CHAPTER 197

After Qin Yinong spoke, she carefully observed Tang Ruoyao's expression, feeling a subtle unease that was difficult to detect.

She rarely expressed her love directly through words. Her love for Tang Ruoyao was unquestionable, and Tang Ruoyao knew that she loved her. But Qin Yinong was worried that her overwhelming love would scare Tang Ruoyao away.

Just like that night at the wrap-up party for "True Colors," when Tang Ruoyao fled.

Nowadays, of course, Tang Ruoyao wouldn't be scared away, but Qin Yinong was afraid that she would feel burdened.

Wang Lin advised her to try expressing her thoughts to the other person, and Qin Yinong took it to heart. This was her first step forward. If Tang Ruoyao's reaction was guilt or self-blame, she probably wouldn't be able to take a second step in her lifetime.

Actually... it's not bad this way, Qin Yinong thought. She was used to hiding her feelings, and even if she concealed them from Tang Ruoyao for a lifetime, they would always be together. Nothing else mattered.

But Tang Ruoyao's reaction was...

Qin Yinong was slightly taken aback.

She didn't have any particular reaction. She just stared at her with intense eyes, and the light in her eyes grew brighter.

Qin Yinong felt pain in her hand. She lowered her head and saw that Tang Ruoyao was gripping her hand so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. She continued to exert force as if she hadn't noticed. It wasn't until Qin Yinong's gaze lingered for two or three seconds that Tang Ruoyao's pupils trembled slightly, and she abruptly let go of her hand, gently rubbing the reddened skin where she had left a mark.

"I..." she habitually said, "I'm sorry..."

Qin Yinong's gaze sharpened.

Tang Ruoyao swallowed her words, still stuttering, unable to complete her sentence, and joyfully said, "I..."

Tears slowly welled up in her eyes. She lowered her eyelashes and blinked away the teardrops, crying tears of joy.

Qin Yinong raised her empty hand and gently wiped away the tears from her cheek with her slender white fingertips.

Tang Ruoyao sniffled and said, "I love you."

Qin Yinong's eyes and brows curved with a smile. "I know."

Tang Ruoyao shook her head and said, "You don't know." You have no idea how much I love you.

She had never imagined that one day words and vocabulary would become so impoverished and powerless, incapable of expressing the overwhelming emotions she was feeling at this moment.

.......

After a few more times, Qin Yinong couldn't bear it anymore. She reached out and pushed Tang Ruoyao's shoulder. Tang Ruoyao didn't continue or leave, she still held onto her tightly. In the past two hours, no matter what Tang Ruoyao did, she maintained the posture of holding onto her with one hand, firmly in control, possessive.

Qin Yinong cleared her dry throat and hoarsely spoke a few words.

Tang Ruoyao couldn't hear clearly, only catching the last word, "water." She guessed that Qin Yinong wanted water, but she didn't want to separate from her, even for a minute. So she said, "Drink later."

Qin Yinong: "..."

Was she been imagining things?

What happened to the Tang Ruoyao who was always obedient to her?

She recalled the memory from a moment ago when Tang Ruoyao seemed completely crazy, as if she wouldn't stop until she killed her. Qin Yinong suddenly felt that the phrase "obedient and submissive" should be forgotten from her mind as soon as possible.

Qin Yinong closed her eyes to rest, taking shallow breaths.

She was exhausted, overcome by drowsiness, feeling a bit hazy.

A warm and soft touch came to her forehead.

Qin Yinong lazily lifted her eyelids and gave a seductive smile. "You... stole a kiss from me."

Her consciousness was becoming unclear, but she instinctively responded based on her trust in the person in front of her. Due to her drowsiness, she unintentionally revealed some of her suppressed true feelings.

In Tang Ruoyao's eyes, she seemed intoxicated, and it was incredibly adorable.

Tang Ruoyao bowed her head again and lightly pecked her smooth and fair forehead, deliberately being arrogant. "I stole a kiss from you, so what?"

"I want..." Qin Yinong's expression slightly intoxicated, smiling, she said, "to tell my girlfriend."

"Who is your girlfriend?"

"Tang... Ruoyao."

