CHAPTER 198
The publicity department of "Xiao Hong" knows how to do their job. A literary film like this doesn't need to be low-key. More precisely, the official social media account does as it pleases, playing by its own rules. They often share some interesting behind-the-scenes anecdotes, accompanied by subtitles and light music.
Fans of actors who often go on hiatus for several months rely on these updates to keep going.
As the female lead, Tang Ruoyao appears on screen frequently. Most of the time, she sits on the side, holding the script and studying it intently. She has a cool demeanor, and her expressions don't reveal obvious emotions.
Tang Ruoyao's fans, who examine things under a microscope, quickly noticed that there's one thing their idol never lets go of—a small and exquisite hand warmer. She holds it when she's standing, sitting, and even when she's resting on a recliner.
Fans rushed to find the same hand warmer on an online marketplace, but it wasn't easy to find the one Qin Yinong gave her. Those who knew about it realized that the hand warmer she used to warm her hands was quite valuable. First, there were posts in gossip forums, then marketing accounts on Weibo picked it up, and it became a hot topic.
[In the entertainment industry, money is really easy to make. Even a hand warmer costs several million yuan. 🍿]
[Tang Ruoyao's fans used to say she leads a difficult and simple life. She's good at maintaining her image.]
[Is she making money from your rice? There are so many overpaid stars with no acting skills. Why don't I see you defending them? You always pick on the soft target.]
[She earns so much money, so she should endure hardships. Don't tell us how hard your idol works in the future. Give me the money, and I can endure twice as much.]
[Tang Ruoyao, keep filming without any interruptions. Don't cue her, thank you.]
Qin Yinong flipped through several photos of Tang Ruoyao on set, where she was captured holding the hand warmer in close-up shots.
"Do you really like this?" Qin Yinong raised her head and asked Tang Ruoyao, who had just come out of the kitchen.
Tang Ruoyao, who was holding a plate of cut fruits, casually placed it on the coffee table and wiped her hands before approaching. "Which one?"
Qin Yinong showed her the photos.
Tang Ruoyao focused and recognized herself in the photos, but she didn't know who took them. The shots happened to capture her lost in thought while gazing at the hand warmer, her eyes filled with affection. She felt a bit embarrassed as the person involved.
She uncomfortably pursed her lips and said, "Um."
"Um, what? Do you like it or not?" Qin Yinong insisted on getting a clear answer.
"I like it." After Tang Ruoyao finished speaking, she quickly fed Qin Yinong a piece of fruit.
Qin Yinong's cheeks bulged as she slowly swallowed the fruit. She kept her eyes on Tang Ruoyao the entire time, with a glimmer of affection in her eyes.
Qin Yinong nodded.
Tang Ruoyao brought the luggage from the hotel, mostly clothes. They hung in the large wardrobe that occupied an entire wall in the bedroom, with Tang Ruoyao's clothes separated from Qin Yinong's.
They each had their own space because their figures were similar. They couldn't afford to make a mistake in wearing each other's clothes, as observant netizens would quickly notice any subtle clues.
Tang Ruoyao stared at the artificial boundary that divided their clothes, her expression deep and inscrutable.
...It's not time yet.
Seeing her lost in thought in front of the wardrobe, Qin Yinong asked, "What are you thinking?"
Tang Ruoyao replied, "It's nothing."
Speaking of which, they are living together in W City so openly. Won't they be discovered by paparazzi?
"It doesn't matter if they discover," Qin Yinong smiled, sounding a bit proud. "They wouldn't dare to expose it."
Tang Ruoyao's eyes lit up.
Before she could say anything, Qin Yinong praised her, "You're so smart. You guessed it right away."
Tang Ruoyao: "..."
When facing a lover who uses both the filter of passion and the filter of maternal love to the maximum, what else can she do? She can only accept it with a peaceful mind.
