CHAPTER 76

Tang Ruoyao turned around and met Han Yuping's pensive gaze.

Could Han Yuping have noticed something?

Tang Ruoyao inexplicably shivered and suppressed the faint curve of her lips, looking puzzled. "Director Han?"

"Mhmm." Han Yuping responded absentmindedly and continued to watch the playback.

"It's done."

As soon as Han Yuping said those words, he had already walked to Qin Yinong, who was far away. Qin Yinong also noticed his gesture and no longer lingered in the center of the shooting. She returned to the rest area with the assistance of her team.

Qin Yinong couldn't help but feel her ears heat up when she recalled that "accidental" moment just now. It was strange. Even though she and Tang Ruoyao had done intimate things before, it was just accidentally being kissed on the ear. It shouldn't have caused such a strong reaction. But that soft touch and the instant acceleration of her heartbeat were unusually vivid and lingering.

It was a feeling more intense than a long-awaited anticipation.

Qin Yinong wondered, 'Could it be that Shen Muqing has influenced me?' Only when she accidentally kissed my ear would I react like this. No matter what, it definitely isn't me, Qin Yinong.

Qin Yinong convinced herself.

The rest area was spacious, and even with a few more people, it didn't feel crowded, let alone hot. However, Qin Yinong had already loosened her collar twice. Guan Han observed her and sent away the group of assistants who were whispering and playing, promptly handing Qin Yinong a bottle of mineral water.

Among the assistants, there were those who had witnessed the scene just now. The boss was pursuing someone, and that person was still on the set day and night. The group secretly discussed Qin Yinong's performance today and came to two conclusions: One, Qin Jie was in a miserable state, being teased and unable to tease back; Two, when would they officially sound the horn of the attack?

If Qin Yinong didn't make a move soon, they were all planning to make a move.

Qin Yinong huddled in the rest area like a snail, while Tang Ruoyao remained motionless outside, occasionally casting glances at the closed door of the rest area. The afternoon filming had already ended, and Xin Qian had no intention of persuading Tang Ruoyao to return to the rest area. She was used to it.

For the convenience of observing Qin Yinong, Tang Ruoyao's rest area, apart from being used for makeup, was essentially just a decoration.

Even though Xin Qian was slow-witted, she vaguely sensed Tang Ruoyao's extraordinary attention towards Qin Yinong. She had been with Tang Ruoyao since her debut, and they had been in several drama crews together. She had never seen Tang Ruoyao pay such close attention to anyone before. Among the directors Tang Ruoyao had worked with, the crews were not lacking in big names. Although they may not have reached the level of Qin Yinong, Tang Ruoyao treated everyone equally.

However, Xin Qian was still far from approaching the truth. There was still a considerable distance to go. But it didn't prevent her from paying more attention to Qin Yinong.

As the sky gradually darkened, the lights in the set were turned on. It was almost dinner time. Tang Ruoyao was focused on pondering the script, while the idle Xin Qian saw Qin Yinong coming out of the rest area and gently tapped Tang Ruoyao's shoulder.

Tang Ruoyao looked up and saw the other person but didn't get up. She waited until the person was close before pretending to have just noticed and politely called out, "Senior Qin."

Teacher Qin nodded gently towards her and passed by with a pleasant fragrance, walking confidently.

Qin Yinong went to discuss tonight's play with Han Yuping.

"The True Colors," originally had another name called "Qing Hong" ["Green" Shen Muqing and "Red" Han Zifei], representing two completely opposite female symbols in the environment at that time. Shen Muqing represented the conservative traditional virtuous women who were enslaved by patriarchy and societal norms, while Han Zifei was the progressive and open-minded new generation of youth, accepting bold ideas and daring to realize themselves. Their forbidden love affair served as a catalyst, and the contrasting lives they led showcased stark differences.

