After Secretly Marrying the Top Celebrity, I Fell in Love - Chapter 21

“Mom, you scared her,” Ye Manqing quietly reminded her mother on the side.

“Oh? Did I?” Shu Jing glanced at her daughter, gave her a knowing look, and then looked back at Bai Yiyan with a smile.

“They say a daughter who marries out is like spilled water; look how much Qingqing favors you.”

“Auntie…” Bai Yiyan wanted to explain something, but then felt the person who should explain was Ye Manqing.

But when Bai Yiyan turned to look at Ye Manqing, she found that Ye Manqing’s expression was clearly one of tacit agreement and approval.

“Alright, good girl, I won’t tease you anymore.” Shu Jing narrowed her eyes, finally letting go of Bai Yiyan’s hand. “Dinner is ready. You two go wash up and prepare to eat.”

“I’ll go upstairs and change. I’ll be down in a moment.”

With that, Shu Jing turned, walking gracefully toward the stairs leading to the second floor.

Just as Bai Yiyan was somewhat lost in thought, Ye Manqing’s voice suddenly reached her ear, softly calling her name.

Bai Yiyan withdrew her gaze from straight ahead and turned to look at Ye Manqing beside her.

“Let’s go, we’ll go wash our hands first,” Ye Manqing said. “We’ll probably have to wait a little.”

“Mhm, okay,” Bai Yiyan responded softly.

Ye Manqing: “Are you hungry?”

Bai Yiyan shook her head: “No.”

They did have to wait a little, but not for too long, about ten minutes.

In the large, bright dining room, the sparkling crystal chandelier overhead cast dazzling light, illuminating the room as bright as day.

The long white dining table was laden with delicious, colorful, fragrant, and mouthwatering dishes.

At the table, Ye’s mother, dressed in a simple, light blue qipao, sat at the head of the table. Her dark hair was neatly pinned up, her makeup was subtle, and her every gesture exuded the demeanor of a high-society lady.

“Xiao Bai, please don’t be shy, treat this like your own home,” Shu Jing said, her eyes full of loving kindness as she looked at Bai Yiyan.

“Okay, Auntie,” Bai Yiyan replied politely.

“This sweet and sour fish, I made it for the first time today. I hope it suits your taste, Xiao Bai,” Shu Jing said. “Have a quick taste.”

“Okay,” Bai Yiyan replied.

Before Bai Yiyan could pick up her chopsticks, Ye Manqing, next to her, had already used her chopsticks to pick up a slice of the sweet and sour fish and placed it directly into her bowl.

“Thank you, Ye…” Bai Yiyan almost blurted out “Teacher Ye” but quickly corrected herself.

“Manqing.”

Before they arrived, Ye Manqing had agreed with Bai Yiyan that in front of Ye’s mother, she shouldn’t call her “Teacher Ye.” Such a distant address would make Ye’s mother suspicious. Moreover, she shouldn’t use honorifics with her.

Bai Yiyan quickly lowered her eyes, used her chopsticks to pick up the slice of sweet and sour fish in her bowl, carefully removed the bones with her teeth, and then took a small bite of the fish.

The sweet and sour fish tasted authentic. The fish was tender and smooth, and the balance of sweet and sour was just right—neither too much sour nor too little, and the sweetness was perfect.

At the head of the table, Shu Jing looked at Bai Yiyan with an expectant look for feedback and asked, “How is it? How does it taste?”

“It’s very delicious,” Bai Yiyan gently raised her eyes and looked at Ye’s mother. “Your cooking is excellent, Auntie.”

“If you like it, eat more,” Shu Jing said happily. “You’re so thin; you need to eat more meat.”

Bai Yiyan: “Mhm.”

Shu Jing: “My Qingqing is also thin, but that’s because she’s a picky eater. I see you eat quite nicely, Xiao Bai, so you must not be picky.”

Next to them, Ye Manqing silently and calmly peeled a shrimp, then discreetly placed the peeled shrimp into Bai Yiyan’s bowl.

…

When they were nearing the end of dinner, Ye’s mother put down her chopsticks, intending to formally discuss wedding matters with her daughter and future daughter-in-law.

Shu Jing went straight to the point: “Qingqing, Xiao Bai, when do you two plan to get your marriage license?”

Ye’s mother’s question successfully made Bai Yiyan blush, and she turned to look at Ye Manqing sitting beside her.

Ye Manqing turned her head, their eyes met, and she lightly nodded her chin at Bai Yiyan, giving her a reassuring look.

As if to say: Leave everything to me.

Ye Manqing: “Mom, we plan to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau tomorrow to register our marriage.”

Shu Jing’s face was beaming with smiles. She nodded and said, “Good! Go tomorrow.”

“What about the wedding banquet? Where do you plan to hold it?”

“What requirements do Xiao Bai’s parents have for the banquet? When should our two families sit down and talk?”

Shu Jing rattled off a series of questions in one breath. After speaking, she picked up the steaming cup of hot tea in front of her and took a small sip to wet her throat.

“Auntie,” this time, Bai Yiyan spoke first. “I’m an orphan. I don’t have parents; I grew up in a welfare home.”

Shu Jing’s fingers, clutching the teacup, suddenly tightened. The tip of her nose felt a little sore. She wanted to say something comforting but didn’t know what to say for a moment.

Ye Manqing: “Xiao Bai and I discussed it. We plan to hold the wedding banquet abroad. For our relatives here, Mom, you can invite whoever you see fit. Xiao Bai will write her own invitation list.”

Bai Yiyan nodded.

Shu Jing took a sip of hot tea and said, “It’s the end of July now, almost August. Preparing for a wedding takes at least four or five months, so… let’s tentatively set the wedding for the end of the year. Qingqing, if you’re filming on set then, just take some time off in advance.”

