CHAPTER 26

Tang Ruoyao slept deeply.

When she woke up, she was met with darkness. Her body felt weak, and she was too tired to even lift her fingers. She closed her eyes and rested for a while before reaching out and finding her phone on the pillow. She pressed the screen to light it up and squinted to look at it.

It was 10 o'clock at night.

In the hallway just beyond the wall, there were still the bustling sounds of other students coming and going.

Why did the lights go out at 10 o'clock?

Just as she was thinking about this, she heard the faint sound of a chair leg dragging along the floor. A figure stood up in the dim light and looked at her. "Are you awake? Do you want me to turn on the lights?"

It was Fu Yujun.

A warm feeling flooded her heart, and Tang Ruoyao asked in a soft voice, "Did they fall asleep?"

Click--

The dorm room was illuminated by warm white light, and Tang Ruoyao squinted once again.

Fu Yujun retracted her hand from the switch by the door and said, "They went to visit other dorm rooms."

Tang Ruoyao made an acknowledging sound and sat up, leaning against the headboard to wake up fully.

"Are you hungry?" Fu Yujun, attentive as ever, asked from below.

"A little bit." Tang Ruoyao replied without hesitation, leaning against the railing and looking down. "Is there anything to eat?" Naturally, she didn't have any snacks in her own dorm room.

Fu Yujun pulled out a storage box from under the desk and selected a few items to place on the table, patting her hands generously and letting her decide for herself. "Instant noodles, biscuits, chocolate, and bread."

"Instant noodles."

"I'll go boil some water. You rest for a bit, and I'll let you know when it's ready."

"I can do it myself." Tang Ruoyao quickly responded, gathering her long hair and tying it up with a hair tie before getting off the bed. It made her uncomfortable that someone had taken care of every detail for her.

"Alright, then I'll go call those two back to take a shower. They were having too much fun and didn't pay attention to the lights-out time." Fu Yujun said with a smile, going along with her request.

The water in the electric kettle was boiling, emitting steam, as Tang Ruoyao leaned against the table. The corners of her lips curved slightly as she repeatedly read the message in the class group chat, going over each word until she had memorized them all before putting away her phone.

During the preparation of the instant noodles, she purposely moved a chair to the balcony. The smell was strong, and it would take a while for it to dissipate in the dorm room completely.

Tang Ruoyao didn't like eating the noodles when they were still soft, so after just three minutes, she uncovered the lid, twirled the fork around, blew on the steam above, but before she could take the first bite, the boisterous laughter of Wen Shuxian rang out, preempting the sound of the door opening.

Tang Ruoyao looked up.

Three people rushed into the empty dorm room, instantly bringing a lively atmosphere.

As soon as Wen Shuxian caught sight of Tang Ruoyao, regardless of whether she was having dinner or not, she closed the door and couldn't wait to share with her, "Huo Yuke is back! I heard her nose was crooked from anger, and the whole floor could hear her throwing a tantrum in the dorm!" She burst into laughter. "I'm so happy!"

Tang Ruoyao didn't feel any strong emotions, but she still tugged at the corner of her lips and smiled gently. "Is that so?"

"Yes." Wen Shuxian took a seat, waving her hands and feet, and passionately described Huo Yuke's ugly tantrum as if she had witnessed it firsthand.

Cui Jiaran played along with her, providing seamless support.

Tang Ruoyao ate her instant noodles, listening to the comedic performance unfolding before her, adding color to her life.

Fu Yujun urged Cui Jiaran to go take a shower first, and the performance transitioned into a lonely monologue. Tang Ruoyao was never one to talk much, and Wen Shuxian stopped after a while. When Cui Jiaran came out of the bathroom, Tang Ruoyao went in.

Afterwards, Tang Ruoyao went out to throw away the trash.

She threw the cup of instant noodles into the public trash bin at the end of the hallway and retraced her steps. Suddenly, the door of the dorm room 432 swung open a few steps away, and Huo Yuke stepped out, holding her phone. The second she recognized Tang Ruoyao, she froze. The already gloomy expression on her face instantly turned more hostile, her knuckles gripping the edge of the phone turning white from exertion.

It's a small world.

Tang Ruoyao's expression remained cold as she paused her steps, passing by without glancing sideways.

"Tang Ruoyao." In the moment they brushed past each other, Huo Yuke called out to her, her gaze filled with coldness.

Tang Ruoyao paused, lifted her eyelids, and looked calmly at Huo Yuke. "Is there something you need?"

