhi blinked, attention shifting to the behind him, where she saw a young, pretty woman sitting in the back seat who immediately jumped out of the car upon seeing her. Her high ponytail swung around as she smiled broadly and presented herself to Sang Zhi.

"You must be Sang Zhi! I'm Xu Chang Ru," she said excitedly. "Jiaxu's cousin."

Being ambushed always made Sang Zhi uncomfortable, but she pushed the feeling aside. Presented with such enthusiasm, she nodded in greeting with a hesitant smile. "Nice to meet you," she said.

"I'm still not sure why you wanted to come so badly," Jiaxu said to Chang Ru grumpily before sending Sang Zhi a sheepish look.

"Aren't you hungry?" Chang Ru said, ignoring her cousin by pulling Sang Zhi's elbow. Opening the car door, Chang Ru encouraged Zhi into the back seat, who climbed in with not a small amount of confusion. Chang Ru paused, turning to Jiaxu. "C'mon, cousin. Don't you need to drive?"

Climbing in and shutting the door on Jiaxu, Chang Ru turned to Sang Zhi. "Do you have siblings?"

Sang Zhi nodded, watching Jiaxu through the window. An arrangement of expressions flashed over his face, bemused by his cousin's shenanigans, and gave a smiling sigh as he walked around the car. "An older brother," Zhi said.

"Perfect. Then you understand," Chang Ru said, clicking her seat belt in.

Sang Zhi frowned a moment. Did she understand? She didn't want to offend the younger woman, and was even mildly amused at Chang Ru's action. Jiaxu's cousin reminded her a bit of Ning Wei. While Xu Chang Ru wasn't entirely what Sang Zhi had expected, the woman made the point very quickly that she considered Jiaxu family by teasing him in such a way, which warmed Zhi's heart. A confused smile grew on her face.

"I think so," she replied.

"You're the first thing Jiaxu had shared from his life in years, so… this is a little bit of a payback. Sorry you're caught in the crossfire," Chang Ru said just as Jiaxu opened the door. Switching from the conspiratorial tone, she smiled and settled in the seat. "So what did you study at university? I hear you went to Yihe U as well!"

Explaining her major in digital art as Jiaxu started to drive, Sang Zhi was relieved at how easy it was to talk with Chang Ru. Chang Ru knew what questions to ask about Zhi's time at Yihe University, mostly about undergraduate courses, and Zhi was able to ask about changes to the campus that Chang Ru was free to give.

"Oh, there's a new science building across from the sports quad," Chang Ru explained, adding in a whisper, "there's a lot of hotties to watch in between class."

"What are you studying?"

"Environmental science, hence why I'm at the new building so often," Chang Ru said. "Glad to have the eye candy."

Jiaxu coughed, making them both turn to glance up at him.

"Something to add, cousin Jiaxu?" Chang Ru asked with a grin.

"Should you be worrying about that?" he asked.

"Who said anything about worrying?" Chang Ru retorted. "Anyway, they don't notice us science girls, we are too nerdy for them."

There was something about the way Chang Ru said that so assuredly that made Sang Zhi bite back a smile. The protest was a step too far, assuring Zhi of Chang Ru's popularity. It made sense, as the girl was pretty and obviously unconcerned with meeting people, if her greeting to Sang Zhi was any indication.

Jiaxu seemed to have a similar thought because he caught Sang Zhi's eye with a knowing look in the rear view mirror. Soon enough, they arrived at the restaurant by the pier - one of Sang Zhi's old favorites that they'd planned on before knowing of the addition - and climbed out of the car.

Chang Ru kept a steady stream of chatter on the way into the restaurant, and Jiaxu pulled Sang Zhi possessively by the hand to sit next to him at the table, sending his cousin an annoyed look. Chang Ru seemed unaffected, continuing with the conversation as she dropped into her seat across from them.

"Have you always lived in Nanwu?" she asked Zhi.

"Yes, except for university," Sang Zhi said. "It's warmer than here, but both are situated near water, so Yihe didn't feel too different. The first spring was hard, though."

She could see Jiaxu smile as Chang Ru laughed and said, "The great pollening! I hope someone gave you a mask to prepare."

Sang Zhi nodded, remembering her Wang Ruo Lan's warning from years before. Trust me, you want a mask today.

It was fortunate for all of Sang Zhi's allergies, she hadn't been allergic to such things like pollen or grass. She probably wouldn't have survived the first spring.

The evening passed pleasantly, Jiaxu only adding to the conversation when given a question. He didn't seem bothered by it, simply content to rub his hand on Sang Zhi's leg under the table.

"I will say, Sang Zhi, that I'm glad you came out. Auntie will be happy to meet you," Chang Ru said after they had mostly completed their meal. "But she might be tired and need to nap."

"I don't expect her - or any of you - to entertain me," Sang Zhi said. "I came out to help, but I don't know what I can do."

"Well, you can come and keep us company when Jiaxu is out of town next week!" Chang Ru said brightly. "Nothing will distract her from Jiaxu being gone like peppering his girlfriend with questions."

"Siyun is taking Ma to her appointment next Wednesday," Jiaxu explained. "And Chang Ru is coming with us on Monday to learn what to expect."

"You should come, Sang Zhi!" Chang Ru said. "The more the merrier."

"I'd… I'd rather check with Jiaxu's ma, first," Sang Zhi said. She could imagine how awkward that situation would be if Xu Ruo Shu disliked her. "But you're kind to invite me."

"Let's see how Ma does tomorrow, okay Ruru?" Jiaxu asked.

Chang Ru shrugged and looked down with a nod. Her phone lit up and she squinted at the device, wrinkling her nose as she picked it up. After a moment, she muttered, "I have to head out."

"What happened, Ruru?" Jiaxu asked as his cousin started to gather her coat and purse.

"My roommate needs a favor, nothing to worry about. I'll be home later," Chang Ru replied as she stood. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sang Zhi?"

Sang Zhi nodded, chest jangling anxiously with the reminder of meeting Jiaxu's ma.

"Are you sure you don't need a ride?" Jiaxu pressed, standing himself.

"I'm sure. Have fun you two," she said with a quick wave as she strode away.

Jiaxu sat back down, glancing at Sang Zhi with a bewildered expression. "Well then."

"Ning Wei used to get locked out of the dorm all the time," Sang Zhi offered. She didn't quite believe Chang Ru's reasoning for leaving dinner so abruptly, the annoyance and vague explanation pointing Sang Zhi to problems with a boy, but she wasn't about to relay that to Jiaxu. "She seems very responsible so I can see why her roommates would rely on her."

Jiaxu nodded in agreement, a smile spreading over his face as he leaned into her space. "And now I get you all to myself."

Sang Zhi grinned.

After dinner, they exited the restaurant to find the sky streaked with inky colors as the sun finished setting, so Jiaxu took Sang Zhi by the hand as they walked along the waterfront. There were a decent amount of people around, which made Sang Zhi tug him in a direction away from the shops and bars. She knew where a bench was that was usually unperturbed - a comforting spot during university - and was happy to see that it was empty.

Settling onto it, she grinned up at Jiaxu. "I used to come here all the time."

"Oh yeah?" he asked.

"You remember how overwhelming university could be, right? This was someplace I found one day freshman year and would come to reset," Sang Zhi explained as he settled in next to her, arm over her shoulder.

He nodded, kissing the top of her head. "Did you come often?"

She shrugged.

"Ning Wei is one of my closest friends, but she can be too much sometimes," she said. "She pushed me out of my comfort zone a lot. It took me a while to learn how to push back."

Jiaxu hummed in understanding, hand rubbing her shoulder absentmindedly. She thought of mentioning the situation at work, but it was so comforting to be held by him that Zhi dismissed the thought. She'd tell him next time.

"Your cousin reminds me of Ning Wei a bit," Sang Zhi said instead, tilting her head up.

"Really?" he said, considering. "How so?"

"She's just very confident and pretty," she replied. "I was always amazed at how Ning Wei could just jump up and start a conversation with anyone. I'd rehearse introducing myself for a scheduled meeting. The fact that Chang Ru didn't even wait for you to introduce her to me surprised me like my friend did in the past."

"She seemed to like you," Jiaxu said, which made Sang Zhi smile.

"I'm glad. I know your family is complicated and you've supported them a long time, but…" she hesitated, trying to figure out the correct words. "I wasn't sure what your family thought of you, so Chang Ru coming showed me how they're interested in your life."

"I guess. I just figured she was being nosy so she can hold it over her sister later."

Sang Zhi shrugged. "Maybe so. It's just nice to see someone else care for you like I do."

Jiaxu smiled and squeezed her tighter. She sighed happily, turning back to the ocean with a feeling of being exactly where she needed to be.

~~~

The next day, Jiaxu fussed around the house all morning. While they hadn't time to cause much of a mess, he wanted to make sure everything was nice and prepared so that his ma wouldn't be worried at how their home looked.

He wished Sang Zhi would have accepted his offer to pick her up, but she'd brushed him off.

Worry about your ma, Jiaxu. She should be comfortable.

It made sense, but gave Jiaxu entirely too much time to sit and worry with his thoughts. Glancing at his phone for the time, Jiaxu saw that Sang Zhi had texted him about her departure a few minutes prior. Peering at his mom from the kitchen, he called out. "You doing okay ma?"

Xu Ruo Shu was bundled in a recliner facing the television with Chang Le at the coffee table in front of her with various papers strewn about. Jiaxu wasn't entirely sure what school project she was working on this time, but wasn't about to stop his younger cousin. Requesting her to pack it up would make the visit seem far more formal than Jiaxu wanted it to be.

"Could I have some ginger tea, my son?" his ma asked feebly. "My stomach is still a bit sour."

Jiaxu nodded and started the kettle. A few minutes later, Chang Ru popped into the room to apparently grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator and grinned at him. "Excited?"

He focused on the task of preparing his ma's tea, trying to ignore the way his body has an excess of energy that was putting a nervous tap in his steps. "I don't know why I'm so nervous. I wasn't nearly as worked up when I met her parents."

Chang Ru hummed. "Well, it's not like you had any practice with a friend growing up, let alone a girlfriend."

Wincing, Jiaxu chafed at his cousin's perception yet couldn't disagree with the assessment. He had never considered offering his home for working on school projects during high school with how inhospitable his uncle had made the place, so whichever student was saddled with him usually met Jiaxu at the library.

He always prioritized finishing those projects quickly so he wouldn't feel guilty.

The kettle whistled.

"Chin up," Chang Ru told him as Jiaxu shut off the heat and finished making the tea. "Sang Zhi is even prettier than you described, so auntie will-"

"Ruru, I'm not worried about ma," Jiaxu cut her off. How did he even begin to unravel the feelings of inadequacy and shame? How, despite many assurances that it had little to do with him, the sense of blame for the tragedy? "It's… it's complicated, okay?"

She frowned, tilting her head as she considered his words. "I thought you said Sang Zhi knew about everything."

"She does. It's just… I…" Jiaxu started and shook his head, heading towards the living room. "This isn't the time. Sang Zhi will be here any minute and I need to make sure ma is comfortable."

"She's almost here?" Chang Ru yelped and darted back to the bedroom before he could respond.

Jiaxu chuckled under his breath, grateful to be able to focus on his ma instead. Xu Ruo Shu needed some adjustments to her blankets - she was suddenly too warm - and she sipped at the tea, thanking Jiaxu.

Without anything else to do, Jiaxu sat on the couch and looked over Chang Le's papers. He was just about to ask the girl what she was working on when his phone buzzed.

[Sang Zhi]: I'm here. Should I knock?

Jiaxu jumped up suddenly, startling his family. "She's here. I'll… I'll be right back."

Chang Le snickered. "You have work again, cousin?"

"Oh, please bring her in quickly, Jiaxu, it's so windy today," his ma said. Jiaxu nodded.

Darting out of the house, Jiaxu instantly saw Sang Zhi at the end of the hallway with a large canvas bag on her shoulder, obviously waiting for his text response. True to his ma's words, a gust of wind whistled through the space, blowing Sang Zhi's hair all around.

Upon seeing him, Sang Zhi's face lit up into a smile.

All of the flutters and pinches of anxiety in Jiaxu's chest dissipated. "Hello," he said as he approached, reaching out to smooth her hair behind her ear.

"Hi. I got here faster than I thought," she replied, giggling nervously, as Jiaxu then wrapped his arms around her waist and half stooped, pulling her in for a hug. "Jiaxu?"

"I need this," he mumbled into hair. She smelled absolutely divine as she brought her arms around to pat his back. Sang Zhi remained still, allowing him to draw whatever it was he needed from her.

He wasn't even sure he knew. Sang Zhi just exuded warmth to him.

Now she was here, at the heart of all those cold years.

"Jiaxu?" she asked again. "Is something wrong? Should I come back another day?"

Pulling back but not releasing her, Jiaxu shook his head. "Sorry. Everything is fine. They're looking forward to meeting you."

Sang Zhi sent him an assessing look before nodding. Taking her hand, Jiaxu could feel the anxious energy from her, but led her in anyway.

As soon as they crossed the threshold, Jiaxu could see that Ma was staring at the door, expression pinched in a mix of interest and worry. Chang Le remained on the floor, despite looking like she wanted to rush over immediately, but with a slight glance to Xu Ruo Shu, Jiaxu could tell she'd been instructed to give Sang Zhi space. Leading Zhi over, he formally introduced his girlfriend to his ma.

After a polite bow, Sang Zhi immediately opened the canvas bag on her shoulder and pulled a box brightly wrapped in red paper, presenting it to Xu Ruo Shu with both hands. "May your health improve, Mrs. Duan. This is a token from my parents and I."

Xu Ruo Shu took the box from Sang Zhi gently, lip jutting up for a moment before she regained her emotions. "Thank you. You're so considerate. Please thank your parents for me. "

Sang Zhi nodded, glancing at Jiaxu as if unsure what to do next, so he guided her to sit on the couch nearest to his ma and took a seat next to her as his ma opened the gift.

"Oh, thank you. This is so thoughtful," she murmured as Jiaxu could see it was an arrangement of various wellness teas. Taking it from her, he set it on a side table.

"I'm Xu Chang Le," Jiaxu's cousin interjected, shifting to face Sang Zhi. "My sister Chang Ru is somewhere around here-"

"Right here," Chang Ru appeared and gave a Sang Zhi a knowing grin. "Nice to meet you."

Chang Le looked back at her sister, who took a seat at the small dining table, and frowned at her. Knowing that the younger girl would be upset at Chang Ru having met Sang Zhi previously, Jiaxu was about to sidestep that problem and introduce a topic when his ma surprised him.

"Jiaxu told us that you graduated from Yihe University a few years ago. Have you visited since then?" Xu Ruo Shu asked Sang Zhi, who shook her head.

"Unfortunately, no. I've missed it a great deal," Sang Zhi replied fondly.

"What do you miss the most?" Chang Le asked.

From Sang Zhi's breezy answer - the pier that they'd spent the previous evening at - and his cousin's interest, Jiaxu began to relax. With every turn of the conversation, he spied a small smile on his ma's face, and Jiaxu could feel Sang Zhi loosen next to him. It was fairly vague polite talk until the conversation shifted to Sang Zhi's digital art degree and Chang Le became animated by asking for her help with the project of papers all over the coffee table. Then Sang Zhi scooted off the couch to sit next to Chang Le and figure out what the problem was, the formality of the visit gone as Zhi started asking more pointed questions.

Jiaxu saw his ma watch the pair with a soft expression, so he leaned next to her. "You feeling okay?"

"Yes, Jiaxu. Don't fuss," she said to him wearily.

He let it go.

The afternoon passed comfortably, Sang Zhi latching onto Jiaxu's younger cousin in a way that surprised him yet made him happy. Eventually, he mentioned starting dinner and found it amusing at how Chang Le shooed him away. Sang Zhi sent him a wink, so he relocated to the kitchen. Chang Ru helped, constantly checking in the other room at how they were all enjoying themselves.

"It's nice of her to help Chang Le with that assignment," she said offhandedly as she started setting the table.

Jiaxu nodded, his heart too full for words. It's not like he was expecting Sang Zhi to be rude, but her typical shyness was discarded for the girl.

Once dinner was ready, he went into the room to announce it. Sang Zhi excused herself to the restroom, so Jiaxu helped his ma to the table as his cousins settled in their seats.

"She's lovely, Jiaxu," Xu Ruo Shu said softly as she was seated. "I'm… she's just as you described."

Jiaxu squinted at his ma, asking, "why does it sound like there is a 'but' there?"

"No but," his ma refuted. "Just… she's pretty and smart, and obviously from a family leagues above our own, Jiaxu. Are you sure you want to mar her standing by associating-"

"Auntie-" Chang Ru interjected as Jiaxu visibly flinched, turning back to the counter to gather dishes. Busying himself as he tried to hide his hurt, it didn't surprise him that his ma had such a concern. After years of being reviled in Yihe, he sometimes wondered if he was somehow taking advantage of Sang Zhi's interest, her ignorance to just how sullied the Duan name was. He'd wrestled with such things before.

But it didn't help to hear from his ma.

Chang Le appeared next to him, holding out a hand to take one of the dishes so he wouldn't have to make trips, sending him a sympathetic look.

"I'm just being realistic," Xu Ruo Shu claimed quietly as they brought the dishes to the table, trying to catch Jiaxu's eye.

"He knows, auntie," Chang Ru said. "Jiaxu has had to deal with it all these years."

The sound of the bathroom door opening was heard and Jiaxu started to serve some of the food just to do something with his hands. It was impossible to ignore the awkwardness in the room, the sympathetic glances from his cousins and the almost pleading look from his ma.

Sang Zhi appeared at the doorway, blinking at the obvious tension and hesitated. Chang Le gave Jiaxu a wide look and startled, patting the seat next to her enthusiastically. "Come sit with me, Sang Zhi!"

Accepting the invitation, Sang Zhi sat, sending Jiaxu a quizzical glance. He shook his head, hoping to convey it's nothing in a reassuring way, but who knew what his facial expression was doing.

After a few moments of stilted conversation, Chang Le asked Sang Zhi about a show that she and Xu Ruo Shu watched routinely, Constellation of Our Love. Sang Zhi wasn't familiar with the show, but had read the manhua it originated from, so it started a rather animated discussion about all of the changes and similarities.

Jiaxu relaxed, glad that the conversation had returned back to a regular cadence. He objectively could understand where his ma's concerns were, especially since she'd not left Yihe for many years. It was a side effect of being underneath the combined efforts of Xu Dong and Jiang Ying for so long.

Hopefully, with time, he could convince his ma that there would be no other person for him but Sang Zhi. Until then, Jiaxu would bear the scrapes of Ma's fear. Sang Zhi was worth it.

As Sang Zhi laughed at a joke of Chang Ru's, he smiled. She'd always be worth it.

Chapter Text

"So what happened?" Sang Zhi asked, burning with curiosity as she held Jiaxu's hand on the way back to Wang Ruo Lan's place. She'd stepped out earlier before dinner to relieve herself and check her messages. There was an email about a scheduled call on Wednesday with the lawyer from her job, but she decided she couldn't worry about that, and instead returned to the gathering. The tension had become thick in her absence, Jiaxu's color high, avoiding looking at anyone, and she knew someone had said something. But who and about what?

Chang Ru had been nothing but accommodating, making sure she was comfortable yet letting her sister take Zhi's attention, as if knowing the younger girl needed it. Chang Le had welcomed her, presenting her art project to Sang Zhi for some help, and it reminded Sang Zhi of herself bombarding Wen Yifan years ago at her brother's home.

That only left Jiaxu's ma and Sang Zhi was already struggling with her emotions about the woman.

Her initial impression of Xu Ruo Shu was that she appeared far older than Sang Zhi's own mother, despite their presumed similar age. There was a weariness in the woman, as if all of those struggling years had marked her. She deserved kindness and respect, if not for the troubles she'd suffered, but for her resilience with her cancer diagnoses. She was Jiaxu's mother and Sang Zhi would honor that.

But even Zhi was surprised at the sudden surge of anger she felt the moment she saw her.

She didn't have all of the information about the past, but Sang Zhi could not imagine a world where she would put her own son through so much additional strife.

"Nothing happened," Jiaxu said, glancing around at the scenery as they walked down the street to bus stop. He'd offered to drive her home, but Sang Zhi wanted more time, so they checked the bus schedule and began to walk.

Squeezing his hand, Sang Zhi shook her head. "Then what is it? Are you disappointed in how it went? I'm sorry if I didn't talk much with your ma."

Chang Le needing Sang Zhi's help had been a boon to focus on as she wrestled with maintaining a polite demeanor over all of the angry indignation of Jiaxu's younger years coiling in her chest. It was irrational, and the woman was important to Jiaxu. Sang Zhi would ignore those emotions as best she could.

"It's fine. Chang Le has been a bit grumpy about being left out lately, so your help was great," Jiaxu explained.

"I know Chang Ru invited me to go with her and your ma to her treatment when you're out of town, but I'm not sure it's a good idea," Sang Zhi said, worrying her lip with her teeth.

"I understand… you don't need to go," he replied.

"I don't mind going, Jiaxu, but…" Sang Zhi wrinkled her nose as she considered how to phrase her concern. She didn't want to admit the difficult feelings about his ma. "I would likely distract them instead of helping."

"Ma would probably prefer that," Jiaxu admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "The girls haven't seen the process, so they're coming on Monday, and Ma told me she was already anxious about keeping them entertained. With you around to hold their interest, she will probably rest more."

"Entertained? Aren't they both grown up and able to handle themselves?" Sang Zhi asked with a slight smile. In some strange way, she understood. She remembered being stared at like she was a goldfish in an aquarium during her childhood hospital stays. It wasn't pleasant.

"Ma's world has revolved around them a long time," he said softly. "It's hard to give up old habits."

"Like earlier, by making you feel bad?"

Jiaxu stopped, blinking at her in concern. "How much did you hear?"

"I didn't hear anything. I could only see, and Jiaxu," Sang Zhi said, stepping close to peer up at him intently. "It makes me wonder how bad it was when you refuse to even acknowledge it."

"It wasn't anything new," he said, averting his eyes with a shake of his head. "Nothing I don't know."

"But I don't know."

Chuckling to himself, Jiaxu leaned to touch his forehead to her own. "Sometimes your stubbornness surprises me."

"Stop stalling."

Huffing a sigh, Jiaxu straightened. "Would it help to know that Ma was concerned for you?"

"Jiaxu."

After a long moment, his pitch changed, becoming strained and fast as he spoke. "Duan's are cursed. You are obviously from an affluent, prosperous family, with beauty and grace and-"

The admission was so outlandish that Sang Zhi couldn't stand it, hopping up to press her lips to his. The idea of him being a detriment to her life was laughable. It was best silence him.

She kept the kiss short, bringing her hands up to Jiaxu's cheeks, chilled from the gusty air. "There is no line of thinking where any curse is true. Duan Jiaxu, you are everything to me, even your name. You redefine your name every day, as you have endured so much that to be a Duan is to be a resilient, strong man."

There was a mistiness to Jiaxu's eyes and Sang Zhi felt like she could see the scared boy of his past.

I will chase the shadows of his past away from him forever.

Petting his hair, Sang Zhi gave him a tremulous smile as she struggled to convey such a feeling. "I know your ma has struggled with many things in life, but this should not be one of them. Once, she was proud to be a Duan, no?"

"She and da were happy, long ago," Jiaxu admitted with a nod. "Even when da was drinking, she clung to him."

"And you said your uncle didn't get along with him?" Sang Zhi asked. At Jiaxu's agreement, she continued. "So she's been stewing in your uncle's lies for years."

"I just…" Jiaxu captured her hands with his, looking around as he gathered his thoughts. "I wish it was easier."

"It is easy, Jiaxu. You told me that I was the only one who could tell you to leave. And I feel the same way," she replied. "There's nothing easier than that."

Jiaxu kissed her forehead, bringing her in for a hug. Sang Zhi mentally pictured cloaking him with her words as she stroked his back, hoping they would soak into him. After a few moments, he nodded and took her hand to resume their walk.

"Then… would you go with ma to her treatment?" he asked softly.

"You really want me to?" Sang Zhi asked.

With a nod, Jiaxu explained. "I love my family, but… I would feel better with you being there."

"Okay," she said as he trailed off. If Jiaxu was worried about the process, then Sang Zhi could give him that assurance. "Don't worry. I can be there."

He gave her a tight smile, so she asked, "Do you have your flight information?"

"I depart late Tuesday to present the documents Wednesday morning, and leave that afternoon to be back in same evening," Jiaxu replied.

"Do you need a ride?"

"I'll just take a taxi-"

Sang Zhi interrupted him with holding up her finger, smiling. "Because if you did, Wang Ruo Lan offered. We could catch an early dinner. She's been hoping to meet you."

Jiaxu smiled as well, nodding. "That'd be nice. I feel bad asking for Siyun's help all the time when she's been so accommodating. Siyun would like to meet you as well."

Sang Zhi nodded before wrinkling her nose, a thought having occurred to her.

"I should let you know something, though," she said. "I didn't want to bring it up before, with all the concern of meeting your family."

Jiaxu's expression sharpened, instantly alert. "What is it?"

"I… there was an issue at work," Sang Zhi explained with a grimace. "I'm not sure what happened, but they've put me on leave as they investigate. So until they tell me what is going on, I can be here in Yihe as long as you need."

"What?" he asked. "What sort of issue?"

"I don't really understand it, myself. Something about my designs were leaked to a competitor? They suspect me, since I was the one who brought the files out of the office, but-"

"That's absurd," Jiaxu refuted, confused. "What would you gain by leaking your own things to someone else?"

"I guess some sort of pay out? They didn't really explain to me how I'd leaked something, intentionally or otherwise, hence the leave," she said. "I… I was really upset when it happened, but being here, helping you… there's so many other things that are more important. That job is awful. There is no reason for Xiaoyu to waste my time the way she constantly does. I thought if I pushed through, showed that the trust they gave me was not misplaced, that I'd prove something. But if they're going to fire me anyway-"

"Fire you?" he asked, looking at her sharply. "Did they give you any information? How can you prove your innocence? I'll ask Siyun if she knows of any employment lawyers-"

"Jiaxu," Sang Zhi said, squeezing his hand. "It's okay. There's nothing to be done until they've investigated. Then we can assess, okay?"

He stilled, frown still dark on his face. "It's ridiculous, though. Months of absolute bullshit just for them to fire you? It doesn't make any sense."

"I know. But I get to be here and see you… and Wang Ruo Lan has been telling me about her job, and it sounds way more reasonable. This job being my first… I just assumed all of them were like that. I always worked long hours at school, so why would work be any different? But then I met you and even with all your hours, your job has as flexibility that I'd not seen before. I can move on. It's okay," Sang Zhi explained, a weight lifting off her chest, finding the reassuring words were true for herself. Saying them aloud to someone she trusted felt good in a way she'd not realized. She'd spent so much of her life hiding things.

"There's really nothing to be done?" he asked her.

"Nothing," Sang Zhi confirmed. "I just have to wait. I will let you know when something changes, though."

Jiaxu obviously was going to worry about it, but Sang Zhi couldn't blame him for it. He was a man of action, which she loved about him. As they fell into a comfortable silence, Sang Zhi squeezed his hand with a smile as they continued their walk.

The job didn't matter. Sang Zhi had dreams to build with Jiaxu.

