CHAPTER 83

After Han Yuping finished speaking, he walked away, leaving Tang Ruoyao confused.

Was he reminding her to rest early tonight? Or were there a lot of night scenes scheduled recently?

No one would give her an answer, and she didn't dare to ask Han Yuping for clarification. So she pushed her doubts aside and continued to occasionally pay attention to the activity in Qin Yinong's dressing room.

Qin Yinong couldn't hide her frustrated expression.

What on earth was going on?

Guan Han's voice became quieter as she spoke to Tang Ruoyao. "Should I call the makeup artist in?"

Qin Yinong waved her hand.

Guan Han stepped back.

She said she would go and call, but in reality, she only went to the door and instructed the person waiting there to do it. She didn't let Qin Yinong leave her line of sight and quickly came back.

Guan Han was like a shadow beside Qin Yinong. Except for a very few occasions when she had to attend alone, Guan Han always stood behind her.

When it came to being inseparable, Tang Ruoyao was far behind Guan Han. However, when the two of them were alone, Guan Han would have to retreat.

Before the makeup artist came in, Guan Han sat on the sofa opposite Qin Yinong as usual.

"Do you think..." Qin Yinong hesitated and began, using the typical opening when she was confused. But unsurprisingly, Guan Han sat up straight, waiting for the continuation that never came.

Lately, Qin Yinong had become increasingly confused. Was her defense line about to collapse? Guan Han wondered.

Tonight's scene was a night scene between Han Zifei and Shen Muqing in a guesthouse. Instead of staying in a hotel while traveling, they chose to stay in a guesthouse. Unlike reality, there were not only the two of them staying in this house but also other guests. The soundproofing was not good, leading to an awkward situation.

After returning from the night market, they took turns showering and lay in bed, intending to sleep, when they heard sounds coming from the next room.

Both of them froze.

On their first trip together, they were both reserved. The room they booked had two single beds, so they awkwardly decided to sleep separately. But how could they truly fall asleep?

A young couple deeply in love, even a single glance between them could ignite sparks of passion, let alone in such a situation.

Hot.

Restless.

Tension filled the air.

The younger one couldn't resist any longer. Rustling sounds came from the darkness, the older one's heart beating rapidly. With closed eyes, the bed behind her sank, and a hand suddenly wrapped around her waist, pulling her close.

The breath of the young girl was warm, her chin resting on the side of her neck.

Inhale, exhale, with suppressed gasps.

Their hearts pounded like drums.

The air was on the verge of ignition.

This scene had few lines, and even the lighting wasn't great. The simpler a scene appeared, the more it tested the actors' ability to control themselves. Both of them were in full makeup, standing in front of Han Yuping. Han Yuping remained unusually silent for a while.

What could be more suitable than having the young lovers portray their true selves?

Han Yuping explained the scene to both of them, and finally, with a meaningful tone, he said, "Show some restraint, don't overact."

Tang Ruoyao: "???"

Qin Yinong knew the implicit meaning behind his words. Annoyed and flustered, she almost blushed beet red.

She furrowed her brows and responded sternly, "I am an actress with professional ethics."

Han Yuping replied indifferently, "I know, I didn't say you were unprofessional."

"Then what are you worried about?" Qin Yinong persistently asked.

"...Forget it." Han Yuping said, "I misspoke."

The inexplicable tension between the two confused Tang Ruoyao even more. Taking advantage of the lighting technician adjusting the lights, Tang Ruoyao lowered her voice and asked Qin Yinong, "What did Director Han mean with that statement just now?"

Qin Yinong was still irritated, and initially wanted to dismiss Tang Ruoyao impatiently. But as she looked at her face, a significant portion of her anger dissipated mysteriously. She calmly said, "He's going through menopause, just ignore him."

"Okay." Tang Ruoyao obediently replied. Then she remembered something and said, "By the way, earlier Director Han also told me to rest early tonight. What does that mean?" Tang Ruoyao was straightforward and didn't beat around the bush.

Qin Yinong froze, her facial expression changing repeatedly, showcasing a spectacular array of emotions.

"Senior Qin?"

