CHAPTER 88

Qin Yinong's body stiffened.

...Too close.

Tang Ruoyao leaned against her back, her hands propped on the edge of the sink from behind, almost enclosing her in her embrace. Apart from the breath by her ear, there was also a warmth that belonged to her body, making its presence strongly felt.

And there was the obvious familiarity in her address, different from their usual interactions. It was all a test.

Qin Yinong's knuckles tightened gradually.

As if the pervasive warmth suddenly receded, stepping exactly on the threshold of her reproach, Qin Yinong's intended words found no target and she was momentarily stunned.

"Who gave you your name?" Tang Ruoyao asked in a serious tone, as if she wasn't the one who had taken advantage of the opportunity just now.

This person's ability to change expressions was catching up to her acting skills, Qin Yinong thought with emotion.

"Qin Yinong, meaning 'deep affection'." Tang Ruoyao pronounced the name slowly and gently on her tongue, smiling as she said, "It's a beautiful name, like a poem, don't you think?"

Qin Yinong turned the faucet on a little higher, repeatedly rinsing the already cleaned cucumber. After a pause, she calmly and almost indifferently replied, "Is it? I don't think so."

Tang Ruoyao sensed her strangeness, and her mind had already gone through countless possibilities. She must have accidentally touched upon something sensitive to Qin Yinong. But what's so sensitive about a name?

Could it be related to the person who gave her the name? Who could it be?

Tang Ruoyao's guess was correct. Qin Yinong's name was indeed given by her biological father, Qin Hongjian.

Tang Ruoyao recalled a day during night filming when the topic of family came up. Qin Yinong had initially been fine, but then abruptly stopped discussing it.

Qin Yinong set the cucumber aside and began handling the other ingredients. Chopping the beef into stuffing, mincing the scallions and ginger, and mixing the filling for the beef patties. The kitchen was spacious, and the two of them worked together without feeling crowded.

Tang Ruoyao watched Qin Yinong's proficient and silent movements, squinting her eyes as she pretended to casually say, "When I was at home, my dad used to make something similar, but with chicken filling. He was much better at cooking than my stepmother, but he was too busy with work and didn't cook often."

Tang Ruoyao believed that people like Qin Yinong would have investigated her family background before keeping her close, just to be cautious, so there was no need to hide the information.

Qin Yinong's subsequent reaction was as expected. Her response was no response at all, as if she hadn't heard a word.

Tang Ruoyao didn't claim to know everything about Qin Yinong, but after spending so much time together, she was observant enough to notice something was off. Qin Yinong was usually polite and would answer questions under normal circumstances, regardless of their truth. But now, she was completely ignoring her.

Either she was resolutely refusing to disclose her family situation any further, or there was an issue with her father. Since they had discussed her mother earlier without any problems, Tang Ruoyao leaned toward the latter.

Tang Ruoyao withdrew her probing foot and gestured with the knife, making two strokes on the cucumber that was still dripping with water. She asked Qin Yinong, "Does Senior Qin prefer cutting into strips or chunks?"

"Chunks."

"Alright then, I'll handle it for you then." Tang Ruoyao called out like a market vendor, and Qin Yinong couldn't help but glance at her. Tang Ruoyao's chopping technique was no less proficient than hers—fast and steady. In no time, the cutting board was filled with evenly sized cucumber chunks.

Sensing Qin Yinong's gaze on her, Tang Ruoyao humbly said, "It's been a long time since I cooked. I'm a bit rusty."

Qin Yinong's lips curved slightly.

She began kneading the dough, adjusting the water temperature, and shaping the flour into a dough. Her delicate fingertips sank into the soft dough, kneading and flattening it. A child nearby, not knowing what strange things came to mind, felt her ears burning, and uncomfortably fidgeted with her fingers. She gently swallowed, forcing herself to glance elsewhere.

.....

Xin Qian was in the living room on the first floor, occasionally peeking into the kitchen.

