After Transmigrating Into A Cannon Fodder Character, I Only Want To Survive - Chapter 40

The seven-day holiday was fast approaching, and the students’ minds were inevitably restless. They chatted amongst themselves during class, disrupting the classroom order.

After the teacher reprimanded them a few times, they quieted down again, but the small whispers continued until the end of class, when everyone resumed their passionate discussions aloud.

Infected by the atmosphere, Mu Xuerou looked at the person beside her who was diligently taking notes. After hesitating, she asked, “Yuning, do you have any plans for the National Day holiday?”

Ji Yuning didn’t even lift her head, just making a sound: “Mmm.”

Mu Xuerou was taken aback. She had thought Ji Yuning would stay home to study and not go anywhere.

“What plans?”

Ji Yuning held her pen. “Going to Qing City.”

Mu Xuerou blinked, then asked, “I saw there was a hot spring hotel that opened there before. Are you going there?”

“Mmm.”

“Are you going with Aunt Fang?”

For some reason, Mu Xuerou’s intuition told her that Ji Yuning was going to Qing City because of Fang Bai.

The pen gliding across the paper stopped. Ji Yuning hummed in affirmation and looked at Mu Xuerou. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Mu Xuerou said with a hint of regret in her voice. “I originally wanted to ask my parents to go to Qing City for the hot springs together, but they have things to do and can’t come with me. So I wanted to ask if you could go with me, but now…”

The hot spring hotel had been advertised for months in advance, and she had saved up for a long time to go.

Now it seemed her plans had fallen through.

Mu Xuerou thought of something and asked cautiously, “Yuning, can I go with you? I mean, just take the plane to Qing City with you. Once we get there, I definitely won’t bother you and Aunt Fang…”

Besides Ji Yuning, Mu Xuerou couldn’t find anyone else to go with her. Going alone would make her afraid, so following Ji Yuning and Fang Bai would at least give her company on the way there and back, making her feel more at ease.

Ji Yuning paused. What could Mu Xuerou possibly bother between her and Fang Bai?

Before Mu Xuerou could finish speaking, the person beside her said, “Okay.”

Ji Yuning returned home at 7 o’clock every night. After getting home, she would go upstairs to do homework or go to Beibei in the second-floor side bedroom. If Fang Bai didn’t initiate it, Ji Yuning rarely took the initiative to communicate with Fang Bai.

Fang Bai had long been used to it.

Fang Bai wasn’t the type to get close to people either. She only called Ji Yuning to say a few words when she remembered she needed to connect emotionally with her. If she had communicated with Ji Yuning one day, she wouldn’t call Ji Yuning the next.

Appropriate closeness, appropriate distance.

Being neither too close nor too distant was the way to avoid annoying people.

Fortunately, Ji Yuning never took the initiative to shorten their distance. The initiative was in Fang Bai’s hands. Whether she wanted to be very close or very far, Fang Bai could easily control it.

So when she saw Ji Yuning carrying her backpack and walking around the coffee table to stand in front of her, Fang Bai was slightly surprised.

But soon, Fang Bai skillfully took the lead.

While patting the seat beside her, signaling Ji Yuning to sit down, Fang Bai said softly, “Did you need something?”

Ji Yuning glanced at the spot Fang Bai patted, showing no intention of sitting down. She stated her reason for finding Fang Bai: “Mu Xuerou wants to accompany us to Qing City.”

Ji Yuning had agreed readily, but after agreeing, she remembered that Fang Bai was the one who had suggested going. She thought that suddenly having an extra person needed to be discussed with Fang Bai.

Fang Bai’s hand moved to her leg and rested on Beibei. “Accompany us? Does that mean she’s going to Qing City with us but not hanging out with us?”

“Mmm,” Ji Yuning said. “But she’s also going to the hot spring hotel.”

Fang Bai was slightly surprised. “Alone?”

Ji Yuning nodded.

Without thinking, Fang Bai said, “Let her come with us.”

“It’s not safe for a young girl to be out alone,” Fang Bai said. “Ask for her ID information, and I’ll have Uncle Li book another plane ticket and room.”

