CHAPTER 140

Qin Yinong had made up her mind to confront Tang Ruoyao about her excessive immersion in their relationship. Ever since she learned about Tang Ruoyao's tendency to get too deeply involved, she had been secretly planning how to address it. However, in her plan, it definitely didn't involve the extreme emotional outburst of last night, nor would she have said so much to Tang Ruoyao.

Her imagined confrontation was simply having a conversation with Tang Ruoyao, giving her some time to calm down and gradually detach herself from the role she was playing. Then they could reconsider the future of their relationship, hopefully without any fireworks.

But what did she end up saying?

Qin Yinong raised the untouched hand and covered her face with the blanket, letting out a heavy sigh.

Guan Han returned and was taken aback. She pulled down the blanket and the doctor examined Qin Yinong carefully, providing instructions and precautions. Qin Yinong remained absent-minded throughout the process, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts.

Once the doctor finished explaining and left, Guan Han poured a glass of water and carefully moistened Qin Yinong's dry lips with a cotton swab.

Qin Yinong's eyes suddenly twitched, and she asked, "Where's my gift?"

"What gift?" Guan Han asked.

"The small gift bag next to the sofa when I came out last night."

"You just had surgery, don't move around recklessly!" Guan Han pressed down on her anxiously rising shoulder and said, "I'll get it for you."

"You didn't lose it, did you?"

"When have I ever lost your things?" Guan Han looked at her incredulously. It was a stomach surgery, not brain surgery. How could she be so confused? Had she been drinking excessively?

Qin Yinong smiled awkwardly and said, "I was just anxious. I didn't choose my words carefully. Please forgive me."

Because she had gotten herself admitted to the hospital last night, Qin Yinong was now almost at her lowest point, all to avoid a few nagging comments from Guan Han. She let go of her occasional defiance and turned a blind eye to it.

Guan Han retrieved the deep blue gift bag from the suitcase and brought it in front of Qin Yinong, lifting it up and saying, "This one?"

Qin Yinong's eyes suddenly lit up.

She was practically disabled now, so Guan Han offered, "Shall I open it for you?"

Qin Yinong nodded and said, "Okay."

Guan Han noticed how intently Qin Yinong was watching her actions, so she presented it to her as if she were doing an unboxing video, taking care of every detail. Finally, she took out a necklace from inside, with a silver chain and a teardrop-shaped ruby pendant in the center.

Guan Han picked up the necklace and made a puzzled sound, saying, "There's a card inside."

Qin Yinong quickly said, "Don't look!"

It was a card Tang Ruoyao wrote to her alone!

But it was too late. Guan Han had already pinched the card in her hand, unable to read the words clearly, but she saw a lip print in the upper left corner.

Guan Han exclaimed, "!!!"

Impressive, Miss Yao.

Tsk tsk tsk.

Guan Han silently closed the card and, following Qin Yinong's instructions, handed it to her, suppressing the faint smile on her lips.

Qin Yinong carefully read the card, and her face turned red.

Her cheeks were pale after the surgery, but now they were unusually rosy, concealing any signs of illness.

Qin Yinong cleared her throat gently, put the card away, tucked it under the pillow, sighed, and asked, "How is Yao Yao?"

"She's with her roommate."

"Is her face badly injured?"

"It was red when I saw it last night. I don't know how it is today."

"Then..." Qin Yinong unconsciously clenched the bedsheet beneath her with her left hand, "Did she cry a lot?"

Although Qin Yinong was affected by Qin Hongjian and alcohol, her memory was clear. She remembered Tang Ruoyao being rendered speechless by her words, eventually reduced to tears, with her pitiful red eyes, feeling helpless and wronged.

Her heart was being torn apart, inch by inch. Qin Yinong had to let out a gentle breath.

Guan Han thought for a moment and described, "She cried a lot, how could she not? She was like a little abandoned dog waiting outside your door, tears streaming down her face."

Qin Yinong tightly pursed her lips.

"Oh, she asked me to tell you something." Guan Han recounted expressionlessly, devoid of any emotions. "I didn't want to give up on her just like that. I just need time. This is not an excuse. No matter how she treats me in the future, it's the price I have to pay for what I did today. I have no complaints."

Qin Yinong lowered her gaze and remained silent.

Guan Han subtly glanced at the phone placed on the bedside table.

Qin Yinong raised her eyelids and said softly, "Give me the phone."

Guan Han swiftly handed her the phone.

Qin Yinong suddenly thought of something, and the tenderness in her eyes slowly faded, turning into gloom. She didn't take the phone, and asked coldly, "Where is Qin Hongjian?"

