CHAPTER 102

Qin Yinong woke up in the middle of the night, feeling the evening's alcohol rising up from her stomach. She stumbled into the bathroom and leaned over the toilet, vomiting uncontrollably.

Tang Ruoyao's eyes widened, and she immediately turned over, looking towards the direction of the door.

The soundproofing in this house was excellent, and unless there was a loud noise from the other side, it was difficult to hear anything. But Tang Ruoyao didn't know why, but there was always an inexplicable intuition guiding her. Just like that night when Qin Yinong had a nightmare and accidentally knocked over a glass of water, she woke up immediately and rushed outside.

Today was the same. There was an indescribable feeling spreading in her heart, constricting it with each beat. She raised her hand and pressed against her chest, furrowing her brows lightly, staring at the dark room door, and listening closely to the sounds from the adjacent room.

Qin Yinong.

Tang Ruoyao threw off the covers, put on a coat, and opened the door, stepping outside.

She paused in her steps when she noticed a faint light seeping through the crack of Qin Yinong's room door. Pressing her ear against the door, she could hear the sound of flushing water from the toilet, accompanied by the uncomfortable retching of a woman.

Tang Ruoyao gazed up at the not-so-thick door, the joints of her fingers curling slightly at her side. She stood there for a long time, lacking the courage to knock.

She wanted to be with Qin Yinong, for a lifetime. She had always been confident that she could bring happiness to her. But now, before reaching a conclusion, things were going against her wishes. Qin Yinong would rather get drunk to the point of unconsciousness than face her.

Was her resolute pursuit the right or wrong choice?

In love, people often feel that they are not good enough, that they can't do enough for the other person, that they are unworthy. Tang Ruoyao had thought the same way at home, but her biggest confidence was that she believed Qin Yinong liked her. And liking someone had no criteria, it was a personal feeling. There was no question of worthiness, only willingness and whether it was worthwhile.

Just as Tang Ruoyao was about to dismiss those negative thoughts, a new problem caught her off guard. What if what she could offer was something that Qin Yinong didn't need at all? In other words, her unwillingness wasn't insincere or pretentious, but truly genuine.

Tang Ruoyao could ignore Qin Yinong's cold words and endure the pain time and time again, forging ahead without hesitation. But she couldn't sit back and watch Qin Yinong suffer, especially when she was the one causing that suffering.

Give up.

A voice echoed in her mind.

Tang Ruoyao lowered her eyelids, clenched her fists, tears swirling in her eyes.

Give up. Can you bear to see her suffer?

The voice spoke again, accompanied by a soft sigh.

Tang Ruoyao gritted her teeth, sniffed, and wiped the tears from her face. But the more she wiped, the more tears flowed, and she couldn't seem to clean them away.

A low sob escaped her throat, and Tang Ruoyao quickly covered her mouth with one hand, hurriedly returning to her room. She leaned against the door, feeling completely drained, slowly sliding down and sitting on the floor. She bit her arm hard with her teeth, suppressing her cries.

Qin Yinong had regained some clarity after vomiting, and the memories deliberately forgotten from the afternoon in the courtyard resurfaced in her mind, playing over and over again. Tang Ruoyao loved her deeply, and Qin Yinong had no doubt that she would do anything she asked without hesitation. Tang Ruoyao loved her passionately, sincerely, devotedly, and selflessly. She prioritized Qin Yinong in everything, but precisely because of that, Qin Yinong couldn't bring herself to face her.

She was destined to be unable to respond to this love. Every promise from Tang Ruoyao, every ounce of genuine affection she offered, felt like a straw of guilt pressing down on Qin Yinong's back, growing heavier and eventually crushing her.

She could give Qin Yinong everything she had, including her body and soul, but her future would never belong to her. That was a belief she had firmly held onto and never wavered from.

Qin Yinong stood up, supporting herself against the toilet, splashing cold water on her face. She placed her hands on the edge of the sink, staring at the woman in the mirror with a numb expression. Her sluggish eyes turned slightly, and she lowered her gaze, noticing the silk nightgown she was wearing, her gaze filled with confusion.