"Good girl." Tang Ruoyao's eyes softened, moving along her forehead and down, she kissed her eyebrows, eyes, and the tip of her nose...

Qin Yinong pouted her lips, taking the initiative to invite a kiss.

But Tang Ruoyao didn't kiss her, pretending to be puzzled. "Why?"

Qin Yinong pursed her lips, not moving.

Tang Ruoyao held back her laughter. "If you don't speak, how can I..."

Due to her lowered head, several strands of her raven-black hair fell onto Qin Yinong's side. Without hesitation, Qin Yinong grabbed a handful, pulling Tang Ruoyao down directly.

Tang Ruoyao: "... That's too cruel!"

Their lips met.

They shared a gentle and beautiful kiss.

Qin Yinong slowly opened her eyes, seeing Tang Ruoyao closing hers in enjoyment, and she slowly closed her eyes as well.

"Which room is the master bedroom?"

Qin Yinong half-closed her eyes and pointed to a certain door on the first floor.

Tang Ruoyao raised an eyebrow.

This house was quite nice. The master bedroom wasn't even on the second floor. Thus, holding Qin Yinong, she walked in the direction of the bedroom.Little separation is better than honeymoon. Taking a shower took quite some time.

This time, Tang Ruoyao didn't get things her way. When she came out, not to mention the strength to carry someone, she couldn't even walk steadily. It was Qin Yinong who supported her.

Qin Yinong put on a robe, made a phone call to have dinner delivered by Guan Han, and when she turned around, she saw Tang Ruoyao sitting on the sofa, gently rubbing her slightly bruised knee, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

Qin Yinong saw the situation and immediately felt self-blame in her eyes. She quickly approached, took Tang Ruoyao's hand, and softly asked, "Does it hurt?"

Tang Ruoyao felt uneasy and lowered her eyelashes.

Qin Yinong said, "Next time..."

Tang Ruoyao thought she was going to say not to kneel next time, but to her surprise, after a moment of contemplation, Qin Yinong said seriously, "Kneel on a softer surface next time."

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

A light laughter sounded in her ear.

Tang Ruoyao knew she was being teased, and her face flushed, turning a light shade of pink even on her fair earlobes.

Qin Yinong reached out to playfully poke her chin. "Are you shy?"

Tang Ruoyao hurriedly buried herself in the ground, not daring to look at her.

Qin Yinong sighed.

Tang Ruoyao's heart tightened, and she immediately raised her head, only to see the triumphant smile on the woman's face.

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

There was a shimmer in Qin Yinong's eyes, like moonlight shining on a fine black jade.

The woman looked at her with almost infatuation and said, "You're so cute."

Tang Ruoyao blushed, unsure whether to accept her praise or continue to lower her head in embarrassment.

Qin Yinong's throat moved slightly, and she suddenly whispered, "Guan Han will arrive in at least half an hour."

Tang Ruoyao: "???"

Qin Yinong turned around and checked the tightly closed curtains until there was no gap left. Then she walked to the door and locked it.

.......

Xin Qian had been dragged away by Guan Han for four hours, which had become a common occurrence for her. During these four hours, she accompanied Guan Han on a short stroll, had a big meal together, watched her play games, and in the end, they even watched a movie.

After leaving the cinema, the two sat in a dessert shop and ordered a bowl of mango pomelo sago, which Guan Han treated Xin Qian to.

Seeing that it was almost late at night, Xin Qian asked, "Where am I staying tonight?"

Guan Han asked, "Where did you stay before?"

Xin Qian mentioned the name of the hotel.

Guan Han said, "Does  Miss Tang also stay there?"

Xin Qian nodded.

Guan Han said in a calm voice, "Cancel the room."

Xin Qian widened her eyes. "What did you say?"

......

"In the future, when you finish work, you'll be staying in this house." Qin Yinong opened the windows and doors for ventilation. Both of them returned to the living room; the bedroom was not a suitable place for serious conversations.

Tang Ruoyao asked, "What about you..."

Qin Yinong finished her glass of water, too lazy to fetch another one, and poured a full glass from her own cup, handing it to Tang Ruoyao.

