Chapter 9 - What Should I Do if My Younger Brother’s Crush Has Taken a Liking to Me?

Chapter 9 The turn of events was completely unexpected. When Xi Ning came to her senses, she found herself standing outside the side door of the stairway. The dampness of the rain hit her face, and a gentle force wrapped around her arm. The warm touch of the fabric pressed against her skin, and she could feel the other person's body warmth through the thin material. A shiver ran through her fingertips, and her arm reflexively stiffened. She rarely had intimate physical contact with her female friends, except for when Tu Xiao Yuan, in her clingy manner, would sometimes come over to hug and embrace her, only to be pushed away with a hand on her forehead. Though it was a common way for girls to display friendliness, Xi Ning found it somewhat unnatural, despite not having any serious aversion to it. With the handle of the umbrella in her hand, she turned to glance at the crowd behind her, but she couldn't find Xi Mu's figure. "What are you looking at?" A gentle warmth on her left shoulder, and a delicate breath against her neck. A sweet voice carried a hint of cool fragrance. The sudden proximity caught Xi Ning off guard, causing her body to react almost instinctively before her mind could process it. Kong Nianxi had just leaned her chin on Xi Ning's shoulder when she was suddenly pulled away the next second, leaving her hanging in the air. Xi Ning blinked, slightly dazed. When she looked up and saw the unnatural look on Kong Nianxi's face, a slight smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Xi Ning." Kong Nianxi looked up, her slender eyes slightly upturned, with a bewitching smile that contained a hint of ambiguity. "Do you not like me very much?" Her tone was playful, but the content was direct and surprising. Normally, anyone with decent social skills would respond with a denial to such a question. However, in Xi Ning's case, it was indeed a fact. To be honest, as classmates with zero interaction between them, it was impossible to say there was absolutely no deliberate avoidance, although it was not due to dislike. Xi Ning hesitated as she met Kong Nianxi's direct gaze. Feeling a sense of oppression for some inexplicable reason, after a pause of two or three seconds, she replied, "…Why would you think that?" Kong Nianxi chuckled softly. The expected response comforted her. She deliberately asked with a hint of her own ulterior motives. In truth, she was nursing some "resentment" towards Xi Ning. In school, whether in the classroom or the dormitory, even when they happened to meet face to face, Xi Ning always pretended not to see her, even though they both knew each other's names. Over time, Kong Nianxi, who initially wanted to strike up a conversation, developed a bit of a temper. After all, licking people's boots, of course, was out of the question for Kong Nianxi. So, that cup of milk tea on Sunday, to some extent, inflated her confidence. "That's good." Kong Nianxi said with a smile, "Let's go." This statement reminded Xi Ning that she had only come to deliver an umbrella for someone else, but now... Looking at the fine rain curtain in front of her, she pursed her lips, then sighed inwardly after a while, thinking, "Oh well," and opened the umbrella with a swish. The umbrella belonged to Xi Mu, all black and indiscernible when folded. But when opened... it clearly was a small umbrella, sufficient for one person but a bit cramped for two. "…" Xi Ning's eyes twitched as she scolded him again in her heart. But in Kong Nianxi's eyes, it was a different matter. "It's okay, we can get closer," she said. With her warm breath reaching Xi Ning's ears, she felt a soft force around her waist. Kong Nianxi openly rested her chin on Xi Ning's shoulder and, with a step, led them into the rain. The dense raindrops fell on the umbrella, creating a rhythmic sound, while under the umbrella, it was peaceful. Xi Ning felt as though she could almost hear her own unsteady breathing. Because Kong Nianxi was slightly shorter, they huddled under the small umbrella, with her chin naturally resting on Xi Ning's shoulder, and the whole situation resembled someone embracing her from behind. As they walked, Xi Ning felt something strange about her heartbeat, especially when Kong Nianxi's breath brushed against her earlobe. It felt like being tickled by feathers, making her heart flutter. She attributed this to not having had physical contact with friends for a long time and not being used to intimate touches, hence her stiff and tense reaction. Kong Nianxi leaned on the shoulder Xi Ning had earlier "envied", and she tilted her head to look at the suspiciously blushing earlobe of Xi Ning. Sliding her chin along the smooth fabric of her uniform, she saw the tense curve of Xi Ning's lips, and her smile widened, "Xi classmate, do you always like using such a small umbrella?" Her words carried an implicit meaning, but Xi Ning obviously had no intention to read