CHAPTER 67

The young actor was led by Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao, and his performance became more natural under the camera's gaze.

Just before lunch, they successfully finished this scene.

After Han Yuping's "cut," Tang Ruoyao glanced deeply at Qin Yinong in the filming center. Due to Qin Yinong's grand gestures, her line of sight was blocked by assistants. Sensing something unusual, she turned her head to look back, only to see a fading figure.

Tang Ruoyao was tall and slender, her figure appearing exceptionally fragile beneath the oversized school uniform.

A trace of reluctance flickered deep in Qin Yinong's eyes, but she quickly convinced herself to suppress it.

After speaking those words, she did feel some regret. However, when Tang Ruoyao disregarded everything and approached, crossing the safe distance, and asked in that familiar tone, "Why didn't you clarify?" Qin Yinong felt a jolt in her scalp. All her nerves went into a frenzy, simultaneously raising the state of alertness.

She felt offended, and there was a deeper struggle and an unspoken grievance that she couldn't express to others.

Her grievances were like mountains and seas, trapped in her heavy chest year after year. She had no one to confide in and didn't dare to confide in anyone.

If it were Guan Han, An Ling, Han Yuping, or any friend asking her, she could casually smile and brush it off with a nonchalant tone.

Tang Ruoyao was different from others. She was like a bright vermilion mark, suspended on the tip of Qin Yinong's heart. She had once invested so much emotion and effort, and now she had to exert even more energy to resist her.

Fortunately, Tang Ruoyao's character was still young and immature. She couldn't hold back her words in her heart. Even though she was trying hard to restrain herself, deep down, Qin Yinong was still the person she had been with for over three years. Subconsciously, she believed she had the right to push the boundaries, but this allowed Qin Yinong to easily take the initiative and force her back with just a few words.

After this incident, she should put away that absurd hope and reconsider how they should position themselves on the set.

If she could become more introverted and mature, if she could hold her breath even more...

Qin Yinong suddenly felt a sense of uneasiness for no reason.

The assistant draped a coat over Qin Yinong and noticed her body shiver slightly. Concerned, she asked, "Qin Jie, are you cold?"

Qin Yinong touched the goosebumps on her forearm, tightened her coat, and replied absentmindedly, "A little."

"Then you should go back to the rest area. It's windy here, and your meal has already been brought to you."

"Okay." Qin Yinong turned her head and glanced. Tang Ruoyao was talking to the assistant, probably saying something funny. She lightly tapped the assistant's arm with the script in her hand.

The assistant laughed heartily, while Tang Ruoyao only had a slight curve at the corner of her lips, exuding a calm and dignified demeanor.

Her ponytail was undone, and her long, sleek black hair cascaded down, draping over her slender yet upright back.

With just a change in hairstyle, she seemed like a completely different person. The young woman stood beside her, and even in the ill-fitting school uniform, it still outlined her graceful figure, with delicate curves and undulations. Like ripples on a lake under the sunlight, there was an indescribable tenderness and charm, a unique allure of a mature woman that captivated people's gaze.

After a long while, Qin Yinong seemed to awaken from a dream, her gaze heavy and inexplicably withdrawn.

She was both afraid that Tang Ruoyao would never grow up and afraid that she would grow up too quickly.

Qin Yinong turned and entered the rest area.

....

"Tangtang, what are you doing? You're just laughing and not saying anything?"

"It's nothing." Tang Ruoyao raised her hand and pressed on her stiff facial muscles, which had become stiff from maintaining a smile for a long time. She had just wanted to grab something, but she had already forgotten what specifically. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Qin Yinong looking at her, so she dared not move a muscle.

"Let's eat." Tang Ruoyao said, rubbing her sore elbow and glanced at the closed door of the rest area.

Tang Ruoyao had her own rest area, but for lunch, they all ate the standardized boxed meals provided by the production team. Benefiting from Qin Yinong's status as the big boss, the production team didn't hesitate to spend money on meals. The boxed meals were delicately prepared, with both meat and vegetables, along with soup. Tang Ruoyao wasn't picky about food, so she didn't bother with the trouble of having Xin Qian prepare her meals.

While eating, Tang Ruoyao quietly pondered.

Qin Yinong had been looking at her for a long time just now. What kind of gaze was she using to look at her?

Since her debut, how much of the scandals surrounding her were true? How much was false? Why didn't she ever explain? Did she have any hidden secrets? How many secrets did she actually have?

Tang Ruoyao used to think that Qin Yinong was a labyrinth, with every path covered in damp fog, making it impossible to see clearly. She had followed her for over three years and felt that the mysteries surrounding her were increasing, but she had never thought about understanding her.

