Chapter 60 - What Should I Do if My Younger Brother’s Crush Has Taken a Liking to Me?

Chapter 60 "You..." Xí Níng pursed her lips, her face turning bright red, and she slammed the paper onto Kǒng Niàn Xī's desk, her voice sounding particularly serious, "Finish it within an hour." "Hmm?" Kǒng Niàn Xī lowered her head to look at the math paper for two seconds, the corners of her lips deepening into a smile. Then, she let out a soft sigh, "What do you do if your lover acts like a block of wood all the time?" Xí Níng: "..." "Of course, you continue to love her," Kǒng Niàn Xī said with a light smile, propping her chin up. "..." Cheesy. Xí Níng felt her ears burning, but at the same time, a warm feeling spread through her heart. The classroom was noisy for a while, but it soon quieted down. The sounds of flipping pages and brushing against the paper, along with the bright light from the overhead lamp, filled the room as the evening self-study proceeded as usual. Kǒng Niàn Xī obediently picked up her pen to start working on the paper. Seeing her starting to study seriously, Xí Níng breathed a sigh of relief and turned her attention back to her own work. As she started writing, she thought she might be a bit distracted, as she had been at home in the afternoon. But when she turned her head and saw Kǒng Niàn Xī's focused expression, Xí Níng felt an unexpected sense of peace. She refocused on the questions, and surprisingly, her efficiency was even higher than usual. Unconsciously finishing the last question, Xí Níng set her pen down and stretched her wrist. Kǒng Niàn Xī, who was sitting next to her, also just finished, "Done." Xí Níng glanced at the clock above the blackboard; it hadn't even been forty minutes. "If I didn't have full confidence, I wouldn't have done it. Anyway, the study enthusiast will help me fill in the knowledge gap later." Kǒng Niàn Xī capped her pen without hesitation and leaned on Xí Níng's shoulder, "I'm tired. Let me rest for a while." A few strands of soft hair slipped into her raised collar. Xí Níng blinked, feeling a bit unnatural, but she didn't move. The classroom was quiet because the doors were closed to keep out the wind, and the only sound was the "scratching" of pens. After a while, Xí Níng softly said, "Have you rested enough? Let me see your accuracy." Kǒng Niàn Xī, with her head nestled on Xí Níng's right shoulder, could smell the faint scent of her shampoo. After she said that, the girl next to her changed her position slightly. Her hair lightly brushed against Xí Níng's cheek, tickling her. "Xí Níng." After a moment, Xí Níng heard her name being called softly. She turned to see Kǒng Niàn Xī, who was leaning against her, holding a phone. The front camera had captured the moment Xí Níng turned around with a soft click. In the photo, the students in the background were buried in their work. Xí Níng glanced at Kǒng Niàn Xī, who was leaning on her shoulder. Perhaps a filter had been added, but her gaze seemed gentle and affectionate, with a hint of a smile. Even Xí Níng herself was surprised when she saw it. On the other hand, Kǒng Niàn Xī, leaning on Xí Níng's shoulder, exuded a radiant smile that was hard to look away from. "..." Kǒng Niàn Xī lazily lay against Xí Níng, happily raising the corners of her lips, running her fingertips over the details of the photo. She appeared quite satisfied, "Not bad~. Our first photo together is totally qualified. Even capturing it casually like this, it looks so good~ And this classroom background, when we look back after graduation, it will surely hold great significance." Graduation... It seemed a bit distant for them now, but hearing her words, Xí Níng felt a soft warmth filling her heart. Suddenly, the head resting on her shoulder moved slightly. Xí Níng's lips brushed against Kǒng Niàn Xī's hair, and as she made contact, she looked into Kǒng Niàn Xī's eyes as she looked up. "I'll send this to you later. Keep it safe, and don't delete it without my permission." Xí Níng wanted to say something but was distracted by a glance at the girl drinking water at the desk behind them. "Cough." The girl was choked by the water and quickly lowered her head. Xí Níng: "…" Although there was a bit of space between the desks in front and behind, the erected row of books on the table couldn't hide anything. Although it was fine for the girl to show affection, Xí Níng still felt a bit guilty. She gently pushed Kǒng Niàn Xī to sit upright, then leaned over to check the test paper Kǒng Niàn Xī had finished. At the same time, she whispered, "Good." People in love probably have an endless fascination with each other, and even Xí Níng, who was used to and enjoyed being alone, didn't mind the almost twenty-four-hour closeness. After school, Kǒng Niàn Xī followed Xí Níng to her dorm. It was Kǒng Niàn Xī's first time visiting Xí Níng's dorm. "Which one is your bed?" The other two roommates who were used to returning late had not yet come back to the dorm. Xí Níng turned on the lights, pointed to the one on the side, and answered. Kǒng Niàn Xī walked over and sat on her chair, leaning on the desk and glancing around. Other than a pile of books and some daily necessities, there were hardly any other decorations. The desk was neatly arranged, and the wooden surface was spotless and reflective. She picked up the top book and flipped through it. It turned out to be a thick textbook guide. Kǒng Niàn Xī chuckled and put it back, "I should have known at a glance. This desk is just like you. Later, I'll get a doll ornament from my dorm for you to put on it, a matching pair, perfect for a couple." "..." Xí Níng raised her eyebrows and glanced at her desk. She felt that what she said was a bit off, and couldn't help asking, "Just like me?" "Yes." Kǒng Niàn Xī got up and walked over with a smile, raising the corners of her eyes, looking particularly charming under the warm light. Xí Níng noticed her suddenly