Chapter 64

Chapter 64 The phrase "girlfriend" crept into Xi Ning's ears, causing her face to flush instantaneously. Kong Nianxi's school uniform jacket was left partially unbuttoned, the collar sliding casually off her shoulders and revealing the high-necked sweatshirt underneath. Xi Ning's clothes were all simple and plain in solid colors, mostly leaning towards cool and restrained hues. But when worn by Kong Nianxi, the clothes were brought to life by her strikingly beautiful face, exuding a sense of lively girlishness. As her fingertips rested on the table, a hand gently pressed down upon them. Kong Nianxi gazed at her, a smile playing at the corners of her eyes. "Say it." "..." With her other hand tightly gripping the chopsticks and a slightly unnatural tilt of her head, Xi Ning subconsciously bit her lip, a hint of redness tinging her earlobes. "This formal linguistic address... saying it out loud might sound a bit strange, right?" "In that case, how about using endearments like baby, darling, or dear, or... do you want to call me 'wife'?" In reality, Kong Nianxi was quite keen on hearing Xi Ning address her this way, especially with Xi Ning's slightly aloof tone. Just imagining it made her feel a bit weak in the knees. "..." Xi Ning's hand trembled slightly. She forced a smile to meet Kong Nianxi's playful gaze on the other side of the table. "Tsk, alright, I won't tease you during meals." Kong Nianxi looked at Xi Ning's slightly blushing cheeks, finding it hard to contain her amusement. "But will you sing 'baby' to lull me to sleep tonight?" Xi Ning tightened her grip on her chopsticks and leaned away. "Let's talk about that later tonight." Kong Nianxi looked into her bowl and curved her lips. "Okay, if your dear girlfriend can't hear the song tonight, I'll keep kissing you until you sing it to me~" Xi Ning: "..." She was being too clingy. After finishing their meal, they walked to the bakery on the first floor, where Kong Nianxi wanted to buy some candy. The bakery on the ground floor of the cafeteria was always bustling with customers. The pastry chef's expertise extended beyond various types of bread and pastries, and the shop also offered delicious and delicate candies, resulting in long lines forming outside the store every time. Kong Nianxi pulled Xi Ning with her as they strolled over. Along the way, they met acquaintances, and Huang Mao and Juan Mao came up from behind, greeting them with smiles. "What a coincidence, Nianxi sister. Are you here to buy bread too?" Kong Nianxi lazily leaned against Xi Ning, responding with a nonchalant "Hmm," seeming quite content despite the long queue. The cafeteria was crowded, with people coming and going, and there were even some line-cutters ahead. Huang Mao, a large figure, cursed at them from behind, causing the line-cutters to back off a bit. "Isn't this queue way too long? Is the school secretly enrolling more students again? It feels like the cafeteria is getting more and more crowded. We almost couldn't find a place to sit at lunch." "We do have a lot of university students here. There are several unfinished buildings, but there's only one small, run-down cafeteria." Huang Mao grumbled, and Juan Mao echoed his sentiments, turning to playfully tease Kong Nianxi, "Sister Nian, should we talk to your mom about donating another cafeteria?" Kong Nianxi's mother was a well-known local businesswoman, often referred to as a female tycoon. It was said that she and the school principal were former classmates and had a good relationship. The school's activity center was a building funded by her mother. It sounded like a plotline from a novel, so their circle of friends often made jokes about it. Turning his head, Juan Mao caught sight of Kong Nianxi leaning on Xi Ning, tugging at her sleeve and playing with her fingers, with a smile on her lips. He took a step back with a sound of surprise and covered his eyes. His step landed directly on Huang Mao's shoe, prompting Huang Mao to slap him on the head. "What are you yelling for? You stepped on me." "Don't you feel it?" Juan Mao lowered his voice and gave him a furtive glance, as if seeking understanding. "Don't you think the atmosphere between Nianxi and the class monitor has become... kind of intimate lately?" "Huh?" Huang Mao glanced to the side. "Who?" "Uh... her." "What do you mean by 'her'?" Huang Mao grew annoyed, pushing away Juan Mao, who was mumbling cryptically. "Don't girls play around like this?" "Really? Is it just my hometown where the lilies have bloomed?" "What do you mean by 'play around'?" The two of them murmured to each other, and Kong Nianxi found it somewhat amusing. She was about to laugh when she looked up and met Xi Ning's gaze, her eyes resting on the other's long and dense eyelashes. She forgot what she wanted to say for a moment. "Let's go." Xi Ning blinked and gently pushed her forward, urging her to join the queue. As they lined up and entered the store, Kong Nianxi turned back and asked, "How many people are there in our class?" "What's up, Nianxi sister, are you planning to treat the whole class to candy? Is there a celebration?" Huang Mao reported the number of people with a grin. Kong Nianxi smiled