CHAPTER 87

"What about me?"

After Tang Ruoyao spoke these words, the corridor fell silent in an instant.

Qin Yinong, who had maintained a calm demeanor, had a barely noticeable furrow in her brow.

Late spring was rainy, and sleeping at night could be quite chilly. It wasn't good to not cover oneself properly, as it could lead to catching a cold.

The two of them stood face to face, motionless for a while, and Tang Ruoyao silently thought: she was putting her in a difficult position.

Tang Ruoyao didn't say those words to take advantage of her. It was just a slip of the tongue, and she also worried about Qin Yinong being alone and potentially encountering unexpected situations at night. She had already made up her mind that if Qin Yinong didn't allow her to enter the room together, she would sit in the corridor until dawn and return before she woke up.

But before that, Tang Ruoyao lied to her, saying, "I'll go downstairs and squeeze with Xin Qian."

Qin Yinong lightly furrowed her brow.

She didn't say it was okay, nor did she say it was not okay. She turned around, opened her own door, and walked in alone. Tang Ruoyao watched her figure disappear behind the door and then turned back, heading towards the stairs, fully committed to her act.

Suddenly, she realized something and abruptly turned her head to take a glance.

Qin Yinong... didn't close the door.

The door remained wide open, as if waiting for someone.

In a critical moment, Tang Ruoyao understood. A burst of wild joy surged in her heart. She managed to restrain herself with a few steps before reaching the doorway, took a deep breath, and entered Qin Yinong's room.

A soft and pristine white bed was slightly raised, and Qin Yinong lay on her side, facing away from the door, completely motionless.

She occupied only one corner of the bed, with the blanket covering only half of her. Tang Ruoyao went around to the other side of the bed, lifted a corner of the blanket, and quietly lay down.

The bed sank slightly beside her, and Qin Yinong's eyelashes trembled.

"Do you want me to turn off the lights?" Tang Ruoyao asked, lying calmly in her designated spot without encroaching on the other side.

"No need." Qin Yinong replied with closed eyes, her voice gentle.

"Okay, goodnight."

After a few moments, Tang Ruoyao received Qin Yinong's response.

"Mm, goodnight."

It's usually difficult to fall asleep under bright lights, so Tang Ruoyao closed her eyes for a while, and eventually pulled the blanket higher to cover her eyes and block the light, feeling drowsiness creeping in.

Before falling asleep, she had been praying to herself not to move around at night, not to kick the blanket, and especially not to sleep sideways on the bed.

These thoughts were so deeply ingrained that when she felt a slight change in her sleeping position at night, she immediately woke up, her mind filled with a burst of desperate apologies to Qin Yinong.

"Qin..." Just as Tang Ruoyao managed to squeeze out a  monosyllabic sound, she realized that she was still in her original sleeping spot. The only difference was that there was now another person beside her, and a warm, sweet breath brushed against Tang Ruoyao's skin through the thin fabric.

Tang Ruoyao froze.

She didn't dare to move a single finger, fearing that she might disturb Qin Yinong. Tang Ruoyao slowly turned her neck, with minimal movement, lowered her gaze, and looked towards Qin Yinong who was beside her.

Qin Yinong was curled up in her sleep, her long limbs tucked into a ball. The woman's hand held onto her clothes, her forehead lightly resting on Tang Ruoyao's shoulder, her breathing shallow, resembling the sleeping posture of a baby in the womb.

Suddenly, Tang Ruoyao felt a touch of sadness. She forgot where she had heard it, but she knew that people who adopted this sleeping position had an extreme lack of a sense of security.

Thinking back to when she rushed in and found Qin Yinong hiding in the closet, nervously and aggressively, replaying in her mind, a wave of sadness slowly surged over her like a slow tide, engulfing her.

Tears silently slid down her cheek, forming one flower after another on the snow-white pillow.

As her shoulder sank, Qin Yinong seemed to move slightly, murmuring incoherently.

Frantically, Tang Ruoyao used her free hand to randomly wipe her face and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

After a long silence, Tang Ruoyao opened her eyes and noticed that Qin Yinong was slightly closer to her than before, but only by a small margin. It wasn't like in novels where, due to the cold, she unconsciously moved closer to the source of warmth and snuggled into Tang Ruoyao's embrace.

