CHAPTER 74

Tang Ruoyao would often knock on her door for no apparent reason, sometimes borrowing a hairdryer, sometimes asking about the script. Qin Yinong had a good idea of what was going on in her mind. Since Tang Ruoyao was generally well-behaved and didn't say anything offensive, Qin Yinong chose to turn a blind eye to it.

Besides, seeing Tang Ruoyao made her happy as well.

Qin Yinong looked at Ningning in the video and said, "Mom has to meet a colleague. I'll talk to you later."

Ningning obediently agreed and her eyes suddenly lit up.

In Ningning's memory, Qin Yinong's colleague was only one person, "Miss Yao."

Qin Yinong muted her phone and turned the screen inward, then opened the door.

Tang Ruoyao stood tall and elegant, her delicate features softened by the corridor's lighting.

"Hello, Senior Qin." Tang Ruoyao greeted in her signature style.

"Hmm," Qin Yinong remained calm and composed, curious about what excuse Tang Ruoyao had today. When Tang Ruoyao invited her to walk together in the evening, Qin Yinong thought she had something to say. However, after waiting for a long time, Tang Ruoyao remained as tight-lipped as a clam.

Qin Yinong would turn thirty in two months, fitting the phrase "as fierce as a wolf and as cunning as a tiger." Normally, she could remain calm and composed, but being around Tang Ruoyao day and night, seeing and hearing her but unable to have her, posed an unprecedented challenge to her self-control.

Tang Ruoyao hesitated for a moment.

In reality, Tang Ruoyao hadn't come up with a good excuse. She acted on impulse and the lenient attitude Qin Yinong had shown towards her lately had bolstered Tang Ruoyao's confidence. She wasn't as cautious as before.

Tang Ruoyao's heart skipped a beat as she made up her mind to test Qin Yinong. Using the same excuse for the fourth time, she stammered, "Hairdryer..."

Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow slightly.

Was she too lazy to even come up with an excuse? This was too brazen, wasn't it?

Qin Yinong lazily leaned her shoulder against the door frame, elegantly crossing her long legs as she smiled at Tang Ruoyao. Her tone was drawn out, nonchalantly and clearly calling out her name, "Tang... Ruo... Yao."

Tang Ruoyao inexplicably felt nervous and replied softly, "Here."

Qin Yinong's gaze narrowed, and she chuckled, "Your hairdryer in your room breaks so easily. Why don't you call the front desk to get a new one instead of always coming to borrow from me? It's quite troublesome."

Tang Ruoyao calmly continued, "I have a bad memory. I always forget."

"At such a young age." Qin Yinong chuckled and didn't say anything else. She went inside to get the hairdryer for her.

The relationship between the two seemed to have entered a mysterious stage. Tang Ruoyao didn't overly conceal her closeness, Qin Yinong saw through it but didn't expose it, and both of them understood each other's intentions. They were special to each other.

They were just using the guise of working together on a film, but everything had a reasonable starting point.

Tang Ruoyao held the hairdryer, her figure disappearing behind the door.

Qin Yinong shifted her gaze away from the peephole and looked back at the video interface on her phone.

Qin Ningning's mouth was moving rapidly, but no sound came out. However, her expression showed great excitement. Qin Yinong turned the sound back on and asked, "What did you say? Mom had it on mute just now, sorry."

Ningning hugged her pillow and kicked her little legs. "Miss Yao!"

Qin Yining: "...." She made a mistake. She shouldn't have called Tang Ruoyao by her name just now!

Ningning tilted her head. "Why does her voice sound different again?"

Qin Yinong coughed. Last time, she had An Ling pretend to be Tang Ruoyao, but Ningning complained that An Ling's voice sounded too old.

Ningning exclaimed excitedly, "It sounds just as good as in the movie!"

Tang Ruoyao's voice was distinctive. It was slightly deeper than most female voices, but not husky or hoarse. It had a unique, cool and moist quality, like a cold moonlight shining on a clear mountain spring.

