Stop Chasing the School Belle, My Shy Deskmate is Sweet and Soft - Chapter 99

Oh?

This girl’s sense of smell is that sharp?

Xia Tian was quite surprised. He had deliberately bought some gum to chew on his way back, worried that the smell of alcohol from drinking with Jiang Jianwei might bother Ye Ningyu.

But she still noticed.

“Yeah, I had a bit of alcohol while discussing business over dinner.”

“Oh… don’t drink too much. It’s bad for your health.”

Ye Ningyu’s eyes were filled with concern, and she softly reminded him.

Xia Tian nodded and replied seriously, “Got it. I don’t drink unless it’s for business.”

Such a simple expression of concern felt like a warm current flowing into Xia Tian’s heart.

In his previous life, he couldn’t avoid drinking during business dinners with investors. Especially when his company was still small, he often got himself drunk to secure investments and approvals.

No matter how much he drank, Xia Tian always had to endure and see the investors off before collapsing on the roadside, vomiting until he passed out.

Every time he woke up hungover, Xia Tian wished desperately for someone who cared about him.

But that person never appeared.

In this life, Xia Tian believed things would be different.

He wasn’t just here to save Little Ye; in a way, she was saving him too.

—

After evening self-study, Xia Tian packed his bag and said to Ye Ningyu:

“I’ll wait for you at the bike shed. There’s a surprise waiting.”

“Oh, oh.”

As soon as Xia Tian left, Li Jiahui turned around with a sly grin and looked at Ye Ningyu.

“Ningyu, who would’ve thought Xia Tian would prepare so many gifts for you on Children’s Day? And now there’s even a surprise at night! What do you think it is?”

“I-I don’t know…”

“Can I come with you to check it out? I’m really curious about what Xia Tian is giving you.”

Li Jiahui blinked dramatically, trying to act cute.

But it looked more like her face was cramping…

Ye Ningyu hesitated and said softly, “I-if you come with me, won’t Xia Tian be upset? He usually waits for me alone at the shed.”

“Don’t worry. It’s not like I’ll be the third wheel on your way home. I just want to see what he’s surprising you with. Why does it have to be so mysterious?”

“Well… okay then.”

After a bit more hesitation, Ye Ningyu agreed to let Li Jiahui come along.

After all, Li Jiahui was one of the few people besides Xia Tian who actively talked to her in class.

Little Ye didn’t want to reject this rare… friendship?

With that, Li Jiahui linked arms with Ye Ningyu and cheerfully walked with her to the bike shed.

It was Ye Ningyu’s first time experiencing this kind of “best friend” treatment, and while she felt a bit uneasy, she secretly enjoyed it.

Ever since getting to know Xia Tian, her life had grown more and more interesting.

In the past, her daily routine revolved entirely around solving problems, with almost no social interactions.

But now…

Whenever there was a holiday, Xia Tian would take her out to play, and she had gotten to know people like Fang Yu, Xia Shi, and Li Jiahui.

“Ningyu, what’s your relationship with Xia Tian now? He treats you so well, and you’re so concerned about him. Are you two…”

Li Jiahui made a heart gesture with her thumbs, her face full of mischief.

Ye Ningyu immediately understood what she meant and blushed furiously.

“N-no, we’re not…”

“Not yet? So that means you might be in the future?”

“I-it’s not like that! That’s not what I meant!”

“Don’t explain! Explaining is just hiding the truth. Hehe, after the gaokao, you two will definitely get together!”

Li Jiahui giggled, completely ignoring how Ye Ningyu was shyly burying her face in her collar.

—

Xia Tian stood next to the pink bike he had bought for Ye Ningyu.

The evening breeze made his head feel a little fuzzy.

“Ugh… I didn’t even drink that much tonight, but I’m still tipsy. Is it because I haven’t been drinking for so long that my tolerance has dropped?”

Rubbing his temples, Xia Tian tried to clear his head.

Then he remembered—since he had been reborn, his body was only eighteen years old now.

He hadn’t been drinking much in this life, so naturally, his tolerance wasn’t like it was in his past life when he was almost an alcoholic.

