CHAPTER 135

"...Senior Qin." Tang Ruoyao was slightly stunned when she saw Qin Yinong approaching from the other side and greeted her.

Qin Yinong observed her reaction and didn't say much, simply nodding her head lightly.

Without Tang Ruoyao needing to say anything, the presence of Qin Yinong's luxurious assistant team and her ability to draw attention naturally caused the staff members surrounding the other three people from the 405 dormitory to gradually quiet down and disperse, restoring the normal order on the set.

The trio of Wen Shuxian, Fu Yujun, and Cui Jiaran, who had just been the center of attention, became nervous when they saw Qin Yinong. They fidgeted like elementary school students. Even the eloquent Wen Shuxian seemed to have lost her words and couldn't bring herself to speak.

It wasn't that they were afraid, but this was Qin Yinong! A living, breathing person! Although they had seen her up close at the graduation ceremony, seeing Qin Yinong in person was always astonishing!

Her delicate face could be described as fragile, her skin radiantly fair. She had a tall figure that could carry elegant dresses and exude a fresh and youthful charm. Moreover, she could portray a multitude of characters.

Due to the nature of the film "True Colors," the publicity had been low-key. They hadn't even released any official still photo for such a long time. Wen Shuxian had a rough idea of the story from Tang Ruoyao but couldn't quite imagine what Qin Yinong would look like as a gentle and virtuous teacher. However, now that they had come face to face, her heart suddenly lit up, just like that.

Qin Yinong was about to start filming, so she had already done her makeup and was wearing Shen Muqing's costume. Her features were stunning, with the makeup balancing the vibrant aspects and leaving only the beauty, making her look more subtle. Her peach blossom eyes were slightly upturned, but unlike in some of her previous films where she appeared passionate and alluring, her gaze now was gentle and clear, like a pure and pristine snow lotus on a high mountain, leaving no room for impure thoughts.

Could one person's gaze change so effortlessly to this extent? Clearly, it was the same pair of eyes, but what kind of performance level was this?

Wen Shuxian suddenly froze, gaining a clearer understanding of her own limited acting skills.

Fu Yujun was the first to regain composure and called out, "Senior."

Cui Jiaran and Wen Shuxian followed suit, stuttering, "Hello, senior."

Qin Yinong sat in the chair that Guan Han had moved for her, looking at the three young girls in front of her who all lowered their heads in unison. She gently asked, "Are you Tang Ruoyao's roommates?"

Fu Yujun lifted her head and replied, "Yes."

Qin Yinong made a sound of understanding and spoke with a reminiscent tone, "Did we meet last year?"

Fu Yujun discreetly breathed a sigh of relief, pinching the trembling fingertips behind her back due to nervousness. She said, "Yes, senior. Your memory is impressive."

Qin Yinong smiled and said, "You all have a good relationship in the dormitory, coming all this way to visit."

Fu Yujun smiled gracefully and said, "I wanted to get together, and this is the perfect opportunity."

Qin Yinong noticed her tensed body language but didn't mention it. After exchanging a few casual words, she said, "I still have a scene to shoot. You can chat among yourselves. We'll catch up when we have the chance."

"Excuse me." She smiled at the others and gracefully walked away.

Wen Shuxian stared blankly at the woman's figure, unable to snap out of her daze. She murmured, "What does 'catch up when we have the chance' mean?" What did she do to deserve Qin Yinong wanting to have another conversation with her? Did she stumble upon a hidden treasure?

Cui Jiaran replied, "It's just a polite way of showing courtesy. Don't overthink it."

Wen Shuxian said, "But why did she come over and talk to us in the first place?"

Cui Jiaran followed her train of thought and became confused too. "Yeah, why?"

Fu Yujun, the only one who understood the truth, was wiping the sweat from her palms. No matter how knowledgeable and experienced she was, she was still a rookie actress who had just graduated a year ago. Just standing in front of Qin Yinong was enough to make her nervous and her heart race, let alone having a direct conversation with her.

Especially when Qin Yinong spoke so gently, with soft and delicate words, as if afraid of scaring them. Although her presence itself was already tremendous pressure.

