Chapter 41 - What Should I Do if My Younger Brother’s Crush Has Taken a Liking to Me?

Chapter 41 The bell rang, signaling the end of the class, and students walked by the stone path outside the flower garden. Kong Nianxi's expression momentarily faltered, her slender fingers tightly clutched the edge of the bench, her exquisitely beautiful face revealed a rare trace of emotions beyond her control. Xi Ning's sudden inquiry caught her completely off guard. "You..." "Nianxi!" Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approached and a short-haired girl ran over. She stood in front of Kong Nianxi with concern, "I heard you got injured on the playground. Are you okay?" The girl was wearing a sports jersey, white wristbands, and seemed to have just finished playing. Her neat, medium-length wet hair, damp with sweat, and fair skin complemented her sharp and handsome features. It took Xi Ning a moment to recognize her—she was the girl with the headband who had come to help Kong Nianxi when she was cornered in the dormitory corridor before. The conversation was interrupted by an unexpected third party, subtly shifting the atmosphere. "It's okay, just a minor scratch." "You're bleeding and you say it's nothing? Doesn't it hurt? Don't rush to touch it before it scabs." "Huh? Why?" "When I was a child, my grandma told me that if you mess with a wound before it heals, it might leave a scar. Your legs are so beautiful, you wouldn't want them to be flawed in the future." "..." The two seemed to be very familiar friends. Xi Ning stood nearby, listening to their conversation without saying a word. Even though she was the newcomer, the short-haired girl never glanced at Xi Ning once. Despite the lack of interaction, Xi Ning inexplicably sensed a hint of subtle animosity from the girl, just like last time. "Your wound isn't dressed yet?" The girl's words came from beside her. Xi Ning looked down at the cotton swab dipped in antiseptic solution held between her fingertips, her lips pressed thin. "Then let me help you dress it." As she spoke, the girl picked up the nearby medicine bottle and cotton swab. It was as if... she completely treated Xi Ning as invisible. The faint rustling sound of the medicine bottle being rotated echoed in her ears, furrowing Xi Ning's brow. She didn't like when things were interrupted, especially... Gripping the cotton swab for a moment, without much deliberation, she directly crouched down. Kong Nianxi, who was sitting on the bench, was about to speak when her knee suddenly felt cool. The cotton swab, dipped in antiseptic solution, touched her skin's texture. It didn't hurt as she imagined, but the sudden touch of moisture made her subconsciously move her leg. "Does it hurt?" Xi Ning looked up and asked. Kong Nianxi lowered her head, looking straight at Xi Ning crouching in front of her. After a while, she blinked, smiling, "If I say it hurts, will you blow on it like you did just now?" "..." The atmosphere quieted for a few seconds, freezing Xi Ning's actions. "Haha... Nianxi, you still act like a child. Do you need me to..." Before the girl finished speaking, Xi Ning pursed her lips, watching Kong Nianxi's slender leg. After pausing for a moment, she leaned down and gently blew on the wound. The hot breath brushed over the soft skin of her leg, and the scorching breath quickly raced through her body, causing an uncontrollable tingling sensation. Her chest irregularly jumped twice. A suspicious pinkish tint spread across Kong Nianxi's cheeks. Before she could speak up, Xi Ning finished dressing the wound, discarded the cotton swab into the nearby trash can, and as she turned around, her gaze swept past her face, "I'll be going now." Kong Nianxi said, "Hey, wait—" Watching the tall figure walk away, after a long while, Kong Nianxi smirked, amusement filling her eyes. So, this was her reaction when feeling jealous? Why is she... so adorable? ... Walking along the path around the infirmary, after taking a few steps, Tu Xiaoyuan suddenly tugged at Xi Ning's collar from behind. She looked around and asked, "How come you're alone?" Once she finished, Tu Xiaoyuan looked in the direction of the infirmary not far behind Xi Ning—"Isn't that Jiang Yuan sitting beside Nianxi?" "Tsk." Tu Xiaoyuan's expression indicated she had understood everything, "So she intercepted you, huh? No wonder." "..." Xi Ning felt that what Tu Xiaoyuan said was unfair and corrected her, "What do you mean 'intercepted'? I was just taking her to the infirmary." "If you've taken her, why wouldn't you finish the good deed and take her back to the classroom? It's a great opportunity to bond," Tu Xiaoyuan lamented. Walking alongside Xi Ning, she pondered for a moment and then smiled, "Since you've made up, when will Nianxi move back in?" Xi Ning frowned and glanced at her, "Where she sits is her choice." Tu Xiaoyuan pouted, "That's true, but you don't know—Tian Jiabao used to ignore us in the back row. Now that Nianxi has moved there, it's almost as if he's monitoring us from outside the window every day. I don't even dare to sneak snacks during class anymore." "..." Though it sounded pitiful, Xi Ning couldn't help but chuckle. Tu Xiaoyuan persisted, "Why don't you talk to Nianxi and ask her to move back?" "Why do you think she would listen to me?" Xi Ning asked. Tu Xiaoyuan blinked, somewhat surprised, "Given your current closeness with her, haven't you already accepted her?" Knowing Xi Ning's character, she generally wouldn't interact