CHAPTER 132

Tang Ruoyao's abacus clattered as she lost herself in the arrangements for the next day's film shoot. Today, her scene was still a tragic one, where she unintentionally learned that Shen Muqing's pregnancy was a lie, and she needed to build up her emotions for it.

When Tang Ruoyao had a brief encounter with Qin Yinong in the lobby on the first floor, they had made a prior agreement that after filming this scene today, Tang Ruoyao had something important to discuss with her.

Something important? Qin Yinong's hand was tucked into her coat pocket as she watched Tang Ruoyao's departing figure, speculating in her mind what she might want to talk about. Nothing significant seemed to have happened recently, right?

"Guan Han."

"Here," Guan Han's heart skipped a beat, thinking that Qin Yinong had heard her impulsive words from the previous night. Immediately, she lowered her eyes and put on a respectful expression.

"Take note of my recent frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption." Qin Yinong instructed.

Guan Han hesitated for two seconds and murmured, "Okay."

"Let's go." Qin Yinong said, and the right hand that was clenched in a fist emerged from her pocket, gently relaxing. On the inner side of her palm, there was a shallow scar, a faded red mark that had scabbed and peeled off.

Qin Yinong sat firmly beside Han Yuping, unaffected by his presence. Han Yuping engaged her in casual conversation, saying, "This is her final crying scene. Just hold on a little longer, and today will be over."

Qin Yinong nodded faintly and said, "I know."

Han Yuping lowered his head to review the storyboard and glanced at her upon hearing her words. He said, "You don't seem to be in high spirits today."

Qin Yinong remained composed and replied, "Can you be in high spirits when your girlfriend is crying like this?"

"True." Han Yuping said, "Then you could just wait for her in the rest area. Isn't torturing yourself to watch this kind of scene? Besides, It won't make much difference if you skip this one or two scenes."

Qin Yinong said, "No, I'm afraid you'll b*lly her."

Han Yuping exclaimed angrily, "I shouldn't have thought that being in a relationship would change you!" A dog is always a dog!

Qin Yinong raised her lips in a smile.

Suddenly, she asked Han Yuping a question, seemingly out of the blue. She said, "Uncle, do you think the family of origin has a significant impact on a person? I wanted to get rid of someone so badly, but in the end, I ended up becoming the person I despised the most."

Han Yuping restrained the urge to light a cigarette and answered solemnly, "It depends on the individual. Some people learn from their family of origin and avoid repeating the mistakes of the previous generation. Others are influenced and shaped by it, unable to escape their upbringing."

Finally, he lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled a smoke ring. With a melancholic tone, he said, "I've never had children in my life because of my father. He had a strong desire for control and was easily angered. When I was a child, I went to pick jujubes with my classmates and happily brought home a bunch of them. He picked up a stick nearby and beat me until I couldn't get up. I harbored resentment in my heart, and as I grew up, I fought back against him. Unknowingly, I developed a temper just as volatile as his, cursing and fighting at the drop of a hat. Later, I met my wife, and she changed me a lot, but I never had the courage to become a father."

Han Yuping clenched his fists, already in his sixties, and when he talked about his childhood, he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions.

Qin Yinong heard this story from him for the first time. She had always thought that Han Yuping didn't have children due to objective physical reasons.

"Do you regret it now?"

"Sometimes, I do regret it." Han Yuping held his cigarette, squinting his eyes, especially when he saw other families with grandchildren and a house full of descendants, while his own was always empty. How could he not envy them?

"But..." He looked at Qin Yì Nóng and suddenly smiled. "Now, don't you exist? When are you and Tang Ruoyao planning to have a child?"

Qin Yinong's eyes subtly dodged, and she said, "How can two women have a child?"

Han Yuping replied, "Why not? With the rapid development of technology nowadays, maybe it's possible. If not, the two of you can adopt a child. I don't care about blood relations."

Qin Yinong thought of Qin Jianing at home. If Han Yuping found out that she had been hiding it from him for so long, he would probably tear her apart.

She evaded the topic, saying, "Well, let's talk about it later. She's still young."

But Han Yuping didn't let her off easily. "She may be young, but you're not. Is your birthday on Children's Day? What gift do you want?"

Qin Yinong said, "You quitting smoking."

Han Yuping immediately retorted, "You quitting drinking."

Qin Yinong quickly said, "Deal."

Han Yuping didn't expect her to agree and was caught off guard. He tried to struggle, saying, "I think we can discuss it further..."

"It's useless what you think." Qin Yinong grabbed his hand and tapped on it. "A gentleman's word is as good as a bound horse."

