MQSP - Chapter 55
Chapter 55
"Fang Yi, don't leave yet. I have something to ask you." Elsewhere, the group had lingered at Jiang Boyan's house for a while before departing. Just as they were about to go, Jiang Boyan stopped Fang Yi.
"Hm? What is it?"
Once everyone else had left, Jiang Boyan's gentle demeanor vanished, replaced by a serious expression as she looked at Fang Yi.
"What exactly is the relationship between Baiye and Lin Yuqing? You know, so tell me."
Fang Yi rubbed her forehead, looking troubled. She had promised Baiye she would keep it a secret, so of course she couldn't say anything. But Jiang Boyan's eyes were just too sharp. How had she figured it out? And how did she know that Fang Yi was in on it, too?
"It's just a normal… family relationship," Fang Yi said, her voice lacking conviction.
"Family? Do you even believe that yourself?"
"The way Baiye looks at Lin Yuqing is off. I refuse to believe you haven't noticed. The fact that you're playing dumb with me only proves you know what's going on. Tell me, how far have things gone between them?" Jiang Boyan's tone grew sterner.
Fang Yi felt like a criminal under harsh interrogation. "It's really not as serious as you think. The kid worships her like an idol. That's all there is to it."
"An idol?"
"That's right. Baiye has always seen her as an idol and admires her greatly. What kid her age isn't a fan of some celebrity?"
"Is it that simple?"
"Yes, it's that simple!"
Jiang Boyan stared at her for a moment. Seeing that her expression seemed normal, she frowned in thought. After a long pause, she finally nodded, seeming to reluctantly accept the explanation.
"But they can't get too close. Lin Yuqing just won Movie Queen; countless eyes are on her. If Baiye gets too close to her now, what if someone decides to make a big deal out of it? You can't let your guard down. Lin Yuqing can barely take care of herself, let alone a child."
"Alright, I understand. You can rest assured. Besides, look, isn't she taking great care of Baiye right now?"
The moment Fang Yi finished, she saw Jiang Boyan was about to launch into another lecture and quickly surrendered. "Okay, okay, I get it! I'll keep a closer eye on Baiye. You can rest easy!"
"Sigh… when will I finally get to attend your wedding with Lu Qing?"
"Tsk!"
"Alright, alright, I won't ask, I won't ask. I'll be going then."
"Okay. Let me know if anything comes up."
"Okay."
Back with Baiye, it was already evening when she woke up. She had slept so soundly and comfortably that she didn't want to get up at all.
She turned her head and saw that Auntie Lin was still fast asleep.
Baiye carefully turned over and stared at Auntie Lin's delicate features for a moment. She couldn't resist the urge to lean in for a kiss, but she immediately suppressed the thought. I can't steal a kiss, Auntie Lin will find out!
But it was strange. She had only ever kissed her after she was asleep, so how did she always find out?
After mulling it over, Baiye decided to try again. She was sleeping so deeply this time, there was no way she'd be discovered!
With that, the little one gently leaned forward, her nose touching the other woman's. Mustering her courage, she pressed a light kiss to Auntie Lin's soft pink lips. Then, like a thief in the night, she quickly turned her back, secretly giddy.
She waited a moment. There was no movement behind her. Auntie Lin was really sleeping soundly, breathing deeply like a little piglet!
Baiye couldn't help but snicker. She took Auntie Lin's hand, secretly lacing their fingers together. Then she compared their hand sizes. Huh, her own "paws" were a whole size smaller than Auntie Lin's. Auntie Lin's palm was warm and soft, and it felt unbelievably good when she caressed her.
"How old are you? Still so fascinated with playing with hands." Lin Yuqing had been awake for a while, watching with a sense of resignation as the girl played with her hand in various ways. She had a feeling that if she didn't make a sound soon, Baiye might just start gnawing on it.
"Eh, Auntie Lin, you're awake!" Baiye turned her head and stared at her for a moment.
"What are you looking at?" Lin Yuqing withdrew her hand and stretched.
"Nothing, nothing at all." Auntie Lin didn't notice me kissing her! She must have just been guessing before!
Lin Yuqing finished her stretch with a yawn and rubbed her stomach. "I'm hungry."
"And you called me a little pig. I think you're the one who's…"
"Hm?" Lin Yuqing shot her a look. "Mind your manners."
"A big pig…" The words were already out, and it was too late to take them back.
Lin Yuqing raised an eyebrow. Seeing she was in trouble, Baiye stuck out her tongue and tried to bolt. But Lin Yuqing was faster. She pulled the girl into her arms, her right hand giving Baiye's soft bottom a squeeze. "Say that again?" she threatened, pretending to pinch.