~~~

The weekend passed too quickly. Sang Zhi returned to Jiaxu's place the next morning and had been instantly drawn into binge watching the show that Chang Le and his ma were avid fans of, so Jiaxu didn't see her much. He gave Siyun a scare asking through text about employment lawyers - he wasn't about to let Sang Zhi deal with that possible nightmare without some sort of representation - and after reassuring his old boss about the reason for needing the reference, he settled in to work. He posted up in the kitchen with his laptop, double checking the last code on the Sunset project, Jiaxu could hear moments of Sang Zhi's indignation as something wasn't conveyed properly from the manhua. His ma and cousin were enamored, peppering her with questions, and he smiled to himself at hearing them enjoying each other's company.

He eventually did steal Sang Zhi, later in the afternoon, to take her to Dream Studios. Jiaxu wanted to show her his old workplace, where things started to look up after so many years of constant grind, and he knew it'd be fairly empty. Frankly, his old coworkers would be very interested in Sang Zhi, and he knew she'd balk at the scrutiny.

"Wow, this place is really fancy," she declared, following him through the various offices. "Yu Xin works here, right? Do you know where her desk is?"

"I have no idea," Jiaxu replied, leading them to a temporary office. It was an odd space, obviously leftover in the design, with a single wall length window and strangely narrow door. It wasn't nearly as outfitted as others, but all he really needed was a decent processor and internet speed. The rest just took time.

Sang Zhi gave a little pout. "Pity. I could have hidden something in her desk."

"Like what?" Jiaxu asked with a chuckle.

"Hmm," she said as she opened her bag. "Would it be strange to admit that I have at least half a dozen medicinal tea bags in here?"

"Whatever for?"

"Mama saw the cold front coming through here and insisted I have a cup at least once a day. I can just imagine Yu Xin admitting to feeling tired - that's what she says when she's getting sick - and bam! I, cool as a cucumber, tell her to check under her stapler. Surprise, cold remedy tea, like I'm magic," Sang Zhi said enthusiastically.

Jiaxu laughed. "I suppose that's better than something rotten at the back of her desk."

Zhi looked horrified. "Why would I do that? I like my friends."

Thinking of all the stupid pranks Jiaxu had been subjected to at university, he grinned. "However, it might be for naught. She applied to remain at Catnap for the time being, at least until my return."

"She did? Really?" Sang Zhi asked.

He nodded. "Chen Junwen confirmed her request, but refrained from giving a solid answer. But I've already put in a request with Accounting to see if we could swing it. I will say, turning in this project in on an expedited schedule should secure a bonus that would go a long way to keeping her around."

"Oh, she'll love Nanwu when she gets to really settle in," was Sang Zhi's reply as Jiaxu shuffled some equipment around, plugging the devices in to get the final transfer working. That would give him enough time to check all of the documents the next day after his ma's appointment and be prepared for leaving on Tuesday.

"Can't say I disagree. Nanwu is pretty amazing," he said, sending Sang Zhi a fond look.

"Knock knock," a voice broke in which Jiaxu recognized as Siyun.

"Siyun!" Jiaxu said in surprise, straightening quickly. "Why are you here on a weekend?"

"Oh, I was at dinner with Li Xin and wanted to check on something here. Luckily, you're here. Those documents all squared away?" Siyun said, giving Sang Zhi a slight glance before focusing professional interest at him.

"Yes. And if you could pick up ma on Wednesday at nine, that'd be really helpful. But, oh. Siyun, this is my girlfriend Sang Zhi. Sang Zhi… this is Jiang Siyun," Jiaxu said.

Sang Zhi bowed politely, obviously flustered at the surprise meeting.

"I'm glad to meet you, Sang Zhi. I've never seen Xiaoduan so happy since he met you," Siyun said with a small smile.

"Thank you. He's lucky to have such a supportive boss," Sang Zhi replied.

"Of course. Me and my husband think very highly of him, so it's no bother."

"Is there something you're worried about with the documents, Siyun?" Jiaxu interjected, ears heated. While he wasn't displeased with the way they both were praising him, it felt downright odd.

"Not at all, I know you have it under control. It was good to confirm about Wednesday, though. I sent an email earlier with the request you made. I'll see you soon?" Siyun asked. When Jiaxu nodded, she gave a little wave. "Okay, then I'm off! Nice to meet you Sang Zhi."

Then she left.

Sang Zhi practically deflated after Siyun left their sight, shuffling over to him. Instinctively, Jiaxu put an arm around her as she burrowed against him. "What's up?" he asked.

"Oh, she just surprised me. I could mentally prepare for your family, but I had no warning. Did I act properly? Am I supposed to even be here? I'm going to make you look bad at your not-really-workplace, oh no," Sang Zhi mumbled, which made Jiaxu laugh again, wrapping his other arm around her.

"You did everything perfect. You're perfect," he reassured her. Her face peeked up from his chest, looking relieved.

Fuck, was she beautiful. Jiaxu was really beginning to hate not having true privacy to take his girlfriend to more pleasurable places.

Instead of dwelling on that, however, he kissed her forehead. "Let's head out."

They made their way downstairs without anyone noticing them, but the moment Jiaxu stepped out onto the pavilion, something felt off. The air was chilly and the walkway pretty empty, but there was no reason to feel such foreboding. But it was quiet. Quiet in a way that reminded him of his teenage years, that silence before noticing someone following him.

He tried to shake off the feeling, leading them to his car parallel parked at the curb, when all of his instincts rang true. There was a man with a lit cigarette leaning against it that Jiaxu instantly recognized, despite the many years yawning between their last in person encounter.

It was his uncle, Xu Dong.

Tucking Sang Zhi a bit further behind him, Jiaxu felt the confused glance she sent at him until she saw the man waiting for them. With her gripping his hand, he felt a bit better to have her support through this encounter. Adrenaline was suddenly pumping through his body, knowing it would be ugly.

"I have to hand it to you, brat. Didn't expect you to make it so long without crashing and burning," Xu Dong said, his deep voice darkly amused as he flicked his cigarette to the ground to step on. "Look at how above us all you are now."

"What do you want," Jiaxu ground out the question flatly. He couldn't look at Sang Zhi to see what she was gathering from the scene, refusing to take his eyes off his uncle. Knowing that he was in leagues with Jiang Ying made his uncle not just vicious, it made him dangerous.

Xu Dong kicked off from the car. "And look! Such a pretty girl with you. What's your name, my dear?"

He felt Sang Zhi bristle next to him, but squeezed her hand, mentally begging her to remain quiet.

"You have no business with her, Xu Dong. And if you have no business with me-" Jiaxu started to walk around, but Xu Dong stepped in front of him.

"Oh, no. I definitely have business with you. From what I've gathered, you've stolen all of my family away from me."

"As you haven't been home in weeks, it looks more like you abandoned them," Jiaxu replied. He didn't bother to explain that one was an adult, and the other nearing. Xu Dong hadn't looked at Chang Ru or Chang Le as his children since his wife died. They were simply tools at that point.

Xu Dong's eyes flashed and he took a step forward. "So what? They're my children. I'm sure the local police wouldn't be surprised of a disgusting Duan kidnapping my daughters. I'm sure they remember your shitstain father."

Jiaxu held his ground, glaring right back at the man. Long gone were the days that his uncle had any hold over him. "What. Do. You. Want," he repeated.

The cold expression on Xu Dong's face turned even darker as he realized his threat ushered no reaction from Jiaxu.

"You haven't paid me for Ruo Shu's treatment," he replied. "The account went into arrears since you took too long to pay me back."

"Or you didn't pay the account when I supplied you the money," Jiaxu refuted, knowing it was complete bullshit. It did comfort him that his uncle must be ignorant of his ma's cancer recurrence, since the hospital would have definitely brought up any billing concerns before starting up her treatment again. "I don't know what you've been spending that money on, and I don't want to know. But I will take this moment to tell you that I'm done. There is not a single thing I owe you, so there is no reason for you to approach this disgusting Duan again."

Pulling Sang Zhi around in a way that kept himself between her and his uncle, he ushered her to the car. Xu Dong wasn't done, however, as he grabbed the door when Jiaxu opened it. While Sang Zhi scurried right in, she leaned back as his uncle leered over the metal rim to give her a wide grin.

"Did you know he's got a girlfriend at home? Best drop him before you get hurt, dear," Xu Dong stated. "Someone isn't as understanding as I am about cheating scumbags."

"And you clearly struggle with understanding when my Jiaxu clearly told you he's done with you," Sang Zhi replied with glare.

Xu Dong's face contorted in anger and he reared back, as if not expecting such loyalty for his nephew, and Jiaxu took his momentary surprise to slam the door shut.

"You think you guys can hide? Jiang Ying is out for blood, and I'll laugh when she rains her destruction on all of you," Xu Dong snapped at Jiaxu.

"Is that why you sprung her out of jail?"

Xu Dong laughed. "We'll see how Sang Zhi enjoys meeting her."