Even in her dreams, she refused to let her guard down.

Tang Ruoyao moved slowly and carefully, gradually pulling the blanket up, intending to cover Qin Yinong's hand that was clutching her clothes. She was extremely cautious, anxiously observing Qin Yinong's reaction with every slight movement. At one point, Qin Yinong showed signs of waking up, furrowing her eyebrows slightly. Tang Ruoyao immediately stopped, her hand frozen in mid-air, and fortunately, nothing happened.

It was such a simple task, yet it made her break out in a cold sweat.

But Qin Yinong remained asleep, and Tang Ruoyao watched as her furrowed brow gradually relaxed, revealing a satisfied smile.

Tang Ruoyao didn't remember when she fell asleep, but she felt the brightness of the light through her eyelids. Slowly, she opened her eyes. She still had memories from the previous night, so she didn't make any sudden movements. Instead, she first looked at the woman beside her.

How she looked before going to sleep, Qin Yinong looked the same upon waking up. Tang Ruoyao suddenly lifted her gaze to the ceiling, but the previously bright light had already been turned off.

Undoubtedly, Qin Yinong had woken up at some point.

But she was still pretending to sleep. Even though Qin Yinong didn't exert much force, Tang Ruoyao's shoulder had been pressed against her for the entire night, impeding blood circulation. Now it was starting to feel a bit numb. If she wanted to move, she had to free herself from Qin Yinong's forehead. After weighing her options, Tang Ruoyao convinced herself that it wouldn't hurt at all and fell back asleep.

Guan Han arrived on time and saw a mess of blankets in the corridor. She folded them in place and casually walked past, raising her hand to knock on the door.

Knock, knock, knock一

Qin Yinong's alarm clock and Guan Han's knocking sounded simultaneously, startling both people in the bed. Qin Yinong quickly opened her eyes and moved backward, while Tang Ruoyao, without even having a chance to open her eyes, reflexively reached out her arm to protect her.

Qin Yinong's retreat was a second slower than Tang Ruoyao, and she ended up being embraced tightly by her.

Both of them were wearing only their pajamas, with nothing underneath. Being held together so closely, their senses were particularly sensitive. Qin Yinong uncomfortably shifted her body and said, "It's Guan Han outside the door."

Tang Ruoyao realized the situation in front of her and knew that she had acted too quickly. She quickly let go of the warmth and softness in her arms and stammered, "I-I'm sorry."

Qin Yinong, who had grown accustomed to her shamelessness, unexpectedly acted pure for a moment, and the corners of her lips couldn't help but curl up.

Tang Ruoyao caught her smile, and all the flowers in her heart bloomed. She wanted to make her smile even more, so without thinking, she worriedly said, without any specific reason, "I slept in your room. Guan Han won't misunderstand, right?"

Qin Yinong looked at her with a teasing gaze.

Tang Ruoyao realized how silly her question was. Even during their previous relationship, Guan Han knew everything clearly. What misunderstanding could there be now?

Tang Ruoyao looked embarrassed.

Qin Yinong, as if not satisfied with teaching her, smiled and said, "She won't say anything."

In just one night, she seemed to have been resurrected with renewed energy, returning to her previous lazy and playful appearance.

Tang Ruoyao's mood was complicated.

Qin Yinong said, "Come in." and Guan Han directly opened the door with her key. Seeing the two of them in bed without any unusual signs, she acted as usual and placed Qin Yinong's clothes for the day on the bedside.

But there were some differences, such as when she couldn't help asking, "The bedsheet at the entrance is dirty. Should I wash it?"

Tang Ruoyao didn't want to trouble her and hurriedly said, "Leave it to Xin Qian. Let her take off the bedsheets and put them in the washing machine."

Guan Han looked at Qin Yinong.

Qin Yinong said, "Wash it."

"Okay." Guan Han stepped back and left.

Qin Yinong propped herself up and sat up, turning her head and saying, "I'm going to freshen up. You..." should go to the next room to  freshen up as well.

Tang Ruoyao also sat up and their eyes met.

Qin Yinong's words abruptly stopped.

