MQSP - Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Seeing Lin Yuqing go upstairs, Gu Baiye didn't disturb her. She tidied up the house a little. As she was heading back to her own room, she passed Lin Yuqing's and paused. She stood at the door for a moment, hesitating, before raising her hand to knock lightly.
"Auntie Lin, are you asleep?"
Inside, Lin Yuqing had the covers pulled over her head, drowsy and about to fall asleep. Hearing the voice, she was dazed for a moment. "What is it?" she answered irritably.
Hearing this, Baiye quickly pushed the door open a crack. She saw Auntie Lin sitting up in bed, rubbing her forehead, a weary look on her face.
"I'm sorry to disturb your rest, but…" As Baiye pushed the door open, she clearly felt a chill in the room. She glanced at the air conditioner's temperature: 20 degrees! That was way too low!
Baiye glanced at Lin Yuqing, entered the room, found the AC remote, and adjusted the temperature to 26 degrees. "Auntie specifically said before she left that the AC temperature shouldn't be too low," she reasoned with Auntie Lin in a very serious tone.
Lin Yuqing looked annoyed. Was it really necessary to wake me up for such a small thing? You could have just come in and changed the temperature!
"Go back to sleep!" she said, vexed.
"Good night, Auntie Lin!" Baiye hurriedly said good night and tactfully made her escape.
The weather in Qin Chuan was like Lin Yuqing's face—it changed in an instant.
When Lin Yuqing got up in the morning and pulled open the curtains, she didn't see the expected sunlight. The sky was dim; it looked like a heavy rain was coming.
She stretched lazily, wondering why no one had woken her up today, only to remember that Xia Xiaozi wasn't home.
She glanced at the time. It was still early. She wondered if Xiao Ye was awake yet. Sigh, having a kid in the house is so much trouble. Now I have to wake her up!
With that thought, Lin Yuqing casually threw on some clothes. As she pulled open her door, she stopped short, spotting an alarm clock on the floor by the entrance…
Puzzled, she bent down to pick it up. A note was stuck to the clock: "Good morning, Auntie Lin! Breakfast is ready, remember to eat! It's a little chilly today, so wear a jacket! I'm heading out now."
Just as Lin Yuqing finished reading the note, the alarm clock in her hand went off. Oh, so she was afraid I wouldn't get up and deliberately set an alarm clock here for me?
Lin Yuqing gave a helpless smile, pursing her lips. She peeked into Baiye's room. It was neat and tidy, the quilt folded neatly at the head of the bed. She must have been gone for a while. Lin Yuqing put down the alarm clock and went out.
After washing up, she went straight to the living room. Sure enough, breakfast was on the table, kept warm under a cover.
Lin Yuqing lifted the cover to look: half a slice of toast, a fried egg, a small sausage, and a glass of warm milk.
Lin Yuqing sat at the table, staring at the breakfast for a moment. Xia Xiaozi usually got up early every day to prepare breakfast for her, and she'd never thought anything of it. But this breakfast before her… why did it look so comforting?
She picked up the slice of toast and looked at it for a moment. It wasn't any different from what she usually ate. How strange.
Lost in thought, she ate with great relish.
After finishing her meal, Lin Yuqing put the plate in the sink, then got dressed to go out.
Just as she finished putting on her shoes, she looked up and saw another note stuck to the main door. She peeled it off and read it: "Remember to wear a jacket! And take an umbrella, it's next to the shoe cabinet! Drive safely, and if your neck is bothering you, take the U-shaped pillow too!" It was accompanied by a smiley face.
Lin Yuqing tilted her head and looked. Sure enough, an umbrella and a U-shaped neck pillow were standing next to the shoe cabinet.
She placed the note on the shoe cabinet, picked up the umbrella and pillow, and found herself in a surprisingly good mood. Hmm, having a considerate kid at home isn't so bad after all.
When Lin Yuqing arrived on set, she was unconsciously humming a little tune. However, when she saw Baiye chatting with Ji Ming, her good mood instantly evaporated.
"Teacher Lin." Seeing her, Baiye hurried over to greet her.
"Hmph." Lin Yuqing shot her an irritated glance, turned her head, and went back to her own dressing room.
Baiye was completely bewildered, with no idea what had just happened.
"Xiao Ye, what's wrong?" Ji Ming walked over. Seeing the little one's dazed expression, she followed her gaze to Lin Yuqing's retreating back. "Got shot down?" she asked with a smile.
"Uh… yeah…"
"Qing Jie is like that. She's rather cold to people, and her temper is strange, good one moment and bad the next. At least, I still haven't figured her out."
"Is that so." Baiye silently tried to recall how she might have upset her. She couldn't think of anything… Was the breakfast not to her liking? Or did I disturb her sleep last night? Could it be that raising the AC temperature made her sleep uncomfortably?
"Alright, it's not a big deal. Why worry so much?" Ji Ming smiled. This little one was truly pure and adorable.
After finishing her makeup and changing into her costume, Lin Yuqing had calmed down a lot. She felt that, considering how thoughtful the little one had been in preparing breakfast for her that morning, she should at least show her a pleasant expression. At this thought, Lin Yuqing's face softened.
