CHAPTER 85

During the rehearsal, Tang Ruoyao deliberately and unintentionally took a half step ahead of Qin Yinong, positioning herself in front of Han Yuping. Qin Yinong comfortably hid behind the child, knowing that it was wise to be aware of the situation. She didn't want to face Han Yuping's anger again.

Han Yuping glanced irritably towards Qin Yinong, suppressed his anger, and calmly said, "Shen Muqing quietly woke up alone in the kitchen, facing away from the entrance, preparing food. Han Zifei woke up and couldn't find Shen Muqing, so she hurriedly came downstairs to find her. When she saw her busy figure in the kitchen, she breathed a sigh of relief and approached her quietly. She hugged her from behind. Shen Muqing stiffened, aware of the audience around them, wanting her to let go. But Han Zifei, deliberately opposing her, held her tighter, kissed her cheek. Shen Muqing tried to dodge, but her kiss landed on her ear. Both of them froze simultaneously."

Han Yuping refined his words, "The feeling of electric shock."

Since this scene followed the one from last night, Shen Muqing had a difficult time calming her breathing after Han Zifei's arduous actions. It took her a long time to fall asleep. When she woke up the next morning, she found Han Zifei still soundly sleeping in her bed, her arm around her waist, her warm breath brushing against her earlobe.

Shen Muqing wasn't a saint, she had desires, and in front of her young and passionate lover, she couldn't help but feel an uncontrollable affection. However, she had aged a few years and was better at concealing her emotions than Han Zifei.

The memories from last night hadn't faded yet, and the touch of Han Zifei's lips on her ear triggered a vivid recollection. Han Zifei, still half-asleep, instinctively approached her with a pure love that stirred her more than mere desire.

Qin Yinong shook her wrist and looked up, allowing the makeup artist to touch up her makeup. She glanced in Tang Ruoyao's direction and once again felt a pang of regret in her heart. Why couldn't she be the one playing Han Zifei? Tang Ruoyao had taken advantage of the role, and now she couldn't even keep her ears safe.

Youth is truly wonderful, Qin Yinong thought with envy.

"Scene 19, take one, action!"

As the dawn emerged, there was an elegant and slender figure in the kitchen, swiftly preparing breakfast. Han Zifei liked to eat noodles, so she quickly boiled water in a pot, cooked the noodles until soft, and rinsed them with cold water.

It wasn't yet Tang Ruoyao's scene, so she temporarily roamed the quiet set, observing Qin Yinong just like the director did. The director focused on the overall shot, while she paid attention to Qin Yinong's hands and her skilled movements.

'She can cook, and her culinary skills should be pretty good.' Tang Ruoyao thought.

Han Yuping stared at the monitor, raising one hand.

Tang Ruoyao quickly snapped back to reality and prepared to get into character.

The camera moved to the staircase.

Tang Ruoyao hurriedly went downstairs, but her footsteps were light, clearly mindful of the others who were still asleep here. The kitchen wasn't right in front of the staircase, but it was enough for Tang Ruoyao to see someone inside.

After confirming at the doorway, she sighed with relief.

The camera focused on Qin Yinong in a close-up shot.

Filming wasn't simply about capturing the visuals, the camera could convey much more.

This wasn't just a simple close-up, it was from Han Zifei's perspective as a lover. She focused on cutting the noodles on the cutting board, her head slightly lowered, two strands of hair falling across her forehead in a beautifully disheveled manner. Her facial profile was soft, with an invisible glow enveloping her, making her exude tenderness.

The camera slightly lowered, revealing the straight collarbone exposed by the pale green dress, particularly sensual.

Then it settled back to her perfectly shaped thin lips, slightly tinted with a soft pink, resembling plump peaches, enticing to pluck.

From a single close-up shot, one could feel Han Zifei's various emotions beyond the camera and how much she loved the person in front of her. It was much more brilliant than having the actor portray it directly.