Han Yuping's face turned ashen.

Seeing Han Yuping's deflated expression, the dark clouds in Qin Yinong's heart dissipated somewhat.

She clenched her fist, feeling a faint pain in the scar on her palm. Along with that mark, Qin Yinong firmly grasped it in her hand, her knuckles turning white.

She was determined not to become Qin Hongjian.

The scene director shouted, "Scene 52, one continuous shot, action!"

Han Yuping said, "Cut." The sound of the chair legs scraping against the floor echoed as he stood up and loudly declared, "It's over."

Tang Ruoyao wiped away her tears and soon came over to find Qin Yinong on her own.

The characters in the movie have been separated for several months. Han Zifei no longer harbors any resentment towards Shen Muqing, and Tang Ruoyao is no longer influenced by her. Outside of the scenes, Qin Yinong deliberately keeps her distance.

"Senior Qin," Tang Ruoyao reluctantly slows down her pace, not rushing over.

"Miss Tang," Qin Yinong nods at her, her eyes containing a hint of familiar tenderness.

Tang Ruoyao almost forgot what she wanted to say to her. Her mind was filled with thoughts of holding hands and hugging. She glanced in the direction of the rest area, intending to make it obvious.

Han Yuping suddenly interjected, "Qin Yinong has a scene to shoot."

Tang Ruoyao said, "Alright, I'll wait here."

Qin Yinong softly said, "You can wait in the rest area too." She and Xu Shiming are all lovey-dovey, but it wouldn't be good if "Han Zifei" got upset.

Tang Ruoyao shook her head, resolutely stating, "I'll stay here and watch."

Qin Yinong couldn't persuade her and compromised, "Okay, if you're uncomfortable, then don't watch."

Tang Ruoyao nodded vigorously.

The current scene being filmed was when Shen Muqing, after she decides not to divorce, Xu Shiming wants her to act like a real couple, but she tactfully refuses with various excuses. One time, she attempted to accept, but unexpectedly had a strong reaction and vomited. Xu Shiming was startled and stared at her with a dangerous look before going outside to smoke, his eyes gloomy.

Shen Muqing sat alone in the room, motionless until dawn.

Han Yuping looked at the towel in Tang Ruoyao's hand, twisted into a ball from who knows where.

Han Yuping said, "Cut."

Qin Yinong and Dai Yongqing, who plays Xu Shiming, politely nodded to each other and walked confidently to the monitor. Seeing Tang Ruoyao's angry expression, unable to contain her laughter, Qin Yinong said, "I told you not to watch."

Tang Ruoyao pouted, "I want to watch." She took the wet towel from Guan Han's hand and carefully wiped the places Dai Yongqing had touched, including her hand.

Dai Yongqing, not far away, had complex emotions when he saw this scene.

Qin Yinong scolded her gently, patting the back of her hand, indicating that she should be careful about the impact she's causing. There are many people on the set, and with your possessive behavior, it will surely lead to gossip.

Tang Ruoyao handed the towel to Qin Yinong, who naturally wiped it off and asked Tang Ruoyao in a low voice, "Is it okay now?"

Tang Ruoyao frowned, "Not yet."

Qin Yinong kindly asked with a smile, "Then what do you want?"

Tang Ruoyao asked Han Yuping, "How much longer until Senior Qin's next scene?"

Han Yuping didn't even lift his head and said, "Half an hour."

Tang Ruoyao pulled Qin Yinong away and in the rest area, she covered all the unfamiliar scent on Qin Yinong's body with her own, reluctantly releasing her frowning brows and said, "It's almost time now."

Qin Yinong joked with her, "If you're so jealous, what will you do in the future if I act in more daring scenes?"

Tang Ruoyao shrugged, "Out of sight, out of mind."

Qin Yinong chuckled.

Tang Ruoyao asked her in return, "What if I were to act in this kind of scene?"

Qin Yinong pondered for a moment and said, "I'll help you see what can be improved."

Tang Ruoyao remained silent and suddenly bit her on the face.

Qin Yinong exclaimed, "Ouch!" She pushed Tang Ruoyao's forehead with her palm, "Why do you keep biting people?"

Tang Ruoyao raised her index finger, correcting her, "I'm not biting people, I'm biting you."

Qin Yinong waved her hand, resigned to her fate.

If the child has good dental health and she likes it, it wouldn't hurt for her to practice more.

Tang Ruoyao leaned over, kissed the spot on her face where she had left shallow tooth marks, and lingered there for a long time. Her long and dense eyelashes fluttered like two small fans, gently brushing over the woman's soft and fair cheek, causing a delicate tickling sensation.