"She..." Qin Yinong paused, suppressing her guilt for deceiving the child, and said, "You misheard. She's not Miss Yao."

Ningning asked, "Then who is she?"

Qin Yinong hadn't thought of a proper response yet when Ningning immediately said, "Can I meet her?"

She genuinely wanted to know the Qin Yinong who worked in a profession she was unfamiliar with. Whether her colleague was Miss Yao or Miss Yuan, it didn't matter. It held value because she was Qin Yinong's "colleague."

Qin Yinong was taken aback, her mind filled with mixed emotions.

Ningning's existence was her secret. She had kept Ningning hidden away, and no one knew she had a daughter, including Han Yuping and Jiang lao. However, on the other hand, Ningning could never openly reveal herself as her daughter in front of anyone.

This was Qin Yinong's way of protecting her.

But at the moment, Ningning's young mind couldn't possibly comprehend this kind of protection. She could only wonder why other children proudly showed off their parents to everyone they met, while she, despite being excellent, seemed to never see the light of day. She questioned why other children's parents came to school for parent-child activities, while she only had her grandmother.

Qin Yinong's absence meant not just a lack of paternal love but also a lack of the sense of belonging and pride that children needed.

This question had no immediate solution.

Qin Yinong swallowed back the words of refusal that were about to come out and softly said, "She is indeed Miss Yao. We work together on a film set."

"Then why did you say she wasn't just now?" Ningning asked.

"Just teasing you."

"Oh." Qin Ningning didn't doubt her and tilted her little head, asking, "Can I meet her?"

"No, you can't."

Ningning pouted.

"But, you can have a look at her." Qin Yining offered a compromise.

Ningning immediately smiled and asked, "How can I see her?"

.....

Tang Ruoyao had just unplugged the hairdryer when she heard a knocking sound at the door.

"Please wait a moment." Tang Ruoyao walked towards the door while coiling the cord of the hairdryer and casually placing it on the table. With one hand on the doorknob, she didn't rush to open the door. Instead, she cautiously confirmed, as an essential precaution when outside.

At first, she thought she was mistaken. She blinked forcefully, and the person outside was still Qin Yinong.

Qin Yinong actually knocked on her door!

Tang Ruoyao was pleasantly surprised, feeling a bit dizzy from the rush of excitement. She composed herself, rubbed her face with both hands, and curved her lips into a subtle smile, forming a slight dimple. She opened the door from the inside.

"Senior Qin," she nodded politely, "Is there something you need?"

Qin Yinong held her phone in one hand, clasped against her chest. When she saw her coming out, she took two steps back.

Tang Ruoyao: "???"

Qin Yinong pretended to look around, and the rear camera on her phone successfully captured both sides of Tang Ruoyao. She took a few more steps forward but still maintained a distance outside of normal conversation. Acting as if nothing happened, she said, "I came to ask if you're done using the hairdryer. I need to take a shower."

Tang Ruoyao looked at Qin Yinong's tidy robe and the long, glossy black hair flowing behind her. She raised an eyebrow.

Wasn't she done showering?

Qin Yinong cleared her throat and solemnly said, "As I'm getting older, my memory is not so good. I'm afraid I'll forget to come get it tomorrow."

Tang Ruoyao blinked and said, "Alright."

She immediately went back to get the hairdryer.

Taking the opportunity, Qin Yinong put down her phone and glanced at the video where Qin Ningning was staring intently at Tang Ruoyao's figure.

Tang Ruoyao had just finished showering and was wearing a snow-white bathrobe. Due to her tall stature, the hem only reached above her knees, revealing a pair of well-proportioned and slender white legs that were partially visible when she walked beneath the robe.

Not to mention the tightly tied belt that accentuated her slender waist, her swaying figure was full of grace.

Qin Yining furrowed her brow and reached out to cover the camera lens.

Ningning, who suddenly faced a black screen, said, "???"

Tang Ruoyao handed back the hairdryer and said, "Thank you, Senior Qin." Her gaze intentionally or unintentionally swept over the phone in Qin Yinong's hand.

