After Transmigrating Into A Cannon Fodder Character, I Only Want To Survive - Chapter 71

Fang Bai didn’t know how long she sat in the coffee shop. It wasn’t until a waiter came over and asked if she wanted the cups on the table cleared that Fang Bai came back to her senses.

Stepping out of the coffee shop, without the shelter of the building, the cold wind whistled past her cheeks.

Tucking the hair that the wind had blown onto her face behind her ears, Fang Bai walked towards the parking spot.

Returning to the car, the warmth gradually subsided, and her fingers, which had almost frozen from the wind, slowly unfolded.

Suddenly, Fang Bai thought of Ji Yuning, who had asked her to warm her hands last night. Clearly, the hand in her pocket had been warmer than hers; the one being warmed had actually been her.

Fang Bai smiled unconsciously, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes before fading away.

Just as she was thinking, a ringtone broke the silence. The sound was muffled through the fabric of her clothes.

It was like Fang Bai’s stuffy mood.

Her phone was taken out of her pocket. Looking at the two characters “[Xiao Ning]” on the screen, Fang Bai’s breathing slowed for two seconds. When the light in her eyes softened, she slid to answer.

The moment the phone touched her ear, Ji Yuning’s voice entered her ears.

“Auntie,” Ji Yuning called out.

Usually, the one word sounded devoid of emotion, as if Fang Bai had forced Ji Yuning to say them. But through the screen, a hint of tenderness could be heard.

Fang Bai chuckled to herself, thinking she was confused by the wind again.

“Mmm, I’m here,” Fang Bai said.

The person on the other end of the phone waited for a moment, but when Fang Bai didn’t ask why she was calling, she pursed her lips and said, “I’m on the train.”

On the train?

Fang Bai glanced at the time, only then realizing she had been sitting in the coffee shop for almost an hour…

A look of surprise flashed in her eyes. It was quite strange that the staff hadn’t asked her to leave.

What Fang Bai didn’t know was that the staff had considered asking Fang Bai to leave, since she hadn’t ordered anything. But seeing the worry all over Fang Bai’s face, the staff hadn’t spoken up to disturb her, and had just waited for almost an hour.

Fang Bai said gently, “Okay.”

The voice on the other end was muffled. “They’ll collect our phones when we get there, and we won’t get them back until the competition is over.”

Hearing this, Fang Bai paused for a few seconds, then asked, “Then did you bring cash?”

Without phone payment, Fang Bai was worried that Ji Yuning wouldn’t have enough money.

Ji Yuning hadn’t expected Fang Bai to ask her this. Knowing it was out of concern, warmth welled up in Ji Yuning’s heart. “I brought some.”

“That’s good. If you don’t have enough money, you can ask the teacher, and when the time comes, I…” Fang Bai blinked. “You can transfer it to the teacher later.”

Fang Bai spoke very quickly, and Ji Yuning didn’t catch it. She replied, “It’s enough.”

“Enough is good,” Fang Bai said. “Eat more, keep a balanced diet. It wasn’t easy for me to raise you to be so healthy and fair… you don’t want to lose weight again after just a few days.”

Fang Bai couldn’t bring herself to say “fat.” Ji Yuning wasn’t fat at all.

Noticing Fang Bai swallowing her words, a clear chuckle came from the other end of the phone. “I know.”

Hearing Ji Yuning’s laughter, Fang Bai recalled what Lu Raomei had said to her. A bitter feeling rose in her heart, and the smile on her lips faded again.

Fang Bai asked, “When do you have to hand in your phone?”

“At noon,” Ji Yuning said.

The training camp would start directly in the afternoon.

“Mmm,” Fang Bai asked softly, “It’s been almost two hours since we last saw each other. Did you miss Auntie?”

The other end of the phone was silent.

Fang Bai’s soft, trailing tone tugged at Ji Yuning’s heartstrings, making her heart skip a beat. Before the word “missed” could leave her lips, Fang Bai, not waiting for an answer, filled in the blank herself, assuming Ji Yuning had said “didn’t miss.”

“Sigh.” Fang Bai sighed.

Ji Yuning’s heart tightened, realizing she might have been misunderstood by Fang Bai.

But before she could speak, Fang Bai said on the other end, “Auntie misses you.”

Words completely failed her.

Ji Yuning’s heart was about to jump out of her chest.

It felt like being in summer, warm sunlight shining all over her, all because of one sentence from Fang Bai.