Since Tang Ruoyao moved in, she had become more and more "independent." Before, Xin Qian used to wait for her near the bedroom door in the morning, but now she was deprived of that duty. Tang Ruoyao would wake up on time every day, appear in the living room before Tang Ruoyao left, and accompany her to the set.

Now Xin Qian sleeps earlier than Tang Ruoyao and wakes up later. She even lives in a villa. She once suspected that if she continued like this, she would eventually become unemployed. However, despite these worries, she still ate well and slept soundly. This morning, once again awakened by the alarm clock, the world before her eyes was turned upside down.

Both artists were in the kitchen, and as an assistant, Xin Qian certainly couldn't disturb them. She could only scratch her head in distress and ask the only person sitting on the sofa who seemed to know the truth—Guan Han.

Guan Han was playing a game and sparingly replied, "It's exactly what you see."

When Xin Qian asked further, she remained silent.

But Xin Qian had the ability to talk to herself and said, "I feel like our roles have been reversed. Shouldn't it be us cooking?"

Tang Ruoyao glanced outside and saw that Xin Qian was also awake. She said, "Senior Qin, since there are four of us, should we make a little more?"

Qin Yinong said, "Three of you, I won't eat." She glanced at her indifferently and said, "You're an artist. How much more do you want to eat?"

Tang Ruoyao thought to herself, 'if you personally cook, I must eat until I'm stuffed.'

"It's a day off today, so it's okay to indulge occasionally." Tang Ruoyao said with a smile.

Suddenly, Qin Yinong frowned and regretfully said, "Unfortunately, I only prepared enough for one person."

"Qin Yinong!" Tang Ruoyao exclaimed in annoyance.

She seized the opportunity not only to call Qin Yinong by her name but also to act coquettish.

A surge of electricity ran through Qin Yinong's ears. She gave in and chuckled softly, saying, "I was just teasing you. That's enough. Don't overdo it."

"No way." Tang Ruoyao rushed over and hugged Qin Yinong's arm, shaking it from all directions and rubbing her cheek against Qin Yinong's cheek. "I knew you were the best."

Qin Yinong glanced at her and scoffed, "Childish."

Tang Ruoyao thought to herself: Being childish is how I can take advantage of you.

Qin Yinong indulged her for a moment, clicked her tongue, and Tang Ruoyao obediently let go.

Xin Qian couldn't hide her astonishment.

She had always thought that the relationship between Tang Ruoyao and Qin Yinong was at best a bit better than acquaintances, perhaps due to Tang Ruoyao's persistent efforts. Although sometimes Qin Yinong's behavior seemed oddly intimate, there always seemed to be an indescribable gap between them.

Now it seemed different from before.

Xin Qian couldn't put it into words, but her eyes saw everything clearly. Tang Ruoyao, who was audacious, dared to go and flirt with Qin Yinong's neck! Not only did Qin Yinong not get angry, she even pinched Tang Ruoyao's face in return!

Her fingers had just finished kneading dough and still had traces of flour on them. She inadvertently left two white streaks on Tang Ruoyao's face.

Qin Yinong chuckled lightly.

The kitchen door wasn't completely closed, and the sound of a woman's laughter could be heard, crisp and pleasant.

Even Guan Han couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise and looked towards the direction of the kitchen.

Tang Ruoyao touched her face, her fingertips covered in flour, only then did she notice the smudges on her own face. She casually grabbed the flour from the bag and left two streaks on Qin Yinong's face as well.

Tang Ruoyao burst into laughter.

Qin Yinong took a gentle breath, emitting an aura that commanded respect without anger.

Tang Ruoyao felt embarrassed and reached for water to wipe the flour off her face one by one. She lowered her head obediently, admitting her mistake.

Qin Yinong pretended to be displeased and coughed lightly to scold her, but a slight smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

Xin Qian felt a stronger and stronger impression as she watched them. She blurted out to Guan Han beside her, "They seem to be in love." Immediately after speaking, she covered her mouth. What nonsense was she saying? She had romantic notions in her head, which was unhealthy.

