CHAPTER 171

As soon as Qin Yinong entered the door, Tang Ruoyao followed and hugged her, using her foot to close the door.

Tang Ruoyao placed both her hands around Qin Yinong's waist from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder with a tender affection, "Baby."

Qin Yinong rubbed her cheek against Tang Ruoyao's and let her embrace her for a while before gently removing her hands and walking towards the luggage in the corner. She squatted down and opened it.

They were going to Disneyland tomorrow, accompanying Qin Jianing.

Tang Ruoyao took a step ahead and said, "Let me do it. Your body hasn't fully recovered yet, so you shouldn't exert yourself."

Qin Yinong was forcefully carried away and placed on the couch. Tang Ruoyao held her hands firmly, one on each side, and sternly commanded, "Don't move."

Qin Yinong: "..."

Tang Ruoyao walked to the wardrobe, opened it, and picked out a bunch of autumn clothes, occasionally mixed with two thick winter ones, clearly prepared for Qin Yinong. She took down the hangers and sat on the edge of the bed, folding the clothes.

Qin Yinong raised her hand and asked, "Can I help fold the clothes?"

Tang Ruoyao decisively refused, saying, "No."

Qin Yinong asked again, "Can I come closer? I can't see you clearly from this distance."

Both of their eyesight was normal, so there was no situation in the same room where they couldn't see each other clearly. It was simply an excuse to be close to each other. Tang Ruoyao playfully responded, "Sure, come over. Do you want me to carry you?"

She stood up and reached out her hand, as if about to lift Qin Yinong.

Qin Yinong: "..."

She had been resting at home for a week. Although she couldn't completely get rid of the wheelchair, she could walk for a while without any problem. Moreover, with a good physical foundation, she felt that she was recovering quite quickly. If it weren't for the concern of leaving behind any hidden illness and because Tang Ruoyao didn't allow her to exercise, she would have started rehabilitation already.

A minute later, Qin Yinong sat cross-legged on the bed, watching Tang Ruoyao skillfully folding clothes. The urge to help emerged, but Tang Ruoyao's sharp gaze suppressed it, leaving her with nothing to do.

"Did you find it difficult living with Jiang Xuezhen before? Did she often make you do household chores?" Qin Yinong asked.

"It wasn't particularly difficult." Tang Ruoyao pondered for a moment and said, "She was just lazy and had a sharp tongue, but she wasn't that bad-hearted, and she never hit me."

Tang Ruoyao folded a sleeve neatly, looked up, and saw the tender concern in Qin Yinong's eyes. She couldn't help but smile and say, "Mainly, I've been away for too long. I don't remember much about the past. People always look forward."

"What about your father? How does he treat you?"

"My dad is pretty good to me, but he's busy with work and needs to earn money, so sometimes he can't take care of the family very well."

"Did anything interesting happen to you when you were a child?"

Tang Ruoyao paused for a moment, picking and choosing from her memories, and said, "Hmm, there wasn't anything particularly interesting, but can I tell you something generally interesting?"

"Go ahead." Qin Yinong's eyes lit up.

"When I was in junior high, my dad bought me a bicycle, a Phoenix brand one, in pink. I called it my Ferrari."

Qin Yinong's eyes slightly curved downwards.

"At that time, I was into cycling techniques, riding with one hand, riding without hands, and using my body to turn the bike, but I had to go fast, otherwise, the handlebar would easily go off balance. I used to go to school very early in the morning when there were no people on the road. I would let go of my hands, pretending to be a bird, soaring in the wind, riding at high speed. I even sang a song, let me think, it was probably 'Left Half Wing' by Xu Fei."

"Hmm? I don't think I've heard it."

"It was a song from a popular idol drama back then, a bit cheesy, you don't need to know it." Tang Ruoyao explained with embarrassment. Everyone goes through their teenage years.

