Against the Light - Chapter 179
Chapter 179: The Wedding
That evening, Gu Xinran stared at the exquisite dishes on the table but couldn't muster any appetite at all.
She glanced up at Lin Yuqing, who was sitting by the door, and pouted helplessly. She could understand not being allowed to see Yilan, but wasn't confiscating her phone a bit much?
Lin Yuqing saw her resentful expression and couldn't help but chuckle. "Do you really want to see Yilan?"
"Mhm."
"It's strange, isn't it? You often go several days without seeing each other. Why are you so desperate to see her today?"
"Because they won't let you, which has triggered your rebellious streak," Lin Yuqing answered with a smile.
"Yeah, that's about right."
"So, can you understand now why I had to sneak out to see Xiao Ye the night before our wedding?" Lin Yuqing asked.
Gu Xinran was silent for a moment. "That's different."
"…"
Lin Yuqing forced a smile. Stay strong. :)
Gu Xinran got up and began pacing around the room, sighing dramatically.
"Alright, stop fretting. Be a good girl and eat your dinner. A little later, I'll let you out for a secret rendezvous with Yilan."
Hearing this, Gu Xinran's brow immediately smoothed out, her agitation vanishing.
As Gu Xinran waited anxiously, the sky finally darkened. Unable to hold back any longer, she peeked out the window. The courtyard was already empty.
"Wait a little longer," Lin Yuqing said, sensing her impatience and trying to soothe her.
A short while later, there was a soft knock on the door. Lin Yuqing got up to open it, letting the little one in. She glanced around furtively, like a thief.
"Xiao Ye, what are you doing here?" Gu Xinran's face lit up at the sight of her daughter. She scooped the cub up and lifted her high into the air.
"Mama, Grandma and Grandmother are already asleep, but Grandma Yu is sleeping in the outer room of Mommy's suite. If you want to sneak in, you have to be careful," Xiao Ye instructed Gu Xinran like a little adult.
"…?" Gu Xinran burst out laughing and planted a fierce kiss on her cheek. "Okay, Mama understands."
"Why aren't you in bed? Did you come all this way just to tip Mama off?"
"Mhm, Auntie Lin told me to hurry over and tell you after Grandma and the others went to sleep," Xiao Ye said, then turned to look at Lin Yuqing, tilting her head up as if seeking praise.
Lin Yuqing gave her a thumbs-up. "Excellent job!"
The three of them waited a while longer. Gu Xinran sent Xiao Ye to be the vanguard, to scout for more information and give Yilan a heads-up. Xiao Ye immediately accepted the mission and set off!
With Lin Yuqing clearing the way, Gu Xinran followed, glancing left and right like a thief. But she felt a strange sense of excitement…
The two tiptoed down the hallway. As they passed the doors on either side, they would instinctively hold their breath. The words "guilty conscience" were practically written on their foreheads.
A "creak" sounded from up ahead, and the two of them froze in their tracks.
When they saw it was Xiao Ye slipping out, Gu Xinran breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
"Mama, it's no good. Grandma Yu is awake and sitting in the outer room."
"Then, did you get the message to Mommy?"
"Mhm, but with Grandma Yu out there, Mommy can't come out either."
"Then how did you get out?"
"Um, I said I wanted Grandma to sleep with me," Xiao Ye said with a giggle.
"Even though you were trying to help Mama, lying isn't allowed, okay?"
"Hmph, but I really do want to sleep with Grandma!" Xiao Ye pouted, protesting indignantly.
"Alright, thank you, sweetie. Go find your grandma. Good night."
"Good night, Mama! Good night, Auntie Lin! You two be careful!"
"Okay," they both replied, watching the little one slip into Shi Qing's room.
"Now what? If the old lady is sitting in there, won't she break your legs if you try to sneak in?" Lin Yuqing asked.
"…" Gu Xinran was silent for a moment, then turned and walked outside.
The backyard was empty and exceptionally quiet. Gu Xinran counted the windows, checking the position several times over. She glanced at Lin Yuqing and pointed to the window in front of them.
"Are you sure? If you knock on the wrong one…"
Gu Xinran thought for a moment. "You knock."
"…?"
"Go on."
Lin Yuqing took a deep breath, turned to the window, and knocked lightly. At almost the same instant, Gu Xinran ducked down, hiding below the windowsill.
