Against the Light - Chapter 31
Chapter 31: Shared With You
"Ahhhhhh—"
The audience had no idea why Little Fairy had suddenly taken off her costume, but when they saw what she was wearing underneath the long gown, they gasped. It was a black shirt and slim-fit trousers, her legs long and straight, outlining a perfect silhouette.
She straightened her clothes, pulling out the tucked-in collar. She casually stuffed a corner of the shirt's hem into her waistband, then quickly removed the hair ornaments. Her glossy black hair cascaded down like spilled ink, the parts that had been pinned up retaining a natural curl. This series of actions sent the audience into a frenzy of screams!
But the deadliest part was, after all that, she actually… started unbuttoning her shirt!!!
"Ahhh!! Fairy Sister, I love you!!"
"Ahhh, please don't take it off, I can't handle it!!!"
【Holy crap, ahhh, what is she doing? I can't, I can't take this, ahhh!!】
【That figure is the real deal. I believe she's a real fairy now!!】
【Damn it, I'm having a nosebleed!!】
【It's not that I have no self-control, but who the hell could resist this!!】
【Ahhh, I'm so jealous of the live audience! Is that sister from the front row yesterday here? Sob, sob, sob!!】
In the office, Qu Qi rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
Fang Jinghai stood beside her, drooling audibly. "Sister Ran looks so cool in this outfit, so cool!! I can't, I really can't take it anymore!! Slurp!"
"…" Qu Qi smacked her on the head with a look of utter disdain.
"Sister Qi, what on earth is she trying to do? Ahhh, she's still taking it off!!! I can't, I… ugh!!" Fang Jinghai suddenly covered her nose, frantically searching for a tissue.
"…" Qu Qi rolled her eyes. "Look at you, acting like you've never seen the world!"
Qu Qi resumed her pensive pose. "Could she be… trying to seduce someone?"
At the same time, another group of people was also going crazy.
"Ahhh, that figure is amazing, just amazing!!"
"I don't care who she is, with a body like that, I'm officially a fan!" Ming Zhen said, her voice muffled as she plugged her nose with a tissue.
Jin Shuang glanced at her, took out her phone, and hit the record button, pointing it at Ming Zhen.
"Sister Shuang, what are you doing?"
"It's rare for Young President Ming to make a vow. I'm recording it for posterity."
"Sob, sob, sob, wife, don't take it off! Don't let them see!!" Ming Zhen, forgetting everything else, stared intently at her phone screen, even trying to cover Little Fairy's image with her hand, which drew strong protests from the others.
Gu Xinran undid three buttons in a row. Her fair skin was flawless, and her straight collarbones were tantalizingly visible, completely capturing the audience's attention. From the moment she started unbuttoning her shirt, the screaming from below the stage never stopped!
In contrast to the audience's frenzy, the mentors and the previously eliminated actors were completely bewildered. Even the veteran actors and the host on stage looked baffled. The only one who seemed to be in on it was probably Lin Guo, but she was trembling with excitement just like the audience.
Gu Xinran's slender fingers paused slightly. She slowly turned around, her back to the audience, and pulled her collar up. Her fair shoulders were instantly revealed to everyone.
She turned her head to call Lin Guo over and whispered a few words to her. Lin Guo looked startled, then nodded, helping her pull the collar down further until her delicate shoulder blades were exposed before stopping.
Lin Guo had been too embarrassed to look, but when her gaze swept across Gu Xinran's back, she froze.
"I'd like to ask Teacher Yang a question." As Gu Xinran spoke, the audience instantly fell silent.
"Teacher Yang, have you seen this scar on my back?"
"A scar?" Yang Xue was taken aback, a look of confusion on her face.
The veteran actors on stage also turned to look. There was indeed a scar, just below the right side of her left shoulder blade. It was about an inch long, a straight line, and looked quite old.
The camera even zoomed in for a close-up, allowing the audience to see the scar clearly.
"A scar!? My Little Fairy was injured? Did Yang Xue do it? She's so over!" Ming Zhen exclaimed indignantly.
"No, that looks like an old wound. Strange, why would she suddenly show her scar? And why ask if Yang Xue has seen it??"
Bai Yilan froze. She knew about that scar. Xinran had only told her it was from an accident when she was a child but had never specified how she got it. Xinran had never worn a backless dress in public, and she herself was very reluctant to bring up the scar. Therefore, only someone who had been intimate with her would have seen it. Anyone else…
Wait…
Bai Yilan's brow furrowed sharply.
Yang Xue? Hasn't seen this scar!?
Bai Yilan took a deep breath, her fingertips trembling slightly.
