CHAPTER 101

Qin Yinong jolted awake, opening her eyes wide, completely devoid of sleepiness.

Meanwhile, Tang Ruoyao bit her lip in the darkness, gripping Qin Yinong's wrist and gently pressing it down, following her desires.

Her fingertips were lightly nibbled, warm. Now that Qin Yinong was awake, Tang Ruoyao wouldn't be so audacious with her anymore. She began to struggle, pulling and tugging against each other, a back-and-forth tug-of-war. Accidentally, they lost control, and Tang Ruoyao let out a pained grunt.

Taking advantage of her momentary relaxation, Qin Yinong broke free from her restraints.

"Qin Yinong," Tang Ruoyao softly called her, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness.

Qin Yinong tightly pursed her lips.

"Qin Yinong," Tang Ruoyao called again, her eyes fixed on the dark ceiling above.

She only called out the woman's name, repeating it many times. On the final repetition, her voice suddenly turned hoarse, and after uttering a single syllable of "Qin," her voice disappeared. A single tear silently slipped down her cheek and seeped into the pillow.

She managed to swallow back the faint sob in time, so Qin Yinong didn't catch it.

Tang Ruoyao was afraid that Qin Yinong would notice her unusual behavior, so even her adjustments in breathing were barely perceptible. The tears on her cheeks dried up, her body remained still, and she only turned her head to silently gaze at the motionless woman for a while. After a long pause, she whispered, "I'm sorry, Senior Qin."

Qin Yinong suddenly clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles turning white with force.

Tang Ruoyao said, "Goodnight."

Qin Yinong remained silent.

Tang Ruoyao knew she hadn't fallen asleep and sighed inwardly. She turned her face slightly towards the window, closing her eyes.

She truly intended to sleep, but her shoulder was suddenly pulled over by a hand, and her body became light all at once. She reacted swiftly, not letting her entire weight rest on Qin Yinong, but immediately bent her elbow to support herself and stabilize her posture.

With one hand supporting herself above Qin Yinong, Qin Yinong remained silent and took the initiative to tilt her face up and kiss her.

Her lips were as soft as ever, but they were cool, and their breaths were silent.

Tang Ruoyao was stunned by her actions, instinctively responding twice before realizing she needed to push her away.

"Qin Yinong."

Qin Yinong paid no attention and grabbed Tang Ruoyao's hand, intending to follow the same routine as before.

"Qin Yinong!" Tang Ruoyao snapped angrily.

Here it comes again, this kind of compensatory sacrifice. Every time, it hurts her and makes her sad, not uttering a single word. What does she think of herself? A plaything?

Tang Ruoyao was consumed by anger and exclaimed in a low voice, "Can't you stop doing this?"

Qin Yinong's voice was hoarse, accompanied by a satisfied chuckle. "Don't you like it?"

"I—" She intentionally misinterpreted Tang Ruoyao's meaning. Tang Ruoyao instinctively knew that arguing with her now would only lead to her own frustration. This woman's heart was indeed soft. She couldn't bring herself to harm Tang Ruoyao, so she turned the knife on herself, straightforward and without hesitation.

Tang Ruoyao's heart was pounding intensely, and in a fit of rage, she said, "If I die one day, it'll be because you've driven me to death."

Qin Yinong frowned. "Don't talk nonsense."

Tang Ruoyao seemed to have touched a nerve. Wasn't it mutual harm they were inflicting? If she harmed Tang Ruoyao, she didn't care. She even cursed herself, saying, "Everyone has to die sooner or later. If not today, then tomorrow. I'm no exception. Singers fall off the stage and die, actors fall off horses, people get hit by cars while walking. When bad luck comes, you have to accept it. I might—"

Qin Yinong couldn't bear it anymore and covered her mouth with her hand.

Tang Ruoyao's gaze softened, and her lips curved slightly as she kissed Qin Yinong's palm, as light as a feather brushing past.

Qin Yinong's fingers twitched, and she withdrew her hand.

Tang Ruoyao reached out and gently caressed the back of Qin Yinong's head, her slender fingers moving up and down, tenderly combing through her dark hair. In this quiet and warm atmosphere, Qin Yinong gradually forgot about the earlier incident, her breathing relaxed, and she unconsciously leaned into Tang Ruoyao's embrace.

Tang Ruoyao lowered her head and lightly kissed her lips.

Qin Yinong's long eyelashes trembled, and she lowered her gaze.

"I was too impulsive tonight, driven by jealousy. I apologize to you, I'm sorry." Tang Ruoyao said earnestly.

Qin Yinong bit her lower lip, a hint of struggle flashing in her expression.

"I... "

Actually..."

