Chapter 24 Sovereignty: Then break my legs.

So... what's going on here?

Ning Jiu sat on the sofa, watching Wen Yi and Ke Shini naturally join the board game area and play UNO with Gao Hexin and Song Yunhe.

She let out a soft breath, got up, and planned to go to the bathroom to wash her face and clear her head.

As Qi Ruiheng was arranging the cards, he turned to the boy next to the sofa and asked, "Want to play a game?"

As soon as he spoke, almost everyone at the table turned their gaze to Qiao Bailin instantly.

The tall, muscular young man sat in the other corner of the sofa, his gaze sweeping past the doorway before he shook his head slightly.

"You guys play first, I'll go out for a bit." He stood up without hesitation, then turned his head as if he had thought of something, "Li Mingyuan is free too, let him join in."

"Excuse me!" Li Mingyuan was startled when he was suddenly called out. "I still have to help my sister Jiu reach the King rank later."

"Sister Jiu?"

Ke Shini, who was sitting on the left side of the long table, heard Li Mingyuan's words and her tone showed no attempt to hide her interest.

"Yunhe, is she your classmate?"

“No, she’s a new transfer student in Class 8.” Song Yunhe remembered something and looked at Chen Poyao across from her. “You can ask Chen Poyao and Gao Hexin. They seem to know Ning Jiu quite well.”

When Ke Shini responded, her gaze swept directly at Chen Poyao and Gao Hexin, who both felt a sense of urgency coming from above.

This feeling made Gao Hexin somewhat uncomfortable, while Chen Poyao remained expressionless.

“Xiao Jiu transferred here from Lingcheng Middle School this semester,” Chen Poyao said. “She is very cute and has a likable personality. Everyone in our class likes her.”

Wen Yi was playing a rhythm game next to Ke Shini when someone suddenly poked his arm, and he heard Miss Ke's voice in his ear.

“Lingcheng Middle School,” Ke Shini’s voice was unreadable, “It’s quite a coincidence that we’re from the same place.”

Wen Yi continued playing his game, casually remarking, "Many people come from the same place as me. Aren't you from out of town too?"

"......"

The students in Class 8 seemed surprised by the way Ke Shini and Wen Yi interacted, and exchanged knowing glances with each other.

Gao Hexin, recalling the gossip he had heard on the forum, asked tentatively.

“By the way, Ke Shini, you know Qiao Bolin, right?” She thought she had just seen them greet each other. “Was Qiao Bolin like this before, getting almost perfect scores in every subject?”

“I was always the ‘other people’s child’ since I was little,” Ke Shini said, already accepting it calmly. “At first, I wondered why such a person existed, someone with a good family background who still worked so hard.”

“When he was still studying in Beijing, my dad always used him as an example to provoke me. I thought I could finally breathe a sigh of relief after he left, but it turned out that my dad was transferred to Jiangcheng, and I moved here with him. He’s been nagging me even more than before.” She chuckled. “Luckily, I’ve developed an immunity to it now.”

Perhaps the young lady wasn't as difficult to get along with as people had imagined, and given how relatable the experience of being crushed by Qiao Bolin was, everyone looked at Ke Shini with a hint of tacit sympathy.

With a snap.

Wen Yi's phone was face down on the table.

He raised an eyebrow at the stares of the crowd and said lazily, "Aren't you going to play yet?"

Before the words were even finished, the person had already stood up.

"Then I'll go to the restroom first."

Ning Jiu came out of the bathroom, the sound of running water filling the air. She splashed some water on her face and noticed a clean tissue being handed to her from the side.

"Thanks."

Without saying much, she thanked him, wiped her face with a tissue, and tried to walk past Qiao Bolin back to the private room, but he suddenly blocked her way.

The road around the corner wasn't very wide, and because he was tall, he practically blocked the entire road.

Ning Jiu initially thought it was an accident, so she stepped aside to let him pass. However, as she took a step to the right, the boy followed exactly one step to the right, and once again, only he remained in her sight.

She finally realized that Joel Berlin had done it on purpose.

"What's wrong?" Ning Jiu frowned slightly, feeling a little displeased with his lurking possessiveness and aggressive actions. "Is there something you want to ask me?"

She really didn't want Joel Bolton to ask her anything more annoying at a time like this.

"have."

Surprisingly, George Bolin abandoned his usual mild-mannered manner and readily admitted it.

Where do you live?

"Um?"

For a moment, Ning Jiu's mind went blank; she hadn't expected him to ask that.

"What does this have to do with you?"

Her question was also quite direct.

“It will be ready soon,” Joel Bolton said, “because I’m going to take you back now.”

When Wen Yi came out of the private room, he saw Ning Jiu parked at the entrance of the store, seemingly lost in thought.

His gaze had just landed on her when it was completely blocked by the young man in the white T-shirt. He raised an eyebrow slightly, his eyes meeting Qiao Bolin's defiant gaze, but the latter didn't even glance at him, walking past him with an unperturbed expression and into the private room.

