MQSP - Chapter 60
Chapter 60
"Hiss…" Baiye lay prone on the edge of the bed, rubbing her bottom pitifully and letting out a soft whimper now and then.
Lin Yuqing watched her from the side, her brow furrowing slightly. "Does it still hurt?"
Baiye sniffled, shot her a look, and pointedly ignored her.
First thing in the morning, Lin Yuqing had coerced the little one into revealing the reason for her illness. She had exploded with anger on the spot and, without another word, had pressed the little one over her lap for a good spanking, nearly bringing her to tears. And so, the little one was now giving her the silent treatment.
Lin Yuqing sighed, suppressing her anger. "Tell me yourself, did you deserve it or not?" As she spoke, she tugged the little one's arm, pulling her into her embrace.
The little one twisted, trying to break free, but Lin Yuqing held her firmly. "Don't move." Her right hand rested on the girl's bottom, rubbing it gently.
"You just took advantage of Jiang Boyan being a pushover, didn't you? I won't indulge you."
"Liar!" Baiye accused unhappily, her lips pouted.
"Yesterday you said you loved me, and today you hit me the moment I opened my eyes." Baiye pushed her hand away and turned her head, ignoring her.
"Loving you and doting on you doesn't mean I'll spoil you. I need to make you understand that some things are absolutely forbidden. Boundaries cannot be crossed." Lin Yuqing's tone became stern again.
Baiye pressed her lips together. She sensed that Auntie Lin might be truly angry and didn't dare to keep sulking.
Lin Yuqing pushed her hand aside and pulled down her panties.
"Hey…" Baiye started to move but was stopped again by Auntie Lin.
Lin Yuqing gently rubbed her palm against the girl's tender, still-warm skin. The little one's skin was so delicate; she could faintly feel raised finger marks. Perhaps she really had hit her too hard. She started to get up, wanting to lift the blanket for a look, but the little one wrapped her arms around her, and she lay back down.
"No looking…" The little one's face was bright red. She seemed to be sulking, but to Lin Yuqing, she just looked like she was being coy.
Helpless, Lin Yuqing touched her forehead to the girl's. "Do you still feel unwell?"
Baiye's gaze flickered away for a moment. Just as she was about to shake her head, Lin Yuqing frowned. "The truth."
"A little bit." She buried her head in the crook of Lin Yuqing's neck, not daring to look at her.
"Okay, the doctor probably hasn't left yet. I'll have her take another look at you in a bit." Lin Yuqing's tone softened.
"Your health isn't good, yet you still dare to act so recklessly. What if it leads to chronic problems? You're still so young. Harming your body is a lifelong issue." Lin Yuqing reasoned with her patiently, calmly soothing her.
"Mm… I know I went too far this time…"
"And in the future?" Lin Yuqing kept a stern face.
"It won't happen again!" Baiye quickly promised.
"Mm." Having heard what she wanted to hear, Lin Yuqing's expression softened. If she didn't teach her a harsh lesson this once, the girl would never learn.
"Auntie Lin."
"Hm?"
"About us… have you thought about how to tell Auntie and the others…?" Baiye was worried. She and Auntie Lin had suddenly become a couple, which felt a little too incredible no matter how she thought about it. Forget Auntie Xiao Zi for a moment; the other aunties would surely have a hard time accepting it too…
Lin Yuqing frowned. "The two of us? What about us?"
"???" Baiye stared at her, her eyes wide. Had she… forgotten?
"You… you don't remember? Yesterday, in front of Auntie Xiao Zi and Auntie Jiang… you… you kissed me!"
Lin Yuqing slapped her forehead. "That happened?"
"Tsk, I have no memory of that at all…" she muttered to herself.
"You! Liar!" Baiye was getting anxious when she noticed the corners of Lin Yuqing's mouth twitch, as if she were trying to hide a smile.
"Such impudence!" Lin Yuqing couldn't hold back her amusement and chided her with a laugh.