"You're welcome." Qin Yinong firmly covered the camera lens, leaving no gap.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

.....

Qin Yinong switched the camera back to the front-facing mode, and her voice came through. She asked Ningning, "Have you seen enough?"

Ningning's face blushed, and she nodded eagerly.

"The pretty sister is so beautiful!" she exclaimed in a sweet voice.

She has good taste. Qin Yinong couldn't hide her smile in her eyes and eyebrows.

"Seeing her in person is much more beautiful than through the camera." Qin Yinong paused for a moment, swallowing her words, and urged her, "Are you done watching? Can you go to sleep now?"

"I'm not sleepy yet." Qin Jianing said, still wanting more.

"If you're not sleepy, I am."

"Then, Mom, you go ahead and sleep." Ningning asked obediently, "Can I see the pretty sister again in the future?"

Qin Yinong's indirect exposure to Tang Ruoyao undoubtedly reassured Ningning. It seemed that her mother wasn't doing anything strange but had a legitimate job.

"If I have time, I'll let you see her."

"Can I talk to her? The pretty sister's voice sounds so nice!" Ningning pushed the boundaries, testing her luck.

"No, you can't."

The little girl's ears drooped.

Qin Yinong coaxed her with a few more sentences to go to sleep, and after washing her hands, she opened a drawer and took something out. She reminisced about Tang Ruoyao's enchanting figure and the four kissing scenes they filmed that evening, closing her eyes and sinking into her thoughts.

.....

In the room across the corridor.

In the late night, Tang Ruoyao typed a detailed paragraph in her memo, a small article that included specific details about her and Qin Yinong. After finishing it, she immediately deleted it. Her legs under the sheets moved restlessly, and her lower abdomen instinctively tightened. She hesitated in her breath, pursed her lips, revealing a hint of embarrassment, and her ears subtly tinged with a shade of crimson.

Tang Ruoyao turned over and over, not knowing how long it took before she fell into a hazy sleep.

Due to working late the previous day, both of them naturally slept in the next morning, without any scheduled filming activities.

When Guan Han knocked on the door and entered the room, she glanced at the trash can, where several crumpled tissues were piled on top. Qin Yinong was curled up in the bed, motionless and with a tired expression.

In Guan Han's mind, a barrage of thoughts automatically appeared, "Seems like her body has been drained.jpg." She helped Qin Yinong arrange her clothes and reminded her of the time, saying, "It's ten o'clock now. After freshening up, it's almost time for lunch."

Qin Yinong responded with a mumbled acknowledgment, her half-lifted eyelids gently closing. She sank down further, feeling fatigued, and said, "Let me sleep a little longer. I'm a bit tired. Wake me up in an hour."

"Okay." Guan Han understood and quietly left the room.

The sunlight of the day seeped through the cracks in the curtains, casting a bright light in the room even without turning on the lights. Qin Yinong savored the scent of the sunlight, taking shallow breaths, and drifted back into the realm of dreams.

Guan Han misunderstood. It was true that she was physically exhausted last night, but what was really affecting her spirits was not that incident, but the haunting and recurring nightmares.

When Qin Yinong initially chose this script, aside from her interest in portraying a same-sex relationship and exploring different roles, there was another reason—the character of Xu Shiming in the script.

There are many coincidences in this world, or perhaps there is nothing new under the sun. Shen Muqing's husband, Xu Shiming, is essentially a replica of her father, Qin Hongjian. After Qin Hongjian's business failure and the bankruptcy of his company, he became idle at home. The whole family relied on the salary of Ji Shulan to make a living. Apart from drinking, he would often lose his temper, shouting and yelling, and sometimes even resorting to violence.

Qin Yinong left home at the age of eighteen and hit a low point in her life at twenty. She struggled and persevered for ten years to get to where she is today. Many things happened in between, but there were few things that could truly move her. Especially five years ago, when she orchestrated the divorce between Ji Shulan and Qin Hongjian, that man completely disappeared from her life.

She couldn't remember Qin Hongjian's face, but she remembered vividly the glimpse she caught of him covering her mouth tightly, trembling, and his ferocious face in the moonlight.

