Transmigrating into the Genius Cannon Fodder’s Aunt

Chapter 117 – Mianmian, Give Me A Title

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Seeing her despairing expression, Ning Shaobai suppressed a smile as he rubbed her head, “What time are you guys finishing? I’ll come pick you up.”

“No worries, I can totally go back by myself,” Xia Mian tilted her head up, acting cute in hopes that he’d let her off the hook because of how adorable she was.

Ning Shaobai smiled and patted the back of her head, but didn’t directly respond. “Go on then, have fun.”

Sun Yuexin watched his departing figure and sighed, “Dr. Ning is so gentle and considerate. I always thought he was the cold, aloof type.”

“He’s clearly only cold to other people,” Li Lizhen said dreamily, “I’m setting my future boyfriend standards based on Dr. Ning.”

Zhao Cheng laughed, “Then you’ll probably be single for life.”

Li Lizhen was so annoyed that she kicked him.

Zhao Cheng nimbly dodged and then teased Xia Mian, “It’s rare to see you act like a mouse in front of a cat. Are you really that scared of Dr. Ning?”

Talk about touching a nerve! Xia Mian glared at him and stormed back into the restaurant. “Bring me a beer!”

Hmph, alcohol is the only way to numb myself!

Wait, that actually sounds like a pretty good plan. With Dr. Ning’s character, there’s no way he’d pick a fight with a drunk girl, right?

Hahaha, I’m so smart!

Half an hour later…

Xia Mian drank the last sip of beer with a deadpan face and came to a dreadful conclusion:

Her alcohol tolerance was just as strong as it had been in her previous life!!

A whole bottle of beer and she didn’t feel a thing! Even the universe was against her!

Around ten o’clock, the restaurant was closing. The party finally wrapped up, and the students began heading home. Each class rep had arranged for the boys to escort the girls back. When it was Xia Mian’s turn, Han Haoyan said, “I’ll walk her—she lives in the same direction as me.”

Xia Mian noticed several girls looking disappointed. “No need to walk me,” she smiled.

Sun Yuexin added, “Yeah, if anything happens, who’s going to protect whom?”

Li Lizhen chimed in, “What’s there to guess? Of course Xia Mian would be the one protecting him!”

Zhao Cheng laughed, “Exactly.”

Han Haoyan protested, “But she drank, right? She’s still a girl after all.”

“That little bit of beer?” Xia Mian muttered gloomily, “Might as well have been water.”

Just as she said that, a car pulled up in front of them. Li Lizhen suddenly laughed, “Alright, no need to argue—Dr. Ning’s here to pick her up.”

Xia Mian immediately leaned on her shoulder like she couldn’t even stand straight. “Ahh, I think I’m drunk… this beer really has a kick…”

Zhao Cheng looked puzzled, “What kind of beer has a kick?”

Xia Mian honestly wanted to stomp on him. How had she never noticed how dense he was before?

Ning Shaobai had already gotten out of the car and was walking over. Seeing her “drunk” state, a smile flickered in his eyes.

“Leave her to me.” He reached out and took her into his arms. “It’s late. You four should also head home. Be careful on the way.”

Sun Yuexin and Li Lizhen quickly nodded.

“You too, Dr. Ning.”

With his arm around her, Xia Mian pretended to be too unsteady to walk as she made her way to the back seat, ready to open the door.

But before she could climb in, Ning Shaobai pulled her back.

Watching her act drunk and struggle, he leaned close and chuckled in her ear, “Want me to carry you in?”

Xia Mian instantly looked like she had just recovered her senses and obediently got into the front passenger seat.

Ning Shaobai buckled her seatbelt for her, ruffling her hair with a smile. “Good girl.”

Once he closed the car door, Xia Mian shut her eyes tightly, fully committed to pretending she was a drunken mess brought down by one bottle of beer.

Ning Shaobai started the car and said with amusement, “People who are really drunk never say they’re drunk.”

Xia Mian kept her eyes shut and stayed silent—she’d already decided to fake it till the end. I’m drunk, alright! What can you do? Forcing me to sober up?

Ning Shaobai gave her head a light pat, said nothing more, and focused on driving.

About ten minutes later, the car pulled up in front of Xia Mian’s house. She stirred slightly, pretending to sober up. “We’re here already?”

Still “dazed,” she clumsily fumbled with the seatbelt. The moment she confirmed the door was unlocked, she shot out like a rocket toward the front gate.

But…

She crashed straight into the locked iron gate with a loud thud!

Damn it! Xia Mian stood there, stunned. She’d completely forgotten—no one was home tonight!

After Xia Wenyue’s family moved out, only she and Xiao Feng were left living in the courtyard. Knowing she’d be out late today, she’d asked Ning Shaoyun to pick Xiao Feng up from Professor Zhu’s and have him sleep over with Chenchen.

Most likely, seeing the house was empty, Xia Wenyue had locked the front gate earlier that evening.

Meanwhile, Ning Shaobai leisurely locked his car and strolled over, totally unhurried. Seeing her pressed against the gate in such a comical posture made him chuckle. He reached out and rubbed her forehead. “Why headbutt the door? Does it hurt?”

Xia Mian pouted, looking pitiful. “If it does hurt, would you let me off the hook, Dr. Ning?”

Ning Shaobai was amused. “Which offense are you referring to exactly?”

Xia Mian: “…”

She let out a long sigh, looking heartbroken as she pulled out her keys and unlocked the gate.

As the lock clicked open, Ning Shaobai clapped for her. “Still able to hit the keyhole perfectly even when drunk. Impressive!”

Xia Mian ignored him. The moment she took off the padlock, her whole demeanor changed. She swiftly pushed the gate open just enough to slip through and tried to close it behind her.