Tang Ruoyao held it with both hands and took small sips of water.

Qin Yinong spoke in a casual tone, saying, "I'll stay with you."

Tang Ruoyao paused in her actions. "Every day?"

Qin Yinong affirmed, "Every day."

Tang Ruoyao frowned. "Are you giving up your work in the capital?"

Qin Yinong shrugged. "Don't we have airplanes?"

Without thinking, Tang Ruoyao said, "No way!"

Even the most resilient person couldn't handle daily flights back and forth. What kind of absurd idea was this? It's amazing that she even came up with it!

"Why not?" Qin Yinong's tone became serious.

Unnoticed by Qin Yinong herself, a trace of gloom flickered in her own eyes.

Tang Ruoyao didn't notice either as she patiently calculated, "Flying from the capital takes at least two hours. Add two hours to get to the airport, and the round trip takes five hours each time. Two round trips make it ten hours, and that's assuming there's no traffic or other delays. When will you have time to sleep?"

"I can sleep on the plane," Qin Yinong replied without hesitation, clearly having figured it out beforehand.

Furthermore, she had a twisted logic. "I used to sleep in the car when I was busy. Haven't you gotten used to it too?"

Tang Ruoyao choked for a moment and said gently, "The quality of sleep on the road is not good."

Qin Yinong thought to herself: Do you know that I can't sleep when you're not around?

But if she said that out loud, Tang Ruoyao would be upset, and she might not even be able to concentrate on filming.

Determined, Qin Yinong decided to change the subject just as Tang Ruoyao was trying to persuade her. The doorbell rang.

Tang Ruoyao stopped the conversation and went to open the door.

Guan Han stood at the door, holding a food container.

Tang Ruoyao took it over, politely said thanks, and invited her in to sit.

Guan Han glanced at the snow-white robe Tang Ruoyao was wearing and the faint traces on her neckline, feeling relieved. She restrained her excitement and tactfully said, "I won't sit. I need to go back and sleep."

Tang Ruoyao said, "Take care," and took a few steps outside before turning back.

Qin Yinong resumed her usual expression, helped her with the food in the container, which consisted of lightly seasoned dishes with less oil and salt. Tang Ruoyao ate slowly, but she noticed that Qin Yinong had already finished half of the food in front of her.

Tang Ruoyao's chopsticks paused, and she suddenly felt uncomfortable.

Qin Yinong had strong self-control and didn't indulge in desires of the palate unless she cooked herself. She must either not have had a proper meal these past few days or was overly happy to see her, or perhaps both.

Qin Yinong had been filming for more than ten days, and every day there was news about her on the internet, leading up to today, which marked her steps forward to meet herself. Most of their phone conversations during these days were about the drama production, and Qin Yinong listened quietly, occasionally giving her responses.

Tang Ruoyao had a cold personality but never lacked friends. Every time she joined a drama production, she could integrate smoothly and make new friends. It was especially true for the "Xiao Hong" drama production, where both Fan Hong and the actors were talkative, and the atmosphere was particularly good. They would shoot happily during the day. At night, they would study the script to better interpret the scenes for the next day.

Qin Yinong didn't have much time allocated to her, to be honest, even scarce. Considering Qin Yinong's personality, she wouldn't take the initiative to bother her while she was busy. This could be seen from their chat history, with Tang Ruoyao often saying she had free time first before Qin Yinong mentioned her own availability or just finished something. Was it all just a coincidence?

Is she always holding her phone, keeping it warm in her hands, just to wait for a pitiful echo that may appear at any time?

During the days when she was not around, she wasn't just a little unhappy, she was very unhappy. Maybe she had never been happy before.

Tang Ruoyao watched Qin Yinong, who was enjoying her meal, and wanted to put down her chopsticks, afraid of ruining her appetite. She finished her dinner without tasting the food.

Qin Yinong stopped eating.

Tang Ruoyao timely handed her a tissue, and Qin Yinong took it, gently wiping the corner of her mouth, and said, "The company doesn't necessarily require me to be there. When I used to film movies, An Ling was in charge, and now I can temporarily hand it over to her and go back if there's something important. So..."