The sound of the exhaust hood was loud in the kitchen, and Shen Muqing didn't notice that there was an extra person at the kitchen entrance. Han Zifei's footsteps echoed with her heartbeat as she approached step by step, reaching her arms around her from behind.

Shen Muqing's body instinctively tensed up, gradually relaxing when she realized who it was. However, she didn't lean back, instead, she leaned against Han Zifei, freeing one hand to gently pat the hand that was holding her waist.

"Wait outside, it'll be done soon."

"No." Han Zifei muttered vaguely. She wouldn't give in. They finally went on a trip together, and yesterday when she tried to hold Shen Muqing's hand on the street, she kept resisting. Now she wouldn't even let her hug her.

Tang Ruoyao was slightly shorter than Qin Yinong, but not by too much. She rested her chin on Qin Yinong's shoulder.

Shen Muqing sensed her lover's dissatisfaction and affectionately nuzzled her cheek.

Their smooth skin touched.

Han Zifei seemed to enjoy the sweetness and nuzzled back.

She appeared mature in important matters in front of Shen Muqing but couldn't help revealing her childishness in small things. Shen Muqing was held tightly by her, their cheeks pressed together. It was quiet outside, and she nervously glanced at the door, afraid of being seen by others. So she whispered, "Stop it."

Han Zifei understood her expression and smiled. "Are you afraid of being seen?"

Shen Muqing pursed her lips and remained silent.

"If someone sees us, so be it. We love each other, and it doesn't harm anyone or anything." Han Zifei said nonchalantly.

Shen Muqing lowered her gaze, curling her fingertips.

She didn't say anything, but the woman in her embrace stiffened gradually. Han Zifei's eyes revealed a hint of sadness. She loosened her hold on the other person and was about to step back.

Shen Muqing grabbed her hand, keeping it in place.

Han Zifei raised her eyes in surprise.

Shen Muqing's eyelids drooped, still not saying a word, but her actions spoke volumes.

In a moment of impulse, Han Zifei leaned in and kissed her cheek. Unfortunately, Shen Muqing tilted her head down, and the kiss landed on her earlobe.

Shen Muqing froze, and her right hand trembled, almost dropping the chopsticks she held.

Han Zifei's heartstrings trembled intensely, leaving her stunned on the spot.

Thirst.

Restlessness spreading.

Shen Muqing turned her face and locked eyes with her. Seeing her unconscious action of licking her lips, her face instantly turned red.

...

"Cut."

Han Yuping called for a cut, but the two of them continued to embrace as expected.

Ignoring them, Han Yuping lowered his head to review the playback.

It must be said that young couples perform exceptionally well in romantic scenes. They don't need to deliberately cultivate the emotions, a single glance is enough to bring it all out. Han Yuping rubbed his chin and was very satisfied with this state.

Qin Yinong lowered her head and looked at the pair of hands, as white as jade, clasped around her waist, counting silently in her mind.

When she reached twenty seconds, Tang Ruoyao pretended to come out of character and let go, apologizing, "I'm sorry for overstepping."

"Have you really overstepped that little?" Qin Yinong replied coldly, her expression unreadable.

Her sudden bluntness made Tang Ruoyao slightly flustered.

Qin Yinong stared at her reaction, a hint of satisfaction curling up at the corner of her lips.

Tang Ruoyao understood that she had been played and immediately stamped her foot lightly, complaining, "Senior Qin~" She dragged out the pronunciation of 'senior' for a long time, with countless twists and turns, lingering in the air for days.

If Qin Yinong were to subjectively rate all the scenes Tang Ruoyao had filmed so far, the highest score would undoubtedly be the one where they waited for Shen Muqing on the street and held hands. Han Yuping also praised it endlessly.

Qin Yinong felt a tingling sensation in her chest and fingertips.

She couldn't stand her.

As the goosebumps slowly subsided, Qin Yinong pretended to disdainfully click her tongue and said, "So contrived."

Tang Ruoyao was in a good mood, laughing, "Hahaha."