She was sure she was fast enough. If all went well, she could definitely lock Ning Shaobai out!

But who would’ve thought that this damned gate would fail her at such a critical moment? It just! wouldn’t! shut!

Ning Shaobai laughed as he watched her struggle. “So… you’re sober now?”

Xia Mian sensed something was off with the way he was standing. Glancing down, she saw one of his feet propping against the gate.

Xia Mian: “…”

No wonder it wouldn’t close!

Not only was the gate stuck. It was being slowly, slowly pushed open under a certain someone’s strength…

Xia Mian turned around and bolted. Ning Shaobai immediately stepped inside and gave chase.

Trapped in the main living room, Xia Mian suddenly came to her senses—What the hell was I thinking?! No one’s home tonight. This is the perfect setup for a trap. I should’ve just stayed outside!

Panting, she glared at Ning Shaobai. “Why are you chasing me?”

With his personality, he should’ve just taken his time blocking her path—she wasn’t getting away, anyway. Being chased like that made her feel like she actually had a shot at escaping!

Ning Shaobai placed his hands on the doorframe, blocking her path, and smiled. “You looked like you wanted me to chase you, so I thought I’d honor that wish.”

Xia Mian: “…”

Damn you! What a villain!

“Ow, ow…” Xia Mian suddenly clutched her head. “I ran too fast, now I’m all dizzy… This beer really sneaks up on you!”

Ning Shaobai let out a quiet laugh. He said nothing, just helped her sit on the couch, then turned to get some water to clean her up.

It had to be said—Dr. Ning really was good at taking care of people. The water was the perfect temperature, and the pressure just right. Xia Mian felt so pampered that she thought, Maybe I should just fall asleep like this. Then I might get out of this whole situation…

Just as she was starting to doze off, Ning Shaobai, while gently wiping her hands, suddenly spoke.

“Gao Qiongying followed me to Shen City…”

Xia Mian’s eyes flew open. Seeing his smiling eyes fixed on her, she realized he’d tricked her again!

She took a deep breath. Well, it’s do or die—no point in delaying it.

Xia Mian sat up abruptly, taking the offensive. “I saw you today. You actually went out to dine with Gao Qiongying!”

“When you walked, you were standing this close!” She held up her fingers to show a ten-centimeter gap, glaring at him. “So what exactly happened in Shen City?”

Ning Shaobai listened to her wild accusations without correcting her. He sighed, “Nothing happened. Ever since I made things clear to her, she’s been sticking to me even tighter.”

“She even said…”

Xia Mian glared at him with burning eyes.

Ning Shaobai looked completely helpless. “She said she doesn’t believe I really have someone I like.”

“She said as long as there’s no one by my side, she has the right to pursue me. She believes that one day, I’ll be moved.”

Xia Mian’s eyes widened.

Ning Shaobai rinsed the towel again, wrung it out, then leaned over to wipe her face, letting out a soft sigh. “So I might need your help.”

Xia Mian’s wide eyes slowly narrowed. “The help you’re talking about isn’t asking me to deal with her, is it?”

The towel brushed gently across her neck. Ning Shaobai laughed, “Not quite. I can handle something that minor myself. But I do need one thing from you.”

Xia Mian grabbed his wrist and looked up at him warily. “What?”

Her instincts told her this was his big move tonight.

Ning Shaobai didn’t resist her hold. He simply lowered his gaze, meeting her eyes. The tension between them, once rippling with undercurrents, suddenly softened. Every bit of vigilance and resistance dissolved under something warm and steady.

Those peach blossom eyes, bright as if filled with stars, held no trace of teasing, only solemnity. Xia Mian’s heart skipped inexplicably, just as the young man said in a quiet voice, “A title.”

“Mianmian.” His tone was gentler than she had ever heard it.

It was the first time Xia Mian realized how powerful her own name could be. Spoken from his lips, it had the strength to drain her of all energy.

The young man’s tone held a kind of reverent sincerity. “Give me a title.”

“One that lets me tell the world that the rest of my life belongs to you.”

He leaned in, bracing one arm on the back of the couch behind her, as if pulling her into his embrace.

His voice turned husky. “A title that gives me the right to care for you, to hold you openly and unreservedly.”

“Will you?”

Xia Mian gulped. She had always thought their relationship was something that would naturally fall into place—smooth, steady, even scheduled around her studies. So she never expected that kind of fluttering anticipation, or the explosive joy when things finally came together.

But now that the moment was here, she realized she’d been wrong. Knowing the outcome didn’t make it any less overwhelming.

Her hand was gently guided by his warm palm and placed against his chest. His heartbeat, stronger and faster than she’d ever felt it, thudded beneath her touch.

His voice was low, tempting, impossible to resist.

“Mianmian… will you?”

Amid the near-synchronized rhythm of their hearts, Xia Mian heard herself say softly, “Yes.”

That single word felt like magic. Suddenly, Xia Mian saw the whole world blooming with flowers.

The smile on Ning Shaobai’s face began from the corners of his eyes and mouth, spreading layer by layer until the man who was always so reserved in front of others now looked like the happiest boy on earth.

Xia Mian felt unbelievably happy too. As if she were soaking in honey, the sweetness was beyond words.

Suddenly, she was swept into his arms. Strong arms circled her waist, warm breath brushed past her ear. Pressed tightly against his solid chest, Xia Mian finally understood what he meant by “openly and unreservedly.”

All those previous, tentative touches had been his restraint for her sake. But this… this was the first real embrace between them, granted by the title she had just given him.

An embrace that belonged to lovers.

So warm.

So sweet.

So safe…

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