Chapter 24：The Intimacy Underneath the Dining Table

"Hello, Brother Lil Bai~"

Since it was Bai Yan who was calling her, Ji Xiaonian did not hesitate to answer the call with a cutesy voice. 

Bai Yan was at a loss for words when he heard her response.

However, after a moment of silence, Bai Yan then continued with a plain tone, "I've booked a table in a western restaurant nearby. Come on over, along with Fang Miaoling!"

Ji Xiaonian turned around and took a quick glance at Fang Miaoling who was placing her belongings back before answering with a suspicious tone, "W-Why should I bring her over?"

"You can choose not to come."

"Nonono, I'll attend. Alright, I'll inform her about it. See you later."

Before Ji Xiaonian could finish her sentence, Bai Yan had already hung up.

The little girl pouted unhappily as she kept her phone and approached Fang Miaoling. Following that, she then asked, "Hey, you hungry? Want to grab some food together?"

Fang Miaoling rolled her eyes at her and snorted. "I'd rather not."

After hurling a cold glare at Ji Xiaonian, she then opened the dorm door and exited.

Leaving behind a frustrated Ji Xiaonian.

'What kind of person is she? Doesn't she understand basic manners?'

'If you don't want to go, then fine! It's not like I wanted you there anyway!'

She then proudly flicked her head and headed to her bed. After pulling out a mirror from under her pillow and hastily brushing her hair, she then made her way to the restaurant that Bai Yan had mentioned.

Meanwhile…

The restaurant had an elegant atmosphere to it. The melody playing throughout was sweet and pleasant, and it was especially refreshing.

Fang Miaoling was sitting across Bai Yan. However, despite her presence, Bai Yan had yet to take any orders, which Fang Miaoling had found weird. She then asked, "Professor Bai, is someone else coming?"

Bai Yan had been constantly staring in the direction of the school as if he was waiting for another person. As such, Fang Miaoling could not help but wonder, 'Who on earth is he waiting for?'

"Yeah, there's one more person."

Bai Yan handed the menu to Fang Miaoling. "You can order first if you're hungry."

"Nonono, I'm not hungry."

"There's no need to be polite. Just order whatever you want." Bai Yan had a calm expression, and even the tone he used was neutral, being neither too hot nor too cold which made it hard for Fang Miaoling to approach him.

Fang Miaoling then hurriedly grabbed the menu and started making her orders.

Just as she had picked out two choices, a hasty Ji Xiaonian then appeared from the entrance of the restaurant.

In a fit of rage, Fang Miaoling then stood up and growled at the approaching Ji Xiaonian. "YOU! What are you doing here?"

Worrying that Ji Xiaonian might have appeared to seduce Professor Bai, Fang Miaoling then hurriedly used her own body to block Ji Xiaonian from spotting Bai Yan.

Ji Xiaonian shot a disdainful glance at Fang Miaoling as she skirted around her and sat beside Bai Yan. She then feigned a smile and stated, "Oh, what a coincidence, you're having a meal here with Professor Bai, Fang Miaoling? Well, it just so happens that I'm here for the same reason. If you don't mind, should we just take our meal together?"

Fang Miaoling glared so hard that her eyeballs looked as if they were about to drop out. In a furious tone, she spat, "YOU…"

Ji Xiaonian turned a blind eye to her as she smiled at Bai Yan and extended her little hand. "We meet again, Professor Bai."

Bai Yan did not respond, nor did he take Ji Xiaonian's hand. Instead, he motioned to Fang Miaoling and said, "Continue making your orders!"

Fang Miaoling plopped back onto her seat, and with eyes as sharp as daggers, she continued glaring at Ji Xiaonian. Despite that, Ji Xiaonian had completely ignored her, and instead, continued staring at Bai Yan with figurative hearts coming out of her eyes.

On that day, Bai Yan wore a plain white shirt with its sleeves effortlessly reaching his biceps. He had a clean look, and when Ji Xiaonian was beside him, she could make out the mesmerizing scent of Eau de Cologne coming off from his body.

Ji Xiaonian seemed to be in a trance as she inhaled his scent and stared at him without an ounce of shame.