Qin Yinong glanced at her, with a hint of caution in her eyes, and asked, "Can I stay here with you?"

Only now did Tang Ruoyao realize how heartbroken she was when she was alone. She couldn't resist Qin Yinong's pleading gaze, and her eyes became moist. She said, "Okay."

Qin Yinong didn't know that she had become a little pitiful in her lover's heart.

With permission granted, she happily said, "I just came up with this idea. An Ling doesn't know yet. I'll talk to her tomorrow."

Tang Ruoyao smiled and corrected her, "It's 'inform.'"

Qin Yinong said, "Who cares, it's the same."

Sacrifice An Ling for the happiness of the two of them. An Ling would probably be willing, and even if she wasn't, there was nothing she could do. After all, she was the big boss.

The two of them, the big cutie and the little poor thing, cleaned up the table and returned to the bedroom. When they saw the time, disbelief was evident in their eyes.

Tang Ruoyao asked, "When did I come back?"

Qin Yinong thought for a moment and said, "A little after six."

Tang Ruoyao asked, "Then why is it already twelve o'clock now?"

Qin Yinong said, "Hahaha, I don't know."

Coming and going, it was already this late.

The night was deep, but they didn't feel like sleeping. Tang Ruoyao lay down, and Qin Yinong rested her head in her embrace. The two of them chatted casually.

"How did you convince Ji Yunyao to help?"

"She thought it would be fun, so she agreed. It didn't take much effort."

"Well, then you owe her a big favor."

"It's okay, when you have too many lice, you stop itching. When you have too many debts, you stop worrying." The woman's lazy tone.

Upon hearing this, Tang Ruoyao lowered her head in surprise and looked at the woman. Qin Yinong wondered, "What's wrong?"

Tang Ruoyao shook her head and said, "Nothing."

She suddenly curled her eyebrows. She just didn't expect Qin Yinong to say such words. How could she be so adorable!

Smack.

Qin Yinong suddenly received a kiss, feeling a bit bewildered.

She was suddenly enveloped in darkness as Tang Ruoyao's dog-like affectionate kisses came, full of enthusiasm, leaving Qin Yinong's face covered in saliva.

Qin Yinong hugged her back and also started laughing.

The big dog Tang Ruoyao used all four limbs to cling to her, wagging her tail, sticking to her like glue, and her voice was sweet and sticky, "Baby."

"Mm." Qin Yinong struggled to free one hand and gently touched her head, smiling.

"I'm happy that you came to see me. I'm happier than every day I've been here." After meeting for so long, Tang Ruoyao finally remembered to say what should have been said first.

Qin Yinong smiled slowly. "Me too."

"I..." Tang Ruoyao opened her mouth but hesitated for a moment. After a while, she looked frustrated and said, "I don't know what else to say."

Qin Yinong stared into her eyes, and her index finger touched her lips as she softly said, "Then don't say anything."

The moon descended from the zenith, and both of them were exhausted and fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, Tang Ruoyao was awakened by the alarm clock. There was a string in her mind, and as soon as the alarm clock rang, she opened her eyes and promptly turned it off. Nervously, she looked at Qin Yinong sleeping beside her, but Qin Yinong's brows remained calm, showing no reaction at all.

Tang Ruoyao checked the woman's breathing, which was warm and steady, and finally breathed a sigh of relief. She lightly kissed the woman's forehead and got up to freshen up.

Her movements were light, but the sound of washing wasn't exactly quiet. In the middle, Tang Ruoyao accidentally knocked over the facial cleanser. Holding her breath, she looked at Qin Yinong when she came out again, but the latter maintained the same sleeping position as when she had entered, without any movement.

Tang Ruoyao slowly furrowed her brows.

She called Guan Han.

Twenty minutes later, Guan Han entered with breakfast.

"Where's Qin Jie?" Guan Han placed the breakfast on the table, lowering her voice intentionally.

"She's still sleeping." Tang Ruoyao asked softly, "Have you eaten?"

"No," Guan Han replied.

Tang Ruoyao gave her an inviting look. "Let's eat together."

"Thank you, Miss Tang." Guan Han sat down.

