Chapter 43
Half an hour later.
Ji Yuning stood at the door and knocked twice on the wood-gray door.
The knocking was soft, as if afraid that a sudden sound would frighten the person inside, but more like a cautious approach to an unfamiliar territory.
The person inside didn't seem to be busy with anything else. Two breaths after the knock, the door was opened from the inside.
Ji Yuning's lowered eyes first noticed the feet in black slippers, the fair and reddish toes standing out against the backdrop.
After changing out of her swimsuit, Fang Bai wore a pure white spaghetti strap dress with a round neck. The dress reached her calves and had a strong drape. It was slightly fitted and perfectly defined her waist and hips.
Upon seeing that it was Ji Yuning, Fang Bai released the doorknob and turned to walk towards her room.
He didn't make a sound during that time, and his usually smiling lips didn't curl up.
He's really angry.
Ji Yuning stared at Fang Bai's retreating figure, her voice low and slow: "Auntie."
The figure in front of her paused for a moment, without turning around to look at her, nor stopping in his tracks, but simply changing the direction he was walking in.
Fang Bai sat down on the sofa, lifted his eyelids to look at the person standing motionless in the doorway, and asked, "What is it?"
His tone was calm and indifferent. The usual lilting tone, like a cat's tail curling upwards, was nowhere to be seen.
After Fang Bai finished asking his question, Ji Yuning stepped into the room and silently went to the sofa.
Fang Bai sat cross-legged on the sofa, her arms casually draped over the edge. She had taken a shower using shower gel she brought from home, which gave off a subtle fragrance. Her hair was also dry, cascading limply over her shoulders and neck, with only half of her collarbone visible, though it was partially hidden by her hair.
He exuded a lazy, unyielding aura, as if he didn't want to say a word.
If it weren't for the fact that Ji Yuning didn't have a room key, Fang Bai would have locked himself in the room after taking a shower instead of sitting on the sofa waiting for Ji Yuning to come back.
Fang Bai wasn't sleepy, nor did he want to sleep; he was just temporarily unsure how to face Ji Yuning.
From the swimming room to his room, Fang Bai remained shaken.
The swimming pool is very clear and large.
Ji Yuning's body was curled up into a small ball, like a black dot on the bottom of the pool, showing no signs of life, just for decoration.
At that moment, Fang Bai's heart stopped beating.
It was as if she were the one soaking in the water.
Even after pulling Ji Yuning out of the pool, Fang Bai's heart, pounding with shock, didn't stop.
At that moment, she was angry.
She was angry that Ji Yuning disobeyed her and went into the water without permission, angry that she was too busy making a phone call to notice, and angry that she still took Ji Yuning to learn to swim even though she knew Ji Yuning was scared.
After the anger subsided, a wave of fear washed over me.
Even after returning to his bedroom, Fang Bai's hands were still trembling while he was taking a shower.
Ji Yuning lowered her eyes to look at the person on the sofa, pursed her lips, and pulled her hand out of her coat pocket.
Then he spread his hands out in front of Fang Bai.
Fang Bai subconsciously glanced at his hand, his gaze falling on the two fruit-flavored lollipops lying in his palm.
"...?"
Fang Bai paused for a moment.
Before Fang Bai could figure out what was going on, Ji Yuning's deep voice sounded above him, "Sorry, I startled you."
Fang Bai paused for a moment.
Ji Yuning actually apologized to her?
Fang Bai raised his head, his jawline tightening, and Ji Yuning took in the surprise and confusion in his eyes.
Relatively silent.
Fang Bai stared at Ji Yuning's face for a moment, but he didn't see any malice or disgust in her eyes. They were still calm and indifferent. Then, Fang Bai lowered his eyelids and looked at the hand in front of him.
The hand raised in mid-air seemed to feel no soreness, silently waiting for Fang Bai to accept.
The apology is probably genuine.
I just don't know why she suddenly changed her personality, or is she just acting again?
Fang Bai raised an eyebrow, his tone deliberately sarcastic, "You know that too?"
Ji Yuning, seemingly oblivious to the sarcasm in her words, nodded slightly and said, "Mm."
