Chapter 40 - What Should I Do if My Younger Brother’s Crush Has Taken a Liking to Me?

Chapter 40 Xi Ning leaned against the ping-pong table, subconsciously reaching out to rest her hand on Kong Nian Xi's shoulder. Her movement was gentle, appearing like a half-push and half-embrace, standing very close to each other, almost face to face. The faint fragrance of a cold, serene perfume emitted from the young girl's neck filled the air, seemingly changed today, mixed with a light sweetness. "I..." After a few seconds of confusion, Xi Ning snapped back to reality, bit her lip, and her cheeks turned a suspicious shade of pink. "Um, it seems like we can't use our hands and feet in this game." "I don't know why, but all of a sudden this game feels more exciting, what's going on?" "Are you hugging each other a bit too tightly?" ... Xi Ning's face blushed uncontrollably, her eyes dodging, her gaze shifting on edge, colliding with Kong Nian Xi's eyes containing a mischievous smile. Before she could exert any force, the fingers behind her neck loosened, and Kong Nian Xi stepped back, straightening her body. "You said just now, is she the most capable among you guys?" Kong Nian Xi casually adjusted her hair and turned to look at Tu Xiao Yuan. "Ah... No, Xi Ning, why do you suddenly seem weaker?" Tu Xiao Yuan felt a bit caught off guard, walking to Xi Ning's side. "Just now, you weren't like this... Oh, is your face turning red— Hmm!" Before she could finish her sentence, her mouth was suddenly covered. Xi Ning raised her hand to support her petite shoulder, pushing her aside a few steps, forcing a stiff smile on her face, casually finding a reason, and pulling Tu Xiao Yuan away. "Hey? Wait..." Shi Min watched the other party's retreating figure without looking back, sighing. "How can they just leave like that? I haven't finished talking about something important." "But, did she just smile just now? I think it's the first time I've seen Xi Ning smile. Beautiful women do look better when they smile." As Shi Min spoke, she turned her head, only to see Kong Nian Xi stare directly at the departing figure of Xi Ning, the raised corners of her eyes appearing somewhat ambiguous, no matter how one looked at it... It was a subtle expression that sparked imagination. Obviously, they were both girls, but the atmosphere between the two was filled with inexplicable ambiguity, like the kind of ambiguity that exists in the early stages of love. Unable to resist gossiping, Shi Min said, "Nian Xi, have you reached the age of adolescence recently?" Kong Nian Xi withdrew her gaze, looking at her with an amused smile. "Do I look idle?" Shi Min rubbed her chin and earnestly looked her over. Shi Min had witnessed several of Kong Nian Xi's "romantic" experiences. As a beautiful girl who had always been the center of attention, Kong Nian Xi was not short of suitors. However, to be honest, her romantic pattern had the least romantic feeling of all the girls Shi Min had seen. It was no different from a close friendship with a male friend. If it weren't for knowing her personality, Shi Min would have thought she was someone who didn't understand anything. The contrast with others usually becomes more passionate during the period of romantic love, but hers was quite the opposite. What others call a boyfriend seemed more like a shield to fend off unwanted suitors. The last boyfriend hadn't even lasted a week before they broke up. Although the gossip at school had escalated the matter, the actual reason was simply because the boy had taken the initiative to hold Kong Nian Xi's hand. —Well, even Shi Min, who knew her well, found it hard to believe. Despite the exaggerated rumors at school, the most intimate physical contact in Kong Nian Xi's romantic history was the passive hand-holding at that time, and the boy was immediately rejected. Since then, Kong Nian Xi had never had a relationship. So, even though she had had relationships before, the kind of ambiguous atmosphere like just now was the first time Shi Min had seen in Kong Nian Xi, which was somewhat surprising. "Um... But why do I always feel like you're about to fall in love?" Shi Min said seriously. Kong Nian Xi lightly laughed, walked past her, and said, "Well, I'll take your good wishes." "..." Shi Min: "??" - After practicing ball with Tu Xiao Yuan for a while, they had broken a little sweat, and the two of them walked to the sink to wash their hands and sat on the bench to rest. "I wonder when their practice will be over. I'm so hungry after exercising. There's still half a bag of chips in the classroom that I haven't finished. I should have brought them out." After resting for a while and not feeling as hot, Tu Xiao Yuan pouted and rubbed her small belly. The games typically involved groups of four in PE, leaving little time for rest. Xi Ning was used to her complaining about being hungry all the time. She checked the time, and there were still about ten more minutes before class ended. She stood up and said, "Let's go find her." Passing through the fence around the playground, the soccer field's green grass and the part of the track had been occupied by various training groups for the quirky sports day events. Along the way, they could see students practicing with strange props. They quickly found where Su Yuqi was training and started walking towards that direction. Suddenly, a