CHAPTER 33

From the moment she hung up the phone, Qin Yinong sat on the couch with her back turned to Guan Han. 

She remained silent the whole time.

Guan Han saw her slightly tilting her face upwards, her eyes seemingly fixed on the ceiling.

Guan Han approached gently, but before she took two steps, Qin Yinong lifted one hand and wiped her face with the back of her hand. A faint sniffle could be heard in the room, fleeting so quickly that it felt like an auditory illusion.

... She was crying.

Guan Han was shocked, her heart trembling. She didn't dare to approach any further and quietly retreated from the room, closing the door behind her.

Qin Yinong glanced back, her eyes red-rimmed, and then turned back, slowly burying her face in her arms.

Guan Han stayed downstairs, chatting with Ji Shulan. Ji Shulan asked about Qin Yinong's recent schedule, some work-related but insignificant matters. Guan Han would relay the information to her, as instructed by Qin Yinong in advance. There was a gap between Ji Shulan and the mother-daughter relationship of Qin Yinong, and their relationship was neither close nor distant. In contrast, Ji Shulan felt more at ease with Guan Han.

Guan Han appeared somewhat absent-minded, frequently looking upstairs. She was very worried about Qin Yinong's condition.

Qin Yinong carried too much on her shoulders, living like a tightly wound string, and she had always been good at enduring silently. Tang Ruoyao was supposed to be her refuge, a place for her to relieve her stress. Maybe Tang Ruoyao didn't know, but with her, Qin Yinong could relax more than at any other time. Three years ago, if it weren't for Tang Ruoyao suddenly entering Qin Yinong's life, she might not have been able to hold on. Even if she did, she wouldn't be the person she is now.

She was already in a much better state than Guan Han had expected.

Guan Han vaguely understood that when Qin Yinong saved Tang Ruoyao and kept her by her side, it wasn't without reason. It was likely a form of self-rescue, sensing a way to save herself before self-destruction. Like grabbing hold of a lifeline, she held onto a person tightly, preventing herself from sinking.

Qin Yinong had invested too much emotion in that relationship, and the deeper she fell, the more severe the backlash she would face.

Guan Han suddenly clenched the fabric of the couch beneath her. This was bad. Qin Yinong wouldn't end up like she did three years ago, walking around like a lifeless shell, would she? Was it still possible to find Tang Ruoyao now?

Before she could expand on these absurd thoughts, Ji Shulan gently interrupted her with a probing tone, "Is Qin Yinong in a bad mood?"

Guan Han forced a smile, "Why would Auntie ask such a question?"

Ji Shulan's face revealed hidden concerns. "I noticed that she didn't even smile when she came back today."

Qin Yinong would usually come back with a smile on her face. It's not to say that she was always in a good mood, but Ji Shulan couldn't recall the last time she saw Qin Yinong enter the house with such an expressionless face.

Guan Han wasn't sure if she should say anything. After considering it for a moment, she replied, "Auntie, I'm not really sure about that."

Although Ji Shulan was getting older, she wasn't naive. She knew that the young girl in front of her was intentionally not saying anything.

Ji Shulan sighed inwardly.

Qin Yinong always shared good news and kept her worries to herself. Sometimes, she truly wished that Qin Yinong would take the initiative to tell her something. Could her line of work be that easy? Even if it's something bad, if she spoke up, Ji Shulan could at least share some of the burden with her. Isn't taking care of each other what family is for?

Thinking about the things that happened in the past, Ji Shulan regretted deeply for being blinded by her own selfishness. She should have divorced Qin Hongjian earlier and spared Qin Yinong from enduring so much humiliation for no reason. They couldn't eliminate the malice of others, but why did their own family stab her in the back when she needed help the most?

How much pain did she go through back then?

It's because of that, she refuses to get close to herself. She owes this daughter too much.

As Ji Shulan thought about it, her eyes became moist, and the sadness kept welling up inside her. She quickly turned her face away and wiped her tears with her hand.

