CHAPTER 140: CHAPTER 140: I SAID I’M NOT GOING BACK!

Ji Ning glanced at his delicate hands, the neat nails, the long fingers, the smooth fair skin, and the expensive men’s watch on his wrist.

It wasn’t a Smart Brain; it was a real watch.

Ji Ning reached out, gently shook his hand, and simply replied with two words: "Ji Ning."

Bai Yusen was very gentlemanly and took a half step back after releasing his hand.

He didn’t shake hands with others but nodded to them one by one, finally turning with a smile to Lin Yuanyang, "So, how are you two adjusting to living in Anhe?"

Lin Yuanyang held Bai Yusen in high regard and seriously answered, "I’ve gotten used to it."

Bai Yusen nodded and then looked at his sister, handing over the gift box he held with a smile, "Still mad at me?"

Those beautiful eyes held wisdom.

Bai Xiaotang, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, suddenly looked up, her eyes full of reproach, "Why did you do that?"

Bai Yusen’s smile widened, like a warm breeze, full of tolerance and indulgence, "Because I wanted you to come home."

"But..."

"I’m a bit hungry, let’s talk at home," Bai Yusen interrupted her rebuttal with a smile, and looked at Ji Ning, speaking softly, "These days, my sister has caused you trouble."

Ji Ning looked at him, her face calm, "She’s not a trouble."

Bai Yusen was momentarily stunned, his smile deepened, and his gaze at Ji Ning carried a hint of peculiarity.

Then, Bai Yusen went back to Mingfu Garden with them.

Bai Yusen had a dedicated driver and bodyguard; he didn’t ride in the same car with them, but Bai Xiaotang was called into his car.

In the back seat, Bai Xiaotang glared at Bai Yusen angrily, "You’re too much!"

With no outsiders around, Bai Yusen relaxed, pinched his slightly tired forehead, and looked at his silly sister, "I’m worried about you being alone in Anhe. I want you to come back to Beijing with me."

"So you scare me with such tactics?" Bai Xiaotang was furious and wanted to hit her brother, clenching her fists and glaring hard at him.

Bai Yusen looked at his sister’s unthreatening baby face, raised his hand to poke her puffed cheeks, and smiled gently, "It’s for your own good. Since Mom and Dad passed away, I’ve been busy with the company and inevitably neglected you, overlooked your feelings. I apologize for that. I’ll make time to come home more often in the future. Don’t be upset, come home with me."

"It’s not..." Bai Xiaotang saw her brother talking to himself again and felt a blockage in her chest, loudly rebutted, "I don’t need your company, I’ve grown up."

But Bai Yusen’s gaze still looked at her like a sulking child, his words both coaxing and perfunctory, "Alright, our Tangtang has grown up."

"Brother, I’m not a child anymore."

Bai Xiaotang really, really disliked her brother treating her like a child.

She was already sixteen, soon to be an adult, but her brother always treated her like a fragile doll, protecting her under his wing, afraid she might get hurt.

But what she needed was not this kind of protection; she wanted to be strong and independent like her idol, strong enough not to need anyone’s protection.

If possible, she also wanted to be her brother’s support, become his battle companion.

But he didn’t understand.

Bai Xiaotang felt a tinge of sadness in her eyes.

In her ears was Bai Yusen’s voice: "Ah Ru said your roommate would stay out all night, take long vacations to play, and another roommate has scandals and a bad reputation..."

"It’s not true, don’t listen to Sister Ru’s nonsense. She..."

Bai Xiaotang suddenly thought of what happened at Jiuming Mountain, and the rest of the words stuck in her throat.

She looked at Bai Yusen, her eyes gradually reddening, and softly asked, "Do you all just want me to go back and become a canary under your control?"

Bai Yusen was momentarily stunned, reflexively frowned, "Tangtang, you have to know, I’m the one closest to you in this world. I won’t harm you. You’ve never left Beijing since you were little, you’re simple and kind-hearted, easily trusting others. I don’t want you to get hurt; how could I face Mom and Dad otherwise?"

But Bai Xiaotang lowered her head, biting her lips hard, not saying a word.

Bai Yusen thought Bai Xiaotang had compromised as before, raised his hand to stroke her hair, and gently said, "Tangtang, my birthday is coming up in a few days. Haven’t you always wanted to throw me a party? We can do it when we return to Beijing."

"I’m not going back." The mosquito-sized voice came from Bai Xiaotang’s mouth.

Bai Yusen didn’t hear it clearly, smiled, and asked, "What did you say?"

Bai Xiaotang’s voice suddenly grew louder, as if using her entire strength to shout, "I said I’m not going back! Brother, can you stop deciding my life for me? I like Anhe, I have friends here. I want to live in Anhe and take the... university entrance exams here."

The words military academy Bai Xiaotang dared not say aloud; with her brother’s pampering nature, he would never let her attend a high-risk military academy.

She wanted to cowardly run away, but the door of the moving car was locked, and she couldn’t open it at all.

Bai Xiaotang forcefully tugged at the car door again and again, showing Bai Yusen with her actions that she wanted to leave!

Bai Yusen’s smile faded, his gaze darkened a bit.

An inexplicable tension suddenly arose.

Bai Xiaotang felt a bit scared.

Suddenly——

The driver hit the brakes hard.

Unprepared, Bai Yusen was thrown against the driver’s seat by inertia.

"Sorry, Family Head. The car in front suddenly stopped."

The driver and bodyguard quickly turned around to apologize.

Bai Yusen covered his bumped head and looked up.

In front, the door of the familiar car had already been opened.

The short, extremely dangerous girl was walking toward them with a face of cold determination.

With a strong pull, she surprisingly opened the locked car door.

She extended a calm hand to Bai Xiaotang, "Let’s go."

And his sister Bai Xiaotang, as if finding someone to rely on, reached out without hesitation, even calling out aggrievedly, "Sister Ning..."

Bai Yusen was almost exploding with anger, watching helplessly as his sister, whom he cherished since childhood, walked away with someone else right under his nose.

And with such an aggrieved look.

If looks could bite, Ji Ning would definitely have had a chunk of meat torn off by Bai Yusen by now.

Bai Yusen, long used to dealing with people in the business world, had learned to control his emotions, not showing his feelings easily. Even when extremely angry, he would remain rational, even having a faint smile on his face.

But that smile did not reach his eyes.

The driver and bodyguard in front were well aware of their family head’s temperament, with faces full of apprehension, silently lighting a candle for Ji Ning in their hearts.

"Bai Feng, was my initial decision wrong?"

"How could it be? Family Head also cares for the young lady." Bai Feng swallowed, his throat tight, and replied hesitatingly.

Bai Yusen maniacally watched the car in front, uttering each word coldly, "Then why doesn’t she want to come back?"

"Young... young lady... might just... not understand for the moment..." Bai Feng didn’t know what to say, wiped the sweat off his forehead, and cautiously said, "Family Head, the young lady is still young, some principles of right and wrong she might not understand clearly yet; plus, you’ve always spoiled her..."

"Chang Ru was right, her heart is a bit wild now."