CHAPTER 157

Xisi Studio has closed its doors, along with the well-known gossip and celebrity-chasing account, @Zhang Xisi Xisi Studio Official Weibo account. Overnight, the account disappeared, causing a flurry of discussions among netizens. Meanwhile, new marketing accounts kept getting banned, including some with millions of followers. By 8 p.m. that day, a total of seventeen accounts had been banned, triggering a chain reaction.

On that day, another incident occurred. Qin Yinong's studio released a stern lawyer's statement, directly naming all the entertainment marketing accounts (using their real names) that had exposed Ningning. The statement accused them of spreading false information that damaged the reputation of the artist Qin Yinong, openly defaming their character and image, infringing upon their rights to reputation, causing severe physical and mental harm to the artist, and demanded an immediate cessation of infringement, deletion of the offending articles, a pinned apology statement for at least 60 days, and compensation for both emotional and economic damages totaling XX RMB.

The articles being sued by An Ling were not only about exposing Ningning but also contained hidden personal information. An Ling purposely omitted mentioning privacy rights, specifically regarding Ningning's content. This was both a means of protecting Ningning and concealing the true extent of the matter.

As long as the goal was achieved, it would allow netizens to speculate endlessly about the authenticity of Ningning's identity. This would give Qin Yinong the convenience to handle the situation as desired without attracting unnecessary attention.

An Ling took decisive action. The lawsuit documents from her law firm had already been sent to the studios behind each marketing account, preparing for a court appearance. She understood the timeliness of news, so before the lawyer's statement was released, she privately contacted some of the marketing accounts. As a result, within an hour of the statement's release, at least ten accounts came forward to apologize and pinned an apology statement on their main pages. The apologies were consistent, expressing deep regret for damaging the reputation and personal image of the artist Qin Yinong through spreading unverified rumors. They admitted their failure to uphold the standards of media professionals.

An Ling had considered causing the marketing accounts to be banned as a deterrent, and she was capable of doing so. However, it required time, including dealing with Xisi Studio. She needed to gather evidence and employ other means, just like with Qin Yinong's former management company, revenge was best served after a decade. But by that time, the majority of netizens would have forgotten about this incident, and the rumors would have become established facts.

So this was the fastest and most effective method An Ling could think of, which also served as a warning to those audacious entertainment media outlets to be more cautious in spreading rumors next time.

Originally, An Ling's plans were going quite smoothly. However, out of nowhere, an unknown enemy or ally named Cheng Yaojin emerged and managed to get seventeen rumor-spreading marketing accounts banned, pushing the situation into an uncontrollable state.

Netizens speculated whether "Zhang Xisi" had offended someone and was now facing retaliation. On one side, An Ling released a lawyer's statement, while another group of marketing accounts led the way in issuing apologies, kneeling figuratively. Netizens put the pieces together and solved the case. It turned out to be because of this incident.

[Don't reveal too much.]

[Be careful not to get banned.]

[Miss Q, are you planning to cleanse the entertainment industry?]

[Miss Q is still too obvious, it's not safe. I suggest changing the code name. [Wry smile]]

There was a surge of ambiguous comments online.

[It's only allowed for officials to start fires, but not for the common people to light a lamp. It's only allowed for entertainment media to spread rumors, but not for the subjects to refute?]

[Is this considered a refutation? Just because someone spoke the truth, their account, which they worked so hard to build for a long time, got banned. Who is she? Lord Voldemort?]

[If it weren't for so many scandals, would anyone know her? Now that she's trying to turn the tables and portray herself as an innocent white lotus flower, things won't go so smoothly. After becoming XX, she still wants to maintain a good image. The internet has a memory, and so do netizens. Every time I see news about Qin Yinong, I will definitely criticize her.]

[Has anyone wondered why there's such a big commotion this time? We never saw Lord Voldemort clarify anything before. And what about the incident a couple of days ago, where she acted high and mighty? The speed was so fast, it doesn't seem like her anymore.]