"Really, you've never seen it?" Gu Xinran asked again.
"Never. What are you trying to say?" Yang Xue was growing impatient.
Gu Xinran calmly put her clothes back on and slowly turned around.
"That shouldn't be the case," she said with a light laugh.
"Before the show started, someone on Weibo spread a massive rumor, saying I cheated during my marriage, had an affair with you for over three months, and that we had sex multiple times. They even posted bed photos of us."
"Such an intimate relationship, yet you haven't even seen such an obvious scar on my body."
Gu Xinran paused, looking at Yang Xue. Though her lips were curved into a smile, her eyes were filled with a chilling coldness!
"Does that make any sense?"
Everyone in the venue was dumbfounded. Time seemed to stand still!
Yang Xue was completely stunned, staring blankly at her. It felt as if something was stuck in her throat, and she couldn't make a sound for a long time. Her mind was buzzing, a chaotic mess.
"You… you are…" Yang Xue's voice trembled, and she instinctively took a few steps back.
The venue was dead silent, so quiet that you could hear Yang Xue's shaky breathing through her microphone!
【Whoa! Wait, wait, wait, I'm a little slow on the uptake. There was only one actress accused of having an affair with Yang Xue, right??】
【????】
【I'm an idiot. She's actually confronting Yang Xue about this on stage??? Badass!!】
【So what does this mean!!!】
【Ahhhhhh, this is so bold!!!】
【What's the situation now? Someone said Little Fairy cheated with Yang Xue? And they had sex? But now Yang Xue has never even seen the scar on Little Fairy's body, which means they never had sex, right? So Little Fairy didn't cheat? Holy crap, wait, I think I know who this Little Fairy is… No way!!!】
On the film set, Ming Zhen, who had been practically glued to the screen, slowly straightened up…
Everyone looked at each other.
"This plot sounds a little familiar…"
"Could it be…"
"No way…"
Bai Yilan's eyes were red, her hands in her pockets clenched into tight fists.
"You tacitly confirmed a baseless rumor and played the victim. You sent photos to my wife, destroyed my family, and ruined my reputation! Shouldn't you give me an explanation?"
Gu Xinran's aura was overwhelming. She no longer disguised her original voice. Her eyes were cold as she questioned Yang Xue in a deep tone.
"You are…" Yang Xue took a deep breath, her eyes filled with panic and confusion.
Gu Xinran raised her left hand to her mask and slowly took it off.
The entire venue was filled with the sound of sharp intakes of breath. The audience was so shocked they couldn't control themselves. Some even rubbed their eyes vigorously, suspecting they were hallucinating!
Gu Xinran stood up straight, calmly accepting all the gazes.
"I am Gu Xinran."
"I have never cheated, and my heart has never wavered."
"I joined this show not for fame or fortune, but only to seek justice for myself!"
The audience gradually began to murmur amongst themselves.
Lu Qing and Yan Xi exchanged a look, stunned.
【Holy crap ahhhhhh it's Gu Xinran!! I actually became a fan of Gu Xinran, ahhhhh!! I'm such an idiot!!】
【Hold on, I need a moment. I can't accept this. In my mind, she was clearly a scum woman…】
【To the person above, she's not a scum woman! Look closely at Yang Xue's expression.】
【Sorry to go off-topic, but whether she's Gu Xinran or not, those looks absolutely deserve the title of Little Fairy!】
【So she joined this show just to get this chance to confront Yang Xue in public!! So awesome!!】
【She didn't cheat, ahhhhh!! She didn't!!! Yang Xue was rendered speechless. Gu Xinran was framed! Yang Xue is the real white lotus, ahhh!!】
【I finally understand why she had to hide her identity. It's true, if she had revealed who she was from the start, leaving everything else aside, just based on her terrible reputation, I wouldn't have paid any attention to her.】
【She probably would have been targeted and judged with prejudice the whole time. I feel so bad for her.】
【Why… do I still feel like Little Fairy and the Gu Xinran from the online rumors are completely different, like two different people? Which one is the real her?】
【Replying to the person above, I believe seeing is believing. At least for the past few days, we've gotten to know Little Fairy as a person. Compared to the baseless rumors online, I believe the person I've seen. This is the real Gu Xinran.】
【Online rumors are terrifying. I don't dare believe anything now. The internet clearly said Gu Xinran's acting was just staring wide-eyed and she needed eye drops for crying scenes, but now she's crushed a group of veteran actors with her skill. What's that about??】
【All I can say is that the ability of paid trolls and haters to twist black into white is too strong. It's too easy for passersby to be led by the nose.】
【Damn, I'm so angry just thinking about it now. She and Teacher Bai were broken up by such despicable means. That bitch Yang Xue even sent bed photos to Teacher Bai? Does she have no shame!! Yang Xue, give us an explanation!】
【Forget an explanation. We don't accept it. Yang Xue, get out of the entertainment industry, you trash!】
【Gu Xinran is so bold, ahhh! I've gone from a hater to a fan!!】
"Give us an explanation!" Someone in the audience began to question Yang Xue.
