The room suddenly fell silent, and one could hear a pin drop.
Fang Bai faced Ji Yuning's gaze without any avoidance, and her eyes were so clear that Ji Yuning could see her reflection in them.
Similarly, Fang Bai could also see her reflection in Ji Yuning's eyes.
As Fang Bai noticed the cold smirk that flashed across Ji Yuning's eyes, she knew that what she was about to say would sound like a joke to her.
However, she had no choice but to say it to make it clear that she had changed.
If she didn't, Ji Yuning, who lived in resentment, would never realize it.
Fang Bai had planned to wait for an appropriate time to say these things, but the sudden turn of events had interrupted her plans, and she had to ask now, which she considered not the best time.
Though Fang Bai had anticipated the outcome, she felt a hint of resentment rising in her heart as she watched Ji Yuning's every move, looking at her as if she were watching a clown walking on a tightrope.
Running her tongue over the roof of her mouth, Fang Bai lowered her gaze slightly and said firmly, "You don't have to answer my question right now."
As she looked at Ji Yuning's mocking gaze, Fang Bai's eyes began to wander, but her tone of voice remained firm as she continued, "I know this is unfair to you. I hurt you, and I am the one seeking forgiveness. I just want to let you know that from now on, I will never do anything to hurt you again. I will do my best to make up for the harm I have caused you."
Ji Yuning couldn't bear to listen anymore.
Though the painkiller had taken effect, she couldn't suppress the faint pain in her heart.
She didn't know what was going on, but all her memories, which had long since been numb to Fang Bai, were awakened by the slow words she heard from her now.
Each one of them was from Fang Bai.
Ji Yuning softly called out, "Fang Bai."
Her voice was low, but her tone was as cold as ice.
Fang Bai was stunned.
It was the first time she had heard Ji Yuning call her by her full name.
She had to admit that she was intimidated by Ji Yuning's aura in her tone of voice, though it only lasted for a short three seconds.
Fang Bai quickly snapped out of it, her lips stiffly curving upwards, "What's up?"
In this situation, Fang Bai forgot to correct Ji Yuning's address.
She just wanted to know why Ji Yuning had called her by her full name.
Ji Yuning's tone of voice was emotionless as she asked lightly, "Have you had enough fun?"
Fang Bai didn't understand and instinctively asked, "What do you mean by 'fun'?"
Ji Yuning's eyes darkened, and she couldn't help but admire Fang Bai's acting skills.
For a moment, she didn't know whether to praise her for her poor performance or for playing her role so well.
It was so poor that she could see through Fang Bai's sudden change at a glance, her open display of goodwill, and the sincere promise she had made just now, as if she had become a different person.
It exposed her to the warm deception and immersed her in the family fortress she had built for her.
It also made her... for a moment, almost fall into the gentle trap Fang Bai had set for her and indulge in the affectionate stronghold she had built for her.
Ji Yuning's dark eyes suddenly changed, and the anger disappeared in an instant. She lowered her gaze, a smirk on her lips, and said softly, "It's nothing."
"I wouldn't lose."
"Knock knock."
The sound of knocking on the door broke the eerie atmosphere between the two.
Wu Mei's voice came into the room after the knocking, "Miss, are you in there?"
Putting aside the strange change in Ji Yuning's attitude, Fang Bai turned her head towards the door and replied softly, "Yes, what's up?"
The door was slightly ajar, and after a moment's thought, Wu Mei pushed it open a bit.
As soon as the door opened, Wu Mei saw Fang Bai sitting by Ji Yuning's bed and was momentarily stunned.
Then she said, "Master has called, asking why you haven't been answering his calls."
Fang Bai didn't have her phone with her, so she naturally couldn't receive any calls.
"I know, I'll call him back later," Fang Bai said.
"Okay." Wu Mei didn't leave and asked, "Are you okay, Miss? I saw you rummaging through the medicine box just now."
Fang Bai shook her head and said, "It's nothing. Xiao Ning had a stomach ache, so I found some painkillers for her."
After hearing this, Wu Mei looked at Ji Yuning and asked, "Is Xiao Ji okay now?"
Ji Yuning nodded, "I'm fine, Aunt Wu."
"That's good."
Wu Mei felt relieved, and her gaze swept between Fang Bai and Ji Yuning.
"Looks like the relationship between Miss and Xiao Ji had improved a lot."
Wu Me smiled inwardly, and her facial features softened as she spoke to Fang Bai, "Miss, I'm going downstairs now, so I won't disturb you and Xiao Ji anymore."
