CHAPTER 237: Qin & Tang Extra 11

"Do you not like it?" Tang Ruoyao was thinking of some strange scenes when a teasing voice sounded above her head.

Tang Ruoyao snapped back to reality and quickly said, "No."

"Then why are your hands shaking?" The woman's tone was full of mockery.

Tang Ruoyao blankly looked at her own hands.

Was she...shaking?

Qin Yinong slightly opened her eyes and caught a glimpse of her expression. She chuckled lightly, raising one leg that was resting flat and gestured for her to massage the other leg. She casually said, "If you don't like this one, we can try another."

Qin Yinong always thought less than this nineteen-year-old girl.

She had sponsored many impoverished students, and those who had seen her face would ask how to address her. Qin Yinong always instructed them to call her "sister." The girl in front of her, who was essentially "sponsored" by her, was no exception.

As for what this form of address might imply in the future, that was something Qin Yinong hadn't anticipated.

'No.'

Tang Ruoyao quickly responded, "Let's just stick with this one." It's just "sister," and if Qin Yinong comes up with something more embarrassing, she wouldn't even know where to cry.

Tang Ruoyao opened her mouth and called softly and obediently, "Sister."

Qin Yinong's heart fluttered slightly, and she softly responded with an "Hmm."

The atmosphere in the living room was quiet. Tang Ruoyao nervously massaged her leg, afraid that in the next moment, Qin Yinong would transform into a wolf and push her onto the bed as sisters. She no longer feared this matter as she did before, but she was afraid that she couldn't meet Qin Yinong's needs. She couldn't bring herself to speak up.

After an unknown period of time, Qin Yinong said, "That's enough."

Tang Ruoyao jolted.

'Is it about to start?'

Qin Yinong said, "You don't need to massage anymore."

Tang Ruoyao showed a slight embarrassment and withdrew her hand.

Qin Yinong looked at her and smiled, "Little sister, bring me a few oranges."

Tang Ruoyao widened her eyes.

'Little, little sister?'

Qin Yinong smiled and said, "Why aren't you going? Are you disobeying your big sister?"

Tang Ruoyao lowered her head and obediently went to get the oranges.

"Little sister." Qin Yinong called again, laughing to herself.

Many people called her sister, but she only called one person little sister. Qin Yinong pursed her lips, she had a little sister now, how interesting.

Tang Ruoyao was blessed with a face as beautiful as a flower and as fair as the moon 一 she was a celestial being descended to the mortal realm. Qin Yinong couldn't help but look at her with increasing satisfaction.

Tang Ruoyao felt uneasy under her gaze.

After feeding Qin Yinong oranges, Tang Ruoyao returned to her room early to wash up and sleep.

In the quiet of the night, a bright moon hung in the sky.

The trees swayed their leaves in the wind, and the silver moonlight spilled through the window onto the edge of the bed.

Suddenly, Tang Ruoyao jolted awake from her dream. In the moonlight, she saw a figure standing tall and elegant before her bed. Who else would sneak into her room in the dead of night besides Qin Yinong?

Tang Ruoyao rubbed her sleepy eyes and thought to herself, 'Are you here to inspect again?'

Sure enough, Qin Yinong sat down, caressed Tang Ruoyao's brows, cheeks. Tang Ruoyao was too tired to resist and had gotten used to her touching, so she closed her eyes again, waiting for her to finish her antics.

Little did she know that Qin Yinong's fingers trailed down, resting on Tang Ruoyao's lips, gently caressing them. The tingling, tickling sensation made Tang Ruoyao open her eyes involuntarily.

Everything went dark, and the fingertip pressing against her lips moved away, replaced by another warm and soft touch. Qin Yinong's lips covered hers, along with the lingering scent that seemed to be everywhere, forcefully capturing her breath.

Tang Ruoyao suddenly widened her eyes.

Her whole body tensed up, from her stiff hair to her heels.

'She, she, she...'

Gradually, Tang Ruoyao softened under her kiss. She didn't know how to respond, she just passively accepted it.

Suddenly, Qin Yinong leaned close to her ear and whispered softly, "Call me sister."

Tang Ruoyao bit her lip tightly.

'No.'

Qin Yinong held her tightly and commanded, "Call me sister."

'No.'

As Qin Yinong grew more insistent, Tang Ruoyao could no longer resist, her voice laced with a sob, "Sister..."

