Chapter 34 - What Should I Do if My Younger Brother’s Crush Has Taken a Liking to Me?

Chapter 34 "…" Xi Ning remained silent, gently lowering her gaze to the person leaning on her shoulder like a huggable pillow. Probably due to the wide-necked wine container, Kong Nian Xi hadn't drunk much of the red wine, yet it was starting to show on her face. She was becoming restless and started to move around. Her chin rubbed against Xi's shoulder and then slid downwards, trying to burrow into her embrace. Like a boneless cat. To maintain their balance, Xi could only sit upright on the stool, keeping her posture straight. But she couldn't resist the persistent and entangling movements of her companion. Perhaps influenced by the faint aroma of wine, her body temperature gradually rose, and her earlobes became increasingly warm. This couldn't go on like this… With no other options, Xi, braving the scrutiny of onlookers, gritted her teeth and reluctantly asked, "Where is the address?" The curly-haired girl stood up with a kick of her legs. "Not far, just across the street. I'll show you the way." Tu Xiao Yuan called the landlady to pack their order for takeaway and decided to accompany Xi to take the person back. Insisting that no one else should follow, she picked up Kong Nian Xi's bag and went ahead to guide the way. The narrow street was crowded with various small food shops on both sides. Xiao Yuan handed the packed bags to Su Yu Qi and then walked over to Xi to offer her help. "Let me lend you a hand." At this moment, Kong Nian Xi was much more well-behaved, her eyes closed as she nestled softly on Xi's shoulder, moving forward gradually. As Xiao Yuan reached out to her, Kong Nian Xi, with a slight furrow on her brow, lazily opened her eyes and revealed a hint of displeasure in her hazy and tipsy state. Her arm shrank, she leaned onto Xi and pouted, emitting a dissatisfied hum. The street was bustling with people, and her sudden movement almost caused her to stumble, which alarmed Xi. Hastily, she hugged Nian Xi's waist, frowning. "Don't move recklessly." Her cold tone carried a hint of rebuke, which displeased Kong Nian Xi. She stopped in her tracks, bit her lip, and lifted her head, her face blushing, her eyes displaying a hint of coquettish annoyance, half-keen and half-drunk. Raising her hand aimlessly in front of Xi's eyes, she finally "poked" Xi's cheek and raised an eyebrow, sulkily saying, "Your body… already carries my scent, so don't… think about shaking me off!" "…" After a moment, Xi slowly reached out and removed Nian Xi's finger from her cheek. After Nian Xi's "warning," she comfortably settled back onto Xi's shoulder. With a white girl's bag slung over his shoulder, the giraffe that had been grabbed from inside the doll machine poked its head out from the bag, swinging back and forth. At the sound, he turned around and clicked his tongue. "Well, there's no way around it. After getting drunk, Nian Xi is capable of doing anything. Once she has set her target, she won't let go." Xi's eyes twitched. "What… target?" "Uh…" The curly-haired boy waved his hand and laughed awkwardly. "It's nothing, just a metaphor, hahaha." After that, he looked ahead and pointed to a building at the intersection. "We're almost there. That apartment building ahead is it." Not far ahead stood a nearly ten-story blue apartment building, seemingly the tallest building in this suburban rundown street. But something about it looked incredibly familiar. Tu Xiao Yuan rubbed her eyes, somewhat puzzled, and said, "Isn't this the Haughty Apartment?" "This is the best long-term rental apartment near the school. Many students who live off-campus rent here," the curly-haired boy explained. They entered the glass door on the ground floor of the apartment to find a woman playing with a cat on the sofa. The woman appeared to be in her twenties or thirties. Upon seeing them, her warm smile turned concerned as she walked over. "Xi Xi, what's wrong?" She first watched Kong Nian Xi with concern and then examined Xi, who was supporting her. "And… drinking again? Are you okay?" "Meow!" A beautiful plush cat leaped down from the sofa, circled around Kong Nian Xi anxiously, and then, with its cat face raised, threatened Xi with a "hiss" by stepping on her shoe. The curly-haired boy quickly introduced, "This is Ping Ping Jie, the apartment's caretaker." Then he turned to Xi and her friends and said in a low voice, "Nian Xi's second uncle is the landlord of this apartment. She usually stays here during the weekends, and Ping Jie takes care of the cat for her at school. So she's quite familiar." Then the curly-haired boy briefly explained to the caretaker, and Ping Jie didn't ask for more, saying they could seek her help if needed. She then escorted them to the elevator. As the elevator closed and Xi steadied Nian Xi and herself, she suddenly felt a pressure on her foot. Glancing down, she saw the cat perched on her shoe, accompanying them as they ascended. "…" Slightly amused, she unconsciously curled her lips into a smile. As the elevator continued its ascent, Xiao Yuan spoke, "Ning, we're going back now. After you've safely taken Nian Xi home, if things get difficult, just stay at her place for the night. It's not quite reassuring to leave her alone." The curly-haired boy also agreed beside her. Upon hearing their suggestion, Xi was taken aback for a moment. After a pause, she awkwardly replied, "… Can't we just get Ping Jie?" "Ping Jie has to be on duty downstairs tonight, busy," the curly-haired boy said. "Yeah, the two of you were at the same desk for a whole week. There should be some bond there, right?" Tu Xiao Yuan casually patted Xi's shoulder and then, after