"Ah, ah, don't pinch, don't pinch! I won't, I won't say it again!" she quickly begged for mercy.
Lin Yuqing turned the girl's small frame to face her. Their eyes met for a second before Lin Yuqing lowered her head. The little one immediately squeezed her eyes shut, thinking her Auntie Lin was about to kiss her. She instinctively tilted her head up, awaiting the gentle press of lips.
Lin Yuqing watched her, thoroughly amused. In the end, she just raised a hand and tapped her lightly on the forehead. "What are you thinking about in that little head of yours?"
"Huh?" Baiye was stunned for a moment before she realized what had happened. Her face flushed red. "I… I wasn't thinking about anything…"
Lin Yuqing hid a smile, seeming to understand what the girl had been thinking. She leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "So naughty."
Baiye closed her eyes, savoring the kiss with a deep sense of satisfaction. Opening them, she giggled at Lin Yuqing. "If I'm so naughty, why did you kiss me?"
"What, should I have given you a spanking instead?"
"No, no, no."
Lin Yuqing held the girl in her arms for a while longer before releasing her with a contented sigh and getting out of bed.
"Auntie Lin."
"Hm?"
"I want to see my mothers. Will you take me to visit their grave?"
Lin Yuqing hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, we'll go tomorrow. But…"
"Don't worry. I just want to talk to them, show them that I've grown up, and tell them how well you're taking care of me."
"Okay."
Early the next morning, the three of them prepared the offerings and set out.
The weather that day matched their mood—gloomy and overcast. All three were dressed in black, lending them an air of solemnity.
A light drizzle began to fall just as they arrived at the cemetery. Lin Yuqing opened a black umbrella to shield Baiye.
Baiye clutched a bouquet of fresh flowers, her expression solemn. This was the first time she had formally come to pay her respects to her two mothers.
In front of the headstone, Baiye solemnly placed the flowers on the stone step. She crouched down, gently tracing the names of her mothers carved into the stone.
It was a joint grave, but tragically, it contained only their clothes and a few personal effects, not their ashes. After Gu Xinran had jumped into the river with Bai Yilan's body all those years ago, they were never recovered.
"Why isn't there a photo?" Baiye asked, confused as she looked at the empty space where a memorial portrait should have been.
Lin Yuqing shook her head. She couldn't bring herself to tell Baiye that even after their deaths, some extreme homophobes would come to disturb their final resting place. People had written insulting words on their memorial photo and even torn it to shreds. The headstone itself was often vandalized. It wasn't until Jiang Boyan and the others used force to deter the perpetrators and hired countless bodyguards to patrol the cemetery in shifts, day and night, that the situation gradually improved.
They had decided not to replace the photo in the hope that her mothers could finally have a sliver of peace, free from any further disturbance.
"Auntie Lin, I want to be alone with my mothers for a while."
"Alright." Lin Yuqing nodded. She gave the headstone one last, deep look before leaving the umbrella with Baiye and walking to the cemetery entrance to stand guard.
"Mom… Mama…" Baiye whispered, stroking the headstone.
"I don't remember if I ever called you that. I probably did, right?"
"Auntie Lin said you loved me very much. But I can't even remember the mothers who loved me so much… Does that make me heartless?" Baiye forced a smile to herself, then lowered her head, pursed her lips, and sat down, leaning against the cool stone.
She raised her hand and gently caressed Bai Yilan's name.
"Mama Yilan, I so wish I knew why you chose to leave. I know you loved Mama Xinran, so why would you leave her? How could you bear to do that to her?"
"I don't know what you were going through back then, or how you developed depression. Was I part of the problem? Auntie Lin said I was very little. Was I naughty? Did I always upset you and make you angry?"
"Am I really that naughty? Auntie Lin is always saying I'm naughty, too."
Baiye rested her head against the headstone.
"Mama Xinran, you must have been devastated when you heard the news. So devastated you lost the will to live. Everyone says you were someone who dared to love and hate fiercely, but I think you were just running away. If I were Mama Yilan, I wouldn't have wanted to see you do that. I think… she would have wanted you to be brave and keep on living."
"Mamas, I have someone I like now. I'm walking the same path as you did. I'm actually so envious of you. Even though your time together was short, you had each other. You loved truly, without holding anything back. I want to be like you. I want to love that bravely, just once."
As she spoke, her gaze remained fixed on Lin Yuqing in the distance. She stood ramrod straight in the rain, letting the drizzle patter against her, like a fearless soldier guarding this small patch of earth.
"Mamas, you'll support me, right?"
"Qing Jie, the rain's getting heavier. We should go," Xia Xiaozi said, walking over to hold an umbrella over Lin Yuqing.
Lin Yuqing glanced back at the girl, who was hugging the headstone, apparently crying.
