After Transmigrating Into A Cannon Fodder Character, I Only Want To Survive - Chapter 38

Fang Bai’s movement of untying her apron slowed down.

She remembered that she had initially suggested the possibility of Ji Yuning becoming a day student, but she hadn’t brought it up again because of He Wei’s words. Now that Ji Yuning suddenly mentioned it, Fang Bai would be lying if she said she wasn’t surprised.

After a moment of astonishment, Fang Bai quickly understood Ji Yuning’s reason for wanting to be a day student: living on campus restricted her communication with Yuan Yizhen.

Understanding in her heart, Fang Bai still pretended not to know and asked, “Why do you suddenly want to be a day student?”

While asking, Fang Bai turned and went back to the kitchen to get bowls and chopsticks. Ji Yuning followed her into the kitchen, washed her hands, and said, “Didn’t Auntie say before that you wanted me to be a day student?”

Fang Bai noticed that Ji Yuning didn’t use her surname. Although “Aunt Fang” and “Auntie” differed by only one character, they distinguished between formality and intimacy.

Ji Yuning wasn’t the type to deliberately call her that just to get her to agree to something.

Fang Bai was silent for a moment and then said, “At that time, I was worried about you being bullied and feeling awkward in the dormitory, but haven’t student He and the other person corrected their behavior now?”

Ji Yuning pulled out a tissue to wipe the water droplets from her hands, not even raising her head. “Is Auntie going to go back on her word?”

She wasn’t; she was just pretending.

Fang Bai walked out. “No, I just wanted to clarify the reason, so I can explain it to Teacher He.”

Ji Yuning wiped off the last drop of water clinging to her finger, threw the wet tissue into the trash can, and then finally raised her head, looking at Fang Bai’s back as she said in a low voice, “I already mentioned it when Teacher He informed me of the results.”

“What did the teacher say?” Fang Bai asked.

Ji Yuning: “He said to go through the procedures with you tomorrow when school starts.”

Fang Bai thought, not bad, she didn’t even need to contact He Wei. “Okay, then I’ll go to school with you tomorrow.”

After saying that, Fang Bai placed the bowl filled with rice in front of Ji Yuning’s usual seat, turned to look at the figure in the kitchen, and said softly, “Come and eat.”

Once Ji Yuning sat down, Fang Bai used serving chopsticks to give Ji Yuning the stewed meat she had made. “Try this.”

The meat, coated in a rich sauce, had alternating layers of fat and lean. The sauce seeped into the rice, instantly dyeing the glistening white grains a brown hue.

Even Ji Yuning, who only considered eating as a means of survival, found it very appetizing.

Fang Bai watched Ji Yuning pick up a piece with her chopsticks and take a bite. After seeing Ji Yuning swallow, Fang Bai couldn’t wait to ask, “Is it delicious?”

This was her specialty dish.

Ji Yuning lowered her eyes and replied calmly, “Delicious.”

Delicious to the point that… it didn’t taste like something a novice could make at all.

Ji Yuning’s eyes darkened.

Fang Bai was satisfied when she heard Ji Yuning say “delicious” instead of just “hmm” or nodding.

If Ji Yuning said it was delicious, it meant her cooking skills hadn’t deteriorated.

The corners of Fang Bai’s lips curled up. “Then eat more.”

“Mmm.”

Fang Bai didn’t speak again, eating her rice in small bites. It wasn’t that the food didn’t suit her taste, but every time she finished cooking, her desire to eat was very small, as if she had inhaled her fill of cooking fumes while preparing the meal.

Halfway through the meal, Ji Yuning’s voice suddenly sounded on the dining table. Her tone was flat, but her words instantly made Fang Bai alert.

What Ji Yuning said was, “Auntie hasn’t played the piano in a long time, it seems.”

Fang Bai couldn’t play the piano, so naturally, she wouldn’t touch that piano, let alone play it.

Although Fang Bai had the original owner’s memories, knowing and being able to do were two different things, just like a memorized math formula that could never be applied to a problem.

Fang Bai didn’t know why Ji Yuning would pay attention to whether she played the piano or not, and even asked about it. She could only mumble while chewing her rice, “Ah-huh.”

Ji Yuning said with a blank expression, “Doesn’t Auntie play every day?”

