CHAPTER 65

"Director Han." Tang Ruoyao greeted Han Yuping as soon as she arrived on set.

Han Yuping arrived earlier than all of them and gave her a lukewarm nod, his gaze passing over her shoulder, directly heading towards Qin Yinong who stood behind her.

After Han Yuping took a few steps away, Xin Qian whispered discontentedly to Tang Ruoyao, "Director Han is showing such obvious favoritism."

Seeing Tang Ruoyao's expressionless face, if it weren't for her initiating the greeting, he would have ignored her as if she didn't exist. But as soon as he saw Qin Yinong, he immediately walked over to her.

Tang Ruoyao didn't mind and said, "I already have a different relationship with Senior Qin." Not to mention their personal connection, even their positions were worlds apart.

Xin Qian muttered unintentionally, "There might be some truth to the rumors online."

Of course, she was referring to the rumored relationship between Qin Yinong and Han Yuping.

Tang Ruoyao's expression immediately soured, and she reprimanded lightly, "Don't spread rumors."

Xin Qian mumbled a response and kept quiet.

But how could it be considered a rumor? If it wasn't true, why would so many people be talking about it? And they didn't even see the two of them avoiding each other on set. Director Han frequently went alone to their rest area, who knows what he was doing there.

Qin Yinong watched as Han Yuping approached with a focused gaze. When he reached her, she suddenly curved her lips and smiled, saying, "Director Han, what kind of act are you putting on? Are you about to kneel down?"

Han Yuping: "..."

He couldn't be bothered to argue with her. His expression became extremely serious, and he lowered his voice, saying, "Let me apologize to you first. About last night..."

Qin Yinong's eyes quickly darkened for a moment, so fast that it was impossible to catch. She replied lightly, "It's already resolved."

Han Yuping expressed doubt, "Really?"

Qin Yinong raised her chin towards Guan Han, who was beside her. Han Yuping followed her gaze and met Guan Han's icy cold eyes. Han Yuping lightly licked his lips, trusting Guan Han when it came to handling things.

Not feeling reassured, Han Yuping added, "If there's anything I can help with, just tell me. After all, this happened after you joined the crew, and the production team has an undeniable responsibility. I..."

Qin Yinong looked at him with a strange gaze.

Han Yuping felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up under her gaze. His words got stuck in his throat, and he almost couldn't restrain himself from taking a small step back. But as soon as he realized it, Han Yuping immediately stood upright and exchanged formal greetings with her.

Qin Yinong had long, flowing hair that was elegantly styled. She twirled a strand of hair around her finger, slowly and deliberately, circling it again and again. After a moment, her eyes narrowed slightly, and she smiled at Han Yuping with a provocative tone, "Are you going through menopause recently? Why do you have so much to say? And... hmm, it's filled with maternal love."

Placed about ten years ago, Han Yuping would never have imagined that Qin Yinong would grow up to become such a difficult person to deal with.

Han Yuping was dumbfounded and immediately became frustrated, storming off with a wave of his sleeves.

He shouldn't have shown any kindness Qin Yinong!

Guan Han watched Han Yuping's face turn red and then pale with anger. Then she looked at Qin Yinong, who was smiling with a sense of accomplishment, and shook her head with a helpless smile.

Since the last time Han Yuping successfully used his soft approach to persuade Qin Yinong to return home for a break, or even earlier, in the past two years, Han Yuping had unmistakably shown signs of evolving into a caring father. Previously, he had a cold demeanor but a warm heart. Now, he had a warm demeanor and a warm heart. Qin Yinong couldn't adapt to it, and she found it even more strange. She would occasionally tease him for no reason.

Han Yuping also found joy in this situation, jumping back and forth between being a loving father and a strict father.

Qin Yinong pursed her lips, and Guan Han leaned closer to her ear.

"Let's have someone send a bowl of pear soup to Director Han to cool his temper."

"Okay."