The light in the master bedroom was on, casting a long shadow in front of the bed. Qin Yinong crossed her arms and looked at Tang Ruoyao lying on the bed, her brows furrowed, seeming both blissful and pained, biting her lip and murmuring something indistinctly.

'Is she having a nightmare?'

Qin Yinong hesitated whether to wake her up, but Tang Ruoyao suddenly opened her eyes, breathing heavily, her heart pounding.

She saw Qin Yinong standing there and let out a startled cry. Then she looked around, as if struck by a huge shock, wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, swallowing hard, her words tumbling out incoherently, "You, you, you..."

Qin Yinong smiled gently and said, "Me?"

Tang Ruoyao blurted out, "How did you get dressed so fast?"

Qin Yinong paused for a moment, then said meaningfully, "When have I not been dressed?"

Tang Ruoyao looked down at herself. Although her pajamas were messy, they were still properly worn. What just happened was... a dream? How could she have such an absurd dream?!

Tang Ruoyao avoided eye contact and firmly said, "It's nothing."

However, Qin Yinong didn't let her off the hook. With a smile on her lips, she sat down at the edge of the bed and asked, "Were you dreaming?"

Tang Ruoyao dodged her hand reaching out to touch her forehead and said, "No."

Qin Yinong persistently asked without giving her face, "What did you dream about?"

Quick-witted, Tang Ruoyao said, "I dreamed that you were doing a magazine cover shoot."

Qin Yinong followed her lead and gradually probed, saying, "Does posing for a magazine cover require taking off clothes?" She wanted to see how much nonsense the girl could come up with.

Tang Ruoyao said earnestly, "It's the kind that requires showing your back, you know?"

Qin Yinong suppressed her laughter and said solemnly, "I see."

"Good that you understand." Tang Ruoyao thought, 'Does she believe me? She should believe me, right?'

"Then... how was my figure in the dream?" Qin Yinong changed the topic, adopting the same serious tone as Tang Ruoyao, with a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"It was... fine."

"Just fine?"

"It was very good." Tang Ruoyao corrected herself.

"Thank you for dreaming about me." Qin Yinong reached out and gently stroked Tang Ruoyao's cheek, speaking sincerely.

"You're welcome."

"I'm going back to my room to sleep." Qin Yinong quickly got up and left. If she didn't leave now, she was afraid she would burst out laughing and ruin her image.

The door closed, and Tang Ruoyao let out a long sigh of relief.

She had managed to get through it.

But she soon noticed something unusual about her body. It was something she had learned in Qin Yinong's physiology class and seen in adult films. She tentatively touched herself, her expression complicated.

Tang Ruoyao took a second shower, sat at the head of the bed hugging her knees, and experienced her first bout of insomnia.

The consequence of insomnia was feeling mentally drained the next day. Yawning incessantly, Tang Ruoyao came out of the master bedroom and bumped into Qin Yinong head-on. Tang Ruoyao's body reacted faster than her brain. She turned around to leave but stopped halfway, stiffly turning back and greeted, "Good morning."

Qin Yinong smiled and squinted her eyes, "Good morning."

Tang Ruoyao quickly said, "I just remembered that I forgot to take something." She found a reasonable excuse and hid in the master bedroom.

Qin Yinong shook the milk cup in her hand and sat down on the living room sofa.

Tang Ruoyao didn't come out of the master bedroom until Qin Yinong and Guan Han left.

The young girl had many thoughts, but Qin Yinong didn't pay much attention to it.

.......

Tang Ruoyao peeked through the crack in the door to confirm that the house was empty, then quietly walked out and began her day as a student and her regular life.

Leng Jie's new movie officially entered the casting stage, and the female lead role was still vacant. Qin Yinong gave Leng Jie a call.

"Director Leng, do you want me to recommend someone to you?" She smiled, with one foot resting on the floor of the room's bar counter, speaking in a familiar and casual tone.

Leng Jie laughed heartily, "If it's someone you recommend, of course, I want to know. Who is it?"

Qin Yinong said, "Her name is Tang Ruoyao."

Leng Jie searched in his mind but hadn't heard of that name. Curiously, he asked, "Is she an outstanding new actress? To catch your attention like this."

A faint smile appeared on Qin Yinong's lips as she said, "She's a second-year student at the Capital Drama Academy."

"A student, huh." Leng Jie hesitated for a second, pondered for a moment, and said, "Let me take a look. Which role do you want her to audition for? I will give her priority consideration."

Qin Yinong confidently said, "Of course, the female lead."