Guan Han looked at her inexplicably and hurriedly took out two tissues from the tissue box and handed them over.

Ji Shulan waved her hand and gently smiled with her eyes damp, "I just remembered some old memories." She stood up, facing away from Guan Han, "Have dinner here. What do you want to eat? Auntie will make it for you."

Guan Han had no appetite to order a meal. Her mind was a mess, and she reluctantly came up with a suggestion, "Roasted eggplant." A calm voice from upstairs sounded, "Mom, you can rest. Ji Yunyao will come over later, and I'll personally cook a few dishes to entertain her."

Ji Shulan was still facing away from upstairs, she tapped her forehead, as if suddenly realizing something, and smiled, "Look at my memory. You already told me earlier, but I forgot. Then I'll go to the garden and pick some vegetables. I'll make a stir-fried dish for dinner, it's good for the body."

Saying that, she hurriedly left, dragging her lame leg behind.

Guan Han concealed her worries, lifted her gaze, and calmly watched as Qin Yinong descended the stairs.

Qin Yinong didn't like facing anyone's pity or sympathy, so it was best to act as if nothing had happened.

Qin Yinong returned Guan Han's phone to her and glanced at Ji Shulan's figure before asking calmly, "What happened to her?"

Guan Han took the phone and truthfully replied, "She cried. She said she remembered some old memories."

Qin Yinong's expression turned cold, but she didn't say anything.

As she pulled her hand back, Guan Han keenly noticed a band-aid on her palm that wasn't there before.

"This..." Guan Han spoke cautiously and pointed at Qin Yinong's hand.

"I accidentally cut myself." Qin Yinong replied indifferently, not intending to say more. She turned and walked toward the refrigerator in the corner of the wall, raising her voice slightly, "Do you want to stay for dinner? I'll cook today."

"No, thank you." Guan Han declined.

She didn't want to face Ji Yunyao. Even Qin Yinong's cooking skills couldn't shake her, but Ji Yunyao was just a little bit twisted. Looking all dignified and well-behaved, she was more terrifying that anyone else, with the appearance of an angel and the personality of a devil.

Qin Yinong chuckled, "Are you afraid of Ji Yunyao?"

Guan Han denied, "No." But her quick actions of packing up her bag were honest, "Qin Jie, if there's nothing else, I'll go now."

She managed to leave just in time. As soon as she left, Ji Yunyao's sedan entered the courtyard.

Ji Yunyao had changed into a cool outfit, wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts that accentuated her slender and well-defined legs. She casually glanced back at the familiar figure, squinted her eyes, dismissed it from her mind, and strode toward Ningning, who was quietly swinging on the swing in the yard.

"Ningning~" Ji Yunyao raised the exquisitely packaged bag in her hand and mustered the gentlest smile. "Guess what gift big sister has brought for you?"

Ningning sat on the swing chair and obediently called out, "Sister Yao Yao." Then she softly and sweetly asked, "Can you stop the swing for me?" Her short legs couldn't reach the ground, and it was Aunt Fang had put her on it before going inside the house.

Ji Yunyao's heart melted from Ningning's adorable voice and quickly approached, saying, "Big sister will put you down right away."

She sat down on the swing herself, tiptoed to stop it, and then turned to lift Ningning up. She planted two kisses on the child's small face, and the fragrance of a child's milk immediately filled her breath.

With her face buried in the child's shoulder. Ji Yunyao felt like she was smiling like a creepy pervert. 

She composed herself a little.

Ji Yunyao didn't like taking care of children herself, but she enjoyed playing with other people's children, especially those who were cute and well-behaved, both of which applied to Ningning. In an instant, the child had captivated Ji Yunyao's "heart."

