Against the Light - Chapter 171
Chapter 171: Safe and Sound
"Director Yu!" Bai Yilan practically sprinted over, pulling Xiao Ye to the side. Without even a moment to check on her, she ran to the collapsed pavilion and started helping to move the wood.
The crew was in chaos.
Terrified, Xiao Ye stood to the side, completely at a loss, and burst into tears.
For a moment, the scene was utter chaos.
Fang Yi heard the commotion and ran in. When she saw Xiao Ye standing alone and crying, she rushed over. Just as she was about to pick her up, she saw someone beat her to it, scooping the little one into their arms and comforting her softly.
Fang Yi froze for a second. When she got a clear look at the person, she was completely dumbfounded.
"There, there, Xiao Ye. Don't be scared, don't be scared. Did you fall? Tell Auntie."
Xiao Ye looked at the beautiful woman before her, her eyes blurry with tears.
Fang Yi stared intently at the person. She was wearing a cream-colored suit, her wavy hair cascading down her back. She exuded an incredibly composed aura; her figure and temperament made her seem like a completely different person from a few years ago.
"S-Su Yu?" Fang Yi asked, her face a mask of shock.
Hearing her name, Su Yu turned to look at her.
Fang Yi met her gaze, and her heart gave a sudden, inexplicable lurch. For some reason, she felt those eyes held a world of unspoken things.
"When did you get back?"
Su Yu gave her a deep look before turning away. "Call an ambulance first."
After saying this, she turned her worried gaze toward the pavilion where everyone was gathered.
Fang Yi immediately pulled out her phone and called for an ambulance.
A short while later, the crew managed to lift the pavilion's roof. Yu Hua was unconscious, and the ground where she lay was covered in a large patch of blood.
Bai Yilan nearly fainted at the sight. Bracing herself, she cried out, "The ambulance!"
"I've already called! It'll be here any minute!" Fang Yi immediately replied.
Meanwhile, Gu Xinran was at the studio with Jin Shuang, overseeing the post-production editing.
Her phone suddenly rang. Gu Xinran picked it up, and a smile touched her eyes.
"Hmph, I don't need to guess to know that's Sister Lan," Jin Shuang remarked sourly.
Gu Xinran chuckled and answered the call.
"Hello, Yilan? … What?"
Watching the color drain from Gu Xinran's face and her smile vanish in an instant, Jin Shuang jumped. Curious, she leaned in and managed to vaguely overhear something about Director Yu.
"I understand. I'm on my way." Without taking the time to explain to Jin Shuang, Gu Xinran hung up and rushed out the door.
Jin Shuang stood there, stunned. A moment later, a Weibo notification popped up on her phone. She glanced at it, and the words swam before her eyes.
【BREAKING! Accident on Director Yu Hua's film set! Director Yu has been seriously injured and rushed to the hospital!】
Without a second to process, Jin Shuang broke into a run and hurried after Gu Xinran.
At the hospital, outside the operating room.
Gu Xinran arrived, running the whole way. She found Bai Yilan outside the operating room, pacing restlessly by the door, her face etched with anxiety and her clothes stained with jarring patches of blood.
"Yilan." Gu Xinran hurried over and pulled her into an embrace.
Bai Yilan closed her eyes, and her tense body finally relaxed slightly in the embrace.
"It's okay, it's okay. Director Yu will be fine. She'll be fine," Gu Xinran comforted her endlessly. She knew Director Yu had always treasured Yilan like her own daughter and that their bond was incredibly deep. She understood how terrified Yilan must be feeling—she felt it too.
"What on earth happened?" Jin Shuang asked the other crew members.
"I just saw Director Yu and Xiao Ye playing in the pavilion, and then it just collapsed for no reason. Director Yu threw Xiao Ye out, but she was…"
"And Xiao Ye?" Jin Shuang asked urgently.
Gu Xinran froze. Only then did she remember Xiao Ye.
"She's in a room. Fang Yi is with her." Bai Yilan pulled away from Gu Xinran's embrace and straightened up. "You should go see Xiao Ye. I think she fell, and she's terrified. I'll stay here and wait for Director Yu."
"Okay." Gu Xinran nodded, gave her another reassuring pat, and asked Jin Shuang to stay with her before turning toward the patient rooms.
As she reached the door, she could hear Xiao Ye crying inside.
Gu Xinran quickly pushed the door open. She had only taken two steps inside when she froze. She stared at the person squatting before the hospital bed, carefully dabbing medicine on Xiao Ye's scrapes. The figure looked somewhat familiar from behind.
"Xiao Ye, does it hurt anywhere else? Tell Auntie."
Hearing that voice, Gu Xinran was even more astonished. "Su Yu!? When did you get back?"
Su Yu's body visibly trembled when she heard the voice. Taking a deep breath, she turned around. "Sister Ran, I'm back."
Seeing Su Yu's clearly reddened eyes and her uncharacteristically formal attire, Gu Xinran was taken aback. A bold thought flashed through her mind.
"Waaah, Mama!" The moment Xiao Ye saw Gu Xinran, all her pent-up fear and pain came pouring out. She began to cry even louder, stretching her little arms out for a hug.
Gu Xinran hurried over and lifted her daughter into her arms, patting her back gently. "Mama's here, Mama's here. Don't be scared, Xiao Ye. It's okay now."