She hurried over, picked up the umbrella from the ground, and held it over her. "Baiye, get up. The ground is cold."
"Auntie Lin." Baiye looked up and gave her a faint smile, her face streaked with what could have been either rain or tears.
"My legs are numb…"
Hearing this, Lin Yuqing handed the umbrella to Xia Xiaozi, bent down, and scooped the girl up into her arms, supporting her by the waist and the back of her knees. Baiye naturally wrapped her arms around Lin Yuqing's neck and sniffled.
"Shall we go back?"
"Okay."
"Xinran, Yilan, you can rest easy," Lin Yuqing said, looking at the grave. "I'll take good care of her. I'll never let her suffer the slightest bit of injustice again." As she spoke, she smiled faintly at Baiye. The girl froze for a second before returning a sweet smile of her own.
In the car, Lin Yuqing was thoughtfully drying the water from Baiye's hair.
"Auntie Lin, don't just worry about me. You're soaked, too."
"I'm healthy. Not like someone I know who gets sick at the drop of a hat."
"I do not…"
Xia Xiaozi watched their intimate interaction and, after a moment's thought, interjected, "Baiye has been recovering at home for over half a month. Shouldn't she be getting back to school?"
At her words, Lin Yuqing's hand paused. "Has it been half a month?"
"What do you think? You've been lazing around at home for half a month. If you don't get back to work soon, we'll be broke. Slacking off right after winning Movie Queen," Xia Xiaozi muttered, rolling her eyes at her.
Lin Yuqing frowned. Half a month had passed without her even noticing. It didn't feel like it at all.
The little one has to go back to school? But she didn't want her to go. What if she got bullied again? What if she missed her and they couldn't see each other? Would she just cry all by herself?
Baiye instinctively hugged Lin Yuqing's arm, refusing to let go. She didn't want to go back to school; she didn't want to be separated from Auntie Lin. She hadn't even confessed her feelings yet. Auntie Lin was so good to her now—surely she had a chance, right?
"Auntie Lin, I…"
"What is it? Is your head hurting again?" Lin Yuqing lifted her bangs to look, blew gently on her forehead, and shot her a meaningful look.
The girl took the hint. "Ow, yes, my head hurts so much…"
"Alright, alright, that's enough from you two," Xia Xiaozi said, completely exasperated. Was this really how Lin Yuqing was going to raise a child? She was going to be a terrible influence.
The pair exchanged a smile, and Baiye stuck out her tongue. "My acting is terrible. I couldn't even fool Auntie Xiao Zi."
"Lu Qing is there at the school to look after her. Nothing will happen, so stop making things complicated. If my sister knew you were spoiling her this much, she'd have my hide."
"And you," Xia Xiaozi added, warning Baiye with a stern expression. "If you don't listen, I'll tell your mom to come deal with you." She seemed dead set on separating the two of them.
"Then… one more day? Just one day? Can I go back the day after tomorrow?"
"Fine, the day after tomorrow it is," Lin Yuqing agreed.
"Fine." Xia Xiaozi breathed a silent sigh of relief, a triumphant smile on her face.
The next morning, Baiye rose early to make breakfast for Auntie Lin. She had to go back to school tomorrow, which meant she had one full day left to stick to Auntie Lin's side. She had to cherish every moment.
As she was working, she heard a clatter from upstairs. She hurried out to see Xia Xiaozi frantically getting dressed while on the phone. "Okay, okay, I get it! I'm on my way. Just try to keep it under control for now."
She hastily buttoned up and went to put on her shoes.
"Auntie, what's wrong?"
"You and your Auntie Lin are to stay home today and be good. Don't go anywhere. Don't leave the house, don't go out on the street, and don't answer any calls from strangers!" Xia Xiaozi rattled off a series of prohibitions with a grave expression, leaving Baiye completely baffled. She could only nod blankly as she watched her aunt rush out the door in a panic, her own face a mask of confusion.
Something had definitely happened. Something big, or her aunt wouldn't have been in such a rush.
Seeing Xia Xiaozi in such a panic, Baiye couldn't keep calm either. She rushed to the kitchen to turn off the stove before heading straight for Lin Yuqing's room.
Auntie Lin was still asleep, buried under the covers, breathing deeply. Hearing the steady rhythm of her breath, Baiye finally started to calm down.
She sat softly on the edge of the bed and pulled the covers down a little. Auntie Lin's expression was so serene and lovely when she slept—not cold or fierce in the slightest.
Lin Yuqing liked to be completely cocooned in her blankets when she slept; she needed total darkness to feel like she could rest. The slightest bit of light would disturb her, and now was no exception. She frowned slightly, raising a hand to shield her eyes.