Not hearing Ji Yuning’s voice, Fang Bai tsked softly. “Do you want to make a video call?”

This time, Ji Yuning finally found her voice. She suppressed her restless joy and said softly, “Okay.”

Surprising the person on the other end, Ji Yuning quickly got up from her seat.

“I’ll call you.” Saying this, Fang Bai hung up the phone and switched to WeChat to make a video call to Ji Yuning.

The ringtone only sounded once before Ji Yuning answered.

Fang Bai saw at a glance that Ji Yuning’s background was the restroom of the high-speed train and couldn’t help but laugh. “Why did you run to the restroom to make a call?”

Ji Yuning only showed half of her face. “It’s noisy outside.”

Although the restroom wasn’t very quiet either.

Fang Bai asked a crucial question, “Then what if someone wants to use the restroom?”

“I’ll go out in a bit.” Ji Yuning noticed Fang Bai was in the car. “Are you outside?”

“Yeah.” Fang Bai leaned back, sniffed, and said, “Don’t want to go to work.”

Fang Bai often had moments of discouragement or low spirits, but this was the first time she had shown it in front of Ji Yuning.

Seeing this, Ji Yuning’s voice unconsciously lowered. “What’s wrong?”

Fang Bai leaned against the back of the seat, her curled eyelashes fluttering. “It’s nothing, it’s just that you’re not here, and Auntie has no motivation to work.”

As the words fell, not only was Ji Yuning stunned, but Fang Bai was also taken aback.

Clearly knowing that these sweet words had no effect on Ji Yuning, but it seemed… saying nice things to Ji Yuning had become an instinct, a habit.

Fang Bai’s pink lips parted slightly, wanting to explain.

Ji Yuning on the other end of the screen spoke first. “I’ll be back soon.”

“No rush,” Fang Bai’s lips curved slightly, saying languidly, “Let Auntie slack off a bit.”

Ji Yuning’s eyes flickered. “Mmm.”

Fang Bai glanced at Ji Yuning’s background again and said softly, “Go outside, show me the scenery along the way.”

Ji Yuning replied with an “Okay.”

Her seat happened to be by the window. After returning to her seat, Ji Yuning turned the screen towards the window.

Fang Bai watched the scenery whizzing past Ji Yuning through her phone.

Ji Yuning rested her elbow on the windowsill, looking sideways at Fang Bai on the screen.

To Ji Yuning, Fang Bai was the scene she couldn’t miss.

The two of them were tacitly silent.

Five minutes later, Fang Bai’s voice came through Ji Yuning’s headphones: “Actually, Auntie wants to travel around the world, but she’s never had the chance.”

Her tone was serious and earnest.

Suddenly, the emotions that had surged when she stepped into the school gate resurfaced. Ji Yuning quickly turned her phone towards herself.

Fang Bai on the screen was smiling brightly, with a hint of playfulness, as if the person who had just spoken wasn’t her.

Fang Bai moved her phone closer to her face, as if wanting to see Ji Yuning’s expression clearly.

And her face magnified on Ji Yuning’s screen. Staring at Fang Bai’s eyes, Ji Yuning said, “There will be a chance, I’ll go with you.”

“…” Fang Bai’s hand stiffened, but she smiled brightly on the screen. “Okay.”

Completely soothed by Fang Bai’s smile, Ji Yuning lowered her eyes slightly, her eyelashes concealing the smile in her eyes.

“Xiao Ning.”

The voice in the headphones was soft and slow, like a faint current passing through, tingling and numb.

Ji Yuning raised her eyes. “Auntie.”

Hearing Ji Yuning call her, Fang Bai was momentarily stunned, her gaze sweeping over Ji Yuning inch by inch.

The child’s appearance had changed greatly since they first met, gradually losing her childishness and growing into an adult.

Fang Bai’s tone was gentle as she said to Ji Yuning, “Take care of yourself.”

Then Fang Bai quickly added in her usual tone, “Auntie’s hanging up now~”

It was so fast that Ji Yuning didn’t have time to realize the deeper meaning.

Ji Yuning could only reply, “Mmm.”

••••

A week passed quickly, and the competition ended on the morning of the seventh day.

After it ended, the teacher leading the team returned the phones to Ji Yuning and discussed when to return to Hu City.

The final decision was to skip lunch, pack their luggage in the dormitory, and then head back.

The main reason was that the food was not good.

On the way back to the dormitory, Ji Yuning turned on her phone. The first thing she did was connect to the internet.

