Chapter 37 - What Should I Do if My Younger Brother’s Crush Has Taken a Liking to Me?

Chapter 37 Rain pattered against the glass at an angle. The window was slightly ajar, allowing a cool breeze, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of rain, to slip into the living room. Leaning forward, Kong Nianxi raised an eyebrow as she met the pair of shallow-colored eyes before her. Xi Ning, with a stiffened posture and a straight back, slightly leaned back in her seat with her long, slender arms somewhat restrained on her legs. She was clad in a loose, immaculate white nightshirt, exuding a cold, pure, and tidy aura throughout her body, carrying a restrained and composed temperament. Kong Nianxi squinted. She hadn't expected that the reason Xi Ning had taken the initiative to come to her yesterday was simply because she skipped class. But on second thought, for Xi Ning, who strictly adhered to school rules like a textbook good student, skipping classes for half a day was indeed quite out of character. Then, if she hadn't skipped class, would Xi Ning still have her nonchalant attitude? Clearly, it was this person who made the first move, but the motive turned out to be helping a male friend pursue her. Although, from a rational standpoint, as fellow girls, the other party hadn't done anything too excessive. But... this was still the first time she had developed feelings, and there was a sense of humiliation deep down at being toyed with. Though she didn't want to admit it, could it be that she had just misunderstood everything? Staring intently at Xi Ning's reserved phoenix eyes, Kong Nianxi ground her teeth. She really wanted to see what those eyes would look like when they lost control. The atmosphere around them grew increasingly tense. Xi Ning inexplicably felt a chill down her spine, sliding her leg to the side. After a moment of contemplation, she broke the silence, "This is a basic rule that should be obeyed by students in school. Also, it’s not safe to wander outside the school gates." Seeing her evasive look made Kong Nianxi sneer and deliberately retort, "But what does it have to do with you? Why should I listen to you?" Xi Ning's expression relaxed for a moment. The various signs from last Friday had made her feel that Kong Nianxi's sudden despondent attitude and class truancy were related to her. Plus, the other party had said those words last night. She lifted her head, a trace of uncertain bewilderment crossing her eyes, "Is it really irrelevant?" Kong Nianxi took a deep breath, slightly amused, leaning back with folded arms and arrogantly looking at her, "Whether or not to skip class depends on my mood. What's the matter, do you really think I have feelings for you?" "..." Xi Ning: "You said last night—" Kong Nianxi's face flushed, and she quickly interrupted, "Words spoken while not conscious are half true and half false. I can't control it myself." Xi Ning remained silent for a while, mulling over this statement in her mind. Rationally, she felt that she should breathe a sigh of relief, but in reality, she didn't seem to. Finally, Xi Ning softly said, "Oh." She just said oh? Kong Nianxi straightened her body. Seeing Xi Ning's seemingly unaffected expression, she felt even more irritated. Originally, she just wanted to save face, or at least not appear defeated in front of the other party because the one who fell in love first would definitely be at a disadvantage. How could she, Kong Nianxi, admit that she was a lovelorn underdog? "But." Kong Nianxi raised an eyebrow, gritting her teeth, "I still feel offended by your behaviors of toying with my feelings." Xi Ning furrowed her brows, her fingers clenched, "I..." Kong Nianxi turned her face away, "At first, I thought you genuinely wanted to be friends with me." Silent as if struck by an arrow, Xi Ning was momentarily speechless. The vast living room fell silent. Rustling sounds came from the corner. Xi Ning turned her head, only to see a self-operated pet feeder in the wall corner, and Ta Ta was happily eating there. It was time for breakfast. Last night, she had only eaten two skewers of grilled beef, which had managed to sustain her until now. But now hunger hit her belatedly. "Gurgle..." A faint sound reached her ears, not hers. Xi Ning subconsciously turned her head to the opposite side, and Kong Nianxi's face briefly displayed a hint of shyness. She placed her arm on her abdomen, standing tall, and asked, "Can you make breakfast?" Xi Ning was surprised, "Huh?" Kong Nianxi justified herself, "Didn't you say you felt guilty and wanted to make it up to me? I... am hungry now." Glancing outside, Xi Ning suppressed a smile, "It's pouring rain, and we can't order takeout." Echoing her words, her stomach grumbled again. Xi Ning thought to herself, her culinary skills might not be exceptional, but at least she could fry the ingredients. With the heavy rain outside, it seemed that she'd have to prepare breakfast herself. "Do you have anything at home?" Approaching the kitchen, Xi Ning opened Kong Nianxi's refrigerator and was greeted by an array of various beverages and yogurt from top to bottom, leaving her momentarily perplexed. "It seems there are still some handmade burger ingredients left from last week," Xi Ning said, hesitating. Kong Nianxi followed her in, and at their feet, Ta Ta cautiously padded around, tail raised. Kong Nianxi rummaged in the freezer, pulling out a few bags of beef patties, a can of pickles, bread slices, cheese, and some condiments from the cupboard. The items were quite complete, but... Xi Ning, who was accustomed to having congee and light meals in the morning, furrowed her brow as she stared at the things on the table, hesitating, "Do you eat this for breakfast?" Kong Nianxi raised her eyebrows, "This is all we have." It seemed, despite their different eating habits, Xi Ning opted to comply. The ingredients were ready, and frying the beef patties