MQSP - Chapter 47

Chapter 47

In the early morning, Gu Baiye's eyelids fluttered as she slowly woke up. She'd had an exceptionally comfortable sleep.

Without even opening her eyes, she gave a satisfying stretch. As she brought her arm back, she heard a smack. She had no idea what she'd hit. The little one froze, her eyes flying open. Oh my god, how did she end up sleeping in Auntie Lin's arms!

Aaaah! That slap just now hit Auntie Lin's face!!!

Seeing Lin Yuqing staring at her, eyes open and expressionless, Gu Baiye panicked a little. She immediately scrambled to sit up, an apologetic smile plastered on her face, and recited the line she had to say every morning she woke up next to Auntie Lin: "Auntie Lin, I'm sorry, I didn't do it on purpose…"

Not on purpose, huh… Tormenting me in a new way every single morning, and it's not on purpose?

Fine, let's say you didn't do it on purpose.

Then you must be doing it maliciously!!

Lin Yuqing raised a hand to rub her nose. Little brat!

"Hehe, Auntie Lin, I… how did I end up sleeping here?" Gu Baiye scratched her head. Her memory was hazy; she had no recollection of how she'd gotten into Auntie Lin's room.

At the mention of this, Lin Yuqing frowned. "You still have the nerve to ask? Didn't I warn you not to drink yesterday? How did you let someone get you drunk? Your guard is far too low!"

"Huh? I was drunk? No way, I'm sure I only drank juice!"

Seeing her utterly baffled expression, Lin Yuqing felt helpless. A girl like her would probably thank her own kidnapper!

With such a poor sense of caution, she was truly a cause for concern.

"Remember this from now on. No one can protect you at every moment."

"And another thing, what I said to you last night, you…" Lin Yuqing trailed off, feeling as foolish as the girl herself. In that state, how could she possibly remember anything she'd said!

Sure enough…

"What did you say?" she asked, blinking her big eyes with a dazed, innocent expression.

Lin Yuqing turned her back, not wanting to engage with her. She wasn't going to repeat herself!

"Auntie Lin~ What did you say? Please say it again~" Gu Baiye quickly lay down on her side beside Lin Yuqing, tugging at her pajamas from behind. She accidentally pulled the collar open, completely exposing a delicate shoulder.

Lin Yuqing was furious. How dare she get handsy!?

Before Lin Yuqing could turn around, Gu Baiye let out a gasp and hastily pulled the fabric back into place. "That time, I really didn't do it on purpose!!!"

Heh, as if I'd believe you.

"Can you take care of yourself when you go back to school?"

"I can!" Gu Baiye nodded emphatically.

"Okay. Get along with your classmates. If anyone bullies you, tell me, or tell Fang Yi and Lu Qing. I don't like it when you're weak, understand?" Lin Yuqing instructed her earnestly.

"I understand, Auntie Lin."

"Also," Lin Yuqing paused, "call me if anything comes up. I'll answer if I'm not busy." She had wanted to say, "Call me if you miss me," but the words twisted as they left her mouth.

If she doesn't miss me and doesn't call, wouldn't that be embarrassing for me?

"Okay, I'll remember everything!"

"And another thing, you must always be on your guard. No one is kind to you for no reason. If you meet someone like that, you need to be extra cautious."

"Mm, I understand."

"Don't touch a single drop of alcohol when you're out, no matter the reason. Your tolerance is terrible, and you sleep like a log when you're drunk. It's too dangerous."

"Oh, okay." Gu Baiye nodded quickly, though she was a little confused. Auntie Lin was talking so much today. Why were there so many instructions?

Lin Yuqing went on with a long list of instructions, and Xiao Ye listened attentively, carefully committing each one to memory.

"Will Auntie Lin miss me, then?" Xiao Ye asked carefully, seizing a moment while the other woman was thinking.

