CHAPTER 79

Qin Yinong Studio.

An Ling almost sprayed her coffee onto the documents in front of her.

She quickly grabbed a tissue from the box next to her and pressed it against her lips. A hint of confusion flashed across her face, and her voice, muffled by the tissue, was resolute: "What did you just say?"

The sunlight outside was bright, and An Ling glanced outside and asked the secretary beside her to confirm, "Did the sun rise from the east today?"

The secretary looked puzzled at first but then respectfully replied, "Yes."

Qin Yinong took the phone from Guan Han's hand and spoke clearly: "You didn't hear wrong. I want to clarify."

An Ling was stunned.

As Qin Yinong's manager and business partner, even though Qin Yinong didn't need a PR team and had always adopted an indifferent attitude towards rumors, An Ling had to constantly keep an eye on Qin Yinong's news. So when she first heard about the rumors between Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao, she was aware of it.

Considering it normal, An Ling had someone investigate and added a tick mark with the word "verified" next to a person's name in her little revenge notebook. She closed the notebook and continued with her work, without taking any countermeasures. Even though she had a hundred ways to handle the situation in her mind, she could only endure.

She thought this time would be like every other time, that it would blow over. But she didn't expect Qin Yinong to proactively call and say she wanted to clarify.

Finally...

An Ling was on the verge of tears.

"I, I..." An Ling had never been so nervous in her nearly twenty-year career. She was at a loss for words for a moment, then stood up from behind her desk and said, "I will prepare the staff and information immediately. Within a week, no, within five days, I guarantee that we will completely reverse your public image."

An Ling rubbed her hands together, preparing for a big fight.

Qin Yinong: "You misunderstood."

An Ling's joyful expression still hung on her face as she smiled and asked, "Misunderstood what?"

Qin Yinong said calmly, "I just want to clarify this matter."

An Ling stopped in her tracks.

Qin Yinong paused for a moment and added, "Only to clarify that there is no connection between me and Tang Ruoyao."

An Ling: "..."

All these years, none of the dirt thrown at her was clarified, and now the only thing being clarified was a simple fact?

An Ling's expression slightly froze, and suddenly she understood. Qin Yinong didn't actually come to a realization; she was...

An Ling: "Because of Tang Ruoyao?"

Qin Yinong candidly replied, "Yes."

An Ling was both anxious and angry, mixed with a bit of resentment towards Qin Yinong. She couldn't help but say in an annoyed tone, "You like her that much, to the point of breaking the long-held principles you've always adhered to?"

Qin Yinong didn't hesitate at all: "Yes."

An Ling anger surged: "You—"

Hearing An Ling's anger, Qin Yinong calmly explained, "It's not breaking the principles, and I haven't had those principles all along."

What are principles? They are rules, regulations, guidelines. In that sense, Qin Yinong indeed didn't have them. An Ling's anger surged, and she sneered, "You're just a coward, always retreating like a tortoise."

Qin Yinong was silent for a second and then spoke in a casual tone, "If you say so, then I am. I apologize for causing you trouble."

Guan Han didn't know what An Ling had said, but she saw Qin Yinong's hand, which had been resting on the side, suddenly clench into a tight fist.

An Ling, in a defiant tone, said, "What if I don't clarify it for her?"

Qin Yinong slowly loosened her five fingers, returning to a relaxed posture, and said calmly, "I'll handle it myself. And let me remind you, our contract specifies that one of your obligations includes this. Are you going to breach the contract?"

An Ling coldly retorted, "The contract specifies that I handle your PR when you need it, not for Tang Ruoyao."

Qin Yinong raised a tired finger and pinched her brow.

This was the downside of having a business partner. She couldn't just crush An Ling, and when they encountered disagreements, someone had to be the first to give in.

Once again, Qin Yinong became the one to give in.

Besides, she knew that An Ling genuinely cared about her and treated her well. It was just that sometimes her methods were too harsh, making it difficult to Qin Yinong to accept. 

Well, if she had to soften, then she would. How much does pride weigh? Would it achieve the desired results?

Qin Yinong lifted her eyes, waved her hand, and everyone except Guan Han exited the lounge.

Qin Yinong did a 180-degree turn in her attitude, her tone softened as she coquettishly spoke to the other end of the phone, "Sister An Ling, can you do me a favor? It's been so long since I last asked for your help."

She was spouting nonsense. Last time, she even had An Ling help Tang Ruoyao secure the endorsement for R&D jewelry in the Asia-Pacific region.

Guan Han felt a tingling sensation on her scalp and rubbed the goosebumps on her arm.