Han Zifei's life was in a bustling and open university, with brightly lit classrooms and a rapidly changing society. On the other hand, Yangxi Lane, where Shen Muqing resided, was like a sunset, old and unchanging in people and events. Despite that, it at least satisfied the conventional definition of happiness for women. Getting by was a lifetime, and how many women spent their lives in such confusion?

The drastic change in Shen Muqing's husband, Xu Shiming, shattered the tranquility of her life as a traditional wife and mother, and Han Zifei's meticulous love and tenderness silently widened that crack, giving birth to the motivation to resist.

This play was the seed that was planted.

Han Yuping was not worried about Qin Yinong's performance, but in terms of details, he needed to polish it more carefully. He, Qin Yinong, the on-site screenwriter, and Dai Yongqing, who played Xu Shiming, sat together to discuss.

After finishing her meal, Tang Ruoyao took a pen and paper, brought her own folding stool, and quietly listened, learning from the experience without making any noise to disturb them.

Qin Yinong suddenly glanced at her and handed her a tissue.

Tang Ruoyao: "???"

Qin Yinong leaned over and whispered, "You didn't wipe your mouth properly after eating. There's a grain of rice."

Tang Ruoyao's face instantly turned red.

"Sorry." She felt extremely embarrassed and hastily used the tissue to wipe her mouth, but she didn't feel anything unusual around her lips. Taking off the tissue, it was clean and tidy. When she looked up, she met Qin Yinong's mischievous smile and instantly understood.

Qin Yinong was playing a prank on her.

Tang Ruoyao was both annoyed and couldn't help but feel a sweet sensation in her heart. She had never seen Qin Yinong play tricks on others like this on set before.

Han Yuping tapped the script with his finger, making a sound, and meaningfully said in a deep voice, "Certain actors, please focus your attention and stop being so lovey-dovey."

Tang and Qin exchanged a glance and then quickly averted their gaze, feeling embarrassed.

Qin Yinong quickly composed herself and, with a flick of her hand, lightly hit Han Yuping's arm with the script, and said sternly, "Director Han, it's okay if you make fun of me, but the little one has thin skin, so don't joke around randomly."

Han Yuping had an indifferent expression, "Then discuss it seriously. Just with Tang Ruoyao's appearance, you've lost your focus."

Qin Yinong exclaimed, feeling a toothache, "When did I—"

Han Yuping interrupted her with a stern face, "Talk about the script! say one more unnecessary word and see what happens."

Qin Yinong closed her mouth in frustration, puffing up her cheeks.

The officials can set fires while the common people are not allowed to light a lamp.

Tang Ruoyao lowered her head and chuckled.

She thought to herself, 'Did Qin Yinong really get so captivated by me as soon as she saw me?'

Tang Ruoyao didn't have a scene in the evening, so she came to be a complete audience member.

After the four of them finished their short meeting, Qin Yinong went back to the dressing room to continue her makeup. The set began to arrange the props, adjust the lighting, and do the light rehearsals. The lighting was dim, even eerie, and the atmosphere suddenly became heavy.

Tang Ruoyao had memorized the script inside out, including the lines of other characters. She knew that the scene they were about to shoot was when Xu Shiming, drunk, would push open the door. Shen Muqing would be inside with their child and upon hearing the noise, she would come out, take off Xu Shiming's coat, and fulfill her role as a dutiful wife, gently encouraging and supporting him, helping him regain his composure. He was the pillar of the family, and as long as he took something seriously, he would naturally succeed.

A wife who could be considered perfect, no one could do it better than her.

She had prepared a sobering tea for Xu Shiming in advance, but it got knocked over and spilled on the ground.

Then came an unexpected flurry of punches and kicks.

Tang Ruoyao's heart tightened, just the thought of Qin Yinong acting out this scene made her feel suffocated, let alone watching it in person later. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to control herself and would rush up to give Dai Yongqing a good beating.

The assistant director confirmed the lighting and camera positions one last time and gave a thumbs-up gesture, while Han Yuping held up a megaphone and sat behind the monitor with a serious expression. "All departments and actors in position."

