CHAPTER 190
Qin Yinong didn't hesitate and took off the cheongsam she was wearing.
She came out from the dressing room deliberately buttoning up the buttons to the collar, and teasingly smiled at Tang Ruoyao.
Tang Ruoyao pretended not to understand her teasing and leaned in to give her a loud kiss on the lips, holding hands as they went downstairs.
When the two of them were alone, they easily forgot about time. By the time they reached downstairs, Han Yuping was carrying a bag of fireworks he bought for Ningning. The whole family was getting ready to go outside to set off the fireworks in the yard.
Ningning spotted the two of them and immediately called out happily, asking them to join in the fun.
Qin Yinong gladly agreed.
Being at that age where she had both older and younger family members, it was a delicate situation for her. She didn't have the overflowing affection from the older generation towards the younger, nor the impulse to play such childish games. In the past during the New Year, she only participated in parent-child activities to accompany Ningning, playing with fairy wands and waving fireworks to match her: "Wow, wow, wow."
But this year, there were many people accompanying Ningning, so Qin Yinong only needed to hold Tang Ruoyao's hand and watch from the side. Whenever Ningning looked at her or smiled at her, she would respond.
Tang Ruoyao's hand, which was tucked in her pocket, suddenly moved. Qin Yinong leaned closer to her and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"
Tang Ruoyao glanced at the lively crowd playing, and whispered, "I also want to hold two fairy wands."
Qin Yinong said, "I'll go get them."
"Let's go together." Tang Ruoyao said.
They came back with a few, lit them with a lighter, and immediately emitted dazzling sparks. The lighting in the yard wasn't as bright as inside the house, so they deliberately turned off a few light strings to enhance the effect of the fireworks.
Silver sparks ignited with a crackling sound, and Tang Ruoyao held them between the two of them. They looked at each other through the fireworks, seeing the small reflections of brightness in each other's pupils.
These fireworks ignited quickly and burned out fast, extinguishing in less than ten seconds.
When no one was paying attention, the two of them quickly leaned in and kissed.
Tang Ruoyao lit another one.
One after another, the two of them squatted side by side, away from the crowd, watching the fireworks light up and then fade away, only to light up again.
Tang Ruoyao asked her, "Are you bored?"
Qin Yinong looked at the flickering fireworks, a childish smile appearing in her eyes, and said, "No, not at all."
She completely forgot that just a moment ago, she had thought this was an incredibly childish game.
Tang Ruoyao asked her again, "Is it because being with me makes everything fun?"
Qin Yinong turned her head to look at her, the corners of her eyes still curved, and gave her an affirmative answer, "Hmm."
Ningning blinked, and the two mothers disappeared. She furrowed her delicate brows and wanted to go look for them, but there were four people surrounding her, quickly diverting her attention.
It was almost time for the Spring Festival Gala, and the child entered the house all sweaty, sweating profusely from playing. Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao magically appeared in front of Ningning once again.
Ningning blinked her eyes.
Qin Yinong reached out and touched the sweat on the back of the child, taking her to change clothes.
Meanwhile, Tang Ruoyao stayed in the living room to keep them company.
There were many unfamiliar faces at the gala, and the older generation didn't recognize them. They wanted to talk to the younger people, so they asked Tang Ruoyao. Tang Ruoyao would say a few more words if she knew them, and if she didn't, she would search online to find out, being patient and considerate, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
Han Yuping and his wife wanted to go home to celebrate the New Year, so around 8:30 PM, Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao accompanied them back.
Before 10 PM, both Ji Shulan and Ningning couldn't resist and fell asleep. Tang Fei, however, was full of energy. But seeing his sister and sister-in-law sitting side by side on the sofa, he tactfully went back to his room. After all, he didn't enjoy watching the gala anyway. Wasn't it better to go back and play a few rounds of online games? It's annoying to be a third wheel.
The living room became quiet.
Tang Ruoyao asked, "Should we keep watching?"
Qin Yinong was bored and said, "Let's watch a little longer."
So Qin Yinong watched the Spring Festival Gala, while Tang Ruoyao went online to read real-time comments and amusingly read them to Qin Yinong. Qin Yinong couldn't stand it anymore and joined her in reading and laughing at the comments.