"...Oh," Qin Yinong responded in a dull voice, not feeling very happy. As the saying goes, "Three years' age difference creates a communication gap," and she was over two years older than Tang Ruoyao. She didn't know about the things Tang Ruoyao had seen or liked.

She wanted to catch up and eagerly learn about all of Tang Ruoyao's past.

Tang Ruoyao noticed her mood and blushed, humming softly as she mentioned the name of the idol drama, "Let's Watch Meteor Shower Together."

Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow and searched for it in the video app on her iPad.

Tang Ruoyao held her hand and said, "Let's watch it later, I haven't finished yet."

Qin Yinong clicked on the first episode, then exited, leaving a playback record, and closed the iPad, saying, "I wasn't planning on watching it now anyway, continue with your story."

Tang Ruoyao said, "Why do I have such a deep impression? That day, while singing 'Left Half Wing,' I accidentally crashed into a ditch by the roadside and really ended up with only the left half wing. I fractured my right arm."

Qin Yinong burst into laughter, "Hahaha."

Tang Ruoyao raised her right hand, including her fingers, and moved them in front of Qin Yinong one by one, showcasing their slim and flexible nature. She emphasized, "I wasn't seriously injured at that time, and I recovered well. There's no trace of illness left, so don't worry."

Qin Yinong thought, 'Of course, I'm not worried. I've tried it before.'

But Tang Ruoyao was unaware that her hands had once come in handy. Seeing Qin Yinong's meaningful gaze, she suddenly felt uneasy and regretted sharing that story. What if Qin Yinong doubted her abilities? Even if she was capable, she didn't have the opportunity to prove herself now and would suffer from misunderstandings for half a month. The worst part was... Tang Ruoyao herself wasn't even sure if she was capable or not.

Tang Ruoyao swallowed nervously, trying to divert the topic to avoid any further discussion on the matter. She said, "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you have any interesting stories?"

"When I was in elementary school, I failed an exam, and my sister forged a parent's signature for me. Does that count?"

"It does. I also signed test papers for Tang Fei."The same world, the same sister.

Qin Yinong laughed, "And also, when I was in primary school, there was a male classmate who liked me. I didn't know, but one day my sister and I were walking home together, and she noticed someone following me. She asked me who that person was, and I said it was my classmate, Xiaojun."

Tang Ruoyao chuckled, "Xiaojun hahaha."

Wait, why did she remember Xiaojun so clearly?

Qin Yinong said, "I forgot what his name was, I made it up."

Tang Ruoyao felt relieved.

Qin Yinong continued, "The next day, my sister had a heart-to-heart talk with that classmate and made the little boy cry."

Tang Ruoyao asked what her sister said, but Qin Yinong couldn't remember.

They chatted for a long time, and without realizing it, their luggage was packed.

They took showers separately, then cuddled together to sleep. The blankets were fluffy and soft, carrying the scent of sunlight.

They had a dreamless night.

The next morning, Tang Ruoyao rubbed her eyes, mumbling as she double-checked the luggage from the previous night. She closed the suitcase, set the combination lock, and shuffled into the bathroom wearing slippers.

Qin Yinong handed her the electric toothbrush with toothpaste already squeezed on it. In the mirror above the sink, they saw their sleepy faces—after chatting late into the night, they were like two mute people from a previous life, never running out of things to say. They slept very late.

Qin Yinong woke up completely after brushing her teeth, but Tang Ruoyao was still struggling. She slept deeply and had a hard time waking up.

Qin Yinong gently wiped away the water droplets off Tang Ruoyao's face with a disposable face towel. Holding her head, Qin Yinong kissed her forehead lightly. Tang Ruoyao regained some consciousness, but immediately felt dazed again.

Without hesitation, she grabbed Qin Yinong's hand and pressed it against the sink, returning the gesture with a kiss flavored like green tea.

After tidying up, they carried their suitcases downstairs.

Ningning woke up earlier than the two parents, lifting her head from the sofa in the living room and cheerfully greeted, "Good morning, Mom, Auntie Tang."