She didn't drink to the point of blacking out, and she remembered the scene before getting drunk very clearly. Guan Han would never change her clothes for her, the only person who could do that was Tang Ruoyao.

Qin Yinong suddenly furrowed her brow.

Does that mean she saw her in this state? What would she think?

Qin Yinong's heart sank continuously.

Would she think that it's her fault?

Qin Yinong's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly rushed outside, forcefully pulling open the door. The corridor was empty, and a gust of wind mixed with drizzling rain blew in through the slightly loose window at the end. Qin Yinong shivered, hunching her shoulders.

She stood in front of Tang Ruoyao's door, her thin lips pursed. She raised her hand and hesitated for a moment before lightly knocking.

Knock—

The sound echoed from the door next to her, and Tang Ruoyao lifted her reddened eyes, listening intently, thinking she might be hallucinating.

Knock—

Another sound.

Qin Yinong lowered her eyelids, lips tightly pressed together. She silently waited for a few seconds, but there was no response. She turned to leave but heard a low, hoarse voice through the door panel, "Who is it?"

Qin Yinong opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She had to clear her throat before managing to utter a single word, "It's me."

Tang Ruoyao pressed her back against the door, trembling almost all over. She forcefully bit down on the back of her hand, suppressing the trembling in her voice and calmly asking, "I was sleeping. What's the matter, Senior Qin?"

Qin Yinong remained silent for a long time, facing the closed door, and asked, "...Did you change my clothes for me?"

"Guan Han asked me to help."

"I came to thank you." Qin Yinong paused and added, "Something happened at home, I'm in a bad mood, and I accidentally got drunk."

"It's just a small favor, no need to thank me."

The voice from inside sounded polite but distant. Qin Yinong dryly continued, "Then go back to sleep, good night."

"Mm, good night."

The sound of footsteps faded away, followed by the sound of the adjacent room's door closing.

Tang Ruoyao released her grip on her lower lip, which she had bitten until it bled, and sat back on the floor, her hands wrapped around her knees.

How coincidental that right after she said those words, something happened at her home, and she got drunk as a way to drown her sorrows. Tang Ruoyao didn't believe such a flimsy excuse for a moment. She came here in the middle of the night to explain, simply because she didn't want Tang Ruoyao to blame herself, further confirming that this whole situation was caused by her.

She looked up, forced a bitter smile, unable to shed any tears. If her love was really a burden for Qin Yinong...

.....

During Tang Ruoyao's leave of absence, Xin Qian, a "left-behind child," stayed alone in the villa. She was as happy as a mouse in a rice jar, waking up to eat, playing after eating, and continuing to sleep when tired. She lived a blissful life with her day and night reversed. On the day Tang Ruoyao returned, she slept in the afternoon, ate a bowl of noodles cooked by Tang Ruoyao in the evening, and went to sleep early with the thought of going to work the next day. However, she woke up even earlier, unable to feel any drowsiness during the late night when she should be sleeping.

The soundproofing on the first floor was not as good as the second floor, and Xin Qian could hear any movement in the living room from her room. She lay in bed and suddenly felt the air becoming cold and eerie. There were furtive footsteps coming from the living room, and it didn't stop for a while.

Barefoot, holding a slipper in her hand, she cautiously opened the door a crack and looked outside.

There stood a tall and graceful figure in front of the refrigerator, looking very familiar. When that person turned around, Xin Qian recognized her even more. She put down the slipper, found another one to wear, and walked out.

"Tang Tang, what are you doing?" She approached and exclaimed in surprise, "Your eyes!"

Tang Ruoyao had two swollen, red eyes and held two ice packs in her hands. It was too late to hide, so she calmly greeted, "You woke up, just in time. Help me apply some cold compress."

Xin Qian hurriedly took them and had her sit on the sofa, gently applying the cold compress while asking, "What happened?"

A chill seeped into her eyelids, and Tang Ruoyao gave a weak hiss, resisting the urge to flinch as she evaded, "I was reading a script and got too into the role."