"The... female lead." Leng Jie almost choked on his saliva.

"Yinong, the female lead is not something to be decided on a whim." Leng Jie twirled his short beard.

"It's just an audition, nothing more." Qin Yinong said nonchalantly.

Leng Jie chuckled, "This is the first time you've called me to recommend someone actively. Why are you so casual? I was planning to do you a favor."

Qin Yinong lifted her tiptoe, swaying it in the air twice, and said, "I trust my own judgment."

This statement piqued Leng Jie's great interest.

"Haha, Tang Ruoyao, huh? I can't wait to meet her."

......

On the night before Tang Ruoyao's audition, Qin Yinong gently patted her shoulder and said softly, "Don't be nervous."

Tang Ruoyao lowered her head and replied, "I know. I'll go back to my room first."

Qin Yinong held back the next words she had prepared and said, "Go ahead, get some rest."

Tang Ruoyao nodded and turned to go inside.

Qin Yinong watched her figure and slowly furrowed her beautiful eyebrows.

What's going on? She used to revolve around her every day, but now she locks herself in the room at the slightest provocation. Is the pressure too much?

Qin Yinong rested one hand on the back of her head, lying on the bed with her eyes closed.

There's nothing she can do about this. Even if she passes this audition, there's still a long way to go in the industry. If she can't handle this little pressure, it would be a waste of her acting talent. Those who can make it to the top in this industry all have big hearts.

The audition ended uneventfully. Tang Ruoyao's performance was even more subdued. She only sent a message to Guan Han to express her gratitude.

It was Qin Yinong who spaced out a bit in the evening, thinking about the little girl: 'I wonder how she performed? Can she pass Leng Jie's audition?'

Room 405.

Wen Shuxian, who had just returned from class, slammed her books heavily on the table.

Cui Jiaran jumped in surprise and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Since their course selections were not entirely the same, there were times when they acted independently. Wen Shuxian sat down heavily on the chair, rolled up her sleeves, and said, "I'm so angry!"

Fu Yujun twirled her pen and looked up from her English test paper.

Tang Ruoyao sat cross-legged on the bed, looking down from above.

Everyone was ready and poised. Wen Shuxian said, "Huo Yuke is showing off again."

Cui Jiaran asked, "What is she showing off?"

Wen Shuxian replied, "She went to audition for Director Leng Jie."

Tang Ruoyao suddenly raised her eyes.

Fu Yujun's pen twirling paused, and she couldn't hide her surprise as she said, "Is it the Leng Jie we know?"

Wen Shuxian rolled her eyes and said, "Of course, otherwise, why would she show off?"

Fu Yujun smiled and said, "It's indeed something to brag about." For students like them, having the opportunity to audition for a famous director was rare.

Wen Shuxian scoffed and said, "How could she go for an audition? She has no idea what she's getting into. Don't you have any idea either?"

Fu Yujun replied, "That's her choice. Everyone has their own aspirations."

Wen Shuxian huffed, "Hmph!"

Cui Jiaran poured her a glass of water, and Wen Shuxian tilted her head back and drank it all in one go. Seeing Tang Ruoyao, who was unusually silent on the upper bunk, she said angrily, "Does Huo Yuke, that useless person, even deserve it? I think Tang Tang should go for the audition and crush her."

She raised her hand and gestured as if slitting her throat.

Wen Shuxian continued, "How is this world so unfair? With a financial backer, Huo Yuke can step on a pile of people to climb up. Even many artists who have been in the industry for years might not get a chance to appear in front of Director Leng."

Tang Ruoyao's face turned pale.

Fu Yujun shot her a glance, and Wen Shuxian saw that Tang Ruoyao had lain back down. She gently covered her own mouth and changed her tone, "I still believe in the principle of hard work paying off. Gold will always shine, right, Tang Tang?"

Tang Ruoyao clenched her fist.

"Yes." she responded with an unsteady voice.

Wen Shuxian looked to Fu Yujun for help, but Fu Yujun shook her head.

Unconsciously, Wen Shuxian began to bite her nails, and Cui Jiaran slapped her hand down. What a bad habit.

As the curtain was drawn, a corner of the dormitory became particularly quiet.

—"With a financial backer, Huo Yuke can step on a pile of people to climb up. Even many artists who have been in the industry for years might not get a chance to appear in front of Director Leng."

Tang Ruoyao closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling, and tears gradually welled up in her eyes.

