Chapter 63 - What Should I Do if My Younger Brother’s Crush Has Taken a Liking to Me?

Chapter 63 Although she had anticipated some things in advance, when those frank and straightforward words with a warm breath drifted into Xi Ning's ear, her earlobes still felt hot. "Cough... cough..." After speaking, Kong Nianxi suddenly covered her mouth with a fist and coughed twice uncomfortably. Seeing this, Xi Ning furrowed her brows, then took the water glass and handed it over to her. "Take the medicine first." "Cough, I almost forgot. The doctor just said I have a cold, so we can't kiss." Kong Nianxi pursed her lips and took the glass, and instead of reluctantly swallowing the bitter pills one by one, she took the remaining one in one gulp, which surprised Xi Ning. "As long as I take the medicine properly, I'll get better soon, right?" Kong Nianxi stared at her and blinked, wearing a slightly aggrieved expression, like a sick cat that was still being stubborn even while feeling unwell. "In that case, does that mean our morning and evening kisses will be canceled for the next few days..." The slight pinkness in Xi Ning's earlobes hadn't faded yet. Seeing her somewhat aggrieved look and the little gesture of shrugging her shoulders out of concern for not infecting Xi Ning with the cold, she couldn't help but raise the corners of her lips, feeling a warmth in her heart. She gently pursed her lips, leaned over, and dropped a gentle kiss on Kong Nianxi's forehead, whispering, "It's okay." Although it was just on the forehead, Xi Ning's initiative in kissing still made Kong Nianxi momentarily stunned. She turned her head and met Xi Ning's faint eyes. The person who had just been "bold" enough to kiss her now avoided eye contact, clearing her throat unnaturally. Kong Nianxi blinked her eyes, glistening with moisture, and inquired, "It's okay for what? Does that mean we can still kiss?" ... Now it was time for breakfast, and a few more students came to the infirmary. Xi Ning scanned the room and, instead of continuing the conversation, got up, took the disposable cup that Kong Nianxi had emptied, threw it away, and then returned to touch her head. Dressed in Xi Ning's thick coat, Kong Nianxi's slender and tall figure did not appear bulky at all. The collar of the coat was somewhat loose, revealing her slender neck. The blush on her face had faded a bit but was still visible. She sat with her long legs on the chair, allowing Xi Ning's palm to touch her forehead, her chin slightly raised, her thick eyelashes quivering lightly, radiating a fragile and sickly feeling. It wasn't as hot as it was at first. Xi Ning sat down beside her, glanced at the time, and softly said, "Your temperature shouldn't rise any further. We'll go back in a while." Perhaps due to not having slept well last night and taking medicine, Kong Nianxi felt a bit tired. Leaning her head against Xi Ning's shoulder, she then held her hand, intertwining their fingers. Xi Ning's fingers were slender and long, with a warm and dry palm that sent a warm sensation straight to the heart. "I want to sleep." Her voice was soft and a bit listless. Xi Ning had no experience in comforting the sick, so she bit her lip for two or three seconds and comforted her, "Just hold on a little longer. We'll leave after the doctor sees us." Her voice was so soft that it seemed like it could drip like water, but she didn't notice it herself. After a while, the school doctor came to take her temperature again and, seeing no problems, allowed them to leave. On their way out, Kong Nianxi asked the school doctor for a diagnosis before leaving. When they returned to the classroom, the first period of class had not yet begun. The curly-haired boy hurried over when he saw them and exclaimed, "The study goddess is finally back! You weren't at the early self-study, and Tian Jiabao has been asking me every few minutes. He almost drove me crazy. He also said that as soon as he saw you, he would ask you to go to the office." Kong Nianxi had already anticipated this and handed the diagnosis to Xi Ning, pulling her towards the door. "I'll go with you." But Xi Ning didn't move. She bent down to pick up Kong Nianxi's thermos, and said nonchalantly, "There's no rush. Are you thirsty? Let me get you some water first." When someone has a cold, they often feel thirsty, and Xi Ning knew that. She handed her spare school jacket to Kong Nianxi and then walked away with the thermos. "You should rest a bit more." The curly-haired boy stared at Xi Ning's retreating figure, his eyes wide open. After witnessing the frequent display of affection between the two yesterday, even he couldn't help feeling surprised. After all, in his mind, Xi Ning had always been a high and mighty academic overachiever who exuded an otherworldly aura, untainted by worldly