This name was too unfamiliar and distant, so unfamiliar that even the astute Guan Han reacted slowly and hesitated for a moment before saying, "I don't know." Wasn't this person completely disappeared from Qin Yinong's world?

Qin Yinong's gaze grew colder. "He called me last night, on my personal phone."

If it weren't for Qin Hongjian, she wouldn't have been so agitated. If she wasn't agitated, she wouldn't have drunk so much alcohol and injured her hand, leading to a series of events spiraling out of control.

Qin Hongjian.

Qin Yinong gritted her teeth as she muttered that name in her heart.

Guan Han's expression became stern, and she said, "I'll have someone investigate."

Qin Yinong said, "Check who he has been in contact with recently. He alone can't get hold of my number."

Guan Han acknowledged and made the call.

Qin Yinong mentally ran through the list of possible enemies, wearing a sarcastic smile. She had too many enemies, and for a while, she couldn't think of anyone who would use Qin Hongjian against her.

But she forced herself to stay calm, sorting through them one by one. The person who knew Qin Hongjian most likely wouldn't be someone she had offended in recent years; it was more likely to be someone from many years ago.

Qin Yinong's gaze shifted to the glass of water beside her, her eyes gradually darkening. There was still half a glass of water left inside, colorless and transparent, seemingly normal. But without drinking it herself, she didn't know if it had been tampered with.

If it was that person...

Qin Yinong shivered suddenly, cold sweat breaking out all over her body.

Guan Han returned and saw that her gradually improving complexion had turned even paler, worse than before. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly asked, "Is something hurting? Should I call the doctor?"

"No." The fear deep in Qin Yinong's eyes hadn't completely dissipated. The psychological impact had taken a toll on her body, causing her pain everywhere. She took a shallow breath and said with difficulty, "Tell the investigators to hurry up, the sooner, the better."

Guan Han's expression turned solemn, and she replied once again with a "good."

Still feeling uneasy, she went to call the doctor because Qin Yinong's complexion was extremely poor, and she had started sweating. The sweat made her appear even paler, as if she could pass out at any moment.

The doctor came over and didn't find anything, but advised Qin Yinong to rest well and not overexert herself. They emphasized that her physical condition was not optimistic, and she was relying on her good foundation to endure it. If it were someone else, they would have been in a terrible state. They recommended taking the opportunity to recuperate for a few months and avoid working in the short term.

Guan Han immediately urged Qin Yinong to sleep, and Qin Yinong didn't bring up the idea of calling Tang Ruoyao again.

She could handle things on her own, but now that Tang Ruoyao was involved, she couldn't let her be in danger. The person who was targeting her might need to think twice, but dealing with just Tang Ruoyao, all they needed to do was move a finger to crush her.

Qin Yinong closed her eyelids, and her heart surged heavily, gripping the bedsheets tightly until her knuckles turned white.

In a daze, she woke up once and saw Guan Han on the phone, standing by the window, speaking softly, making it difficult to hear what she was saying. Exhausted, Qin Yinong fell asleep again.

It had been a long time since she had a good night's sleep. On the hospital bed, she unexpectedly had a complete rest.

When she opened her eyes, it felt like a different world.

The sun outside the window was slanting, and the sky was adorned with a large expanse of evening glow, reflecting a golden and red hue, as beautiful as an ink painting.

"What time is it?" Qin Yinong asked after staring outside for a long time, her voice hoarse from just waking up.

"It's half-past five in the afternoon." Guan Han saw her gazing outside and pulled the curtains wider, allowing the light of the evening glow to pour into the ward, casting a faint golden border on Qin Yinong's face.

She squinted her eyes contentedly, and all the pores on her body seemed to relax.

Guan Han paused for a few seconds and reported, "Miss Yao called twice during the day, and I answered."

"What did she say?" Qin Yinong blocked the sunlight with the back of her hand, her voice low and hoarse.

"She said she loves you." Guan Han wasn't sure about the rest, but she repeated the exact words, "She also said that it's Tang Ruoyao who loves you, not Han Zifei. She made it very clear."

Half of Qin Yinong's face exposed to the outside world tightened into a straight line.

She sighed.

Qin Yinong put her hand down, compromising slightly, and said, "Give me the phone." She had done something wrong, and regardless of anything else, she owed Tang Ruoyao an apology.

.......

Tang Ruoyao and her assistant were in the VIP lounge at the airport. The airport announcement reminded them that boarding for various flights was beginning. Xin Qian brought a small plate of snacks and placed it on the small table in front of Tang Ruoyao.

Tang Ruoyao politely thanked her but didn't touch the snacks. Instead, she occasionally glanced at her phone, which was set to remain lit.