"Mama, sob… Grandma Yu…"
Gu Xinran took a deep breath and stroked Xiao Ye's head. "Grandma Yu is going to be okay. Don't you worry."
"But Grandma Yu… she was bleeding so much… sob…"
Gu Xinran closed her eyes and continued to pat her daughter's small back.
"You fell, didn't you, Xiao Ye? Where are you hurt? Show Mama." Gu Xinran looked her daughter over. There were several noticeable scrapes on her little palms near her wrists, and her knees were skinned as well.
Gu Xinran sat on the bed and placed Xiao Ye on her lap. Holding her daughter's leg still, she glanced at Su Yu, who understood immediately and came over to continue cleaning the little girl's wounds.
"Waaah, Mama, it hurts!"
"Just bear with it a little longer, Xiao Ye. We have to put medicine on it so it can heal." Gu Xinran didn't relent this time. No matter how much the little girl struggled, she held her firmly in place.
The Weibo post about Yu Hua's injury was pushed to the top of the trending topics, and countless netizens began praying for her recovery.
【Oh my god, how could this happen? Director Yu is such a lovely old lady. Please, please be okay! [Praying]】
【Sob, this is so sudden. I still remember Director Yu's famous screaming scene. She has to be okay!!】
【Being crushed… That's terrifying!】
【I heard Director Yu threw Xiao Ye to safety right before it happened. She's so heroic [Praying]】
【Waiting for news that she's safe and sound.】
Many actors in the industry were also praying for Director Yu. The group chats for several of Gu Xinran's film crews were buzzing with discussion, all hoping Director Yu would pull through.
Before long, Xiao Ye cried herself to sleep in Gu Xinran's arms. Gu Xinran laid her down on the bed, patted her gently for a moment, and asked Su Yu and Fang Yi to watch over her. Then she hurried back to the operating room.
She had just reached the door to the operating room when the light above it went out. Everyone immediately got to their feet and crowded around.
"Doctor, how is she?"
"Who is the patient's family?" the doctor asked.
The crew members exchanged glances.
"I am," Gu Xinran and Bai Yilan said in unison.
"Doctor, I'm her daughter, and this is my wife," Gu Xinran said in a low, steady voice. "Please, just tell us straight."
"Then you, come with me."
Gu Xinran's heart sank. She nodded, then reached back to pat Bai Yilan's arm. "It's okay."
"Doctor, how is my mother?" Gu Xinran asked.
"She's not in life-threatening danger for now. Her left arm was shattered, so we've set it with a steel plate. She'll need regular physical therapy."
Hearing that her life wasn't in danger, Gu Xinran closed her eyes and let out a long sigh of relief.
"However."
Seeing the doctor's somewhat grave expression, Gu Xinran tensed up again. "Please, just tell me."
"Have you seen her blood test results? They're concerning. Is she normally overworked? Does she neglect to rest, eat irregularly, and have a quick temper?"
Gu Xinran was taken aback. While she didn't know the details of Director Yu's private life, given the older woman's workaholic nature, everything the doctor said was almost certainly true.
"Yes."
The doctor shot her a disapproving look. "You children are far too neglectful of your elders!"
Gu Xinran was speechless. She lowered her head and meekly accepted the scolding.
On the way back to the room, Gu Xinran's expression was grave.
She recalled Bai Yilan telling her that Director Yu had spent most of her life alone—never married, never in a relationship, and with no children of her own. She had poured all her affection onto her final disciple, cherishing her like a real daughter.
But in the past two years, ever since they'd had Xiao Ye, they had focused all their energy on their child and their own little family. Their contact with Director Yu had dwindled significantly.
Gu Xinran thought about it now: during holidays, while they were happily celebrating as a family, Director Yu was all by herself, receiving nothing more than a greeting text or a short video…
At this thought, Gu Xinran's nose began to sting.
Outside the hospital room, Gu Xinran took several deep breaths, forcing her tears back.
She pushed the door open to find the crew members still there, gathered around the bed with Director Yu.
"Xinran, what did the doctor say?" Bai Yilan immediately came over and grabbed her arm.
"Don't worry. The doctor said Director Yu is out of danger. It's just that her left arm is badly fractured. She'll need to rest and cooperate with the doctors for physical therapy." Gu Xinran offered her a reassuring smile.
Hearing this, the entire crew breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"You can stop worrying now. You've all been through a lot today, so you should go home and get some rest. I'll stay here," Gu Xinran said to everyone.
"Then please send us a message when she wakes up."
"Okay."
After seeing the crew out, Gu Xinran returned to the bedside and looked at the old woman lying in the bed.
Her head was wrapped in gauze, and her entire left arm was in a cast. She lay there peacefully.
Her usual formidable presence was gone, replaced by a fragility that made Gu Xinran's heart ache.
She sat by the bed and took Yu Hua's right hand in hers. It was the first time she had ever held it. Her palm was thick and feverishly warm.
"What is it? Did the doctor tell you something else?" Seeing Gu Xinran's expression, Bai Yilan immediately realized she was hiding something.
Gu Xinran looked up at her, silent for a moment, then glanced back at Yu Hua.
"Yilan, I want to…"
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