Chapter 62 - What Should I Do if My Younger Brother’s Crush Has Taken a Liking to Me?

Chapter 62 The empty stairwell echoed with the sound of Xi Ning's footsteps as she ascended alone. She arrived at the dormitory door and gently pushed it open, finding it slightly ajar. Upon hearing the movement, Kong Nianxi, who was lying on the upper bunk, struggled to sit up. The blanket slipped off her shoulders, revealing a thin summer nightdress. Her fair cheeks were flushed abnormally, her voice hoarse: "Ningning…I feel so uncomfortable. I’m not really getting sick, am I?" She rarely fell ill, hardly catching a cold throughout the year. This morning, she had set an alarm for early morning self-study for the first time. However, when she tried to get up, her eyelids felt unusually heavy, assuming it was due to staying up late the previous night. However, her head started to feel increasingly heavy, leaving her disoriented. "It's all right, just lie down and rest." Xi Ning's gentle voice soothed Kong Nianxi. Her hazy mind cleared a bit, feeling like she had found a trustworthy straw to grasp onto as she obediently settled back down. After Xi Ning entered the room, she closed the door behind her to keep the chilly wind outside at bay. The balcony door of the dormitory was also tightly shut, making it slightly warmer inside despite the cold drafts. The sudden drop in temperature to the teens, even before the official arrival of winter, was unusual for this southern city. The classroom this morning seemed to have more coughs and sneezes than usual. Xi Ning crouched down beside the bed to tuck her in, pulling the blanket over the exposed arms. "Let me check your forehead for any signs of fever. If it's serious, we’ll go to the hospital." She reached out, and Kong Nianxi obediently leaned over, pressing her forehead against Xi Ning's palm. After a while, Xi Ning withdrew her hand, frowning slightly. "It's a bit warm. Do you have a thermometer in your dorm?" Seeing Kong Nianxi shake her head, Xi Ning didn't press further, as expected. She looked down and picked up a porcelain cup from the table adorned with delicate ornaments, asking, "Is this your cup?" Feeling parched, Kong Nianxi, lying in bed, nodded. When she saw Xi Ning walking out, she asked anxiously, "Where are you going?" It seemed that when one was sick, a sense of security was especially lacking. Xi Ning turned back, lightly smiling as she reassured, "I'll bring you some water. I'll be right back." Kong Nianxi licked her dry lips, recalling her thirst from a moment ago. Xi Ning went to her own dorm to fetch a thermometer and fetch water. Upon her return, she found Kong Nianxi already out of bed, sitting on the lower bunk in just her nightdress, not minding the chilly air with her fair legs exposed. Xi Ning couldn't bear to see this. She closed the door and walked over to pull the blanket down to cover her. "Why did you come down alone? Are you still feeling dizzy? What if you fall?" Kong Nianxi rubbed her eyes, observing Xi Ning's concerned expression. Her school uniform’s zipper was not pulled all the way up, revealing the black high-necked sweater underneath, highlighting her fair neck. As Xi Ning approached, Kong Nianxi leaned into her, pressing her reddened face against Xi Ning's slightly cool outerwear, and smiled, "You're even more worried about me than my mom." Xi Ning: "..." "Have some water and hold this under your armpit," Xi Ning handed her something. After lightly pressing her flushed cheeks against the fabric a few times, Kong Nianxi looked up obediently, holding the thermometer in place under her arm and looked at Xi Ning. "Did you skip class to look for me?" Xi Ning adjusted the blanket on her legs and pursed her lips. "No, I came directly here." "Hmm?" Kong Nianxi was puzzled. She knew Xi Ning never skipped or left class early. If something was amiss, she would have sought permission from the teacher. But her doing this was akin to skipping class. She blinked, feeling elated by Xi Ning's act, but at the same time, a tinge of guilt washed over her. Skipping class was inconsequential to her, but it was different for Xi Ning. In some aspects, she seemed as pure and translucent as jade. "I'll be fine after a rest and some water. You should go back first, or else Tian Jiabao will nag you for leaving early without approval," Kong Nianxi suggested. After a few seconds of eye contact, Xi Ning noticed the unhealthy flush on Kong Nianxi's face, yet her eyes remained bright. Her soft hair was slightly disheveled, with a few stray strands sticking up. Unable to resist, Xi Ning reached out and smoothed it down. "It's just morning self-study for Chinese, nothing important." Xi Ning took her temperature and let out a sigh of relief. Standing up, she looked at Kong Nianxi. "But you're sick, and I can't leave you alone in the dorm." Kong Nianxi suddenly held her breath, gazing at Xi Ning's composed demeanor. Her eyes lingered on the lips, feeling an urge to lean in and take a bite. Although Xi Ning's tone was cold and her words were serious, she couldn’t help but find them alluring. It was teasing and made her heart flutter. It felt like Xi Ning was slyly weaving words of affection to her in a serious manner! "It's okay; just a slight fever. I might have caught a cold, but we should still visit the infirmary," Xi Ning said after checking the thermometer's reading, relieved. She stood up to look at Kong Nianxi. "It's windy outside. Change into something warmer before we go." While she usually wore the school uniform on campus, Kong Nianxi preferred to wear pretty dresses when going out on weekends, resulting in a closet full of clothes. She thought for a moment and pulled out a slightly thicker long overcoat from a suitcase, which was crammed with her additional clothes. "That should do," Kong Nianxi wrapped herself in a small blanket, sitting on the bed. It was difficult to lean over, so she watched Xi Ning picking clothes for her. When she saw Xi Ning take out the longer overcoat from the