Qi Ruiheng and the others had already started playing UNO, and Li Mingyuan joined in. When he saw Qiao Bolin arrive, he subconsciously thought that Qiao Bolin wanted to join as well. Li Mingyuan looked around for an empty chair for him, but Qiao Bolin stopped him.

"No need, I have to go now," he said, his gaze falling on the sofa as if searching for something. "This time it was indeed my fault. I'll pay for the snacks, milk tea, and venue fee today. Have fun, everyone."

Gao Hexin was still thinking about watching the drama unfold later, but unexpectedly, Qiao Bolin was about to leave as soon as he arrived. Just as he was wondering what was going on, he saw Qiao Bolin's gaze linger on a certain spot. He then walked naturally to the sofa, picked up a light pink backpack, and headed towards the door.

She opened her mouth wide.

Song Yunhe and Ke Shini's expressions also became strange. Chen Poyao thought for a moment and then reminded Qiao Bolin.

"Joe Bolin, that looks like Xiao Jiu's schoolbag..."

“Yes, I know,” he replied quickly. “She was leaving anyway, so I’ll take it for her.”

In an instant.

The entire private room was eerily silent.

Qiao Bolin seemed oblivious to everyone's reactions. As he passed by Wen Yi, a cold laugh reached his ears.

"I thought he was a real show-off."

It was a nonsensical statement, but the language was by no means gentle.

Qiao Bolin didn't stop walking, seemingly ignoring Wen Yi's unfriendly tone, and headed straight for the main entrance.

Ning Jiu watched him walk towards her, and reflexively looked at her light pink backpack first, then took it from his hand and put it on her back.

The two walked silently from the third floor to the lobby on the first floor. When they reached the automatic sensor door outside the lobby, she didn't even look at Qiao Bolin, and walked straight towards the bus stop with her backpack on.

"Ning wine".

The voice behind him quickly followed, tinged with helplessness.

"Ning wine".

When she called her name a second time, her slender wrist was already gripped by a burning hot palm, and she couldn't break free at all.

Ning Jiu then turned around, her hair brushing lightly against the boy's chest, bringing a slightly sweet fragrance. Qiao Bolin's breath hitched.

The girl, who was excessively obedient due to pain, looked at his handsome and distinct features, and even her reprimands were delivered in an exceptionally soft tone.

"You did it on purpose."

She was feeling unwell, not unable to walk at all.

Ning Jiu wasn't unaware of what message Qiao Bolin was trying to convey by going back to help her with her schoolbag, but this act, which resembled a declaration of sovereignty, made her uncomfortable.

“I hate this,” she said to him. “Don’t get your designs on me.”

Even when the girl bluntly and mercilessly exposed his true colors, he remained calm and composed.

Qiao Bolin listened quietly to all of Ning Jiu's accusations. Some were relatively rational and objective, while others were simply driven by an insatiable urge to vent his pain.

He accepted both options.

When she was getting tired of talking, he nodded repentantly, took her arm, and led her to the shade of the shop, where he hailed a taxi.

Ning Jiu realized that he wasn't joking earlier, so she poked his lean waist, and he grabbed her fingers.

“That’s the bus stop, not far from my home,” she said, looking at the bus stop across the street. “You don’t need to take me home, and you don’t need to call a taxi. I’m not that fragile.”

“I know,” Qiao Bolin hailed the car, noted the license plate number, turned off the screen, and looked back at Ning Jiu. “I’m just trying to make amends.”

She didn't understand what he meant.

“I didn’t take you home myself on the day of the typhoon. I only found out later when I called the driver that he dropped you off at the intersection and left,” he said. “This time, consider it making amends. Give me another chance.”

Ningjiu was discovered.

Joel Berlin is really good at using a strategic retreat to advance.

By the time she realized what was going on, the taxi had already entered Rongye Street and stopped in front of Liangjing Dessert Shop.

The door slammed shut. Ning Jiu had assumed Qiao Bolin would go straight home by car, but to her surprise, he followed her out.

It rained lightly during the ride, only for a few minutes and not heavily, but the streets here have been in disrepair for years, with potholes and uneven surfaces. The rainwater mixed with the spilled dirty water, creating small puddles on the ground.

She glanced at the dessert shop's door, which was closed. She wondered if Yuan Liangjing had gone out for the evening or if the shop had simply closed earlier.

The dessert shop has a staircase leading directly to the second-floor residential area. If the dessert shop is closed, you can only go around to the back of the street to open a back door to go upstairs.

Thinking this, Ning Jiu suppressed the discomfort in her abdomen and tried to go back the way she came to find the back door, when she suddenly felt the person next to her glance at her.

"Can't get up there?" Qiao Bolin quickly realized. "Are there any other entrances?"

"There's another door behind this street."

Is it far?

