Against the Light - Chapter 170
Chapter 170: Grandma Yu
Early in the morning, Gu Xinran stretched lazily. She had slept exceptionally well—so well that she didn't even want to wake up.
She rolled over, her arm subconsciously reaching for the side of the bed. She froze and immediately opened her eyes.
"Huh? Where's Xiao Ye?"
Hearing this, Yilan lifted an eyelid. "She was just stolen."
Gu Xinran understood instantly, remembering how Shi Qing would often come to steal the child first thing in the morning. She always used it as an opportunity to lecture them about their poor vigilance, saying they wouldn't even notice if their child was taken.
Gu Xinran rubbed her eyes and sat up, leaning against the headboard. Seeing that Yilan still looked half-asleep, she helped her lie down with her head in her lap, gently stroking her shoulder.
"Mmm~" Bai Yilan wore a look of pure bliss.
As the two were enjoying their tender moment, the glass sliding door leading to the courtyard was slowly pulled open. A small head peeked out from behind the curtain.
Xiao Ye blinked her big, bright black eyes, peeking at them. When she saw that her mama was awake, her face lit up with a smile, and she came running over with a pitter-patter of steps.
"Good morning, Mama!"
"Good morning, baby." Gu Xinran lifted her onto the bed and kissed her little forehead.
"Did you go for a walk with Grandma again?"
"Mhm! As soon as Xiao Ye opened her eyes, she was somehow in Grandma's arms."
Gu Xinran chuckled softly.
"Mommy~ Time to get up, you little sleepyhead~ Grandma has already made breakfast!" Seeing that Yilan was still sleeping, Xiao Ye burrowed into her arms, nudging her insistently and wriggling all over.
Bai Yilan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She kissed the big baby in her arms. "Who taught you to say 'little sleepyhead'? How can you say that to Mommy?"
"Grandma taught me! Hehe~"
Bai Yilan was helpless. She huffed and twitched her nose, surrendering to the little one's adorable assault. She stretched and sat up.
After a heartwarming breakfast, Gu Xinran returned to the bedroom, changed her clothes, and prepared to leave.
Xiao Ye sat obediently on the sofa. When she saw her mama come out, all ready to go, she looked puzzled for a moment.
"Where is Mama going?"
"Hm? Mama is going to work. Mommy will stay home with Xiao Ye. Can Xiao Ye be a good girl and play at home?" Gu Xinran walked over and stroked the little one's head.
Xiao Ye's brows immediately furrowed. "No, Xiao Ye wants to go to work with Mama!"
"Hm? Mama isn't going to the film set, so you won't see the aunties," Gu Xinran said with a smile, sensing what she was thinking.
Xiao Ye pouted, a little disappointed. "Oh."
"Hm? I look away for one second, and why is Xiao Ye unhappy again?" Bai Yilan returned with a small milk bottle, picking Xiao Ye up to give her a drink of water.
"She thought I was going to the film set and wanted to come with me."
"Oh? It seems Xiao Ye really likes playing on set."
"Mhm! I like it a lot!" Xiao Ye nodded emphatically.
"Oh, right, what has Teacher Yu been up to lately?" Gu Xinran suddenly thought of Yu Hua. She had still been awake so late last night.
"Filming a new movie. They just started."
"What? Grandma Yu? Xiao Ye hasn't seen Grandma Yu in so long!" Xiao Ye immediately raised her little hands in excitement.
Gu Xinran glanced at her, the corner of her mouth twitching. Heh, a long time? She was just scolded by her last night!
"How about this? Xiao Ye, you finish your water, and Mommy will take you to see Grandma Yu later."
"Okay!" The little one's eyes lit up. She quickly grabbed her bottle and started gulping down the water.
"I sent Fang Yi a message. She'll come pick you up later and take you to the set. I have to go now. Let me know when you get there."
"Okay, go on. Don't work too late. Come back early." Bai Yilan glanced at her, then reached out to cover Xiao Ye's eyes before giving Xinran a kiss.
"Huh? Xiao Ye didn't see!" the little one huffed, expressing her dissatisfaction.
Bai Yilan gently poked her little head. "You want to see everything," she chided.
In the car, Xiao Ye sat in her seat, swinging her little feet. She seemed to be in a great mood, turning her head to look out the window from time to time, the word "happy" written all over her face.
Before long, the car entered the film base. Xiao Ye pressed her face against the window, mesmerized by the various buildings and scenic spots outside.
"Xiao Ye, Sister Lan, we're here." Fang Yi parked the car, got out, and opened the door.
Bai Yilan put on a mask and then put a small one on the little girl before carrying her out of the car.
Fang Yi had already scouted out the nearby film sets. Now, she led the two of them and found Yu Hua's set with practiced ease.
When they reached the entrance of the soundstage, Bai Yilan peeked her head inside.
It was very quiet inside. She had assumed everyone would be busy, but a closer look revealed that wasn't the case.