But before it connected to the data, a text message notification popped up.

Ji Yuning opened it.

Yuan Yizhen: [The partnership with the Li Corporation has been rejected according to your wishes.]

Yuan Yizhen: [Lu Raomei has come to Hu City.]

The messages had been sent a week ago, right after Ji Yuning handed in her phone. Yuan Yizhen didn’t know the exact time Ji Yuning handed in her phone, but after not receiving a reply from Ji Yuning, she guessed the situation and didn’t send any more text messages to Ji Yuning.

When she saw the second message, Ji Yuning’s expression was indifferent. She called Yuan Yizhen back.

The other end picked up quickly.

Ji Yuning only asked about Lu Raomei. After Yuan Yizhen finished speaking and was about to report the work content of the week to Ji Yuning, she was interrupted by Ji Yuning, “Talk about it when I get back.”

Yuan Yizhen paused for a moment and then quickly said, “Okay.”

However, Yuan Yizhen asked again, “Do you need me to pick you up at the station?”

Ji Yuning immediately thought of what Fang Bai had said to her, and a beautiful curve appeared at the corners of her lips. “No need, Auntie will pick me up.”

Yuan Yizhen: “Okay.”

After hanging up, Ji Yuning opened WeChat.

There were only seven unread messages, but none of them were from Fang Bai.

Although her expectations were dashed, Ji Yuning’s good mood wasn’t extinguished.

She knew Fang Bai was busy with work.

Her fingertip swiped across the screen, and Ji Yuning opened the chat window with Fang Bai.

Fang Bai’s profile picture was still the previous one, while Ji Yuning’s profile picture had been changed by Fang Bai to a photo of Beibei falling down.

Very funny.

Moreover, the two cat profile pictures looked very much like a couple’s matching icons.

The corners of Ji Yuning’s lips curved up again.

The keyboard popped up, and Ji Yuning typed:

[Auntie.]

[The competition is over.]

At this time, Ji Yuning also returned to the dormitory.

Seeing that Fang Bai hadn’t replied, Ji Yuning first packed her luggage. She didn’t have many things, so she finished quickly.

On the way to the meeting point, just as Ji Yuning hesitated whether to call Fang Bai, her phone vibrated twice.

Ji Yuning’s expression was calm, but the action of opening her phone was much faster.

She hadn’t contacted Fang Bai for a week.

This was the longest period of no contact in over a year.

But when Ji Yuning saw the content sent by the contact named “Aunt Fang,” the smile in her eyes was replaced by coldness.

Aunt Fang had sent: [Xiao Ji, this is Aunt Wu. What time will you arrive at the station? I’ll ask Lao Li to pick you up.]

For a moment, Ji Yuning was full of doubt, and beneath the doubt, a faint panic spread.

Ji Yuning didn’t hesitate to dial the number. The moment Wu Mei’s voice came out of the receiver, some bubbles called expectation burst into powder.

It wasn’t Fang Bai’s joke; the person on the other end was indeed Wu Mei.

After a moment of stunned silence, Ji Yuning asked with her last hope, “Where’s Fang Bai?”

On the high-speed train back to Hu City, what kept repeating in Ji Yuning’s mind were Wu Mei’s words:

“Miss went on a trip.”

“She suddenly said she wanted to travel, didn’t say where.”

“The phone was left to me by Miss. She said she didn’t want to be disturbed while traveling and asked me to reply to people who contacted her.”

“Yes, Miss bought a new phone. New number? Miss didn’t leave it for me.”

“Does Master know? He should know, Miss went to see Master before she left.”

“…”

Ji Yuning closed her eyes.

Everyone had been notified except her.

Was it really a whim?

Suddenly, Ji Yuning remembered what Fang Bai had said during their call that day—Actually, Auntie wants to travel around the world, but she’s never had the chance.

So now… the chance had come?

After arriving in Hu City, Uncle Li picked up Ji Yuning.

The person who had said she would pick her up a week ago was gone without a trace.

Returning to the villa, Ji Yuning went straight upstairs and entered Fang Bai’s bedroom.

Her gaze swept over every corner of the room, and some of Fang Bai’s usual items had indeed disappeared.

Ji Yuning then walked to the closet in the bedroom. It was filled with the clothes Fang Bai often wore, but now the closet was empty.

Wu Mei, who had followed Ji Yuning upstairs, saw Ji Yuning like this and asked, puzzled, “Xiao Ji, what’s wrong? Miss will be back in a few days after her trip.”