They waited for a moment but heard nothing. Lin Yuqing raised her hand and knocked again.
"Tsk, let me see who's so unafraid of death." The window was pushed open, and Ming Zhen's voice drifted down from above.
"??"
Gu Xinran looked up to see Ming Zhen leaning on the windowsill, smiling down at her.
"Ahem." She couldn't pretend any longer. She straightened up and gave an awkward smile.
"Good evening?"
"Well, well, if it isn't the great President Gu. What are you doing up so late instead of sleeping?"
"Hey, hey, hey." Gu Xinran quickly raised a hand, signaling for her to keep her voice down.
Ming Zhen took a deep breath, pretending she was about to shout.
Gu Xinran pressed her hands together, begging for mercy.
"Alright, that's enough out of you," came Yilan's voice from inside the room.
A warmth spread through Gu Xinran's heart. As expected, her wife still doted on her.
"You'll let all the mosquitoes in," Yilan added.
"…"
"Hey, hey, just let me see her for a second," Gu Xinran said quickly, raising a hand to stop Ming Zhen as she started to close the window.
"Say something nice."
"…Sister Ming?"
Ming Zhen's eyes curved into crescents as she smiled.
Beside them, Lin Yuqing wore a look of utter disdain.
"Yilan, come over here. Your wife called me 'sister' just to get a glimpse of you. You have to at least grant her that much, right?"
"Keep your voice down, don't let Teacher Yu hear you!" Gu Xinran whispered urgently.
Bai Yilan walked to the window and looked down at Xinran, her eyes curving into a smile. "Look at you, so hopeless."
Gu Xinran beamed, reaching up to touch Yilan's cheek. "I missed you."
They gazed at each other, surrounded by what felt like a flurry of pink bubbles.
"Why are we even patrolling at this hour? Who would break into the manor? It's not like there aren't security guards outside," Jin Shuang's dissatisfied grumbling came from not far away.
"Hehe, Teacher Yu's point is that we're not guarding against outsiders, but a thief in the house."
"A thief in the house? Who?"
"Sister Ran, of course. Teacher Yu said it's bad luck to see each other before the wedding, and she's afraid Sister Ran won't be able to control herself and will sneak over."
"Is Xinran that kind of person? I'm telling you, Teacher Yu is really making a fuss over nothing this time. I just know she definitely won't…" Jin Shuang's words trailed off as she stopped short.
The scene became incredibly awkward.
Gu Xinran coughed lightly, not knowing what to say.
Jin Shuang and the others exchanged glances, then tacitly turned their heads to look at the moon. "See? There's no one here. I told you, Xinran isn't that kind of person."
"Exactly. Teacher Yu was worrying too much."
The group walked past, practically brushing against Gu Xinran, while forcefully pretending not to see her.
Gu Xinran didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "These guys, they're definitely getting extra chicken legs tomorrow!"
"Alright, you. Hurry back. You have to get up early tomorrow for all the fuss."
"One kiss," Gu Xinran said, standing on her tiptoes and craning her neck. Bai Yilan smiled and ruffled her hair, then leaned down and gently kissed her lips.
"Ew, you're an old married couple and you're still so clingy all the time." Ming Zhen looked disgusted, while Lin Yuqing tactfully turned her head away so as not to watch them.
"I'm going?" Gu Xinran asked, reluctantly clutching Yilan's hand.
"Go on. Make sure you're covered properly so you don't catch a cold."
"See you tomorrow?"
"Okay."
"Mwah?"
"Mhm, mwah."
Gu Xinran deployed her clingy skills again, dawdling for a full five minutes without letting go of Yilan's hand.
Ming Zhen couldn't take it anymore. Playing the villain, she pried their hands apart and shut the window.
"Why aren't you worried about mosquitoes now?" she demanded of Bai Yilan.
"Ahem…"
"Shall we go?" Lin Yuqing prodded the lovesick fool beside her.
Gu Xinran sighed and turned to walk with her, looking back every three steps.
Suddenly, she stopped and shot Lin Yuqing a dark look. "What did you see just now?"
"…I'm blind. I didn't see a thing."
Gu Xinran was very satisfied with that. This was more like it. Heh, as if she wouldn't try to sneak a little something. :)
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