"Even if you're dedicated, there's no need to go that far. Director Han will definitely scold you if he sees it tomorrow." Xin Qian said, not doubting her explanation at all.

"I know, that's why I'm applying the cold compress, hoping to reduce the swelling by morning." Tang Ruoyao closed her eyes and asked, "Does it look serious to you?" She hadn't cried for long because her fair and tender skin would show it easily.

"It's okay." Xin Qian carefully observed for a moment, "You should be fine after a good night's sleep."

Tang Ruoyao breathed a sigh of relief.

Xin Qian threw the used ice packs into the trash can, clapped her hands, and said, "Alright, go to sleep quickly. If you don't get enough sleep at night, you'll have more than just swollen eyes."

Tang Ruoyao smiled and said, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Xin Qian reminded, "Don't read the script anymore. You won't be able to get up tomorrow."

Tang Ruoyao smiled and agreed.

She struggled to fall asleep, only to be awakened by the alarm clock in the morning. Tang Ruoyao opened her eyes, raised her finger to massage her sore temples, and immediately went to the bathroom. Facing the mirror, she examined her eyes. Apart from her pale complexion and slight signs of fatigue, there was no other problem.

Young people have strong constitutions and quick self-repair abilities. Tang Ruoyao brushed her teeth, freshened up, applied light makeup, and put on some lipstick. With rosy lips and white teeth, she looked radiant, without any signs of weariness.

After finishing her preparations, she habitually left the room door slightly ajar to be able to hear any sounds from the opposite side. Just as she did this, she paused in place, her long eyelashes drooping before she opened the door and went out on her own.

Xin Qian found it strange that she went downstairs alone and looked behind her, asking, "Where's Senior Qin?"

Tang Ruoyao calmly glanced at her without answering.

Xin Qian was observant and understood, so she didn't ask any further.

......

Qin Yinong didn't have the same physical resilience as Tang Ruoyao. Her quality sleep had been disrupted these past few days. Last night, she unexpectedly experienced a hangover and insomnia. It felt as if there was a chisel repeatedly digging into the depths of her mind, causing her pain and tears to well up, making her sway and almost unable to stand.

Guan Han promptly supported her arm in the corridor and whispered, "Miss Yao has already gone downstairs."

What Qin Yinong saw in the corridor happened to coincide with the sight of Tang Ruoyao's back.

Qin Yinong's fingertips pinched her brow, and she fell silent for a long time.

Guan Han continued in a low voice, "You were drunk last night, and I had her change your nightgown for you."

"I know." Qin Yinong replied hoarsely.

Guan Han stared at Qin Yinong's extremely pale face and suddenly felt immense regret. Did she make a wrong decision last night? If she hadn't let Tang Ruoyao see Qin Yinong drunk, maybe they could have remained the same.

"Qin Jie, I..." Guan Han's jaw tightened, she tightly pursed her lips, and an unusual expression appeared on her face. She seemed to have something to say but hesitated.

Qin Yinong seemed to see through her thoughts and said, "It has nothing to do with you." This was something between the two of them that they would have to face sooner or later.

She pulled her arm out of Guan Han's hand and staggered into the bathroom.

Xin Qian received a phone call and said to Tang Ruoyao, "The crew's car is here." Looking at Tang Ruoyao's expressionless face, her voice unintentionally lowered, "Should we go now?"

Tang Ruoyao said, "No, let's wait for Senior Qin."

Xin Qian's eyes showed a hint of confusion.

Tang Ruoyao's emotions on the set were mostly related to Qin Yinong. If she was smiling, it meant that things were going well between them. If she was cold, it meant they had a disagreement. It was clear that they were currently in a disagreement, so why was Tang Ruoyao still waiting for her?

Tang Ruoyao had no intention of explaining, she lowered her head and looked at today's shooting schedule on her phone, occasionally raising her gaze towards the direction of the stairs.

Two sets of footsteps, one light and one heavy, alternately echoed on the wooden staircase.

Tang Ruoyao pressed the screen of her phone, stood up, and slipped her hand into the pocket of her black pants. Her gaze welcomed Qin Yinong step by step as she descended.

