Chapter 12 — Drunken Confessions and Quiet Realizations
The weight of exam stress dissolved the moment Sang Zhi and her friends stepped into the music bar after finals. Neon lights danced around them as laughter and music wove through the air, forming a fragile sanctuary where worries momentarily ceased.
Jiang Ming, ever the bold soul, took the stage and dedicated a heartfelt love song to their circle, his voice resonating with sincerity. Her roommates watched adoringly—but Sang Zhi, overwhelmed by unresolved emotions, slipped away to the restroom, shutting out the cheering.
Before long, her phone buzzed—Duang Jiaxu's concerned voice cutting through the dim: "Where are you? Have you been drinking?"
She replied curtly that she was with friends and would be fine—trying to prove her maturity.
Minutes later, nausea forced Sang Zhi outside. Jiang Ming followed, offering support, but her deflection was immediate—she waited for her "brother," stubborn even at her most vulnerable. Then Duan Jiaxu appeared—calm, protective.
As he lifted her onto his back to walk her home, her drunken haze spilled out:
She confessed she liked someone who "is nice to everyone"—but he paused, misinterpreting. He gently urged her: "Stop liking people who treat everyone the same." Unwittingly, he echoed the very sentiment she'd once wished for—that someone would be only kind to her. In that moment, his heart swelled: he wanted to be the person she could count on, uniquely and unconditionally.
The Morning After
Waking in the dorm, Sang Zhi's mind flooded with mortifying recollections—she had thrown up on Duan Jiaxu, on his back. Her roommates were already buzzing about how handsome her "brother" Jiaxu was. Mortified, she jokingly pleaded with them to prevent her from drinking again.
She glanced at her phone: a message from Duan Jiaxu popped up—flights at her preferred time were sold out, so he rebooked her ticket. "I'll pick you up at 10 AM," he added. Despite the embarrassment, Sang Zhi felt a swell of gratitude and relief.
Confessions at the Airport
As Sang Zhi stepped outside to load her luggage, Jiang Ming approached her.
Looking earnest, he confessed: "The song I sang… it was for you. I like you, Sang Zhi."
Duan Jiaxu, observing calmly, prompted her: "Thank him, and gently let him down."
Sang Zhi followed his counsel—thanking Jiang Ming while sheepishly admitting she already liked someone else. Jiang Ming took it in stride, his acceptance bittersweet.
Back in the car, Sang Zhi attempted to explain her confusion at the bar. But Jiaxu, noting the "1.95-meter tall guy" who'd fed her a hamburger earlier, probed if that was the one she liked. She evaded. He calmly took the hamburger—saying she couldn't eat the beef patty—and the gentle gesture grounded her anxiety.
Later, he brushed aside her apologies for the previous night, offering fruit and promising to buy her a warm drink at the airport instead—kindness as steady as it had ever been.
End of Chapter 12