Chapter 33 - What Should I Do if My Younger Brother’s Crush Has Taken a Liking to Me?

Chapter 33 In the dimly lit staircase, a tall and slender figure was standing quietly. Xi Ning clenched her fingers, the slender wrist peeking out of her sleeve as she held it tightly by her side. Her lips were slightly pursed, and her eyes were clear and shallow, reflecting a reserved and aloof temperament. With her cold and aloof appearance, it was hard to understand the romantic entanglements of a seemingly inscrutable young woman. Kong Nianxi couldn't help but sigh inwardly, secretly hoping the other person was a complete introvert. It was the first time in her life that she had lowered herself so much in front of someone. She could almost guess the other's response, and suddenly felt a sense of exhaustion. Without waiting for Xi Ning to speak, she turned around and left. Xi Ning instinctively reached out to stop her, but her hand was like an electric shock to Kong Nianxi, causing her to recoil. The atmosphere froze for a few seconds, and Kong Nianxi glanced back at her. It was a very complex look, with a piercing coldness and a warning, yet also tinged with a hint of grievance and stubbornness. Xi Ning's fingertips hesitated in mid-air, but when she came to, she found herself alone in the stairwell. --- It was already past eight in the evening when they left the arcade. The sky had darkened, and streetlights illuminated the surroundings. Stalls selling grilled skewers and snacks on both sides of the street had started bustling. As they walked back along the road, they passed a sign for "X Sister's BBQ," and the aroma of grilled lamb skewers wafted temptingly, making people unable to help but salivate. "Oops, it's already dark. How about we eat here before heading back?" Tu Xiaoyuan, holding a handful of spoils, stood in front of a colorful sign advertising "Free two bottles of beer with a purchase of over fifty yuan." "Wow, there's a special offer today! Let's eat here, shall we?" Su Yuqi, with her hands on her hips, said, "You guys don't even drink." Tu Xiaoyuan pouted, "It's just beer. I even drank red wine with my dad during the New Year, and I didn't get drunk at all." Su Yuqi said, "How much did you drink?" "Just a sip." "..." Su Yuqi was speechless. "You are quite something." After saying that, she looked at Xi Ning, who had been silent the whole way. "I don't mind. Do you want to eat?" Xi Ning was taken aback by the question. When she realized what had been asked, she absentmindedly replied, "I don't mind either." "Great, then it's settled. Let's go in!" Tu Xiaoyuan cheerfully led the way into the barbecue stall. The owner recognized the three of them and greeted them with a smile. "You girls are on holidays, right? Sorry, it's a bit crowded now, and we're out of tables. How about sharing a table?" The outdoor tables were indeed all occupied, except for a few empty chairs by the big table in the corner, where they had sat last week. It's also worth mentioning that Xi Ning could see Kong Nianxi's figure at that table. "Oh... Can you give us a separate table, sister?" Tu Xiaoyuan noticed the people at the table and was hesitant about sharing with strangers. The owner hesitated. "If we had an available table, we would have already set it up. I'm sorry, little sister... But I remember you all sitting together last week." "Huh?" Tu Xiaoyuan looked over and was surprised. "Indeed, it's them, Nianxi and the others!" Then, she slapped her thigh. "Well, that's fine then." Seeing her intending to go over, Xi Ning's expression became a little unnatural, and she averted her eyes, trying to change the subject. "The grilled fish place across the street seems good." However, her awkward attempt at deception was seen through by Tu Xiaoyuan, and she directly pulled Xi Ning over. "Come on, let's go. We're here to eat barbecue tonight!" As Xi Ning was dragged by her sleeve, she reluctantly followed Tu Xiaoyuan to the table where Kong Nianxi and the others were sitting. The table could accommodate ten people and had five empty chairs. There were also Huang Mao, Juan Mao, a short-haired girl from their class, and an unfamiliar boy sitting at the table. "Mom, Huang Mao, if your dad finds out, he'll definitely break your legs, won't he?" "This bottle isn't cheap, you... Oh, Scholar, we meet again. What a coincidence." Jiang Mao was holding a wine bottle, chatting away casually, and was the first to notice Xi Ning's group approaching. All eyes were on them as they approached. Huang Mao grinned. "Hey, it's unexpected to have a weekend barbecue fate again!" Tu Xiaoyuan took a seat and teased, "What, not pleased to see us?" "How could that be." Huang Mao smiled awkwardly. Su Yuqi hooked a chair with her foot to sit, but Tu Xiaoyuan pulled her to sit next to her, winking. "Come sit with me~" So, with three consecutive empty chairs, only the one next to Kong Nianxi remained unoccupied. "..." Kong Nianxi had been playing with her phone the whole time, and Xi Ning, after hesitating, sat down quietly. "Don't dawdle. Open it and let everyone have a taste," urged Su Yuqi. "Yes, indeed. You've never had such an expensive red wine all your life." Amidst the noisy banter, Juan Mao opened the bottle. The boy next to him immediately handed a cup over, but then stopped pouring. "Hey, don't we need to aerate the wine before drinking?" Immediately, there was