Chapter 6

How can he sleep?

How is he supposed to fall asleep?

After hanging up the phone, Ning Bei stood alone at the window in the corridor.

He remembered the first time he had an impression of Nan Xia in his memory was when he was about four years old. A little sister who often watched cartoons with his brother in the living room of his house.

Ning Nan is a big bastard, when his parents were not at home, he always leaves Ning Bei alone in the bedroom, while he and Nan Xia enjoy watching cartoons in the living room.

Sometimes when Ning Bei went out to find Ning Nan, he would be dismissed at will by Ning Nan.

It was at that time that Nan Xia began to occupy an unshakable position in Ning Bei’s memory.

She often wears a white floral dress, with small braids on each side, she was exquisitely dressed. She would wave to him, “Xiao Bei, come to Jiejie.”

Then Ning Bei would climb onto Nan Xia’s body and hug her tightly.

Later when Ning Bei was around eleven or twelve years old, He grew taller and had outstanding looks. Many little girls in his elementary school class liked him. Ning Bei ran home every day after school, on the one hand to get rid of girls he was not interested in, and on the other hand, because Nan Xia ate at their house every night for the past two years.

Nan Xia’s parents were busy with their business, so they entrust Nan Xia’s dinner to Ning Bei’s family. The two families have been old neighbors for decades, it was nothing to help each other out.

So every night when Ning Bei came home, he would see Nan Xia, who was in high school, doing homework in their living room. At that time, she had grown into a slim young girl with long black hair draped over her shoulders, and Ning Bei began to stare at her every time he saw her.

Probably since then, Ning Bei no longer wants to call Nan Xia Jiejie.

He didn’t want her to be his sister.

Soon, Nan Xia was admitted to Lincheng University with a high score.

Ning Bei could no longer see Nan Xia often.

In the summer that Nan Xia left, Ning Bei was admitted to the best experimental junior high school in his hometown, and he applied to live in the school dormitory, so that he would not waste time on commuting back and forth.

His parents joked that Ning Bei had been enlightened, but only Ning Bei knew why he must pass the exam and be admitted to Lincheng University.

However, when Ning Bei was fifteen years old, Nan Xia went home to celebrate the New Year and brought back her boyfriend.

That was the saddest and most painful year in Ning Bei’s life. He locked himself in his bedroom and bawled miserably. He doesn’t know why he had to study that hard, he doesn’t know why he had to be so much younger than Nan Xia.

Why are the gods so unfair? He was born to fall far behind Nan Xia.

From then on, Ning Bei began to wish for Nan Xia to break up every day.

While studying hard, he secretly used Ning Nan’s mobile phone to browse Nan Xia’s circle of friends and followed her updates.

One time when he saw Nan Xia posting a photo of her and her boyfriend, Ning Bei was filled with jealousy. He secretly saved the picture and cut off the man’s head, and then showed the head to his mother, “Which one looks more handsome, this man or me?”

Ning Bei’s mother took a closer look, “It’s a bit on par…”

Ning Bei: …

Distraught.

Ning Bei no longer secretly checked Nan Xia’s moments, he actually left a string of ellipses in the comments and quickly returned the phone to his brother.

On the third day, Ning Nan came to him, and they fought each other.

Ning Bei never asked Nan Xia about her relationship status again. He knew in his heart that even without this man, Nan Xia might have another man.

Every year after the Spring Festival, when Nan Xia came to his house for New Year’s greetings, Ning Bei always looked indifferent.

He would come out to say hello and go back inside his room soon.

Nan Xia usually stayed at his house for a while, chatting with Ning Bei’s parents and Ning Nan.

Ning Bei sat on the floor with his back against the bedroom door and listened to Nan Xia’s voice.

He didn’t dare to go out because he was afraid that he couldn’t control his emotions and make Nan Xia keep him at a respectful distance.

But he really couldn’t stay away from her.

The only solution was to listen to Nan Xia’s voice through the thin bedroom door.

As the night wind passed through the window and blew on Ning Bei’s slightly wet eyes, he whispered her name,

“Nan Xia.”

The corner of Ning Bei’s mouth curled up silently, how could there be such a nice name in this world.

Nan Xia, ​​ Nan Xia, ​​ Nan Xia.

……..

On the first day of National Day, Nan Xia and Ning Bei took the high-speed train back to their hometown.

Ning Nan drove to the rail station to pick them up. When he got out of the car, he saw Ning Bei carrying both of their suitcases alone.