"Good morning," Qin Yinong replied, but her gaze fell on Ji Yunyao standing by the side. In a calm yet gentle tone, she said, "You're here."

Presumably, due to private matters, Ji Yunyao was only wearing a casual jacket paired with sports pants. Her long hair was casually pinned behind her ears, and her sharp aura was restrained, revealing a touch of elegance.

"Sister Qin, Aunt Tang," Ji Yunyao greeted as she spoke, her signature ambiguous smile making it difficult to feel any goodwill towards her.

Tang "Aunt" Tang Ruoyao almost missed a step on the stairs and nearly sprained her foot.

Ji Yunyao burst into laughter.

Qin Yinong supported Tang Ruoyao, feeling a bit amused herself, but after thinking for a moment, she held back her laughter.

Aunt Fang had prepared breakfast, and they had their final meal before setting off together.

Ji Yunyao was very considerate in handling things. They all got into the large SUV parked in the yard, where a child seat was thoughtfully prepared in the back. Tang Ruoyao and Qin Yinong sat on either side of Ningning, chatting softly with her and answering her curious questions. The group left the residential area and headed towards the airport.

Tang Ruoyao suddenly remembered that nobody mentioned the flight tickets from beginning to end. She lowered her head and typed on her phone, while Qin Yinong's phone buzzed in her pocket. She took it out and read: [What about our flight tickets?]

Qin Yinong calmly replied: [She has a private plane worth three billion.]

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

Poverty limited her imagination.

She knew that many big shots in the industry had their own private planes, like a well-known action superstar, a famous director, and even Lin Ruohan, among others.

Tang Ruoyao's fingertips trembled slightly, and she swallowed before typing: [Do you have one?]

Qin Yinong replied: [I didn't buy one.]

Tang Ruoyao thought to herself: She didn't buy one, not that she couldn't afford it.

Qin Yinong received another message: [Not worth it.]

Ordinary private planes weren't expensive, and even the luxury ones can be acquired for a few million. However, the maintenance and upkeep, as well as the cost of personnel, were not insignificant expenses. Qin Yinong was always reluctant to spend money on himself.

Tang Ruoyao replied with an ellipsis.

Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow, slightly amused, and said, "If you want, I can buy one for you."

Tang Ruoyao looked up and shook her head repeatedly in front of her, whispering, "I don't want it."

Qin Yinong narrowed her eyes.

Tang Ruoyao could tell from her expression that she was considering the feasibility of the matter. She put on a serious expression and said, "I really don't want it. Don't spend money recklessly, or I'll get angry."

"...Let's talk about it later." Qin Yinong said with a pleasant expression.

She was already thinking about saving money for her before they even got married.

Qin Yinong had a thought and said, [Can you manage the money for me in the future?]

Tang Ruoyao strongly reacted: [No!]

Qin Yinong asked, [Why?]

Tang Ruoyao replied, [I don't have a business mind. You handle the investments yourself. Money makes money, but if you leave it to me, it will die.] She had specifically looked into Qin Yinong's ventures outside of filming and knew that she had a keen eye for investments and earned not any less than what she made from movies. With her current wealth, even if she retired from the industry, she could live freely and without worries.

Qin Yinong said, [Alright.]

Ji Yunyao sat in the passenger seat and glancing at the couple through the rearview mirror. Although they were sitting together, they were still communicating "secret" matters using their phones. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she lowered her gaze.

The group arrived at the tarmac, where a tall and well-built man, who appeared to be the pilot, came over to greet them, bowing and inviting them to board the plane. There were also flight attendants in uniforms who politely and sweetly greeted them, taking the luggage from Ji Yunyao's secretary.

Tang Ruoyao sat comfortably in a luxurious leather seat, looking out the window at the ground gradually receding and the diminishing buildings.

When the plane was flying steadily in the stratosphere, Qin Yinong took out her iPad from her bag and started watching the idol drama "Meteor Shower" that she had saved last night. She had prepared two Bluetooth earphones, one for each of them.

