Chapter 176: Don't Kiss Me

Xia Xi held a porcelain spoon, dazedly lifting her eyes to look at the speaker. It was a woman over fifty with permed curly hair, her kind face showing worry and curiosity as she stared straight at her. Xia Xi pointed at her own face—was the aunt talking to her?

Had she mistaken the person?

What... abort the child...

Xu Yanfeng choked on a mouthful, his usually unflappable composure in front of outsiders showing a hint of embarrassment.

Xia Xi's attention was drawn by his abnormality; she withdrew her gaze from the aunt's face and turned it to him.

In a flash, Xia Xi recalled: last time in this shop, she had drunk mung bean drink and vomited, with many people looking over, and she had babbled, claiming it was morning sickness.

Xu Yanfeng's face changed then; he was angered into laughter and told her not to talk nonsense. She was truly rebellious when rebellious, refusing to listen to him, and the more she spoke, the more off-topic she became.

What had she been saying back then?

—I'll raise the child myself, don't you take responsibility.

Just as she finished, the customers at nearby tables couldn't continue eating their breakfast, each face filled with shock, as if they'd heard earth-shattering news. Some residents with overflowing sense of justice gave Xu Yanfeng, this "starting chaos and abandoning" man, looks of contempt.

Xu Yanfeng was furious to the point of death, unable to explain clearly, only knowing to warn her.

She took the opportunity to stir things up, telling him not to shout too loudly, lest it disturb her fetal qi.

Back then she only thought of teasing Xu Yanfeng, finding his reactions amusing and never considering the consequences. Who would have thought that, after a few months, she could still run into the enthusiastic onlookers who had been gawking earlier, now coming to ask about the aftermath.

Who could say this isn't a boomerang?

Xia Xi was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear under the table; she raised a hand to cover half her face, too shy to meet the aunt's gaze and unable to speak.

The aunt saw her strange expression and glanced at her flat belly; the incident had been over five months ago, and last time she'd seen her she wasn't visibly pregnant, so it couldn't have been that she'd already given birth—the only possibility was that the young girl had aborted the child.

"What a sin." The aunt sighed, her gossipy thoughts fading, leaving only pity; her gaze drifted over Xu Yanfeng, clearly disdainful: "Still with him… sigh."

The aunt imagined a story of a scoundrel deceiving the young girl, getting her pregnant and refusing to take responsibility, feeling sympathy and indignation for her. But this was their private matter, outsiders shouldn't interfere, so the aunt shook her head and let out another long sigh.

Xu Yanfeng: "……"

Xia Xi: "……"

After finishing breakfast in the strange atmosphere, they left the shop, exchanged a glance, and saw the same speechlessness in each other's eyes.

Xu Yanfeng kneaded her fingers twice: "See if you dare to spout nonsense again."

"I won't, I won't." Xia Xi frankly admitted her mistake, then, recalling it, found it a bit funny: "In that aunt's eyes, I'm surely a hopeless love‑brain; I'd said I'd raise the child myself, then turned around and aborted it, and got back together with you—my latter half of life is doomed."

Just hearing her description gave Xu Yanfeng a headache; he narrowed his eyes: "Thanks to you, in the aunt's eyes I'm nothing but a deceitful lump who tricks girls."

Xia Xi couldn't help but let out a goose‑like laugh, lifting her hand to rub his handsome face a few times: "Where else would you find such a good‑looking lump?"

Xu Yanfeng gave her a casual glance: "If I weren't good‑looking, how could I deceive girls?"

Xia Xi thought, agreeing: "Right, you need to be good‑looking to confuse girls. I'm the one you confused, clinging to you eagerly. Damn it, you're proud and aloof—you didn't want to at first; if I hadn't pursued you desperately, there'd be no sequel."

Xu Yanfeng: "……"

Bringing up old scores is pointless.

Xu Yanfeng glanced at his wristwatch; she still had class that morning, so he couldn't delay, opened the car door, placed a hand on the roof, and urged her to get in.

Just as Xia Xi settled in, a message came through on her phone from the dorm group, her roommates repeatedly tagging her.

Zhao Lei: "Didn't reply last night, not coming to class this morning? @Xia Xi"

Wang Qiuyu: "Hehe, could it be what I'm thinking? You and Xu Yanfeng… did it? @Xia Xi"

Wu Qinglu: "What does 'hmm‑hmm' mean?"

