After Secretly Marrying the Top Celebrity, I Fell in Love - Chapter 26.1

The first thing Bai Yiyan did after returning from Beijing was to visit Director Jiang at the welfare center.

Every week, Bai Yiyan would take a day to go back to the welfare center to visit Director Jiang, the teachers, and the younger siblings there.

This habit had persisted for two years.

Before leaving Beijing, Bai Yiyan specially went to Wangfujing to buy some Beijing specialties, planning to take them back for the children.

Most of the children at the welfare center had various disabilities, and the healthy and lovely children were almost all adopted. The children had been staying at the welfare center since they could remember, and only a small number of mentally sound and physically healthy children had the chance to go outside for education, but they had never left the city.

The children were full of curiosity about the outside world, so they naturally loved the pastries from Beijing—or more accurately, they treasured them.

In the evening, the sky was covered with a stunning sunset glow.

The rosy clouds changed into different shapes, sometimes resembling a phoenix spreading its wings, trailing a wispy tail. Other times, they transformed into a tall, imposing warhorse, with its front hooves leaping high.

Bai Yiyan came out of the director’s office and saw Nuan Nuan standing alone under the locust tree in the small garden, a jujube pastry cupped in her small hands.

The little girl looked down, staring blankly at the pastry in her hand.

Bai Yiyan watched from afar and did not approach immediately. After watching for about two minutes, Bai Yiyan slowly walked up and crouched down in front of Nuan Nuan.

“What’s wrong, Nuan Nuan?” Bai Yiyan smiled gently at the little girl and said, “Why are you here all alone?”

“Sister Bai,” Nuan Nuan looked at Bai Yiyan with her big, black grape-like eyes and asked, “Have you ever argued with a good friend?”

“Let me think.” Bai Yiyan thought seriously for a moment and answered firmly, “Yes, I have.”

“Then how did you make up later?” Nuan Nuan looked at Bai Yiyan with eyes full of anticipation.

“I took the initiative to find her and make up,” Bai Yiyan smiled.

Nuan Nuan looked at the jujube pastry in her hands, furrowed her two thin little eyebrows, and then looked eagerly at Bai Yiyan.

“Sister Bai, if I give her half of my pastry, will she give me some of hers? I’m a little reluctant, I’ve never eaten one before.”

Bai Yiyan said softly, “How about we try it?”

Nuan Nuan hesitated for a moment, then nodded heavily: “Okay!”

Bai Yiyan affectionately touched Nuan Nuan’s head and encouraged her, “Go for it.”

Nuan Nuan flashed Bai Yiyan an innocent smile, turned, and ran off with the jujube pastry.

Under the large locust tree, Bai Yiyan’s shadow was gradually stretched out by the setting sun. Bai Yiyan looked calmly straight ahead until Nuan Nuan’s figure completely disappeared from sight.

In reality, Bai Yiyan had just lied. She never had any friends at the welfare center until she met Xu Xing, a senior in her third year of high school, when she was in the first year of junior high. Xu Xing then became her only friend. She carefully cherished this friendship, and the two had never argued.

In Xu Xing’s eyes, Bai Yiyan was the person with the best temper in the world.

After leaving the welfare center, Bai Yiyan first went to a fruit store, bought some fruit, and carried the bag. Then she took a bus to No. 1 High School, ordered a cup of milk tea at the shop next to the school gate, and sat inside, waiting for someone.

In the past two years, Bai Yiyan had come almost every week. Gradually, Bai Yiyan became familiar with the milk tea shop’s owner.

Seeing her regular customer, the owner enthusiastically offered a strawberry pudding and smiled at Bai Yiyan: “This is our new strawberry pudding. Help us try it out.”

“Thank you,” Bai Yiyan moved her gaze away from her phone, looked up, and smiled at the owner.

“Why are you always so polite?” the owner said, pulling up a chair and sitting across from Bai Yiyan. “How have you been recently? Is work hard?”

