CHAPTER 211
The reason art is art is that the human emotions it contains are universal.
The challenges faced by the protagonist in "True Colors" are not unlike those faced by real-life s*xual minority groups. The lack of understanding and acceptance from elders, gossip and judgmental remarks, the scrutiny of being different, and even self-doubt. They constantly suppress themselves and conform to the conventional path of "happiness" as dictated by the majority.
Even in the 21st century, when people are already discussing the legalization of same-sex marriage, these issues are still not far away from them. In economically developed first and second-tier cities, the situation may be better, but in more remote areas, they are still misunderstood, oppressed, and considered abnormal and shameful.
Shen-Han [Shen Muqing & Han Zifei] is a portrayal of the countless individuals like them. It tells us to persevere in love, to have compassion for those around us, and it also tells us that every person struggling and striving is not alone.
Regarding the ending of "True Colors," netizens have different opinions.
Many netizens sympathize with Han Zifei. They believe that she sacrificed her life to help Shen Muqing find herself, but it was a cheap outcome for the subsequent person. They find it hard to accept, thinking that Shen Muqing should cherish the love for Han Zifei, forever remember her, and grow old alone. That would be true and complete love.
Another group of netizens believes that the past is gone, and people must move forward, whether willingly or under duress. Shen Muqing being immersed in the pain of losing her loved one forever is not what Han Zifei would want to see. It is wonderful that Shen Muqing can eventually find new love. She truly fulfills Han Zifei's last wish and achieves "be happy." Ha Zifei forever remains in her heart and is not forgotten. "Xiaofei, I will love you forever, but I have to move forward."
Both sides express their views passionately, and discussions are heated.
"How to evaluate the ending of 'True Colors'" has made it to the hot list on a certain app, and the discussion remains intense.
There are times when both sides fail to understand each other, and occasional conflicts arise. However, if they redirect the topic to "Chai Ziqiu, the devil on Earth," they can quickly turn hostility into reconciliation and shake hands.
There is also a group of netizens who propose a new perspective. The ending of "True Colors" is semi-open because in the diary, it only mentions "a girl" without specifying who she is, and there are no narrative scenes indicating that Shen Muqing is together with the girl in the end. This ambiguity has led to various interpretations by bewildered netizens: the girl may not necessarily be a romantic partner, Shen Muqing might have adopted a little girl; perhaps Han Zifei didn't actually die back then and survived, and after many years, the two finally reunite, which is incredibly sweet, didn't one notice that this is the last page of the diary, and Shen Muqing has passed away? This is her farewell letter, and she can finally reunite with her girl in heaven, so the second smiley face is also a happy ending, and so on.
These netizens have gone to the official blog to comment, seeking replies, and the official account has replied to each of them [heart]. Once an artistic work is created, it no longer solely belongs to the creator, and various interpretations are allowed. Netizens seek solace, comforting their wounded souls, and there's nothing wrong with that.
On the first day of the Qixi Festival [Chinese Valentine's Day], the box office of "True Colors" exceeded 70 million yuan. In the following weekdays, it saw a slight decline, but its screening rate and occupancy rate remained high, showing steady momentum. During the first weekend of its release, the box office broke 100 million yuan in a single day. If you follow the trending topic of the movie "True Colors" on social media, you will find many instances of spontaneous group bookings, as well as audience members going for a second, third, fourth, or even tenth viewing. Every time, they cry their hearts out. Some netizens commented on a blogger's Weibo post:
[Wow, this person is ruthless. Blogger, are your eyes okay?]
[I asked everyone around me to watch it once. Every time it gets to the heartbreaking parts, I cover my eyes, but I can't help but peek and end up crying miserably.]
[I only dared to watch it a second time. I held back my tears during the breakup and the plane crash scenes, but as soon as Qin Yinong got on the bus, I immediately turned into a sobbing mess. Why is it still so heartbreaking even though I already know the plot?]