Tang Ruoyao picked a crystal steamed dumpling and placed it on Guan Han's plate, even adding vinegar to her own plate. Tang Ruoyao disliked the smell of vinegar, but at this moment, her expression remained unchanged.

Guan Han's heart skipped a beat, sensing something was wrong.

After eating a dumpling, Tang Ruoyao smiled faintly at Guan Han.

She said, "Sister Guan Han."

Guan Han: "!!!"

Alert! Level 10 alert!

Guan Han lowered her eyelids and calmly said, "Miss Tang, calling me by my name is fine."

"Okay, Guan Han." Tang Ruoyao quickly changed her tone, "Has Senior Qin been busy lately?"

"...Quite busy." Guan Han replied.

Tang Ruoyao said, "You don't have to think about it, you know? Weren't you always with her?"

Guan Han said, "I was just recollecting what Qin Jie has been doing."

Tang Ruoyao made a sound and lightly said, "So, what has she been doing?"

Guan Han maintained her defensive position and lowered her gaze. "It's better if you ask Qin Jie personally."

Tang Ruoyao coldly snorted, "I already know even if you don't tell me."

Guan Han's heart started pounding. What did she know? Qin Jie has been behaving herself in Beijinh, not attracting any attention.

Tang Ruoyao's chopsticks hit the edge of the bowl, making a crisp sound.

Guan Han looked up.

Tang Ruoyao stared straight at her, her eyes sharp, and her voice suddenly lowered as she said, "Is she not sleeping again?"

Guan Han's gaze flickered, but she remained silent.

Tang Ruoyao slammed down the chopsticks, furious, and said, "I think she's trying to drive me crazy. Is this some kind of ploy to gain sympathy?"

Guan Han abruptly raised her head, wanting to speak but hesitated.

Tang Ruoyao caught a glimpse of it and continued, "I've only been away filming for a short time, and she deliberately made herself look like this. Is she trying to get sick again just so that I..."

Guan Han couldn't help but interrupt her, "No."

Tang Ruoyao felt relieved in her heart and timely changed the topic. It didn't feel comfortable for her to talk about it either.

Tang Ruoyao said coldly, "No? No what?"

Guan Han said, "She's not intentionally staying awake. She's just having insomnia. If she has free time, she'll try to sleep. She also tries to take a nap every day. If she can't sleep, what can she do?"

Tang Ruoyao asked, "When did it start?"

Guan Han replied, "From the day you left."

Tang Ruoyao asked, "And after that?"

Guan Han then realized that she had been fallen into a trap, but it was too late.

Qin Yinong woke up close to the afternoon. She reached out and touched the spot next to her, only to feel the coldness. She suddenly opened her eyes wide. The curtains provided good shading, and she looked at the dim and unfamiliar room, feeling a bit dazed.

After a while, the memories from yesterday slowly came back.

Qin Yinong reached for her phone and checked the time, then opened the message notifications. She put aside all the other messages and only read the one from Tang Ruoyao at the top.

8:00 AM:

[I've gone out, didn't want to wake you up since you were sleeping soundly.]

[I've let Guan Han in; she should be in the living room.]

8:20 AM:

[I've arrived at the set.]

9:00 AM:

[I didn't go back to the hotel last night. Those gossip-loving crew members found out and started to tease me. I happened to talk to the production manager and told them to cancel the hotel room. I'll finish work in the afternoon and go back to pack my luggage. I might arrive home late.]

10:00.

[Finished shooting the scene successfully. Kiss you.]

Upon seeing this message, Qin Yinong's eyes curved slightly, and she lightly touched her lips with her fingertips.

After reading the last message, her phone vibrated, and Tang Ruoyao's message came in: [Still not awake? I'm starting work in the afternoon.]

Qin Yinong was in a hurry and couldn't even type properly. She immediately sent a message: [,]

Tang Ruoyao's call came in.

"Awake?" A faint voice with a smile.

Qin Yinong placed a hand on her forehead. "Hmm, just woke up," her voice hoarse from just waking up.

As long as they weren't face to face, Tang Ruoyao's verbal skills were on par with Qin Yinong's. At this moment, she spoke in a sweet and affectionate tone, saying, "Baby, your voice is so sexy."