He had been a constant presence in her life for over twenty years.

Someone once said that the past cannot be avoided, and only by overcoming it can there be a new beginning. There were things she didn't dare to touch, but after careful consideration, she felt that she could confront this particular matter. She hoped that by revisiting it in her dreams, she could have one less nightmare, so she wanted to give it a try.

However, she never expected that as soon as she started, she would be enveloped by shadows once again.

Qin Yinong had been plagued by nightmares for years, and she had developed methods to deal with them. In her dreams, she could clearly realize that she was dreaming and would wake herself up before being dragged into the deeper and more terrifying abyss of the dream.

The price is the fear of closing one's eyes to sleep, often experiencing insomnia. That's why she needs the assistance of alcohol and medication to induce sleep, hoping for a night without dreams.

An hour later, Guan Han arrived on time to knock on the door.

Just as she knocked, Qin Yinong pulled the door open from the inside, already dressed neatly.

Guan Han was slightly surprised.

Qin Yinong said, "I slept for half an hour and woke up. What should we have for lunch?"

Guan Han replied, "The hotel's lunch is open. Buffet?"

Qin Yining nodded, "Okay."

The door was still open, and she glanced at the opposite door.

Guan Han said, "When I came over in the morning, I bumped into Miss Yao. She went out with her assistant."

Qin Yinong's eyelids lifted slightly.

Guan Han added, "I didn't ask where they went."

Qin Yinong replied indifferently, "Did I ask you about these things?"

Guan Han thought to herself, 'You asked them in your heart.'

Qin Yinong glanced at her, seemingly annoyed but not expressing it. Without saying much, they went downstairs together.

They had to wait for the elevator.  Qin Yinong stood a few steps away from the elevator, her eyes half-lowered, and her expression so indifferent that it almost seemed cold.

Guan Han could sense that her mood was not good and wisely remained silent.

The elevator door made a "ding" sound.

Guan Han led the way, and Qin Yinong kept her gaze fixed on the ground as she followed. It was only when she heard a surprised "Senior Qin" that she lifted her eyelids and calmly looked over.

It was Tang Ruoyao.

In Qin Yinong's deep, silent black eyes, a faint glimmer of light slowly appeared, gently rippling like a touch of tenderness emerging from her picturesque features. She nodded slightly and softly greeted, "Good morning."

"It's already noon." Tang Ruoyao smiled lightly, exchanging pleasantries with her. "Did you just wake up?"

"Mm," Qin Yinong gestured towards the elevator entrance. "Going downstairs to eat."

"That works out well because I haven't eaten either. Shall we go together?" Tang Ruoyao handed the bag she was holding to her assistant Xin Qian, saying, "Take it to my room, and then you can go to the restaurant."

Xin Qian, accustomed to being left behind, replied casually, "Alright."

Tang Ruoyao naturally entered the same elevator as Qin Yinong.

Since this hotel was of high quality, the elevator was also spacious. Tang Ruoyao didn't intentionally stand close to Qin Yinong, she only glanced at the shadow cast on the elevator wall. However, Qin Yinong inexplicably felt a warmth emanating from her.

The icy coldness in her hands and feet, awakened by a nightmare, gradually returned to warmth.

"What did you go out for?" Qin Yinong took her hand out of her pocket, which she had been keeping there, and breathed out, pretending to yawn as she asked.

"It's rare to have a morning off, so I just went out for a casual stroll and bought some things." Tang Ruoyao seemed lost in thought, pausing for a moment before answering.

"Aren't you afraid of being recognized?"

Tang Ruoyao tilted her head slightly and finally met her gaze, humorously saying, "If someone recognizes me, I'll sprint away. I have well-developed athletic abilities, I can run super fast."

She stared intently at the corner of Qin Yinong's lips and saw a slight upward curve, even if it was just a fleeting moment. It made her heavy heart feel a bit lighter.