With that, the man sauntered away in a unconcerned way. Jiaxu quickly got into the car and locked the doors, then turned his eyes to the mirrors to watch as his uncle disappeared around the corner. Adrenaline was fading, making his hands shake, so he gripped the wheel and took a few breaths.

How did Xu Dong know Sang Zhi's name?

Sang Zhi simply reached over to his shoulder to place a comforting hand there. She anchored him, but a newfound terror had rooted in his gut that had not been there before. Jiaxu had been subject to Xu Dong's brand of malice before, but it paled in comparison to the way Jiang Ying had cornered him.

Even with the restraining order, Jiang Ying was an element that Jiaxu couldn't control, and Xu Dong had just assured Jiaxu that he was not the only one in the madwoman's crosshair.

Glancing at Sang Zhi, Jiaxu opened his mouth to say something, but found there was no apology he could offer. Sang Zhi was a target, just like the friends of his youth, for Jiang Ying to exploit.

"What is it?" Sang Zhi asked, eyes full of concern.

With that thought, Jiaxu abruptly turned on the car and shifted into drive, aiming towards Wang Ruo Lan's home. It was a little early to end their night, but he suddenly felt an intense desire for Sang Zhi to go back and pack.

"I think," he said. "That maybe you should catch a flight home tonight."

"What?"

He couldn't look at her, keeping his eyes on the road, but could hear the confusion in Zhi's voice.

"I… I don't know what my uncle has planned, but his threats are rarely empty…"

"What?" Sang Zhi gave a little laugh. "What could he possibly do to me?"

"Not just him," Jiaxu whispered. "Jiang Ying."

"Jiang Ying?" she asked, tilting her head.

"My debtor."

"Isn't she in jail?"

"No," Jiaxu said with a shake of his head. "Xu Dong paid for her release until her court date. She's out at the moment. Somewhere."

"And you think sending me home is the answer."

He squeezed the steering wheel, unsure of how to reply. How did he explain the anxiety that had soaked the ground of his hometown simply because of Jiang Ying? How did he explain the years of practically being hunted in through the streets which would for anyone else be safe?

"She doesn't know who I am, Jiaxu," Sang Zhi said soothingly, running her hand down his arm. "What could possibly happen?"

Anything.

Jiaxu's mind was splintering with thoughts of all the horrific possibilities, solely focused on getting Sang Zhi to the safety of her friend's apartment. A place where there was no reason for Jiang Ying to have any idea of Zhi's existence, and keep her safe until he could drag her to the airport.

"I'm not going to leave Yihe, Jiaxu," Sang Zhi stated plainly. "You told me yourself that you'd feel better with me watching over your ma and cousins. I'm not scared of some woman who's spent her life terrorizing you."

"Sang Zhi-"

"No, Jiaxu. How would she find me? Find any of us? You moved houses, remember?" she demanded, folding her arms. "Did she somehow put a tracking device on you?"

Shaking his head, Jiaxu couldn't deny her point. "No, but if she has seen you with me-"

"Where? When? Did we go by the jail to give her a heads up? This is irrational, Jiaxu."

"I know!" he blurted out, wincing. "I know it's irrational, but… fuck, Sang Zhi, I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Nothing will," she insisted as he pulled the car up to Wang Ruo Lan's building.

"You don't know that," Jiaxu whispered. He had a wealth of experience when it came to Jiang Ying's persistence.

"Okay," Sang Zhi said. "I don't. But I do know I'm not going to run from this. I'm going to help your ma and cousins while you're away because I have no qualms with calling the police if she shows up. Can you say your family would do the same?"

Jiaxu took a few deep breaths, considering, before shaking his head. Xu Ruo Shu would likely bow to Jiang Ying without question. Chang Le wouldn't fight his ma. And while Chang Ru had disparaged Jiang Ying to him multiple times, he wouldn't expect her to bear the brunt of that responsibility to go against his ma.

He hated the idea of Sang Zhi being involved, however.

"So, it's settled. I'll see you tomorrow," Sang Zhi said with a sharp voice, obviously displeased.

Grabbing her hand before she could jump out of the car, Jiaxu said. "Wait."

"What?"

I love you. Don't be angry at me. I don't want you to get hurt.

"I'm sorry, Sang Zhi. I… I don't…" he began, feeling like his chest was being turned inside out from the sheer extremes of his emotions.

Sang Zhi relaxed and took his face in her palms. "It will be fine, Jiaxu."

With that, she pecked him on the lips and jumped out of the car. "Drive safely!" she called before darting into the building.

Feeling a bit unnerved by Sang Zhi's departure, Jiaxu frowned and put the car in drive to head home. It was an uneasy journey, as if the entire landscape had turned against him, shadows around each corner and every woman on the street seeming like Jiang Ying.

It wasn't until he arrived home that he could breathe again, putting the car in park. As he departed the vehicle, Jiaxu turned around to glance at the car with a frown.

It remained parked, nondescript and unassuming.

Jiaxu stared at it for a longer moment, an ugly thought appearing in his head.

How had Xu Dong known Jiaxu's rental car?

Chapter Text

Jiang Ying. Jiang Ying. Jiang Ying.

The name stuck in Sang Zhi's head all night like a burr. There was a familiarity to the name, but in a way that Zhi couldn't place. Had Jiaxu mentioned her name before? No, Sang Zhi was fairly certain she'd not heard the name before hearing Jiaxu's uncle threaten him with it through the window glass.

Sang Zhi put the name aside. It didn't matter. Jiang was an incredibly common surname, honestly. Jiaxu introduced her to Siyun who was Jiang Siyun. There was even a Jiang Ming in Nanwu that Ning Wei had pushed Zhi to meet months ago. Sang Zhi had no reason to be so caught up with a simple name.

There were more important things for Sang Zhi to worry about.

Presently, it was how to manage helping Xu Ruo Shu with her appointment. Sang Zhi had arrived at Jiaxu's home that morning, noting the dark circles under his eyes as he'd obviously struggled with sleep, and almost insisted he stay home. But since he was their ride, all five of them packed into the rental car - Chang Le uncomfortably in the middle back, but took the opportunity to ask Sang Zhi to come and see her dance routine sometime - and headed to the hospital. While Sang Zhi was still frustrated by Jiaxu's overprotective request to go home, she did understand his concern which did make her more alert about her surroundings. It was just the distraction she needed from the difficult feelings about his ma.

When they reached the hospital, however, the admitting nurse took one look at their group and said, "Absolutely not. One of you may keep Xu Ruo Shu company, no more."

Jiaxu was about to argue when his ma put up her hand. "That's understandable. Would you stay with me Sang Zhi? Jiaxu can make sure the girls get home."

Sang Zhi blinked. "If you like," she replied, sending Jiaxu a quizzical look.

Xu Ruo Shu kissed Jiaxu's cheek. "Why don't you take them to that new juice bar that opened? I know Chang Le has wanted to try it. We should be done around the regular time."

"Uh… okay, ma," Jiaxu acquiesced, looking completely out of his depth. Sang Zhi's heart hurt for him, guessing at how unsteady he must feel. She nodded at him as she followed Xu Ruo Shu through the office door that led into the infusion clinic.

As they settled into the small draped station, Xu Ruo Shu sent Sang Zhi a small smile.

"I hope you don't mind this foolish woman wanting you all to herself," Xu Ruo Shu said.

"I don't mind," Sang Zhi simply replied, unsure of what else to say. Ruo Shu was about to respond when the nurse came in and started taking vitals and set up the I.V.

Sang Zhi was no stranger to hospitals, having some rather harrowing memories of her own stays as a child. She'd mostly gotten over it, the fear of needles and blood pressure cuffs fading from the sheer necessity of tests. She remained impassive as the nurse did all her work and finally started the I.V., which made Xu Ruo Shu glance at her in curiosity.

"You seem familiar with all of this," she said as the nurse left.

"Yes," Sang Zhi said with a nod. "I have had my own health scare as a child and was admitted a few times."

"I'm sorry to hear that. It wasn't anything serious, I hope?"

"Just some allergic reactions," Zhi said casually. "I didn't usually stay very long, but I remember the needles."

"I believe it," Xu Ruo Shu said, leaning back with a sigh. "This medication is hard, but overall, it's easier this time than the last."

"Is your medication different?"

"No, dear. Just having Jiaxu with me makes it all the better," the woman replied, shoulders deflating as she closed her eyes. "It was so hard on him last time, being away. He has always been such a good son."

"That he is," Sang Zhi agreed, biting on her tongue.

"I know you judge me, Sang Zhi," Xu Ruo Shu said, eyes squinting open. "I do not blame you for it."

Blinking furiously, Sang Zhi opened her mouth to deny it, but found the words stick in her throat. Xu Ruo Shu chuckled softly.

"I know, dear. I have been a terrible mother to Jiaxu all these years," she admitted. "Which is why I wanted to have some private time with you. You have been avoiding the topic with such a skill that I knew it'd be the only way for me to address it with you."

"I…" I'm sorry should be the words out of Sang Zhi's mouth for her obvious avoidance. She knew it. But they wouldn't come. "I don't understand."

"You don't understand how I could have lived with my brother for so many years and essentially leave Jiaxu to himself?"

"…something like that," Zhi replied, frowning.

"Would you listen if I explained a bit?"

"It isn't necessary-"

"But it is," Xu Ruo Shu insisted. "You're important to Jiaxu and I… I want you to know."

Cautiously, Sang Zhi nodded. Hopefully it was a short story so the woman could rest as the medication kicked in. As frustrated as Zhi was about the past, she didn't want the woman to overdo it for Jiaxu's sake.

"My brother was the head of my home growing up," Xu Ruo Shu began, "as my baba had died in an accident when I was young. When Xu Dong grew enough, Mama always deferred to him. He struggled with that responsibility and found comfort in some unsavory habits."

Sang Zhi hummed noncommittally. Jiaxu had mentioned to his uncle's gambling, but the man she'd met last night didn't seem like one to act rashly.

"I met Duan Zhicheng at a karaoke bar one night. He was so handsome," Ruo Shu said, eyes misting as if remembering a cherished time. "I instantly fell in love. I didn't expect him to feel so strongly for me as well. Duan Zhicheng had a stable job and adored me… and offered marriage within weeks."

Xu Ruo Shu dabbed at her eyes with a heavy sigh. "He told me I was his only family, as he'd been orphaned at a young age. My family wasn't welcoming. They had a massive argument when Zhicheng asked for Xu Dong's blessing. I… chose Zhicheng and moved with him. It was quiet for a time and then Jiaxu was born. Mama made more of an effort… but her health was failing. Xu Dong refused to bring her to my house," she continued. "I felt sad that our family was so broken. But then Mama passed away in her sleep."

"I'm sorry," Zhi murmured.

"Thank you, dear. It was sudden, but peaceful," the woman replied. "After the funeral, I didn't hear from Xu Dong for years. He didn't tell me of his marriage, and later, of Chang Ru's birth. And over those years, my own problems began to grow. I noticed Zhicheng leaned more and more into drink as worries about work started to fester."

"Worries about work?" Sang Zhi asked.

"He was incredibly smart, but his skills were so specific, and there were talks of the factory closing… it actually did, a year or two after his…" Xu Ruo Shu struggled over the word crime and sighed, obviously tired.

"You should rest," Zhi said with a frown. "You don't need to tell me this all at once…"

"I do, though," Ruo Shu said, grabbing Sang Zhi's hand. "It's important you know."

"Why?"

"You love my son."

Sang Zhi pressed her lips together and nodded solemnly.

"When Zhicheng destroyed our lives, I… I didn't know what to do. The one I'd relied on for so long was the catalyst of all our misery. Our whole world turned upside down, and there was just endless talk about how horrible Zhicheng was, how shameless we all were, how…" Ruo Shu broke off, taking a deep shuddering breath. "I offered to help Xu Dong since his wife tragically passed weeks prior, leaving him with a newborn and toddler. It was the change of environment we needed, away from most of the talk, and I could meet my little nieces."

A fit of coughs suddenly hit her and Xu Ruo Shu took a moment to calm, and Sang Zhi shook her head. "Please, rest. You don't need to say more."

"I know Jiaxu suffered," the woman continued on, voice rasping through a dry throat. "Xu Dong despised Zhicheng, and Jiaxu by extension. But my son had a roof over his head and food in his belly. I worked odd jobs when not busy with the girls to pay the debt to the Jiang's. I encouraged him to stay at school, to get a good scholarship, so he could escape to university as soon as possible. Did you know that Jiaxu told me he was just drop out of school and get a job? I'd never been so furious with him."

Sang Zhi shook her head, but could imagine a teenage Jiaxu offering such.

"I would help the Jiang's in any way I could, and Jiang Ying became fond of me. I… she felt like a daughter, sometimes," Xu Ruo Shu explained. "Jiaxu warned me that she wasn't as kind and demure as she appeared, but… I ignored it. I thought he was angry at being indebted to them and was looking for excuses. I should have known better. I was surprised at the time, but now I understand why he applied for Nanwu University, so far away."

A loud beep of the machine startled the pair and Sang Zhi took the moment to organize her thoughts as a nurse breezed in to readjust the machine. Ruo Shu still gripped her hand, as if scared to lose the connection. The anger that had festered in Zhi's chest was easing, a sympathy for a past overriding the burn.

"When did you decide that Jiaxu must marry Jiang Ying?" Sang Zhi asked as soon as the nurse left. "That doesn't make sense to me."

"Oh, it wasn't long after Jiaxu relocated to Nanwu," the older woman replied sadly. "I'd managed to support Jiang Ying through some basic classes here, and she was looking at getting an office job at some point, but Ying would talk of how much she missed him, and how eligible and handsome he was… I thought it was tragic, for her to fall in love with someone who'd been introduced through such strife with the loss of her father."

"And now?"

Xu Ruo Shu sighed again, taking a moment to consider. After a long moment, she shook her head. "I'd never seen such vitriol from her before. Even through all the support I gave her, helping her with school and prepare for interviews… I thought it would be better when she got a job, as she could make her own future. But I guess she never could consider a future without Jiaxu in some way."

"She's ill," Sang Zhi stated plainly.

"Yes," Ruo Shu admitted sadly. "I… didn't know. She was good at hiding it from me."

Sang Zhi nodded. "It sounds like she was good at hiding it from a lot of people."

"When her father died, she would just look at us and wail," Xu Ruo Shu said. "It… was effective. I always felt terrible."

"Do you feel better now, telling me all of this?"

The woman looked at Sang Zhi, eyes full of remorse. "I wish I could have done things differently, but I think of Chang Ru and Chang Le and how difficult their lives were without their mama… it makes me sound horrible, as if I ignored my son for my nieces, but he always understood the need to be there for the girls. He worries about them as well."

"That he does," Sang Zhi agreed. "From what you've all said, it doesn't sound like your brother cared for them."

"They remind him of his wife," Ruo Shu whispered. "And he's spent his whole life running from that grief."

"That doesn't make it better."

"No," Xu Ruo Shu said, closing her eyes.

Sang Zhi disentangled her hand from the woman's, patting it. "Rest now."

The woman's eyes flew open. "Do you despise me?"

Sending the woman a somber look, Sang Zhi shook her head slowly. Her chest was so full of emotion, she couldn't begin to identify any feeling beyond a deep pity. The woman had suffered through many things, and choosing helpless babies probably had not been a second thought, no matter the hardship it could be for her and her own son.

Xu Ruo Shu finally settled, as if satisfied she'd at least attempted to address whatever grievance Sang Zhi could possibly have. Zhi sighed softly to herself and, being careful to not disturb the dozing woman, pulled out her phone.

[Sang Zhi]: How is the juice bar with your cousins?

[Duan Jiaxu]: Fine, I guess. Both of the girls don't seem surprised. I wonder if ma had warned them. How is it?

[Sang Zhi]: It's fine. She's resting now, so you needn't worry. Your ma seems to like me.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Who wouldn't? You're everything.

Affection spread through Sang Zhi's chest. At least Jiaxu had let go of the idea to send her home, no matter his misgivings.

[Sang Zhi]: I'll see you in a couple of hours.

Jiaxu sent a reply text in agreement and she pulled out some earbuds to watch some of the show that Ruo Shu and Chang Le were so enamored with. It was a bit silly, but Sang Zhi was glad to have something they could discuss, as it made conversation easier, so she needed to catch up on a couple of plot points.