An Ling and Guan Han made the same gesture. An Ling signaled to her secretary, who brought over a coat for her to wear. With one hand hugging her arm, An Ling resisted Qin Yinong's sweet talk, "I-I'm telling you, it's useless!"

"Sister An Ling~"

"Please act like a decent person, Qin Yinong."

"Why should I act like a person? I'm just a little kitty."

"..."

"Sister An Ling~"

"Forget it! If you call me 'sister' one more time, I'll hang up."

"Don't do that, don't you love me anymore?"

An Ling spoke rapidly, "I never loved you, Lanhao. The child isn't yours."

Qin Yinong burst into laughter, then quickly changed the subject, asking, "Who is targeting me this time?"

An Ling felt a moment of confusion.

Was that the topic they were just discussing just now?

Not only An Ling, even Guan Han beside her was stunned by her sudden change in demeanor.

Qin Yinong repeated in a cold voice, "Who is framing me this time?"

First, she softened An Ling's anger by acting coquettish, and then she shifted the topic. It was a series of tactics, and An Ling temporarily forgot their disagreement, saying, "It's Hao Meihua."

"It's her again." Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow, showing no surprise.

Hao Meihua was a prominent actress who debuted around the same time as Qin Yinong. She was a few years older and had been entangled in a complicated relationship with Qin Yinong for years. Qin Yinong was a bug in the domestic film industry, always receiving nominations and winning awards. The two of them had competed against each other several times at the most prestigious awards in Chinese cinema. Hao Meihua always ended up losing, except for one time when Qin Yinong didn't participate, and the media mockingly called it a "consolation prize," tarnishing her reputation.

From then on, Hao Meihua became increasingly crazy, always lending a hand behind the scenes whenever there was a rumor. Qin Yinong couldn't be bothered with her, after all, she would win when she needed to win. She only kept the battle within the realm of movies and awards.

Hao Meihua was ecstatic. It was true that Qin Yinong didn't pay much attention to her, but there were other reasons as well. In the entertainment industry, few reached the top without any wealth, background, or connections. Hao Meihua had a decent background. Qin Yinong had offended her in the past, and although she wasn't afraid of her now, she didn't want to invite trouble. It was better to avoid unnecessary complications.

At most, Hao Meihua could only create some irrelevant gossip for her. Apart from this time, the evidence she found was all half-hearted. Compared to... it could still be considered kind.

Qin Yinong recalled distant memories that seemed so far away, shook her head slightly, and quickly lowered her eyelashes.

An Ling sneered, "Five out of ten times, it's her. The last time you were on set, she was the one who sent someone to your room. I don't understand how she 'loves' you so much!" An Ling then spoke seriously, "Hao Meihua has become more and more excessive. If you continue to endure, she might even..."

Qin Yinong's long eyelashes trembled lightly.

An Ling realized she had misspoken and mentally slapped herself, quickly changing her words, "...other than that, it's time to fight back. Otherwise, she'll think of you as an easy target and do as she pleases."

Qin Yinong responded with a calm "Hmm."

The words An Ling had prepared were stuck in her throat as she raised her voice in disbelief, "Did you just say 'Hmm'?"

"Hmm," Qin Yinong calmly repeated, "Yes."

An Ling couldn't believe it and confirmed, "Are you really going to fight back?"

"Yes," Qin Yinong affirmed.

Although she couldn't clarify everything, An Ling's goal was partially achieved. She was full of motivation and said, "Alright, count me in. You don't know how long I've been waiting for this day. The dirt thrown at you is someone else's filth. Hao Meihua is truly not as clean as she seems. I've collected a lot of incriminating evidence against her. I've been waiting for your command. Today, I'll show her what it feels like to have her own ugly deeds exposed!"

An Ling sneered.

Qin Yinong's expression was unclear as she rubbed the edge of her phone with her fingertips, then spoke slowly, "Let's try a different approach."

An Ling was slightly taken aback, "What do you mean?"

Qin Yinong paused and said, "What if we snatch away any important endorsements or similar resources she has recently? Would that work?"

An Ling frowned.

In the industry, the most common form of competition on the surface was verbal warfare, marketing press releases, seizing public opinion, and establishing an unbeatable position. It would be even better if they could tarnish the other party's reputation and keep them stuck in the mud. However, on a deeper level, it was a battle for resources. With limited resources and many contenders, every team was racking their brains to ensure their artists could access the best resources. Despite the fierce battles in online public opinion, the ultimate goal for everyone was resource acquisition.