She had noticed it since the last time, no, it was a long time ago. Qin Yinong was particularly susceptible to this kind of sweet and tender approach, so Tang Ruoyao naturally took advantage of her from time to time.

The two of them bantered back and forth, when Han Yuping walked over and discreetly coughed, reminding them to compose themselves.

Both of them straightened their expressions.

Han Yuping had a stern face and pointed out some minor details for them to reshoot, and once that scene was completed, they continued shooting without interruptions.

The clapper board sounded, "Scene 19, Take 2 of 'True Colors,' action!"

.....

Han Zifei didn't understand the strange sensation that surged within her. It was similar to when she heard those sounds last night. Just a moment ago, she seemed to have found a way to alleviate it, and that fire suddenly intensified several times over.

She wanted... to be closer to Shen Muqing, even closer, to intimately connect without holding back.

Tang Ruoyao's eyes darkened, and she leaned in directly.

Qin Yinong didn't react in time, but she felt a warm sensation on her earlobe.

She let out a soft hum, her balance faltered, and she fell into the embrace of the young woman.

Tang Ruoyao held her tightly.

Qin Yinong, feeling uncomfortable, tilted her head to break free, but as she took a step back, Tang Ruoyao relentlessly followed.

The young and inexperienced lovers quickly grasped the secret, taking a dominant and proactive approach. Tang Ruoyao enveloped her in the soft and strong curve of her arms, slowly teasing the sensitive and fragile nerves.

Qin Yinong lifted her slender white neck, the air in her lungs being taken away, and her mind gradually turning blank.

Footsteps suddenly came from outside.

Qin Yinong snapped back to reality and forcefully pushed away the person in front of her.

Tang Ruoyao stumbled back and bumped into the kitchen counter, letting out a pained groan.

"Cut."

Han Yuping called for a cut particularly quickly, as if he was shouting too late. These two people dared to openly do something on the set, in front of everyone.

Not only Qin Yinong had this feeling, but even Tang Ruoyao noticed it.

They exchanged a glance, each with subtle emotions.

Guan Han appeared out of nowhere behind Qin Yinong, holding a clean tissue in her hand, and calmly said, "Qin Jie, let me wipe your ear."

Qin Yinong naturally lowered her head and leaned her ear towards Guan Han's hand.

Tang Ruoyao boldly intercepted Guan Han's hand and took the tissue along with it, calmly saying, "Let me do it, Senior Qin. After all, it was my doing, so I have the responsibility."

Qin Yinong was stunned by her use of the word "responsibility," and her ears rang, almost causing her to go deaf on the spot.

What nonsense was this? Talking nonsense like a level ten expert?

Qin Yinong didn't respond, and Tang Ruoyao took the tissue and pressed it against her ear without permission.

Qin Yinong had small, delicate ears that stood out even among the ears of others, earning her the title of "Ear Beauty." But Tang Ruoyao had no intention of appreciating them at the moment because Qin Yinong's entire ear was flushed red and glistening with a moist sheen.

What was that sheen? It was naturally the trace left by Tang Ruoyao's tongue during their previous scene.

Unconsciously, Tang Ruoyao began to recall the sensation from earlier.

From coolness to heat.

Qin Yinong's helpless resistance in her embrace, her hazy eyes, her desperate attempts to hold onto something but failing to grasp anything, and finally, she could only helplessly clutch onto her clothing.

If Qin Yinong in reality...

Tang Ruoyao's heart skipped a beat heavily.

Qin Yinong waited for a response for a while but didn't hear anything. She turned her head impatiently and said, "What are you staring at?"

Tang Ruoyao stared back at her, her expression dazed.

Qin Yinong frowned. "Guan Han."

Guan Han quickly approached, producing a fresh tissue in her hand and wiping Qin Yinong's ear.

Tang Ruoyao regretted it deeply.

Why did her mind wander off at such a time!

Tang Ruoyao appeared absent-minded, and Qin Yinong could guess what kind of thoughts were running through her mind. To avoid being affected by her emotions and having a difficult night, Qin Yinong got up and went to Han Yuping.