At noon, the four roommates had a meal together and then went to the airport, each heading to their respective cities for work. Tang Ruoyao had the latest flight departure time, remaining until the end.

Naturally, she had plans as well. If things had gone smoothly last night, she intended to take the same flight back to Beijing with Qin Yinong. Now, she was the only one left. She called Guan Han twice during the day, but Guan Han didn't reveal any news about Qin Yinong. Tang Ruoyao wasn't in a panic. Qin Yinong had confessed her feelings from birth to death, and Tang Ruoyao didn't doubt her sincerity. She just regretted not being able to see Qin Yinong in person before leaving. There were some things that could only be conveyed through Guan Han.

Tang Ruoyao was also introverted, and she made sure to speak those words like "I love her" when her roommates were far away, fearing that Wen Shuxian would overhear and tease her until next year.

Guan Han probably thought she had no shame. When Tang Ruoyao spoke with a cold face, Guan Han would smile faintly.

Airport announcement: "Attention, passengers. Boarding for flight MUXXX to the capital has now begun. Please proceed to gate 22 to board the aircraft..."

Tang Ruoyao put her phone in her pocket, pressed the brim of her baseball cap with one hand, and let out a sigh, saying, "Let's go."

Xin Qian picked up her bag and followed behind her.

The VIP passage was quiet, with clear footsteps and echoes bouncing off the corridor walls. The phone vibrated with a buzz, causing Tang Ruoyao's heart to tighten. After taking it out, she closed her eyes for a moment before opening them slightly to look.

Her heartbeat accelerated uncontrollably, and she realized her hand was trembling when she answered the call.

"Hello." Qin Yinong spoke first, her voice lower than usual, lacking the previous gentleness, and sounding a bit weary.

"It's me." Tang Ruoyao stood still in the corridor, watching as one plane after another took off from the airport runway, disappearing into the blue sky.

"I know it's you." Qin Yinong furrowed her brows slightly, biting her lower lip, suddenly unsure of what to say. Away from the influence of movies, neither of them was particularly enthusiastic, especially after their argument last night—more accurately, she had been the one arguing while Tang Ruoyao remained defenseless.

"At least you didn't dial the wrong number." Tang Ruoyao said, sensing the mutual awkwardness between them. She felt that she should liven up the atmosphere, so she asked, "Where are you?"

Almost simultaneously, Qin Yinong said, "I'm sorry."

Both voices were soft, intertwining with each other, making it difficult to distinguish who was speaking.

Immediately, they said in unison, "What did you say?"

Tang Ruoyao cleared her throat and said, "You go first."

Qin Yinong said, "I encountered an unexpected situation last night. I drank too much, so my emotions got out of control. I didn't mean to be so aggressive. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Tang Ruoyao paused for a moment and asked, "Did Guan Han convey the message I asked to pass on to you?"

"Mm."

"Do you believe it?"

"I..." Qin Yinong hesitated in her tone.

Even though she had chosen an extreme method last night, Tang Ruoyao had indeed left. She still remembered Tang Ruoyao's departing figure, and her heart felt like it had been cut by a sharp blade, with the taste of bittersweet blood welling up in her throat.

There was no way to undo what had happened and restore things to how they were before.

Perhaps, as Tang Ruoyao had said, even before Qin Yinong suspected that she had fallen too deeply into the role and only then fell in love, her love for Tang Ruoyao was no longer certain. She was someone with a strong self-defense mechanism, with high walls guarding her heart. It had been difficult for those walls to be cracked open, allowing a sliver of light to shine through. But she suddenly discovered a small shadow within that light and immediately rebuilt her walls.

Even if Qin Hongjian had not appeared, and she hadn't drunk, Qin Yinong wouldn't have believed Tang Ruoyao's immediate answer. She needed Tang Ruoyao to completely separate herself from Han Zifei's identity and prove to her that the person I love is you, and I can weather the storms with you. Originally, they could have peacefully spent this time together, but who knew an accident would happen along the way.

"I understand." Tang Ruoyao expected it.

She had spent three months with Qin Yinong, understanding her better than she understood herself. It just needed time, and she had plenty of that. She had a lifetime to slowly confront her, and when Qin Yinong believed in her, she would see how she would "teach" her.

Tang Ruoyao thought of several "teaching" methods, grinding her teeth inwardly. In her imagination, she had already bitten the woman's cheek several times to vent some frustration. Smiling, she said, "So, where are you now?"

Qin Yinong's heartbeat skipped a beat upon hearing her laughter, and for a moment, she couldn't find her words.