Giving a quick glance to make sure Xu Ruo Shu was sleeping, Sang Zhi settled in.

~~~

After his unexpected morning with his cousins, Jiaxu dropped them off at home and went to Dream Studios. It was strange to have the freedom to head into work when he'd been so preoccupied with his ma.

Siyun greeted him when he walked onto the floor, beckoning him to her private office through the window.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your ma?" she asked when he entered and closed the door behind him.

"Ma requested Sang Zhi be with her today since I won't be there on Wednesday. I'm not used to having a task taken from me, so I'm not sure what to do," Jiaxu admitted. Siyun gave him a sympathetic look.

"Sounds like things are going well with Sang Zhi, then," she stated. "If she's willing to be such an active participant with your family."

"She is," Jiaxu said, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's… terrifying."

Siyun frowned, tilting her head. "Why?"

"My uncle approached us last night, outside here," he replied. "I can't help but feel like something horrible is going to happen."

That made Siyun straighten and bump her mouse to waken her computer. "I'll send an email to security to see if they've noted him near the premises."

"Can… can you check for Jiang Ying as well?" Jiaxu asked. "She was released a bit ago and…"

"Of course," Siyun replied, typing deftly.

"I'm sorry that there's always such trouble around me," he muttered.

"You're no trouble, Xiaoduan. They may be, but that doesn't follow that it's your fault."

Jiaxu gave a deep sigh and nodded. "It's hard to agree… but Sang Zhi says the same. I told her to go home."

"And how did that go?"

"Badly."

With an amused hum, Siyun nodded. "If things were as hard as you mentioned with her work, she doesn't seem like one to quit something midway."

"Well, she's with my ma right now, so… you're right," he said.

"Speaking of, did you pass along the information to that lawyer?" Siyun asked.

Jiaxu shook his head, pulling out his phone. "I was so rattled about my uncle that I completely forgot. I'll send it now."

"You might also want to give the detective a call," she continued. "If your uncle is threatening you after helping release someone who assaulted you… the detective would probably like to know."

"That makes sense," Jiaxu agreed, feeling a bit stupid that he hadn't thought of it himself. "Thank you, Siyun. I… I got in my head last night. I couldn't talk to ma about it, and I wasn't about to bring up my uncle to my cousins-"

Siyun held up her hand. "Don't thank me. Do you know specifics around Sang Zhi's issue at work?"

Shaking his head, Jiaxu sighed. "They didn't seem to give her much information beyond the suspicion of her leaking files to client competitors. Considering our line of work with sensitive client information, I know it's far more dire than she led me to believe, but… I'll feel better when she can discuss it with the employment lawyer to find out her rights."

"But you said her job was difficult before. Could someone have framed her?" Siyun asked.

The frustration in Jiaxu's chest to fix it stirred. "It's… possible," he grumbled. "I'd never heard of such unprofessional behavior before hearing about her boss."

"Well, she should be as honest as she can with the lawyer I recommended you. I have a meeting in a few minutes, though, so I'll see you later, okay?" she said.

Jiaxu nodded, feeling bad about derailing Siyun's time with his personal issues, and exited quickly. He went to the leftover office that he'd staged all of his things at, all of the files appropriately transferred over into their respective hard drives. Sunset Arts had the access to all of the files currently, but delivering the last bit of documentation would be a relief on his mind.

With not much else to do, Jiaxu looked through his contacts on his phone to dial the detective.

The call with Detective Zheng went fairly quickly, the man obviously busy. Jiaxu wasn't entirely sure what to tell him, but the detective did seem to note the threat without Jiaxu needing to point it out.

"Just because your cousins are staying with you doesn't mean you've kidnapped them," the man reassured Jiaxu. "As far as I'm concerned, your ma has custody of your younger cousin and is fully able to make decisions."

"Thank you for the reassurance. It's just jarring to have him call me out like that. And I'm worried as to how my uncle knew my girlfriend's name," Jiaxu stated. "Sang Zhi isn't from Yihe and hasn't met him before."

"That is strange. Her name is Sang Zhi?" the detective asked, which Jiaxu confirmed. "I'll make a note of that. Meanwhile, I'll see what I can find out about Xu Dong's whereabouts. You say he'd been gone for a long time from his home?"

"According to my cousins, yes. The only information they could give me was that they thought he worked weird shifts at an office. I didn't know he had a job, as the last 'job' I knew about was in a gambling hall."

"Okay," Detective Zheng said. "I appreciate your candor, Duan Jiaxu. I have a feeling this is more than just a simple assault."

"What do you mean?" Jiaxu asked.

"Well, we have different elements going on between possible extortion and bribery, but if your uncle was waiting for you, we could probably add stalking to the list, unless he got your whereabouts from Jiang Ying-"

"I don't think she'd be able to restrain herself if she saw me," Jiaxu admitted. "Especially if she saw my girlfriend."

"Right. So, is this being instigated by your uncle? Is he in some sort of hot water with the gambling hall you mentioned? What is the end purpose to all of this?"

"I don't know," he replied. "Is there any way to request a protective detail for my family? For Sang Zhi?"

"You already have a temporary restraining order which is good for a while."

"I have to leave town for work for a bit," Jiaxu said. "Is there nothing else?"

The detective hummed over the line and sighed. "Not really. When will you be gone again?"

Giving the detective the dates, Jiaxu tapped his foot in anxiety. It felt worse and worse to be leaving town, even if it was supposed to be less than 24 hours.

"I'll check in with you family that day, okay? That's about all I can do," Detective Zheng offered.

"I appreciate it," Jiaxu replied.

"I'll keep you informed if I find something," the detective said before ending the call.

Jiaxu sat and stared at his phone. That foreboding feeling that had started the night before hadn't abated, only grown with the call to the detective. How had Xu Dong known Sang Zhi's name? Why would he know it?

~~~

Xu Ruo Shu was very weak after her treatment, so Sang Zhi was glad that Jiaxu was parked in the hospital cutout, ready for them. The poor woman looked positively green, so Sang Zhi crawled in the backseat next to her, holding an emesis bag just in case. Fortunately for the older woman's pride, she managed to keep her stomach, but appreciated Sang Zhi's help all the same.

Once they got Ruo Shu back into her home and laying down with some ginger tea, Sang Zhi kissed Jiaxu on the cheek and bid him farewell.

"I have plans with Wang Ruo Lan. I'm afraid I've been neglecting her, so we have plans tonight… unless you need me," she said.

Jiaxu pulled her into a hug and buried his face in her neck. "I always need you," he mumbled into her hair.

Sang Zhi laughed. "Go socialize with your family. You'll be gone tomorrow, and I'm the lucky one who gets to see you off."

He agreed with a nod. "Be careful, okay? Call me if something happens."

"Okay," she replied before leaving, walking towards the waiting taxi she'd ordered. Climbing in, she waved at Jiaxu who had the same bereft expression as earlier.

Once they pulled away, Sang Zhi felt her shoulders slump. It was exhausting, pretending as if nothing was at all the matter. She was practically churning with emotion and needed a place away to gather her thoughts.

It was strange to feel so on top of everyone else. His cousins wanted all of her attention, his ma looking to Sang Zhi for absolution, and Jiaxu…

He was scared in a way that Sang Zhi could not fix. She wasn't even entirely sure what had him so anxious, and Zhi hated feeling powerless when it came to his struggles. No amount of reassurance seemed to help, if anything, he seemed even more on edge.

So if Wang Ruo Lan was surprised by arriving home to find Sang Zhi eating snacks on her couch while watching TV, she didn't show it. Her friend simply dropped her things at the door and plopped down next to her, snagging a crisp from the bag.

"Okay, Sangsang. Spill."

"All of them need therapy."

Ruo Lan snorted.

"I don't know, Ruo Lan. It's a long and unhappy story, and I just feel so bad for them all. I was angry at his ma, for enabling so much unhappiness throughout Jiaxu's life… but now I just feel a deep pity. What a horrific experience to live through."

"All of this sounds like a lot of upset for a family you're beginning to love as your own, not just for your boyfriend's sake."

"They're good people," Sang Zhi insisted.

"I have no doubt."

"It's unfair."

"Yes."

"Eugh!" Sang Zhi flopped over the armrest, mumbling into the fabric. "I wish I could do more."

"You're already doing enough. Just keep being you, Sangsang."

Sang Zhi nodded with a sigh, eyes peeking out from her arms as she stared blankly at the wall. She hoped that Jiaxu wasn't as worried the next day. There was nothing she could do for that.

Chapter Text

Packing a bag on Tuesday morning for such a short trip seemed almost not worth the effort as far as Jiaxu was concerned. Thankfully, it meant he had plenty of space for the two hard drives and completion paperwork for Sunset Arts. He was ready to be done with the blasted contract.

Chen Junwen had reached out to him a couple of times, looking for some sort of approval for Yu Xin to stay, but Jiaxu had nothing to tell him. Junwen was capable at keeping the woman busy with other, less critical projects. Jiaxu would be glad to keep her, at least for his extended stay in Yihe, but it entirely depended on how the meeting in Beiyu went, which was a whole other worry to have.

He was as prepared as he could be and had hours to fill before his flight. With that thought, Jiaxu pulled his phone out of his pocket to check traffic, wondering if he'd have enough time to steal Sang Zhi for the afternoon. As he calculated the route he was thinking of, he was interrupted by Chang Ru calling out that Sang Zhi was there.

Walking to his door, he opened it to find Sang Zhi in the hallway about to knock and pulled her into his room. Bringing her into his embrace, he felt the tightness in his chest ease, knowing she was still safe. It was rather unfair that his hometown had become such a volatile place - who knew what his uncle or Jiang Ying were up to - and the tug-o-war on his emotions was exhausting.

It simply solidified his idea. The city was too uncertain, so why not escape it?

"Hi," he said, tucking her under his chin, enjoying the feel of her body against his.

"Hello," she replied. They remained like that for a moment before she tipped her head up to look at him. "Are you all packed?"

"Yes, as little as it is," he replied, reaching to brush a strand of hair from her face. The color of her blouse was a light blue, making her skin practically glow. "Have I told you you're beautiful today?"

Smiling, she shook her head. He kissed both of her cheeks and added, "Well, you look lovely. Did you have anything planned today?"

"No. I stopped by to see how your ma was feeling. She's ill, so I don't want to be underfoot," Sang Zhi replied. "What do you need to do today?"

"Just needed to pack, which is done. I've checked on these damn hard drives more in the past three days than any other closeout documents ever. I want it to be over," he admitted, leaning his forehead against hers.

"It'll be fine," she soothed, combing her fingers against the hair at his nape.

Glancing at the door that had been left ajar, Jiaxu spun around to gently kick it closed, foot confirming the latch clicking shut softly. With that accomplished, he leaned down to press his lips against Sang Zhi's as it had been far too long. She giggled in surprise and he took advantage of it by nibbling softly on her lip before traveling kisses along her jaw to her ear.

"It's entirely unfair how little privacy we've had," he said in a low tone as he caressed her. "I have to take the opportunities when they appear."

"Haven't-" Sang Zhi whimpered as his hand trailed to rub along her breast, "-had the time."

It really was foolish for Jiaxu to start something he couldn't properly finish, but he decided at that moment it didn't matter.

Crowding her backwards to his small bed, he pulled her down to where she sat on the mattress and he ended up on his knees, laying soft kisses along her throat. Jiaxu could feel the vibrations of a moan start to build, so he quickly sealed his hand over Sang Zhi's mouth to contain it.

"Hush," he whispered at her ear, entirely too pleased when she shivered. "We wouldn't want to let anyone know what we're up to in here, do we?"

Pulling away to look at her face, Jiaxu felt his cock throb at the glazed, heated look in Sang Zhi's eyes. She mumbled against his hand, so Jiaxu grinned and removed it. "And what are we doing?" she whispered.

"Exploring the opportunity," Jiaxu said, his hands dropping to palm along her sides to her back, mouth dropping to nibble at her collar as he flicked her bra strap undone. She gasped.

Yanking her shirt down with his other hand gave Jiaxu a wonderful view of her perky little breast, which he wasted no time to lean down and capture her nipple into his mouth. Sang Zhi jolted, and a soft whine escaped her as she gripped at his hair.

Looking up at her from her breast, Jiaxu reached up to press a finger to her lips. Her mouth opened, panting, and his cock became painfully hard when she wrapped her lips around his digit and sucked.

That was when Jiaxu decided he absolutely despised pants. Removing his hands from Sang Zhi felt criminal, but he had to lift her just enough to tug her pants down, the material some stretchy witchcraft that had no buttons, her underwear getting caught with it as well. It bunched up awkwardly at her ankles, house shoes kicked off, but Jiaxu did not care, spreading her knees. Diving in to run his lips against the inside of Zhi's thigh, breathing in the scent of her arousal.

"Jiaxu," she whispered. "What if-"

He didn't much care, his tongue quickly mapping the delicate skin of her sex, making her lose her voice and arch her back. Her hands had found his hair again, not at all protesting, and Jiaxu was incapable of thought. All that existed was the delicious taste of her on his tongue, the small gasps of Zhi's as he skimmed along a sensitive spot, his finger finding the heat of her core and pressing in. Her legs widened, hips shifting as if to beg for more, and Jiaxu was willing to give it, his tongue finding the delicate nub and swirling around it gently.

Sang Zhi hissed and he glanced up at her, wanting to see her expression as he pressed another finger inside her. Her head tossed back as she struggled to remain quiet, and it was utterly enchanting to watch her body undulate to his fingers in her cunt.

Abandoning her clit for a moment, Jiaxu said in a low voice. "Will you be good and quiet, Zhizhi?"

She nodded furiously, biting hard on her lip.

"This is dangerous, isn't it? Someone could walk in at any moment…" he continued softly, pressing a third finger into her as his thumb brushed her clit. She jumped, a low moan escaping her and he stilled.

"Shhhhhh," he whispered. "No one is allowed to see you but me, Zhizhi. Don't you dare make a sound."

Furiously nodding, Sang Zhi dug her fingertips into his scalp. Jiaxu spun his thumb around her clit once again, testing her, and she shivered but remained silent.

"Good girl," he murmured, rewarding her by returning to her cunt, tongue tending around her clit once again. He could feel her toes spread against his thighs as she tried to angle her hips to his mouth, and gave her a small approving hum. Sang Zhi's breaths were becoming strained, so Jiaxu glanced up at her as he flattened his tongue hard against her clit and felt her fall to pieces in his hands.

~~~

Once Sang Zhi had gathered her wits back after the rather unexpected goal of Jiaxu's, she felt a bit bad as he immediately set her clothing right and pulled her out of his room. She resisted, as he didn't even give her any way to reciprocate, causing a bit of a petulant pout to form on her face. Seeing it, Jiaxu grinned.

"It's too lovely of a day to spend indoors. Chang Ru?" he called out, finding his cousin in the kitchen. She had her laptop out and was scowling, muttering under her breath.

"…course he did this. Because no one else could organize it more efficiently, noooo… oh, hey Jiaxu, Sang Zhi. What's up?" she asked, glancing up at them. A beat passed and she narrowed her gaze on Sang Zhi, who brushed down her hair nervously. Zhi fervently hoped Chang Ru wasn't suspicious of what they were up to in Jiaxu's room.

"Do you need a ride today?" Jiaxu asked. "Ma isn't feeling well and since I leave tonight, I thought Sang Zhi and I could go out."

"Nope, staying in. I have to deal with… this," Chang Ru replied, motioning at her computer with distaste. "Go have fun, I have auntie for the day. I'll see you tomorrow, right, Sang Zhi?"

"Yes, I'll be here early to ride with your ma," Sang Zhi confirmed. "Good luck with… that."

With that farewell, Jiaxu led her out of the house and to the car. "Are you up for a drive?"

Sang Zhi grinned and climbed in, buckling her seatbelt.

'A drive', it turned out, was a solid hour out of the city to a quieter side of the country. The highway wound through a handful of mountains, causing a bit of queasiness for Sang Zhi, so she rolled the window down, the chilly breeze cooling her warmed face. It helped.

Then they turned a corner and a vast expanse of the ocean appeared and Sang Zhi grinned in delight. "Oh, what a beautiful view!"

Jiaxu smiled. They wound down the mountain road to the beach and found parking. "It's definitely a Tuesday. Usually there's a crowd of people parked here on the weekend, even when it's cold."

"What is this place?"

"It's called Dragon Tooth Beach. We used to come here when I was a kid," Jiaxu explained as he shut off the car. "It is unseasonably warm, but we'll definitely feel the chill. I think I have a blanket in the back."

Sang Zhi didn't mind, however, jumping out of the car enthusiastically to a cold gust of ocean air. Despite the truth to Jiaxu's words, it was invigorating to see the ocean and feel the wind practically lift her up. She began to run down the slope of packed ground to the water, Jiaxu calling after her. Zhi almost slipped once her feet hit the softer sand, laughing as she practically keeled over awkwardly to catch herself.

Jiaxu wasn't far behind, concerned over her safety but smiled as soon as he caught her beaming grin. Grabbing her hand, he helped her up and Sang Zhi shot off once again.

It felt childish, to play run and catch games with Jiaxu, but, by how all of the worries seemed to melt off her boyfriend, Sang Zhi was happier for it. They skirted along the water, Sang Zhi's shoes and pants getting soaked by the way she stamped along the frigid shore. Jiaxu stayed further back, dodging her attempts at splashing sea water at him. Eventually, she fell back to the dry sand, completely out of breath. Jiaxu threw himself down next to her.

"You really like the beach, huh?" he asked with a smile, reaching down to his shoes to pull them off. Turning it upside down, a trail of sand poured out. Sang Zhi laughed, looking at her own shoes and shaking her head. They were a lost cause, so she took them off as well and tried to knock the wet clods of sand off of them. It wasn't successful.

"I don't know what is it. It's always made me happy," Sang Zhi said, looking out at the water. The tide wasn't particularly high.

"Well, I remember having a lot of fun on this beach, as we'd make a day of it," Jiaxu said as he put his shoes back on. "Ma would pack some treats and we'd spend hours looking for shells."

"Maybe when your ma is better we can bring everyone out here," Sang Zhi said, tucking her waterlogged socks into her shoes. "Have your cousins ever been?"

"I don't know," Jiaxu said with a frown. Sang Zhi could see him shake the expression away and he held out his hand to her. "C'mon. Let's walk."

Sang Zhi took his hand, letting him lift her up before they went to explore the beach.

Jiaxu began to tell her all that he knew of the beach, pointing out different coves along the rock face and how the beach had earned its name - originally, the formation of sand had made it look like it was taking a bite out of the ocean - which led them to a bay of water that was trapped in the dragon's 'mouth'.

"Occasionally the tide rises and the mouth yawns open for a time. But typically it's just filled with various ocean muck," he said. "It's not very glamorous, but I loved pulling out giant leaves of seaweed and kelp and driftwood and who knows what else when I was little."

Sang Zhi smiled, imagining a tiny Jiaxu, full of curiosity and joy, not yet marred by the future.

"I'm glad you brought me here," Sang Zhi said, turning to look up at Jiaxu as she nestled under his arm.

"I know we don't have time for me to show you everything, and might want to wait till a warmer day… but it's one of my favorite memories as a child. Being here with Ma and Da, no worries on the horizon. I couldn't think of a more important place that I wanted to share with you," he said, looking down at her with a tender expression as he tucked some hair behind her ear. "Because, Sang Zhi, I love you."

Sang Zhi felt her breath catch in her throat. Elation spread through her, lightning fast, a smile broadening on her face larger than she could ever remember feeling. "Oh Duan Jiaxu, I love you too."

With that, she lifted up on her toes to give him a firm kiss. He took a beat to reciprocate, as if he needed the moment to register, but pulled back with a wide grin. "It's been difficult holding that in for so long," he said.

"What do you mean?" Sang Zhi asked archly.

"I think I fell in love with you the moment I stepped on you at that bar," he said with a cheeky grin.

"You did not step on me!" Sang Zhi scowled, which Jiaxu promptly swooped down to capture her lips once again.

And Sang Zhi enjoyed every moment of it.

