I'm going to pay respects at the ancestral graves tomorrow morning, and there's nothing else to do after that. I could actually go eat, but a "reunion dinner" is a bit of a stretch...
Although she didn't mind this kind of thing, it felt really good to be cared for like this and to have someone think of her in every way.
Wu Mei glanced at Fang Bai and Ji Yuning, and seeing that they had both put down their chopsticks, she said, "I've already cleaned the room. Miss and Xiao Ji must be tired. Go and rest for a while."
Fang Bai and Ji Yuning both nodded in agreement.
As the two went upstairs, Wu Mei followed behind, intending to retrieve something from the storage room on the second floor.
When Wu Mei saw Ji Yuning following Fang Bai towards the room on the second floor, she subconsciously said, "Little Ji, I've cleaned your room too."
Ji Yuning paused, "Um, thank you Aunt Wu, but I'll be sharing a room with you."
After saying that, Ji Yuning stepped into the room.
Looking at the closed door, Wu Mei sighed inwardly: It's only been two months since we last met, but Miss and Xiao Ji have become even closer.
Wu Mei thought that Ji Yuning's mention of sleeping in one room meant only this afternoon nap.
When he saw Ji Yuning still sleeping in Fang Bai's room that evening, and remembering that she had cooked in the kitchen that afternoon, and that Ji Yuning was sitting on the sofa in the living room while Fang Bai lay on her lap watching TV, with Ji Yuning occasionally feeding him fruit, the two of them snuggling together...
Wu Mei couldn't help but wonder: Is our relationship... too good?
Many years later, Fang Bai still clearly remembers the scene of her first visit to pay respects to Lu Xia. Of course, it was also the only time. She had something to do the following year and did not go. She never had the chance again.
It was a cloudy day, and they bought Lu Xia's favorite flowers at a roadside flower shop.
Today's weather is just like I remember: dark clouds obscuring the sun, and the air is muggy.
Their car was parked on the side of the road, and they were at a flower shop on the side of the road.
However, unlike in my memory, this time Ji Yuning was driving, and the flower shop was not the one I remembered.
Ji Yuning said that the flower shop closed down two years ago, and the reason she knew this was because Ji Yuning was the last customer before the flower shop closed.
Things have changed, but people are no longer the same.
The only thing that remained unchanged was that each of them carried a bunch of sunflowers.
On the way up the mountain, Fang Bai thought about how she had been thinking about how to get along with Ji Yuning when she first came here. She never expected that she would be walking hand in hand with Ji Yuning now.
In a daze, Fang Bai didn't know what to say.
I vaguely remember that back then, Ji Yuning was still an immature little wolf cub, and she even said fiercely that she wasn't worthy...
Now, she's becoming incredibly clingy.
Standing in front of Lu Xia's tombstone, Ji Yuning looked at the two lonely bouquets of flowers in front of the grave, lowered her eyes and said, "After Lu Zheng sent his secretary to find me, his secretary came with me to sweep the grave according to his instructions. Auntie, do you remember? There were two bouquets of flowers in front of the grave that time."
Fang Bai certainly remembered that one bouquet was sunflowers, which Lu Xia liked, and the other was lilies.
Ji Yuning chuckled softly, her voice tinged with a hint of sarcasm, "As a father, you don't even know what flowers your daughter likes."
Fang Bai opened his mouth, and finally said, "It's all in the past."
He placed his hand on Ji Yuning's shoulder and said softly, "You bought the most beautiful sunflower in the store."
Upon hearing this, Ji Yuning turned her head to look at Fang Bai.
The wind blew Fang Bai's hair, and the strands floated slightly messily in front of Fang Bai's face, following the direction of the wind.
The gentle warmth in Fang Bai's eyes seeped through every strand of hair and reached the depths of Ji Yuning's eyes.
It brought Ji Yuning immense comfort.
Fang Bai withdrew his hand, turned around and stood next to Ji Yuning, remaining there quietly without saying a word.
Everyone wants to talk to their mother a little longer.
All Fang Bai could do was remain silent and not disturb them.
A few seconds later, Fang Bai's hand, which was hanging by his side, was suddenly grabbed. The fingers were a little cold, just like the weather today.
Fang Bai turned his head in surprise and saw Ji Yuning staring intently at Lu Xia's tombstone, her calm eyes filled with burning passion, as if she were saying something to Lu Xia, making a promise.
Realizing what it was, a warm feeling swept through Fang Bai's heart, then spread gently throughout his body.
A dozen seconds later, Ji Yuning turned her gaze back to Fang Bai, "Let's go."
Fang Bai's eyes curved into a smile. "Okay."
She turned around and took a step, but Ji Yuning suddenly stopped.
Fang Bai hadn't yet taken his gaze off Ji Yuning when he saw her suddenly stop and followed her line of sight.
Then, like Ji Yuning, she froze on the spot.