"Our relationship is different now. We're equals, so there's no elder or younger between us!" Baiye lifted her chin, arguing her point with a straight face.
Hearing this, Lin Yuqing messily ruffled the girl's hair. "Aren't you clever."
"Mmm~" The little one wore a look of pure enjoyment.
The first day of being in love with Auntie Lin. Getting spanked hurt a lot and made me very unhappy, but afterward, Auntie Lin was so gentle. The way she always wants to hold me is so heartwarming. I love being held by her. Auntie Lin's hands are magical! Even though her touch is a little ticklish, it's so warm and comfortable!
"Auntie Lin."
"Hm?"
"When… um… when did you start to like me?" Baiye asked, a little expectant and a little nervous, not daring to look at Lin Yuqing.
Lin Yuqing thought about it seriously for a moment. "I can't say for sure. Probably around the time you started getting close to me."
"I've always wanted to be close to you…"
"Hm?" Lin Yuqing frowned. "All I felt was that you were very afraid of me."
"I… I was. I was afraid you would hate me… afraid you'd find me clingy and push me away."
Lin Yuqing chuckled and tapped her on the forehead. "What silly things go through that little head of yours?"
"Hmph. Well, it's because you're always so fierce."
"Alright, my mistake. I won't be so fierce with you anymore, as long as you don't do anything out of line, okay?"
"Mmm~"
"Are you hungry? I'll go ask Xia Xiaozi to make something to eat." Lin Yuqing reluctantly released the little one and sat up, preparing to get out of bed.
But the little one just hugged her waist and refused to let go, snuggling closer and resting her head on Lin Yuqing's lap. Clearly, she hadn't had enough cuddles.
This girl gets so clingy whenever she's sick.
Lin Yuqing pulled the blanket up to cover her properly and gently stroked her back.
"Auntie Lin, Auntie Xiao Zi said you didn't leave the room or eat anything all day yesterday."
"Mm, I was thinking about your mother."
"My mother?"
"Yes, your mother Xinran."
"I was wondering how she would react if she knew I'd fallen for her daughter. Would she feel like her precious pearl had been snatched away by an old fogey like me and be indignant about it?" Lin Yuqing smiled.
Baiye shook her head. "Of course not. She'd probably be very happy, because her daughter found someone good to be with."
This little one really knows how to say all the right things!
"But the others might not think the same way," Lin Yuqing said, glancing at the door.
I really feel a bit bad for Xia Xiaozi. She's always treated Xiao Ye like her own precious treasure. And given the cautionary tale of Xinran and Yilan, she must be feeling apprehensive.
Baiye fell silent for a moment, then her thoughts turned to the still-unresolved incident.
"Auntie Lin, are you really not going to issue a clarification? Your career is on the rise," she asked worriedly.
"Do you want me to become a big liar, spouting nothing but falsehoods?"
Baiye shook her head. "But I can't accept it. You've worked so hard on your acting. Can't you succeed in both love and your career?"
"You're being greedy."
"Mmph."
When Lin Yuqing opened the door and stepped out, she instantly felt as if countless gazes were piercing right through her, radiating a bone-chilling cold.
She glanced downstairs and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Every last one of them was here… and they all looked like they wanted to eat her alive.
"Is there… anything to eat…?" Even Lin Yuqing was a little intimidated by the scene.
"How is Xiao Ye?" Although she was furious with the girl, Jiang Boyan was still very concerned about her.
"Much better. Once she eats something, takes her medicine, and gets some more rest, she should be fine."
Hearing this, Fang Yi hurried to the kitchen, brought out the breakfast Xia Xiaozi had prepared earlier, and took it upstairs. As she passed Lin Yuqing, she shot her a look, glanced toward Xia Xiaozi, and mouthed, "She's angry," tipping her off.
Lin Yuqing nodded. She was about to head downstairs when she suddenly turned and followed Fang Yi into the room.