Fang Bai didn’t feel there was anything wrong with it. Although there would be one more person, that person was Mu Xuerou.
C
Even though the novel focused on the plot and the two characters had little romantic interaction, and Fang Bai only read the novel to follow Ji Yuning’s career path, it didn’t stop her from lightly shipping the couple.

Seeing that Fang Bai agreed, Ji Yuning said, “She’ll pay for herself.”

“Since when does an adult take a younger person out to play and have the younger person pay for themselves?” Fang Bai chuckled. “Tell Mu Xuerou to send me everything I need. Remember to have her communicate well with her family.”

Fang Bai’s smile was too gentle, and her words were too considerate.

If her kindness towards Ji Yuning was out of guilt and a desire to make amends, then why was she being so unusually kind to others?
C
The thick cloud that had been lingering in her heart had already shown signs of parting after several probes, and now those signs were gradually intensifying.

“…Okay,” Ji Yuning replied.

Fang Bai hummed in agreement and waited for two seconds. Seeing Ji Yuning standing still, she looked up. “Anything else?”

Ji Yuning suppressed her thoughts and said with a clear expression, “No.”

Fang Bai said “oh.”

As she turned around, Ji Yuning’s eyes flickered at an angle Fang Bai couldn’t see. After dropping a “Thank you, Auntie,” she went upstairs.

Fang Bai watched Ji Yuning’s back.

Why did she call her Auntie again?

Logically speaking, Fang Bai shouldn’t be bothered by the difference between “Aunt Fang” and “Auntie” because they meant the same thing to her. But when applied to Ji Yuning, it just felt like it wasn’t as simple as it seemed on the surface.

However, Fang Bai couldn’t figure out the reason and could only silently suppress her doubts, trying to find a pattern on her own.

National Day quickly arrived.

In October, the temperature in Hu City still hovered in the 20°C, while Qing City, being further north, had temperatures fluctuating in the single digits, occasionally rising to the teens.

Stepping off the plane, Fang Bai immediately felt the chill brought by the low temperature.

It wasn’t until she got into the rented car that Fang Bai felt a bit better.

In the minivan, Fang Bai sat in the middle row by the window, while Ji Yuning and Mu Xuerou sat in the back row.

Fang Bai was a bit sleepy, resting her forehead on her hand against the car frame and looking out the window. With Fang Bai present, Mu Xuerou was reserved and kept her head down, playing with her phone. Ji Yuning was a person of few words, and even when someone initiated a conversation, she would only nod in response.

The car was extremely quiet the whole way.

It was the first time the driver had encountered a group traveling together during the National Day holiday who didn’t say a single word.

“What grade are you in? Or are you in college?”

Fang Bai didn’t look sideways.

Ji Yuning remained silent.

Mu Xuerou waited for two seconds. When no one responded, she raised her head and obediently replied, “Second year of high school.”

The person who called to rent the car had a mature male voice, and the boss had also told him that the guests had a rather high status, instructing him not to talk nonsense. But who knew that the guests who got in the car were three young girls who didn’t even say a word? He just wanted to liven up the atmosphere, but no one paid him any attention.

Having received a response, the driver’s talkative nature emerged again. He asked, “Only second year of high school? Aren’t your family worried about you being out playing?”

“They’re not worried.”

Mu Xuerou looked at Fang Bai and saw her propping her head up and continuing to look out the window. Mu Xuerou pursed her lips and said, “We have a guardian.”

“Did they arrive at the hotel first to wait for you?” This time, without waiting for Mu Xuerou’s reply, the driver started talking to himself, “Your parents are really carefree, letting you take the car to the hotel yourselves. Luckily, Uncle is a good person. What would you do if you ran into bad people?”

The driver changed the subject again. “Hey, why aren’t those two girls talking? Did they quarrel or get angry? When you’re out playing, you should be happy. If there’s anything unpleasant, wait until you get back to talk about it. When you get out of the car in a bit, give each other a hug first. If that doesn’t work, have your parents take you out to have some fun—”

Seemingly annoyed by the driver’s chatter, the person who had been mentioned finally lowered her hand and glanced sideways at the front seat. “I am their guardian.”