To be honest, Ji Yunyao didn't have much of an initial impression of Qin Yinong, the little sister who was brought back from outside. She only had the impression that Qin Yinong was exceptionally beautiful. Firstly, it was because Ji Yunyao was smart and perceptive, with intuition far superior to ordinary people. She knew that Qin Yinong's purpose in the Ji family was not simple. While she didn't reject her, she wouldn't rush to get close and use her. Secondly, her family had too many relatives. Her grandfather had eight siblings, and the number of descendants had grown exponentially over the years. During every family gathering for the Lunar New Year, new little ones would emerge like chives, and as the eldest sister, she couldn't even distribute red envelopes, let alone remember all their faces. Oh, some of them might even be older than her.

In this regard, Ji Shulan was a blessing. Ji Shulan—Qin Yinong—Qin Jianing, a total of three people, which saved her a lot of effort in remembering relatives.

Qin Yinong hadn't taken Qin Jianing to any of the family gatherings at the Ji family household yet. However, Ji Yunyao couldn't remember which occasion it was, but she was ordered by her grandfather to come over and deliver something to Ji Shulan. At a glance, she saw Ningning sitting on the living room floor, playing with building blocks obediently. Her pair of dark and bright eyes looked at her, and she put down the building blocks and hid behind the adults.

Qin Yinong happened to be at home and gently taught Ningning, "Call her big sister."

Ningning's childish voice said, "Big sister." After that, she revealed a shy smile and said, "You're really pretty."

How could there be such an adorable and honest child! She was simply the cutest child Ji Yunyao had ever seen!

Ji Yunyao couldn't control herself anymore and lost all reason. By the time she regained her senses, she was already kneeling beside Ningning, planting a big kiss on her face.

Qin Yinong on the side: "..."

The two of them formed a bond.

In Ji Yunyao's heart, Qin Yinong went from being a particularly beautiful little sister to being Ningning's mother, and her presence skyrocketed. Although it was a bit of a coincidence, after getting closer to Qin Yinong, Ji Yunyao learned more about her and discovered that she was indeed an interesting person, especially considering her excellent cooking skills.

As a family, there was no need to distinguish between using or not using each other. If Ji Yunyao could offer her protection and lend a hand, she would naturally do so.

Those people outside who had been bullying her little sister for so long, if they still wanted to continue bullying, she would make them think twice about messing with the Ji family. Ji Yunyao had been waiting for the day when Qin Yinong would become part of the Ji family and her own, but she didn't expect that the first time it would happen was with someone unrelated.

How interesting.

Ji Yunyao curved her lips playfully.

Ji Yunyao's teasing made Ningning giggle uncontrollably, and she herself burst into laughter, the sound of their laughter echoing through the wide-open door.

Ji Shulan walked out from inside, leaning against the door frame, and greeted Ji Yunyao, "Yao Yao, would you like to come in and have a drink first?"

Qin Yinong, who happened to come out of the kitchen, brightened her eyes and looked towards the door. She instinctively took a step forward but then remembered something, and the light in her eyes dimmed as she self-deprecatingly tugged at the corner of her lip.

She collected herself and walked back inside. After a while, she looked at her empty hands, a bewildered expression on her face.

What was it that she had just wanted to go outside and get?

Ji Yunyao turned around and said, "No need, Grandma Lan. I'm not thirsty. I'll come in later."

Ningning lowered her head and started unwrapping the gift placed on her lap. The packaging was a bit large, and her legs couldn't hold it, so Ji Yunyao used one hand to support it for her while the other hand propped up her chin. Her eyes were confident and certain that Ningning would like it.

Ningning unwrapped the package and exclaimed, "Wow."

Ji Yunyao replied, "Wow, do you like it?"

Ningning planted a big kiss on Ji Yunyao's face, and Ji Yunyao squinted her eyes, smiling with satisfaction all over her face.

Qin Yinong was sweating profusely as she dealt with a freshly cooked fish, with oil splattering and sizzling. Suddenly, the door burst open, and the little child rushed in, hugging Qin Yinong's leg with an excited expression on her face, saying, "Mom, mom!"

Qin Yinong's heart skipped a beat as she was tackled. She quickly turned off the stove and lifted the child and took a few steps outside. Instead of scolding her for being reckless, she crouched down to meet her gaze, speaking gently, "What's the matter?"

