Chapter 6: I’ll Wait For You To Comeback

Source: https://www.gongzicp.com/novel-1711067.html

This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.

Yi Anran’s welcome banquet was delayed by several more days than expected. Rainy winter days were rare, yet somehow the unlucky Yi Xianqi managed to run into one. The dress her mother sent was ill-fitting, loose and shapeless.

"Your own mom is really something, this important day and she just slaps something together, not afraid the media will nag her," Ma Gu'er threw the bulging bag on the floor, pulled out a few old custom dresses, laid them out one by one. "Even though they’re old stuff, they’re way better than what your mom sent. Your body is kinda like mine, you should be able to wear..."  

The makeup artist had come in the afternoon, took the money, and left. When the dress was delivered, Ma Gu'er went back to the Jin’an District villa, not just to get a dress for Yi Xianqi, but also...  

As soon as Yi Xianqi took off the dress, she put it on herself.  

This dress was a runway piece, just off the stage a few days ago. Yi Anran probably didn’t have time to order a custom one, so she got it. With a little tailoring, she could wear it out, especially to show off in front of Yi Anran.  

These new runway haute couture pieces cost at least a hundred thousand to get. Fixing it with a skilled tailor made it almost like real haute couture.  

Ma Gu'er got more and more excited. She spun in front of Yi Xianqi, hands pressing the extra fabric at the back, the dress hugging her body, swaying her waist left and right to show it off. "So? Does it look good?"  

"Looks good."  

Yi Xianqi’s face was a little flushed beneath that calm tone. She pressed her ears and her eyes instinctively looked away.

After spending a few days together, Yi Xianqi seemed to have started getting used to her occasional ‘antics,’ and most of the time avoided unnecessary arguments with her.  

Ma Gu'er tilted her head a little, lifted the hair at the side of her face, "I brought a little surprise back for you, it’s on me, go find it."  

Besides the dress, Ma Gu'er wasn’t carrying anything else, and Yi Xianqi didn’t know what she wanted her to do.  

"This is the first gift I give you, don’t you want it?"  

Ma Gu'er deliberately lowered her body, raised her head, hinting where the gift was.  

Yi Xianqi thought with Ma Gu'er’s personality it wasn’t impossible, but she still pointed to her chest, "Here."  

Ma Gu'er boldly lifted the hair at her collarbone, and between the white jade-like seams was a patch of snowy white. Yi Xianqi pressed her lips and slowly withdrew her finger. Ma Gu'er had expected her to hesitate, so she leaned forward.  

Fingertips touched the chest bone.  

Ma Gu'er feigned surprise and looked at Yi Xianqi, pleased, "Improving, very bold."  

Yi Xianqi: ... 

"Hurry, if you don’t take it out, you’re not going to your mom’s today." Ma Gu'er pressed her canine tooth against her lower lip, smiling as she threatened, "I’ll leave my teeth marks on your face."  

Softness spread from the fingertips to the knuckles, not too deep, just brushing a small fluffy white piece, below it hung a few silver tassels, wrapped on a white velvet C-shape.  

It looked like an earring.  

Ma Gu'er pulled it out from her hand behind her back, holding a matching earring. The white feather swayed in the air between them, her fingers went behind Yi Xianqi’s ear, clipping it gently, soft and warm.  

"This fur is warm, it can protect your ears a bit."  

It was an ear drop. The ‘C’ behind the ear was wrapped in white velvet, with feather-like long fluff beside it. The few hanging tassels still held Ma Gu'er’s warmth, even when swinging at her neck it didn’t feel cold.  

"Like a little bird coming to life." Ma Gu'er flicked the feathers around Yi Xianqi’s ears and gave a satisfied comment, "Quite ethereal, beautiful."  

This little thing didn’t really keep warm, but compared to having nothing, it seemed to block a bit of the cold wind.  

"Thank you."  

Normally Yi Xianqi didn’t get angry, at most she ignored people. She had never been this soft, and thanked so quietly and gently.

It was just some twenty-something yuan, pretty easy to coax.  

Ma Gu'er raised her eyebrows in curiosity, "Is that how you thank me?"  

Yi Xianqi looked up. Ma Gu'er had already let go of the dress she was holding behind her back. The wide neckline slipped down, showing everything inside. Yi Xianqi wanted to look away, but it was too late.  

Even a glance done without thinking could be used by Ma Gu'er for teasing.  

"You really want to see? Kiss me... when you come back, I’ll show you more..."  

Ma Gu'er tilted her face. Yi Xianqi didn’t move, so she leaned forward, knowing Yi Xianqi wouldn’t dodge. She moved closer, their noses touching, breaths mingling...  

But Ma Gu'er only brushed past the corner of her lips, just like the first day, politely kissing her left and right cheeks, then rested on her shoulder, lightly hugging her like a real mother, patting her back.  

"Don’t be nervous, go... act with her properly, don’t make me unemployed."  

Yi Xianqi lowered her eyes, looking at the shoulder bone close to her. Thin and white, slightly trembling with the pats, like a bird’s skeleton, hollow inside, light with almost no weight. Imagining the bird fluttering its wings should be very charming.  