Bai Yiyan: “It’s alright, not hard.”

The owner sighed with emotion: “A good older sister like you is truly rare.”

Bai Yiyan didn’t speak, picking up the small spoon on the edge of the plate and scooping a small spoonful of pudding into her mouth. At the same time, the sound of a few girls talking came from the doorway.

Customers had arrived.

“I have to go back to work,” the owner withdrew her gaze from the doorway and stood up.

“Mm,” Bai Yiyan responded.

It was currently the summer break, and No. 1 High School hadn’t started yet. Only the new students who had just entered the first year of junior high and high school were undergoing a twenty-day military training.

The milk tea shop gradually got busier. After welcoming and seeing off many energetic, smiling faces, Jiang Le’s figure finally appeared at the milk tea shop entrance.

Jiang Le was wearing a camouflage uniform, clutching the straps of her backpack, and stood at the doorway. The moment she saw Bai Yiyan, she flashed a big smile, which was light and cheerful.

“Sister Bai!”

Bai Yiyan had ordered a strawberry milkshake for Jiang Le. The strawberry pudding she had just sampled was excellent, so Bai Yiyan also ordered a serving for Jiang Le to take back to the dorm.

The two sat facing each other, chatting.

“Lele, here is this month’s living allowance. Director Jiang asked me to give it to you.” Bai Yiyan handed eight one-hundred-yuan bills to Jiang Le; the meal card needed cash to be topped up.

“And fruit,” Bai Yiyan said, pushing the bag of fruit on the table toward Jiang Le.

“Thank you, Sister Bai.” Jiang Le took the living allowance and the fruit and dutifully put them into her backpack.

Watching Jiang Le zip up her backpack, Bai Yiyan picked up her phone from the table and transferred two thousand yuan to Jiang Le via WeChat.

The monthly tuition for ethnic dance was 1600 yuan, with two classes every weekend. The remaining 400 yuan was Jiang Le’s monthly pocket money.

Jiang Le was twelve years old and had been learning dance for six years. The first four years were with Teacher Zhao at the welfare center, but Teacher Zhao was not a professional dance instructor and only knew the basics.

Jiang Le was very talented in dance. After four years, Teacher Zhao had already taught her everything she knew and truly had nothing more to teach.

“Jiang Le is a child with great dancing talent. She needs a better, more professional teacher. We can’t let such a good prospect go to waste.”

Jiang Le skillfully clicked “Receive” and raised a smiling face to thank Bai Yiyan: “Thank you~”

Bai Yiyan: “Good girl.”

Jiang Le: “Sister Bai, Teacher Zhou praised me last time!”

Bai Yiyan: “Praised you for what?”

Jiang Le: “She praised me for having the most standard movements, and she also said she wants to take me to Shanghai for a competition this winter break.”

Bai Yiyan: “Lele is amazing!”

Jiang Le: “But, going to Shanghai will definitely cost a lot of money, and Grandma has to take medicine every month…”

Bai Yiyan: “Lele, didn’t I tell you not to worry about money? I’ll take care of everything. You just focus on studying well and dancing well.”

Jiang Le: “But Sister Bai, you work so hard every day. I don’t want to spend too much of your money.”

Bai Yiyan: “Lele, I have some good news for you.”

Jiang Le: “What good news?”

Bai Yiyan: “I’m going to Hengdian to film a movie. It’s for a big director.”

At noon, Bai Yiyan received a call from Zhang Mingxiu, saying that the filming start date was set for this month, and she would be notified of the exact day in advance.

Jiang Le blinked, extracted the key phrase “big director” from the sentence, and excitedly raised her voice: “Big director!”

“Sister Bai, you’re going to be a big star!”

Bai Yiyan quickly covered Jiang Le’s mouth and reminded her, “Lower your voice.”

“I’m just going to film, not become a big star or anything.”

Jiang Le looked half-understanding: “…Oh.”

