When Ji Yuning carried Beibei downstairs and entered the side bedroom, she saw Fang Bai sitting in front of the makeup mirror with her eyes closed, letting the stylist apply makeup to her face.
After Ji Yuning entered the side bedroom, she did not make a sound. Although the stylists did not recognize Ji Yuning, they knew that she must be a member of this family. They wanted to speak to her, but after seeing the coldness on her face, they swallowed the words that were on the tip of their tongues and simply nodded in acknowledgment.
Ji Yuning half-closed her eyes in response, then looked at the people surrounded in the center.
Fang Bai's skin was snow-white, without a single freckle or blemish. Her makeup was light and subtle. Her thin eyebrows were outlined with an eyebrow pencil, the curve of her brows resembling a gentle, flowing spring stream…
Fang Bai closed her eyes to rest, completely unaware that Ji Yuning had entered the side bedroom. If the makeup artist hadn't asked her to open her eyes so that she could apply mascara, and if she hadn't seen Ji Yuning when she opened her eyes, Fang Bai might not have noticed Ji Yuning's presence until the makeup was finished.
"Why did you come downstairs? We're short-handed. I'll have Sister Wu call you when I'm done," Fang Bai said softly.
Ji Yuning snapped out of her daze, stroked Beibei's fur, and whispered, "Mmm."
She went downstairs to get freeze-dried food, but after entering the house, she unintentionally became engrossed in it.
Fang Bai's head was held in place by the makeup artist, preventing her from moving. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ji Yuning standing still, and a thought popped into Fang Bai's mind. She asked the makeup artist, "Can I apply my own lipstick?"
The makeup artist smiled and said, "Of course, I can recommend a few for you, and you can choose the shade yourself."
Fang Bai hummed in agreement and said thank you. At that moment, the makeup artist stopped working.
Looking in the mirror, Fang Bai saw that all her makeup except for her lips was done. She smiled slightly and turned to ask Ji Yuning, "Would you like me to put on some lipstick for Auntie?"
Ji Yuning's eyes flickered.
Before Ji Yuning could agree or refuse, Fang Bai had already asked the makeup artist to place the selected shades on the table.
Fang Bai had no other intentions; she simply felt that Ji Yuning was standing there because she was interested in makeup, since children of this age are naturally interested in beauty.
The makeup artist quickly placed the lipsticks on the table.
Fang Bai glanced at it.
“Come on,” Fang Bai beckoned to Ji Yuning and said in a gentle voice, “you choose.”
Ji Yuning stood there expressionless, not moving. Fang Bai waved his hand and then lowered it. As that fair skin disappeared from sight, Ji Yuning's lips moved slightly, "I don't understand."
Fang Bai didn't care: "Auntie doesn't understand either, but Auntie trusts your judgment."
After saying that, Fang Bai looked at the cat in Ji Yuning's arms and called out expectantly, "Beibei~ come here."
To be fair, Beibei was quite respectful to Fang Bai in front of outsiders. First, it stared at Fang Bai with its round eyes, then saw Fang Bai's open arms and its front paws stepping on Ji Yuning's arm. After slightly breaking free of the gap, it jumped down and ran straight into Fang Bai's arms.
Fang Bai stroked the cat around Bei Bei's neck, his eyes shimmering as he looked at Ji Yuning, "You come here too."
“.
This time, Ji Yuning didn't speak again. After hesitating, she took two steps forward and stood in front of Fang Bai.
The makeup artist promptly said, "Miss, you can try out the colors on the back of your hand now, and then we'll do your makeup after you've chosen the right one."
"Hmm." Ji Yuning lowered her eyes and glanced at the table, picking up the leftmost lipstick with her fingers. The gold case made her skin look even whiter.
Ji Yuning simply dabbed the lipstick lightly on the back of her hand, leaving a mark about the size of a fingernail. Ji Yuning couldn't describe the color of the lipstick; she could only judge the differences between the three with her naked eye. From top to bottom, the colors were deep red, orange-red, and the last one... was also red.
Holding her hand up to Fang Bai's face, Ji Yuning compared it and then pointed to the third one, "This one?"
She was asking Fang Bai's opinion.
“Okay,” Fang Bai said.
The makeup artist clapped her hands. "This is the color I originally wanted to give Ms. Fang."
"Then this one." After saying that, Fang Bai tilted his chin slightly and parted his thin lips slightly.
Before applying makeup, Fang Bai's lips were coated with lip balm. Under the light, her lips were glistening and smooth like jelly.
This scene caught her eye, and Ji Yuning's hand holding the lipstick clenched involuntarily, leaving her fingerprints on the smooth outer shell.
The two stylists surrounding Fang Bai went to choose clothes for him, while the makeup artist was behind him. So, Fang Bai's alluring appearance was only noticed by Ji Yuning.
"It's best to support Miss Fang's chin so it won't shake." The makeup artist could tell that Ji Yuning didn't know anything about makeup, and seeing that Ji Yuning was hesitant to move, she offered her guidance.
As they were talking, the makeup artist shifted her feet, wanting to walk over to Fang Bai and see how Ji Yuning applied the makeup.
Ji Yuning was a step ahead of the makeup artist. By the time the makeup artist moved to Fang Bai's side, Ji Yuning had already reached out to cover Fang Bai's face. Her ring finger hooked Fang Bai's chin, and her other hand slowly pressed the lipstick onto Fang Bai's lips.
Slide gently in the direction of movement.
Ji Yuning held her breath, watching as Fang Bai's pink lips turned red because of her.
Author's Note:
Adult Xiao Ji: I'd rather it was me who sucked the red.
