Against the Light - Chapter 38
Chapter 38: A Beautiful Life
Bai Yilan closed her eyes to rest, but she was also listening to the sounds beside her. When she no longer heard the splashing of water, she figured the other woman hadn't gone to play in the stream.
However, wasn't it a little too quiet?
Yilan listened silently for a moment, then suddenly heard the rustling of leaves. She opened her eyes and looked around, but saw no one. Just as she was feeling puzzled, she frowned, tilted her head up, and instantly exploded.
"Gu Xinran, get down here right now!"
Gu Xinran blinked at her with an innocent expression.
This woman! She had actually climbed a tree! Was she part monkey?! Couldn't she stay still for a single moment?
When Gu Xinran arrived last night, she had noticed a half-built wooden cabin near the stream. It had been too dark to get a good look at the time. Now, after walking around the area, she couldn't find it. She had just climbed the tree, thinking she could spot the cabin's location from a higher vantage point, when Yilan discovered her again…
Gu Xinran deftly climbed down from the tree and met Yilan's hostile gaze with a warm smile. "There's a small cabin up ahead. Should we go take a look?"
Bai Yilan looked up at the tree with lingering fear. "If you ever again…"
"Let's go~" Gu Xinran grabbed her hand and pulled her along, not giving her a chance to lecture.
Gu Xinran led the way, occasionally glancing up at the sun to get her bearings. Before long, she spotted a pile of wood scattered haphazardly in the distance.
The two walked closer for a better look. They could vaguely tell that someone had intended to build a wooden cabin. The foundation had been laid and the floor was partially paved, but it had been abandoned halfway through and looked like it had been left for a long time.
The trees around the cabin had been cleared, leaving a large open space. The felled logs were strewn about, likely intended as building materials.
Xinran circled the small cabin several times, carefully considering the possibility of repairing and completing it.
The base of the cabin was raised about half a meter off the ground, and the floor was already in place. It was missing the surrounding walls, beams, and roof. It was possible the original builder didn't know how to proceed and had given up.
"How strange. Why would someone want to build a wooden cabin here?" Bai Yilan was completely baffled.
Gu Xinran's expression stiffened, and she forced a wry, slightly less awkward smile.
"What's with that look?"
"Well… we don't have any plans for the next few days anyway. Why don't we try to finish it?"
"???"
"Don't you think it's a great challenge? When we leave, we'll have a wonderful memory, won't we?"
Bai Yilan closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. She had just wanted to come here for a vacation, not to build a resort herself…
But seeing Gu Xinran's enthusiastic expression, she wavered slightly.
"Do you know how to build a house?"
"I'm alright at it. It'll be fine to live in." The house she had lived in in the mountains in her previous life was one she had built herself. She had lived there her whole life, so she was adept at repairs and maintenance.
"Then… let's give it a try." Bai Yilan felt she must be crazy to agree to build a house with her… She was completely clueless about such things.
Gu Xinran was a woman of action. Once she decided on something, she got right to it!
She thought about the structure of the house she had built in her past life, picked up a stone, and began drawing a rough sketch on the ground.
Yilan squatted across from her, watching her serious and focused expression. Her initial skepticism gradually turned into confidence. She didn't know why, but she just had a feeling that if Gu Xinran said she could do it, she absolutely could! Even she was startled by this inexplicable faith she had in Xinran.
Before long, the sketch was complete. Yilan had seen her drawing skills before, so she wasn't too surprised that the sketch looked like a finished blueprint. However, she was still a little amazed by how well Gu Xinran understood the structure of a house.
"Let's go down the mountain and buy some tools," Gu Xinran said.
"Okay." Yilan didn't stop her. In fact, she was very cooperative, which greatly encouraged Gu Xinran.
Just as the two were about to leave, Gu Xinran suddenly remembered something. She picked up a wooden board and a stone from the ground and began carving words into the board.