Yu Hua stood with her hands behind her back, her back to the entrance, seemingly losing her temper. The staff and actors in front of her were all trembling, and many didn't dare to look up at her.
"Ah, it's Yu…" Xiao Ye also peeked her head in and recognized Yu Hua at a glance. She was about to call out to her when Yilan covered her mouth.
"Shh, be good, Xiao Ye. Grandma Yu is working. We can't disturb her."
"Mmm."
Xiao Ye grunted in agreement and continued to peek inside.
A staff member saw her and grinned.
"What are you smiling at!?" Yu Hua exploded, glaring furiously at the staff member.
"Uh, sorry, Director."
Yu Hua was fuming. She suddenly noticed that several other people's gazes were drifting past her to look behind her. She frowned and turned around. The fierce expression on her face instantly softened into a kind one, her eyes crinkling with a smile. All her anger vanished.
Yu Hua started walking toward the mother and daughter. After a few steps, the smile on her face gradually faded as if she were intentionally controlling her expression.
When she got close, she first glared at Bai Yilan. "Instead of staying home, what are you doing running around everywhere with the child?"
"Aww, Grandma Yu, don't blame Mommy. It's because Xiao Ye missed you~" Xiao Ye opened her little arms toward Yu Hua.
How could Yu Hua resist that? Her eyes instantly curved into a smile. She bent down, picked up the little girl, and nuzzled her cheek. "Xiao Ye missed Grandma?"
"I missed you so, so much~"
Hearing this, Yu Hua grinned from ear to ear, absolutely delighted.
The crew members all breathed a collective sigh of relief. It was a good thing this little one showed up when she did, or they'd still be getting an earful!
"Hello, Teacher~" Bai Yilan greeted Yu Hua.
Yu Hua waved her hand dismissively, her eyes fixed solely on her precious Xiao Ye.
Holding Xiao Ye, she turned to walk toward the lounge. As she passed the staff members, her expression changed, and she shot them a sharp glance.
"Grandma, don't be fierce. Xiao Ye is scared." Seeing her expression change, Xiao Ye immediately wrapped her arms around her neck and snuggled against her cheek, comforting her.
Yu Hua's heart melted from the little one's warmth. "Okay, not fierce, not fierce. Go on, all of you, get back to what you were doing. Props master, fix that set for me, now."
"Yes, don't worry."
Yu Hua carried Xiao Ye into the lounge. Even after sitting on the sofa, she kept the little girl in her arms, unwilling to let go for even a second.
"Why was Grandma being fierce to the aunties?" Xiao Ye asked, looking at her curiously.
"Them? They weren't working seriously, and they made Grandma angry," Yu Hua explained patiently.
"Oh, Grandma, don't be angry." Xiao Ye reached out her little hand and patted Yu Hua's chest as if to help her calm down, soothing away all of Yu Hua's temper.
Seeing how sensible her little girl was, Bai Yilan felt a great sense of relief.
"Teacher, what happened?" It had been a long time since she had seen Teacher Yu this angry. Although she often grumbled and cursed, it was usually just to intimidate people; it was rare for her to get truly furious.
"Let me tell you, the management companies these days are so irresponsible. That one out there, she took on four projects at once. She just got here this morning, hasn't even filmed a single scene, and she's already leaving this afternoon."
"And that new props master, spent half a month on the set, and you can still see obvious continuity errors."
"What do you think they're here for?"
At the mention of this, the anger Yu Hua had just suppressed flared up again.
"Didn't you personally select this actress?" Bai Yilan frowned. When Teacher Yu chose actors, she valued character the most. She wouldn't give the time of day to someone without a sense of responsibility.
"It's not really the actress's fault, it's her management company. That tiny company only has this one standout artist, so they're treating her like a cash cow. The girl is working nonstop, and her condition is terrible. If you go out there right now and give her a blanket, she'll fall asleep instantly."
Bai Yilan understood and nodded. This kind of thing was indeed common in the industry. After all, for a small studio, nurturing an artist required countless efforts and sometimes a bit of luck. So once they had a successful artist, they were bound to make the most of it.
"Hey, I heard you filmed a movie a while back?" Yu Hua asked.
"Yes, a companion piece to Life Like Summer Flowers. It was Xinran's idea."
"Tsk, I didn't ask who suggested it." Yu Hua was displeased. Was there no end to her showing off? Did she have to bring that person up in every conversation?
"Ahem." Yilan coughed lightly, feeling a bit awkward.
"Which actress did you use?"
Bai Yilan smiled softly. So, her teacher was trying to scout talent from her!
"A newcomer named Lin Yuqing. Her character is impeccable, and her acting is very polished."
"Oh?" Yu Hua's eyes lit up with interest.
"Do you have a clip? Let me see."
Bai Yilan took out her phone, searched for a moment, and found a clip of Lin Yuqing in the small wooden house, looking sorrowful as she held a piece of torn fabric.