Was it a case of loving the house as well as the crow? [Its means if you love someone, you should accept everything and everyone that the person loves.]

Fu Yujun looked at the "house" next to her, but Tang Ruoyao seemed absent-minded. Fu Yujun nudged her elbow lightly and teased, "She's been gone for so long, and you're still staring?"

Tang Ruoyao snapped back to reality and instinctively retorted, "I wasn't."

"What were you doing then?"

"I wasn't..." Tang Ruoyao swallowed the rest of her sentence. She wasn't looking at Qin Yinong, she was looking at Shen Muqing. Today, for some reason, when Qin Yinong approached, she had taken on the demeanor of Shen Muqing, her makeup, her costume, and even her gaze.

In that split second when Tang Ruoyao's gaze met hers, she almost blurted out the name "Shen." Wasn't Qin Yinong always able to separate reality from fiction so clearly? Why did she suddenly, just like Tang Ruoyao, bring her character from the film into real life?

Was it because of the ending of the film, so she decided to immerse herself in it early on to deliver a better performance?

"Tang Tang."

"Yeah?" Tang Ruoyao tilted her head.

"Why are you so absent-minded?" Fu Yujun asked.

"It's nothing." Tang Ruoyao walked back to her seat, opened a bottle of water, and took a sip.

Fu Yujun glanced at Wen Shuxian and Cui Jiaran, who were already discussing the conclusion that "Qin Yinong took the initiative to talk because of Tang Ruoyao's influence," and shook her head, smiling. "When do you plan to tell them?"

Tang Ruoyao followed her gaze and absentmindedly squeezed the mineral water bottle in her hand, looking down and saying, "Let's talk about it later."

Her mood suddenly became low, unable to express the reason.

Fu Yujun paused for a moment, pursed her lips, and didn't ask further.

The two of them looked in different directions, both remaining silent. Wen Shuxian came over and sat next to Tang Ruoyao, asking, "Tang Tang, are you close to Qin Yinong?"

Tang Ruoyao perked up and smiled, "Why do you ask?"

But Wen Shuxian suddenly hesitated, "You..."

Tang Ruoyao inexplicably stopped smiling and became a little nervous, asking, "What's wrong?"

Wen Shuxian patted her chest and said, "It's nothing, I just feel a little flustered seeing you smile so much today."

"Do I smile a lot?" Tang Ruoyao lifted her hand and pinched her cheeks.

Cui Jiaran, for once, stood on the same side as Wen Shuxian, "Yeah, every time someone talks to you, you smile and even show your little white teeth. You've become much more cheerful."

Once Tang Ruoyao realized, she explained, "That's because of the character I'm playing, she has an outgoing personality."

Both of them made a "got it" gesture in unison.

Tang Ruoyao had been spending all her time with Qin Yinong on the set, to the point where she almost forgot what she used to be like. She jokingly asked, "So how should I respond when you guys talked to me before?"

Wen Shuxian and Cui Jiaran did an impromptu reenactment.

Wen Shuxian: "Tang Tang."

Cui Jiaran didn't even lift her eyelids: "Hmm."

Wen Shuxian asked, "Are you close to Qin Yinong?"

Cui Jiaran raised her eyelids, indifferently saying, "Do you have nothing better to do?" After a brief pause, she continued, "Why do you ask?" with a cold temperament.

Wen Shuxian and Cui Jiaran high-fived and turned their faces towards her, saying in unison, "That's how you should respond."

Fu Yujun's lips curled up slightly.

Tang Ruoyao laughed along, "Well, I have indeed changed a lot."

Taking advantage of her current lack of aloofness and her incredibly good mood, Wen Shuxian came over and pinched her face, saying, "This way is not bad either, approachable and likable by many."

The first sentence was okay, but as soon as Tang Ruoyao heard the second sentence, she immediately shook her head and said, "Forget it."

She still wanted to maintain a little distance. As long as Qin Yinong liked her, she didn't want to attract other suitors.

Wen Shuxian: "Why? What's the reason?"