~~~

They were desperately late returning to Yihe.

They meandered along the shore for some time, the warming sun balancing out the coolness, and after they returned to the car, Sang Zhi had struggled to get her shoes on with how water and sand logged they were. Jiaxu eventually just decided to drive over to the nearest shop to find her a pair of inexpensive slides.

Despite Jiaxu calculating the distance time accurately, he'd failed to account for the amount of traffic into the city, plopping them in the middle of an apparently common slowdown. He glanced at Sang Zhi, who was on her phone staring at the GPS application with a small frown.

"I'm sorry, Zhizhi," he said, knowing that he'd cut into their planned dinner with her friend.

"It's okay, Jiaxu," she replied. "I've already texted Wang Ruo Lan that it'll have to be more of a meet and greet and go, and we can plan dinner for another day."

"I'm not going to give her a good impression, always keeping you late," Jiaxu said.

Sang Zhi shrugged. "She'll understand when I explain where we were."

With that statement, she sent him a small smile that made it difficult for Jiaxu to feel guilty. He loved her so much, and he was bursting with happiness that she felt the same.

When they arrived back home, Wang Ruo Lan was already parked and leaning against her car. Chang Ru was outside with her, the pair chatting politely.

"I tried to invite her in," Chang Ru declared the moment Jiaxu and Sang Zhi climbed out of his car. Wang Ruo Lan laughed.

"That she did, and I politely declined," she said, giving a little bow to Jiaxu. "Wang Ruo Lan. Nice to meet you, Duan Jiaxu. Sang Zhi has told me all about your noodle qualifications."

"Ruo Lan!" Sang Zhi hissed as Chang Ru snickered, "Is that what they call it?"

"What? It's good to know he can provide you with carbs, Sangsang," Wang Ruo Lan said with a practiced stoic expression.

Heat rushed up Jiaxu's neck as he wasn't sure how to respond.

"Nice to meet you too. I'll, uh, go get my bag," he said, thinking a retreat was in order. Usually he was the one who was on the edge of scandalous.

Chang Ru followed him in, barely holding in her mirth. He could just barely hear the low, quick words of Sang Zhi scolding her friend and Wang Ruo Lan giving a nonchalant answer before heading inside.

"I like her," Chang Ru told him unprompted. "Then again, I got a bit of a warning about that."

"What do you mean, warning?" Jiaxu asked, pausing in front of his room.

"Seems like their old roommate chat put her up to it," Chang Ru said with a shrug. "I was complaining about my dumb roommate - you know, the one who always needs me to come bail her out? - and Wang Ruo Lan showed me their group chat, and how it never goes away, even after college. Fat chance, though, I'm deleting Min Lihua's number the day we graduate."

Peeking out the window, Jiaxu could see Sang Zhi pulling out her own phone, typing away with an annoyed expression, and laughed. "Okay, that makes sense. Sang Zhi had always said Wang Ruo Lan was the quiet one!"

"Well, she definitely surprised you. Are you ready to go?"

"Let me go say goodbye to Ma… is Chang Le at practice?"

"Yes. Maybe send her a text, she waited for ages before she had to go," Chang Ru said.

"I'm just leaving for a day," Jiaxu said, but pulled his phone out to send an apologetic text to his cousin anyway. That done, he managed to wake his ma up enough to say goodbye. She was full of sleepy apologies for not being able to see him to the airport, which Jiaxu soothed, running his hand along her brow until she settled back down. Then he grabbed his bags and headed outside.

Wang Ruo Lan spotted him and opened the trunk, which he deposited his bags into with a thanks.

"Do we still have time to get you something to eat?" Wang Ruo Lan asked when they got into the car. Sang Zhi had opted to sit in the back with Jiaxu, apparently, which Wang Ruo Lan seemed completely unbothered by. He was glad, adjusting to lay his arm over Sang Zhi's shoulders after helping her with her seatbelt.

"Probably not," Jiaxu replied with a grimace. "Sorry. I didn't mean to make us late."

"Traffic happens," the woman replied, "and I'm sure we'll reschedule."

"I really do appreciate the ride, though," he said. "Hopefully this isn't too far out of your way."

Wang Ruo Lan simply smiled. "It's no problem. What were you guys up to?"

"Jiaxu took me to the beach," Sang Zhi explained.

"Ohhh," her friend said knowingly. "I'm surprised you made it back by nightfall then."

Sang Zhi stuck her tongue out at her friend, which made Jiaxu laugh.

"You think I'm joking, but Sangsang would get in these moods at university, which was only ever solved by going down to the pier," Wang Ruo Lan told Jiaxu with a knowing glance in the rear view mirror. "We each had our thing, and the ocean was Sang Zhi's."

"At least it was recreational," Sang Zhi insisted. "I left the dorm. Stretched my legs. Enjoyed some fresh air."

"True," her friend agreed.

"What was yours?" Jiaxu asked, genuinely curious.

Wang Ruo Lan wrinkled her nose. "It was nothing."

Sang Zhi bit her lips together to hide a smile, which Jiaxu found incredibly charming.

"Ning Wei would always cheer up if we went to a karaoke bar," Ruo Lan continued, refraining from elaborating about herself. "And Yu Xin would be lost for hours at the internet cafe."

"If we wanted to cheer Ruo Lan up, we'd go to this particular boba shop-"

Wang Ruo Lan groaned and shook her head. "It was ages ago, Sangsang-"

"-where this particular sports major worked-"

"-he didn't even know who I was-"

"-who'd always remember her order-"

Jiaxu chuckled, more at the antics of the women than the actual story.

"-just because I'm incredibly consistent doesn't mean he remembered me-"

"That wasn't from a lack of trying! Ning Wei tried to get his number and he about dropped the tray of drinks he was delivering to us-"

"-which, I fortunately saved, if you recall not wearing a strawberry boba tea that day-"

"Thank you," Sang Zhi said somberly. "Many years belated."

"You're welcome," Wang Ruo Lan said with a grin. "It really was nothing, though. That boba was delicious."

"So, we always took her to get boba to cheer her up," Sang Zhi finished, sending Jiaxu a smile. "Hot sports guy not required."

"We didn't even know his name, Sangsang."

"Do you know what sport he played?" Jiaxu asked.

Wang Ruo Lan and Sang Zhi both tilted their head in thought.

"Didn't we see him with a basketball once?" Sang Zhi asked. Her friend shrugged.

"I think we'd be better served to think of the guys we didn't see with basketballs," Wang Ruo Lan asserted. "They seemed to be everywhere."

"Yihe does have a pretty competitive basketball scene," Jiaxu confirmed. He remembered considering applying for a sports scholarship before all of the trouble with his family happened. "Wonder what happened to him."

"We'll never know," Sang Zhi said gravely. "Goodbye, hot sports guy. You will be fondly remembered."

"He didn't die, Sang Zhi," Wang Ruo Lan grumbled. "How did you manage to make it sound so macabre?"

Sang Zhi lifted one shoulder in a shrug and snuggled in closer to Jiaxu.

The conversation quieted, Wang Ruo Lan focusing on the tricky traffic that was attempting to all combine into one drop off queue. Jiaxu couldn't help but squeeze Sang Zhi to him, trying to soak in her warmth before he had to go.

"You'll be careful when you go with Ma?" he murmured to her as the terminal loomed ahead. While his worry had been there in his peripherals, the day out of the city had made him feel better. He was only going to be gone a day. He'd be back before anything could happen.

Sang Zhi nodded. "To the hospital and back, no trouble at all. When does your plane arrive again?"

"Early evening," he replied, twisting to pull his phone out of his pocket. "I didn't really get to say goodbye to Chang Le, unfortunately. She had practice tonight."

"I could go stop by. She invited me to come see their routine," Sang Zhi offered with a shrug. "It's right around the corner from your place, right?"

Jiaxu confirmed just as Wang Ruo Lan found an empty space to maneuver into. The woman parked and hopped out to open the trunk. Jiaxu sent Sang Zhi a sad smile. "Guess we've arrived."

She returned the smile, brushing her fingers against Jiaxu's face tenderly. "I'll be waiting to hear you safely landed."

"Of course," he agreed before leaning to give her a kiss. It was short and sweet, but about as much as Jiaxu could manage in the back seat of her friend's car.

"I love you," she said when he withdrew.

"I love you too," Jiaxu said, still a bit amazed at how right the words felt spoken. Unfortunately, he couldn't do much than give her another squeeze and exit the vehicle due to time.

Walking to the rear of the car, Jiaxu went to grab his bags, noting that Wang Ruo Lan was looking at her phone in an attempt at privacy. Straightening, she smiled.

"Do you need a ride tomorrow?" she asked, closing the trunk after he slung on his backpack.

"I'm hoping to come back early," he said quietly as he saw Sang Zhi get out of the car. "I can't guarantee that, so I'll just take a taxi back. But I appreciate the offer and the ride here. We'll have to plan a dinner another time."

"Sounds good," Wang Ruo Lan said as she walked up to the drivers seat.

Jiaxu turned to Sang Zhi, who hovered next to him with a pout, which made him smile and give her another hug. He kissed her head then shooed her back to the car, where she begrudgingly climbed into the front seat next to Wang Ruo Lan.

"See you tomorrow," he said, closing the door on her. She gave him a weak smile and wave. Nodding, Jiaxu forced himself to turn and enter the airport.

~~~

Sang Zhi looked contemplatively out of the window as Wang Ruo Lan drove. Her thoughts dwelt on the day, the amorous morning quite unexpected although very welcome, and how wonderful the afternoon had been. The beach had calmed Jiaxu of his worries and… he loved her.

It made her feel like the luckiest woman in the world.

"What's on your mind?" Wang Ruo Lan asked.

"Jiaxu told me he loved me today," Sang Zhi admitted, smiling.

"Of course he does. Have you not seen the way he looks at you?" Wang Ruo Lan said in confusion.

Sang Zhi shrugged, knowing that her own insecurities wouldn't be a worthwhile excuse, but before she could respond, Ruo Lan's phone went off. With an apologetic smile, her friend answered the call.

"Hello?"

Summarily dismissed for the moment, Sang Zhi went back to looking out of the window as her friend discussed with the caller a problem that had come up at her work. Realizing that they were heading to her friends house, Zhi had to wait until the call was over to speak to Wang Ruo Lan.

"Sorry about that," Ruo Lan said as it disconnected. "I can't believe they misread the character description like that… the cover is due to be shown to the author on Friday!"

"Anything I can do?"

"No, it's fine," she shrugged. "I just need my computer."

"Do you think you could you drop me off near Jiaxu's place? I can get a taxi home later," Sang Zhi asked.

"What for?" Wang Ruo Lan asked as she shifted lanes to adjust her heading.

"His cousin asked me to come watch their routine and her practice should still be going."

Once they got near, Sang Zhi pulled out her GPS to find the studio she was thinking of. After thanking her friend for ride when they arrived, Zhi hopped out and saw the sign that pointed her down a long hallway to a dance studio at the back of the building. Entering the waiting room, she could see other family trying to peer through the wide window to watch their prospective students work.

Chang Le was somewhere in the middle of perhaps two dozen girls, looking intensely focused as they shifted from one formation to another, popping out their legs out and bowing and spinning and embellishing their arms to a beat that Sang Zhi could hear thump through the wall.

It seemed to be going well and Zhi couldn't help but be impressed, the level of coordination to execute so many moves without running into each other rather mesmerizing to watch.

The song concluded - tune escaping Sang Zhi completely - with the girls all ending in a staggered position. Staying frozen for a moment, Chang Le finally spotted Sang Zhi through the window and smiled. With a clap, the girls disbanded and Chang Le huddled with the group until they were apparently dismissed.

As soon as that was over, however, Chang Le practically sprinted to the waiting room where Sang Zhi saw there were more benches and all of their backpacks.

"You came!" Chang Le exclaimed.

"Jiaxu mentioned he didn't get to say goodbye, so I hope I'm an okay substitution," Sang Zhi said with a smile. "Even if I only caught the end of it."

Chang Le led her over to a bench so she could switch her shoes and nodded. "What did you think?"

"It's awesome, Chang Le. You guys are very talented."

A couple of girls came over to chat with Chang Le for a moment, giving Sang Zhi a curious look, before the Chang Le grabbed her backpack and said goodbye. Entwining her arm with Sang Zhi's, Chang Le led her out of the studio and started regaling Zhi with all of the drama between the girls.

Sang Zhi had trouble following the cast of characters, but listened as attentively as she could as they walked back to Jiaxu's home. There was still a bit of foot traffic, various restaurants and stores still active, and briskly made their way in short order. Chang Le wrinkled her nose at the door when they arrived home, trying to remember the code to let them in, and smiled when Sang Zhi gave her a gentle reminder.

Unfortunately, Chang Ru was just beyond the door, having overheard their approach. "You really shouldn't forget the code, Lele," she scolded lightly. "C'mon, though. Auntie's up with a bowl of soup and primed that show you two love so much."

"Oh, Sang Zhi, come watch!" Chang Le insisted. Sang Zhi laughed.

"Not tonight. I'm still not caught up, remember?"

"At least say hi to auntie."

That was something Sang Zhi could do, so she quickly went in to say hello to Xu Ruo Shu and assure her that Jiaxu had made it to the airport with plenty of time. "I'll be here tomorrow early, okay?" she ended with.

"Okay, dear. I'll be ready. Should we call you a taxi? It's so dark outside," Xu Ruo Shu said with a concerned glance at the darkened window.

"Already have one on the way," Sang Zhi said, holding up her phone to show the driver app. "Enjoy the show, you two!"

Bidding goodbye to Chang Ru - whose workspace on the kitchen table had only grown - Sang Zhi stepped out of the house and confirmed it latched shut.

The Xu's were all tucked in for the night, as Sang Zhi had promised Jiaxu. She smiled to herself as she walked down the path to the main walkway that led to the road. She looked up at the sky and hoped that his flight went well - Beiyu was even further from Yihe than Nanwu was.

She made it down the little street from the home with the thoroughfare in sight. It was early enough in the evening that people were still milling about, and she could see the taxi parked nearby. Waving at the vehicle, Sang Zhi quickly went and climbed in.

Sang Zhi was completely ignorant of the man smoking a cigarette, watching her as her taxi drove away.

Chapter Text

Jiaxu's flight was awful. While the skies had been clear upon take off, the weather worsened as they approached Beiyu. Jiaxu was no stranger to uncomfortable flights, but even he felt anxious as the turbulence made the landing rough. It was a relief to be off the plane, walking through the quiet tarmac. Being one of the last arrivals of the evening, the building was oddly cozy with the sound of rain hitting the giant windows as he made his way through to the taxi zone.

After being dropped off in front of his hotel, he spotted a convenience store across the street and was able to grab a bite to eat to settle his stomach. Then he returned to the hotel check in. As soon as he entered the room, he double checked to make sure no rain had gotten on the hard drives and breathed a sigh of relief when they were clear. It'd be catastrophic if something happened to them.

Since it was late, he texted Sang Zhi a message about arriving safely and how he loved her before heading to bed. She responded for him to sleep well, which made him smile as he turned off the lights.

The next day started off with Jiaxu opening the drapes and seeing that the storm hadn't abated. Sending Sang Zhi a text (good morning, love - being able to say love so freely was liberating), he then went to shower. He called for room service, a rare treat to smooth his morning, with a delicious brunch that took his time eat, grinning at the play-by-play messages Sang Zhi was sending. She started with her having breakfast with Ma at the house before Siyun arrived. Then off to the appointment, settling in, his Ma smiling more through the process in pictures than Jiaxu had seen her. He was so distracted that by the time he checked the time, he realized that he needed to go. Packing up his few things, he confirmed once again that the hard drives were in his bag, and went downstairs to check out.

The taxi ride over to Sunset Arts was only complicated by the rain and Jiaxu arrived in good time for the meeting. Being ushered through their building and deposited to the meeting room, he greeted each member of the board and the technical supervisors, who had a bit of nervous energy about them. It made Jiaxu's chest pinch, but he wasn't about to borrow trouble when he was almost done with them.

Handing over the documents was a strangely formal scene. Jiaxu gave the contract paperwork to one of the board members, who signed it and passed it along, one man looked decidedly surly. It wasn't until the contract made it down to him that he sat and started to read over it slowly.

While there were a handful of technical questions that Jiaxu was answering, the man's countenance continued to darken and he shook his head, throwing his pen down with a refusal to sign.

"The contract states that for the bonus clause to be met, your company needed to finish by the 6th. As today is the 7th, I don't think this contract closure document has any merit," the man said.

Jiaxu affixed a polite smile on his face. "As your company has had access to the files throughout the entire process digitally, and the completed dataset since the 5th, your claim is unfounded. The work has been completed within the parameters," he stated calmly. "This meeting is only a courtesy to hand over physical copies that you can keep for your records."

The technical team glanced between each other and the other board members shifted uncomfortably. The naysayer shook his head.

"I'm not signing this. Go back and get me a contract release with the bonus taken off and I'll read it over," the man said.

"I won't be returning," Jiaxu stated plainly. "Catnap Studios did the work and has been in constant contact with your company to assure a smooth update. If there are any issues, we can resolve programming conflicts at an additional fee as you incorporate future expansions, which is also noted in that document. Either you sign that today, or I will be contacting Dream Studios legal office about your contract refusal and you will lose access to our team."

He hated having to throw Dream Studios name out like that, the company far larger than his little one, but he knew Siyun would be furious at Sunset Arts for reneging on the contract when they'd been such a contentious client in the first place. It was definitely a lesson learned.

"Could you excuse us for a moment, Duan Jiaxu?" another board member asked.

"Of course," Jiaxu said, taking a few backwards steps to the door, before adding, "I highly recommend signing that contract today."

Stepping outside, he found a secretary waiting there with a bottle of water. Thanking her, he sat down in the waiting area and took a drink. Waking his phone, he found a text from Siyun.

[Siyun]: How is it going up there?

[Duan Jiaxu]: The one board member doesn't want to sign. I explained what happens if they refuse and they're deliberating about it now.

[Siyun]: Well, then there's nothing to do. Legal will pick it up. I'm sorry Xiaoduan.

[Duan Jiaxu]: It's fine. I'm going to get out of here though, so I'll hopefully get back sooner.

[Siyun]: Keep me informed, I still have to pick up your ma and Sang Zhi later but could try to get you from the airport if there's no one else.

[Duan Jiaxu]: Thanks Siyun. I'll keep that in mind.

The door opened back up and Jiaxu stood, the team inside inviting him back in.

"We won't be signing this form today, Duan Jiaxu of Catnap Studios," one of the board members stated. "We do appreciate you coming out today and will be in contact."

Jiaxu nodded, opening his folio to pull out a specific card. "I understand. Here is the contact to our legal team if you have any further questions."

Setting it down on the table, Jiaxu bowed by the barest polite amount, then left.

Once he finally made it outside, he took a deep breath. Infuriating clients aside, he was done.

Good riddance.

Glancing at the sky from under the overhang, he frowned as he saw even darker storm cell out in the distance. Yihe had been having great weather that Jiaxu hadn't thought to check Beiyu's, and he wanted to get home. Jiaxu hailed a cab, glad that he'd already checked out of the hotel, and went to the airport.

As he arrived and confirmed the payment for the taxi driver, his phone vibrated in his hand. Walking underneath the overhang to the entrance, he frowned as the rain seemed to pelt down harder. Hoping it was Sang Zhi, he pushed aside the disappointment and answered.

[Chen Junwen]: How did the meeting go?

Jiaxu sighed, not enjoying being the bearer of bad news, but dialed Junwen anyway.

"Hello?"

"They refused to sign," Jiaxu stated as he went inside and looked at the flight information board. Frustration coiled in his gut as he saw a bunch of flights shift to delayed as he watched. At least they weren't canceled.

Chen Junwen swore quietly. "So what does that mean?"

"Well, we are in between contracts beyond our typical work with Dream Studios. While that'll keep us afloat, I don't think we can justify keeping Yu Xin around," Jiaxu admitted.

The line was so quiet that Jiaxu had to pull it from his ear to make sure he wasn't disconnected. "Hello?"

"Right. That's… probably for the best," Junwen responded.

Pausing, Jiaxu frowned. "Why's that?"

The line was quiet again, but Jiaxu suspected his friend was churning his hands in anxiety. Sitting down to focus on Junwen, he held his cell phone to his ear with his shoulder as he pulled out his laptop.

"No reason-"

"What happened?" Jiaxu interrupted, knowing his friend far too well to think that 'no reason' was anything but all of the reasons.

"I made an ass out of myself, okay?" Chen Junwen grumbled. "After Qian Fei's wedding. She's been an absolute professional, though, so we've been managing work just fine. It's just been…" he paused, then sighed, "Well, we don't have much else to assign her."

"Okay," Jiaxu replied, confused, booting up the computer. "Was there a disagreement or something? Do I need to get Siyun involved?"

Junwen groaned under his breath, "no, nothing like that. I… she's great, and I apologized, it should be done with but…"

"But…?"

"Look, I was feeling like shit after the wedding, okay? I had way too many shots. And you were on a plane, so neither of us were able to approve her requests. She showed up at my door, commandeered my laptop, and just started chugging along more datasets. It's not exactly a flattering look when I was trying to peel myself up off the floor," Junwen explained in a rushed, quiet voice.

"I mean, on a scale of typical Junwen's disasters, that doesn't sound that bad," Jiaxu said, clicking around a travel website to see if there were any earlier flights. "Maybe a little bit embarrassing but-"

Chen Junwen cut him off with a groan. "She fell on me."

"She… what?" Jiaxu asked, face contorting as he tried to imagine what his friend was talking about.

"I didn't expect her to come around the corner and we collided, and she," Junwen started to mumble, making Jiaxu rub his brow in frustration.

"Just spit it out."

"She landed flat on top of me. I guess I have some instincts to be the pillow in this situation," Junwen grumbled. "I didn't mean to grab her like that, but, fuck, I'm an absolute fool around her and it's so damn embarrassing, Jiaxu."

"Was she mad or something?"

"No, like I said, she's been professional - downright kind - about the whole thing. If this happened in high school, I'd have been ridiculed until graduation," Chen Junwen admitted.

"This was weeks ago and you haven't gotten over it?" Jiaxu asked. "Why didn't you say something sooner?"

"You've had way more important things to deal with," Junwen said. "And I have gotten over it. We're working together fine."

Jiaxu hummed in response. "Well, awkward encounters aside, I think at this point it'd be a professional courtesy for you to tell her that with the contract ending, she'll be heading home. It's unfortunate, but I'm sure we'll have other projects in the future we could onboard her for."

"I'll relay the message."

There was such a downcast tone to his friend's voice that Jiaxu asked, "You okay?"

"Yeah. I'll look at flights for her to get home. Thanks for confirming, Jiaxu," Chen Junwen replied. "When is your flight? Back to Yihe, right?"

"Yes. I'm checking in right now - I was hoping to get an earlier flight, but it looks like all of them are delayed due to a storm," Jiaxu said worriedly.

"Want to rush back, huh?"

"Absolutely," Jiaxu said with a slight smile. "I'll chat with you soon. Don't forget about Yu Xin."

"Bye Jiaxu," Junwen said with exasperation before the call ended. Shifting applications, Jiaxu sent a text off.

[Duan Jiaxu]: I'm done with my meeting and at the airport now. I tried to get an earlier flight, but a storm in passing through, so they've been canceling them. At this point, I hope my flight isn't delayed.

Sang Zhi didn't respond, which he didn't expect as she was probably busy with his ma at her treatment. Leaning back in his seat, Jiaxu settled in to wait, watching the flight board like a hawk for any change.

