TGCF sponsored chapters (1/10) by Devon Brooker on ko-fi. Enjoy the mass updates and thank you for your support!
Ning Shaobai brought over the medical kit. Xia Mian was waiting for him to help her apply the medicine, but instead, he handed her a small mirror with an expressionless face, then shoved the iodine into her other hand. “Do it yourself.”
She paused and cautiously asked, “Dr. Ning, what’s wrong? Who made you angry?”
Ning Shaobai ignored her and picked up his book again.
Xia Mian sighed. Even my trump cards aren’t working, huh? This is serious!
As she pondered her options, wondering whether she should sit there quietly with him or leave to give him some space, Mao Huizhu suddenly ran in. “Sister Mian, can we play with that plush bear?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
When Xia Mian turned back, she saw Ning Shaobai staring at her, startling her. “What?”
The Big Boss tapped his finger against the thick book, one beat at a time, and said casually, “It was, after all, a birthday gift someone gave you. Is it okay to just let the kids play with it?”
Xia Mian didn’t get it. “Once a gift’s given to me, it’s mine. And how is it ‘just letting’ the kids play with it? Plush toys are for kids to play with.”
“I thought you’d keep it carefully,” Ning Shaobai paused, then added, “After all, it’s a precious token of someone’s youth.”
Xia Mian rolled her eyes. “Dr. Ning, don’t make a big deal out of nothing. I haven’t even settled accounts with you over the love letter box yet.”
“Things that need to be kept carefully are from important people, okay?”
“With ordinary friends, it’s just exchanging gifts. If I had to treasure every gift… shouldn’t you give me a big house to store them?”
“Similarly, a birthday gift from an ordinary friend is just a caring gesture—it doesn’t count as precious. It’s not like Han Haoyan is some important person to me.”
“He’s not?” Ning Shaobai closed his book. “I heard that guy tagged along shamelessly. Someone like him must be pretty popular at your school. Hasn’t he ever written you a love letter?”
“Quite popular,” she admitted. “He’s good-looking, top grades, great at sports, drove all the girls crazy—definitely the most popular boy in our school.”
Ning Shaobai’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You think he’s pretty good too?”
“Tsk,” Xia Mian shook her head in distaste. “Not me. I don’t like that type. So what if he’s got great qualities? He’s like a peacock, as if everyone likes him—a total sea king.”
“Sea king?”
“Oh,” Xia Mian explained, “You see—the king of sea fishing. Casts a wide net, catches lots of fish, picks whichever one he wants.”
Ning Shaobai commented, “Sounds like you’re one of the fish in his sea?”
“As if!” Her eyes widened. “Dr. Ning, don’t you know me by now? If he dared try to reel me in, I’d show him what a shark is!”
She opened her mouth and growled to show off her sharp teeth.
Ning Shaobai was amused, tugging at her little tuft.
Seeing he was in a better mood, Xia Mian perked up and went on complaining. “Guys like that never take the initiative to chase anyone. Otherwise, they’d lose the fun of being surrounded by admirers.”
“You see right through him,” he remarked.
“Of course.” Xia Mian tilted her chin proudly. “I’m super smart.”
“I know you’re worried I’ll start dating early, but don’t worry—I definitely won’t date in high school.” She leaned closer to Ning Shaobai with a mischievous smile. “Not that I’m afraid of hurting my grades, but high school boys are just too immature—not my type at all.”
Ning Shaobai asked calmly, “Then what type do you like?”
Xia Mian turned her head, gazing at him.
Ning Shaobai’s finger began tapping on the hardcover again. “Hm?”
Xia Mian let out a dramatic sigh. “With someone as brilliant as our Dr. Ning standing right here, I don’t think I could ever be drawn to anyone else.”
“Dr. Ning, you’ve single-handedly raised my standards for men so high,” she said with an exaggeratedly troubled face, “I’m afraid I’ll never get married in this lifetime.”
Even though he knew she was just teasing, the corners of Ning Shaobai’s lips lifted uncontrollably. He reached out and tapped her forehead. “Nonsense.”
Seeing how she could hold the mirror but not the cotton swab, or hold the swab but not the mirror, he clicked his tongue softly, patted the seat beside him, and said, “Come here.”
Xia Mian immediately scooted over, happily handed him the cotton swab, and kept buttering him up with a grin. “How is it nonsense? Everything I said is true.”
To make it more convincing, she added seriously, “If you liked girls, I’d be the first to sign up for a chance to compete!”
Ning Shaobai’s movements paused. He stared at the perfectly fine earlobe in front of him, dabbed on a token bit of iodine with the cotton swab, and said lightly, “Then get ready—you can start competing right now. Your chances should be pretty good, seeing as you’re right next door.”
Xia Mian whipped her head around to look at him.
Holding the cotton swab, Ning Shaobai said nonchalantly, “What’s with that look? Having second thoughts?”
Xia Mian said seriously, “Dr. Ning, what’s going on with you?”
“What about me?”
“You’re Dr. Ning,” she said. “How could you ever settle for less…”
Ning Shaobai: “…”
“I won’t allow you to belittle yourself like that,” he sighed. “You are the best.”
The unexpected compliment caused Xia Mian to be dumbfounded for a moment. When she returned to her senses, she glared at him. “I’m being serious!”
“Dr. Ning, tell me honestly—what on earth happened to you today?” She said with heartfelt distress. “To make you so self-destructive you’d even think about forcing yourself to change your orientation!”
Ning Shaobai: “…”
“Forget it. You should just focus on your studies,” he rubbed his temples with a defeated sigh.
That only made Xia Mian more worried. What could possibly make the always composed big boss look so helpless…
She blinked, her mind flashing through all of Ning Shaobai’s recent behavior. Suddenly, inspiration struck. “Dr. Ning—don’t tell me you like someone?”
With a “snap,” Ning Shaobai shut the medical kit’s lid, looked up at her, and said coolly, “Why do you say that?”
“So it’s true?” Xia Mian’s eyes went wide when he didn’t deny it. “Who is it? Does the other person like you back, or…”
Here she stopped and slapped her forehead—Me and my big mouth! If it were mutual, Ning Shaobai wouldn’t look this troubled!
Ning Shaobai tapped her head in exasperation. “What are you imagining?!”
Xia Mian didn’t mind, giving him a look full of sympathy and understanding. “I know society can be harsh. You—you both must have it hard…”
Ning Shaobai’s face darkened. “I told you not to make wild guesses!”
“Okay, okay.” Xia Mian quickly tried to soothe him. “I won’t, I won’t…”
But mid-sentence, she suddenly froze, her face taking on a startled look. “Dr. Ning… you… you’re not… not in love with…”
The rest seemed almost impossible to say.
Ning Shaobai’s heart gave a small jolt. He fixed his eyes on her, his voice low and slightly hoarse. “With whom?”
Xia Mian clapped a hand over her mouth, her round eyes full of shock. “You really… really like…”
With bad premonition, Ning Shaobai curled his fingers and leaned closer to block her escape. “Like?”
Then he heard her utter a name, her voice trembling with shock and disbelief. “Mr… Zhou?”
What the…?
Xia Mian’s eyes, still wide with shock, now filled with pity. ‘Oh heavens—I’d had no idea at all!’ Grabbing Ning Shaobai’s hand, she said with heartfelt sympathy, “Dr. Ning, you really have it rough.”