Ji Yuning lowered her eyes.

She would be back in a few days?

Then why did she feel so uneasy? She always felt like she would… never see the other person again.

Seeing Ji Yuning didn’t speak, Wu Mei remembered what Fang Bai had instructed her before leaving. Wu Mei patted her hand and said to Ji Yuning, “Xiao Ji, Miss prepared a birthday present for you. It’s in your room.”

After speaking, Wu Mei added, “Miss specifically told me not to enter your room, and to let you unpack those gifts yourself.”

Ji Yuning’s eyes darkened, and she said to Wu Mei, “I understand.”

Attic.

Ji Yuning pushed open the door and saw the box on the coffee table.

A pink gift box tied with a bow.

Ji Yuning’s lips were tightly pressed into a straight line, and a dark surge of anger welled up in her eyes.

She stared at the box for almost five minutes before silently taking off the lid.

The heat in the room was strong. Ji Yuning was wearing a cotton jacket, so she should have been very hot, but after clearly seeing what was in the box, a chill rose steadily from the soles of her feet.

On top of the box were three cards.

Two of them were Fang Bai’s, and the other one, although she hadn’t seen it in a long time, Ji Yuning recognized as the one Lu Xia had given Fang Bai.

Under the cards was a red booklet with the three characters for “Property Ownership Certificate” printed on it.

Ji Yuning gritted her teeth inwardly, picked it up, and opened it. As she expected, her name was written under “Owner,” and the “Property Address” was this villa she was standing in.

At the very bottom, a greeting card was pressed down.

Ji Yuning put the property certificate and cards aside and reached for the greeting card.

Just as Ji Yuning hesitated to open the greeting card, Yuan Yizhen called. “I’m sorry, Miss Fang’s itinerary seems to have been deliberately hidden. Besides the initial destination she flew to, nothing else can be found.”

Ji Yuning knew Yuan Yizhen’s abilities. If she couldn’t find anything, it could only mean Fang Bai was prepared and didn’t want them to find out.

“No need to investigate anymore.”

“Okay.” Yuan Yizhen hesitated and said, “But I found out that Miss Fang… met with Lu Raomei before she left.”

“…” Ji Yuning’s face turned gloomy.

Ten seconds later, the phone hung up.

All her possessions had been given away, and even the house had another person’s name on it. It didn’t look like she was coming back at all.

The world was so big, perhaps she would settle down in a city with convenient transportation, or perhaps spend the rest of her life in an unknown small town.

Would she still come back?

The greeting card in her hand felt like it was stained with poison. Ji Yuning’s fingers stiffened, the sensation spreading to her limbs, and even breathing became difficult.

Using the last of her strength, Ji Yuning’s index finger on her free hand lifted the greeting card.

Only two characters were written on it: [Happy Birthday.]

The delicate handwriting, at this moment, was sharp like a dagger, slicing through Ji Yuning’s entire body, leaving her completely wounded.

Her breathing weakened. Her shoulders and back, which had been held straight since entering the house, instantly slumped when she saw those two words.

She just sat on the sofa.

Motionless, like an object.

She didn’t know how long had passed before a lively “Meow~” suddenly broke the deathly silence of the room.

The cat’s meow chased away some of the heavy stillness.

Beibei squeezed into the room through the crack in the door. It smelled Ji Yuning’s scent and, following it, walked up to Ji Yuning and jumped into her arms.

Ji Yuning lowered her head, her thin lips moving, but no sound came out.

Beibei’s round eyes stared at Ji Yuning.

The person and the cat looked at each other.

Ji Yuning’s tongue swept across her dry lips, her lips moving, but with little effect.

After trying a few more times, Ji Yuning finally forced out a word from between her teeth, “She,”

Hearing the sound, Beibei straightened up slightly, its head leaning against Ji Yuning’s face, rubbing gently.

Wet.

Its fur was stuck together.

Beibei moved its head away a little, staring at Ji Yuning’s face. When its eyes caught the culprit, it stuck out its tongue and licked away the glistening drop that had slid to the tip of Ji Yuning’s chin.

A little salty.

Ji Yuning’s eyes were misty, unable to see anything clearly.

Relying on the blurry figure, her hand pressed against Beibei’s head, like a child who had done wrong and hadn’t yet reflected, she spoke the incomplete words.

Ji Yuning murmured, “Doesn’t she want you either?”

Another tear fell.

…She doesn’t want me anymore.