Chapter 73
The image of Ji Yuning appeared in Fang Bai’s mind.
Three years had passed, but Ji Yuning’s face hadn’t been obscured by the passage of time. Even the pair of clear, resilient eyes from their first meeting would often appear before her.
When was the last time she heard news about Ji Yuning?
It seemed to be not long after she went abroad, when she received a call from Fang Maozhou. Fang Maozhou said Ji Yuning had been recognized by the Lu family and had come to him asking for contact information, asking Fang Bai if she wanted to give it.
Fang Bai had refused.
Fang Maozhou seemed to have sensed that her going abroad might be related to Ji Yuning. Although he didn’t know the specific reason, he hadn’t mentioned Ji Yuning to Fang Bai again after that call.
Fang Bai hadn’t asked either.
From the day she went abroad, cutting off all contact with the protagonist group, it was equivalent to the original owner in the story being killed off. From then on, she wouldn’t appear in the storyline again.
An occasional appearance was just to provoke Ji Yuning’s hatred.
But the ridiculous thing was, when family was mentioned, Fang Bai only thought of Ji Yuning, as if Ji Yuning was her only family.
Towards Fang Maozhou, Fang Bai was fulfilling an obligation on behalf of the original owner, and Fang Maozhou felt the same way towards her.
The only person Fang Bai had truly and sincerely cared about was Ji Yuning.
That little ingrate.
A smile unconsciously touched the corners of Fang Bai’s lips, not a sweet smile, but one tinged with helpless bitterness.
The smile had just bloomed when Hao Yingman saw it and asked curiously, “What are you smiling at?”
Fang Bai’s smile faded. “Nothing.”
Hao Yingman’s eyes showed she didn’t believe her at all, but she didn’t press further, just asking, “Then are you going back to see them?”
Fang Bai was silent for a moment, then changed the subject. “You haven’t told me about the big company coming to discuss business.”
Hao Yingman was puzzled. “Didn’t I say? I thought I did.”
Fang Bai: “No.”
Hao Yingman oh-ed. “It’s from the Beijing—”
Fang Bai’s eyelid twitched.
A faint, uneasy premonition rose within her.
Hao Yingman’s voice entered her ears: “F.J.”
After saying that, Hao Yingman turned her head and asked, “Heard of them?”
The tense emotions instantly relaxed. Thankfully, it wasn’t the one she had imagined. Otherwise, Fang Bai would very likely have switched to online communication.
After a moment, Fang Bai replied softly, “Never heard of them.”
“Tsk, let me tell you, this company—”
Hao Yingman’s words were interrupted by a sudden phone call. “Hold on, let me answer this.”
“Mmm,” Fang Bai nodded slightly.
After the call, Hao Yingman’s attention jumped to other topics. There was no follow-up on what was wrong with that company, and Fang Bai didn’t ask.
They drove all the way to the restaurant.
It had to be said that the taste of the food Hao Yingman had boasted about many times was indeed very good.
Fang Bai was picking up a dish when she heard Hao Yingman ask, “Are you sure you don’t want to live with me?”
Hao Yingman had just suggested that Fang Bai live with her during this time, thinking it would be convenient for going to and from work, but Fang Bai had refused.
“Mmm,” Fang Bai said softly, “I’m not used to living with other people.”
“Alright.” Hao Yingman didn’t take Fang Bai’s refusal to heart. After thinking for a moment, she said, “I have another house, my mom gave it to me. The neighborhood is old, but the environment is pretty good. How about you live there?”
“Is it okay?” Fang Bai wondered if it would trouble Hao Yingman. “Otherwise, I’ll look for a place myself tomorrow.”
“What’s not okay? Come home with me tonight and put up with it for one night. I’ll have the cleaning lady come clean the place tomorrow.”
Afraid that Fang Bai would refuse, Hao Yingman picked up her wine. “Then it’s happily decided! Tonight we—”
Hao Yingman glanced at Fang Bai’s teacup. “Tonight I won’t go home until I’m drunk.”
Fang Bai smiled and picked up her teacup.
After settling down, Fang Bai only rested for one day before going to the company with Hao Yingman.
Time was tight and the task was heavy, not allowing her much rest.
It was like being in a different world. Fang Bai didn’t know much about the real estate industry, so those professional issues weren’t her job. Fang Bai was very clear about which planning proposals would impress the higher-ups, so Hao Yingman arranged for Fang Bai to organize, analyze, and revise those submitted proposals.