~~~

The morning went quickly for Sang Zhi, who arrived in the morning at Jiaxu's house to eat breakfast with the family before Siyun showed up. The woman was prompt, smiling wide at the pair as they approached. It was a pleasant drive over, Siyun and Xu Ruo Shu chatting about something while Sang Zhi checked her phone to confirm the telephone appointment with the lawyer later. It was inconveniently scheduled in the middle of the day, so she hoped Ruo Shu would be okay with her stepping out for a bit.

After arriving at the clinic and set up with the infusion, Zhi started to tell Ruo Shu about seeing Chang Le's practice the evening prior, which prompted the woman to give her all of the drama of the various dance members.

"…and there's talk that they'll be able to go to Nationals, but the competition is very fierce," Xu Ruo Shu elaborated, which Sang Zhi hummed in response. "I do hope they can, though, Chang Le works so hard."

About halfway through the appointment, Ruo Shu became tired and Sang Zhi helped her get comfortable, tucking the blanket around her arm carefully to keep it from disturbing the infusion line. The woman looked up at her with a small smile.

"I'm so glad you're here, Sang Zhi. Thank you for being so good to us," she murmured.

"Of course," Sang Zhi replied softly. "Is it okay if I leave you for a few minutes? I'm expecting a call from my work, about, uh, a client issue. I couldn't really reschedule it, but don't want you to think I've disappeared-"

"Go right ahead," Xu Ruo Shu said. "I think I'm going to try to nap for a bit anyway."

"Okay," Sang Zhi replied. "I'll be right back as soon as it's over."

Xu Ruo Shu nodded, closing her eyes. Sang Zhi stepped around the curtain and left.

Upon reaching the ground floor, she eyed the cafeteria full of people before noticing the courtyard cocooned by the buildings, and was glad to see there was a bench under a tree, which would afford relative privacy. Sitting down and making herself comfortable, she noted a text from Jiaxu that she'd missed. He was concerned about weather issues affecting his flight.

Not wanting to be late to her call, Sang Zhi took a deep breath and dialed the number to the lawyer left in her email. After declaring herself to the operator, she had to wait a few moments before the lawyer connected to the line. "Hello, Sang Zhi?"

"Hello, yes, this is Sang Zhi," she replied nervously.

"Thank you for being so prompt," the lawyer said. "There were a few things I wanted to go over with you about."

Sang Zhi agreed. The questions seemed to revolve around basic tasks around the office for a time, before shifting.

"I noted in your task docket that you typically complete thirty percent more than your peers. Why is that?"

"Erm," Sang Zhi said, unsure. "I did not tally my coworkers tasks, so I didn't know I was doing that much more. I did routinely come in early to work to make sure I wasn't behind-"

"Why?"

"Because I needed that time to complete the work given me," Sang Zhi said, confused. She had noticed the different hours, but she'd assumed it was consistent with her low level standing in the company. "Is that not usual?"

"Let me be candid, Sang Zhi. Do you feel targeted by your boss, Xiaoyu?" the lawyer asked directly.

"…I don't know about targeted. She has never liked my work, requiring me to resubmit things multiple times," she replied.

"And it says here you requested to transfer."

"Correct."

"Have you ever been to Yihe?"

Blinking, Sang Zhi stared up at the leaves on the tree. "As my resume states, I graduated from Yihe University, so, yes. However, I hadn't been back until this week."

"You're in Yihe now?" the lawyer asked.

"My boyfriend's family is from Yihe and his ma has cancer. Since I was put on indefinite leave, there was no reason to remain in Nanwu, at least, until I had any information about my employment. I came up here to help," Sang Zhi said. "I'm actually at the hospital with her right now."

"I wish her a speedy recovery."

"Thank you."

"Have you been to the Yihe office?"

"No, why would I?" she asked. There was a brief pause where Sang Zhi could hear the lawyer shuffling some papers.

"There are multiple logins from the Yihe office with your credentials. Do you know anyone at that office, perhaps to do you a favor, because of your difficulty with Xiaoyu?"

"I don't know anyone from the Yihe-" Sang Zhi started to say when she was suddenly struck with a memory. "Wait. I did meet someone from the Yihe office, when I requested my transfer."

"Who was it?"

"She was introduced as Ms. Jiang-"

"Ah, Jiang Ying."

Jiang Ying. The name that seemed so familiar but Sang Zhi couldn't place, having only met the woman once practically a year ago. The name that Xu Dong had threatened Jiaxu with. The woman who had abused Jiaxu his entire life, that had accosted him at the hospital, that had her boyfriend jumping at shadows in his hometown.

The woman that wielded her tragedy like a gavel to crush the Duan's.

The fury that Sang Zhi had been trying to contain flared as she tried to remember the woman. All that was coming to mind was dark hair and a sympathetic smile.

"And is she involved in this in any way?"

"I honestly couldn't tell you," Sang Zhi replied, trying to keep her breathing even. "She denied my transfer and that was my last interaction with her."

There's been some talk that you're difficult to work with. Xiaoyu has always been an exemplary manager and has improved a lot of projects here. Your work is still under review, and there's no other teams accepting transfers currently.

Remembering Jiang Ying's words, anger churned in Sang Zhi. The words had been so kindly delivered. The woman had been completely sympathetic but acted as if her hands were tied. Had Sang Zhi been misled about the transfer and there had just not been anyone else to confirm?

"I sense there's more than what you're saying," the lawyer probed.

"I do not know if it's the same person, but there is a woman named Jiang Ying who my boyfriend currently has a restraining order against, due to her assaulting him," Sang Zhi stated plainly. "I did not know his assailant's name until the other day, however, and hadn't made the possible connection until just now."

There was a pause, more shuffling papers, until the lawyer said, "I see. Out of curiosity, how long have you been seeing your boyfriend?"

Sang Zhi squinted as she tried to remember how long it'd been. New Years was when they reconnected, and it was March, so she replied, "about three months."

"I appreciate your time, Sang Zhi. This call has been… interesting. I still have a few things to check, but it shouldn't take more than a couple of days to have a resolution," he said.

"Okay," she said. "I'll still be here in Yihe until otherwise."

"Take care," the lawyer said and hung up.

Dropping the phone into her lap, Sang Zhi sighed. She had absolutely no idea if it went well or not, but the lawyer's pointed questions were a step further than they were during the initial meeting. Hoping that she'd done the right thing by being forthright, she got up.

As she traversed back upstairs, Sang Zhi saw another text from Jiaxu.

[Duan Jiaxu]: The storm has cleared, so my flight is only a bit delayed. I'm getting on it now. See you soon, love.

The emotion that had been building in her chest relaxed at the knowledge that Jiaxu would be home soon and she could talk to him about her sudden recollection of potentially meeting the Jiang Ying who'd caused so much strife. Not wanting to lay that possibility on him over text, she kept her response vague.

[Sang Zhi]: I'm so glad. Your ma is sleeping right now, and I think I figured something out about my work troubles. I'll tell you about it later. Travel safe.

She sighed, knowing he wouldn't respond if he really was walking onto the plane.

Xu Ruo Shu was sleeping soundly when Sang Zhi returned, and she sat down carefully as to not interrupt the woman's rest.

The rest of the appointment was uneventful, the nurse having to wake Xu Ruo Shu when it was completed. The woman was obviously nauseous so Sang Zhi stayed close as they made their way downstairs. Siyun was waiting for the pair in front of the hospital, and took the most direct way home that had less turns to keep Ruo Shu comfortable. After they arrived, Sang Zhi was able to wheel Xu Ruo Shu into the home with the collapsible wheelchair that Jiaxu kept by the front door. Chang Ru took over settling her auntie into bed as Chang Le started a kettle of water for tea.

"Thank you so much for your help, Siyun," Sang Zhi said. "I know Jiaxu appreciates it, and so do I."

"I'm glad to help, Sang Zhi," she replied. "Xiaoduan is a special man to my husband and me, so we will always make time for him. It would be nice if we could go out to dinner one of these nights, just us four."

"I'd like that," Sang Zhi agreed. "Have you heard from Jiaxu?"

"The meeting didn't go well, but he shouldn't have to worry about that, as our lawyers will take over the contract dispute from here," Siyun explained. "His flight was making good time when I checked it earlier, so he should be home this evening no problem."

Sang Zhi nodded. She'd feel much better when he arrived, but until then, she just needed to get through the next few hours. Bidding Siyun farewell, she went inside to chat with the girls until she'd need to leave.

The evening went quickly, Sang Zhi ordering a large batch of food to be delivered. Chang Ru went to give Xu Ruo Shu some mild soup, but she returned with a worried brow since the woman simply declined with a mumble and went back to sleep. Sang Zhi tried to be reassuring but she wasn't sure if it convinced Chang Ru.

"I'm heading out now to get Jiaxu," Sang Zhi said, grabbing her bag. "I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

Chang Ru nodded with a smile. "I'm just glad nothing happened while Jiaxu was away. I was worried Jiang Ying would show up like before."

"What do you mean?" Sang Zhi asked with a tilt of her head.

"Once Jiaxu moved to Nanwu, Jiang Ying would come by often for auntie. The few times he'd visit, she'd appear the moment he left, kind of to…" Chang Ru trailed off with a frown, chewing on her words. "She never yelled at auntie, but she'd twist her words to berate auntie for letting him go again. It was awful to watch."

Anger splintered in Sang Zhi's chest, but she gave the girl a tight smile. "Well, I'm glad I was able to be here too."

"Is Wang Ruo Lan driving you?" Chang Ru asked.

Sang Zhi nodded. "Yes. She mentioned him saying he'd get a taxi, so I want to get there plenty early to catch him before he does."

"Well, let her know we have a feast here, so she should come in and eat as a thank you for ferrying Jiaxu."

"I will," Sang Zhi replied with a smile. "I'll see you later."

Sang Zhi left their home and made the same path to the thoroughfare for her ordered taxi back to Wang Ruo Lan's place. Her mind was on the knowledge of Jiang Ying harassing the family long after Jiaxu's departure, years ago. What had she hoped to accomplish?

She was distracted by such thoughts as she walked to the large, populated street, when an arm darted out in front of her, yanking her roughly into a darkened corridor. Sang Zhi shrieked in surprise but felt a cloth press firmly over her nose and mouth, muffling her scream.

The seconds felt agonizingly slow as she struggled, kicking and trying to hit her elbow into her assailants gut, but she was too weak, too tired…

She passed out.

Chapter Text

Awareness began with the musty scent of mold that raided Sang Zhi's nose. A fuzzy sort of headache pressed into her head and she groaned, finding it muffled by a gag in her mouth. Wanting to reach up to pull it out of her mouth, she felt the numbness of her hands bound behind her back. Opening her eyes slowly, it didn't afford much information with how dim the space was.

"Waking up, are you?"

Her feet were banded together as well, so it was a process to roll over and face the gravelly voice, the hard floor unforgiving against her bones. As she squinted up at her abductor, icy dread spread through Sang Zhi as she recognized him, eyes immediately filling with uncertain tears that she tried to blink back.

Xu Dong was there with an unlit cigarette in between his fingers, illuminated by a basic household candle, sitting on a stack of boxes. Shifting around to get her bearings, Sang Zhi could see the outline of similar boxes, filling the room. If she dared flail, she'd likely cause a stack to topple over onto her.

"I always find it interesting when things just happen to work out in perfect ways. You could have holed up in that damn house the entire time Duan Jiaxu was away and forced us to figure out a different option. But no, Jiang Ying was right that you'd go meet up with him," Xu Dong said, setting the cigarette in his mouth. "You both made it too easy."

Sang Zhi glared at him.

"Oh, right," he reached down to hook a finger around the gag and pull it free. Sang Zhi swallowed as she tried to get the taste of the dirty material out of her mouth. "Had to keep you quiet till we got here. No one will notice if you yell now."

"Where are we?" she demanded.

He laughed coldly which made Sang Zhi shiver. "My old house, my dear. You get the privilege of seeing Jiaxu's disgusting room."

"Why are you doing this?" she asked quietly, looking around. There was barely enough space for a bedroll, which hurt her heart. It was no place for anyone to sleep, cramped and neglected.

"That brat has always thwarted plans, so we get to do another lesson," he replied with a humored tone. "It wasn't too hard with Zhicheng. That was truly a perfect opportunity."

Shifting slightly so she could try to hide testing her wrists' bonds, she frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Zhicheng was predictable," Xu Dong explained. "He really worried about the future, you know. Wasn't too difficult to extend an olive branch and see him at the bar from time to time. Tried to get him entangled in some of my business interests. He really shouldn't have married my sister."