They both spoke at the same time, and Tang Ruoyao suppressed her excitement and hurriedly said, "You go ahead."

Qin Yinong clenched her fingers and due to discomfort, her words stumbled out, "Lin Ruohan wants to visit me. We talked on the phone... um... that's all we discussed."

"Visit? When?"

"In... two days, she might come to the filming set."

"Oh, then..."

Qin Yinong didn't give her a chance to ask further questions and interrupted, "I need to sleep. I have to wake up early tomorrow."

Tang Ruoyao considerately swallowed her words and softly said, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Qin Yinong murmured softly, curling up.

Tang Ruoyao was slightly surprised.

Since she had started shamelessly cuddling up to Qin Yinong while sleeping, Qin Yinong hadn't adopted this sleeping posture. What happened today? She was worried if something was bothering Qin Yinong, but she felt Qin Yinong briefly curl up and then stretch out again, like the leaves of a shy plant.

A bold thought suddenly crossed her mind.

Could it be that Qin Yinong... is feeling shy?

She reached out and touched Qin Yinong's ear, which felt warm to the touch.

Tang Ruoyao chuckled, "Qin..."

Qin Yinong became annoyed and blushed, "If you keep talking nonsense, go sleep outside."

Tang Ruoyao silently laughed.

Qin Yinong tightly closed her eyes. Although Tang Ruoyao didn't make any sound, she could feel the vibrations in her chest, making her even more uncomfortable. She almost wanted to kick Tang Ruoyao off the bed.

Finally, when Tang Ruoyao had finished laughing, she mischievously whispered in Qin Yinong's ear, "This is my bed."

Qin Yinong instinctively wanted to respond with, "Then I'll go out." but Tang Ruoyao quickly sealed her lips with a kiss.

Qin Yinong: "Mmm."

Tang Ruoyao carefully traced Qin Yinong's lip line, parting their teeth and allowing their soft, warm touch to intertwine with a lingering tenderness.

As their lips separated, Qin Yinong's breathing became erratic, her chest rising and falling. She nestled herself in Tang Ruoyao's embrace, leaving no gap between them. But she still wanted to get closer, so she continued to press in.

Tang Ruoyao held her tightly, feeling her restless emotions and gradually developing a sensation of her own.

Earlier, when Tang Ruoyao deliberately attempted a goodnight kiss, she received an immediate rejection from Qin Yinong. Now, this simple goodnight kiss before sleep had unexpectedly worked out.

"Qin Yinong..." Tang Ruoyao's voice was somewhat hoarse. She planted a series of light kisses on Qin Yinong's cheek, still moist from the previous kiss.

Qin Yinong remained silent and didn't reject her.

A warm sensation spread behind her ear, and Qin Yinong let out a low hum, involuntarily tilting her slender neck and tightly gripping the bedsheets underneath her...

.....

Because Qin Yinong had to catch a flight the next day, she set an alarm on her phone. At 7:30 in the morning, the alarm woke her up on time. In her drowsy state, she reached out to grab her phone but was met with a shadow that enveloped her vision. The disturbing voice that interrupted her sweet dream vanished, replaced by a warm feeling on her lips. A calm, gentle voice of a young woman whispered in her ear, "Sleep a little longer. I'll make breakfast."

Tang Ruoyao got up and moved quietly, her back turned as she got dressed.

Qin Yinong squinted her eyes, observing her.

Tang Ruoyao turned around, not closing her eyes, just pulling the covers closer to her body. They briefly locked eyes.

Tang Ruoyao asked her, "Still sleepy?"

Qin Yinong didn't speak, using closed eyes as her answer.

Tang Ruoyao tucked the corner of the blanket around her and lightly kissed her forehead before leaving quietly.

Qin Yinong opened her eyes and stared blankly at the wall in front of her.

The first time could be explained as a momentary impulse, but how could the second time be justified? One thing could be predicted: Qin Yinong wouldn't bring it up, and Tang Ruoyao had no intention of being the first to discuss the matter. She was clever like that.

Both of them understood without speaking, keeping their lips sealed. And whenever the opportunity presented itself for them to share a bed again, things escalated uncontrollably.

Without considering anything else, Qin Yinong suddenly felt that she was at a disadvantage. She had been taken advantage of all along, and though it felt pleasant, she still had emotional needs. When their emotions were intense last night, she nearly did something irreversible.

She couldn't continue like this anymore.

Qin Yinong composed herself, sniffed the air, and wondered if it was just her imagination, but something felt off. She got up and opened the window to let in fresh air.

She changed the garbage bag herself and left to freshen up.