She was not only sad because she had become the same as Huo Yuke, but also because she had realized her own identity. Even though she had a constant stream of thoughts about Qin Yinong in her mind every day, in their intimate interactions, she had put herself on an equal footing with Qin Yinong. She had even gradually forgotten how they had ended up where they were today.

The last time Qin Yinong said she would recommend an audition opportunity for her, Tang Ruoyao accepted it without hesitation. If she had even a shred of shame, she would not have complacently accepted the resources.  She was feeding herself resources, just like Huo Yuke's financial backer, engaging in a cold transaction disguised with the seductive poison of tenderness.

Tang Ruoyao's eyes shifted beneath her moist eyelids, repeatedly and self-destructively recalling the beginning: She was originally going to sell herself to Jiang Shikun, but Qin Yinong intercepted her from the dining table on a whim and kept her in her home, living a life of luxury.

She was not the only one of Qin Yinong's lovers.

She shouldn't have.

Tears slipped down, and Tang Ruoyao bit her own lips, emitting suppressed and silent sobs.

Sadness was just sadness. Time rolled forward and would not pause for anyone.

Qin Yinong suddenly became busy, and Tang Ruoyao hadn't seen her for three weeks. While she felt relieved in her heart, she couldn't help but feel a hint of disappointment. She invested all her energy into studying and filled half a notebook with her study notes.

On the day the audition results came out, Tang Ruoyao had just finished her mid-term exams. The November wind swept up fallen leaves, and one leaf landed at Tang Ruoyao's feet. She stopped and took out her buzzing phone from her pocket.

Her phone was an old model smartphone from two years ago, and its operating speed was already quite slow. The caller ID showed an unfamiliar local number from the capital city. Tang Ruoyao tapped the screen several times before answering the call, "Hello."

"Is this Tang Ruoyao?" a gentle middle-aged male voice asked.

"Yes, it's me. May I ask who's calling?"

"I'm Liu Zhigao, the assistant director of the drama 'Yanzhi [Rouge]'."

Indeed, there was such a director in the drama crew, the assistant to Director Leng. Tang Ruoyao's heart suddenly raced. She looked at her three roommates, who wore puzzled expressions, gestured for them to wait, and walked a few steps away, finding a small tree grove by the roadside.

She held the phone firmly and said, "Please go on."

Liu Zhigao spoke a few sentences on the other end and finally smiled, saying, "Congratulations, Teacher Tang. Get ready to sign the contract."

Tang Ruoyao looked up at the azure sky. The sunlight, though not too strong, still dazzled her eyes.

Hah! She had passed the audition.

After a few minutes, she walked back, step by step, with an expressionless face.

Her roommates watched in horror. Wen Shuxian took the initiative to approach her and asked worriedly, "Are you okay, Tang一"

Before the second "Tang" could leave her mouth, Tang Ruoyao hugged her tightly and let out a loud scream.

Wen Shuxian was frightened out of her wits.

Cui Jiaran said, "She's possessed! Huang Daxian [A figure in Chinese folklore often regarded as a deity or immortal associated with healing and protection.] has possessed her!"

Fu Yujun: "..."

Tang Ruoyao continued to scream while holding onto Wen Shuxian, "Ahhh!"

Wen Shuxian was on the verge of being deafened but couldn't express her distress.

Fu Yujun and Cui Jiaran joined forces to rescue Wen Shuxian from Tang Ruoyao's clutches, and Tang Ruoyao turned around to hug Fu Yujun. Fu Yujun also endured the "sonic attack".

Finally, it was Cui Jiaran's turn. Tang Ruoyao treated them all equally, unleashing the "sonic assault" on her three roommates one by one.

Tang Ruoyao burst into laughter again, "Hahaha."

Her three roommates exchanged a glance, and without further ado, they dragged her back to the dorm.

If Tang Ruoyao continued to go crazy like this, there would be a high chance of her reputation being ruined on the forum tonight.

Tang Ruoyao was pinned down on a chair, smiling with her lips curled up. She wanted to tell her roommates, but when she saw their faces, she couldn't help but feel happy, so she laughed enough before speaking.

Wen Shuxian was an impatient person, "What's going on? Why did she suddenly go crazy?"

Cui Jiaran said, "She must have been possessed. Several female graduate students died in that grove..."

Wen Shuxian interrupted her, "What era is this? Why still believe in feudal superstitions?"

The two of them argued fiercely, creating an atmosphere of chaos.