"You're just lucky this time. Don't think it will always be this fortunate for you." Huo Yuke said with resentment.

"Oh."

Huo Yuke felt like she was punching cotton, unable to find a way to make an impact. It had been three years, and it was always like this. No matter how she provoked the other party, in Tang Ruoyao's eyes, she was like a transparent person, unable to garner even a hint of attention. She wasn't worth a second glance. It was as if right now, though Tang Ruoyao didn't show it on her face, deep down, she exuded an air of superiority that said, "Have you finished? Can I leave now? You're not worthy of talking to me."

Who did she think she was? Clearly, they were the same kind of person. What was she pretending to be so superior for?

The more Tang Ruoyao acted like this, the more Huo Yuke wanted to provoke her.

"The female lead role in the film you auditioned for initially was supposed to be yours. I snatched it away from you." Huo Yuke stared into her eyes, a fleeting smirk appearing at the corner of her mouth.

She thought Tang Ruoyao didn't know about this.

Tang Ruoyao simply responded with another, "Oh." without even a slight change in her eyebrows.

Huo Yuke's expression suddenly changed. "You—"

Before she could continue, Tang Ruoyao had already lost patience and calmly said, "Huo Yuke."

Huo Yuke was taken aback.

"As classmates, I'll give you a piece of advice."

Finally, Tang Ruoyao looked directly at this classmate who saw her as a rival. Huo Yuke, for some reason, straightened her back a bit when she met Tang Ruoyao's gaze. She almost assumed a posture of listening attentively. She harshly pinched her palm with her fingertips, maintaining her expression of disdain and indifference.

"Speak." Huo Yuke replied.

"Inadequate virtue will bring calamity upon oneself." Tang Ruoyao looked into her eyes, said each word carefully.

"Excuse me." She nodded politely and left, avoiding a collision.

Huo Yuke's gaze fell upon Tang Ruoyao's retreating figure, and she stood there, motionless.

The door of the dorm room across the hall swung open, revealing the entire scene at the entrance. Meeting the scrutinizing gaze from inside, Huo Yuke snapped back to reality and glared fiercely, saying, "What are you looking at!"

With a loud bang, the door of the dormitory closed from the inside, and silence enveloped the surroundings.

The hallway lights cast a shadow of Huo Yuke standing in silence.

Tang Ruoyao returned to her dormitory room, took a shower, and lay down. As usual, she scrolled through Qin Yinong's Weibo account using her alternate account. Unfortunately, Qin Yinong had been keeping a low profile lately, and there were no new updates.

@Our Daily Life with Q Miss:

[Issue resolved, 16 days until we meet. I miss her.]

.....

The minor disturbance caused by the graduation representative matter within the Beijing Drama Academy seemed insignificant to Qin Yinong. She wasn't even aware of the unexpected twists and turns that occurred along the way.

Qin Yinong could only focus on the person who eventually appeared on stage. Whoever could stand in front of her was not something she needed to consider.

On the day of the graduation ceremony, June 20th, Qin Yinong got up early and went to the company. Guan Han had already arranged for her personal styling team to meet at the company in advance.

Qin Yinong had a natural beauty and rarely dressed up. In private, she hardly wore makeup, at most applying a light touch of lipstick.

The spacious dressing room was filled with people—makeup artists, hairstylists, makeup assistants, and more. Makeup cases were piled up on the floor and tables, one after another.

—Even the grandeur of Qin Yinong presenting an award to the Cannes Film Festival Best Actor was not as extravagant as this.

Guan Han observed silently, keeping her eyes on the task at hand, pretending not to notice anything.

"What time is it?" Qin Yinong lazily asked, her voice tinged with slight tiredness.

She had already been through nearly two hours of preparations since arriving in the morning.

"It's five minutes to seven." Guan Han replied, checking her watch.

Qin Yinong acknowledged with a hum and let the stylist continue shaping her eyebrows with meticulous care.

Time seemed to pass by unnoticed.

"Teacher Qin, it's done. Please stand up and have a look."

Qin Yinong stood in front of the full-length mirror, where a tall and slender woman in a trailing red gown reflected back at her. Her long hair had been specifically curled, and she wore exquisite makeup. Her cheeks were pale, and the classic red lipstick outlined distinct lip lines.

The back of the gown was completely open, with a cinched waist and two thin straps crossing over each other in the same color scheme.