Ning Nan opened the trunk of the car and teased, “Why haven’t you ever carried a bag for me, kid?”

Ning Bei gave him a side eye, “Who do you think you are?”

Ning Nan shrugged and smiled, “That’s right, you only have Nan Xia in your heart.”

Ning Bei stared at him sharply, warning Ning Nan not to talk nonsense.

Fortunately, Nan Xia was used to the two of them fighting, so she tugged Ning Bei’s arm and told them to get in the car.

Nan Xia was the guest, so she sat in the back seat. Ning Bei followed suit.

Ning Nan put on his sunglasses and heaved a sigh, “Why do I feel like I’m your chauffeur.”

Who knew that Ning Bei ignored him, and only asked, “Do you have water in your car?”

“You really don’t hold back.”

“I remember you use to keep a water bottle on the passenger’s seat.” Ning Bei ignored him and leaned over to check, sure enough there was an unopened bottle on the seat.

Stretching over with his long arms, Ning Bei unscrewed the mineral water bottle and handed it to Nan Xia.

“Drink some water.”

Nan Xia was a little surprised. She thought it was Ning Bei who wanted to drink water.

In the rearview mirror, Ning Nan’s gaze through the sunglasses was quickly seen, and Ning Bei stared back at him with a pointed look, warning him to stop talking nonsense.

The car went smoothly all the way and arrived home soon.

Ning Bei immediately got out of the car and took out Nan Xia’s luggage first.

“I’ll take your luggage back to your house first, and you need come to my house for lunch at noon today, you haven’t forgotten right?” Ning Bei told Nan Xia as they walked upstairs.

“I remember, I’ll put my things down and I’ll go look for you in a while.” Nan Xia waved to Ning Nan, said thank you, and went upstairs with Ning Bei.

As soon as the door was opened, they saw Nan Xia’s mother watching TV.

When Ning Bei came up, he called out, “Hello, Auntie”.

“Xiao Bei is back.” Nan Xia’s mother walked over and warmly hugged Ning Bei, “Wow, how come I feel like you’ve grown taller and more handsome again.”

Ning Bei lowered his head and smiled embarrassingly.

He put Nan Xia’s suitcase on the table, then bowed his head and said to Nan Xia, “I’m leaving first, you… come over after you’ve finished unpacking.”

“Yes, yes, what a naggy puppy.” Nan Xia’s voice was so low that he was the only one who could hear it.

A strange sense of secrecy made Ning Bei a little excited.

He suppressed his smile, turned and left Nan Xia’s house.

Nan Xia went to her room with her bag, and just sat down when she saw her mother standing against the door.

“What’s the situation?”

Nan Xia was at a loss, “What situation?”

Nan Xia’s mother: “You two?”

Nan Xia blinked innocently, “There is nothing going on.”

“Is that so?” Nan Xia’s mother sat by the bed, “Xiao Bei likes you.”

Nan Xia: …

“From the moment the two of you came in and he left, Xiao Bei’s eyes have never left your body.”

Nan Xia laughed, “There are only two of us in here, of course he’s either looking at you or me.”

“You think I can’t see it, when Xiao Bei looks at you, the intensity in his eyes can kill flies.”

Nan Xia: “Mom, please change the metaphor.”

“Sweet to the point of killing ants.”

Nan Xia: “Change it to another one.”

“Then to the point of poisoning your mother to death.”

Nan Xia: “Good bye.”

After Nan Xia finished speaking, she dodged a heavy punch.

But Nan Xia’s mother’s expression changed the next second, “But I have to warn you.”

“Warn me about what?”

“Don’t play with Xiao Bei’s feelings at will.”

“Mom, I’m so wronged.”

“It’s not about whether you’ve been wronged or not,” Nan Xia’s mother said, “Xiao Bei is still young and passionate. Unlike you, he doesn’t have so many complex thoughts. Whatever happens, if Xiao Bei gets hurt, it’ll be a serious injury.”  

“What if I was the one that got hurt?”

“That’s the heavens enacting justice.”

Nan Xia: …

“Okay, I won’t care about affairs between the two of you anymore, I just want to remind you that if you are really sure you like him then tell him but if you are still not sure, don’t make Xiao Bei feel sad.”

Nan Xia took a long look at her mother and nodded.

Her voice sounded much more serious, “I know.”

On the other side, Ning Bei had already returned home. He was lying on his bed with a relaxed face, listening attentively to the movement at the door.