Tang Ruoyao continued, oblivious to her silence, "I'm at the airport, heading back to Beijing."

"Do you have a shoot tomorrow?" Qin Yinong finally responded, a bit slow.

"I have a magazine shoot and an interview."

Xin Qian pointed to her wristwatch, and Tang Ruoyao casually adjusted the cuff of the hand holding the phone, speaking calmly as she walked, "I've been on a retreat for filming for too long. Sister Mu has taken on many projects for me, and I've been busy lately. How about you?"

"I... I think I need to rest for a while." Qin Yinong, being a patient, couldn't work even if she wanted to.

"Take a longer break and quit drinking. It's not good for your health." Tang Ruoyao naturally advised, showing her overflowing concern.

Qin Yinong was taken aback once again. "I know."

Tang Ruoyao took a few quick steps forward, leaving Xin Qian behind. She lowered her voice and said, "Be good."

Her voice was naturally cold and distant, serious in demeanor. When she intentionally lowered her voice, it had a seductive charm that tugged at the heartstrings, creating a sharp contrast.

Qin Yinong's heart itched, and her throat began to feel itchy as well.

She had to clear her throat forcefully, almost aggravating her wound.

Xin Qian approached, and Tang Ruoyao smoothed her jet-black hair, covering the hint of blush at the roots of her ears. She resumed her normal tone and continued, "I've prepared a birthday gift for you, apart from the necklace. Give me an address where I can send it. If you want, I can personally deliver it to you."

Qin Yinong pursed her lips and said, "It's not convenient."

"What's not convenient?"

"Meeting in person." Not to mention the unknown enemy hiding in the shadows, Qin Yinong would never let Tang Ruoyao see her in her current sickly state.

"Then give me the address." Tang Ruoyao insisted.

"..."

Qin Yinong belatedly realized that Tang Ruoyao had rudely given her a simple choice between two options, without even considering a third option for her.

"I'm boarding the plane now." Tang Ruoyao reported her movements, but Qin Yinong remained silent. Tang Ruoyao continued talking to herself, thinking that she could learn a thing or two from Han Zifei's good qualities. Being together with two introverts can make life boring.

"The weather is nice today, with a beautiful sunset. Once I return to the capital, I won't be able to see it anymore. Can you see the sunset from where you are?"

"Mm."

Qin Yinong lifted her gaze and looked outside.

Two people, one in a hospital room and the other in an airplane cabin, shared the view of a sky adorned with colorful clouds.

"I'm going to turn off my phone now." Tang Ruoyao said, and immediately held her breath to capture the sound of the other person's breathing.

After a familiar pause, a voice came through, "Mm."

"I'll really turn it off."

"...Mm."

Tang Ruoyao turned her face and calmly said to Xin Qian, who was sitting beside her, "Cover your ears and turn your face away."

Xin Qian exclaimed in confusion, "Huh?" She obediently covered her ears with her hands and looked out the window on the other side.

Tang Ruoyao was certain that she couldn't hear and moved her thin lips twice, softly uttering two words.

"Miss you."

The low voice came through the receiver as if speaking directly into the ear, close at hand. Qin Yinong's breath hitched, and she couldn't help but grip her phone tightly, her eyes trembling slightly.

After a longer pause, as expected, Tang Ruoyao received another "Mm."

"I'll turn it off now." Tang Ruoyao hung up, activated airplane mode, and the plane began taxiing on the runway.

Xin Qian still maintained her posture of covering her ears. Tang Ruoyao playfully tapped the back of her head with her fingers, and Xin Qian turned back, calmly flipping through a book she had brought on the plane—Ludwig Wittgenstein's biography.

The two-hour flight passed in the blink of an eye, and Tang Ruoyao returned to her long-unvisited residence. The cleaning service had been regularly maintaining it, so the house wasn't too dirty, but it felt empty, lacking vitality.

After taking a shower and lying on the bed, Tang Ruoyao suddenly remembered that this house was bought by Qin Yinong, and she was only temporarily staying here during the contract period, which had now expired. Tang Ruoyao messaged Guan Han, explaining the situation and asking if she should move out.

Guan Han asked for Qin Yinong's opinion, but Qin Yinong seemed to have forgotten about it. She remained silent for a while before saying, "Let her stay for now."

Guan Han replied accordingly.

However, Tang Ruoyao had a different opinion: [Let me find a new place first.]

Qin Yinong furrowed her brow and asked, "Ask her why."

Tang Ruoyao's lips curled slightly as she typed, [We're not related by blood or marriage, so what does it matter if I live here?]

