Against the Light - Chapter 158
Chapter 158: Little Admirer
"WOW, Mama! Time to get up! The aunties are coming!" Xiao Ye had woken up early, climbed out of bed by herself, and had already trotted to the door to check several times.
Bai Yilan was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Hearing the little one's cheers, she shook her head helplessly. This child…
"Ah…" Gu Xinran wasn't awake yet. The little girl's noise made her head buzz. She sat up, scooped the child up, and plopped her into the blankets, forcing her to be still.
"Mama, Mommy and I have been up for half an hour! Mama~" The little girl wrapped her arms around Gu Xinran's neck and nuzzled her nonstop, perfectly embodying the art of acting cute.
Gu Xinran's irritation melted away under the nuzzling. She looked up at her daughter and gently poked her forehead. "You little thing, you're getting better and better at this!"
"Hee hee~"
"Alright, I'm getting up. Give Mama a kiss." Gu Xinran turned her cheek.
Xiao Ye planted a loud kiss. "Good morning, Mama!"
"Mwah, good morning, baby."
"You're up?" Bai Yilan came in to check on them.
"Mhm, your daughter woke me up. So early in the morning~"
"Hm? Xiao Ye is your daughter too!" The little girl turned Gu Xinran's face toward her and said with a serious expression.
"Yes, yes, you're Mama's Little Milk Bun." Gu Xinran conceded helplessly. She hugged the little girl, lifting her high into the air. While she was still small, while she could still lift her, she had to get in as many hugs as possible~
"Are the aunties here yet?"
"Not yet. Xiao Ye has already run out to check several times." The little girl sighed, her little head drooping.
Gu Xinran looked at her seriously. "Yilan, look at this little one. She's so expressive. Don't you think she has what it takes to be an actress?"
"Even if she does, I won't let her. It's too hard," Bai Yilan rejected the idea outright.
"That's true." Gu Xinran ruffled the little girl's hair, set her down on the bed, and stretched as she got up herself.
Just as she stood up, the doorbell rang.
Xiao Ye's eyes sparkled. She straightened up abruptly, her little face instantly blooming into a smile, and she took off running.
"Hey, ask who it is before you open the door," Bai Yilan reminded her.
"Okay!"
"Excuse me, who is it?"
"It's the camera aunties. Can Xiao Ye open the door for us?" Xu Yi replied.
The moment she finished speaking, the main door swung open.
The little girl stood beaming at the entrance, looking at them.
"Hello, Xiao Ye. May we come in?" Xu Yi asked with a smile.
"Hello, Aunties. Please come in!" The little girl immediately invited them inside, her big eyes peering past Xu Yi.
"What are you looking for, Xiao Ye?"
"Where's my auntie?" Seeing two camera operators enter without a sign of that familiar figure, Xiao Ye scratched her little ear, her face full of confusion.
"Isn't it okay for Auntie Xu to film you? Do you have to have Auntie Lin?" Xu Yi crouched down, blinking her big eyes at the girl.
Xiao Ye's gaze went right past her, continuing to search behind her. "I want my auntie…" she pouted.
Seeing the little girl blatantly ignore her, Xu Yi's expression stiffened. Sensing the child's mood drop, Xu Yi stopped teasing her. "Alright, why don't you look for her yourself?"
"Hmm?" Xiao Ye walked to the doorway, poked half of her little body out to look, and then turned her head. When she saw Lin Yuqing standing by the wall, her little eyes immediately curved into crescents.
"Auntie Lin!"
"Hello, Xiao Ye." Lin Yuqing's eyes curved into a smile as she patted the girl's head.
Xiao Ye grabbed her hand and pulled her into the house. "Mama, Auntie Lin really came!" she exclaimed, eager to share the good news with Gu Xinran.
Gu Xinran, having finished washing up, came out of the bedroom just in time to hear the little girl's excited shouts. She subconsciously stole a glance at Yilan and, sure enough, saw a pained expression on her face. She could practically feel Yilan's heart bleeding.
"Sister Ran, Sister Lan, sorry to intrude." The camera operators greeted the two of them.
"Mhm, it's fine. Go on and get set up." Gu Xinran nodded, then placed the little girl on her special little stool. She went to the kitchen to bring out breakfast, and the family of three sat at the table to eat.