[A guilty conscience.]

[She must have found a new backer.]

The clarification didn't achieve the expected effect. instead, it gave Qin Yinong another unspeakable nickname and faced criticism everywhere. It may be due to someone taking advantage of the situation, but ultimately, it was because the commotion became too big.

Tang Ruoyao had been typing on her computer for almost an hour, with a hint of anger in her eyebrows. Qin Yinong was lying there, feeling bored. She cleared her throat and called out to her, "Yao Yao."

Tang Ruoyao looked up, no trace of gunpowder in the air, and asked gently, "What's wrong?"

Qin Yinong asked, "Are you in trouble?"

Tang Ruoyao smiled and said, "No, it's just a bit complicated."

Qin Yinong nodded and said, "I'm tired." Then she gestured to the position next to her.

Tang Ruoyao closed her notebook, lay down next to her, and said, "Go to sleep."

Qin Yinong bit her lip, showing a slight hint of dissatisfaction.

Tang Ruoyao's mind was spinning, and she didn't notice her subtle expression. Qin Yinong's dissatisfaction grew stronger, and she just kept her eyes open.

Tang Ruoyao gently patted the back of her hand to lull her to sleep, absentmindedly. After a while, she finally realized that Qin Yinong wasn't sleeping at all. She raised a faint smile, about to ask her what she was thinking, but then she saw the woman immediately closing her eyes.

Tang Ruoyao was taken aback, and she lightly kissed her cheek with her eyes closed.

She gently withdrew and met the woman's open gaze.

Qin Yinong's eyes were calm, and her emotions couldn't be discerned.

Tang Ruoyao's IQ remained steadily high, and with just one glance, she could tell that Qin Yinong was not happy. Her mind stirred, and she got up to close the curtains, changed into pajamas, and lay down in bed with her.

Qin Yinong willingly nestled herself in Tang Ruoyao's embrace.

Although it was already three in the afternoon, it was strange for Tang Ruoyao, a person with a normal daily routine, to take a nap with her. But whatever Qin Yinong wanted, she would give her without any objections.

She thought happily to herself: Qin Yinong is a bit clingy to her, maybe even more than a bit.

In the morning, she had a long conversation with An Ling. They talked for about half an hour, and when they returned, Qin Yinong's reaction was odd. She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, occasionally catching Tang Ruoyao's gaze with great affection.

Suddenly, she said she wanted water and deliberately drank until it overflowed, making her lips look red and moist.

Tang Ruoyao swallowed and couldn't help but lower her head to kiss her.

She restrained herself, as Qin Yinong was bedridden. She intended to pull away after slowly drinking the water droplets, but then Qin Yinong actively nibbled on her lip. Tang Ruoyao's rationality completely snapped, and she couldn't hold back anymore.

When they finally parted, Qin Yinong's long hair was scattered messily in the crook of her arm. Her face was delicate and beautiful, her lips red as blood, and a faint blush appeared at the corners of her eyes. A misty haze filled her peach blossom eyes as she breathed lightly.

If Tang Ruoyao were a man, she would have immediately rushed into the bathroom for a cold shower.

Fortunately, she wasn't. She held Qin Yinong quietly, calming her restless emotions, and silently made a mental note to settle this account after Qin Yinong recovered.

At noon, Guan Han brought soup over, a thermos full of it, cooked by Ji Shulan.

Tang Ruoyao helped Qin Yinong sit up at the head of the bed and served her a bowl of soup, feeding her spoonful by spoonful.

The look in Qin Yinong's eyes at that moment made her heart skip a beat, and her fingertips slightly tingled. Her deep love, dependence, and infatuation were all revealed in their gaze, as if there were only the two of them in the whole world.

Most of the time, it was just the two of them in the hospital room. There was a wheelchair in the corner that was just for show, and the doctor suggested that they could take Qin Yinong downstairs to the hospital lobby to get some fresh air.