Qin Yinong raised her hand again, and Guan Han stepped back to her side.

At the moment her gaze cleared, Qin Yinong happened to catch the look Tang Ruoyao was casting from afar. She didn't know how long Tang Ruoyao had been watching her. Qin Yinong naturally glanced over her and pretended to take in the scenery, walking briskly towards the lounge.

Tang Ruoyao had only brought Xin Qian with her. Makeup hadn't started yet, and she preferred to wander around the set for a while to get a feel for it.

The filming location was close to the era in which the story was set, the turn of the century. The architectural style looked somewhat historical, but the walls were new, likely repainted for the shoot. Black electrical wires ran along the walls, twisted together in no particular pattern, but with the filters of the past, they exuded a sense of antiquated beauty.

Tang Ruoyao wasn't sure if it was set design or if the location had that charm naturally, but it instantly transported her back to her childhood.

The rooms were illuminated by simple incandescent bulbs, and the overall decoration was clean and minimalist. The living room had a deep blue fabric sofa, and the details of the old newspapers on the coffee table were perfect. Tang Ruoyao walked towards her bedroom, where the set team was still fine-tuning the details. As she turned around, the sporadic calls of "Ms. Tang" echoed.

"Xiao Wang." the person in charge, who seemed to be a team leader of sorts, took out a pen from the pen holder on the desk and handed it to one of the crew members. "Replace this."

"What kind of replacement?"

"Just bring them all over, and I'll choose again."

"Alright."

Seeing Tang Ruoyao simply nod, the person in charge instructed someone to pour water for her and she quickly left, not wanting to disturb them.

Shortly after she came out, a production assistant approached her and asked her to go for makeup.

Tang Ruoyao had just played a college student from the Republican era and this time she was going to play a high school student. She couldn't help but chuckle to herself, thinking that she was getting younger and younger with each role.

She sat upright in front of the mirror, and the stylist worked on her hairstyle. A student's hairstyle was simple, just a ponytail would do. Suddenly, the stylist paused, circling her thick, long hair with his thumb and index finger, and sighed, "Ms. Tang, you have so much hair."

In an era of baldness for everyone, Tang Ruoyao jokingly replied, "What's the use of having so much now? Eventually, I'll go bald."

The stylist laughed and said, "At least you have it for now." He held a hair tie in his hand, securing her hair while asking, "Should I make it tighter or looser?"

"Loose, please." Since graduating from high school, Tang Ruoyao hadn't tied her hair in a ponytail much. At most, she would loosely tie a low ponytail. The feeling of her scalp being tightly pulled was unfamiliar to her.

A person's temperament and hairstyle are closely related. For example, right now, Tang Ruoyao looked at herself in the mirror with a high ponytail, her bangs completely swept back, revealing a smooth and full forehead. Her complexion was fair and clean, and in an instant, she appeared several years younger.

The stylist followed her gaze at the mirror and asked, "Does it look good like this?"

Tang Ruoyao paused for a moment and said, "It's good."

This time, Qin Yinong would probably call her a little kid even more.

The makeup artist laid out various tools and clapped his hands, saying, "Great, close your eyes now, it's time for makeup."

.....

Qin Yinong's real age was not far off from the character in the movie. She would be thirty in a few months, and her skin was still in great condition, firm and elastic, not much different from those in their twenties.

The makeup artist looked at her for a while, comparing and gesturing with a powder puff, unintentionally making her appear two years older.

Qin Yinong: "..."

Compared to Tang Ruoyao, Qin Yinong's makeup was relatively simple, but her hairstyle was quite troublesome.

That glamorous and charming large wavy long curls had to go. The stylist had it dyed back to black and straightened into long black hair. The styling was not a one-time process, and it took a very long time. Qin Yinong kept her neck still, her eyes cast downward, looking at the tablet on the table, playing a light-hearted Southern European film.

After who knows how long, they took a break for lunch. The stylist said, "Alright, we're done."