The phone rang.
Qin Yinong glanced at the clock. It was still far from midnight. Who was calling her?
Tang Ruoyao took the phone from the coffee table before her and looked at the caller ID. She whispered, "Lin Ruohan."
Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow and answered the call.
Lin Ruohan's first sentence was, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I'm only calling you now because I finally have some free time. Today has been so frustrating for me. I'm going through a tough time, damn it!"
Question: How many emotional changes did Lin Ruohan go through in the above conversation?
Qin Yinong tilted her head and said, "Are you referring to the incident with the instant deletion?"
Lin Ruohan replied, "Yes, did your girlfriend get jealous?"
Qin Yinong glanced at Tang Ruoyao beside her and casually said, "She did. Today, I was punished to kneel on the remote control, and I didn't even get to eat dinner."
Tang Ruoyao: "???"
Lin Ruohan burst into laughter and said, "Hahaha, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean it. Either you give her the phone, and I'll explain it to her personally, or are you still kneeling on the remote control?"
Qin Yinong calmly replied, "I'm still kneeling, my knees hurt."
Tang Ruoyao almost understood and couldn't help but burst into laughter. Qin Yinong pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead.
Lin Ruohan sensed something and said, "I think I heard Tang Ruoyao laughing. Are you playing a prank on me?"
Qin Yinong calmly replied, "Yes, I played a prank on you. How about that?" with a hint of arrogance in her voice.
Tang Ruoyao tilted her face and proactively kissed Qin Yinong's chin. It made a sound, a clear "smack," which transmitted through the phone.
Lin Ruohan said, "...That's infuriating."
Qin Yinong got straight to the point, "What's going on online? Did you and Ren Xingyue get back together?"
"Get back together my ass!" Lin Ruohan was becoming increasingly agitated.
As Qin Yinong had expected, Ren Xingyue made the announcement without Lin Ruohan's knowledge. Unfortunately, it happened right when Lin Ruohan was busy with work. When she finished a segment, she discovered that she was trending and everyone around her was talking about it, but she had no idea about the storm brewing.
Then her manager called. The manager didn't dare to do any PR work until they could reach her. Lin Ruohan was a straightforward person, and who knew if she had gotten back together with her ex-girlfriend? What if this was their way of coming out together?
Later, Lin Ruohan acted impulsively and confessed to Qin Yinong by mentioning her in a post, but she deleted it immediately afterward.
Qin Yinong asked, "Hmm? Why do I feel like you're not that angry?"
Lin Ruohan said, "It's been a while, and I've calmed down. Isn't it normal? Actually, I also have some responsibility in this matter."
Qin Yinong said, "I'm all ears."
Lin Ruohan lowered her voice and said, "She came to see me some time ago, and I told her I didn't want to be with her anymore. She asked if I didn't believe she loved me, and in the heat of the moment, I said yes. Then she left. Today, she suddenly made a public confession online, so it might be related to that... I guess."
Qin Yinong sighed, "Are you falling for her again?"
"It's not like that," Lin Ruohan stuttered.
"That means you've been falling for her all along," Qin Yinong said. "I rarely interfere with your love life, and I don't want to, but forgive me for being blunt. Based on the current situation, I feel there's a gap between your feelings for each other. If it continues like this, you will eventually return to her embrace willingly. Regardless of whether you accept her or not, you need to regain the initiative. What's the point of always being led by the nose?"
Lin Ruohan fell silent for a long time and said, "I will seriously consider it."
They hung up the phone.
Qin Yinong got up and poured two glasses of water before returning. Tang Ruoyao had just listened to a general idea by putting her ear against Qin Yinong's phone. She reached out and massaged his temples, softly advising, "Love matters are like drinking water for others. You don't need to worry too much about them."
Qin Yinong drank half a glass in one gulp and looked at her innocently, saying, "I was just thirsty."
Tang Ruoyao paused for a moment, then moved her fingertips downward, pinching the woman's face.
Lin Ruohan's situation still affected her mood, and Qin Yinong said, "I don't want to see it. Let's go upstairs."