"It's nothing." Qin Yinong adjusted her emotions and said, "Maybe he was just casually expressing concern for you."

"Oh," Tang Ruoyao replied with a monosyllabic tone. Her long eyelashes flickered twice in confusion, then drooped down. Her pale pink lips pursed slightly, displaying a bit of obedience and a hint of stubbornness.

Qin Yinong's expression became blank, she lifted her hand unconsciously and pressed her fingertip against the center of Tang Ruoyao's lips, poking them. They were softer and more elastic than she had anticipated.

Tang Ruoyao suddenly looked up, her amber eyes directly meeting Qin Yinong's gaze, revealing clear surprise.

Qin Yinong: "!!!"

What did she just do?!

But it was already too late to hastily withdraw her hand. Qin Yinong poked twice more as if nothing had happened, calmly retracting her hand and inspecting her fingertip. She pretended to be composed and said, "Your lipstick... hmm, it's a bit smudged."

Tang Ruoyao thought to herself, 'It was perfectly fine before you touched it. If you have the guts, use your fingers, if not, can you kiss me instead?'

Qin Yinong raised her hand and called the makeup artist, saying, "Touch up Miss Tang's makeup."

Han Yuping, who had witnessed everything, walked over and coughed heavily in Qin Yinong's direction.

Qin Yinong was truly at a loss this time, guiltily avoiding eye contact.

Han Yuping coughed even more intensely, expressing his displeasure.

Concerned, Tang Ruoyao asked, "Director Han, is your throat not feeling well?"

Han Yuping: "..."

In Han Yuping's eyes, this pair of "dog-like girls" had joined forces to mock him. He wanted to help Tang Ruoyao be more cautious against this shameless old dog, but his kind intentions were treated like a joke!

Han Yuping walked away in anger.

Tang Ruoyao was clouded with confusion, becoming even more puzzled.

What major event had happened on this set that she was unaware of?

After touching up the makeup that Qin Yinong had smudged, they both took their positions, ready for the shoot.

The script supervisor clapped the slate board: "Scene 18, shot 2, take 1, action!"

Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao appeared in their respective sleepwear.

Qin Yinong wore conservative pajamas—a round-necked top and knee-length pants. Tang Ruoyao, on the other hand, followed the current trend of wearing short shorts with a loose-fitting, one-piece T-shirt. The shorts were so short that they were barely covered by the T-shirt, accentuating her proportionate and eye-catching long legs, as white as cream on a cake.

This trip was organized entirely by Han Zifei. She was busy packing equipment for tomorrow's mountain climb, her long hair slightly damp, as black as a raven's feather, cascading down the slender and straight back of the young woman, her hands working tirelessly.

Qin Yinong sat on the bed, hugging her knees, and stared at that figure without blinking. Due to the angle, Tang Ruoyao was not completely turned away from her, but at a slight angle. The gentle light carved out her delicate features, with a playful strand of hair occasionally falling on her forehead. Tang Ruoyao raised a hand, her slender fingers tucking the hair behind her ear.

Differentiating between girls and women isn't simply based on physical attributes. In this moment, Qin Yinong keenly felt that the person in front of her had become a mature woman. Despite her young age, there was a sense of calm and warmth emanating from her entire being, making one feel exceptionally at ease and unconsciously dependent.

It was a feeling she had never experienced before.

In the past, she enjoyed going to Tang Ruoyao's place, not because Tang Ruoyao herself was particularly attractive to her, but because it was a sanctuary created by Tang Ruoyao in that environment. Whether it was Tang Ruoyao or not living there, there wasn't much difference. It just happened to be Tang Ruoyao she encountered at that time. As time passed, she genuinely developed feelings for Tang Ruoyao. However, it didn't mean she placed Tang Ruoyao on an equal footing with herself. Subconsciously, she maintained an air of superiority, using her experience and accomplishments to pave an easy path for her, even resorting to hurtful words.

But now, it seemed something had changed. She saw Tang Ruoyao every day, and every day brought new experiences. Tang Ruoyao wasn't a pure and innocent little white rabbit, she had a bit of cunning and intelligence. She enjoyed pretending to be weak and playing games, relying on the fact that Qin Yinong liked her and engaging in a tug of war, pushing and pulling, constantly testing the boundaries. Qin Yinong saw through all her intentions but couldn't resist. She could only turn a blind eye and passively go along with it.