Before long, Xia Tian saw Ye Ningyu walking toward him, with Li Jiahui at her side.

He smiled and, with slightly rosy cheeks, pushed the pink bike forward, stopping in front of Little Ye.

“Here, this is your new bike. May your life be worry-free, and may you always remain a little girl at heart.”

“Wow! This… this is so girly and cute!”

Li Jiahui immediately gasped, covering her mouth, her eyes full of envy as she looked at Ye Ningyu.

At that moment, Ye Ningyu froze in place.

She stared blankly at the pink bike in front of her, momentarily dazed.

It took a while before her eyes began to sparkle, and her almond-shaped eyes curved into crescents.

“T-thank you, Xia Tian… But this must’ve been expensive, right?”

“It wasn’t that expensive. Your old bike was too worn out and unsafe. I feel better knowing you’ll be riding this one.”

Li Jiahui, worried that Ye Ningyu might feel too self-conscious to accept it, quickly chimed in.

“Exactly! Your old bike was way too dangerous!”

“Besides, Xia Tian is the big boss of the Heartbreak Museum. He earns a ton of money every month. For him, this bike is no big deal.”

Xia Tian kept things simple. He stepped forward, adjusted the seat height for Ye Ningyu, and patted it to make sure it was secure.

“Come try it out. If it’s too high, I’ll adjust it again.”

“Oh, okay!”

Ye Ningyu obediently got on the bike, her long legs reaching the ground.

The seat wasn’t high—in fact, it was a little low for her.

Xia Tian’s expression darkened slightly.

What the hell? The seat height is about the same as when I rode it. Are her legs as long as mine?

Am I too short, or is she too tall?

“It’s p-perfect!”

“Glad to hear it. From now on, ride this bike. I’ll help you sell your old one later.”

Xia Tian clapped his hands and smiled.

But Ye Ningyu quickly shook her head.

“You can’t sell it… That bike was a gift from my dad. I’ll keep it at home.”

Xia Tian froze for a moment, realizing he had almost forgotten about that.

Nodding, he walked into the bike shed, retrieved her old bike, and prepared to walk her home with both bikes.

At this point, Li Jiahui tactfully excused herself and slipped away.

—

Since both bicycles needed to be stored at Ye Ningyu’s house, Xia Tian sent a text to Fang Yu in advance on the way to dropping her off at home.

【Dog son, come to Little Ye’s building in 20 minutes to pick me up.】

【Who the hell do you think I am? Calling me whenever you want? Forget it. Ask someone else.】

【I think you’re the perfect person for this. Don’t refuse. Hurry up.】

【Not happening. I need to go home and study.】

【Oh? Remember the 2,000 yuan you lent me before? I was planning to flip it tenfold for you. I even brought my bank card. I thought we’d go to the bank together.】

【Godfather, you really know how to pick the right person! I’ll be there immediately!】

Xia Tian spat at the screen in mock disgust.

Then he turned back to Ye Ningyu, who was nibbling on cotton candy.

The girl had unzipped her school jacket slightly to avoid getting her clothes sticky.

Holding the cotton candy, she licked it in tiny bites, her pink tongue occasionally peeking out from her soft, rosy lips.

Xia Tian, already a bit tipsy, almost lost his composure at the sight.

Quickly, he started a conversation to distract himself.

“After the gaokao, we’ll have a three-month summer vacation. Once Auntie’s surgery is done and she’s feeling better, let’s plan somewhere fun to visit.”

Ye Ningyu tilted her head slightly, her moist eyes peeking out from behind the cotton candy.

“G-go somewhere fun?”

“Yeah, we could go hiking, see the sea, explore mountains or old towns—whatever you want.”

Xia Tian looked at her earnestly, having planned this for a while.

In his previous life, he had read a diary entry from Little Ye where she wrote about her longing to see the sea.

This time, Xia Tian wanted to fulfill her dream.

But Little Ye froze in place, her face turning a deep shade of red.

Going on a trip together? Isn’t that something couples do?

Li Jiahui’s words suddenly echoed in her ears.

“After the gaokao, you two are definitely getting together!”