frightfiction Chapter 735 An Unexpected Victory
Chapter 735 An Unexpected Victory
Chen Nanxing's eyes lit up instantly as he looked at the adorable wooden kitten in his palm, and he couldn't help but smile, revealing his genuine joy.
But soon, as if suddenly remembering something, her eyes darted around, and she quickly lowered her head, extending her index finger to gently poke Lin Bufan's arm with a somewhat awkward gesture. Her voice became soft and gentle, carrying a deliberately feigned shyness.
“Um… Bufan… look… you’ve carved this wood so well… so… so the bet we made before… does that mean you won?” She secretly raised her eyes, quickly glanced at Lin Bufan, then quickly lowered them again, her finger continuing to poke at him: “Then I’m yours now…”
Won?
My people?
What is this all about?
Although Lin Bufan's head felt a little better than before, his reaction was still several beats slower than usual. Therefore, he couldn't understand what Chen Nanxing was saying at all!
Seeing Lin Bufan's blank expression, Chen Nanxing assumed Lin Bufan was faking it and said with a hint of reproach, "Oh dear! It's just... it's what we agreed on before! If you can carve something decent within a week, I'll give in to you; if you can't, then you'll give in to me..."
Lin Bufan looked completely bewildered: "Nanxing, is this how we made the bet? Didn't we agree to grant each other a request? How did I become one of their people? You can't lie to me just because I feel dizzy!"
Chen Nanxing blinked, giving Lin Bufan a "what's the difference?" look, while still poking at Lin Bufan's arm with her finger: "What's the difference? The final result is the same anyway!"
"The difference is huge, okay? One is about fulfilling an agreement and granting a wish, while the other is... a matter of personal ownership! They are completely different in nature!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Nanxing immediately gave Lin Bufan a look that said, "Are you stupid?" He stopped poking with his fingers, put his hands on his hips, raised his chin slightly, and said with a hint of self-righteous disdain, "Faced with such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that is guaranteed to make a profit, anyone with a sound mind would make this request!"
Think about it, by then I'll be yours, so whatever you want to ask for in the future, you can have it all.
On one hand, there's one requirement; on the other, there are countless requirements. Is it difficult to choose?
"Hmm...it seems...it's not that hard to choose..." Lin Bufan's head was spinning even more from Chen Nanxing's "logic." As soon as the words left his mouth, he suddenly realized what he was talking about, and shook his head violently, as if trying to shake off the tangled mess of yarn: "No! What is all this nonsense! You've confused me! I gave you this little cat not because of that bet! I just thought today was my first day of formally learning wood carving, and I wanted to keep it as a memento. I carved it casually, and it's the first thing that's barely acceptable. I'm just giving it to you as a small gift! That bet will definitely have to wait until I carve something better before I can fulfill it!"
In response to Lin Bufan's explanation, Chen Nanxing said, "I won't listen, it's like a turtle chanting scriptures," but she still insisted on her point of view: "Whether you intended to fulfill this bet or not, the fact is that you have already done it, hasn't it?"
Although Lin Bufan also felt that Chen Nanxing's words made some sense, for some reason, he just felt that it was a bit... a bit hasty, which caught him off guard!
"Nanxing, isn't this bet being completed too hastily? I don't feel any sense of accomplishment at all!"
“How could this be hasty?” Chen Nanxing picked up the wooden kitten and waved it in front of Lin Bufan, his tone filled with undeniable certainty: “Look how well you carved it! The lines are smooth, the form is lifelike, and you captured the kitten’s curled-up sleeping expression so accurately! The whiskers, the paws… If someone didn’t know better, they would definitely think you’ve been learning from Master Xie for several years! This has completely reached a decent standard, even exceeding my expectations! So the bet is yours, no doubt about it!”
Lin Bufan rubbed his still throbbing temples, trying to organize his thoughts: "No, Nanxing, listen to me, I think this matter needs to be addressed further..."
"What else do you want?" Chen Nanxing suddenly interrupted Lin Bufan, hands on his hips, leaning slightly forward, eyes wide with exasperation, his voice rising several decibels: "Lin Bufan! Are you even a man? Why are you so hesitant and indecisive? The matter is clearly laid out before us, the outcome is obvious! Yes is yes, no is no! Can't you just give me a straight answer? Can't you be more decisive? Huh?"