She turned slightly, and voluminous and soft curls cascaded down her back, swaying gently with her movements. Her flawless and exposed back was partially concealed by the strands of hair, revealing alluring curves. The slight prominence of her shoulder blades on either side resembled fluttering butterfly wings.

Everyone around her couldn't help but gaze at her, their eyes filled with astonishment.

Qin Yinong herself realized that it was a bit too extravagant. Feeling a slight blush creeping up her ears, she didn't have the courage to ask for opinions again. Taking a few steps in her high heels, her 172cm height exuded an air of elegance.

"The gown is a bit long." Qin Yinong wrinkled her brow.

The experienced stylist approached with a pair of scissors, measured it, and with a decisive snip, cut off a section of the hem neatly.

Guan Han: "!!!" She held back the urge to gasp in disbelief.

Although it wasn't the first time, every time she saw a pricey haute couture gown being cut without hesitation, as if it were just a piece of curtain fabric, it pained her.

Qin Yinong tried it on once again and said softly, "It's fine."

The team of stylists, who had been bustling around energetically and vigorously all morning with great enthusiasm, collectively breathed a sigh of relief. They started packing up the items that had cluttered the table. Guan Han tidied up Qin Yinong's hair, ensuring it covered her back perfectly. She checked her watch and said, "Let's go."

Qin Yinong glanced at her lipstick in the mirror and nodded.

Guan Han escorted her out of the studio, grateful that it wasn't yet working hours. Otherwise, she had no doubt there would be numerous people walking into walls today.

"What time does the graduation ceremony start?"

"It begins at 9 o'clock, but the media is already there. You're the highlight today, and they will definitely want to interview you. President Sun suggested you arrive before 8:30." Pausing for a moment, Guan Han's tone carried a hint of emotion as she continued, "But you don't have to rush. After all, those people can't do anything to you now."

Qin Yinong chuckled and reached up to pat Guan Han on the head.

"Since we're here, we should give President Sun some face." Qin Yinong said, winking at her playfully, exuding a charming aura. "Besides, I have you to protect me, don't I?"

Guan Han remained expressionless. "Could you please stop smiling like that? I'm not Miss Yao." She had no intention of being teased again; otherwise, she would call the police!

Qin Yinong paused for a moment, then dryly said, "Let's practice in advance."

Guan Han mustered up her courage and glanced at Qin Yinong, summoning her audacity. "Don't be nervous, it's just a meeting."

Qin Yinong blinked at her. "..."

When did she become nervous?!

Qin Yinong turned her head and walked away swiftly, her heart pounding in her chest.

Guan Han suppressed her laughter and followed along.

The car that Qin Yinong was riding in entered through the gate of the Beijing Drama Academy, followed by a black sedan carrying her bodyguards. There was a parking lot near the auditorium where the graduation ceremony was being held, so they headed straight there.

The car continued to move, but the driver slowed down, crawling at a snail's pace. Guan Han pressed the intercom button and asked, "What's wrong?"

Qin Yinong, who had closed her eyes to rest, also opened her eyes.

The driver's voice came from the driver's seat, "The road is blocked."

Guan Han asked, "Can we take a detour?"

The driver replied, "We can, but it will take some time. Please wait."

Qin Yinong, feeling utterly bored, propped her chin on her hand and looked out through the tinted car window. The road was blocked by a group of students dressed in graduation gowns, most likely the graduates themselves.

In her mind, she couldn't help but imagine how Tang Ruoyao would look in a graduation gown. Even if they were dressed identically, Tang Ruoyao would still be the most eye-catching star among the crowd. She would be able to see her soon, and Qin Yinong's lips curled into a smile.

The car changed its route and slowly maneuvered around the group of graduates. Qin Yinong's car window faced them directly, and as they got closer, she could see them clearly.

The group consisted entirely of female students, each forming their own groups. Several of them were pushing and shoving each other, seemingly in a conflict.

Just as Qin Yinong was about to avert her gaze, her eyes froze on someone.

She saw a familiar face among the crowd, positioned in the front row of one of the groups. The face was as cold as ever, devoid of any extra expression.

At the same time, Guan Han also noticed and her eyes widened in surprise. She maintained her composure and whispered, "It's Miss Yao..."

"I know." Qin Yinong interrupted her. "Stop the car."

Author's Note:

Small theater:

Guan Han: Don't be nervous; it's just a meeting.

Qin Yinong: Just a meeting? Who knows, I might even have to drink Yao Yao's water →_→

Yaoyao: I'm ready for anything! [Lies down.jpg]

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