MQSP - Chapter 56
Chapter 56
It was already evening when Xia Xiaozi returned. She saw a certain someone blithely eating fruit and watching a movie, while a certain little one sat beside her, peeling the fruit and feeding it to her with meticulous care.
Xia Xiaozi nearly fainted from exasperation. I'm out there running myself ragged over your damn mess, and you're completely unbothered! Really know how to enjoy yourself, don't you!
"You're back," Lin Yuqing said, glancing over her shoulder.
"Auntie, how did it go? Will Auntie Lin be affected?" Baiye hurried over to ask.
"It's fine. What did you two do at home today? No one came to harass you, right?"
"No, I watched movies with Auntie Lin today. She was teaching me about acting."
"Okay, I'm going upstairs to change first." Before heading up, Xia Xiaozi shot Lin Yuqing a look. The latter understood and rose to follow her.
"What is it? Did it blow up?" Inside Xia Xiaozi's room, Lin Yuqing closed the door, clearly not wanting Baiye to hear.
"People are fixated on your sexual orientation. You might have to make a public statement. Xue Yuexian was pretty decent about it; thanks to her emergency PR today, things are under control. But now you've probably been targeted by some extreme anti-gay individuals. Be careful for a while and don't go out."
Lin Yuqing nodded. "I know. I've already gotten hateful private messages on Weibo."
Xia Xiaozi was silent for a moment. "What about Xiao Ye?"
"Let's keep her out of school for now. Lay low until this blows over."
"They didn't call you today?" Before, that group would have probably thought Lin Yuqing brought this on herself. But now, they should be worried too, especially since Xiao Ye was dragged into it.
"My phone was practically blown up with calls until the battery died and it shut off." The mere mention of it annoyed Lin Yuqing. As soon as the news broke, Jiang Boyan was the first to call, wanting Xiao Ye to go to her place to wait out the storm. She said she had everything there, the environment was good, and she could take good care of Xiao Ye. Then Lu Qing called with all sorts of condolences and questions. Su Yu was gloating. Fang Yi told them not to go out, said she would get them anything they needed, and would help Xia Xiaozi with the PR, telling them not to worry.
So, from the moment it happened until now, Lin Yuqing, who was at the center of the storm, had been remarkably relaxed, eating and drinking as usual, her mood completely unaffected.
"So what's your plan? Are you going to send Xiao Ye away for a while?"
"I asked her. She doesn't want to go."
"You asked her about something like this? It'd be a miracle if she wanted to go! Can't you be more decisive at a time like this? Do you really need to consult her? Is it that she doesn't want to leave, or that you don't want to let her go?"
Her words hit a nerve. Lin Yuqing turned her head to the side. After all, she wouldn't feel at ease leaving the little one with anyone else. It was most reassuring to have her under her own watch.
"Qing Jie, tell me honestly. Have you really developed feelings for her?"
"I'm just worried she won't be comfortable staying with someone else. She's shy around strangers and doesn't like to trouble people."
Xia Xiaozi nodded. She was dodging the question again!
"This issue has now escalated to the level of homosexuality. You need to come out and clarify your orientation."
Lin Yuqing frowned deeply. After what happened to Xinran all those years ago, she had issued a statement declaring that her orientation was normal. But no one knew how much pain and self-reproach she felt at that time. The taste of telling a bald-faced lie was not pleasant, and she didn't want to experience it a second time.
"I don't want to clarify. Being a traitor once is enough."
"You…! Now is not the time to be emotional!"
Lin Yuqing shook her head, exceptionally firm. She had her reasons for not clarifying.
Just as they reached a stalemate, a series of loud bangs suddenly erupted from downstairs. They exchanged a look and practically flew out of the room.
"Xiao Ye? What's wrong?" Lin Yuqing immediately spotted Baiye standing by the front door, looking terrified. Right now, someone was pounding forcefully on their door.
Lin Yuqing hurried down, pulled the little one behind her to shield her, and stared warily at the door.
The knocking stopped abruptly. Just as Lin Yuqing was about to step forward, Baiye quickly grabbed her hand and shook her head.
Seeing the little one's frightened expression, Lin Yuqing patted her. "It's okay. Don't be afraid."
With that, she walked to the door and looked through the peephole. It was pitch black outside; she couldn't even see any light. A bad feeling washed over her, and Lin Yuqing didn't dare look again.
"Who is it?" Xia Xiaozi asked, also on guard.
Lin Yuqing shook her head. "Probably just a kid's prank."
"If it's nothing, let's go upstairs. Get some rest," Lin Yuqing said, patting Baiye.
Baiye nodded numbly. Even if Auntie Lin hadn't said anything, she wanted to go back to her room.