Ningning exclaimed, "Big sister gave me a gift!"

Qin Yinong asked, "What gift?"

"Come and see." Ningning tugged at her hand, her excitement evident.

Qin Yinong didn't even untie her apron and could only smile helplessly.

"It's this!" Ningning pointed with her little hand.

Qin Yinong followed her gaze.

On the sofa in the living room was a large painting, depicting herself. Qin Yinong felt inexplicable. How could a painting make Ningning so excited?

Ningning happily said, "Mom is usually not at home, but with this painting, I can always see mom."

Qin Yinong's heart suddenly felt a pang, and she bent down to kiss Ningning's cheek.

"Then, Mom will frame it and put it in your room, okay?"

Ningning nodded eagerly, holding the painting carefully.

Qin Yinong returned to the kitchen to continue cooking, staring at the steam rising from the pot as she lost herself in thought.

"Little Auntie?"

Adults have a sense of propriety that children don't always grasp. Qin Yinong turned around to see Ji Yunyao poking her head through the door, her hand politely knocking on an imaginary door.

"Come in," Qin Yinong said.

The fish, fried to a golden hue, didn't appear dry but rather glistened with a layer of oil, emitting a tantalizing aroma from where it was wafted from the cutting board, filling the air.

Ji Yunyao's stomach growled, and she felt that coming in at this moment was torturing herself. She forced herself not to smell the aroma and asked, "How long do you plan to stay this time?"

"Is that something you taught Ningning to say?" Qin Yinong replied calmly.

"I swear it wasn't me." Ji Yunyao raised her hand to swear and said, "It's definitely her genuine expression."

"But the painting was still a gift from you."

Ji Yunyao lowered her head and touched her nose.

"You even scheme against children." Qin Yinong chuckled, without any reproach in her tone.

Ji Yunyao shrugged and smiled, "You don't know how much I adore Ningning. Of course, I can't bear to see her suffer. I've been longing for her every day at home, while her mother never come back. She's so pitiful."

Qin Yinong sighed and said, "I'll stay for a while longer this time."

"Have you had a change of heart? Or have you fallen in love? Ready to enjoy life?" Ji Yunyao asked curiously.

"Think whatever you want." Qin Yinong didn't want to explain further.

"You're really cold-hearted towards me, Little Auntie," Ji Yunyao covered her heart and pretended to be in pain.

"Was I cold-hearted towards you from the very beginning?" Qin Yinong gave her a glance.

When she returned to the Ji family and met Ji Yunyao face-to-face, she knew that this person wasn't easy to handle. It could easily lead to trouble, and the risks outweighed the benefits. So she had no intention of getting closer to her, maintaining only a nodding acquaintance.

"Hahaha!" Ji Yunyao burst into laughter, collapsing against the kitchen counter, laughing so hard that she was out of breath.

Qin Yinong: "..."

Who knows what part of Ji Yunyao's funny bone she touched again.

Qin Yinong ignored Ji Yunyao, not bothering to pay attention to her. She lifted the lid of a nearby pot, added some seasoning, and stirred it with a long wooden spoon.

Ji Yunyao continued to speak while laughing, "That Tang Ruoyao..."

Qin Yinong's hand holding the spoon paused, her expression remained calm.

Ji Yunyao observed her reaction and casually added, "Does she have a partner now?"

Qin Yinong scooped a small bowl of soup, blew on it to cool it down, took a small sip, furrowed her brow, and added some salt.

It seemed like she didn't hear what Ji Yunyao was saying at all.

"After I received your call today, I had someone look into her. She's been doing quite well in the entertainment industry these past few years, untainted by any scandals, a pure and innocent white lotus. And the one behind it all is you, right?"

Qin Yinong continued to busy herself without paying much attention.

Ji Yunyao leaned against the edge of the marble countertop, getting closer as she spoke, "You must have put in a lot of effort, setting up a smokescreen to make people believe she has a powerful background, while also trying to give her a good reputation. I've met her before; she looks decent and has a little bit of charm. But there are plenty of people like her in the industry, I've seen at least a hundred if not a thousand. Even those who are eager to get into your bed for just one night, many of them are more attractive than her. I just don't understand, what is it about her that attracts you? It couldn't be her skills in bed, could it?"