scream nearby caught their attention. They saw a crowd gathering not far away. "It seems like someone fell, and it's in Su Yuqi's group. Let's go and see!" After finishing her sentence, Tu Xiao Yuan ran towards the crowd. It seemed that an accident had occurred during training, and quite a few people were standing around. Xi Ning followed Tu Xiao Yuan and squeezed into the crowd, taking a moment to see the figure at the center. She was slightly surprised. Kong Nian Xi sat on the track with her legs crossed, the loose bottoms of her sportswear rolled up, exposing a scraped knee with blood oozing from the pale skin, indicating a heavy fall. "She's bleeding! Let's take her to the infirmary quickly!" "I'll help Nian Xi." "I'll carry her on my back; it's faster this way." ... Several concerned people around them were chattering away, and two male students squatted down, reaching out to support her. Kong Nian Xi frowned slightly, the abrasion on her leg stinging, and even standing up was a bit difficult. She didn't take the hand of the nearby male student, intending to stand up by herself. Inadvertently, she looked up and locked eyes with Xi Ning. Xi Ning, who had instinctively taken a step forward, was caught off guard by the eye contact with Kong Nian Xi, freezing in place. There was no movement for a while. The people around followed Kong Nian Xi's gaze and found many of their eyes on Xi Ning. "Can you help me up?" Kong Nian Xi smirked and extended her hand toward Xi Ning past the others. The crowd fell silent, and Xi Ning, who became the focus of attention, hesitated for a moment before silently walking over. Bending down, she held the hand that Kong Nian Xi reached out. With her other hand behind her, she carefully helped her stand up. Just as she managed to steady herself, a male student stepped forward, glancing at Xi Ning and said, "Let me carry you. It's inconvenient to walk with a knee injury, and she's a girl. It'll take a while to get to the infirmary with someone holding her arm." Then he bent over and patted his back, signaling Kong Nian Xi to get on. Xi Ning: "..." For some reason, the tone and actions of this male student made her inexplicably irritated. Kong Nian Xi raised an eyebrow and looked at the tall guy who had taken it upon himself to stand in front of her. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Xi Ning suddenly bend down. "I'll carry you." Her expression, as usual, was cold, her voice was calm, but also determined. Her eyes widened slightly, somewhat surprised, Kong Nian Xi blinked and pursed her lips and gazed at Xi Ning, whose not particularly broad but reassuringly comforting back was before her. A helpless smile tugged at the corner of her lips. After a reserved pause, Kong Nian Xi leaned gently forward, putting her arm around Xi Ning's neck. Although it was comfortable to lean on her shoulder like that, Kong Nian Xi began to be concerned about her weight. "Am I... heavy?" The weight on Xi Ning was much lighter than she had imagined, and Xi Ning walked steadily without much difficulty. "You are thin." Though she had received compliments and never questioned her figure, hearing Xi Ning say that made Kong Nian Xi especially happy, as if her heart was filled with honey. She held onto Xi Ning a little tighter, eyes filled with joy as she said, "Your words are sweet. Have you used this tactic to please others before?" Xi Ning furrowed her brows. The phrase "to please" made her feel uncomfortable. After thinking for a moment, she said, "No, I'm just speaking the truth." After a brief silence, Kong Nian Xi let out a suppressed laugh, burying her face, hiding the rising curve of her lips. Carrying her, Xi Ning continued walking, and when Tu Xiao Yuan shouted from behind, wanting to help, she was stopped by Shi Min, "The infirmary is nearby, they can go on their own." "How can that be? It's hard for Xi Ning to carry someone alone." Tu Xiao Yuan stomped. "In my opinion, she doesn't seem to find it hard at all. I heard she has a good stamina, and even three kilometers of running is easier for her compared to others," Shi Min said. Tu Xiao Yuan looked at Xi Ning's resolute figure, realizing that it was true. "But Nian Xi is injured. Aren't you worried at all?" Shi Min clicked her tongue. "I have sharp eyes, so I don't want to be a third wheel and bother them." Tu Xiao Yuan widened her eyes. "What?" After rolling her eyes, Shi Min continued, "They were quarreling last week, right? Isn't this a good opportunity for them to reconcile in solitude?" This time, Tu Xiao Yuan understood, "That's right!" The infirmary was close to the playground, and they arrived in no time. Sitting on the empty bed in the infirmary, prompted once, Kong Nian Xi reluctantly let go of Xi Ning's hand. She didn't used to find being carried by others particularly comforting, but now, Xi Ning's back felt soft and warm, providing not only comfort but also a sense of security. She even felt a bit regretful; why wasn't the infirmary built further away from the playground? "Looks like this time you're really injured." The school doctor was treating a male student who had sprained his ankle while playing basketball. Upon seeing the scraped knee of Kong Nian Xi, she brought over some first-aid supplies for the wound. "Sister, I'm in this state, don't tease me." Kong Nian Xi greeted the school doctor