"Sister Ran, could you clap the slate?" Xu Yi said.
Gu Xinran clapped the slate as requested, signaling the start of the day's filming.
"Is the camera on?" Xiao Ye looked at the camera curiously.
"It's on. Everyone can see you now, Xiao Ye."
Hearing this, Xiao Ye grinned and waved at the camera.
【Ahhh, I've waited so long for today! Good morning, baby, Mama loves you!】
【Baby is so cute, Mama wants a hug~~】
【Wake up, person above me.】
"Have you had breakfast, Auntie?"
"I have," Xu Yi replied.
Only after answering did she realize something wasn't quite right.
"Oh, you weren't asking me, were you? Okay, I get it."
"Heh." Xiao Ye giggled.
"Baby, you can't play favorites," Bai Yilan said as she peeled a boiled egg and held it to her daughter's lips.
"Thank you, Mommy." The little girl opened her mouth wide but took only the tiniest bite, chewing for a long time as if it were a full meal.
Gu Xinran watched from the side, unable to hold back a soft laugh. The little drama queen was at it again.
"Be good, eat the whole egg," Bai Yilan coaxed.
"Mmm." The little girl hummed in response, taking the egg herself. She kissed it, rubbed it on her cheek, but steadfastly refused to eat it properly.
"Mommy, I don't like eggs." After dawdling for a while and seeing that her mommy had no intention of leaving, Xiao Ye realized she couldn't fool her way out of this and explained weakly.
Bai Yilan raised an eyebrow and glanced at Gu Xinran, giving her a look.
Gu Xinran looked troubled. For previous breakfasts, Auntie Ye had mostly cooked the eggs into congee or soup. They rarely had boiled eggs, precisely because Xiao Ye didn't like them.
After a moment's thought, she nodded decisively. She picked up another egg, peeled it, and walked over to the tent where Lin Yuqing was. "Xiao Ye, look, your Auntie Lin is eating an egg too. She ate it all like a good girl. You be a good girl and eat yours too, okay?"
Lin Yuqing: ???
Gu Xinran waved the egg in her hand and passed it into the tent.
Lin Yuqing was completely bewildered. She looked up at Gu Xinran, only to be met with a slightly threatening glare.
"Eat it," Gu Xinran whispered.
"…"
"Thank you, Sister Ran…" Lin Yuqing, unable to refuse, took the egg and silently ate it.
Xiao Ye tilted her head and watched for a moment. She was surprised to see that she had really finished the egg. She had her mommy lift her out of her little stool and pattered over to the tent. She poked her little head through the window to look inside.
"You really ate it! Was it yummy?" she asked curiously.
"Mhm, it was yummy." Lin Yuqing nodded. "Xiao Ye should be a good girl and eat hers too."
The little girl frowned at the egg in her hand, took a deep breath, and took another small bite, chewing for a while.
"Is it yummy?" Lin Yuqing asked.
Xiao Ye pouted. The words "not yummy" were practically written on her forehead, but she still nodded cooperatively.
【Hahahaha, little baby, that expression doesn't look like you think it's yummy at all!】
【Xiao Ye is smiling on the outside, but cursing on the inside.】
【Baby's expressions are so rich. I really want to squish that pink little face!】
【What kind of European emperor is this camera operator?! She gets to eat an egg peeled by Ran Zai herself! I'm crying tears of envy, wuwuwu.】
【Is this show hiring more camera operators? Look at me!!】
"Sigh." Nearby, Bai Yilan let out a heavy sigh and rubbed her forehead.
Gu Xinran heard it and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
This little girl was really something. Yilan had coaxed her so much, but she wouldn't eat. With just a simple word from Xiao Qing, the little one would eat it even with a frown. The comparison was truly brutal~
Gu Xinran picked Xiao Ye up and placed her in Yilan's lap. "Be good. Let Mommy feed you the rest of your breakfast."
"Mmm."
"Hmph, you little ungrateful thing," Yilan huffed, gently poking Xiao Ye's forehead.
Xiao Ye scratched her little ear, not understanding why her mommy had suddenly said that. All she could do was offer a silly smile in return. "Heh."
After helping Xiao Ye finish her meal, Yilan tidied up and prepared to leave.