Just watching the beginning of the drama made them burst into laughter.

Ji Yunyao snapped her fingers, and a young and beautiful flight attendant opened a bottle of vintage red wine from a private vineyard in France, pouring it slowly along the rim of the glass. She respectfully bowed and stepped back.

Ji Yunyao took a sip of wine, but the taste that used to excite her taste buds no longer did. She stood up and casually walked past the two of them, glancing at the screen of the iPad.

There was an arrogant and unruly boy with a large crew cut, looking angry as he pointed at a girl and said something.

Ji Yunyao was born in 1995, one year older than Tang Ruoyao. In 2009, when she was 14 years old, she was in her first year of high school in the international department of a certain school. The idol drama "Meteor Shower" that was popular nationwide kept her busy with studies, so she hadn't watched it, but there were posters all over the streets, and people around her were discussing it, so she had an impression of it.

Ji Yunyao scoffed inwardly: How childish.

Five minutes later, she returned from the restroom and passed by the two again. She raised her hand and patted Tang Ruoyao's shoulder. Tang Ruoyao took off her earphones and looked at her with an inquiring gaze.

Ji Yunyao raised her chin slightly and said calmly, "Ningning is looking for you."

Tang Ruoyao blinked, turned to look at the little kid who was talking to Ji Yunyao, and hesitated. She informed Qin Yinong with her eyes, then got up and left.

Qin Yinong paused the drama, waiting for Tang Ruoyao to return.

To her surprise, Ji Yunyao directly occupied Tang Ruoyao's seat. She naturally took the earphones that Tang Ruoyao had put aside and put them on her own ears. Then she crossed her arms and casually said, "Let's continue."

Qin Yinong: "..."

She had never refused her small requests before. If Tang Ruoyao came back, she could always rewind and watch it again when she returned.

Qin Yinong clicked on the resume button.

Ji Yunyao knew that Qin Yinong wouldn't refuse, so she sat down confidently, making herself at home and refusing to leave.

After asking Ningning, Tang Ruoyao realized she had been tricked and returned, looking puzzled.

The flight crew announced that they were about to land. Ji Yunyao, satisfied after watching two episodes of the idol drama, returned to her seat and fastened her seatbelt.

Tang Ruoyao leaned close to Qin Yinong's ear and whispered resentfully, "You watched the idol drama with her."

Qin Yinong: "..."

After returning to their accommodation, Tang Ruoyao acted out an idol drama scene with Qin Yinong, including wall slams, couch scenes, and various dramatic interactions. Only then did Tang Ruoyao manage to calm down.

Tang Ruoyao didn't like Ji Yunyao because she always found excuses to get close to Qin Yinong. Qin Yinong, however, vaguely sensed something. After they reconciled, Ji Yunyao stopped saying ambiguous things to intimidate Tang Ruoyao. Thinking back to some gossip she had heard from the Ji Yunyao's side branch of the family, a thought crossed Qin Yinong's mind.

Even if it was true, Ji Yunyao probably wouldn't want her to know her true intentions. So Qin Yinong decided to act as if nothing had happened and maintain their previous relationship.

There were no scheduled activities on the day of their arrival, and they had free time to do as they pleased.

Ji Yunyao took Ningning and the two elderly people out for a stroll, while Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao spent their time in Ji Yunyao's villa. There was a gym on the basement floor, and Tang Ruoyao was exercising while Qin Yinong could only watch, feeling envious.

The young woman was wearing a sports tank top, and the lines of her waist and abdomen were becoming more smooth and beautiful due to recent exercise. When she stood up, one could clearly feel the power contained within. She was covered in sweat, with droplets continuously trickling down.

Various thoughts raced through Qin Yinong's mind, and she had to look away.

She clenched her fist, feeling her upper arm and fortunately finding some muscles there, not just flabbiness.