Yu Hua could tell at a glance that this person had a story in her eyes. She nodded repeatedly, her gaze filled with appreciation.
"Not bad. When can you bring her to meet me? I'm planning to replace the female lead in this movie."
"Replace the female lead?" Bai Yilan was slightly surprised.
"Mhm. I can't afford to wait on those divas."
Bai Yilan frowned. "You should think carefully about replacing the lead."
"What? They don't respect this profession, and you expect me to accommodate them? Do they really think I'm good-tempered?"
Bai Yilan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. After thinking about it, she realized it wasn't her place to interfere, so she didn't try to persuade her further.
"Grandma!" Xiao Ye had been listening with her little ears pricked up the whole time. When she saw that her mommy had stopped talking, she finally called out to Yu Hua.
"Hm?" Yu Hua stroked her little head. "What is it, my dear cub?"
"Auntie Lin is a great actress!"
"What?"
Bai Yilan pressed a hand to her forehead. This little girl…
Xiao Ye enthusiastically told Yu Hua how wonderful her Auntie Lin was. Yu Hua listened with great interest and promised Xiao Ye that she would give her Auntie Lin a chance. Xiao Ye was overjoyed.
Assistant Director Zheng Ying pushed the door open and called for Yu Hua to resume filming.
Bai Yilan picked up Xiao Ye, and the mother-daughter pair followed behind Yu Hua, watching them film from the side.
Xiao Ye watched with exceptional focus.
Before long, the scene was done.
Yu Hua was reasonably satisfied with the actor's performance, but she didn't show a pleasant expression.
Bai Yilan knew at a glance that she was just trying to intimidate them again.
During the break, the crew members gathered around Yilan and the little girl. Xiao Ye hadn't met the staff of Yu Hua's crew before, so she was now listening intently as her mommy introduced these aunties to her. She greeted each one of them sweetly, making everyone adore her.
Soon, all the greetings were done. Xiao Ye felt a little shy from all the attention. She scratched her ear, then turned her head and saw Yu Hua sitting alone in her chair, looking rather lonely. She struggled to get down from Yilan's arms.
"Where are you going, Xiao Ye?" Seeing Xiao Ye start to run, Yilan quickly grabbed her.
"Xiao Ye wants to keep Grandma Yu company. Grandma Yu is all alone, she looks so lonely."
Bai Yilan looked up and smiled softly. "Go on."
Xiao Ye skipped over to Yu Hua's side and sat down in the director's chair next to her.
"Hm? You little thing, why did you run over here instead of staying with your mom?" Yu Hua tapped her little head with the script in her hand.
Xiao Ye grinned at her.
"This little one is so thoughtful. Sister Lan, how do you usually teach her?" a staff member asked with an envious look, having overheard the mother and daughter's earlier conversation.
Bai Yilan smiled, feeling a bit embarrassed by the question.
"Grandma, what are the aunties doing?" Xiao Ye watched as many staff members carried things back and forth.
"Hm? They're setting the scene. Once the set is ready, we can continue filming." Yu Hua was infected by the little one's sweet, childish voice, and her tone softened considerably. The way she spoke to the little girl was a world apart from how she spoke to the crew.
Xiao Ye didn't quite understand, but she still nodded obediently, pretending she knew what was going on. "Oh."
"Wow! That's a pavilion!"
"Oh, has Xiao Ye seen one before?"
"Mhm! Grandma's house has one!" Xiao Ye pointed at the pavilion being constructed not far away.
"Come on, let's go have a look." Yu Hua stood up, took her small hand, and led her toward the pavilion.
The railing of the pavilion was carved with lifelike dragon patterns. The little girl's face was filled with wonder, her little eyes unable to take it all in.
"Is it pretty?"
"Mhm!" The little one nodded, looking up at the red pillars. She patted each of the three pillars, and they all made a thump-thump sound.
"The sound is different," Xiao Ye frowned.
"Hm? What?"
"At Grandma's house, it makes a pat-pat sound when I hit it. Here, it's thump-thump. It's different."
Yu Hua tilted her head to look at her, a little surprised. This child even paid attention to such an inconspicuous detail.
Xiao Ye stood in the center of the pavilion with her little brows furrowed, looking up at the pillars as if pondering why the sound was different.
Yu Hua watched her with great interest.
Suddenly, a faint cracking sound reached her ears.
Yu Hua froze. She looked up carefully and saw a crack appear at the top of the pillar behind her!
Yu Hua's eyelid twitched. She immediately bent down and scooped up the little girl. As she turned, an exceptionally jarring CRACK sound rang out!
"Ah—"
Bai Yilan was chatting with the staff when she suddenly heard a scream. She followed the sound and saw the nearby pavilion collapse with a roar! And in the instant it collapsed, a small figure was thrown out!
"Teacher Yu!!!"
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