Chapter 58
After the styling was finished, it was almost time for the banquet to begin.
Along the way, the yolk-like sun was squeezed between towering buildings, with thin, yellowish clouds floating around it, and orange-yellow afterglow reflected on the windows of several tall buildings.
A crack was opened in the car window, and warm air flowed through the gap into the cabin, ruffling the hair at Fang Bai's temples.
Fang Bai ignored it, letting the wind use its strands of hair to depict its mood.
Three minutes later, the tall buildings blocked out the light, and the carriage suddenly became dark.
Fang Bai straightened his gaze and lazily turned his head to look in the other direction.
The child didn't speak or look at his phone after getting on the bus; I don't know what he was thinking.
When Fang Bai first arrived, she could at least have a vague understanding of Ji Yuning based on her initial acquaintance. But now, she couldn't fathom Ji Yuning's thoughts at all, and she hadn't even caught a glimpse of the subtle expressions on Ji Yuning's face for a long time.
Fang Bai could only observe the other party's occasional softening of cold brows or the unintentional upturn of the corners of their mouth.
A seventeen-year-old is more mature than some adults.
Is it an old-fashioned persona? Or are the things weighing on her heart surging like waves, crashing against the reefs of her soul before receding, waiting for the next wave of tempering, spurring her to become this way?
Fang Bai had too many questions in her mind, and the way she looked at Ji Yuning contained an undeniable curiosity.
Ji Yuning turned her head and asked, "What's wrong?"
Where no one can see, a hand clenches helplessly.
A calm voice interrupted Fang Bai. She subtly shifted her gaze to Ji Yuning's dress and complimented, "This color suits you very well. You look great in it."
She slowly opened her hand, which had been tucked to her side, feeling a mixture of disappointment and relief. She thought Fang Bai's probing had led her to discover something.
Ji Yuning lowered her eyes and said softly, "Yours too."
"You didn't even glance at me. Isn't that a bit perfunctory?" Fang Bai smiled gently. "Little liar."
She saw it.
While Fang Bai wasn't paying attention, he savored the moment after quickly turning his gaze away.
More than just dresses, more than just makeup.
Ji Yuning lifted her eyelids, omitting any unnecessary explanations, and said calmly, "You believe me."
“Yeah~” Fang Bai took a piece of candy out of his bag and said to Ji Yuning, “Unless I saw it with my own eyes, the others—”
Fang Bai lowered his eyes and unwrapped the candy, unaware of the emotions flashing in the eyes of the person next to him.
Fang Bai put the candy in his mouth and said with a smile, "I believe whatever you say."
“…”
Ji Yuning remained silent, and Fang Bai, with candy in his mouth, also refrained from speaking.
The car arrived at the hotel quickly.
When the waiter who came forward to lead the way approached, Fang Bai said softly, "Please wait a moment," and then turned to look at the people getting off the bus from the other side.
When Ji Yuning walked around the car to her side, Fang Bai raised her arm to take Ji Yuning's hand while signaling to the waiter that she could continue leading the way.
Looking down at the outstretched hand, Ji Yuning paused for a moment before grasping it in return. The instant her thumb touched the back of the white hand, Ji Yuning's fingers unconsciously rubbed together.
The movements were so gentle that Fang Bai didn't notice at all.
But He Ziyan, who had also just arrived at the hotel and couldn't hide her joy when she saw Fang Bai after getting out of the car, saw him.
Ji Yuning caught a glimpse of He Ziyan out of the corner of her eye. She turned her gaze slightly and saw He Ziyan's hesitant and slightly pale face.
Noticing that Ji Yuning was looking at her, He Ziyan was stunned for a moment before returning to normal.
Their eyes met, and after a brief exchange, Ji Yuning was the first to look away.
Over the past six months, He Ziyan's personality has become much more subdued. In the past, she would have rushed up to greet Fang Bai, but now, she just nudged Ji Yuning's back with her lips and then turned to find Zhu Ping.
Although Fang Bai didn't see He Ziyan, Zhu Ping sent her a message last night asking if she would attend the banquet, so he assumed Zhu Ping would come.
The elevator doors opened, and Fang Bai released Ji Yuning's hand. "Xiao He might come. You can look for her if you get bored later."
As Fang Bai withdrew his hand, Ji Yuning's hand suddenly felt empty. She half-clenched her fist, pretending to cover herself, and followed Fang Bai into the elevator.
Hearing Fang Bai's words, Ji Yuning lowered her eyes and said, "Mm."
To make it easier for the elevator attendants and others to board, Fang Bai walked to the corner of the elevator, and Ji Yuning stood next to her.
Ji Yuning remained expressionless, and Fang Bai couldn't tell if she was happy or unhappy. After thinking for a couple of seconds, he leaned closer to Ji Yuning and said softly, "Don't worry, I won't be here for long."
She's just here to make an appearance; she'll leave after a while.
The stylist sprayed Fang Bai with perfume, a very light scent, like tender buds breaking through the soil in early spring, or spikes of flowers protruding from willow branches.
After saying that, Fang Bai straightened up, put his other arm around his shoulder, and lifted his eyelids to look at the changes in the number of floors.
In just a few seconds, the number stopped at twelve.
The waiter stepped aside and said to Fang Bai, "Ms. Fang, we've arrived."
After thanking the waiter, Fang Bai and Ji Yuning walked out of the elevator one after the other, while the waiter went downstairs to greet the new guests.
The banquet hall is located to the right after exiting the elevator.
The invitation did not specify the purpose of the celebration banquet; it only listed the hotel address and the banquet time.
Fang Bai handed the invitation to the greeter standing at the door, who greeted Fang Bai politely and pushed open the closed door.