They went upstairs together, took a shower, and dried their hair. There were only ten minutes left until midnight. Tang Ruoyao felt a bit tired, so she snuggled up in the blanket, with only her head and one hand visible, typing and chatting in the dormitory group.
Tang Ruoyao: [Popping up]
Wen Shuxian: [@Tang Ruoyao, are you too busy, only have time to blow bubbles at midnight?]
Cui Jiaran: [Who knows about her nightlife? Do you think everyone is a single dog like you?]
Wen Shuxian: [Personal attack, report!]
......
Wen Shuxian: [Where's Tang Tang? Why did she disappear?]
Tang Ruoyao: [I'm here.]
Wenshu Xian: [Why did you suddenly disappear?]
One minute later.
Wen Shuxian realized what had happened and sent a string of ellipses.
Cui Jiaran, unexpectedly, also sent a string of ellipses.
Tang Ruoyao glanced back at Qin Yinong. Qin Yinong's gaze gradually softened, and she asked, "What's wrong?"
Tang Ruoyao's ears inexplicably turned warm and she said, "It's nothing."
She returned to the group and changed the topic: [Where's Lao Fu?]
Wen Shuxian: [She's playing games.]
Cui Jiaran: [She's been trapped in the gaming pit lately, addicted girl, extremely corrupted.]
Exactly at midnight, the New Year's bell rang.
Fu Yujun appeared on time: [Happy New Year!]
After that, a row of "Happy New Year" messages followed.
Finally, Tang Ruoyao, because she had already said "Happy New Year" to Qin Yinong face-to-face.
Wen Shuxian: [Damn, why are you still stealing towers?]
Cui Jiaran: [That's right, tower-stealing is shameful!]
Fu Yujun: [It's not too bad, everyone has their own skills.]
Each of them disappeared for a few minutes to handle the New Year's greetings received from various sources. Tang Ruoyao also sent a message to the teacher who was hospitalized. When she returned to the group, she noticed that Wen Shuxian had mentioned her.
[Your wife is rumored to be involved with Lin Ruohan again. The netizens this year are so good at making up stories.]
She attached a link.
Tang Ruoyao replied: [Let me take a look] and clicked on the link.
Tang Ruoyao knew what she was thinking. Wen Shuxian had never been optimistic about their relationship, but she couldn't say it directly, nor could she advise her not to be with Qin Yinong. Tang Ruoyao appreciated her indirect way of warning her, reminding her not to let love cloud her judgment.
"Lin Ruohan's sudden deletion" once approached the level of a coming-out announcement, and the innocent Qin Yinong was dragged into the water much to the delight of the crowd.
You love her, but she doesn't love you. Her melodramatic story has gradually taken shape in people's minds. Qin Yinong and Lin Ruohan have always been rumored to be involved, and although their CP (couple pairing) popularity may not match that of Lin Ruohan and Ren Xingyue, in terms of influence and popularity, they are unparalleled.
The fans of the Qin-Lin CP seemed to have made an official announcement, celebrating with firecrackers and drums. It's no wonder that Lin Ruohan, who is firmly seated in the top position, boldly came out of the closet. It's such a face-slapping move, leaving me speechless.
Various forums have sparked a frenzy of gossip based on the content of Lin Ruohan's swift deletion, meticulously unraveling the love-hate relationship between Qin Yinong and Lin Ruohan over the past few years. From their early acquaintance, immature love, sorrowful breakup, discord between face and heart, to conflicts and reviving old feelings, it's all happening now...
The narrative is clear, and the evidence is solid.
If it weren't for the fact that Qin Yinong is currently lying beside Tang Ruoyao, she would almost believe it.
What's even more incredible is the analysis by netizens that Qin Yinong's mysterious "lover" who can't show their face is actually a woman, namely Lin Ruohan. That's why she can't produce a marriage certificate or make it public. Netizens exclaimed, pondering in fear, and finally, the case was solved.
The truth is just a step away.
Tang Ruoyao: "..."
Tang Ruoyao replied in the group: [It's quite interesting fiction, but there's not a single truth in it.]
Wen Shuxian: [Hahaha, I agree.]
Tang Ruoyao: [I don't like reading this kind of gossip. It feels like a waste of time.]