Tang Ruoyao was surprised by why she suddenly stopped speaking, but Qin Yinong suddenly leaned closer, their faces so close that they could count each other's eyelashes. Tang Ruoyao's heart skipped a beat, and instinctively, she closed her eyes, her lips slightly parting.

But the expected kiss never came. Instead, she felt a coolness on her cheek, and Qin Yinong's emotionally unstable voice, "What's this?"

Qin Yinong's fingertips trembled slightly as they lightly brushed over the raised red mark on Tang Ruoyao's face. After a night had passed, it had turned bruised and was particularly vivid and horrifying against her snow-white cheek, a shocking sight.

Tang Ruoyao was still immersed in regret and slow to react. This was bad.

"Um, I accidentally bumped into the door yesterday." Tang Ruoyao awkwardly made up an excuse and got off the bed to put on her shoes. "Senior Qin, I'll go freshen up in my room."

With one hand supporting herself on the edge of the bed, she lowered her head and saw the even less optimistic marks on her wrist.

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

She quietly turned at an angle, hiding her hand in front of her, intending to slip away unnoticed.

"Stop."

Qin Yinong was only acting out of character, not experiencing amnesia. Last night, it seemed that she accidentally hit something with a metal clothes hanger when she came out of the closet, and now it seemed to be Tang Ruoyao. The lighting was poor at night, and the position of the scar happened to be where her ear and cheek connected, so she hadn't noticed it at the time.

"What's that on your hand?" Qin Yinong's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of Tang Ruoyao's wrist from the corner of her eye.

"It's nothing."

 Qin Yinong took a couple of steps forward and directly intercepted her. Her fingers happened to grip the previous marks, and Tang Ruoyao couldn't help but let out a soft hiss.

Qin Yinong let go and instead held her hand, her eyes filled with tenderness.

"How did this happen?" Her voice was filled with self-blame and caution. "Did I...?" She didn't know what happened outside the door last night.

"No." Tang Ruoyao denied firmly.

Qin Yinong didn't seem entirely convinced.

Tang Ruoyao immediately revealed Guan Han's involvement and roughly recounted the situation, impartially stating that Guan Han was just being protective and asked Qin Yinong not to blame her.

Tang Ruoyao had indeed never blamed Guan Han. With someone like Guan Han by Qin Yinong's side, who was so devoted to her, Tang Ruoyao could only feel more at ease.

Qin Yinong made a noncommittal sound, released her hand, and said, "You freshen up first. I'll take care of it later. Be careful when washing your face."

Tang Ruoyao keenly caught the word "I" and felt a small thrill in her heart. Two hits resulted in Qin Yinong personally applying medicine to her. This deal was a guaranteed win.

"Mm, then I'll go now, Senior Qin." Tang Ruoyao walked to the door but turned back.

"Go ahead." Qin Yinong's gaze softened as she replied.

After Tang Ruoyao left, Qin Yinong's face instantly darkened. She freshened up and changed clothes, then sat quietly by the bedside for a while before making a phone call to summon Guan Han.

Guan Han knocked three times and entered the room.

"Qin Jie."

The gloom on Qin Yinong's face had disappeared, and she lifted her chin, gesturing for Guan Han to sit.

Guan Han had just encountered Tang Ruoyao in the corridor and naturally noticed the scars on her face and hand, so she had a hunch about the purpose of Qin Yinong calling her.

Most likely, she was here to hold someone accountable.

Guan Han had her own principles of execution. If Qin Yinong had any objections to her actions, she would need to discuss with Qin Yinong again to come up with a strategy regarding Tang Ruoyao.

"Yao Yao's wrist..." Qin Yinong paused and asked, "What did you do?"

Guan Han calmly replied, "It was me."

Qin Yinong responded lightly, "Tell me the whole story."

Guan Han, adhering to her methodical style, narrated a more detailed version than Tang Ruoyao had. Qin Yinong compared the two and found that they were quite similar. After a moment of contemplation, she first affirmed Guan Han's actions.

"You did the right thing."

Guan Han had a hunch that there was more to come.

As expected, after a few seconds of silence, Qin Yinong added, "But next time, be gentler."

Guan Han needed specific criteria, so she raised an eyebrow lightly and asked, "How much gentler?"

"Hmm..." Qin Yinong pursed her lips and said, "Try not to use physical force if possible."