It became increasingly difficult for her to speak harshly to Tang Ruoyao. Whenever their eyes met, all that stirred in her heart was tenderness.

The label on Tang Ruoyao had been lifted. She was no longer a canary Qin Yinong had raised, she was a shining entity herself, so radiant that no one could look away when they were near her.

During the time they spent together, Qin Yinong felt a deep connection with her, and she... helplessly found herself deeply attracted to Tang Ruoyao.

Her hand, clenched, tightened within the blanket.

Tang Ruoyao suddenly turned her head and looked at her. Her eyes were clear and filled with joy that couldn't be hidden due to the long gaze of her beloved. Almost instinctively, Qin Yinong looked away, quickly. Then she thought, "Oh no."

In the mirror, Shen Muqing did indeed avoid Han Zifei's gaze, but it was because she was thin-skinned and shy, not because she was hastily avoiding it.

"Cut."

Han Yuping coldly showed his face from behind the monitor.

Tang Ruoyao was taken aback.

The one referred to as "Cut" was none other than Qin Yinong, known for her zero mistakes.

Qin Yinong closed her eyes and apologetically smiled at Tang Ruoyao, saying, "Sorry about that."

For some reason, Tang Ruoyao felt a forced and pale quality in her smile, as if something lightly stabbed her in the chest.

"It's okay." she smiled in response, "I also felt that the performance in that scene wasn't very good. I didn't deliver it well to you."

Han Yuping's expression turned sour, especially when he saw Tang Ruoyao giving Qin Yinong an excuse. He became instantly furious and shouted, "Show some professionalism! Is the set a place for you to flirt?"

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

When did she flirt? Did Director Han have poor language skills when he was in school?

Qin Yinong didn't waste any more words and humbly accepted, bowing her head. "I got distracted, I'm sorry."

Tang Ruoyao glanced in Qin Yinong's direction.

Han Yuping's face showed no mercy. "When filming, just focus on the scene and don't think about irrelevant things."

A pale color appeared on Qin Yinong's lips as if she had lost blood. She pursed her lips and said, "Yes."

Tang Ruoyao didn't know what had happened but instinctively showed concern, "Senior Qin, are you feeling unwell? Do you need to take a break?"

Qin Yinong shook her head.

Han Yuping said, "Take a moment to adjust, two minutes."

Qin Yinong took a deep breath and smiled at Tang Ruoyao, "It's okay, you should also take a moment to adjust. Don't let my state affect you."

Tang Ruoyao looked back three times.

Han Yuping raised the loudspeaker and scolded, "One minute!"

Tang Ruoyao quickly adjusted her emotions.

"Scene 18, take 2, action!"

Shen Muqing was watching attentively when she unexpectedly met Han Zifei's smiling gaze. Her heartbeat skipped a beat uncontrollably, and she quickly looked away, gazing out the window, her ears subtly tinged with a blush.

"I'm done." Han Zifei didn't expose the woman's thin skin, and she walked over from the table.

As they got closer, the air was filled with the milk fragrance of shower gel on the young woman. A shadow fell in front of Shen Muqing, and then her lips felt a heat as Han Zifei lightly kissed her, straightened up, and with a smile in her eyes, said, "Goodnight, Shen Muqing."

"Goodnight." Shen Muqing's lips curled upwards.

"What about my return gift? It's only fair, Teacher Shen." Han Zifei stood in front of her bed but didn't leave.

"What return gift?"

"Like this." Han Zifei unabashedly pointed to her lips, as if it was only natural.

A wave of heat surged from Shen Muqing's neck to her face, and her entire face turned red.

Han Zifei chuckled inwardly, closed her eyes, and assumed a posture of waiting for a kiss.

She closed her eyes, and Shen Muqing felt a sense of ease. She knelt upright on the bed, gazing at the young woman's naturally glossy pale pink lips. She bit her lower lip and slowly leaned in.