A moment later, she looked at her masterpiece with satisfaction, stood the board up on the ground, and used a stone to hold it in place.
Bai Yilan walked over curiously to take a look, and the corner of her eye twitched…
This woman had actually carved three words on the board: "Gu-Bai Residence."
"…"
"Let's go?"
Bai Yilan gave her a deep look, picked up a stone, and made a small alteration to the board.
Gu Xinran went over to peek, and her whole mood soured…
"You… are so childish," she said with a look of disdain.
Bai Yilan tossed the stone aside and clapped her hands. "You too."
On the board, between the characters for 'Gu' and 'Bai', she had drawn a symbol to swap them, forcefully changing it to "Bai-Gu Residence."
"Hey, don't you think 'Gu Ju' sounds a bit like 'former residence'? It's not a great name, is it?" Gu Xinran said as she caught up.
Bai Yilan raised an eyebrow and glanced at her.
"Um… but on second thought, it sounds quite artistic!" Gu Xinran immediately changed her tune.
After saying that, she herself paused for a moment. Strange, why am I being such a wimp?
"Um… Yilan?"
"Hm?"
"Were you very fierce with 'her'?" Gu Xinran was puzzled. She herself wasn't afraid of Yilan, but when she saw Yilan glare, this body would instinctively react with fear! It made her seem like a total coward…
It was all the original owner's fault!!
Bai Yilan frowned. "Do I look like a very fierce person?"
"Not really."
"Then when she was with you, was she afraid of you?"
"Not at all. Hey, it's okay to be a wimp. No one's going to laugh at you." Bai Yilan shot her a sidelong glance, the corners of her lips curving into a beautiful arc.
"???" I'm not, I'm not a wimp! Argh!!
The two arrived at the foot of the mountain and went straight to a tool shop. The people here lived off the mountain, so all the common tools were readily available.
To avoid being recognized by tourists while shopping, they had deliberately disguised themselves from head to toe.
Gu Xinran picked up an axe, examined it carefully, and even swung it a couple of times to test the feel.
Bai Yilan glanced at the shop owner's panicked expression, then back at Gu Xinran, and sighed, rubbing her forehead. For a moment, she began to question her life choices.
However, she wasn't the only one questioning things.
The tool shop owner stared blankly at the two of them, a look of terror on his face. He even secretly reached for his phone.
Gu Xinran noticed the owner's strange gaze and sensitively caught his subtle movement toward his phone. Thinking he had recognized them, she quickly paid and left without a second thought.
"Didn't you think the owner was looking at us strangely? I bet he recognized us. He even picked up his phone. I wonder if he took any pictures." Gu Xinran was a little worried, afraid that a passerby had taken their photo and posted it on Weibo again.
Bai Yilan's mouth twitched slightly.
"Two people wearing black masks, sunglasses, and hats come in to buy an axe and a saw. What kind of normal expression do you expect the owner to have?" Bai Yilan rubbed her forehead, instantly recalling the time Xinran's little assistant had come to find her. Back then, she had thought the assistant was a bit of a simpleton, but now… heh.
"?"
Gu Xinran glanced at her own attire. "Oh, so that's why. Then he was reaching for his phone to…?"
"Call the police, probably," Bai Yilan said.
Gu Xinran was shocked. "Good thing I ran so fast!"
"???"
With their preparations complete and stocked with food and water, the two headed up the mountain, full of energy.
Gu Xinran couldn't bear to let Yilan do such heavy labor, so she had her plan things out next to the design sketch she had drawn, letting her create the blueprints while she handled the construction.
Bai Yilan rested her chin on her hand, squatting on the ground and looking at the design. After a moment's thought, she casually drew a large courtyard around the area, enclosing the wooden cabin.
Then, as if struck by inspiration, she began to plan it out seriously on the ground.
