CHAPTER 63

Actors, in general, need to be extremely cautious when staying in hotels.

Hotels, regardless of their class, are not highly secure places. Anyone can enter.

The basic requirement before checking in is to check for hidden cameras. Popular young actors or actresses, in particular, need to be wary of unexpected appearances of naked men or women on their beds. After all, some fans can be overly enthusiastic, wealthy, and have no boundaries when it comes to idol worship. There is now a specific term used online to refer to these boundary-crossing fans - "sasaeng fans." Sasaeng fans are widely criticized within the fandom community. Strictly speaking, they are not true fans but a special group that prioritizes their own enjoyment above that of the idol.

Well-established actors or those who maintain a low-profile based on their talent are relatively better off. However, actors with a large following are the ones most troubled by sasaeng fans. As a rising young actress, Wen Shuxian, who relies on her popularity, has encountered crazy sasaeng fans. They would check her flight details through her ID, board the same plane, sit next to her, stay in the hotel next to hers, and even pretend to coincidentally run into her. This caused Wen Shuxian to feel a chill down her spine every time she saw their faces. She became so frightened that she couldn't sleep alone at night and had her bodyguards stand guard outside her door, fearing that someone would break into her room at midnight. Later on, she started buying tickets at the last minute, just to prevent others from following her.

As Wen Shuxian rose to fame and became highly sought after by production crews, she often had to go into seclusion for months to film. The company also valued her greatly, which helped to avoid such situations. However, the psychological impact remained and had not yet dissipated.

There were also rumors of a male celebrity whose private residence was discovered by sasaeng fans. They would hide in his cabinets and watch him while he slept. Instances like these were not uncommon.

Therefore, when Tang Ruoyao saw the situation in Qin Yinong's room, she immediately associated it with sasaeng fans. She wondered if they had deliberately sent someone to cater to her preferences in an attempt to gain something in return.

Considering that Qin Yinong and she left almost simultaneously, and with the number of people Qin Yinong had to settle, the time they arrived on the floor was almost the same. Qin Yinong had likely just entered the room and discovered the unexpected guest on the bed, prompting her to come out immediately.

Tang Ruoyao glanced inside again and thought to herself, 'I haven't even offered myself, so who do you think you are?'

The elevator door chimed, indicating someone was coming up. This was a public corridor with many people passing by, so they risked further exposure. Without thinking, Tang Ruoyao raised her hand and gently closed the slightly ajar door, coincidentally catching Qin Yinong's gaze.

Her gaze seemed unfocused, her sight extending far beyond Tang Ruoyao. She looked at her but seemed unable to see her. The dark pupils remained still, reflecting an inorganic quality like glass under the illumination of the corridor lights—cold and distant.

Guan Han pressed the phone against her ear and whispered, "Qin Jie?"

Then Qin Yinong, like the solid ice on a lake in early spring, melted at a speed invisible to the naked eye. She slowly lifted her gaze and met Guan Han's eyes. Her eyes moved slowly, her eyelids slightly lowered, and her lips, slightly pale, did not move.

Guan Han said, "The hotel staff is here. I will handle this matter. There are people coming and going here. Would you like to find a place to rest for a while?"

"I..." Qin Yinong's thin lips trembled slightly, pursed ever so slightly, as she looked around.

Tang Ruoyao caught a glimpse of unfamiliar vulnerability and confusion in the woman's eyes. It felt as if a knife had gently stabbed her heart. She didn't know where she found the courage and audacity, but she suddenly spoke up, fearing to disturb Qin Yinong. Her voice was soft, pointing to a door just a few meters away, and she mustered a warm and friendly smile. "You can come to my place."

Guan Han looked at Qin Yinong, who remained silent but did not refuse. Tang Ruoyao waited quietly for a response.

After a long while, Qin Yinong softly replied, "Thank you for the offer."

Her voice was slightly hoarse, with a deep and alluring quality.

It was completely different from her usual demeanor.

Tang Ruoyao's mind was in a whirl, and when she turned around to step back, she almost stumbled. She quickly grabbed the hand of an assistant next to her to regain her balance.

Xin Qian: "???"

