When Ji Yuning left the classroom, the once-quiet class erupted with noise.
Lake City No. 1 High School is the best in the city and many children from prestigious families attend.
The Fang family is considered high-status in Lake City and news of Fang Bai caring for a child has spread, leading to much speculation about her intentions.
People don't dare to say anything in front of Fang Bai, but at private gatherings, there is often cold satire, and some students have heard rumors about Ji Yuning from their parents.
The rumor that Ji Yuning was a dog raised by Fang Bai spread throughout the school not long after she entered high school.
At first, some students didn't believe it, as Ji Yuning had the best grades in the school, and her life shouldn't have been so embarrassing.
However, as time passed and they saw bruises on her body, they began to believe the rumors.
No one dared to offend the Fang family or approach Ji Yuning, for fear of involving their own families.
Now that they hear a parent is visiting, everyone is puzzled:
"What parent? Isn't it said that Fang Bai never cared for Ji Yuning? What is she doing at the school today? Could it be that she is going to expel Ji Yuning from school and prevent her from studying anymore?"
Looking at the students below the podium, Teacher Li heard their discussion and slammed the desk in anger and said, "What does this have to do with you? Do you want me to call your parents too?"
The class immediately quieted down and lowered their heads at the sound of his loud voice.
Only Ji Yuning's desk mate glanced at the corridor and looked back down, unable to find Ji Yuning.
Ji Yuning followed Teacher He to the teacher's office, and He Wei tried to make small talk along the way:
"Student Ji, I'm surprised that your mother is so young. How old is she?"
"Or is she not your mother, but your sister?"
He Wei asked a few questions, but when she saw that Ji Yuning ignored her, she felt that Ji Yuning was really aloof.
Typically, high school classes keep the same homeroom teacher, but the previous teacher of Class 3 had fallen ill, and the school was unable to find a substitute.
So, they assigned the newly appointed He Wei to take over.
He Wei had only been in her position for a month and knew nothing about Ji Yuning's situation.
The other teachers didn't mention it to maintain appearances, and all she knew was that Ji Yuning was reserved and had no friends other than her desk mate, Mu Xue Rou.
Seeing that everyone around her had their heads down and couldn't see their expressions, He Wei hesitated for a moment, then said, "Student Ji, if you don't want to talk about it, I won't ask."
Ji Yuning raised her eyes and softly replied, "Okay."
He Wei: "... "
Ji Yuning didn't need to answer so quickly.
Ji Yuning couldn't bring herself to answer Teacher He's questions.
She had initially thought the person coming was Aunt Wu, but upon hearing Teacher He mention the word "young," she realized her mistake.
A few steps later, they reached the office door.
The door was open, and as soon as Ji Yuning walked in, she saw the person sitting on the sofa, playing with their fingers.
He Wei patted Ji Yuning's shoulder and walked into the office, saying to the person on the sofa, "Ji Yuning's parent, I've brought Ji Yuning."
Ji Yuning noticed that the person on the sofa immediately regained their serious demeanor and mature appearance, as if the person playing with their fingers earlier was someone else.
Fang Bai stood up, looked at Ji Yuning, and saw that she was standing at the door without entering.
She exchanged glances with Ji Yuning briefly and, noting her blank expression, withdrew her gaze and smiled at Teacher He.
"Thank you, Teacher He, I'll talk to Xiao Ning for a bit and then I'll be going," she said.
He Wei replied, "Go ahead."
Fang Bai no longer interacted with He Wei, she then faced Ji Yuning, who maintained a distant expression.
In a soft voice, she called, "Xiao Ning."
The tone was gentle and affectionate, as if she was calling a family member.
Ji Yuning was momentarily stunned.
She looked at Teacher He and the other teachers in the office behind Fang Bai, realizing the woman was putting on a show for the outsiders.
Ji Yuning nodded obediently,, "Uh-huh."
The summer afternoon was cool and refreshing, with cool air seeping in from the windows in the hallway and dispelling some of the stuffiness.
Ji Yuning stared directly at Fang Bai, who was fidgeting with her hair, and called, "Miss Fang."
Hearing Ji Yuning's address, Fang Bai raised her eyebrows, "You're not surprised that I came?"
Fang Bai was a bit taken aback, as she thought Ji Yuning would be surprised to see her.
But when she made eye contact with Ji Yuning, she didn't see those emotions.
Ji Yuning's eyes darkened and her voice was soft, "Guessed."
Fang Bai noticed the abnormality in Ji Yuning, knowing that the other woman had started acting again.
"Is Ji Yuning someone who speaks in a soft voice?"
"Please hide the stubbornness in your eyes and put on a good show again, okay?"
Fang Bai ignored it, her mouth curved into a smile, "You guessed that I was the one who came?"
Ji Yuning: "Uh-huh."
Fang Bai crossed her arms over her chest, "Did you also guess why I came?"
Ji Yuning was silent.
Fang Bai asked, "What did you have for lunch?"
Ji Yuning didn't know why Fang Bai was asking this question, but she still answered truthfully, "Baozi."
"Just as expected."
Fang Bai looked at Ji Yuning.
"Her face was not pale but better than last night, her dry lips were gone, probably from drinking more water, but her lip color was still a bit white."
Fang Bai unconsciously raised her hand and placed it on Ji Yuning's forehead.
Fang Bai's movement was too quick, by the time Ji Yuning wanted to retreat and dodge, her forehead was already covered by Fang Bai's hand.
The heat from Fang Bai's palm spread to Ji Yuning's skin and was even warmer than her forehead.
Fang Bai withdrew her hand and diagnosed, "The fever has gone down."
Ji Yuning: "..."
"I thought this woman was going to hit me."
