"What, can't I come back?"
Ning Fan looked directly into Xu Xiaoqing's eyes, his intense gaze catching her off guard.
Under Ning Fan's piercing look, Xu Xiaoqing ultimately couldn't resist and shyly lowered her head, as the scene from last night reappeared in her mind.
And just as Xu Xiaoqing was lost in thought, Ning Fan shook his head with a smile, then disappeared from her view.
By the time Xu Xiaoqing snapped back to reality, she could no longer see Ning Fan's figure.
"Did you take the day off today?"
As far as Ning Fan was aware, today wasn't a day off, and Xu Xiaoqing was supposed to have classes at Zhonghai University.
Could it be that last night's events really broke the poor girl.
If that were indeed the case, Ning Fan would be the first to claim injustice, for it was Xu Xiaoqing who initiated things last night, not him.
Xu Xiaoqing gazed at Ning Fan somberly, then after a few seconds, she stormed down from where she was, coming up behind Ning Fan with her head raised like a proud swan, showing no sign of her previous shyness.
Noticing Xu Xiaoqing's approach from behind, Ning Fan leaned back against the sofa, looking up. Xu Xiaoqing's entire face came into his view.
A faint smile hung on Ning Fan's face, its spring-like warmth persistently lingering in Xu Xiaoqing's eyes. She felt her face growing hot, and her whole demeanor became reserved again.
One moment proud, the next coy, Xu Xiaoqing's mood shifted rapidly, eliciting a laugh from Ning Fan.
She was indeed beautiful in her shy state, to tell the truth. However, Ning Fan would be happier if the girl could be more honest. Of course, he also didn't want Xu Xiaoqing to be adversely affected by his matters.
"Xiaoqing, I like you."
"Hiss..." Xu Xiaoqing suddenly bit her tongue, her face flushing red. She covered her mouth, staring at Ning Fan in surprise, hardly believing her own ears.
What had Ning Fan just said? He said he liked her?
Ning Fan's words sent Xu Xiaoqing's heart racing.
Xu Xiaoqing clenched her hand, the stinging pain of her tongue bringing her back to full clarity, without the panic she had imagined.
But beyond being touched, Xu Xiaoqing felt a sense of guilt not only about last night. She remembered another night when she sneaked into Ning Fan's room. In Xu Xiaoqing's eyes, falling secretly in love with her sister's man constituted a betrayal of their sisterly bond.
Before Ning Fan made his feelings explicit, Xu Xiaoqing had masked her own, engaging in behavior that seemed flirtatious.
She didn't dare harbor such thoughts anymore. Whether Ning Fan's response was truly what Xu Xiaoqing wanted was only halfway correct.
On one hand, she hoped Ning Fan would like her just as she liked him, but on the other hand, she feared it, even wishing that one day Ning Fan would definitively reject her.
Because in Xu Xiaoqing's heart, her sister Xu Ruolan was as important as Ning Fan!
If her sister ever found out about this, she would be heartbroken, Xu Xiaoqing thought, devising a plan to flee, devoid of any joy at this moment.
The brief excitement and pleasant surprise didn't last long before vanishing. All that remained in Xu Xiaoqing's heart was confusion.
Humans are indeed complex creatures. Even when one's desires are laid out before them, they start worrying about this and that.
"It's the kind of like that a sister has for a brother," Ning Fan said, smiling.
Xu Xiaoqing abruptly came to her senses, realizing that perhaps she had made a mistake. Ning Fan wasn't ready, despite what happened last night and the incident that one evening, a veil still existed between them.
"There are many kinds of like, and indeed, this is one of them."
Part of Ning Fan's affection originated from once seeing Xiaoqing as a sister, but now, it was more like that for a woman.
But that was enough said. Ning Fan didn't want to continue, seeing that Xu Xiaoqing was just seeking some psychological comfort.
Indeed, Ning Fan didn't go further. He only admitted to a brotherly affection for Xu Xiaoqing, and she conveniently ignored the implications of "among other things," her demeanor gradually returning to its usual liveliness.
"But I don't want to call you brother nor brother-in-law. 'Stupid jerk' is what rolls off the tongue!"
Xu Xiaoqing said cheerfully, her tone relaxed, showing no hint of what she was thinking.
Ning Fan loosened his tie, even though it was only loosely knotted and wasn't tight. He still felt a sense of breathlessness, instinctively guessing that the girl in front of him was still struggling, pretending to be the Xu Xiaoqing of the past.
"Can I have a brotherly kiss?"
Suddenly, Xu Xiaoqing spoke in a neutral tone, and Ning Fan's eyes began to struggle, looking at Xu Xiaoqing with pity.
"Looks like I'm such a sinner..."
Muttering in a voice only he could hear clearly, there was a hint of self-mockery in Ning Fan's eyes.
Xu Xiaoqing's remark hit Ning Fan hard. He stared at her blankly, unable to smile at that moment, his expression utterly frozen.
He absolutely couldn't accept her request, or else their relationship would become something monstrously abnormal!
Such a distorted relationship was not what Ning Fan wanted to see emerge. He firmly rejected her, "No!"
"It's just a brotherly kiss, what's the harm?"
Xu Xiaoqing looked at Ning Fan with a sly glint in her eye, and he realized he'd been played by the girl.
The thought of joking about such a matter nearly suffocated Ning Fan with fear!
Just for a moment, he truly believed Xu Xiaoqing sought psychological comfort, as not to betray her sister, by maintaining that kind of twisted relationship with him.
Ning Fan felt like a man who had narrowly escaped disaster, drenched in cold sweat. If things had turned into that kind of relationship, he would blame himself for ruining Xu Xiaoqing for the rest of his life.