and made no response. In the end, she picked the largest bucket, filled with candies individually wrapped in rainbow-colored wrappers. After making the purchase and returning to the classroom, Juan Mao stared at the transparent candy jar, looking eager. "Sister Nian, can I have one to try?" Kong Nianxi simply handed the entire bucket to him, took Xi Ning's hand, and said, "Go back to the classroom and help me pass out the candies. Everyone should have a share." Huang Mao was surprised. "Is there really a celebration?" "Yes, a huge celebration~" Kong Nianxi linked arms with Xi Ning, resting her head on her shoulder. With a gentle and content smile, she seemed to be declaring her sovereignty. However, Huang Mao, being a clueless straight male, was still oblivious to the underlying meaning. Juan Mao scrutinized them with a serious expression, causing Xi Ning to avert her eyes awkwardly. Kong Nianxi nudged Juan Mao and urged, "Aren't you going back yet?" "Sure, sure. I'll go back and distribute the candies for Sister Nian." Huang Mao chuckled foolishly and pulled Juan Mao as they left. Once they were out of earshot, Xi Ning finally couldn't hold back and looked at Kong Nianxi, hesitating in her words. "I'm happy, do you mind?" Kong Nianxi noticed Xi Ning's gaze and grabbed the sleeve of her school uniform, raising her head to ask. "I don't mind at all," Xi Ning replied without hesitation. While she felt it was a little ostentatious, if Kong Nianxi had thought it through and was happy with her actions, she was okay with it. "As long as you're happy." Kong Nianxi gazed at her for a moment, a smile playing at the corners of her lips. She pinched Xi Ning's soft cheek and said, "Do you know that you're very charming, and I want to kiss you again." "..." Oh, Xi Ning pushed her hand down and said seriously, "We should be more restrained at school." Kong Nianxi pouted slightly, looking a bit aggrieved. "Fine." Then, she turned and happily led Xi Ning forward. "Let's go buy some milk tea. I'm craving something sweet right now." Xi Ning stopped her and pulled her hand back, frowning as she reminded, "You forgot that you're still recovering from your illness, didn't you?" "Just a small cup. If that's not possible, shall we share a small cup between the two of us? Just a little bit." Kong Nianxi hugged her and playfully pestered her, refusing to leave without buying a small cup. Xi Ning had no choice but to agree. As they returned to the classroom, Xi Ning, satisfied with her milk tea, took a small sip from the straw. Kong Nianxi held the cup to Xi Ning's lips. The school's milk tea shop was decent, but it was overly sweet. Xi Ning didn't like excessively sweet food. However, she still took a look and, despite finding it sweeter and more cloying than expected, she took a few more sips. Looking at the half-empty cup in Kong Nianxi's hand, Xi Ning noted her widened eyes. "You said we'd share a small cup." Xi Ning pressed a tissue to her mouth, her taste buds overwhelmed by the sweetness. She paused before adding, "No overindulging." Kong Nianxi took the spot Xi Ning had drunk from, bit onto the straw, and blinked. "Alright, when you say so, it's always right~" Upon entering the classroom, as they were greeted by their female classmates, Xi Ning and Kong Nianxi were taken aback by the congratulations. "..." They went inside, only to be met with more people offering their congratulations. "Nianxi sister, what's the happy occasion? Treating us to candy?" "Regardless of the occasion, let's offer our blessings first." "Soaking up the happiness." "Congratulations!" "..." Kong Nianxi responded with a gracious smile, but Xi Ning's face grew increasingly flushed. It wasn't until they reached their seats that she finally breathed a sigh of relief. It was Thursday and Friday that week and exams were approaching, but the progression of the various subjects hadn't slowed down due to the impending exams. It wasn't until the evening of the day before the exams that the school instituted a period for self-study, but to some people, this period for self-study seemed more like a time to relax and take a break. For example... Twisting around, Juan Mao discreetly spoke in a hushed tone over the surrounding sound of people engrossed in their books. "Nianxi sister, Little Sheep said that after the exam this week, there's going to be a relaxed get-together at the villa with a lively night of revelry. It's Friday after the exam. Are you coming?" Kong Nianxi played with her phone, shaking her head. "I won't go." "Huh?" Juan Mao exclaimed in surprise. "Why not? Do you have something else to do? You always used to come every time in the past." "It's different now. I'm busy." "..." Xi Ning finished her test and saw that Kong Nianxi was still on her phone. Sighing quietly, she reached out and put her hand in front of Kong Nianxi's eyes, hoping she would voluntarily hand over her phone. Kong Nianxi raised her gaze and looked at the long, slender fingers in front of her eyes. She smiled gently and interlaced her fingers with Xi Ning's through the gaps. Upon seeing their intertwined hands, Juan Mao immediately turned his face away. "Sorry, I interrupted you. Carry