She imagined a garden in front of the house, filled with all sorts of flowers and plants. It would be best to have a swing in the yard, where one could sway in the sun, breathing in the fresh floral scent. Just thinking about such a life felt exceptionally leisurely and pleasant.
Hmm… she could plant some vegetables in the backyard for self-sufficiency. Maybe raise some chickens and ducks? Uh, on second thought, no. It wouldn't be worth it if they ate the flowers.
She marked off a small area at the bottom of the cabin steps for an open-air tea table. When friends came to visit, they could enjoy afternoon tea while admiring the flowers.
It would be best to have two dogs as well, watching them run around the yard. It would be even better if there was a child, who could grow up with the dogs and experience this beautiful world.
Wait a minute. Dogs probably eat flowers too, right? Never mind, cross that out!
Bai Yilan was completely absorbed in her drawing on the ground, not noticing that Xinran had come up behind her.
Xinran had intended to sneak a peek at what she was drawing, but one look left her completely stunned.
Without realizing it, Bai Yilan had drawn a large courtyard, complete with all kinds of decorations, even marking out where the lampposts should go. She had also drawn three little stick figures in the yard. Judging by their proportions, it was clearly two adults and a child.
After finishing, she rested her chin on her hand and stared for a long while. When her eyes fell on the simple drawing of the child, she smiled with exceptional gentleness.
A moment later, however, she froze. As she slowly came back to her senses, she wondered blankly why she had drawn such a thing and raised her hand to try and erase the little figures.
The instant she reached out, her wrist was grabbed. She looked up to see Xinran staring at her with red-rimmed eyes. She opened her mouth, but said nothing.
"What's wrong?"
Xinran's throat bobbed. She closed her eyes, picked up a stone, and drew another sketch of the cabin next to the first one. "I think your design is great. Why don't you try designing the interior layout too?" she asked, her eyes full of expectation.
"Oh," Bai Yilan replied. She found her expression odd, but didn't think too much of it.
She looked down at the empty cabin, and a corresponding design gradually appeared in her mind, startling even herself. Do I actually have a talent for design? she wondered.
Holding the stone, she began to plan according to the blueprint in her head.
Living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, balcony… and a children's room. She even drew a rough outline of the furniture and decorations, sketching with extraordinary care.
She couldn't explain why, but it was as if these things had always been deeply imprinted in her mind, remembered with perfect clarity.
Gu Xinran watched her draw for a while, took a deep breath, then turned away to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. She walked to the side, picked up a wooden board, and began to work on it, tears streaming down her face.
Before long, Bai Yilan finished her drawing. She put down the stone and looked at the courtyard and house she had designed with her own hands. Suddenly, many familiar scenes flashed through her mind.
She saw herself in such a courtyard, sitting on a swing, watching a cherubic little girl toddling around on her short legs, running all over the yard.
She saw Xinran appear outside the yard. When the little girl saw her, her pretty face lit up with joy. She happily ran over, calling out "Mama" in a sweet, childish voice. Her voice was so sweet it could melt anyone's heart.
Xinran caught the child, lifted her high in the air, and kissed her again and again, as if she could never get enough. Her eyes filled with adoration, she carried the child towards the swing.
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled down on her, casting an orange-red halo around her.
They looked at each other, their bright eyes reflecting one another's images.
The sound of the child's playful chatter filled the air, carried by the gentle breeze into their hearts. Behind them, the sun was setting, painting the sky red. It was tranquil and peaceful.
They stared quietly, lost in thought, watching as the sun's harsh glare softened. There were smiles on their faces, and a warmth in their eyes that could melt anything.
The courtyard only began to fade when the red sunset disappeared completely.
Bai Yilan opened her eyes and realized she had fallen asleep on the ground at some point. Xinran's coat was draped over her.
She glanced into the distance and happened to catch the last glimmer of the setting sun.
She collected herself. It felt like she had just had a very sweet dream, so sweet that she hadn't wanted to wake up.
