After Transmigrating Into A Cannon Fodder Character, I Only Want To Survive - Chapter 69

The four of them started walking side by side, but due to the cars parked by the roadside and the occasional passersby, they gradually formed two pairs.

Mu Xuerou and He Ziyan, the two talkative ones, naturally walked together, while the remaining two, who had been quiet tonight, walked behind them.

At 7 o’clock in the evening, the sky was completely dark, and the lights from the shops by the roadside were dazzling. In this cold winter, even the light carried a piercing chill.

Fang Bai wore a beige wool coat, a loose mid-length style that had a lazy air. She had taken off her coat while eating and had casually put it back on when they left the restaurant. At this moment, the coat was wide open, and the cold wind freely entered her chest.

Thinking it was only a few hundred meters, Fang Bai figured they would enter an indoor space soon, so she didn’t pay attention to how much cold wind would blow into her coat in those few hundred meters.

She looked up slightly. The crescent moon was scattered among the desolate tree branches. Her gaze moved down, and three meters away, He Ziyan and Mu Xuerou were whispering to each other, both their faces beaming with smiles.

Watching this scene, Fang Bai couldn’t help but smile. She thought, was it because she had spent too much time with these kids that her own nature had become so childish?

What was there to argue with Ji Yuning about?

Besides Ji Yuning herself, no one in this world understood Ji Yuning better than she did.

Fang Bai knew very well what kind of person Ji Yuning was.

Perhaps it wasn’t arguing with Ji Yuning, but rather that Fang Bai couldn’t face her own failure. A year and a half ago, she had confidently thought she could change her fate, but in the end, it was all in vain.

Although there had been elements of acting at the beginning, she couldn’t deny that she had put in some effort.

But had she gained anything?

Maybe she had, like those moments when Ji Yuning and she were mutually acting, creating illusions for her.

For example… right now.

Fang Bai looked down at the arm blocking her path, stopped walking, and turned her head to ask the person who had stopped her, “What’s wrong?”

Her voice was soft and gentle, like the trailing end of a cloud drifting in the sky.

The hand in front of her didn’t withdraw but instead lowered to her waist, gripping the belt hanging from her clothes.

“?”

While Fang Bai was puzzled, Ji Yuning moved to face her and reached out to gather the two sides of her coat together.

Holding the belt, Ji Yuning slowly and deliberately tied a knot, her movements so gentle it was like she was decorating a work of art, afraid that rough movements would disturb the other person.

Fang Bai watched Ji Yuning tie the knot. From her angle, Ji Yuning’s head was lowered, her eyes cast down, her silent appearance carrying a hint of…pleading?

Ji Yuning pleading with her?

Fang Bai quickly dismissed the thought, thinking she must have been confused by the wind to actually believe Ji Yuning was pleading with her.

After the coat was gathered, it blocked the wind that was still trying to rush in.

Fang Bai gradually felt warmth.

Her mind cleared up a lot because of this. Just as Fang Bai wanted to take the belt back from Ji Yuning and tie it herself, before she could even raise her hand, a clear, cold voice rang out:

“I didn’t plan to go.”

Fang Bai stopped moving.

Ji Yuning tied a perfect knot, her slender fingers pulling away from the belt, and then said, “So I didn’t tell you.”

Fang Bai was silent, not understanding why Ji Yuning was explaining.

Ji Yuning pondered to herself for a moment and continued, “I also told Teacher He before. She agreed at the time and said she would discuss it with the head teacher to find another student to replace me.”

Fang Bai’s eyelids flickered, and when she looked up, her eyes met Ji Yuning’s.

Those dark eyes, clear and bright, like two stars in the night.

“Why aren’t you going?” Fang Bai asked. “Isn’t there a chance for direct recommendation?”

Under Fang Bai’s gaze, Ji Yuning slowly tucked the hair that had been blown across Fang Bai’s face behind her ear.

When Fang Bai’s face was clear of any obstruction, and Ji Yuning’s hand brushed against Fang Bai’s soft earlobe, she chuckled softly. “Do I need direct recommendation?”

A light and airy sentence, yet the content it conveyed was shocking.

It was clearly an arrogant and conceited statement, but Ji Yuning uttered it without the slightest hint of awkwardness.

It just seemed like a wolf occasionally revealing its untamed nature.

Ji Yuning was inherently like this: confident, proud.

She had her reasons and didn’t need to explain them to anyone.

A strange emotion surged within Fang Bai, and her body unconsciously grew warm.

After a moment, a gentle light flickered in Fang Bai’s eyes. “Then why are you going?”

The smile that had just bloomed on Ji Yuning’s face vanished in a flash, returning to its usual expression. She said faintly, “Annoying.”

Fang Bai was taken aback. “Huh? Why annoying?”

Ji Yuning had always kept her negative emotions buried deep within her heart, including the pain brought by those dark days. She had never confided in anyone.