Guan Han sat motionless on the sofa. When she saw her get up, she calmly asked if she had any instructions. After receiving a negative answer, she continued playing her game. In the corner of his eye, she caught sight of Qin Yinong throwing the tied-up black garbage bag outside the door. Her radar perked up, scanning and analyzing.

Yesterday morning, it was Tang Ruoyao who threw the garbage, and today it was Qin Yinong. What does this mean?

Guan Han smiled with satisfaction as she glanced at the two figures busy in the kitchen and bathroom.

Tang Fei had to go to school and didn't have time to wait for Tang Ruoyao to make him breakfast. After a quick greeting with his sister, he left. Qin Yinong was more thoughtful and efficient in handling things than she was. Tang Fei still had some time to wait, Tang Ruoyao and Jiang Xuezhen had caused a commotion again, so he could only stay in this house alone. Qin Yinong found a caretaker for him to take care of his meals and daily life, and she came over during breakfast.

Tang Ruoyao gave some instructions, and the caretaker agreed. She then sent a text message to Tang Fei, saying she was going back and would pick him up after his exam. Qin Yinong watched her send the message and asked, "What's your brother's phone number?"

Tang Ruoyao: "Huh?"

Qin Yinong looked at Guan Han.

Guan Han answered, "You're usually so busy that you may not have time for him."

Tang Ruoyao raised an eyebrow, "Isn't Senior Qin busy too?"

Guan Han said, "I'm not busy. He can come to me for small matters."

Tang Ruoyao was initially confused, but then she understood.

Was Qin Yinong including Tang Fei under her protection as well?

Tang Ruoyao's emotions were complex. She didn't know whether to be happy that Qin Yinong cared for her brother or to be sorrowful that Qin Yinong had done so much for her but still chose not to be with her.

Tang Ruoyao reported Tang Fei's cellphone number, and Guan Han noted it down.

She didn't want to bother her, but she didn't mind having another way to contact Qin Yinong. In case something unexpected happened in the future, Tang Fei might come in handy.

Sitting in the classroom, Tang Fei sneezed and rubbed his nose, completely unaware that his sister had schemed to involve him in her love affair.

At 8:50, the three of them set off for the airport.

They disguised themselves as usual, wearing masks and caps, boarding the plane inconspicuously.

First-class seats, arranged side by side, Guan Han had made the arrangements.

Qin Yinong pursed her lips, turned her head, and glanced at Guan Han sitting behind her. Guan Han responded with a questioning look. Wasn't this how they always assigned seats? She didn't really have ulterior motives.

They had engaged in two rounds last night and didn't sleep until the late hours. Qin Yinong was exhausted after finishing, and she fell asleep as soon as she lay down. Tang Ruoyao took care of the follow-up matters quietly and pondered for a while. She slept even later than Qin Yinong. So when they boarded the plane, their eyelids began to fight.

Qin Yinong managed to rest reasonably well. She spread her book on the tray in front of her and quietly read.

Tang Ruoyao fell into a deep sleep. Her arm moved, causing the blanket that was covering her waist to slide down. Qin Yinong noticed and reached over to pull it back up for her. Her gaze brushed across her cheek and couldn't move away.

The book was left unnoticed.

Time passed, and Tang Ruoyao's eyelashes trembled slightly. She had already woken up from her sleep, and Qin Yinong quickly withdrew her gaze. It was too late to pretend to be reading, so she simply closed her eyes as if sleeping.

Tang Ruoyao, mindful of Qin Yinong, stretched lazily, propping her chin on her hand and resting it on the armrest. She observed the serene sleeping face of the woman beside her and couldn't help but show a faint smile.

Guan Han observed everything from behind.

These two people seemed to be brewing an intense and passionate atmosphere at any moment. If they opened their eyes at the same time, they might kiss immediately.

Qin Yinong pretended to sleep and eventually fell into a real slumber.

Tang Ruoyao shifted her gaze to the book she had spread out on the tray. She glanced at the fresh cover—it was "The Biography of Wittgenstein." Qin Yinong had been reading it during the past two days at home. Didn't she lend her that book a long time ago? It was still in the villa they rented from the production crew.

When did she buy another copy?

She decided to flip through the book, hoping to find some unexpected surprises—such as Qin Yinong's handwriting or a note, but unfortunately, Qin Yinong was well aware of herself and hadn't left a single word.

Suddenly, the plane encountered turbulence, shaking violently for a few moments, which startled Qin Yinong awake. Tang Ruoyao put down the book and went over to hug her, her actions natural and effortless.

Qin Yinong: "..."

She furrowed her brow and said, "Let go."

Although her tone wasn't too serious, Tang Ruoyao tactfully released her and sat back down.