Han Yuping stared at the playback with wide eyes, observing it attentively.

Qin Yinong reached up and touched her still burning earlobe, asking, "Did it pass?"

Han Yuping didn't answer.

Qin Yinong stood beside her and watched together. After a long while, she finally heard Han Yuping say, "It passed."

Qin Yinong breathed a sigh of relief.

Filming every scene of the sweet and romantic scenes now meant one less scene to shoot, which was a good sign for Qin Yinong. Acting together with Tang Ruoyao and living together on the set was one of the few beautiful experiences in her life. But no matter how beautiful a dream is, there will come a day of awakening.

She had been maintaining her composure, almost indifferent, waiting for that day to come.

There was a little over a month left until the end of filming, and the schedule was already more than halfway through.

What would happen then?

A rare trace of confusion and sorrow appeared in Qin Yinong's eyes.

She had envisioned the ending, but life was not a storybook and didn't have a true ending in the conventional sense.

Han Yuping glanced at her. "Are you feeling unwell?"

Qin Yinong gathered herself. "No."

Han Yuping, using his straight male reasoning, said, "Did you have a fight...with someone?"

He didn't explicitly say who it was, but Qin Yinong understood his meaning and immediately laughed. "Do you think she would dare to argue with me?"

Han Yuping thought for a moment and nodded. "That's true." After a pause, he added, "Don't always b*lly her."

Qin Yinong understood that no matter how she tried to explain to Han Yuping, it would be futile. She gave up arguing and went along with it. "Of course, I cherish her more than anything."

Han Yuping immediately had a complicated expression.

After a while, he said, "Rest early tonight." He repeated the instructions he had given to Tang Ruoyao without any changes and gave them to Qin Yinong.

Qin Yinong: "..."

Qin Yinong whispered, "Can you old men have a purer mindset?"

Han Yuping's expression remained indifferent as he retorted, "I have also come from my youth. Don't I understand?" He glanced at Qin Yinong askew and mercilessly said, "Either you have a problem."

Qin Yinong couldn't help but curse.

It had been a while since Han Yuping had won an argument against her, and he took advantage of the situation, lightly mocking, "Are you getting angry out of embarrassment?"

Qin Yinong became a boiling kettle of anger.

.....

Tang Ruoyao watched from a distance, unable to hear their conversation clearly but could tell that the "battle" was intense. In no time, Han Yuping's face turned pale, while Qin Yinong, like a victorious general, appeared radiant and triumphant.

Tang Ruoyao promptly offered 'General' Qin a fine wine—mineral water.

Guan Han silently stepped back, retracting the step she had taken. Tang Ruoyao had made up her mind to compete with her for opportunities now.

Qin Yinong inspected the mineral water before drinking, and Tang Ruoyao's offering was no exception.

However, circumstances had changed. Tang Ruoyao went straight to the point and asked, "It seems like Senior Qin is very cautious about what she drinks?"

Qin Yinong was taken aback.

A momentary pause wasn't enough for Tang Ruoyao to judge her emotions. She decided to take a gamble, but her voice wasn't forceful; it could be described as gentle as she said, "I saw a news story from a long time ago. It said that during the recording of a variety show, white paint was mixed into your milk..."

She fixed her gaze on Qin Yinong's momentary distraction, hoping to capture something.

Disappointingly, Qin Yinong didn't have any significant reaction.

On the other hand, Guan Han's eyes suddenly grew sharp, filled with aggression and hostility towards Tang Ruoyao.

Tang Ruoyao didn't pay attention to Guan Han. She suddenly felt a chill and only then noticed Guan Han's unusual expression. However, Guan Han quickly regained her composure, and by the time Tang Ruoyao turned to look, there were no signs of anything.

Tang Ruoyao had no choice but to add the second half of her sentence slowly, "Did you consume it by mistake, so you're being cautious?"