approaching and took a step back unconsciously. Just as she was about to speak, Kǒng Niàn Xī embraced her neck from behind, pressing her against the hard bunk bed ladder. "Impeccable, neat and tidy. Sometimes you're like an old cadre, lovable and hateable." Kǒng Niàn Xī stared at her eyes. "..." Xí Níng was speechless and felt trapped against the ladder, especially when she noticed Kǒng Niàn Xī's gaze slowly moving from the top of her head to her lips. Her throat tightened, and her heart rate began to accelerate. The distance shortened by an inch. Xí Níng took a breath, and her hand blocked the red lips as she tried to say, "The door is still open..." Her roommates would come back soon, even though... but wasn't it a bit too crazy for them to be like this? "Oh, yes, praise you. You're very considerate." Kǒng Niàn Xī let go of her and ran her fingertips across her face. Then, she turned and walked to the door. Having misunderstood her intentions, Xí Níng pursed her lips, "No, I just..." Pak. Kǒng Niàn Xī locked the door from the inside, "I don't think your roommate will be back so soon." "..." Kǒng Niàn Xī continued, "Where's your bed?" Xí Níng stiffened for a moment and hesitated, "You—" "Me?" Kǒng Niàn Xī cocked her head and observed Xí Níng's expression, then chuckled, "I just want to see your bed. You...cough..." She coughed halfway through speaking, and Xí Níng furrowed her brows, a little worried, because she had also coughed a few times on the way back. She closed the balcony door slightly, then patted Kǒng Niàn Xī's back, "Are you feeling unwell? Any discomfort?" The temperature had dropped suddenly that day, and Kǒng Niàn Xī was dressed lightly. Xí Níng could feel it as she patted her back. After some thought, she took a packet of cold prevention powder from the drawer, "Here, take this cold prevention medicine. Drink it and then go back to bed. Remember to wear warmer clothes tomorrow." "No, I just have a little cough." Kǒng Niàn Xī followed her, holding onto her waist, "I'm very healthy, and I rarely get sick throughout the year. Don't think you can use this to drive me away." "Prevention is better than cure, especially during this season. And I'm not trying to drive you away." Xí Níng didn't listen to her distractions, took out her cup, and almost tore open the medicine packet. Then she paused, raised her head to ask, "Do you have a cup in your dorm?" Kǒng Niàn Xī smiled, "If I minded, why would I kiss you?" "..." She practically dug a hole for herself. She hastily opened the medicine packet, poured its contents into the cup, and without looking back, she left to get hot water. After making the medicine, Xí Níng reminded her again like an old mother, "After drinking, go back to bed. Don't catch a cold again." "Got it, Mom~" Kǒng Niàn Xī smiled as she took the cup, sipped the warm medicine, and felt comforted as it went down. After finishing the medicine, Kǒng Niàn Xī needed some time. She sat in the chair, looking around, "You haven't told me which one is your bed yet." Seeing that she hadn't forgotten about it, Xí Níng pointed to the upper bunk, "That one." "The upper bunk..." Kǒng Niàn Xī sighed a little regretfully. "..." "Since there are three of you in the dorm, why are there four beds?" She gestured towards the only bed made up with sheets and a quilt, "That one seems to be empty without a pillow." The room was divided with sleeping quarters on one side and desks on the other. In Xí Níng and her roommates' dorm, all three of them slept on the top bunks. The bottom bunk with the bedsheet and blankets was set up by Xí Níng for the convenience of changing clothes. "That bed is also mine," as she spoke, Kǒng Niàn Xī put down her cup. "Is it?" Xí Níng was usually clean, and even the temporary bedding for changing clothes was frequently cleaned, with the bedding neatly laid out and virtually free of clutter. There was also a faint fragrance in the air. Kǒng Niàn Xī walked over and sat down, asking, "Can I lie down for a bit?" Xí Níng naturally had no objections. She watched as Kǒng Niàn Xī happily rolled around on the bed, "It's so comfortable. It's filled with the scent of you." Xí Níng blushed, feeling the urge to immediately pull her off the bed. After a while, Kǒng Niàn Xī was still lying on the bed. Xí Níng worried that her medicine might get cold and urged, "Drink the medicine first." Kǒng Niàn Xī was lying on her back, with some of her soft, flowing hair spread out on the light-colored bedding, exuding a softness. She hooked her foot around Xí Níng's leg and opened her arms, "Hug me~" Xí Níng stood and met her gaze for a few seconds. "Stop fooling around." "Then I won't get up~" It was as if she was dealing with a child who refused to take their medicine, or a bold and crafty child. Her foot was rubbing against Xí Níng's leg. With their other roommates about to return, Xí Níng had no choice but to lean down and hug her. However, Kǒng Niàn Xī, who was lying flat, showed no intention of cooperating at all, making the task even more difficult for Xí Níng. Her hand that reached out to hug her waist was trapped between the bedding and Kǒng Niàn Xī, and her other hand had to support herself on the bed, making it difficult to exert force. After struggling for a while, Xí Níng had to sigh and say, "Lift your waist a bit." "Hmm?" Kǒng Niàn Xī half-squinted under Xí Níng. "...", knowing that she was doing it on purpose, Xí Níng simply stopped talking. Gathering her strength, she tried to lift Kǒng Niàn Xī. As she began to exert force, Kǒng Niàn Xī's hooked leg disrupted her balance, and she unexpectedly fell forward. She ended up pressing against Kǒng Niàn Xī, but luckily one hand was originally supporting her face, fearing that she might crush her. Xí Níng groped to find a way to support herself with both hands, but Kǒng Niàn Xī still clung to her waist and rubbed against her. "This won't do. You won't even let me pick you up."