Cui Jiaran also came over and pinched Tang Ruoyao's face. Tang Ruoyao didn't say anything. Fu Yujun smiled and said, "Are you two done?" She also reached out and pinched her, feeling the smoothness. Tang Ruoyao being so soft is a rare sight, so she couldn't resist pinching her. Who wouldn't want to pinch such a soft person?

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

Seeing her bewildered expression, Wen Shuxian exclaimed, "So cute, I want to pinch." Both of her hands reached out at the same time.

Tang Ruoyao could only temporarily act like her usual self and shot her a cold glare.

Wen Shuxian sheepishly retracted her hands.

Tang Ruoyao stood up and said, "I'm going to watch Senior Qin film. Do you want to come?" Today's scenes were relatively "gentle," and "Han Zifei" wasn't afraid of being stimulated.

Naturally, the three of them would go together.

They put on their hats and masks again and, since Tang Ruoyao was the lead actress, managed to find a good spot to watch.

The scene being filmed was at a crossroads, with a large area cordoned off. There were many extras, and the on-site coordination was orderly. The camera arms and tracks were all ready. Shen Muqing, played by Qin Yinong, sat in an inconspicuous corner, whispering to the assistant while waiting for the instructions for Han Yuping, the actor, to take his position.

Han Yuping picked up the loudspeaker and cleared his throat.

The whole set fell silent.

Han Yuping: "All departments are ready, actors prepare."

The script supervisor loudly clapped the slate and said, "Scene 70, take one, action!"

Shen Muqing and her husband Xu Shiming had agreed to divorce. Despite their parents' opposition, Shen Muqing moved alone to the small town they had once traveled together and opened a flower shop.

The town had a simple and hospitable atmosphere, and Shen Muqing found an unprecedented sense of belonging here. She went out early and came back late, managing shipments and getting supplies. She met many new people and even hired a shop assistant. She walked the streets they had once walked together countless times, and at first, she would cry without warning, tears streaming down her face. But after some time, she stopped crying. Time was the best medicine for healing wounds. However, occasionally, she would suddenly stop and look at her empty right palm, missing the warmth of holding hands with someone else.

Then she would close her eyes and open them again, heading towards the path back home.

It was an ordinary day, a normal morning, during the peak hours of going to work. The usually leisurely small town now appeared bustling and crowded.

The traffic light turned green.

Cars stopped for pedestrians.

Recently, the temperature dropped. Shen Muqing was wearing a white turtleneck sweater with a red scarf wrapped around her neck. She wore black slim-fit trousers and a pair of sheepskin ankle boots. The soles of her boots stepped on the zebra crossing, making a crisp sound.

On this side of the road, there was a huge phoenix tree, and its dense branches cast mottled shadows, dividing the zebra crossing into light and dark. Shen Muqing walked in the shadow and suddenly turned her head as if sensing something.

She froze in an instant, her eyes wide open.

Underneath that phoenix tree, in the shadiest spot, stood the figure that haunted her dreams.

She almost wanted to rush back immediately, but her feet were deeply rooted in place.

People flowed by, and the traffic was heavy.

The two of them silently faced each other across mountains and seas, darkness and light.

Han Zifei stood under the tree, smiling and waving at her.

Shen Muqing smiled through her tears.

She didn't say anything, but Shen Muqing understood her meaning.

—Keep moving forward, don't look back.

Shen Muqing took one last deep look at her, took a step forward, and bathed in the sunlight.

Beep, beep, beep—

The countdown for the green light started, and Shen Muqing felt like she had ended a long-lasting ringing in her ears. The rushing sound of reality rushed towards her urgently. She took a few quick steps and swiftly made it onto the pedestrian walkway across the road. She didn't look back again but walked confidently and without hesitation into the sunlight.

A gentle breeze brushed through her dark hair, lifting a corner of the red scarf, gradually fading away into the distance at the end of the street under the sunlight.

.....

Han Yuping: "Cut."

Qin Yinong raised her hand and combed through her hair. She walked back from the road and asked, "How was it?"

Han Yuping frowned and said, "We need to adjust the lighting. Also," he pointed to the last shot, "when you walk, try tucking your hair behind your ear. I want to see the effect."