Qin Yinong alone would already attract attention, and with Tang Ruoyao by her side, the chances of being recognized would increase significantly. So Tang Ruoyao suggested that Guan Han take Qin Yinong out for some fresh air.

Uncharacteristically, Qin Yinong threw a small tantrum and refused to go out. If she had to sit in a wheelchair and get some fresh air, she insisted on opening all the windows in the room and having Tang Ruoyao push her around a few laps in the ward. After all, the room was quite spacious.

Guan Han: "..."

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

Tang Ruoyao couldn't figure out why even after thinking for a long time. She once thought that Qin Yinong didn't want to face any strangers, even if they were hospital patients, so she preferred to stay in the room, smelling the scent of disinfectant.

At three o'clock and five minutes, Qin Yinong had already fallen asleep, using Tang Ruoyao's arm as a pillow. Tang Ruoyao had accompanied Qin Yinong for a nap in the morning, but she had no sleepiness at all. She pondered over this matter and suddenly had an epiphany. Qin Yinong probably didn't want to leave her side, even for just half an hour outside.

Tang Ruoyao's thoughts spun around, and her already tender heart melted even more, causing her to chuckle softly.

Qin Yinong might have been disturbed by her laughter as she furrowed her brows uneasily in her sleep.

Tang Ruoyao immediately quieted down.

Qin Yinong's fingertips moved, clutching the front of Tang Ruoyao's clothes, and she snuggled closer, exhaling warmly onto Tang Ruoyao's chin.

Her sleeping posture was becoming more and more... childlike.

She used to curl up by herself, but now she exerted effort to nestle into Tang Ruoyao's embrace. Despite being two centimeters taller than Tang Ruoyao, she curled up with long limbs, forming a ball to fit in completely.

Tang Ruoyao involuntarily raised an eyebrow and smiled.

She held on so tightly, even in her dreams, as if afraid of losing her.

A slight pang of both bitterness and sweetness welled up in Tang Ruoyao's heart.

Tang Ruoyao gazed at Qin Yinong's furrowed brow. The feeling of floating she had experienced in the past few days gradually settled down and returned to reality.

In truth, Qin Yinong hadn't fully believed that they would have a definite future together. She was always afraid of facing an unexpected loss one day.

Isn't her excessive dependency just an external manifestation of her inner worries?

Qin Yinong had only slept for an hour during this nap. When she woke up, they were embraced face to face. She lifted her head and met Tang Ruoyao's clear amber eyes.

Qin Yinong paused for a moment and asked, "Why aren't you sleeping?"

Tang Ruoyao didn't say she couldn't sleep and replied with a smile, "I was watching you."

Qin Yinong's heart trembled, and she knowingly asked, "So?"

Tang Ruoyao hummed without speaking and said earnestly, "And then I saw this moment and forgot about sleeping." She paused and sweetly added, "You look really beautiful."

Qin Yinong remained silent.

But Tang Ruoyao knew she was deeply moved.

Even her fair ears turned red.

Such a reserved person, yet she loves hearing sweet words.

After a while, Qin Yinong moved and said, "I remembered, lying down like this makes my back ache."

Tang Ruoyao gently turned Qin Yinong over and massaged her for a while. During this time, Qin Yinong's condition had improved significantly. Her oversized patient gown hung loosely on her, accentuating her frailty.

Tang Ruoyao lowered her eyes and observed the slender fingers gripping the bedsheet. She could hear a comfortable hum in her ears. Just as she was about to have some whimsical thoughts, Qin Yinong pressed her down with a body that felt almost bony in her hands.

Tang Ruoyao easily lifted her into the wheelchair and followed Miss Qin's instructions, pushing her around the ward.

Guan Han came in to deliver dinner and was greeted with this scene.

The two of them sat side by side in front of the wide-open window, with the evening sun casting a golden hue on their hair, intertwining their long locks. Tang Ruoyao rested one hand on the wheelchair's armrest and leaned in to whisper something to Qin Yinong, who listened attentively, her eyes filled with shyness and a smile.