Han Zifei closed her eyes, unable to see anything, but she could feel the warm and moist breath brushing against her lips.

Instinctively, she curled her fingers, feeling a burning sensation in her chest. Unconsciously, she parted her lips, halfway open, their breaths entangled.

Just as that breath was about to land on her lips, it veered off course and ultimately left a soft imprint on her cheek.

Han Zifei opened her eyes with a smile, "You're being unfair, Shen..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Shen Muqing, like an ostrich, curled up in the blanket, her snow-white earlobes hidden by her tousled hair turning red.

Han Zifei stood there for a while, the woman maintaining the same posture, hmm, she seemed even more nervous now, her long limbs curling up.

Forget it, I'll let you off this time, but you won't be so lucky next time.

Han Zifei chuckled.

"Goodnight." She took a step back, returned to her own bed, lifted the covers, turned off the light, and closed her eyes to lie down.

As soon as the light went out, a strange sound came from the next room, sometimes high, sometimes low.

Han Zifei had just turned twenty, a young adult at the turn of the century, so she had little experience in this area. She didn't know what was happening but listened for a few moments and asked, "Did that girl get beaten up? She sounds miserable. Should we call the police?"

Shen Muqing was already a married woman, not someone Han Zifei, a young girl, could compare to. She closed her eyes and said, "No, don't bother with them." 

Her voice was calm.

Han Zifei always listened to her, so she obediently said, "Oh."

But even if she didn't understand, she had instincts.

The next room never quieted down, and there were even signs of escalating. It felt like a fire was burning in the blanket, so Han Zifei kicked it and extended her hands and feet outside to get some fresh air. She turned her head and asked Shen Muqing, "Are you hot?"

Shen Muqing's palms were sweaty, pretending to sleep without responding.

"I'm so hot." Han Zifei muttered to herself.

Han Yuping raised her hand, focusing the camera on Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao's expressions.

Tang Ruoyao looked puzzled, sweat on her forehead, showing obvious discomfort.

Qin Yinong, on the other hand, remained calm, but upon careful observation of her subtle expressions, she wasn't indifferent. She concealed it more subtly, her breathing heavier than before, but she was restraining herself, making it difficult for her to fall asleep.

The lighting dimmed.

The camera zoomed out, showing the entire scene.

Tang Ruoyao was sweating profusely, dazedly lifting the covers and getting out of bed. She tilted her neck and drank a glass of water from the bedside table, then stood in the middle of the two beds like a statue.

Qin Yinong clearly heard the movement, and her shoulder tensed, perfectly captured by the camera. She controlled her breathing, slow and prolonged.

Tang Ruoyao made a move.

Qin Yinong's heart skipped a beat, and then she relaxed beside her, feeling a bundle of heat pressing against her, the temperature alarmingly high.

Tang Ruoyao hugged her from behind.

"Shen Muqing," Tang Ruoyao spoke, warm breath brushing against the back of the woman's neck, her voice huskier than usual, "Are you asleep?"

Qin Yinong remained silent.

"I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable." Tang Ruoyao pressed against her, kissed her long hair, her voice restrained as she asked, "Are you asleep?"

Qin Yinong didn't dare to answer.

Under the covers, Tang Ruoyao found Qin Yinong's hand, spreading apart her fingers and tightly interlocking their fingers. Qin Yinong's breath hitched, afraid that her pounding heartbeat would reveal her feigned sleep. She subtly shifted inward without making a sound.

Tang Ruoyao didn't notice, she just instinctively pressed herself closer to Qin Yinong.

She no longer asked if the other person was asleep or not. Her chin rested against the soft skin below Qin Yinong's ear, gently rubbing against it. Qin Yinong restrained herself from becoming too tense, but Tang Ruoyao unexpectedly propped her elbow halfway up, lowered her head, and delicately kissed her cheek.

Qin Yinong's heart skipped a beat, and her scalp tingled.

Tang Ruoyao didn't take advantage of her sleeping state to go too far. She only lingered on her cheeks, eventually moving to her tender earlobe. She parted her lips, as if wanting to touch it, but ultimately gave up.