Lin Yuqing frowned. Her gaze met the little one's hopeful eyes, and she unconsciously tilted her head. "Well… when I'm not busy… we'll see."

Xiao Ye giggled. Just seeing Auntie Lin's awkward expression was enough to leave her feeling completely satisfied!

At the dining table, Lin Yuqing was still running through various precautions, truly worrying herself sick over this kid. Even Xia Xiaozi kept putting food on her plate, as if trying to stuff her mouth shut.

After the meal, Lin Yuqing returned to her room. Gu Baiye carefully washed the black shirt she had drooled on. Just as she finished, Fang Yi arrived.

"Let's go. I'm taking you back to school."

"Okay." Xiao Ye went to her room to grab her backpack, which Xia Xiaozi had packed for her the day before. She glanced around the room one last time, truly reluctant to leave.

As she went downstairs, she passed Lin Yuqing's room. There was no sound from within. Gu Baiye knocked on the door. "Auntie Lin, I'm leaving now."

"Mm." Lin Yuqing neither opened the door nor invited her in.

Gu Baiye opened her mouth to speak. There was still so much she wanted to say to Auntie Lin…

"Well… I'm leaving now. I… I'll miss you!"

Hearing the front door click shut, Lin Yuqing silently set down her book. If only I could see her every day, she thought with a sigh…

---

"Auntie Fang, is there something you want to tell me?" In the car, Gu Baiye couldn't help but ask. She had noticed Fang Yi repeatedly glancing over at her with a hesitant look, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

"Hm?"

"No, it's nothing." Fang Yi shook her head and focused on the road.

Gu Baiye frowned, feeling that something was off.

"By the way, Lu Qing won't be at the school for the next couple of days."

"Huh? Teacher Lu?"

"Yes. Something came up with her family, so she took leave and went home."

"Oh." Gu Baiye nodded, though she was still a little confused. Why bring up Teacher Lu out of the blue?

As they neared the school, Gu Baiye asked Fang Yi to pull over at a nearby dessert shop.

"Alright, you be careful then."

"I will, Auntie Fang. You should head back now. Drive safely."

"Okay. I'll leave once I see you go inside."

"Goodbye, Auntie Fang." Gu Baiye gave her a sweet smile before turning to cross the street. She went into the dessert shop and bought some cake to share with her roommates.

When she came out, she saw Fang Yi's car was still parked across the road. She gave her a wave and then headed back to the school.

Watching Gu Baiye walk through the school gates, Fang Yi's grip on the steering wheel tightened.

As for Gu Baiye, although she was sad to leave Auntie Lin, at least her school life was busy. Less free time meant less time for her mind to wander. Besides, time always flew by when she was focused on her studies. Before she knew it, the weekend would arrive, and she could go back to Auntie Lin's place!

Besides, no matter how much she missed Auntie Lin, she couldn't go back now. It was better to adjust her attitude. After all, seeing her classmates after so long was something to be happy about.

And sure enough, just as she entered the campus gates, she ran into a couple of classmates. Gu Baiye was about to smile and greet them, but the two walked right past as if she wasn't there.

"Huh?" Gu Baiye froze for a second, then turned and headed for her dorm with a confused look on her face.

It was a break between classes, so the dormitory was lively. Students were washing clothes and shoes in the utility room, joking around loudly in the hallways, and hearty laughter spilled from wide-open doors. The sounds lifted Gu Baiye's spirits, and she quickened her pace toward her own room.

Her dorm room door was ajar, so she pushed it open. "I'm back! Look what I brought for you…"

She stopped short. There were seven or eight people sitting in a circle in her room; even girls from the neighboring dorm had come over to chat.

Gu Baiye was about to greet them, but she realized everyone was staring at her with a strange glint in their eyes. The moment they saw her, the girls from the other dorms consciously stood up to leave. As they passed, they deliberately kept their distance, pressing against the doorframe to avoid brushing against her.

Gu Baiye was even more baffled. She stepped inside, watched them leave, and pulled the door shut.