She knew that when they returned to the set, Qin Yinong wouldn't allow her to take advantage. Tang Ruoyao had long prepared herself for it. When faced with obstacles, she would defend, and when faced with water, she would cover. She didn't believe that Qin Yinong was as rigid as a block of iron. She had softened in her embrace, melting into water more than once or twice. It wouldn't be so easy for her to return to her original state.

Since neither of them could sleep anymore, Tang Ruoyao pushed up the window shade. The sunlight above the clouds poured in, and she contentedly squinted her eyes.

In the afternoon, when the plane landed, Qin Yinong's driver came to pick them up. Tang Ruoyao stood on the stone pavement at the entrance of the villa, pointing to a peach tree inside the courtyard with joy, saying, "It's blooming!"

Qin Yinong followed her gaze and looked in the direction she was pointing. The dark branches of the peach tree were covered with deep red peach blossoms, one cluster after another, seemingly endless. The two peach trees next to it were also swaying in the wind, bearing flowers of pink and white.

A gust of wind passed, carrying a faint and refreshing floral scent in the air.

The blooming period for peach blossoms is from March to April, which coincided with the time they came to shoot the film. However, the peach trees in this courtyard had been barren for a long time, refusing to bloom. Tang Ruoyao occasionally leaned on the window sill in the living room, jokingly asking if they were fake or if the owner had been deceived when planting them.

Now, while the other peach blossoms were in full bloom, the ones in this courtyard had just started to bloom.

Tang Ruoyao walked under the peach tree, reached out, and gently pressed down on a cluster of blossoms. She lowered her eyebrows and sniffed, enjoying the tranquil and beautiful scene. Suddenly, she looked up and smiled at Qin Yinong, her lips curving slightly. "Qin Yinong."

Qin Yinong's heart skipped a beat, and inexplicably, she walked towards her.

Behind Tang Ruoyao, a large area of pink and white peach blossoms reflected, as the wind blew and they fluttered down. She stood under the peach tree with flower petals swirling around her, her brows and eyes lightly curved, as if anticipating a grand encounter.

Qin Yinong took one step and walked up to her.

Tang Ruoyao extended her hand, palm facing up.

Qin Yinong pursed her lips, her expression hesitant.

Tang Ruoyao didn't take the initiative to hold her hand. She just stood there with her hand open, and a peach blossom fell from the tree, spinning and fluttering lightly until it landed in her snow-white palm.

Qin Yinong still didn't move.

Tang Ruoyao helplessly said, "Take the flower off for me, it's a bit itchy."

Qin Yinong picked up the peach blossom, and Tang Ruoyao took the opportunity to hold her hand, wrapping her warm palm around Qin Yinong's icy fingers.

Warmth surged in Tang Ruoyao's eyes as she gazed at her intently. "It's not that difficult to hold my hand first, is it?"

Qin Yinong remained silent.

Tang Ruoyao sighed deeply in her heart, embraced the woman, pressed her chin affectionately against her cheek, and rubbed their ears together for a while. She gently said, "I'll wait for you."

Qin Yinong's heart trembled fiercely. She clenched her teeth, freed her hand from Tang Ruoyao's embrace, and then slipped her fingers into the gap between theirs, tightly clasping the back of Tang Ruoyao's hand.

This was definitely not the correct way to hold hands, and even the base of her finger was being squeezed painfully. Tang Ruoyao silently endured it, one hand stroking the long hair on Qin Yinong's back.

After a long while, Qin Yinong released her hand and stepped back from Tang Ruoyao's embrace. Without saying a word, she walked towards the door.

Guan Han followed behind, glancing back at Tang Ruoyao with an expression that was hard to decipher.

Tang Ruoyao shook her hand, showing a pained expression as she raised it to take a look. Qin Yinong had squeezed her fingers so tightly that they had turned red.

Taking a few days off, Guan Han was also absent, and the assistant hadn't replaced the ingredients in the refrigerator. In the evening, Tang Ruoyao went to the kitchen and cooked three bowls of noodles, each with an egg on top. She looked at the empty staircase and went upstairs to knock on a door.

Before she reached Qin Yinong's door, Guan Han spoke first, "Qin Jie won't eat tonight. She instructed not to call her."

Had she pushed too hard? Tang Ruoyao looked concernedly at the tightly closed door, restrained herself, said little, and instead asked Guan Han, "Would you like to eat? I made your portion."

Guan Han went along with it, "Thank you."

Tang Ruoyao took three steps and turned back twice. Guan Han saw it, but didn't say anything.

No one knows what Qin Yinong is thinking, not even herself.