Turning her head, she saw Gu Xinran still busy at work. She stared at that back, which gradually merged with the figure from her dream.
"You're awake?" Gu Xinran sensed someone watching her, turned around, and smiled.
"Yeah. How did I fall asleep?" Hearing Xinran's voice in her daze, she immediately snapped back to reality and collected her thoughts.
"You haven't rested well these past few days. You were probably just too tired."
Bai Yilan stretched and stood up. It was true; after that nap, she felt refreshed and full of energy, as if she hadn't slept so comfortably in a long time.
She walked over to Gu Xinran, and after a quick glance, her brows furrowed into a knot.
In just one afternoon, the woman had managed to get herself as filthy as a little imp. Her clothes were dirty, her pant legs were covered in dust, and there were even a few black smudges on her face, probably from wiping away sweat with her dirty hands.
Bai Yilan wore a look of disdain, but she couldn't be bothered to scold her. The woman truly had no memory for these things.
Yilan touched her cheek. Gu Xinran's body stiffened, and she looked at her blankly.
Yilan carefully wiped the dirt from her cheek, then patted the dust off her clothes.
"I'll go get some water for you. Go wash up. You're too dirty to be seen," she said with a pout.
"Do you know the way?"
"Yes."
Watching Yilan walk away confidently, Gu Xinran smiled foolishly.
When Bai Yilan returned with a bucket of water, she saw Xinran from a distance and suddenly froze. In just half a day, Xinran had actually… built a swing!
Right now, she was decorating the swing with willow leaves she had gathered and was carefully sanding the edges of the seat smooth with sandpaper.
Yilan watched her quietly, an indescribable emotion welling up in her heart.
When Xinran saw her, she waved and patted the swing, her face alight with excitement.
"Want to try it?"
"Okay." Bai Yilan accepted with pleasure.
Gu Xinran gently pushed her from behind. The swing creaked, and Bai Yilan closed her eyes, finding even that sound to be exceptionally beautiful and pleasant.
She had never tried swinging in the middle of nowhere before. The thought alone felt a little incredible.
After swinging for a while, she looked back at Xinran and patted the seat beside her.
Gu Xinran immediately understood, but she feigned a little coyness. "Is that a good idea?"
"Oh? Then why did you make it a two-person seat?"
"Ahem…" Gu Xinran rubbed her nose, feeling a little embarrassed, like she'd been caught doing something mischievous. She walked around to Yilan's side and sat down gently.
They both smiled at the same time, then looked in opposite directions as they swayed gently.
The sky slowly darkened, and the rumbling of Gu Xinran's stomach broke the rare tranquility.
"Yilan, are you hungry? Wait here for me a moment. Just sit here and don't move!" Gu Xinran stood up, repeatedly reminding her, then turned and ran off.
Bai Yilan rested her chin on her hand on the armrest, her eyes narrowing as she realized what she was going to do.
Before long, Xinran returned, one hand behind her back as if she were secretly hiding something.
Bai Yilan watched her with a smile. When she got closer, she glanced behind her.
"Wait, let me guess first. You're going to say that you had just walked to the stream when you saw two salted fish lying listlessly on the bank. You didn't even have to go in the water; you just picked them up effortlessly."
"…" Gu Xinran's face darkened. She glanced at the fish in her hand. Was that excuse… really that bad?
Gu Xinran chuckled. "I'll… go grill the fish first. You can scold me after you've eaten and regained your strength."
Bai Yilan was amused by her expression and laughed.
Gu Xinran walked to the side, gathered some dry grass, and started a fire. She cleaned the fish, skewered them on branches, and began to grill them.
Soon, the aroma of grilled fish wafted over. Bai Yilan was hungry too, so she walked over and sat down across from her. She took a look: the fish skin was crispy and the color was tempting.
"Is this the secret grilled fish that made your little assistant cry from craving it?"
"Jinghai?" Gu Xinran laughed. "Oh, her. She always makes a big deal out of everything."