Realizing that Ji Yuning was okay, Fang Bai remembered her purpose for coming today.
Fang Bai looked at Ji Yuning and said, "I came for one thing."
While speaking, Fang Bai took out a roll of money from her bag and said, "Sister Wu gave it to you but you wouldn't take it, so I had to come and deliver it myself."
Ji Yuning glanced at it, not understanding why Fang Bai was doing this.
"Every month, this woman would have Aunt Wu give me six hundred yuan as my monthly allowance."
"And now, it's still a week before this month ends."
"I remember Miss Fang saying that, except for the beginning of the month, during the rest of the days, she wouldn't give me money even if I gave it to the dogs," Ji Yuning said with a clear voice and no emotions in her eyes.
"Really?" Fang Bai didn't want to recall when she said that, she laughed and said, "I say a lot of things, I forget."
Ji Yuning looked at her.
"Starting from this week and every week after, I'll give you 500 yuan. You're a student, I won't give you too much."
Fang Bai added, "It will be deducted from the money your mother gave me, not my own money. Don't worry, I won't spend a single cent of it."
Ji Yuning, who was being talked about, glanced at Fang Bai without leaving a trace.
Before Ji Yuning could reach for the money, Fang Bai stuffed it into her school uniform pocket, just as Ji Yuning was looking down and not paying attention.
After giving the money to Ji Yuning, Fang Bai stepped back and said, "Still, I hope you can use this money to buy food, not always eat baozi and such..."
Fang Bai scanned Ji Yuning from head to toe, paused for two seconds at some point, and said seriously, "It's not nutritious."
Ji Yuning followed Fang Bai's gaze and lowered her head, understanding what Fang Bai was referring to.
Her expression was calm and she paid no attention to Fang Bai's teasing.
"Does she not even care about being called flat-chested?"
Fang Bai remembered that she used to care about these things during high school.
"I'm suddenly curious about what could make Ji Yuning's face change."
Before Fang Bai could figure it out, Ji Yuning interrupted her, "Miss Fang, do you have anything else to say to me? I have to go to class."
Fang Bai unconsciously shook her head, "I've said everything I needed to say."
After finishing her sentence, Fang Bai looked at Ji Yuning and asked, "Do you have anything to say to me?"
Ji Yuning dropped her eyes, "No."
"I thought I would receive a thank you..."
"Although I didn't take care of Ji Yuning for the purpose of hearing her said thanks."
Fang Bai nodded slightly, "Alright, then you can go to class."
As always, her tone was commanding.
Ji Yuning didn't say anything more and turned to head towards the classroom.
The sound of reading echoed through the hallway, Ji Yuning's back looks lonely in Fang Bai's eyes.
"Xiao Ning." Fang Bai calls out.
The footsteps of the person walking stop.
Ji Yuning turned her head and thought, "I'm not seeing any teacher or classmate, who was she acting for?"
Fang Bai walks up, handing the bag she had been carrying to Ji Yuning, "I forgot to give you this."
Ji Yuning lowers her head.
She hadn't missed the bag in Fang Bai's pocket, she thought it was Fang Bai's own belongings.
Maybe it was because Ji Yuning was distracted, she took the bag without hesitation.
The bag was heavy.
She didn't know what was inside.
Fang Bai was pleased with Ji Yuning's reaction to taking the bag, she said softly, "Open it when you get back to the dorm tonight."
When Ji Yuning entered the classroom with the bag, the bell signaling the end of class rang.
Ji Yuning sat back down in her seat before Teacher Li could say class was over.
When Teacher Li left, Mu Xuerou turned to ask Ji Yuning, "Who came?"
Ji Yuning presses her lips together, "Fang Bai."
Mu Xuerou is the only person she can talk to at school and Ji Yuning doesn't have the intention to hide anything.
However, there's no need to hide either, as when she and Fang Bai were talking in the hallway, Ji Yuning saw a few students from her class go to the bathroom and their eyes were fixed on Fang Bai, so she knows that going to the bathroom was just an excuse.
It seems that before Teacher Li finished the class, the news of Fang Bai coming to find her had spread through a note.
"Fang Bai?" Although Mu Xuerou was unsure about the details between Fang Bai and Ji Yuning, she had heard the rumors and immediately asked concernedly, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," replied Ji Yuning.
"What did she come here for?" Mu Xuerou asked, not feeling reassured, as she had heard all the discussions and was really afraid that Fang Bai had come to school to have Ji Yuning expelled.
Ji Yuning looked at her textbook and said, "She brought me something."
Mu Xuerou was surprised, "B-Bring you something?"
Mu Xuerou followed up, "What did she bring you?"
Ji Yuning didn't say anything and just glanced at the bag on the ground.
The end of the paper bag was stuck, and the contents inside couldn't be seen.
Mu Xuerou bent down to pick it up.
There was a small daisy printed on the bag, and it didn't look like a shopping bag, but more like one that was specifically used to store something.
"I'll open it," Mu Xuerou said.
After waiting for two seconds and seeing that Ji Yuning wasn't stopping her, she prepared to tear the tape on the bag.
Just as Ji Yuning finished writing a question, she saw Mu Xuerou's actions and took the bag back into her hands.
Mu Xuerou still had the posture of holding the bag, she didn't expect Ji Yuning to take the bag away from her.
Because usually, no matter what she did, Ji Yuning wouldn't refuse, so when she said "I'll open it," she thought she could open it and not "Can I open it?"
"I thought... my relationship with Ji Yuning was already very good."
Just then, the bell rang.
Ji Yuning said calmly, "Class is starting."
Mu Xuerou said softly, trying to hide her embarrassment, "Oh, okay. We'll look at it after class."