The script supervisor clapped the clapperboard. "In the play 'True Colors,' scene... take one, action!"

The door was forcefully pushed open with a loud bang.

Shen Muqing turned around, her heart pounding. She coaxed her son in a soft voice, who had been startled, and quickly stepped out of the bedroom.

The living room's incandescent light bulb had been in use for several years. The light was not as bright as before, casting a dim glow. A disheveled adult man entered the room, looking haggard with stubble and dark circles under his eyes, showing the weariness of constant alcoholism.

Shen Muqing walked over and supported the man's arm. Being a woman with less strength, she struggled to help her husband onto the sofa. She removed his wrinkled jacket and placed it aside, intending to clean it the next morning.

The man reeked of alcohol, and Shen Muqing, who valued cleanliness, felt uncomfortable, furrowing her brows slightly.

Xu Shiming suddenly looked up and glanced at his wife, a flicker of malevolence passing through his eyes.

Unaware of this, Shen Muqing rubbed her sore arms and went into the kitchen.

.....

The script had been revised, with fewer lines than before, but Qin Yinong and Dai Yongqing were seasoned actors who had been in the industry for many years. Sometimes, not saying lines made the drama even more intense.

Tang Ruoyao bit her lower lip and tightened her grip on the mineral water bottle in her hand.

Shen Muqing carefully brought out the sobering tea, blowing on it to cool it down, and softly reminded her husband, "Drink it slowly, it's hot."

However, Xu Shiming didn't respond. He lowered his head, his face hidden in the shadows, his expression unclear. Suddenly, the corner of his lips curled up mockingly, and he coldly asked, "What were you doing this afternoon?"

Shen Muqing furrowed her eyebrows slightly, recalling, "I was at home."

"At home?" Xu Shiming sneered. Without warning, he kicked the coffee table, producing a loud bang.

Shen Muqing nervously glanced back at the bedroom.

"Don't wake up our son."

Xu Shiming erupted, grabbing Shen Muqing by the collar, inadvertently knocking over the bowl of sobering tea in her hand. Shen Muqing instinctively let out a scream, quickly dodging to avoid the hot tea from splashing on her hand.

"Are you hiding another man in our house?!" Xu Shiming tightened his grip with his five fingers, forcing Shen Muqing to look up.

"I don't understand what you're saying. It's Xiaodi inside."

Xu Shiming briefly focused his gaze, driven by alcohol and jealousy, but quickly returned to his clouded state, angrily shouting, "Stop pretending! What were you doing at Laoma's place this afternoon? Are you interested in him?!"

Shen Muqing was momentarily stunned, softly explaining, "I went to borrow something from Laoma, but he wasn't home, so I—"

Before she could finish her sentence, the man forcefully threw her to the ground. Her head hit the coffee table, causing dizziness. She shook her head, attempting to stand up again, but the man suddenly approached, his hands like iron clamps firmly gripping her throat.His eyes bloodshot, he roared lowly, "Didn't you say you were home all the time?!"

Shen Muqing struggled to breathe, unable to speak, slapping his arms and resisting.

.....

Actors have their limits when it comes to physical contact. It's not possible to actually strangle someone to death. The realism of the performance depends on the actors' skills.

Ordinary actors would hold their breath, turn red in the face, and vigorously clap their hands, creating a strong sensory stimulation for the audience, conveying the process of suffocation. Many people can perform this, but when Qin Yinong does it, everyone present feels a tingling sensation on their scalp and dares not look directly.

Qin Yinong follows the principle that "the highest level of performance is authenticity." She has made detailed preparations in advance, aiming to make her performance as close to reality as possible.