It sounded simple, but it wasn’t that easy to do.
Otherwise, Hao Yingman wouldn’t have specially hired Fang Bai to return to the country.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
In the office, Fang Bai sent the finalized proposal to Hao Yingman.
“Sent it, take a look.” Fang Bai put down her computer and strolled to Hao Yingman’s desk.
Hao Yingman held the mouse, opened the new email, and then looked up at Fang Bai. “Thanks for your hard work.”
Fang Bai raised the corners of her lips. “I’m okay, Xiao Ru and the others worked even harder than me.”
Hao Yingman said, “I know, I’ll have the secretary tell them later that I’m treating them to dinner after work. Whether we succeed in the end or not, everyone will take a few days off in turns.”
“Employee benefits are really good,” Fang Bai said with feigned envy.
Hao Yingman looked up at Fang Bai, quite seriously. “Then why don’t you consider working here? You can name your own salary.”
Fang Bai lowered her head, meeting Hao Yingman’s eyes for a few seconds. Just as she parted her lips to speak, Hao Yingman spoke first, “Don’t refuse directly, I’ll give you some time to consider.”
After saying that, Hao Yingman looked at the computer.
Seeing this, Fang Bai swallowed the words that had reached her lips and didn’t interrupt.
She propped her head up with one hand, her hip leaning against the edge of the desk, looking up at the towering buildings outside the window while sipping her coffee.
These past few days of staying up late to draft the proposal, she had relied entirely on coffee to stay awake.
Having gotten used to a carefree life, Fang Bai hadn’t adjusted to this regular work schedule even after half a month.
The last time she had such a regular life was when she was picking up and dropping off Ji Yuning from school…
The gentle light in Fang Bai’s eyes dimmed a bit. Perhaps it was because she was closer to Ji Yuning after returning to the country, or perhaps she was nervous about being discovered by Ji Yuning, but she couldn’t help but think of the other girl these days.
After finishing a cup of coffee, the person in front of the computer still hadn’t moved.
Fang Bai glanced sideways and tapped the tabletop twice with her curled fingers. “Is there a problem?”
As Fang Bai finished speaking, Hao Yingman had just finished reading the last line. Suppressing the excitement in her heart, she looked at Fang Bai and said, “No, no, it’s perfect, Sister Bai is amazing.”
Fang Bai was always amused by Hao Yingman’s antics. She suppressed a smile and asked, “Really nothing?”
Really nothing.
This version Fang Bai gave her was not even in the same league as the initial draft. She hadn’t even thought of many of the details.
Hao Yingman nodded and then said, “There’s just one small problem.”
Fang Bai raised an eyebrow and leaned towards the screen. “Where?”
Following Fang Bai’s movement, Hao Yingman’s gaze fell again on the last line of small print in the document.
Because there were too many submitted proposals, Hao Yingman had specifically instructed the employees to remember to include their names in the remarks to avoid confusion later.
This line of text was the names of several people.
Hao Yingman pointed. “Why isn’t your name here?”
Fang Bai thought it was a problem with the wording. Hearing Hao Yingman’s question, Fang Bai straightened up. “What would adding my name do?”
“You participated,” Hao Yingman said.
“I didn’t contribute much. If you casually add my name, what will Xiao Ru and the others think?” Fang Bai said. “Besides, I’m only staying in South City for a few days to experience the local customs and then I’m flying away again. Adding or not adding my name doesn’t really matter to me.”
Fang Bai indirectly answered Hao Yingman’s question from a few minutes ago.
Hao Yingman could tell. “So you really won’t consider joining me?”
Hao Yingman felt it was a pity. Through these few days of getting along, she had once again witnessed Fang Bai’s abilities.
Fang Bai lifted her eyelids slightly. “Lazy.”
Hao Yingman didn’t insist. She said, “Alright, I won’t say anymore.”
Fang Bai hummed in acknowledgment and turned to walk out.
Seeing Fang Bai about to leave, Hao Yingman had an idea and said, “Sister Bai~ Could you call Xiao Ru and the others in for me?”
Fang Bai glanced sideways. “What for?”
Hao Yingman chuckled dryly. “Ask them some details. Once I’m done asking, I’ll send it to F.J.”
Fang Bai stared at Hao Yingman for a few seconds. After the other girl gave her a playful wink, Fang Bai withdrew her gaze and said helplessly, “Alright, I will.”
••••
11 o’clock at night, a high-end residential area not far from Jingda University.