Now, only she and her three roommates remained. Two of them, who had been chatting animatedly with the group moments before, exchanged glances upon seeing her. "I'm hungry. Want to go get food?"

"Sure."

And with that, the two of them left.

"I brought cake, you…"

But before Gu Baiye could finish, they were already gone.

Now Gu Baiye was utterly bewildered. It was obvious they were intentionally avoiding her.

"Any pine nut tarts?"

Gu Baiye turned at the sound of the voice. It was Fan Dongdong, the resident homebody she got along with well. Headphones were draped around her neck as she focused intently on her game.

"Of course. I bought them just for you." Gu Baiye smiled, placing the dessert box within her reach. She pulled over her own chair and sat down to watch her play.

"If you have a question, just ask it. All this beating around the bush is making me feel awkward for you," Fan Dongdong said. She had a blunt personality and always spoke her mind.

Gu Baiye scratched her head, embarrassed. "They… what's wrong with them? They seem to be…"

"Ostracizing you."

"Yeah, that. Why?"

Fan Dongdong paused her game, opened the dessert box, and stuffed an entire pine nut tart into her mouth. "Just their usual nonsense."

Hearing that, Gu Baiye hugged the box to her chest. "No more for you, then!"

"Fine, fine. You went off to film a drama, right?"

"Yes."

"A drama with a same-sex theme."

Gu Baiye's heart skipped a beat. She stared at Fan Dongdong in astonishment.

"Why are you so shocked? The whole school knows."

"What?!"

Fan Dongdong shot her a look, then deftly opened a webpage. It was their school's online forum. An entire page was filled with posts, and Gu Baiye saw her own name over and over again.

【Is that Gu girl really a lesbian?】

【Sophomore Performance Major Gu XX Confirmed as Lesbian!】

【Proof Demanded, Proof Delivered! GBY Confesses on Set of Same-Sex Drama!】

【How can creatures like homosexuals even exist? It's disgusting!】

Gu Baiye scrolled down the page. Nearly every post was a discussion or exposé about her being a lesbian.

A buzzing filled her head, and her hands began to tremble. Her heart pounded with panic, her face drained of color, and she bit her lip without realizing it.

"This thread promised to drop some solid proof, so now everyone's just waiting for the drama to unfold. You're practically a celebrity on campus now." Fan Dongdong clicked on the thread titled, "【Proof Demanded, Proof Delivered! GBY Confesses on Set of Same-Sex Drama!】"

Gu Baiye took a deep breath, trying her best to calm down, but her palms were slick with cold sweat and her mind was in turmoil. Her secret was out… and it had become a huge spectacle…

"Ooh, it's been updated. Look." A video had just been added to the thread. Fan Dongdong clicked play, and Gu Baiye leaned in to watch, terrified of what so-called "proof" she was about to see.

When the video started, Gu Baiye froze. It was from the time everyone had gathered to eat grilled beef. The younger actors had just joined the cast and didn't know each other well, so Su Yu had asked them to introduce themselves. Although everyone's face was pixelated, she could still vaguely make out that it was her.

In the video, Gu Baiye had her head tilted, looking intently at Ji Ming beside her. "I… I've always believed that love is beautiful and free. It shouldn't be obstructed by anything, whether it's… gender… or… age."

Ji Ming looked pleasantly surprised. "I didn't expect someone your age to have such an enlightened perspective."

Gu Baiye lowered her head with a small smile. "It's just my opinion."

"Very enlightened! We definitely need to talk more about this!" Ji Ming said, slinging an arm around Gu Baiye's shoulders as they walked away together.

…

The video ended there. Gu Baiye secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She was grateful the person in the video wasn't Auntie Lin, grateful she hadn't dragged her into this mess.

"So you… really are…" Fan Dongdong turned to look at her.

Gu Baiye pressed her lips together, saying nothing. Instead, she continued to scroll through the replies below the post.