But before Nan Xia arrived, Ning Nan came back first.

Ning Nan leaned against the door of Ning Bei’s bedroom with his arms crossed, with a meaningful smile on his face.

Ning Bei: “You don’t have your own room?”

Ning Nan: “Did you get your wish?”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“Why are you pretending with your brother?” Ning Nan sat down beside Ning Bei, looking at his face, “You think I don’t know you have a crush on Nan Xia since you were a child?”

Ning Bei sat up suddenly, “Don’t talk nonsense!”

“Then I’m going to tell Nan Xia you don’t like her at all?”

Ning Bei charged at him, “Ning Nan, I’ll strangle you to death!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he threw himself on Ning Nan’s body, and the two men “fought each other” for the 10,000th time on the bed.

A few minutes later, Ning Nan crushed Ning Bei under him.

Ning Nan laughed: “Xiao Bei, eat more for a few more years.”

Ning Bei looked at him: “You’re the one that should eat less, you’re almost 200 pounds.”

Ning Nan: “I’m 192 pounds, unlike you, who’s only 188.”

Ning Bei: “You are not 192lb.”

Ning Nan: “?”

Ning Bei: “You are 193.5lb.”

Ning Nan: “…Scram.”

The two then dispersed and Ning Bei ran to the living room to wait for Nan Xia.

Ning Nan walked out and took a sip of water.

“Xiao Bei, do you know there is such a creature?”

Ning Bei glanced at him indifferently.

Ning Nan held back his laughter and continued, “When it sees its master, it frantically surrounds its master. It does whatever its master tells it to do. It will also do whatever the master doesn’t tell it to do. And when the master is not around, it just pitifully sits alone, waiting for its master.”

“Ning Bei, tell me, what is this creature?”

Ning Bei immediately realized that Ning Nan was laughing at him for treating Nan Xia like she’s his owner. But he didn’t care, he raised his eyebrows and retorted, “I know there are two kinds for the creature you just mentioned, one is a puppy in sweet love, and the other is a pitiful single dog that doesn’t even have an owner.”

“For example, the latter is you.” Ning Bei added.

Ning Nan: “…”

Ning Nan didn’t expect Ning Bei to accept the fact that he was a puppy so shamelessly, Ning Nan felt embarrassed for his brother.

“From today on, I’ll call you big brother.”

Ning Bei squinted at him, then went to look into the peephole to see why Nan Xia hadn’t come yet.

Who knew that after a while, he heard Nan Xia talking to someone downstairs.

Ning Bei’s house is on the second floor, and they can hear whoever is talking downstairs clearly when the windows are open.

He first ran to the window to look, only to find that it was Nan Xia talking to a man he didn’t know.

The two didn’t just talk for a short while, Ning Bei leaned on the window and listened to the conversation for over 30 seconds and there was still no sign of ending.

Ning Bei couldn’t sit still anymore, he turned around and picked up the garbage bag that was not full from the kitchen, put on his shoes and went out.

He sprinted downstairs and immediately slowed down when he was almost outside, pretending he just happened to meet Nan Xia when he went downstairs to throw away the trash.

“Xiao Bei, taking out the trash?” Nan Xia took the initiative to greet him.

Ning Bei nodded at her. He faced the direction of the trash can and glanced at the strange man from the corner of his eye.

After throwing the trash into the trash can, Ning Bei slowly walked behind Nan Xia and stood still without saying a word.

The man quickly noticed Ning Bei, “Xia Xia, this is?”

Nan Xia looked back and saw that Ning Bei was still there. She said to Ning Bei first, “This is my high school classmate Chen Fei. I told you that we have a high school reunion on National Day.”

Ning Bei nodded, “I know.”

Nan Xia turned her head again and said to the man, “This is—”

Ning Bei had imagined many times how Nan Xia would introduce him to others.

Little brother, friend, neighbor, boyfriend.

At different stages, she should use different introductions.

So what stage are they in now?

He is now Jiejie’s puppy.

It is the puppy who receives rewards from Jiejie, the puppy who is cared for by Jiejie, the puppy who is fed candy by Jiejie, the puppy whose earlobe is pinched by Jiejie, and the puppy who can call and say good night to Jiejie.

Their relationship is not that casual, and Ning Bei is now sure about it.

In the clear afternoon, Ning Bei stood beside Nan Xia confidently.

He looked down at the man in front of him smugly as if he had already won.

Then, he heard Nan Xia say with a smile:

“This is my neighbor’s younger brother.”