At the entrance to the cemetery, two people walked towards us.
One was tall and wore a black suit, while the other, though upright, walked with an aged gait and wore a gray Zhongshan suit.
Lu Zheng and his secretary.
Fang Bai felt the hand he was holding suddenly tighten.
She raised an eyebrow at the person approaching, wondering what Lu Zheng was up to now.
Ji Yuning pursed her lips and stared until Lu Zheng walked up to her and Fang Bai.
A hint of sarcasm appeared between Ji Yuning's brows as she glanced at the lilies her secretary was holding.
They can't even pretend properly.
Lu Zheng took the flowers handed to him by his secretary, looked at Ji Yuning and said, "Yuning, I've come to see your mother."
Ji Yuning remained silent.
Seeing this, Lu Zheng turned to the side and looked at the person in the photo, his expression stiffening.
It was so different from what he remembered that he could hardly recognize it.
"Xia, Dad has come to see you."
Lu Zheng sighed, his tone filled with deep regret and sorrow.
It was sincere yet insincere.
It's disgusting to hear.
Ji Yuning frowned, about to speak, but after glancing at Fang Bai out of the corner of her eye, she pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and said to Fang Bai, "Auntie, please wait for me in the car first. I need to say a few words to this Mr. Lu."
There were some things she didn't want to say in front of Fang Bai.
Fang Bai glanced at Lu Zheng, then looked at Ji Yuning, and nodded: "Okay, you..."
Fang Bai paused for a moment, then whispered in Ji Yuning's ear, "Be mindful of your words."
"…I know."
Upon hearing this, Lu Zheng waved to his secretary, "You go down the mountain and wait for me too."
The secretary responded.
Fang Bai was surprised to see Lu Zheng. She had asked Lu Zheng in the tea room earlier if he had ever been to Lu Xia's grave.
Lu Zheng tacitly agreed at the time.
Fang Bai could tell that Lu Zheng's purpose in coming today was not to pay respects to Lu Xia. From his words, "I've come to see your mother," it was clear that he was there for Ji Yuning.
The purpose was probably only one thing: to try to influence Ji Yuning with familial affection.
As for why he did this, Fang Bai wasn't sure yet, and decided to ask Ji Yuning for clarification later.
Fang Bai leaned against the car, tore open a lollipop and put it in her mouth. Ji Yuning had given it to her when she came down the mountain.
Maybe... he was worried she'd get bored while waiting?
It felt like I was being treated like a child.
I just don't understand why someone who doesn't like sweets would carry candy in their pocket.
Lu Zheng's car was parked next to them, and his secretary got into the driver's seat after coming down the mountain. Turning his head unintentionally, Fang Bai saw a white sedan slowly approaching in the distance; the reflection of the light made it impossible to see the person in the driver's seat.
It was quite lively.
Turning his gaze away, Fang Bai looked towards the path leading up the mountain. Last time, Fang Bai waited for Ji Yuning in the same way, waiting for her to talk to Liao Li. He didn't expect it to be the same this time, only with a different person to talk to.
Thinking of Liao Li, Fang Bai's heart stirred, and he wondered...
"Fang Bai?"
An uncertain voice, tinged with surprise and delight, rang out.
Fang Bai looked in the direction of the sound.
He who thinks of Cao Cao will appear.
Once she confirmed it really was Fang Bai, Liao Li's expression was incredibly complex. She tossed her hair, grabbed the flowers, and strode off, exclaiming, "Fang Bai!! You actually came back?!"
"Liao, Liao Li." Fang Bai felt inexplicably guilty, unsure if he was startled by Liao Li's loud voice.
Liao Li was wearing tight jeans, a white short-sleeved shirt, and her hair was cut to her ears. She looked fierce and very cool.
"Oh! You still recognize me?" Liao Li stood in front of Fang Bai, a half-smile on her face. "I thought you wouldn't even know my name after all these years."
"How could that be?" Fang Bai said with an embarrassed smile.
Liao Li sighed, "When did you get back?"
Fang Bai: "Yesterday."
"I'm asking when you returned to China."
Fang Bai coughed lightly: "May."
“Four months.” Liao Li raised her hand and patted Fang Bai’s shoulder. “You didn’t even think to contact me?! I even had people abroad keeping an eye on you! And you’ve already come back to China?”
"I tried to contact them, but I couldn't get through," Fang Bai said guiltily. In fact, she had only contacted them once, and then she was busy dealing with her and Ji Yuning's affairs and forgot about it.
Liao Li took a deep breath, "You!"
The flowers in her arms trembled slightly. Liao Li glanced at them and said, "Wait for me to take the flowers to Xiaxia first, then we can talk about our relationship."
Fang Bai spoke up to stop him: "Don't go yet."
"What?" Liao Li scoffed. "Afraid I'll list your crimes in front of Xia Xia?"