Ji Yuning was human; she also had worries and frustrations that didn’t show on her seemingly indifferent face, but she had never vented them.

The well in her heart was covered by a heavy lid, perhaps made of concrete, or maybe steel bars or heavy iron. They tightly pressed down on the opening, completely airtight.

And in the well, was accumulated darkness.

And at this moment, because of Fang Bai’s question, Ji Yuning suddenly felt the urge to confide.

The heavy lid was lifted from the outside.

Light shone into the well.

Like guiding someone who had gone in the wrong direction towards the right path.

Ji Yuning’s brow furrowed, following Fang Bai’s question. “The new person they found got sick a few days ago. Teacher He and the head teacher want me to go, and they’ve been taking turns talking to me.”

While speaking, Ji Yuning hugged Fang Bai and murmured, “I wanted some peace and quiet, so I agreed.”

Fang Bai hadn’t expected things to develop this way. “Today too?”

Ji Yuning: “Mmm, afraid I’d change my mind last minute.”

The list had already been submitted; she had no chance to go back on her word.

That’s why Ji Yuning found it annoying.

Fang Bai placed her hand on the top of Ji Yuning’s head, gently rubbing it, comforting her. “Teacher He is doing it for your own good, isn’t she?”

A long-lost head rub.

Feeling the familiar yet unfamiliar rhythm on her head.

Ji Yuning’s invisible ears drooped, and she unconsciously rubbed against Fang Bai’s palm, saying softly, “I know.”

She knew, so she agreed.

Ji Yuning: “I was originally planning to tell you tonight when I got back, but I didn’t expect you to find out first.”

Fang Bai lowered her hand and smiled. “It’s nothing, knowing sooner or later is the same.”

Fang Bai felt her little finger being hooked. The other person’s hand was very warm, and her fingers, which had been stiff from the wind, felt a hint of warmth because of the other person.

Ji Yuning naturally held Fang Bai’s hand. Noticing that Fang Bai’s hand was cold, she didn’t hesitate to pull Fang Bai’s hand into the pocket of her cotton jacket.

In the narrow space, the two hands pressed tightly together.

Fang Bai was pulled half a step closer to Ji Yuning by this action.

From a distance, they looked like they were hugging, two people warming each other in the cold wind.

And in fact, Fang Bai and Ji Yuning were no different from being in an embrace, so close that their breaths intertwined.

Although Ji Yuning’s pocket was very warm, standing together like this in public, on a crowded street, would only attract attention.

Fang Bai’s lips parted slightly, and she exhaled, and advised, “Someone’s looking.”

Fang Bai assumed Ji Yuning also didn’t want to be watched.

But unexpectedly, after she finished speaking, she felt her hand in her pocket being squeezed.

Then she heard Ji Yuning say, “Don’t be angry anymore.”

Fang Bai wasn’t the type to get angry easily. She had already calmed herself down while eating. Besides, after thinking things through, Fang Bai no longer felt angry at Ji Yuning, but rather relieved.

However, hearing Ji Yuning’s words, Fang Bai’s heart still softened a bit. She said gently, “Why would I be angry with a kid like you?”

Her hand was squeezed again.

She saw Ji Yuning frown slightly. “I’m not.”

Fang Bai echoed, “Yes, you won’t be soon.”

Two more days.

And she would be an adult.

Ji Yuning’s eyes flickered. “Today doesn’t count.”

Fang Bai didn’t react for a moment. “What?”

Perhaps her heart had opened up, or perhaps she was about to reach the long-awaited age, Ji Yuning boldly spoke her thoughts, “When I come back, give me another birthday.”

“Then why doesn’t today count?”

Fang Bai finished asking, and her eyes met Ji Yuning’s unintentionally. She watched Ji Yuning’s face gradually enlarge until Ji Yuning leaned her head on Fang Bai’s shoulder.

Ji Yuning’s voice was in her ear: “Just like last time, just the two of us.”

Fang Bai blurted out, “Xiao Mu would be very sad if she knew what you were thinking.”

“…” Ji Yuning said, “I’ll apologize to her.”

“No, Auntie’s just joking.” Fang Bai asked, “Why do you want to celebrate again?”

Ji Yuning rested her head on Fang Bai’s shoulder and said, as if coaxing, but her voice was very faint, “I want to eat noodles.”

Fang Bai was stunned for a few seconds, then forced a smile and said, “Okay.”

Ji Yuning stared at Fang Bai’s smile for a few seconds before letting out a “Mmm” from her nose.

In the distance, Mu Xuerou’s voice interrupted the two.

“Yuning, Aunt Fang, what’s wrong with you?!”

Fang Bai glanced in the direction of Mu Xuerou and replied, “Nothing, we’re coming.”

Her gaze returned to Ji Yuning, who had already moved out of her embrace.