Just as Xin Qian was about to speak, Tang Ruoyao glared at her, and Qin Yinong happened to catch this scene. The tight line of her lips involuntarily relaxed a bit.

Tang Ruoyao led Qin Yinong to her room all the way. In the short distance of a dozen steps, her mind had already circled the Earth seventeen or eighteen times.

When she arrived, Qin Yinong was standing at the doorway, and Guan Han was making a phone call. The door was not closed, which was a bit unusual. The hotel corridor was not a safe place, and for safety's sake, even if they wanted to make a phone call to have someone handle the situation and hold someone accountable, Qin Yinong should have been inside the room, containing the matter within, regardless of whether there was an extra person inside. At the very least, Guan Han should have been inside the room as well. After all, she was an assistant and didn't have the same level of newsworthiness as Qin Yinong.

Allowing Tang Ruoyao to overhear the phone conversation and see the situation inside the room would leave too many loopholes if entrusted to Guan Han, who was supposed to be capable of handling things.

Or... could it be that Qin Yinong had a reason to leave the room and required Guan Han's company, but didn't want anything fishy to happen inside, so she was monitoring at the doorway.

Thinking about Qin Yinong's unpleasant expression and abnormal reaction just now, Tang Ruoyao leaned towards the second possibility.

She must despise such behavior, right?

Qin Yinong was a person with strong control tendencies. In an intimate relationship, she wanted to have absolute dominance. No matter how this person appeared or why they suddenly appeared here, it would touch Qin Yinong's sensitive nerves, and the outcome would not be favorable.

Tang Ruoyao thought she was reasonably analyzing Qin Yinong.

Tang Ruoyao pulled out a chair in front of the table. "Please have a seat."

Qin Yinong nodded and sat down on the chair. Perhaps her mind was preoccupied with the situation, or perhaps it was because she was facing Tang Ruoyao and had forgotten her external persona. With every command and movement from Tang Ruoyao, she complied obediently, sitting with a well-behaved posture, like an obedient elementary school student.

A hint of surprise flickered deep in Tang Ruoyao's eyes but was quickly suppressed.

Qin Yinong immersed herself in her thoughts, exuding an atmosphere of melancholy. Tang Ruoyao's heart inexplicably sank along with it, as if a massive stone was continuously pressing down on her.

She took the electric kettle on the table to fetch water and boiled it. She poured out the first batch of water and only on the second attempt was it suitable for drinking. She washed two glass cups and poured a glass of water for Qin Yinong, placing it gently by her side.

Qin Yinong lifted her gaze and looked at her deeply.Tang Ruoyao's heart suddenly skipped a beat. She licked her dry lips and asked, trying to find something to say, "About that person in your room earlier..."

Qin Yinong thought she was going to ask who that person was. A sarcastic curve formed at the corner of her lips as she looked at Tang Ruoyao with a smile that was neither a smile nor a laugh.

So, Tang Ruoyao was just like everyone else, assuming that any dirty water thrown at her was the truth, without considering the facts.

Tang Ruoyao felt a sting in the corner of her eyes from Qin Yinong's smile. She paused for a moment and slowly completed her sentence, "That person, you didn't really do anything with her. The hotel has surveillance videos. She was already inside when you came back. Even if you went in and saw her came out, what could have happened in that short time?"

If Qin Yinong really wanted to do something, it wouldn't be something that could be resolved in just a few minutes. Tang Ruoyao felt she had the right to speak on this matter.

She quickly closed her eyes and shook off the absurd thoughts in her mind.

Qin Yinong chuckled softly.

Tang Ruoyao's ears heated up from her laughter. She felt like she was about to burst into flames and uncomfortably cleared her throat, "Would you like a drink of water?"

Qin Yinong glanced at the glass of water beside her lazily and dragged out her words, "Hot..."

Her voice had that typical seductive quality, the kind of voice that could naturally play the role of Daji. Especially when she intentionally lowered her voice to be alluring, it could make people shiver to their bones. When they were closest, she would deliberately use this kind of voice to whisper in Tang Ruoyao's ear, and Tang Ruoyao would uncontrollably comply with her every whim, never sparing the pleasure of listening to such a delightful voice.