Part of the reason was the vast difference in their identities. Qin Yinong had always deliberately emphasized the interests and contractual relationship between them, suppressing her restless thoughts with just a few words, and she didn't dare to act rashly. The other reason was that she simply didn't have the opportunity to truly know the real Qin Yinong beneath the surface, except for brief exchanges during the night.

The current Qin Yinong still had many inscrutable aspects to Tang Ruoyao, but her perspective had already become clear. She no longer clung to trying to please her in precarious situations. Rather than saying she was numb to Qin Yinong's cold words and indifferent attitude, it was more accurate to say that her curiosity about Qin Yinong surpassed everything else.

She now planned to enter this labyrinth and take a look, even if she didn't necessarily have to find the treasure and claim it as her own.

Whether Qin Yinong liked her or not was no longer important, and even whether she liked the other person was no longer important. Everything in the past was a cage, where the heart was trapped and the body was enslaved. Breaking down barriers would bring about a new beginning.

She finally stood at the same level as Qin Yinong, and she tried to reacquaint herself with her cautiously and with a rational perspective.

Nice to meet you for the first time, 

Qin Yinong.

Tang Ruoyao clearly enunciated the woman's name in her heart.

Xin Qian was scooping rice into her mouth when she suddenly looked up and saw a faint smile at the corner of Tang Ruoyao's lips. She blinked her eyes, and the smile disappeared.

Tang Ruoyao noticed her staring and tapped her knuckles on the table in front of her, speaking in a low voice, "Let's eat."

"I'm eating." the assistant replied vaguely.

Xin Qian tilted her head, feeling that there was something strange about her, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

After the meal, Tang Ruoyao took a short nap on the couch in the rest area, sleeping soundly without any dreams. Her biological clock woke her up before the alarm, and she sat up, dozing off in the couch.

The sound of the production team's dispatching could be heard outside. Xin Qian timely pushed open the door of the rest area and entered. "Tang Tang, you're awake. I was just about to call you. The assistant director said we'll start shooting in the afternoon."

"Got it." Tang Ruoyao replied lightly, casually pulling her long hair back into a ponytail.

On the reserved seat of the crew, Qin Yinong was half-sitting, half-lying down, surrounded by several assistants as usual. Tang Ruoyao passed by her, nodded, and greeted her distantly yet politely, "Good afternoon, Senior Qin."

"Good afternoon, little one." Qin Yinong smiled.

Tang Ruoyao's gaze didn't linger on her for more than a second. She diverted her attention and went to her own seat to review the script.

On the entire set, Qin Yinong treated all the actors the same way. Whoever greeted her would receive a delicate smile in return, with the same beautiful curve of the upturned corners of her lips, as if it had been meticulously calculated to be flawless.

Whenever someone sought her guidance, she would put down the script in her hand and patiently answer, displaying a good temperament that didn't resemble that of a superstar. Although apart from Tang Ruoyao, few people had the courage to approach her like that.

The older members of the crew also said that she had always been like this.

Tang Ruoyao felt like she had grasped something, a thought that lingered in her mind.

The scene they were shooting in the afternoon was their first encounter, the moment when Shen Muqing just moved in and Han Zifei was brought by her enthusiastic mother to meet the new neighbor.

"This scene is your showcase." Tang Ruoyao came over after finishing her makeup, and Han Yuping wasted no time in discussing the scene with her. "But you only have one line with Shen Muqing, the main focus is on the eye contact. You're busy with your studies and want to finish your homework early and play with your classmates, so you're impatient. But your mom insists on taking you there. Show a bit of irritability in the early part, remember the feeling of rebelliousness during adolescence?"

Tang Ruoyao had never been rebellious, but she could handle it well and said, "I understand."

Han Yuping continued, "After knocking on Shen Muqing's door, you have a hesitant tone. Your mom calls you to say hello, and you deliver your lines. Before saying them, have a three-second eye contact with her, and after saying them, look to the right and put your hands in your pockets."

Tang Ruoyao nodded again.

Han Yuping said, "You're infatuated at first sight, but not to the extent of love at first sight... at most, it's just a momentary attraction..."

A soft laughter reached her ears.

She turned her head and saw Qin Yinong, who had just finished her makeup, radiating a dazzling beauty, like Guanyin herself, making it difficult to look directly at her.

Qin Yinong leaned against the doorframe, a smile playing at the corners of her lips, as if implying something. "People are always infatuated with beautiful things, especially with beautiful appearances. When we look back in the future, I'm afraid it will be a different feeling."