some thought, squinted her eyes. "Nian Xi only let you hold her. Shouldn't you take care of her?" "…" Xi took a half-step backward, and the cat's hindquarters slid off her shoe. She looked away, her voice lowered. "We're not desk mates anymore." "Hmph, what kind of conflict can't be resolved overnight?" At that moment, the elevator door slowly opened, signaling their arrival at the fifth floor. "We're leaving now. It's fine if you don't come back tonight," Tu Xiao Yuan winked at her and left with Su Yu Qi. Su Yu Qi glanced back at Xi. "It's up to you." After the two had left, the elevator continued to ascend, reaching the top floor, where Kong Nian Xi's room was located. Upon reaching the door, the curly-haired boy handed Xi the bag on his back and said, "The key should be in the bag. It wouldn't be appropriate for a guy like me to go in. So I'll rely on you, the study god, here." Accepting the bag from him, Xi, being tall and with good physicality and almost half a head taller than Kong Nian Xi, didn't feel weary bearing the weight of another person. Before unlocking the door, the curly-haired boy, with a solemn expression, suddenly said, "You think Nian Xi seems pretty normal now, but actually, she hasn't reached the next stage of outburst." "…" The action of opening the door interrupted her, and Xi gave him a puzzled look. "Anyway, you've got your hands full tonight. See you on Monday then." The curly-haired boy bowed to her with his hands together before swiftly retreating into the elevator. It seemed that all of a sudden, she was burdened with the responsibility of taking care of Kong Nian Xi for the whole night. And this responsibility seemed to be inexplicably hers alone. She took a deep breath, looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings, feeling somewhat dazed all of a sudden. "Mmm…" A faint groan pulled her back to reality. Kong Nian Xi stirred, her voice hoarse. "I'm so thirsty." "Meow!" The cat knocked the tissue box off the table and walked elegantly to their side, squatting near the table and staring at them intently. It was as if it was a foreman inspecting the work of laborers. Despite finding the situation somewhat amusing, Xi couldn't help but smile. It seemed like the cat had been hostile to her from the start and now seemed to consider her a lackey serving its master, ready to "strike" her at any sign of neglect. Though she found it somewhat amusing, she couldn't deny her inherent longing for furry animals. Raising her hand slowly, she couldn't resist the urge to touch the cat's soft fur. The cat remained motionless, staring at Xi's approaching hand without any signs of flinching. It just proudly lifted its furry head, and in the beautiful blue eyes of the plush cat, there was a clear indication of disdain. "Can you stop daydreaming while you're feeding me?" The sudden voice made Xi's other hand, holding the cup, tremble, almost spilling the water. Kong Nian Xi had opened her eyes at some point, looking directly at Xi. Her speech was organized, and though there was still a drowsy haze in her eyes, there was also a hint of lucidity. Xi hesitated, then sighed in relief. "… Are you sober now? Do you feel better?" Kong Nian Xi didn't answer. Instead, she looked at Xi and then reached out to take the hand holding the water cup, pressing her red lips to the cup's rim. "I haven't finished drinking." It was a gesture indicating she desired to continue being fed. Her voice was soft, slightly hoarse, and carried a seductive magnetism. As Xi gazed at Kong Nian Xi's delicate profile in the lamplight, she couldn't help but somehow find a similarity between it and the haughty and cute profile of the plush cat. She suddenly felt that Nian Xi's cat was just like her in terms of personality. Her lips curled up slightly. Coming back to her senses, she suppressed her meaningless thoughts, attempting to pass the cup to Nian Xi. "Since you're awake now, you can do it yourself." Nian Xi leaned back and didn't take the cup from Xi's hand. "…" Xi's expression froze. It felt as though her heart had been twisted, leaving a bitter feeling in her chest. She blinked nervously and, finally, gently brought the cup closer to Nian Xi's slightly protruding red lips, carefully feeding her the water. As the water overflowed from the cup and touched Nian Xi's delicate lips, the perfectly sculpted jawline slightly lifted, exposing the exquisite collarbone below the open neckline. Xi swore it was just a casual glance, but as she looked up, she saw Nian Xi biting the cup's rim, gazing meaningfully at her with a hint of a smile in her eyes, making Xi suddenly feel embarrassed as if she had been caught red-handed. After finishing the water, she suddenly felt her face heat up. Placing the cup on the table, she heard Nian Xi speak, "You wanted to pet Tatta just now?" Xi, preparing to stand up, froze in place. She moved her lips but didn't say anything, and Nian Xi curled her lips and sneered, "It is noble and not something ordinary people deserve." "…" Xi's eyes showed a hint of complexity. Suddenly, the words the curly-haired boy had said came to mind— "She hasn't reached the next stage of outburst." …She felt something wasn't quite right. She immediately stood up. "If you're feeling better, get some rest. I'll head back first." Adjusting her wrinkled clothes, she took a step toward the door but found her collar unguardedly hooked from behind. In an instant, she was thrown onto the sofa, an overwhelming cold fragrance mixed with a hint of red wine assaulting her as Nian Xi straddled her waist. Her waist tightened, and her long hair spread beside her, tickling a bit. "Did I say you could leave?" "I haven't finished speaking."