Fang Bai: "It's almost ten o'clock, Xiao Ning needs to rest."
Although Liao Li was angry when she heard this, she couldn't refute it. After all, Ji Yuning's rest was more important. After saying goodbye in a hurry, Liao Li hung up the phone.
Fang Bai held his phone, and Ji Yuning's voice rang in his ears: "Aunt Fang was very nervous just now?"
Without a second thought, Fang Bai denied it: "No."
Even if it exists, they won't admit it.
When Fang Bai came in with his phone, Ji Yuning was sitting at her desk doing her homework.
At this moment, Ji Yuning stood up from her chair, stood in front of Fang Bai, and asked in a low voice, "What would happen if I told Aunt Liao that you treated me badly?"
What would happen if she disobeyed Fang Bai? Would the hand on her shoulder choke her? Or…?
Fang Bai was quite satisfied with Ji Yuning's cooperation just now. Hearing Ji Yuning's question, she said in a good mood, "Then you can wait to get a spanking from me."
Ji Yuning, whose thoughts were interrupted: "..."
"Alright, it's getting late," Fang Bai said, gesturing to the cup on the table. "Drink your milk first."
The milk was given to Ji Yuning by Fang Bai to supplement her nutrition.
Ji Yuning picked up the cup and stared at the pure white liquid inside. For a second, she wondered if there was poison in it.
Especially under Fang Bai's direct gaze.
Seeing that Ji Yuning was still not moving, Fang Bai said softly, "Drink up. I'll have Sister Wu prepare a cup for you every night from now on."
Ji Yuning tapped the side of the cup with her thumb, indicating that even if this cup was "accidentally" spilled, there would be another one.
Putting aside the thought of deliberately spilling the glass, Ji Yuning tilted her chin back and drank it all in one gulp under Fang Bai's gaze.
Fang Bai reached out and ruffled Ji Yuning's hair before taking the empty cup from her hand. Before turning to leave, he whispered, "Go to sleep early, goodnight."
Ji Yuning glanced to her left, where there was a mirror about 1.7 meters tall, which Fang Bai had specially prepared for her. The small mirror that had been pasted on the wall had been put away in a cardboard box.
Ji Yuning stared at the tuft of hair that had been ruffled on her head, her pupils dim and unreadable.
On Saturday and Sunday, Fang Bai and Ji Yuning had very little interaction. Apart from mealtimes, Ji Yuning stayed in her room studying, while Fang Bai continued to refuse the invitations from the original owner's "friends," idly slumping on the sofa, thinking about how to get closer to Ji Yuning, but in the end, he couldn't come up with anything.
Fang Bai was helpless. She tried to approach Ji Yuning with the gentlest of tempers, but Ji Yuning was too cold. She would feel cold before she even got close to her.
The only contact the two had these past two days was that Liao Li would video call Fang Bai every night, and then Fang Bai would go to Ji Yuning's room to deliver the phone, and sit on the sofa to watch Ji Yuning and Liao Li chat.
After Fang Bai's sudden appearance on the first day, Liao Li didn't ask Ji Yuning how she was doing these two times. She only asked what Ji Yuning did on a daily basis and chatted with her about her work.
During their conversation, Liao Li initiated all the talking, while Ji Yuning would occasionally nod in response or give a calm "hmm."
Ji Yuning initially reacted with a distant attitude, but after two days of communication, Fang Bai felt that Ji Yuning's attitude towards Liao Li had softened. When she nodded and said "hmm," the corners of her mouth would slightly turn up, with a faint smile.
This was an attitude towards her that had never been shown before.
Liao Li said something to Ji Yuning, but Fang Bai didn't hear it clearly. She only saw Ji Yuning looking at her.
Fang Bai subconsciously raised the corners of her mouth and smiled at Ji Yuning. It wasn't a deliberate attempt to please her; she just wanted Ji Yuning to feel that she meant no harm.
Then Fang Bai saw Ji Yuning's slightly upturned lips flatten down, and then slightly upturn again when she spoke to Liao Li again.
Three minutes later, the conversation ended with Liao Li's sudden work, and Ji Yuning got up and handed the phone back to Fang Bai.
Fang Bai took the phone, said goodnight as usual, and left the room.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door.
The person who came was Wu Mei. She smiled at Ji Yuning and asked, "Xiao Ji, have you finished your milk? I've come to get your cup."
"not yet."
As Ji Yuning spoke, she turned and walked towards the desk, glancing at the unfinished milk on it as she went.
As she passed by the mirror, Ji Yuning caught a glimpse of her neatly styled hair on top of her head. She paused for a moment, then finished her milk and handed the cup to Wu Mei.
Author's Note:
Xiao Ji's Diary: On *month* *day*, my wife didn't pat my head, didn't watch me finish my milk, and even her goodnight was perfunctory.
Chapter 15
Wu Mei walked down from the attic and turned around to see Fang Bai leaning against the railing.
The woman leaned casually against the wall; although her face was expressionless, one could sense the dejected mood emanating from those around her.
Wu Mei didn't know what had happened, but when Fang Bai looked at her, she raised her empty cup and said, "Miss, I saw Xiao Ji drink all the milk."
"Okay, that's good." Fang Bai straightened up. "Thank you for your trouble, Sister Wu. You should get some rest too."
Fang Bai only remembered that Ji Yuning hadn't drunk her milk after returning to her room.
