MQSP - Chapter 70
Chapter 70
Lately, Xiao Ye and the Flower Witch had been getting along very well, which made Lin Yuqing quite happy. Even if they couldn't acknowledge each other as mother and daughter, having Xiao Ye visit her often would surely make Xinran happy too.
The items she had asked Xia Xiaozi to mail a few days ago had arrived. Lin Yuqing hesitated for a while before finally mustering the courage to deliver them to Xinran. However, she had to do it without Xiao Ye knowing.
That night, after Xiao Ye had fallen asleep, Lin Yuqing quietly got up, locked the bedroom door, and felt her way up the mountain.
From a distance, she could see that the lights in the Flower Witch's wooden house were brightly lit, and the woman herself was still busy in the yard.
"Flower Witch."
The Flower Witch glanced at her, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
"Sorry to bother you so late. This… could you please… keep it for me for the time being?"
Lin Yuqing walked closer and held out the photo album she had been clutching tightly in her hand.
The Flower Witch hesitated for a moment but didn't take it, instead continuing to dig at the soil.
Lin Yuqing placed the album on a nearby step and stood there somewhat awkwardly for a moment. Seeing that the Flower Witch had no intention of acknowledging her, she brazenly walked into the flowerbed.
"Don't come in here."
Lin Yuqing froze, her raised foot obediently returning to the ground.
"Are you… angry at me?" She trusted me, entrusted her child to me, and yet I lured her precious treasure into my bed. Anyone would be angry, right? Even if she supports Xiao Ye's decision, she must feel uncomfortable deep down.
The Flower Witch focused all her energy on digging. Watching her back, Lin Yuqing felt as though she were sulking and using the work as an outlet. Lin Yuqing even suspected she might be imagining the soil was her…
"Xinran…"
The Flower Witch's movements paused. "You have the wrong person."
"Yes, my apologies." Lin Yuqing nodded, abandoning the idea of forcing the issue.
"Do you work this late every day?"
"…"
Lin Yuqing wasn't a talkative person to begin with. After trying to start several conversations with no response, she felt a bit awkward. She squatted down silently, watching the Flower Witch dig.
"When are you getting married?" the Flower Witch suddenly asked.
Lin Yuqing was taken aback. What? Married?
"Hmm?"
The Flower Witch turned to look at her. "Are you not planning to make it official?" Her clear eyes held a trace of scrutiny and questioning.
"…" Lin Yuqing was completely stunned, not only because she hadn't considered the question yet, but also because of Xinran's attitude. She… she actually approved of her? She just accepted her and Xiao Ye's relationship like that!?
"You're… you're not angry at me?"
"Are you just going to let her be with you in this ambiguous way?"
"No! Of course not!" Lin Yuqing was clearly a little agitated. Marriage? Was she going to marry Xiao Ye!
Seeing the joy written all over Lin Yuqing's face, the Flower Witch turned back to her digging with a cold expression.
This woman rarely loses her composure. Xiao Ye has really changed her.
"I'll put it on the agenda as soon as I get back. I'll design the wedding myself. When the time comes, can you attend?" she asked, looking at the Flower Witch with anticipation.
Seeing Lin Yuqing as happy as a child, the Flower Witch couldn't help but purse her lips into a smile.
"I'll come if you change how you address me," she even teased.
"???"
Seeing Lin Yuqing's astonished expression, Gu Xinran tilted her head up proudly. "Letting you whisk my daughter away so easily… if you don't change how you address me, wouldn't I be at a huge loss?"
As she tilted her head back, the scarf covering her face slipped off. Only then did Lin Yuqing get a clear look at her face. It was still the familiar face she knew, but from her right cheek to her temple was a large, terrifying burn scar. On top of that, years of exposure to the wind and sun without any skincare had caused her skin to age rapidly, and wrinkles had appeared.
The corners of her mouth were turned up slightly in a serene smile. The sight made Lin Yuqing's heart ache with a sense of helplessness. Time had been far too cruel to her.
Gu Xinran quickly grabbed the scarf and covered her face again. Lin Yuqing tactfully turned her head away, not wanting to press the subject and touch a sore spot.
"It's getting late. You should go back," the Flower Witch said, dismissing her.
"Okay." Lin Yuqing stood up and gave her a deep look. "By the way, we won't be going back for the New Year. Let's spend it together."
The Flower Witch didn't respond, but Lin Yuqing could feel that she was smiling.
Back at the house, the little one was sleeping soundly. Unable to contain her excitement, Lin Yuqing went over, swept the little one up in her arms, and spun around several times.
The sudden dizzying motion jolted the little one awake. She looked utterly bewildered, clinging tightly to Lin Yuqing's neck, her big, dazed eyes staring into space…
Her expression amused Lin Yuqing. So silly!
She gave her a fierce kiss.
"Auntie Lin? What's… what's wrong…?"
Lin Yuqing placed the little one on the bed, bracing her hands on either side of her, and looked at her seriously. "Xiao Ye, let's get married."