"Why not?"

"She was meant for a greater family than some poor motherfucker born from the slums," Xu Dong said with a shrug. "And Zhicheng was a man of routines and rejected all of my lucrative offers. So slipping something into his drink was easy. I wasn't sure what to expect that night, but it went better than I'd even dreamed."

A wave of disgust pressed up Sang Zhi's throat as she tried to make sense of the words. Xu Dong had drugged Jiaxu's father? How had Zhicheng driven and hit someone?

"Don't think I can't see your confusion, Sang Zhi," Xu Dong chortled in delight. "I was taking him to a job when I saw Jiang Shan - that's little Ying's da - stumbling home. It was easy to swerve right into the man."

"But why?" Sang Zhi cried softly, hate and fear twisting inside her as she realized how murderous the man in front of her was.

"Zhicheng was in the passenger seat and groggy from the drugs, but he thought he'd been driving. It was perfect, the perfect trap. But then Zhicheng was a fucking coward and tried to kill himself," Xu Dong continued, ignoring her question. "I was already getting a clean up crew out when he fled and the police showed up, so I bailed. Didn't realize my own damn nephew would foil me."

At Sang Zhi's confused look, he tilted his head. "Did he not tell you about that night? Ruo Shu was hysterical when I finally got her to tell me what happened. How her precious Zhicheng came home in a confused panic, admitted hitting someone with the car, and that Jiaxu immediately called the police."

"Shouldn't he have?"

Xu Dong's hand suddenly shot out and hit her across the face. Crying out in surprise and pain, Sang Zhi recoiled back. He relaxed back onto his seat.

"Don't you listen? I couldn't hold it over Zhicheng if the police took him into custody."

The moment hung as he stared at her. She could feel something wet on her face, whether it was blood or tears or some amalgamation of the two. She wished she could wipe it off.

"So… so what then?" she asked, sniffling.

"Ruo Shu was back where she belonged, so I just needed time to work on Jiaxu," Xu Dong said. "He was downright hated in his neighborhood, far more than my sister, for his Duan blood. Jiang Ying was very useful on keeping pressure on him. The boy was supposed to be desperate like his father."

"Desperate?"

"Just enough to end up on the dark side of town, to find themselves needing a helping hand for a price. Damn boy would just take the beatings," Xu Dong said in disgust. "Kept his head down, spent a lot of time at jobs and the library. The debts kept him in check, but then he got a fucking scholarship and escaped."

An odd sense of pride burst through Sang Zhi's chest. Jiaxu had avoided the traps his uncle had laid out for him.

"It was quite fortunate that my sister got sick," the man continued. "It was another angle to ply Jiaxu with. I'd hoped she'd get over Zhicheng and could be bargained with for a new husband but, well, he didn't die immediately so she wasn't technically a widow yet. And… you've met my sister. Even with the man murdering someone, she's still attached, despite all of my efforts. So I had to rely on Jiaxu."

"You want money?" Sang Zhi asked shakily. The casual way Xu Dong stated Zhicheng being a murderer despite admitting to orchestrating it chilled her.

"Money doesn't hurt," Xu Dong said. "But pales in comparison to owning people. Tying them up so securely they can never escape."

The answer was so depraved that Sang Zhi didn't know how to respond. Xu Dong didn't seem to mind, however, pulling a phone out of his pocket that she recognized as her own and kneeled next to her. Holding up the screen to her face, he grumbled when it didn't unlock. Sang Zhi didn't have a face I.D. set up.

"What's your password?" he asked. "I thought you kids always valued convenience over security."

Remembering how Sang Yan once used the same action against her when she was younger to go through her contacts and make sure no one 'could trick her', Sang Zhi shook her head.

"Why would I-"

Xu Dong violently grabbed her by the hair, ignoring her cries, and twisted her face up. "You seem to think you have some sort of option here, but there isn't one. Password?"

The last word was practically crooned in her ear and it made Sang Zhi's skin crawl. After she stammered the number to him, Xu Dong released her roughly with a snort and started swiping through.

"So similar to the one you use at work," he stated derisively, making her stare up at him in shock. "Ah, damn," Xu Dong said appreciatively after a moment of sliding up through her messages. "No wonder you hooked my nephew so securely. Jiang Ying is pretty enough, but nothing in comparison to you."

Angling the phone so that Sang Zhi could see the photo she'd sent months ago to Jiaxu, just wearing his shirt, she felt her cheeks burn. A new sense of violation crawled through her as Xu Dong raked through her private messages. Another wave of tears leaked down her cheeks.

"I wonder what your parents would think of this," Xu Dong practically vibrated with glee. "I bet Jiaxu would pay a lot of money to protect your memory."

She tried to block out the words, desperately twisting her hands behind her back, trying to get the binds to loosen. She needed to escape, but the room was unfamiliar and Xu Dong was blocking the only exit she could see. The boxes were stacked so deep that even the window was covered.

Without an escape, her best hope was to waste Xu Dong's time. She had no idea the hour, but perhaps someone would have noticed her absence…

"You're not going to get away with this," Sang Zhi said, sniffling. "My friend is going to wonder where I am-"

"Your friend thinks you decided to stay at Jiaxu's house," Xu Dong said absentmindedly, texting on her phone. "Which you should have. My sister and children just know you left, and no one saw you enter the street. Who, exactly, is going to miss you? Other than my nephew whenever he returns, of course."

Sang Zhi bit on her lip, her chest tight as it became difficult to breathe.

"Perhaps… ah, a Sang Yan. Is that an older or younger sister?" he said, obviously checking different names in her contacts. It didn't surprise Sang Zhi that the man had mistaken Sang Yan's gender. It had happened often to her brother growing up.

Shaking her head, Sang Zhi pushed herself up as best she could with her elbow.

"What are all of these boxes?" she asked.

Instead of answering her, Xu Dong knocked one over, making her shriek as all of the contents spilled over her. It was a bunch of random items - some sewing supplies, a box of mahjong tiles that burst open, an instruction manual for an outdated TV - all grimy with age. Sang Zhi tried to shuffle back, kicking a frame, which tinkled with the sound of broken glass. Glancing at it, she could see a family of three smiling at the camera, with a younger Xu Ruo Shu and an unfamiliar man that was next to her. However, the little boy couldn't have been older than eight. It had to be Jiaxu.

"Is… is this the Duan's things after…?" Sang Zhi asked.

"Anything of value was sold," Xu Dong said with a shrug. "But this shit was useless."

"Why did you keep it then?"

"Makes good kindling," he replied mildly, texting on her phone before throwing it to the ground and stomping on it, shattering the screen. "You know, this would have all been avoided if you'd taken my warning seriously. Duan's are cursed."

Cursed with the association with you.

Her teeth bit the words back, fear overriding the retort. The man in front of her spent so much time destroying the people around him, for reasons Sang Zhi couldn't even guess at. Xu Dong stood up, which made panic rise in her chest, not sure what to expect from him.

"Wait," she said as he turned to the door, knowing that he was leaving too soon. "What about Jiang Ying? Does she know that you killed-"

Xu Dong swung his foot around and kicked her in the stomach, a cry bursting out of her. She curled up to stave off the pain, sobbing quietly, but he knelt to grip her by the neck, lifting her as she gasped for breath.

"Know that I what? I don't like your tone, Sang Zhi," he growled. "You gave that boy delusions of grandeur, a princess deigning him with her time."

Breathing hurt. Sang Zhi struggled, vision blurry. Xu Dong suddenly laughed, pulling the candle eerily close to their faces to light the cigarette at his mouth.

"Did you want to know how furious Jiang Ying was when Xiaoyu showed her that Jiaxu was dating you? Those women loathe you, Sang Zhi," he said, puffing the cigarette into her face. Sang Zhi twisted uselessly, trying to ease the squeeze of his grip on her throat. "Xiaoyu practically vibrated with excitement, having spent months to convince Jiang Ying to manufacture a reason to fire you, only for Jiang Ying to come up with a far more destructive plan," Xu Dong continued softly. "Hope you enjoy it."

With that, he tossed her back into the corner. Crumpling, she coughed violently, her vision swimming. Xu Dong gave her one last leer before exiting the room with the candle and slamming the door.

Plunging her into the dark.

~~~

As soon as the airplane passed through the storm, Jiaxu's flight was able to catch up on time, landing earlier than he expected. He was full of energy, ready to get home and see Sang Zhi and just be without all of the pressure from work. There were enough things to focus on, it'd be nice to not be pulled in so many directions for once.

Waiting for the plane to empty, Jiaxu tried to not let his impatience show as he queued up to exit. His phone struggled to connect to the network, but as soon as he passed through the gate to enter the terminal, he saw the reception bars increase.

Opening his messages, Sang Zhi had sent him a message about his ma's day and how she'd figured something out about her work. Hoping it was good news, he shifted through tabs, not seeing any other update. Hurrying through the airport, Jiaxu wove through travelers quickly, not wanting to delay seeing her.

Giving her a call, he was surprised when it rang through to her voicemail. Shaking his head, he went to find a taxi.

Getting a ride was straightforward and Jiaxu gave the driver his home address. Assuming Sang Zhi was home with his family, he wanted to surprise the women by his early arrival, so he refrained from calling his cousin. There was no traffic through the city, the sky already dark, so he arrived to the main street by the apartment in good time. Exiting the taxi and thanking the man, he slung his bag over his shoulder and headed towards the rental.

As Jiaxu walked the path, he felt his steps slow as that same eerie awareness crept up on him. He glanced around at the other buildings, wondering what was unsettling him, and when he turned a corner he saw her.

Jiang Ying.

His steps faltered, stopping. How had she discovered where they had moved to? What purpose could she possibly have to show up despite the restraining order?

She had been watching the path, as she straightened upon seeing him, immediately approaching. Jiaxu noted how disheveled she looked, with blotchy eyes.

"Duan Jiaxu," Jiang Ying said imploringly. "Will you come home now?"

Her words implied that he'd been a wayward child that she had been inconvenienced by. And home was a strange concept to Jiaxu. Yihe hadn't felt like home in years.

"You're not supposed to be near me," he stated.

"I don't know why you bothered with that silly legal thing, I know you don't mean it," Jiang Ying said dismissively. "You still owe me."

"I really don't."

"Did you make promises to Sang Zhi, Duan Jiaxu? When you can't give them to her?" she replied. "You owe me your life for taking my da's."

"I haven't taken anyone's life," Jiaxu said. Reaching for his phone, he began to dial Detective Zheng, stepping around Jiang Ying.

"Your blood has taken from me. Where is your sense of honor?"

Jiaxu could hear the line pick up to a voicemail, but he retorted anyway.

"My honor? My life being crushed under yours by a debt I never was involved in? I've sent hundreds of thousands of yuan to you, Jiang Ying! Just because you squandered it has nothing to do with me-"

"Your uncle swindled me. You Duan's and Xu's just take and take and-"

"Xu Dong has only ever used people! Why would you give him anything?"

Jiang Ying stared at him a moment before shrugging. "Because he has always been kind to me. He helped me. Helps me! He promised to get rid of your little distraction," Jiang Ying said with toss of her hair.

Jiaxu felt his blood go cold. "What?"

"That stupid girl," she said. "Never had trouble getting rid of employees before. And Xiaoyu doesn't typically struggle with getting people to quit! Sang Zhi was too resilient. I had to get Xu Dong's help."

"What did you do, Jiang Ying?" Jiaxu demanded, crowding her backwards towards a wall. He'd never raised a fist to Jiang Ying once in his entire life… but it involved Sang Zhi. "Where is she?"

Her eyes lit up in an gleeful way which made Jiaxu feel sick to his stomach. Jiang Ying patted his face until he reached up to grab her wrist, squeezing harshly. "No, Jiang Ying. Where the fuck is Sang Zhi?"

She glared at his hand. "It doesn't matter. She doesn't matter. Xu Dong promised me you'd be mi-"

"Jiang Ying," Jiaxu interrupted. "Whatever my uncle promised, he lied. I would rather die than suffer your presence ever again."

Throwing Jiang Ying's arm away from him, Jiaxu gave her one last glare before bolting down the rest of the walkway to the apartment. He'd deal with Jiang Ying later, and Sang Zhi was unaccounted for, unless she was in his home with his family. Typing in the code quickly, he quietly entered the house and almost collided with Chang Ru.

"Jiaxu! How was your-"

He interrupted her with his hand, not wanting her to upset his ma. "Is Sang Zhi here?" he asked quietly, dropping his bag.

Chang Ru frowned and shook her head, saying, "she left early to surprise you at the airport… you didn't see her?"

"No," he said shortly. "Stay here, don't let Ma know. Jiang Ying knows we moved here. I'm going to go find Zhizhi."

"How did Jiang Ying know where we moved-"

"No idea. Stay safe."

With that, Jiaxu turned around and left the house quietly. Taking his phone, he tried to dial Sang Zhi again - ring, ring, ring, the call cannot be connected - so he dialed Detective Zheng a second time. It too rang through to voicemail.

"It's Duan Jiaxu, detective. I've just arrived home and my girlfriend is missing. Jiang Ying approached me and said my uncle promised to take care of Sang Zhi, so I'm checking my uncles house in Hoyang. Call me back," Jiaxu said before disconnecting.

Hoping the man would listen to his messages soon, Jiaxu started jogging to the old house. As he made his way, Jiaxu attempted to call Sang Zhi again - it only endlessly dialed through, once, twice, again - but it wasn't until he got closer to the neighborhood that his worry sharpened by him catching a pungent scent on the wind.

Smoke.

A horrible thought flashed through his mind and Jiaxu started running, taking all of the shortcuts like he used to when he was a teenager. Going towards the house was a strange reversal, but with Sang Zhi missing and his uncle tasked to get rid of her… his heart beat faster as he hopped a fence in an alley.

Turning a corner, the house looked relatively quiet if it wasn't for the eerie flashing of light through the front windows. Darting up the steps, Jiaxu felt his heart drop to his stomach as he could see the flames lick up the drapes inside.

Your uncle promised to get rid of your little distraction.

The sick certainty that Sang Zhi was in the building made Jiaxu try the door, almost scalding his hand in the process. It was locked.

"Sang Zhi!" he yelled, dropping back from the stoop to look at the building for any other entrance. Jiaxu's eyes scanned the area quickly, adrenaline rushing through him, helplessness hitting him as there were no neighbors to even call for. He rushed around the house, shakily dialing 119 to call the firefighters, when a pipe flew through the air at his face.

Only years of such ambushes kept him from taking it straight to the nose, the metal skimming his temple Jiaxu he ducked to the side.

"You're fucking ruining it again, Duan Jiaxu!" Xu Dong yelled at him, raising the pipe once again. "You always fuck it up!"

Jiaxu found himself retreating, his uncle swinging the pipe again. It took three attempts until his uncle overestimated his ability and Jiaxu was able to grab the blunt weapon and fling it away. It cost him the moment, Xu Dong restraining Jiaxu's arm and ramming his own fist into Jiaxu's side. He almost toppled over, the pain in his gut sharp, but he knew he had to stay on his feet.

"Was it nice to pretend you had a life, Jiaxu?" his uncle cackled in his ear. "A nice reprieve in Nanwu?"

Jiaxu remained silent, gauging the flow of his uncle's movements. It wasn't the first beating he'd taken from Xu Dong, even if it'd been years ago. The man would shift his weight, get a new angle to inflict some sort of new pain. Jiaxu had to wait for it, no matter how infuriating the man's words were.

"I don't blame you for being tempted, she sure was beautiful. Sweet as honey. How did she taste?" Xu Dong continued. Thoughts stuttered through Jiaxu in a strange way, rage overtaking his vision as his uncle threw him toward the wall. Using the inertia to pull Xu Dong with him, Jiaxu then twisted around to shove all of his body into overbalancing the pair.

After a hectic moment of grappling for control, they went down, Jiaxu ending up on top of his uncle, fist already connecting with the man's face. Xu Dong tried to shove him off, but after a few solid punches - a violence that Jiaxu wasn't even aware he was capable of - Xu Dong went limp. Spluttering on some blood, Xu Dong looked at him and laughed.

"You've been waiting for years to do that, haven't you?"

There was no word for how much anger pounded through Jiaxu, but he needed his uncle's cooperation. "Where's Sang Zhi?!"

"It's too late," Xu Dong gurgled mockingly. "You can't save her now."

As if to prove the man's point, a deep rumble shook the ground, and Jiaxu looked up to see the roof collapse into the house with a resounding crash. It trembled through the whole neighborhood, concerned yelling filtering through Jiaxu's ears, but fear pushed him to his feet, abandoning his uncle.

Despite the man trying to grab his leg, Jiaxu managed to kick him away and stumble towards the house. He vision burned, the smoke obscuring the already meager moonlight, but Jiaxu found his bedroom window easily, having sneaked around the yard often enough as a teen.

He just couldn't see.

"Sang Zhi!" he started yelling. She had to be in the house. His uncle would not have taunted him otherwise. Jiaxu could hear neighbors calling out for the fire brigade, and another loud bang of the house groaning made his vision focus on the dim reflection of the bedroom window, and he jumped up to peer into it.

The glowed with fire, pushing into the room from the main space through a crumbling wall, catching the detritus of the room in a renewed blaze. Jiaxu could see the silhouette of a small form slumped against the smeared window.

"Sang Zhi!"

Chapter Text

Squinting into the dim light coming from the blocked window, Sang Zhi furiously began to wriggle her wrists together, unsuccessful with her attempts to release herself. There was a strong odor of mold in the room, but through all her sobbing, it was only a few minutes before a new scent bombarded her nose.

Smoke.

Xu Dong must have lit the building on fire.

Crying wouldn't help. Screaming wouldn't help. Adrenaline coursed through Zhi as she struggled with her bindings. She tried to kick herself upright, a futile task that caused her to shift and knock another box over. She blinked tears out of her eyes, reaching blindly behind her for anything that could help, gasping in relief when she felt the bite of broken glass against her fingertips. Remembering the shattered picture frame, hope bloomed in her chest. It was difficult to grasp the irregularly shaped shard, the glass slippery and stinging her hand, but she managed to turn it and saw at the rope on her wrists clumsily.

Time seemed to pass like a slurry through a sieve, Sang Zhi only able to hear her pounding ears, ignoring the sharp pains in her hands. The very house began to groan in protest, making her look up in fear of it collapsing on top of her before she could escape.

Finally, her wrists broke free.

A relieved sob escaped her as she shakily turned the shard to her ankles, hacking at the rope. Finally free of her restraints, Sang Zhi rolled onto her knees. It was completely dark except from a hint of moonlight from the window.

Coughing, Sang Zhi realized just how thin the air felt. The smoke was dizzying. With blind hands, Sang Zhi felt around the floor for some knowledge of the layout of boxes, finding other pieces of glass, and discovered what she thought might be the photograph. Tucking the photo into her pocket, Sang Zhi blindly felt for the door and grasped for the doorknob. With a yelp, she released it when it scalded her. Why is it burning hot?

She was breathless, heartbeat pulsing in her ears. Hoping that the fire hadn't spread too quickly, she used her shirt to grasp the knob and open the door. A plume of smoke instantly smothered her.

Violent coughs arrested Sang Zhi as the fire licked along the walls in the next room, gaining traction from the entryway through the living space. Xu Dong must have doused the room with how impassable it was.

Scared of what unknown incendiaries may be in the room she occupied, Sang Zhi slammed the door back shut, wincing as she could hear flames gasp with new life. Looking around the room in desperation, she crawled over to the dim window and started shoving things aside.

Boxes toppled over with a crash.

Breath was tight.

Time passed in gasps.

A loud crack was heard above, and she glanced back to see the shared wall begin to crack and break off in chunks as it struggled to keep the ceiling supported.

Firelight bloomed as a section fell over.

Clawing at the window, Sang Zhi sobbed, her hands unable to gain purchase on the narrow sill, blood smearing the pane. Air was thin, the smoke strangling her, and she felt stupid.

She needed to get the window open.

Glass had freed her, but now it trapped her.

Senses were dulled.

Fire crackled behind her.

Her arms were heavy.

Useless.

Her fists banged weakly on the window.

Wouldn't it be lovely to sleep?

Sobbing, she didn't hear the crack of a beam. The protest of the ceiling.

Or see the wooden beam swing down.

The world went black.