with people she wasn't interested in or deemed unnecessary to socialize with closely. In her dealings with strangers, aside from basic politeness, she would remain distant and aloof. If her personality could be compared to something, Tu Xiaoyuan felt that Xi Ning was like fruit with a hard shell. Though the surface seemed cold and hard, once broken through, it contained infinite softness and tolerance. Conversely, once something accepted turned bad inside, she would firmly keep it wrapped within herself, silently enduring it without complaint. This kind of personality was most vulnerable to injuries, especially since she had already experienced it once. Tu Xiaoyuan genuinely wished that Xi Ning would open up and make more friends, but at the same time couldn't help but worry. Seeing Xi Ning's changed expression, Tu Xiaoyuan tentatively probed, "Have you... not yet let go of that matter?" Xi Ning abruptly halted and cast a deep gaze at her. Realizing she touched a nerve, Tu Xiaoyuan cleared her throat and quickly changed the subject, "Oh, that... right, that Jiang Yuan just now, don't you think she exudes a unique charm? Despite her tomboyish handsomeness, she's also very beautiful." "..." Xi Ning had no desire to discuss the girl named Jiang Yuan. She casually responded, turned her head, and continued walking towards the direction of the classroom. But once the subject was brought up, Tu Xiaoyuan's curiosity exploded. "You might not know, since you don't usually pay attention to these things. She's quite famous at school. A girl who looks that good and likes girls!" Xi Ning maintained her pace, and after two seconds, she slowed down. Tu Xiaoyuan finally noticed genuine probing in her eyes, "She's had relationships with girls, and it's widely known in private circles. She doesn't shy away from it." "But she's single now, and she and Nianxi have always been very close. There are plenty of fans shipping them..." As Tu Xiaoyuan continued, she realized Xi Ning was no longer beside her. Turning around, she found Xi Ning standing still. Raising her chin slightly, she saw Xi Ning's complex look. Tu Xiaoyuan: "..." Xi Ning walked back to the classroom in silence, and it wasn't until she walked past Tu Xiaoyuan's desk that she somewhat awkwardly spoke, "Have you... finished reading that comic?" "Huh?" Tu Xiaoyuan was initially taken aback, then chuckled, "Why are you so proactive today? You're even urging me, does this mean you've finally discovered the charm of yuri manga?" Xi Ning turned and walked away, "Forget it if you haven't finished." "Hey, hey!" Tu Xiaoyuan immediately grabbed her, took the manga out of her desk pocket, and thrust it into her arms. Returning to her seat, Xi Ning set the manga on the desk and took out the Chinese textbook for the next class. After sitting upright for a few seconds, she pursed her lips and reached into the desk. "Xi Ning." She was suddenly poked in the back, causing her whole body to stiffen. She slowly retracted her hand and turned around. The girl at the back was holding an open bag of Want Want milk candy and enthusiastically offered, "Want one?" Xi Ning glanced downward and politely declined, "No thanks." The girl curiously gave her a look and teased, "What's wrong with you just now? You seemed a bit tense." Having been classmates for some time, the girl had asked her many questions. Adhering to the principle of maintaining good relations with top students, she casually grabbed a few pieces from the bag, leaned over, and reached to put it on Xi Ning's desk. Xi Ning hurriedly moved forward to block the girl and took one, saying, "Thank you, one is enough." The girl then gave up. Turning to place the candy in the paper bag on the desk, Xi Ning pushed the manga into the desk pocket and heaved a sigh of relief. "Class is about to start, why are you standing around outside! Even with exams coming up, you don't know how to focus!" Tian Jiabao's shout echoed from the hallway, and soon a group of students rushed into the classroom, with Tian Jiabao following behind, herding them towards the platform. The classroom quickly filled up, and as the class was about to begin, Kong Nianxi nonchalantly walked in through the front door, almost the last to return. Xi Ning's seat was in the middle of the third row, and to her left was the aisle directly facing the front door. She naturally and almost subconsciously noticed the 'misfortune to the nation' face at the door. Their gazes briefly met for two seconds, and Xi Ning lowered her head to avoid eye contact. She twirled her pen with her fingers, and as a shadow loomed over her head, an elegant and fair hand with beautiful red nails almost grazed her nose as it landed on her open textbook. The slender and white fingers exuded a faint cold fragrance, akin to the scent on her. "..." The sudden thought skipped a beat in Xi Ning's heart, and she raised her chin, preparing to lift her head. The hand that was resting on her textbook was retracted, leaving behind a student card. Taking a closer look, it bore her name and photograph. Unconsciously checking her pocket, finding it empty, she realized she hadn't noticed when she lost it. Xi Ning looked up, only to see Kong Nianxi pass by and head to the back row. Her steps were casual and languid, and she casually held a candy between her slender fingertips, the familiar red Want Want candy wrapper. She looked back at the table and found that the candy originally placed at the corner of the desk had disappeared.