Actually, it's a bit far, but Ning Jiu was afraid that if she said that, Qiao Bolin would have to call a car, so she quickly changed her words.

"Not far."

"OK."

He didn't say anything more. Ning Jiu turned her head to say goodbye, but saw him suddenly bend down and squat in front of her.

The white T-shirt clung tightly to his back, outlining the boy's taut back muscles and naturally exuding a sharp sense of strength and power.

"Come on, I'll carry you."

His back wasn't thick, but it was surprisingly stable. The moment Ning Jiu lay on his back, her nose brushed against the fabric on his shoulder and neck, and she smelled the faint scent of sandalwood on his body, mixed with the boy's body temperature, which was a little hot.

At such close range, she could only hear his even breathing and feel the slow rise and fall of his shoulder blades beneath his muscles.

The streets were narrow and potholed, and some mud splashed onto his trouser legs, turning them brownish-yellow. The fumes from the barbecue vendors made Ning Jiu squint slightly. She secretly glanced at him but found that he didn't react much.

Noticing her gaze, Qiao Bolin subconsciously slowed his pace, tilted his head slightly, and his hair brushed against her neck, soft and slightly ticklish.

"What's wrong?" He thought Ning Jiu was feeling unwell again, and his tone was a little anxious. "Did I walk too fast?"

This was the first time Ning Jiu regretted lying to Qiao Bolin.

The "not far" she mentioned turned out to be a long detour, taking them nearly twenty minutes to reach the back door.

Although the entire building has not been renovated for a long time, most of the shops in front of the store will beautify and decorate themselves, at least making them look presentable on the surface, while the back door reveals their true appearance.

Large chunks of gray-white paint were peeling off the walls, which were covered with small advertisements and mimeographed flyers. The light bulbs in the stairwell were flickering violently, as if the power might go out at any moment.

Scattered cardboard boxes and old junk were piled up in the corner, and several waterlogged takeout bags were stuck to the steps, making a dull, sticky sound when you stepped on them.

Ning Jiu said she was already very grateful that they carried her to the door; her home was on the second floor, so they could put her down.

“It’s just a few more steps,” Qiao Bailin said. “I’ll carry you up.”

As he carried her up the stairs, Ning Jiu unsurprisingly heard Aunt Wang from across the street scolding her son, saying that he was almost thirty years old and still couldn't find a job. He had enrolled in a culinary school as an apprentice but was sent back after less than two months, and all he knew was to sponge off his parents at home.

Aunt Wang's voice wasn't quiet, and she only used the same few curse words over and over again. After a little over a month, Ning Jiu felt like she could recite them by heart.

With a "bang".

Aunt Wang opened the door to throw out the trash and happened to come across Qiao Bolin carrying Ningjiu on his back. She was taken aback for a moment.

The boy had broad shoulders and long legs, with a handsome and refined face. Even though he was dressed simply, it was clear at a glance that he was wearing high-end branded clothes. Both his face and his whole person were completely out of place with the background in front of him.

Even the well-informed Aunt Wang was speechless after glancing at the bright young man in front of her and then at Ning Jiu.

There was a moment of silence in the stairwell before she seemed to realize what was happening and let out two "ohs." When she met Qiao Bolin's gaze, she even consciously went downstairs to throw her trash into the bin.

"Pfft."

After Aunt Wang left, Ning Jiu finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.

“Qiao Bolin, if you were to become an environmental or anti-smoking ambassador,” she said, “my uncle would try to persuade her until he was about to vomit blood, but she wouldn’t budge. But if she just glanced at you, she would take the trash downstairs herself.”

Qiao Bailin asked, "Why are there also anti-smoking ambassadors?"

Ning Jiu replied naturally, "Someone like you will definitely not smoke when you grow up. I'll put up your poster in front of my uncle, and he might quit smoking on his own when he sees your positive image."

She finds the scene funny whenever she thinks about it.

Qiao Bolin slightly curled the corners of his lips, saying nothing, but Ning Jiu thought of something even more interesting.

She suddenly leaned down, their arms pressed tightly together, and she gently stroked the ends of his hair hanging down the back of his neck with her fingertips, her warm breath spraying against his ear.

"Believe it or not, if my uncle saw us like this, he would break your legs."

She did intend to scare him, but given Yuan Liangjing's personality, if he really saw her being carried like that, he might actually do it.

I thought Qiao Bolin would let her go, or at least show some hesitation.

But as soon as she finished speaking, Ning Jiu suddenly felt the hand holding her knees tighten.

Suddenly, the light bulb flickered slightly again.

As the light and shadow shifted, she heard him speak in a voice tinged with laughter.

"Then break my legs."

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The author says: "Someone like you will definitely not smoke when you grow up."

It has a bit of a memoir feel to it.

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Next chapter [yellow heart][yellow heart][yellow heart], that's all for now, hehe.

A lucky commenter in the next chapter will randomly receive a red envelope [kiss emoji].