They almost gave themselves away.
Fang Bai knew that what she was doing did not conform to the original owner's character setting, but if she followed the original owner's character setting, two years would not be enough, or even if she were given ten years, she would not be able to melt Ji Yuning's frozen heart.
Although Ji Yuning's attitude towards her is the same as before, even if it's just a small part of the iceberg, there's still a chance for her to escape from Ji Yuning's clutches. Fang Bai is making changes little by little, hoping to have a subtle influence on Ji Yuning.
Although he was prepared to be asked "Why have you changed so much?", Fang Bai's heart still skipped a beat when Ji Yuning suddenly asked, "When did you learn to cook?"
Fang Bai had already given Ji Yuning the answer to the former question: it was because he wanted to be good to her that he did the opposite of what the original owner did.
However, the second question was outside the scope of being nice to Ji Yuning, and it was difficult to brush it off with a statement like "I learned to cook because I wanted to be nice to you." Fortunately, Fang Bai had already thought of a response, so his reply to Ji Yuning was so natural that it was impossible to find fault with it.
We need to pay more attention to this afterwards.
Calming himself down, Fang Bai continued what he was doing.
After taking a shower, Yu Ning returned to her bedroom and asked Mu Xue Rou what her homework was. After receiving a reply, Yu Ning noticed that Mu Xue Rou hadn't taken her schoolbag upstairs.
Ji Yuning got up and went downstairs. When she reached the second floor, she heard the sound of a chopping board coming from the kitchen.
“…”
Ji Yuning's footsteps were very soft, but even when Fang Bai stopped making any noise, he could still hear the slight friction of her slippers against the ground.
Turning his head, Fang Bai saw Ji Yuning standing by the dining table, looking down and zipping up her backpack.
Fang Bai asked, "Do you need to do your homework?"
Looking at the person holding a kitchen knife, one hand on their hip, and wearing an apron with a professional air, Ji Yuning said softly, "Hmm."
To demonstrate that he was a novice cook who had only been a cook for two days, Fang Bai deliberately made the chopping sounds louder and cut the vegetables into different sizes, afraid that he would give himself away again.
Remembering that it was just the sound of a cutting board, Fang Bai cleared his throat and asked, "Won't I disturb you?"
Ji Yuning was about to take her schoolbag upstairs, but changed her mind at that moment. Ji Yuning pulled out a chair and sat down, "No."
Everyone has curiosity, and Ji Yuning, out of curiosity, wanted to see how the "young lady" cooked.
...If the kitchen explodes, she can call the police immediately.
It wasn't for Fang Bai's sake, but because she currently had nowhere else to stay besides the school.
Even when Ji Yuning wasn't there, Fang Bai was already chopping on the cutting board; now that Ji Yuning is there, Fang Bai's acting has become even more intense.
So when Ji Yuning saw Fang Bai, who was "frantically searching for utensils," "haphazardly piecing together ingredients without knowing what seasonings to add," "startled and backing away from the sizzling sound of hot oil while adding vegetables," and "frequently checking his phone for the cooking steps," successfully cook a dish and place it in front of her,
Although the dish looked vibrant and smelled delicious, making it very appetizing, Ji Yuning's first reaction was that it was inedible.
The entire process of making this dish can only be described as a complete disaster.
Fang Bai missed Ji Yuning's brief frown and took a lid from the kitchen to cover the dish.
The moment the dish was covered, Ji Yuning's eyebrows relaxed slightly.
"Wait a minute, there's one more dish. You can continue with your homework."
Fang Bai added, "Don't worry, it won't be long."
Ji Yuning lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes concealing the emotions within: "Mm."
During the fifteen minutes Fang Bai was making this dish, Ji Yuning only did ten math problems.
It's not that I can't, it's that... I have difficulty concentrating.
Fortunately, when cooking the second dish, Fang Bai seemed to have "experienced" and made much less noise.
After finishing the second dish, Fang Bai suddenly wanted to make a cold dish.
Cold dishes are very easy to make.
While Fang Bai was washing the vegetables, he asked Ji Yuning to put away her homework so they could eat.
As Ji Yuning stood by the sink washing her hands, she heard Fang Bai call out, "Xiao Ning."
As Ji Yuning turned off the tap, she glanced sideways at Fang Bai.
Seeing Ji Yuning looking over, Fang Bai pointed to the cutting board and suggested with a gentle smile, "Would you like to try it?"
For the past three years, perhaps out of fear of poisoning her, Fang Bai had never let Ji Yuning cook.
By the time Ji Yuning reacted, she was already standing in front of the cutting board with a knife in hand.
Ji Yuning: "?"
The person who pulled Ji Yuning to his side and shoved the knife into her hand now stood with his hands behind his back on Ji Yuning's right side and said, "I've already chopped the garlic. You just need to shred the cucumber and bean curd sheets."
Ji Yuning hummed in response, but remained silent for a long time.
Fang Bai realized the reason; when she first cooked, she didn't know what to make either.
Fang Bai smiled and said, "Let me demonstrate for you."
The handle was very short, and Ji Yuning gripped it entirely with her hand, so when Fang Bai reached for the knife, he ended up grabbing it along with Ji Yuning's hand.
Ji Yuning tried to pull her hand away, but Fang Bai held it tightly. Fang Bai said, "This will work too. You hold the cucumber with your other hand, and I'll help you cut it."