A peculiar sensation ran through Tang Ruoyao's entire body as she sat on the edge of the bed, concealing the fact that her legs felt weak.

Qin Yinong laughed again.

Tang Ruoyao didn't know what expression to put on anymore.

When their relationship was still "intimate" before, she could handle things with ease. But now, she felt like a clumsy fool who wanted to approach her beloved but awkwardly concealed her feelings.

The words Qin Yinong had said earlier were still fresh in her ears, so why was she so useless?

She's just acting! She doesn't truly care about you!

Tang Ruoyao sounded the alarm in her mind.

Qin Yinong didn't notice the changing expressions on Tang Ruoyao's face. She reached out her hand, palm encompassing the glass's body. The scalding temperature made her fingers recoil slightly. She took a gentle breath and continued to touch it.

"I arrived only two minutes earlier than you."

A quiet voice suddenly sounded in the room, and Tang Ruoyao realized it was Qin Yinong speaking.

Tang Ruoyao was momentarily stunned.

Qin Yinong continued, "I..."

Knock, knock, knock...

An abrupt knocking sound came from outside the room. Tang Ruoyao propped herself up on the edge of the bed, intending to stand up, but Qin Yinong had already let go of the glass and said, "I'll go and open it. It should be Guan Han coming."

Although Qin Yinong said that, when she went to open the door, Tang Ruoyao followed closely behind.

Indeed, it was Guan Han standing at the door.

Guan Han's unpleasant expression softened slightly when she saw the two of them. She said, "Qin Jie" then turned her gaze to Tang Ruoyao and said, "Miss Tang."

Guan Han continued, "I had the hotel change your room to one opposite Miss Tang's."

Qin Yinong responded with a simple "Hmm."

Guan Han glanced at her, realizing that it was not appropriate to say the following words in front of Tang Ruoyao.

Qin Yinong understood, and she went out of the room, politely nodding at Tang Ruoyao and her gaze softened, "Thank you for your hospitality."

Tang Ruoyao replied dryly, "No need to thank me."

Qin Yinong couldn't help but suppress a smile, and her eyes and eyebrows curved.

Tang Ruoyao's mind went blank for a moment.

Guan Han widened her eyes in astonishment.

This, this... What illicit things had happened between them without her knowledge?!

Qin Yinong nodded again before turning and entering the room opposite.

Tang Ruoyao stared at that door for a few seconds, then looked towards Qin Yinong's previous room, a few meters away on her right. She still couldn't snap out of it.

Qin Yinong moved to the room opposite her?

And, was Qin Yinong's last statement meant as an explanation to her?

Tang Ruoyao felt like she was still dreaming as she returned to her room. She ended up drinking the glass of water that Qin Yinong had left on the table.

.....

"The person has been sent away. The hotel claims they were unaware, and the production team is shifting blame." Guan Han said. "Also, that woman claimed to be your fan."

"A fan?" Qin Yinong sarcastically chuckled, "I thought I haven't had such fans since ten years ago."

"I know, I had An Ling investigate."

"It's probably the same few people. It's been so many years, and they don't know how to come up with something new." Qin Yinong waved her hand dismissively, "Tell An Ling not to waste her effort."

Guan Han hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back..

As the saying goes, Old tricks still work as long as they're effective. Qin Yinong had been targeted with smear campaigns for more than just a day or two. Every time there was a positive turn in public opinion, similar news would suddenly surface, accompanied by ambiguous evidence, a mix of truth and falsehood. Netizens quickly believed it, providing fodder for idle gossip.

Guan Han pursed her lips. "An Ling said she will get to the bottom of it."

Qin Yinong paused, then said, "Let her do as she pleases." She asked, "Did they retrieve the hotel surveillance footage?"

"They did, but I had the hotel destroy it," Guan Han looked worried, "But I'm afraid..."

If it was a well-planned scheme, the mastermind wouldn't wait for her to destroy the evidence. The videos were probably taken long ago.

Qin Yinong raised her hand and pressed her temple.Guan Han lowered her head and said, "Qin Jie, this time it's my oversight. You can deduct it from my salary."

