Against the Light - Chapter 39
Chapter 39: A New Beginning
Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, they had already been in the mountains for over a week.
After days of hard work, the repairs on the wooden cabin were nearly finished.
Today, they arrived at the mountain early to do the final cleanup.
Although the cabin was more or less built, they hadn't had time to make any furniture. All things considered, the swing outside the door was probably the only piece they had.
Once they finished tidying up, they looked at the refreshed little cabin, a sense of accomplishment washing over them.
For Bai Yilan, it was an unforgettable experience. Living on a deserted mountain for a week, even building a wooden cabin—thinking back on it now, she still found it a little unbelievable. It was a life she had never experienced, or even imagined.
They worked until evening.
Standing outside the cabin and looking at the fruits of their labor, they couldn't help but exchange a smile.
Gu Xinran stepped forward and slowly closed the door. The thud sounded as sacred as sealing away a treasure.
This was a shared memory between her and this world's Yilan. She wanted to seal this memory away, along with the cabin itself. Even though it had only been a few short days, it was incredibly precious.
They returned to the hotel and went to their respective rooms to pack.
Bai Yilan gazed at the streetlights outside her window, suddenly feeling a little reluctant to leave. She wanted to stay here and live like this forever.
To be untethered from the mortal world, to lose oneself in nature, free and unrestrained. To do and think as she pleased, without having to consider anyone else or worry about being judged—such a life was truly freeing.
The next morning, Gu Xinran finished packing, grabbed her suitcase, and stepped outside.
The early morning mountain air was thick with fog and slightly chilly. She stretched to wake herself up, her gaze fixed on the distant mountains.
Today was the ninth day.
For the past few days, she and Yilan had tacitly avoided the outside world and hadn't mentioned their ten-day agreement. But as the final day drew near, a heavy sorrow of parting settled in her heart.
This place allowed them to be cut off from the world, to cast aside all their troubles and sorrows. But ultimately, they had to return to reality and face their own lives.
"Morning," Yilan's voice came from behind her.
Gu Xinran glanced back at her. "Morning."
"Let's go."
Pulling their suitcases along the country path, they suddenly heard a commotion. They followed the sound and saw several children chasing each other and playing rough.
They watched in silent understanding for a moment. Just as they were about to turn away, Gu Xinran noticed something was wrong. The girl running at the front had tripped and fallen, but she scrambled back up and kept running. The children chasing her, however, just pointed and laughed when she fell.
They exchanged a look, finding it strange.
Gu Xinran walked over. When the child ran near her, she reached out and caught her arm. The girl panicked and tried to struggle free, punching and kicking at her.
"Hey, don't be scared. I'm not a bad person."
Bai Yilan also stepped forward, blocking the other children's path.
"Why are you bullying her?"
"She's a bad kid! A jinx! Even her mom and dad don't want her!"
Bai Yilan was shocked. The children looked to be only seven or eight years old; how could they say something like that?
The little girl in Xinran's arms was trembling with fear, her big eyes brimming with tears as she desperately tried to push her away.
Gu Xinran patted the child's shoulder to soothe her. When she saw the girl's face, her heart clenched.
The child had a red birthmark on her right cheekbone that looked stark and frightening. Perhaps that was why the other children were bullying her.
Gu Xinran was visibly moved. Her chest suddenly felt heavy, as if a large stone were pressing down on it, and she deeply empathized with the girl's plight.
"You're only bullying her because of this birthmark. Because you think she's ugly, because she's different from you," Gu Xinran said, turning to look at the group of children.
The four children looked at each other. "None of your business!"
Gu Xinran knelt, holding the little girl in her arms. She looked at the girl's face, but the child wouldn't meet her eyes. Gu Xinran stroked her hair. "Look at me."
The girl looked at her timidly, raising a hand to hide her face.
"Don't cry. Listen to me. Having this birthmark isn't your fault, and it's certainly not your fault that they judge you by your looks. But if you give in to fate and let them bully you, you'll never be able to stand on your own. No one can help you but yourself."
Looking at the little girl's face, Gu Xinran felt as if she were seeing the girl from her dreams.
Hearing this, Bai Yilan subconsciously glanced at her own wrist.
In the car, neither of them spoke, a silent understanding between them.
Bai Yilan glanced at her. Gu Xinran's expression was grave, her brow furrowed. She had looked preoccupied ever since they'd seen that little girl.
"Are you thinking about that child?"
"We can't help her," Bai Yilan said softly, trying to comfort her. "Even if we took her away from this place, if she can't learn to stand up for herself, then everywhere will be just as cruel to her."
Gu Xinran shook her head, slowed the car, and looked at Bai Yilan with a complicated expression.
"What's wrong?"
"Just now, when I looked at that child... it was like seeing myself as a little girl."
"Hmm?"
"Have I ever told you about my childhood?"
"No." Bai Yilan shook her head, tacitly accepting Gu Xinran's use of 'I' to refer to this body's past.
"Then do you know anything about my family?"
"You've never told me. Whenever I mentioned family, you seemed resistant, so I stopped asking."
"What is it? Did something happen?"
Gu Xinran fell silent. She had a bold theory.
That afternoon, they returned to Xiyuan.
Returning so suddenly from the tranquil mountains to the bustling city was jarring. Watching the endless stream of cars and pedestrians, both of them felt a little out of place.