"…What are you doing in here!?" Fang Yi stared at her, dumbfounded. Shouldn't she be going downstairs to explain things to everyone?!
"They're all furious right now. The atmosphere downstairs is too intense. I'll go down after they've cooled off a bit…" It was rare for Lin Yuqing to back down.
"Auntie Fang, what are you doing here? Did something happen?"
Fang Yi looked helpless. "You two… can't you ever give people a moment's peace?"
Lin Yuqing sat on the edge of the bed and helped the little one sit up. Fang Yi handed her the bowl of porridge. Lin Yuqing glanced at her. She gets it.
Fang Yi poked the little one's cheek. "Happy now?"
"Ahem…"
Lin Yuqing glanced between the two of them, puzzled. "Why aren't you angry with me?" she asked Fang Yi.
"I support you two being together, so why would I be angry? The little one's wish has finally come true. I'm just happy for her."
"Hm?" Lin Yuqing raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"I've known for a long time that she likes you. Actually, I should say I was the first one to know. Right?" she said, turning to look at Xiao Ye.
"Mhm!"
Lin Yuqing was not pleased. You like me, so why was she the first one to know? Why wasn't I?!
She scooped up a spoonful of porridge, intending to blow on it and feed it to Xiao Ye, but absentmindedly ate it herself instead.
"Hey, do you even know how to take care of someone? And you call yourself her girlfriend?" Fang Yi teased mercilessly.
"And you know how to be a girlfriend? Aren't you a perennially single woman yourself?"
"…"
Annoyed, Fang Yi snatched the bowl from her, scooped up a spoonful, blew on it, and held it to Xiao Ye's lips. "Look at her. She doesn't know how to take care of anyone and gets jealous at the drop of a hat. What on earth do you see in her? I feel like I'm a better catch."
"Tsk! You've got nothing better to do, have you?"
The two of them started fighting over the porridge bowl.
Xiao Ye watched the bowl from the side, licking her lips and swallowing. So hungry…
Just as they were bickering, the door opened, and a whole procession of powerful women filed in, gathering around the bed.
Lu Qing and Xia Xiaozi stood with their arms crossed and cold expressions, clearly on the same team. Lu Qing had even pulled Jiang Boyan over to stand with them. Su Yu and Xue Yuexian didn't look nearly as angry. Xue Yuexian, in particular, sat on the edge of the bed and placed a hand on Xiao Ye's forehead. "How did you get sick again? Your constitution is too weak. Do you still feel unwell?" She was clearly very concerned about the girl.
Seeing this, Lu Qing looked at her with utter disappointment, pulled her to her feet, and the group turned in unison to face Lin Yuqing.
"You… why are you all here…?" Baiye was stunned for a moment. This was quite a turnout…
"Lin Yuqing, how could you make a move on Xiao Ye? You owe us an explanation today!" Lu Qing rolled up her sleeves, her face filled with indignation.
"Um… Teacher Lu, actually, I'm the one who's been pursuing Auntie Lin…"
Lu Qing froze. "This doesn't concern you. Shut up!"
"It's not like you don't know who Xiao Ye is! It's not like you don't know what happened with Xinran and Yilan… So how could you do this! How could you lead their daughter down this same path!" Lu Qing continued her tirade.
"Teacher Lu…"
This time, before Lu Qing could speak, Lin Yuqing cut in. "It's alright, let her speak. They've been wanting to yell at me for a while now."
The women exchanged glances. Su Yu and Fang Yi, who were on Lin Yuqing's side, couldn't help but purse their lips to hide a smile.
Among the group, Lu Qing had the most explosive temper, so she had naturally become the representative for the opposition.
"In any case, I am firmly against you two being together."
"I'm against it too!" Xia Xiaozi immediately chimed in. She was genuinely angry and was starting to regret constantly nagging Lin Yuqing to pay more attention to Xiao Ye. And look where that had gotten them—she'd lured the girl right into her bed!