"..." Qin Yinong fell silent for a moment, then smiled and ruffled Guan Han's hair, "What does this have to do with you? Do I need to call you specifically to come and inspect the room before I check-in? To see if there are any suspicious men and women inside?"

Guan Han's meticulously combed hair was now disheveled from the ruffling. She lifted her head and said seriously, "I think it's feasible."

Qin Yinong responded, "Then the media articles will turn into me demanding my assistant to prepare handsome men and beautiful women in a luxurious room on every set, ready for my pleasure after work."

Guan Han remained silent.

Qin Yinong continued, "No matter what, they will always have something to say. You can't completely prevent it."

Guan Han fell into silence, tightly pursing her lips.

Why did all these little ones around her need her to coddle them one by one?

Qin Yinong sighed in her heart and humorously spread her hands, "Well, it's because I'm famous, right? With fame comes gossip. Don't let these trivial matters bother you."

"But—"

"I heard that worrying too much can lead to baldness." Qin Yinong interrupted her with a playful smile.

Guan Han remembered the black hairs falling from her pillow every morning, and a chill suddenly ran down the back of her neck. She quickly closed her mouth.

Qin Yinong picked up the mineral water bottle on the table. Her fingers rested on the cap for a moment before she put it down and went to the bathroom to get hot water. Her voice came from the bathroom, sounding distant and empty, with a hint of sigh, "Netizens will eventually grow tired. Compared to before, am I not much better now?"

Guan Han thought sadly to herself: In the past, it was all about Qin Yinong's scandals on the front page. They would discuss her favorite positions, who she liked to be with, as if the reporters were hiding under the bed witnessing everything she did. Now, it only trends for a day or two. Isn't that much better?

Qin Yinong plugged in the electric kettle and was about to turn around when she noticed Guan Han raising her hand and quickly wiping her eyes.

Qin Yinong lowered her head and pretended to focus on adjusting the kettle's wiring.

Guan Han composed herself and reported, "The dinner in the private room is about to start. You should freshen up. I'll be waiting outside the door."

Qin Yinong acknowledged with a sound of agreement.

While Guan Han was waiting at the door for Qin Yinong, she bumped into Tang Ruoyao coming out of her room. They exchanged a brief glance and nodded at each other nodded before each other indifferently.

Tang Ruoyao left with her assistant first.

Qin Yinong tidied up and opened the door. Subconsciously, she glanced across the hallway. Guan Han reported in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Miss Yao has already gone downstairs."

Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow.

Guan Han cleared her throat and added, "She looks handsome." She assessed Qin Yinong from head to toe. "You two look like a couple in matching outfits."

Qin Yinong curved her lips and raised her hand to pat her head, but Guan Han evaded it with caution.

It was her carelessness in the room that allowed Qin Yinong to take advantage of her earlier. It was fine to touch other little ones, but she wasn't a little one herself.

Qin Yinong's attempt failed, and she awkwardly withdrew her hand, slipping one hand into her pocket and lifting her chin slightly. "Let's go."

When Tang Ruoyao saw Qin Yinong enter the private room, she was momentarily surprised.

Dai Yongqing teased from the side, "Hey hey, we haven't even started filming, and you two are already making the dog lovers suffer."

Tang Ruoyao was dressed in a stylish off-white pantsuit, paired with an avocado-green shirt and a slim belt that perfectly divided her figure into golden proportions. It accentuated her long, straight legs, and her long hair was neatly tied up, giving off a fresh and sharp impression.

Qin Yinong also chose pants, slim-fit ankle pants, but in the opposite color of black. She wore only simple black and white colors, with a delicate platinum necklace adorning her exquisite collarbone, subtly shimmering. Her entire demeanor exuded a gentle and graceful aura.

Under the light in the private room, even the gaze she cast towards Tang Ruoyao became increasingly tender and gentle.

It was as if the person from the script suddenly came to life, despite the stark difference in attire.

Qin Yinong... or rather, Shen Muqing...

Tang Ruoyao blinked her eyes, slightly shaken.

