Nan Hong - Chapter 24
In her memory, it should have been a weekend during the first semester of tenth grade.
Wen Yifan couldn’t recall why she had gone out that day—only that she had been shopping when a little girl suddenly ran up to her, insisting she wanted to treat her to ice cream.
After a pause, as if suddenly remembering her real purpose, the little girl added,
“Big sister, I can’t find my brother.”
Wen Yifan froze for a second. “Did you get separated from your brother?”
Sang Zhi tilted her head and reluctantly mumbled a soft “mm.”
“Where did you get separated?” Wen Yifan asked gently.
Sang Zhi turned and pointed toward a tree behind her. “Over there.”
Wen Yifan followed her gaze, but there was no one in sight. She set down the items in her hands and pulled out her phone. “It’s alright. Do you remember your brother’s phone number?”
Sang Zhi shook her head. “I don’t remember.”
“…”
“But he should be over there.” With surprising initiative, Sang Zhi slipped her small hand into Wen Yifan’s, her round eyes blinking as she pleaded, “Big sister, can you come with me? I’m a little scared by myself.”
Wen Yifan smiled softly. “Of course.”
The sun was scorching that day, and even the breeze carried heat.
Wen Yifan opened her parasol, letting little Sang Zhi lead the way. The girl was small, her steps short but quick, almost skipping with excitement, as if her mood was far from frightened.
They headed straight for the tree Sang Zhi had pointed out earlier.
It wasn’t until they neared it that Wen Yifan began to feel something was off. The child’s steps were purposeful—too purposeful.
She seemed absolutely certain her brother was there.
For a moment, Wen Yifan wondered if she had stumbled into some kind of scheme, children being used as bait.
But then, Sang Yan’s tall, slender figure appeared in view.
Her suspicion melted into sudden realization.
Yet instead of guilt, Sang Yan looked calm—almost smug. Standing beneath the shade, he tilted his head, his youthful features sharpened by the sunlight.
“What a coincidence?”
—
The same kind of expression was on Sang Yan’s face now, after Sang Zhi casually exposed him.
Unbothered, he carried the groceries toward the kitchen. As he passed Wen Yifan, his eyes flicked toward her, the corner of his lips lifting into an arrogant curve.
As if to say:
—So what if it is?
“…”
Wen Yifan said nothing and followed him into the kitchen.
After all, this had happened seven or eight years ago. His personality had always been like this—never hiding what he had done, so brazen that he made others feel as though they were the ones in the wrong.
She opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of yogurt. From the corner of her eye, she noticed the groceries he had bought. Judging by the ingredients, it seemed he was planning to make hot pot.
Wen Yifan averted her gaze and quietly left the kitchen.
Noticing Sang Zhi was still only in socks, Wen Yifan hesitated, then walked to the entrance. She retrieved a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet and offered them with a warm smile.
“I have an extra pair here. You can wear them if you don’t mind.”
Sang Zhi’s face lit up. “Thank you, big sister.”
“Go ahead, have a seat. Feel free to eat anything you like,” Wen Yifan added, not wanting the girl to feel restrained. “Most of these things are your brother’s anyway.”
—
Back in her room, Wen Yifan left them to themselves.
Meanwhile, Sang Zhi had opened the TV cabinet, eyeing the snacks inside.
Just then, Sang Yan walked out of the kitchen.
“Brother,” Sang Zhi, already hungry, reached for a bag of chips, “why are you living with a roommate? And a female roommate at that. Did you tell Mom and Dad? Do they know?”
Catching her movement, Sang Yan casually snatched the chips away and tossed them back inside.
“Mind your manners.”
Sang Zhi frowned. “Aren’t these yours?”
“You know that and still touched them?” His voice was lazy, mocking. “Do you think I bought them for you?”
“…”
Thinking him stingy, Sang Zhi decided not to argue. She wasn’t that interested in chips anyway. “Fine. But hurry up, I need to go back and finish practice questions after eating.”
“It’ll take half an hour. Go write first—make use of your time.” Sang Yan jerked his chin toward the dining table. “Sit there, or go to my room if you want.”
Dragging her schoolbag, Sang Zhi sat at the dining table but pressed on, “So, why are you living with a roommate?”
“Do I need to report my life to a little brat like you?”
“Oh.” Her eyes flicked toward the master bedroom. Understanding dawned. “You like that big sister?”
“…”
“Forget it, brother. I’m not against it.” She sighed, thinking of Wen Yifan’s beauty. “But you should at least have some self-awareness.”
“…” Sang Yan chuckled, the sound edged with mockery. “Self-awareness?”
“Yeah.”
“Kid, get this straight,” he said leisurely, pulling out the hot pot seasoning, “that word only applies to people aiming for me. Got it?”
“…”
Shameless. Absolutely shameless. Sang Zhi rolled her eyes and chose silence, focusing on her test papers instead.
—
Half an hour later, Sang Yan finally set the hot pot on the table. “Go bring out the side dishes.”