Guan Han looked at her deeply, the meaning behind it rich and profound.

Xin Qian was bewildered. "Huh?"

.....

Whenever Qin Yinong had free time, she would personally cook. Thanks to Guan Han's persistence, she was familiar with the entire process, almost able to do it with her eyes closed. Mixing the filling, kneading the dough, making pancakes, it used to be a tedious and uninteresting task. However, with Tang Ruoyao by her side, who couldn't be categorized as helping or causing trouble, everything seemed filled with novelty, and she enjoyed it tirelessly.

In the small kitchen, the two of them could see each other with just a turn of their heads, without deliberately seeking each other out. Their figures were always within the periphery of each other's vision, creating an unprecedented sense of security in their hearts. The small space was filled with warmth.

Time passed quickly.

"Senior Qin." Tang Ruoyao peeked over her shoulder, "Is it ready? It smells so good."

Qin Yinong unexpectedly felt a hint of reluctance. She made a soft sound of agreement and carefully lifted the golden-brown beef pancake from the skillet, placing it on a plate.

"One, two, three, four, five..." Tang Ruoyao counted while looking at the plate, muttering to herself, "Only seven, I can finish them all by myself."

Qin Yinong almost choked on her breath. She deliberately made the pancakes larger and filled them generously with meat filling. Two pancakes were a normal portion, and three were already pushing it. She coldly snorted, "Then show me later how you can finish them all by yourself. If you can't, you'll see what I'll do to you."

Tang Ruoyao hugged the entire plate to her chest. "Don't worry, I'll definitely finish them!"

"Don't save any for lunch." Qin Yinong added.

"No leftovers." Tang Ruoyao said.

"Alright, take them all."

Tang Ruoyao revealed a delighted expression.

Qin Yinong's lips curved into a smile. She looked at the remaining beef filling, thought for a moment, took another pot, filled it with water, and placed it on the stove to boil. She said, tilting her head and looking mischievously at Tang Ruoyao, "I'll make beef noodles again. Do you want me to pack the noodles too? A whole pot, you know."

Tang Ruoyao's smile gradually disappeared.

You didn't mention there was another one!

Tang Ruoyao silently put the plate down and awkwardly rubbed her nose with her knuckles. "Senior Qin, I think it's better if we each eat half of each."

Qin Yinong shook her index finger at her. "Not keeping your word is not acceptable."

Tang Ruoyao wore a pained expression. "But I..."

Qin Yinong gently interrupted her, speaking particularly tenderly. "Be good, go eat the pancakes. Don't choke yourself."

Tang Ruoyao looked at her with pitiful puppy eyes. "Wu..."

Qin Yinong's whole body went numb, and she almost shivering involuntarily. She quickly spoke first, "It's useless to complain." She hurriedly placed the plate of pancakes in Tang Ruoyao's hands and pushed her towards the outside. "Go eat outside, while they're still hot. They won't taste good when they get cold."

Tang Ruoyao walked away, still making a "wu" sound. Qin Yinong sternly closed the kitchen door and turned back, not even sparing her a glance.

Tang Ruoyao pouted, no longer making any sounds. But when she turned her head, she saw Xin Qian's eyes filled with sympathy.

Lately, Tang Ruoyao had developed a thick skin and could easily handle someone like Xin Qian. She straightened her back, ignoring her, and elegantly sat down at the table. Using chopsticks, she picked up a hot beef pancake, blew on it, held it with one hand, and was about to take a careful bite.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a hand reaching into her plate naturally.

Without hesitation or thinking, Tang Ruoyao tapped that hand with her chopsticks.

Guan Han recoiled in pain, pulling back her hand. "Miss Tang!"

Tang Ruoyao guarded her food. "It's mine."

Guan Han took a deep breath and reasoned, "There are seven here."

