Chapter 38 - What Should I Do if My Younger Brother’s Crush Has Taken a Liking to Me?

Chapter 38 Guan Huo walked into the living room carrying two hamburgers, and Xi Ning set down the cat tease stick and stood up from the sofa. "What do you want to drink, cola, Sprite, or yogurt?" Kong Nianxi opened the refrigerator, and the cold air could be felt even from a distance. She shivered, and Xi Ning declined, "I'll have warm water." On the dining table, the frozen canned cola emitted a cold mist, in stark contrast to the warm water in a glass beside it. Kong Nianxi pulled up a chair and sat down. Seeing Xi Ning pouring herself a tasteless cup of warm water, she couldn't help but chuckle, "Is it necessary to be so health-conscious?" Are they still in high school? Xi Ning poked at her hamburger and said in a low voice, "Drinking something so cold in the morning will upset your stomach later." "That's not important." Kong Nianxi popped open the can and winked at her. "What's important is the joy it brings me at this moment." Xi Ning: "..." It was clear that she couldn't agree with this way of thinking. She didn't like to take risks or seek thrills just for the sake of trying something new. In her junior and senior years of high school, compared to her peers, she was a bit too calm and conservative. Resting her elbow on the table, Kong Nianxi propped her chin with one hand and looked at her for a while. Suddenly, she said, "Are you always... so indifferent to everything?" "Cough, cough—" Xi Ning almost choked on her hamburger. After taking a sip of water to clear her throat, she asked, stunned, "What?" Kong Nianxi pursed her lips and smiled, looking serious. "At school, they all say that you are only interested in studying and nothing else. Is that true?" Xi Ning blinked in a daze for a few seconds, then opened her mouth, but suddenly felt a tug on her lower leg under the table. The smooth skin brushed against the loose pajama pants, sliding over her well-proportioned calf, giving her a slightly cooler sensation than her own body temperature. Startled, Xi Ning's legs suddenly jerked back, and she stared at the opposite side with wide eyes. Kong Nianxi awkwardly retracted her leg and smiled apologetically. "Oops, I accidentally touched you. Sorry." "..." Xi Ning's excessive reaction made her calm tone seem out of place. She awkwardly shifted her restless long legs and glanced around before unconsciously landing her gaze on Kong Nianxi's pajamas. She was still wearing the "ninja suit" from last night. The fabric outlined her curves tightly, and despite the current season not being particularly cold, it was still raining outside, which lowered the temperature quite a bit. Uncomfortable and not providing much warmth, Xi Ning didn't see the point in such sleepwear. "Aren't you going to change your clothes?" Xi Ning changed the subject to alleviate her one-sided embarrassment. "Hmm?" Kong Nianxi touched her pajamas and asked back, "Why should I? You picked this out for me." Falling on this topic again, Xi Ning choked a bit. "I just grabbed it randomly last night... It's a bit chilly today though." After all, she had picked the pajamas for her while she was drunk last night, and if the other party caught a cold, she would be partly responsible. "Oh... But your random pick happened to be the most special set in my wardrobe." The atmosphere suddenly quieted down. Glancing over Xi Ning's tense jawline, Kong Nianxi noticed a hint of panic in her otherwise calm gaze. A pleased curve formed at the corner of Kong Nianxi's lips. "..." Sensing something unusual, Xi Ning's open lips closed again, and she lowered her gaze, concealing all her emotions in her restrained eyes. Finishing their breakfast with their own thoughts, Xi Ning stood up and made her way downstairs. Standing at the door, Kong Nianxi's heart felt a little suffocated. She had thought for a long time about what farewell message to deliver, one that would maintain her dominant position, without seeming deliberate or pandering, and could keep Xi Ning thinking about her at least for the next two days. However, before she could say anything, Xi Ning nodded and turned away without even looking at her. Without any reluctance, she left decisively. She leaned against the door, feeling a bit resentful in her eyes. Xi Ning took a step, then turned around in the corridor, and unintentionally met Kong Nianxi's complex and profound gaze for a brief moment. She was frozen for a second before she could grasp the meaning in those eyes, "bang," the door was closed. "..." Standing at the door for a long while, Xi Ning entered the elevator and descended. After two rainy days over the weekend, her original plans were disrupted, and she had stayed at Su Yuqi's small apartment for two days. As the rain had finally stopped, it was time to head back to school on the weekend. "Ah, why did it have to rain over the weekend? We've been cooped up for two days; it feels like I'm growing mold. Don't be in such a rush to go back to school. Let's take a stroll." During the evening self-study at seven o'clock, there were still many students gathered around the snack cart outside the school, trying to make the most of their last bit of freedom. Su Yuqi had received a mysterious phone call and left first, and Tu Xiaoyuan dragged Xi Ning's book bag outside the school gate, planning to buy some snacks before heading inside. Still in front of the same tofu stand as last Friday, Xi Ning tugged her bag strap that had been pulled out of shape, and as more students came to buy fried tofu, she pressed against her thigh while moving away from the crowd to stand beside a lamppost. It was almost six o'clock now, and the rain had just stopped, with the damp air carrying the scent of moisture. The sky was gradually dimming, and