Was this question offensive? Certainly, it was. However, unlike the previous question about why she didn't clarify, Tang Ruoyao was ninety percent sure that Qin Yinong wouldn't get angry. But that didn't mean she would necessarily tell her the truth.

As expected, Qin Yinong didn't get angry. She just slightly frowned her beautiful eyebrows and calmly said, "It's just a rumor."

"There's no truth to it?"

"No," Qin Yinong answered decisively.

"Then why do you..."

"Do you have to interfere even if I'm drinking water?" Qin Yinong said.

Tang Ruoyao sensed this as a warning signal and advised her to stop, immediately shutting her mouth.

Qin Yinong waved her hand.

Guan Han blocked Tang Ruoyao's gaze that fell on Qin Yinong and once again showed a guarded expression.

Tang Ruoyao tactfully stepped back and gave a bitter smile.

During this period, she had indeed been spoiled by sweetness, and Qin Yinong's defenses were still deeply rooted. She wouldn't easily let anyone see her true emotions. Just trying to make her presence known wasn't enough to open the door to her heart.

But at least there was progress, even if it was slight. Qin Yinong didn't explode right from the beginning and even considerately gave her a hint.

Tang Ruoyao thought jokingly amidst her bitterness.

A little over a month later, Tang Ruoyao clenched her fist. She began to feel the urgency of time.

Now was an extremely rare opportunity. In this period, she could understand Qin Yinong to what extent and accomplish how much. It directly affected the outcome after the shooting ended. Would they go their separate ways or work together?

Where should she break through?

And what did Qin Yinong's calm and undisturbed reaction earlier really mean? Was she exceptionally skilled at concealing her emotions, or was there truly something else, a root cause?

Her mind became tangled like a mess, but Tang Ruoyao remained calm throughout, methodically sorting through it all by herself.

Qin Yinong held the mineral water bottle in her hand, her knuckles turning white.

Guan Han stood by, observing the surroundings, with most of her attention naturally focused on Qin Yinong.

Guan Han actually got to know Qin Yinong slightly later than An Ling. When she became Qin Yinong's assistant, Qin Yinong already had international awards under her belt as a behind-the-scenes figure. In theory, she should have been flourishing, but her situation in the domestic industry was not good. Ignoring the external criticisms, even within the entertainment circle, she didn't receive the treatment she deserved. It can be said that she was completely neglected. If it weren't for Qin Yinong's harmonious relationship with the circle centered around director Han Yuping, she would have been suppressed long ago. However, Han Yuping couldn't always protect her. In reality, Han Yuping only provided her with an opportunity, and whether she could seize it or not depended entirely on herself. So she had to constantly navigate various social gatherings, be accommodating, and carefully maintain the hard-earned relationships in order to survive in this entertainment industry.

Yes, survive, not for fame and fortune, but just to stay alive.

There was a prominent figure in the industry who had been suppressing her, and this figure could be mentioned in the same breath as Han Yuping. Guan Han vaguely knew about this matter but didn't know the specifics of who it was and why.

It wasn't until her mother, Ji Shulan, and she were recognized and brought back to the Ji family that Qin Yinong gained confidence, and the situation truly improved, allowing her to hold her head high.

These were all events that Guan Han became aware of after getting to know Qin Yinong. She wasn't aware of what happened before. But as an assistant and the person Qin Yinong trusted the most, Guan Han had collected information herself, and sometimes Qin Yinong would reveal certain things to her.

The incident with the white paint was, of course, true. It was so true that Qin Yinong had admitted it to her in person. The three years following the white paint incident were something she didn't want to look back on and couldn't look back on. That's why Qin Yinong remembered this matter so deeply, and it triggered a chain reaction. It was like being bitten by a snake in an instant, making her fearful for ten years.

Until today, or more precisely, before Tang Ruoyao asked Qin Yinong, Guan Han had always believed this.

But after asking, she felt that her judgments all along might have been wrong.

"Qin Jie."