"I know." Tang Ruoyao nodded and said, "They're all mine."

Guan Han showed a bewildered expression.

Tang Ruoyao brought up Qin Yinong, feeling somewhat proud. "Senior Qin promised me."

Guan Han: "..." Some things could be tolerated, but snatching her beef pancakes was absolutely not acceptable. And those were even the ones she specifically pointed out to Qin Yinong! Guan Han rolled up her sleeves, then reconsidered and put them back down before storming into the kitchen.

"Qin Jie!" She forcefully opened the kitchen door.

Qin Yinong turned around and smiled. "What's wrong?"

One was her long-time personal assistant, and the other was the person she had developed feelings for. Qin Yinong found herself in a predicament, forced to preside over this absurd situation at the dining table.

Xin Qian had a perplexed expression throughout. Wasn't it just a bite to eat? Skipping one meal wouldn't kill anyone.

After resolving the competition for attention, Qin Yinong hugged a book and nestled on the sofa in the living room to read. At some point, it had grown dark outside, affecting her visibility. Qin Yinong glanced outside, and the trees in the yard were trembling in the wind.

Tang Ruoyao walked over and placed a plate of washed strawberries in front of her, saying, "The weather forecast says it's going to rain today."

April was the season of abundant strawberry harvest.

"Thank you." Qin Yinong reached out to take the strawberries, coincidentally touching Tang Ruoyao's warm fingertips. Both of them paused for a moment, avoiding eye contact before inexplicably getting stuck in a gaze together. They each picked up a strawberry, took a bite, and savored the sweet and delicious juice.After finishing her strawberry, Tang Ruoyao wiped her hands with a tissue and smiled, saying, "I'm used to being on set, and suddenly being idle at home, I don't know what to do."

"Sleep, watch TV, read scripts." Qin Yinong replied concisely.

Tang Ruoyao sat on the floor, with one elbow resting on the couch surface just under ten centimeters away from Qin Yinong, maintaining an upward gaze as she asked, "What does Senior Qin usually do when you don't have any acting projects?"

Qin Yinong pondered for a moment and answered, "Spend time with family. And also, sleep, watch TV, read scripts." She deliberately used the same tone as the previous sentence, speaking in a flat and unvaried manner.

Tang Ruoyao couldn't help but laugh.

With Tang Ruoyao's company, the knowledge written on paper became tasteless. Qin Yinong closed her book and continued to enjoy the fresh strawberries, one after another, with the red juice staining her lips, making them even more plump and rosy.

Tang Ruoyao curled her fingers beside her.

She shifted her gaze away from Qin Yinong's lips, cleared her throat uncomfortably, and said, "Senior Qin, have someone ever told you that it's really fun chatting with you?"

Qin Yinong made a sound of acknowledgment and said, "Yes, they have. Quite a few times."

She talked the heavens to death with a single sentence.

Tang Ruoyao opened her mouth dryly, not knowing how to respond.

Qin Yinong couldn't help but suppress her laughter and raised her hand to rub Tang Ruoyao's fluffy head.

So adorable.

Tang Ruoyao felt dejected, lowering her head in frustration. After Qin Yinong finished rubbing her head, her hand glided down through her long hair to her ears. Her cool fingertips gently caressed them before moving to her cheek, tracing the soft curve and using her slender index finger to lift up her chin.

Tang Ruoyao was forced to raise her head, staring blankly at Qin Yinong.

Qin Yinong gazed into her eyes and said seriously, "But I don't remember any of those people who said that before. It was all just acting for the occasion." She tilted her head slightly, a hint of confusion crossing her face. "Tell me, what's interesting about me?"

Tang Ruoyao's spirits suddenly lifted, and she became highly nervous. The meaning behind Qin Yinong's words implied that she needed to provide a detailed list of every point, or else she would be included with those people who were just acting for the occasion.

