Having already finished her cake, Ji Yuning listened to the back-and-forth tug-of-war between the two, feeling utterly bored.
The handbag beside my leg vibrated; my phone had vibrated at least five times since I got off the bus.
Ji Yuning lowered her eyes and stared intently. The two people in the side hall had finished their back-and-forth conversation, and the side hall returned to the silence it had been a minute ago.
Ji Yuning hesitated for a moment before standing up.
As soon as she stood up, Fang Bai noticed and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Ji Yuning picked up her handbag. "Going to the restroom."
Fang Bai said "Oh," and then added, "Go ahead."
After Ji Yuning walked out of the side hall, Fang Maozhou's cold expression softened, and he asked, "Didn't you dislike this child?"
But what he saw was that his daughter treated Ji Yuning better than she treated him.
Fang Bai crossed his legs: "It's not a matter of liking or disliking, I've just figured some things out."
After listening, Fang Maozhou pondered for a moment and asked, "I heard that Xiao Ji has excellent grades?"
Fang Bai: "Mm."
Fang Maozhou asked, "Is there anything I can help with at school?"
Fang Bai could tell that Fang Maozhou wanted to improve his relationship with her. Despite being the father, he kept asking his daughter for forgiveness.
Fang Bai pursed his lips: "...Not for now."
"Little White is here?"
A woman's voice suddenly rang out.
Fang Bai looked in the direction of the sound and saw a woman in a red dress and heavy makeup slowly walk in.
The person who came was Chang Suyao, Fang Maozhou's second wife.
Upon seeing Chang Suyao, Fang Maozhou's expression immediately changed. He stood up and said, "Why did you come in? Get out."
Today, Xiaopaozhang seemed to have been doused with water. He had finally stopped arguing with him, but now that Chang Suyao had appeared, the warmth he hadn't yet felt was gone.
Chang Suyao linked arms with her husband and said sweetly, "Why can't I come in? This is my home too, isn't it?"
After saying that, Chang Su looked at Fang Bai and said, "Butler Chen has already given the gift you gave to Yi Mu, and he likes it very much."
Fang Bai stood up and walked to Chang Suyao, saying calmly, "I'm glad you like her."
The unusual reaction startled the two people present, and even Chen Xiandong, who had just walked in, paused for a few seconds.
Miss, why... have you stopped arguing?
Chen Xiandong quickly realized what was happening and walked over to Fang Maozhou, saying, "Sir, everything is ready."
After saying that, Chen Xiandong looked at Fang Bai and said, "Miss, the birthday banquet is about to begin. Why don't you wait until we blow out the candles before you leave?"
Ji Yuning hadn't returned from the restroom yet, so Fang Bai shook his head: "I'll wait for Xiaoning here."
Chang Suyao took Fang Maozhou's arm. "Let's go, it's time to meet the guests."
"You go first, my daughter and I still have things to talk about."
Chang Suyao's expression changed slightly: "There are so many guests outside, isn't it inappropriate for me to go out by myself?"
Fang Maozhou: "Isn't Old Chen with you?"
Fang Bai wasn't interested in Fang Maozhou and Chang Suyao's interaction. Her gaze swept across the doorway, wondering whether she should go out and wait for Ji Yuning.
Before Fang Bai could look away, a waiter hurried in. He went straight to Chen Xiandong and whispered, "Butler Chen, some guests are making a fuss by the pool."
Although her voice was very low, it was still heard by the people present.
The word "swimming pool" immediately caught Fang Bai's attention.
She was immediately aware of Ji Yuning.
Fang Bai still felt a pang of unease from the description of Ji Yuning and the swimming pool.
Before Fang Bai could ask, the woman's next words confirmed Fang Bai's intuition. She glanced at Fang Bai and then said timidly, "Miss Ji is also by the pool."
Author's Note:
I saw a few questions about the romantic relationship, so I'll just say this: before Xiao Ji comes of age, Aunt Fang won't have any romantic feelings for Xiao Ji.
Xiao Ji has a one-sided affection for Aunt Fang, but because of Xiao Ji's hatred for the original owner, this affection needs to be discovered slowly.
The two develop feelings for each other after Xiao Ji comes of age.
Chapter 28
After coming out of the side hall, Ji Yuning did not go to the bathroom, but went to the backyard.
Compared to the crowds gathered in the front yard, the back yard was almost deserted.
Ji Yuning took out her phone and checked the five new messages that had vibrated.
Three of the messages were sent to her by Mu Xuerou, who asked her a math question.
Ji Yuning glanced at the problem, briefly explained the solution to Mu Xuerou via voice message, and then went to look at the other two unread questions.
[The capital city is the best place for you.]
[If you'd like, I can send someone to pick you up tomorrow.]
The capital city...
Ji Yuning narrowed her eyes, a cold smile flashing across them.
The capital city is a place many people yearn for, but it's not hers. Although she will eventually go there, not now.
…She still has some unresolved issues in Hushi.
The sweetness of the cream fermented in her mouth, and Ji Yuning unconsciously frowned.
There were many cakes on the table in the hall, each one covered in cream. Only the one Fang Bai handed her had less cream. She didn't like sweets, but hunger compelled her to take the cake.