"Okay," Fang Bai replied.
Ji Yuning remained silent.
Before Wu Meixin left, she closed the door.
The tightly closed door and windows made the air flow in the room slow.
Both of them had already showered, and the scent of shower gel lingered in the air.
Wu Mei's sudden appearance disrupted Fang Bai's thoughts.
Fang Bai composed herself a little and said, "You must be curious why I suddenly became nice to you."
Ji Yuning's hand curled up on the bedcovers.
"Hmm."
Fang Bai's eyelashes trembled, "When Liao Li came to treat you last time, she asked me if I wasn't afraid that Lu Xia would come to me. After that day, I thought about it. Lu Xia sent you to my house, and I promised her to take good care of you, but now I have let her down and broken my promise."
Although the original owner did not make a promise to Lu Xia, she only promised to raise Ji Yuning and did not say that she would treat her well.
"If you don't believe the explanation I gave you before, you can just consider it as me being afraid of retribution, so I changed my attitude towards you. Of course, this is just the reason I gave you to believe."
Ji Yuning paused for a moment and said, "I don't disbelieve you. I misunderstood Aunt Fang."
Fang Bai nodded.
She had said everything she needed to say, and whether Ji Yuning believed her or not was not something she could control.
She also had no excuse to stay any longer.
What was important was that if Fang Bai didn't leave now, she would freeze to death.
The air conditioner in the room didn't need to be turned on.
Ji Yuning's coldness was enough to cool the temperature down.
Fang Bai stood up and smiled, "It's getting late, you should rest."
Ji Yuning said, "Hmm."
Fang Bai took a few steps closer, raised her hand and patted Ji Yuning's head, then rubbed it and said, "Good night."
Thinking that Ji Yuning wouldn't reply, Fang Bai didn't stay any longer.
She removed her hand from Ji Yuning's head and turned around to leave the room.
As the door closed, Fang Bai hugged herself and rubbed the goosebumps that had formed on her arms.
She walked lightly downstairs.
The next day.
Ji Yuning maintained her habit of waking up at six o'clock for school.
After washing up, Ji Yuning returned to her room to finish the homework she had not completed last night due to her stomachache.
Afterwards, she studied some English vocabulary for a while.
It was not until eight o'clock that Ji Yuning went downstairs.
As Wu Mei arrived on the first floor, she brought out breakfast from the kitchen and placed it on the table.
Catching a glimpse of Ji Yuning, Wu Mei smiled and asked, "Xiao Ji, are you up? Does your stomach still hurt?"
"It's already better," Ji Yuning walked forward and asked, "Do you need my help?"
"No need, I've already finished everything," Wu Mei replied.
Suddenly, Wu Mei thought of something and looked up at Ji Yuning, saying, "Miss hasn't woken up yet. Do you want to help me go upstairs to call her down for breakfast?"
Ji Yuning: "..."
Ji Yuning dug a hole for herself.
Under Wu Mei's pleading gaze, Ji Yuning could only say, "Okay."
As she went upstairs, the conversation from last night once again surfaced in Ji Yuning's mind, haunting her.
Standing in front of Fang Bai's bedroom, Ji Yuning knocked twice on the beige door with her hand.
Then Fang Bai's voice rang out, "Come in."
Ji Yuning didn't move but spoke loudly enough to ensure that the person inside the room could hear her through the door, "It's time for breakfast."
A woman's surprised voice came from inside the door, "Xiao Ning?"
Ji Yuning turned around to leave, but just as she was about to move, there was a "click" sound, and the tightly closed door was pulled open from the inside.
Fang Bai looked at Ji Yuning's ponytail and the raised tips of her hair, which were completely inconsistent with Ji Yuning's playful and cute image.
Fang Bai's heart softened a little, "Don't go yet, come in for a bit."
Perhaps because she had just woken up, Fang Bai's tone was lazy and every word she spoke dragged on, as if she were... acting cute.
As for this sudden recognition, Ji Yuning chose not to comment.
Ji Yuning stood still, looking back at Fang Bai's somewhat sleepy eyes.
Knowing that Ji Yuning wouldn't listen to her, Fang Bai had to say, "I have something to tell you."
After she finished speaking, Fang Bai pulled the door open wide, and whether Ji Yuning entered or not, she went back into the room herself.
Ji Yuning hesitated for a moment, then walked into Fang Bai's bedroom.
