What Ji Yuning wants is companionship.
The thing that someone who has lacked love since childhood craves most.
When someone gives Ji Yuning this feeling, she will become dependent on it and crave it.
Based on Fang Bai's analysis of what has happened, he believes that Ji Yuning's behavior towards her is precisely because of this.
Perhaps when Mu Xuerou appears in Ji Yuning's life, Ji Yuning will no longer be so dependent on her. So, she will have to wait for Mu Xuerou to appear before she can start living her own life.
Fang Bai thought.
However, Fang Bai soon discovered that her life was not as simple as she had said that afternoon, that she could live without Ji Yuning. On the contrary, from the first day she transmigrated into the book, her entire life revolved around Ji Yuning.
Since Ji Yuning needs her, she has no reason to refuse.
It comes from care, from habit, from the heart.
In fact, Fang Bai was not unarmed in front of Ji Yuning. It was just that she naturally surrendered when facing Ji Yuning. She was not someone who could be easily manipulated. As for agreeing to Ji Yuning's request, it was more of a willingness that she herself did not even realize.
Fang Bai's legs were a little numb from squatting, so she stood up and leaned against the door.
After hesitating, he clicked on Hao Yingman's profile picture and sent a simple message: [Are you there?]
Hao Yingman replied quickly, as if looking at the chat box with her: [Not here.]
Fang Bai: "..."
He was already hesitant to speak, but those two words added even more hesitation.
However, before she could hesitate any longer, Hao Yingman called her directly.
Fang Bai answered the call and involuntarily straightened up.
Her first question was, "Are you saying you're not going on the trip?"
Fang Bai was taken aback. "...Hmm."
Unable to contain her curiosity, she asked in a low voice, "How did you know?"
Hao Yingman laughed heartily from the other end of the phone, "How should I put it?"
Hao Yingman snorted arrogantly, "It's just my intuition. I felt it from the moment I saw President Ji's behavior with you, and sure enough, my intuition is always right."
Fang Bai touched her nose. Her intuition was usually unreliable, so she didn't understand how Hao Yingman had figured it out.
Hao Yingman said, "Actually, when I found out that President Ji came to see you suddenly and that you didn't tell her about the trip, there was something I really wanted to say to you, but I didn't have the chance."
Fang Bai's eyelashes fluttered. "What did you say?"
Hao Yingman said, "Take care of yourself."
It wasn't meant as a derogatory term, but from the first moment she saw Ji Yuning, she felt that Fang Bai would be completely under her control. Someone with such a strong possessive nature wouldn't let Fang Bai go too far; everything about Fang Bai had to be under her control.
Fang Bai only vaguely understood the four words Hao Yingman said. Just as she was about to ask more, another woman's voice came from the other end of the phone. It was very soft, but Fang Bai still heard it.
The woman said, "I'm done washing."
Fang Bai blinked in disbelief: "Who's next to you...?"
"Nobody," Hao Yingman said, her voice slightly flustered, "it was just a dog barking."
Just a second later, Hao Yingman whispered, "Damn, you actually bit me when I called you a dog?"
Fang Bai raised an eyebrow, and she listened silently.
After Hao Yingman finished speaking, the woman smiled and asked Hao Yingman, "Have you refunded the plane ticket?"
Hao Yingman must have covered the phone, so Fang Bai couldn't hear clearly, but she vaguely felt that the woman's voice sounded familiar.
"I'm canceling! Stop biting me! Can't you see I'm on the phone?"
Hao Yingman yelled, a rage Fang Bai had never seen before. Then there was a rustling sound as a door closed. Fang Bai heard Hao Yingman gasp and say, "I also have something to do and can't go. I just canceled my ticket before you sent me the message. I didn't even know how to tell you, and then you sent me the message."
Fang Bai laughed. What's this? A coincidence?
"Who is it?" Fang Bai asked.
Without even thinking, Hao Yingman was referring to that woman when she said there was something going on.
Just as she finished asking, there were several knocks on the door from the other end of the phone. Hao Yingman said, "I'll talk to you another time. I'm hanging up now."
Hao Yingman added, "Get some rest with President Ji."
After saying goodnight, he quickly hung up the phone.
The matter that had troubled Fang Bai for several minutes was resolved perfectly, and her guilt about going back on her word and not going on the trip also subsided somewhat. After all, Hao Yingman was in the same boat, as they were both preoccupied with other matters.
-
Regardless, Fang Bai had lived in Hushi for a long time, and now that she was approaching Hushi, she couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy and nervousness, like a wanderer returning home.
This feeling is especially pronounced during the brief weightlessness experienced during plane landing, but it only peeks out briefly before being suppressed.
Fang Bai's hand was held, and a warm palm enveloped her, the comfortable temperature making Fang Bai feel at ease.
She looked at Ji Yuning, who said softly, "Uncle Li is already at the airport."
"Okay." Fang Bai nodded, then asked, "Why do you also call me Uncle Li?"
According to seniority, she calls him Uncle Li, so Ji Yuning should be called…
Ji Yuning smiled and said, "Then I should call him Grandpa? Auntie might agree, but Uncle Li probably won't."
Fang Bai remained silent.