After she finished chewing the rice in her mouth, Fang Bai had nothing to use as a cover-up. She cleared her throat and said, “You’re usually at school, how would you see me play the piano?”

Fang Bai added, “But I haven’t touched it for a few days. I’ve been obsessed with researching recipes lately.”

Fang Bai met Ji Yuning’s eyes. The other person’s pupils were dark and deep, her profound gaze seeming to see through everything. Fang Bai said word by word, “Do you want to hear me play? My fingers have gotten rusty these past few days, it might not sound very good.”

Fang Bai’s expression was natural, as if she could immediately sit down at the piano and play a piece if Ji Yuning said she wanted to, but only Fang Bai herself knew that her heart was pounding, afraid that Ji Yuning would nod and say yes.

The consequence of forcing a formula would only be a wrong answer.

Fang Bai’s proactive offer made Ji Yuning temporarily put aside her doubts. She looked at Fang Bai, taking in all the subtle expressions.

But the other person’s acting was too good; she didn’t find any flaws.

Ji Yuning’s eyes flickered slightly, her tightly closed lips parted, the words about to be spoken the next second.

Fang Bai’s hand dangling under the table, her index finger and thumb rubbed together, revealing her inner unease.

But the upper body within Ji Yuning’s sight showed no abnormality.

A soft “click” sound was particularly prominent in the quiet environment.

Fang Bai was startled and turned her head towards the entryway.

Ji Yuning silently withdrew her gaze, her thick eyelashes concealing the emotions in her eyes.

Wu Mei entered, carrying a bag, and saw Fang Bai and Ji Yuning sitting at the table, the atmosphere harmonious.

Wu Mei met Fang Bai’s eyes and said with an embarrassed smile, “Sorry, Miss, my train back was delayed.”

Seeing that it was Wu Mei, Fang Bai felt relieved, glad that Wu Mei had returned in time. “Didn’t I tell you to come back tomorrow?”

Wu Mei had called her to say she would be late. Fang Bai, worried it would be too late, told Wu Mei to come back tomorrow, and Wu Mei had agreed at the time.

Wu Mei explained, “I bought the train ticket when I went back, and I was too lazy to refund it. Besides, the vacation you originally gave me ends today, and I was embarrassed not to come.”

“I would have reimbursed your train ticket even if you had refunded it,” Fang Bai said.

Seeing Wu Mei’s travel-worn appearance, Fang Bai asked, “Have you eaten? If not, come and have some. The food is still warm.”

Wu Mei shook her head. “I ate instant noodles on the train, I’m not hungry.”

Wu Mei walked forward, looking at the several brightly colored dishes, and asked, “Did Miss order takeout?”

Before Fang Bai could speak, a voice suddenly rang out, “Aunt Fang made it herself.”

After Ji Yuning finished speaking, she raised her eyes and called out, “Aunt Wu.”

Wu Mei hadn’t yet reacted to Ji Yuning’s words and called out blankly, “Xiao Ji.”

Then Wu Mei processed the information conveyed by Ji Yuning’s words, turned to look at Fang Bai, and asked in surprise, “Miss, when did you learn to cook?”

She had clearly never seen Miss cook before. This was another reason why Wu Mei had rushed back, worried that the two of them staying at home would only eat takeout.

At this moment, Ji Yuning stood up. “I’m going upstairs.”

From the moment Ji Yuning suddenly spoke, Fang Bai’s gaze had been fixed on Ji Yuning, but the other person hadn’t noticed Fang Bai looking at her until she got up to leave, not even glancing at Fang Bai.

When Ji Yuning’s figure disappeared from her peripheral vision and the sound of footsteps on the stairs gradually faded, Fang Bai’s brow relaxed slightly. She said to Wu Mei, “Just these past few days.”

After saying that, Fang Bai’s brow furrowed slightly, puzzled.

Why did she call her Aunt Fang again?

10 o’clock in the evening.

Ji Yuning sat at her desk, an exercise book open in front of her. The person holding the pen seemed stumped by a question, not writing for a long time, having only completed two multiple-choice questions.

“Knock knock.”

Ji Yuning’s thoughts were interrupted by two knocks on the door.

Ji Yuning glanced at the book on the table, casually put down her pen, and got up to open the door.