sister with a smile. Having visited the infirmary many times before for various reasons, Kong Nian Xi had become quite familiar with the school doctor. "Why are you so careless? Fortunately, it's not a big issue; after cleaning, we'll apply disinfectant." After examining the wound, the school doctor got up and said, "I still need to attend to the more serious injuries over there. You can wait here for a while or do it yourself." After pointing to a bottle of disinfectant and some cotton swabs, the school doctor left. As soon as the school doctor left, the atmosphere turned silent. Xi Ning stood by the bed, feeling somewhat at a loss. As the classmate who had brought Kong Nian Xi to the infirmary, it was only natural that she would help with such a simple task of treating the wound, but... The fact that she had carried Kong Nian Xi to the infirmary was not normal in itself. After the words she had spoken, Xi Ning herself was somewhat surprised. Regardless of who took Kong Nian Xi to the infirmary, it had nothing to do with her. However, the boy's words had made her feel provoked for no reason, and for a moment, she even cared, not wanting him to be Kong Nian Xi's choice. ...Such inexplicable thoughts. She closed her eyes, trying to cast aside these incomprehensible and chaotic thoughts. But suddenly, a line from that yuri manga popped into her head— "Caring is the beginning of liking." "..." Her heart skipped a beat as she took a deep breath. At that moment, a gentle knock on her shin made her snap back to reality. She turned her head and saw Kong Nian Xi sitting on the bed, swinging her uninjured right leg, pursing her lips and gazing at her with a tranquil and profound look. Glancing down at the bloody wound, Xi Ning's heart skipped a beat. She then moved her lips silently, and said, "Let me dress your wound." Kong Nian Xi's lips finally curled up. In front of the infirmary was a small garden with a grape arbor, surrounded by a quiet environment. To clean the wound, Xi Ning assisted Kong Nian Xi to a bench outside and then squatted in front of her to carefully start treating the wound. Although the abrasion seemed free of dirt, to be on the safe side, she decided to rinse it with water before applying disinfectant. She twisted open the bottle cap filled with water and gently lifted Kong Nian Xi's leg with her fingertips, paused, took out a pack of wet wipes from her pocket, and placed it underneath the wound to prevent water from soaking her shoes while rinsing. Kong Nian Xi quietly sat on the bench, allowing Xi Ning to handle her wound. Her eyes were lowered, watching the other's delicate and focused face. Xi Ning's movements were gentle and careful, and her fingertips touching the skin brought an unexpected warmth. The unexpectedly caring gesture made her heart pound. Although Xi Ning was focused on the abrasion, Kong Nian Xi was suddenly overwhelmed by a surge of emotion. Even though Xi Ning was only looking at the scraped knee, her intense gaze seemed to carry warmth. Unexplained shyness and palpitations surged through her heart. After dipping the cotton swab in the disinfectant solution, she was about to apply it to the wound, but the knee suddenly moved to the side. Xi Ning, puzzled, looked up, and Kong Nian Xi, rather than looking at her wounded knee, shifted her gaze elsewhere and said, "Will... this hurt?" "..." Momentarily taken aback, Xi Ning couldn't help but suppress a chuckle. She couldn't help but find it ironic. She had seen Kong Nian Xi fearlessly jump over walls and not flinch at any challenging situation, yet here she was, fearing the sting of disinfectant on her wound. "It shouldn't hurt." Xi Ning couldn't remember the last time she had fallen and scraped her knee, or if it had hurt. "It shouldn't? So, it might hurt?" Kong Nian Xi drew her legs back. Such a childlike behavior? Subconsciously, Xi Ning had associated this kind of behavior with children. Thinking of her five-year-old niece, who always asked for a kiss on every little bump, Xi Ning inadvertently raised the corner of her lips and said softly, "It's all right. After I blow on it, it won't hurt anymore." "You... What did you just say?" Her voice trembled slightly. The words that reached her from above made Xi Ning suddenly come to her senses. She realized what she had said and felt a chill down her spine. After a while, Kong Nian Xi leaned back in her chair, looking down at her. "Is this your way of... so-called making it up to me?" "..." Although she had considered doing this, she could confirm that she was not feeling any guilt at the moment. "Not really." Xi Ning responded honestly to her feelings. Today, Xi Ning was different, and she saw that Xi Ning hesitated but ultimately gave a resolute answer, raising the corner of her lips in response, lifting her chin, and calmly saying, "Finally seeing yourself clearly, and deciding how to rebuild our relationship?" Xi Ning stood up slowly, and since Kong Nian Xi wasn't looking down at her, she adjusted the angle. However, even after a long while, she remained silent, her lips pursed. Xi Ning couldn't help but prompt her, "Say something." Xi Ning pursed her lips, and her restrained eyes swept over the unnatural expression. Her voice was so soft it seemed to blend with the air. "What about you?" Kong Nian Xi was taken aback. "What?" Xi Ning asked, "Is this just for fun?"