【This person is quite pretty, what a shame she's a lesbian.】

【Holy crap, I live on the same floor as her. You'd never know she had such filthy thoughts! I always thought of her as a simple girl-next-door type!】

【Pfft, my condolences to the poster above!】

【I'm a little worried about her roommates.】

【Worried about her roommates +1】

【If someone like that was in my dorm, I'd never let her in the door. Don't want her polluting our air. She can live wherever she wants, just looking at her is disgusting!】

【I think she's back at school, I saw her today. She looks completely normal, I can't believe she's so twisted inside.】

【Do you guys think maybe she's just lacking a mother's love?】

【I heard she's the main character in that drama she's filming, the female lead! The director of that drama is a perverted lesbian, do you think she might have…】

【With the female director…? Holy crap, that's so gross. How does someone like that have the face to come back to school? I hope I don't see her, or I'll spit on her until she drowns!】

…

Closing the thread, Gu Baiye was trembling with rage. The glaring words were like a series of sharp knives, slicing into her heart.

The public exposure of her private life infuriated her, but the thoughtless slander and insults from her classmates sent a chill through her heart.

"Who posted this thread?"

"It's anonymous. I have no idea."

Gu Baiye thought for a moment before opening the video again to watch it carefully. Considering the angle from which it was filmed, she tried to recall who had been sitting diagonally in front of her. After eliminating the people who appeared on screen, she landed on the most likely culprit—Wu Mengmeng!

She suddenly recalled that day in the makeup room when Wu Mengmeng had threatened her, saying she would make sure her true colors were exposed…

It was her. It had to be her!

The thought that it was her made Gu Baiye feel powerless. Wu Mengmeng wasn't a student at her school. If she tried to defend herself, it would probably only fuel more suspicion. After all, why would an outsider go out of their way to frame her?

After thinking it over, her thoughts turned to Ye Jingwen. Wu Mengmeng's intense hostility stemmed from the belief that she had stolen the role from Ye Jingwen; she was just trying to stand up for her Senior Sister. If she could find Ye Jingwen and have her explain, perhaps the misunderstanding could be cleared up.

But even if she resolved the misunderstanding with Wu Mengmeng and had her delete the thread, the damage was done. Her classmates would still view her with prejudice. What could she do? What was she supposed to do…?

"Hey!" Fan Dongdong nudged her. "Is it really that scary? If you're not afraid to be who you are, why be afraid of what people say? So you like girls. What's the big deal?"

Gu Baiye glanced at her. "Thanks for still talking to me, but this…" She had clearly been set up. She couldn't just let this situation escalate.

"How can I get these threads deleted?"

"Contact the forum admin. It's a student-run forum, so the school doesn't get involved. Telling a teacher won't do any good."

"Who's the admin?"

Fan Dongdong clicked on the admin's profile. "There's just this user ID. I don't know who it is. But I don't think there's any point in contacting them. See? They're the one who stickied the thread and marked it as a 'hot topic.'"

"So that means they agree with those comments? They think I'm a disgusting person?"

"Looks that way."

Fan Dongdong kept scrolling. "Whoa, hey, now they're saying you slept with the director!"

Gu Baiye shot her a look. Even an idiot would know that was impossible. She glanced at the screen herself and saw that someone had already started a new thread dedicated to discussing the "affair" between her and the director…

Gu Baiye fell silent for a moment. She still had to find Ye Jingwen. Even if she couldn't clear up the rumors about her sexuality, her relationship with Director Su was completely innocent, and Ye Jingwen could attest to that. Besides, her Senior Sister was highly respected at school; many of the younger students looked up to her. If she would speak up on her behalf, things might turn around!

And even if her Senior Sister refused to help, she could at least get Wu Mengmeng's contact information from her and find out what she was trying to accomplish.

With that thought, Gu Baiye stood up decisively.