Guan Han: "..."

She asked, "If we encounter a similar situation again, should I use force or not?"

Qin Yinong: "..."

Qin Yinong said, "Give me a call."

"What if you can't answer?" Guan Han pursued. For example, in a situation like last night when Qin Yinong hid in the closet.

"... " Qin Yinong couldn't follow her assumption and said directly, "Act according to the situation. If the only way to stop her is through physical force, then use force, but try to be gentle and avoid injuring her."

"Okay."

Guan Han remembered something and said, "Your nightmares weren't this severe before. Do you need me to contact a psychologist?"

Qin Yinong waved her hand. "No need."

She could handle such minor issues herself. If it weren't for them suddenly barging in last night, Qin Yinong could have recovered by hiding in the closet until dawn. Now, things had become so complicated.

"Next time, without a summons, don't rashly open the door to my room." Qin Yinong said calmly.

Guan Han shivered and lowered her head. "Understood."

Qin Yinong couldn't bear the thought of Tang Ruoyao seeing her in that state. She felt a headache coming on and pinched her brow with one hand while subtly moving the fingertip of her other hand. "Give Han Yuping a call."

Guan Han dialed the number for her and handed her the phone once it connected.

Qin Yinong released her brow and prepared to put on a flattering smile, sweetly saying, "Director Han."

"No need to be polite when there's no trouble," Han Yuping considerately left out the latter part of the sentence and said, "Get to the point."

Qin Yinong continued with her sweet smile and spoke softly, "Well, the thing is, I want to request a day off for Tang Ruoyao." Then she quickly moved the phone away from her ear.

"What nonsense are you talking about..." Han Yuping's volume suddenly increased, and even Guan Han, a few steps away, could hear him clearly.

Once Han Yuping finished his first outburst, Qin Yinong put the phone back to her ear and said, "Blame it on me. I didn't hold back."

Guan Han: "!!!"

Qin Yinong didn't notice her sudden brightened eyes and continued to nonsensically talk to Han Yuping:

"Yes, I left a mark. The color is a bit dark, and makeup can't cover it up."

"I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong. I won't dare to do it again."

"You can scold me or punish me in any way you want... Ah! It's really unrelated to her. Don't you know her yet? She's very gentle and soft-hearted. If I really b*lly her, she won't dare to resist."

"Yes, I'm not human, I'm a beast, I'm worse than a beast." Qin Yinong sighed.

Guan Han struggled to hold back her laughter.

Qin Yinong acted like a submissive throughout the whole conversation, being extremely humble. She was on the verge of burying her face in the ground.

Guan Han felt a bit sorry for her.

Qin Yinong hung up the phone, breathed a sigh of relief, and said with a bitter smile, "Tomorrow, I'll be scolded by the old man again on the set." After a moment, she straightened up and continued, "Fortunately, Yao Yao doesn't have to endure the scolding anymore, and she got her day off."

Guan Han thought to herself, 'Yao Yao, Yao Yao, you only know how to say it in front of me. Why don't you tell her?'

She fulfilled her duty last night, tearing apart the CP with tears, but luckily nothing serious happened, and the CP fell asleep together again. It seemed that this was a destined CP, already locked by countless locks that couldn't be undone.

Qin Yinong said, "Yao Yao has injuries on her face and hands. Put the first aid kit in the living room downstairs. I'll give her some medication later."

Guan Han: "!!!"

One hundred and sixty-two (162) locks!

"Okay, I'll go now." Guan Han even quickened her pace.

Qin Yinong frowned as she watched her unexpectedly cheerful figure, suppressing the strange feeling that suddenly surged in her heart. She straightened her clothes, stood up, and went downstairs.

Coincidentally, Tang Ruoyao opened the door at the same time as her.

"Good morning." Tang Ruoyao immediately presented a brilliant smile, but her movements were too big, accidentally pulling at the wound on her face, resulting in a subtle twist of pain.

Qin Yinong: "..."

Tang Ruoyao blushed with embarrassment.

Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow and said lightly, "Girls who love to smile usually have good luck."

This line is from a Gu Long novel.

Tang Ruoyao didn't know if Qin Yinong was mocking her or praising her, so she stood there stunned.

