Chapter 168 Too soft, can't control

"Many kinds of happiness exist, but you are my unique and only source of joy."

These affectionate words caused Ning Xi's gaze to change slightly. She couldn't sense any trace of joking from Ye Fan. The heartfelt sincerity in his tone made her…

No, she couldn't!

She had clearly promised herself to wait until college to…

Now wasn't the time to think about such things!

Ning Xi forcibly suppressed the chaotic thoughts swirling in her mind. Under the table, she lightly kicked Ye Fan and gave him a reproachful look.

"I want to eat. Stop talking to me!"

After saying this, she picked up her bowl and chopsticks and began eating. However, even a fool could see she wasn't fully focused.

Ye Fan didn't say anything further. Instead, he quietly admired the girl's beauty.

Ten minutes passed.

Ning Xi finally couldn't bear being stared at by Ye Fan any longer. While feeling shy and helpless, she set her bowl and chopsticks down and weakly said, "S-Should we go?"

"Eat a little more."

"No need."

"Chubby is cuter."

"Liar!"

Ning Xi pouted slightly, her lips parting just a little, her face showing a hint of doubt. She mumbled softly, "You say that, but you actually like skinny girls, don't you? Hmph!"

"Xiao Xi, what are you muttering about?"

"Nothing!"

Ning Xi, feeling guilty, turned her head away. However, in the next second, a large hand appeared behind her head, and her lips suddenly felt a soft, delicate touch.

Ye Fan was using a napkin to gently wipe the corners of Ning Xi's mouth. His actions were devoid of any teasing, carrying only a natural and genuine feeling, as though this was how things were supposed to be.

"I-I can do it myself."

Ning Xi froze for a few seconds. When she realized what Ye Fan was doing, her face began to heat up. She immediately tried to grab the napkin from his hand.

She was almost 18 years old—not a little kid anymore. Yet, every time she was with Ye Fan, she felt like he treated her as a little girl. Although it wasn't entirely unpleasant, it still gave her a strange feeling.

"Don't move."

Ye Fan's deep voice sounded. "Almost done. Be good."

Ning Xi huffed softly, and her raised hand fell back down. Her bright, swirling eyes carried a hint of something unusual.

"All done!"

Ye Fan let Ning Xi go and pulled out a mask to put on her.

Earlier, he'd forgotten to ask her to wear a mask when entering Zhai Ya Xuan, which had caused countless men to stare at her in astonishment. Some were so entranced they almost drooled.

Learn from past mistakes!

Using the mask to conceal her exceptional beauty, Ye Fan nodded in satisfaction and extended his right hand toward Ning Xi.

"All done. Let's go."

"I won't hold your hand."

"You don't have a choice. Today's deal doesn't count."

"Why not?"

Ning Xi looked confused.

Ye Fan smiled slightly and explained, "Lan Jie specifically asked me to take good care of you before she left. If I don't hold your hand and you get lost later, what would I do?"

"Ridiculous!"

Ning Xi stomped her foot and lightly hit Ye Fan with her small fist. "I'm not a three-year-old. How would I get lost?"

"If you're going to make excuses, at least come up with a better one!"

"A better excuse?"

Ye Fan propped his chin on his hand, thought for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Your hand is really soft, so I want to hold it. Is that a better excuse?"

"…"

Ning Xi covered her face.

She gave up!

She never should've left Ye Fan any room to take advantage of her. This guy was like air…

Seeping into every crevice!!!

"Fine, fine!"

With a tone of resignation, she placed her hand in Ye Fan's palm and sweetly reminded, "But only for today. If you—"

"Let's go!"

Before Ning Xi could finish her sentence, Ye Fan pushed her forward. As he walked behind her, his eyes gleamed with amusement.

After leaving Zhai Ya Xuan, Ye Fan flagged down a taxi by the roadside.

After about twenty minutes of driving, they arrived at Baiyu Gardens.

During this time, Ning Xi didn't say a single word. Even when Ye Fan tried to start a conversation, she completely ignored him. Yet, her face didn't display any sign of anger.

This left Ye Fan puzzled. He spent some time trying to figure it out but ultimately gave up.

A woman's heart is as deep as the ocean.

Although he understood Ning Xi well, that only applied to her usual self. As for what she was thinking now, he had no clue.

"Click—"

Ye Fan closed the door and turned around, only to find Ning Xi, who should have already been sitting on the sofa, still standing behind him in a daze. The two bumped into each other immediately.

Ning Xi lost her balance, let out a startled cry, and began to fall toward the floor uncontrollably.

In a split second, Ye Fan didn't hesitate. He reached out with his right hand to grab her waist. With a burst of strength, he flipped her body in midair just before hitting the ground, causing his own back to hit the floor instead.

Not only that, but due to the excessive force, Ye Fan slid several meters across the floor before his head collided with the wall behind him.

"Bang!"

The sound alone was enough to indicate how hard the impact was.

Ye Fan frowned slightly as a few drops of blood trickled down his forehead. Yet, he didn't care about his injuries and immediately looked at Ning Xi, who was in his arms.

"Did you get hurt anywhere?"

His voice was filled with concern and urgency.

Ning Xi's face had turned pale from the scare. Upon hearing Ye Fan's question, she gradually came back to her senses. When she noticed the blood on his face, her pupils shrank slightly.

"You're already like this, and you're still worried about me? Can't you care about yourself for once?"