Unlike the pink walls in her own room, Fang Bai's room was a serene and elegant shade of beige, and all the cabinets and other items in the room were also solid-colored.
The only bright color in Fang Bai's room was probably the royal blue pajamas she was wearing.
The abruptness didn't conflict but rather, the strong color contrast made it even more eye-catching.
Fang Bai went straight into the bathroom.
She had just brushed her teeth and was about to wash her face.
As she looked in the mirror, Fang Bai noticed that Ji Yuning had entered the room.
She asked, "Does your stomach still hurt?"
"No," Ji Yuning replied.
Fang Bai responded with an "oh... "I forgot to ask you yesterday. Does this happen every time or just occasionally?"
"Occasionally," Ji Yuning replied.
"Oh, I see," Fang Bai turned on the faucet and washed her hands then continued, "Last night, when I came back from your room, Liao Li called, but I didn't want to disturb you, so I didn't go upstairs to find you. After she found out why, she said that when she comes back, she'll take you to the hospital for a check-up."
"I don't need to have any tests," Ji Yuning declined.
Fang Bai spoke softly, "It's not just about the checkup. Liao Li wants to give you a full-body examination."
Fang Bai also believed that Ji Yuning should have a physical examination, so that she would know how to take care of herself in the future.
Fang Bai leaned over and rinsed her face with water twice before picking up the facial cleanser and squeezing it onto her palm, "Don't resist. Can't you trust Liao Li?"
She was one of the few people in the entire book who treated Ji Yuning well.
Suddenly, Fang Bai slowed down her washing motion, wondering if it was inappropriate for her to prevent Ji Yuning from contacting Liao Li, who had been so good to her.
With this thought in mind, Fang Bai looked at the person standing at the door of the bathroom through the mirror and asked, "Do you want to add her WeChat? I can... send it to you."
Ji Yuning replied, "... no need."
"Huh?" Fang Bai was surprised and turned her gaze, "Why not? I thought you would agree. Every time you chat with her, I feel like you're very happy."
"It was only because Liao Li would always talk about mother every time they chatted."
"Three years may not be short, but the memories of mother had become increasingly blurry in my mind."
"Only when I occasionally saw her photos or dreamt about her could I clearly see her and hold her briefly."
Putting aside her thoughts, Ji Yuning said indifferently, "I'll head downstairs first."
"Wait a minute." Fang Bai called out. "I'll be ready in a bit."
Ji Yuning lifted her gaze and saw Fang Bai rubbing the facial cleanser off her face with hurried movements, lacking any gentleness.
It seemed like she was in a hurry for something.
"She can't possibly thinking of going downstairs with me, right?," Ji Yuning thought.
Two minutes later, Fang Bai and Ji Yuning walked down the stairs one after the other.
As Fang Bai stepped down with her slippers, the sole of the slipper produced a slight friction sound against the stairs, breaking the awkward atmosphere between them.
After they reached the ground floor, Fang Bai looked at the breakfast already prepared on the table and remembered the message Liao Li sent her last night.
Fang Bai paused for a moment and then said, "After breakfast, I'll take you somewhere."
Ji Yuning looked at Fang Bai and replied, "I have something to do."
"Is it something very important? Can it be postponed?" Fang Bai asked.
Ji Yuning replied, "No."
"Okay then." Fang Bai coughed slightly. "Actually, tomorrow is also okay. Do you have anything to do tomorrow?"
Ji Yuning didn't know what Fang Bai wanted to do with her, but she answered truthfully, "No."
"Alright then, I'll take you tomorrow." Fang Bai nodded and asked, "Do you need Uncle Li to take you there?"
Fang Bai asked Ji Yuning if she needed to go out for a while.
Ji Yuning finished her porridge and declined, "I'll take the bus."
Fang Bai didn't insist and just raised an eyebrow and said, "Alright."
Ji Yuning left at 8:30 in the morning and didn't come back until 3 pm in the afternoon.
On that same day, Fang Bai also experienced what it felt like to raise a child.
Whenever she had lunch, she couldn't help but think if Ji Yuning had eaten or not, what she had eaten, and would message her to ask when she was coming back.
If she didn't get a reply after waiting for a long time, she would worry about something happening to Ji Yuning...
However, knowing that Ji Yuning was the female protagonist, Fang Bai's worries dissipated.
After reviewing the plot, Fang Bai quickly understood what Ji Yuning went out to do.
"According to the plot, Ji Yuning should have contacted that person by now, and her plan was about to be drawn."