She goes through a gradual process, perfectly replicating the phenomenon of being strangled. Starting with shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, then gradually reaching the point of true suffocation. Qin Yinong's entire face turns purple due to lack of oxygen, her beautiful features distort, and the veins protrude prominently from her fair forehead and neck, clear and distinct. It's like a fish stranded on the beach, gasping desperately for air but unable to breathe in the fresh air. The veins in her neck twitch irregularly.

Her eyes seem to lose focus, staring straight ahead, and her throat emits the sound of a dying person's gasps.

Dai Yongqing knew he hadn't used much force at all, but as Qin Yinong struggled under his grip, the oppressive feeling of her life slipping away became so palpable. A chill ran up his spine, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Almost instinctively, he loosened his grip on Qin Yinong's delicate, pale neck.

Behind the surveillance monitor, Han Yuping furrowed his brow and coldly said, "Cut, NG."

Everyone present was momentarily stunned, and a figure rushed forward faster than anyone else.

Tang Ruoyao hadn't had time to reach out and help Qin Yinong, but Qin Yinong blocked her with one hand and hoarsely said, "What are you meddling for?"

Guan Han handed over a bottle of water, and Qin Yinong moistened her throat. Her complexion gradually returned to a normal rosy color, and the ferocious veins subsided. She looked towards Tang Ruoyao, who stood helplessly by her side, and smiled sarcastically, saying, "What's wrong? Did you think I was going to die?"

Tang Ruoyao stood awkwardly in place, her lips pale.

Qin Yinong: "Give me a hand."

Tang Ruoyao quickly reached out her hand.

With the help of Tang Ruoyao's arm, Qin Yinong stood up.

Dai Yongqing apologized to Qin Yinong for the misunderstanding he caused.

Qin Yinong waved it off generously.

Han Yuping, on the other hand, had a stern expression and came over to scold. Dai Yongqing could barely lift his head. Qin Yinong intervened to defuse the situation, saying, "Let's make use of the time and reshoot the scene." Han Yuping grumbled as he walked away.

They prepared for the reshoot.

Qin Yinong kindly advised Tang Ruoyao, saying, "Don't watch the next scene." She was afraid that Tang Ruoyao's fragile heart couldn't bear it.

Tang Ruoyao pursed her lips, showing a stubborn expression.

Qin Yinong sighed helplessly, saying, "...Alright, but remember it's all acting, don't get too immersed in it."

Tang Ruoyao nodded, looking a bit pitiful.

Qin Yinong tilted her head slightly, feeling a softness in her heart.

By the time Qin Yinong realized it, her hand had already landed on Tang Ruoyao's hair, unable to retreat. She decided to go with it and gently ruffled her head, soothingly saying, "Good girl."

The touch felt nice.

Qin Yinong thought to herself.

"'True Colors,' scene... take two, action!"

In the moment before suffocation, Shen Muqing was released by the man and fell to her knees, coughing violently on the ground.

The man rushed over, grabbing her hair and lifting her head. Shen Muqing felt a tearing pain in her lungs, gasping for air with open mouth.

The man raised his hand and delivered a crisp slap.Shen Muqing's head tilted from the impact, but the man forcefully jerked it back, compelling her to stare into his eyes, burning with anger.

"You think I'm useless, don't you?!"

"You think you can cuckold me, huh?!"

"Have you been with him? Tell me!"

Shen Muqing's lips burst open, blood trickling down, her cheeks swelling up high, with a shocking palm print, like a soulless shell. Her gaze were vacant as she silently faced her husband's accusations.

And what awaited her was increasingly violent behavior, raining down punches and kicks.

She didn't understand why her once polite and respectful husband had suddenly turned into this unfamiliar person.

Was this what everyone meant? Is this how it is?

.....

After venting his anger, Xu Shiming kicked the woman on the ground and collapsed on the sofa, covering his head, falling into a deep sleep.

Shen Muqing, huddled on the ground, took a long time to slowly get up. Her whole body was in pain, unsure which parts were injured or if she was hurt all over. Even the slightest movement caused her to gasp softly. The room was in a mess, but she silently began to tidy up. She uprighted the fallen chair, straightened the disordered coffee table, and covered her husband with a thin blanket.