However, their hands were still tucked in their pockets.

Fang Bai imitated Ji Yuning’s actions from a few minutes ago, pinching Ji Yuning’s hand, raising an eyebrow, and saying softly, “Can I let go now?”

Ji Yuning: “Mmm.”

Fang Bai felt one of her hands being released by Ji Yuning.

After Fang Bai pulled out that hand, she moved the other hand that was still being held. “What about this one?”

The next second, Ji Yuning obediently released her hand.

But before Fang Bai could pull her hand out of her pocket, she heard Ji Yuning say, “It’s a bit cold, Auntie, can you help warm my hands?”

Fang Bai stopped her withdrawing motion.

A gust of wind blew past, and coldness rushed in.

In the pocket of her cotton jacket, Fang Bai returned Ji Yuning’s grip.

••••

KTV.

Mu Xuerou had booked a medium-sized private room, which could accommodate up to eight people, and it felt very spacious for the four of them.

After the waiter left, Mu Xuerou took He Ziyan to choose songs, while Fang Bai pulled Ji Yuning to sit in the middle.

Three minutes later, He Ziyan sat down beside them, and Mu Xuerou turned her head to ask, “Yuning, Aunt Fang, do you have any songs you want to sing?”

Ji Yuning shook her head.

Fang Bai thought for a moment and gave a song title.

Mu Xuerou smiled brightly when she heard it, saying with slight excitement, “I’ve heard this one! My mom often sings it~”

Fang Bai’s eyebrows curved slightly, but she didn’t say anything.

At this moment, He Ziyan beside her said to Mu Xuerou, “Xuerou, let Aunt Fang sing first.”

Fang Bai tilted her head slightly. “Why?”

“I want to hear what Auntie sounds like when she sings.” After saying that, He Ziyan’s gaze skipped over Fang Bai and looked at a certain seemingly upright person, saying, “Ji Yuning must think so too, Auntie, why don’t you ask her.”

Why did she say seemingly upright?

Because He Ziyan had seen it.

On the way here, realizing that the two behind them hadn’t kept up, He Ziyan turned her head and took in all of Ji Yuning’s actions of gathering Fang Bai’s clothes and hugging her.

At that moment, the impact on He Ziyan was significant.

She hadn’t expected… Ji Yuning to do such a thing, seemingly caring about someone else and being intimate with them.

To put it exaggeratedly, it somewhat subverted He Ziyan’s perception of Ji Yuning.

When the two walked up to them, seeing Fang Bai’s hand in Ji Yuning’s pocket, He Ziyan deliberately asked why, and Fang Bai’s reply was to warm Xiao Ning’s hands.

If it had been before, telling her that Ji Yuning would let others warm her hands, thinking of that cold face and the defensive wall that kept strangers away, He Ziyan wouldn’t have believed it even if she was beaten.

But now, seeing was believing, and He Ziyan could only believe it.

Believing that some of Ji Yuning’s outward appearances were just a disguise.

Warm hands?

What a good act!

She had even gone to the trouble of leading Mu Xuerou far ahead to give Ji Yuning and Fang Bai a chance to be alone and explain…

He Ziyan’s current mood wasn’t good.

Fang Bai listened to He Ziyan’s words and turned her head towards Ji Yuning, but didn’t speak, just asked with her eyes.

Ignoring the resentful look He Ziyan cast her, Ji Yuning turned her head and curved her lips at Fang Bai. “Mmm, I want to hear it.”

Seeing Ji Yuning smile, Fang Bai’s eyes curved into a smile. “Don’t say it sounds bad.”

Mu Xuerou had already selected a song.

Fang Bai chose Teresa Teng’s “I Only Care About You”, an old song.

The prelude began, and Fang Bai focused her attention on the screen.

A few seconds later—

“If I hadn’t met you,

Where would I be…”

Fang Bai’s voice suited this song very well, gentle as water, containing an indescribable thread of emotion.

Ji Yuning’s heart suddenly pounded.

“…

If there comes a day

You say you’re about to leave

I will lose myself

And walk into the boundless sea of people

…”

Hearing the lyrics, Ji Yuning looked at the singing person. Under the dim light, the lines of Fang Bai’s face were covered with a layer of illusory light and shadow, making it hard to see clearly, as if when the light faded, Fang Bai would disappear into the darkness.

Suddenly, the scene of Fang Bai leaning against the wall, shrinking her body a few days ago, surged into her mind, along with Fang Bai’s somewhat unusual response…

Ji Yuning’s heart inexplicably felt empty, and the hand hanging by her leg couldn’t help but clench.

A hint of panic spread through every corner of her body. Instinctively, Ji Yuning reached out and grabbed the corner of Fang Bai’s clothes.

It wasn’t until the song ended that the palpitations in Ji Yuning’s heart slowly subsided.