"Sis, you can sleep in my room! I've washed and dried my bed sheets!" Tang Nuo announced.
After he received the call from Ning Xi this morning, he had gone out of his way and washed his bedsheets, just in case she needed to stay for the night.
Previously, Ning Xi slept in the small storeroom with various knickknacks lying around. After so many years, of course, that room could not be slept in anymore.
"Where will you sleep?" Ning Xi asked.
"I'll just sleep on the floor in the living room!" Tang Nuo did not seem to mind.
At that moment, Elder Madam Tang's expression changed into aghast. "How can you do that? What if you catch a cold?"
"Grandmother, I'm a man. I'm alright with sleeping on the floor. I can't let a girl do that, can I?"
"No, your body is weak. The floor is really humid. How can you sleep there?!" Madam Elder Tang glared stubbornly as if Ning Xi was trying to murder her grandson.
…
"Uhh…" Ning Xi coughed lightly, "Xiao Nuo, it's alright. I'll just bunk at an inn in the town for the night."
"That's worse! The rooms at the inn are horrible and messy!" Tang Nuo frowned as he shot his stubborn grandmother a look. Then, he pleaded to Ning Xi with his eyes. "Home is still better. Then, Sis, you'll sleep in the living room. I'll prepare thicker sheets for you to sleep on!"
"Okay." Ning Xi nodded when she saw Tang Nuo's determined eyes.
Elder Madam Tang did not say anything this time around. She dragged her son and daughter-in-law aside to demand, "I haven't asked you two. Why is this brat here today?"
Tang Shan coughed lightly, "Mother, she's the daughter of a rich family now... She's not your granddaughter…"
"We fed her for so many years. All for nothing, and she's now become the daughter of another family! I already said that we should've thrown her out back then, but the both of you didn't listen to me! Great, we raised a daughter for someone else!" Elder Madam Tang grumbled.
Tang Shan quickly dragged his mother further away. He spoke with a low voice, "Mother, stop it! If we really had thrown her away and her family came for her, we'd be in real trouble!"
…
The voices of the three of them went further and further away. After Tang Shan and Sun Lan sent the elder off, they went into their room.
Tang Nuo was setting up the bedsheets in the living room. "I'm done!"
"Thank you!" As Ning Xi was about to lie down, Tang Nuo dragged her up. "What are you doing, Sis?! You think you're really sleeping here?! I was just lying to Grandmother. I could never let you sleep right here! Get into the room and sleep!"
Ning Xi was taken aback as she was reminded of some old memories. Her eyes watered, and the next moment, she stepped forward and hugged the young man. She did not want him to see her teared-up eyes. "Brat…"
Tang Nuo scratched his head innocently. "Sis, what's wrong?"
Ever since they had been kids, he was always like this, protecting her at all times.
Ning Xi kept her emotions in check and she let Tang Nuo pull away. "Nothing."
"Sis, quickly go and sleep now. You'll get dark circles if you sleep too late!"
"Okay, I'll not argue with you about this. Oh, right, don't worry too much about the acceptance letter. It'll be alright!" Ning Xi comforted him.
Tang Nuo's expression darkened when the topic of his acceptance letter was mentioned. He smiled bitterly. "How can I not worry about it? I've been looking forward to it for so many years. I put in so much effort. Actually, Sis, I'm really, really sad. I'm afraid... What if I really can't get into Imperial University?"
Ning Xi patted the young man's head. "Don't worry, I assure you, you'll definitely get in!"