"Mommy, don't go…" Xiao Ye hugged Yilan's leg, refusing to let her leave.
Only at this moment did Yilan feel Xiao Ye's dependence on her, and her heart finally felt a little better. She bent down, picked Xiao Ye up to comfort her, and shot Gu Xinran a look, signaling her to watch the child!
"Alright, I know. Come here, Xiao Ye, Mama will hold you." She took the little girl, strolled into the kitchen, and opened the refrigerator door, letting Xiao Ye pick out some fruit for after her meal.
Yilan took the opportunity to slip away quietly. Before she left, she glanced at Lin Yuqing. Lin Yuqing sensed it and turned to look back, feeling inexplicably guilty under her gaze.
Mother and daughter were in the kitchen cutting up a fruit platter, which temporarily made the little girl forget about Yilan.
A short while later, the two emerged with several fruit platters. Xiao Ye helped her mother carry a small plastic plate and excitedly placed it on the coffee table.
"Go on, share it with the aunties," Gu Xinran said, looking at the coffee table. Besides one large fruit platter, there were three additional plastic plates with the same types and amounts of fruit, which she had even arranged carefully.
Xiao Ye picked up one portion and carefully walked over to Xu Yi. "Auntie, please have some fruit."
"Wow, do I get some today?" Xu Yi looked pleasantly surprised. "Thank you, Xiao Ye. Thank you, Sister Ran."
"You're welcome," Xiao Ye replied seriously.
Then she giggled, a little shyly, and ran back to the coffee table to pick up another plate, delivering it to the other camera operator.
【Wow, she's not just doting on one person today. Our Player Gu has learned to bestow her favor evenly~】
【Haha, has that camera operator fallen out of favor? The player status is confirmed.】
【Hahaha, why am I so happy about this?? Am I too jealous of that camera operator?】
【This is cause for celebration, hahahaha, she's finally out of favor!! Baby Xiao Ye, look at me~】
The netizens were just discussing how the camera operator who had been exclusively doted on by Xiao Ye had finally fallen from grace, but then…
Xiao Ye looked at the last plastic plate, then at the extra-large fruit platter, her little brow furrowing.
Gu Xinran raised an eyebrow, a bad feeling creeping in. This kid wasn't thinking of giving that huge platter to Lin Yuqing, was she? Wouldn't that make her, the mother, lose face?
Just as she was about to speak, she saw Xiao Ye reach out her chubby little claws, grab a few grapes and strawberries from the large platter, and place them on the plastic plate. She arranged them carefully, piling the plate so high that the fruit was stacked and couldn't fit anymore before she finally stopped.
"Xiao Ye?"
"Hm?"
"Who is this for?" Gu Xinran pointed to the overflowing plastic fruit plate.
"For Auntie Lin!"
"Then why don't you give this platter to Auntie Lin?" Gu Xinran pointed to the large one and asked.
"This is Mama's! It was hard work for Mama to cut the fruit, so you should eat more!"
Hearing Xiao Ye say this, Gu Xinran's heart warmed. At least her old mom still held some status in her heart; she hadn't completely fallen out of favor.
Xiao Ye took a deep breath and picked up the plastic plate.
【…Who said that camera operator fell out of favor? Come out and take a beating, will you?】
【Ahhh, Baby Xiao Ye is so devoted. She'll definitely be someone who pampers her wife when she grows up!!】
【Ahhh, I'm so jealous, so jealous, wuwuwu.】
【Let's make a bet to see how long Xiao Ye's exclusive doting will last. I refuse to believe it!】
【I'll take that bet +1. Once this show is over, Xiao Ye will probably forget that person, and then I'll have my chance!】
【Are you guys devils? She's just a child!】
Xu Yi looked at the overflowing fruit platter, and the grape in her hand suddenly didn't taste sweet anymore.
Because the fruit was piled so high, it was difficult to carry. The little girl had to stop every two steps, transporting the fruit very carefully and slowly.
When she finally made it to Lin Yuqing, she let out a long sigh of relief. "Auntie, your work is hard. Have some fruit!"
Lin Yuqing chuckled. "Thank you, Xiao Ye."