Qin Yinong replied, "Sure, is there anything else that needs to be changed"

Han Yuping couldn't pinpoint any for now and said, "You can continue acting for now, and I'll take a look."

Qin Yinong agreed, "Okay."

Han Yuping asked, "Can I have a smoke break?" He coughed and felt uneasy. There's always pressure in this line of work, and smoking helps relieve it. However, Qin Yinong strictly limited him to no more than two cigarettes a day.

Qin Yinong asked Han Yuping, "Did you secretly smoke after work?"

Han Yuping guiltily avoided eye contact.

Qin Yinong took out a box of cigarettes that Han Yuping had reluctantly handed over earlier in the morning and placed it on the table. She chuckled and said, "Go ahead and smoke. Indulge yourself for the day. But after today, you better quit smoking honestly."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." Han Yuping saw that she didn't scold him for smoking and quickly lit one up. He took a deep drag, feeling revitalized, and exhaled a smoke ring. Suddenly, he realized something and asked, "Wait, you told me that you'll quit drinking. Have you been secretly drinking too?"

Qin Yinong had a thicker-skin than him and was more skilled in acting. Without changing her expression, she replied, "Do you think I'm you?" Then she added impatiently, "Why so much nonsense? Smoke or don't smoke, if you don't, I'll take it away."

Han Yuping hurriedly rushed over, using his body to shield the cigarettes.

Qin Yinong sneered and left.

Guan Han, who was following her, sighed silently. She had almost emptied the liquor cabinet. If they didn't finish shooting today, she would end up in the hospital tomorrow.

.....

The solo shot of Tang Ruoyao in this scene had already been filmed, so when Qin Yinong was performing, she was looking at an empty spot under the tree. Wen Shuxian didn't dare to interrupt during the filming, but now that they were reorganizing the scene, she whispered, "Was Qin Yinong looking at you just now? Oh? Why are your eyes red?"

Tang Ruoyao held back her tears and said, "I felt a bit sad watching Senior Qin's performance."

Wen Shuxian didn't doubt her words: "I felt sad too, but I didn't cry. I didn't expect you to be even more emotional than me, hahaha."

The other roommates had seen Tang Ruoyao's movie, but they hadn't necessarily seen her interviews, and even if they did, they wouldn't think too deeply about it. They were busy with their own affairs and didn't have the extra energy to pay attention to everyone's interviews. Besides, their relationship was such that it was better to have face-to-face conversations than watching interviews. While Tang Ruoyao was discussing acting methods with a few people, she mentioned that she immersed herself in the role like this, but she never mentioned the fact that she could develop real emotions and completely become the character in the movie.

So when she said that, even the usually perceptive Fu Yujun didn't suspect anything. She only thought, "The character Tang Ruoyao plays this time is really emotional, completely different from before. I should also choose more challenging roles to act."

When Wen Shuxian and Cui Jiaran weren't paying attention, Fu Yujun leaned close to Tang Ruoyao and whispered, "Why don't you go and see Qin Yinong?"

If she remembered correctly, Tang Ruoyao hadn't actively approached Qin Yinong since they arrived. Qin Yinong didn't seem busy either. After talking to Han Yuping, she was alone and didn't even have the script in her hand.

Tang Ruoyao was taken aback and shook her head.

Fu Yujun asked, "Are you avoiding her?"

Tang Ruoyao still shook her head.

Fu Yujun said, "But she was looking at you."

Tang Ruoyao raised her lowered eyes and asked, "What did you say?"

Fu Yujun raised her chin in Qin Yinong's direction and said, "She just looked at you."

Tang Ruoyao asked, "Are you sure?"

Fu Yujun gave her a very certain look and nodded earnestly twice. She was sensitive to such things and wouldn't mistake it.

Tang Ruoyao felt a surge of energy like a shot of adrenaline. "Then I'll go."

Fu Yujun encouraged her with a pat on the shoulder.

Qin Yinong had her eyes lowered, lost in thought, and didn't notice the figure silently approaching from behind. Guan Han was about to call out to Qin Yinong, but Tang Ruoyao quickly made a "shh" gesture to her and hurriedly clasped her hands together, barely getting Guan Han to turn a blind eye.