She suddenly had a new idea. With Qin Yinong, who was as slow as a snail, avoiding even seeing her face now, if she followed Qin Yinong's pace, it would take forever to get a response from her. Occasionally, in harmless situations, she could also stimulate her a bit.

Qin Yinong: "..."

Tang Ruoyao: [Without a name or status, it invites criticism. I'll move out once I find a house.]

With those eight words of "Without a name or status, it invites criticism," Tang Ruoyao might as well have hung a banner blatantly telling Qin Yinong: Give me a title!

Tang Ruoyao suddenly realized the benefits of not facing each other. At least she couldn't be so shameless in person. She typed, and Qin Yinong couldn't see her blushing ears or hear her nervous heartbeat.

Tang Ruoyao glanced at the time displayed on her phone screen and typed: [Going to sleep, good night.]

Tomorrow morning, she had to go to the company first, and then she would accompany Mu Qingwu to a magazine photoshoot. Tang Ruoyao mentally went through her schedule, clearing her mind of all distractions, and closed her eyes.

Having grown accustomed to the disciplined life on set, Tang Ruoyao felt a bit uncomfortable when she entered the company. People passing by greeted her, and Tang Ruoyao nodded occasionally while wearing sunglasses, without speaking.

The people in the company were used to it and didn't think she was being arrogant or putting on airs. Two young girls she encountered quietly discussed what was different about her compared to her on-screen image. They were probably new employees who had recently joined the company.

Tang Ruoyao raised her finger and tapped on the door of Mu Qingwu's office.

Mu Qingwu: "Come in."

Tang Ruoyao pushed the door open and entered.

Mu Qingwu looked up from behind the desk, and a smile appeared on her face when she saw Tang Ruoyao. She stood up and walked over, saying, "Why did you come so early?"

Tang Ruoyao took off her sunglasses and handed them to Xin Qian beside her, smiling faintly. "Since there's nothing else to do, I came early."

Mu Qingwu nodded towards the sofa, and Tang Ruoyao sat down.

Mu Qingwu asked, "Tea or coffee?"

Tang Ruoyao replied, "Do you have milk?"

Mu Qingwu paused for a moment, then turned around and smiled. "No, we only have coffee and tea. If you don't want them, you don't have to drink."

Tang Ruoyao also smiled. "Then I'll have coffee."

Freshly ground coffee, steaming with hot vapor, was placed on the coffee table at both ends. Mu Qingwu brought a stack of accumulated scripts, saying, "You can take a look at these first. They're all for you. I still have some work to finish."

"You go ahead."

Tang Ruoyao usually isolates herself on the set, refusing to accept any new roles or reading new scripts. But now, her popularity was rising, and there were quite a few good scripts being handed to her. Some of the production teams even waited specifically for her availability. As a result, the scripts piled up thickly, and these were the ones Mu Qingwu had already filtered through, and there were even more at the beginning.

While working, Mu Qingwu occasionally glanced at Tang Ruoyao, who was quietly flipping through the scripts on the sofa.

Even though Mu Qingwu was Tang Ruoyao's manager, she should have developed some immunity, but at first glance, Tang Ruoyao still amazed her. With her black hair, red lips, fair skin, and bright eyes, she exuded a cool and composed aura, completely contrasting her young age.

Mu Qingwu withdrew her gaze and furrowed her brows suddenly, noticing that Tang Ruoyao was flipping through the scripts at an unusually fast speed.

Unable to help herself, Mu Qingwu spoke up, "You're done already?"

Tang Ruoyao nodded lightly and said, "I don't plan to take any romance films for now." As a young actress, most of the scripts that came her way were of the romantic genre, and she skimmed through them after reading the outline, naturally flipping through them quickly.

"Why?" Mu Qingwu asked casually.

"Just finished shooting one, got tired of it." Tang Ruoyao brushed it off, finding a reasonable excuse.

Before she completely resolved her tendency to develop feelings for her co-stars, she wouldn't take on any more romance films.

"In that case, don't take them. Let's find something else," Mu Qingwu said with a good-natured smile. After being a manager for so many years, she understood the thoughts of actors who had demands for themselves and enjoyed challenging themselves. She had the confidence to choose scripts, and Mu Qingwu wouldn't stop her.

"Do I have a television interview tonight?"

"Yes."

Tang Ruoyao tapped her fingers lightly on the script on her knee and suddenly looked up, saying, "Sister Mu, there's something I want to discuss with you."

Mu Qingwu smiled and asked, "What is it?"

Tang Ruoyao looked at her steadily and said, "I want to go public with my relationship."

Author's Note:

Mu Qingwu: Hair gradually disappearing.jpg

Quiz: Tang Ruoyao, please provide the second line of the couplet —

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