was a straightforward task. Xi Ning opened a bag of beef patties, intending to thaw them in the microwave. But as she turned around, she saw Kong Nianxi directly tossing the hard meat into the skillet. Xi Ning hastily intervened, "What are you doing?" Kong Nianxi blinked, "Pan-frying beef. Aren't street-style handmade burgers cooked this way?" Xi Ning couldn't help but smile and raised her arm to take the beef patties, "They're not thawed yet, and they're easy to burn. Plus, you haven't put any oil." Dazed and led away to the edge of the counter, Kong Nianxi showed no embarrassment over her ignorance. Instead, she seemed to grasp newfound knowledge, "No wonder there was a burnt smell when Shimin and the others cooked last week." The kitchen was dim due to the overcast sky, with the lights on. Xi Ning busied herself in front of the counter. Tall and graceful, her slender limbs deftly handled the ingredients, her eyes shining with focus and earnestness. The warm light fell on her shoulders, enveloping her in a gentle radiance. "Meow~" Ta Ta mewed coquettishly at her feet. Kong Nianxi withdrew her gaze, bending down to pat its head. Watching Xi Ning prepare breakfast, she inexplicably felt a sense of reassurance, along with an inexplicable, swelling sense of fulfillment. Although there was an element of coercion, and she knew that Xi Ning wasn't genuinely volunteering to cook for her, Kong Nianxi felt that it was fine, at least it would give her a chance to bond with her. Just, she felt quite lowly for being the first. It was exasperating. Was the other party truly impervious and immune to female charm? However, based on some previous reactions, it was hard to shake off the suspicion. "Do you have an apron?" Xi Ning was about to fry the beef patties when she noticed Kong Nianxi zoning out, her deep eyes showing signs of anger. Subconsciously stepping back for a moment, she found Kong Nianxi suddenly softening her attitude again. Although Kong Nianxi didn't know how to cook, she did have all the necessary kitchenware from a previous impromptu gathering with friends when she moved in. In quick succession, she brought in a yellow apron with a small duck pattern. Xi Ning reached out to take it, but Kong Nianxi walked up to her and said, "Let me help you. It's tricky to tie the back yourself." Her arm was already raised, and Xi Ning hesitated for half a second before bending her head slightly, cooperating to hang the apron around her neck. Facing each other, when she raised her head slightly, she met the girl's smiling eyes, her long eyes upturned, exuding a touch of inherent laziness and charm. Her eyelashes quivered. Xi Ning pressed her lips together, averted her gaze, and attempted to stand up. However, Kong Nianxi reached over, encircling her waist, "Don't move. I'll tie the back for you." "..." There was barely any distance between them, almost as if they were embracing each other face-to-face. Her arm lightly rested around Xi Ning's waist, and through the thin nightshirt fabric, she could feel the other's warmth. With her body slightly bent, it felt like she had waited for a very long time, yet also as if it had been just a short while. Slowly, Kong Nianxi tied the apron straps with deliberation, as Xi Ning bit her lips increasingly tightly, and the fair skin of her neck, suffused with the sprayed breath, turned pink, spreading to her cheeks. Kong Nianxi narrowed her eyes and couldn't help but smile as she glanced at her, then leaned in a little closer, "Are you feeling hot? Your neck is all red." Xi Ning stood upright, trying to sound casual, "No... I'll do it myself." Kong Nianxi stepped forward, holding onto her waist, "It's almost done. Don't be in a rush. Tying an apron is a step-by-step process." As she spoke, Kong Nianxi leaned in close to Xi Ning's chest and listened, surprised, "Your heartbeat is a bit fast, it's strange." Xi Ning, belatedly, with a flicker in her gaze, shifted her body backward, "Is it? Perhaps... you misheard it." "I don't think so, then let me listen again." Kong Nianxi smirked and pretended to lean towards her chest. Xi Ning abruptly pulled back, her body almost reacting before her consciousness, distancing herself. As she realized her response, she found herself leaning against the refrigerator, her face slightly flushed. The surroundings fell silent for a few seconds before Kong Nianxi burst into laughter, bending over, "Pfft... why that expression?" After laughing for a bit, she walked over slowly, "You don't like girls, and I don't like you. It was just tying the apron strings, why did you...?" Looking at the other's meaningful smile, Xi Ning was taken aback and blurted out, "I'm just not used to too much intimate physical contact with others." "Oh, I see." Kong Nianxi nodded, stroking her chin, "So, we've already had intimate contact just now." "In that case, I think this troublesome condition might need treatment." "If it's just a matter of getting used to it, then getting used to it more often, don't you think you could adapt?" Xi Ning: "..." Logically, it seemed to make sense. The phone on the table buzzed, and Xi Ning picked it up, feeling relieved when she saw the name "Tu Xiaoyuan" on the screen - she felt genuinely happy for the first time. Having had her fun, Kong Nianxi also knew when to stop and went to play with Ta Ta in the living room. Xi Ning let out a sigh of relief, then answered the call. "Hey, have you gotten up, Ning Ning?" Tu Xiaoyuan's voice sounded like she had just woken up. "I've been up for a while." "Huh? You're awake and still don't want to come back. What are you doing?" Xi Ning then remembered the ingredients on the counter and responded wearily, "I'm making breakfast." "Haha? You're at Kong Nianxi's house... making breakfast for her? Have you made up so quickly?" "..." Made up? Well... maybe. But why did she feel even more uneasy than before? This sensation, beyond her control.