Bai Yiyan: “I’ll be staying in Hengdian for four months, so I’ll transfer your monthly living allowance and dance money directly to you via WeChat or your bank card from now on. When you need cash, you can withdraw it yourself.”

Jiang Le nodded: “Mhm!”

Bai Yiyan was facing the shop entrance and noticed fewer and fewer students walking outside. She lowered her eyes to check the time on her phone, realizing it was time for Jiang Le to return to the dorm.

Bai Yiyan looked up and said to Jiang Le, “It’s getting late. I’ll walk you to the school gate.”

Jiang Le smiled sweetly: “Okay~”

Under the cover of night, Bai Yiyan waved goodbye to Jiang Le through the main gate of No. 1 High School. She watched from a distance as Jiang Le’s figure finally disappeared at the entrance of the girls’ dormitory.

Bai Yiyan did not leave immediately but lingered, gazing at No. 1 High School in the night. Suddenly, the phone in her bag rang.

It was very quiet around. Most of the day students had gone home, and only a few students occasionally walked out of the school.

Bai Yiyan snapped out of her thoughts, pulled out her phone, and saw the caller ID: it was Ye Manqing.

The two had only returned from Beijing this morning. Ye Manqing had an announcement to attend in another province in the afternoon. Bai Yiyan, however, needed to go back to the welfare center, so the two went their separate ways to attend to their own business.

“Hello, Teacher Ye,” Bai Yiyan pressed the answer button, held the phone to her ear, and slowly walked under the rows of camphor trees outside the No. 1 High School gate.

The evening breeze blew gently, and the hot, light wind occasionally rustled the emerald-green leaves. The dappled moonlight covered the shaded path.

“Yanyan, are you still at the welfare center?” Ye Manqing’s gentle voice, like the soft rain of Jiangnan, came through the phone.

In the presidential suite, Ye Manqing stood tall by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the neon night view outside.

Her beautifully shaped lips were painted with a cool, rose-colored lipstick. A black gown outlined the woman’s graceful, tall figure, and her carefully styled large curls cascaded down her back.

“No, I’m outside now,” Bai Yiyan answered truthfully, but she did not disclose her specific location.

Jiang Le was a child she chose to sponsor, and it was Bai Yiyan’s own responsibility. She did not want Ye Manqing to know about this. At least, not right now.

“Then remember to go home early,” Ye Manqing’s voice on the phone sounded a little tired.

“Teacher Ye…” The surroundings were very quiet, and Ye Manqing’s obvious weariness carried through the phone call, reaching Bai Yiyan’s eardrums.

“Please take care of yourself and don’t work too hard.”

“Mm, you too, Yanyan,” Ye Manqing gently closed her eyes and raised a hand to pinch her Jingming acupoint with her fingers.

“Remember to send me a message when you get home.”

“Okay,” Bai Yiyan gently replied.

As the phone call ended, Bai Yiyan had unknowingly reached the bus stop. Just in time, a bus going her way approached in the distance.

Bai Yiyan put away her phone, took out the bus card from her bag, swiped it, and got on the bus, purposefully choosing a window seat.

Outside the window, students from No. 1 High School walked in groups on the street. They were all wearing the same camouflage uniforms, and their faces were filled with pure smiles.

Looking at these smiling faces, Bai Yiyan became lost in her memories, and the light in her eyes gradually dimmed, like two pieces of beautiful jade that had lost their luster. They were still beautiful, but lifeless.

Bai Yiyan had been lucky lately, receiving work as an extra for three consecutive days. A big advantage of being an extra was that the salary was paid daily, sometimes 150 yuan, sometimes 200 yuan.

Bai Yiyan had to save money, enough for Jiang Le to go to Shanghai.

Since returning from Beijing, Ye Manqing had been running between major first-tier cities, attending announcements and had not had time to return to their city.

No matter how busy they were, the two always kept in touch. Every day after finishing work, Ye Manqing would call Bai Yiyan immediately. The phone would ring for no more than five seconds before Bai Yiyan answered.

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