~~~

"Help!" Jiaxu screamed out to the front of the house, hoping that the fire brigade had arrived. "There's someone inside!"

He could barely see Sang Zhi through the window, the thick smoke obscuring her except for her hand near the window. While the room was still on the first story, Jiaxu took a blind running leap to catch a bit of gutter and stand on the window sill. He somehow managed it, hands shaking, as wetness dripped into his eyes. Balancing carefully, Jiaxu tried to determine where to break the window to free Sang Zhi.

She was eerily still on the other side.

"Sang Zhi!" he yelled through the glass, but she didn't respond. Adrenaline pulsed through him as he kicked at the opposite window pane, once, twice, to give warning…

His third struck true, the glass giving way and smoke pouring out and over him. Jiaxu coughed but gave another final kick to clear the window from its eaves . Then he crouched through the window, stepping on whatever was piled up.

The flames pushed into the room with heat, finding new kindling. Pulling his shirt up to cover his face, he inspected around Sang Zhi. She was slumped over, a beam near her, head and hands bloodied. He dropped down, knowing there was no time to waste, and quickly reached under her to pull her towards the window.

"Duan Jiaxu!" a kindly neighbor called from behind, standing nearby, pointing his own mobile phone light at the window where Jiaxu struggled to pick Sang Zhi up, her head lolling in an alarming way. A bevy of activity followed as firefighters appeared and helped him pull her safely out of the building.

Later, Jiaxu watched as the house burned.

As soon as the fire brigade had arrived they'd deemed the building a lost cause. The fire was too big, the house was too old, and the firemen immediately set to wetting the area while they evacuated those nearby who were at risk. There was nothing to do but wait for the house to collapse in on itself.

Sang Zhi was loaded up into an emergency vehicle after a mask was attached to her face and the EMTs took some readings. Jiaxu was about to jump into the truck with them when Detective Zheng arrived, looking harried.

"I arrived as soon as I got your message-" he puffed.

"Is she going to be all right?" Jiaxu asked the EMT, ignoring the detective. Sang Zhi was more important, laying so eerily still. Her face that was pale, bandages pressed against her head that soaked with blood.

"Head wounds bleed a lot. They'll know more at the hospital," the EMT responded. "She's stable right now, though."

"I'll be there as soon as I can, Zhizhi," Jiaxu murmured to her unconscious form, squeezing her wrist. Then the EMTs wheeled her into the vehicle and slammed the door, hurrying off to the hospital.

Turning back to Zheng, Jiaxu asked, "has anyone seen my uncle? He was here."

"Was he?" Detective Zheng replied, looking alarmed. Quickly calling over the fire captain, it was quickly ascertained that Xu Dong had fled. Jiaxu felt a strangling helplessness, as he'd had his uncle in his grasp… but there had been no time. Jiaxu would choose Sang Zhi every time.

It prompted the detective to grill Jiaxu with questions - what Jiang Ying had approached him about, when had he noticed Sang Zhi missing, how Xu Dong had attacked him - and they were able to find evidence of Jiaxu's brawl with the man. Quickly putting out an alert into the network to arrest Xu Dong on sight - suspected arson and murder were quite a priority - Zheng turned to ask about more specifics to Jiang Ying's words.

"What did she mean about Xiaoyu and work?" Detective Zheng asked.

"I'm not entirely sure. A woman named Xiaoyu is Sang Zhi's direct supervisor down in Nanwu, but I don't know how Jiang Ying fit into it… and her involving my uncle confuses me. Sang Zhi left me this message-" Jiaxu pulled out his phone to show the interaction, "-where she says she figured out something with work, but no specifics."

"What company does she work for?"

Jiaxu named it, unsure of what Zheng was looking for, but the detective sighed.

"That's where Jiang Ying listed as her workplace here in Yihe."

Staring at the man in horror, Jiaxu considered the possibilities of Jiang Ying being placed so uncomfortably near him without either him or Sang Zhi realizing it. It explained so much.

"Any idea where your uncle would go?" At Jiaxu's negative reply, Detective Zheng sighed. "I think I'll put someone on patrol near your place in case he tries to contact his daughters."

"Okay." That seemed reasonable, but Jiaxu doubted Xu Dong would. However, it'd be a comfort as Jiaxu wasn't going back there with Sang Zhi in the hospital. "When can I go see Sang Zhi?"

"Right now, if you want. I'll be here a while, aiding with the investigation. Let me know if you can think of anything else," the detective said.

"Sang Zhi is at Yihe General Hospital, right?" Jiaxu asked.

"Yes… but you need a ride, right?" Detective Zheng asked. "I will be here for hours, but I can assign someone. I'll be there later to take Sang Zhi's statement."

"I could take a taxi-"

Zheng hummed in disapproval. "I'd rather you have an escort, however. Without us knowing where Xu Dong or Jiang Ying are, it's better to take precautions."

Jiaxu nodded. "Thank you."

He didn't expect to run into his uncle again any time soon. There were too many witnesses to the fire, neighbors claiming the man had been in and out of the house in the past week with large containers, mapping a chain of evidence that pointed to Xu Dong's plans. He'd go into hiding, lick his wounds, and make himself a problem later.

However, Jiang Ying was delusional, so maybe the escort wasn't a bad idea. She wasn't about to harass him in front of a cop.

It only took a few minutes for Zheng to find him a driver, who gave him a polite nod when he entered the front passenger seat of the police vehicle. Jiaxu gave out a deep sigh and pulled out his phone, the device woefully ignored for the past hour.

Chang Ru had sent multiple texts. Jiaxu was able to send a confirmation that he was okay - a few bruises notwithstanding - and headed to the hospital because of Sang Zhi's injury, but couldn't give further details. He warned her that there would be a patrol nearby just to keep an eye on the neighborhood.

When he finished with that task, his thought turned in a darker direction, the drive giving him time for all of the ramifications to weigh on Jiaxu.

I should have never pursued Sang Zhi. I should have kept our night together as a fond memory, knowing that there was beauty in the world, but let her go. I thought I was safe in Nanwu, but as long as I am tied to Yihe, there is no escape.

The thought made guilt and grief swirl inside his chest, a dangerous concoction. Sang Zhi was… everything.

And his own uncle had tried to destroy her.

How could he ever atone for that?

Guilt climbed up his throat. Swallowing hard, Jiaxu turned his attention back to his phone. He'd been tainted since birth, if there were no honorable men in either of his bloodlines. However, he would always try to make up for that shortcoming, no matter how painful it would be. Which meant that he needed to make a very important yet incredibly difficult call. Swiping through, he chose the name and put his phone to his ear.

Ring. Ring.

"Hello?"

"Sang Yan, it's Duan Jiaxu. Sang Zhi's been taken to the hospital," Jiaxu said in a rush. Some boyfriend he was, causing so much pain and strife for his girlfriend. Now her family would truly hate him.

But that didn't matter. He loved her and her family would need to know.

"I'll get on a plane right now. What happened?" There was a sudden flurry of activity in the background as Sang Yan repeated the information to who Jiaxu assumed was Wen Yifan.

Tears choked Jiaxu's throat, but he refused to dissemble. "We, um, shit… my uncle, erm, abducted her. I pulled her out of a burning building," he choked out, hiding his face with his hand.

"What the fuck?"

The sound of the phone being shuffled around and Wen Yifan's voice came through. "Duan Jiaxu? Is Sang Zhi safe?"

"Yes," he croaked out. "I'm on my way to the hospital where she's at right now. She had a pretty bad head wound."

"Was anyone else hurt?" Wen Yifan asked calmly. "Were you hurt?"

"No." Jiaxu didn't particularly care to explain his injuries in detail. "It… it was because of me. My uncle targeted her because of me."

"We'll be there as soon as we can," she replied before hanging up. Jiaxu dropped the phone on his lap and covered his face.

The tears that were brimming in his chest refused to fall, old habits keeping them at bay. He felt downright disconnected from his body. Between the panicked running, the fistfight, and the late hour, Jiaxu was bone deep tired. But it didn't matter. He just needed to be with Sang Zhi, make sure she was safe. Xu Dong was still unaccounted for.

A renewed wave of grief passed through him. How could he even begin to apologize for such sins? Jiaxu had spent almost his entire life in debt, but it paled to the guilt of his families crime to Sang Zhi's self.

Fate was cruel to give him such dreams only to burn them.

"Sir?"

Jiaxu startled, having been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't realized that the car had pulled up to a drop off area in front of a hospital. The cadet looked at him with concern.

"Oh," Jiaxu said. "What?"

"I said, I'll drop you off here and be in shortly. There's an officer lot around the corner," she said. "Detective Zheng requested I remain at the hospital with you and your girlfriend."

Jiaxu was unaware at how the implied promise of safety eased a shard of fear in his heart. "Oh. Thank you."

"It's no problem, sir," she said. "I'll just be a minute."

Jiaxu nodded, exiting the car. He watched as the cadet gave him a quick nod and then drive away.

Turning to the hospital, Jiaxu began to walk to the front entrance. With Yihe General being the main medical hub of the city, there was a lot of landscaping and concrete architectural features that meant the main entrance was further away from the ambulatory door, and he walked around to that side, assuming Sang Zhi would be there.

Jiaxu was almost to the door when a sudden screech of tires made him turn.

Time slowed in a strange way as he could see a furious, sobbing Jiang Ying at the wheel, careening towards him.

There was a morbid fascination in watching the car approach, direct on course, and ram into his body.

Then he flew.

Pain.

Pain was an old friend.

Jiaxu hadn't time to even brace himself before he'd been slammed with it. Then the world flipped over and he was here.

Here was a rather strange place, where half of his vision was of the sidewalk, and the other the sight of a white car that spilled out a sobbing Jiang Ying from the drivers seat, blubbering in a way that pushed through his senses in waves. She crawled over to him, blood dripping from a cut on her temple, smacking his shoulder, and Jiaxu closed his eyes.

rather die rather die rather die ratherdieratherdiediedie

Perhaps he should not have so plainly stated such a thing to her.

When he opened his eyes, he could see security guards pulling Jiang Ying away.

There were medical staff crowded around him.

It was easy to sink into the pain.

Pain.

Chapter Text

Yihe City News - March 8th, 2018

Yihe General Hospital was put on a temporary lock down early Thursday morning due to a traffic collision in front of their main entrance.

A victim, Duan Jiaxu, was struck by a white car driven by an inebriated woman identified as Jiang Ying. Witnesses state that after hitting the man, the woman exited the vehicle to continue attacking the victim's prone form.

"The woman was irate," one onlooker stated. "I had to hold her back as she screamed at him to die."

Hospital security and staff were able to secure the situation until officials arrived. Jiang Ying was swiftly taken into custody as Duan Jiaxu was immediately transported into the hospital. His condition is unknown.

Chief Officer Yu made an official statement applauding the hospitals keen diligence and promised a thorough investigation of the incident.

Follow us for future updates on this developing story.

~~~

Sang Zhi was standing on her bedroom balcony in Nanwu, staring up at the sky. It was dark and cloudless, her telescope propped precisely to see through the sliver of buildings.

Perfect.

Shifting a few of the dials, she leaned over the eyeglass of her telescope.

"Have you found it?"

She smiled at the voice, slightly shaking her head. "It's eluding me."

Hands gripped her hips, form wrapping against her from behind as she continued to gently shift the angles of the instrument, searching.

Where was it?

She stood up, frowning, as a nose nuzzled at her neck, fingers sliding under her shirt. But Sang Zhi paid them no mind, as she suddenly remembered that she had found that set of stars weeks ago. Long before winter had claimed the days and changed the sky.

Which constellation was she looking for again?

Sang Zhi looked down at her hands feeling cold and distant from her body, despite the heat of the person around her. Touching the dials of the telescope, adjusting them, each sensation was sticky like she was manipulating clumps of mud.

"What is happening?" she asked. "Jiaxu?"

For it could only be him behind her. It didn't matter he'd never been on her balcony in Nanwu, let alone her bedroom. It didn't matter they'd never gone stargazing.

Jiaxu was safety around her.

Turning, Sang Zhi glanced worriedly up at Jiaxu, who was covered in soot and sweat, the space around her closing in as it was suddenly a dark unfamiliar room. Smoke began billowing around, obscuring the little vision she had.

"Jiaxu? Jiaxu!"

Sang Zhi coughed, and felt the grip on his arm slide through her unnaturally. He faded in another cough, and she stepped to try and grab him, but failed. Instead, her hands hit warm panes of glass, slick with blood. Panic crawled up her throat as she inspected the sliding door to open it, the glass refused to budge. The drapes tangled in her arms, her breath restricted with fear, and she coughed.

And coughed and coughed and coughed.

"Easy, little demon," a hand fell on her shoulder and she jumped. Turning, Sang Yan was there wearing the fiercest frown.

Where did Sang Yan come from?

The appearance of her brother confused but calmed her.

"You're okay, Zhizhi," Wen Yifan appeared next to him, hand at her wrist, pulling her into consciousness. The room swam in and out of focus as Sang Zhi groggily struggled to wake. Blinking, the dark room disappeared, slowly replaced by a well lit nondescript room. Hospital equipment. Plain painted walls.

Sang Yan and Wen Yifan both there, expressions concerned in their own ways.

Sang Zhi felt her body return to her slowly, realizing she was fighting with her bed sheet, tangling her IV, not any sort of drape. Her head ached in a steady thrum.

"Wha-" happened? she attempted to ask, but croaked out, throat raw. Sang Yan's expression darkened and he moved away, pacing.

"You were in an… accident," Wen Yifan said, sending Sang Yan a look. "Do you remember?"

Sang Zhi frowned, struggling to place her thoughts. She must have taken too long, because Sang Yan muttered something about a doctor before exiting the room. Foreboding settled in Zhi's gut. Her brother was eerily restrained. She must have scared him.

"Anything, Zhizhi?" Wen Yifan asked gently. "Take your time."

Turning to look at Yifan, Sang Zhi considered her carefully. There was something not right about Sang Yan and Wen Yifan. Or maybe something not right about her? Zhi shouldn't be in Nanwu, she was needed in Yihe-

With a startled gasp, Sang Zhi jolted upright, then winced visibly when a slice of pain crossed her head. This wasn't Nanwu Central Hospital. She'd gone to Yihe. Thoughts flashed through her mind of Jiaxu, his ma, his cousins, his uncle- "Jiaxu. Where's Jiaxu?"

She peered to the door as if he should have entered upon hearing her wake.

Wen Yifan's face brightened then dimmed, sending her a sympathetic look. "He's in surgery. A woman hit him with her car."

Only one woman would be so vicious. Jiang Ying.

A numbness filled Sang Zhi, tears welling up in her eyes. Wen Yifan patted her back comfortingly.

"He's in good hands, Zhizhi," she soothed.

Sang Zhi couldn't explain the fear that rooted in her heart. Jiang Ying had proven over years what little regard she had for Jiaxu. The attack on Jiaxu couldn't have been a coincidence. Where was his family?

"Yifan," Sang Zhi said softly. "Can you help me?"

Wen Yifan tilted her head. "What is it?"

"I need to call someone, but my phone…" Sang Zhi trailed off, remembering Xu Dong's perusal of her messages and subsequent destruction of the device. A shudder passed through her, tears prickling her eyes.

"You should rest, Sang Zhi-"

Before Sang Zhi could refute it with a typical I'm fine, Sang Yan returned with a doctor, who began conducting a fairly basic set of cognitive tests.

"How does your head feel?" the doctor asked as he finished inspecting the bandages wrapped around her head.

"It hurts," Sang Zhi simply said. It was an understatement.

"Well, the scans came back with concussion typical from such a blow, but it looks like you avoided any long term harm. You can be released this afternoon to the care of your family," the doctor said kindly. "It may be difficult to do some tasks with your hand lacerations."

With the way her hands were throbbing, Sang Zhi nodded and thanked him. With the doctor's departure, he left instructions on which medications to use to mitigate the pain and Sang Yan closed the door.