Qin Yinong released her grip, raised her eyelids, and glanced at her with an unusually calm expression. "What is it?"

"Miss Yao's question..."

"Do you also want to cross the line?" Qin Yinong said coldly, "Remember your place."

Her words left no room for ambiguity, and Guan Han was startled and then frightened. She lowered her gaze and stepped back, no longer daring to speak without restraint.

Tang Ruoyao observed this scene unfold before her eyes.

Unfortunately, she couldn't hear the conversation, Tang Ruoyao thought.

It was currently break time, so Tang Ruoyao clapped her hands and stood up. Instead of heading towards Qin Yinong, she went to find Han Yuping.

Tang Ruoyao felt that she might have some luck from heaven on her side. Han Yuping seemed to think that she and Qin Yinong were in a romantic relationship, for some unknown reason Qin Yinong didn't clarify the situation. But this was her opportunity.

The absurd "rumors" about Han Yuping and Qin Yinong, who seemed completely mismatched, had reached this point. The two of them never bothered to express their admiration for each other in front of the media. Qin Yinong's casual attitude towards Han Yuping on set proved that their relationship was truly good. Who understood Qin Yinong better than Han Yuping? Perhaps there were others, but among the people Tang Ruoyao could interact with on set, there were none.Tang Ruoyao made up her mind, and without hesitation, she decided to break through from Han Yuping.

But first, she had to be a hundred percent sure that Han Yuping had genuinely misunderstood. Caution was key.

As she sat next to Han Yuping, with a new inspiration, Han Yuping cast a sidelong glance at her. "What's the matter?"

Tang Ruoyao said, "It seems like Senior Qin is angry."

Han Yuping replied indifferently, "If she's angry, go and placate her. What's the use of coming to find me?" Did he look like a matchmaker? Even after the red thread of fate is tied, the matchmaker doesn't handle the after-sales service, right?

Tang Ruoyao said, "But she only got angry after talking to you."

Han Yuping's temper was ignited by her assertive tone.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Han Yuping slammed down his pen and angrily exclaimed, "What's with you two? Are you trying to drive me crazy before you'll stop? What benefit do I get from getting angry at you? Huh?"

They were all so stubborn, an old dog comparing itself to a little dog! Do young people nowadays not understand the meaning of being gentle, modest, frugal, and yielding? They're stuffed their head with nonsense!

Not long ago, Qin Yinong had left him speechless with her words, and now Tang Ruoyao was making him furious, his face turning red and his neck thickening. But he wasn't easy to handle either. If he argued with Qin Yinong, he couldn't win, and if he argued with Tang Ruoyao, could he win?

Tang Ruoyao ignored his ranting, with only Han Yuping's words of "you two" echoing in her mind, emphasized with an exclamation mark.

After Han Yuping finished scolding, he took a sip of water and sighed.

Tang Ruoyao now put on an attitude of respecting her elders and obediently said, "I'm sorry, Director Han. It was just my impatience that..."

Her demeanor was proper, and Han Yuping's remaining anger subsided almost completely. He spoke earnestly, "You still have a chance to redeem yourself, but don't get involved with bad influences."

"Okay." Tang Ruoyao replied with a slight smile.

Han Yuping felt relieved and asked, "Is Qin Yinong really angry?"

"Yes."

"Then go and appease her." Han Yuping casually advised, "Arguments at the beginning can lead to harmony in the end. Both sides should be magnanimous and not fuss over trivial matters. Only then can a relationship last."

That night, a fierce wind blew.

A terrifying lightning bolt tore through the dark sky, abruptly ripping open a horrifying fissure, startling Qin Yinong awake from a nightmare.

In her slumber, Tang Ruoyao seemed to hear the sound of a water glass shattering, and with a start, she opened her eyes.

She walked out of her room and pressed her ear against Qin Yinong's door. It wasn't an illusion; there was movement inside.

Tang Ruoyao quickly made a decision and raised her hand to knock on the door forcefully!

 BACK | TABLE OF CONTENTS | NEXT