Qin Yinong raised her hand, massaged her sore neck, and stood up, holding onto the armrest of the chair.

Guan Han came over and supported her hand.

Qin Yinong sighed lightly as if nothing had happened. "I'm exhausted."

Whenever filming a movie, makeup took up the most time. Sitting there without moving, except for sleeping, she couldn't fully concentrate on anything else.

"What time is it?" she asked.

Guan Han looked at her wristwatch. "It's half-past four in the afternoon."

Qin Yinong asked, "Are the others finished shooting?"

"Almost." Guan Han guessed her intention and said, "Tang Ruoyao finished shooting in the morning, Dai Yongqing also finished in the morning. Only the ones with scheduling conflicts were pushed to the afternoon, but at this hour, they should be done by now."

Qin Yinong nodded and said, "Let's go over now so we don't keep the cinematographer waiting."

The film crew had not officially started shooting yet, so it was in a state of bustling activity with production staff running around everywhere and actors wandering around. Tang Ruoyao was hanging around on the set, occasionally sitting down to read the script, occasionally glancing at the door of Qin Yinong's rest area, which had been closed since the morning, with only occasional assistants coming in and out.

Wasn't it time for the makeup shoot? Everyone was ready except for Qin Yinong, who remained motionless.

"Xiao Tang," Dai Yongqing called from nearby, "We're going back to the hotel. Are you coming with us?"

Tang Ruoyao shook her head. "I'll sit here a while longer."

Dai Yongqing waved. "Okay, we'll go ahead then."

Tang Ruoyao said, "Goodbye, see you tomorrow."

Forgetting how many times she had looked in that direction, the long-unused door finally showed some activity. First, the assistants came out one after another, and then the black-clad bodyguards made way...

Tang Ruoyao instantly became alert.

A foot stepped out at the entrance of the rest area, and Tang Ruoyao quickly stood up and hurried with Xin Qian towards the makeup shoot center, trying to secure a good spot and pretending that she had been there all along.

Qin Yinong calmly scanned the set and subtly furrowed her brows.

Did Tang Ruoyao leave?

Forget it.

Qin Yinong didn't dwell on it and led a group of assistants to the studio in a grand manner.

At this time, most of the crew had finished work and gathered to watch the excitement. Qin Yinong was stunningly beautiful, unmatched in her beauty. Regardless of any rumors or gossips about her online, whenever there was an opportunity to meet her in person, people flocked to her.

As expected, the studio was packed with people. Tang Ruoyao secretly lamented that she had arrived early and occupied a front-row seat right next to the cinematographer. But after a while, she regretted it. It was too conspicuous.

She looked around and whispered a few words to Xin Qian, who nodded and disappeared on the spot.

Qin Yinong broke through the crowd and immediately spotted a high school girl sitting on a small stool in the corner, holding a book or something in her hands while looking bewildered. Was this the child of one of the crew members who had wandered in?

Taking another look, the figure seemed somewhat familiar. With her head lowered, two strands of black hair softly hung by her ears. She had a high nose bridge, thin lips, and delicate facial features.

The high school uniform she was wearing looked quite authentic.

Qin Yinong unconsciously lifted the corner of her lips, and her gaze brushed past Tang Ruoyao as she entered the shooting center.

Tang Ruoyao caught a glimpse of Qin Yinong's brown shoes passing by in her peripheral vision and mustered the courage to look up.

Qin Yinong, under the camera's lens, seemed like a different person.

Her flamboyant and vibrant red coat was taken off and handed to an assistant, revealing a creamy white turtleneck sweater underneath that accentuated her soft curves. Her long hair, as dark as ink, was neatly combed behind her ears. Her face appeared even more delicate and gentle, no longer seductive but with an added touch of intellectual elegance.

She sat at the table, holding a pen and reviewing the script. Her gestures, like lifting her finger to tuck her hair behind her ear, exuded a scholarly aura.