The little one was even more confused now. Is Auntie Lin not fully awake yet?
No, wait, am I the one who's not fully awake…
…
She silently turned over, crawled back under the covers, and went back to sleep.
On her way back, Lin Yuqing had imagined countless expressions the little one might have upon hearing the news—excitement? Spinning in circles? Tears of joy? But she had never imagined this… This was completely off-script.
Figuring she was just exhausted, Lin Yuqing didn't bother her anymore. She obediently took off her clothes, slipped into bed, and went to sleep.
Just as she lay down and yawned, about to wrap her arms around the little one, the person beside her suddenly shot up and, in the next second, straddled her.
"What did you just say!?"
"…" The sudden movement startled Lin Yuqing. Your reaction time is a little slow, isn't it?
Lin Yuqing pouted helplessly, wrapping her arms around her waist and pulling her down to lie on top of her. "Don't you dare look so fierce."
Baiye felt wronged. This was excitement, excitement!
"Auntie Lin, what did you just say? Say it again!" The little one's eyes were shining with excitement.
"Do you want to marry me?" Lin Yuqing looked into her eyes and asked with utmost seriousness.
Hearing this, the little one nodded her head vigorously, completely losing her composure. "Yes, I've dreamed of it!"
"Mm, well then… keep dreaming." She patted the little one's head, smiling smugly.
"…You're awful!" Although Baiye was pouting, her heart was soaring with joy. Are we getting married? Am I going to marry Auntie Lin!
Meanwhile, back with the Flower Witch.
After Lin Yuqing left, the Flower Witch stopped her work. She glanced at the photo album on the steps, then walked over and sat down beside it. Her trembling hands picked it up. She caressed it for a long time before finally opening it to the first page.
The first photo was taken on Xiao Ye's seventh birthday. In the picture, the little one was staring timidly at the large cake on the table, looking like she wanted to eat it but didn't dare to touch it.
This must have been her first year at Lin Yuqing's house. She must have been very shy around strangers. Yilan rarely took her out to meet people, so she wasn't used to it. Without her mother by her side, she must have felt so insecure.
In the second photo, the little one's face was smeared with cream, and her eyes were red as if she were about to cry. Half of Lin Yuqing's face was in the frame, still smiling thoughtlessly.
Did she think this strange auntie didn't like her and was bullying her? The way she pouted, trying so hard not to cry, is just heartbreaking.
She turned to the second page. In the photo, Lin Yuqing sat to the side with a stern face, watching as a tearful Xiao Ye, unwilling to wipe the cream off her face, used her finger to dab it and bring it to her mouth. How long had it been since she'd had cream cake?
She loved sweets when she was little. Yilan was afraid she'd get cavities, so she always controlled how much she ate. Every time she had cake, she was especially happy. She would sit obediently on her little stool, sitting up perfectly straight. She didn't need anyone to feed her. She couldn't use a fork, so she would use her little hands to eat the cream, bit by bit.
I remember she only liked the cream, not the cake. Every time she finished licking off the cream, she would stuff the cake into Yilan's mouth. Yilan always used to complain to me about it, saying the little one was making her fat, even though she wasn't eating any of the cream…
In the next photo, Lin Yuqing was holding the little one on her lap with a helpless expression, probably because she had made her cry and didn't know what to do.
The little one had smeared a lot of cream on her, but she was happy now, hugging a large piece of cake and munching on it with delight.
Hmm? When did she start eating the cake part… Was it because her mother was gone and there was no one left to bully, so even if she didn't like it, she had to learn to accept it herself?
Turning the next page, Gu Xinran's tears turned to laughter.
Just as I thought. My little pixie was offering the cake she couldn't finish to Lin Yuqing's mouth. Lin Yuqing had a look of utter disgust on her face, but she still opened her mouth.
Xiao Ye was smiling so happily. Was it because she had found someone new to bully? Was that when you decided she was the one? She caressed the face of the Xiao Ye in the photo, who was smiling so wide her dimples were showing.
Gu Xinran flipped through the album page by page, watching Xiao Ye grow from elementary school to middle school, high school, and then university. Although there weren't many photos, there was always one taken on her birthday and the first day of school each year. Her little angel, her tiny tot, had little by little grown into the graceful young woman she was today. It was wonderful.
In all these photos, apart from her first birthday with Lin Yuqing, Lin Yuqing's figure never appeared in the birthday pictures again. And Xiao Ye… she never again smiled as happily as she had on that birthday.
She really, truly loves Lin Yuqing.
Gu Xinran closed the album, raised her head to look at the whitening sky in the distance, and took off her scarf. She smiled at the sky, her gaze filled with endless tenderness.
Yilan, do you see? Xiao Ye has found her own happiness. Yuqing is someone worthy of our trust. You would support them too, wouldn't you?
Our family… finally, one of us can be happy. You must be so happy for her, too.
She gazed at the sky for a long time before lowering her head to look at the album again, her hand gently stroking its cover. Xiao Ye, on behalf of your mothers, go and enjoy the beauty of life.
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