[My mom mentioned being happy in our conversation today, and I burst into tears right then and there. My mom: ??? Is my daughter a fool?]
Such group bookings are rare outside of enthusiastic fans and popular celebrities. The voices of s*xual minority groups have always lacked a platform to be heard, and their voices have often been ignored. Now that they have an opportunity, they naturally want to prove themselves to the world.
We are all the same, we are not fighting alone.
On the premiere day of "True Colors," Lin Ruohan posted her ticket stubs on the afternoon, including the one from the screening she attended herself. She specifically arranged for her assistant to book a showtime during the less crowded daytime. The second picture shows a bunch of movie tickets.
Lin Ruohan's post:
[I cried so much that my makeup got ruined, now I'm coming out to beat up @LittleWriterChaiZiQiu.]
[Lin Zong (referring to Lin Ruohan) actually went to the midnight screening???!!!]
[Oh my god, this theater is near my house. I was planning to go last night but thought I could still watch it tonight. Turns out I didn't go. The feeling of being the person involved is regretting it, deeply regretting it.]
[She truly is a great best friend!]
[The first celebrity to share their ticket stubs.]
Perhaps it was Lin Ruohan who set the trend, or maybe it was her attempt to please Qin Yinong, or simply following the trend to gain some attention. Many other celebrities have joined in posting pictures of their "True Colors" ticket stubs online.
This high-profile behavior has sparked dissatisfaction among homophobic and some "neutral" individuals. They believe that this is a massive promotion of homosexuality and can have a negative influence on immature minors, causing them to become homosexual.
This issue is an old topic. Heterosexual content is shown on TV and in movie theaters every day. What about s*xual minorities?
There are also people who claim to be rational and were the same ones who criticized Qin Yinong's charity publicity stunt at that time. They say, "I don't discriminate against homosexuals, but you keep seeking attention in front of me every day. It's your fault. I'm going to switch sides now. It's my freedom to dislike you."
The public opinion battle rages on.
As the conflict escalates, LGBTQ+ rights activists become more cautious, fearing that their voices might become too loud and cause the hard-won opening to close, falling right into the hands of their adversaries.
Days go by, and "True Colors" surpasses 500 million yuan in the first week at the box office. The official account's celebratory poster reaches over 10,000 retweets in just ten minutes, receiving congratulations from all sides—a joyous occasion.
Everyone stops arguing. Debating with the homophobic group is pointless. It's better to rewatch the movie when there's nothing else to do. Some creative netizens even came up with a new idiom: "Ten Thousand Dogs Crying Together"—describing the atmosphere in the movie theater when watching "True Colors."
They care more about the box office than the film production team, constantly monitoring it and providing real-time updates, even editing the posters in their comments to show the box office surpassing six billion.
Due to the popularity of "True Colors," both Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao, the actors who portrayed the characters, received a lot of attention. Although Shen-Han (referring to their characters in the movie) had a difficult time, at least Qin and Tang's relationship in real life was sweet. Videos from the premiere were brought up again by netizens, and the film created a big trend for the couple.
Occasionally, Qin Yinong would use an alternate account to search for keywords related to them on Weibo. The alternate account was given to her by Guan Han, and its original name was "XXXXXX," which clearly showed it was not well thought out. Now it has been changed to "QinTangPerfectMatch."
[I didn't feel the couple vibes between them before, but after watching the movie, it's undeniable. They are so compatible! In my mind, they are the real-life Shen-Han. No matter what, my couple won't have a bad ending!]
[I will ship QinTang for the rest of my life, and my ship will sail forever!]
[Me after watching 'True Colors': Sob sob sob. Me shipping QinTang: Hehehehe. QinTang is real! Lock it in for me!]
So many people feel like they are a perfect match with Tang Ruoyao, and Qin Yinong is happy about it.
