Fang Bai couldn't continue. In her opinion, shouldn't Ji Yuning making this call be a good thing? Why was her first reaction to stop her? What was this vague panic in her heart?
The throbbing pain swept over me again.
The call was connected at that moment.
Ji Yuning turned on the speakerphone.
A soft voice came from inside, "Yu Ning? Isn't it noon in Beijing at this time? Aren't you busy with work? Then why aren't you with Aunt Fang?"
Mu Xue spoke softly with a slightly raised tone in her last sentence, which contained an ambiguous teasing tone.
Fang Bai understood, his gaze lingering on Ji Yuning and the phone, slightly puzzled.
Ji Yuning glanced at Fang Bai, noticing the confusion in his eyes, then looked at her phone and whispered, "I confessed to Fang Bai."
Fang Bai suddenly looked up.
The air seemed to freeze in shock for a few seconds.
"Really?!" Mu Xuerou asked excitedly, "What did you tell Aunt Fang? I want to hear it."
"We'll talk when you get back."
"Can't we say it now?"
"Um, I have a question for you."
Ji Yuning kept looking at Fang Bai while she was speaking. Fang Bai only snapped out of her daze after hearing what Ji Yuning was saying and hurriedly turned her head away when she realized that Ji Yuning was looking at her.
Mu Xuerou responded, "Go ahead and ask."
His tone still held lingering excitement.
Fang Bai said you—
Before she could finish speaking, Ji Yuning's mouth was covered.
A fragrant scent wafted to her nose, and Ji Yuning followed her gaze down her fair arm to see Fang Bai looking at her with a tense expression.
Upon meeting Ji Yuning's gaze, Fang Bai quickly shook his head, signaling Ji Yuning to stop talking.
She said she was talking to Ji Yuning, but when Ji Yuning asked Mu Xuerou, it was a different story.
There's a kind of awkwardness that comes from whispering secrets to your family and having others overhear you... it's just too embarrassing.
Fang Bai was unaware that Ji Yuning had deliberately mentioned her name to see her reaction, as a kind of... small revenge?
The lips that were covered by Fang Bai's hand curved upwards when they saw Fang Bai's panic.
Before Ji Yuning could finish her sentence, Mu Xuerou asked, "What did Aunt Fang say about me?"
Ji Yuning looked at Fang Bai.
—The aunt let go.
Fang Bai blinked.
—Don't talk nonsense.
Ji Yuning raised an eyebrow.
—Didn't Auntie say that herself?
Fang Bai paused for a moment, then pursed his lips.
—Try asking it in a more tactful way.
Ji Yuning narrowed her eyes.
Fang Bai felt a warm touch against her palm; Ji Yuning kissed her hand.
At the same time, Ji Yuning looked at her.
--good.
Fang Bai awkwardly withdrew his hand.
Ji Yuning paused for a moment before replying, "It's nothing. Auntie was just curious about how we became friends."
The question was indeed very tactful, and it had nothing to do with whether he liked it or not, which put Fang Bai at ease.
Mu Xuerou paused for a moment, then cautiously asked, "Is Aunt Fang nearby?"
Seeing Fang Bai wave his hand, Ji Yuning said in a strained voice, "Go ahead and say it."
Mu Xuerou didn't think much of it and said, "Actually,"
Mu Xuerou hesitated and said, "I just felt sorry for you. Aunt Fang treated you so well before, and you were so quiet and withdrawn. Plus, we were deskmates, so that's why I..."
To be your friend.
After a few seconds, Mu Xue asked softly, "You're not angry, are you?"
"No," Ji Yuning said softly, "thank you."
Mu Xuerou smiled and said, "Just tell Aunt Fang that, but don't mention anything about Aunt Fang, or I'm afraid she'll be angry with me."
Ji Yuning said, "She won't."
She is very generous.
Mu Xuerou chuckled and asked, "Anything else you want to ask? If not, I'm going to hang up and go to sleep."
Fang Bai thought Ji Yuning would hang up the phone, but instead Ji Yuning said, "There's one more."
Mu Xuerou found Ji Yuning unusually talkative today, and said, "Go on."
Ji Yuning's voice was flat and calm, as if she were just going through the motions. She asked, "Did you ever like me?"
Fang Bai's heart raced, and an indescribable feeling spread throughout his body.