suitcase, she couldn't help but express her dissatisfaction, saying, "It's too silly to wear this outside now, isn't it?" "You've caught a chill. It's quite cold outside now." Xi Ning placed the overcoat on top and looked up. "Do you have anything else more suitable to wear?" Sitting cross-legged and tilting her head, Kong Nianxi pondered and looked at Xi Ning, grinning mischievously. "I don't have anything, but you do. Can I borrow some of your clothes?" As she said that, she coughed lightly, hugging her legs awkwardly, portraying an image of vulnerability. Xi Ning found it amusing. Initially, she hadn't intended to refuse, but now, after seeing Kong Nianxi like this, she couldn't bring herself to do so. While she was a bit of a germaphobe and had never let anyone wear her clothes, if it were Kong Nianxi… they had already engaged in more intimate activities, hadn't they? "Sure, I'll get them for you." "I'll come with you. I want to pick something I like," Kong Nianxi followed her, wrapped in a small blanket. But just as she walked a few steps, Xi Ning pressed her shoulder, urging her back to the bed. Bewildered, she raised her head to see Xi Ning's clear eyes. "Do you not like what I picked out for you?" Listening to the door open and close, Kong Nianxi sat on the bed for a while. When she came to her senses, Xi Ning was already gone. She rubbed her face, not sure if the warmth she felt was due to the fever. How… how could this person learn to speak affectionate words behind her back? She was clearly breaking the rules! Returning to her dorm, Xi Ning picked out her thickest sweatshirt. Her clothes were generally plain and simple, with a minimalist style. However, she looked good in anything she wore. Due to their height difference and the inherently thick, oversized style, when Kong Nianxi tried it on, it was longer than her school uniform. "It looks so thick. I won't wear anything inside," she remarked. "Um…" Xi Ning, afraid Kong Nianxi would find it too thick and refuse to wear it, felt something wasn't quite right after her acknowledgment. Leaning over to look, she found that Kong Nianxi had already started taking off her clothes. Awkwardly turning away, she said, "Be careful not to catch a cold when changing." She heard a soft, amused chuckle as Kong Nianxi, with a nasal voice, retorted, "Then do you want to come help me change?" "..." Once her clothes were on, Xi Ning wasted no time, guiding Kong Nianxi to the infirmary. By this time, it was already bright outside, and it was almost time for breakfast. Wanting to save time during their trek to the cafeteria, Xi Ning stopped by the window and bought some light breakfast. "Are you hungry?" Kong Nianxi held her hand and looked at the breakfast bag, wrinkling her nose. "It looks so bland. Do you like eating this?" "I bought this for you." Xi Ning swiped a card, holding her hand to continue walking. "What? I don't eat this stuff. It doesn’t look appetizing at all," Kong Nianxi protested. "But when you're sick, it's best to eat something light. You’ll have to take medicine later, so you shouldn't have an empty stomach." The school was in a remote location, and there was no regular hospital nearby, so the school infirmary was staffed almost around the clock. As they entered the infirmary, the bell had just rung. The school doctor retook Kong Nianxi's temperature, which was similar to their previous reading, and inquired about other physical issues. The doctor said, "There's no major problem. I'll prescribe some cold medicine for you. You can rest for a while to observe the situation. If everything is fine, you can leave." Through the window, faint noises from the cafeteria could be heard not far away, as it was almost breakfast time. They were the only two students in the entire infirmary. While the doctor went to get the medicine, Xi Ning opened the breakfast bag. "Have something to eat first." Kong Nianxi sat down on the bench and glanced at the cup of white rice congee in Xi Ning's hand, raising an eyebrow and turning her head away, displaying no appetite. "You can eat it. I don't have an appetite." "Just have a little bit," Xi Ning inserted the straw into the cup and brought it to her lips. But it seemed like Kong Nianxi genuinely disliked the light meal. Helpless, Xi Ning pursed her lips and grabbed Kong Nianxi's sleeve. "Be obedient." "..." For some inexplicable reason, when Xi Ning spoke those ordinary words in her slightly cold voice, Kong Nianxi felt an inexplicable warmth. Inexplicably, she bit onto the straw and took a sip of the congee. Ah, the white congee actually tasted quite sweet. In the end, Kong Nianxi had a cup of congee and a vegetable bun. She refused to eat anything more, so Xi Ning stopped and began giving her the medicine. "These pills are quite large." Kong Nianxi, behaving like a "princess," began to nitpick at the medicines in Xi Ning's hand. She swallowed each pill individually with water. Just as she was about to pick up a capsule and felt its gummy coating, she paused in slight astonishment. Exasperated, but with some newfound confidence from her previous experience, Xi Ning said, "Princess, it's time to take your medicine." Watching Xi Ning’s slight smile as she stared at her, Kong Nianxi's gaze flitted over her lips. She quickly regained her composure, thinking to herself: Is she trying to win me over thinking she can trade a bit of "beauty" for additional privileges? This time, it's bitter medicine, so she’ll have to step up her game! She cleared her throat and glanced at Xi Ning. "After I finish my medicine, you owe me a sweet treat." "Okay," Xi Ning agreed without hesitation. Raising her eyebrows, Kong Nianxi continued, "I get to decide what kind of treat, without any restrictions." After a brief pause, Xi Ning replied, "Deal." "Really? Then..." Kong Nianxi raised her lips, and in a low voice, she said near Xi Ning's ear, "I want a kiss." This was something she had wanted for a long time, ever since Xi Ning began coyly whispering sweet nothings to her.