In the elevator just now, Qin Yinong stood outside like a wandering soul, with her head lowered and no expression on her face, as if she would disappear into thin air in the next second. The moment Tang Ruoyao looked at her, she felt as if her nose had been punched hard, and her eyes stung intensely.

She wanted to stride over and embrace her tightly, but she couldn't. She had to suppress her impulse and use a surprised tone to awaken her, bringing her back to the present.

Qin Yinong asked, "Did you bring a bodyguard?" She had only seen Xin Qian beside Tang Ruoyao, but the other girl was not there.

Tang Ruoyao obediently answered, "I brought one when I went out. After coming back, I let her have some free time. I'm just going to have a meal, in a public place. There shouldn't be any danger."

Qin Yining nodded and lightly tapped her, saying, "It's still better to bring someone with you."

Tang Ruoyao made a sound of agreement.

Why was she so concerned about her safety? Who would harm her? Tang Ruoyao wondered.

Suppressing her doubts, Tang Ruoyao spoke back and forth, "Senior Qin, you should also take care of your safety."

Qin Yinong glanced at Guan Han, and a more noticeable curve appeared on her lips.

In this hotel, it was the first time Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao had a meal together in the buffet restaurant. Qin Yinong had a small appetite, and her choice of food was relatively fixed. She was the first to return to her seat, followed by Guan Han, and then Tang Ruoyao.

At the four-person table, Tang Ruoyao placed her plate across from Qin Yinong, maintaining the same composure as when they entered the elevator.

Qin Yining was momentarily stunned.

"Would Senior Qin like some soup?" Tang Ruoyao, wearing a white silk blouse today, exuded an aristocratic temperament. Her slender fingers with distinct joints gracefully rolled up the cuffs, displaying exceptional elegance as she made the gesture, and asked in a gentle tone.

The word "no" was about to escape Qin Yinong's throat, but she inexplicably changed her mind and nodded, saying, "Thank you."

Tang Ruoyao's eyes curved as she smiled at her.

Qin Yinong gazed at her figure, lost in thought.

Qin Yinong lowered her head to look at the two contrasting plates, and her confusion became even more severe.

She tilted her head in bewilderment and then looked up at Tang Ruoyao, who was serving soup at the window. Again, she furrowed her brow, as if suddenly unable to adapt to the situation.

Tang Ruoyao brought four bowls of soup over, starting with Qin Yinong and Guan Han, and then herself and Xin Qian, who had not yet arrived.

She didn't say much and ate quietly.

Qin Yinong's preconceived response plan completely fell through, and she inadvertently ate more than she intended. She had a regulated amount of food during meals, often stopping even if her stomach didn't feel full when she saw that she had eaten enough.

However, the food on her plate was not precisely portioned but rather a little bit of everything. Although not much, it was more than what the studio assistant usually prepared.

Guan Han glanced up, a flash of fear crossing her face. She discreetly poked Qin Yinong's waist under the table. Qin Yining looked up, and Guan Han's eyes were filled with complexity, gesturing for her to look at the plate in front of her.

It was empty, with only one chopstick left.

Qin Yinong: "..."

This situation left her uncertain whether to take that bite or not.

Unfortunately, at that moment, Tang Ruoyao looked over at her with a puzzled expression. Qin Yinong awkwardly closed her mouth and, along with that chopstick of food, swallowed it.

Qin Yinong belatedly felt a sense of fullness, and her stomach had a strange sensation. She couldn't control it, realizing it was not good. She quickly picked up the remaining half bowl of soup, but it was too late.

"Burp." With that sound.

So sudden.

The entire dining table fell silent.

Qin Yinong's face turned red.

When had she been so embarrassed?

Guan Han, with her icy demeanor, struggled to contain her laughter. She forcefully pinched her own arm, causing tears to well up in her eyes, just managing to suppress her amusement and maintain her composure.

Xin Qian, who had been enjoying her meal, noticed who had let out the burp and remained still for a full five seconds. Her facial features contorted with difficulty for the sake of decorum, and she quickly made an excuse to slip away and laughed elsewhere.