Xiao Ye placed the fruit platter on the ground, lifted the tent flap from below, and crawled inside. Then, she reached out a chubby little hand and pulled the platter in after her.
Gu Xinran was stunned. She looked away for one second, and the kid had already slipped inside? Was that even allowed?
"What do you want to eat, Auntie? Xiao Ye will feed you. Auntie has to work and can't stop," Xiao Ye said on her own accord, looking at Lin Yuqing earnestly.
Lin Yuqing watched her with smiling eyes.
"Um… let's have a strawberry first!" Without waiting for a response, Xiao Ye picked up a big strawberry and held it to her lips. "Auntie, open wide, ahh—"
Torn between laughter and tears, Lin Yuqing obediently pulled down her mask, opened her mouth, and ate the strawberry in one bite.
"Is it sweet?" Xiao Ye's eyes sparkled as she blinked at her, awaiting her answer.
"Mhm, very sweet."
Xiao Ye giggled, swallowed, and looked down at the fruit platter. She picked up a grape. "I'll peel a grape for Auntie!"
"Okay, thank you, Xiao Ye."
"You're welcome."
Watching the little girl meticulously peel the grape, Lin Yuqing felt a little dazed. She remembered how her Xiao Ye in their past life had been just like this. When she was angry, Xiao Ye would hold a peeled grape to her lips, apologize, and coax her to eat. In front of Xiao Ye, she felt more like the child who needed to be taken care of.
"Ah, it's ready!" Xiao Ye held up a glistening, translucent grape, smacked her lips, swallowed, and held it up to Lin Yuqing, giving her a brilliant smile.
Lin Yuqing's throat bobbed slightly. She widened her eyes, forcing back the tears that were welling up. "Thank you, Xiao Ye."
"Auntie has said 'thank you' to me many times," Xiao Ye said, frowning as she tried to recall.
Lin Yuqing chuckled softly.
"Here, Auntie, open wide!"
"Okay."
Seeing Lin Yuqing eat the grape in one bite made Xiao Ye happier than if she had eaten it herself. She even clapped for Lin Yuqing. "Auntie is so good!"
【Oh my god, the Little Milk Bun is so smooth. If it were me, I'd have zero resistance either.】
【Ahhhh, I'm jealous, I'm so jealous. What kind of divine love is this!】
【Lock this age-gap CP up and throw away the key, please!?】
【Are you guys crazy? You must be crazy!!!】
【She's still a child, don't let her get away!!】
Hearing the conversation from inside the tent, Gu Xinran could no longer remain calm. She shot up from the sofa and marched straight to the tent. She flung open the flap and peered inside, only to see Xiao Ye looking at Lin Yuqing with a face full of adoration!
This kid was swooning again!
Oh, and she was drooling! Was this acceptable?!
"Xiao Ye? Come out," Gu Xinran said.
Unsurprisingly, she received no response.
"Xiao Ye?"
She called several times, but the little girl didn't react at all, which infuriated Gu Xinran.
Gu Xinran put her hands on her hips, pacing around the room in a huff.
"She's never even fed me a strawberry!"
"And she's certainly never peeled a grape for me!!"
"And now she's blatantly ignoring me!"
"Hah, I might as well just die from anger!"
【Hahahaha, Ran Zai is getting antsy. She's getting antsy, she's getting antsy.】
【Hahaha, Xiao Ye is so cute and warm, but baby, please spare a glance for your mother!!】
【Ran Zai is so cute when she's jealous. And with her hands on her hips, hahahaha.】
【Why does it seem like Sister Ran is the one who's fallen out of favor, hahaha.】
"Xiao Ye, come out and check on your mother. She's getting jealous," Xu Yi called out, teasing the little girl.
"Xiao Ye?" Lin Yuqing waved a hand in front of her eyes.
"Huh?" The little girl finally snapped back to reality. She subconsciously grinned, looking a little embarrassed.
"I think your mother is unhappy," Lin Yuqing said with a smile.
"Huh? Why?" The little girl poked her head out of the tent window, her wide-eyed expression exceptionally cute.
"What's wrong, Mama?" Seeing her mother sitting on the floor with her back to her and ignoring her calls, Xiao Ye grew anxious and quickly scrambled out of the tent.