The cake was only the size of three or four bites. In the side hall, Ji Yuning almost frowned as she finished eating the cake.
In the backyard, just a few steps from the pool, there was a table with drinks for rinsing your mouth. Ji Yuning, ignoring her discomfort, tapped on the screen: [As I said before, after the college entrance exam, I'm going to Beijing.]
After the message was sent, Ji Yuning had already walked to the table. She poured half a glass of cola, and the bubbles danced in her mouth, driving away most of the sweetness on her taste buds.
The group of people who had been spying on Ji Yuning in the main hall kept an eye on the side hall after Fang Bai and his two companions entered. When Ji Yuning came out alone, they followed her at a distance.
Upon seeing Ji Yuning alone at the table, the three leaders walked over to her:
"At first, I didn't even recognize him. Was this really the same guy who wore tattered shoes, had braids, and always had a serious face while studying?"
Another person chimed in: "Why not? Do some people really think that wearing decent clothes and an expensive necklace will turn them from ugly ducklings into swans? Some ducks, no matter how well dressed, are just a few sparrow feathers stuck in their hair."
Ji Yuning remained expressionless, tilting her head slightly to drink the last sip of cola from her glass.
Ji Yuning's indifference stirred a thin layer of anger in the hearts of the three.
Of the three, Lu Lili, who had remained silent the whole time, was the most annoyed by Ji Yuning's attitude. She frowned and said, "Top student, why aren't you saying anything? Did we guess right?"
Ji Yuning placed the cup and handbag on the table, turned her head, and asked indifferently, "What did you say?"
Lu Lili swirled her wine glass, arrogantly retorting, "What do you think?"
With the taste of cream still lingering in her mouth, Ji Yuning ran her tongue across her lower teeth, a slight sneer playing on her lips. "Is that dress you're wearing that costs less than a thousand? Or your haphazardly styled and utterly ugly hair? Or that... titanium steel necklace around your neck?"
Ji Yuning's first two sentences made Lu Lili feel ashamed, but upon hearing the last sentence, she quickly retorted, "Don't you have any taste! This is pure silver!"
“Oh.” Ji Yuning, “Then I was right about the first two points.”
Lu Lili's cheeks flushed with anger.
At this moment, a boy standing next to Lu Lili spoke up: "When did top students become so eloquent? They can even fight back?"
"A counterattack?" Ji Yuning raised an eyebrow. "Anyone would do that."
Ji Yuning looked at the boy and said, "Are you suggesting that I should smile and nod at you after you've all criticized me as trash?"
As Ji Yuning spoke, she poured herself another half glass of cola and drank it down in one gulp under the watchful eyes of the others.
This time, the taste of cream in her mouth finally faded, and the disgust in Ji Yuning's eyes slowly subsided as her gaze silently swept over the group.
Ji Yuning regained her cold demeanor.
When Lu Lili and the others saw Ji Yuning like this, they felt that the unfamiliar Ji Yuning from before had turned back into the familiar person they knew, the one who would never utter a word in rebuttal no matter what they said.
Lu Lili and the boy next to her exchanged glances and saw the same thought in each other's eyes. To confirm this guess, Lu Lili stopped Ji Yuning, who was about to leave.
Lu Lili said, "I know you did it on purpose so we could see Fang Bai holding your hand."
Lu Lili: "You think Fang Bai holding your hand means he accepts you? People like them are all about putting on an act. You're an outsider; you'll never enter the Fang family or catch Fang Maozhou's eye."
In Lu Lili's view, Ji Yuning was just trying to please Fang Bai in order to gain benefits from Fang Maozhou.
Ji Yuning glanced at Lu Lili, a hint of sympathy rising in her indifferent eyes.
Lu Lili was puzzled by Ji Yuning's gaze. Even as Ji Yuning brushed past her arm and walked by, Lu Lili was still wondering what Ji Yuning was sympathizing with!
At this moment, the boy who walked up to Lu Lili murmured unintentionally, "She just looked at me like I was an idiot."
Lu Lili reacted instantly: "!"
Lu Lili turned around and shouted, "Ji Yuning! You stop right there!"
Lu Lili's voice was loud and sudden, startling the waiter who had just entered the backyard. The waiter looked at the group of people by the pool, realized something was wrong, and immediately turned to find the butler.
Today's guests are all wealthy and influential. Although they look like a few students, they are not people she, as a waitress, can interfere with.
Ji Yuning stopped in her tracks, and her phone vibrated again in her bag.
Just as Ji Yuning opened her handbag and took out her phone to check, Lu Lili quickly walked up to Ji Yuning and asked, "What did you mean by that look you gave me just now?"
Ji Yuning looked down and opened WeChat. "It's nothing."
Lu Lili didn't believe Ji Yuning's words. After a moment of silence, she chuckled, "Do you think I'm wrong? Do you know what day it is today? It's the Second Young Master Fang's birthday banquet. Do you know what that means? It means that everything in the Fang family will belong to the Second Young Master Fang from now on. Fang Bai can only get a small share, so it's useless for you to try to please her."