Ji Yuning: "Mm."
After a couple of seconds, Fang Bai reached out to grab it, and the nail art piece inadvertently brushed against Ji Yuning's palm, as if deliberately tickling her and eliciting a tingling sensation.
Even though Ji Yuning quickly withdrew her hand, the itch in her palm lasted for a long time before it subsided.
Fang Bai pinched the ring and shook it, his gaze fixed on the kitten swaying with the direction it moved, a laugh escaping his lips: "Why did you give me this?"
Because I look a lot like you.
Ji Yuning didn't say this aloud. She paused for a moment, then said, "Teach me to swim."
Fang Bai snatched the pendant away and handed it to Ji Yuning, saying resolutely, "I don't want it anymore."
Ji Yuning frowned slightly. "Why?"
Why not?
What else could it be?
So you don't want to teach me to swim anymore.
Fang Bai knew that Ji Yuning wouldn't give her something for no reason; she must have a purpose.
But she couldn't directly say that she didn't want to teach, otherwise Ji Yuning would remember it again. After considering it, Fang Bai said, "I can't teach you."
Ji Yuning paused, realizing that Fang Bai had misunderstood her meaning.
No wonder, since her request came after Fang Bai's question, it sounded like she was offering a gift to ask for a favor. The pendant was full of self-interest, not her true feelings.
Ji Yuning's tone was a little urgent, but her voice was very steady as she said in a clear voice, "This is a gift for you, and it has nothing to do with asking you to teach me how to swim."
Fang Bai raised an eyebrow, then withdrew his hand a few seconds later.
She softened again.
Just like yesterday, she wasn't appeased by the three lollipops, but by Ji Yuning's attitude.
"I can teach you."
Ji Yuning's eyelids twitched.
"But you have to listen to me obediently."
The word "well-behaved" never belonged to Ji Yuning, but at this moment...
Ji Yuning looked away and whispered, "...Mm."
Fang Bai did not immediately take Ji Yuning downstairs, but rested for an hour and a half.
When they arrived at the swimming room, there was only one person inside. However, by the time Fang Bai and the others reached the poolside, that person had come ashore and left.
The two walked to the edge of the pool.
"Have you watched all the videos?"
Fang Bai found several swimming instruction videos for Ji Yuning, all of which taught from the basics.
Ji Yuning: "Mm."
Fang Bai nodded at the shop sign. "Let's begin, starting with how to breathe—"
Half an hour later.
"Very good, relax your body."
Fang Bai supported Ji Yuning's abdomen with one hand and wrapped the other hand around her body to support her waist on the other side. Unlike the other parts that were cooled by the pool water, the places touched by Fang Bai's hand felt the warmth of his palm penetrate the thin swimsuit and burn her skin.
Fang Bai quickly withdrew his hand.
"You can begin."
The moment the hand that had been giving her warmth left, Ji Yuning felt her waist being pinched.
Then Fang Bai asked, "Xiao Ning, have you gained weight?"
I've gained weight around my waist.
I still remember when I applied medicine to Ji Yuning's back, her waist was still very thin.
Before Fang Bai could even boast about her baby-raising skills, Ji Yuning, who had just successfully swum out, choked on a mouthful of water.
An unprecedented stress response emerged after entering the water, and Ji Yuning unconsciously slapped the surface of the water with both hands.
Fortunately, Fang Bai was with Ji Yuning, and upon seeing this, he quickly put his arm around Ji Yuning's waist and pulled her up.
Instinctively, Ji Yuning braced her elbows against Fang Bai's shoulders and hooked her arms around the back of his neck.
The two embraced without realizing it.
Hearing the suppressed cough beside her, Fang Bai gently patted Ji Yuning's back, "Sorry, Auntie was just teasing you."
She hadn't expected Ji Yuning to react so strongly.
Previously, no matter what she said, Ji Yuning would act as if she didn't hear it and didn't care at all, so she blurted it out without thinking. How come...