Noticing Tang Ruoyao's dazed expression, Qin Yinong glanced at her again, seemingly teasing, and walked confidently towards her. "Mr. Dai, would you like us to perform an impressive scene?"

Dai Yongqing hurriedly chuckled, "No, no, I wouldn't dare. You guys do your thing, and I'll give you my support. Is it trendy among young people to say that nowadays?"

"Yes." Qin Yinong replied, then turned to Tang Ruoyao, narrowing her eyes playfully. She said, "Little one, are you getting immersed in the role again?"

In her heart, she thought, 'Ah, her eyes are practically sticking to me. What will happen once we start filming?'

Tang Ruoyao suddenly snapped back to reality, the infatuation fading from her eyes. She whispered, "Senior Qin."

Earlier today, Dai Yongqing had just shared a small basket of strawberries with Tang Ruoyao. Taking advantage of the situation, he decided to tease her about getting too immersed in her role. Acting as if he had discovered a new land, he exclaimed loudly, "Hey, Ms. Tang's face is turning red! Everyone, come and see!"

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

When did her face turn red?!

With Dai Yongqing's outcry, everyone's gaze turned sharply towards her, as if they wanted to burn a hole in her face. Even though Tang Ruoyao didn't have a blushing face, their intense scrutiny made her face flush like a ripe tomato.

Qin Yinong couldn't help but chuckle.

Tang Ruoyao keenly caught that sound and decided to play along. She mobilized her acting skills and made her face even redder.

She wanted to hear that laughter again.

After observing the commotion for a while, Qin Yinong stepped in to diffuse the situation, smiling as she said, "That's enough. What's the point of a group of people, totaling hundreds of years in age, bullying a young child? If you have the guts, come and pick on me."

Of course, no one dared to confront Tang Ruoyao directly, but they could still tease her with a few jests. Dai Yongqing, grinning, spared the center of the storm, Tang Ruoyao, and took the opportunity to playfully taunt Qin Yinong, "Oh, you're protecting her now?"

Qin Yinong arched an eyebrow and chuckled softly, "Yes, I am. What are you going to do about it?"

Tang Ruoyao's mind shook, and she glanced deeply at Qin Yinong from behind.

Dai Yongqing replied, "What can I do? I already said from the beginning that I'll support you both."

He casually picked up two pairs of chopsticks from the table, raised them in the air, and made a gesture of support, then, in a very experienced manner, asked everyone, "Is this gesture still standard? I think this is how my daughter shows support for her favorite celebrity."

The people present paused for a second, then burst into laughter.

These supporting actors were all middle-aged, and when it came to the trends and interests of young people these days, they had only a partial understanding and many misunderstandings. However, miraculously, they could still chat together quite well. Being parents themselves, once they sat down, they couldn't stop talking about their own children.

Celebrities are also ordinary people who have their own worries, joys, and sorrows. They also openly or subtly share about their children.

As the youngest attendee, Tang Ruoyao was forced to explain the latest trends to the middle-aged uncles and aunties and occasionally had to speculate on the thoughts of child actors who had a generation gap with the older actors.

Only Qin Yinong poured herself a glass of wine and listened with a smile.

In the blink of an eye, she had already had several glasses.

Qin Yinong had a good alcohol tolerance, and the alcohol content in the drinks at this hotel was low. She drank it as if it were water, feeling no effects whatsoever.

Tang Ruoyao saw that Qin Yinong had finished a whole bottle of wine and, after answering a question from a senior, she shifted the conversation to Qin Yinong. Taking advantage of the lively atmosphere at the table, she smiled and said, "Senior Qin, why haven't you been speaking? If you weren't sitting next to me, I would have thought you quietly left the table."

Qin Yinong showed no signs of being drunk, but she propped her cheek on her hand and pretended to be slightly intoxicated. She looked at Tang Ruoyao with a half-smile and asked, "Hmm, what do you want me to say?"

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

According to reason, Qin Yinong shouldn't have responded like that. Even if she didn't want to say anything, she should have casually said something to brush it off. Wasn't she intentionally shutting her up?!

Qin Yinong was quite pleased with her expression. She deftly turned her wine glass and raised her gaze to ask, "Can little kids drink alcohol?"