Qin Yinong spotted her with just one glance. Her fingers, resting on the handrail, briefly tightened, and there was an imperceptible pause in her footsteps. She walked closer, a gentle and warm smile playing at the corner of her mouth, polite and considerate. "Good morning, Miss Tang."

"Morning." Tang Ruoyao politely replied, her gaze scanning Qin Yinong's face.

The tiredness that couldn't be concealed by makeup made Tang Ruoyao's heart ache suddenly. The hand clenched in her pocket turned white at the fingertips.

"Did Miss Tang have breakfast?"

"I've already eaten."

"My car is waiting outside. See you on the set."

"See you on the set."

The two of them met downstairs, exchanged a few lukewarm greetings, and left the villa one after the other.

Han Yuping had been resting at home for two days and arrived yesterday. He was in a good mood, but when he saw Qin Yinong's face, he couldn't help but tease her, accusing her of being obsessed with her beauty.

Qin Yinong good-naturedly replied, "You're right."

Han Yuping: "???" He asked, "Did something happen to you?"

Qin Yinong smiled and spoke cheerfully, "No, by the way," she said, "Lin Ruohan is coming to visit today. Send someone to the entrance to pick her up."

Han Yuping had worked with Lin Ruohan before and was familiar with her, so he agreed without hesitation.

Speaking of Lin Ruohan, she had a similar temperament to Qin Yinong. They were both stunningly beautiful, able to attract attention in a crowd with just one glance. However, Qin Yinong had a more seductive charm, while Lin Ruohan was known for her beauty, with features that seemed flawlessly crafted by a divine artist.

But when it came to getting to know the two of them more deeply, it was completely different. In Han Yuping's heart, Qin Yinong was like an old dog, always able to leave him speechless with her comebacks. Lin Ruohan, on the other hand, had a sweet mouth, and was much cuter than Qin Yinong.

But Han Yuping still preferred Qin Yinong. No one else could compare to her, not even a single strand of her hair. There was nothing he could do about it; other people's children might be good, but they couldn't compare to his own. After all, he had chosen Qin Yinong first.

After giving this matter some thought, Han Yuping suddenly remembered something and looked behind Qin Yinong, asking in confusion, "Where's Tang Ruoyao?"

"Her car is behind us. She'll be here in a moment."

"She's not coming with you?"

"To avoid suspicion." Qin Yinong said casually.

Han Yuping clicked his tongue and said, "Last time it caused a hot topic, and now you're still avoiding suspicion." He playfully nudged Qin Yinong's arm and lowered his voice, "No wonder you two have been together for so long without any news leaking out. You're always thinking about avoiding suspicion."

Qin Yinong didn't explain herself and simply replied, "Hmm."

"Let me tell you, there's no need to be so cautious," Han Yuping, as Qin Yinong's semi-father figure, had nothing to do and added a few more words, "There are no walls that don't have ears. If you keep hiding and concealing, it will eventually be exposed. It's better to be open about it. As long as you don't give anyone a handle, you can be good sisters outside, holding hands and even kissing. There are plenty of examples of that. No need to avoid suspicion at all."

Qin Yinong gently tugged at the corner of her lips and said, "You sure know a lot."

Han Yuping raised his eyebrows and asked, "Who am I doing all this for?"

Qin Yinong smiled and replied, "For me."

"I'm not just worried about you being alone. It's not easy for you to finally find someone you like and be together." Han Yuping said. He hadn't said it out loud before, but secretly he was worried. He was already in his thirties, not even in a relationship, and a workaholic with no time to spare.

Now that he had Tang Ruoyao, he would give himself some time off, even though the reason was absurd.

"She's here." Han Yuping saw Tang Ruoyao getting out of the car and walking over from a distance. He clapped his hands, straightened his sleeves, and left. "I'll go take care of things, you two talk."

Qin Yinong stood still in her place.

Tang Ruoyao approached and greeted her, "Senior Qin."

"Go do your makeup." Qin Yinong smiled and replied before taking Guan Han to the resting room.