The photographer's eyes lit up, and he took several shots in quick succession. Qin Yinong raised her hand and whispered a few words to Guan Han. Guan Han then communicated with the photographer, who nodded in agreement.

Guan Han took off her glasses and handed them to Qin Yinong.

Qin Yinong unfolded the temple of the glasses with one hand, lowered her head, and slowly put on the delicate gold-rimmed glasses. With a smile, she raised her eyes and looked straight into the camera.

The air seemed to be frozen in time.

Tang Ruoyao heard a loud, high-pitched scream.

She thought she accidentally let out the voice from her heart, almost covering her mouth on the spot.

As a result, screams kept coming one after another.

Tang Ruoyao turned her head to look at the center of the crowd, where a young girl tightly held her hand over her mouth, unable to suppress the excited voice that still leaked out from the gaps. Her other hand firmly gripped her companion's arm. Her companion wasn't any better either, with flushed cheeks, looking like they were about to suffocate and faint from lack of oxygen.

"Glasses goddess! I'm dead."

"I can't handle this."

"I died and came back to life."

"Which one of you is familiar with the photographer? I want this set of makeup photos, complete."

Is it really that exaggerated?

Tang Ruoyao wondered as she forcefully squeezed her own wrist, trying to calm her wildly beating heart. Perhaps influenced by that little girl, she also felt a bit short of breath.

Xin Qian tapped Tang Ruoyao's shoulder and whispered, "Why is your face so red?"

Tang Ruoyao choked and took a deep breath.

Qin Yinong frowned as she looked at the photographer's photos and said, not very satisfied, "Are glasses like this not as good as rimless ones?"

The photographer bluntly said, "Rimless ones are more refined."

Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow, turned to look at Han Yuping, and Han Yuping said, "It's better not to wear them."

In some TV dramas and movies, in order to portray certain characters, such as teachers or intellectuals, they like to add a pair of glasses. There are various types, such as black-framed, frameless, or gold-rimmed glasses, among others. It's a kind of prop. However, not everyone suits them. Qin Yinong does look good with glasses, but her face is already attention-grabbing enough. Adding a flashy pair of gold-rimmed glasses would make her look more like a mischievous fox spirit disguised as a teacher.

Qin Yinong agreed, "I also think so, but since we haven't made a final decision, why not try them all? Just in case?"

Han Yuping said, "Hmm, that works too."

He loudly shouted, "Who can provide glasses support? Different styles are preferred."

Upon hearing this, those wearing glasses hurriedly took them off and eagerly handed them to the front.

Qin Yinong successively tried various styles of glasses—rimless for refinement, black-framed for a scholarly look, round-framed for a playful and charming appearance...

The photography studio turned into a chicken farm, with chicken cries echoing one after another. Han Yuping maintained order with a cold voice twice before finally suppressing the commotion.

With each try, Tang Ruoyao would imagine a kissing scene between her and Qin Yinong, as well as the more intimate scenes from the script. She would press Qin Yinong against the edge of the desk, slowly removing her glasses with one hand, observing her eyes becoming unfocused and alluring without the lenses to conceal them, the corners of her eyes and eyebrows exuding an unwittingly seductive charm.

Qin Yinong would nervously glance at the door, even though no one would barge in. She would still softly restrain Tang Ruoyao, saying, "Don't."

But Tang Ruoyao wouldn't listen.

She would use her thumb to leisurely trace her lips, feeling her struggle and resistance mingled with acceptance, then she would lean in, with warm breath brushing against their lips. Mischievously, she would tease and peck at her lips intermittently, sometimes drawing closer and then pulling away when she tried to evade.

It had been a long time since she had kissed her, and she could barely recall her taste.

Tang Ruoyao's throat rolled gently.

The person sitting below, completely unaware of Tang Ruoyao's thoughts, Qin Yinong and Han Yuping looked through all the photos together, discussing and finally deciding not to wear glasses.

