After Transmigrating Into A Cannon Fodder Character, I Only Want To Survive - Chapter 51

As the bus got closer to the last stop, the number of passengers gradually decreased. By the time it reached Ji Yuning’s stop, she was the only one left on board.

With two soft “clack” sounds, the bus doors opened and then closed.

The moment the bus started moving again, Ji Yuning simultaneously began walking towards the villa.

The wind whistled past, no longer blocked by the bus, blowing directly onto her face. Ji Yuning’s eyelashes fluttered, and she glanced down at the corn in her hand.

Halfway home, the corn had lost its warmth. If Ji Yuning hadn’t been holding it all along, it would have cooled down long ago, instead of still being lukewarm like it was now.

Ji Yuning tucked her hand, along with the corn, into her pocket and raised her eyes to continue walking forward.

But as soon as she lifted her head, Ji Yuning’s advancing foot instantly froze, her body stiffening in place.

A few steps away, in front of a billboard, stood a woman wearing a brown coat and a beige scarf. She held a cat in her arms and the cat’s leash in her hand.

The woman was looking down at her phone, but she didn’t seem to see what she wanted. Her face, illuminated by the billboard’s light, showed a slightly worried expression that was clear even in the dim light.

The woman put her phone in her pocket, looked down and said a few words to the cat in her arms, and then, while brushing her hair back, raised her eyes towards the bus stop.

Similarly, the woman saw Ji Yuning standing a meter away.

Their gazes met in the air, and an unreadable emotion flickered in each other’s eyes.

The frown on Fang Bai’s face instantly smoothed out, her worry replaced by a smile. She called out softly, “Xiao Ning.”

Her voice was light and gentle, yet it reached the depths of Ji Yuning’s heart.

Ji Yuning’s lips moved, but her throat felt blocked by cold air, unable to utter a word. Her lips parted, but in the end, she could only let out a soft “Mmm” from her nose.

Fang Bai knew Ji Yuning would react this way. She said softly, “Isn’t it cold standing there? Come over here quickly.”

It wasn’t that Ji Yuning didn’t want to move, but after seeing Fang Bai, her legs felt as if they were filled with lead, making it difficult to take a step.

Hearing Fang Bai’s words, Ji Yuning calmed the complex emotions in her heart, and the blood in her legs finally began to flow. She looked at the woman under the light and took small steps towards her.

Fang Bai stood still, wanting to wait for Ji Yuning to reach her before turning around and walking back together.

She had something she wanted to say to Ji Yuning.

The one-meter distance was quickly covered by Ji Yuning.

Getting closer, Ji Yuning saw Fang Bai’s nose, red from the cold, and the tips of her ears were also flushed.

Fang Bai didn’t notice Ji Yuning observing her. She turned around, holding Beibei. “Let’s go.”

“Why…are you here?”

As the question left her lips, Ji Yuning herself didn’t realize the faint expectation that had risen in her heart.

Fang Bai guessed Ji Yuning would ask her this question. She showed Beibei in her arms to Ji Yuning. “Walking the cat~”

Different from the answer she had imagined, Ji Yuning asked softly, “Walking the cat?”

Facing Ji Yuning’s doubt, Fang Bai smiled, a gentle shield. “Don’t you think Beibei is about to become a pig?”

Ji Yuning looked at Beibei. Although it looked a bit puffy, that was just how it appeared. Ji Yuning had bathed Beibei a few days ago, and she knew Beibei wasn’t actually fat, just had some fluffy fur.

Fang Bai still didn’t know that her self-proclaimed perfect excuse had been seen through. She explained why she was at the bus stop. “I was walking the cat and ended up here. Remembering you weren’t home yet, I thought Beibei and I would wait for you here for a while.”

Fang Bai waited two seconds after speaking. When Ji Yuning didn’t reply, she paused and was about to continue, “We haven’t been here for even two minutes, and you arrived.”

Ji Yuning stopped.

Seeing this, Fang Bai also stopped and turned to look at her.

Ji Yuning called out hoarsely, “Auntie.”

You came to pick me up.

Don’t hide it anymore.

Fang Bai was stunned. “What’s wrong?”

