CHAPTER 91

The sudden soft touch on her lips left Tang Ruoyao stunned. Qin Yinong's beautiful and alluring face appeared before her eyes without any reservation. Tang Ruoyao gazed dumbfoundedly at her eyelashes, still not fully coming back to her senses.

Sensing Tang Ruoyao's distraction, Qin Yinong pinched her chin and moved slightly away from her, whispering against her lips, "Close your eyes."

Tang Ruoyao's brain couldn't process anything, and instinctively, she closed her eyes as the woman instructed.

Qin Yinong lifted her cheek with one hand tilting her head and capturing Tang Ruoyao's lower lip once again.

Tang Ruoyao's mind was in a haze for a moment, but she abruptly opened her eyes and pushed Qin Yinong's shoulder.

What kind of behavior was this? Kissing her so forcefully without saying a work? Did she think she could do whatever she wanted?!

Was this how you comfort someone?

So what if it was her first love? What's the big deal about a first love? Wasn't she past that stage already?

Qin Yinong didn't anticipate her reaction and uncontrollably fell backward. However, during the kiss, she instinctively wrapped one hand around Tang Ruoyao's waist, pulling her closer. She didn't let go even in this unexpected situation. In fact, because of the sudden "danger," she held on even tighter, and Tang Ruoyao struggled but couldn't break free.

Tang Ruoyao: "!!!"

As a result, Tang Ruoyao fell backward while still being held by Qin Yinong.

Despite the situation, Qin Yinong was able to adjust and took a few steps backward, falling onto the sofa near the entrance. Tang Ruoyao landed on top of her.

Even a lightweight person falling on top still had weight to it. Qin Yinong groaned in pain but didn't have time to check herself. She anxiously asked Tang Ruoyao, "Are you okay?"

Tang Ruoyao's impulsiveness just a moment ago had already turned into regret. Seeing Qin Yinong's concerned expression, which couldn't be faked, she couldn't find peace either. Shaking her head, she said, "I'm fine, what about you?"

Qin Yinong smiled softly and said, "I'm fine."

Tang Ruoyao remained in the position, propped up against Qin Yinong's chest. She used her index finger to play with a strand of Qin Yinong's jet-black hair in a hesitant voice, asking, "Why did you suddenly kiss me?"

Qin Yinong pursed her thin lips slightly and said, "To help you adjust your emotions."

The smile in Tang Ruoyao's eyes slowly solidified.

Qin Yinong seemed unaware and spoke seriously, "Aren't you unable to get into character? Director Han said your love lacks intensity. We don't have time to talk now. This is the fastest and most practical method."

Tang Ruoyao's gaze darkened as she stared at her intently.

Qin Yinong inexplicably felt guilty under her penetrating gaze and asked, "What are you... Mmm!"

Tang Ruoyao's lips pressed against hers, silencing her.

With familiarity, the two of them kissed again and again, more than three or four times.

Tang Ruoyao was well-versed in the process and faced almost no resistance.

Qin Yinong was trapped on the sofa, surrounded by the sweet and warm breath of a young woman from all sides. Apart from passively enduring, she had nowhere to escape.

"Close your eyes." Tang Ruoyao returned the words she had said to her earlier at the entrance.

Qin Yinong's consciousness fluctuated with her kisses. She lifted her hands to embrace the young woman and involuntarily let out a low moan, holding her tightly.

At certain moments, a person's reactions were so genuine that they couldn't lie.

All the blood rushed to their hearts, and Tang Ruoyao's heart pounded heavily. Her fingers tenderly caressed the woman's slightly warm cheek. After a brief separation, she lowered her head and deepened the kiss.

Qin Yinong's fingers instinctively clenched, gripping onto Tang Ruoyao's clothes. Inside the lounge, the only sound audible were the disorderly and irregular breath between the two.

.....

Han Yuping finished smoking a cigarette, exhaled a long breath, stamped out the butt with his foot, and glanced in the direction of the lounge. He dialed Qin Yinong's phone.

Qin Yinong's phone was in Guan Han's hand, who was keeping watch at the lounge entrance. She answered, "Director Han."

Han Yuping clicked his tongue and said, "Call those two out. How long has it been? Even a child could grow up in that time."

Guan Han promptly agreed and raised her hand, lightly knocking the door twice.

The two people in the room, reluctant to part, simultaneously paused.

Qin Yinong suddenly opened her eyes, only to be met with darkness as Tang Ruoyao covered her eyes with one hand.

"Don't mind it." Tang Ruoyao whispered to her in a low voice and lightly bit her lower lip.