Qin Yinong couldn't help but pat her head lightly when she saw her dumbfounded expression. She chuckled and said, "I was praising you, let's go."

She took the lead and walked past Tang Ruoyao, leaving a faint cold fragrance in her wake.

Tang Ruoyao deeply sniffed the scent and hurriedly caught up with her.

"I've arranged for Director Han to have time off for you." Qin Yinong said as she made Tang Ruoyao sit on the couch. She skillfully opened the first aid kit and took out a cotton swab to disinfect the wound.

"Thank you, Senior Qin." Tang Ruoyao smiled gratefully and asked, "Are you taking the day off today too, Senior Qin?"

Qin Yinong lowered her eyelids, focused on treating her face, and lazily replied, "I only have scenes with you. If you're not shooting, should I act alone in front of thin air?"

Tang Ruoyao chuckled and continued, "I have a good constitution, this minor injury will heal in half a day. Actually, there's no need to take a whole..."

Qin Yinong clicked her tongue and applied a bit more pressure with her hand.

"Ah!" Tang Ruoyao winced in pain, then immediately remembered to maintain her image in front of Qin Yinong and forced her mouth shut.

Qin Yinong removed the cotton swab and blew a gentle breath on her cheek, saying in a low voice, "Still talking nonsense?"

"...I won't anymore."

Qin Yinong made a sound of agreement and continued to disinfect, but she couldn't help but focus on the temporarily flawed face in front of her. The flaw didn't diminish the beauty. Tang Ruoyao's skin was truly good, not artificially maintained tightness achieved through money, but the state of youthful skin at its fullest, with abundant collagen, white and delicate like a peeled egg, fragile to the touch.

Her skin elsewhere... Qin Yinong quickly halted her thoughts. 

Tang Ruoyao's heart skipped a beat as Qin Yinong's cool fingertips accidentally brushed against her cheek.

Repeatedly "accidentally" touching her, Tang Ruoyao knew what Qin Yinong was up to—She was taking advantage of her.

What's so special about touching someone's face?

Qin Yinong, not quite satisfied with taking advantage of her, or rather, finishing applying medicine to her face, moved on to her wrist. The finger marks on her wrist looked severe, but compared to her face, they were much lighter and not as delicate. Tang Ruoyao silently counted in her heart how many times Qin Yinong "accidentally" touched her.

"Senior Qin." Tang Ruoyao grabbed Qin Yinong's wrist when she placed the ointment back in the first aid kit.

Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow.

Tang Ruoyao lightly brushed her fingertips over Qin Yinong's smooth jade-like wrist and looked up, asking, "What should I have for breakfast?"

Tang Ruoyao wasn't being pretentious. When she had a filming schedule, she would have all three meals with the crew. When there was no filming, Xin Qian would buy her meals from outside. According to the original plan of the crew, she was supposed to take a car to the set to have breakfast, but now with the unexpected situation, she naturally relied on the culprit in front of her for breakfast.

Qin Yinong suppressed the trembling that rose within her and composed herself. She indeed believed it was her fault and maintained her good temper. "What do you want to eat?"

Tang Ruoyao thought for a moment and asked, "How good of a cook are you, Senior Qin?"

Guan Han's eyes suddenly lit up.

Qin Yinong replied, "I have some knowledge, but we don't have any ingredients here."

Without rice, even the cleverest cook can't make a meal. She couldn't make excuses in this situation.

Tang Ruoyao suggested, "Should I have Xin Qian go and buy something?"

Qin Yinong shook her head. "It's too much trouble. It's better to just buy breakfast and bring it back."

Tang Ruoyao bit her lip.

Guan Han suddenly spoke up, "Qin Jie."

Qin Yinong looked at her.

Guan Han calmly said, "I bought the ingredients." After a pause, she added, "Chicken, duck, fish, and vegetables, we have them all."

As a versatile assistant, one must be prepared for any situation. On the first day of moving in, Guan Han had instructed the other assistants to fill the refrigerator with various ingredients, in case Qin Yinong ever felt like cooking. She would rather waste food than be unable to provide for Qin Yinong when needed. Of course, she had a selfish motive as well. As long as she stayed close to Qin Yinong, she would always have a meal to eat.