on." "..." Xi Ning's hand shook but remained tightly held. Feeling helpless and slightly amused, she said, "Shouldn't you set down your phone now? Have you finished your one-hour study goal for today?" "So, you just want my phone, not me…" Kong Nianxi looked at her miffedly, huffed, and loosened her hold. Xi Ning suppressed a smile at the corner of her mouth, glancing down at the hand that had been released and bit her lip. She then leaned in again and gently held Kong Nianxi's hand. "Be good, study for a little while." Kong Nianxi looked at her, her eyes bright and dark. "Then, look at me and call me baby." "..." Xi Ning licked her lip, feeling a sudden dryness in her throat. After pausing, she reluctantly and stiffly called out, "Baby." The mechanical pronunciation sounded somewhat awkward. But as Xi Ning glanced back and uttered those cheesy words with her naturally aloof tone, Kong Nianxi still felt a spine-tingling sensation in her ears. Xi Ning then pushed a printed worksheet toward her. "I found these sample questions specifically tailored to help you with your weak spots in math. Once you've worked through these, your math in this exam should see some improvement." "..." Kong Nianxi took the worksheet. "Are you really..." Kong Nianxi set aside her phone and earnestly tackled the problems on the worksheet. When she came across something she didn't quite understand, she asked Xi Ning for help. Watching Xi Ning's focused profile, she propped up her chin and said, "Actually, I feel quite prepared for this exam. I should be able to achieve a very good overall score." She was satisfied with her current results and felt there was no need to spend more time studying. It seemed as if the words "hard work" didn't exist in her life dictionary. No one had ever pressured her to study or set any goals for her. She never lacked anything and could easily obtain whatever she wanted. Xi Ning paused her explanation, casually twirling a pen between her fingertips, and smiled lightly. "May I ask about your future plans?" After they confirmed their relationship, she finally brought herself to ask. Kong Nianxi paused for a moment, her eyes lighting up, and she drew her chair closer to Xi Ning, holding her hand. "Of course. And you? What about you?" "I want to study medicine." "With your grades, you will surely be able to enroll in the top universities for this field." Xi Ning smiled. "So, which university do you want to go to?" Kong Nianxi immediately replied, "I'll go wherever you go." Xi Ning paused, feeling touched, but she shook her head with a smile. "That won't work. You have your own likes and pursuits." After giving it some thought, Kong Nianxi realized she hadn't found a specific major that she was particularly interested in pursuing. Even now, if asked what she liked most, the first thing that came to mind was… Xi Ning. ...Could she really be in love? Amid her inner conflict, her phone, which she had just placed back in her pocket, suddenly vibrated with an incoming video call. Seeing the familiar caller ID, Kong Nianxi rolled her eyes and put on her headphones to answer. "Darling, what are you doing?" In the video, the sunny, bright view clearly indicated that the time was still daytime, whereas it was already dark in her current location. In the center of the screen was the face of a mature, beautiful woman in her thirties. "I'm at evening self-study." Kong Nianxi showed her the classroom and said irritably. Kong's mom was surprised. "Oh, I forgot that you might still be in class at this time. Is there no teacher for the evening self-study?" "..." Her mother showed no self-awareness as a parent, which Kong Nianxi was used to. She asked, "Is something the matter for you to suddenly remember me?" "Isn't chatting with me at this time going to affect your studies? Are you in a romantic relationship?" Just then, the end-of-class bell rang, so Kong Nianxi placed her phone on the desk and thought for a moment before asking, "How did you find out?" She had actually posted a photo on her Moments yesterday, a picture of their hands held together, visible only to Xi Ning and her mom. However, to her surprise, it was her mom who had liked the photo first. She then realized that Xi Ning hardly ever checked her Moments. "Don't be ridiculous. You already posted the picture. How wouldn't I be able to tell it's a girl's hand?" Kong Nianxi looked reserved. "You could tell just from that?" "Such dainty and pretty hands are naturally those of a girl." "So, you don't mind?" Kong's mom rolled her eyes. "I love women too. What's so strange about you liking girls?" She added, "I have a meeting shortly. Can I see that young lady now? Is it convenient for you?" "..." Kong Nianxi said, "This is really sudden. What if it startles her?" "This is your first relationship, and it's clear you really like her, so I have to stay watchful, right? It's fine; I can just sneak a peek." Xi Ning saw Kong Nianxi on a video call while wearing her earphones, and it was still class time after all, so she didn't pay it much attention. However, not long afterward, Kong Nianxi nudged her with her elbow. "My mother wants to meet you." If you need further assistance, feel free to ask.