She hugged her properly, breathing in a controlled and restrained manner, without any crossing of boundaries.

"Cut."

Director Han Yuping's eyebrows remained furrowed, but he didn't immediately point out any flaws. He looked down at the playback.

Both lead actors remained still, as if nothing went wrong.

Qin Yinong turned her hand and patted Tang Ruoyao's pretty face, saying, "Get up." Had she become addicted to hugging?

Tang Ruoyao was still not satisfied. Before releasing her arm, she tightened her grip, feeling Qin Yinong's slender waist before slowly sitting up, adjusting her disrupted breathing.

After urging Tang Ruoyao to get up, Qin Yinong planned to get up herself but found her legs a bit weak. She propped herself up, still leaning against the headboard.

Anyway, in this scene, she had been lying down the whole time, so if they had to reshoot, it would still be in this position.

"Senior Qin," Tang Ruoyao walked over, holding a clean tissue in her hand.

Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow, "Hmm?"

Tang Ruoyao smiled apologetically, whispering, "There was drool on your face, and I accidentally..."

Qin Yinong: "!!!"

Tang Ruoyao reached out her hand, "Let me help you..."

Before the word "wipe" could come out, Qin Yinong had already snatched it away and pressed it onto her own face. When she took it off and looked at it, it was the same as when she put it on.

Qin Yinong: "...Where's the drool?"

Tang Ruoyao laughed awkwardly, "Maybe it dried up."

She sighed internally, missing the chance to wipe her face again.

Veins bulged on Qin Yinong's forehead twice.

Seeing the unfavorable situation, Tang Ruoyao quickly ran away, saying, "Um, I'll go watch the playback."

Guan Han glanced at Tang Ruoyao's agile figure and then looked at Qin Yinong's displeased expression after Tang Ruoyao left. Immediately, Qin Yinong put on a theatrically changed expression, with the corners of her lips uncontrollably curling up.

She even lowered her head in a good mood and started folding things with a tissue. Unfortunately, the texture was too soft, and no matter how nimble her fingers were, she couldn't fold anything decent.

It would have been nice if Tang Ruoyao saw this scene.

She was so focused on running, didn't she even turn around to take a look? Guan Han thought indignantly.

Just as she was thinking that, Tang Ruoyao turned around.

But Qin Yinong didn't notice.

Tang Ruoyao immediately smiled even brighter.

Guan Han mentally made a "victory" gesture.

Tang Ruoyao stood beside Han Yuping and waited for him to finished watching the playback. She stared at the corners of his lips, which looked cold and hardened due to the downturn of his nasolabial folds. Suddenly, Han Yuping turned his head and their eyes met.

Tang Ruoyao's heart inexplicably tightened.

Han Yuping enunciated each word clearly, saying, "It passed."

It would be nice to shoot a few more times. A hint of regret flashed in Tang Ruoyao's eyes, quickly dissipating, but Han Yuping still caught it. He asked in a cold voice, "Are you unsatisfied?"

Tang Ruoyao: "N-No, not at all."

There will be plenty of scenes like this in the future, and passing it in one take is good enough.

Dating is fine, but if it hinders his filming, Han Yuping won't tolerate it. Now that the scene is over, Han Yuping no longer berates her, but instead advises, "If you want to be affectionate, there are plenty of people on set, why do it here?"

After he called for a cut earlier, he saw everything when the two of them were hugging.

Tang Ruoyao: "Ah?"

"Also," Han Yuping glanced in Qin Yinong's direction but didn't bother walking over because she was too far away, and said directly, "Tell Qin Yinong tonight that if she makes another low-level mistake like zoning out, I'll kick her off the set."

Tang Ruoyao was puzzled, "Oh."

"Alright, let's wrap it up. Go be affectionate, just don't get in my way." Han Yuping waved his hand.

Why has Tang Ruoyao become so silly and slow in her reactions ever since she started dating? She used to be quite sharp. Han Yuping wondered.

Affectionate?

Tang Ruoyao was filled with questions as she walked up to Qin Yinong, who had returned to her indifferent state. "Director Han said it passed."

Qin Yinong replied calmly, "I saw it." She had already gotten off the bed. "I'm going to change my clothes."