Veins throbbed faintly on Qin Yinong's temple.

Ji Yunyao suddenly realized something and chuckled, as if she had discovered some earth-shattering secret. "Oh," she exclaimed, laughing lightly. "Could it be that you actually like her? Are you head over heels for her?"

Qin Yinong closed her eyes, composed herself, and calmly replied, "You're overthinking it. She's just a little plaything that I happen to enjoy. She lost her role, became overly clingy to me, and in a moment of impulsiveness, I agreed to her request. It's not easy to go back on my word, and I didn't want to offend Liu Yayu, so I came to find you."

She looked at Ji Yunyao, her gaze filled with a hint of helplessness.

"Well then, it works out perfectly. This disobedient and clingy little thing needs a bit of a lesson." Ji Yunyao revealed a wicked smile. "Give her to me, I'll train her and then return her to you."

.....

Tang Ruoyao sat on the sofa, lost in thought.

Outside, lightning flashed, thunder rumbled, and torrential rain poured down. The floor-to-ceiling windows were hazy, and the entire city was shrouded in a majestic curtain of rain.

The phone had been disconnected for a while, but she still couldn't quite grasp the situation.

She dialed the number again, but there was no answer, and the call was immediately disconnected.

The words Qin Yinong had spoken echoed in her mind, with an icy and emotionless tone. Was she heartbroken? Maybe a little, but more than that, she felt lost and overwhelmed. The tremendous shock had rendered her unable to grasp her emotions, leaving her in a state of confusion.

She took out a pen and paper from the coffee table in the living room and painstakingly wrote down every word Qin Yinong had said, recalling them one by one. When she finally started to regain her composure, she held the paper in her hands and carefully examined it.

At first, the fear she felt was due to Qin Yinong's sudden change in attitude, and the panic of the unknown momentarily gripped her, rather than the content of what she said.

She looked at it for a long time but still couldn't quite understand. She had a vague sense that her understanding and Qin Yinong's words had deviated greatly.

Tang Ruoyao spent her time pondering, preparing a nutritious dinner for herself, taking a shower, and even flipping through the complete script of "Under the Southern Mountain" given to her by the producer, spending some time reading character profiles to distract her mind.

Late into the night, she still couldn't figure it out, so she recorded this conversation and sent it to Guan Han.

In truth, it wasn't that she couldn't fully comprehend it; rather, she couldn't bring herself to believe what she had come to understand. Was Qin Yinong implying what she thought she was implying?

She had always prided herself on being clever, but at this moment, she would rather be a fool.

Regardless of whether it was because she liked Qin Yinong or because she still had a year, no, 11 months left in their contract. Pleasing her benefactor was her duty as a canary, and she would fulfill it until the end of the  contract.

Guan Han received the picture in the middle of the night and replied with ellipses: "..."

Why was it different from the script they had agreed upon in advance? Or had Tang Ruoyao's thinking completely gone astray?

Shouldn't she be heartbroken, unable to extricate herself? Shouldn't she gradually recover from the pain, and striving for self-improvement?

Guan Han didn't consult Qin Yinong for the time being and replied: [What do you mean?]

Tang Ruoyao: [I'm asking you because I don't know what it means, Sister Guan Han. Can you explain it to me?]

Guan Han: [...]

[System message: Guan Han retracted a message]

Using ellipses didn't match Guan Han's usual style.

Guan Han couldn't make a decision and decided to consult Qin Yinong.

The phone on the bedside table buzzed, and footsteps slowly approached. A slender, fair hand placed a glass filled with ice and whiskey on the table. The pale-colored liquid cast a warm glow under the bedside lamp.

That delicate hand picked up the phone and unlocked the screen.

Qin Yinong felt a slight throb in her temples as she read the message: [Why did you send me this picture?]

