Chapter 52 - What Should I Do if My Younger Brother’s Crush Has Taken a Liking to Me?

Chapter 52 Kong Nianxi's eyes lit up as she released her hold on Xi Ning's sleeve and asked, "Of course, what do you want to add?" She was curious to know what Xi Ning wanted to do together with her. Xi Ning sat up, delicately picked up a pen with her slender fingers, and wrote two lines of beautiful small characters under Kong Nianxi's writing. "Study for one hour after class every day…" "Respect each other's opinions?" Kong Nianxi finished reading and raised her eyebrows, then turned to Xi Ning, "Do you only want to do these kinds of things with your future partner?" Xi Ning blinked without looking at her, tucked her long hair behind her ears, and her profile was distinct. "We are still students, so of course, the right thing to do is study." Hearing her serious tone, Kong Nianxi chuckled, "Alright, I don't dislike studying either, and it's even better to study with you. But…" She gently hooked Xi Ning's collar with her hand, "What does the second item mean? Have I not respected you in some way?" The two of them were now kneeling side by side on the carpet in front of the low table. Xi Ning took away her restless hand and moved her lips, "No, just… if I have some requirements for you, would you agree?" Since she couldn't refuse the other person from entering her heart, and their relationship had come to this point, Xi Ning decided to try some changes. Kong Nianxi slightly opened her eyes and then smirked, leaning closer, "Listen, what do you want me to do…?" Xi Ning covered her earlobe, moving away from Kong Nianxi, who whispered ambiguously, "Attend fewer classes in the future and don't skip school every day. Try to stay within campus boundaries." "…" Any trace of coyness in Kong Nianxi's eyes disappeared, and she smiled, "Just that?" Xi Ning responded with a simple "Mm." Kong Nianxi changed her posture to face her, her eyes gleaming with a teasing glint, and she raised her eyebrows, "So you're going to start controlling me? It seems you're also very eager." "…" Xi Ning's gaze shifted to Ta Ta, who came running over with a teasing stick in its mouth, not allowing Kong Nianxi to interrupt, "Do you agree?" "It's not impossible," Kong Nianxi picked up a pen and twirled it in her hand, smiling, "If you come to the dorm to accompany me every night, I definitely won't be interested in going out~" "Meow~" A cat's cry interrupted, and the long-ignored Ta Ta jumped onto the table, wanting to be held by Kong Nianxi. Its furry bottom faced Xi Ning, and its large tail brushed against her wrist, squeezing in between the two, making its presence felt. Xi Ning looked down at the cute furry paw pressing against her hand, couldn't help but reach out to touch it, but was promptly shoved away. Kong Nianxi reached out and lightly stroked Ta Ta's head. "It holds grudges; it seems it's still jealous of you." …" Xi Ning, inexplicably feeling targeted by the jealous cat, felt a bit helpless. Itched to pet it but couldn't. She wondered if buying some delicious treats next time could appease it. Kong Nianxi suddenly raised her head. "What time is it now?" Xi Ning then remembered the time and looked at her phone. "It's 9:30." It was already dark when she arrived, and it was far from her home, taking over an hour by taxi. After some thought, Xi Ning stood up. "Then I'll…" "Perfect, let's go watch a movie." Kong Nianxi said, pulling out her phone to check for movie tickets. "Now?" Xi Ning was surprised, "But it's already quite late." "It's only a little past nine. There's a cinema nearby, and we'll be back in time for bed after the movie." Only a little past nine… Watching a movie at this time, they wouldn't be back until at least eleven or twelve. Xi Ning rarely stayed up past eleven, and after watching the movie, she wouldn't be able to go home. "How about this one? The reviews seem good, and it just started screening recently." Kong Nianxi picked a movie and, seeing Xi Ning's hesitating expression, narrowed her eyes, getting up from the carpet. As Xi Ning struggled to decide whether to stay, a light touch suddenly landed on her lips. "Smooch!" Kong Nianxi gave her a light kiss on the lips. "It's a done deal; you can't escape tonight." Kong Nianxi handed the notebook to Xi Ning and pulled her pajamas down slightly before walking to the bedroom. "I'll go change; you wait for me." …" Standing alone in the living room, Xi Ning felt a bit dazed. Her fingertips moved, the smooth sensation of the pages pulling her thoughts back. She picked it up and saw that it was almost a page long, comprising a dozen or so "Couple Probationary Items." The first item on the list was "Watch a movie together," with a tick mark next to it. Before too long, Kong Nianxi came out after changing. She had changed into a black skirt, and had light makeup on, her slightly upturned eye makeup adding a mature and charming allure to her already beautiful eyes. "Let's go~" Kong Nianxi went over and hooked arms with Xi Ning. Seeing that Xi Ning had been staring at her, she licked her lips and laughed, "You need to control yourself; if you keep staring at me like that, I'll get shy." …" Xi Ning diverted her gaze. She was actually just assessing the warmth of Kong Nianxi's outfit, after all, "It's getting colder tonight, so you should wear an extra coat." "By the way," she added, "The weather forecast said it was going to rain tonight. Do you have an umbrella at your place?" Kong Nianxi looked at her for a moment, then teasingly stepped on her foot with a slipper, "Am I dating a seventeen-year-old girl?" Xi Ning responded with a bewildered but earnest look. Kong Nianxi found her cute yet infuriating at the same time. At last, she tugged on Xi Ning's arm and headed forward, "I want to dress up and go on a date with you, no ifs, ands, or buts." At the entrance, Kong Nianxi went back to grab a bag of candy and, meeting Xi Ning's gaze, smiled mischievously, "A date essential." The cinema was just a five-minute walk away at the intersection of the street. It was the only cinema in this small and rundown area near the school, and the adjacent arcade was the one they had visited last time. It was a weekend, and the inside was quite lively, with