But no matter how hot the couple's popularity is, there is still no interaction between them on Weibo. One reason is that they don't have the opportunity. Their promotion for the movie is strictly controlled, with them only retweeting official posts and adding a few words. It's very cold. Some fans suggest they should learn from certain cosplayers' promotional methods, like Tang Ruoyao posting something like "Shen Muqing, XXXX" and mentioning Qin Yinong, and then Qin Yinong retweeting it. It sounds strange just thinking about it. Another reason is that they see each other almost every day and have already said everything in person, so there's no need to communicate online.
On the day of the movie's release, they both retweeted the official post and afterward, it seemed like they had no connection to the movie.
Fans of the couple say, "The more they avoid suspicion, the more real it is. We've hit the jackpot!"
A week before the movie's release, the temporary publicity staff who joined last minute sent a private message to Qin Yinong: [Teacher Qin, can I discuss something with you?]
Qin Yinong replied, [Go ahead.]
The staff said, [Can you and Teacher Tang interact a bit? It's such high popularity, it would be a waste not to utilize it.]
The staff used to be a member of the production team and didn't believe the rumors outside that the two didn't get along. They were close during the filming, just like one person.
Qin Yinong asked, [How should we interact?]
After finishing work, Qin Yinong went home and talked to Tang Ruoyao about this.
Tang Ruoyao raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying, "I'm fine with it."
That evening, the movie "True Colors" released a behind-the-scenes clip.
@TrueColorsMovieV:
[Shen Muqing and Han Zifei, this first kiss was so difficult to accomplish [chuckles][chuckles][Weibo video]]
In the movie, this scene portrays the growing affection between Shen and Han. However, one person is afraid of the throbbing in their heart, while the other believes that the other person has a harmonious family with a spouse and a child, so they should not allow their own feelings to run wild. Thus, they maintain a surface-level teacher-student relationship, achieving a delicate balance.
Until one day, Qiao Lingling, played by Yi Yiyi, who is Han Zifei's college classmate, visits Han's house. The two of them talk and laugh, playing with dates in the courtyard. Shen Muqing, who lives on the second floor of the neighboring building, watches them with a heavy heart, feeling a sense of sadness and jealousy.
That evening, Han Zifei picked a basket of large, red fresh dates and gave them to Shen Muqing. Shen Muqing, in a rare occurrence, acted sullenly, and Han Zifei discovered her own hidden affection for Shen.
They were mutually attracted and couldn't help themselves, leading to their first kiss in the story.
In the behind-the-scenes clip, during the first take, Tang Ruoyao was absent-minded, resulting in a "no good" (ng) moment.
In the second take, Qin Yinong took the initiative and completely shattered Shen Muqing's character, causing sparks to fly. It almost turned the kissing scene into a bed scene, resulting in another "no good" moment.
For the third take, the two couldn't bear to part with each other, and Qin Yinong once again took the lead, kissing Tang Ruoyao passionately, leaving her disoriented and lost. Another "no good" moment.
It was only on the fourth take that they successfully completed it.
Of course, it's not the complete version, it has been edited and is approximately one minute long.
In the comments section, the groundhogs and the screaming chickens are competing to be more enthusiastic.
[Oh my god, what kind of heavenly behind-the-scenes is this?]
[Damn! I'm dying! The two beauties kissing is too pleasing to the eye. I could watch it a billion times!]
[My ship is real! Hahaha! Hahaha!]
[Why am I still alive?! My ship kissed on the spot, ahhh! And it happened four times, ahhh!]
[Tang Ruoyao looks so thrilled, hahaha. I can't bear to watch. How come she becomes weak all over every time she's kissed? The third time she almost sat on Qin Yinong's lap.]
[Qin the Emperor, you truly deserve it!]
[I want to interview the people involved and their feelings. Please, I'm begging you, can the official account arrange a small interview?]
[Emperor Qin is so skilled at kissing, and her expressions... desire. I... I also want to kiss her [covers face].]