Qin Yinong closed her eyes, suppressing the ticklish feeling, and smiled, "Is it better now?"

"It's better." Tang Ruoyao sat back, holding the woman's hands in both of hers, her eyes soft as she gazed into her dark eyes. She then changed the subject and asked, "Why did you drink so much alcohol the other night?"

Qin Yinong's ring finger on her right hand trembled imperceptibly.

Apart from that, there was no fluctuation in her eyes. She spoke calmly, "How did you know?"

"I ran into Guan Han in the corridor last night." Tang Ruoyao said.

"Did she tell you?" Qin Yinong's gaze gradually turned cold.

"I saw it for myself." Tang Ruoyao stared into her eyes. Now that Guan Han was considered half on her side, she couldn't drag her into this. Pausing for a moment, she defended Guan Han by saying, "You drank so much that she couldn't hide it. Why?"

Qin Yinong remained silent.

"Is it because of me?" Tang Ruoyao pursued.

Qin Yinong's eyes widened slightly.

Tang Ruoyao confirmed, blurting out, "It's because of me, isn't it?" She realized her emotions were getting too intense and quickly restrained herself, lowering her voice by two degrees, and patiently and sincerely said, "If I did something wrong, tell me, and I'll change right away."

Qin Yinong's heart was stirred by her gaze, almost revealing everything, but the instinct to hide regained control. She couldn't be completely honest at this moment, so she compromised and calmly said, "It is indeed related to you, but it's mainly my own issue."

"Hmm?"

Qin Yinong pinched her finger gently, her tone gentle but with a hint of a complaining tone, like a young girl. She said, "Didn't you cry so miserably during the breakup scene and even pushed me away?"

Tang Ruoyao immediately lowered her head in shame.

"I would be unhappy too. It's not something that can be resolved with a few comforting words. After going back, the more I thought about it, the more unhappy I became." Qin Yinong continued, expressing her acting skills to the fullest. She took the initiative to lean into Tang Ruoyao's embrace and said with a low voice, "I couldn't help but open a bottle of alcohol."

Tang Ruoyao felt extremely ashamed, her ears turning red, and she couldn't even lift her head. "I'm sorry."

Qin Yinong said, "I drank because of you, but it had nothing to do with you despite drinking so much."

Tang Ruoyao looked up at her, her gaze filled with confusion.

Qin Yinong smiled slightly, a self-deprecating curve forming at the corner of her lips. "I recently discovered that I have a drinking problem. Because I have a high alcohol tolerance, I don't have a sense of moderation. I just keep drinking one bottle after another."

Tang Ruoyao's lips moved, but Qin Yinong preemptively voiced what was in her heart. She gently held Tang Ruoyao's wrist and bit her lip, saying, "Can you help me quit drinking?"

Tang Ruoyao subconsciously nodded.

Qin Yinong once again leaned into her embrace, and Tang Ruoyao instinctively held her tight.

Her mind felt like it had been drugged by the woman. Qin Yinong's soft words and gentle tone made it impossible for her to find her bearings. Time passed second by second. Outside the rest area, Guan Han came knocking on the door and called Qin Yinong to go film. Tang Ruoyao realized that after she came in, it was mostly Qin Yinong doing the talking. When did she become so talkative?

Qin Yinong stood up, and Tang Ruoyao quickly reached out and grabbed her slender wrist, halting her movement. She struggled to extract a thought from her chaotic mind and asked intermittently, "Why did you ask me if I liked you yesterday?"

Qin Yinong fell silent, only looking deeply into her eyes, conveying a thousand words without uttering a single one.

Tang Ruoyao was familiar with this expression. She knew that Qin Yinong had insecurities and often didn't like to speak up. She needed an abundance of love to surround her, tightly sealed off from any doubts, in order to find a sense of certainty.

Realizing that she had been neglecting her these past few days, she would naturally suspect that it was within reason. So, she sought confirmation through this roundabout method. Tang Ruoyao filled in the missing pieces of the puzzle on her own. To some extent, she guessed half of Qin Yinong's thoughts.

Tang Ruoyao extended her arms and embraced the woman tightly, leaning close to her ear as if making a vow. She said each word with determination, "I like you. I've liked you for a long time, and I will never leave you in this lifetime."

Qin Yinong's heart skipped a beat, and she tightly held Tang Ruoyao's arm.

A lifetime... What?

"A very long one." the woman said softly.

Tang Ruoyao was taken aback. "What do you mean by 'very long'?"

"A lifetime is very long." the woman pursed her lips and explained in a gentle voice.