affairs. "Wow, is this still the study goddess in my memory? Why does she seem so...?" "What?" Kong Nianxi raised her eyebrows, smiling but not smiling, waiting for his next words. The curly-haired boy scratched his head, racking his brain, and finally blurted out, "That, um, little wife?" Kong Nianxi burst into laughter at his words. The curly-haired boy felt a little flustered when she laughed, but he also felt that the word was quite jarring when applied to Xi Ning. He forced a couple of dry laughs and said, "I was just kidding. But what's going on with you two recently? Your relationship is like a rocket." Kong Nianxi clutched her school jacket and smiled, "Right, I really like the term you used~" Afterward, she pointed to a pile of breakfast on the table, "Your rations, or you can help me finish them." Her table was often filled with various snacks and breakfasts given by others, and most of it was eaten by the curly-haired boy, to the extent that it had become a habit for him not to bother buying breakfast. Today was no different from usual. The curly-haired boy began to clear the table, packed away the sandwiches and yogurt, and then found a delicate letter in one of the bags. "Tsk, Nianxi, a love letter!" With the table now clean, Kong Nianxi felt relieved. The amount of breakfast on her table fluctuated based on her love life, and it had been a long time since her last fake relationship had ended. Anonymous breakfasts had been appearing more and more frequently, and she couldn't control it. She had become used to it, but she was afraid that it might upset Xi Ning if she saw. "If you see someone sending this kind of thing in the future, tell them I already have someone." She waved her hand, asking the curly-haired boy to throw away the letter. Then, she lay her head on Xi Ning's jacket on the table for a moment and lifted her head again. "What?!" The curly-haired boy was shocked, "This happened so suddenly! Is it true? Who's the lucky guy?" Kong Nianxi laughed and revealed, "It's not a lucky guy yet, she... hasn't agreed." "What?!" The curly-haired boy's jaw dropped, "Are you the one chasing her?!" He found it hard to believe! Could there be someone in the school worthy of being pursued by Nianxi, the campus belle? "Cough, watch your volume and words." Kong Nianxi saw his excitement and couldn't keep up her facade, reminding him. The curly-haired boy looked at her with narrowed eyes, thinking to himself that she really looked like it, but he didn't dare say so. In the first morning self-study, Tian Jiabao entered the classroom carrying a thermos. Instead of going to the podium, he went straight to Xi Ning's seat, and asked her about missing the early self-study. Upon learning that Kong Nianxi was ill and still insisted on coming to the classroom for class, he was deeply moved. He specially allowed her to rest on the table during class, and informed the other subject teachers as well. As a result, Kong Nianxi, with Xi Ning's hand warmer in her embrace, openly slept on the table for several classes. During the last self-study before lunch, there were still more than ten minutes left. Possibly due to taking medicine, Kong Nianxi was in a deep sleep, and a piece of clothing had been draped over her shoulders, making her break out in a light sweat. She had always had a good physical condition, and after taking the medicine and breaking out in a sweat, her cold had improved a lot, and her complexion had become more normal. As she was waking up in a daze, a warm palm covered her forehead. Xi Ning felt her temperature and softly said, "It seems like you're not feverish anymore." As soon as Kong Nianxi opened her eyes, she met Xi Ning's beautiful dark eyes. She couldn't suppress the high curve of her lips, and she leaned toward Xi Ning, skillfully placing her hand on Xi Ning's shoulder. She complained softly, "It's uncomfortable to sleep with my head down. My neck hurts a bit. Help me massage it." Xi Ning's fingertips touched the delicate and smooth skin, and she hesitated for a moment before saying, "That's why I asked you to go back to the dorm to rest earlier." "I won't go back. It's too lonely in the dormitory alone, and besides, I don't want to go anywhere without you." Xi Ning moved her lips but before she could speak, the seat in front of them suddenly slid a bit and the curly-haired boy awkwardly bent down to pick up a pen. He straightened up and smiled, "Uh, my pen dropped... you guys go on." ... Xi Ning withdrew her hand, pushing her neatly kept notebook towards Kong Nianxi's desk, and said out loud, "Take a look at the notes from this morning's classes. There are a few important new concepts." Cursing the curly-haired boy in her heart, Kong Nianxi reluctantly sat up straight and began to peruse Xi Ning's neat notes. Soon, it was lunchtime. Tu Xiaoyuan