Wenshu Xian: [I completely agree.]
The matter was lightly brushed aside.
Tang Ruoyao said: [I was actually planning to wait until the wedding invitations were printed before telling you all. We're planning to get married in March this year and have a small private ceremony. Please make sure to grace us with your presence.]
Congratulations flooded the group chat.
Wen Shuxian privately messaged her, saying: [I'm sorry.]
Tang Ruoyao replied: [It's okay, just remember to bring a gift.]
Wenshu Xian: [Hahaha, got it.]
Qin Yinong had been watching her intently for a while, her gaze deep and mysterious. Tang Ruoyao focused on her phone and didn't notice.
She locked the screen, turned around, and Qin Yinong pretended to have just finished something, asking her, "Are you tired?"
Tang Ruoyao shook her head.
Qin Yinong gently cupped her face with one hand and kissed her.
Tang Ruoyao and she kissed, and when the woman was about to go further, she grabbed Qin Yinong's wrist and flipped her over.
Tang Ruoyao lowered her head and looked deeply into the woman's eyes, her gaze dark and profound.
They had to wake up early the next day, so they only did it once.
Qin Yinong, however, seemed more tired than before and fell into a deep sleep in Tang Ruoyao's embrace.
Tang Ruoyao looked at her for a while before closing her eyes and falling asleep.
The next day, everyone in the neighborhood woke up early, cooking dumplings and going out to pay New Year's visits. The excitement of the Spring Festival Gala had not subsided, and the top trending searches were filled with various topics. One of them was at the top: "[Qin Yinong's Response]"
Without going through her studio, Qin Yinong personally posted a Weibo.Qin Yinong V:
[Lin Ruohan and I are just friends. We have never been in a romantic relationship. Please do not spread rumors. Thank you all 🙏]]
Netizens watching the drama commented:
[Am I seeing this right? The protagonist is personally debunking the rumors???]
[Here comes another publicity stunt.]
[The one above, accusing others of staging a publicity stunt, are you a broken record? Can't rumors about a romantic relationship be clarified?]
[I thought I drank too much last night, still not sober in the early morning. Wow, we finally know that Qin Qin has clarified it for herself. It wasn't in vain that I argued with CP fans all night yesterday.]
[Qin-Lin is fake! I've locked Qin, and the key has been swallowed by Ren Xingyue.]
[Hahaha, do you have a problem with cueing Ren Xingyue?]
[Isn't Ren Xingyue the one who's creating a stir? She doesn't even care about Lin Ruohan.]
[Isn't it unfair for Lin Ruohan to bring out Qin Yinong at this time and make her the scapegoat?]
[I feel sorry for Emperor Qin, this is truly an undeserved calamity.]
[Am I the only one who finds this 🙏 emoji so adorable? Our lovely Emperor Qin.]
[Qin Emperor is mine!]
On the way to Han Yuping's house, the three of them, Tang Ruoyao, had a faint smile on her face as she watched Qin Yinong and Qin Jianing, who was sitting in a child's seat, play the game of "you clap once, and I'll clap once."
Her phone suddenly vibrated.
She took it out.
Wen Shuxian mentioned her in the group chat: [Quick, check the trending searches!]
Tang Ruoyao, puzzled, opened the trending searches and, after a moment, put away her phone and looked at Qin Yinong, her eyes slightly moved: "You posted that Weibo?"
Qin Yinong paused for a moment, made a sound of agreement, and continued clapping with Ningning.
Tang Ruoyao asked, "Why?"
Qin Yinong raised her eyelids and spoke softly, "I don't want you to be unhappy because of me."
Tang Ruoyao's gaze shifted, and she replied, "I'm not."
Qin Yinong was puzzled and said, "Then what about last night..." as if she wanted to kill her.
Tang Ruoyao blushed and interrupted her, saying, "Enough." She glanced at Ningning, indicating that they had a child present.
Qin Yinong nodded and said, "I'll call An Ling to inform her."
Tang Ruoyao corrected her seriously, "It's not called informing, it's called letting her know."
Qin Yinong smiled.
"I didn't tell her in the morning to avoid disturbing her rest," Qin Yinong explained and dialed An Ling's number.