Ji Yuning had returned two hours later than usual. Although Fang Bai knew what she was doing and knew that as the female lead she wouldn’t die, she was still very worried.

Especially thinking about Lu Raomei, who shouldn’t have appeared at this time, Fang Bai was afraid that like last time, Ji Yuning would unknowingly encounter an accident. She wouldn’t die, but she could get hurt.

So, after worrying for an hour and a half, Fang Bai went out under the guise of walking the cat.

She did indeed walk the cat, on the way from the villa to the bus stop.

When Ji Yuning suddenly called her, Fang Bai thought her actions had caused Ji Yuning’s displeasure.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t hurt.

But the expected accusations and coldness didn’t come. Instead, Ji Yuning asked in a low voice, “Why didn’t you send me a message to ask?”

Ask her why she wasn’t home, why she wasn’t home yet, where she had gone.

Ji Yuning’s head was lowered, and Fang Bai couldn’t see her expression, only able to infer Ji Yuning’s thoughts from her tone. But the other person’s tone was very flat, revealing nothing.

The words sounded quite like a reprimand.

“Afraid of disturbing you.”

Because I know what you’re doing, so I’m afraid of disturbing you. Also because I know you dislike me, so I’m afraid that if I send a message, I won’t get a reply.

Fang Bai suddenly felt a sense of unease. Even though she said she came out to walk the cat, with Ji Yuning’s intelligence, even if she tried to hide it, Ji Yuning would definitely guess that walking the cat was just an excuse.

Why was she still questioning her now?

Fang Bai switched the cat to her other arm and continued walking in the distance. “You should have taken the initiative to tell me you’d be back late.”

Ji Yuning’s lips tightened.

She was wrong.

Pretending to be out for studying had already deceived the other person, yet she still childishly waited for the other person to take the initiative because of the inexplicable emotional fluctuations of the past few days, wanting to know how much the other person cared about her.

The two walked one after the other, less than thirty centimeters apart.

After walking two steps, Fang Bai heard a voice from behind. “…Sorry.”

A child who knows how to correct their mistakes can always please adults, and a child with a good attitude when admitting their mistakes is even more so. Fang Bai glanced back and said softly, “Just be careful next time.”

Ji Yuning hummed in acknowledgment.

Fang Bai glanced at Ji Yuning out of the corner of her eye. Perhaps it was because of the warm-colored streetlights, but the coldness between Ji Yuning’s brows and the coldness at the corners of her lips had softened a bit, lacking the usual aloofness that kept strangers away.

Fang Bai seized the opportunity. She cleared her throat and said to Ji Yuning, “Auntie wants to discuss something with you, okay?”

Ji Yuning looked at Fang Bai and nodded lightly.

“It’s already winter, and it’s getting dark earlier. According to your usual time of returning home, it will be completely dark.” Fang Bai paused, meeting Ji Yuning’s eyes. “So Auntie wants to say, how about you study at home?”

Actually, not long after Lu Raomei appeared, Fang Bai had this idea, but she was always worried that Ji Yuning would refuse, so she hadn’t said anything to her. It wasn’t until today when Ji Yuning came back late that Fang Bai finally made up her mind.

“Like video calls or something,” Fang Bai continued. “Don’t worry, while you’re studying, Auntie and Aunt Wu won’t go upstairs to disturb you.”

Another gust of wind blew past, but this time it was surprisingly gentle, only ruffling Ji Yuning’s bangs.

And the hair Fang Bai had tucked behind her ear was also blown, a few strands lifting.

Fang Bai’s slender fingers brushed her hair back, her eyes fixed on Ji Yuning, asking softly, “Okay?”

In her pocket, the corn she held suddenly regained its warmth, radiating heat. The corn that had only warmed her hand just now was now burning Ji Yuning’s heart, making it thump wildly.

The heat started from her heart, spreading to her limbs. In a short while, Ji Yuning’s whole body was filled with warmth.

Too hot.

Ji Yuning pulled out her hand, wanting to cool down, but the heat inside her showed no signs of receding.

Fang Bai waited for Ji Yuning to reply, only to see the other person take something out of her pocket. “Corn?”