Tang Ruoyao was not far from them and felt slightly disappointed upon hearing their decision.

Unexpectedly, there was a sudden turn of events. Qin Yinong flipped back to one of the photos and said, "This one is alright. I can try wearing glasses when correcting assignments. it gives off a certain vibe."

Han Yuping asked, "A certain vibe?"

Qin Yinong lowered her voice and said, "I remember there's a scene..." She glanced in Tang Ruoyao's direction and continued, "It's the one where she kisses me by the desk. If I wear glasses, maybe it would enhance the sense of dilemma and struggle?"

Han Yuping pondered for a moment.

As the director visualized the scene, he thought it could work, but... Han Yuping said, "If that's the case, you'll need to have a slight nearsightedness and pay attention to details in your daily life."

Qin Yinong confidently said, "Nearsightedness is not a problem. I've played such roles before. Tell me the prescription you need, and I can even act as a blind person."

Han Yuping teased, "Are you begging for more?"

Qin Yinong burst into laughter.

They whispered the rest of the conversation very softly, and Tang Ruoyao didn't hear it. She only heard Qin Yinong's joyous laughter.

"Alright, let's call it a day." Han Yuping clapped his hands, signaling the photographer to wrap up. The onlookers in the studio started dispersing. Tang Ruoyao was about to pack up her belongings and leave when Qin Yinong called out to her from behind.

"Little one."

Tang Ruoyao stiffened and turned around. "Senior Qin, Director Han."

"Why are you here?" Qin Yinong asked with a knowing smile.

"I was here this afternoon to watch everyone take their makeup photos." Tang Ruoyao replied.

"Oh~" Qin Yinong elongated the sound, taking the red windbreaker from Guan Han's hand and putting it back on, revealing a smile. Once she stepped away from the camera, whether she had black straight hair or not, she couldn't hide the myriad of charm emanating from her bones.

For example, at this moment, she gently beckoned Tang Ruoyao, causing her legs to almost lose control as she dashed towards her.

Qin Yinong remained still, and Tang Ruoyao approached her. Qin Yinong took the initiative to walk towards her, looking her up and down, then commented, "Your makeup looks good."

"Where?" Tang Ruoyao humbly replied.

Qin Yinong suddenly acted like a foreigner, pretending not to understand Chinese and responded literally, "Hmm? Everything looks good. Your hair, nose, eyes, ears, and mouth, they're all beautiful." Pausing for a moment, she sincerely expressed her doubts, "How did you become so good-looking? You're fair, tall, and slim. Who wouldn't like you when they see you?"

Tang Ruoyao felt her head spinning, her neck from the snow's touch to her fair earlobes instantly turning red.

Qin Yinong had developed a habit of bantering, and young girls loved hearing compliments. She would casually praise them in the studio and even the group of assistant crew didn't hold back on sweet words. But with someone as beautiful as Tang Ruoyao, she had unintentionally gone overboard with her compliments.

Seeing Tang Ruoyao's reaction, Qin Yinong immediately regretted her words.

Tang Ruoyao's blank mind was turned into a mess by her words, and that mess was then split apart by the final sentence, each part going its own way.

She looked at Qin Yinong in front of her and thought, 'You wouldn't like me if you really saw me.'

Qin Yinong desperately searched for words to fill the silence but saw Tang Ruoyao quickly regain her composure, calmly and composedly saying, "Senior Qin, you flatter me. It is you who is truly stunning and unparalleled in the world."

Qin Yinong blinked.

Tang Ruoyao nodded, "Director Han, Senior Qin, I'll head back to the hotel first. You can continue your conversation."

Leaving Qin Yinong standing dumbfounded in place, Qin Yinong slowly furrowed her brows and looked at Han Yuping, who hadn't uttered a word throughout.

"Director Han."