An Ling already knew about the incident and remained calm. She generously said, "It's okay, it's just a Weibo post, right? If you want to post something, go ahead, post whatever you want, ten or eight posts, it doesn't matter."
Qin Yinong suspected that she was being sarcastic and cautiously asked, "Really? Won't it cause you any trouble if I do this?"
An Ling said, "Don't worry, it won't. But..."
"But what?"
An Ling glanced at her computer screen and furrowed her brow, "You had Tang Ruoyao's roommate repost your Weibo?"
Qin Yinong was surprised and asked, "Which roommate? I didn't ask anyone."
An Ling said, "Wen Shuxian."
Qin Yinong used Tang Ruoyao's phone to visit Wen Shuxian's profile.
Wen Shuxian V:
[Supporting idols, please refrain from spreading rumors! //@Qin YinongV: Lin Ruohan and I are just friends. We have never been in a romantic relationship. Please do not spread rumors. Thank you all 🙏]
The comments section exploded.
—It's none of your business, why would you wade into this mess, Wen Shuxian, delete it quickly! [9999 likes]
—This is so hard for me, too difficult. How did I end up being a fan of such an outspoken idol? Even if I have to kneel, I'll still be a fan. [Surviving with a smile.jpg] [8888 likes]
—Little Wen is about to be attacked again, but we're used to it. [7777 likes]
—If Xiaowen could learn to speak a little less, she would probably face less criticism. [6666 likes]
—But we like her for her straightforwardness, right? She dares to speak up when so many others don't. Why be afraid of criticism? She's been through it all, she has resources in her hands, let's laugh at the haters. Alright, everyone, let's go to the Anti-Haters Club. [5555 likes]
Cui Jiaran, an ordinary person, retweeted Wen Shuxian's Weibo without any pressure.
At noon that day, Fu Yujun sighed and retweeted Cui Jiaran. It seemed like everyone who seemed unrelated was suddenly connected to Qin Yinong, just like gourds hanging on a vine.
Netizens were confused and couldn't make sense of it. Even the critics lost direction and ultimately decided to collectively attack Wen Shuxian. Wen Shuxian's fans, experienced in dealing with such situations, swiftly and overwhelmingly defended her, also helping clarify the situation for Qin Yinong.
The only person truly connected to Qin Yinong posted in the group chat: [Thank you, everyone, [bowing]]
Wen Shuxian confidently declared, "It's a small matter. From now on, I'll protect my Little sister!"
Qin Yinong took Tang Ruoyao's phone and sent a voice message, with a hint of authority, saying, "Hmm? Little sister? Are you referring to me?"
Wen Shuxian rolled her eyes and dropped dead on the spot.
Immediately, voice messages started pouring in one after another.
"Empress Qin."
"Big sister Qin."
"Emperor Qin."
"Dad, I was wrong! I won't dare anymore! Your magnanimity, please forgive me!" Wen Shuxian sobbed.
Qin Yinong handed the phone back, unable to contain her laughter, and said, "Your roommate is quite interesting."
Tang Ruoyao chuckled while typing, "You nearly scared her to death."
Qin Yinong responded, "That's because she's timid, but I... " She paused, mustered up some courage, and said softly, "I'm adorable."
Tang Ruoyao looked up at her.
Qin Yinong bit her lip and whispered, "You said it."
"I didn't say it. It wasn't me," Tang Ruoyao laughed and said, "You're not allowed to show your adorableness to others, got it?"
Qin Yinong obediently nodded and softly replied, "Got it."
Tang Ruoyao tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and said, "Baby, give me a kiss."
Qin Yinong leaned in and carefully kissed her cheek.
Tang Ruoyao opened her eyes, a hint of dissatisfaction in her gaze.
Qin Yinong looked uneasy and said, "What if Ningning sees us?"
They were having lunch at Han Yuping's house, and Ningning was playing in the yard. The room door was wide open, and anyone outside could see inside.
Tang Ruoyao got up, closed the door, and kissed passionately before letting go.