"She's quite cute, and she cares about you a lot. She's a good assistant. Much better than the previous one."
"Oh? If you praise her like that, she'll get arrogant."
"Teacher Yu is sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. She's famous for her bad temper, but that's only towards outsiders. She's fiercely protective of her own people. She values talent. Now that you've joined her crew, you should have good prospects for development."
Gu Xinran glanced at her, then passed her a grilled fish seasoned with spices. "Let's not talk about work."
Yilan took the fish. The aroma hit her, and her appetite was instantly whetted.
"Is it good?"
"Mhm." Bai Yilan was pleasantly surprised. The fish was tender, and when she bit into it with the crispy skin, the fresh flavor exploded on her tongue! It was so delicious she didn't even want to waste the oil on her fingertips!
Seeing her eat with such relish, Gu Xinran felt incredibly satisfied!
After they finished their meal, Gu Xinran cleaned up the trash and packed it away. She looked at the small cabin. Not much progress had been made today; she had mainly repaired the floor. The rest of the time had been spent making the swing.
Just as she was about to call Yilan to leave, she saw Yilan walk onto the cabin's platform and sit down, seemingly with no intention of leaving.
"What's wrong? Want to sit here a while longer?"
"Yeah," Bai Yilan replied, stretching and lying back.
The vast expanse of stars seemed within reach. They were bigger and brighter here than what she had seen at the foot of the mountain yesterday. A single glance was enough to lose oneself in them.
Gu Xinran lay down facing the opposite direction, their heads almost touching.
They glanced at each other, then quietly gazed at the sky.
Gu Xinran secretly turned her head to look at her.
A serene smile graced her face, and her eyes were exceptionally bright, as if the entire starry river had fallen into them. She traced patterns in the air with her finger, connecting the stars to form all sorts of shapes, having the time of her life.
"Yilan."
"Hm?"
"That house design, did you come up with it?" Gu Xinran asked.
"Well… how should I put it? When I saw that sketch, the design just appeared in my mind. It was magical," Bai Yilan said, then suddenly frowned.
Gu Xinran took a deep breath.
This was too strange.
That house was the love nest she and Yilan had built together in their past life. The Yilan of this world couldn't possibly know about it!
But why…
Gu Xinran suddenly remembered the film Life Like Summer Flowers. Yilan had said that the movie came from a dream.
Could it be that she could dream about the Yilan from the past life?!
Then what was the connection between the two of them?
Gu Xinran thought for a long time but came up with nothing. Her gaze suddenly fixed on the ribbon on Yilan's left wrist. The silver ribbon, bathed in moonlight, swayed slightly with the movement of her fingers, as if tracing streaks of light.
"Why do you always wear this ribbon?"
Bai Yilan's movements paused. Her left hand curled up unconsciously, and she pulled it back, falling silent for a long time.
"It's… a nightmare I can't escape."
"A nightmare!?" Gu Xinran looked over in confusion, but saw that Yilan had closed her eyes, clearly unwilling to speak of it further. Though she was dying of curiosity, she didn't press the issue.
"How did you feel about today?" Gu Xinran asked after a moment of silence.
Bai Yilan gazed at the sky and thought for a moment. "Life is beautiful, and all things are lovely."
Then, she turned to look at her. "You're lovely too."
"Me??" Gu Xinran was clearly taken aback. The word 'lovely' didn't seem quite right, did it? After all, she was already a sixty-eight-year-old woman.
Still, receiving a compliment was something to be happy about.
"Does this mean you don't mind that I'm old?" she asked with a smile.
"…" Yilan fell silent.
An eerie quiet descended around them.
Gu Xinran hesitated, then turned her head back to the sky.
After a long moment, she cleared her throat. "Ahem, Yilan, it's just the two of us here. If you ignore me, it's going to be very awkward."
"Do you want to hear the truth?"
"…There's really no need!"
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