After Baiye left, Lin Yuqing gathered her courage and went back to the door, pressing her ear against it to listen. There was no sound from outside.
"Hey, I'll call property management to come take a look."
Just as Xia Xiaozi spoke, the doorbell rang. The two of them stared grimly at the front door.
"Oh my god, what is going on? Open up, it's me."
It sounded like Fang Yi. Lin Yuqing let out a breath of relief and opened the door. The moment she did, she froze. Their front door was splattered with ink.
Lin Yuqing was stunned for a moment before letting Fang Yi into the house. "Did you see anyone suspicious on your way up?"
"No, I didn't see anyone. What on earth happened?"
Lin Yuqing shook her head to indicate she didn't know, but upon reflection, she was certain it was related to the current incident.
Xia Xiaozi quickly called property management to explain the situation.
"Why did you come over at a time like this?"
"You two can't go out, and Xiao Zi is swamped. I was afraid you'd starve to death at home." Fang Yi held up the plastic bag in her hand, filled with groceries she had bought.
"Where's Xiao Ye?"
"Someone was banging on the door earlier. We were afraid it would scare her, so I sent her to her room."
"Banging on the door too?" Fang Yi frowned. "I remember, before Yilan's incident…"
"Let's not talk about that. Don't let Xiao Ye hear a word of this."
"Mm, I know. But you…"
"Don't worry. Over the years, I've developed a strong heart. This kind of thing can't hurt me."
Hearing her semi-joking tone, Fang Yi smiled. At least on the surface, her state of mind did seem quite good.
"Alright, I'll leave the groceries here. I won't add to your chaos. Xue Yuexian is also helping to handle this. With us around, you just rest quietly at home. I'll hire a few bodyguards to come over later. Don't go out unless you have to. The main concern now isn't the online criticism, but the anti-gay extremists and anti-fans causing trouble."
"Why don't you two come stay at my place for a while? Come back after the storm has passed."
"It's not that serious." Lin Yuqing waved her hand dismissively. This was a society ruled by law, after all, and she lived in a high-end complex with good security. It wasn't like back then with Yilan, who lived in a remote town with poor security.
After saying that, Lin Yuqing paused. "Why don't you take her with you?"
"I'm not leaving!"
Lin Yuqing turned to see Baiye standing by the railing, looking down at them. "So you've learned to eavesdrop now, have you?" Lin Yuqing glared at her, wondering if she had heard what they were saying.
"Auntie Lin, I'm not leaving. Don't send me away. I'm not scared!" Baiye rushed down the stairs and stood before Lin Yuqing, looking at her earnestly.
Her gaze made Lin Yuqing's heart soften. She nodded haphazardly. "Fine, fine, you don't have to go." She turned to Fang Yi. "You should head back then."
"Alright. You two be careful. Call me if anything happens. If it gets worse, call the police."
"Mm."
After seeing Fang Yi out, Lin Yuqing deadbolted the door. When she turned around, she found the little one clutching the corner of her shirt, staring blankly at the doorway.
"What's wrong? Weren't you just saying you weren't scared?" she said with a smile, taking her hand.
The sight of the ink-splattered door had sent Baiye into a momentary daze. A fragment of a memory flashed through her mind; she felt as if she had seen such a scene somewhere before.
"Xiao Ye?" Seeing the little one staring blankly, Lin Yuqing stroked her head. "Why don't you go stay with Fang Yi for a few days?"
"No!" The refusal was exceptionally firm.
"Then don't dwell on these things. Go on and do what you need to do."
"Okay." Baiye nodded, picked up the plastic bag Fang Yi had left by the door, and headed straight for the kitchen.
Lying in bed, Lin Yuqing tossed and turned. Baiye had clearly been distracted during dinner, her dazed look far too concerning. She sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. She had to go check on her.
Just as she got out of bed, the lightbulb suddenly went out, plunging the room into darkness. The heavy pounding on the door started again from downstairs. No matter how brave Lin Yuqing was, her heart was now hammering in her chest. She stood frozen, at a loss. A moment later, she snapped out of it and began fumbling through the darkness, running to Baiye's room.
Baiye's room was also pitch black. Lin Yuqing felt around the bed, but her hand only met the blanket. There was no one there.
"Xiao Ye?" she called out, suddenly panicked.
"What's wrong?" Just then, Xia Xiaozi arrived, using her phone as a flashlight. She shone it on the bed, revealing it was empty. "Where's Xiao Ye?"
Lin Yuqing raised a hand, signaling for her to be quiet. They held their breath and could clearly hear sobbing in the room. Lin Yuqing quickly moved to the other side of the bed and found her. The little one was hugging herself, sitting on the floor and leaning against the bed, her face buried in her knees as she wept silently.