She was overthinking it. Qin Yinong was simply curious, but that didn't stop Tang Ruoyao from feeling the pressure to give a satisfactory answer. However, it was difficult to articulate. Tang Ruoyao racked her brain and stammered, "Y-y-you..."

"Mm-hmm," Qin Yinong nodded, speaking seriously, "You stuttering makes you more interesting than me."

Tang Ruoyao's face turned red.

Qin Yinong poked her rosy cheeks and teased, "Even more interesting now."

Tang Ruoyao blurted out in confusion, "You're funny when you tease me!"

Qin Yinong couldn't help it and burst into laughter. 

She hadn't fully swallowed the strawberry she had just eaten, so the sudden laughter made her choke. It got stuck in her throat, making her nose sore. She immediately started coughing intensely. Tang Ruoyao quickly sat on the sofa and patted her back.

Tang Ruoyao embraced Qin Yinong with one arm, as Qin Yinong's prolonged coughing made it difficult for her to breathe properly. She gently gasped for air in Tang Ruoyao's embrace.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Mm." Qin Yinong looked up at her face and nodded.

A drop of rouge dissolved in the water, and the brush dipped into peach blossom color. It lightly bloomed at the corner of Qin Yinong's eyes, harmonizing with her captivating peach blossom eyes. It seemed as if peach blossoms were blooming everywhere, especially the one blooming at the corner of her eye.

Tang Ruoyao was captivated and couldn't help but reach out and lightly touch it.

A strange sensation surged through Qin Yinong's entire body. Her already weak body became even more powerless. She grabbed the sleeve of the hand that raised hers and softly asked, "What are you doing?"

...It was too soft, almost like acting spoiled.

"I..." Tang Ruoyao swallowed, her already faltering rationality shattered by Qin Yinong's words. Her gaze gradually lost clarity. She made a barely noticeable shake of her head, but it was futile. She could only follow the urging of her heart, cupping the woman's face with one hand and lowering her head, bringing her lips close to Qin Yinong's.

She was so thirsty, as if she hadn't had a drink of water in centuries. She couldn't wait to quench her long-awaited sweetness.

Qin Yinong watched Tang Ruoyao's delicate features magnify in front of her. She let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes.

Their soft lips touched.

It felt like an electric shock, accompanied by a tangible sound that resonated in their ears, as if something heavy had fallen to the ground, causing pain in both their ears.

It didn't seem like an illusion.

Both of them furrowed their brows and opened their eyes at the same time, looking towards the direction of the sound.

Xin Qian stood at the doorway, looking dazed. There was an iron basin on the floor, rolling and still not coming to a stop.

"...Sorry for interrupting." Xin Qian drifted back into her room like a wandering soul and closed the door.

The two people in the living room: "..."

Xin Qian drifted out again, picked up the iron basin, and closed the door with a bang.

Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao exchanged a glance. Qin Yinong pushed Tang Ruoyao away to a safe distance, raised her finger to adjust her disheveled hair, and quickly regained composure. She moved her neck joints, showing weariness in her expression, and said tiredly, "I'll go upstairs and rest for a while."

Tang Ruoyao watched her briskly walking figure and felt like strangling Xin Qian at that moment.

She had finally gotten this opportunity!

Tang Ruoyao gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and strode to Xin Qian's door. *Knock, knock, knock*, the dull sounds echoed one after another!

Xin Qian, trembling with fear, shuffled over and opened the door.

"I'm sorry, I really messed up. I shouldn't have casually come out and delayed your chance with Qin Yinong. There won't be another time. Even if you lend me a hundred times the courage , I wouldn't dare... *sniffle*..." Xin Qian lowered her head, tear drops falling like broken pearls.

"Stop crying," Tang Ruoyao said, feeling a headache. "I have something to ask you to do."

Xin Qian wiped away the makeshift eye drops and asked, "What is it? If I can't do it, just behead me!"

"It's not that serious." It was already a done deal, and beheading her head wouldn't make a difference. Tang Ruoyao waved her hand and said, "It's just a small matter."