Taking advantage of Tang Ruoyao's inattention, she grabbed a dumbbell and was temporarily satisfied with the test results.

Tang Ruoyao, who was covered in heat, came out of the exercise area, and Qin Yinong wiped her sweat with a towel and handed her a bottle of water. Tang Ruoyao took small sips, carefully avoiding her arm, and smiled, saying, "Don't touch me for now, or I'll make you all sweaty later."

Qin Yinong said lightly, "Didn't you always make me all sweaty before?"

"Huh?" It took Tang Ruoyao a few seconds to understand what she meant. She fumbled with the bottle in her hand, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

Her skill points in having a thick skin hadn't been invested in this area yet.

Qin Yinong watched with interest as she reacted amusingly, her gaze filled with teasing.

Tang Ruoyao tilted her head back and took a big gulp of water, then stuffed the mineral water bottle into Qin Yinong's hand and took a deep breath, saying, "I'll go shower first."

.....

Warm water flowed down from the showerhead, rinsing away the sweat, but the sticky feeling seemed to linger.

The more Tang Ruoyao showered, the hotter she felt. She waved her hand to turn off the shower, leaned against the wall, and breathed slightly.

She rinsed herself with cold water and put on a robe. Qin Yinong, who had teased her and left heartlessly, was now peeling an apple. Her fair and slender fingers held the fruit knife, and a long string of apple peel hung down without breaking.

Tang Ruoyao unconsciously pulled her robe collar together, pushing down the emerging emotions deep inside her.

"Cut it into pieces or eat it directly?" Qin Yinong lightly flicked the fruit knife, and the string of apple peel went into the trash bin.

"Eat it directly, I'm not picky."

Tang Ruoyao reached out to take it, but Qin Yinong moved her hand back, lowered her head to take a bite, and used her other hand to cup the back of Tang Ruoyao's head, kissing her lips with the sweet fruit flesh.

Tang Ruoyao was about to be driven crazy by her teasing.

Did this woman think she could take advantage of her because of her poor health and act so boldly?

Qin Yinong had a smile playing at the corner of her mouth and quickly said before Tang Ruoyao could explode, "Mu Qingwu called you."

Tang Ruoyao swallowed the apple in her mouth, gave her a half-annoyed, half-exasperated glare, and took the phone, which displayed a missed call.

Somewhat surprised, she asked, "You didn't answer?"

Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow and countered, "Why should I?" Her expression was calm, as if stating something that was self-evident.

Tang Ruoyao understood and smiled, thinking to herself, 'So petty. She's still upset about yesterday's jealousy.'

Instead of leaving, she called Mu Qingwu in front of Qin Yinong. Qin Yinong pulled her closer, making her sit on her lap. Tang Ruoyao struggled but couldn't break free. She thought that as long as Qin Yinong was there, the call wouldn't last long, so she held onto it.

"Sister Mu."

"You said yesterday that you didn't need public relations, and now something has happened." Mu Qingwu sighed, but her tone didn't sound too worried, indicating that it was probably resolved.

"What happened?"

After receiving Tang Ruoyao's reply yesterday, Mu Qingwu put the matter of clarifying her boyfriend aside. However, she was accustomed to having someone follow up on things and report promptly to prevent ill-intentioned people from taking advantage and causing trouble.

As it turned out, her caution was justified. Since late last night, numerous internet trolls and paid attackers had come out with rumors about Tang Ruoyao's unique preferences in relationships, spreading false information that she had a penchant for sleeping with young newcomers on set, although the matter was suppressed backstage. The entertainment industry was full of filth, and not a single person was innocent, appearing clean and pure on the surface but actually being of questionable character.

By this morning, the paid marketing accounts started publishing articles, confidently describing Tang Ruoyao's "preferences" and even revealing some fabricated information from alleged insiders.