Now that Qin Yinong has the support of the Ji family and the backing of Ji Yunyao, the niece who didn't even blink an eye last year, even if someone discovers Qin Yinong's true purpose in W City, they wouldn't dare to expose it casually. They would at least inform An Ling, and An Ling, under Qin Yinong's command, would definitely keep it under control.
No wonder Qin Yinong chose the Ji family. It's killing two birds with one stone.
After packing their luggage, Qin Yinong went to the kitchen to cook, and Tang Ruoyao helped her. Then, Tang Ruoyao hugged her from behind, resting her chin on Qin Yinong's shoulder and occasionally brushing her smooth and fair cheek with her lips.
Qin Yinong didn't mind her presence at all. Wherever she went, Tang Ruoyao followed, and the two of them clung to each other like conjoined twins. They cuddled and embraced each other for over an hour before successfully serving the meal.
Suddenly, Tang Ruoyao said, "Can you feed me?"
Qin Yinong was slightly surprised but immediately responded eagerly, "Sure." It was what she desired.
Qin Yinong pulled out a chair closest to her, but Tang Ruoyao didn't sit down. Instead, she stared at her without blinking.
Qin Yinong asked, "What's wrong?"
Tang Ruoyao, enduring her shyness, made a straightforward request, "Can I sit on your lap?"
Qin Yinong smiled and said, "Okay."
If yesterday was the dog-like clingy behavior, then today, Tang Ruoyao was like an adhesive plaster, sticking to Qin Yinong and refusing to let go. Her response was even more passionate than usual, which made Qin Yinong extremely excited. They remained in each other's embrace until the moon was high in the sky before reluctantly letting go.
Qin Yinong went to wash her hands while Tang Ruoyao propped herself up on the bed, her cheeks flushed, her eyes like autumn water.
She lazily placed one hand over her eyes, unable to adapt to the sudden brightness. Tang Ruoyao swallowed and coughed lightly, then picked up the water from the bedside table and drank until it was empty.
Seeing this, Qin Yinong came out and refilled a glass for her before crawling into bed and embracing her. The person who had such strong possessiveness just now was now like an obedient cat, obediently snuggling next to her owner.
Tang Ruoyao's five fingers reached into Qin Yinong's dark and smooth hair, gently stroking her hair from the back of her head, and slowly spoke, "I heard everything from Guan Han."
No need to say more. Guan Han must have reported everything truthfully.
Qin Yinong hummed in response.
Tang Ruoyao said, "If I hadn't asked Guan Han, would you have kept hiding it from me?"
Qin Yinong quickly denied, "No."
Tang Ruoyao let out a sigh and said calmly, "So when do you plan to tell me?" Without waiting for Qin Yinong's answer, she preemptively continued, "After a year, two years, or maybe five or ten years? When you've adapted to a life without me and can sleep peacefully, then you can casually bring up this matter as a joke, right? Don't you know? During the early days of our relationship, when you went to film, I couldn't sleep at home. Is that how it was?"
Qin Yinong was speechless.
Tang Ruoyao said, "You're always like this, wanting to handle everything and achieve peace of mind. I know there are many things I can't help with, but I didn't expect that you would even hide things about yourself..."
Tang Ruoyao was overcome with a heavy a sense of frustration.
She paused and, with a hint of defiance, said, "Forget it."
D*mn woman, since she came back home until now, she had given her so many chances to voluntarily disclose it, knowing that she knew, yet she pretended as if nothing was wrong, eating and doing things as if nothing happened, and doing it so ruthlessly.
What right did she have? This time, she had to make her speak up herself!
Qin Yinong was thinking about what excuse she should come up with when Tang Ruoyao suddenly said, "Forget it." Her heart skipped a beat, and she was so scared that she almost lost her composure. She blurted out, "We can't forget it!"
"I said forget it, so let's just forget about it. Is it not allowed for me to not want to dwell on it anymore?" Tang Ruoyao raised her voice and covered her head with the blanket. In a corner where Qin Yinong couldn't see, a faint smile appeared on the corner of her lips.
