Chapter 37

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Xu Lian finished her conversation with Xiang ChangKong, then looked towards Xiang Nuan. “Come on, let’s get you home. It’s better to talk to your brother about this face to face.”

While Xu Lian and Xiang Nuan arrived in Xiang Nuan’s home, Xiang ChangKong had already set lunch on the table.

Xiang Nuan followed Xu Lian inside, but she didn’t dare look at Xiang ChangKong in the eye. Xiang ChangKong went into the kitchen to get the rice. As he set it on the table, he said: “Eat first. It’s easy for food to go cold during the winter.”

Having spent some time alone with Weng ShuLi twice before, Xu Lian could now face her much more comfortably than when she first met her. Xu Lian sat on the chair opposite of Weng ShuLi and smiled at her. “Hello Auntie, I’m here again.”

Without responding, Weng ShuLi picked up her chopsticks and simply picked up her bowl and ate lunch quietly. Xiang Nuan sat opposite to Xiang ChangKong and buried her head in her bowl.

“Thank you.” Seeing the meatball on her bowl, Xu Lian forked it up with her chopsticks and took a bite. Xiang ChangKong asked with a smile: “I’ll get you a spoon? It’ll be easier to pick up with a spoon.”

“Alright.” Xu Lian watched him get up, go to the kitchen, and return with a spoon. She accepted the offered spoon and scooped up another meatball and placed it onto Xiang ChangKong’s bowl. “Sure enough, it’s much easier to use a spoon.”

Xiang Nuan silently picked at her rice.

She was already in such a bad mood, yet they still stuff her with dog food, ah.

After dinner, Weng ShuLi went back into her room for an afternoon nap. Xiang ChangKong cleaned up the dining table with Xu Lian. Taking the dirty plates, he told Xu Lian: “I can take care of the rest, you can also take a nap.”

Xu Lian was a bit sleepy. There weren’t any orders she didn’t need to catch up on, so she would usually rest in her store’s lounge at this time of day. After a moment’s thought, she replied: “Then I’ll take a quick nap on the sofa.”

Xiang ChangKong bowed his head and stared at her, his eyes intense and beautiful. Feeling a little uneasy, Xu Lian asked: “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Hearing that her voice had become a little strained, Xiang ChangKong raised the corner of his mouth. “You can go to my room and sleep.”

He said this sentence in an absolutely serious tone, without any hint of ambiguity. But even so, his words made one’s pulse race.

Xu Lian raised her head and looked at him. If they weren’t in the kitchen where anyone could walk in on them…forget it. With a nod, Xu Lian turned around and headed towards Xiang ChangKong’s bedroom.

This was the third time Xu Lian had entered Xiang ChangKong’s room. His bedroom was still the same: narrow, simple, tidy. The candle she had given him last time was half used, placed beside his lamp. She glanced at the candle, turned around, then set her eyes on his empty bed.

Because the room was small, his bed was only a narrow single. He had white linens, but it didn’t feel cold. Instead, it gave Xu Lian the urge to lie down.

Xu Lian’s hand slowly caressed the pillow, then moved towards the quilt. It was softer than she thought. It was probably very warm underneath.

Xu Lian took off her shoes and jacket, went under the covers, and closed her eyes.

All around her was Xiang ChangKong’s scent, giving her the illusion that she was wrapped around Xiang ChangKong’s arms.

The feeling was quite addictive.

In the kitchen, Xiang ChangKong was still washing the dishes. Xiang Nuan was in her bedroom, looking through her exercise book, not reading a single thing. Finally, she couldn’t help but go to Xiang ChangKong.

“Brother.” Xiang Nuan stood at the kitchen threshold and called out to him. Xiang ChangKong looked back habitually, his hands still in the sink: “What’s the matter?”

Xiang Nuan immediately went tongue-tied. After hesitating for a long time, she finally managed to summon the courage to repeat what she had told Xu Lian: “I-I don’t want to go to university.”

Xiang ChangKong was quiet. Eventually, he put down the bowl he was holding, washed his hands, and turned off the tap.

Xiang Nuan was the most nervous she had ever been. Even more nervous than the time she had told Xiang ChangKong her grades. She wasn’t afraid that Xiang ChangKong would beat or scold her because, honestly, Xiang ChangKong didn’t have the temper to do such things. He had never even yelled at her before.

What she was most afraid of is letting him down.

After drying his hands, Xiang ChangKong turned around to face Xiang Nuan and asked: “Why?”

“I…I just don’t find it appealing to go to university. A diploma doesn’t represent one’s ability. University students can’t even find jobs nowadays. I think it’d be better if I learn a craft and earn a living. Don’t you think opening a shop and being a boss like big sister Xu Lian is much better?”

Xiang ChangKong replied: “Xu Lian opened a shop after graduating from university.”

