The general manager position is just a figurehead.
Fang Bai requested to be appointed as a nominal general manager. Even if she did nothing, she wouldn't be able to stay in the company peacefully in the future. As a nominal manager, she could be removed at any time.
Fang Bai was looking at the documents her subordinate had given her when there was a knock on the study door three times.
Fang Bai's eyes swept towards the door, and a thought struck him.
Wu Mei would only knock once and then call her.
Fang Bai immediately guessed that it was Ji Yuning, who only knocked on the door without speaking.
Fang Bai raised an eyebrow. If she wasn't mistaken, Ji Yuning had come to talk to her about what had happened in the past few days. She just didn't know what they would talk about.
Turning his gaze away, Fang Bai said softly, "Come in."
Ji Yuning pushed open the door and entered.
Fang Bai sat at his desk, mouse in hand, eyes glued to the computer screen, so focused that he didn't even glance at the person who entered.
She did it on purpose, waiting for Ji Yuning to speak first.
Ji Yuning took two steps, and as she took the next step, she called out, "Auntie."
The person at the table seemed surprised to see Ji Yuning; a look of astonishment crossed their face as they turned around.
Fang Bai stopped there, afraid that if he continued acting, the play would become fake.
"Is there something you need?" Fang Bai asked.
Ji Yuning placed the water glass on the table. "The weather has been dry lately, drink more water."
Fang Bai was flattered and surprised. "...Thank you."
Fang Bai didn't drink water, but continued browsing the information on the screen.
Three minutes passed, and Fang Bai finished reading a document but still didn't hear a word from the person standing in front of the table.
Feeling helpless, Fang Bai closed his laptop, looked up and said, "If there's nothing else, you can go out now. I still have work to do."
Ji Yuning clenched her hands hanging by her sides, so she's not as good as her job right now?
After waiting for a while, Fang Bai still hadn't heard Ji Yuning ask her anything, so she frowned. Had she guessed wrong? Did Ji Yuning have something else to discuss with her?
Fang Bai rested his elbow on the table and asked softly, "Is something wrong at school?"
Ji Yuning broke her silence and spoke slowly, "Why are you avoiding me?"
Fang Bai thought to herself that she was right, Ji Yuning had come to ask about this matter, but why didn't she ask it earlier?
Fang Bai frowned, feigning ignorance: "Avoiding you? What are you talking about? When did Auntie avoid you?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Fang Bai saw Ji Yuning glance at her, then walk around the desk and to her side.
Without the table blocking his view, Fang Bai could clearly feel the oppressive atmosphere surrounding Ji Yuning, especially since she had a blank expression that revealed no emotion whatsoever.
Fang Bai pulled his legs together slightly. "You're not going to hit me, are you?"
A crack appeared in Ji Yuning's eyes, a mixture of amusement and exasperation, but she didn't reveal her true feelings as she spoke, saying calmly, "Hit me? Does Auntie think I would hit you?"
Fang Bai regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth. Bringing up such a thing in front of Ji Yuning would only make her more unhappy, right?
"Not really," Fang Baiqian said with a smile. "Auntie was just joking."
Ji Yuning moved forward, getting closer to Fang Bai: "What if that's the case?"
Fang Bai sniffed and replied with the same words he had used when he apologized last time: "Then be gentle, I'm afraid of pain."
The familiar words stirred Ji Yuning's heartstrings.
Ji Yuning had already pressed her legs firmly against the chair and lowered her eyes.
Fang Bai rested his hand on the armrest.
Ji Yuning raised her hand slightly, extended her index finger to touch Fang Bai's hand, and as she touched the back of his hand, Ji Yuning said, "I won't."
Never.
Fang Bai stared at Ji Yuning's index finger, watching it slowly hook her finger, and then Ji Yuning placed her entire hand under her.
Ji Yuning grasped Fang Bai's hand.
Just as Fang Bai realized what was happening and was about to pull his hand away, he saw Ji Yuning, who was standing, slowly squat down.
"?!"
Fang Bai subconsciously lowered his crossed legs, his languid expression instantly becoming more alert.
What is Ji Yuning doing squatting next to her?
Fang Bai's tongue swept across his lips: "What are you doing?"
Ji Yuning looked up at Fang Bai, whose face blended into the blue sky and green trees outside the window, creating a pleasant scene.
Raising her other hand, Ji Yuning waited until both hands grasped Fang Bai's hands at the same time before asking gently, "Tell me, why are you avoiding me?"
Through the conversation just now, Ji Yuning was certain that Fang Bai was not distancing himself from her because he knew something, so Ji Yuning wanted to know the reason.
Judging from their current posture, Ji Yuning is the weaker party. If Fang Bai were to shake off her hand with just a little force, Ji Yuning might fall to the ground.
However, the assertiveness in Ke Ji Yuning's words could not be ignored. At this moment, she was more like a wolf poised to pounce in the dark. If Fang Bai was not careful, he would be torn apart and devoured.