"Give us an explanation—" The audience, filled with righteous indignation, shouted in unison.
Yang Xue grew flustered under the audience's stares and unconsciously took a few more steps back. She had never faced a scene like this before and had no idea how to handle it.
"Yang Xue! Liar!!"
"How despicable!!"
"Get out of the entertainment industry!!"
The audience members shouted one after another, all directing their anger at Yang Xue.
Gu Xinran took a deep breath and looked at the camera, her eyes gradually turning red.
Yilan, did you see that?
I know how much you loved her, and I know she was like a knot in your heart that held you captive. You couldn't break free, nor could you let go.
I want to tell you, she also loved you deeply. She was just a little immature, a little childish, but she never, ever betrayed you.
This heart of hers was completely, entirely filled with you.
Gu Xinran closed her eyes. A sharp pain shot through her chest, as if the original host was responding to her.
On the set, the crew members exchanged glances, no one daring to speak. Many of them still hadn't processed what had happened and were in a state of shock.
Bai Yilan's eyes were bloodshot, and tears suddenly streamed down her face. She looked at Xinran's face on the screen, at those incredibly familiar yet now strangely unfamiliar eyes. It was as if the two of them were gazing deeply at each other through the screen.
"I have a few more words for the netizens. Teacher Bai and I are already divorced. We are two separate individuals with our own lives. I hope that in the future, people will not bother Teacher Bai because of my actions."
"I am not her stain."
"The fact that she loved me cannot become a reason for you to slander her!"
These words were spoken with force and conviction. After hearing them, Bai Yilan's eyes dimmed, and she closed them.
The audience's cheers were deafening, a unified chant of "Gu Xinran—"
Only after the excitement peaked did the host rush up. With a few quick words, he declared the competition over and asked the actors to leave the stage.
As Gu Xinran turned to leave, she glanced at Luo Bing, who was sitting in the audience. Luo Bing's face was pale, and she looked extremely nervous. When their eyes met, she immediately turned her head away.
【Ahhhhh, not only have I gone from a hater to a fan of Gu Xinran, but I'm actually hoping she and Teacher Bai get back together. Am I crazy? Am I!!】
【No, you're not alone. I hope they get back together too, ahhh!! They have such amazing chemistry when they stand together!!!】
【Teacher Bai, did you see that? She didn't betray you! She still loves you so, so much, sob [crying emoji]】
【Can any expert rationally analyze the chances of them getting back together? I want to see them reconcile too.】
【They probably will, right? After all, they still love each other.】
【If they get back together, I'll believe in love again!!】
Backstage, Gu Xinran bowed to the veteran actors. "I'm truly sorry for hiding this from everyone for so long."
They waved their hands dismissively.
"When Qihan and I were talking about you, we went through almost half the girls in the entertainment industry, but we never once thought it would be you. You really know how to hide your talents," Qi Qiuyan said, sizing her up with deep appreciation in her eyes. Courageous and cunning, talented and knowledgeable, and beautiful on top of it all. What kind of new-era woman was this!
"With your acting skills, why didn't you…" Qi Qiuyan trailed off, remembering how viciously Gu Xinran had been attacked online. Under those circumstances, even the best acting skills couldn't be put to use. Thinking about it, she shook her head and patted her shoulder. "Keep it up. You have a boundless future."
"Thank you." Gu Xinran smiled faintly. She turned her head and saw Ye Qihan quietly removing her makeup by herself.
Gu Xinran could understand her. She had been personally mentored by Yilan, and the divorce had been a huge blow to Yilan. It was only natural for Ye Qihan to dislike her. Today's events had been sudden; she probably hadn't had time to process it yet.
Ye Qihan's movements paused. She looked at Gu Xinran through the mirror. Gu Xinran gave her a small smile. Ye Qihan looked a little awkward and gave a slight nod.
Gu Xinran walked over to Qin Qiong, who was still in a daze.
"So, do you still acknowledge me as a friend?" Gu Xinran asked with a smile.
Qin Qiong numbly shook her head.
"Hey, what's with you?" Lin Guo poked her, displeased.
"No… I just never imagined you'd be even more beautiful than I thought!" Qin Qiong also gulped silently, earning a round of teasing from Lin Guo.