"A lifetime is indeed long, but a day is short. We should live each day well. When we sit in rocking chairs with gray hair in the future, we will realize that a lifetime is actually short."

"I feel like I'm already growing gray hair now." Qin Yinong said gloomily.

Tang Ruoyao laughed, then her heart ached. She stroked the woman's long hair and said softly, "No, we still have many things to do."

"Like what?" Qin Yinong asked with a lack of interest, feeling that everything was meaningless.

"For example..." Tang Ruoyao's eyes darted around. With a bold face, she whispered in Qin Yinong's ear, "I haven't proposed to you yet."

As soon as she finished speaking, the woman in her arms suddenly stood up, turned her back to Tang Ruoyao, and ran her fingers through her hair. The fair and delicate skin of her earlobes instantly turned red, and she stuttered, unable to complete her sentence. "I... Director Han is urging me. I'll go first."

Tang Ruoyao watched her flee and burst into laughter.

Qin Yinong caught the laughter behind her and stumbled for a moment when she opened the door. Guan Han, who was waiting outside, supported her arm.

Tang Ruoyao raised her voice and asked, "Are you alright?"

Qin Yinong didn't answer and hurried away.

Tang Ruoyao had just said it casually, but a sudden surge of overwhelming emotions completely engulfed her heart. Even her blood seemed to warm up in response.

A proposal?

Tang Ruoyao was carried away by this thought and quickly opened an app on her phone to check her savings, making a rough estimate. Then she opened the official websites of several diamond ring brands. Although Qin Yinong definitely wouldn't accept her proposal right now, it wouldn't hurt to be prepared.

And there was also the matter of a wedding house. A bucket of cold water was poured over Tang Ruoyao's head. With her current savings, she could only afford a three-bedroom apartment in the capital, not even in the most bustling area.

Mu Qingwu's phone vibrated, and she unlocked the screen.

Tang Ruoyao: [After I finish shooting this movie, are there any more endorsements? Is the pay good?]

Mu Qingwu: [???]

Mu Qingwu sent her preliminary endorsement contract to Tang Ruoyao, and Tang Ruoyao used the calculator on her phone to add them up one by one. She barely managed to reach an eight-digit number that didn't start with a "1". Since being taken care of by Qin Yinong, Tang Ruoyao had been following a high-quality route in her career, focusing on artistic films. The pay for movies was not as high as for TV dramas, and unless they were A-list actresses with strong box office appeal, they would only earn a few million for a film, which would still be subject to taxes. Fortunately, Tang Ruoyao didn't have extravagant expenses. With acting and endorsement deals, as well as advertisements, she had managed to save some money over the years. However, it was still far from being enough to buy a decent wedding house.

Tang Ruoyao narrowed her eyes and muttered to herself while looking at the calculator.

......

Qin Yinong didn't immediately go to Han Yuping's place. Instead, she stayed outside for a while, cooling down her face.

Guan Han stood by, keeping her head lowered and staying silent.

Qin Yinong called out her name.

Guan Han responded.

Qin Yinong's expression remained calm as she asked, "Did you say something to Tang Ruoyao last night?"

Guan Han lowered her head and honestly confessed, "Yes."

Qin Yinong asked, "What did you say?"

Guan Han replied, "I only asked her to help you quit drinking. I didn't say anything else."

Qin Yinong placed one hand behind her back and casually said, "There better not be a next time." She let her go.

Guan Han stared at her figure for a moment, feeling like she had just awakened from a dream, and quickly followed after her.

Was this a reconciliation?

On the surface, it seemed so. After all, Tang Ruoyao hadn't had any emotionally intense scenes since then, and Han Zifei hadn't seen Shen Muqing again. She kept that person in her memories, forever deeply in love and missed. Tang Ruoyao and Qin Yinong naturally wouldn't have any conflicts because of this incident.

Qin Yinong's plan to quit drinking wasn't on the agenda for now. Habits formed over the years were difficult to change. She was used to using alcohol as a tonic, and suddenly stopping made her feel listless. She couldn't fully invest herself in acting with a hundred percent energy. She planned to wait until the film was completed and then come up with a detailed plan.

May 22nd was Tang Ruoyao's last day of filming. It was a significant event when the lead actor finished filming, and there were more people on set than usual. Even the big shots who usually didn't show up were there, creating a lively atmosphere.

Tang Ruoyao sat in a corner with the script, completely focused on preparing for her final scene on the set.

Qin Yinong watched from a distance without approaching.