Did Tang Ruoyao think she wasn't sad enough and wanted to add to her memories of the past?

Guan Han replied: [Miss Yao sent it to me and asked me what it means. How should I respond to her?]

Qin Yinong and Guan Han were left speechless, sharing the same sentiment.

Qin Yinong took a deep breath and typed: [Was her Chinese language performance poor when she was in school?]

Guan Han asked, [Should I check?]

Qin Yinong rubbed her temples, feeling a slight ache, and typed: [Never mind, just explain it to her using simple words that even an elementary school student can understand. You know the meaning behind my words.]

Guan Han responded: [Alright.]

Qin Yinong put down her phone, sat on the edge of the bed, and took a sip of whiskey. She didn't know why, but she suddenly found the whole situation quite amusing. So she laughed, raising her slender fingers to cover her eyes, her lips curving into a smile.

Tang Ruoyao stared at the "typing" indicator above.

The "typing" went on for a while, and Tang Ruoyao finished her glass of milk before finally receiving a long message.

This was definitely the longest message Guan Han had ever sent her.

Tang Ruoyao pursed her lips and carefully read it line by line.

[Miss Yao, let me translate it for you. Here's what happened. Remember when you were slapped by Ruan Qin? You posted something on your social media, and Qin Jie saw it, and she got angry, not just because Ruan Qin dared to lay a hand on you, but because she was even more angry that you didn't fight back. Ruan Qin is the kind of person who bullies the weak and fears the strong. She doesn't hold much weight in the company. With your current status, even without Qin Jie's support, you could have dealt with it confidently. But you didn't. As for the incident of someone trying to snatch your role, that's something you deserve. No one should be able to take it away from you. You need to have that awareness. If there's something you can't solve, Qin Jie wants you to come to her. She'll help you resolve it. Even if there's no way, you must have the mindset to take it back. You can't let others oppress you. Even if you lose a battle this time, you can find a way to reclaim it elsewhere next time, so that she won't dare to touch you again. That's how this industry works. If you don't show your claws, if you don't fight or compete, others won't know how capable you are, and they'll bully you. Now that you have Qin Jie as your support, you don't have to fear anyone.]

[This kind of thing is not the first time. It has been like this for a long time. You don't fight or compete, you have a laid-back approach to acting. Anyone can step on you, and that's why Qin Jie is so furious this time. She couldn't bear it anymore. She's strong herself and despises weakness and incompetence. When someone slaps your face, it's as if they're slapping her face. If you really came from a prominent background, it would be a different story, but you know very well that it's just a lie. Mountains can collapse, and reliance on others can disappear. Currently, she hasn't collapsed yet, so temporarily, you can rely on her strength. But you need to learn to become strong yourself so that in the future, you can establish your own position in the industry based on your own abilities. You've been together with her for so long, don't you know that she's playing a nurturing game? She doesn't want to raise a wallflower; she wants a dominant flower.]

Guan Han had carefully maintained the language at a level even an elementary school student could understand, trying her best to explain the situation to Tang Ruoyao without revealing that Qin Yinong had feelings for her.

Guan Han began to seriously doubt whether Tang Ruoyao's Chinese language grades were really as terrible as it seemed during her school days.

After sending this message, Guan Han let out a heavy sigh.

The "typing" indicator on the screen above appeared intermittently. Guan Han got up to pour herself a glass of water, feeling thirsty.

When she returned, a concise message lay silently on the screen.

Tang Ruoyao: [I understand.]

Guan Han raised an eyebrow lightly.

She understands? But she doesn't know if it's genuine understanding or just pretending to understand, considering her poor Chinese language skills.

She was about to ask when another message popped up.

[Can I make a phone call to Sister?]

Author's Note:

Mini Theater:

Tang Ruoyao: I figured it out. I cracked the code with my zero score in reading comprehension. →_→

Sister Qin: Did I cry for nothing???

Tang Ruoyao: You shed tears in vain, and I didn't even get to taste them!

Sister Qin: What are you talking about???

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