"No!" Qin Yinong pulled the covers back down.
She didn't control her strength properly, and Tang Ruoyao felt a gust of cold wind blowing, making her feel chilly all over. Her eyes instinctively closed, and when she opened them again, Qin Yinong had already tucked the covers back in for her.
Tang Ruoyao only showed her head, looking at her with a cold expression and said, "Then speak."
"I..."
"Forget it then, don't say anything." Tang Ruoyao carried her tsundere act to the end, turning her head away from Qin Yinong with her dark hair.
Qin Yinong had never encountered this side of Tang Ruoyao before. She organized her thoughts for a while and said, "I didn't tell you because I was afraid it would affect your filming."
Tang Ruoyao remained unmoved.
She had already said this once, so naturally, it didn't work. Unable to see her expression, Qin Yinong continued to explain in a calm manner, "If you knew I couldn't sleep, you would definitely buy a plane ticket back to Beijing. So..."
Tang Ruoyao suddenly interrupted her, "So what?"
Qin Yinong was taken aback.
Tang Ruoyao turned around and repeated it emotionlessly.
Qin Yinong's clear logic seemed to suddenly become tangled. She looked at Tang Ruoyao, who had a slight displeased expression, opened her mouth, and relying on her memory, said the prepared words, "Your film has just started shooting. If you rush back to Beijing, it will affect the progress of the filming and the impression that Fan Hong and everyone else has of you."
And my problem is not something that can be solved overnight. Your return won't change anything; it will just turn one person's troubles into two. Qin Yinong left out the most important sentence.
Tang Ruoyao sneered, "So what?"
Qin Yinong fell silent for a moment and said, "I'm sorry."
"I don't accept it." Tang Ruoyao, in a rare cold and stern tone, her eyes reddening, said, "Do you think you're less important to me than a movie?"
Qin Yinong immediately denied, "No, that's not it."
Tang Ruoyao angrily said, "Then what is it? Why do you belittle yourself so much?!" This person was the one she held in her heart, and even Qin Yinong herself shouldn't underestimate it.
Her emotions surged, and she blurted out in anger, "Or is it that you think one day you won't be more important to me than a movie?"
The blood drained from Qin Yinong's face, and she bit her pale lower lip.
Tang Ruoyao's throat moved, temporarily swallowing the words "I'm sorry." She said softly, "You know how important you are to me, so why let these meaningless reasons come between us?"
Qin Yinong said that Tang Ruoyao was her everything, and for Tang Ruoyao, it was no different.
They were destined to be lovers who would never be separated, not even by time or death.
Qin Yinong's eyelids drooped, "I..."
Her five fingers clenched tightly at her side, joints turning white.
Tang Ruoyao leaned over, embracing the woman and feeling her tense body gradually relax. She gently patted her back.
After a while.
Qin Yinong's muffled voice came from within her embrace, "You scared me just now."
Tang Ruoyao immediately said, "I'm sorry." She was still angry.
Qin Yinong paused for a few seconds and grumbled, "I forgive you." After all, she had also made mistakes.
The atmosphere eased a bit.
Qin Yinong lifted her head slightly, meeting Tang Ruoyao's gaze. She reached out her hand and gently touched the delicate eyebrows of Tang Ruoyao, feeling the curve of her brow bone with her fingertips. With a sigh, she said, "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to leave. It's not because I'm afraid of delaying the filming, but because I'm afraid that once you go back, I won't bear to let you come back again."
At first, it sounded a bit convoluted, but Tang Ruoyao understood after sorting it out and said, "Hmm."
Her heart secretly leaped with joy. So Qin Yinong was reluctant to part with her like this. Last time when she was sent to the airport, it was because the more reluctant Qin Yinong was, the more distant she appeared.
Seeing Tang Ruoyao's delighted expression, Qin Yinong knew that she hadn't realized the seriousness of the situation. She took a deep breath and said, "I had a dream on the first night after you left."