How could such a young person be a guardian? A sister?

The driver opened his mouth, but the words at his lips were swallowed back down. He remembered his boss telling him to talk less and not offend anyone.

The car fell silent again.

This time, there was an added layer of awkwardness.

They soon arrived at the hotel. The driver helped Fang Bai and the others with their luggage and then hurriedly left.

Mu Xuerou couldn’t help but laugh. She said to Fang Bai, “Aunt Fang, you’re too young. That uncle even thought you were a student too.”

Fang Bai, no longer feeling sleepy as she had in the car, smiled faintly. “Really?”

Mu Xuerou nodded emphatically. “Really. The first time I saw Aunt Fang, I even thought you were an older sister.”

Fang Bai smiled.

In fact, the original owner had become an aunt at the age of an older sister.

Mu Xuerou’s tense nerves relaxed because of Fang Bai’s smile. Remembering what the driver had said, she continued, “That uncle even thought Aunt Fang and Yuning had quarreled and told you to hug when you got out of the car.”

Fang Bai’s heart stirred, and she turned to look at Ji Yuning.

Just then, Ji Yuning was also looking at her.

Fang Bai raised an eyebrow. “Want a hug?”

Without even a second passing after she said that, Fang Bai wrapped her coat tighter around herself and said to the two girls, “Let’s go into the hotel first.”

It was too cold, and she hadn’t expected Ji Yuning to reply anyway.

“…”

The three entered the hotel. After checking in at the front desk, because Fang Maozhou had booked a presidential suite for Fang Bai, a staff member led the three of them to the elevator.

Fang Bai handed an extra room key in her hand to Mu Xuerou. “Xiao Mu, because we booked a separate room for you, your room isn’t on the same floor as ours. Xiao Ning and I are staying in one room. If you need anything, you can come find us anytime.”

One room?

Ji Yuning’s gaze couldn’t help but drift to the room key in Fang Bai’s hand.

Mu Xuerou, on the other hand, reached out and took the key, saying sincerely, “Thank you, Aunt Fang.”

Mu Xuerou had been very happy when she received Ji Yuning’s message saying Fang Bai agreed to let her come along. Then she received another message saying Fang Bai was treating her to the trip to Qing City. Mu Xuerou’s perception of Fang Bai had undergone a major change during their brief few interactions.

Mu Xuerou had a feeling that the Fang Bai in front of her was different from the person she had heard about before, but this feeling was quickly dismissed by Mu Xuerou. She believed that everything was due to the discrepancy between hearsay and practical experience.

Fang Bai said “you’re welcome,” her peripheral vision catching Ji Yuning. She then asked Mu Xuerou, “Are you okay on your own? Won’t you be scared? If you’re scared, you can call Xiao Ning and have her come downstairs to keep you company.”

Mu Xuerou looked at Ji Yuning and saw the other girl slowly looking back at her, her eyes clear and cold, yet also containing a hint of concern.

Warmth filled Mu Xuerou’s heart, and she shook her head at Fang Bai. “I’m not scared.”

Fang Bai hummed in agreement.

The four of them got into the elevator. The elevator quickly reached Mu Xuerou’s floor. Fang Bai asked the staff member to help Mu Xuerou.

Once the elevator doors closed, only Fang Bai and Ji Yuning were left in the spacious area.

The elevator had transparent glass walls, and they could clearly see the lobby below, where people moved in droves, small like ants.

Ji Yuning’s gaze still couldn’t move away from the room key in Fang Bai’s hand. She raised her eyes to look at the elevator floor numbers. When there were three more floors until they reached their destination, Ji Yuning’s eyelashes fluttered. “Why are we staying in one room?”

Ji Yuning’s voice was very soft, yet very clear in the ascending elevator.

With a “ding,” the elevator stopped.

In the few seconds it took for the doors to open, Fang Bai turned her head and said, “It’s a suite, the rooms are separate.”

Stepping out of the elevator, Fang Bai glanced sideways and smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m not sharing a bed with you.”