The next morning, Xiao Zhan was in the middle of making his usual breakfast when his phone buzzed. Seeing Sang Zhi's mom's name flash on the screen made his heart skip a beat. Mrs. Sang rarely called him directly. He wondered if something was wrong—had something happened to Sang Zhi?
"Hello, Mrs. Sang?" he answered, trying to sound calm.
"Xiao Zhan! I hope I didn't wake you, dear," she said, her voice kind but carrying a hint of urgency.
"Not at all," he replied, setting his coffee mug down, his nerves piquing.
"Good. I actually need your help with something," she began. "It's about Sang Zhi. I'm sure you know she's… well, she's being stubborn."
Xiao Zhan's shoulders tensed. "Stubborn about…?"
"About this blind date," she sighed, her frustration spilling over. "She absolutely refuses to go, and I just don't understand why. She's of age, and all her friends are getting engaged or dating… I just don't want her to be left behind."
He felt a pang of sympathy for her. He knew she cared about Sang Zhi and wanted what she thought was best for her. But he also understood Sang Zhi's resistance to the whole idea—she wasn't the type to do something just because others thought she should.
"I understand, Mrs. Sang," he said carefully, though his stomach twisted at the thought of Sang Zhi actually going on a date with someone else.
"Could you… maybe try talking to her?" she asked, her voice hopeful. "I think she'll listen to you."
Xiao Zhan's heart sank. He was the one who had told Sang Zhi she shouldn't go if she didn't want to, but now her mother was practically begging him to convince her. He knew Sang Zhi wouldn't take this well. But he also didn't want to disappoint Mrs. Sang, who had always been so kind to him.
"Alright," he finally said, forcing the words out. "I'll try talking to her."
"Thank you, Xiao Zhan," she replied, relief evident in her voice. "You're always so good to her. I know she'll listen to you."
After they hung up, Xiao Zhan took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. The last thing he wanted was to be the one pushing Sang Zhi into something she didn't want to do. But he had made a promise.
A few hours later, Sang Zhi came over to pick up a book she had left at his apartment. He decided to take the plunge, knowing it would only get harder if he waited.
"Hey, Zhi… about the whole blind date thing," he began, clearing his throat. Her eyes immediately narrowed.
"Don't tell me you're going to side with my mom on this," she said, crossing her arms.
He held up his hands, trying to diffuse her annoyance. "Look, I'm not siding with anyone. I just… well, maybe just go this once, so she can see it's not for you. She might back off if she sees that you're genuinely not interested."
She stared at him, a mix of disbelief and hurt flickering in her eyes. "Seriously, Xiao Zhan? I thought you of all people would get it. You're the one who told me I shouldn't go if I didn't want to."
"I know, and I still believe that," he said quickly, guilt weighing on his heart. "But your mom… she's really worried about you, Zhi. She just wants you to be happy."
Sang Zhi let out a frustrated sigh, glancing away. He could see the battle going on inside her—the desire to stand her ground against her mother's wishes, clashing with the guilt that came from seeing her mother so worried.
"Fine," she finally muttered, her tone resigned. "I'll go. But only to get her off my back."
Xiao Zhan forced a smile, though his heart ached at the thought of her going through with it. "It's just one date, right? You can survive it."
"Right," she muttered, clearly unimpressed. "One date."
She left shortly after, and Xiao Zhan was left alone with his thoughts. The moment she was out the door, he felt a pang of regret for pushing her into it. He hated the idea of her sitting across from some guy, pretending to be interested when he knew she wasn't. And worse yet, what if she did end up liking him?
For the rest of the day, Xiao Zhan was restless, unable to focus on anything. He glanced at his phone more times than he could count, wondering if she would text him an update, or maybe even call him and ask him to come rescue her. He didn't want her to have a bad time, but at the same time, the thought of the date going well made his stomach churn.
As evening approached, he found himself pacing the length of his living room, picturing all sorts of scenarios in his head. Maybe the guy would be boring, or maybe he'd say something dumb that would turn her off completely. Or maybe—his heart sank at the thought—maybe she would actually enjoy herself.
He closed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh. The truth was, he didn't want her to go on any dates. He wanted her to see him the way he saw her—as someone she could share everything with, someone who could be more than just her friend.
"Please," he muttered under his breath, almost as if he were praying. "Please don't let this go well."
Hours dragged on, each one longer than the last. He kept glancing at the clock, hoping he'd hear from her soon, and eventually, he slumped onto the couch, his thoughts a mix of longing and anxiety.
Finally, close to midnight, his phone buzzed, jolting him from his thoughts. It was a text from Sang Zhi.
Sang Zhi: Are you awake?
Xiao Zhan: Yeah. How did it go?
The typing indicator appeared for a few seconds, then stopped. A few more seconds passed before it reappeared. Finally, her message came through.
Sang Zhi: It was fine, I guess. But I couldn't stop thinking about how much I didn't want to be there.
A wave of relief washed over him, though he tried to keep his tone casual.
Xiao Zhan: See? Guess you just had to confirm for yourself.
Sang Zhi: Yeah. Guess so. But honestly, I just kept wondering… why go through the hassle if I already know what I want?
His fingers froze over the keyboard, her words sinking in slowly. Did she mean…?
Xiao Zhan: What do you want?
Another pause, this one longer. He could almost feel her hesitance through the screen. Finally, her response appeared.
Sang Zhi: I don't know… Maybe I just want to be with someone who knows me. Someone who I don't have to impress, someone who already gets it.
Xiao Zhan's heart skipped a beat. He stared at her message, his mind racing, trying to piece together what she might be hinting at.
Xiao Zhan: You know… sometimes, the best things are closer than you think.
He sent the message, his heart hammering in his chest as he waited for her response. He wasn't sure if he'd said too much or not enough, but he knew he couldn't go on pretending forever.