"It's possible." An Ling pondered, but she didn't understand, "Why should we give up one of the methods when we can do both? Besides, she has a lot of incriminating evidence against her, and snatching her resources would be a great help to us."

Qin Yinong remained silent for a few seconds before asking, "If we don't expose her scandals, can you still snatch her resources?"

An Ling thought for a moment and replied, "Yes, but it would require more effort."

Qin Yinong nodded, "Alright, let's do it this way then. Don't initiate a public opinion attacks. Thank you for your hard work."

"Why?" An Ling persistently asked.

"The power of public opinion is too great, and it's uncontrollable. If anything goes wrong, the consequences could be unimaginable."

"But everyone else is doing it."

"Does that make it right?" Qin Yinong lowered her gaze, "At least I won't do it that way."

An Ling suddenly felt a sourness in her eyes.

Only those who have truly suffered can truly empathize. But with a compassionate heart, do those who have attacked her day after day, year after year, even if it's just a little bit, have the slightest trace of empathy, ?

In this world, do good people deserve to suffer?

An Ling looked up at the ceiling, heat slowly rising in her eyes.

She remained silent for a long time, let out a deep sigh, and responded, "I'll do as you say."

"Thank you." Qin Yinong smiled.

"Should I get to work now?" Without using public opinion and directly snatching resources, the Hao Meihua team was not to be underestimated, and An Ling would need to exert even more effort.

"Wait," Qin Yinong stopped her from hanging up, "There's one more thing. Help me debunk the rumors."

Bringing up the old stories, An Ling's state of mind had already changed. She readily agreed, "I can help you, but have you considered that you haven't clarified any of your previous scandals? Clarifying this one all of a sudden might backfire. How about we handle them one by one..."

An Ling seized the opportunity to persuade her to clarify all the past incidents.

Qin Yinong coldly interrupted her, "I have an idea. Let me know if it's possible, and help me check for any loopholes."

An Ling: "..."

Qin Yinong's team, known for being impervious to gossip, suddenly debunking rumors in this matter would undoubtedly attract a lot of interpretation. Hao Meihua would also not miss this opportunity to exploit the situation. In the end, it was difficult to determine whether this clarification would truly clarify or further solidify the rumors of a same-sex relationship.

That's why Qin Yinong didn't plan on making a direct statement. Instead, she went to find Han Yuping.

Coincidentally, she ran into Tang Ruoyao unexpectedly.

Tang Ruoyao was discussing the strengthening of confidentiality measures for the drama crew with Han Yuping. Han Yuping, who was completely focused on his acting, wouldn't have known about the incident online if Tang Ruoyao hadn't mentioned it.

Did the two female leads cause a scandal?

Han Yuping maintained a "subway grandpa looking at his phone" expression throughout.

Especially after watching the surveillance video from the hotel corridor online, Han Yuping furrowed his brows deeply.

He asked a soul-piercing question, "So why were the two of you embracing each other in the middle of the night?"

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

At that moment, a voice suddenly interjected casually, saying, "For the scene, any objections?"

Tang Ruoyao's gaze fell upon Qin Yinong's mesmerizing face.

"Senior Qin." she greeted.

"Mm," Qin Yinong nodded slightly towards her, then turned to Han Yuping and said, "I was just about to discuss this matter with you."

Han Yuping was puzzled, "Discuss what?"

Qin Yinong replied, "Why were there photos taken on the drama set? Who leaked them? Have you investigated?"

Han Yuping continued to look confused, "What does that have to do with me?"

Qin Yinong stared at him, her eyes revealing a sharp intensity, and her voice became stern as she scolded, "You're the director, and you say it has nothing to do with you?"

Han Yuping was startled by her sudden imposing aura.

Tang Ruoyao, on the side, quietly exclaimed in her mind how handsome Qin Yinong was, and little stars of admiration appeared in her eyes. Fortunately, Qin Yinong didn't notice.

Of course, Han Yuping was only momentarily taken aback and wasn't afraid of her. After regaining his composure, he firmly retorted, "You're the producer, isn't this drama set under your jurisdiction?"

Qin Yinong stood tall and confidently sneered, "Who was the one who told me to stay at home and take a good rest, saying that he'll take care of everything, including the actors and the drama crew? Who was it?"

"I..." Han Yuping felt guilty, fell silent for a moment, and said, "I'll have someone investigate now."

Qin Yinong said, "The drama production will be suspended for two days for a thorough investigation. And as for the person who leaked information to the outside world..." She glanced at Tang Ruoyao uncomfortably, then looked away, "The staff members who were 'acting' with Miss Tang that night will also be identified and dismissed."

Han Yuping was shocked, "Suspending production for two days is not possible."

