Against the Light - Chapter 122
Chapter 122: Go
Today was the first day of official training for the sisters of Queen's Stage, following the completion of the first round of grouping.
In the group rehearsal room, Bai Yilan, as the chief designer, was presenting the collection to everyone.
"Sister Lan, what was your original intention when designing this set of clothes?"
"My original intention…" Bai Yilan turned to look at the clothes hanging on the rack.
This series featured a light color palette, primarily cream-white, accented with petal elements. It included long gowns, dresses, and evening wear.
The outfits looked grand and were rich in detail. For instance, the collars, cuffs, hems, and edges were adorned with a great deal of hand-stitched embroidery.
"This," Bai Yilan said with a mysterious smile, turning to pick up two gowns and holding them up for everyone to see.
These two gowns were her favorite, the ones she had put the most thought into. A large petal was embroidered on the chest of each dress. The stitching was fine and exceptionally exquisite, with a touch of light blue at the stamen, providing a perfect accent. The most ingenious part was that when the two dresses were placed side by side, the petals on them fit together perfectly, forming a single blooming flower.
"Oh! I didn't even realize this was a matching set for a couple!"
"Whoa, Sister Lan is so romantic! She even made the gowns into a matching set!?"
"Wow, I'm so jealous!"
"Wait, sisters, I just realized something," Yan Xi said, suddenly raising her hand.
"Have you noticed that we only have one couple here? Does that mean only the two of them can wear these dresses??"
Everyone paused, then turned in unison to look at Qi Yuwei and Qi Qiuyan.
The two hadn't reacted at first, but being suddenly put on the spot, they realized it too. "Oh? If that's the case, then we'll gladly accept," Qi Yuwei said with a playful smile.
"In your dreams! I've had my eye on these dresses for a long time! I won't give them up to you so easily!" Yan Xi pouted.
"So are you going to wear a couple's outfit with someone else?"
"I…"
"Or are you planning to marry into someone's family first?"
"…Do I have to make such a huge sacrifice just for a show?"
"Hahahaha~"
Bai Yilan watched them tease each other with a slightly helpless smile. The consequence of everyone being so familiar with each other was that they always went off-topic.
【!! I knew she was thinking of Xinran when she designed these clothes!】
【Sob, so romantic. I want to see them walk the runway in the matching outfits.】
【I want to see it +1】
During the lunch break, Bai Yilan entered the lounge, rubbing her neck. When Gu Xinran saw her, she immediately went over, helped her sit on the sofa, and started giving her a massage.
"You've worked hard," she said, kneading her shoulders and neck with effort.
Bai Yilan closed her eyes, a look of pure enjoyment on her face.
"From now on, they'll be practicing on their own. Shall I send you home this afternoon to rest for a few days?" Gu Xinran asked.
"Not yet. I have to go see Ming Zhen."
"What's wrong with her?"
Bai Yilan sighed and handed her phone over. While they were filming the show earlier, her phone had been vibrating nonstop in her pocket. She didn't even need to look to know it was Ming Zhen frantically pouring out her troubles.
Gu Xinran opened it and saw 99+ unread messages on WeChat, all from Ming Zhen…
【Waaaaah】
【Yilan, I feel so awful, ahhh】
【Why do all the people I like get married so young, why!! Tell me, am I cursed to be alone!】
【[Crying][Crying][Crying]】
【When a fish cries, the water knows. When I cry, who knows? [Teary]】
【Lanlan, I need a hug, sob, a hug】
And so on, along with a barrage of various sticker memes. She was completely using Yilan as a sounding board, ranting nonstop, even asking and answering her own questions.
"This…"
"See? I'm just a utility person, the kind who has to be on call," Bai Yilan sighed.
Gu Xinran didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Alright, then. Go keep her company. Take her out for a walk, try to cheer her up."
"How about you go sound out Yuexian? See what her intentions are?" Bai Yilan suggested.
"Hmm… I was planning to find her to discuss a collaboration in the next couple of days anyway. I can ask, if the opportunity arises."
Gu Xinran gave her shoulders another squeeze. After lunch, she had an assistant drive Yilan away.
At Ming Zhen's home.
The moment Bai Yilan walked in, she was pulled into a tight hug by Ming Zhen, who buried her face in her neck and started sobbing.
Bai Yilan was exasperated. She patted her on the back. "Alright, alright, are you really crying?" She looked up and saw that the girl's eyes were swollen. She had clearly been crying a lot.
"It hurts," Ming Zhen said, her voice muffled. Her nose was red, and she sniffled.
Bai Yilan pressed her forehead. Why was this girl acting like a child who would never grow up?
"Okay, okay, it's not that serious."
"Hug," Ming Zhen said, opening her arms piteously.
Bai Yilan gave her another warm hug.
"Yilan, do you think I'm cursed?"
"How could you be?"
"Then why can't I get married!"
"How can you say you can't get married? Don't you already have a marriage contract?"
"Don't mention the marriage contract to me! I'm allergic!"
"Fine, fine. Hey, have you ever asked your mother for a picture of Xue Yuexian?"