Unable to see anything in front of her, the sensation on her lips became remarkably clear. Qin Yinong's rationality faded away, leaving her with the desire to sink forever in Tang Ruoyao's embrace. However, the knocking on the door continued persistently.

"Qin Jie? Miss Tang?" It was Guan Han outside the door.

Qin Yinong took a deep breath, pushed Tang Ruoyao away, and sat up, her breath unsteady. She said, "Go and open the door."

Tang Ruoyao took two tissues from the coffee table and handed one to Qin Yinong. They both tidied themselves up and checked each other. Only then did Tang Ruoyao stand up, walk over, and open the door of the lounge. The angle and position were just right, firmly blocking any attempt to peek at Qin Yinong inside.

Guan Han said, "Miss Tang, Director Han wants both of you to come over and prepare for the shoot."

Tang Ruoyao replied calmly, "Okay, we'll go right away."

Guan Han's gaze briefly swept over Tang Ruoyao's slightly swollen lips. A certain thought formed in her mind, but she suppressed her inner excitement and said calmly, "Then I'll wait for you at the entrance."

Tang Ruoyao nodded and closed the door again.

In the end, Guan Han didn't even catch a glimpse of Qin Yinong's hair. But it didn't matter because imagination was the strongest. Fifty rounds of speculation about what happened in the lounge had already been arranged.

Tang Ruoyao returned and reported, "Director Han wants us to go and shoot."

Qin Yinong poured herself a glass of water, took a sip to moisten her throat, and looked down at the ground. She asked, "Have you adjusted your emotions?"

Tang Ruoyao smiled meaningfully and said, "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Senior Qin, for your selflessness and sacrifice."

"That's good." Qin Yinong's eyes flickered. She set down the glass of water, ran her fingers over the hem of her clothes, and stood up, saying, "Let's go now. Director Han is about to scold someone."

Tang Ruoyao picked up the remaining half cup of water and finished it in one gulp. She smiled faintly and said, "Let's go."

Qin Yinong looked at her composed expression and immediately felt a headache coming on.

The two of them didn't forget to touch up their lipstick before heading out.

Han Yuping paid no attention to the glossy color on their lips, his face cold and heartless as he said, "Actors, get ready."

The clapperboard snapped, "Scene 22 of 'True Colors,' take 4, action!"

"Cut." Han Yuping didn't even bother to look at the playback and loudly declared, "It's good."

Tang Ruoyao once again thanked Qin Yinong in a formal tone and walked away, just like in the morning, without engaging in further conversation.

Qin Yinong: "..."

What went wrong? They had even kissed, so what more does she want?

Tang Ruoyao returned to her seat, a slight upward curve on her lips.

She had taken a great advantage of Qin Yinong just now, and she was no longer angry. However, not being angry didn't mean she would forgive Qin Yinong so easily. They had agreed to ignore each other for the whole day, and it would only end if Qin Yinong coaxed her.

As for just now, Tang Ruoyao didn't believe Qin Yinong's original intention was to coax her. Most likely, she wanted to take the opportunity to teach her acting and also take advantage of her. The plan was well thought out, finding various ways to get close to her without admitting it.

Tang Ruoyao even thought that Qin Yinong probably hadn't even realized she was angry in the first place.

It was almost time to wrap up in the evening.

She secretly glanced in Qin Yinong's direction. Qin Yinong was surrounded by a group of assistants, and that person named A'xiao was feeding her slices of pear. Qin Yinong casually picked up a piece from the plate with a toothpick, intending to feed it to Guan Han. However, Guan Han shook her head in refusal, so Qin Yinong redirected the piece of pear into A'xiao's mouth.

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

She tried to calm her breathing, stood up abruptly, and walked quickly into her own lounge.

"Do you really not want to eat?" Qin Yinong asked Guan Han, "It's very sweet."

Guan Han glanced at the closed door of Tang Ruoyao's lounge. With their on-screen couple relationship about to be broken, she had no mood to eat the pear. She replied, "I really don't need it, Qin Jie."

Qin Yinong made a sound of acknowledgment and turned to feed another assistant. Guan Han glared at the assistant, who was clever enough not to compete for Qin Yinong's favor and quickly took the toothpick from Qin Yinong's hand, saying, "Qin Jie, I can take care of it myself."

Qin Yinong let go and searched the set for Tang Ruoyao's figure but couldn't find her. The sweet pear that had just been placed in her mouth suddenly lost its taste.

"Where is Tang Ruoyao?" she asked.

The assistants chimed in with their opinions, talking over each other, "She went to the lounge."

"Three minutes ago."

"Her face was icy cold, as if someone owed her five million."

"She looked really angry."