"Hey, if I were you, I'd just stay put in the dorm and play games," Fan Dongdong offered as a piece of friendly advice.

"But I can't just let the situation keep escalating."

"I know what I'm doing. Thanks, though."

With that, Gu Baiye opened the door. As soon as she stepped out, she noticed several people in the hallway glancing in her direction. She secretly clenched her fists, straightened her posture, and walked on.

She had seen Ye Jingwen practicing in the dance studio during lunch break a few times, so she decided to try her luck and headed straight there. All along the way, people pointed and whispered. Gu Baiye paid them no mind and quickened her pace.

Just as she rounded the corner to the stairs, she heard laughter coming from the studio. Gu Baiye peeked inside. "Senior Sister Jingwen!" Sure enough, she saw Ye Jingwen dressed in a white leotard and quickly called out to her.

There were four or five other girls in the room. They all turned at the sound of her voice. They seemed to recognize Gu Baiye, and their expressions turned strange. "Well, if it isn't the lesbian. What does she want with our Senior Sister?"

"I don't know. Oh, she wouldn't…"

"That's enough. What nonsense are you all spouting?" Ye Jingwen scolded, then beckoned for Gu Baiye to come in.

"What's wrong, Baiye? Did you need something from me?" she asked with a gentle smile.

Gu Baiye glanced at the other girls. Ye Jingwen followed her gaze, then walked toward a corner of the room. Gu Baiye immediately followed her.

"What is it?"

"Senior Sister, have you seen the posts online?"

"Yes, I've seen them. But I believe you. It's all just baseless rumors. You shouldn't worry about it too much. There's no need to get upset over something like this."

"Senior Sister, I think there's been a misunderstanding. Wu Mengmeng was targeting me on set because she thought I stole your role. But you were the one who…"

"Wait, what role? I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Huh? Didn't you audition for the role of An Xi? You're the one who dropped out and gave up the part, and only then did Director Su choose me. I didn't use any underhanded means to steal your role, and I certainly didn't get involved with Director Su for it. You know all this!"

Ye Jingwen rubbed her forehead, looking impatient. "I'm sorry, Baiye, I'm not really sure what you're talking about. But you said Wu Mengmeng is targeting you? I don't understand. She's a signed artist with MG Entertainment, and you… well, I really can't imagine why she would target you." Ye Jingwen smiled, but it was clearly a dismissive, perfunctory expression.

"We auditioned together at Qin Chuan Film Studio for the role of An Xi. How can you…"

"Sorry, Baiye, I'm a little tired. I'm going to head back and rest. If there's nothing else, you should go back too. After all, it seems you're not very welcome here."

"Ah—Gu Baiye, what are you doing?!" Ye Jingwen suddenly shrieked, violently shaking her arm as if to dislodge Gu Baiye's hand. She clutched her arm and stumbled back several steps, putting distance between them.

"What's wrong?" The other girls heard her cry and rushed over, surrounding Ye Jingwen.

"I saw it! She tried to hug our Senior Sister!"

"Gu Baiye, in broad daylight… you're disgusting!"

"How can our school have a person like this!"

Gu Baiye stood frozen to the spot. It wasn't until she saw Ye Jingwen hiding behind the crowd, feigning a look of vulnerability while secretly smirking, that a chill shot through her heart, as if she'd been plunged into an icy abyss.

"Senior Sister, are you okay? She didn't touch you, did she?"

Hearing this, Ye Jingwen rubbed her arm. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Everyone, please stop. She probably just wanted to talk to me a little more. Let's not talk about her like this."

Gu Baiye took a deep breath, feeling a heavy weight settle in her chest.

"But Baiye, as your classmate, I feel I should remind you: a girl needs to have some self-respect, understand?"

"It's not a big deal. Everyone, please don't spread this around."

"You should have said so sooner! I already posted about it!"

Ye Jingwen frowned. "I'm sorry, Baiye. I know you didn't mean to. I'll help you clear things up later."

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