When she came out, she was about to look for Baiye to show her the softened expression, but just as she was searching, she saw Ji Ming in the distance, enthusiastically waving. "Xiao Ye, hurry up, we're about to start filming."
!!!
Lin Yuqing's face fell again. She walked up to Ji Ming with a dark expression. "What did you call her?"
"Huh?"
"What's your relationship with her, to be calling her so intimately?" The word "annoyed" was written all over Lin Yuqing's face, her eyes fixed on Ji Ming like a hawk's. Besides me and Xia Xiaozi, no third person is allowed to call her Xiao Ye so intimately! It's so irritating!
"Er…" Ji Ming felt very uncomfortable under Lin Yuqing's gaze. It was so tangible it forced her to look away. "Qing Jie, she and I… we don't… we don't have any special relationship…" I heard Lin Yuqing was hostile toward Gu Baiye, but is she this fierce?!
"Teacher Lin?" Baiye walked up behind Lin Yuqing. She had overheard a bit of their conversation and was a little confused. So, does Auntie Lin dislike me making friends, or does she dislike other people calling me intimately?
If it's the former… but Auntie Lin told me before to make more friends. If it's the latter… then she understood even less.
"Don't you know we're starting? Do you need someone to call you?"
"I-I'll pay attention." Auntie Lin's expression changed. I'd better back down!
Seeing Baiye's obedient apology, Lin Yuqing's anger fizzled out. Without another word, she turned and walked toward the training ground, instantly forgetting her intention to be nice to Baiye.
"Goodness, what's the beef between you two?" Ji Ming wiped the fine sweat from her forehead.
Baiye didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She was completely in the dark, too!
The weather today was noticeably muggy and hot, without a whisper of wind. Everyone was complaining endlessly, hoping for rain to come soon.
As if hearing everyone's prayers for rain, just after noon, the sky suddenly darkened. A strong wind swept in, carrying a hint of moisture and a refreshing coolness. In the middle of the day, the sky turned a dusky yellow, as dark as night. A few of the younger ones started cheering, running around the set to enjoy the wind and play.
"Everyone, pause what you're doing and get the equipment back inside," Su Yu quickly called out, seeing that it was about to rain.
"Woohoo—it's raining!" the little ones shouted excitedly. Sure enough, raindrops had begun to fall.
"Everyone, hurry up! Little ones, get back to the studio!"
The actors retreated one after another while the crew quickly dismantled the set and moved the equipment. Baiye was among them, helping out.
"Whoa—" With a collective gasp, the rain suddenly intensified. The light drizzle from a moment ago turned into a torrential downpour. Baiye was helping a camerawoman push the equipment, hastily looking around, searching for Auntie Lin in the crowd. When she saw that Lin Yuqing had already made it into the studio, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"You should go take shelter. I can handle this myself," the camerawoman told Baiye.
"It's okay," Baiye smiled, completely ignoring her already rain-soaked clothes.
"Ah—Xiao Ye-jiejie, help me!!" A panicked cry suddenly came from behind her. Baiye turned at the sound and saw Xiao Bao still standing by the weapon rack on the training ground, frantically tugging at her clothes.
"I'll go check on her!" Baiye hurriedly ran toward Xiao Bao.
Meanwhile, Lin Yuqing entered the studio and, after looking around, couldn't find Baiye. She glanced out at the training ground and saw that kid standing in the middle of it, bent over, shielding something. Doesn't she know enough to get out of such heavy rain? Is she an idiot?
"It's okay, your clothes are just caught on the rack. Don't move, be good." Baiye shielded Xiao Bao with her body and helped her untangle the sash that was caught on the wooden rack. She must have snagged it while running around the weapon rack earlier.
"I'm getting wet!" Xiao Bao pouted, her expression aggrieved, looking like she was about to cry.
"You won't, I'm here." Baiye struggled to pick the little one up, shielding her head with one hand as she jogged back to the studio.
The rain grew even more intense, so heavy it was hard to see the path ahead. Cold rainwater streamed down her cheeks and into her collar. Carrying a child who weighed over forty pounds, Baiye was clearly struggling, her breathing growing much heavier.
"Sister, you can put me down."
"It's okay… we're almost there."
The words had barely left Baiye's mouth when she vaguely saw a figure in the rain ahead. At first, she thought she was mistaken, but as the figure drew closer, Baiye stopped in her tracks. She stood there, stunned, watching the person walking out of the rain, dressed in armor, with a cold expression… Auntie Lin!
Lin Yuqing was holding an umbrella. She walked quickly to Baiye, held the umbrella over her head, and sized her up. The kid was soaked to the bone, while Xiao Bao in her arms only had the back of her clothes wet.
"Don't you know enough to get out of the rain? Are you stupid?!"
"Xiao Ye-jiejie came to save me!"
"And you, what were you doing running around?!" Lin Yuqing glared, and Xiao Bao, who had been so self-righteous a moment ago, instantly wilted.
Lin Yuqing knew this wasn't the time to settle scores. She shoved the umbrella into Baiye's hand, freeing her own to take Xiao Bao. She gathered the child into her arms, supporting her bottom with one hand and her waist with the other.
Baiye's heart skipped a beat, then began to pound violently. She thought she must be losing her mind. Why did she find the way Auntie Lin held a child so captivating?!
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