When Ji Yuning returned home, she thought Fang Bai would ask her what she had done, but when she entered the living room, she saw Fang Bai lazily leaning on the sofa, with an unknown woman sitting beside her.
The woman was holding Fang Bai's hand and painting her nails with her head lowered.
Hearing the noise, Fang Bai opened her eyes and saw Ji Yuning.
"Are you back?" she asked.
Ji Yuning replied, "Mm."
Fang Bai said, "I'm getting my nails done—"
But she suddenly stopped.
After realizing what Ji Yuning had gone out to do, Fang Bai no longer worried about her.
Instead, she was concerned about Ji Yuning's future and felt anxious for her.
Living in the moment, Fang Bai couldn't always worry about the future two years from now.
The most important thing was to learn how to enjoy life.
So she called the manicurist who the original owner used frequently.
Unexpectedly, Ji Yuning caught her getting her nails done.
For some reason, Fang Bai felt guilty for a second.
She had a strange feeling of "I work hard outside to earn money, but you spend it recklessly."
Although she knew that she was spending the original owner's money, this feeling was still apparent.
Fang Bai swallowed and lowered her voice and asked, "Do you want to come along?"
To cover up her guilt, she wanted to enjoy this moment with Ji Yuning.
Ji Yuning looked at the big box next to the manicurist, which was filled with bottles and jars.
Ji Yuning showed no interest and said, "The school doesn't allow it."
Fang Bai immediately looked disappointed and said, "Then we'll do it during summer vacation."
Fang Bai signaled to the manicurist and sat up, "Have you eaten yet? Wu Mei left some food for you."
Ji Yuning responded with an "Mm" and said, "I'm going upstairs."
Fang Bai blinked and said, "Alright."
And so the afternoon passed.
At night, Fang Bai brought a glass of milk as usual and knocked on Ji Yuning's door.
After three breaths, the door opened from the inside.
Upon seeing Fang Bai, Ji Yuning turned to the side.
Fang Bai smiled and said, "I don't want to disturb you studying, so I won't come in."
Ji Yuning turned back and held the doorknob, ready to close it at any moment.
Fang Bai extended his arm and handed the milk to Ji Yuning, "Here's your milk."
Ji Yuning lowered her head and took it.
Fang Bai then handed her something else from his other hand, "I also brought you some medicine. If the pain is too much, take one or call me. Don't just tough it out."
Ji Yuning hesitated before accepting it again and said, "Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
Fang Bai's hand remained in the air, and he lifted it up high, placing it flat on Ji Yuning's forehead.
The white water diamond on her fingernail sparkled in the light.
After stopping for a moment, Fang Bai slowly moved her hand back towards herself and made a comparison, "I don't know if it's just me, but I feel like you've grown taller."
The comparison showed that they were the same height.
Fang Bai lowered his hand and placed it behind her back, saying slowly, "It seems like it was just my imagination."
Ji Yuning watched Fang Bai lift her hand and said nothing.
She even caught the slight teasing tone in her voice when she spoke.
Fang Bai was completely unaware that her behavior had been noticed by Ji Yuning.
She said, "Go to bed early tonight. I'll take you out tomorrow."
As she spoke, Fang Bai habitually raised her hand and rubbed Ji Yuning's head twice, saying, "I'm going to bed too. Good night."
Having had her head rubbed many times by Fang Bai, Ji Yuning felt like she was being treated like an animal, a cute pet with no harmful ability to her.
Ji Yuning wanted to avoid Fang Bai's hand, but every time the woman would sneak her hand onto her head when she wasn't paying attention, and she couldn't avoid it.
Fang Bai was curious. Ji Yuning always had a solemn face, but she could see the hidden small expressions that Ji Yuning was trying to hide.
Just like now, Fang Bai sensed the contradiction in Ji Yuning's expressionless face, wanting to resist but unable to.
Fang Bai couldn't help but smile and withdrew her hand, saying, "Drink the milk while it's still warm. I'll take the cup down with me."
With no hand on her head, Ji Yuning's tense nerves relaxed.
Following Fang Bai's instruction, she just stared at the milk and drank it when she tilted her head back.
Fang Bai crossed her arms and didn't take the empty cup from Ji Yuning's hand.
Instead, she teased, "Do you want me to leave that badly? Should I come in and sit in your room?"
Fang Bai had been staring at Ji Yuning's face as she spoke, and without surprise, she saw a fleeting microexpression of disgust on Ji Yuning's solemn face.
But soon, that hint of disgust disappeared and turned into compliance.
"Tsk."
