Against the Light - Chapter 93
Chapter 93: The Invitation
Gu Xinran hung up, completely baffled by what Qu Qi had said.
"What is it?" Bai Yilan asked.
"Nothing much. Qu Qi said she has good news and wants us to come to the company in a bit."
"Oh," Bai Yilan replied, rolling over and snuggling back under the covers, showing no intention of getting up.
Gu Xinran lifted the blanket and slid in, pressing herself against Yilan's smooth skin. She wrapped an arm around her slender waist from behind and tried to pull her closer into her embrace, but her hand inadvertently brushed against a soft mound. The sensation was exquisite!
"Hiss!" Bai Yilan let out a soft gasp as the sensitive spot was touched and immediately slapped her hand away. "Don't mess around!"
"Oh? Is this not the same person who was stealing my blanket while I was on the phone just now?" Gu Xinran's eyes glinted with mischief as her unruly hand settled on Bai Yilan's waist again, attempting to wander upward.
Bai Yilan defended herself with all her might, refusing to let her have her way. The two of them ended up in a tangled, playful heap, having a wonderful time.
"Alright, be good. Time to get up," Gu Xinran said, finally giving up when she couldn't break through Bai Yilan's defenses. She ruffled her hair and coaxed her to get out of bed.
"You go first." Bai Yilan clutched her front and curled into a ball, still wary of Gu Xinran, afraid she might try something sneaky.
"Fine, fine. I'll go wash up first, then." Gu Xinran slowly got up, threw on a piece of clothing, and headed straight for the bathroom. She left the door ajar and turned on the faucet, letting the water run.
Bai Yilan glanced toward the bathroom. Hearing the sound of running water, she finally relaxed. Draped in the blanket, she got up and went to the closet. Just as she was about to find some clothes, the bathroom door was suddenly flung open. Before she could even react, the world spun around her. When she came to her senses, she was being carried bridal-style by Gu Xinran, and the only blanket covering her modesty had been tossed far away.
"You…!" Bai Yilan's pretty face flushed red instantly.
"Hm?" Gu Xinran looked at her with a smile in her eyes. "What about me?" She was dying to hear her say something bad about her, because that would give her a perfectly good reason to 'punish' her!
"You… you're so strong."
"??" Gu Xinran's expression froze. What was with this sudden compliment!
Looking at Yilan's playful, wide eyes, Gu Xinran burst out laughing. "Praise won't work on me. Why don't you think about how to please me instead?" As she spoke, she spun around in the room while holding Yilan.
Bai Yilan let out a series of soft cries. Afraid of falling, she had one arm wrapped around Xinran's neck and the other trying to cover herself. She wished she could grow a few more hands!
"You… you can't take advantage of my predicament."
"Oh? But I already have. What are you going to do about it?"
"…"
"Hm?" Gu Xinran pouted, her hint incredibly obvious.
Bai Yilan rolled her eyes in resignation. She hooked both arms around her neck, leaned up, and quickly nipped her on the lips.
Gu Xinran laughed heartily and carried her to the edge of the bed, just about to put her down…
"You old rogue," Bai Yilan muttered under her breath.
Hearing this, Gu Xinran instantly changed her mind and lifted her right back up.
"Hey?"
"What did you just say? Say it again?"
"Hm?" Gu Xinran raised an eyebrow, the smile in her eyes deepening. She said something bad about me! Finally, a reason…
"My big cutie!" Bai Yilan beamed, even offering up a big, loud kiss that completely disarmed Gu Xinran.
Sighing inwardly with resignation, she placed her on the bed, went to the closet, and got her a nightgown to put on. "Look at you, never wearing clothes when you're at home." Gu Xinran shook her head as she spoke, looking thoroughly troubled.
"??" Which bastard was it that stripped me last night??
After washing up and eating lunch, the two of them headed straight to the company.
"Welcome back, Boss and Lady Boss, on your triumphant return!"
The moment they entered the company, they saw the employees bowing in unison and shouting in a chorus. It nearly scared them back out the door. A closer look revealed that before she had left for the variety show, there were only a dozen or so people. Now, the number had more than tripled. The office was starting to look crowded.
"You all…"
"Hello, Boss~" Qu Qi emerged from behind the crowd, waving her hand to dismiss everyone. She then ushered the two of them into the office.
"You have no idea how much your popularity has grown because of this one variety show. The company's doors have practically been broken down by production teams," Qu Qi said with a smile, pulling out chairs for them to sit.
"Is that so," Gu Xinran remarked. This was truly an unexpected gain. She had gone on a show, had her fun, made many wonderful memories with Yilan, and even gained fame. It was a win on multiple fronts.
"You bet. You two are the hottest top-tier celebrities right now. Look, just today, more than a dozen scripts have been sent over, and several production teams are lining up to see you."
Gu Xinran raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Is this why you called me so early in the morning?" Gu Xinran flipped through the scripts.
"Of course not! These things aren't important enough for you to make a personal trip!"
"Have you heard of Wei Yi Magazine?"