Lu Qing shot another look at Jiang Boyan.
"Mm… I don't support it." Jiang Boyan paused, seeing the girl's crestfallen expression.
"But I'm not against it, either," she added, her tone shifting.
"However, I'm not optimistic," Jiang Boyan said, sitting on the edge of the bed and stroking Xiao Ye's head. "Have you really thought this through? This is a difficult path. Along the way, you'll face many voices of doubt and opposition. Can you bear it?"
"Auntie Jiang, I have thought it through. I've liked her for a very long time. All these years, no matter how far apart we were or how cold and fierce she was to me, I never once thought about giving up. I just wanted to get a little closer to her, just a tiny bit closer… After everything it took to get here, I…" Xiao Ye pressed her lips together and looked at each of them in turn.
"I want to be with her!"
Lin Yuqing glanced at her and clasped the hand the little one held out.
"These past few days, I've also been thinking about what Xinran and Yilan's attitude would be if they were still here and knew about this." Lin Yuqing looked around at everyone.
"But I realized that question is fundamentally invalid when it comes to them; it's meaningless. Because they would, without a doubt, tell me without hesitation: if you like someone, go after them. Don't leave any regrets. As long as you think it's worth it, you should give it your all. That was their creed."
"Even if the other person were their own daughter, I don't believe they would change their minds."
"And those are my thoughts as well."
Everyone fell silent. They all knew Gu Xinran and Bai Yilan well, and they knew that what Lin Yuqing had said was almost certainly what their stance would have been.
"I know all of you are worried about me," Baiye continued. "You're afraid I won't be able to handle the pressure and will end up following my mothers' path. But I promise you, I won't do anything rash. I'm going to live a good life, for myself and for them. So please, believe in me. I'm not a child anymore. I can take responsibility for my own decisions."
Taking turns, the two of them reasoned with the group until their anger dissipated. Jiang Boyan even pointedly moved a little away from Lu Qing, taking a neutral stance.
Seeing her chance, Baiye grabbed Xue Yuexian's arm. "Auntie Xue," she said, giving it a little shake.
Xue Yuexian immediately surrendered. "Alright, alright, I'll listen to you. You're my niece, after all. Who else would I listen to?" She had completely abandoned her stance.
"Thank you, Auntie!"
"Ah! That was worth it!" That "Auntie" sounds so sweet!
"You! You're hopeless!" Lu Qing kicked her resentfully from the side. She switched sides way too fast!
"Oh, Teacher Lu, you're one to talk. Haven't you been in love with Auntie Jiang for years?"
"Tsk! You little brat!" Lu Qing was furious at having her secret exposed. The others immediately chimed in to support Baiye.
"Exactly. After all these years, you still haven't made any progress. You can't even keep up with them."
"I think we'll be celebrating their wedding long before we see any hope for you two."
"You people! I… I can't even be bothered to talk to you!" Lu Qing turned and stormed out in a huff.
"You deliberately poked her where it hurts," Lin Yuqing said, helplessly tapping Xiao Ye's nose. The doting look on her face gave everyone else goosebumps, and they collectively shuddered.
Xiao Ye smiled and turned to Xia Xiaozi. "Auntie."
Xia Xiaozi walked over, her expression still cold. Baiye wrapped her arms around her waist and rubbed her head against her. "Auntie, you dote on me the most. Ever since I was little, whenever I had a wish, I just had to tell you, and you'd do your best to make it happen. This time, can't you indulge me just once more?"
Xia Xiaozi was silent for a moment before raising a hand to stroke her head. "What about your mother?"
Baiye froze. She knew Xia Xiaozi was talking about her mother, Xia Nan—the woman who doted on her, who had never started her own family for her sake, who had treated her as her own flesh and blood and raised her with such meticulous care.
