Wait... could Xiao Xi actually like me?

Ning Yuan stared at Xiao Xi’s expressionless face. She looked like someone who’d just overturned a whole jar of vinegar—jealous. For a moment, he was completely confused.

No way, right? Was he just imagining things?

This violent, totally un-cute woman? Really?

He’d known her since college, and thinking back on it, she’d been bullying him ever since they met. Those little punches of hers didn’t hurt much, but after years of that, he’d completely stopped having any sort of romantic thoughts about her.

They actually got along fine, though. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have ended up working at the same company after graduation—or living in the same apartment complex. Still, their relationship was more like best buddies who roast each other, not lovers. In his mind, he never even saw Xiao Xi as a “woman” in that way.

When he saw her walking toward him, Ning Yuan instinctively tensed his arm muscles, ready to take a punch.

But Xiao Xi just set the ribs down on the table, sat down, and started eating in silence, eyes flickering with thoughts he couldn’t read.

...So it was just his imagination.

Yeah, like she’d ever like him.

Ning Yuan let out a small breath of relief and glared at his little sister, Ning Chu, who had been teasing him earlier. Then he realized that looking so scared might make him seem weak in front of her—definitely not how a “cool big brother” should look.

He straightened his back, tried to act casual, and said bravely, while sneaking glances at Xiao Xi’s expression, “So, about a week from now, right? I’ll take a day off then and drive you to campus.”

Ning Chu was playing on her phone, messaging Lily to share what she’d just found out—so that Lily wouldn’t get her potential boyfriend stolen without realizing it.

Except, judging by the situation, it was Lily who was doing the stealing first.

“Okay,” Ning Chu typed back. “I’ll ask Lily to come out then too.”

Across the table, Xiao Xi suddenly coughed twice. Ning Yuan immediately tensed up again, bracing for a punch.

It didn’t really hurt, but after getting hit enough times, he’d developed a reflex.

“Blind date, huh? With your sister’s classmate?” Xiao Xi asked with a sweet, teasing smile.

“Uh... kind of?”

Under her gaze, Ning Yuan felt a little guilty, but he didn’t want to look weak in front of his sister.

He added quickly, trying to sound innocent, “My mom and grandpa keep pushing me to start dating. I’m twenty-six already, by lunar age.”

“Old cow eating young grass,” she quipped.

“Hey, she’s not that much younger than me, right?”

“Please. You think any girl would like a lazy shut-in like you? You can’t even sort your own trash—I have to do it for you.”

“I’m just too lazy to sort it! And you’re no better! Next time I’ll cook for you and show you what real food tastes like! What you make is pig slop!”

“Oh? Then you’re the pig eating it. Nice self-burn.”

Ning Chu watched the two of them bicker, and it was obvious her brother was losing the exchange.

She frowned slightly.

Hmm… hard to tell.

Even though she’d turned into a girl herself, she’d never actually dated one, so she had no idea what went on in other girls’ heads.

While her brother and Xiao Xi kept trading jabs beside her, Ning Chu looked down at her phone again. Lily had sent another message.

Lily: “Your brother’s that soft?”

Ning Chu: “Not really. He just acts like that around Xiao Xi.”

Lily: “Ah, got it. He’s a total masochist! I haven’t played with one that kinky before!”

Ning Chu: “???”

Lily continued:

“You’re just afraid he left a mark and your family will notice, right?”

“Nah, doesn’t work for me anyway. Your brother’s a masochist, I’m a masochist. Not a good match~”

Lily’s online chats were always filthy and completely unfiltered—Ning Chu was used to it by now.

It seemed like Lily didn’t take her thing with Ning Yuan seriously at all. To her, it was probably just like flirting online for fun—nothing meaningful. After all, they hadn’t even met in person yet.

When Ning Chu finally looked up again, her brother and Xiao Xi were still going at it. She suddenly felt like a total third wheel.

After hesitating a moment, she stood up.

“You done eating?” Xiao Xi immediately noticed her movement.

“Yeah,” Ning Chu smiled. “I should get going. Bye~”

“Add me on social media,” Xiao Xi said. “We can play games together sometime.”

“Sure~”

Watching Ning Chu walk out the door, Ning Yuan suddenly felt the urge to escape too.

But just as he was about to speak, Xiao Xi came running over excitedly, holding a bottle of white liquor she’d just pulled from the cabinet.

“Come on! We haven’t had a drink together in ages—keep me company!”

“It’s broad daylight! Why are we drinking now?” Ning Yuan sighed helplessly.

“When you were upset, didn’t I drink with you?”

Before he could answer, Xiao Xi had already filled two small glasses to the brim. She pulled out some snacks—peanuts and sunflower seeds—from the drawer to go with the drinks, then sat right where Ning Chu had been.

Throwing an arm around Ning Yuan’s neck, she grinned, “Come on! Bottoms up!”

“Alright, alright.”

Ning Yuan gave in, took the glass, and sipped a little. Then he glanced sideways at the girl next to him and, unable to hold back his curiosity, asked,

“My sister said… you might actually like me?”

“As if.”

“That’s what I said too.”

Without hesitation, Xiao Xi tipped her head back and downed her entire shot in one go—at least two ounces of strong liquor.

“You nursing that thing or what? Hurry up!”

Ning Yuan gave a bitter laugh and gulped his drink as well, only to choke and cough several times.

“I’m gonna hit the bathroom,” he said, standing up. His cheeks were already faintly flushed from the alcohol.

As soon as he disappeared from sight, Xiao Xi’s eyes hardened. She grabbed the bottle and took several long swigs straight from it, then hurriedly swapped Ning Yuan’s small glass for a much bigger one and filled it to the top.

Her once-proud drinking tolerance… had suddenly become a burden.

When Ning Yuan came back, he found her staring at him. Embarrassed, he explained, “I, uh, just went for a pee. Not to vomit or something.”

A few more drinks later, the alcohol was starting to hit him. His eyes turned hazy, and even the tomboy sitting beside him somehow looked a lot prettier than usual.

A small head leaned gently against his shoulder.

“I thought you could handle your liquor better than this,” he said, turning his head toward her.

Her pale cheeks were now flushed crimson, her lips slightly parted as she breathed, and her scent—sweet and warm—filled the air between them. It made his heart flutter uncontrollably.

“Ning Yuan~ take me upstairs.”

“You better not try to take advantage of me~” she teased, slurring a little as she hugged his arm. Her soft curves brushed against him, and instead of feeling triumphant, Ning Yuan somehow felt like he was the one being taken advantage of.

He was still a healthy man, and with the alcohol dulling his self-control, the slightest touch made his body react. Feeling embarrassed, he kept his hands rigidly still, afraid to move, and carefully helped Xiao Xi up the stairs.

But as soon as they reached the bedroom, Xiao Xi’s body went limp—and she pulled him down with her as she fell onto the bed.

“W-wait—”

Before he could react, Ning Yuan found himself on top of her, their faces just inches apart. Panic flooded him as he tried to get up, but the drunken Xiao Xi clung to him tightly, refusing to let go.

Her big, beautiful eyes were unfocused, staring straight at him.

Then, softly, she bit her lip and whispered, “Ning Yuan… I like you.”

“!!!”

What the—

Ning Yuan froze mid-motion, his mind going completely blank.

She’s serious?

This is for real?

And to think he’d just agreed to meet up with Lily soon…

If this kept going…

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Link for character illustration:

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