Tang Ruoyao hurriedly said, "I'll go too."

Qin Yinong glanced back and gave her a mysterious look.

Tang Ruoyao explained, "I'll go to my own dressing room, it's on the way."

Qin Yinong: "..."

What a forced detour. They walked for less than half a minute and then went into their respective rooms to change clothes.

Guan Han brought the clothes for Qin Yinong, who stood still in place, seemingly lost in thought. She momentarily tilted the corner of her lips in a pleased manner, quickly suppressing it, refusing to fully smile.

Guan Han: "There's no one else here."

Qin Yinong coughed, still restraining her smile, and said seriously, "Why is she so shameless?"

Guan Han, of course, knew who Qin Yinong referred to as "she." With an emotionless tone, she said, "She's relying on her good looks."

This time, Qin Yinong couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Indeed."

Guan Han thought to herself: So why don't you just kiss her attractive face?

Qin Yinong took a moment, changed her clothes, and came out. Tang Ruoyao was already waiting at the door. As soon as she saw Qin Yinong, she burst into a wide smile, a smile that was ostentatious and sickeningly sweet. "Senior Qin."

She's becoming more and more brazen.

But Qin Yinong strangely couldn't bring herself to be annoyed. The feeling of someone waiting for her was unusually pleasant.

Qin Yinong almost smiled along with her. Her eyebrows slightly raised, but then she abruptly changed the subject, furrowing her brow. "What are you doing here?"

"It's on the way."

"It's on the way?"

Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao spoke in unison, one making a statement, the other questioning.

Tang Ruoyao's thick-skinned nature was indeed evident. Smiling, she nodded. "Yes."

This time, on the three-minute journey, Tang Ruoyao didn't waste the opportunity like before. Her mouth didn't stop moving, and it's unclear why she had so much to say. Didn't the media say she was aloof and spoke very little? Even when the two of them were together previously, Tang Ruoyao wasn't this noisy, like a chirping little sparrow. Hmm, a cute little sparrow.

Qin Yinong added an adjective to describe her.

Tang Ruoyao watched as Qin Yinong got into the car and fell silent, then she saw Xin Qian with a face full of words that couldn't be expressed.

"Water." Tang Ruoyao said, her mouth dry as she reached out her hand and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Xin Qian spoke sincerely, "You were just as noisy as five hundred ducks just now."

"Haha." Tang Ruoyao patted Xin Qian's head and laughed, "You don't understand."

Qin Yinong had been teased into laughter by Tang Ruoyao several times just now, although she quickly covered it up. But Tang Ruoyao had been staring at her, how could she not notice?

"Finally, it's quiet." Qin Yinong sighed as she sat in the car seat.

A hint of deep and unpredictable meaning flashed in Guan Han's eyes.

You'll feel the emptiness soon enough.

Sure enough, not long after, Qin Yinong began to feel restless. She lowered her head and looked at the chat records with Tang Ruoyao on her phone, seeking solace, but all she saw were red envelope transactions.

Qin Yinong: "..."

She was trying to hide it well, but who was Guan Han? There was no one in the world who understood Qin Yinong better than her. Tang Ruoyao now couldn't compare, and as for the future... that would be a different story.

Tang Ruoyao asserted her presence with her own noisiness, making Qin Yinong feel uncomfortable after she left.

So much so that when she arrived at her place, she didn't immediately go upstairs but waited for Tang Ruoyao in the living room on the first floor.

When Tang Ruoyao saw her, a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, and then she smiled, "Senior Qin."

Qin Yinong felt relieved, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, and nodded slightly towards her before going upstairs.

Tang Ruoyao seemed to be deep in thought.

That night.

Tang Ruoyao knocked on Qin Yinong's bedroom door again.

Qin Yinong wasn't surprised at all. She stood elegantly and casually with her slender legs crossed, leaning against the doorframe with her arms folded, looking at her calmly.

Tang Ruoyao blinked and said, "Senior Qin, the water heater in my room is broken. Can I take a shower in your place?"

Author's Note:

Isn't this the beginning of a passionate romance?! [Roars like a dragon]

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