Among the chaotic voices, Qin Yinong caught the last remark, "Hmm? Who said she looked angry?"

A round-faced girl with glasses stepped forward and said, "Qin Jie, it was me."

Qin Yinong asked, "Did you see her looking angry?"

The assistant replied, "I felt like she was angry. She was walking faster than usual."

Qin Yinong waved her hand, dismissing the assistant, lost in thought.

There were no night scenes that evening, and the crew finished work on time. Tang Ruoyao didn't say goodbye to Qin Yinong. She left the set with Xin Qian in a car and closed her eyes to rest during the entire journey. However, Xin Qian observed her expression and felt that she was extremely unsettled.

"We've arrived." Xin Qian's voice was even softer than usual.

Tang Ruoyao opened her eyes, took a deep breath, and bent down to get out of the car.

Qin Yinong's car was parked in the courtyard. Tang Ruoyao caught a glimpse of it and curled her lips expressionlessly. Qin Yinong always arrived home earlier than Tang Ruoyao.

Tang Ruoyao quietly opened the door, changed her shoes silently, and entered the house. On the dining table directly across the entrance on the first floor, there was a plate of washed strawberries with water droplets still clinging to them, clearly freshly washed.

Tang Ruoyao was momentarily stunned.

Just as she was lost in thought, Qin Yinong emerged from the kitchen, holding a plate of transparent and sparkling cherries, placing them next to the strawberries with a gentle smile. "Would Miss Tang like some fruit? I had the assistant buy them."

Tang Ruoyao couldn't bring herself to refuse and sat down at the table, picking up one.

Qin Yinong watched her.

Tang Ruoyao ate the cherry she put in her mouth, swallowed it, and politely said, "It's very sweet, thank you."

Qin Yinong couldn't help but smile gently, and her lowered long eyelashes, tinted by the light, resembled small fans brushed with golden powder.

Tang Ruoyao curled her fingertips and took another one, silently offering it to Qin Yinong's lips.

Qin Yinong seemed momentarily stunned.

Tang Ruoyao's gaze held expectations.

Qin Yinong's eyes narrowed slightly, slowly parting her thin and moist red lips. Her white teeth lightly bit into the sweet fruit, along with the juice that overflowed, as she took it into her mouth. All the movements seemed to slow down frame by frame. Tang Ruoyao was mesmerized, and her warm fingertips touched Qin Yinong's lip petals, gently caressing them.

Qin Yinong's breath hitched but she didn't pull away.

Tang Ruoyao's eyes darkened as she caressed Qin Yinong's soft chin, and her thumb lightly pressed against the corner of the woman's lips.

Naturally and undisturbed, they drew closer, and Tang Ruoyao pressed her lips Qin Yinong's.

Their lips and teeth intertwined, sharing an affectionate kiss.

Tang Ruoyao held Qin Yinong, resting her chin on her shoulder without saying a word, unable to conceal her love and joy  in her eyes.

"Qin Yinong." she whispered in her ear.

"Mm," Qin Yinong's hands remained obediently at her side as she softly responded.

"You..." Tang Ruoyao bit her lower lip, a thousand words pressing on her heart, not knowing where to begin. She wanted to ask, "What does this mean? Did you agree to it?"

Even a wild and whimsical marriage proposal popped into her mind: "Will you allow me to take care of you for the rest of our lives?"

She burst into laughter.

"Qin Yinong." She held her tighter, murmuring the woman's name, each syllable expressing her overflowing emotions.

Qin Yinong allowed her to embrace her for a while and patted her back. "I need to go upstairs."

"I'll go with you!" Tang Ruoyao said immediately.

"Didn't you buy the new bedsheets?" Qin Yinong asked as she walked upstairs, questioning her.

"I did." Tang Ruoyao replied, but now, does it even matter if she bought them or not? Shouldn't she be sleeping in Qin Yinong's room? Tang Ruoyao couldn't help but feel doubtful about her sudden change in attitude.

Could this be a dream? Tang Ruoyao pinched her arm forcefully, wincing in pain.

Qin Yinong asked suspiciously, "What are you doing?"

Tang Ruoyao smiled and said, "Nothing."

Qin Yinong didn't ask further. Seeing her smiling, the heavy stone in her heart was lifted. Regardless of what made Tang Ruoyao angry, she was happy now. Her logic was simple: if Tang Ruoyao was upset, everything should go her way. First, make her happy, and then talk. As for that kiss, it was just a part of complying with her. It didn't necessarily carry any meaning. If a kiss determined their relationship, they would have been together for a long time now.

Qin Yinong stepped into the room, and naturally, Tang Ruoyao followed behind.