Qin Yinong wasn't thinking about anything. She was emptying her mind in the room, drinking one glass of wine after another. Unfortunately, she had a strong tolerance for alcohol, and no matter how much she drank, she couldn't get drunk. Several empty wine bottles were scattered around her feet, and after the last glass went down, she leaned back in the recliner and fell asleep with her head tilted.

.....

Tang Ruoyao was restless the whole night.

It rained lightly at night, and the sound of rain hitting the window made people even more anxious. She frequently went out for a walk, pacing back and forth between her own room and Qin Yinong's door.

Once she ran into Guan Han coming out. Guan Han was about to knock on Qin Yinong's door but stopped when she caught sight of Tang Ruoyao.

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

She said, "You knock, I won't go in."

Guan Han silently looked at her without saying a word.

After the incident of breaking in at night last time, her credibility with Guan Han had dropped to zero.

Guan Han made a gesture to leave.

Tang Ruoyao stopped her, "I'll go back to my room, you knock on the door."

She really went back, and the door was tightly closed.

Only then did a hint of anxiety appear on Guan Han's face.

It was already late at night, and there was no news from Qin Yinong at all. Following Qin Yinong's instructions from last time, she called her, but Qin Yinong didn't answer the phone. With no other choice, Guan Han used the spare key to open the door.

The room was filled with the smell of alcohol.

Guan Han held her breath and fumbled for the switch on the wall, turning on the light.

The room was empty, with no one in sight. Guan Han remembered the previous incident and immediately went to open the cabinet first. There was no one in the cabinet, and then she found Qin Yinong asleep behind the curtains on the balcony that had been pulled shut.

Qin Yinong's face was flushed, completely intoxicated and unaware of her surroundings.

Guan Han lowered her head and started cleaning up the wine bottles, counting them as she went along, sighing in her heart: How much did she drink?

Guan Han moved Qin Yinong onto the bed and then noticed a large stain of wine in front of her. It was wet and stuck to the fabric, with deeper traces compared to other areas, which immediately posed a problem.

Sleeping like this was definitely not possible. Should she change Qin Yinong's clothes herself?

Although Guan Han was Qin Yinong's 24-hour personal assistant and usually helped her with clothing choices, she had never undressed her beyond her outerwear, and Qin Yinong wouldn't allow her to touch anything else.

Guan Han furrowed her brows in distress and thought of someone who was more qualified than her.

She went out to find that person, in a hurry to open the door, almost colliding with a figure coming her way. Tang Ruoyao quickly took two steps back, creating some distance, and asked, "How is she?"

Guan Han didn't waste any words and said, "She's drunk. Can you change her clothes?"

Drunk?

Tang Ruoyao only caught the first half of the sentence and was taken aback, asking, "Why is she drunk?"

"I don't know." Guan Han's expression was calm as she stepped aside to make way for her. "Come in first."

"Okay." Tang Ruoyao immediately entered and first noticed the line of wine bottles neatly arranged on the table by Guan Han. She hurried towards the edge of the bed, taking three steps in two.

Qin Yinong, who was drunk, had lightly closed eyelids and was unusually quiet. If it weren't for the steady rise and fall of her chest, it would be easy to associate her with something uncertain. Tang Ruoyao held Qin Yinong's hand and sensed a faint human warmth among the coldness, which slightly eased her heart.

"You can go out first." She kept her eyes on Qin Yinong and calmly instructed Guan Han.

The usually taciturn Guan Han unexpectedly added a few words.

"After changing Qin Jie's clothes, Miss Tang can go back to her own room, don't stay too long, it might be better that way."

Tang Ruoyao was taken aback and pursed her lips slightly. "I understand."

Qin Yinong's drunkenness had something to do with her, that much was certain. She was probably not very eager to wake up and see her again.

Tang Ruoyao didn't even have time to feel sorry for herself. Her thoughts were completely consumed by the presence of Qin Yinong in front of her.

She picked a soft nightgown from the wardrobe and placed it by the pillow. Helping Qin Yinong up, she changed her dirty clothes, wrung out a hot towel to wipe her, and busied herself for nearly half an hour, sweating profusely.

Tang Ruoyao sat on the edge of the bed, motionless for a long time.

The room's main light flickered briefly due to poor contact, and it was as if she had just awakened from a dream. She held Qin Yinong's soft and weak right hand, kissed the back of it, tucked her in, and quietly retreated to the door. She turned off the light and closed the door behind her.

She tossed and turned, finding it difficult to fall asleep. She kept reflecting on her actions during the day, questioning if she had made a wrong move that led to the current situation.

Author's Note:

Although, the first half of the chapter is still sweet!

Tang Tang: It's so difficult for me to pursue someone. I'm better at solving math problems.

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