Against the Light - Chapter 71
Chapter 71: I Want to Have a Sweet Romance with You
In the office, all the staff had gone out for lunch, leaving only Gu Xinran and Bai Yilan behind.
Gu Xinran set down the lunchbox and opened it. "These are all dishes you used to love. Every time you came home, you'd ask me to make them for you. It's been so long, I don't know if your tastes have changed. If they have, just think of it as trying them anew."
Gu Xinran handed her the chopsticks, smiling.
Bai Yilan's gaze fixed on the contents of the lunchbox: stir-fried bamboo shoots, minced pork with eggplant, and a few pieces of braised pork. It was a balanced meal of meat and vegetables, even garnished with a few slices of greens.
It was just as Xinran had said; these were all dishes she once loved. She had long since learned how to make them herself, but when Xinran was around, she just wanted to rely on her. Come to think of it, she really hadn't eaten these dishes again in this lifetime.
She glanced at Xinran, whose clear eyes were brimming with tenderness.
The corners of her lips lifted slightly in an unconscious smile.
"Try it. I haven't cooked in a long time either. I don't know if my skills have gotten rusty."
"Okay," Bai Yilan replied, picking up a piece of bamboo shoot.
"How is it?"
"Mm, it's delicious," Bai Yilan said with a smile. The moment she uttered those words, the woman across from her lit up like a child.
"Aren't you busy? Why did you come all the way here to find me?" Yilan asked.
"Oh, it's fine. Sister Qi said my most important job right now is to keep you company while you edit the film," Gu Xinran lied, her eyes unconsciously fixed on Yilan's.
Bai Yilan raised an eyebrow slightly. That little habit of hers—staring right at you when she lies—hadn't changed a bit.
"Hand me your phone."
"Huh?" Gu Xinran obediently handed it over.
Bai Yilan fiddled with it casually. "I'm going to call Qu Qi and ask."
"!?"
"Wait, wait, wait…!" Gu Xinran quickly reached out, but Bai Yilan caught her hand, stopping her from snatching the phone back.
"Lying to me?"
"Uh… yeah," Gu Xinran stammered.
"What are you really here for?" Bai Yilan asked.
Gu Xinran took a deep breath. "I missed you, so I wanted to come see you."
Seeing her lower her head shyly after speaking, Bai Yilan couldn't help but press her lips together and let out a soft laugh.
"Have you eaten?"
"I ate while I was cooking. I haven't made these in so long, I failed several times."
Gu Xinran rested her chin in her hands, watching Yilan eat. The way her cheeks puffed out slightly was just too cute! It made her want to steal a kiss!
As Bai Yilan leaned forward, a few strands of hair from her fringe fell to the side of her face. Gu Xinran reached up to brush them away, but her movement paused. Her heart pounded in her chest. Oh no, this is the feeling of falling in love!
Bai Yilan looked up at her and saw her staring blankly, her eyes practically glued to her. She chuckled softly and patted her hand away, but then she suddenly froze. She grabbed Gu Xinran's hand again and looked closely, spotting a red mark on the outer edge of her palm.
"Did you burn yourself?"
"Hm? Oh, it's a new pot. I'm not used to it yet." Gu Xinran's eyes curved into a smile. Just as she was about to pull her hand back, a mischievous idea struck her. "Ouch, it hurts so much."
Bai Yilan raised an eyebrow. Again?
"It needs… um, um, kisses to get better~" Gu Xinran mumbled indistinctly.
"What?"
"Mm-hmm~"
Bai Yilan was amused by her frantic hinting. She shook her head, pretending not to understand.
"It needs… it needs my wife's kisses to get better, ahem." Gu Xinran said it with a thick face, but she was the first to blush.
Bai Yilan's pretty face flushed as well. "Who's your wife? Pfft."
She scoffed lightly and pushed her hand away.
"But last night…" Gu Xinran started, only to feel the temperature around them drop sharply. Meeting Yilan's unfriendly gaze, she promptly shut her mouth.
"Hey, this morning…" Gu Xinran tried to change the subject, but somehow she managed to step on another one of Yilan's sore spots and was met with a death glare once more.
"Let's… let's just eat."
Sob, sob, sob, why is my wife unhappy no matter what I say… This is so hard!
"You should go back. I still have work this afternoon," Bai Yilan said.
"Can I stay here with you? I'll just watch, I won't say a word."
"No. If you're here, everyone will get distracted."
Gu Xinran sighed inwardly, a little disappointed, but she still smiled and nodded. "Okay. Don't work too hard, and make sure you rest."
"Mm."
"Then, can I come pick you up after work tonight?" Gu Xinran asked.
"Suit yourself."
"Okay!" No explicit rejection means yes! Yay!
Before they knew it, the afternoon had passed in a flurry of editing.
Bai Yilan glanced at her watch. It was already seven o'clock, an hour past closing time. She quickly apologized to everyone and told them to go home.
Looking at the dusky sky outside the window, she stretched and kneaded her sore shoulders.