In recent days, Tang Ruoyao had become more and more clingy to Qin Yinong, wanting to be with her every second. Qin Yinong felt the same way. It wasn't just because their feelings were growing deeper, but also because Tang Ruoyao was about to start filming the movie "Xiao Hong" and would be fully immersed in the shooting. The contract was for five months, which was practically half a year.
They have been together for less than half a year, but they are about to face a longer period of separation. There is no doubt about their feelings for each other, but suddenly their lives are missing the most important piece. Can they truly adapt? Everything is unknown.
On the third day of the lunar new year, Tang Ruoyao went to the hospital to visit her sick teacher. She was the only one who went that day. Fresh lilies were placed in a vase, and a bag of fruits she carried was placed under the bedside table.
Qin Yinong wore a large hood, keeping her head down. The black mask almost covered her entire face.
"Teacher."
"Ruoyao, you came. That's thoughtful of you." The teacher smiled and turned her gaze towards the woman who had been silent since entering, her eyes filled with curiosity. "And who is this..."
Tang Ruoyao introduced confidently, "This is my girlfriend."
The teacher showed a gentle smile, not looking very surprised. Her gaze towards Qin Yinong even carried a touch of kindness.
Qin Yinong touched her ear and gently took off the mask.
The teacher sat up abruptly.
"!!!" Her eyes widened, as if she had seen a ghost in broad daylight.
Qin Yinong felt extremely uncomfortable. She curved her lips, trying to release a proper smile. "Hello."
The teacher stared without blinking. "...Hello."
Qin Yinong continued with a well-behaved and polite smile.
After a dozen seconds, the teacher looked embarrassed and said, "I'm sorry, please have a seat."
Qin Yinong nodded.
Tang Ruoyao pushed a chair over, and Qin Yinong sat down.
The teacher was frail, so Tang Ruoyao placed two pillows behind her to support her sitting posture.
As long as Qin Yinong didn't face Tang Ruoyao alone, her presence was invincible. In theory, it was equivalent to meeting half of the parents. She remained calm and composed. On the other hand, Tang Ruoyao's teacher in front of her was so nervous that she couldn't speak.
"Ruoyao, please... pour a glass of water for Teacher Qin," the teacher swallowed her saliva and said.
"Okay."
After pouring the water and coming back, Tang Ruoyao handed it to Qin Yinong, who looked up and smiled at her. The teacher became even more awkward, forgetting about their relationship.
Qin Yinong took a sip of water, gracefully placing the cup back down, every movement pleasing to the eye.
The teacher cleared her throat and finally spoke, "Thank you for taking care of Ruoyao."
Qin Yinong replied, "It's my pleasure."
The teacher cautiously asked, "I wonder when did you two get together?" She glanced at the wedding ring on Qin Yinong's ring finger, clearly aware of this piece of news.
Qin Yinong crossed her left and right hands, elegantly placing them on her knees, and calmly replied, "When she had just entered university not long ago."
The teacher was taken aback and quickly looked at Tang Ruoyao, who nodded in confirmation.
The teacher temporarily suppressed her astonishment and asked softly, "So, the news of your marriage...?"
Qin Yinong explained, "We obtained the marriage certificate when we went abroad."
With that statement, all her doubts were resolved.
The teacher had nothing more to say, only expressing, "She is a good child. I hope you will cherish her."
Qin Yinong solemnly responded, "I will."
Finally, she found an excuse to separate from Qin Yinong and spoke with Tang Ruoyao alone for a few minutes.
After coming out, the two of them regrouped, and Qin Yinong asked, "What did your teacher say?"
"She just told us to cherish our relationship, nothing else," Tang Ruoyao shrugged her shoulders, holding Qin Yinong's hand as they walked along the road."Then why did you stay in there for so long?"
"It's been a long time since we last saw each other. She asked about my recent situation, but she didn't keep talking about us."
"What did she ask you?"
"About work, life... things like that."
"How did you respond?"
"I said everything was going well."
"Did she ask about acting?"
"She did. I told her I joined a film crew, and she encouraged me to work hard and win another award."
Tang Ruoyao never made eye contact with Qin Yinong throughout the conversation.
Qin Yinong lowered her gaze and didn't inquire further.
She thought that Tang Ruoyao probably hadn't noticed that she was unconsciously holding her hand tighter and tighter.
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