On the way home, Uncle Li exchanged a few pleasantries with Fang Bai before focusing on driving.
They remained silent the entire way.
Fang Bai's attention was focused on the view outside the window. The closer she got to the villa, the more familiar the streets and buildings became, and the lingering sense of melancholy she felt gradually resurfaced. This time, she felt no tension, but rather a long-lost sense of warmth.
Even a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.
Her gentle smile is like a refreshing breeze under the scorching sun, soothing and comforting.
Ji Yuning happened to witness this scene, and her hand involuntarily shrank back at her side.
…finally.
She came back to my side.
As soon as Fang Bai got out of the car, he saw Wu Mei wiping away tears while smiling and saying, "Miss, you're back."
Wu Mei burst into tears of joy. The young lady had been so good to her. She had suddenly disappeared for three years, and during the days without contact, she sometimes couldn't help but overthink. Now that she had seen the real young lady, Wu Mei couldn't hold back her tears.
Fang Bai felt a warmth in her heart. She stepped forward and hugged Wu Mei, asking softly, "Sister Wu, how are you feeling?"
Wu Mei froze, and stammered, "Okay, okay."
After the hug ended, Wu Mei finally came to her senses. She looked at Fang Bai and said, "Miss, you've lost too much weight. There's no flesh on your face at all."
Fang Bai smiled and said, "Because it's been a long time since I've had your cooking, Sister Wu."
Upon hearing this, Wu Mei quickly replied, "I estimated the time and prepared the meal a long time ago. It's all your and Xiao Ji's favorite dishes."
“Perfect timing, Xiao Ning and I are both hungry,” Fang Bai said.
As they were talking, Uncle Li had already taken their luggage out from the back of the car. Wu Mei hurriedly went to take it, and when she saw that Uncle Li had taken out a globe, Wu Mei asked Fang Bai in confusion, "Miss, why is there a globe?"
Fang Bai glanced at Ji Yuning without showing any emotion. The latter had already walked home. Her eyes were curved as she took the globe and hugged it to her chest, explaining to Wu Mei, "It's for traveling."
Wu Mei looked at the slightly rotating globe and said without much thought, "Oh, I see."
Once inside, Fang Bai placed the globe on the living room cabinet, then turned and went upstairs. He eagerly opened the door to the side bedroom, where everything related to the cat was still intact, except for any trace of the cat having lived there.
No wonder she called Beibei's name downstairs and received no response.
Fang Bai turned to look at the person coming down the stairs and asked, "Where's Bei Bei?"
Ji Yuning walked to Fang Bai's side, glanced into the room, and said calmly, "Beijing."
Fang Bai: "?"
She thought Ji Yuning said Bei Bei missed her and that Bei Bei would be in Hushi, but she was told instead that Bei Bei was in Beijing?
Fang Bai closed the door and asked Ji Yuning, "When are you planning to send Beibei back?"
Ji Yuning shook her head, "Beibei isn't used to long distances."
After saying that, Ji Yuning's eyes flashed, and she said to Fang Bai, "If Auntie wants to see Beibei, she can come back to Beijing with me the day after tomorrow."
Leaving the day after tomorrow?
Fang Bai frowned slightly. "With such a tight schedule, why not just fly directly to Beijing?"
Ji Yuning said, "I think Auntie will go to see President Fang."
That's why she bought a plane ticket back to Huzhou with Fang Bai.
She definitely wanted to meet him; that was her original plan. After meeting Fang Maozhou, she would go somewhere else. Thinking about it that way, Ji Yuning's arrangement actually suited her idea quite well.
Just treat it as a trip to Beijing...
Fang Bai nodded, then suddenly turned to Ji Yuning and asked, "Do you want to come with me?"
Ji Yuning's expression turned indifferent, and she said, "No, I have another meeting."
"good."
Fang Bai glanced at Ji Yuning a few times and felt that she seemed a little down.
After dinner, Fang Bai rested for a while before having Uncle Li drive her to the Fang family home.
Chatting with Wu Mei, I learned that she and Uncle Li had been working for the Fang family for the past few years, returning to the villa periodically to clean. Sometimes, when Ji Yuning returned to Huzhou, the two of them would go back to stay for a few days.
This was actually what she had talked to Fang Maozhou about before, asking him to find jobs for Wu Mei and Uncle Li after she left. She just didn't expect Fang Maozhou to send them directly to the Fang family.
The scenery up the mountain was as beautiful as ever. Fang Bai looked out the window and only looked away when the car stopped in front of the Fang family villa.
Upon entering the courtyard, they could see Maozhou standing in front of the house, with Chang Suyao standing beside him.
Upon seeing Fang Bai, Fang Maozhou greeted him with a smile, "Bai Bai."
Fang Bai remained calm until he reached the two men before speaking, "Dad."
After returning to China, Fang Bai started calling Fang Maozhou "Dad," but that was only on the phone. Now, hearing his daughter call him that in person, and feeling excited to see her, Fang Maozhou couldn't hide his excitement and replied, "Yes."
Fang Bai nodded to Fang Maozhou, then looked at Chang Suyao and called out in a flat voice, "Aunt Chang."