"How come I didn't know that Ji Yuning's expression was so rich before?"
"It's quite amusing."
Fang Bai had seen what she wanted to see, so she had no intention of teasing Ji Yuning anymore.
She took the cup and threw it out, saying, "I'm kidding."
After speaking, she turned and left the door.
Ji Yuning was stunned and stood still in her place.
"Was I just played by Fang Bai?"
On Sunday,
After having a meal, at 8 in the morning, Fang Bai drove and waited for Ji Yuning to come out of the villa.
There were many heavy clouds in the sky, covering the sun and making the ground gloomy.
The car drove out of the villa area and arrived at a flower shop after more than ten minutes.
When Ji Yuning saw the car parked at the flower shop, she suddenly guessed Fang Bai's intention, but she couldn't be sure.
In the next second, Fang Bai's words confirmed Ji Yuning's guess.
Fang Bai asked her, "Do you still remember what kind of flowers your mother likes?"
"Sure enough, she was going to buy flowers for her mother."
Ji Yuning looked out the window.
Although her mother's face was blurry in her memory, she remembered all her mother's preferences very clearly and would never forget them.
Fang Bai unbuckled her seat belt and said, "I'm going in to buy a bouquet of flowers, do you want to come in too?"
Ji Yuning turned her head and stared at Fang Bai, asking, "You... want to go in?"
Fang Bai said, "Yes."
Fang Bai continued, "Monday is your mother's death anniversary, but you have to go to school. I originally planned to bring you here yesterday, but you were busy... so today will do."
The day before yesterday, in addition to asking about Ji Yuning's affairs, Liao Li also mentioned that next Monday is Lu Xia's death anniversary and asked if she would go.
The original owner had never paid tribute before, but Fang Bai felt it necessary to pay tribute.
It wasn't to apologize for the original owner or to make a promise to Lu Xia.
It was simply the behavior that a guardian of Ji Yuning should have.
Regarding Lu Xia's matter, Ji Yuning could no longer pretend.
She lowered her eyes and asked, "Are you even qualified?"
Ji Yuning's tone was not aggressive.
She just asked it very coldly.
But it was precisely because of these three words that it had such a profound impact, as if it had struck Fang Bai's heart and uncovered her false façade, making all of her actions seem like a joke, as if she had been scorned as an ant.
Fang Bai said, "... Lu Xia is my friend."
Fang Bai felt that she should pretend to be angry, so she used some force when closing the door.
With a bang, a low laugh entered Fang Bai's ears.
"Heh."
"How ironic it was to call my mother a friend. "
This laugh contained too much meaning, but Fang Bai pretended not to hear it.
Fang Bai wasn't really angry.
Ji Yuning was just playing angry from the perspective of the original owner who "wanted to become better."
But what made Fang Bai care was Ji Yuning's tone of voice, which was exactly the same as the night before.
When Ji Yuning got out of the car, Fang Bai walked up to her and said, "You're just a kid, so don't talk to me in that tone in the future."
Fang Bai felt that it wasn't enough, so she added a threat, "If there's a next time, I'll deduct your pocket money."
After saying that, Fang Bai turned and walked into the flower shop, leaving Ji Yuning alone behind her.
...
The Lakeside Cemetery.
The car stopped by the side of the road.
After Fang Bai got out of the car, she took out the flowers she bought from the back seat and looked up, just in time to see Ji Yuning getting out of the passenger seat with her own flowers.
Two identical bouquets of sunflowers, representing the sun, radiance, and vitality.
Four pairs of eyes met, but Ji Yuning was the first to look away and silently walked towards the cemetery.
During Lu Xia's burial, the original owner of the body did not show up, so Fang Bai had no idea where Lu Xia's grave was located.
Therefore, Fang Bai followed Ji Yuning quietly, feeling ironic that one moment she was talking about being Lu Xia's friend, and the next moment she didn't even know where Lu Xia's grave was.
Ji Yuning noticed Fang Bai's behavior but didn't say anything.
Ji Yuning wondered why Fang Bai brought her to the cemetery.
"Was it to make me believe in the retribution theory that she mentioned earlier that night?"
"Was it to make me fully believe in it?"
"But didn't Fang Bai say that it was just a reason to make me trust her?"
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Ji Yuning was surprised to realize that she actually believed Fang Bai's words?
Thinking they had arrived, Fang Bai asked, "What's wrong?"
Ji Yuning temporarily concealed her surprise and replied, "Nothing."