Her crouching down and wagging-tail gesture was merely a ploy to attract attention.
“You,” Fang Bai swallowed, “stand up.”
Following Fang Bai's words, Ji Yuning asked, "Will Auntie tell me if I stand up?"
Fang Bai, still reeling from the surprise Ji Yuning had given him, didn't realize he'd fallen into her trap. "...Hmm."
A smile flickered in her eyes. Ji Yuning slowly rose, holding onto the chair armrests. As she bent her knees slightly, she leaned forward towards Fang Bai. Once her legs were straight, Ji Yuning said calmly, "Auntie, you can speak now."
The chair had somehow turned around to face Ji Yuning, and Fang Bai and Ji Yuning were now facing each other.
Fang Bai looked to her left and right. She was pinned to the chair by Ji Yuning's arms. Looking at Ji Yuning's face, which was only about a chopstick's width away from her, Fang Bai said awkwardly, "Move away from me."
Ji Yuning lowered her eyes. "That's it. I heard you clearly."
How softly she spoke?
I was so close, I could hear their breathing and heartbeats.
It was still too close. Fang Bai felt a little embarrassed and turned her head away. "Step back a bit, I'll speak louder to you."
Ji Yuning didn't move. She pursed her lips and said, "It'll ruin your voice."
"...That would ruin my voice, wouldn't it?" Fang Bai asked softly.
Ji Yuning blurted out, "Yeah, but it will hurt me."
After she finished speaking, Ji Yuning tightened her grip on the chair, her heart skipping a beat with nervousness.
"..." Ji Yuning had used all her sweet talk, and Fang Bai was completely out of options. She looked directly at Ji Yuning and finally struggled to say, "Auntie isn't avoiding you. Aren't we having a nice chat?"
“You know,” Ji Yuning said hoarsely, “that’s not what I meant.”
Fang Bai opened his mouth, then pursed his lips before opening them again, "It's because you don't like me touching you."
His tone contained a sense of grievance that even Fang Bai himself was unaware of.
Fang Bai couldn't understand why Ji Yuning was questioning her when she was simply following her wishes. It was like interrogating a criminal, pinning her to the chair so she couldn't move.
Ji Yuning felt a sudden emptiness in her heart and frowned: "Who said that?"
You said it yourself.
Fang Bai raised an eyebrow and said softly, "It's just my feeling."
The next second, a muffled laugh came from above Fang Bai's head.
Fang Bai looked up and saw the smile that hadn't yet faded from Ji Yuning's lips.
The girl's face still held a touch of childishness, but with that smile, she exuded the vigor of a seventeen-year-old. Her smile dispelled the chill, making her incredibly beautiful.
Ji Yuning smiled and stared at Fang Bai, saying, "Everyone says that a woman's sixth sense is very accurate, but Auntie's seems to be broken."
Recovering from his reverie at Ji Yuning's beauty, Fang Bai pieced together what Ji Yuning had said and deduced what she truly meant.
"Are you saying I'm not a woman?" Fang Bai straightened his back.
Because she was going to work, Fang Bai was wearing a white shirt, the kind that fit snugly. As she straightened her back, from Ji Yuning's perspective, the lines of her jaw and neck formed a beautiful curve, and her collarbone was faintly visible under the half-open neckline. The tightly fastened buttons at the chest looked like they might burst open at any moment...
Noticing Ji Yuning's gaze, Fang Bai chuckled: "Little brat."
Ji Yuning remained silent, realizing for the first time that Fang Bai was not as mild-mannered as she had imagined. His counterattack after touching her sensitive points was simply overwhelming.
After a two-second pause, Ji Yuning returned to the previous topic, "I don't dislike you touching me."
They even yearn for it.
Ji Yuning's thick eyelashes fluttered, and she murmured in a low voice, "So Auntie, please stop avoiding me."
Fang Bai pursed his lips.
The two stared at each other for a few seconds, then Fang Bai suddenly reached out and pinched Ji Yuning's face. Under her surprised gaze, he asked, "Can you accept this?"
Ji Yuning's lips were a little dry. "Mmm."
Fang Bai paused, then pinched the other half of Ji Yuning's face with his other hand, asking unwillingly, "Is this okay?"
Ji Yuning's ears burned: "Mmm."
Alarm bells rang in Fang Bai's mind.
Ji Yuning made such a huge sacrifice to lower her guard, how could she tolerate that?
Withdrawing his hand, Fang Bai pushed Ji Yuning's shoulder, pushing away the scent of Ji Yuning.
"That's enough, I still have work to do."
Ji Yuning straightened up, but didn't move, the warmth of Fang Bai's fingertips still lingering on her face.
Once the temperature had dropped a bit, Ji Yuning whispered, "Auntie hasn't answered me yet."
"I touched your face, doesn't that prove anything?" Fang Bai was inexplicably annoyed, his words carrying a slight edge. "Then where else do you want me to touch?"
“…”
The study became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.