When it reached the exciting part, Tang Ruoyao suddenly made funny gestures, causing Qin Yinong to burst into laughter uncontrollably.

Guan Han stood by the door, mentally giving herself a big slap before lowering her gaze and speaking, "Qin Jie, Miss Tang."

Tang Ruoyao turned around and greeted her with a smile, "You're here."

Guan Han placed the dinner on the table and asked, "Should we eat now or wait a while?"

"Now." Tang Ruoyao said, "Senior Qin is hungry."

Qin Yinong raised her hand to stop Tang Ruoyao from approaching and pushed the wheelchair herself. She was still unaccustomed to it, walking crookedly, but she had a happy smile on her face, like a child discovering a new world.

Tang Ruoyao chuckled and let her be.

Qin Yinong could only eat semi-liquid food, and the other two adjusted to her by having porridge as well.

As soon as Qin Yinong saw it, she said, "You two eat your food, no need to accommodate me."

Tang Ruoyao didn't agree and said, "I like having porridge at night. Besides, if I eat meat and you have porridge, I'll definitely feel too guilty to eat."

Qin Yinong: "...Alright."

Guan Han, showing her loyalty, said, "Qin Jie, I also..."

Qin Yinong interrupted her, saying, "You eat, Miss Tang and I will have porridge."

Being silently excluded from their little world, Guan Han: "..."

But then she realized that she had truly become a real wife, and her heart blossomed with joy.

Qin Yinong completely immersed herself in the days of being taken care of, and her eyes and heart could only see Tang Ruoyao. However, Tang Ruoyao couldn't stay in the hospital day and night to accompany her. On the third day of Qin Yinong's hospitalization, Tang Ruoyao received a phone call.

She received the call in the ward, about ten steps away from Qin Yinong, with her back turned to her.

"When?" She turned her head to glance at Qin Yinong.

Qin Yinong pursed her lips.

"Okay, I'll go to the company and leave from there." With just a few brief sentences, she hung up the phone.

Tang Ruoyao walked back and held Qin Yinong's hand, sighing in her eyes.

Qin Yinong wasn't dumb and guessed, "Is it a notice?"

Tang Ruoyao nodded, feeling down.

Qin Yinong asked, "When? How long will you be gone?"

A long time.

The young woman answered in a low voice, "Tomorrow morning, there's a brand event in City S, and I won't be able to come back until the day after tomorrow."

Tang Ruoyao couldn't bear to look into her eyes. It wasn't guilt, she just couldn't accept the dimness in Qin Yinong's eyes caused by her words, even if it was just a little bit.

"I thought it would only be a day." Qin Yinong pretended to be casual. She thought, a day is so long.

Tang Ruoyao kept her head down.

Qin Yinong smiled and teased her, "Didn't you say you wanted to save up your dowry? Where will the money come from if you don't take on notices?"

Tang Ruoyao raised her head to glance at her, pinched her fingertips, and finally a shallow smile appeared in her eyes.

Qin Yinong said faintly, "Find that interview video of yours for me to watch."

Tang Ruoyao's ears turned hot.

...

The time went back to the month when she had just separated from Qin Yinong.

After listening to her briefing, Mu Qingwu sprayed the tea in her mouth and laughed so hard that she couldn't catch her breath. This elite manager who was always calm and composed said, "What kind of confession is this? Are you so eager to get married?"

A hint of embarrassment flashed in Tang Ruoyao's eyes as she said, "Can you come up with a better one for me?"

Mu Qingwu waved her hands repeatedly, "Not me." She changed her words, "This one is pretty good, really." She blinked her eyes, making herself look very sincere.

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

If Mu Qingwu could contain her laughter, she would be more convinced.

Tang Ruoyao had considered being more tactful, more indirect, but Qin Yinong liked this straightforward approach. She confessed to whoever was listening, and it was meant for Qin Yinong to hear. Besides, she was indeed saving up her dowry and not lying.