"It's our last day. How do you want to spend it?" Bai Yilan asked.
"Whatever you want."
"Okay. Then come with me somewhere."
"Alright. I'll pick you up tomorrow," Gu Xinran said after parking the car, glancing at her.
"Rest well. Good night."
"Mm, good night."
Gu Xinran watched her go upstairs before driving away.
When Gu Xinran got home, she took a shower and went straight to bed. She didn't turn on her phone or tell anyone she was back. For these last few days, she didn't want to be disturbed by work.
The next day.
As instructed by Yilan, Gu Xinran didn't go to pick her up until evening.
They arrived at Jiangwan Center, a landmark in Xiyuan. It featured a man-made lake where people were out boating.
At night, the surrounding shops were adorned with neon lights of all kinds, illuminating the streets. Soft love songs drifted from storefronts, creating a wonderful atmosphere to match the scenery.
The central plaza had a fountain, and on summer evenings, it was a popular dating spot for young couples to enjoy the scenery, the moon, and each other's company.
After they got out of the car, Bai Yilan led her on a leisurely stroll along the lake.
Gu Xinran took a deep breath. After spending the last few days immersed in nature in the mountains, feeling the lake breeze here was incredibly pleasant.
"This is where she and I had our first date," Bai Yilan said with a faint smile.
Gu Xinran glanced at her. No wonder she'd wanted her to come here.
"Back then, we didn't know anything. We saw other couples coming here, so we came secretly, too. We had no experience with first dates, so we just sat here and secretly watched what the other couples were doing."
"If they held hands, we held hands. If they kissed, we kissed, too," Bai Yilan said, a nostalgic look on her face.
"You kissed on the first date?" Gu Xinran was a little surprised. That was fast!
"Mm-hmm."
Seeing the hint of pride on her face, Gu Xinran smiled. It was interesting to hear her tell the story.
"And then?"
"After that, whenever she made me angry, she would bring me here. We'd get some snacks, look at the scenery, and then she'd apologize and give me a kiss to make up for it. I always told myself I shouldn't keep letting her get away with it, but... I ended up really liking it."
Bai Yilan slowed to a stop and turned to face her.
"Close your eyes."
"Hmm?" Gu Xinran paused for a second, then obediently closed her eyes.
The sound of the lake breeze whispered in her ears, carrying a hint of moisture. Gu Xinran waited patiently. Suddenly, a familiar, clean scent filled the air, and she sensed a shadow slowly drawing near.
Gu Xinran's brow furrowed slightly just as she felt something warm and soft press against her forehead. Her heart leaped! She didn't dare open her eyes.
Focusing on the warm sensation, she was certain: Yilan was kissing her.
After a moment, Bai Yilan took half a step back.
Gu Xinran slowly opened her eyes, meeting Yilan's bright gaze.
"You..." Gu Xinran raised a hand to her forehead, her gaze falling to Yilan's soft lips.
A small smile played on Bai Yilan's lips.
"I want an ice cream cone."
"Huh?" Gu Xinran started, instinctively turning to look toward the snack street.
"I'll go get you one. Wait here for me?"
"Okay."
Gu Xinran smiled and turned to go, her steps noticeably lighter.
A short while later, Gu Xinran returned with two ice cream cones, but she couldn't see Yilan anywhere.
She slowed her pace, walking back to where they had been standing. She looked around. The young couples were still there, whispering to each other. Nothing had changed, except Yilan was gone.
Gu Xinran stood there quietly, holding the two ice cream cones.
She stood there until the ice cream in her hands began to melt.
"Miss," a little girl on a scooter called out as she zipped over.
"Yes?"
"A really pretty lady asked me to give this to you!" The little girl held up a piece of paper, her eyes fixed on the ice cream cones in Gu Xinran's hand.
She traded one of the cones for the paper and unfolded it.
【Xinran, happy birthday.
This birthday is a new beginning for both of us.
Thank you for being with me and showing me how beautiful life can be.
I promise you I will face the future with a positive attitude.
I hope you'll take good care of yourself, too.
Yilan.】
A pang of sorrow hit Gu Xinran, and music began to play nearby.
"I want to borrow an angel's wings, to catch the rainbow in the clouds, but it always vanishes as I reach for it. The illusion of forever was actually nothing at all..."
"Fairy tales say a rainbow will appear after the rain, but they never say it can vanish in an instant. I wanted to hold that splendor tightly in my hand, but suddenly I found you were gone..."
Gu Xinran looked up in the direction of the music. The moment the song began, tears streamed down her face.
She took several deep breaths but couldn't calm herself. Folding the note, she clutched it tightly in her hand and looked up blankly at the sky, letting her tears fall freely.
She sat there until midnight. Only after all the young couples had left and the once-lively plaza was deserted did she slowly rise to her feet.
Back in the car, she looked at the passenger seat. For a moment, it was as if Yilan were still sitting there beside her. She reached out a hand, only to grasp at empty air.
She let out a deep sigh and rested her hands on the steering wheel, her gaze vacant.
After a long moment, she forced herself to rally. She took out the note from Yilan and read it over and over. Finally, a small smile touched her lips. "Okay," she whispered. "I'll take good care of myself."
She whispered the words, then lowered her head and pressed a light kiss to the paper, her gaze incredibly gentle.
Awww :(((
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