deeper into them. Of course, her umbrella was not that small—she couldn't fathom why Xi Mu, who was over 180cm tall, would buy such an ill-fitting umbrella... Wait a minute. She seemed to have belatedly realized something. Could this be... the cunning of a straight man? Fortunately, the distance from the research building to the sophomore teaching building was not far, and they soon reached the classroom. They walked in silence and quickly arrived at the classroom door. "Xi Xi, come here!" As Xi Ning entered the front door, she saw Tu Xiao Yuan waving at her from the back, with the table filled with takeout, and Su Yuqi also there – they just needed her. Unconsciously, Xi Ning breathed a sigh of relief, and as she took a step towards them, her sleeve was grabbed. Turning back, she met Kong Nianxi's stare. Her eyes' slender shape was even more pronounced when not smiling, and they held a deep color, exuding a hint of chill. Xi Ning thought she was seeing things, and closed her eyes before reopening them, only to see Kong Nianxi with a raised corner of her lips, pointing to the wet corner of her right shoulder, "Is your outfit uncomfortable when it's wet?" She looked down and saw that the edge of her uniform jacket and shoulder were indeed splattered with rainwater, the wetness seeping into the shirt underneath, sticking uncomfortably to her skin. It wasn't until she was reminded that she felt somewhat uncomfortable. "Wait here for a moment." Kong Nianxi let go of her sleeve, walked back to her desk, took out a neatly folded school uniform jacket from a bag, and returned, handing it to Xi Ning, "I have a spare, you should change into this first." In an instant, Xi Ning found herself holding an extra piece of clothing. A faint, cool fragrance wafted into her nose, similar to the smell on Kong Nianxi. Startled for half a second, she hurriedly reached out to return it, only to have her wrist caught and pushed back. Dark clouds outside, heavy rain pouring down, lighting up the classroom with its lights, even though it was noon. Kong Nianxi stood still, her lips much lighter in color than in the morning, lending her features a softer and more ethereal appearance in the light and shadow. Xi Ning stood in place, with a hint of confusion in her gaze as she stared at the quiet girl. The next moment, she saw her suddenly rise on her tiptoes, leaning in— The distance between the two instantly shortened, and with the delicate face looming closer, Xi Ning felt her heart skip a beat. Caught off guard, her body unconsciously retreated, resulting in a "clang" as she collided with the empty desk behind her. "Chuckle..." Kong Nianxi laughed lightly, and seeing her startled expression, she felt mischievous. "Do you want me to help you change?" As she extended her hand tentatively towards the neckline of Xi Ning's clothes, as expected, she was stopped by Xi Ning. The last class in the morning was a lab session, and with the heavy rain, many people didn't have umbrellas. Thus, the relative quietness in the classroom drew special attention to their actions. Although girls playfully teasing each other like this was common, the key lay in the relationship between the teasing parties. The onlookers, who were initially indifferent to Kong Nianxi seemingly flirting with another girl, were instantly stunned when they saw the person pressed against the table, rubbing their eyes in disbelief. —No way, isn't this the ice-cold academic goddess from their class, who was fully dedicated to studying and solving problems? Since when did she get involved with the "mortal realm's enchanting demons"? Xi Ning was taken aback, half-leaning against the desk, with nowhere to retreat. An inadvertent glance to the side revealed a girl sitting across, staring at them with copper-bell-like eyes. A sense of unease crept over her as she looked around the classroom, and indeed, almost everyone's focus was curiously fixed on their corner. Tu Xiao Yuan in the back was even gaping in surprise. Xi Ning couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. She gently pushed the person off her and quickly pulled away, standing up. In the end, with the garment in hand, she walked to the back row with a calm expression. However, her slightly blushing ears betrayed her feelings. Kong Nianxi watched her back, smiling as she retracted her gaze. After returning to her seat, she put away her bag, which wasn't wet at all, and took out a folded umbrella, slipping it back into the desk pocket. After a while, people gradually returned to the classroom, and the atmosphere grew lively. "Ah Xixi, why did you suddenly message us saying you were coming back first? Who kidnapped you?" Several girls came in through the front door and sat down by her table, asking in a flurry. Kong Nianxi put down her phone, twirling a pen on her fingertip thoughtfully. After a moment, she smiled, "Playing along with someone's little trick." "Huh? What?" "Nothing." Author's note: Oh, sorry, the release is a bit late.