Tang Ruoyao clenched her teeth and stamped her foot, confirming her interview script for the evening, and said it like this.

Mu Qingwu communicated with the TV station and took the initiative to add a question to the interview outline. When the TV station asked, they wanted to include a relationship status. They thought Tang Ruoyao's team had lost their minds. How could a rising star in her career voluntarily expose her love life? Most celebrities in their prime would keep it hidden, and if caught by paparazzi, they would deny and clarify.

Although Tang Ruoyao didn't rely on fans for her popularity, she was still a young actress in her prime, known for her acting skills. She had a considerable number of male and female fans. Wasn't this an unnecessary move when she was already doing well?

Mu Qingwu also doted on Tang Ruoyao. After Tang Ruoyao finished briefing her, she had no objections and made arrangements.

That night, she rushed to the TV station for the interview.

Tang Ruoyao changed her usual cold and aloof queen style and wore a sportswear outfit, with white sneakers, radiating energy.

The host had seen Tang Ruoyao several times before, but it was the first time seeing her dressed like this, and immediately became surprised, thinking, "She must be in love."

Tang Ruoyao entered the studio, shook hands with the host, and took a seat on the sofa.

The host exchanged pleasantries with her and noticed that although Tang Ruoyao had changed her attire, her cool temperament remained unchanged. In her sportswear, she looked clean, beautiful, with distinct facial features.

The interview went smoothly.

The host was hosting a well-established talk show, and in this era dominated by online media, it had good viewership. Not all questions were written in the interview outline, as it was a matter of respect for the program.

"Ruoyao, you just finished shooting a movie, right?" The topic was sensitive, and the host didn't explicitly mention the name "True Colors."

Tang Ruoyao had a polite smile on her face. "Yes."

"How does it feel?"

"It feels great, like living in a big family for a while."

"Did anything particularly memorable happen on the set?"

"There were too many." Tang Ruoyao answered, "For example, Director Han has very strict requirements for the actors, and we often get scolded while filming."

"Do you also get scolded often?"

Tang Ruoyao subtly gestured to Qin Yinong, "I'm doing fine. Someone's looking out for me."

The audience below cheered, and the host had a gossipy look on their face. "I wonder who that might be?"

Tang Ruoyao smiled and refused to say.

The host tactfully moved on, cleared their throat, and went straight to the point, saying, "We all know that you, Ruoyao, are considered the goddess in many people's hearts. I wonder if you have your own idol?"

This was asking about her relationship status.

Tang Ruoyao didn't like this kind of question. In fact, the program had set it themselves, and Mu Qingwu couldn't have provided a standard question template.

But Tang Ruoyao still answered.

She calmly said, "I already have someone I like."

The host acted surprised, in accordance with the script.

The cheering audience fell silent, each one stunned. Especially Tang Ruoyao's fans present, hearing their beloved idol has someone she likes, particularly when the idol was a recently graduated girl who was focused on her career and seen as pure by the public. She has someone she likes? Is she going to start dating?

Mothers and fathers won't allow it! And the girlfriend fans and boyfriend fans won't allow it either!

An excited fan blurted out, "Tang Tang, you can't!"

The host laughed and continued to ask Tang Ruoyao, "How far has it progressed?"

Tang Ruoyao's eyes darkened, and she seemed a bit down as she said, "I really like her, and she likes me too, but we are not together."

The fans were filled with righteous indignation, shouting loudly, "Scumbag!"

Tang Ruoyao followed the sound and found the fan who spoke, giving her a glance. That look was calm and indifferent, yet it silenced the fan instantly.

No one is allowed to speak ill of Qin Yinong, not even if they mistakenly insulted the wrong person!

The host on stage asked, "Why?"

Tang Ruoyao calmly adjusted her hair and answered seriously, with a hint of playfulness, "Well, it's like this. Because... I'm still saving up my dowry."