a commotion: "We are just ordinary students. Who aerates the wine?" "It won't make a difference once it's in our mouths." "After aerating, the food will get cold." "..." They filled their cups one by one, but they met with refusal when they reached Xi Ning's group. "Your beef skewers~" Before long, their ordered skewers were served. The environment around them was noisy and lively, but when it came to their table, the volume suddenly decreased. Juan Mao complained, "Huang Mao risked getting his legs broken by stealing the wine from his dad, and yet, Nianxi, don't you want to taste it?" "Hey, this isn't considered stealing. I just took it—it's not like my dad will break my legs for it." Kong Nianxi lazily put down her phone, casually sipping from her cup, and raised a brow in disdain. "Why did you bring it out in the first place?" Huang Mao scratched his head. "I took a tricycle right after getting off the subway. What's wrong?" Kong Nianxi smiled. "You were swaying all the way here. It's really..." "Never mind." She looked around, bit her lip, and held the cup to her lips, drinking it all down in one go. "Ah—" The table erupted into a commotion. Kong Nianxi drank one cup after another, and Xi Ning's brows furrowed more deeply. Juan Mao suddenly felt something was wrong. "I remember that time when someone had a birthday. Nianxi drank red wine once, and she got drunk from just one cup, right?" "When was that? I don't remember." "That time, it was the only time I saw Nianxi drunk..." As Juan Mao's words trailed off, the table fell silent, and everyone looked at Kong Nianxi, who was holding an empty cup, with a hint of unease on their faces. "Why, are you unwilling to let me drink?" In the dim light, Kong Nianxi's cheeks had turned visibly rosy. She rested her chin on her hand, her long and narrow eyes slightly narrowed, with a layer of drunken mist, and she laughed unconcernedly, "Do you actually care about me drinking? I'll bring a similar bottle to compensate you next week." "Actually, I'm not stingy. It's just that you are really drunk," protested Huang Mao, retrieving the wine bottle. Kong Nianxi pouted and looked around. "Are you all gang up against me? Okay, I'll handle it myself." She then grabbed a can of beer and opened it, taking several sips. Juan Mao exclaimed, "Hey, mixing the two will make you drunk faster. Quick—" Before he could finish his sentence, someone took the beer can from Kong Nianxi. She looked up, slightly annoyed, and met Xi Ning's stern gaze. "Don't do this, it's not good for your health." Xi Ning took the beer from her hand and moved it away, standing up to distance herself from Kong Nianxi. Several gasps were heard, and suddenly, someone came over and embraced Xi Ning from behind, pushing her chair close and leaning into her ear. "Do you really need to control me?" The warm breath almost touched her ear, and she felt a bit suffocated. She struggled, but Kong Nianxi held her even tighter, drawing closer to her ear and almost, for a moment, their ears touched the soft lips of the other. Xi Ning froze instantly. *Snicker* The light laughter, accompanied with a warmth, trickled into Xi Ning's ears, making her ear tingle and itch. Yet, she remained motionless. "If you desperately want me to listen to you, it's not impossible," Kong Nianxi's voice lowered, with a seductive tone, "Give me a kiss, and I'll listen to you. How about that?" "…!" Xi Ning reflexively leaned back, and Kong Nianxi laughed, releasing her. "Haha, I knew you wouldn't dare~" Kong Nianxi's laughter caught the attention of many. She then stood up, her fair complexion even redder than before, her eyes expressing even more intoxication. Her body, even when standing up, seemed a bit unsteady, and a girl beside her quickly supported her. The entire table stood up, afraid that she might fall. Kong Nianxi raised her chin and looked down at Xi Ning, her voice now feeble and husky, lacking any aggressiveness, "You... You're so timid. What... What are you afraid of? Weren't you the one who said you're not-" Xi Ning's pupils contracted, and she hurriedly stood up and covered Kong Nianxi's mouth with her hand. "Umph..." Kong Nianxi struggled for a moment before her body went limp, and she flopped towards Xi Ning, who had to catch her and carefully help her back into her seat. Onlookers were stunned, and there was silence at the table until Xi Ning settled her down and turned her head, only to find everyone staring at her. "…" Two seconds of silence passed before Xi Ning spoke up. "She… seems to be really drunk. Shouldn't we take her home first?" The silence was broken, and Juan Mao was the first to snap out of it. "Ah, uh, yes, yes, she seems to have an unusual lack of resistance to red wine, just one cup and she's drunk. I almost forgot about it. In this case, we'll have to take her home first." Xi Ning frowned. "Then who will take her? Where does she live?" The short-haired girl sighed beside her, "Right now, only you can take her." "?" Xi Ning looked at her with confusion. The short-haired girl pointed to her neck. "Can you even get her off you?" Xi Ning looked down and saw that Kong Nianxi's arms had unwittingly wrapped around her neck, and she couldn't push her away. "Don't be afraid, Scholar. Sister Nianxi has a rented place near the school. You can take her there tonight. It's not far." Juan Mao grinned, showing his white teeth.