Gu Xinran glanced around.
"Are you looking for Yang Xue?" Lin Guo asked.
"Yeah."
"Don't bother. She slipped away a long time ago. Ran off without even taking off her makeup. She's really something else, doing something so utterly shameless and still acting like an innocent victim. She even fooled me." The mere mention of it made Lin Guo furious.
"Hey, but you were ruthless too, publicly executing her like that. Let's see how she tries to argue her way out of this one."
Gu Xinran just smiled faintly.
After changing their clothes and removing their makeup, they returned to the villa to pack their luggage.
"Sigh, we're leaving already. I'm a little sad to go. I can still picture Teacher Bai making breakfast for us. I wonder how she's doing." Lin Guo looked back at the living room, her eyes full of reluctance. This was the place where the three of them had fought together; it held too many memories.
Gu Xinran felt the most emotional of all. After all, it was here that she'd had so many opportunities to get close to Yilan.
They boarded the bus, got their phones back, exchanged contact information, and created a WeChat group to stay in touch.
At the meeting point.
The managers and assistants from each company were all waiting there.
Qu Qi and Fang Jinghai had arrived early. Right now, Qu Qi was perched on the hood of Su Cen's car, fixing her hair, checking her reflection, and reapplying her lipstick.
Su Cen sat in her car, watching her with mounting fury. The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. Gu Xinran participating in the show was such a huge deal, yet she had been kept completely in the dark. The key thing was, she had even… accidentally become a fan of that Little Fairy, and was thinking about poaching her after the competition ended.
Who would have thought, after all her calculations, that Little Fairy would turn out to be Gu Xinran!
Now Qu Qi was getting all the glory!
"Hey, Jinghai, what are you standing there for? Come sit for a bit." Qu Qi patted the car hood, beckoning Fang Jinghai over.
Fang Jinghai beamed. Wasn't this a bit too much bullying? But she liked it!
Just as she got near the car, Su Cen slammed the horn. The sudden blast nearly sent Qu Qi flying!
Qu Qi clutched her chest and turned back, annoyed. "Are you trying to scare me to death?"
She received a vicious glare from Su Cen in return.
Before long, the bus slowly pulled up. Fang Jinghai shot forward like a rocket. She remembered the last time Sister Ran left Escape from Death, all the other artists had assistants with them, but she was all alone, looking pitiful. So this time, she wanted to make sure that the first thing Sister Ran saw when she got off the bus was her assistant waiting for her!
The bus stopped, and the artists got off one by one. The moment Gu Xinran appeared, she saw Fang Jinghai waving frantically at her, and a warmth spread through her heart.
"Little Fairy, we have to keep in touch!" Lin Guo and Qin Qiong came over to say goodbye.
"Okay, let's keep in touch."
"Hey, I'm still waiting to see that outfit~" Lin Guo said.
"Alright, I'll show you when it's done."
"Okay!"
After a brief farewell, Gu Xinran followed Fang Jinghai back to the car.
Qu Qi smiled at her, her eyes sparkling, making Gu Xinran feel distinctly uncomfortable.
"What is it?"
"Not bad, my Little Fairy. You really are a treasure. My judgment is amazing!"
"Sister Ran, don't mind her. She just finished infuriating Su Cen, so she's feeling smug," Fang Jinghai said, speaking the plain truth.
"Tsk, you little assistant. Why do you start undermining me the second she gets back?"
"Heh~"
"But, Sister Ran, you've lost weight. It must have been tough these past few days, right? Does your wrist still hurt? I brought medicine!"
"Are you hungry? Should we go get a late-night snack first?" Qu Qi asked.
"No, it's fine. I want to go home and rest."
The two exchanged a look. Seeing her lack of enthusiasm, they figured she must be tired. "Alright then. Hey, the weather's been changing these past two days. You're a treasure now, you have to take good care of yourself."
"Okay."
Gu Xinran pulled her suitcase out of the elevator and stopped in her tracks. Seeing the familiar figure, the exhaustion on her face instantly vanished.
She walked to her door and peeked sideways. Yilan's expression was calm, but the area around her eyes was still tinged with red. She had clearly just been crying.
She opened the door and stepped aside. "Come in."
Bai Yilan walked in. Looking at the familiar living room, her eyes instantly reddened.
Gu Xinran knew how much pain she was in. Two people who loved each other deeply were separated by a baseless misunderstanding. And now, one of them was likely no longer in this world. For Yilan, this was indeed too cruel.
She hadn't had time to buy any furniture yet, so she brought a chair out from the bedroom.
"Have a seat."
Yilan's gaze carefully swept over every corner of the room. This place was filled with their memories, but now, it was frighteningly empty.