Han Yuping: "Yes, it's infatuation. You were born here, grew up here, and everything and everyone remained unchanged for a long time, becoming familiar to you. Suddenly, there appears a woman who is different from everyone around..."

Tang Ruoyao continued: "Intense freshness and attraction? So, unconsciously, I would observe her, pay attention to her, think that I like her. But only after getting to know her, it would be truly falling in love with her. Otherwise, I would only love her appearance."

A rare smile appeared on Han Yuping's usually serious face.

Tang Ruoyao took a deep breath and said softly, "I understand."

Qin Yinong seemed to be lost in thought.

Han Yuping looked at Qin Yinong, and Qin Yinong composed herself lazily and said, "You speak, I'm listening."

Having worked together many times, the two of them didn't need to say much to understand each other. Han Yuping simply said, "Just act according to the idea you mentioned earlier." He took a step closer and whispered, "This is your first scene together, so give the child some confidence. Hold back a bit in your performance, no need to be too outstanding."

Qin Yinong curved her lips and smiled, "When did you become so kind?"

In the past, he used to scold actresses left and right, but now he even cares about the child's feelings.

Han Yuping, not in a good mood, retorted with her words, "I'm going through menopause! Are you satisfied now?"

Qin Yinong burst into laughter.

Han Yuping wasn't the type to start off cursing people left and right. He still had principles. Tang Ruoyao was his first collaborator, and she was young. He still had some patience left, although not much.

The actors and the various departments were in position, and the script supervisor clapped the slate, saying, "Scene 2 of 'True Colors,' one continuous shot, action!"

"What do I care about the new neighbor? I can barely recognize my own relatives. Every Lunar New Year, I just stare blankly at people, calling this aunt and that uncle, not knowing their names. Do you believe that even if I meet the new neighbor today, I won't recognize them face to face tomorrow?" Han Zifei complained as her mother Fang Jiao pulled her hand and mumbled while coming out of the door. She resisted, clutching onto the doorframe.

Fang Jiao coldly shouted, "Let go."

Han Zifei reluctantly released her grip, like a little piglet, and reluctantly went back inside. Her voice sounded faint and on the verge of breaking, as if she were half-dead, saying, "I have homework to do..."

Fang Jiao responded, "What homework? You just want to go out and have fun. Meeting a neighbor is as if your life depends on it. They are a teacher. If you have any questions, it's so convenient to ask when you live so close."

A teacher? Han Zifei thought in horror. Haven't I been tormented enough at school? Now I have to meet a teacher too?

"I'm not going!"

"You're not going? What about the last English test where you forged your dad's signature and it seems like he still doesn't know about it?"

Han Zifei's feet were firmly planted in place, and she sheepishly turned her head, grabbing her mother's arm, looking around and asking, "Where is the new neighbor?"

This is a long shot.

Han Yuping raised his hand, and Qin Yinong on the other side signaled with an okay gesture, indicating readiness.

The wooden gate of the neighboring yard was partially open, and within the yard, the tall plants of vibrant red hibiscus were in full bloom. One particularly extravagant branch extended beyond the fence, intruding into Han Zifei's house without any hesitation.

The camera zoomed out, then zoomed back in.

Fang Jiao nodded her chin, saying, "Knock on the door."

Han Zifei wrinkled her nose and weakly raised her hand to knock on the door.

Seeing her lack of enthusiasm, Fang Jiao became annoyed, "Stand up straight!"

Han Zifei sighed inwardly and forced herself to straighten her posture, but she still carried a sense of reluctance. The words "I'm unwilling" seemed to be written all over her body, and her resentment seemed to seep through the monitor screen.

Children at this age are like that, using opposition to express their strong personalities.

"Coming, please wait a moment." a gentle voice came from behind the wooden gate.

Before seeing the person, one could hear their voice.

Han Zifei's ears twitched slightly, and involuntarily, her gaze fell on the gap in the wooden door.

What came into view was a touch of blue, lighter than the blue of the sky, deeper than the blue of a lake. That blue color approached closer and closer, and with a creak, the wooden door was opened by a slender and delicate hand, revealing a curtain of blue.

It turned out to be a light blue cheongsam with a high slit at the hem, revealing a pair of long and shapely legs, yet it didn't appear frivolous. The person resembled a lotus sitting in front of a Buddha, exuding a pure and indescribable beauty.

Han Zifei had only seen people wearing cheongsams in TV dramas, but none of them looked as beautiful as the person before her.

Fang Jiao asked, "Are you Teacher Shen?"

"Yes, and you are..." The young and beautiful woman stood in front of them and smiled warmly.