"Hmm?" Han Yuping hadn't been listening to their nonsense from the start, he was lost in his own thoughts. He said, "I reconsidered the scene you mentioned just now. Besides the sense of struggle, it also seems to have a certain charm."

"Charm?"

"Yes." Han Yuping muttered to himself as he walked away, "But how to capture it on camera, let me think... I'll go back and sketch a storyboard first."

They walked away, one in front and one behind. Qin Yinong turned her head and made eye contact with Guan Han, who pushed her glasses and gave her an innocent look in return.

Shortly after the makeup photos were taken, filming officially began.

These past few days, Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao maintained a distance neither too close nor too far. The car of the crew didn't break down in the morning again, and she didn't have another chance to ride in Qin Yinong's car. Sometimes, when some actors invited the crew for a meal, Qin Yinong never went, and after contemplating for a while, Tang Ruoyao also declined. It was easy to get along with the crew, but they couldn't get along too well.

When they encountered each other on set, Qin Yinong would smile at her and exchange a few harmless jokes. At first, Tang Ruoyao couldn't accurately grasp Qin Yinong's intentions due to her friendly attitude. However, she later realized that Qin Yinong treated all the actors on set the same way, gentle and often buying fruits for everyone to share. She had Xin Qian inquire about the elderly people who had worked with Qin Yinong in the same crew before and learned that this was how she had always been. She had a good personality, despite being a big presence on set, she never threw tantrums or acted like a diva. She was a great artist to work with.

Tang Ruoyao relaxed after learning this and, following the principle of reciprocity, smiled back at Qin Yinong and no longer deliberately restrained herself. Sometimes, she would even take the initiative to find Qin Yinong for scenes, and Qin Yinong naturally accompanied her.

Qin Yinong saw the change in her and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

This is the film set, and she didn't want Tang Ruoyao to be overly concerned about their past relationship. They were colleagues who could communicate on equal terms. They were starting from the same point here.

At the end of February, "True Colors" started filming in a small town in the south. Due to content restrictions, the film couldn't be released domestically, so there were hardly any media present on that day, and no promotion was done. The collective creative team held a simple ceremony, burning incense, taking a group photo, and distributing red envelopes, quietly announcing the start of production.

However, while the crew kept a low profile, someone wanted to make them more high-profile.

On the day of the shoot, Qin Yinong became a hot topic, soaring to the top of the search rankings.

The headline was attention-grabbing, and various marketing accounts joined forces, quickly igniting the internet with a video. It consisted of three short segments from hotel surveillance cameras, one showing the woman entering, one showing Qin Yinong entering, and the last one showing the woman leaving in disheveled.

Tang Ruoyao also saw the video online, finally understanding the initial appearance of the woman on the bed, revealing and provocative. In short, it was clearly intended to frame Qin Yinong.

The marketing account claimed that Qin Yinong had recently started filming a new movie and, according to insiders, she couldn't stand being lonely on set and brought along a beautiful woman with a stunning appearance to accompany her. The marketing account further stated that this woman was a small-scale model who had previously done photoshoots for XX and XX. All the information  could be found on her Wikipedia page, and every sentence was presented as concrete evidence.

As expected, this sparked a frenzy of online gossip among netizens.

As everyone knows, the average intelligence of netizens is only three years old. When Tang Ruoyao saw the comments on Weibo, she almost thought that what she had seen that day was fake.

Rumors were rampant within the crew, and Tang Ruoyao heard the staff discussing Qin Yinong behind her back more than once.

This piece of negative information was actually full of loopholes. If it were Tang Ruoyao facing such low tactics, Mu Qingwu would have a hundred ways to clarify the situation for her and give those netizens who blindly followed a resounding slap in the face.

But Qin Yinong and her team showed no reaction whatsoever.

Tang Ruoyao knew that she had become bolder recently, but she didn't expect herself to have the audacity to sit beside Qin Yinong and straightforwardly ask, "Why don't you clarify the situation?"

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