"Thank you, for being willing to work so hard for her."
"No, I'm not just doing it for her." Gu Xinran knew the "her" she was referring to was the original host.
"I'm doing it for you."
"For me?"
"I know you loved her, and I know how big of a blow this was to you. In this matter, she wasn't wrong, and you weren't wrong either. It was Yang Xue's fault, the fault of those who were jealous of you. From the first moment I saw you, your state worried me greatly."
"My wife… she committed suicide because of depression." Gu Xinran paused, closing her eyes. "Your state at that time was very similar to hers."
A subtle change finally appeared on Bai Yilan's face. "Suicide?"
"Yes. So when I saw you, I was terrified you would do something foolish too."
Bai Yilan averted her gaze, unconsciously stroking her wrist.
Gu Xinran happened to look down just then and didn't notice the small gesture.
They both fell silent. Neither spoke again. Xinran was thinking about how to comfort her, while Yilan was thinking about what she had said about 'suicide'.
The wind began to pick up outside, howling sharply as it blew through the cracks in the window. Gu Xinran glanced at Yilan, who was frowning as if deep in thought, so she didn't disturb her.
Feeling a chill in the room, she walked to the window to close it properly. Suddenly, a clap of thunder exploded by her ear, making her jump violently and stumble back several steps. Her mind went blank with a loud buzz, and all she could hear was her own heartbeat. She blinked, her scalp tingling, and for a moment, she was completely dazed!
Hearing the noise, Bai Yilan immediately went to her side, helped her to a seat, and then went to close the window.
Muffled thunder rumbled outside. When the sky lit up for an instant, Gu Xinran instinctively clapped her hands over her ears.
With a deafening crack, the thunder sounded as if it would tear the sky apart!
Gu Xinran's body was completely out of her control, shaking violently. She was vaguely aware of it, her face filled with confusion. In her past life, it often thundered and rained in the mountains, and she had never been afraid. What was wrong? Why was she so terrified of thunder now??
"She was afraid of thunder," Bai Yilan said softly, seeing her confusion.
It dawned on Gu Xinran. Her breathing became heavy, and her heart pounded erratically. She felt incredibly panicked. After taking a few deep breaths, she realized Yilan was standing beside her, shielding her from the window. Her left arm was around her shoulder, and her right hand was stroking her arm, comforting her.
"Yes, I'm not…" Before she could finish saying "I'm not scared," another bolt of lightning flashed outside. She closed her eyes, and a warm hand pressed against her ear.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Suddenly, a few images flashed through her mind: a little girl, squatting in front of a house during a stormy night, wailing. She was soaked to the bone, trembling from the thunder, desperate and helpless.
Another image: the same little girl, being bullied and beaten by several girls her age, not daring to fight back. She hid alone in a dark, damp corner, covering her mouth so she wouldn't make a sound.
Gu Xinran tried to recall the details, but she couldn't see the girl's face clearly.
Another clap of thunder flashed, and the room was plunged into darkness. Bai Yilan was startled too. They both looked up at the ceiling; the chandelier had gone out.
"It might be a power outage. Do you have any candles?" Bai Yilan asked.
Gu Xinran thought for a moment, then shook her head numbly. The thunder had scared her so much that her brain had short-circuited; she couldn't remember anything.
"You…" Bai Yilan glanced out the window. "Come with me." She took her hand, pulled her up, and led her into the bathroom. Using her phone for light, she rummaged through a cabinet and found a scented candle.
Then, she brought Gu Xinran back to the bedroom, lit the candle on the small table, drew the curtains tight, and closed the door. She had Gu Xinran lie down on the bed, covered her with the blanket, then took out her headphones from her bag. She connected them to her phone, found a song, checked the volume, and placed the earbuds in Gu Xinran's ears.
"Sleep."
"What about you…"
"I'll stay with you."
A warmth spread through Gu Xinran's heart. She was moved beyond words and obediently closed her eyes.
Yilan sat by the bed and watched her for a while. Suddenly, she heard a series of vibrations from a phone. She got up quietly, went to the living room, and saw Xinran's phone on the floor. She picked it up to look, and her finger accidentally touched the screen. With a click, it unlocked!
She froze, not moving for a long time.
A memo app was running on the screen. This memo must have been written by the original host. It was more like a diary, recording the changes in the original host's state of mind after the divorce—from her initial sensitivity and low self-esteem to her desire to become better, to be worthy of Yilan, and so on.
Bai Yilan scrolled down, her finger pausing. She looked at the last memo, edited today at 10:30, before she had arrived.
The content was just five short words.
My glory, shared with you.
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