Bai Yan ignored Ji Xiaonian's trance-like behavior, and instead asked, upon noticing that Fang Miaoling had finished making her orders, "Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything in school."

Fang Miaoling glared at Ji Xiaonian, and when she saw how Ji Xiaonian was drooling all over Bai Yan, she wished that she could give Ji Xiaonian a smack that would send her to the Pacific Ocean.

"Ah, okay. I will, thank you, Professor Bai." When she finally snapped back to reality, Fang Miaoling then replied haphazardly. 

"There's no need to call me Professor Bai. You can call me Big Bro. After all, we'll be heading home together in the future anyway."

"Oh? Alright, sounds good."

"If she can refer to you as her brother, then I'll be referring to you as my husband."

Ji Xiaonian stepped on Bai Yan's foot under the table as she winked and spoke in a low voice.

Naturally, Ji Xiaonian had made it such that her words were audible only to Bai Yan.

Bai Yan swept his gaze at her, but he did not respond. Instead, he continued talking to Fang Miaoling by saying, "My parents are quite the friendly folk. You don't need to be shy in front of them and you can treat them just like family." 

"Alright, I will."

After responding to Bai Yan's words, Fang Miaoling continued giving Ji Xiaonian the death stare once again.

Fang Miaoling grew angrier and angrier for every second that she observed Ji Xiaonian staring at Bai Yan. At that moment, her face was already a metallic shade of green.

However, Ji Xiaonian did not notice her. Underneath the table, Ji Xiaonian was no longer stepping on Bai Yan's foot and was caressing his thighs instead.

Bai Yan was being tortured to the brink of madness, and as such, he extended his hand to stop Ji Xiaonian's. Following that, he then gave her a frigid glare, with the intent of making her back off.

Unexpectedly, Ji Xiaonian playfully gave him a funny face and grabbed hold of his hand. While avoiding Fang Miaoling's sight, Ji Xiaonian proceeded to flirt with Bai Yan with her eyes.

Oddly, however, Bai Yan was left speechless by Ji Xiaonian's funny face. He could not get mad even if he wanted to.

Seeing how intimate the two were, Fang Miaoling, who was sitting opposite the two could not help but ask, "B-Brother Bai, um, d-did you know Xiaonian before this?"

"Nope. How could he have known me? It was I who spotted him on a certain day of a certain month of a certain year within Ning University's campus grounds. It was there that I had fallen for him."

Before Bai Yan had managed to reply, Ji Xiaonian had already answered the question.

While she spoke, Ji Xiaonian caressed Bai Yan's thighs yet again.

He was oddly silent, and once dinner had arrived, he lowered his head and dined without speaking a single word.

Fang Miaoling sensed that something was amiss, and when she saw how shameless Ji Xiaonian was acting, she fumed. She hurriedly stood up and while tugging at Ji Xiaonian, she stated, "It's my first time here, Xiaonian. Would you mind showing me the way to the washroom?"

Without waiting for Ji Xiaonian's answer, Fang Miaoling then dragged Ji Xiaonian away.

Ji Xiaonian turned her head around and waved Bai Yan goodbye. Subsequently, she gave him a flying kiss and stated, "Wait for me~"

Bai Yan was speechless. He helplessly shook his head while continuing to eat his meal with his head hung low.

In the washroom.

Fang Miaoling pushed Ji Xiaonian into the washroom and raised her hand to slap her. Unexpectedly, however, Ji Xiaonian was even faster and had grabbed Fang Miaoling's hand by instinct.

"Aren't you afraid that I'll tell on you if you lay your hands on me?"

"You…" Fang Miaoling's face was red with rage as she glared down on Ji Xiaonian. "Ji Xiaonian, how can you be so shameless. The events in the villa last time were one thing, but why are you here again this time? Are you doing this on purpose?"

While ignoring Fang Miaoling's rage, Ji Xiaonian then turned around and headed to the sink. While snickering, Ji Xiaonian answered, "Let me be frank, I've already known Bai Yan for a long time. From what I heard, aside from the doctors who handled me, the first person who carried me when I was born was Bai Yan himself!"