The heavy sound of his snoring echoed in her ears. Even though they were far apart, she couldn't help but shiver in fear and moved further away. The cool moonlight streamed in through the window as she stood in the empty living room. Unprovoked, she thought of the girl who had once kissed her gently, and tears welled up in her eyes.

.....

Han Yuping: "Cut."

Immediately, a group of people surrounded Qin Yinong. Some wiped the artificial blood off her, others examined her injuries. Assistants and crew members were bustling around. Dai Yongqing quickly bowed and apologized, "I'm sorry, Senior Qin. I was too rough. Are you okay?"

Qin Yinong waved her hand. "I'm fine."

Slapping was staged, otherwise, according to the intensity in the scene, it would take a long time for the redness to fade, and it wouldn't be convenient to shoot the second take without a break. However, since they wanted a realistic effect, Qin Yinong inevitably got caught in the wind of the slap. There were faint finger marks on her face, causing slight stinging.

Han Yuping walked over and surprisingly asked Qin Yinong, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Qin Yinong replied as usual.

She was a bit absent-minded, turning her head to look around. She noticed that the person who should have been there was strangely absent.

Where was Tang Ruoyao?

Han Yuping filmed an additional scene, and announced that it was done.

Qin Yinong postponed removing her makeup and only did a simple cleanup. She crossed the crowd and walked towards Tang Ruoyao's direction.

Tang Ruoyao sat in her seat, keeping her head lowered and motionless.

Her limbs were numb now, her teeth clenched tightly, and she could barely stand up.

She knew she had gotten too deep into her role, so she hadn't dared to move, nor join the others who gathered around, afraid that she couldn't help but cry in front of Qin Yinong. She clenched her fists, slowly adjusting her mindset.

"Little one." Suddenly, a lazy chuckle came from above her head.

Tang Ruoyao froze, still not lifting her head.

Qin Yinong was surprised and reached down to touch Tang Ruoyao's chin, wanting to lift her face. However, she encountered unprecedented resistance.

Tang Ruoyao's chin had little flesh, poking Qin Yinong's palm sharply. Qin Yinong had just acted in a scene that involved various staged elements but couldn't avoid some actual hits. Her pain receptors were particularly sensitive, and she couldn't help but gasp, saying, "Ouch... it hurts."

Tang Ruoyao obediently relaxed her resistance, and Qin Yinong successfully lifted her face.

With a glance, Qin Yinong was stunned.

Tang Ruoyao raised her hand to wipe her reddened eyes and said in a muffled voice, "Don't look."

Qin Yinong was acting, while she was crying below. It was too embarrassing.

"And, you should remove your makeup quickly." Tang Ruoyao, relying on her spoiled nature, said again, "Otherwise, I'll start crying again."

Qin Yinong couldn't laugh or cry.

"Okay, you can watch me remove the makeup." she waved her hand and called the makeup artist over. The makeup artist came with a variety of tools and removed her makeup on the spot. All the bloodstains and handprints disappeared, leaving a clean and clear face.

"Is this good enough?" Qin Yinong didn't notice the unprecedented indulgence in her tone.

Tang Ruoyao glanced at her through her fingers and said, "It's good enough." then lowered her hand.

Qin Yinong joked with her, "Just now, we should have had Director Han prepare the camera angle and film your crying scene, so we wouldn't have to shoot it again later."

Han Zifei knew about Shen Muqing's domestic violence incident. One night, he unexpectedly heard the commotion next door and stopped Xu Shiming with her father. Afterwards, she was alone in her room, hugging her knees and crying in pain.

Tang Ruoyao had returned to her usual self, but her mood remained heavy. She ignored Qin Yinong's joke and kept her eyes lowered, not saying a word.

"Is your psychological endurance so fragile, little one?" Qin Yinong deliberately taunted.