Qin Yinong frowned, wanting to scold her, but held back.

"Qin Yinong, what would you like to eat tonight? I'll make it for you."

Once again, she called her by her name directly. Qin Yinong's displeasure couldn't be contained, and she calmly said, "I'll just have some fruit."

"Shall I bring it up for you from downstairs?" Tang Ruoyao eagerly offered.

"No need."

"How about going downstairs to eat later?"

"Guan Han will bring it up for me."

Tang Ruoyao pouted. "It's Guan Han again." She thought she was the legitimate empress, so she boldly complained, "Is it Guan Han who is close to you, or is it me?"

Qin Yinong tilted her head, puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

Tang Ruoyao asked, "If both Guan Han and I fell into the water at the same time, whom would you save?"

Qin Yinong remained silent.

Tang Ruoyao continued, "I..."

Qin Yinong interrupted her with a detached tone, "You're being noisy." And boring.

Tang Ruoyao instinctively fell silent. After a moment, she said, "Qin Yinong, your attitude is not right." Couples shouldn't say that the other person is noisy. Even if they find it annoying, they should find another way, like using their mouth to silence it directly.

Qin Yinong's patience wore thin, so she sent a message to Guan Han.

Guan Han knocked on the door and entered.

"Qin Jie." She nodded politely towards Tang Ruoyao and made a gesture of "please" towards the door. "Miss Tang."

Tang Ruoyao: "???"

Guan Han said, "Qin Jie has something important to do. You should go back to your own room."

Tang Ruoyao looked past Guan Han directly at Qin Yinong. "Can't I stay here?"

Qin Yinong replied, "No."

Tang Ruoyao drooped her ears and said reluctantly, "See you tonight."

Qin Yinong clicked her tongue. "Didn't you already change the bedsheets in your room? Why are you coming over tonight?" The experience Tang Ruoyao left with Qin Yinong last night still haunted her. If they continued sharing a bed, she would eventually devour her completely, not leaving even a trace of bone.

Tang Ruoyao's face blushed again, and she mumbled, "We're already like this..."

Guan Han exclaimed, "!!!"

Like what? When did something happen that she didn't know about?

Qin Yinong was as clueless as her: Like what?

"Forget it." Tang Ruoyao thought that change wasn't something that could happen overnight. She didn't want Qin Yinong to misunderstand her intentions and think she was after something, so she obediently stepped back outside the door. "I'll go back first."

Inside the room, Qin Yinong and Guan Han exchanged a glance. Qin Yinong asked, "What happened to her?"

Guan Han shook her head and said, "I went upstairs as soon as I came back. I don't know what happened downstairs. Did you do something to her?"

Qin Yinong thought to herself, 'What did I do to her? You should ask her what she did to me.'

Qin Yinong felt that she was becoming more and more indecisive, and as a result, she was becoming increasingly passive in this relationship. She became more cautious in handling Tang Ruoyao, fearing that if she was too lenient, Tang Ruoyao would take advantage, and if she was too strict, Tang Ruoyao would be upset. She had already hurt her feelings once last night, so today she intended to let her be willful for a while.

Qin Yinong sighed and avoided answering directly. "Go and bring me the fruit from the downstairs restaurant. Divide it in half and send half of it to Yaoyao's room."

"Okay." Guan Han responded and went downstairs.

The living room on the first floor was empty. Guan Han went to the kitchen, washed a fresh fruit platter, and divided the fruits on the dining table.

A door on the first floor opened slightly, and Xin Qian cautiously peered out, looking around. The two great deities were nowhere to be seen, so she came out with relief. She had a hard time. In her past life, she must have been a math problem with extra complications.

When she entered with Tang Ruoyao earlier, she saw Qin Yinong coming out with fruits. The intense gaze exchanged between the two seemed like sparks about to ignite a wildfire. Xin Qian sensed the danger and was afraid of interrupting something between them, so she hurriedly retreated to her room and had been hiding there until now.

"Sister Guan Han." Xin Qian approached and greeted Guan Han respectfully.

"Hmm." Guan Han's gaze swept over Xin Qian, narrowing her eyes. "Did you come back with Miss Tang?"

"Yes."

"What happened in the living room just now?"

The unusually close relationship between the two artists was no secret among the assistants. Xin Qian honestly replied, "They kissed."

Guan Han's eyes suddenly lit up. "Who kissed whom?"

"Tang Tang kissed Senior Qin." Xin Qian recalled the scene she saw through the crack in the door.

"Did Qin Jie not refuse?"

"No, I think she quite enjoyed it." Xin Qian exclaimed happily. "Tang Tang even said she was pursuing Senior Qin. It seems like they're already dating, right?"