"What dream?"
Qin Yinong bit her lip and softened the description of the dream, making it sound less terrifying.
Tang Ruoyao interjected during her narration.
"You dreamed of me on the first day?" Unrestrained joy couldn't be suppressed.
"On the couch? Isn't that the same as yesterday? Does it count as dreams coming true?" Tang Ruoyao said with a smile.
"Your dream is so long. I dreamt of you a few days ago, but it was just a tiny bit of a plot, and I forgot it all when I woke up." A tone of envy.
Qin Yinong's heavy mood somehow dissipated with Tang Ruoyao's interruption. In the end, even she couldn't help but laugh, turning a nightmare into a beautiful dream.
Qin Yinong: "..."
Tang Ruoyao felt warm and fuzzy from Qin Yinong's storytelling. She couldn't help but snuggle in her embrace. Qin Yinong held her playful hands and adjusted her breathing, saying, "Let me finish."
Tang Ruoyao obediently said, "Go ahead."
Since it was a dream anyway, Qin Yinong thought for a moment and said, "In my dream, when I woke up for the second time, you had iron chains on your limbs and were locked in my room."
Tang Ruoyao blurted out, "Is that an SM thing?"
I didn't expect you, Qin Yinong, to be like this!
Qin Yinong: "What?"
Tang Ruoyao coughed, blinked her eyes, and asked, "And then?"
Qin Yinong: "..."
Why does it feel like my girlfriend's eyes suddenly lit up? It seems like she's excited. Is it just an illusion?
Qin Yinong suppressed her doubts and tried to recount Tang Ruoyao's words from the dream in a relaxed tone, making it seem like it was just a bizarre dream with no connection to reality.
"You said I locked you up, didn't let you go out, didn't let you meet your friends." Qin Yinong skipped the part where she said "I hate you" and anxiously watched her.
Tang Ruoyao waited for the continuation for a long time and asked, "That's it?"
Qin Yinong said, "That's it. I woke up after that."
Just as Tang Ruoyao was getting into it, she abruptly stopped, and the disappointment was evident.
She and Qin Yinong stared at each other for a moment, and she couldn't let it go as she asked, "Did anything happen between us when I was wearing those iron chains?"
Qin Yinong honestly shook her head.
She was scared awake, what could have happened?
Seeing Tang Ruoyao's strange expression, Qin Yinong furrowed her brows lightly and asked cautiously, "Should something have happened between us?"
"Nothing," Tang Ruoyao stared at her for a while, then changed her words. She cupped Qin Yinong's face with both hands and kissed her lips forcefully, praising, "Baby, good girl."
So pure, it's better not to tell her.
Qin Yinong: "???" How did I suddenly become good?
Tang Ruoyao indulged in a little fantasy about the iron chain scenario, suppressed the spring-like emotions that flickered in her eyebrows, and then remembered to ask, "Is there any connection between you having this dream and not letting me go back?"
Qin Yinong couldn't grasp Tang Ruoyao's thoughts, but instinctively felt uneasy. She had to continue despite her reservations and said, "Aren't you afraid that I would lock you up like in the dream?"
Tang Ruoyao fell silent for a second, then burst into laughter suddenly, "Hahaha!"
Qin Yinong: "..."
She should have known. Their thought processes were completely different.
Tang Ruoyao laughed until she almost couldn't breathe, wiped away the tears of laughter that had welled up in her eyes, and said, "Baby, it was just a dream."
Qin Yinong was at a loss for words.
Qin Yinong wore a resigned expression, and Tang Ruoyao realized that her response was inappropriate. She cleared her throat and said seriously, "It was just a dream. Even if it wasn't a dream, it's not a big deal."
"Not... a big deal?" Qin Yinong seemed dazed and said, "I locked you up." She doubted if Tang Ruoyao understood what she was saying.
"Then go ahead and lock me up." Tang Ruoyao shrugged indifferently. "I also thought about locking you up."