Gu Xinran frowned. "Wei Yi? The company that led the charge in suppressing Le Tao not long ago?"
"Yes, yes, that's the one."
"You two have really made a name for yourselves this time. The big boss of Wei Yi, Shi Qing, is having a birthday banquet the day after tomorrow, and she's sent a special invitation for you to attend!" Qu Qi finished, looking at them expectantly.
However, both of their expressions were rather strange.
"Xinran?"
"Yeah, I'm thinking, why?"
"What?"
"Are you very familiar with this President Shi?"
"Of course not. I've never even met her. She basically never appears in front of the media, and no media outlet dares to break her rule. She's someone at the very top of the pyramid. How could I possibly be in her league?"
"Then do you think I'm in her league?"
"Well… maybe she's a fan of yours?"
Gu Xinran shook her head noncommittally. Being suddenly targeted by a very powerful figure made her heart pound. Someone who could bring an entertainment company as large as Le Tao to the brink of collapse with a flick of her finger had her sights set on her. No matter how she thought about it, something seemed fishy.
"So you're saying… she's targeting Heart Entertainment? She wouldn't be thinking of acquiring us, would she?" Qu Qi was alarmed.
Although Heart Entertainment didn't have many artists under its banner yet, each one was a rising star with a boundless future. With a sensational celebrity like Xinran at the helm, it was only a matter of time before they replaced Le Tao. But even so, was that enough to catch the eye of such a big shot?
Qu Qi had initially thought that being invited by a major figure was something to be happy about, as it at least showed that the other party was giving them face. But after Gu Xinran's analysis, she too felt that something was amiss.
Bai Yilan silently lowered her head, unconsciously clenching her fists.
"Yilan?"
"Yilan?"
"Hm?" Bai Yilan snapped back to reality and looked at Xinran.
"What are you thinking about?"
Bai Yilan shook her head. "Since you're worried Wei Yi has ulterior motives, then we should probably keep our distance."
"Huh?"
"Lady Boss, were you spacing out? Xinran already accepted the invitation. She said she wants to go see for herself what they're up to."
"Mhm." Xinran nodded, giving Yilan a couple more glances, a little worried about her state.
Gu Xinran gestured for Qu Qi to leave them. She then took Yilan's hand. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I was just lost in thought." Bai Yilan quickly composed herself and gave her a faint smile.
Seeing that she didn't want to say more, Gu Xinran didn't press the issue. She nodded. "Do you want to go with me?"
Bai Yilan thought for a moment. "Yes, let's go."
Gu Xinran observed her expression, feeling that her mood swings were inextricably linked to this matter.
"Then shouldn't we prepare a gift?"
"Mhm," Bai Yilan replied. It was a birthday banquet, after all, so a gift was appropriate.
Gu Xinran frowned. "Given her status and position, there probably aren't any material possessions that would catch her eye."
Gu Xinran was in a bit of a bind. What could she give that would express her sincerity without being cliché?
"She likes to listen to piano music. Why don't you play a piece for her?"
"? With my meager skills…" Gu Xinran didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She didn't even understand music theory and relied purely on memorizing the score to play. How could she dare to show off her amateur skills in front of an expert!
"It's fine. Maybe she doesn't understand music theory either. As long as it sounds nice, it'll be fine."
Gu Xinran raised an eyebrow. Are you sure you're not setting me up?
Although she felt it was unreliable, Gu Xinran still followed Yilan's suggestion and went home to practice the piano.
She was only familiar with two pieces. When You Are Old was clearly inappropriate, so she focused her energy on practicing Falling Flowers. Yilan had been the one to teach her this piece, and she had always remembered it well.
The entire day was spent in a practice session filled with their playful banter.
That afternoon, the two of them were doing their makeup and getting ready.
Bai Yilan had chosen two gowns, one black and one white, both of which she had made herself in her spare time.
Both gowns were designed around a floral theme. The white one was cool and noble, exuding an ethereal aura, while the black one was dignified and elegant, with an outstanding presence.
"Even your gowns are a matching couple's set. How many people are you trying to torture to death?" Fang Jinghai watched the two of them with longing, practically drooling.
Gu Xinran looked at her reflection in the mirror. "Yilan, isn't this outfit a bit too much? We might outshine the host."
"It's because you're so beautiful that you're the center of attention wherever you go," Bai Yilan said with a light laugh, bending down to arrange the hem of her dress.
"Tsk! That's too much!" Fang Jinghai, who was taking pictures of them, was caught off guard by another dose of public affection.
"But, Sister Lan, I think Sister Ran has a point. What if you're too eye-catching and steal the host's thunder? Won't she hold a grudge?"
"Most of the people attending this banquet have been in the fashion circle for years. It's bound to be a dazzling competition of unique and extravagant styles. If we dress too plainly, we might be looked down upon. Rather than be subjected to criticism, it's better to make a stunning entrance and shut them up from the start," Bai Yilan explained.
Fang Jinghai and Gu Xinran exchanged a look and nodded in unison.
"Alright, let's go."
Once they were ready, they checked their makeup and hair one last time before setting off.
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