The familiar, fresh fragrance that wafted into my nose overpowered the cooking fumes that filled the kitchen.
This caused Ji Yuning to be a step behind in rejecting him.
After repeatedly pulling Ji Yuning's hand, Fang Bai lost his fear of holding her hand.
Compared to the composure of the second time, this time it can only be described as natural.
Ji Yuning's hands were small, so she gripped them completely. Fang Bai seemed to be controlling the knife, but he was actually holding both Ji Yuning's hand and the knife in their hands. The knife in their hands rose and fell with the force of the movement.
The warmth from Fang Bai's palm emanated from the back of her hand. Ji Yuning, who was taking a warm shower to cool down, felt hot and restless. Before she could even utter the name Fang Bai, the heat on the back of her hand subsided.
Ji Yuning's words caught in her throat, her unreleased emotions stuck in her chest.
Fang Bai was unaware of how much annoyance her unintentional actions had caused Ji Yuning. After taking a step back, he said to Ji Yuning, "Alright, now try cutting it."
After slicing half a cucumber, Ji Yuning looked down at the cucumber shreds, some thick and some thin, and some even sliced into thin strips. She paused for a moment, then said, "...You don't actually need to teach me."
I was rejected.
Fang Bai leaned lazily against the edge of the kitchen counter, "Then let Auntie see Xiao Ning's knife skills~"
Fang Bai's nonchalant demeanor caught Ji Yuning's eye; his languid tone, like a cat's wagging tail, swayed and alluring.
Ji Yuning felt that this was a woman's true nature—a detached indifference towards everything around her, and all the enthusiasm she showed was an act.
Ji Yuning pursed her lips and looked down at the remaining half of the cucumber.
Just as he raised his hand holding the knife, a slender finger tapped it, saying, "It's easier to apply force with your thumb here."
Ji Yuning's calm eyes flickered slightly, and she said in a composed tone, "Didn't you want to see my knife skills?"
Fang Baitou leaned close to her shoulder and smiled gently, "Yes, yes, Auntie was too nosy."
A top student is a top student. When Fang Bai was cutting Ji Yuning into strips, she deliberately made several mistakes, but as soon as Ji Yuning got the hang of it, her knife skills were almost on par with her actual level.
After Ji Yuning finished chopping everything on the cutting board, Fang Bai told her what seasonings to add.
A minute later, the two sat down.
Fang Bai took a bite of the cold dish that Ji Yuning had prepared. While eating, Fang Bai noticed that Ji Yuning was glancing at her almost imperceptibly, as if asking her something silently.
Fang Bai smiled inwardly.
If Ji Yuning's character were more cheerful, would she be eager to ask her what it tasted like and whether it was delicious?
"Not bad." Fang Bai used serving chopsticks to put some food into Ji Yuning's bowl and said, "Start learning to cook today. I believe it won't be long before you're as good as the old man's chef."
Fang Maozhou's chef was specially hired and is somewhat famous in the country.
Ji Yuning's heart skipped a beat, and she picked up the cucumber shreds from the rice.
"This way, your partner will be in for a treat."
Fang Bai suddenly remembered this sentence and wondered if all elders would say this? She remembered that her mother had said the same thing when she was learning to cook.
Ji Yuning's chopsticks paused in mid-air for a few seconds.
When Fang Bai thought of his other half, he thought of Mu Xuerou.
I wonder if Ji Yuning had fallen for Mu Xuerou by then.
Fang Bai rested his hand on his chin, his gaze sweeping over Ji Yuning, "Do you have someone you like?"
Ji Yuning remained silent, giving Fang Bai a look that said, "?"
Thinking about the years that Ji Yuning and Mu Xuerou missed in the original text, Fang Bai said in a very experienced tone, "I don't object to you dating early. If you do, you should seize the opportunity to confess to her. Otherwise, if you miss the chance to confess, you may have regrets after you break up with her."
Ji Yuning put down her chopsticks and asked indifferently, "And what about you?"
Fang Bai smiled: "Me? What's wrong with me?"
Ji Yuning's lips curled up. She had never smiled in front of Fang Bai before, and this smile was full of sarcasm.
Ji Yuning said, enunciating each word clearly, "Do you regret never confessing your feelings to Aunt Liao?"
Fang Bai's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and he vehemently denied it: "...Who said I like Liao Li?"
Don't you like it?
Ji Yuning's indifferent voice rang out.
Fang Bai slowly placed his hand, which had been supporting his chin, on the table.
The smile on his lips also faded.
She doesn't like it.
The original owner liked it.
Liao Li is male, but the original owner always thought that Liao Li liked Lu Xia. She thought that the three of them could become friends because they formed a strange food chain.
After Lu Xia, who was at the top of the food chain, passed away, the original owner thought she could be with Liao Li. However, Liao Li flew abroad without saying a word.
This act, which resembled fleeing from a place of heartbreak, further convinced the original owner that Liao Li liked Lu Xia.
The burning anger of jealousy ultimately fell on Ji Yuning.
Fang Bai believes that the original owner never expressed his feelings for Liao Li, and even if Liao Li liked someone, it had nothing to do with the original owner.
The original owner kept her feelings for Liao Li hidden and never told anyone. It was only when she was drunk that she unintentionally revealed this secret to Lu Xia.
It seems that Ji Yuning must have found out from what Lu Xia left behind.