“But isn’t that just wasting four years for nothing? I heard that a lot of the things you learn in university is useless when you actually get into the workforce.”

Xiang ChangKong was silent for a moment. He then raised his hand and touched the top of Xiang Nuan’s head. “Going to university isn’t useless. Maybe the knowledge you’ll learn there won’t be useful for you in the future, but the experience of attending university for four years is beneficial in itself. Those four years will be a precious memory for you in the future. Yes, education doesn’t represent ability, but education is a stepping stone that will allow you to enter all sorts of places. In some places, having no diploma means you wouldn’t even have the qualification to submit your resume.”

“I….”

“Do you really not want to go to university?”

Xiang ChangKong interrupted her. It seems that he could see right through her. Xiang Nuan was speechless as she looked at her brother.

Of course she wanted to go. Otherwise, why would she have worked so hard? High school was boring and stressful, each day a heavy weight that made her struggle to even breathe. But university would be different. It would be filled with color and give her a much more free lifestyle.

At least, that’s what she believed. She and her friends promised each other that when they get into university, they would style their hair, buy fashionable clothes, and get their nails done together. It would be the time she could be beautiful.

As she stared at Xiang ChangKong, her nose started to tingle. “I..I want to enter the workforce early, so…” You don’t have to work so hard, ah. You do what you want to do.

Xiang ChangKong rubbed her head. “It’s not too late to enter the workforce after university.”

“But I didn’t do well in my test…”

“I’ve seen your results. You did much better than last month’s test.”

Xiang Nuan bowed her head. What use was that if she couldn’t reach her target score?

Xiang ChangKong looked at her for a moment, then said: “Truthfully, there’s something I haven’t told you. I signed up for a postgraduate program.”

Xiang Nuan suddenly lifted her head back up. “Really? Is it a flying institute?”

“Un. I haven’t studied in a long time, but I thought I’d still give it a try.”

“Brother, if it’s you, I’m sure there will be no problems at all!” If one was to try and find the one person who blindly trusted Xiang ChangKong in everything, they would only need to look towards Xiang Nuan. This is great, my brother hasn’t given up on his dream! Xiang Nuan was immensely happy. But then she thought about her mother. “Does mom know about this?”

At the mention of Weng ShuLi, Xiang ChangKong’s expression also sank. “Not yet. I plan to take the exam first, then tell her.”

“Nn!” Xiang Nuan approved. After their father’s death, their mother will undoubtedly disapprove of Xiang ChangKong going into the same field. And with her condition…Xiang Nuan was afraid that their mother would oppose even more.

Although Weng ShuLi was now in a relatively stable condition, they were afraid that any sort of intense simulation would worsen her illness again.

“Anyway, now that you’ve thought things through go back and study.” Xiang ChangKong turned the tap back on and resumed with the dishes.

But Xiang Nuan still hesitated. “And the money…” If both she and her brother attended university, how would they pay the tuition fees and living expenses?

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll find a way. I won’t let you go hungry.”

Xiang Nuan’s mouth twitched. She wasn’t afraid of starving herself. But she can try applying for a student loan. She could try for a scholarship, or work while studying…after having such thoughts, Xiang Nuan was finally relieved.

She finally went back to her room as Xiang ChangKong washed the last few bowls. The house became very quiet. Weng ShuLi was in her room taking a nap, Xiang Nuan was studying in her room…Xiang ChangKong subconsciously lightened his steps as he walked back to his room.

In his bedroom, he saw that Xu Lian had fallen asleep. Xiang ChangKong sat on the bed beside her, a smile on his lips. While sleeping, Xu Lian didn’t look anything like her usual self. She felt unguarded, with her hair loose like this. Xiang ChangKong couldn’t help but reach out and touch it.

Feels nice.

His hand traveled up her hair and onto her face. As his finger touched her cheek, Xu Lian snuffled, but Xiang ChangKong didn’t move away.

Xiang ChangKong looked down at her for a while, then slowly bent down and kissed her on the lips.

Before he even fell in love with her, he had already been eager to kiss her, to hold her, to do all the intimate things with her.

Xu Lian had always been the one to initiate things, so she may never know just how eager he was to have her.

He wanted her just as much as she did.

Xu Lian woke up after Xiang ChangKong kissed her. Her brain slowly realized what was happening, and then her hands lifted to wrap around his waist.

She drifted closer to Xiang ChangKong and deepened the kiss.

But she immediately backed off afterward and tried to calm her restless heart.

This wasn’t the place to do this.

Xiang ChangKong took a deep breath and whispered in her ear: “I’ll take you back tonight?”

His words were too suggestive, ah. Xu Lian gasped a breathy ‘yes,’ any semblance of drowsiness disappearing from expression.