Ji Yuning looked down, then raised her hand and offered the item in her hand to Fang Bai. “Here.”

“You’re not eating it?”

Ji Yuning lowered her eyes. “It’s sweet, I don’t like it.”

Fang Bai asked, “Why did you buy it if you don’t like it?”

“…” Ji Yuning paused, recalling what the vendor had said. “To warm my hands.”

“Is it very cold?” Fang Bai lowered her head and naturally reached out to touch the back of Ji Yuning’s hand holding the corn.

The moment they touched, Ji Yuning’s raised arm froze.

Feeling the temperature of Ji Yuning’s hand, Fang Bai murmured, “It’s okay.”

Fang Bai took the corn Ji Yuning offered her and handed the cat to Ji Yuning. “Hold Beibei for a bit.”

Her arms felt heavy. Ji Yuning subconsciously looked down. After stroking Beibei’s head to soothe it, Ji Yuning lifted her eyelids, wanting to look at Fang Bai.

But a flash of white suddenly appeared before her eyes.

By the time Ji Yuning reacted, Fang Bai had already wrapped the scarf around her neck.

Fang Bai watched her tie the scarf into a bow in front of Ji Yuning. The seamless look made Fang Bai’s eyes curve into a smile. She asked Ji Yuning with a smile, “It’s much better this way, right?”

I don’t need it.

That’s what Ji Yuning should have said.

But the faint fragrance lingering around her nose belonged to Fang Bai’s body scent.

The words suddenly choked in her throat, unable to be spoken.

Just like the moment she saw Fang Bai after getting off the bus.

The moment that lost emotion was filled by the figure in front of the billboard.

Ji Yuning held her breath. “…Mmm.”

Walking from the bus stop to the villa area at a normal pace took fifteen minutes.

Fang Bai and Ji Yuning took nearly five minutes to walk less than four hundred meters.

The two rows of streetlights along the road illuminated the way home. The white poplar trees in the tree pits pointed the direction. On the quiet asphalt road, the tree shadows were like paintings.

Fang Bai held the corn in both hands. The temperature of the corn was just right, or rather, it had no heat left and couldn’t warm her hands.

Fang Bai suddenly remembered something and turned her head to ask Ji Yuning, “Have you had dinner yet?”

Ji Yuning held the cat. “Mmm.”

So pitiful.

Fang Bai thought to herself.

Fang Bai peeled open the plastic bag covering the corn and then held it up to Ji Yuning. “Want a bite?”

“…”

Up close, Ji Yuning had already smelled the sweetness of the corn. She subconsciously wanted to refuse.

But when Ji Yuning’s gaze left the corn and saw the slight shimmer in Fang Bai’s eyes, she nodded involuntarily.

Before Ji Yuning could lean down to eat, Fang Bai had already brought the corn to her lips.

Ji Yuning had no choice but to take a small bite. Once in her mouth, the fresh fragrance of corn instantly filled her mouth. After chewing, the juice of the kernels burst in her mouth.

Very sweet.

Ji Yuning’s brow furrowed.

After feeding Ji Yuning, Fang Bai lowered her head and took a bite from the other end. She didn’t see Ji Yuning’s furrowed brow, only felt the sweetness filling her mouth, sweeping away the worries of the entire evening.

Fang Bai’s eyebrows curved into a smile as she looked at Ji Yuning and asked, “How is it?”

Ji Yuning’s brow had already smoothed out. Looking at the smile on Fang Bai’s face, her heart suddenly skipped a beat. Her expression remained unchanged as she said calmly, “Sweet.”

“I think so too, but you don’t like it,” Fang Bai said.

Fang Bai put away the corn and held it in her hand.

“Let’s go home quickly, Auntie will cook for you.”

Saying this, Fang Bai took Beibei from Ji Yuning’s arms, turned around, and walked forward while teasing Beibei.

The crescent moon hung high in the orange-yellow sky, and the stars twinkled faintly beside it. Fang Bai’s silhouette was elongated by the streetlights.

In the quiet surroundings, all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart. Even without anything to warm her hands, her body felt no coldness at all.

The inexplicable feelings of the past few days seemed to have an answer.

Ji Yuning stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds before slowly following.