"Senior Qin!" Tang Ruoyao squatted in front of Qin Yinong like a large fluffy dog and suddenly spoke up.

Qin Yinong was slightly startled by her soft voice. Her shoulder made a slight shrinking motion. Before Tang Ruoyao could apologize, Qin Yinong reached out and ruffled her head, smiling and saying, "Why aren't you sitting on the perfectly good chair? Why are you squatting on the ground?"

Tang Ruoyao sat down on a low stool beside her and suddenly laughed, saying, "I don't know. I just wanted to come over and talk to you for a while, but I don't know why I ended up squatting."

Qin Yinong knew why she was like this, a trace of melancholy flashed through her eyes, too quick to catch. She asked with a warm smile, "Done chatting with your roommates?"

Tang Ruoyao said, "Not yet, we'll talk later. They still have a wrap-up dinner to attend tonight." Being with Qin Yinong was more important right now. Even if they were together, the entertainment industry kept them apart most of the time. Days like these, where they could be together day and night, were rare. They had to make the most of each day.

Qin Yinong looked at her clear and bright eyes, which had become even more radiant lately. Her spirit and vitality were completely different from when she first joined the crew. She lost herself in thought for a while, her heart filled with mixed emotions, before finally asking, "What did you just say?"

"I didn't say anything." A faint blush appeared on Tang Ruoyao's cheeks, and she whispered, "It's just that you've been looking at me."

"Have I?" Qin Yinong suppressed the dull pain in her heart. Without waiting for Tang Ruoyao's reply, she smiled and said, "Yes."

Tang Ruoyao's face turned even redder.

"Are you reading the script?" Tang Ruoyao urged her.

"There are no lines in the script, so what should I read?" Qin Yinong playfully stared at her blushing ears.

"I mean, prepare your emotions."

"I've already prepared them. I can use them anytime." Qin Yinong's smile deepened at the corner of her lips.

Tang Ruoyao lost the game step by step, being teased by Qin Yinong to the point where her face turned red. Suddenly, Han Yuping exclaimed, "Actors, get ready!" Saving her from embarrassment, Tang Ruoyao felt as if she had been granted amnesty. Qin Yinong stood up and gently patted her head, saying, "Wait for me."

Tang Ruoyao obediently sat on the low stool, patiently waiting for Qin Yinong to return.

"Scene 70, take 2, action!"

"Cut!"

The crowd went from silence to noise once again. Tang Ruoyao suddenly realized that the scene had already been filmed, and she hadn't seen anything. She quickly stood up and happened to see a woman walking over.

Qin Yinong naturally ruffled her head again and said, "You're really well-behaved."

Besides when her father used to pat her head when she was a child, Tang Ruoyao hadn't experienced this since she grew up, except in movies. But Qin Yinong seemed to enjoy rubbing her head lately. The frequency was almost deliberate, as if she was trying to confirm something.

Tang Ruoyao held a strand of her long hair in her hand and quietly sniffed it while Qin Yinong was drinking water, finding that it wasn't oily and smelled nice. Recently, she hadn't been filming, had a regular routine, and washed her hair every day.

Qin Yinong asked, "What are you doing?"

Tang Ruoyao nonchalantly put down her hair and said, "Nothing." After a two-second pause, she casually brought it up, "What scent of shampoo does Senior Qin like?"

Without hesitation, Qin Yinong replied, "The scent you use."

Guan Han: "!!!"

She couldn't even ship them anymore. She felt that Qin Yinong had taken the wrong medicine or had drunk fake alcohol.

Tang Ruoyao choked.

Had Qin Yinong secretly studied some kind of romantic lines handbook recently? Why did they come out of her mouth so easily? Didn't she consider Tang Ruoyao's psychological endurance?!

Seeing her unfavorable reaction, Qin Yinong's lips twitched, and she awkwardly tried to remedy the situation, saying, "...What was it?"

Tang Ruoyao connected it to the context and answered, "Grapefruit."