Xin Qian, who was watching from behind, was completely confused. She was on the verge of scratching her head, wondering if they had just argued or not.

Tang Ruoyao sat in front of the dressing table, while the stylist worked on her hair. She spread her palms and looked at the nail marks on her palm, her expression lost, as if she had entered a fog.

She didn't dare to go in, unsure if her retreat was the right choice. She could only grope around in the vast white mist.

She didn't like being in this state, filled with a sense of powerlessness. So she forced herself to temporarily set aside her subjective emotions. Qin Yinong was her love, but love wasn't everything in life. If she couldn't figure it out, then she shouldn't dwell on it and save her energy for other things.

Tang Ruoyao closed her eyes and took a long breath, thinking about the scenes she had to shoot today in her mind.

The honeymoon period didn't have a significant role in the entire film. The shooting schedule was only a little over half a month, and that was already relaxed. With both of them performing exceptionally well, they wouldn't need that much time. Even with the delay of three days, the original shooting schedule would still be slightly tight. There were only a few more scenes left, including the most important bed scene.

Tang Ruoyao was worried that she wouldn't be able to perform perfectly in her current state. Fortunately, she still had two days to find a way to adjust. Han Yuping was right, she couldn't always rely on fully immersing herself in her acting and allowing her off-screen emotions to affect her. She needed to learn to let reason prevail over emotions occasionally. Perhaps she could try experimenting with that approach with Qin Yinong first.

The makeup artist finished the final touches and said, "Alright, Miss Tang."

Tang Ruoyao opened her eyes, her gaze clear. She looked at the makeup artist through the mirror and smiled, her lips curving. "Thank you."

Her eyes were too bright.

The makeup artist inexplicably blushed and whispered, "You're welcome."

Tang Ruoyao arrived at the filming center, and Qin Yinong had already arrived before her. When she saw Tang Ruoyao approaching, she nodded and smiled. Tang Ruoyao returned the smile and raised the script in her hand. "Shall we rehearse?"

Qin Yinong smiled, "Sure."

Both of them put aside the script and walked around while acting out the scene. The emotional involvement in this scene wasn't strict. It was the morning of the second day when their relationship began. Qin Yinong stood by the window wearing a coat, looking into the distance with an expression that revealed she was lost in thought.

Tang Ruoyao rubbed her eyes and woke up, walking over to the bed. She wrapped her arms around Qin Yinong from behind and lightly kissed her cheek, still groggy. "Why are you up so early?"

Qin Yinong tightened the coat around her and said, "I'm watching the morning of this city."

Tang Ruoyao wasn't interested in the city, she was only interested in the woman in her embrace. But since Qin Yinong mentioned it, she took a quick glance and asked, "What did you see?"

Qin Yinong paused for two seconds and said, "It's bustling." In the hazy morning mist, it also felt distant. Standing there, she keenly felt that she was just a passerby in this place.

She also missed her son, Xu Di. She hadn't seen him since she came out here.

But if she mentioned it, Han Zifei wouldn't be happy. He would find it a mood-killer, so she decided not to say anything.

Tang Ruoyao smiled and turned her face to kiss her.

Since it was for the scene, there was no real kissing. Tang Ruoyao just made the motion of a kiss, gradually pushing Qin Yinong against the window. In the awakening city as a witness, she lightly laughed, closed her eyes, and kissed her one true love in this lifetime.

Qin Yinong leaned away after Tang Ruoyao gave her a brief "kiss" and asked, "When are we going back?"

"Do you want to go back?"

"I'm getting a little tired of playing."

Tang Ruoyao's eyes flickered with a hint of disappointment, but she still unconditionally followed the woman's suggestion and gently said, "Then shall we go back tomorrow? I'll go to the station and buy tickets."

However, Qin Yinong changed her mind and said, "Let's stay for two more days."

Tang Ruoyao asked, "Hmm?"

Qin Yinong hesitated and said, "I don't know when we'll get another chance to come out again."

Tang Ruoyao held her hand and brought it to her lips, kissing it while smiling. She promised, "Whenever you want, anytime is fine. We have a lifetime ahead of us, we can take it slow."