"Auntie Lin?"
Lin Yuqing blinked her eyes open. Seeing the girl sitting by her bed, she smiled without thinking. "You're up early."
"Yes, Auntie Lin. Auntie just ran out in a big hurry. It seems like something happened."
"What did she say?"
"She said for you and me to stay home and be good, not to go anywhere, not to go out shopping, and not to answer calls from strangers."
Lin Yuqing frowned. "Hand me my phone." She sat up abruptly. Whatever could make Xia Xiaozi lose her composure like that had to be serious.
She took the phone and saw it had been turned off. The moment she powered it on, it was flooded with a cascade of notifications that chimed for a full thirty seconds. Before she could even open the Weibo app, a push notification caught her eye.
【Newly Crowned Movie Queen Keeping a Female College Student as a Lover, Seen Together Intimately, Suspected of Cohabiting! [Photo Gallery]】
Lin Yuqing's eyelid twitched. Had she been too conspicuous taking Baiye out and about these last few days?
She quickly tapped on it. The article contained several photos of the two of them, including one from the day before when she had carried Baiye to the car at the cemetery. There were also pictures of them in an underground parking garage and another of them entering an elevator together.
It looked like irrefutable proof.
Fortunately, in most of the photos, the girl was either in her arms or obscured from view, so her face wasn't visible.
【Celibate Queen's Persona Collapses Amidst Ambiguous Interactions with Female Student.】
The images in this post were mostly duplicates. After a quick scan of all the related posts, she confirmed it: the girl's face wasn't visible in any of them. The focus of the news was entirely on her; no one was trying to dig into Baiye's identity. Thank goodness.
Lin Yuqing breathed a silent sigh of relief.
"Auntie Lin, what on earth happened?"
"It's nothing. Just some bored paparazzi stirring up trouble."
"Is it serious?"
"Not serious. It's fine. Is breakfast ready? I'm hungry."
"Not yet, I'll go now. Are you… are you sure it's nothing? But Auntie, she…"
"It's fine. Go on," Lin Yuqing said, stretching and patting her own back.
"Is your back sore? Let me massage it for you." Without waiting for a reply, she pushed Lin Yuqing down onto her stomach and began kneading her lower back.
Lin Yuqing looked utterly blissful, having completely put the news out of her mind. She focused solely on the massage. It felt wonderful.
Baiye, in contrast, was heavy with worry. The more nonchalant Auntie Lin seemed, the more concerned Baiye became, convinced she was only trying to placate her. She kicked herself for not sneaking a peek at the phone screen. At least then she would know what was going on.
An idea suddenly struck her. Whatever had sent her aunt into such a panic had to be big news, which meant she should be able to find it on her own phone. "Alright, I'll go make breakfast now," she announced, getting up and bolting straight for her bedroom. She had just pulled out her phone when a hand grabbed her by the ear.
"Ow, ow, ow…"
"Trying to trick me, are you?"
"No, no, Auntie Lin, stop pinching! I just want to know what happened…"
She quickly swiped her phone open and glanced at the screen. Sure enough, there was a news notification. She froze when she read the headline.
Baiye stood frozen. Lin Yuqing watched from behind her. Seeing the dazed look on her face, she patted her head. "Don't worry about it. This is the kind of thing Xia Xiaozi can handle."
A storm of emotions churned inside Baiye. "Is this because of me? Because I'm always by your side, they took pictures and started making up these stories about you."
Lin Yuqing frowned. She cupped Baiye's face, tilting it up to meet her gaze. "This has nothing to do with you. It's just some paparazzi looking for a payday. Don't take it to heart. Just carry on as usual. But don't go back to school tomorrow. This building might be staked out already. You'll just have to be a good girl and stay home with me while we let this blow over."
"This sort of thing is common in the entertainment industry. Besides, I just won Movie Queen, so it's only natural that I'd be a target. Don't worry about it. Now, go make breakfast. I'm starving."
She grabbed the girl's shoulders, turned her around, and pushed her toward the kitchen counter. "What's on the menu today?" she asked, enthusiastically rolling up her sleeves, ready to help.
Baiye took a deep breath, forcing some cheer into her voice. "Um… how about a vegetable salad?"
"No meat? I want to eat meat."
Seeing Auntie Lin's mournful puppy-dog eyes, Baiye couldn't help but laugh. "Nope. Auntie Xiao Zi said you gained a couple of pounds after that meal at Auntie Jiang's. You have to eat vegetarian for a while to watch your figure!"
"You can't side with her. You and I are a team."
Baiye thought about it for a second. That was true!
"Alright, I'll cook a little chicken for you then. Go get washed up. It'll be ready by the time you're done, it won't take long."
"Mmm~"
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