Before Tang Ruoyao could figure out a way to step down from the topic, Qin Yinong kindly offered her a way out.

Tang Ruoyao: "I can handle a little bit." Her alcohol tolerance was decent, but she wasn't sure to what extent. In the past few years, Qin Yinong had taken such good care of her that she didn't have many occasions where she needed to drink excessively.

She had a non-alcoholic drink in her glass. This dinner was not a social occasion, and Dai Yongqing thoughtfully prepared beverages for all the ladies. Of course, he wouldn't stop someone like Qin Yinong who wanted to drink alcohol.

Tang Ruoyao tilted her neck back and finished her drink. Then, she shifted her gaze to the red wine bottle next to Qin Yinong. It was absolutely forbidden for Qin Yinong to pour her a drink, so she conscientiously reached out to take it herself.

Qin Yinong lightly pressed her hand back with a single finger, intercepting it in mid-air.

At the moment their skin touched, both of them felt a slight tremor in their hearts, and a satisfied sigh escaped from within.

Qin Yinong curled the corner of her lips wickedly and smiled, "I won't give you any."

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

How did she not noticed before that this person was so mischievous!

"You're just a little kid. Why would you drink alcohol?"

Qin Yinong withdrew her finger, letting it hang under the table. Her slender fingertips gently curled up, and her thumb tenderly caressed them.

The scene of Qin Yinong teasing Tang Ruoyao was seen by everyone at the table, and it resulted in hearty laughter. Dai Yongqing cheekily approached and imitated, saying, "Little Ms. Tang, can you drink alcohol?"

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

Tang Ruoyao didn't answer, but he could continue acting anyway. He even played both roles, imitating the conversation between her and Qin Yinong flawlessly, matching the tone and intonation perfectly, although his voice fell slightly short because he was a male imitating a female.

A subtle shade of displeasure flashed across Qin Yinong's eyes.

Initially, Tang Ruoyao felt a bit uncomfortable being teased, not because of the teasing itself, but because what he had with Qin Yinong seemed like something that belonged only to her. It felt like it was being taken away by someone else. However, upon hearing Dai Yongqing's skill, he immediately dismissed the matter from his mind. How did he manage to do that?

In response to Tang Ruoyao's question, Dai Yongqing smiled and said, "I come from a background of professional voice acting."

Tang Ruoyao still had doubts. Even if he was a voice actor, it seemed impossible to imitate on the spot, right?

Another actor nearby happily chimed in, "Little Tang, you don't know? Senior Dai appeared on a voice variety show before, where he voiced ten different characters all by himself. It was incredible. Both of you were in it too, so I guess he got familiar with your voices."

Dai Yongqing explained, "It's not just familiarity. I've been practicing for a long time. Both Ms. Qin and Ms. Tang are excellent actors, and I often observe and learn from their performances privately. Sometimes I practice the lines."

Dai Yongqing was a veteran actor, while Tang Ruoyao was just a newcomer in the film industry for the past two years. Tang Ruoyao knew very well how much weight he held among the "the two of them". He understood that the polite words were just that, and he couldn't take them seriously.

Tang Ruoyao didn't watch variety shows, but he had heard Xin Qian mention a popular voice variety show from last year. So when he asked, it turned out to be true.

Voice acting really tests one's proficiency in delivering lines. Although Tang Ruoyao had a solid foundation, he couldn't compare to this experienced senior. Many professional actors, even after gaining fame, would learn voice acting to improve themselves.

This was one of Tang Ruoyao's future plans, and now he was standing in front of a living legend in voice acting. Tang Ruoyao wouldn't miss the opportunity to seek advice from him.

Dai Yongqing was always ready to answer any questions.

Seeing the two of them chatting and laughing, a sour feeling suddenly rose in the mouth of Qin Yinong, who had a sip of wine.

Author's Note:

Mini theater:

Qin Jiejie (slams the glass): Who replaced my wine with vinegar?!!!

Author Shiliu Liu (raises hand for recognition): M-M-Me!!!

Tang Tang: So when did you replace Jiejie's wine with my water?

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