The fans were quicker than the management team and flooded the marketing accounts with negative comments, releasing clarification statements. They pointed out that Tang Ruoyao had only worked with veteran actors, and the rumors were baseless. The attackers countered, asking if they had ignored all the young newcomers in the drama "Under the Southern Mountain." If they were going to defend her, they should do it properly.

Someone had brought up You Mingxuan, attempting to restore his reputation.

Last year, Tang Ruoyao and You Mingxuan's scandal caused a huge uproar, almost dragging Tang Ruoyao down. It wasn't until later when video evidence emerged, showing her slapping You Mingxuan hard, that the scandal was resolved. But now, her name was always followed by the label of her rumored boyfriend, You Mingxuan.

You Mingxuan was as thin as a stick, yet his fans came out in protest: [Finally, the truth is revealed! Our brother has been wronged! Tang Ruoyao, that malicious woman, is the one who filed a false report and shifted the blame!]

They completely forgot about the previous evidence and wholeheartedly defended their brother.

The fans of both sides ignited a war. Female star fans had always been unable to match male star fans, and soon the marketing accounts were dominated by You Mingxuan's fans. The comments section was filled with rumors and insults directed at Tang Ruoyao.

Tang Ruoyao frowned, "Is it You Mingxuan's doing?"

Qin Yinong was very close to Tang Ruoyao, with her ear pressed against Tang Ruoyao's phone, listening to Mu Qingwu's words clearly. Her eyes darkened.

Considering her uncle's face, she didn't go all out to deal with him and turned a blind eye to his comeback. But this person insisted on seeking his own death.

Mu Qingwu said, "I'm not sure, I'm still investigating, but I feel like he's being used as a pawn."

Tang Ruoyao asked, "What do you mean?"

Mu Qingwu said, "I asked his manager, and the manager said he's been very well-behaved recently. Besides, he has already been treated once and is in a weakened state. Even if he's not very smart, he shouldn't be dumb enough to do something like this." At this point, Mu Qingwu chuckled and said, "He's already thirty, a piece of old meat. How can he still have the face to call himself a fresh young meat?"

Tang Ruoyao laughed along.

"So, I'm more inclined to think it's your competitor trying to mess with you. You're usually low-key, but suddenly you make a big move, and there are always some petty people who want to bring you down and see if they can succeed." Mu Qingwu sighed, "These people, they don't even look at what kind of person they are. Even if they wear the dragon robe, they won't look like the crown prince. They're always thinking about these insidious tricks."

Tang Ruoyao was used to it and smiled faintly, "Did you send a legal letter as a warning?"

"Of course, I did. Our company may not be good at other things, but we're quick with legal letters. As soon as the incident came up, I clarified it for you and also made sure that You Mingxuan's fans realized the fact that their idol is not a fresh young meat. None of them have a clue." Mu Qingwu suddenly made a clicking sound with her tongue and said, "I have to say, aren't you in your year of bad luck this year? Someone is messing with you every now and then, and you haven't had a moment's peace all year."

Tang Ruoyao's heart skipped a beat lightly and she glanced at Qin Yinong out of the corner of her eye. Qin Yinong remained expressionless.

Tang Ruoyao smiled calmly, "Well, didn't someone protect me before? Those rumors didn't gain momentum and were stifled in their infancy." Qin Yinong slowly released her grip on Tang Ruoyao's hand, and Tang Ruoyao quickly held onto her hand back.

"Sister Mu, I have something to attend to. I'll go busy myself for now."

"Go ahead."

Just as Mu Qingwu was about to hang up, she remembered something she had forgotten last night and hurriedly said, "The script! Give me a definite answer soon. They're waiting for it, and if you keep delaying, they'll say you're throwing a tantrum."

"I know, I'll give you an answer tonight."

Tang Ruoyao put down her phone and gazed at Qin Yinong's lowered eyelashes.

"Qin Yinong."

Qin Yinong raised her eyelids stiffly, her pupils clear and black, devoid of any extra emotions.

Having stayed in Eternal Residence for a long time, sooner or later, she would have to face reality.

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