Before she could feel relieved, the pounding downstairs continued. Lin Yuqing grew angry and turned abruptly, but her sleeve was suddenly grabbed by the little one.
"Don't go…" Baiye looked up at her, her eyes brimming with tears, the tip of her nose red from crying.
Lin Yuqing's expression softened. She crouched down and hugged her. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."
"Mother…"
"Hm? What?"
"Mother held me just like this, hiding right here…"
Lin Yuqing's heart clenched. The little one in her arms was sobbing even harder now. Had she remembered something?
"Mother held me. She was trembling the whole time. She was shaking. She was so scared, so scared."
"Xiao Ye, be good. Don't think about those things."
"Qing Jie, I called property management. They've already sent people over. Also, someone probably tampered with the electrical box outside, so we have no power for now. I'll go find some candles."
"Okay." Lin Yuqing nodded and picked the little one up. She curled into her arms, still trembling, her face pale and unwell. She wrapped her arms tightly around Lin Yuqing's neck, clinging to her.
Lin Yuqing carried her back to her own room, where Xia Xiaozi had lit some candles.
Lin Yuqing placed Baiye on her bed and gently wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead.
"Ah—!" A sudden scream came from downstairs. The little one in her arms flinched visibly. Lin Yuqing quickly patted her back and looked toward the door. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, nothing, nothing! Paint was poured under the door, it scared me to death…" Xia Xiaozi clutched her chest. She had been listening for any movement at the door while waiting for property management when her feet suddenly felt sticky. She looked down and thought it was blood! The shock made her collapse onto the floor. She only managed to pull herself together when she heard Lin Yuqing's voice.
Xia Xiaozi was furious. She pounded on the door twice. "I've already called the police! Don't you dare run!" What kind of pervert was this!
Thank goodness there were two other people in the house. If she had been alone, she would have been scared half to death!
Before long, the property management staff arrived. They checked the electrical box and found the wires had been cut. The door was splattered with paint, and even the hallway walls hadn't been spared. The management staff had a massive headache. They said they had checked the surveillance footage but hadn't seen anyone suspicious entering or leaving the complex. Furthermore, the complex had security patrols 24/7, and getting in at night without a key card was impossible. Unless the perpetrator was a resident of the complex, they couldn't have gotten away. They promised to do their best to investigate.
Property management worked through the night to repair the electrical box and promised to increase patrols around the building to prevent such incidents from happening again.
Xia Xiaozi was about to explode with anger but was helpless. It was so late, and the staff were providing service with a smile. She couldn't very well take all her frustration out on them.
In the bedroom, Lin Yuqing held the little one, gently patting her back. Baiye buried her face in Lin Yuqing's neck, her emotions gradually stabilizing.
"Auntie Lin…"
"Shh, close your eyes. Don't think about anything. Just sleep peacefully. I'm here with you." Lin Yuqing cut her off, lowering her head to kiss her forehead as she coaxed her in a soft voice.
"Auntie Lin, why are they doing this?"
"Hm? I have a lot of anti-fans. They're just more extreme. They act without thinking, only caring about their own amusement, regardless of whether others live or die."
"Anti-fans…"
"But why did they treat Mother like that…"
"Hm?"
"Why did they treat Mother like that?"
"Xiao Ye, have you… remembered something?"
"It's blurry, but I remember. For a while, Mother stopped taking me to kindergarten, stopped taking me to the park. She wouldn't even let me leave the house. Just like now, we hid at home every day."
"At night, there would be pounding on the door, even louder and scarier than just now."
"During the day, people would peek through the windows. The curtains were always drawn, so you couldn't tell if it was day or night."
"Every day after we ate, Mother would stay in her room alone. She wouldn't read me storybooks or watch cartoons with me. She just let me play by myself."
"At first, she would still talk to me. Then she started talking to herself. And after that, she stopped talking at all."
"Back then, I was so scared of hearing knocking on the door, so scared of seeing strangers. Sometimes, people would even throw bricks at the house and break the glass."
"Every night, Mother didn't dare to sleep. She would hold me, and we'd huddle under the covers. Later, she held me as we shrank into the corner of the bed. And after that, we hid under the bed."
"I remember, every time she held me, she was shaking. She was scared, really scared. But she would still tell me not to be afraid, saying, 'Mother's here, Mother's here…'" Baiye sniffled, completely lost in that memory.
"We stayed at home for many days. That day, Mother went out to buy food. I remember she went out wearing a clean white dress, but when she came back, she had fallen and was covered in mud, looking utterly wretched."
"For a few days after that, Mother stopped cooking. She just stayed in her room every day. I was so hungry, but no matter how I cried and fussed, Mother never opened that door."
