Chapter 281 Missing That Summer
They were under the scorching sun, drenched in sweat.
Then, look at them—relaxing under the shade, with tables, chairs, and a feast; most importantly, they even had beauties accompanying them, not just one but two…
Damn it!
Whether it was Lan Xi or Ning Xi, in their eyes, both were goddesses!
From her appearance, Lan Xi looked to be in her twenties, and coupled with her strong resemblance to Ning Xi, no one would ever guess that they were not sisters, but mother and daughter.
"This heat is unbearable!"
Standing under the tree for just a moment, Lan Xi's forehead was already covered in sweat.
Ye Fan stuffed the last bite of food from his lunchbox into his mouth and mumbled, "Sister Lan, after we finish eating, you should go back. The temperature outside is too high. Xiao Xi and I can wait here slowly."
"That won't do."
Lan Xi shook her head, raised her wrist to check the time, and said, "There's still about an hour and a half before the afternoon exam starts. I've already booked a nearby hotel in advance. Once you finish eating, head over there, enjoy the air conditioning, take a short nap, and you'll be in better spirits for the afternoon exam."
"Mom, that's too much trouble."
Ning Xi pushed her half-eaten meal toward Ye Fan and blinked repeatedly. "I can't finish it, can you help me out?"
Ye Fan had been staying at her house for several days, so Ning Xi was well aware of his appetite. She knew he definitely wasn't full yet, so she used the excuse of not being able to finish her food to pass it on to him.
A little scheme, played perfectly!
Ye Fan didn't refuse. He smiled, nodded, and picked up the spoon Ning Xi had just used, eating without hesitation.
A trace of shyness flickered in Ning Xi's eyes, and she quickly shifted her gaze to her mother, speaking softly, "Mom, the college entrance exam only happens once. Experiencing the atmosphere is nice, and I can take this time to ask my brother… about the math exam in the afternoon."
The moment she finished speaking, she instantly regretted it.
Why… why did she say that out loud?!
Now, not even jumping into the Yellow River could wash this away!
Ahhh—
Social death scene~~~
"Brother?"
Sure enough, upon hearing this suggestive title, Lan Xi's expression immediately turned odd. She gave her daughter a knowing look and chuckled, "Xiao Xi, you're already calling him brother?"
"Cough cough—"
Even with Ye Fan's thick skin, hearing this made his face flush red.
Ultimately, he was the one who had encouraged Ning Xi to do this.
Ning Xi's face, already flushed from the heat, turned an even deeper shade of crimson. She stammered, "Mom, it's not… what you think. I just…"
It's over!
She didn't even know how to explain!
Damn Ye Fan! Rotten Ye Fan!!!
Lan Xi covered her mouth and chuckled, glancing at her daughter and then at Ye Fan, whose expression was slightly unnatural. She couldn't help but sigh internally.
Young people these days, really…
Brother?
If she guessed correctly, it was probably… a "special" kind of brother!
Ye Fan quickly finished off the remaining food in the lunchbox, covered it, got up, and handed it to Lan Xi, forcing a dry laugh, "Sister Lan, it's really hot. You should head home first. I'll stay with Xiao Xi."
"Alright."
Lan Xi smiled with hidden meaning and said knowingly, "I won't interrupt your alone time. Do well on the exam."
After speaking, she turned and got into the car.
Once Zhuang Li packed the folding tables and chairs into the trunk, the car started and slowly drove away.
Only when the sound of the engine completely faded did Ning Xi, leaning against the tree, lower her hands. She reached out and gave Ye Fan a light slap, complaining, "It's all your fault! You insisted I call you 'brother,' and now look what happened! Mom definitely misunderstood. This is so embarrassing!"
Hearing this, Ye Fan secretly laughed but pretended to be innocent. "Xiao Xi, didn't we agree before? When no one's around, you call me brother, and when others are present, you use my name. I never told you to call me that in front of Sister Lan!"
"You…"
Ning Xi was on the verge of tears, mumbling under her breath, "I'm used to it now. It's hard to change all of a sudden. It's all your fault!"
"My fault, my fault. Don't be mad."
Ye Fan chuckled and took Ning Xi's small hand, sitting down on the flowerbed nearby. Then, he patted his lap. "Lie down and rest for a bit."
"No way!"
Seeing this, Ning Xi shook her head and nervously glanced around, her expression full of resistance.
Ye Fan moved swiftly, lifting her by the waist and placing her on the flowerbed, making her let out a startled cry.
Before she could react, her head had already landed on his lap. Just as she was about to sit up, a low and magnetic voice drifted into her ears.
"Be good. It's so hot. If you don't rest, you'll get drowsy during the exam."
"You… how can you be like this…"
Ning Xi's eyes were full of shyness as she lightly patted Ye Fan's leg and muttered, "It's so hot. How could I possibly fall asleep…"
Before she could finish her sentence, a gentle breeze swept over her face.
She looked up and saw that Ye Fan was using a pencil case to fan her, making an uncontrollable sweetness rise in her heart.
"If I sleep, what about you?"
"Of course, I'll stay here and watch over you."
Ye Fan gently waved the pencil case in his hand. "Go to sleep. If you don't listen, I'll…"
"Fine, fine! I'll sleep, okay?!"
Ning Xi hurriedly interrupted him. She didn't dare let Ye Fan continue speaking, afraid he would say something even more embarrassing.
Closing her eyes, she listened to the cicadas chirping, felt the summer heat, and sensed the warmth on her face. Everything, everything made her heart flutter with an indescribable feeling.
She didn't know how to put this feeling into words.
She just knew… it felt wonderful!
As drowsiness took over, Ning Xi quickly fell asleep.
Ye Fan lowered his head, staring at the girl on his lap. The corner of his lips lifted into a faint smile. The more he looked, the more captivated he became, yet his hand never stopped fanning her.
Some say they miss that summer.
But really, it's just that, in that summer, there was someone they miss.
Ye Fan gently pinched himself, feeling a slight pain. The smile on his lips deepened.
It wasn't a dream.
This beautiful moment… was real!
Time passed, minute by minute. As it neared 2 PM, Ye Fan lightly shook Ning Xi's shoulders, waking her up.
Ning Xi sat up groggily, her sleepy eyes unfocused, still lost in a daze.
Seeing this, Ye Fan couldn't help but laugh. He jogged to a nearby convenience store, bought two bottles of ice-cold water, twisted open the cap, and said, "Xiao Xi, wash your face. You'll feel more awake."
"Oh… okay."
As the cold water touched her skin, Ning Xi took a slight breath, and all her lingering sleepiness disappeared. She was now wide awake.
Ye Fan held out the bottle to Ning Xi's lips. Sweat dripped from his face, but he didn't care at all. His eyes were only on the girl in front of him as he spoke gently, "Here, open your mouth."
"…Mhm."
Ning Xi slightly parted her red lips, her clear eyes full of shyness, but a small dimple appeared at the corner of her mouth.
Being treated like a little child… felt so nice…