“Xiao Bai, are you studying or working already? Should taking wedding leave be okay?”

Bai Yiyan: “I’m already working.”

Ye Manqing glanced at Bai Yiyan and added for her: “Xiao Bai is an actress, just like me.”

“She’s about to join a film crew to shoot Zhang Mingxiu’s film. I’ll talk to Director Zhang then, and taking a few days off shouldn’t be a problem.”

In Ye Manqing’s view, there is no distinction between actors; whether they are extras or stunt doubles, everyone is an actor, just playing different roles.

Shu Jing nodded: “That’s good.”

By the time the meal was finished, the discussion about the marriage was almost complete.

After dinner, it was still early. The three of them went to the living room to eat dessert and fruit while watching television.

In the middle, Ye’s mother went upstairs and brought down a square, bright red velvet jewelry box.

Inside the box was a fine mutton-fat jade bracelet. The entire bracelet was delicate and warm, without the slightest flaw, and it was priceless.

“Xiao Bai, this bracelet is the Ye family’s heirloom.” Shu Jing took one of Bai Yiyan’s hands, held it gently, and slipped the mutton-fat jade bracelet onto Bai Yiyan’s wrist.

“It was given to me by my mother-in-law when I got married. She repeatedly instructed me that it should be passed down through the generations. Now, I’m giving it to you.”

“Auntie,” Bai Yiyan was somewhat moved, and the corners of her eyes subtly turned red. “I will take good care of it.”

“Good girl,” Shu Jing paused, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Come, let me have a good look.”

With that, Shu Jing held Bai Yiyan’s hand and raised it slightly. Under the light refracted by the crystal chandelier, Shu Jing looked intently at the bracelet with tears in her eyes, murmuring softly.

“It’s truly beautiful.”

The bracelet was naturally flawless throughout; even under the light, no imperfections could be seen. Worn on Bai Yiyan’s slender, fair wrist, it made her wrist look even more delicate.

Beside them, the birth daughter, who was almost treated as invisible, handed Shu Jing a tissue, signaling her to wipe her tears.

Shu Jing reached out, took the tissue her daughter handed her, and gently dabbed her tears. She finally noticed her own daughter, whom she had almost forgotten.

Shu Jing: “My Qingqing has a reserved nature. She hasn’t inherited any of my personality; she’s exactly like her father. Her mind is occupied with acting all the time—nothing but acting, she’s practically an acting enthusiast…”

Indeed, criticism from one’s own mother is the most lethal.

“But it’s good that you’re an actress too. You have common interests, so you shouldn’t feel bored.”

“I don’t feel bored,” Bai Yiyan answered sincerely.

Bai Yiyan was not being polite; she truly didn’t feel bored.

Somehow, when the two of them were together, there was a feeling of tranquil serenity. Far from feeling bored, she quite enjoyed this sense of comfort.

The two of them chatted about family matters with Ye’s mother for a while. By the time they returned to Ye Manqing’s villa in Haidian, it was already eleven o’clock.

At night, the garden, surrounded by greenery and flowers, was very peaceful, with occasional gusts of evening breeze brushing past.

Ye Manqing stopped, turned her head to look at Bai Yiyan beside her, and said softly, “We’ll stay here for the next two days, not at my mother’s place.”

Bai Yiyan nodded: “Okay.”

Ye Manqing: “Are you wondering why, since we’re only back in Beijing for two or three days, we don’t just stay with the elderly lady?”

Bai Yiyan nodded; she indeed had that question in mind.

Ye Manqing said directly: “Before today, you two had never met; you are strangers to her, and she is to you. Your living habits are different, and I was afraid you wouldn’t feel comfortable.”

“Even though we are mother and daughter, we have our own habits. Precisely because we are mother and daughter, living under the same roof doesn’t make us uncomfortable, but you are different. But you don’t need to worry; even after we get married, you won’t have to live together.”

Bai Yiyan: “I’ll follow your lead.”

Ye Manqing raised a hand and gently tucked a strand of hair, messed up by the wind, behind Bai Yiyan’s ear, smiling as she asked, “Will you follow my lead in everything I say?”

Bai Yiyan nodded without hesitation.

Ye Manqing’s fox-like eyes gazed steadily at Bai Yiyan, her gaze suddenly becoming serious as she continued to ask, “Then, will you be willing to do whatever I do?”

“Mhm,” Bai Yiyan nodded, her face flushing, naturally understanding the implication in Ye Manqing’s words.

Ye Manqing fixed her gaze, lightly letting her eyes fall upon Bai Yiyan’s lips. She reached out, her index finger gently resting on Bai Yiyan’s lips, softly and delicately stroking the small central lip tubercle.

Mesmerized by the tiny lip tubercle.

“…” Bai Yiyan’s breath hitched. She suddenly widened her eyes, her thick, curled long lashes fluttering once, then again.

Her cheeks instantly became hot, and a gorgeous, rosy hue quietly spread, burning little by little up to her earlobes.

Their eyes met, and both their hearts began to beat rapidly at different rhythms.

Ye Manqing was no ascetic saint.

The next second, Ye Manqing withdrew her hand, then gently pressed the back of Bai Yiyan’s head. Without further hesitation, she tilted her head closer and gently kissed Bai Yiyan’s lips.

“…!” Bai Yiyan’s cheeks were flushed, her earlobes were so red they almost dripped blood. She stood stiffly in place, momentarily stunned.

This was Bai Yiyan’s first kiss, so she didn’t know how to respond. Following instinct and imagination, Bai Yiyan first gently closed her eyes, and then slightly parted her lips.

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