Even though it was clear from her words that Mu Xuerou didn't have those kinds of feelings for Ji Yuning, Ji Yuning still asked.
Just like the first thing you hear after answering a phone call—unexpected, yet giving you a great sense of security.
Just as the atmosphere became tense, an angry roar came from the phone: "Ji Yuning, have you no shame?!"
Walking up to Mu Xuerou, who was smiling and talking on the phone, He Ziyan's anger flared up when she heard the words that sounded like a love confession. Pointing the phone at her, she demanded, "Do you believe I'll tell Aunt Fang?!"
He Ziyan's appearance is more telling than Mu Xuerou's answer.
Having achieved her goal, Ji Yuning hung up the phone.
Fang Bai stared blankly at Ji Yuning, and after a few seconds, asked in a low voice, "Why is Xiao He with Xiao Mu?"
No wonder I haven't seen her these past few days.
Ji Yuning looked at Fang Bai with her cool eyes: "Then it depends on what Auntie thinks."
What do you think?
He Ziyan's reaction was intense, like she was jealous, so...
Fang Bai looked at Ji Yuning in disbelief, "The two of them?"
Ji Yuning said softly, "Mmm."
The shock of the news was no less than when she found out that Ji Yuning liked her. Fang Bai pursed her lips and remained silent. Then, she thought of something.
"Since you knew all this, why did you still call Xiaomu?"
Ji Yuning's eyes flickered slightly. "Would Auntie believe me if I told her?"
It would be better to let Fang Bai hear it with his own ears.
A problem that had been bothering me for a long time was easily resolved with a single phone call.
Fang Bai's perception changed too quickly, and before he could adjust his mindset, Ji Yuning's voice rang in his ears: "Although Xue Rou didn't answer, I think Auntie should understand that she doesn't like me."
Fang Bai: "...Hmm."
Ji Yuning shifted her feet and leaned towards Fang Bai, "I've always considered Xue Rou a friend, whether you're here or not."
Fang Bai wouldn't say Mu Xuerou likes her for no reason, so she must know something.
Ji Yuning responded with another "...Mm".
Just minutes ago, Fang Bai was determined to remain calm. But now, with the only obstacle in her heart gone, she was facing Ji Yuning's relentless pressure. All her rhythm was disrupted, and she was speechless for a moment. She had already used all her strength to respond to Ji Yuning.
Ji Yuning cupped Fang Bai's face in her hands, rubbing her thumbs around the corners of Fang Bai's mouth, round and round.
With Ji Yuning's hands supporting him, Fang Bai tilted his head back slightly, his neck and jaw curving into a beautiful arc. Fang Bai's eyes were slightly red at the corners, and his watery eyes gazed at the person in front of him.
The two gazed at each other with deep affection, their unspoken understanding unspoken, and neither uttered a sound.
After an unknown amount of time, the atmosphere around us became as tight as a fish drowning in water, and the resonance in our chests continued.
Even the air seemed to urge, matchmake, and egg them on.
Holding Ji Yuning's wrist, Fang Bai slowly closed his eyes. The darkness blocked Ji Yuning's vision, but it did not sever her feelings.
Closing my eyes actually allows me to feel Ji Yuning more realistically.
Fang Bai followed his heart, and guided by it, he slowly moved closer in the darkness, placing a very light kiss on the corner of Ji Yuning's lips.
Chapter 116
The advantage of living under the same roof as your boss is that you can know the interview results immediately, and you might even be able to change your boss's decision.
Initially, Ji Yuning wanted to arrange a high position for Fang Bai, but this decision was based on the premise that it was within Fang Bai's work capabilities. Fang Bai was a skilled investor who was good at discovering business opportunities, and it was not Ji Yuning abusing her power for personal gain.
But Fang Bai rejected him.
Her plan was that since she wasn't familiar with the company's business yet, she should start from the bottom and get a feel for it. She would climb the ranks based on her abilities.
At Fang Bai's request, she became an ordinary employee of FJ. However, the only unusual thing about her was that, given the nature of Fang Bai's job, she could come and go from the company at any time, or work directly from home.
For the first few days, Fang Bai rode in Ji Yuning's car to the company every day to familiarize herself with the work environment. Apart from a new intern, she rarely saw anyone else in her department. They would only bump into each other during meetings; otherwise, they were all out doing business.
“…”