had messaged them earlier, saying she wanted to order takeout an hour before lunch. At that time, Kong Nianxi was still asleep, and Xi Ning hesitated for a moment before tactfully rejecting the suggestion. [Tu: ?? If you're not having lunch with us, who are you having it with? When did you start hiding a lover behind our backs?] [Xi: ...] [Xi: I'm having lunch with... my deskmate.] [Tu: Kong Nianxi?! When did you two become so close? Xi Ning, you're really crafty!] [Xi: ...Don't misuse idioms.] [Tu: But there are so many people around Kong Nianxi. Can you even rank high enough to have lunch with her?] Xi Ning was at a loss for how to reply. Eventually, she simply sent a "Mm." [Tu: Okay, I had a feeling something was fishy between you two~] Xi Ning felt a bit flustered in her heart. Although she knew the other party likely hadn't realized anything yet, she felt a bit "guilty." She didn't mind coming out to her friends, but at the moment she only had Tu and Su as friends, and it wasn't the right time. Kong Nianxi's situation was also different, and she didn't want to cause her partner any trouble before their high school graduation. After a short nap, Kong Nianxi's hair was slightly disheveled. By the time she tidied up, the stairwell wasn't as crowded. As they walked downstairs side by side, Xi Ning noticed that Kong Nianxi had withdrawn her hand from their touch. She turned her head to look. Kong Nianxi pursed her lips and tentatively asked, "The distance of our touch... it shouldn't be contagious, right?" Her lips were slightly dry due to her illness. Before going downstairs, she had applied some lip gloss, which, with its color somewhere between maturity and girlishness, suited her well. Xi Ning looked at her and smiled, "If you have to worry about that now, isn't it a bit too late?" "I guess you're right." So, Kong Nianxi reached out and wrapped her arms around Xi Ning's, holding her tightly. Kong Nianxi was well-liked, and she had a wide social circle. It seemed that she knew someone at every step, being called "senior" by some and "junior" by others. Kong Nianxi leaned softly on Xi Ning like a boneless cat, responding to everyone who greeted her, earning Xi Ning quite a few curious looks in the process. Someone noticed the jacket she was openly wearing and teased her, "Sis Nianxi, new clothes? Going for a boyfriend vibe?" Kong Nianxi leaned back into Xi Ning and pointed, "Hers." Xi Ning received a second curious look. When they reached the end of the food line, a junior running from the front came over and kindly offered to help with getting food. Kong Nianxi held Xi Ning's waist and smiled sweetly, "Thank you, but I like waiting in line with her." Xi Ning received another curious look. After getting their food, a passing unfamiliar senior asked for Kong Nianxi's WeChat. She politely smiled and said, keeping her eyes on Xi Ning ahead of her, "Sorry, my phone is with her." The senior was persistent and took a look at Xi Ning. He was suddenly repelled by the cold air exuding from her. A third curious and slightly resentful look. Finally sitting at a table in a secluded corner, Kong Nianxi bit her spoon and smiled at Xi Ning, "Are you angry?" Xi Ning sat up straight, quietly eating her meal, silent. Kong Nianxi's smile grew broader, her eyes shining, she lightly tapped Xi Ning's thigh under the table, "Are you really mad? Could it be that you're jealous?" Xi Ning's hand paused. She raised her head, looking into Kong Nianxi's eyes with a faint smile, "Are you trying to make me jealous?" Kong Nianxi was taken aback for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. Their legs were still intertwined under the table. She pursed her lips, "Of course, lots of people are pursuing me. Now that I've given you the opportunity to date me, you're actually making me wait for you to adjust." She paused and her eyes showed different emotions, her voice growing slightly hoarse, "So, how are you adjusting now? Do you want to be with me, and can you give me a reassuring answer?" The cafeteria was bustling, and Xi Ning and Kong Nianxi were sitting face to face, holding their chopsticks for several seconds. Then, Xi Ning hesitated and softly let out an "Mm." Her voice was so faint that it almost drowned in the noise. The single "Mm" made Kong Nianxi feel a bit unreal. Leaning her hands on the table, she leaned in closer, "Say it again, I didn't hear clearly." With a determined decision already made, Xi Ning once again faced Kong Nianxi's dainty and exquisite ear. She leaned in, using a voice that both of them could hear, "I want to be with you. Can I?" A warm current brushed by her ears, and suddenly, Kong Nianxi felt as if the entire world had gone quiet. After a moment, she pinched her own ear, turned to look at Xi Ning, and smiled, "Then, call me your girlfriend."