many young students out to play. Entering late, they found their seats, and not long after, the overhead lights all went out simultaneously. Kong Nianxi had bought the tickets for a recent action blockbuster with good box office and word-of-mouth. Even at this time, the front rows were almost completely occupied. Their seats were in the last row, in the farthest corner with no one in front, behind, or beside them. Placing her cola in the drink holder on her left-hand side, Xi Ning looked at the bright screen with some discomfort. It was her first time sitting in the last row of a cinema, and she couldn't help but feel a little strange. "Hey, just think of it like drawing a blind box, pick a flavor," Kong Nianxi opened the package of candy she had brought, offering it to Xi Ning. It was very dark, and Xi Ning could vaguely see the shape of the candy under the dim light, but she didn't like candy, especially at night. She shook her head, "I don't like these." Kong Nianxi took the candy back and said cheerfully, "Alright, then you guess." Xi Ning was puzzled, "Guess what?" "It's a quite popular couple's game from a while ago." Kong Nianxi put a candy in her mouth, "Just thought of it suddenly; the cinema is quite suitable. Do you want to play with me?" "A couple's… game?" Xi Ning asked. "Yeah~" Kong Nianxi nodded. "What game?" Xi Ning inquired. "You decide whether you want to play first," Kong Nianxi said. …" Xi Ning hesitated for a moment and then agreed, "Alright." Seeing her agreement, Kong Nianxi smiled and leaned in, "The rule is—" Xi Ning also turned to look at her, attentively listening to the rules. The next moment, the screen suddenly dimmed, and in that split second of darkness, she felt something lightly brush against her lips, an unknown sweet taste lingering. When the screen lit up again, Xi Ning touched her lips reflexively and shrank back on her seat. Seeing Xi Ning's instinctive reaction, Kong Nianxi couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth, her tongue pressing against the candy as she spoke, "Guess what flavor of candy is in my mouth?" "…" Xi Ning's head buzzed. After a while, she stammered, "I give up." "You already agreed, there's no backing out.” Kong Nianxi sat up straight and raised her voice slightly. Xi Ning looked left and right; although their corner was empty, she still reached out and lightly pulled Kong Nianxi back, "Keep your voice down." "Then guess, if you guess wrong, you lose." Kong Nianxi lowered her voice as she teased. Xi Ning had no desire to win, "Fine, I lose." After saying that, she picked up the cola next to her, drank a sip, suppressed the uncomfortable heat in her ears, and felt her pinky finger being gently hooked by Kong Nianxi. She heard a light chuckle in her ear. Kong Nianxi began to act spoiled and added, "You lost, so you have to agree to a condition from me." …" Xi Ning had somewhat adapted to Kong Nianxi's various playful tactics, but truth be told, faced with what Kong Nianxi was about to request, she was somewhat afraid that she wouldn't be able to handle it. So, she was forced to rack her brain to recall the fleeting kiss just now and discern the taste. "Is it… apple?" Xi Ning blushed faintly, having a vague idea. "Nope~ You've run out of chances." She heard the crisp sound of Kong Nianxi breaking the candy with her teeth; her voice sounded lazy and carried a sly sense of satisfaction in Xi Ning's ear. "But you can guess a few more times; if you get three right out of five guesses, you win." Understanding that she had no chance of winning this game, Xi Ning simply gave up, "No, I lose." Kong Nianxi leaned closer with a twinkle in her eyes, "You win some, you lose some. So, you have to accept punishment." …" Xi Ning sighed, "What punishment?" Kong Nianxi leaned on her shoulder and said mysteriously, "I'll tell you after the movie ends." The thrilling scenes continued on the screen, and the audience around them was engrossed in the movie's exciting plot, but Xi Ning's every sense was focused on the sounds beside her. The overhead lights came on, dazzling the eyes, and Xi Ning almost completely missed the ending of the movie. Kong Nianxi took Xi Ning's hand and led her out. Following the crowd out of the elevator, it was already quite late, and the streetlights were bright outside. The gentle drizzle had begun, and many people were huddled under the eaves of the mall. "It's really raining." Walking to an area with fewer people, Kong Nianxi looked at the rain outside, somewhat regretful for not bringing an umbrella, as Xi Ning suggested. Xi Ning looked left and right, then let go of Kong Nianxi's hand, "I'll go to the convenience store to see if they still have an umbrella. Wait for me a moment." After saying that, she ran into a nearby convenience store and fortunately managed to find the last umbrella. "Let's go." Opening the umbrella, the two of them walked into the drizzling rain. On weekend nights, this street could be bustling until one or two in the morning. Despite the sudden rain that night, the rain was not heavy, and many people could still be seen on the well-lit street. Silently walking with the umbrella, when they were near the apartment, Kong Nianxi suddenly turned and headed for a secluded alley. Seeing her stepping away from the umbrella, Xi Ning hesitated for a moment but followed and covered her. As she stepped into the dim alley, she was suddenly pulled back by the neck and pushed against the dry wall. Whether it was due to the softness of the fabric or something else, Kong Nianxi clung tightly to her, enveloped in the soft embrace. Her slightly hoarse voice was laced with a lazy magnetic tone, "A kiss." Xi Ning's back against the wall became stiff. Kong Nianxi tightened her hold around her neck and gazed at her lips, "I want you to kiss me on your own initiative. That's the condition I want." The umbrella and the wall concealed the two of them well. The light from the alley faintly filtered through from under the umbrella, and the gentle sound of rain fell from above. Xi Ning, leaning against the wall, did not move, feeling the warm and moist breath falling on her neck. The sound of her heartbeat had already drowned out everything. "Don't hold back; it's a deep kiss."