Transmigrating into the Genius Cannon Fodder’s Aunt

Chapter 87.1 – Who Is The Hunter? (I)

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Xia Mian felt a bit dazed. She tried hard to recall what the novel had written about Ning Shaobai, but since he was just the behind-the-scenes big boss, he had rarely appeared directly, and most of what she knew came from other characters’ impressions about him.

I’m clearly at the wrong here. She shook her head. She shouldn’t keep blindly believing the novel’s content. This was a real, vivid world, and everyone here was a living person, not some imaginary character. She shouldn’t bring in that kind of preconceived, two-dimensional information.

Even what other characters had said about Ning Shaobai was just hearsay. How much truth was in there?

For example, the rumor that Ning Shaobai was sharp-tongued and mean.

Xia Mian: “…”

Well… this one wasn’t entirely wrong.

But deep down, he was actually a very gentle person. Anyone could tell just by looking at how attached Xiao Feng was to him.

Xiao Feng was very sensitive to people’s emotions, yet back when they were still in Ming City, the only person he trusted besides her was Ning Shaobai.

Another rumor was that Ning Shaobai was petty and vengeful.

Xia Mian: “…”

That also seemed… accurate.

But clearly that was only toward his enemies and people who deserved no mercy. With family and friends, he was very tolerant. It was precisely because of that tolerance that she had gradually grown bolder and bolder with him.

Like yesterday’s blunder, for example. She had misunderstood him so horribly, and yet he quickly forgave her.

Another rumor was that Ning Shaobai was capable of anything.

Xia Mian: “…”

Okay, so far, that one seemed true as well. Even though he never bragged, whenever family or friends faced trouble, he was always quietly prepared with everything they needed. You could rely on him at any moment.

Like how Ning Shaoyun had been able to get divorced smoothly, or how their families could live peacefully in this little alley—it was all because he had shielded them from the storms outside. Otherwise, with the influence of the Ning and Huo families, even after bankruptcy, it would have been easy for them to target ordinary people like them.

As for the rumor that he was gay…

Xia Mian pondered carefully. Actually, it had probably started because the original big boss was still single in his forties. Without her warnings, Ning Shaobai wouldn’t have dealt with the Huo family and Fan family as decisively as in this life. The Huo family and Fan Xiuzhi would have been able to stir up trouble for a long time, so the smear that he liked men had spread widely. Combined with his long-term single status, the rumor had taken hold.

But being gay had nothing to do with being single. Gay men could still date. Even with social prejudices, someone like Ning Shaobai wouldn’t bother hiding his orientation.

So there was only one possibility for why he was single—

Did he perhaps… have problems down there?

Xia Mian slapped her forehead, driving away the blasphemous thought. She’d already hurt him once; she absolutely couldn’t hurt him a second time!

The reason Ning Shaobai was single might simply be that he’d never met someone he liked. He clearly wasn’t the type to marry for the sake of marriage. People like that weren’t uncommon in later generations.

Thinking about the times she’d misunderstood him before, especially yesterday…

Recalling that awful speculation, Xia Mian covered her face, wanting to cry. Heaven help me—I have no face left to see Dr. Ning!!

While she was still tangled in her thoughts, the door in front of her suddenly opened. Ning Shaobai looked at her, puzzled. “I thought I heard someone out here.”

“What are you doing? Why didn’t you come in?”

Xia Mian took a deep breath and said tragically, “Dr. Ning, could you lend me a rope so I can hang myself here and be done with it?”

Ning Shaobai knocked her on the forehead and pulled her inside. “What nonsense are you spouting now?”

“I just heard you on the phone with Brother Rong…” Xia Mian was on the verge of tears—even if she had no face left, she still had to face him.

“What did you hear?” Ning Shaobai asked back, carefully observing her reaction. From the look on her face, she shouldn’t be in the mood to confront him about the love letters or anything like that…

“Everything!” Xia Mian set the lunchbox on the table, then clapped her hands together in front of her forehead, declaring loudly, “I’m sorry, I was wrong, I shouldn’t have misunderstood you!”

“Hss… I can hear you,” Ning Shaobai muttered, covering his ear. “Speak normally. Why so loud?”

Xia Mian grabbed his arm and pressed him into the chair, then busily opened the lunchbox for him, setting each dish out and handing him chopsticks. “Dr. Ning, please enjoy the meal while it’s hot.”

Seeing her like this, Ning Shaobai chuckled knowingly, “Feeling guilty now?”

Xia Mian picked up a piece of meat for him and said sincerely, “Very.”

Using clean chopsticks, Ning Shaobai also scooped a bowl of rice and set it in front of her. “Let’s eat together.”

Noticing how she still looked uneasy, he sighed. “Since you know it was a misunderstanding, I’m curious—why would you think I’m a homo?”

Because I took the novel’s words for granted! But of course, she couldn’t say that. Scratching her head, Xia Mian gave a flimsy excuse. “Back in Ming City, I noticed you didn’t seem interested in women at all. Then with the whole Fan Xiuzhi thing happening, I just… made a connection in my head.”

Afraid he might press further, she quickly got up to ladle soup for him. “Drink more. I made mung bean soup—it’s been chilled. Very refreshing.”

He gave her a glance, but eventually didn’t press. “Alright, you eat too.”

Xia Mian absentmindedly shoveled a couple of bites of rice into her mouth, then got up to wander around the room, looking for something to get busy with.

Spotting the shirt and undershirt tossed on the balcony, she said, “How about I wash these for you? They’ll dry quickly, and you can change after work tonight.”

“No need.” Maybe because of the soup, Ning Shaobai’s tone wasn’t very firm.

By then, Xia Mian already had the clothes soaking in a basin. Ning Shaobai suddenly felt his face grow warm. When she looked over, he quickly put on a helpless expression. “You don’t have to do this. It was just a misunderstanding, purely by chance. I’m not blaming you.”

The more magnanimous he was, the guiltier she felt. He continued, “It’s partly my fault too—at the start, I didn’t clearly explain things to you and just let you joke around.”

“How could it be your fault?” Xia Mian wrinkled her nose, depressed. “Back then, we barely knew each other—just upstairs and downstairs neighbors. If you’d gone out of your way to clarify, that would’ve been strange.”

She sighed. “Anyway, it really was my fault. I should work on fixing this habit of making assumptions.”

Watching her hang the shirt and undershirt to dry, Ning Shaobai felt a restless stir in his chest. He regretted not stopping her from washing them in the first place.

Taking a deep breath, he changed the subject. “You’re going back to your hometown the day after tomorrow, aren’t you? Did you get the tickets? Are they soft sleepers?”

“Yes. My second aunt asked someone to buy them—she was worried it wouldn’t be safe for me and Xiao Feng.”

Ning Shaobai nodded. “Good. Send me the ticket details later. I already made a call yesterday—someone will pick you up when you arrive and take you straight to Mingxi County, so you won’t have to trouble yourself with transfers.”

Xia Mian was instantly moved, her eyes almost brimming with tears. “Dr. Ning, you’re so good to me.”

Even after I made him so angry yesterday, he’s still so caring!

Ning Shaobai tugged disdainfully at her tuft. “Alright, enough. I’m going to take a nap.”

“Let me fan you?” Xia Mian offered.

He shot a regretful glance at the electric fan at the foot of the bed, then turned back to her with the same look of disdain. “Go home. Now.”

Glancing at the clothes drying on the balcony, he decided—for his own sanity—that he must stop her from doing things like that before she turned nineteen.