The gazes fixed on Ji Yuning were mostly filled with surprise. The transformation of an ugly duckling into a black swan would naturally attract more attention.
What stopped on Fang Bai's face was the amazement at her outfit tonight.
He Ziyan wasn't unaware; she just didn't want to admit it.
Chapter 27
Fang Bai walked in front, and Ji Yuning followed half a step behind him.
The two entered the hall one after the other.
Most of the people in the hall looked surprised when they saw Fang Bai.
Everyone in Hushi knew about the conflict between Fang Bai and Fang Maozhou. They thought that given Fang's personality, Miss Fang would never come to the second young master's birthday banquet, but now she not only came, but also... brought a gift?
Fang Bai had just finished chatting with someone who came up to greet her when she turned around and saw a middle-aged man in a black Zhongshan suit walking towards her. After seeing the man's face clearly, his identity information appeared in Fang Bai's mind.
Fang Bai led the man a few steps and called out, "Uncle Chen."
The man's name is Chen Xiandong. He is the Fang family's butler and has worked for the Fang family for more than 20 years. He watched the original owner grow up and the original owner had a very good relationship with Chen Xiandong, always treating him as her own uncle.
Although Chen Xiandong had already learned from Fang Maozhou that Fang Bai was coming, he still couldn't hide his joy when he saw Fang Bai in person, and happily called out, "Miss."
Then Chen Xiandong's gaze shifted to Ji Yuning behind Fang Bai, and he lowered his tone, but still said politely, "Miss Ji."
Ji Yuning nodded slightly. She had never met Chen Xiandong and didn't know if he was as he seemed, but the fact that he had stayed in the Fang family for so long meant he was no ordinary person.
Fang Bai handed the things he was carrying to Chen Xiandong and asked, "Where's the old man?"
Chen Xiandong accepted the gift box, surprised that the young lady would give a gift, and replied, "The gentleman is discussing business in the study, he should be almost done, I'll go and call him."
Fang Bai hummed in agreement, "Thank you, Uncle Chen."
"Why are you being so polite with me, Miss?" Chen Xiandong said. "If you find the lobby too noisy, you can go back to your room to rest. Your room is cleaned by the master every day."
Fang Bai looked around and said, "I'll just wait in the living room, say a few words to him, and then go back."
Chen Xiandong asked in surprise, "Miss, aren't you staying overnight?"
Fang Bai: "Mm."
Chen Xiandong wanted to say something, but felt that it would be presumptuous for him to say anything more, so he said, "...Then please wait a moment, Miss, I'll go find the gentleman."
Chen Xiandong took the gift box to the study. When he passed the waiter, he asked him to bring wine and juice to Fang Bai and Ji Yuning.
When Fang Bai picked up his wine glass and turned to look at Ji Yuning, he found that Ji Yuning was gazing into the distance... at a table set with food.
She forgot that Ji Yuning hadn't eaten yet.
Although she didn't eat any herself.
After the waiter left, Fang Bai walked over to Ji Yuning and asked softly, "Are you hungry?"
Ji Yuning took a sip of juice and nodded, "I'm hungry."
Fang Bai raised an eyebrow. "I thought you would say you weren't hungry."
If you're hungry, you're hungry; there's nothing to be ashamed of in admitting it.
Fang Bai chuckled softly, then glanced into the distance and asked, "Are those people watching you over there from your school?"
Ji Yuning looked in the direction Fang Bai was looking and saw four or five men and women gathered together, staring at her. When they saw Ji Yuning and Fang Bai looking over, they looked away.
But Ji Yuning still recognized their faces; they looked very familiar.
Ji Yuning: "Mm."
Fang Bai understood.
From the moment they entered, those kids kept staring at them with unfriendly eyes. It was easy to guess that they might have bullied Ji Yuning's rich kids at school.
"I'm hungry too." Fang Bai half-opened his eyelids and said softly to Ji Yuning, "Let's go over there and have a piece of cake first, and then we can ask Sister Wu to cook when we get home."
Before Ji Yuning could even utter a sound like "hmm," she saw Fang Bai's jade-like arm reach out to her.
The next second, her wrist was grabbed.
After holding hands once, it became natural to do it a second time.
Although Fang Bai was afraid that Ji Yuning would punch her in the car, she felt that she was safe for the time being now in public.
Without turning his head, Fang Bai said, "There are too many people. Follow me."
Ji Yuning wanted to pull her hand back, but when she caught a glimpse of the group of people in the distance, she suddenly changed her mind.
They got along well with He Ziyan, and in order to curry favor with her, they surrounded Ji Yuning like thugs, making all sorts of sarcastic remarks.
Ji Yuning wasn't afraid of them; in fact, she never cared about them or took them seriously. But having a swarm of flies around her was still annoying. If she could use Fang Bai's influence to get rid of this trouble, then today... wouldn't have been a wasted trip.
Ji Yuning stopped trying to pull her arm away from Fang Bai's grasp.
Noticing that Ji Yuning had stopped moving, Fang Bai's thick eyelashes flashed with delight. She knew that Ji Yuning was smart, and it was worth risking her dislike by holding her hand.