Qin Yinong's eyes and eyebrows curved as she said, "No wonder it smells so good."

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

If an ordinary person said that, Tang Ruoyao might find it exaggerated, but who was Qin Yinong? Not only was she the person Tang Ruoyao liked, but she was also a textbook on acting. No matter how exaggerated her words were, they were sincere and genuine.

While Tang Ruoyao was ecstatic, she didn't ignore the sudden strange feeling. Qin Yinong was definitely hiding something from her, and it wasn't something trivial.

But now she can't bring her to the rest area to ask her clearly. After the scene is filmed, everyone will take photos together and then rush to the hotel for the wrap-up banquet. In the end, the only time she'll have to talk to Qin Yinong alone is after the banquet.

The last scene in the script is an empty shot, a 'landscape shot' without any characters appearing. It is filmed in a corner of Shen Muqing's room, with Qin Yinong's voice acting.

"Scene 73, take one, action!"

The breeze lifted a corner of the sheer window curtains, and a string of wind chimes hanging on the bookshelf jingled.

The camera moved forward, revealing a vase with pale yellow wildflowers on the corner of the table. An open notebook lay on the table, its yellowed pages turned one by one, recording the woman's elegant and graceful fountain pen handwriting since she moved to the small town in 2002...

August 9th, 2003, saw a beautiful dress while shopping, wanted to wear it to show you, but missed the season to wear it forever.

March 6th, 2004, woke up from a dream in the middle of the night, finally cried bitterly.

July 4th, 2005, every time I hear the sound of airplanes in the sky, I stop what I'm doing, go out and look up at the sky for a long time. I always feel like you're on that plane, freely traveling to any corner of the world.

The sound of the wind grew stronger, and the diary pages flipped faster.

...

November 3rd, 2010, I met a girl.

A ray of sunlight shone on these lines in the diary, slowly moved away, and illuminated the butterfly specimen next to it. The wings were delicate and lifelike, then it moved to the exquisitely framed photo of Han Ziping's farewell letter.

— Be happy.

Next to that slightly comical smiley face, another newly drawn smiley face appeared.

The frame froze.

Fades out.

Han Yuping's raised hand clenched into a fist and fell, "Cut!"

Let life regains its true colors. "True Colors" started filming at the end of February 2019 and finally wrapped up on May 28th, lasting for three months.

Author's Note:

"True Colors" has wrapped up. Does anyone have anything to say to the crew? Anyone is welcome, including the actors themselves. Examples include Shen Muqing (Sister Qin), Han Zifei (Tang Ruoyao), Han Yuping, Chai Ziqiu, as well as the sound recording microphone, lighting crew, and others."

There's a chance to get the main character to flip the card and answer! Don't miss the opportunity when it comes!

It's the end of the month! Time to water the nutrient solution! Otherwise, it will expire!

PS: Due to the theme of same-sex content, "True Colors" cannot be released nationwide (unless there are new developments that allow it, knowing how unpredictable the entertainment industry can be). After all, Lychee is not a real director, so mistakes are excusable. For the empty shot ending, Senior Qin's voice acting should be done in dubbing, not live recording. So I'll directly write the ending of the last scene here. I wish I could directly implant the images in my mind into yours. Let me briefly describe it. The lines from the diary are spoken in Sister Qin's voice, with the last line rising, full of hope. The film's soundtrack plays, bringing tears and laughter to the audience. Here, I recommend the radio drama "One-Minute Guide to Doxxing" (the name sounds strange, but you have to listen to the ending, it's super sweet). It was the inspiration for the ending of the "True Colors" movie. I also prepared an Easter egg, but whether it will have a chance to be aired in the future is uncertain. (Probably not.)

PPS: Let me say it again, I'm not a real director. I'm just making up these words based on my memory. (No, not really.) I don't even know where I gathered so much knowledge about the entertainment industry. I usually pay attention to it when I come across it, especially behind the scenes. I find filmmaking very interesting, even though I'm not an actor or director. But I can write!

PPPS: I mentioned it before, but let me mention it again. It's the end of the month, time to water the nutrient solution, or else it will expire!

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