"Mama? Mama~" She ran over and hugged Gu Xinran from behind, using both her hands and feet to climb onto her, wrapping her arms around her neck and shaking her. "Mama?"
"Hmph, go keep your auntie company. Don't mind me," Gu Xinran huffed.
"Mama, Mama~ What's wrong, Mama?" the little girl called in her sweet, milky voice.
"Hmph." Gu Xinran turned her head away, refusing to look at her.
"Mama~" Xiao Ye hugged her arm and shook it. When that didn't work, she wriggled into her lap, sat down, and hugged her, wheedling with all her might.
Gu Xinran couldn't hold back a smile. She ruffled the little girl's head. "You… you've never fed Mama a strawberry. Mama is jealous."
Hearing this, Xiao Ye immediately ran to get a big strawberry and held it to Gu Xinran's lips. "Xiao Ye will feed Mama."
Gu Xinran was immensely pleased. She ate it in one bite. "Mmm, that's more like it~ But baby, next time, can you feed Mama without me having to remind you?"
Xiao Ye scratched her little ear, nodding as if she half-understood. She immediately peeled a grape and offered it to her. "Mama, eat!"
"Mmm~ Good girl~" Only then was Gu Xinran satisfied.
After they finished the fruit, Gu Xinran found a storybook. She held Xiao Ye on the sofa and read to her, and the little girl listened with great interest.
At lunchtime, Gu Xinran deliberately made extra food, bringing out lunch for the camera operators as well.
"You all, stop working for a bit and come have lunch together."
"There's no need, Sister Ran. We have our own rations. We can just eat something simple," Xu Yi said quickly.
"How can you always eat that stuff? I've already made it. Let's eat together."
Unable to refuse Gu Xinran's warm invitation, Xu Yi was the first to emerge from the tent. Seeing her come out, the other two camera operators obediently followed.
"Thank you, Sister Ran." Xu Yi thanked Gu Xinran first, took a bowl, and was about to eat off-camera when Gu Xinran gestured for her to sit at the dining table.
"Aunties, come over here." Xiao Ye waved at them and patted the stool next to her. The three exchanged glances, walked over, and sat down, looking slightly uneasy.
"Mama, the aunties are all so skinny. Are they malnourished?" Xiao Ye had finally learned a new word and was eager to use it at every opportunity.
Hearing this, Gu Xinran's gaze swept over the three of them. "I think you're right. They're all so thin and small. Do you usually not eat properly?"
"Mama, can we fatten the aunties up?" The little girl's face suddenly lit up with excitement, her eyes shining.
"Hm? Okay," Gu Xinran immediately agreed.
"How fat does Xiao Ye want to make them?"
"Um… a hundred catties!"
"Pfft…"
"???"
"Ahem, thank you, Xiao Ye, but the aunties deliberately maintain this figure," Xu Yi said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Xiao Ye scratched her head, confused. What Xu Yi said seemed to have touched upon another blind spot in her knowledge.
"Xu Yi, which company are you with now?" Gu Xinran asked, seemingly at random.
Xu Yi was slightly taken aback. "I'm not signed with any company. These camera operators are all part of the team I've always led."
She wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but after she said that, she felt Gu Xinran's eyes light up.
"Sister Ran, this isn't some kind of feast with an ulterior motive, is it??"
【I feel like Ran Zai's next sentence is going to be, "So what do you think of Heart Entertainment?"】
【Hahaha, Ran Zai is at it again, she's at it again!!】
【Always poaching people. That's our Ran Zai, alright.】
【Damn, if this director signs with Heart Ent., she'll have hit the jackpot!】
【Ahhh, I also want a boss as good as Ran Zai!】
Gu Xinran laughed heartily and didn't press the matter further, though she genuinely had such plans. Heart Entertainment didn't lack artists right now; it lacked directors and production teams.
A couple of days ago, while chatting with Lin Yuqing, she had heard that Xu Yi was a good person—loyal and righteous. The current members of her team were all people she had trained herself. Most importantly, when Xiao Qing was just starting out and willing to work without pay just for a meal, Xu Yi, despite her own difficulties, didn't look down on her. As long as she had food to eat, she would never let the people under her go hungry. A person with such integrity and ability was rare these days. She had to recruit her as soon as possible.
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