Suddenly, she frowned and walked to the window to look down. Xinran had said she would pick her up tonight; she wondered if she had been waiting for a long time.
She packed her things, grabbed her bag, and went downstairs. She scanned both sides of the road but saw no sign of anyone. Just as she was about to call Xinran, she saw several girls run past with excited expressions. She vaguely heard one of them say, "I think that's Gu Xinran!"
A little curious, Bai Yilan quickened her pace and followed them.
She saw that it was a shopping mall with a crowd gathered at the entrance. Many people were holding up their phones, taking pictures.
"So beautiful! Is this person a celebrity? She looks a little familiar!"
"She's pretty good at playing the piano!"
As soon as she reached the entrance, she heard people discussing and then the sound of a familiar piano melody. Listening closely, she realized the piece being played was 【When You Are Old】.
She squeezed through the crowd and saw a white grand piano placed in the middle of the mall. And at the piano sat Xinran, dressed in a black shirt with the collar unbuttoned, revealing her elegant swan-like neck. Her sleeves were rolled up, exposing her fair arms. Her fingers, long and shapely, skillfully pressed the keys. Her expression was cool and serene as she played, completely lost in the music.
She closed her eyes, a faint curve gracing her lips, as if she had thought of something that made her happy.
Seeing her look of pure enjoyment, the onlookers couldn't help but applaud and cheer. Many of the girls were screaming, utterly captivated by Xinran.
Gu Xinran's lips parted slightly, moving as if she were singing along with the rhythm. But the venue was too large and there was no microphone, so everyone could only see her mouth moving, unable to hear what she was singing.
But Bai Yilan could hear it.
She watched her moving lips and, following the rhythm of the piano, sang along softly.
She remembered them sitting in the courtyard, on the swing, in front of the bonfire.
Xinran holding their child, patting her gently, singing this song to lull little Ye to sleep.
Although she was coaxing a child, when she sang this song, she was always looking at her. Every line was sung for her, so gentle, so devout.
"When I am old, I will sing for you, this song from my heart…"
The voice in her mind seemed to linger in her ears. Bai Yilan smiled gently as a tear rolled down her cheek.
The next second, a soft, warm hand wiped the tear from her face.
Bai Yilan was slightly taken aback. She looked at Xinran, who was now standing before her. She didn't know when she had stopped playing and walked over, but she was now looking at her with gentle eyes.
The surrounding crowd unconsciously took a few steps back, giving them space.
Gu Xinran smiled and produced a flower crown from behind her back, placing it on Yilan's head.
Bai Yilan sniffled, caught off guard by the touching gesture. "What… what are you doing?"
Out of the corner of her eye, Bai Yilan saw the girls around them, each clutching their chests, looking like they were about to faint from happiness as they stared at her expectantly. She lowered her head, feeling a little awkward under everyone's gaze.
"Huh? Are they confessing their love?"
"Say yes! Say yes!!"
"Say yes—say yes!"
The crowd didn't care what was happening; they just started cheering for the fun of it. The waves of applause grew louder and louder, startling even Gu Xinran. Only then did she realize how many people had gathered to watch…
"Isn't that Xinran and Teacher Bai?! Ahhh! Teacher Bai, say yes to her, ahhh!!"
"Holy crap, it really is Xinran!! She's so beautiful!!"
"Please get remarried! You two are a perfect match!"
"A perfect match!!"
"Remarry—remarry—remarry!"
Once someone recognized Gu Xinran, the scene completely spiraled out of control. The girls cheered wildly, while the guys looked on, utterly bewildered, having no idea what all the excitement was about.
Hearing the girls' high-pitched screams, Gu Xinran instinctively grasped Yilan's hand and pulled her closer into her arms, wanting to protect her.
However, this small gesture elicited even louder screams! The entire massive mall was filled with hysterical shouts, making Gu Xinran's ears ring. Yilan frowned as well.
Before the situation could get any more chaotic, Gu Xinran made a split-second decision, grabbed Yilan's hand, and started running.
Fortunately, the staff helped clear a path for them, allowing the two to escape smoothly.
They ran outside the mall. Gu Xinran glanced back and saw that no one was chasing them. Only then did she stop, looking at Yilan with lingering fear. She gave an embarrassed smile; she hadn't expected to attract so many people. There had been hardly anyone in the mall when she started playing.
The two walked forward side by side. Gu Xinran looked down and saw their hands, fingers tightly intertwined. A pang of sorrow struck her heart.
She thought of her past life.
Because the love between two women was not accepted and was met with strong public resistance, she and Yilan never dared to walk down the street holding hands so openly. After she became famous, paparazzi were often secretly taking photos, so Yilan rarely went shopping with her anymore. Only after dark, or in places where no one was paying attention, could they hold each other's hands tightly like this.
Gu Xinran looked into her eyes, and she was looking back at her just as softly.
The musical fountain beside them suddenly sprang to life. They turned to look at it, and both broke into a smile at the same time.
Gu Xinran gently squeezed her hand.
"Miss, I want to…"
"Have a sweet romance with you."
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