Chapter 57 - What Should I Do if My Younger Brother’s Crush Has Taken a Liking to Me?

Chapter 57 A whiff of smoke drifted over as the boy approached, and Xí Níng's brows furrowed slightly as she glanced at the cigarette he held between his fingers. She didn't like the smell of smoke, and her social circle was quite small, with hardly any friends who smoked. "Do we know each other well? You seem rather familiar with my personal space," Kong Nianxi smiled casually and leaned against Xí Níng, playing with the cuff of her sleeve and teasing her fingertips. "But indeed," she turned to cover Xí Níng's wrist with her fingertips, then turned to look at her, leaning in and whispering, "What exactly are we now?" Xí Níng felt uncomfortably close, with several pairs of eyes staring at them directly. She awkwardly averted her gaze, only to accidentally lock eyes with a girl with short hair behind Kong Nianxi. It took her a moment to recall that Kong Nianxi had a friend besides her. Kong Nianxi had many friends, none of whom Xí Níng knew, but due to a few encounters and the rumors she had heard from Tú Xiǎo Yuán, she remembered this girl called Jiang Yuan. After making eye contact with Xí Níng politely, Jiang Yuan's gaze shifted to Kong Nianxi as she urged, "It's almost 5:30. Shouldn't we head out? Lǎo Dài is still waiting." The tall boy holding the cigarette flicked it and nonchalantly echoed, "Yeah, Xi Jie, don't linger at the school gate. Lǎo Dài has already booked the private room. He just mentioned that the food will be served as soon as we arrive." It seemed that none of them had any intention of going to school immediately. Xí Níng puzzledly raised her eyebrows, and Kong Nianxi nonchalantly took out a lollipop from her pocket, opened it, and leaned over to offer it to Xí Níng. As Xí Níng instinctively leaned back, trying to avoid it, Kong Nianxi insisted, "Open your mouth~" "..." Unable to bear the excessive intimacy, especially with three pairs of eyes fixed on them, Xí Níng reluctantly opened her mouth, and Kong Nianxi slipped the lollipop into it. After teasing Xí Níng, Kong Nianxi chuckled and turned, "I think I won't go tonight." Although Kong Nianxi had many friends, Xí Níng didn't recall her being so intimate with any of them. The three of them looked perplexed. The boy then reacted and widened his eyes a little, "Huh? But today is Lǎo Dài's birthday, we already agreed earlier, and you don't have any prior commitments in the evening, do you?" "Of course I do, didn't I mention it on the way here?" Kong Nianxi leaned leisurely against Xí Níng, lifted her arm and placed it on her waist, her voice somewhat languid. "I'm going to study in the classroom with my desk mate." "Ptui—cough!" The boy was almost choked by the smoke. "Can't you come up with a better excuse, Xi Jie?" After a few coughs, he looked at Xí Níng and said, "It would be a pity if you didn't go. Thanks to him, Yeungzi reconciled with the next door. It would be nice if you showed up. How about this, why don't this young lady join us too?" Who does he think he is, calling me "this young lady." Initially, Kong Nianxi wanted to retort, but her words stalled at the tip of her tongue. She leaned against Xí Níng, gazed up at her chin, and said softly, "Do you want to go? It's at the little, run-down hotpot restaurant. We’ll be back before evening self-study. How about it?" Somewhat surprised by the proposal, Xí Níng hesitated for a moment and then replied, "I don't want to. You go ahead." Kong Nianxi then got up from her and said, "Hmm? Are you sure? Then you won't see me for a few hours." "..." This was already too fawning, making Xí Níng unsure of how to respond, feeling a bit flustered and at a loss. Unable to hold back a smile, Kong Nianxi said, "Well, then, I'm leaving~" As she turned to leave, her wrist was pulled back. It only lasted a second before Xí Níng let go of her hand, leaving a lingering warmth on her fingertips. "Can you come back before the evening self-study?" Her voice was muffled. Kong Nianxi narrowed her eyes, smiling as she turned back, "It depends on how much you want me to come back early." It was truly peculiar for two girls to be so intimate in public, and the boy extinguished his cigarette, making a sound, and chuckled, "Are you two playing house? It's only a few hours. Besides, are you planning to return for the evening self-study, Xi Jie?" Annoyed by his interruption, Kong Nianxi told him to "shut up." The boy fell silent, and Kong Nianxi continued to smile at Xí Níng, apparently intending not to leave until she received a response. Lowering her gaze, Xí Níng bit her lip and eventually stopped Kong Nianxi by saying softly, "You promised not to skip class." Kong Nianxi immediately replied in a soft tone, "Okay, I'll listen to you." "..." Turning and walking toward the school gate in the opposite direction, Jiang Yuan, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke up, "You guys go ahead. I'll go to the classroom to get something and join you shortly. Won't be long." The boy casually replied, "Alright, hurry up then." As Xí Níng prepared to leave after watching Kong Nianxi walk away, Jiang Yuan approached her enthusiastically and said, "Shall we walk together?" Surprised by the invitation, Xí Níng hesitated. Normally, she had no interest in interacting with unfamiliar people. However, as she didn't want to refuse Kong Nianxi's friend and the invitation was extended, she hesitated for a moment before nodding and walking through the school gate with her. "Are you and Nianxi getting closer recently? I rarely saw her being so close to anyone before," Jiang Yuan broke the silence as they walked. Xí Níng was not one to engage in much idle conversation with strangers. She raised her eyebrows slightly, but after considering it for a moment, she replied briefly, acknowledging her observation. Jiang Yuan continued, "Did you only meet her at the start of the school year? I've known her since my freshman year, which has been over a year now." "..." Without an idea of what she was trying to convey, Xí Níng continued walking in silence, not saying a word. "In terms of time, I should be considered her best friend. I understand her well," Jiang Yuan said, looking at the expressionless Xí Níng. "Do you know the Lǎo Dài I mentioned? He's quite sly; he's been secretly in love with Nianxi all along." Xí Níng slowed her pace a little. "And now Nianxi is single, putting in some effort on his part isn't impossible," Jiang Yuan continued. "But Nianxi's shelf life is very short. You must have heard about it, right? Her shortest relationship lasted only a week. She's someone who easily gets bored with her partners. She's only interested in appearances and novelty when it comes to dating," she added. "..." After Jiang Yuan finished, Xí Níng's brows furrowed slowly. Eventually, as they neared the classroom door, she stopped and said in a soft voice, "Is that so?" Jiang Yuan chuckled, "Of course! I'm her best friend, so I understand her well." After a moment of silence, Xí Níng suddenly smiled, giving her cool features a touch of elegance, "That's not necessarily true." Confounded by her confident tone, Jiang Yuan asked, "What do you mean?" There were many people passing by in the corridor, and with her height advantage, Xí Níng looked down at Jiang Yuan, seemingly from a superior position. "Perhaps, it's just wishful thinking on your part."