.....

After finishing the scene, Tang Ruoyao was still sitting next to Qin Yinong. She said with a rise and fall in her voice, "We agreed on a lifetime, but a year, a day, or even an hour doesn't count as a lifetime!"

Qin Yinong lightly tapped her arm with the script and whispered, "You're quoting lines."

Tang Ruoyao pouted and said, "Don't you think it's appropriate here? You promised me a lifetime, and then you break it right after. Who does that?"

Qin Yinong silently lowered her head and took out her phone, tapping on the screen. Tang Ruoyao leaned over to take a look.

Qin Yinong: [@Chai Chai Chai Ziqiu, come out and get beaten]

Tang Ruoyao followed suit: [Come out and get beaten @Chai Chai Chai Ziqiu]

Chai Ziqiu: [I'm in trouble.]

Chai Ziqiu: [Where are you two in filming?]

Qin Yinong: [Almost done with the honeymoon scene [smile]]

Chai Ziqiu: [Well, I'm going on a business trip recently, probably won't have signal for two or three months, won't be able to see messages.]

After saying that, he disappeared, and no matter how Qin Yinong poked at the screen, he didn't respond.

Tang Ruoyao couldn't help but laugh and cry at the situation.

Han Yuping lifted the megaphone and said, "Actors in position, all departments ready."

Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao stood up and quickly went to their respective places.

"'True Colors,' scene..., take one, action!"

Tang Ruoyao adjusted her emotions, freely controlling her performance. Even offstage, she maintained a certain distance, but on stage, she portrayed the passion of love perfectly. When she was in a good state, Qin Yinong had fewer worries about her and became more relaxed.

The two of them complemented each other, and the scene came to life.

During a kissing scene, Tang Ruoyao got too involved and didn't pay attention while pushing Qin Yinong towards the window. She lost her footing, and both of them uncontrollably fell towards the window sill.

Tang Ruoyao reacted quickly and turned around while holding Qin Yinong, using her back to cushion the impact. There was a muffled sound.

Qin Yinong quickly got up from her embrace and asked, "Are you okay?"

Han Yuping also leaned out from behind the monitor and asked, "Is there a problem?"

Tang Ruoyao raised her hand and tidied Qin Yinong's disheveled hair, saying, "No, sorry, Director Han. Let's do another take."

"Chuckle." A sudden light laugh came from the set.

Tang Ruoyao furrowed her eyebrows slightly and looked in the direction of the laughter. There stood a woman wearing a duckbill cap, with her arms crossed, confidently standing there. She had chestnut-colored long hair that reached her back, a slim waist, and long legs. Her exquisite facial features almost took people's breath away at first glance.

Tang Ruoyao's eyebrows furrowed even deeper.

Qin Yinong said, "...Let's not pay attention to her for now and continue filming."

Tang Ruoyao glanced in Lin Ruohan's direction one last time and focused her mind.

"'True Colors,' scene... one, take two, action!"

With the "rival" present, Tang Ruoyao's fighting spirit multiplied exponentially, and she performed with great enthusiasm.

Han Yuping exclaimed excitedly, "Cut! That's a wrap!"

Qin Yinong's lips stung, Tang Ruoyao had kissed her too forcefully just now. She took the mineral water handed to her by Guan Han, took a shallow sip to ease the discomfort, and then heard footsteps behind her.

Qin Yinong took a few steps away.

Lin Ruohan stomped her foot in anger. "Stop right there!"

Qin Yinong's lips curled up slightly, and she bit the mouth of the mineral water bottle as she turned her head. "What's the matter?"

Lin Ruohan pretended to be angry. "Is there anyone like you? I came to visit your set, and you can't even show me a little enthusiasm?"

Qin Yinong stood still in place.

Lin Ruohan approached her affectionately, embraced her, and took a sniff, intoxicated. "You smell so good."

Tang Ruoyao silently walked over and stood by, her voice cold. "Senior Lin."

Lin Ruohan let go of Qin Yinong and carefully examined her from head to toe, a hint of playfulness in her eyes.

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