Guan Han's eyes slightly darkened.

Why were the reactions of the two upstairs so different?

Xin Qian suddenly remembered something and hurriedly said, "I'll go upstairs now to change the duvet cover for Tang Tang. Goodbye, Sister Guan Han."

Guan Han handed over the freshly divided fruit platter and said, "Wait a moment. These fruits are for Miss Tang from Qin Jie. Take them to her room as well."

"Okay." Xin Qian took the fruits and ran upstairs.

......

"Qin Jie." Guan Han knocked on the door three times and heard a response to enter.

Qin Yinong was on the phone, so Guan Han temporarily placed the fruit platter on the table and patiently waited on the side.

"Eating? I'm on set right now, wait until we finish shooting... You want to come over? Let me have my assistant check the schedule, I'll get back to you... Yeah, it's a same-sex film... My co-star? She's fine, young and beautiful. I'm not losing out anyway... You knew about it? You have so much free time, even halfway across the world, you still have time to read entertainment news..." Qin Yinong half-closed her eyes, looking relaxed as she leaned back in the recliner on the balcony. Her fingers lazily rested on her waist, tapping absentmindedly.

After hanging up the phone, Qin Yinong sat up and asked Guan Han, "Can you ask the production team for me if there are many night scenes later?"

Guan Han asked, "Lin Ruohan" wants to have dinner with you?"

Qin Yinong made a sound of agreement. "She just finished filming and returned to the country. She wants to catch up with me."

Guan Han joked, "Lin Ruohan' position as the empress consort is even more secure this year."

Qin Yinong smiled.

Of course, Qin Yinong wouldn't go to read the gossip posts about the selection of concubines in the entertainment industry, but some people would send them to her. Every year, it was made into a big deal, and the celebrities would gossip privately as well. Some of the well-known female stars were genuinely on good terms with Qin Yinong. Whenever there was a gathering with Qin Yinong present, they would discuss each other's rankings and ask Qin Yinong to promote them on the spot, causing a commotion.

Lin Ruohan entered the film industry not long ago and met Qin Yinong while filming. Their friendship has continued to this day. According to the online posts about selecting concubines, they were considered to have a predestined connection from a young age. The young couple supported each other through all the ups and downs, standing strong against external pressures. Qin Yinong and Lin Ruohan remained unyielding, with Qin Yinong saying, "As long as I'm alive, you will always be my concubine!"

Qin Yinong had a reserved attitude towards relationships and was cautious about trusting others. After being targeted in previous years and having mostly superficial relationships with actors in the industry, she and Lin Ruohan were no exception. They would be closer during filming on set but maintained a distant connection afterward to avoid making enemies. However, as their acquaintance grew, a subtle bond of friendship developed.

They didn't meet often, usually busy on different sets, occasionally crossing paths at award ceremonies for a small gathering. It had been almost a year since their last meeting, so Qin Yinong wasn't particularly surprised when Lin Ruohan said she wanted to visit.

However... everyone in the industry was astute, and Lin Ruohan was extremely shrewd. If she were to see Tang Ruoyao, their relationship might inadvertently be exposed.

Qin Yinong's eyebrows furrowed slightly. Should she prevent Lin Ruohan from coming to the set?

Guan Han returned after finishing the call with the production team and said, "There aren't many night scenes. The production team said you can let her know when you have plans, and she'll adjust her schedule."

Qin Yinong absentmindedly replied, "I'll consider it."

.....

The newly changed bedsheets and duvet cover had a refreshing soap fragrance. Tang Ruoyao's attempt to use the bathroom failed, so she took a shower in her own room and climbed into bed.

Just two days of not coming back, and she was already uncomfortable in her own bed. Nowhere else compared to Qin Yinong's room— it wasn't big enough, not white enough, not soft enough. Most importantly, Qin Yinong wasn't there.

Qin Yinong had rejected her advances two or three times in a row without showing any signs of softening. Tang Ruoyao realized she had fallen into the same trap again. Like last night, whenever she seemed upset, she would offer herself, and when she got angry, she would offer a kiss. It was a tactic to divert attention. Unfortunately, she had been careless and let Qin Yinong deceive her once again.

Tang Ruoyao stared at the white ceiling, wondering: What exactly did Qin Yinong consider her as? Just a possession that she could do whatever she wanted with?

She tossed and turned in bed, feeling angry and sad at the same time.

The anger and sadness stemmed from the same issue—Qin Yinong seemed to have no idea what it meant to cherish her.

Feeling a heavy weight in her chest, Tang Ruoyao got up and went to knock on Qin Yinong's door.

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