A minute later, Ji Yuning stood in front of a gravestone, with Fang Bai standing behind her, looking at the name "Lu Xia" on the gravestone and the smiling woman in the photo, who appeared gentle and kind.
Lu Xia was a good person who had a kind heart but loved the wrong person and destroyed herself.
As Fang Bai read, she couldn't help feeling regretful for Lu Xia.
Regretful for her cheerful personality and unpredictable life.
Under the gravestone, there were two not-so-fresh bouquets of flowers, one of sunflowers and the other of lilies.
"Both seemed to have been placed there just yesterday..."
Fang Bai pretended to casually look at Ji Yuning and guessed what she did yesterday.
"If Ji Yuning had come yesterday, then who had left the other bouquet of flowers?"
"Looking at the packaging, it seemed to have come from the same florist. Ji Yuning must had come with someone else."
"Most likely, the bouquet of sunflowers was Ji Yuning's, and as for the lilies, it seemed that the person who came with her didn't know Lu Xia very well."
The two stood silently in front of the tombstone, each lost in thought, neither speaking a word.
After a while, a gust of wind blew and Ji Yuning's muffled voice reached Fang Bai's ears, "We can go now."
Fang Bai tucked her hair behind her ear and whispered, "Okay, let's go."
She wore a dress, and the hem of her skirt swayed in the wind.
In the distance, a person approached.
Liao Li looked at the person standing in front of Lu Xia's tombstone and exclaimed in surprise, "Fang Bai?"
Fang Bai turned towards the sound and saw Liao Li walking towards them, carrying a bouquet of sunflowers.
After a brief glance at Fang Bai, Liao Li's gaze locked onto Ji Yuning.
Her voice unconsciously lowered, "Yuning."
Ji Yuning looked at the flowers in Liao Li's arms and called out, "Aunt Liao."
Liao Li smiled and walked up to Ji Yuning, patting her shoulder. "I'll go say hi to your mom first."
After getting a nod of response from Ji Yuning, Liao Li turned to Fang Bai, her smile gone, and said coldly, "Wait for me to walk with you."
Fang Bai: "..."
"Did Liao Li practice changing faces?!" Fang Bai wondered silently, observing Liao Li's sudden change of demeanor.
Five minutes later, the three of them walked down the mountain path side by side.
Thinking of the message Liao Li sent her two days ago, Fang Bai asked, "Weren't you supposed to come back next week?"
"I took leave to come back," Liao Li replied, carrying a bag on her shoulder.
"Just got off the plane?" Fang Bai asked, feeling emotional about Liao Li's feelings for Lu Xia.
Liao Li nodded.
Remembering the two other bouquets of flowers she saw earlier, Liao Li asked, "Did anyone else come? I saw two more bouquets of flowers." J
i Yuning's hand hanging by her side tightened.
Fang Bai looked into the distance and said, "Lu Xia had more than just the two of us as friends."
"Well, fair enough."
Liao Li continued to ask, "Why did you come today? You told me Monday."
She remembered that she had talked to Fang Bai about coming on Monday.
Recalling Liao Li's earlier harsh words, Fang Bai retorted, "You too?"
Liao Li snorted and explained, "I have a few surgeries to perform starting tomorrow. I can't spare the time, so I could only take leave until Sunday."
Fang Bai responded with an "oh." "Tomorrow is Monday, and Xiao Ning has to go to school."
Mentioning Ji Yuning, Liao Li turned to her and smiled, "It's been three years, and Yuning is almost as tall as me."
Fang Bai instinctively continued the conversation, "If you take off your high heels, you might be the same height as her."
Liao Li's smile froze for a moment.
She turned her head and said, "Only you would say that."
Fang Bai: "..."
She wants to say, "Is it possible that Liao Li will believe that it's her instinct controlled by the original host's memory?"
After a brief argument, the three of them returned to a quiet environment.
As they approached the foot of the mountain, Liao Li directly told Fang Bai, "I want to talk to Yuning alone."
Fang Bai hesitated to refuse, "No."
Liao Li asked, "Why not?"
"Of course, I'm afraid you'll take Ji Yu Ning away," Fang Bai replied.
Fang Bai quirked her lips and said, "Is there something you can't say in front of me?"
"Nothing, I just want to chat with Yuning in private. You're a bit of a party pooper," Liao Li retorted, crossing her arms without mercy.
Fang Bai remained indifferent.
After waiting for a while and seeing that Fang Bai had no intention of leaving, Liao Li spoke again, "Regarding what we talked about last time, I--"
Liao Li intentionally stopped speaking.
