The room fell silent.
After nearly half a minute, Ning Xi, like a child who had done something wrong, lowered her head and walked to Ye Fan's side. She said weakly, "I'm sorry. I was just... too angry. You bullied me, and I thought… I'd bite you. I didn't expect it to turn out like this."
"Are… are you hurt?"
Ye Fan remained silent.
Seeing this, self-reproach climbed onto Ning Xi's face. She glanced at Ye Fan guiltily, crouched gently beside him, and held Ye Fan's wrist with her small hand, softly saying, "Don't be mad. I really know I was wrong."
The annoyed Ye Fan slowly came back to his senses. Seeing the girl looking so pitiful, he asked curiously, "Xiao Xi, what's wrong with you?"
"I'm sorry."
Ning Xi's eyes lowered slightly. Her ponytail had somehow come undone, and strands of hair fell, covering her stunning face.
"Silly girl."
Ye Fan affectionately patted her little head and pretended to complain, "Didn't I tell you before not to say sorry to me? Such bad memory!"
"You… you're not mad at me?"
"Why would I be mad?"
Ye Fan shook his head with a laugh, pulling Ning Xi to her feet. His hands rested on her fragrant shoulders, spinning her around in place before assuring her, "As long as you're not hurt, it's fine. But don't be so reckless in the future, okay?"
"Okay."
A hint of sweetness rose in Ning Xi's heart, making her forget all about Ye Fan's mischief.
Soon, the dishes were served.
As always, Ye Fan acted like a doting father, constantly placing food into Ning Xi's bowl. Oddly enough, Ning Xi didn't complain this time. She quietly ate the food in her bowl, the corners of her eyes curving slightly upward.
After the meal, the two stayed at the Imperial Capital Library until past 4 PM.
"Beep—"
"Beep—"
Ye Fan turned off his phone alarm, looked over, and saw Ning Xi still engrossed in her studies. He reached out and poked her soft, rosy cheek, reminding her, "Xiao Xi, it's already 4:30 PM. We should leave now."
"We had an agreement."
Ning Xi's lips moved slightly, and she muttered softly, "Breaking an agreement… I despise you."
Ye Fan, who was packing his things, paused and asked with a smile, "What are you mumbling about over there?"
"N-nothing."
Ning Xi shook her head repeatedly and began tidying up the papers and pens on the table. A faint dimple appeared on her cheek as her face lit up with a gentle smile.
The sunlight was warm, and the summer breeze brushed lightly.
This season was poetic, relaxed, and pleasant.
At almost 5 PM, the two appeared at the gates of the Sea Emperor District.
Under the shade of willow trees, sunlight trickled through the gaps between the branches, scattering onto the two of them.
Ye Fan removed the bag from his left shoulder and handed it to Ning Xi, tucking her stray hair behind her back.
"After you get home, don't study anymore. Take a good rest and balance work with relaxation, okay?"
"Okay."
A sweet smile bloomed on Ning Xi's face as she playfully blinked her eyes. "Be careful on your way home. Remember to send me a message when you get there."
With that, she waved her small hand and turned to walk toward the residential area.
"Send a message?"
Ye Fan murmured to himself, his eyes lighting up involuntarily. He called out, "Xiao Xi, wait a moment."
"What is it?"
Ning Xi stopped and turned back with a radiant smile.
That smile seemed to freeze time, dimming the brilliance of all worldly splendor.
Ye Fan's pupils slightly dilated, his thoughts stalled. At this moment, his eyes saw nothing else but her.
There was no natural beauty—only beauty's nature.
In his eyes, the girl perfectly embodied the concept of natural beauty. Without any embellishment, she was the most beautiful scenery in the world.
Every glance and every gesture carried meaning. Every smile and every frown held emotion.
And Ye Fan was willing to be a fool for life, captivated by her intentions and affections, to completely and utterly make the girl his own.
This was what he meant by something very important!
Ning Xi bent her waist slightly, tilted her head, and looked at Ye Fan with a charming curiosity. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
The girl's voice pulled Ye Fan back to reality. A faint smile appeared in his jet-black eyes as he said, "I'm admiring the scenery—the most beautiful scenery."
"Sweet talker."
Ning Xi snorted softly, her eyes shy as she murmured, "Don't stare at me like this. If you keep looking, you'll get tired of it."
"I won't."
"You will."
"I won't."
Ye Fan walked up to Ning Xi and said with a small smile, "Xiao Xi, do you get tired of drinking lemon water?"
"Of course not."
Ning Xi chuckled. "Lemon water is sour and sweet. It tastes great—I'd never get tired of it."
Ye Fan wasn't surprised by her answer. He gently tapped her delicate nose and laughed, "You're my lemon water. Except, you're not sour—only sweet."
"You…"
Ripples appeared in Ning Xi's clear, autumn-like eyes. She bit her tender red lip lightly, her delicate hands tightly clutching the hem of her shirt, her knuckles white.
What's wrong with this guy?
Why is he… flirting with me so much today? What should I do?
She didn't know!
"Well… if there's nothing else, I'll head back now. Bye."
Ning Xi turned to leave, but just as she took a step, she realized her hand was being held by Ye Fan. Her pretty face showed a hint of bitterness. "Brother, big brother, please be merciful and spare this little girl, okay?"
She felt bitter inside but didn't say a word!
Bah, bah, bah—
What little girl?
Ugh~~~
She didn't know why this phrase popped into her mind…
"I won't."
Ye Fan's lips curved upward as he asked, "I just remembered you have a phone. Come on, add me on WeChat. That way, it'll be easier to chat in the future. No need to make calls all the time, and you won't have to worry about your dad finding out."
"That's all?"
Ning Xi froze for a moment. She had thought Ye Fan would make some outrageous request but didn't expect it to be as simple as adding him on WeChat.
Ye Fan raised an eyebrow and teased, "What else? I wouldn't mind a goodbye kiss, but you'd have to agree to it first!"
"Pfft!"
Ning Xi's face immediately turned beet red, and she glared at Ye Fan with what she thought was a very intimidating look.
"Be serious! If you keep saying such nonsense, I'll really get mad!"
"My bad."
Seeing the cute and fierce look on her face, Ye Fan's shoulders shook slightly.
"You're still laughing?"
"I'm not laughing."
"You are laughing!"
"Well… okay, I laughed."
"…"
Ning Xi huffed, rolling her eyes at Ye Fan. She took off her bag and pulled out her phone.
She opened WeChat, found her QR code, and was just about to hand her phone to Ye Fan when she noticed a black Audi approaching from the distance. Her expression changed instantly, and she quickly put her phone away.
"Hey, you…"
"My dad is back."
As soon as she said this, the car stopped beside them, and the rear window slowly rolled down.
Ning Xiangtian glanced at Ye Fan, then turned his gaze to his precious daughter. A kind smile appeared on his face. "Xiao Xi, did you go to the library with Ye Fan to study today?"
"Mm."
Ning Xi felt a slight relief in her heart and nodded obediently.
"In the future, try to study at home as much as possible. Otherwise, Dad will worry."