Fang Bai pulled Ji Yuning to the table and then let go of her. As long as the children saw Ji Yuning being intimate with him, he would have achieved his goal; there was no need to keep pulling her along.
Fang Bai picked up a cake with less cream and a small strawberry on top and handed it to Ji Yuning.
After Ji Yuning took it, she picked up the same one, forked a small piece, and put it in her mouth.
After tasting it, Fang Bai turned to Ji Yuning with a smile, his smiling eyes and eloquent lips suggesting an attitude only reserved for familiar people.
To outsiders, Fang Bai and Ji Yuning have a harmonious and pleasant relationship.
Fang Maozhou stood at the top of the stairs, looking at Fang Bai's smiling profile, and his stern face softened.
He hadn't seen Fang Bai's smiling face in a long time; he had forgotten when the last time was.
Whenever they met Fang Bai, endless arguments were the norm for them.
Fang Maozhou suddenly hesitated, afraid that his presence would prevent him from seeing Fang Bai's smile.
Before Fang Maozhou could make a decision, the people standing in the hall noticed him on the stairs and greeted him.
The repeated greetings of "Hello, Mr. Fang" completely revealed Fang Maozhou's whereabouts.
Fang Bai put down the cake in his hand and turned to look over.
Fang Maozhou was always called "old man" by the original owner, but in reality, Fang Maozhou was only 48 years old, in the prime of middle age. He didn't have a greasy belly, his thick black hair was mixed with a few white hairs, and he wore glasses, making him look only about forty years old.
The father and daughter locked eyes, and Fang Maozhou had no way out.
Nodding to those who greeted him, Fang Maozhou strolled downstairs.
Fang Bai stood still until Fang Maozhou walked up to her.
Fang Maozhou's lips moved slightly, and he called out with a barely perceptible sigh in his voice, "Bai Bao."
Fang Bai fell silent.
Although she knew that Fang Maozhou had always called the original owner that, she still felt numb for two seconds.
Ji Yuning glanced at Fang Bai. This was the first time she had heard this before. In the past, when they met, Fang Bai would start trouble before Fang Maozhou could even call out.
The cream in my mouth suddenly tasted cloying.
After Fang Maozhou finished speaking, his gaze jumped to the person standing behind Fang Bai. Thinking of what Chen Xiandong had just told him, Fang Maozhou realized that she was Ji Yuning.
"Xiao Ji," Fang Maozhou called out, "It's been a year since I last saw you, and you've grown into a beautiful young woman. I almost didn't recognize you."
Ji Yuning lowered her head slightly: "Mr. Fang."
Fang Maozhou hummed in response, then fixed his gaze on Fang Bai and asked sternly, "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Fang Maozhou regretted asking him the question as soon as he asked.
It's a good thing the firecrackers don't fire, so why did he have to light them?
This whole hall will explode then.
Fang Bai was not the original owner of this body, and she had no prejudice against Fang Maozhou. However, when faced with Fang Maozhou, whose eyes were full of love for his daughter, Fang Bai didn't know what to say for a while.
Fang Maozhou cherished the original owner of this body, not only because of his doting love for his daughter, but also because of his guilt towards her. After the original owner was killed, Fang Maozhou attacked Ji Yuning like a madman…
Fang Bai has no right to forgive Fang Maozhou on behalf of the original owner, but she also has no right to hate Fang Maozhou. She can only treat Fang Maozhou like an ordinary person.
"say what?"
Fang Bai's tone was calm, but to Fang Maozhou and Chen Xiandong it sounded like impatience.
Chen Xiandong was already used to the way the father and daughter interacted. Although he felt that the young lady was quite different from usual today, just to be on the safe side, Chen Xiandong stepped forward and suggested, "Sir, there are too many people in the main hall. Why don't you go to the side hall with the young lady to chat?"
"Alright." Fang Maozhou agreed, then put his hands behind his back and walked into the side hall first.
Seeing that Fang Bai didn't move, Chen Xiandong smiled and said, "Miss, let's go over there."
Fang Bai nodded, glancing sideways at Ji Yuning, "Follow me."
After the four arrived at the side hall, Chen Xiandong had other things to attend to, so he leaned over and said a few words to Fang Maozhou before leaving.
In the side hall, only Fang Bai and the other two remained.
At first, no one spoke. Fang Maozhou was afraid that speaking would displease Fang Bai, Fang Bai didn't know what to say, and as for Ji Yuning... she sat in the corner, silently eating her cake.
There was a three-minute silence before Fang Maozhou asked in a deep voice, "Old Chen said you're not staying out tonight?"
Upon hearing Fang Maozhou's voice, Fang Bai looked away from his manicure. "Well, I'm just here to deliver a gift to the Second Young Master and then I'll be leaving."
Fang Maozhou frowned: "Why are you in such a hurry to leave?"
"The mountain road is difficult to travel."
"Then don't leave."
"...I promised Sister Wu I would go back."
Fang Maozhou snapped, "I'm your father."
Is Dad's word less important than the nanny's?
“…”