Qin Yinong couldn't be more surprised. She asked, "You thought about it too?"
In reality, Tang Ruoyao hadn't actually thought about it. What she had in mind was if she could shrink herself or Qin Yinong to the size of dolls and carry them around. But in a general sense, it was a similar idea. So she nodded and said, "Of course."
The established understanding in Qin Yinong's mind was gradually collapsing.
So she had these kinds of thoughts. Was there something wrong with her? Was Wang Lin lying to her?
Tang Ruoyao called her name twice, but Qin Yinong didn't respond. Tang Ruoyao had to raise her voice, and only then did Qin Yinong snap out of her daze, slowly focusing her gaze and fixing it on the anxious face of the young woman. She smiled gently and soothed her in a soft voice, "I'm fine."
Tang Ruoyao heaved a sigh of relief.
She recalled that Qin Yinong had been acting strange the entire evening. She couldn't help but ask with concern, "Is there anything else you're hiding from me?"
Qin Yinong said, "No, there's nothing else."
Tang Ruoyao said, "If there is, you must tell me."
Qin Yinong pondered for a moment, a playful curve forming at the corner of her lips, and said, "I remembered one thing."
Tang Ruoyao asked, "What is it?"
Qin Yinong looked at her and said, "What does 'Masochist' mean?"
Tang Ruoyao remembered the definition she had given her and said, "It means cute."
"Is that so?" Qin Yinong's eyes had a smile in them.
Tang Ruoyao's eyelid twitched inexplicably, and her scalp tingled as she said, "Yes."
Qin Yinong said, "Oh? So, does that mean you are one too?"
Tang Ruoyao laughed awkwardly.
Qin Yinong crouched down, put on her shoes, and walked to a corner. With both hands pressing on the edge of the luggage box that was already unlocked with a password, she called Tang Ruoyao over and then opened the box in front of her.
It was filled with various items...
"!!!" Tang Ruoyao quickly covered her eyes with both hands.
Qin Yinong amusingly tried to pull her hands away, but couldn't move them at all.
Qin Yinong had no choice but to close the luggage box and led the shy little ostrich back to the bed.
Tang Ruoyao checked Qin Yinong's hands and nervously asked, "You didn't bring anything back, did you?"
Qin Yinong's hands were empty, a smile playing on her lips as she said, "I did."
Tang Ruoyao searched every inch of her body but found nothing. She became so frustrated that she bit Qin Yinong's cheek. Qin Yinong hadn't been bitten by her in a long time and found it quite affectionate.
She gently rubbed her lover's fluffy head, which was huffing and puffing, and asked with a smile, "You said to bring things, but then you're all coy about it. Aren't you a strange person?"
Tang Ruoyao grumbled, "How was I supposed to know you would take it seriously?"
Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow and said, "I take every word you say seriously."
Tang Ruoyao couldn't help but laugh, "Annoying."
Qin Yinong caught her fist, which had no force behind it, and gently kissed the back of her fingers, coaxing her, "Do you want to give it a try?" like an adult coaxing a child with candy.
"No!" Tang Ruoyao said firmly.
"Really no?" Qin Yinong tempted her skillfully.
Tang Ruoyao glanced at the small luggage box in the corner, recalled the memory of her previous glance, blushing and with a racing heart, her voice lowered, "No." But it wasn't as resolute as before.
"Then let's forget about it," Qin Yinong decisively said, reaching out to turn off the light.
Tang Ruoyao grabbed the cuff of her sleeve, hesitated, and said, "Qin..."
Qin Yinong's hand paused in mid-air, looking at her with a smile, and gently asked, "What's wrong?"
Tang Ruoyao pulled the woman over, under her gaze, and whispered a few words.
Let's try it.
Click—
The room fell into darkness.
Qin Yinong still turned off the light, wrapped an arm around Tang Ruoyao, and said without hesitation, "Close your eyes and go to sleep."
Tang Ruoyao: "..."