Ye Fan smiled and comforted her, "It's nothing serious, just a little scrape. My skin is thick; this kind of injury is like a tickle to me."

"It's bleeding!"

Ning Xi's eyes were starting to turn red. She supported herself on the floor and half-knelt beside Ye Fan, helping him stand up. "We're going to the hospital."

"No need to support me."

Ye Fan tried to pull his hand back, but Ning Xi clung tightly to him. The soft sensation on his arm made him feel a bit…

"Xi, let go of me first."

"No!"

Tears welled up in Ning Xi's eyes, and she held onto him even tighter. "We're going to the hospital!"

"It's really not necessary."

Ye Fan suppressed his wandering thoughts and pinched the girl's delicate face with his left hand. "It's really not that serious. It's just a scratch. There's alcohol at home; disinfecting it will be enough."

"You're not lying to me?"

"No."

Ning Xi helped Ye Fan to the sofa and gently asked, "Where's the alcohol?"

"The second drawer of the bedside table in the bedroom."

"I'll go get it now."

"Take your time."

Watching Ning Xi rush around in a panic, Ye Fan felt a warm sensation in his heart. Once she was in the bedroom, though, he couldn't help but grimace and draw in a sharp breath.

It hurts!

It hurts so much!!

But the reason he insisted on not going to the hospital was that he didn't want to waste the time they could spend alone together on car rides.

Thud, thud, thud...

Looking at the slightly breathless Ning Xi, Ye Fan half-jokingly said, "It's just a small wound; you don't have to be so anxious."

"Are you stupid?"

Ning Xi glared at him, scolding, "Even if I had fallen, it wouldn't have been a big deal. You just had to protect me. And now look at you—hurt so badly…"

"I was willing to; you can't stop me."

Ye Fan smiled smugly, but the expression tugged at the wound on his forehead, making him wince in pain.

"Keep smiling!"

Ning Xi pursed her lips, both amused and worried.

She sat on the coffee table, facing Ye Fan, but quickly realized that their height difference made it impossible for her to see the wound on his head.

She looked at her own legs, her cheeks flushing red. "You… lie down on my lap. I'll disinfect it first."

"Huh?"

Hearing this, Ye Fan opened his mouth wide. "That doesn't seem appropriate, does it?"

"I don't mind. Why should you?"

Ning Xi's delicate face stiffened. She put the alcohol and towel down and, without waiting for Ye Fan's response, looped her arms around his neck and forced him to lie on her lap. Suppressing her shyness, she said, "This will hurt a bit, so bear with it."

Ye Fan wrapped his arms around Ning Xi's slender legs and declared valiantly, "No problem. Go ahead."

The sensation on his legs made Ning Xi bite her lip, but she said nothing. She soaked the towel in alcohol and carefully moved her small hand over Ye Fan's head. Soon, she found a wound about the size of a bottle cap, still oozing blood.

"I'm going to start cleaning it."

"Okay."

Ning Xi bit her lip and gently cleaned the wound. Throughout the process, Ye Fan didn't utter a word or move an inch.

It wasn't that he didn't feel pain but that, at that moment, his heart was filled with warmth. Smelling the fragrance from the girl, he felt an incomparable peace of mind, making the pain seem insignificant.

"Done."

Ning Xi's voice was soft, almost inaudible. "Can you let go of me now? You're holding on too tightly, and my legs are starting to hurt."

"Oh… sorry about that."

Ye Fan awkwardly released his grip. "It's just… too soft. I couldn't help it."

"…"

Ning Xi's face turned as red as an apple, tempting enough to make one drool.

She glared at Ye Fan. "At a time like this, you're still cracking jokes?"

Ye Fan raised his right hand innocently. "Xi, I was telling the truth. Not a single word was a lie."

"Shut up!"

"As you wish."

After scolding Ye Fan, Ning Xi put the alcohol away and went to the bathroom to wash the towel. When she returned to the living room, she sat on the sofa across from him, concern evident in her eyes. "Does it still hurt?"

Ye Fan's face carried a faint, ambiguous smile as he patted the seat beside him. "Why are you sitting so far away? Come here, sit next to me."

"You…"

Ning Xi was fuming but still got up and sat beside Ye Fan. "Lower your head. Let me check the wound again."

"It doesn't hurt anymore."

Ye Fan reached out to smooth the creases on the hem of Ning Xi's dress, then changed the subject. "Xi, you look beautiful in this outfit today. Girls should dress up and look pretty; they shouldn't always wear those loose sports clothes."

"Really?"

Ning Xi could see right through Ye Fan's intention. He was just trying to make her feel less guilty by distracting her. While she lacked experience in certain areas, her emotional intelligence and intelligence weren't low. Teasing him, she said, "So what you're saying is, I don't look good most of the time?"

"Cough, cough—"

Ye Fan coughed awkwardly, realizing he had been trapped. He quickly explained, "Of course not! In my heart, you're always the most beautiful. That was just a suggestion, a suggestion."

"I'm sorry."

Ning Xi suddenly apologized. "It's all because of me that you got hurt."

"What nonsense are you saying?"

Ye Fan smiled as he leaned close to her ear, planning to ask what she had been so lost in thought about earlier.

Ning Xi was about to dodge when Ye Fan pressed down on her shoulder. "W-what are you doing?"

Ye Fan's lips curled into a smirk as he asked in a low voice, "Little one, what were you thinking about earlier when we entered the house?"

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