Fang Bai let out a sigh and turned to Ji Yuning saying, "I'll wait for you at the car."
Ji Yuning's gaze lingered on Liao Li for a second before nodding, "Mm."
Fang Bai walked alone in the direction of the car, while Liao Li and Ji Yuning stood facing each other in place.
After Fang Bai walked away, Liao Li finally asked, "Yuning, how has Fang Bai treated you these past two weeks? Has she... bullied you again?"
Ji Yuning replied truthfully, "No."
Liao Li breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good."
Ji Yuning had no complicated feelings towards Liao Li, and when she spoke to her, she no longer held a grudge.
She asked calmly, "Aunt Liao, what was the agreement you made just now?"
Liao Li guessed that Ji Yuning would ask, so she paused for a moment and didn't conceal anything, "When you had a fever last time, I discovered the scar on your body. It was only then that I realized how Fang Bai treated you in the past three years..."
Liao Li looked into Ji Yuning's eyes, "I'm sorry, I should have noticed earlier. Otherwise, you wouldn't have..."
Ji Yuning interrupted her, "It's okay, Aunt Liao, please continue."
"At that time, after I had finished giving you an IV drip, I told Fang Bai that she should take care of you, but she refused," Liao Li continued.
Ji Yuning's expression froze.
Liao Li continued, "Fang Bai said she would be good to you from then on, and I saw that what she said was true. Also, I've been busy lately and may not be able to take care of you, so I made an agreement with Fang Bai that I will go to your house every weekend to check on her and see if she has kept her promise. The two times I called you, I just wanted to see if she had broken the agreement."
"So..." Ji Yuning narrowed her eyes slightly, "The reason why she started treating me well was because you wanted to take care of me?"
Liao Li shook her head decisively, "No."
Ji Yuning looked at Liao Li with slight confusion, not understanding why she was so sure.
Liao Li watched as a figure walked down the mountain, a slender back swaying like a willow in the wind.
"Liao Li continued, "During this time, she may not have been following our agreement, but really repenting. Otherwise, she wouldn't have the face to see Lu Xia."
Ji Yuning nodded and said, "Thank you, Aunt Liao."
"What are you thanking me for? I haven't done anything yet," Liao Li laughed and then continued, "That's pretty much all I have to say. Is there anything else you want to tell me? If not, let's go down the mountain."
Ji Yuning looked at the person leaning against the car and thought of how a sentence left unfinished by Liao Li could make Fang Bai obediently come down the mountain.
She raised her eyebrows and said, "She's afraid of you."
Ji Yuning stated it as a fact, not a question.
Liao Li was momentarily stunned and followed Ji Yuning's gaze to realize she was referring to Fang Bai and asked, "Really?"
Liao Li recalled the past and said, "It seems like she was a little afraid of me. When the three of us played together, she listened to me a lot."
Liao Li didn't mind and took out her phone from her bag, handing it to Ji Yuning and asked, "Do you have a phone? Give me your number so you can call me if you need anything."
As soon as the phone rang, Ji Yuning hung up and handed the phone back to Liao Li.
"Let's go. Otherwise, she'll get angry if she has to wait too long," Liao Li said after taking her phone back.
Ji Yuning paused for a moment before saying, "Okay."
As Fang Bai was about to unwrap a lollipop, Liao Li and Ji Yuning came down from the mountain.
Seeing the candy in Fang Bai's hand, Liao Li asked, "When did you start eating candy?"
Fang Bai held the candy stick between her fingers, saying it like she was holding a cigarette, "I quit smoking."
"Huh?" Liao Li was puzzled and asked, "When did you start smoking?"
"Huh? Wait, Liao Li didn't know?"
Fang Bai checked her memories and found out that the original owner had started smoking three years ago out of the blue.
Fang Bai shrugged and said, "It's nothing. I quit everything."
Liao Li nodded and replied, "I have to catch a flight, so I'll leave first."
Fang Bai nodded.
Liao Li spoke a few more words with Ji Yuning, then turned around to leave.
Suddenly, she asked Fang Bai, "By the way, when are you taking Yuning to my place for a check-up?"
Fang Bai took the candy out of her mouth and asked, "When are you free?"
Liao Li said, "I'll be back in Hushi on Thursday. How about Friday? Yuning is on vacation then."
Fang Bai shook her head and said, "Friday won't work. Let's change it to another day."
"Why not?" Liao Li asked.