Fang Jiao pointed to the neighboring house, and Shen Muqing understood. She nodded, adjusted the stray hair by her ear, and gently said, "Hello, I'm Shen Muqing." She didn't know these two individuals, so she introduced herself first.

Fang Jiao inexplicably became reserved and spoke hesitantly, stumbling over her words. "My husband... His surname is Han, and my surname is Fang. You can call me Sister Fang. This is my disobedient daughter, Han Zifei. If you need any help, you can ask her."

She gently nudged her daughter's arm. "Say hello."

"Hello, Xiao Han." Shen Muqing smiled slightly and turned her gaze towards her, following Fang Jiao's words.

Han Zifei moved her lips, about to speak, but then she collided with the distinct black and white eyes of the other person. Shen Muqing had a pair of peach blossom eyes that naturally carried deep affection. The delicate light reflected from her eyes gave off an exceptionally focused feeling.

Han Zifei suddenly couldn't find her words.

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

She felt as if she had just awakened from a dream. She cleared her throat and obediently said, "Hello, Teacher Shen."

"Good girl." Shen Muqing smiled and gave her another gentle smile.

Han Zifei's ears turned hot from her smile, and her recently settled soul seemed to have a tendency to leave again. She quickly turned her head to look at the phoenix flower protruding from the right side of the courtyard wall. The clustered red leaves reflected onto her cheeks, giving them a crimson hue.

The gentle evening breeze brushed by, stirring the calm lake of her heart.

The girl discreetly tucked her hands, which were slightly damp with sweat, into her pockets and rubbed them against the dry fabric.

.....

"Cut!"

Han Yuping shouted loudly.

Tang Ruoyao discreetly let out a breath and shifted her gaze away from the phoenix flower.

This phoenix tree was self-planted in the courtyard, and Tang Ruoyao had just learned in the past two days that one of the main reasons the production team chose this location for filming was because of this phoenix tree. It wasn't the official blooming season for the phoenix flowers yet, and the color of this tree was a bit off, but it happened to match the characters' state of mind in the drama.

According to the film shooting schedule, when May flowers bloom, it will also be the time when their relationship matures. There are other shooting locations in between, and the most important segment, the "honeymoon," will be filmed.Tang Ruoyao took the towel handed to her by her assistant and pretended to casually glance at Qin Yinong. Qin Yinong walked into the courtyard, standing under the tree, with her cheongsam swaying. Under the red flowers, she became a moving scenery.

Han Yuping called Tang Ruoyao over and pointed at the monitor. "We need to reshoot this part."

Han Yuping was referring to the scene between her and the actress who played her mother, Fang Jiao.

Tang Ruoyao waited for him to explain what was wrong, but Han Yuping simply said, "It doesn't feel right, let's reshoot."

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

It's no wonder that he's good friends with Lin Guoan. Their directing styles are quite similar.

Tang Ruoyao, who was trained by Lin Guoan, didn't waste any words and went back to touch up her makeup in preparation for the reshoot. However, this scene was a continuous shot, so if she had to reshoot, Qin Yinong would also have to reshoot.

Did Qin Yinong already know they had to reshoot, which is why she went back?

The continuous shot was reshooted four times. Han Yuping reviewed the playback, and Tang Ruoyao finally heard the word "cut."

After touching up her makeup and adjusting her emotions back and forth, it was already dusk. Tang Ruoyao habitually summarized her experiences in her notebook, but Han Yuping didn't explicitly say anything, so she could only speculate half-heartedly.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tang Ruoyao caught a glimpse of a blue figure, and her heart skipped a beat.

With such a big-shot readily available, why didn't she go and ask? They were colleagues, so there was nothing wrong with asking about the scene.

Spontaneously, she left her assistant behind and quickly walked towards Qin Yinong.

When Qin Yinong saw her, she raised an eyebrow and smiled. "What's up?"

Tang Ruoyao focused on the curve of her mouth, which was exactly the same as when she greeted her at noon. Was this a practiced reflex she had developed?

"I have something to ask." Tang Ruoyao averted her gaze.

"Sit down and let's talk."

"Thank you." Tang Ruoyao followed her words and sat down, with a generous attitude. She said, "Director Han kept asking me to reshoot, but I couldn't figure out my own problem. Could Senior Qin give me some guidance?"

Qin Yinong was inexplicably froze for a moment.

How could she...

Tang Ruoyao: "Senior Qin?"

Qin Yinong made a sound, suppressing her surprise under a calm facade, and said lightly, "You're too constrained."

"Hmm?" A soft, low voice came from Tang Ruoyao, indicating for her to continue.

Although Qin Yinong was not close to her, her ears suddenly felt ticklish by the lazy tone in that last syllable, making her own voice feel hesitant.