"No. I'm afraid it'll hurt my eyes."
"…" Bai Yilan was speechless. She glanced at her. You really are single by your own merit, huh.
Her phone chimed.
Bai Yilan glanced down. It was a text from Xinran, asking if she had arrived.
After replying, Bai Yilan looked up to see Ming Zhen's resentful expression and sighed again, putting her phone aside.
"Alright, I'm not busy for the next few days. I'll stay with you and soothe your wounded heart."
"Sob, you're the best!"
"Okay, stop sobbing. You're a grown woman."
"Waaaaah!"
"Have you eaten? How about I take you shopping?"
The two went to the central shopping mall. They had just reached the clothing section when they froze. A long line had formed outside the Yi Ren boutique. Upon asking, they learned that most of the people were Yilan's fans, there to support her.
The two of them didn't show their faces and quietly left.
The afternoon live stream continued.
Gu Xinran visited each group's rehearsal room to check on them. When she arrived at the Fairy Group's room, she saw them practicing their formation.
"Who's wearing the matching couple's outfits?" Gu Xinran asked.
"Who else could it be?" Yan Xi rolled her eyes at her.
Gu Xinran chuckled and looked at Qi Qiuyan and Qi Yuwei, then at the dresses, imagining what the two would look like in them.
Suddenly, an image flashed through her mind: she and Yilan, wearing this matching set, leaning against each other in a sea of flowers.
"Xinran?"
"Hello?"
"Hm?" Gu Xinran snapped back to reality.
"What's wrong with you? Why did you suddenly zone out? What were you thinking about?"
"Nothing. I was just thinking about what Yilan and I…"
"She said at the time that the two people are like this one flower. Only when they come together is life complete."
"You are in me, and I am in you, intertwined and interdependent."
"She also said that as long as the two are together, this flower can bloom freely, anywhere, in any corner of the world."
Without having to endure anyone's cold stares or malice.
After hearing this, everyone's eyes filled with pink hearts. "That's so romantic!"
Gu Xinran smiled lightly and looked at Qi Qiuyan and Qi Yuwei. "Did that help you two?"
"Yes!" they both nodded in unison. They had been struggling with how to interpret the outfits, but after her explanation, they felt a sense of sudden clarity.
"I want to wear them too," Yan Xi pouted. It would be a lie to say she wasn't envious.
Gu Xinran frowned and thought for a moment. "Well, in that case…"
"Yes?" Yan Xi's eyes lit up.
"I'll have my assistant bring over the detailed profiles of Heart Entertainment's artists. You can take a look and see if anyone catches your eye."
"…"
"Hahaha!"
Everyone burst out laughing and returned to their practice.
【Hahaha, Sister Ran's intentions are so obvious. She's constantly dropping hints for Yan Xi.】
【Aww, Teacher Bai is so romantic. Can't the two of them join the show as guests? I want to see it so badly!】
【I'm begging on my hands and knees for you two to wear these outfits on the runway, waaaah.】
【Can we have more sweet moments? This is too good!】
Gu Xinran paid for afternoon tea for everyone out of her own pocket. Seeing this group of sisters, all successful in their own fields, working so hard, she was deeply moved.
In the lounge, after a long day, Gu Xinran had just sat down on the sofa to rest when her phone began to vibrate frantically.
In the practice room, everyone was chatting and laughing during a short break.
"Hey, I just saw Xinran rush out of here. Did something happen?"
"Xinran?"
"Yeah, she looked awful, really anxious. I asked her what was wrong, but she didn't even have time to answer me."
Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads.
Lin Guo knew Gu Xinran well. She knew that she was calm and composed and rarely let her emotions show on her face, unless it was about…
At that thought, Lin Guo's right eyelid began to twitch uncontrollably. She quickly pulled out her phone for a look, and her expression changed drastically.
"Oh no, something's happened to Sister Lan!"
"What??"
"What's wrong!?"
Everyone immediately gathered around her.
"At the mall… she and Young President Ming… they fell down an escalator…" After reading the Weibo post, Lin Guo's heart clenched, and her palms instantly grew sweaty.
"How are they now?"
"It just says they were sent to the hospital. The specifics… aren't mentioned."
"How could this happen? Oh my god, she was fine this morning…"
"Fell down an escalator? That's terrifying. Sister Lan has to be okay."
【??? WTF, what's going on??】
【????】
【I just came from Weibo. No specifics, but it's definitely Teacher Bai. She was just taken away by an ambulance.】
【Ahhh, how could they be so careless!!! She has to be okay, Ranran is going to be heartbroken.】
【Forgive my conspiracy theory, but for something to happen at a time like this is too suspicious.】
【Damn it! What happened?? What happened to my wife?!】
At Shi Qing's residence.
"Sister Qing!" Ye Nan, who had been watching the live stream, immediately went to check Weibo, her hands trembling in shock.
Shi Qing also learned of Yilan's accident at the first possible moment. Her heart jolted violently, and her mind began racing.
Her expression was grim as she gently rubbed her fingertips together. "Pull the surveillance footage."
"Okay. Sister Qing, aren't we going to the hospital?"
"We are."
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