Qin Yinong calmly replied with just one sentence, "I am the producer, and I will bear the loss from the work stoppage alone."

Han Yuping: "..."

With a valid argument, there was no way to refute it.

Qin Yinong continued, "Have the publicity department of the drama team issue an official statement clarifying that Miss Tang and I were only acting, and you personally forward it."

Han Yuping became even more reluctant at this point.

"Just a petty scandal, and a same-sex one at that. There's no solid evidence. Whether others believe it or not, is it necessary to go through all this trouble?" And asking him to personally forward it.

"Yes." Qin Yinong noticed the sudden intense gaze coming from the side, paused for a moment, and added, "I would appreciate it. Do you have a say in this?"

"I don't, but you're the producer, aren't you the one with the highest authority? You can easily have the publicity department issue the statement yourself. Why come to me?" Han Yuping said in confusion, "Did you forget?"

Qin Yinong hesitated.

Indeed, she had forgotten.

But she couldn't lose her idol image. Qin Yinong maintained a righteous and stern tone and found a way out for herself, saying, "Wasn't it to have you personally forward it? It will appear more authoritative that way."

Han Yuping, a renowned director, naturally had weight behind his words. He was also too lazy to beat around the bush with Qin Yinong over these trivial matters, so he agreed right away, "I can forward it, but on one condition."

"Speak."

"We continue filming as usual, no work stoppage."

"No!" Qin Yinong would absolutely not start filming unless the crew was sorted out properly. She couldn't let Tang Ruoyao take any more risks.

"Fine, two days then. But you handle all those troublesome matters yourself, I won't interfere." Han Yuping said.

As a director, he was never good at managing such things. Qin Yinong had her own team, and he didn't really expect her to rely on him. She immediately agreed, saying, "Deal."

With the temporary work stoppage, there was a commotion among the staff, not knowing what it was all about.

Then Qin Yinong's arrangements for sorting things out began in full swing.

Tang Ruoyao was in shock. Qin Yinong actually wanted to clarify the situation. She heard that the publicity department of the drama team was already drafting a statement, and it would be polished by experts to ensure its perfection.

She had so many scandals, both true and false, so why did she specifically want to clarify this one?

The only difference was that this matter involved her.

After countless twists and turns in her mind, every reason was negated one by one, gradually leading to the deduction that had once appeared in her mind.

Was Qin Yinong... protecting her?

Just like how she told the artists in her studio not to speak up for her outside and to keep their distance, it was to protect them.

Was it like that?

With this speculation in mind, Tang Ruoyao took a deep breath and gently knocked on the door of Qin Yinong's resting room on the set.

The assistant, Xiao A, opened the door.

"Please wait a moment." Xiao A went in to inform Qin Yinong and came out after a while to welcome Tang Ruoyao inside.

Qin Yinong was on a phone call. Tang Ruoyao took the glass of water that Xiao A poured and softly said, "Thank you." then turned her gaze towards Qin Yinong, who was standing by the window with her arms crossed. Qin Yinong had a very serious expression, one that Tang Ruoyao had never seen before—deep furrowed brows and a hint of coldness.

The most common expression on Qin Yinong's face was a carefree smile, occasionally calm, and often showing a lack of interest. Recently, she had shown rare bursts of anger, but they were still far from seriousness.

Seeing this unfamiliar and discordant expression on her face made Tang Ruoyao feel a strange and captivating sensation.

She stared almost unblinkingly at Qin Yinong's face, hiding her greedy desires deep in her eyes.

Qin Yinong paused briefly in her words and turned her back to Tang Ruoyao, finishing her phone call.

"Have a seat." She habitually spoke up and saw that Tang Ruoyao had already sat down. She waved her hand towards the door, and everyone except Guan Han was swept out like a tide.

"Do you have something to discuss with me?" Qin Yinong spoke, her mouth feeling dry from the phone call. She picked up the glass of water on the table and took a sip.

Tang Ruoyao nodded and honestly said, "Yes."

"Go ahead." Qin Yinong's lips curved into a small arc, returning to her most common smile—delicate but artificial.

Tang Ruoyao felt a bit disappointed and even a little angry, but she restrained herself well and maintained a humble demeanor as a junior. She asked with restraint, "Regarding the rumors between you and me..."

Qin Yinong interrupted her and said with a smile, "Don't worry, these rumors will soon disappear."

Tang Ruoyao thought to herself, "But you know very well that this is not just a rumor."

If the clarification isn't about the rumor, then does that mean you're confirming the true rumors?

Tang Ruoyao pressed her lips together and politely asked, "But I don't understand."

Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Hmm? What don't you understand?"

Tang Ruoyao learned from the previous lesson. Last time, when she rashly went to ask Qin Yinong with an impolite attitude, it triggered Qin Yinong's anger. Not only did she fail to get a meaningful answer, but she also received cold words.

This time, she learned her lesson and didn't step into dangerous territory. She slightly furrowed her beautiful brows, expressing her doubts just right, even with a touch of caution. "I feel like... this rumor doesn't need clarification, does it?"

Qin Yinong's smile froze briefly but quickly returned to normal.

"Why?" she asked with a smile.

No anger, one small step towards success.

Tang Ruoyao let out a small sigh of relief in her heart but still didn't dare to let her guard down. She explained, "We are both of the same gender, as long as there is no concrete evidence, there is no danger. At most, it's just gossip. Nowadays, there are many publicity stunts involving same-sex CP to attract fans, like socialist sisterhood."

A hint of confusion appeared in Qin Yinong's eyes.

What socialist sisterhood?

Who is her sister? Are they sisters in bed?

Guan Han timely approached and whispered a few words in Qin Yinong's ear. Qin Yinong blinked her eyelashes in response.

Oh, so it's this kind of "sisterhood", not too far from what she had in mind.

Tang Ruoyao could tell from Qin Yinong's expression and Guan Han's subsequent actions that she had mentioned a term that Qin Yinong didn't understand. She immediately felt annoyed. Qin Yinong must be very busy and probably doesn't spend much time online. If she had known, she would have explained the term and could have said a few more words.

But regrets were of no use now, so Tang Ruoyao could only continue.

She pressed her lips together and said, "Of course, I'm not asking you to engage in CP rumors with me. My manager will be here soon. She will check the hotel surveillance footage to prove that nothing happened between us that day. You... don't need to go through the trouble."

Qin Yinong, having just learned a new term, made an analogy, "I already have many socialist sisterhoods."

Tang Ruoyao was momentarily stunned before understanding.

Qin Yinong was referring to the numerous same-sex scandals she had, including but not limited to her female friends, actresses she had worked with, ranging from veteran actresses in their 80s to underage actresses. She didn't leave anyone out.

Because Qin Yinong had the title of "Emperor Qin" some well-meaning internet users held an annual talent show and harem promotion ceremony for her. It included a list of various actresses who had intersected with her, generating considerable attention. It became a hot topic every year.

In the harem promotion ceremony, the highest position was, of course, the Empress, followed by noble concubines and virtuous consorts, and the concubines ranked in descending order until the ordinary maidservants. The position of Empress was monopolized by one of Qin Yinong's recognized friends in the industry, who held her position year after year.

Tang Ruoyao would pay attention every year, wondering when she could make an appearance in those posts. However, the two of them had no real connection, not even qualifying for the position of a maid. Originally, she wanted to name her gaming ID "Empress," but she felt it would be too pretentious. She was afraid that even the title of a consort would be too much. And because Qin Yinong's fans were called "Imperial Concubines," she named herself "YImperialConsortY," with "Y" being her name.

In the previous year's ceremony, which had just concluded, Qin Yinong presented Tang Ruoyao with her degree certificate at the graduation ceremony of the Capital Drama Academy. Tang Ruoyao finally had a place and was titled as "Talented Lady." This year, with a new movie collaboration and some new scandals, she estimated that she could rise in rank again. Becoming a noble consort was impossible, but the opportunity to become a distinguished consort was quite high.

Tang Ruoyao, as always, humbly replied, "So there's even less reason to clarify this rumor, right? The online gossip comes and goes in just two days. It doesn't require such a big fuss. The more attention we pay to it, the more they'll escalate."

Qin Yinong's expression subtly changed.

Tang Ruoyao felt something was amiss.

In an instant, a thought flashed through Qin Yinong's mind, she's testing her.

Qin Yinong suddenly chuckled softly.

Tang Ruoyao was puzzled.

Qin Yinong's lips curved into a smile. "What do you think I clarified this scandal for?"

"For what?" Tang Ruoyao did have this question in mind.

"Because..." Qin Yinong's red lips slightly parted as she leaned closer, lifting her eyelashes in a momentary flash, her deep ink-like eyes gazing deeply into Tang Ruoyao's.

Tang Ruoyao's heart skipped a beat.

Author's Note:

To be honest, I want to see the forum posts for the selection of consorts for Sister Qin. Are there any lovely readers who can write them for me to see? ╰(*°▽°*)╯

PS: Hao Meihua's first appearance is in Chapter 7.

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