Qin Yinong was speechless.

Tang Ruoyao's eyes lit up, eagerly looking at her. "Senior Qin, are you going to cook? I can be your assistant."

Qin Yinong gazed at Tang Ruoyao's face, which had just been applied with ointment, in silence for a while. She sighed and compromised, saying, "Fine, what do you want to eat? Tell me."

"You can cook anything?" Tang Ruoyao propped her hand on the sofa, as if there was an invisible tail wagging behind her.

"You have the right to make requests, and I have the right to refuse." Qin Yinong replied after a moment of silence.

Tang Ruoyao chuckled. "Hahaha."

Qin Yinong calmly rolled up the sleeves of her shirt and walked towards the kitchen with elegance and composure.

Guan Han quickly walked up and whispered something in front of Qin Yinong.

Curious, and unwilling to let Guan Han take the closest position, Tang Ruoyao rushed over in quick steps and followed Qin Yinong into the kitchen. Guan Han silently brought the ingredients from the refrigerator and tactfully retreated outside, disappearing without a trace.

"What did she say to you?" Tang Ruoyao looked at Qin Yinong, who was rinsing her hands under the faucet. Her fingers were slender and white, gently enveloped by the flowing water, sliding down along the distinct and slender joints, a pleasing sight.

"She said she wants to eat beef patties."

"Has she tasted them before?"

The air suddenly became sour.

Qin Yinong glanced sideways, giving her a faint look.

Tang Ruoyao met her gaze without avoiding it, and instead puffed up her cheeks frankly.

It became even more sour.

Qin Yinong's ears felt slightly warm for some reason. She turned her gaze back and said lightly, "Mmm."

Just "mmm"? Tang Ruoyao wished she could take a bite out of this woman!

Qin Yinong remained silent for a moment, as if struggling to find the right words, and then added, "With my mom."

"She has met your parents?" Tang Ruoyao blurted out.

Qin Yinong: "..."

Her original intention was to express that they usually didn't eat alone, that they were open and transparent about it, but upon further thought, she realized that she had often shared meals with Guan Han in other drama sets, and she suddenly felt guilty.

Qin Yinong thought to herself, 'Ah, it's really hard to please a child.'

Qin Yinong dried her hands, and Tang Ruoyao handed her the towel that had been prepared in advance. Despite feeling jealous, she wouldn't miss any opportunity for intimacy.

Qin Yinong calmly lied, "Well... sometimes it happens by chance, we have a meal together. Most of the time, it's my mom who cooks, not me."

This was the first time Tang Ruoyao heard her mention her family, and her heart couldn't help but feel a bit excited, but she didn't rush to ask, instead cautiously following her lead and asked, "How good is your mother's cooking?"

"It's very good."

"What is she best at cooking?"

"Cucumber salad?" Qin Yinong thought for a while, tilted her head, and came up with that answer.

At the age when she had a strong desire for good food, Ji Shulan's eyes were not focused on her, but on her older sister, Qin Luning. The dishes on the table were all made according to Qin Luning's preferences. Now, even if Ji Shulan tried to learn new recipes with great effort, she couldn't leave much of an impression on Qin Yinong.

"Ah?"

"You cook well too." Qin Yinong praised her lightly. She still remembered the last meal she had at Tang Ruoyao's place. It was probably Guan Han who reminded her, but there was a dish specially made without vinegar, which suited her taste.

"Then shall I make it for you now? There should be cucumbers in the refrigerator. Let me check!" Tang Ruoyao exclaimed excitedly. Without waiting for her answer, she swiftly ran out.

Her hasty figure lacked any sense of stability, completely different from the night before, but she still shone brightly in Qin Yinong's eyes.

"Qin Yinong." Tang Ruoyao raised the fresh cucumber in her hand towards the dazed woman.

"Hmm." Qin Yinong snapped back to reality and took it from her, rinsing it under the faucet.

A moment passed.

Her movements paused, and her long eyelashes trembled.

What did Tang Ruoyao just call her?

"Qin Yinong." Another soft whisper reached her ears, confirming that it wasn't an illusion. Tang Ruoyao's lips were now pressed against her ear, emitting warm breath that gently flowed into her ear.

BACK | TABLE OF CONTENTS | NEXT