In the darkness, the warm lips of the woman brushed against her earlobe, and she chuckled softly, saying, "Let's try again tomorrow. Goodnight."
Tang Ruoyao adjusted her sleeping position in her embrace, closed her eyelids, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Goodnight."
.......
Early the next morning, before the alarm clock sounded, Qin Yinong woke up Tang Ruoyao using her usual method. Tang Ruoyao opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling above her, her breathing rapid and her heart pounding. She sighed inwardly.
They were both women, but Qin Yinong was several years older than herself, yet she had so much energy.
Qin Yinong went to brush her teeth while Tang Ruoyao rested for a while, planning to get up. However, Qin Yinong pressed her shoulder with one hand and said, "It's still early, sleep a little longer. I'll make breakfast."
Once Tang Ruoyao relaxed, she fell back asleep.
Qin Yinong quickly made some toast and fried eggs, cut fruit and arranged it carefully on the plate. She was about to go back to the room to call Tang Ruoyao when the latter came out on her own, wearing a shirt and pants, with a slim waist and long legs, like a moving scenery.
"Good morning," Qin Yinong stopped by the table, her gaze falling on Tang Ruoyao's face.
"Good morning," Tang Ruoyao supported herself on the table and slowly sat down.
Qin Yinong noticed her unnatural movements.
The two of them quietly finished breakfast. Tang Ruoyao watched Qin Yinong exercise in the gym for a while. Twenty minutes later, a car arrived at the entrance of the courtyard. Qin Yinong escorted Tang Ruoyao into the car, and the two naturally exchanged a light kiss.
"See you tonight."
Tang Ruoyao waved at the woman through the lowered car window.
The two of them officially started their secluded life in City W.
Qin Yinong wasn't as leisurely as she had imagined. With the advancement of the internet, she could work from home. She had to return to the capital at least twice a week, whether it was for social events or for the company. Occasionally, there were also announcements related to her career as an artist.
But most of the time, she stayed in City W, keeping a light on for Tang Ruoyao.
Concerning Tang Ruoyao's physical and mental state for filming the next day, they didn't go as wild in the evenings anymore, at most once or twice.
Sometimes there were night scenes on set, and one time they filmed until two in the morning, with pouring rain and a misty white fog covering everything.
For safety reasons, Tang Ruoyao didn't go back, and Qin Yinong sent her a message saying, [No need to come back, I'll go to bed first. Goodnight.]
Tang Ruoyao fell asleep in the car, but woke up less than two hours later. Her eyelids kept twitching, and her heart didn't feel comfortable. Seeing that the rain had lessened outside, she asked the driver to take her back home.
From a distance, Tang Ruoyao could see the villa brightly lit.
She got out of the car, opened an umbrella, and raindrops splashed against its surface as she walked along the marble-paved path toward the door emitting light.
The rain started pouring heavily again, hitting the glass window and the leaves, making a pitter-patter sound.
The person inside the house didn't hear the sounds outside.
Tang Ruoyao closed the umbrella, entered the password, and opened the door. The living room on the first floor was as bright as daylight. The TV was on with the volume set to almost inaudible, and Qin Yinong was sitting on the couch. She turned her head to look at Tang Ruoyao, and her initially blank expression, slowly revealed a crack.
Then she made a very childish gesture, rubbing her eyes, thinking that she was dreaming.
Tang Ruoyao looked at her, her eyes becoming red.
From that day on, no matter what happened, Tang Ruoyao would rush back because she knew Qin Yinong would be waiting for her.
The two embraced and fell asleep, finally ending the day on a fulfilling note.
In early March, Qin Yinong returned to Beijing for an exclusive interview with a media outlet, causing another uproar online.
Author's Note:
Little Theater:
Sister Qin: I want to lock you up.
Yaoyao: Okay, okay. What kind of rope should we buy? What color do you like? Should we get handcuffs too? Let's plan our imprisonment play!
Sister Qin: ...
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