Only Tang Ruoyao remained calm and composed, not even the slightest movement in her eyebrows. She went to a service counter and fetched a bottle of water.

Tang Ruoyao raised the bottle of mineral water in her hand and said, "The soup has cooled down and doesn't taste good. Drink this instead, try swallowing it in small sips."

"Thank you." Qin Yinong hastily replied, closing her mouth to prevent any more embarrassing sounds from escaping.

"You're welcome." Tang Ruoyao replied lightly.

After the awkward incident in the restaurant, Qin Yinong returned to the room early with Guan Han.

When Xin Qian came back, she saw Tang Ruoyao bowing her head, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

Xin Qian was greatly alarmed. She grabbed a clean chopstick from the counter and tried to pry open Tang Ruoyao's mouth to insert it, but Tang Ruoyao quickly slapped her forearm, opening her hand, and scolded softly, "What are you doing?"

Seeing Tang Ruoyao stop trembling, Xin Qian breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought you..." Her gaze grew timid, and she didn't finish her sentence.

"You thought I had epilepsy, right?" Tang Ruoyao took the chopstick from her in a somewhat annoyed manner. The memory of what just happened caused her shoulders to shake again. She laughed so hard that she couldn't catch her breath, almost pounding the table with laughter. She intermittently said, "I'm fine. I'll be okay... haha...in a while."

Tang Ruoyao found Qin Yinong's cuteness overwhelming today, and she couldn't handle it.

Xin Qian: "..."

However, after a while, Tang Ruoyao was still not okay. Xin Qian, full of concern, escorted Tang Ruoyao to the room. Just before closing the door, she heard a "pfft" sound, and she couldn't stop laughing.

In the afternoon, Qin Yinong didn't feel like going to the set anymore. She had stopped burping, but the thought of what happened just now, especially in front of Tang Ruoyao, made her scalp tingle. She felt so embarrassed that her arms were covered in goosebumps.

If she had known that Tang Ruoyao had such table manners, she would never have eaten with her.

Qin Yinong thought about this and glanced at Guan Han with disdain.

Guan Han felt wronged.

How could she have known that Qin Yinong was such a picky eater, unable to even eat when she saw her crush?

Qin Yinong was feeling restless and annoyed. She waved her hand and said, "You go out first. I need some time to calm down."

On the film set.

Today, Qin Yinong had a night scene to shoot, specifically the scene where she portrayed a victim of domestic violence. Because she needed to apply makeup for bruises and such, she had to arrive much earlier. She sneaked into the set like a thief, quietly, and came face to face with Tang Ruoyao. She turned around and walked away.

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

Han Yuping, who happened to witness everything: "???"

Was this the same fearless old dog who had no fear of heaven or earth when it came to behind-the-scenes matters?

He thought for a moment and realized that Qin Yinong was still immersed in her role. She was so dedicated. Han Yuping took a bite of a pear - one that Qin Yinong's assistant had given him to calm his anger - and sighed in his heart.

Tang Ruoyao quickly figured out why and found it both funny and frustrating.

She accessed the memo on her phone and typed with a smile: "On X date of X month 2019, had lunch with Miss Q. Miss Q accidentally burped and avoided me on the film set."

She lightly bit her lower lip and thought of a theory she had heard before. Joy sparkled in her eyes and at the corners of her mouth. She scrolled through the dormitory group chat and sent a message to the only one who had a boyfriend, Cui Jiaran, to inquire.

In the resting room.

Guan Han glanced at Qin Yinong, who was earnestly reading the script and couldn't help but use the words she made up yesterday to describe her: "Right now, you're like a little girl deeply trapped in love."

Author's Note:

That theory she thought of is: Only in front of someone they like, people pay extra attention to their personal image.

But it's only in the early stages. After being in love for a long time, well, everyone is like, umm...

As for Tang Ruoyao's evolution, she starts writing little yellow stories for herself. Ah, it makes the readers shed tears like a fierce tiger. I, as the author, solemnly beg her to release the complete version!!!

PS: The detailed background of Qin Jiejie have been explained in Chapter 13.

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