Hmm～～?
Is it a man?
Lin Bufan, whose dignity had been challenged, reached out and grabbed Chen Nanxing by the back of her neck with an irresistible force, pulling her into his arms. At the same time, he lowered his head and captured her lips, which were still chattering and "provoking".
"Ugh—!" Chen Nanxing was caught off guard, her eyes widening instantly, filled with shock and disbelief. She instinctively raised her hands and pressed them against Lin Bufan's chest, struggling violently, making muffled protest sounds in her throat.
However, Lin Bufan's arms were as firm as iron hoops, holding her tightly in his embrace. His breath, slightly weary yet still burning hot, completely enveloped her. The initial shock and struggle lasted only a few seconds. Chen Nanxing's hands, which had been pushing against his chest, gradually weakened, and her tense body slowly softened. Then, as if possessing its own will, her arms slowly moved upwards, finally encircling Lin Bufan's neck, awkward yet with a resolute determination, and began to respond cautiously.
The evening breeze blew through the pavilion, ruffling the hair of the two people. The surrounding air seemed to become thick and warm, filled with the fragrance of wood and a hint of ambiguity.
Just as the two were immersed in this sudden intimacy, somewhat forgetting themselves—
"what!"
A short, startled gasp, like a splash of cold water, shattered the enchanting atmosphere.
Chen Nanxing pushed Lin Bufan away as if he had been electrocuted!
After separating, the two turned to look at the source of the sound. There, on the stairs next to the pavilion, stood Da Mai, looking bewildered, one hand covering his mouth, his face a mixture of embarrassment, panic, and a great deal of excitement and gossip!
Under the intense gazes of the two men, Da Mai finally came to his senses. It didn't seem like the time to continue being a bystander!
"Uh—I'm...I'm sorry! I...I didn't see anything! You...you continue! Continue!"
After giving the two a smirk, Da Mai quickly ran towards the kitchen. However, his back view exuded an excitement of "discovering a shocking secret," a haste to escape the "crime scene," and an eagerness to share.
The pavilion was instantly empty except for Lin Bufan and Chen Nanxing. The air seemed to freeze, filled with an awkward and subtle tension after their unexpected encounter. Chen Nanxing's cheeks were flushed crimson, and she abruptly turned her head to glare at Lin Bufan, who stood beside her, looking somewhat bewildered and seemingly still savoring the moment.
The next second, Chen Nanxing suddenly raised his foot, with a hint of embarrassment and anger, and ruthlessly and firmly stepped on Lin Bufan's instep!
"Ouch—!" Lin Bufan was caught off guard, gasped in pain, and jumped up, clutching his foot: "Chen Nanxing! What are you doing?!"
Chen Nanxing completely ignored his cries of pain. Taking advantage of the moment when Lin Bufan bent over in pain, he darted out of the pavilion and chased after Da Mai with a clear goal.
As she ran, she cried out in a highly affected, tearful voice—loud enough for Da Mai, who hadn't gone far, to be heard—"Da Mai! Da Mai, wait! Don't misunderstand! It's not what you think! Let me explain! I was forced! It was Lin Bufan! It was Lin Bufan... he forced me! Yes! He forced me! Waaah..."
……
When Lin Bufan entered the kitchen, he immediately sensed that something was wrong.
In the small kitchen, almost all the guests of the courtyard had arrived—Xu Hongdou was slowly setting out the bowls and chopsticks, Nana was serving soup, Hu Youyu and Ma Qiushan were already sitting at the table, Da Mai was sitting in the corner, and Chen Nanxing was half-hidden behind Xu Hongdou, only showing half of his profile, his shoulders were trembling, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
But anyone could tell from her appearance that she was faking it!
Even more strangely, the moment Lin Bufan stepped through the door, everyone's eyes were fixed on him. Their gazes were a mixture of inquiry, curiosity, amusement, and a tacit understanding that "we all know."