The host was taken aback, never expecting a young unmarried female celebrity to have such thick skin and casually mention the word "dowry" with such a natural and matter-of-fact attitude. They paused for a moment, awkwardly laughed twice, and said, "Ruoyao, you really are..."

As an experienced host, they couldn't find the exact word to describe her.

Courageous?

The fans below went crazy, and the more emotional ones burst into tears, feeling indignant and angry on behalf of Tang Ruoyao.

Damn scumbag! Making a woman save up her dowry just to marry him. He was their precious baby, held dearly in their hearts.

Tang Ruoyao voluntarily gave the host a way out and said, "Just kidding. Actually, I've had a crush on her for a long time, and I only confessed recently. We agreed to take some time to cool off, so..."

The host continued, "So, the possibility of you two being together is high?"

Tang Ruoyao pressed the microphone near her ear to make her voice clearer and corrected rigorously, "It's not just a possibility, we will definitely be together."

The host shivered and joked, "Hey, don't feed me dog food anymore, okay?"

"Sorry." Tang Ruoyao bowed her head and politely said, "But I'm just stating the facts."

Qin Yinong would definitely watch this program, and Tang Ruoyao couldn't leave any loopholes. Even though she felt extremely shy confessing these embarrassing words in front of the camera, she had to appear calm and composed.

The host asked, "Will he watch the show?"

Tang Ruoyao pondered and said, "I think so." She would send the interview to Qin Yinong as soon as it was available.

The host wore a satisfied smile, having set the trap and waiting for Tang Ruoyao to fall into it. "So, what would you like to say to him?"

Tang Ruoyao didn't take the bait and just smiled. "I've already said everything I needed to say."

The host looked disappointed and changed the question, "As the woman in a relationship, you have the courage to confess publicly. What do you think his reaction would be?"

Tang Ruoyao replied, "I hope my courage can give her some strength."

The host and the audience had the same expression, their eyes clearly saying "scumbag."

Tang Ruoyao had achieved her goal and no longer answered questions about her love life.

This interview was broadcasted one month later. At that time, Tang Ruoyao wrote a lengthy essay for Qin Yinong, clearly laying out her intentions. This well-planned video caused a sensation online, with netizens speculating about Tang Ruoyao's secret crush and gossiping about every male celebrity she had worked with, even including male classmates with known names. Fans held their fragile glass hearts, registering accounts like "@Tang Ruoyao, did you break up with your secret crush?" and checked in daily. However, it only served to enhance the relationship between the two.

.....

Present day.

Qin Yinong: "Find that interview video of yours for me to watch?"

Tang Ruoyao felt uneasy and said, "Do we have to?"

Qin Yinong was determined to liven up the atmosphere and insisted, "I want to see it."

Tang Ruoyao compromised and opened the iPad on the bedside table. She went to a barrage website and directly searched for the title "Tang Ruoyao's Love Life." She casually clicked on the first result and handed it to Qin Yinong without watching it herself. She then got up, pretending to be busy with other things.

However, the public speaker Qin Yinong had turned on made her voice resonate clearly throughout the room.

The host asked about Tang Ruoyao's relationship status.

Tang Ruoyao said, "I already have someone I like. I really like her, and she likes me too, but we're not together."

The host was surprised and asked, "Why not?"

Tang Ruoyao replied, "Well, it's like this. Because... I'm still saving up my dowry."

Tang Ruoyao felt like a steamed crab, a wave of heat rushing from her neck to her ears.

Although she had become much more thick-skinned when facing Qin Yinong, it didn't mean she wouldn't feel embarrassed talking about marriage-related topics.

After all, she was only twenty-three years old!

Author's Note:

Miss Yao is already twenty-three years old, with a girlfriend and a daughter. She has almost gathered her dowry and is about to get married. What about the readers?

For those without a partner, you can still enjoy some dog food. Come on, let's all learn from Guan Han and shout: "Well done, Miss Yao!"

Marriage, marriage, let's get married immediately on the spot! [Dragon roars]

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