Birds are proud of their beautiful feathers.  

Humans are different. Some like the feathers, some like the eyes, beak, or feet... Yi Xianqi liked bird bones the most. She had seen flutes made from bird bones, the sound was very special, and she liked it a lot.  

What sound would Ma Gu'er’s bones make? Delicate and small? Or the usual lively, bold tone?  

The little bird flew out of her arms. The darkness in Yi Xianqi’s eyes vanished, leaving only the expression of forced calm, mixed with awkwardness and loss. Her lips barely lifted in a smile, then quickly fell, “I know."  

Ma Gu'er patted Yi Xianqi’s face, satisfied, "I’ll wait for you to come back."  

Only five minutes after Yi Xianqi stepped out, Xiao Wan sent a few blurry photos of her leaving the Jin’an District gate with a mask on. Her long down coat was wrapped tightly, only the two white feather tufts on her ears were striking, giving her standout aura. Her hair blew in the wind. Just from the blurry shots, she looked better than most entertainment stars.  

The cold was driven away by the car heater. Ma Gu'er sniffed, got in, and took a sip of pear soup, "It’s really cold today."  

….

"Going like this? We don’t have an invitation, how do we get in?"  

Zhou Yun had just left the set, drove three and a half hours from the south city, just to go to the Yi family welcome banquet and show face.  

Yi Anran was a famous director and a Yi family member. Famous directors in the circle had to show respect. Only the hottest directors could be invited. Walking around in front of them could bring better acting opportunities later.  

"Xiao Wan got a press pass. Change clothes inside."  

Ma Gu'er exhaled warm air, glanced at the messy backseat full of clothes and jewelry, "When will you clean this backseat... it feels like when we first started filming. You were like this too, a broken van climbing mountains to pick me up, just to audition for a rural film director..."  

"How many years ago was that?" Zhou Yun picked out a dried chili, "Want some?"  

"You’re addicted, it's time to quit." But Ma Gu'er still took it and shoved it in her mouth, exhaling sharply, "So spicy."  

Zhou Yun picked up another piece, "We’re about to see people and talk, can’t eat spicy food. Dried chili leaves no taste in your mouth. If you get a chance to kiss someone, maybe they’ll even praise your lips for being hot."  

"It's too spicy." Ma Gu'er couldn’t take it, opened the window, breathed in cold air, arm outside, cooling the fire in her chest.  

Zhou Yun finished her chili, huffed and puffed, opened the window too, letting her mouth cool before talking about the old times again.  

"Don’t say, I still remember that director said we didn’t have a rural feel, too clueless, we weren’t authentic enough... Now she must regret it... We were a little famous back then too..."

All of it was in the past, eight or nine years ago. Ma Gu'er could not clearly remember when she went to college. Anyway, it was during college that she met the Extra Zhou Yun. Back then, they were not this alike yet. They were just two clean, sweet young women who worked hard and fought forward.

At that time, extras’ pay was considered high. On weekends, she followed Zhou Yun from set to set. She played passerby female ghosts and cannon fodder. She earned more than working four or five days at a convenience store. When luck was good, she could even play a corpse that showed up for one or two seconds.

Back then, Ma Gu'er could not say she liked acting much. She did it just to make money.

"What she said was pretty accurate. Look, not long after that, you got your first movie. Even if it was a small role, it was still a straight rise... after that, you could take me with you and climb all the way up..."

Ma Gu'er’s hand was frozen numb outside, still tapping the window frame again and again.

Zhou Yun closed the window. "Gu'er, I remember how good you are to me. If you go crazy in this life, then go crazy. Sister is here. I’ll raise you for life..."

The first part was touching. The second part, what kind of words were those?

"Who’s crazy? Can you talk properly?"

Ma Gu'er slapped the seat back. Zhou Yun jolted. This time, she didn't tease sharply. She spoke with heavy patience. "Others may not understand you, but I do. Yi Anran is a scumbag, but aren't you also eyeing her family fortune? It's same-same. It’s not like there was no breakup money. Forget it. If things turn ugly, Yi Anran is still Yi Anran. After that, she’s still a Yi family member. What will you do then? Same as six or seven years ago?"

Zhou Yun sighed softly. "Yi Anran is now stuck to Yang Sang, just like how you and Yi Anran were before. Face reality. Someone that rich is hard to find. Someone with some money is easy to find. Since you don’t plan to act, find someone steady and live a calm life, isn’t that good too..."

Source: https://www.gongzicp.com/novel-1711067.html

This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.

Outside the car window, the glass tower shone bright at a glance. Luxury never ends in Fujing. The Yi family Fenghe Grand Hall was the new landmark of Fujing. People who spend huge money every day are really stingy. Even a welcome banquet had to be used to promote new business.

Ma Gu'er cut off Zhou Yun’s lecture. "...Didn’t I just change to another person, just closer to Yi Anran..."

Her career, her time, her sincerity, and her body, aren't they all priceless? Yi Anran was unwilling to pay. Of course, the daughter should for the mother’s stead.

Ma Gu'er understood this principle perfectly well.