"She'll understand," Baiye said, pressing her lips together. She believed that her mother, Xia Nan, understood her. Even if she didn't offer her support, she would understand.
"Then you can tell her yourself. And don't drag me into it. I don't want to get yelled at."
"Okay, don't worry!" Baiye smiled and hugged her tightly for another moment.
"Oh, you… sigh…"
"There, there, Auntie, don't be angry anymore. Is there any breakfast? I'm starving."
"Make your Auntie Lin do it. She's going to be taking care of you from now on, so how can she not know how to cook?" Xia Xiaozi shot Lin Yuqing a sideways glance. The actress looked completely dumbfounded. What?
"Exactly. It's about time you learned to cook. You don't expect Xiao Ye to take care of you, do you? That won't do. Our Xiao Ye can't be bullied like that!" Xue Yuexian put her hands on her hips, coming to Baiye's defense.
Lin Yuqing blinked. Me? Learn to cook? Are you serious?
"I agree," Fang Yi and Su Yu chimed in. "Xiao Ye, don't you dare spoil her. From now on, she does the cooking and the housework. Your only job is to get nice and plump."
"Hey, wait…"
Lin Yuqing tried to protest but was shoved toward the kitchen.
"Aren't you afraid I'll blow up the kitchen?!"
The others led Lin Yuqing away, while Xue Yuexian stayed behind to keep Xiao Ye company.
"Auntie, maybe you should go check on her. Auntie Lin really might blow up the kitchen."
"It's fine, plenty of people are watching her. As for you, later…" Xue Yuexian leaned close to the girl's ear and whispered, a lecherous grin spreading across her face.
In the kitchen, Lin Yuqing was being held at the sink by three mother hens and forced to wash dishes.
"Wash them properly! Don't just go through the motions!"
"The pot, the pot! Watch the pot, it's boiling over!"
Flustered by all their shouting, Lin Yuqing's head was spinning. And these people were just standing there barking orders instead of helping. So annoying!
In the midst of her panic, the room suddenly fell silent.
Seeing Auntie Lin holding a pot lid in front of her like a shield to block any splashing water, Baiye found the sight hilarious. She took the ladle from her hand, turned down the heat, and began to stir the pot gently.
"You should be resting. What are you doing out here?"
"It's okay, let me do this. I like to cook, and I love seeing the happy look on your face when you eat," Baiye said with a sweet smile.
Lin Yuqing smiled and became her assistant.
Before long, the two emerged with trays of food to find the rest of the group already seated expectantly around the dining table.
After setting out the bowls and chopsticks, the two of them sat down. Lin Yuqing was starving. She scooped up a spoonful of porridge, but before she could bring it to her lips, Xue Yuexian pushed her hand down.
"Hey, hey, your elders haven't even picked up their chopsticks yet. What's the rush?"
"???"
After saying this, Xue Yuexian shot Baiye a meaningful look.
Baiye scratched her head, looking troubled. She glanced at Lin Yuqing, then tugged on her sleeve, pulling her to her feet.
Lin Yuqing looked completely baffled the entire time.
"Um… Auntie Lin, seeing as our relationship has changed, I need to introduce you to the aunties who care so much about me. From now on, you'll have to… respect them, okay?"
Lin Yuqing put her hands on her hips, her eyes wide.
Lin Yuqing looked around. The others were all grinning from ear to ear, and this little one had clearly conspired with them to mess with her. Rolling up her sleeves, she pinched the girl's ear. "You…"
"Hey, what do you think you're doing? You haven't even married into the family and you're already starting with the domestic violence? Nope, I take it back! I don't approve!" Xue Yuexian slammed the table, extremely displeased.
Lin Yuqing quickly let go. "You…" She was suffering in silence.
"I don't care about the others, but you're not getting out of calling me Auntie," Xue Yuexian said smugly.
"Hey, I'm an auntie too," Xia Xiaozi said, raising her hand and immediately joining forces with Xue Yuexian.
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