The door opened, and Wu Mei handed Ji Yuning the clothes in her arm. “Xiao Ji, your school uniform wasn’t put away.”

Ji Yuning lowered her head. “Thank you, Aunt Wu.”

“Miss also asked me to bring you milk.”

After Ji Yuning took the milk, Wu Mei asked, “Did Miss say you’re going to be a day student?”

Ji Yuning: “Mmm.”

Wu Mei said with a pleasant surprise, “Being a day student is good. That way, I can watch you eat all three meals, and Miss won’t worry about you anymore.”

Day students could rest in the classroom at noon, and lunch could also be settled in the cafeteria. Ji Yuning hadn’t thought about going home for lunch, so Wu Mei’s mention of three meals wasn’t entirely accurate.

But Ji Yuning didn’t explain. She was interested in the latter half of Wu Mei’s words. “Worry about me?”

Wu Mei nodded. “Yes, Miss mentioned it to me several times, saying she was worried you weren’t eating well, afraid you’d only eat buns and not vegetables. Every Friday before you got out of school, she’d ask me to buy groceries, wanting me to help you build up your health.”

Aunt Wu yawned unconsciously after speaking. After a few hours on the train, she was already tired and had originally planned to sleep. But when she passed the laundry room and saw that Ji Yuning’s school uniform hadn’t been put away, thinking that school would start tomorrow, she brought it upstairs for Ji Yuning.

Wu Mei realized she had been impolite in front of Ji Yuning and smiled apologetically.

Ji Yuning’s expression was calm. “Aunt Wu, you should go and rest early.”

Wu Mei nodded. “Okay, you should also sleep early. Staying up late all the time isn’t good.”

“Mmm.”

Wu Mei turned around, and Ji Yuning closed the door.

Ji Yuning walked towards the bed with the school uniform in her arms. She was used to putting the clothes she would wear the next day on the other side of the bed so she could put them on directly after getting up.

The school uniform in her arms emitted a faint fragrance of laundry detergent, a light and fresh scent different from the usual soapy smell of Ji Yuning’s washed clothes. It wasn’t pungent at all but rather lingered invitingly.

This wasn’t the first time Ji Yuning had smelled this scent. She could smell it a few times when she was very close to Fang Bai.

Accustomed to the smell of soap, Ji Yuning held the school uniform filled with a fresh fragrance, feeling a strange unfamiliarity.

She couldn’t help but think of the scene she had seen in the laundry room, Fang Bai wearing her school uniform.

With a breath, Ji Yuning smelled the fresh fragrance again. The scent overlapped with the image in her mind, reality colliding with memory, smell and taste intertwining.

In a daze, Ji Yuning felt that this scent didn’t come from laundry detergent but was left on the clothes by Fang Bai.

“…”

Ji Yuning turned around and put the clothes on the sofa.

The next day, after Fang Bai took Ji Yuning to school, she followed Ji Yuning into the school, chatted with He Wei for a few words, and then went to handle the withdrawal procedures from the dormitory.

And Ji Yuning went into the classroom to put away her backpack.

She happened to run into the class representative collecting homework. Ji Yuning opened her backpack again, took out a notebook, and was about to hand it over when her homework was snatched away.

Ji Yuning glanced sideways and saw He Ziyan throw the snatched homework to the class representative, then waved at the class representative, telling him to leave.

He Ziyan put her hands in her pockets and looked down at Ji Yuning condescendingly. “Heard you’re going to be a day student?”

Ji Yuning put away her backpack. “Mmm.”

He Ziyan: “Why?”

Without waiting for Ji Yuning’s reply, He Ziyan said to herself, “It’s not because you’re afraid of me and want to avoid me, is it?”

Ji Yuning glanced at her.

After putting away her backpack, Ji Yuning got up and walked out of the classroom.

Before she had taken two steps, He Ziyan caught up. “Wait a moment.”

He Ziyan reached Ji Yuning’s side, leaned closer, and sniffed lightly.

Ji Yuning silently moved away from He Ziyan.

At the same time, He Ziyan straightened up and asked, “Why do you smell like Fang Bai?”

Author’s Note:

Xiao Ji: Because Auntie and I are, I have her in me, and she has me in her.