Tang Ruoyao had never spoken to her like this before, using such a casual attitude, as if she were treating a colleague or an ordinary friend. She was always afraid of offending her, making her angry. She was always on edge, speaking with a gentle tone.

Even when dealing with the media, she would be more natural than herself.

Now that tension in her had completely relaxed.

Along with it, the care and the love that constantly surfaced also disappeared altogether.

Qin Yinong's heart was filled with a complex mix of emotions, unsure whether it was sadness or joy. She cleared her throat and said seriously, "You have consecutively taken on two films, both with introverted and mature roles. You have your own set of acting methods."

Han Yuping saw the "depth" in her performance as He Peilan, which Tang Ruoyao had already developed in the previous film.

Qin Yinong continued, "You are accustomed to using your eyes and facial muscles to express yourself, but eye expressions also require coordination with body movements. Your coordination is not yet perfect; sometimes tense, sometimes relaxed. Director Han kept asking you to reshoot to rekindle your physicality. Audiences often say that the eyes hold the essence of acting, believing that actors who can convey emotions through their eyes are remarkable. However, you are a professional actress and you should have your own judgment. Besides hands and feet, the body includes the neck and shoulders."

Qin Yinong paused for a moment and said, "I watched that love scene in the movie you did two years ago, which received a lot of praise. You had better control of your body movements back then. Don't always stick to one type of role, your acting ability may become limited."

Tang Ruoyao nodded.

She listened attentively to every word, as Qin Yinong rarely spoke to her in such a long stretch.

Qin Yinong pursed her lips and said, "Are you learning my acting methods? I saw you writing summaries in your notebook."

This is something Qin Yinong used in her early days, which she mentioned in an interview. Tang Ruoyao must have been infatuated with her to this extent and must have seen her interview. Last time, Qin Yinong even heard Lin Guoan chatting with her, saying that her acting method is somewhat similar to hers.

Tang Ruoyao nodded again.

Qin Yinong asked, "What kind of acting style do you think I belong to?"

Nowadays, the mainstream categorizes acting into three major styles: expressive, experiential, and method style. Except for this time, Tang Ruoyao actually hasn't seen Qin Yinong act with her own eyes. After thinking for a while, she said, "Experiential?" Based on the experiences she imparted to her, it seemed to be about understanding the characters' thoughts and emotions, becoming the character she portrays.

Tang Ruoyao delved too deeply into this approach, which now caused her to get too immersed in her roles.

Qin Yinong shook her head and said calmly, "You are, but I am not. In my early years..."

Qin Yinong suddenly furrowed her brows, seemingly a bit annoyed to bring up this topic. However, halfway through her words, she had the intention to teach Tang Ruoyao, so she vaguely continued, "I went through many unpleasant experiences, so when I first started acting in movies, I would express emotions by triggering my own experiences rather than immersing myself in the character. I... when I first entered the industry, I didn't study much, and I... didn't have time to enrich myself. I could only rely on this method to act. Well, fortunately, it worked quite well."

She paused several times in the middle, seemingly organizing her words, yet also suppressing something.

Tang Ruoyao carefully sensed her resistance and the hidden surge beneath her calm exterior.

The casual mention of "early years" made Tang Ruoyao's heart tighten, and a inexplicable sourness welled up in her eyes.

Qin Yinong smiled and said, "After acting in two or three movies like that, I felt it wasn't enough, so I slowly started pondering other methods. I learned from various styles, tried everything."

As Tang Ruoyao listened to her relaxed tone, a vivid image of a curious and eager Qin Yinong in her early twenties appeared before her eyes. She seemed so free and happy, causing Tang Ruoyao to involuntarily lower her gaze.

"I'm not like you kids with professional training, having teachers to lay a solid foundation and structure for you. When encountering new theories or styles, you may struggle and debate for a while. My mind was blank, and I thought everything was good. I would swallow things whole and then later carefully extract the essence. Actors are easily confined; your perspective, experiences, and acting experiences are both your treasures and your shackles."

As Qin Yinong spoke, she looked at Tang Ruoyao with earnest eyes.

"I hope you can go even further."

Tang Ruoyao's thoughts stirred, and she replied sincerely, "I will learn from your guidance."

Author's Note:

Author Shiliu Liu: Every time I write about Sister Qin, I feel like I'm writing about an eighty-year-old lady...

Tang Tang: Don't worry, after being with me, she's only eighteen years old. In bed, she's twenty-eight, like one animal to another animal. ﹁_﹁

PS: Finally entering a new stage—the stage of Tang being the aggressor. The more comments there are, the more Sister Qin will suffer in the future. 【Just kidding】

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