"What is it?"

"Well, last night, I accidentally stained the bedsheet..."

Xin Qian's eyes sparkled.

Tang Ruoyao: "..." She cleared her throat and said seriously, "Don't mind how it got stained. The point is, it's dirty now, and Guan Han will wash it for me and hang it upstairs. Normally, it should be dry by tonight."

Xin Qian pondered in her heart: Why did Guan Han wash the bedsheets for you? Isn't she Qin Yinong's assistant? Stained? Did you get it dirty in some way?

Tang Ruoyao: "...The task I'm giving you is to sprinkle some water on my bedsheets, evenly."

Xin Qian snapped back to reality from her excited imagination. "What? What? What?"

Tang Ruoyao fell into silence.

Wouldn't it be better if she handled this matter herself?

Tang Ruoyao sighed and repeated it in a deep voice.

Xin Qian blinked her eyes. "Why do I need to sprinkle water? If you don't want it, just buy another set of bedsheets. I can go buy it for you right now, ten or eight sets, changing them every day."

Tang Ruoyao pinched her brow and looked displeased. "Why so much unnecessary talk? If I ask you to do something, just do it. Don't ask why."

Qin Yinong was right. She really needed to manage her assistant well. If Xin Qian had an assistant like Guan Han who was so capable and clever, why would she need to worry so much?

Guan Han knew early in the morning that they were downstairs, so she disappeared after finishing breakfast. There was no sign of her. Tang Ruoyao secretly regretted competing with Guan Han for the beef pie in the morning. With her conscience, she deserved an extra one, no, a whole beef pie!

Xin Qian lowered her head and said awkwardly, "Oh."

Tang Ruoyao said casually, "Aren't you supposed to be an all-around assistant..." She took the opportunity to tease Xin Qian a bit and injected her with some motivation.

Xin Qian fell for it and clenched her fist, her face showing a heroic and resigned expression. "I'll go. The wind is howling, and the river waters are cold. Once a hero departs..."

Tang Ruoyao interrupted her, nodded, and said with a certain tone, "You will come back safely."

Xin Qian smiled, revealing a set of snow-white teeth.

She tidied up her things and went upstairs to sprinkle water. Before leaving, she turned back and said, "By the way, Tang Tang, are you dating Qin Yinong?"

Tang Ruoyao chuckled and said, "Not yet. I'm pursuing her."

Xin Qian raised her thumb in approval and praised, "That takes courage!"

Tang Ruoyao smiled, "I think so too."

The bedsheets were hanging in the glass room on the second floor, sheltered from the rain outside. Just to be safe, Tang Ruoyao followed Xin Qian upstairs after she went up. Instead of going to the glass room, Tang Ruoyao stood in the corridor near her own room, mainly guarding against the elusive Guan Han.

Xin Qian came out from the glass room and saw Tang Ruoyao. She smiled at her and made a "okay" gesture, tiptoeing over.

Tang Ruoyao quickly pulled her into the room.

"Is it done?" she asked in a low voice.

"It's done!" Xin Qian said. "I was afraid that if the sun came out later, it would dry up, so I sprinkled a bit more."

Tang Ruoyao patted her shoulder with relief.

Xin Qian suddenly frowned and questioned, "Tang Tang, did you hang two sets of bedsheets?"

"No, why do you say that?"

"There are two sets hanging outside."

Tang Ruoyao thought for a moment and said, "One set is Qin Yinong's. Her bedsheets were also dirty."

Xin Qian clicked her tongue in her heart and muttered under her breath, "You guys are quite intense." After a moment, she raised her head nervously and said, "I also sprinkled water on that bed. It should... be okay, right?"

Tang Ruoyao's expression turned blank, and she exclaimed, "What did you say?!"

Author's Note:

Since both Qin Yinong and Tang Tang didn't have clean bedsheets, they had no choice but to abandon their beds tonight and have a wild night on the sheets until dawn.

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