"Later, a few people came to the house to take me away. Before I left, I saw them break down that door, and I saw Mother…"
"I saw Mother lying quietly on the bed, wearing her favorite white dress…"
"But her bed was covered in blood. The clean white dress was stained red…"
"Mother…" Baiye broke down, sobbing. "Auntie Lin, why? Why did they do that to Mother? Why…"
Lin Yuqing stroked her head, pressing Baiye's cheek tightly against her own. Through Baiye's account, she finally learned the true story of Bai Yilan's final moments. It was both heartbreaking and infuriating.
She hated those so-called normal people who believed they stood on the moral high ground, from where they could irresponsibly criticize and even insult the gay community. She hated those self-centered, extreme anti-gay individuals. She hated the cold indifference of humanity, hated that bigoted era.
"Xiao Ye, don't think about it anymore. I will never let something like this happen to you again. Absolutely never." Lin Yuqing held Baiye so tightly she seemed to want to meld her into her own body.
"Auntie Lin… you won't leave me, right?"
"No, I won't." Lin Yuqing lowered her head and gently kissed her damp cheek. "I won't."
Last night, Baiye had barely slept. It was nearly dawn before she finally drifted off in Lin Yuqing's arms.
Lin Yuqing hadn't slept all night, holding the little one, her mind a chaotic mess as she involuntarily pictured the scenes Baiye had described.
Just as the sky was beginning to lighten, Xia Xiaozi, who had fallen asleep on the sofa, turned over and nearly fell to the floor, waking with a start. She hadn't dared to sleep in her own room last night and had shamelessly stayed here instead.
"Qing Jie?" She rubbed her eyes and saw Lin Yuqing still sitting on the bed.
"Call Fang Yi."
"Huh?"
Lin Yuqing said no more. She lowered her head to kiss the little one's forehead, her gaze softening as she watched her for a moment.
When Baiye regained consciousness, she felt a gentle swaying, as if she were in a car. She rubbed her eyes and looked around. She really was in a car! Strange. Hadn't she fallen asleep in Auntie Lin's arms last night?
"Auntie… Auntie Fang?" Seeing Fang Yi in the driver's seat, Baiye was a bit dazed. She was lying in the back seat, covered with a blanket. She must have been asleep for a long time.
"You're awake?"
"Auntie Fang, why am I in your car? Where's Auntie Lin? Where are you taking me?"
Fang Yi sighed. She, too, had been woken up early in the morning by Lin Yuqing. Only then did she hear about what had happened at their house last night and how frightened Baiye had been. Lin Yuqing's intention was for her to take Baiye away and find a safe place for her. Not daring to delay, Fang Yi had gone to pick her up immediately.
"Xiao Ye, be good. Your Auntie Lin had to go out of town for a shoot. She asked me to take care of you for now."
"Don't lie to me. I'm not a child anymore. She definitely didn't leave. She was just afraid I'd be scared and asked you to take me away, right?"
Fang Yi glanced at her in the rearview mirror and nodded helplessly. She had tried to persuade Lin Yuqing to leave with them today, but Lin Yuqing had seemed off, and looked dead set on fighting those people to the bitter end. She simply couldn't be persuaded.
"Yes. But don't worry too much. I've already hired bodyguards to stand guard at her door twenty-four hours a day. They can ensure her safety."
"Xiao Ye, listen to me. Going back now is pointless."
"Stop the car! I want to get out!" Baiye grew anxious and reached for the door lock.
Seeing this, Fang Yi quickly hit the brakes, but she heard the click of the door lock disengaging.
"Gu Baiye!" Fang Yi slammed on the brakes, hastily pulling the car over to the side of the road. Baiye pushed the door open and got out. Fang Yi quickly chased after her, grabbing her arm. "You stop right there! You won't listen when I talk to you nicely, will you?" Even the good-tempered Fang Yi was now angry.
"Auntie Fang, let me go! I want to go back, I want to…"
Smack! A crisp, loud slap echoed.
"Calm down!" she couldn't help but raise her voice and shout.
Baiye was stunned by the slap. She looked up at Fang Yi, her eyes instantly turning red.
Fang Yi froze, realizing she had lost her composure. But the kid had tried to jump out of a moving car!
After a moment of silence, Fang Yi's expression softened. "I know you're worried about her. But going back now won't help anything; you'll just be in the way. She can't even take care of herself right now, so how can she look after you? Just be good and take care of yourself so she doesn't have to worry about you, okay?"
Fang Yi raised a hand to touch her cheek. "I'm sorry, Xiao Ye. I got anxious."
Baiye stood there silently, her eyes downcast, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles were white, trying not to let the tears fall.
Fang Yi started as a teardrop landed on the back of her hand. She couldn't help but feel a pang of self-reproach.
Comments
Post a Comment