[Wet—From an anonymous user comment]
[Begging for behind-the-scenes bed scene footage!!!]
Internet users were in a frenzy, and Qin Yinong held her phone, logged into her main account, typed a few words in the repost interface, and clicked send.
@QinYinongV:[Teacher Tang is so attractive [shy] //@MovieTrueColors: Shen Muqing and Han Zifei, this first kiss was so difficult to accomplish [chuckles][chuckles][Weibo video]]
One hour later.
Tang Ruoyao retweeted Qin Yinong.
@TangRuoyaoV:
[Teacher Qin is no less impressive [bow] //@QinYinongV: Teacher Tang is so attractive [shy]//@MovieTrueColors: Shen Muqing and Han Zifei, this first kiss was so difficult...]
The fans of the couple were completely hoarse from squealing.
Qin Yinong scrolled through the comments for a while, seeing that they seemed to be debating who would take the lead and who would be the receiver. She returned to the main interface, locked her screen, and placed the phone back on the bedside table.
Tang Ruoyao had just finished taking a shower and sat on the edge of the bed. Qin Yinong kneeled and fetched a hairdryer from the drawer to blow-dry her hair. Her five fingers moved through the smooth strands of hair. Tang Ruoyao closed her eyes, sometimes lowering her head, sometimes tilting her neck in response to Qin Yinong's movements.
Not in a hurry to sleep, when it was almost done, Qin Yinong stopped and kissed Tang Ruoyao's smooth cheek. She neatly coiled the cord of the hairdryer and put it back in the drawer.
Tang Ruoyao tilted her face, shook her long hair, and sat in the comforter.
As soon as she sat down, Qin Yinong said, "I have some good news to tell you."
Tang Ruoyao asked, "What is it?"
Qin Yinong said, "You've been nominated for Best Actress at this year's Golden Magnolia Awards."
Tang Ruoyao understood and said, "For 'True Colors'?"
She wasn't a very prolific actress, but she was lucky enough to have her films released successfully. The only remaining project was the recently wrapped-up "Xiao Hong." Besides "True Colors," there was no other film that could have gotten her a nomination.
Tang Ruoyao asked, "Did you get nominated too?"
Qin Yinong nodded.
Tang Ruoyao smiled and said, "Well, it looks like I won't be getting the Best Actress again." It wasn't that she underestimated herself, but there was indeed a gap between the two of them. Qin Yinong's crying scene on the bus had gone viral, and even those who hadn't seen the movie were moved to tears.
Qin Yinong said, "What if there's an upset?"
Tang Ruoyao widened her eyes and said, "Are you saying it would be an upset if I won an award?"
Qin Yinong immediately realized her mistake and said, "Hahaha, my bad."
Tang Ruoyao shook the blanket and said, "The revolution is not yet successful, comrades still need to strive."
Qin Yinong encouraged her, "Keep going, take it slowly."
Tang Ruoyao remained calm and said, "Hmm."
With no suspense in the awards ceremony, Tang Ruoyao didn't focus much attention on it and asked, "Have you received any suitable scripts lately?"
Qin Yinong didn't answer immediately and instead asked, "Do you really want me to act in films?"
"It's not just about wanting, I just feel..." Tang Ruoyao carefully examined Qin Yinong's face, perfect and streamlined, naturally suited for the big screen, and said, "Someone like you, it would be a waste if you didn't act."
Qin Yinong looked at her and said, "I'll ask An Ling to keep an eye out for me."
Tang Ruoyao bit her lip, hesitant to speak.
Sometimes she felt conflicted. On the one hand, she convinced Qin Yinong that reducing her work and staying at home with her wasn't a sacrifice. On the other hand, Qin Yinong stopped accepting acting jobs for her and focused solely on her business, which made her feel guilty.
Qin Yinong could roughly guess her thoughts and said, "There's something I've never told anyone before."
Tang Ruoyao moved her lips and asked softly, "What is it?"