Lin Bufan seemed completely oblivious to the strange atmosphere in the air. He walked straight to the dining table, naturally sat down in the empty seat between Xu Hongdou and Chen Nanxing, picked up his chopsticks, and glanced at the several colorful and fragrant dishes. He then picked up a piece of stir-fried mushrooms and meat, chewed it a few times, nodded, and then, as if suddenly noticing the excessive silence around him, looked up at the group of people staring intently at him but not touching their food, and blinked in confusion.
"Eat up! Why are you all staring at me? Is the food not to your liking today?"
"No no!"
"Perfect, perfect!"
"Let's eat!"
……
As if someone had pressed play, everyone immediately shook their heads and waved their hands in a panic, picked up their bowls and chopsticks, and buried their heads in their food. For a moment, only the faint sounds of bowls and chopsticks clattering and the somewhat deliberate chewing could be heard on the table, making the atmosphere even more subtle.
After eating for a while, Hu Youyu finally couldn't wait any longer. He cleared his throat, tapped the rim of his bowl lightly with the end of his chopsticks, put on what he thought was a natural smile, glanced at Lin Bufan, and began to subtly probe:
"Um... Mr. Lin, I heard you officially started learning wood carving today? And... um... you even carved a little gift for Nanxing? Your skills must be exceptional!"
Lin Bufan didn't even look up, continuing to focus on the piece of braised pork in his bowl, and casually replied, "Yeah, it's my first day learning, I just carved it for fun, it's nothing to mention."
Hu Youyu immediately seized the opportunity, leaning slightly forward, his tone carrying an exaggerated mix of expectation and "grievance": "Oh dear! President Lin, this is really not right of you! Look, you've already carved one for Nanxing. We have so many neighbors in this courtyard, and we all get along quite well, right? Why did you only bring gifts for... well, only for Nanxing? Didn't you think of bringing one for us men too? Even a wooden ear pick would be a token of your appreciation, wouldn't it?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Bufan finally put down his chopsticks. He slowly raised his head, his gaze falling on Hu Youyu's face. His brows furrowed slightly, and his eyes showed no emotion, only an undisguised look of disdain, as if he were looking at something unbelievable.
Hu Youyu felt uncomfortable under Lin Bufan's direct gaze. She shrank back and gave a dry laugh: "President Lin, please...please don't look at me like that! I...I'm telling you, I won't be like Nanxing, who would let you kiss her just for a little wood carving! I'm straight, a total straight man!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Bufan's face instantly contorted with extreme disgust, as if he had seen something filthy. He abruptly picked up his bowl and nimbly moved two spaces to the side, keeping a safe distance from Hu Youyu, muttering disdainfully, "Damn it! What are you thinking, Lao Hu? I'm not interested in you! Don't ruin my reputation! I'm warning you, if you keep talking nonsense, I'll sue you for defamation!"
His exaggerated, desperate reaction immediately drew laughter from the others at the table. Nana laughed so hard she almost fell over, Ma Qiushan couldn't help but shake his head and smile, and even the usually timid Da Mai covered his mouth and secretly chuckled. The awkward atmosphere from before was instantly dispelled.
……
As night deepened, the courtyard returned to tranquility. Xu Hongdou greeted everyone and went upstairs first.
When she returned to her room, she found a small, light-colored cotton-linen bag hanging on the doorknob. Somewhat puzzled, she took the bag down; it felt slightly heavy. Opening it, she found a wooden carving inside, slightly larger than Chen Nanxing's. It depicted a small dog sitting upright, head tilted, tongue lolling out, its expression adorably innocent. There was also a folded note inside.
Xu Hongdou unfolded the note, which still bore Lin Bufan's familiar handwriting:
"Dou'er, it's like seeing you in person. I've heard you used to enjoy 'walking dogs,' but the ones you walked were battery-powered toys that needed to be wound up and charged. I think that's too much trouble and doesn't quite capture the joy of it. So, I'm presenting you with a hand-carved wooden dog. Though it's simple and rustic, it's easy to 'raise'—it doesn't need water or food, doesn't consume any fuel, and only needs sunlight and moonlight. I hope it brings a smile to your face; consider it my small gift for today. — Extraordinary Brother"
Xu Hongdou picked up the wooden puppy with its head tilted and tongue sticking out. Her fingertips brushed against the smooth wood grain, feeling its warmth. A faint smile unconsciously curved her lips. She shook her head and took the puppy, along with the note, into the house!