Xin Qian, who happened to be beside her, shivered slightly, and goosebumps appeared layer by layer on her arms.

Qin Yinong calmly replied, "You already said that last night."

Tang Ruoyao was at a loss for words.

She could let go of everything else, but when it came to this matter, she couldn't act as composed as Qin Yinong, not showing any change on her face. She was still inexperienced, only knowing how to bury her head and occasionally say something affectionate, which made her blush and her ears turn red as if they were about to bleed.

A pleasant light laughter came through the receiver from Qin Yinong.

Tang Ruoyao's mind was a mess, and her face turned even redder.

"I..." She gripped her phone tightly and said in a constrained manner, "I have to go film now."

"Go ahead, I'll get up and have a breakfast."

"Okay."

"Come back early." Qin Yinong thought for a moment and said, "Should I pick you up?"

Tang Ruoyao said, "That wouldn't be good, right? With so many people on set, what if they see..."

Qin Yinong also felt it was too hasty and pressed down her disappointment, compromising, "Then I'll wait for you at home."

"Okay."

It was just a rented house, but with each other's company, it naturally became a home.

Tang Ruoyao came out of the rest area, her cheeks rosy, and her eyes sparkling. It was easily noticed by the crew's Sherlock Holmes. An actress teased her, "Are you talking to your significant other on the phone?"

Tang Ruoyao smiled and said, "Jealous?"

The actress replied, "..."

What was there to be jealous of? She was already married!

Tang Ruoyao lifted her hand and tapped on the ring on her collar, unable to resist showing off, "I'm getting married soon too." It was less than a month away from now, in March!

The actress: "..."

If Lin Ruohan were there, she would definitely notice that the two of them were showing the same affectionate gestures!

Tang Ruoyao was in high spirits when something good happened. She acted as if she had unleashed her full potential during the filming, overpowering her co-actor without any resistance. They were left in tears, unable to fight back. After two shots, Fan Hong had to stop and reluctantly said, "Xiao Tang."

Tang Ruoyao stood straight, almost saluting, full of confidence. "Director Fan!"

Fan Hong smiled and said, "I know you're happy. Let's wrap up the scene a bit, okay?"

Tang Ruoyao replied, "Okay."

They ended the work early.

Fan Hong put down the loudspeaker and personally thanked Tang Ruoyao before she disappeared from the set. "Thank you, Miss Tang. You've worked hard." It was a bit of teasing in her words.

The other actors started cheering again.

Tang Ruoyao blushed and hurriedly ran away, almost tripping.

Tang Ruoyao got in the car and sent a message to Qin Yinong, notifying her that she was going back to the hotel to pack her luggage.

.......

At the villa.

Qin Yinong had just calmed down An Ling, whose workload had suddenly increased and had an explosive temper because of her sudden departure. Then she heard her trusted housekeeper apologizing, saying that she accidentally revealed how bad things had been for her recently.

Qin Yinong had just had a good sleep and her relaxed forehead started to ache.

Guan Han stood in front of her with her head down.

Qin Yinong waved her hand, signaling Guan Han to step back.

Qin Yinong glanced at the time when Tang Ruoyao sent the last message. It had been an hour, and she should be back soon. Tang Ruoyao couldn't hold back her curiosity. If she could solve something on the first day, she would never leave it until the fifteenth. Tonight, she would definitely ask her about these things.

She didn't plan to keep it a secret forever, but she didn't expect it to be revealed so soon.

Qin Yinong looked at Guan Han again. Guan Han lowered her head, not daring to meet her gaze. Qin Yinong wondered: She's usually so composed, but why does she keep slipping up when it comes to Tang Ruoyao, allowing her to extract information from her? Whose assistant is she, really?

Forget it, she would deal with Tang Ruoyao if things got out of hand.

Author's Note:

Guess what's in the suitcase, hahaha.

Guan Han: I'm just a crazy shipper! No one can break my ship, even if they're the main characters!

PS: The new year is coming, happy New Year. (I need to add something again. After wishing a happy new year, leave a normal comment, hahaha.)

BACK | TABLE OF CONTENTS | NEXT