Fang Bai thought of the phone call from the day before yesterday and said "It's Fang Er's birthday. The old man wants me to go."
The original host called her father "old man," and as for Fang Er, he was the child of the original host's stepmother.
Liao Li asked, "Are you taking Yuning with you?"
Fang Bai said, "Yes."
Liao Li looked at her watch, and time did not allow her to chat any longer and said, "Okay, we'll talk about it when I get back."
Liao Li walked towards the taxi she had called and said, "I'm leaving."
Fang Bai lazily waved her hand and replied, "Okay, stay safe."
Ji Yuning also said goodbye.
When the taxi left, Fang Bai remained silent for a few seconds as she looked at Ji Yuning.
Then she turned and got into the car.
When Ji Yuning got into the passenger seat, Fang Bai threw a green apple-flavored candy into Ji Yuning's lap and said, "You didn't eat the peach-flavored one last time. Try this flavor. It's pretty good."
Ji Yuning picked it up, but she didn't plan on eating it.
After fastening her seatbelt, Ji Yuning waited for the car to start.
After waiting for more than ten seconds, there was no movement from the driver's seat.
Ji Yuning turned her head and met Fang Bai's gaze.
Fang Bai said, "Don't you like the apple flavor either? I have other flavors. Pick one yourself."
Ji Yuning: "..."
Finally, under Fang Bai's gaze, Ji Yuning tore open the candy wrapper and put the candy in her mouth.
As soon as Fang Bai started the car, she asked, "Do you want to eat outside or at home for lunch?" after leaving the cemetery.
Ji Yuning replied as before, "Either one is fine."
The candy in her mouth was too sweet and sticky, making her not want to speak.
She rustled the candy wrapper in her hand and stuffed it into her pocket.
Finally, the car fell silent.
An hour later, they drove into the city from the outskirts.
Fang Bai chose to eat outside with Ji Yuning and had a question for her.
After ordering the food, the waiter left the private room, and Fang Bai hesitated for five minutes before finally asking the question she had been holding in.
Looking at Ji Yuning, Fang Bai asked, "What did Liao Li tell you?"
Ji Yuning sat upright in her chair.
Although she had finished eating the candy dozens of minutes ago, there was still a hint of apple flavor in her mouth.
She drank a few sips of water to dilute the sweetness.
Her mood was not good, and she had no desire to act.
Ji Yuning's lips curved into a nonchalant smile as she asked slowly, "Does Aunt Fang want to know?"
Fang Bai nodded and said, "Yes."
"Why should I tell Aunt Fang?" Ji Yuning asked.
Fang Bai did not expect Ji Yuning to ask her for a reason, and replied, "I just... care about you."
Ji Yuning half-closed her eyes, put away the smile at the corners of her mouth, and said frankly, "She said he wanted to take care of me, but you refused."
"Um..." She knew Liao Li would tell her.
Fang Bai tapped her chopsticks on the plate and said, "Actually, I had a reason for refusing. I..."
Fang Bai paused, trying to come up with a reason.
"Did I really want to say that I refused because I wanted to be with Ji Yuning and improve our relationship?"
"That will be too direct, isn't it?"
"Even if I say it, Ji Yuning wouldn't believe it."
Before Fang Bai could think of a reason, Ji Yuning spoke, "I'm not going to leave."
Fang Bai looked up in amazement, "Really?"
Ji Yuning put down the water glass, and the sweetness in her mouth finally disappeared.
She said indifferently, "Didn't Aunt Fang say she would give me what my mother left me when I come of age? If I leave early, will Aunt Fang still keep her promise?"
Her words were full of distrust towards Fang Bai.
Ji Yuning looked at Fang Bai, and saw Fang Bai's eyes brightening, her hand propping her chin, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Xiao Ning, this is the first time you've talked so much to me."
"What was the point of that?", Ji Yuning thought.
Fang Bai: "..."
"Wait, was that the main point?"
The waiter came in with their food, interrupting their conversation.
When the waiter left, Fang Bai had already regained her composure.
With Ji Yuning's assurance, the worry that had been hanging over Fang Bai's heart finally disappeared, and she was in a good mood.
Fang Bai said solemnly, "Don't worry, I'll keep my promise. When you turn eighteen, it's all yours."
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Author's Note:
Later, when Ji Yuning turned 18 and went to look for Fang Bai who runaway from home.
Fang Bai: Don't come near me. jpg
Ji Yuning (blocking her way): Didn't you say it's all mine when I turn eighteen?