Qin Yinong pursed her thin lips and said, "To be honest, I don't actually love acting that much."
Tang Ruoyao: "..."
Seeing her slightly taken aback, Qin Yinong continued, "But it's not that I don't like it at all, it's just that I don't have the same passion as you all do. And I've put in a lot of effort. You don't have to feel... um..."
She paused, unsure of how to phrase her words.Tang Ruoyao said, "I understand."
As one of the legendary actresses in the Chinese film industry, Qin Yinong's acting skills were beyond compare. If she were to openly say such things, she would likely be drowned in the spittle of her peers.
But Tang Ruoyao knew that she was speaking the truth, and she was the only one she would say it to.
Qin Yinong's expression remained calm as she said, "Entering this industry was an accident for me back then, but later on, I couldn't leave. The only thing I can do well is acting, so I continued along this path."
Qin Yinong belonged to the type of person who "loved the job they were doing" rather than being like Tang Ruoyao, who loved a job before doing it. She wholeheartedly prepared for the arts exam in high school, entered a professional performing arts school, and devoted herself to the acting career. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, she would dedicate her whole life to the performing arts.
Qin Yinong was a dedicated actress, one could say she loved it. She enjoyed performing, experiencing different lives in each role. However, as her career progressed, she also developed a fondness for business, for boardroom meetings, for her employees, for working together towards a common goal, for philanthropy, and for the material and spiritual satisfaction she gained through her efforts.
The only thing she could truly call love in her life was Tang Ruoyao.
Whether one called her infatuated or a waste of talent, Qin Yinong's heart and eyes were filled with Tang Ruoyao. She would unconditionally make way for their love.
But Qin Yinong didn't tell Tang Ruoyao the last two sentences. She only mentioned that her interests were diverse, and acting was just one of them. There was no need to attach too much importance to it. She now preferred running her company, engaging in business, and signing contracts.
After listening, Tang Ruoyao kept her head down in silence for a long time.
Qin Yinong asked gently, "Yaoyao?"
Tang Ruoyao raised her eyes and softly said, "Can I tell you the truth?"
Qin Yinong replied warmly, "Go ahead."
Tang Ruoyao said, "I feel so jealous of you."
So many people yearned for her acting talent but couldn't attain it, while for her, it was just a small hobby. We're all humans, with a nose and two eyes—how can there be such a disparity?
Qin Yinong smiled and willingly pressed her cheek forward, saying, "Come on, bite me."
Tang Ruoyao bit her cheek twice in annoyance and said, "I'm going to tell Teacher Lin!"
Qin Yinong asked, "Huh? When did you become so close to her?"
Tang Ruoyao replied, "We're not close, but I know that if I tell her, she'll definitely scold you."
Qin Yinong laughed and said, "Are you willing to do that?"
Of course, Tang Ruoyao didn't want to, so she bit Qin Yinong's cheek twice again. As she continued biting, Qin Yinong gently took a breath, her pale fingertips curling and gripping the bedsheet, her voice unsteady as she said, "Yaoyao..."
Tang Ruoyao was busy with something and responded vaguely, "Hmm?"
Qin Yinong couldn't help but emit a low hum, biting her lower lip, and said, "I..."
Tang Ruoyao hugged her and affectionately whispered in her ear, "Don't like it?"
"It's not..."
"Then what is it?"
Qin Yinong couldn't hold back and actively hugged her back, her voice much lower than before, "Yaoyao... I want you..." She whispered the last two words in Tang Ruoyao's ear, like a murmur that only lovers could hear.
Youth has infinite possibilities, and under Qin Yinong's careful guidance, Tang Ruoyao gradually grasped the techniques and put them into practice one by one.
It was late at night.
Qin Yinong rested her head in the curve of Tang Ruoyao's arm, feeling her slender fingertips gently moving through her hair, lightly tugging at her scalp, causing a tingling sensation. Without thinking, she leaned into her embrace again. The embrace after passion brought them even closer in soul than usual.