“Oh.”
Sang Zhi made a few trips to the kitchen, carrying plates of neatly cut meat and vegetables. She even mixed herself a dipping sauce before settling at the table.
Just as she was about to start, she suddenly thought of something.
“Brother, aren’t you going to invite big sister to eat with us?”
Sang Yan cracked open a beer without answering.
“You’re seriously not going to call her?” Sang Zhi was incredulous. “It’s New Year’s! She’s your roommate, you should at least get along.”
He gave her a lazy glance. “What’s it to you?”
“She even gave me slippers and told me to help myself to food. She was so nice to me. Shouldn’t you at least be polite and invite her?”
“She was nice to you.” His lips curved. “What does that have to do with me?”
“…”
Too irritated to keep arguing, Sang Zhi huffed. “Fine. If you won’t, I will.”
—
Meanwhile, Wen Yifan had just finished an episode of her drama. Checking the time, she was about to rest before showering when a knock sounded at her door.
She opened it to find Sang Zhi smiling sweetly, dimples showing.
“Big sister, come eat with us. It looks like you haven’t had dinner yet.”
“No need,” Wen Yifan smiled politely. “You two enjoy.”
Sang Zhi shook her head. “Big sister, you don’t know.”
“Hm?”
“My brother and I eating alone is never enjoyable.”
“…”
In the end, Wen Yifan allowed herself to be persuaded by Sang Zhi’s warmth.
At the white rectangular dining table, Wen Yifan and Sang Zhi sat together, while Sang Yan sat opposite. He lifted his gaze briefly when they arrived, then looked away without a word.
Wen Yifan, with her long hair tied back to reveal her clear forehead, looked effortlessly striking. Even without makeup, her porcelain skin, vivid eyes, and naturally red lips glowed under the soft light.
Sang Zhi couldn’t help but stare a little.
Perhaps because she wasn’t sure if Wen Yifan’s presence was welcome, Wen Yifan ate quietly, trying to minimize her presence. But Sang Zhi, enthusiastic as ever, kept offering food to her plate.
A few minutes later, Sang Zhi asked, “Big sister, what’s your name?”
“Wen Yifan. ‘Yi’ as in ‘before,’ and ‘Fan’ as in ‘ordinary.’”
“Oh! Then can I call you Sister Yifan?” Sang Zhi’s smile brightened. “My name is Sang Zhi—the ‘Zhi’ from ‘childish.’ You can call me Zhizhi, that’s my nickname.”
“Alright,” Wen Yifan chuckled. “Zhizhi suits you. It’s very cute.”
Sang Yan suddenly let out a soft laugh.
Annoyed, Sang Zhi snapped, “What’s wrong with her saying my nickname is cute?”
Sang Yan smirked, refusing to explain.
“…”
Wen Yifan pressed her lips together, an odd sense of déjà vu rising. His laugh now was exactly like the one from years ago, when he had teased her about her own nickname, mocking that it “sounded like a servant girl’s name.”
She dismissed the memory, turning back to Sang Zhi. “It is cute.”
Encouraged, Sang Zhi kept chatting with her, completely ignoring her brother.
Soon, Wen Yifan casually asked, “Zhizhi, what brings you here today? Isn’t it the third day of New Year? Shouldn’t you be with your parents?”
“They went to visit relatives, but I didn’t want to go. I’m about to take the college entrance exam,” her voice dropped, “so I’d rather stay and study. I’m afraid I won’t do well on the exams when school resumes.”
“You’re in your senior year?” Wen Yifan asked gently. “Any universities in mind?”
Sang Zhi hesitated before answering, “I’m torn between Nanwu University and Yihe University.”
Wen Yifan paused, surprised. “You can get into both?”
“Barring accidents.”
Her calm tone reminded Wen Yifan of her own shaky grades years ago. Back then, she hadn’t even dared hope for such schools. Now, sitting across from this confident girl, she felt as if she were in the presence of a top student. “Your grades must be excellent.”
“I’m just afraid of underperforming,” Sang Zhi admitted.
“Don’t pressure yourself too much,” Wen Yifan encouraged. “Both schools are good. You could look into which one’s better for your major. Yihe is quite far from Nanwu, though, and the climate’s very different. It took me a while to adjust when I first went there. That’s something to consider too.”
Sang Zhi nodded earnestly. “Sister Yifan, did you go to Yihe University?”
“Yes.”
“What was your major?”
“Ah—” Sang Zhi blinked. “I have a classmate who wants that too. I heard Nanwu University is more famous for it than Yihe.”
Wen Yifan stilled.
“Why did you choose Yihe, then?”
Before she could answer, Sang Yan set his beer down with a sharp clunk.
Both women instinctively looked at him.
“Why are you looking at me?” He leaned back in his chair, a lazy smile on his lips. “Go on.”
His eyes glinted darkly. “I’d like to hear the reason too.”