Her palms were slightly sweaty, and she had never been nervous about finishing her own scenes, but when Tang Ruoyao finished filming, her heart pounded. Han Yuping tapped her arm with the booklet in her hand and said, "What are you standing here for? Shoot your scenes first."

Qin Yinong let out a sigh and said, "Coming." She glanced back at Tang Ruoyao one last time.

"Scene 55 of 'True Colors,' one continuous shot, action!"

Shen Muqing was correcting assignments in her office when her steady red pen unexpectedly fell to the ground. She bent down to pick it up, but a strange chill passed through her heart, and an ominous feeling enveloped her in an instant.

"Teacher Shen?" a colleague beside her called out.Shen Muqing snapped out of her daze and stood up straight, hesitated for a second, and said, "It's nothing."

She looked down at the words on the workbook, but couldn't focus on a single word. She had a sense that something was about to happen.

......

As Tang Ruoyao walked up, she raised her fist confidently towards Qin Yinong. Qin Yinong responded with a smile and mouthed, "Good luck."

She didn't say it out loud, but the crew on set shouted in unison, "Teacher Tang, good luck!"

Tang Ruoyao smiled back at them one by one.Han Yuping reminded in a stern tone, "Everyone, be quiet." What should they do about Tang Ruoyao's emotions being affected?

The clapperboard sound was more exciting than usual. "Scene 56 of 'True Colors,' take one, action!"

On the flight back from Mexico, the wings of the plane cut through dense dark clouds, and the visibility was frighteningly low. The plane flew steadily in the stratosphere.

Han Zifei sat in the window seat, holding a butterfly specimen in his palm. Her slender white fingers gently caressed the surface, and she gently pressed the specimen against her chest.

A sudden turbulence caused screams to echo through the cabin.

The internal broadcast announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, our aircraft is experiencing moderate turbulence due to air currents. Please remain calm and stay seated with your seat belts fastened. Passengers using the restroom, please hold onto the handrails securely, and passengers with children, please attend to them."

Han Zifei had flown many times before. She had already secured a job and took a trip to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico before starting work. Now, she was on her way back.

The calm voice of the flight attendant calmed the cabin, and everyone returned to their seats and fastened their seat belts.

Han Zifei carefully placed the butterfly specimen into the pocket inside her clothes and pressed against it through the fabric to prevent it from falling to the ground in case of sudden turbulence.

The plane continued to shake, unsettling the passengers. Amidst the quiet voices, there was a hint of disturbance. "Why isn't it over yet?" "Where are we?"

The flight attendant tried her best to calm down a few agitated passengers. Suddenly, a terrified scream rang out, and the lights in the cabin flickered on and off, flashing simultaneously. With a loud "whoosh," all the oxygen masks automatically dropped in front of everyone!

Even the most clueless person could tell what was happening now—it was a plane crash!

Something that was usually seen only on the news was happening right in front of them! The timid ones burst into tears. The atmosphere was chaotic, with people clamoring for the crew to explain.

The broadcast sounded again, "We are attempting an emergency landing. Please put on your oxygen masks and remain calm."

The shaking aircraft, the flickering lights, the wailing people—everyone on board was hanging by a thread. The crew's comforting words were pale and feeble. The grim reaper, wielding the scythe of death, was relentlessly closing in. Chaos and panic spread rapidly, and cries merged together.

"I don't want to die!"

"My wife and children are waiting for me at home. My child just turned one!"

"Help! Someone save us..."

Han Zifei quietly gazed at the chaotic scene, struggling in the turbulent cabin. She took out a piece of paper and a pen from her pocket, using her palm as support, and wrote a few words, a farewell letter.

To Shen Muqing:

The aircraft shook violently, and the distorted words on the paper were barely recognizable. Tears suddenly fell from Han Zifei's eyes.

The flight attendants reminded each passenger to place their hands on the seatbacks in front of them to brace for impact. Han Zifei wiped her eyes and continued to write, tears streaming down her face:

Be happy.

She could no longer see the words on the paper clearly, so she drew a crude smiley face from memory and placed the butterfly specimen and the letter together, tucking them into a metal water bottle.

Having completed all this, Han Zifei gently curved her lips, closed her eyes with a smile, and descended into eternal darkness.

The plane crashed into the sea, and flames soared into the sky.

.....

"Cut!"

"Congratulations, Teacher Tang! You've successfully wrapped up!"

Author's Note:

Pomegranate (Guest Reporter Interview): It's a wrap! Does anyone have anything they want to say to Teacher Tang (Han Zifei)?

Please leave a comment—One lucky viewer will be selected to receive [Tang Ruoyao's Embrace] x1.

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