Wang Qiuyu: "doi, get it?"

Wu Qinglu: "……got it."

Zhao Lei: "If you don't come to class and just squeak, I'll mark you present—no thanks needed; call me 'China's Most Moving Roommate.' @Xia Xi"

Wang Qiuyu: "You dare skip Bald Yuan's class? @Xia Xi"

Wu Qinglu: "Maybe she hasn't gotten up yet; our messages she wouldn't see."

Xia Xi suspected that if she kept playing dead, they'd keep saying more outrageous things; to preserve her image she sent a message to the group: "Thanks for the concern, I'm on my way to school and will be on time. 【smile】【smile】"

The subject finally spoke up, and the group got even livelier.

Wang Qiuyu: "Still no answer—did you do it with Senior Xu? You've never stayed out all night before!"

Zhao Lei: "Exactly! Hurry up and confess!"

Wu Qinglu: "I'm also curious……

Xia Xi really didn't want to deal with them, but if she didn't speak they'd keep imagining things; after thinking, she clarified: "Nothing happened—don't slander me."

Zhao Lei: "Then where did you go last night?"

Xia Xi earnestly explained: "I stayed over at Xu Yanfeng's place, but we were completely pure, each sleeping separately! I swear on heaven, if I'm lying I'm a puppy!"

Xu Yanfeng reminded Xia Xi twice to fasten her seatbelt, but she seemed not to hear, clutching her phone to send a message. He felt slightly helpless, first undid his own belt, then leaned over and buckled hers on that side; his gaze unintentionally fell on her phone screen, the chat fully visible, and his motion to pull back stalled.

Xia Xi noticed, slowly lifting her eyelids to meet his gaze, she gave an embarrassed smile, pressed the side lock button on her phone, and tucked the screen against her thigh.

It was just girl‑talk; Xu Yanfeng wouldn't interfere. His eyes flickered, he glanced away from hers, moving down a bit to rest on her moist lips, the urge to kiss her arising suddenly and without reason.

Perhaps it was because the car's atmosphere was too quiet, or maybe the pose was just right for kissing; he didn't know the exact cause.

He slowly drew near, and just as he was about to touch her, Xia Xi swiftly raised her index finger to press against his lips—a signal of refusal.

Xu Yanfeng froze, his eyes showing bewilderment; usually she went out of her way to kiss him, so how could he, rarely taking the initiative, find her unwilling? He couldn't understand.

Had she lost the novelty of kissing?

Xu Yanfeng's eyes darkened; he found it hard to voice his suspicion.

Xia Xi blinked lightly, answering before he could speak: "You've drunk mung bean drink, so don't kiss me. I don't like that taste, hehe."

She not only refused, she also laughed.

Xu Yanfeng: "……"

All that worry was for nothing.

Xu Yanfeng took her finger from his lips, held it in his palm, looked at her for a moment, then calmly quoted her words from last night: "You said you could tolerate everything of mine." So can't you tolerate this?

Xia Xi pretended to be clueless, turning her face to the side, looking at the scenery outside the window: "Ah, did I say that? I don't remember."

Xu Yanfeng released her hand, silently stepping back, but Xia Xi turned her head at that moment, curved her lips into a smile, embraced his neck, and herself pressed her lips to his, entangling eagerly.

There was no taste she disliked; what she tasted was his own fresh and clean flavor, which fascinated her, making her forget everything in an instant.

After it ended, a while later, Xia Xi's nerves finally tensed: "Hurry up, I'm really going to be late." She patted her cheek, picked up the phone on her leg, and sent a message asking her roommate to bring her books to the classroom.

She didn't have time to return to the dormitory, planning to go straight to the classroom—all because of Xu Yanfeng.

Beauty leads people astray; the ancients truly did not deceive me.

Xu Yanfeng was much better off than her: his complexion calm and composed, his voice even and steady, only his breathing slightly irregular: "I have time this Friday afternoon; invite your friends, make up for last night's meal, okay?" He sought her opinion.

Xia Xi was easygoing, replying cheerfully: "Sure."

However, he had walked away angrily yesterday; Zhou Du and Liang Yuan may hold a grudge against him and won't give him a good look; he'll have to fend for himself.