Tang Ruoyao subconsciously retorted, "I just..."

"Just what?"

I can't bear to see you being mistreated, whether it's in the play or in real life. Tang Ruoyao swallowed the words in her heart and changed the subject, "Feudalism has caused great harm to people. Why don't they get a divorce?"

"There are plenty of people like that." Qin Yinong rubbed her cold fingers together as a gust of wind swept through the set once again.

Tang Ruoyao's heart suddenly stirred, and she glanced at Qin Yinong sideways.

Qin Yinong's gaze seemed to be looking into the distance, with a faint hint of sarcasm in her tone, as if she had a personal understanding.

Suddenly, the sound of a child crying came from the set.

Both of them turned their heads to look, only to see the young actor who played Shen Muqing's son, Xu Di, crying. He was also shooting the night scene with Qin Yinong, and for some reason, he started crying.

Tang Ruoyao withdrew her gaze and sighed with a sense of empathy, "Children living in such families are the most pitiful."

Qin Yinong's expression froze. She put her hands in her pockets, stood up straight, and said lightly, "I have something to take care of."

Tang Ruoyao asked, "Hmm?"

Qin Yinong left without turning back.

Tang Ruoyao blinked and slowly furrowed her brows.

Did she say something inappropriate?

Family?

Qin Yinong closed her eyes and rested in the car on the way back to the hotel, tormenting herself by repeatedly playing Qin Hongjian's blurred yet ferocious face in her mind, then merging it with Dai Yongqing's clear face on the set. After a long time, she let out a heavy breath and opened her eyes.

Indeed, it still wasn't working.

A play is just a play, it's not so easy to replace the shadows in our memories of reality.

Take it slow.

Qin Yinong shook her head.

That night, when Tang Ruoyao came to borrow the hairdryer as usual, she didn't even bother to come up with a new excuse. But Qin Yinong was in a bad mood and unconsciously got irritated with her, coldly saying, "No, you can't borrow it."

Tang Ruoyao was taken aback.

Qin Yinong closed the door, but after a while, she took the initiative to knock on Tang Ruoyao's door and bring the hairdryer.

Tang Ruoyao: "???"

Her mood that night was like being on a roller coaster, going up and down.

Qin Yinong recalled Tang Ruoyao's varied and wonderful expressions just now, took a sip of her drink, and smiled slightly.

But the uplift in her mood was only momentary. After struggling to fall asleep, she was inevitably awakened by a nightmare. Her hands and feet were cold, she was covered in cold sweat, and her heart was pounding violently, as if it was about to be crushed.

In the quiet darkness of the hotel room, Qin Yinong sat up, leaning against the headboard, holding her aching chest. All she could hear was the sound of her heavy breathing.

Qin Yinong unlocked her phone screen, and the glow illuminated her pale face.

It was four in the morning, and she had slept for less than two hours.

Qin Yinong closed her eyes, turned on the light, and dragged her sore and weak legs to get up and pour herself some water to drink.

She leaned against the wall for a while, her gaze sweeping towards the direction of the door. Her lifeless eyes flickered for a moment before she lowered her eyelids. On the other side of that door, Tang Ruoyao lived.

Suddenly, she felt the same sentiment as Shen Muqing.

If only she had met her earlier, not three years ago. Even if it was just one year earlier, she would have had the courage to knock on that door herself.

But if it had really been one year earlier, she and Tang Ruoyao might not have been bound together as they were now.

Well, it could be considered fate.

Qin Yinong curled her lips into a smile, reaching out to touch her cold forehead. She settled back into the bed, tossing and turning for a moment. Then, her fingers took the initiative to open WeChat and send Tang Ruoyao a red envelope.

It was so late, and the other person was probably asleep.

The moment the red envelope was sent, a system message popped up: [Tang Ruoyao has received your red envelope.]

Author's Note:

Tang Tang: I'll go in and make a decisive move on her right away!

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