Fearing that Ji Yuning might secretly pour it out, she planned to go upstairs to Ji Yuning's room again. She bumped into Wu Mei as she went out, and after thinking for a moment, Fang Bai let Wu Mei go upstairs.
Ji Yuning's attitude towards Fang Bai made Fang Bai feel a sense of frustration.
Fang Bai could sense that Ji Yuning's attitude towards Liao Li was initially very cold, but it softened after only three phone calls.
Of course, Fang Bai also knew that the most crucial reason was what the original owner had done, so his hasty departure from Ji Yuning's room was not because he was angry, but because Fang Bai himself was disheartened.
However, this feeling of dejection only lasted one night.
After spending the entire night figuring out that survival was the most important thing, Fang Bai got up early the next morning, got ready, and went downstairs. Seeing the people sitting at the dining table eating, Fang Bai walked over and said, "Good morning, did you sleep well?"
Ji Yuning turned her head to look at Fang Bai, but only glanced at him before looking away, her eyelashes fluttering: "Mm."
Wu Mei served Fang Bai the meal: porridge and small steamed buns.
After taking a sip of porridge, Fang Bai said, "It seems that a glass of milk every night is still effective."
Fang Bai remembered that Ji Yuning wouldn't have any milk at school, so he said, "I'll take you to buy some later so you can drink it at school."
"No need," Ji Yuning said. "The school supermarket has them."
Fang Bai nodded: "Oh, okay."
Ji Yuning picked up her bowl, walked to the kitchen counter, and just as she rolled up her sleeves, she heard Fang Bai ask her, "What are you making?"
Ji Yuning turned on the tap, and amidst the rushing water, her voice rang out, neither clear nor indifferent: "Wash the dishes."
Fang Bai: "We have a dishwasher."
"Yes, Xiao Ji, just give me the bowl." Wu Mei said as she walked towards Ji Yuning, wanting to stop Ji Yuning from washing the dishes, but by the time she got there, Ji Yuning had already turned off the tap and the bowls were already washed.
Seeing this, Wu Mei could only say, "You don't need to wash anymore. After you finish eating, pack up and go to school."
Ji Yuning hummed in agreement: "Thank you, Aunt Wu."
Ji Yuning walked out of the kitchen, leaving her schoolbag on the chair she had just been sitting on.
Just as Ji Yuning picked up her schoolbag, Fang Bai, who was sitting in the main seat, hurriedly said, "Wait for me a moment, I'll finish eating right away."
Wu Mei: "Miss, Xiao Ji is going to school. Please take your time eating."
Fang Bai said, "I'll take her."
"Huh?" Wu Mei thought she had misheard and asked again, "Miss, are you going to see Xiao Ji off?"
"Hmm." Fang Bai slowly finished the last mouthful of porridge, stood up and said to Ji Yuning, who was looking at her, "I'll see you off."
Just as Ji Yuning was about to refuse, a warm sensation covered her head.
Fang Bai gently patted Ji Yuning's head. "Don't reject me, okay?"
“…”
Fang Bai declined Uncle Li's offer to give him a ride and got into the driver's seat himself.
Fang Bai then opened the passenger door and let Ji Yuning get in the car.
After Ji Yuning got into the car, Fang Bai simply told her to fasten her seatbelt and then focused on driving without saying anything more.
As the car drove out of the villa area and passed the bus stop, Fang Bai said softly, "How was it? Isn't it much faster than taking the bus?"
Fang Bai guessed that Ji Yuning was in a good mood today, since her stupid question actually got a response.
Ji Yuning said, "Mm."
Fang Bai smiled faintly and said, "If you run commutes to school, I'll pick you up and drop you off every day."
This time, Ji Yuning didn't say anything more. Because he wasn't familiar with the road, Fang Bai didn't respond either, concentrating on driving.
Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of the gate of Huyi Middle School.
Ji Yuning unbuckled her seatbelt, grabbed her backpack, and said, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Fang Bai said.
Seeing that Ji Yuning had already opened the car door and was about to get out, Fang Bai called out, "Xiao Ning."
Ji Yuning paused, then turned around to see Fang Bai handing her several red bills, "Living expenses."
Ji Yuning lifted her eyelids slightly, raised her arm, and revealed her hand hidden under her school uniform.
As Ji Yuning touched the money, she noticed that the person on the other end showed no sign of letting go.
Ji Yuning looked up at Fang Bai, and after meeting his gaze, she was about to withdraw her hand when she heard Fang Bai ask, "Will you promise me something?"
Without the previous harshness or the unpleasant commanding tone, Ji Yuning remained silent, waiting for Fang Bai to continue.
Fang Bai understood Ji Yuning's meaning and smiled as he made her request: "Check your phone every night."
Ji Yuning: "...Hmm."
Fang Bai released his grip, and the money fell into Ji Yuning's hand.
The conversation just now was like a five-hundred-yuan transaction, with both parties profiting from it without any emotional connection whatsoever.
Fang Bai sat up straight and bent his little finger at Ji Yuning, "A promise is a promise."
Watching Ji Yuning put the money into her school uniform pocket, Fang Bai said, "By the way, if you feel uncomfortable living with that classmate whose name I forgot, you can go and talk to Teacher He and ask her to help mediate."
He Wei left a fairly good impression on Fang Bai.