Inside a simply decorated room, the sound of dripping water from the bathroom stopped, followed by the sound of hair drying.
Ten minutes later, a person in black silk pajamas with half-dried hair walked out of the bathroom.
Her hair reached her waist, and her slender waist was hidden by the loose clothes.
Ji Yuning walked to the sofa, sat down, and picked up the red wine she had poured before taking a shower, gently swirling the glass.
Leaning against the sofa, Ji Yuning slowly closed her eyes.
Her trip to New Zealand had been another fruitless one.
But at least she could confirm that Fang Bai had been to New Zealand; the news she had received was correct.
If the news had been a little faster, perhaps she could have met Fang Bai.
She had to work harder.
The doorbell rang abruptly. Ji Yuning slowly lifted her eyelids, a mixture of confusion and helplessness in the depths of her eyes. But it was only for a moment. After blinking again, the cold indifference returned to Ji Yuning’s eyes.
The call was from Yuan Yizhen.
“Yuning,” Yuan Yizhen always called Ji Yuning that outside of work hours.
“Mmm.”
Yuan Yizhen said, “Another company from South City sent over a proposal. I’ve already emailed it to you.”
“Okay.” Ji Yuning sat up, took a sip of wine, and placed the glass on the table.
The computer was right on the coffee table. Turning it on, Ji Yuning noticed the time. She pursed her lips and said, “Sister Zhen, you don’t need to work so hard.”
Yuan Yizhen was stunned for a moment after hearing this, then warmth filled her heart. “It’s alright, this is what I should do.”
Lu Raomei was pressing them hard, and Yuan Yizhen didn’t dare to slack off even a little.
And another reason was that Ji Yuning, the boss, worked even harder than her.
She could help share some of the work on the company’s side, but Ji Yuning’s schoolwork could only be done by herself.
Yuan Yizhen didn’t dare to advise Ji Yuning to relax because she knew that Ji Yuning was pushing herself so hard, firstly, to find Miss Fang, and secondly… Ji Yuning didn’t want Lu Raomei to be smug.
All because Lu Raomei’s sudden departure with Miss Fang was inseparable from the current situation.
Otherwise, why would she have gone traveling after just one meeting? Yuan Yizhen thought.
Ji Yuning clicked on the email. “Have you looked at the proposal?”
“I have,” Yuan Yizhen said. “Compared to the previous few companies, this one’s prospects and ideas are quite in line with our initial thoughts.”
“Let me take a look,” Ji Yuning said.
Yuan Yizhen: “Okay.”
A few minutes later, Yuan Yizhen estimated that Ji Yuning had read enough and asked, “Then are you going to South City?”
Yuan Yizhen remembered Ji Yuning’s class schedule. It seemed Ji Yuning had classes on those days.
Ji Yuning looked at the computer and said faintly, “No, you handle it for me.”
“Okay.”
Ji Yuning: “Mmm.”
Yuan Yizhen asked, “Have you finished reading the proposal? What do you think?”
“It is better than the previous few.” Ji Yuning had already seen the last page. “But what’s good isn’t the prospects and ideas, but the person who wrote the proposal. They wrote some key points in great detail.”
“I noticed that too. Maybe their manager wrote it himself,” Yuan Yizhen said. Someone who could write such a proposal definitely wasn’t an ordinary employee.
“Mmm.”
Ji Yuning finished reading the last page, the mouse hovering over the bottom of the page.
Feeling a bit thirsty, Ji Yuning picked up her wine glass. Just as she slightly tilted her head to drink, her gaze suddenly swept to the bottom of the page, where there was a line of very light text that would have been overlooked if she hadn’t glanced at it suddenly.
“Then shall we tentatively decide on a few and further confirm when I go to South City?”
After Yuan Yizhen asked, she waited for a while.
But she didn’t receive a reply from Ji Yuning for a long time.
“Yuning?” Yuan Yizhen called out.
There wasn’t a sound from the other end.
Yuan Yizhen immediately asked nervously, “Yuning, what’s wrong?”
This time, there was movement on the other end of the phone. Ji Yuning seemed to be holding back something, her voice very muffled. “Nothing, I’ll hang up first.”
After hanging up, Ji Yuning stared at the enlarged page. At the very end of the line with the signature, the two small characters “方白” (Fang Bai) were displayed.
Was it a coincidence of having the same name, or… had she returned?
Author’s Note:
Xiao Ji: Hahahahahahaha!!!
Comments 0
You must be logged in to comment.
No comments yet. Be the first!