Sure enough, no one can stand being told they're fat.
The coughing continued in her ear, and Fang Bai moved his hand to Ji Yuning's ear again, gently tugging at the tip of her ear twice. "Actually, you haven't gained weight, you've just gained some weight, but it's a healthy amount."
A few seconds later, the coughing stopped.
Fang Bai looked at the person nestled in her arms, their eyelashes wet together, their eyes red from coughing, and their lips pressed into a straight line.
Fang Bai couldn't tell for a moment whether Ji Yuning was angry or not.
It's simply because this expression is all too common on Ji Yuning's face.
Aside from her reddened eyes, she had never seen Ji Yuning cry.
Fang Bai felt the ear he was pinching between his two fingers turn red and gradually rise in temperature.
Fang Bai couldn't help but tug at it again.
On the second tap, a clear, slightly embarrassed voice reached Fang Bai's ears.
"release."
Fang Bai released his hand immediately.
Before Fang Bai knew it, Ji Yuning had withdrawn her arms from her shoulders and neck. As soon as Fang Bai released Ji Yuning's ear, she backed away from him.
He looked very wary.
It seems like...she's annoyed?
"..." Fang Bai coughed lightly, "How about I hire a coach for you when we get back?"
She's just a half-baked teacher and can't really teach anything. All she's done so far is rely on Ji Yuning's strong comprehension.
“No need,” Ji Yuning turned around, “Continue.”
Ji Yuning said it wasn't necessary, so Fang Bai didn't insist and followed behind her, protecting her.
The two focused individuals did not see a figure leaving through the doorway.
After taking two steps, He Ziyan froze in place. The scene of Ji Yuning and Fang Bai embracing flashed through her mind again, and she couldn't shake them off no matter what she did.
He Ziyan noticed during the day that Ji Yuning had changed her attitude towards Fang Bai.
And it seems it's not just a simple change of attitude—
He Ziyan looked down at her phone; the screen displayed her WeChat Moments.
The one in the very center was posted an hour ago, and the friend's nickname for it is Fang Bai.
Fang Bai: I like it~
The caption also included an image of Fang Bai holding a cat keychain in his hand.
He Ziyan recognized the pendant; she had seen Ji Yuning take it off the shelf and buy it.
“…”
Mu Xuerou originally wanted to ask Fang Bai and Ji Yuning to go downstairs to soak in the hot spring, but there was no response when she knocked on the door and no reply when she sent messages, so she had no choice but to go downstairs first.
As a result, only He Ziyan was in the hot spring room. Because she didn't want to be alone with He Ziyan, Mu Xuerou said she was going to go to the swimming room to see if Fang Bai and the other person were there. But He Ziyan was faster than her.
Wearing a swimsuit, Mu Xuerou walked towards He Ziyan and asked, "Are Aunt Fang and the others inside?"
He Ziyan put away her phone. "It's not here. I didn't see it."
Just pretend you didn't see anything.
"They've probably already rested." Mu Xuerou hesitated for a moment, then looked at He Ziyan, "Are you still going to the hot springs?"
"You can make it yourself."
After saying that, He Ziyan walked away.
Author's Note:
Koki: My own hot spring!
Chapter 46
Breakfast on the second day was again served in Fang Bai's suite, but this time He Ziyan was present, unlike the previous day.
After finishing her meal, Fang Bai didn't rush to leave the table. Instead, she looked at the person sitting opposite her and said, "Classmate He."
He Ziyan looked up, pursed her lips, and said, "Aunt Fang, just call me Ziyan..."
Finally, He Ziyan added, "Or something else."
Fang Bai nodded: "Zi Yan."
What you call him is not important to Fang Bai; it's just a name.
He Ziyan paused for a moment, then her eyes crinkled into a smile: "Mm."
Fang Bai: "We're going back to Hushi tomorrow. I wanted to ask what your plans are? Are you coming with us or staying in Qingshi?"