Ji Yuning responded indifferently, as if to say, "You can forgive me or not, I'm just here to go through the motions."
Fang Bai chuckled, unexpectedly, the pent-up anger in her chest dissipated. She pulled her legs back slightly, straightening her back a little. "Did you think two candies would solve everything?"
She's not a three-year-old.
"..."
As Fang Bai spoke, he withdrew the hand that had been raised in front of her eyes.
Fang Bai had a heart attack.
Before Fang Bai could label Ji Yuning as a "blockhead," he saw Ji Yuning pull something out of her pocket.
A cola-flavored lollipop.
Fang Bai: "..."
You blockhead!
She handed the two fruit-flavored ones back to Fang Bai, and Ji Yuning said casually, "I've never seen you eat these before."
So I was afraid you wouldn't like it, so I didn't prepare to give it to you.
As for why I bought it, it's because the shop owner said that the cola flavor is the most popular.
"." Fang Bai wanted to ask Ji Yuning where she got the candy, since Ji Yuning didn't like candy and it was impossible for him to go out of his way to buy two for her.
But thinking that she was still angry, Fang Bai didn't speak or take the food. He simply put his leg down, stood up, and said, "Time to brush your teeth."
Fang Bai made a move to go back to her room when the screen of her phone lit up. She looked at it and saw that someone had sent her a WeChat message.
Ji Yuning also looked at the phone, but what she saw was the crack on the screen and the broken corner.
He clenched the candy in his hand, then let it hang down by his side.
Fang Bai was replying to WeChat messages when Ji Yuning stopped him as he was about to leave.
"My phone—" Ji Yuning stood up straight, looking at Fang Bai's profile, and said, "I'll get it fixed tomorrow."
“No need,” Fang Bai glanced at Ji Yuning, “I have a backup.”
Fang Bai had been using this phone for quite a while, but he had been too lazy to replace it. Today, however, he gave her a chance.
Ji Yuning moved her hand back slightly, saying, "I'll buy you a new one."
Fang Bai was about to go back to his room when he heard Ji Yuning's words and stopped. He turned around and met Ji Yuning's eyes. "You're going to buy me a new one?"
Fang Bai asked, "Where did the money come from?"
Ji Yuning looked away. "...Save it."
Fang Bai crossed his arms over his chest. "What did you save up?"
"Pocket money—" Ji Yuning stopped halfway through her sentence.
Fang Bai's hand landed beside him, and he walked up to Ji Yuning, scoffing lightly, "I gave you money so you could eat, not so I could spend it."
She knew that Ji Yuning hadn't spent that money.
However, since Ji Yuning was willing to change her phone, Fang Bai suddenly wasn't so angry anymore. After all, she also had some responsibility, and there was no need to get angry with a child.
Fang Bai glanced at Ji Yuning, leaned slightly to the side, grabbed Ji Yuning's wrist that she had hidden behind her back, and took the three lollipops from her hand.
Ignoring Ji Yuning's stiff hand, Fang Bai tossed out a sentence, "I quite like the cola flavor. Remember to buy a couple more next time," before turning and going into the bedroom.
The living room was quiet, and the lights were a bit glaring.
The spot where Fang Bai had grabbed her still felt warm. Ji Yuning frowned, felt it for a moment, and then looked down.
There were no marks on her wrist where Fang Bai had grabbed her.
The door creaked open, and Ji Yuning looked over.
Fang Bai leaned against the door frame and pointed to a spot. "The milk is on the kitchen counter. Drink it before you go to sleep."
As soon as he finished speaking, the door closed again.
After staring at the closed door for a few seconds, Ji Yuning stepped into the kitchen.
The glass of milk that was mentioned stood steadily on the counter, and Ji Yuning picked it up and took a sip.
The milk is warm.
It has been heated.
She didn't like the sweetness of milk, and she would always drink it in one gulp as quickly as possible.
But she didn't feel any greasiness after taking that first sip.
Author's Note:
Is there anyone more "innocent" than Xiao Ji when it comes to wooing his wife with candy?!
Chapter 44