Tang Ruoyao lowered her head and kissed the tip of Qin Yinong's nose, playfully asking, "Teacher, how did I do?"
Qin Yinong lazily half-closed her eyes and said, "So-so, but could be better."
Tang Ruoyao smiled and said, "Then teach me some more?"
Qin Yinong lifted her eyelids and looked at her for a moment before abruptly saying, "Why do I have to teach you everything? Am I naturally born with all the knowledge? Can't you learn on your own?"
Tang Ruoyao was instantly at a loss and asked, "Where should I go to learn?"
Qin Yinong turned away, not in a good mood, and said, "I don't care where you go to learn."
Tang Ruoyao was her first love, and she was also experiencing her first love. Ideally, they should be on the same starting line. Why should she be Tang Ruoyao's teacher and keep teaching her these things? Wasn't she also shy? She was even more shy than Tang Ruoyao! And now she had to both be the student and the teacher, what kind of torment was this?
After their relationship unexpectedly started, Qin Yinong, in order to present herself as an experienced lover in front of Tang Ruoyao, secretly memorized a book of love phrases and some embarrassingly sweet words for specific occasions. Nobody taught her these things. From the beginning, she stumbled in front of the mirror, unable to say a complete sentence. Just the thought of saying them to Tang Ruoyao made her feel like a cooked crab, blood rushing to her face. But eventually, she became composed, speaking without changing her expression, coming up with words effortlessly. Wasn't it difficult for her too?
In order to make Tang Ruoyao have a better experience and fearing to expose the fact that she herself was unfamiliar, Qin Yinong researched a bunch of materials and practical techniques related to that thing before their second time. Her dreams were filled with all sorts of messy things, and she felt mentally exhausted every day.
Tang Ruoyao knew nothing about it!
The more Qin Yinong thought about it, the angrier she became. She angrily pulled the blanket over her head.
Tang Ruoyao: "???"
She considered herself a ten-level Qin scholar, but at this moment, she couldn't figure out what her wife was angry about.
Was she too intense just now? Her reaction wasn't like that, but she couldn't help but leave two marks in the process.
Tang Ruoyao was completely puzzled, but for now, she decided to appease her.
Tang Ruoyao lifted the tightly tucked corner of the blanket and struggled to crawl inside. She hugged her from behind and spoke softly, "Baby."
Qin Yinong tightly closed her eyes and said, "Don't talk to me."
Tang Ruoyao couldn't really listen to her. She tightened her arms again and softly said, "Wife."
Qin Yinong remained silent.
Tang Ruoyao said, "I was wrong." Following Qin Yinong's lead, she continued, "If you want me to learn on my own, then I'll learn on my own." After speaking, she boldly kissed her cheek and said, "But after I learn, don't I still have to practice with you?"
Qin Yinong turned around and glanced at her.
Tang Ruoyao saw a glimmer of hope and playfully rubbed against her, saying in a soft voice, "After all, you practiced for two or three years before me. You should give me time to catch up with you."
"Two or three years?" Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow suddenly, a playful expression on her face.
Tang Ruoyao: "Yes." She gradually grew doubtful under Qin Yinong's gaze, as if she was questioning her and speaking to herself, "Isn't that right?"
Qin Yinong's tone started to rise, and there was a smile in her eyes as she said, "That's not right."
Tang Ruoyao: "???"
Qin Yinong said, "Think again carefully."
Tang Ruoyao couldn't figure it out and humbly asked, "What's not right?"
Qin Yinong looked at her and said, "Do you really not remember anything from the night you were drugged four years ago?"
Tang Ruoyao furrowed her eyebrows slightly.
Qin Yinong carefully examined her for a while, took her right hand, and gently kissed the tip of her slender middle finger.
"Do you remember now?"
Author's Note:
Question: What did Tang Tang forget exactly?
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