an occasional cool breeze brought a hint of chill. Adjusting her dress at the hem, Xi Ning was ready to go back; her long hair swayed in the breeze, revealing her fair and slender neck. With a tall and straight figure, her legs under her skirt were long and straight, giving off a unique blend of strength and softness, attracting secret glances from the crowd. "Will there still be evening self-study tonight?" "We're skipping it. Tian Jiabao's round face is not bad, but I really don't want to see him." "Sunday... why would anyone want to come back for evening self-study?" The students chattered as a crowd of them passed by, with Kong Nianxi walking at the front, surrounded by people and attentively listening to the nearby conversation, a casual smile on her lips. As the large group passed by, Xi Ning noticed a few boys smoking. The bright red glow of their cigarettes and the pungent smell wafting in the air irritated her, and she furrowed her brow in annoyance. She had known from the start, hadn't she? How could two parallel lines ever intersect? "Ding ding! Both are ready. Let's go buy some roasted wings…" "Let's just go back to the classroom." "Huh?" Xi Ning unexpectedly turned cold and headed for the school gate, with Tu Xiaoyuan following, puzzled: "Hey, what's wrong with you?" Amidst the hustle and bustle at the school gate, the two of them quickly disappeared into the crowd of passersby. ... During the evening self-study in the classroom. The bright light illuminated the white paper, and Xi Ning, having just finished a chemistry problem, looked up and noticed a short and chubby figure standing at the empty desk next to her. She wasn’t sure how long this person had been standing there without saying a word. A bit startled by the sudden appearance of someone next to her, Xi Ning paused for a moment before asking, "Mr. Tian, do you need something?" "Ha-ha..." Tian Jiabao, a short and chubby man, laughed charmingly like a cuddly national treasure. "Ning Ning, did you... have a disagreement with someone?" Xi Ning was taken aback and then found it somewhat amusing that someone in his thirties or forties asked such a question about two young girls. "It's fine." She paused for a moment and then said. What... was fine? He asked because there was no other way; however, Tian Jiabao finally gave up inquiring about the relationships between young girls and went straight to the point, "I thought the two of you were getting along well last week. Has she encountered something recently? Sigh... Do you know where this girl is tonight?" Kong Nianxi didn't come to evening self-study tonight, and although Tian Jiabao doted on her, this was really exasperating. She had never been so audacious as to skip both regular and evening classes. Gripping the pen in her hand, Xi Ning whispered, "I'm not sure." Sighing, Tian Jiabao clasped his chest. "Oh, this girl is really making me mad. If you have time, try talking to her..." After saying a few more words and not wanting to delay Xi Ning's studies, Tian Jiabao left the classroom with his hands behind his back. Xi Ning lowered her head to focus on her notes, her pen hovering in the air, hesitating to move. After what seemed like a long time, a light "ding" from her phone, which was lying in the pocket of her desk, brought her back to reality. Glancing down, she intended to dismiss the notification at first, but her fingertip halted when she saw the contact's profile picture. [Kong Nianxi: Tian Jiabao didn't catch me skipping class, did he?] "..." Xi Ning remained still, and after a while, another message arrived. [Kong Nianxi: Even a top student doesn't use her phone during self-study? You really do only like studying.] [Kong Nianxi: It's almost the end of class.] [Kong Nianxi: Not replying is a sign of surrender.] "Di-ding," she had just sent a message, and the bell for the end of the class rang. Xi Ning stared at her phone, and unexpectedly, a faint smile tugged at her lips. During the break, the classroom began to buzz with noise, and she shook the hand holding her phone. [Kong Nianxi: Surrender.] [Kong Nianxi: It's been five minutes, and you're the first.] Xi Ning remained silent for a long time and finally let out a quiet sigh. She raised her finger and slid it across the screen. Of course, she wasn't indifferent, and she also had curiosity, but... If she were careful enough, would there be no problems? [Xi Ning: He found out, and he's very angry.] After replying, half a minute passed before she was about to set down her phone, but another message arrived from Kong Nianxi. [Kong Nianxi: You don't look at your phone in the classroom, right? I remember that you don't, am I right?] [Xi Ning: Hmm...] [Kong Nianxi: Hmm?] Xi Ning's long legs under the table bent as a girl came over to ask her a question. She smiled apologetically and gestured to her phone, "Sorry, can you wait for a moment?" "Oh, uh, of course." The girl holding her notes scratched her head. This was the first time Xi Ning had declined to help her with a question. Even if she had been stuck on a crucial step, Xi Ning would usually stop to explain it to her. She didn't expect that this time she was declined because... of playing with her phone? It was simply unbelievable! Of course, she didn't mind, but she was very surprised, and when she left, the girl looked back at her several times. The conversation still lingered on Kong Nianxi's interrogation about why she hadn't replied promptly, and thinking of Tian Jiabao's meaningful words when he left, Xi Ning bit her lip and typed: [Are you coming back for evening self-study?] [Kong Nianxi: Why? Do you want me to?] [Xi Ning: ...] [Kong Nianxi: If you want me to come back, it's not impossible.] [Kong Nianxi: Just consider it... payment for keeping me company on Friday night.]