Fu Yujun's head was pounding from listening, "Shut up, both of you!"

She made a gesture with two fingers and extended them in front of Tang Ruoyao, looking serious, "How many is this?"

Tang Ruoyao said, "Two."

Cui Jiaran interjected, "The previous senior sisters were also well-educated. Your question is not good enough."

Tang Ruoyao cleared her throat, her face beaming with a big smile, her amber eyes shining brightly, "I'm fine."

Wen Shuxian looked worried, "Your face is about to crack from all the smiling. That doesn't count as being fine."

Tang Ruoyao rubbed her stiff facial muscles and tried to compose herself, "I really am fine. But I have something important to tell you all, and you have to promise to keep it a secret."

Wen Shuxian spoke the fastest, "Of course, just tell us."

Cui Jiaran followed closely behind.

Fu Yujun nodded.

Tang Ruoyao took a deep breath and said, "I passed the audition."

The three of them were stunned.

When did she go for an audition? It doesn't matter, that's not important!

Wen Shuxian exclaimed, "Wow, that's amazing!" She immediately became earnest and asked, "Which TV drama is it for? Is the production team reliable?"

Tang Ruoyao shook her head, "It's not for a TV drama."

Wen Shuxian said, "Then it must be for a web drama, right? Web dramas are pretty good too. The web drama market is huge now, not inferior to mainstream TV dramas."

Tang Ruoyao deliberately teased them and smiled, "It's not a web drama either."

Wen Shuxian said, "Then it must be for an advertisement? That's fine too. Advertisements pay well, and you don't have to spend much time on them."

Tang Ruoyao was a bit moved and announced the correct answer, "It's a movie."

'A movie? A movie!!!'

Wen Shuxian exclaimed, "Holy sh*t."

Cui Jiaran covered her mouth, "Oh my goodness."

Fu Yujun also had an incredulous expression on her face.

Wen Shuxian said, "It's a movie!" She turned around, hugged Cui Jiaran tightly, and jumped and screamed.

"It's a movie!"

"Wuwuwuwu..." Wen Shuxian cried tears of joy, laughing and crying at the same time.

Fu Yujun also wanted to join in their celebration, but she didn't forget the most important thing. She forced herself to calm down temporarily and solemnly asked Tang Ruoyao, "What character are you?"

Tang Ruoyao answered, "The female lead."

Wen Shuxian made a loud noise and slapped Cui Jiaran's arm, saying, "The female lead hahaha!"

Fu Yujun couldn't maintain her usual composed expression and couldn't help but laugh. Urging her, she said, "Quick, tell us, who's the director?" 

Being the female lead was already impressive for them, so the director wasn't as important. In fact, she didn't think it would be a very famous director. Fu Yujun's personality made her want to see things through.

Tang Ruoyao looked at the three pairs of eyes staring at her, paused for a few seconds, and slowly said, "It's... Director Leng Jie."

"Ahhh—!"

The high-pitched female scream from Room 405 turned the doors of all the dormitories in the corridor open at the same time.

"What's going on?"

"What happened in Room 405?"

"Did something happen?"

"Is Wen Shuxian going crazy again?"

"It sounds like they all went crazy together?"

"Why are you just standing there? Knock on the door!"

Knock, knock, knock...

Fu Yujun opened a crack in the door, composedly saying, "We're rehearsing a scene."

The student knocking on the door said, "The noise was too loud, scared the hell out of us."

Fu Yujun said, "We're almost done rehearsing, sorry about that."

The student said, "It's okay, you can continue."

The student looked at the closed door in front of them and walked back to their own dormitory, explaining to everyone along the way, "It's okay, they're rehearsing, let's all disperse."

The doors in the corridor gradually closed.

Fu Yujun returned to the dormitory and sheepishly touched her nose.

She is usually the calmest person in Room 405, but just now, she couldn't contain her excitement and joined Wen Shuxian and the others in screaming. It was truly... She shook her head and smiled.

The person involved, Tang Ruoyao, was still being embraced by Wen Shuxian, or rather, this time it was Wen Shuxian who held onto her tightly.

Wen Shuxian and Fu Yujun were complete opposites. Wen Shuxian was very emotional, transitioning from shouting with excitement to sobbing loudly, of course, out of happiness. Tears and snot covered Tang Ruoyao's body, and she could only gently pat Wen Shuxian's back with one hand, feeling both amused and helpless.

Wen Shuxian: "Waaa—we have someone in our dorm who's going to star in a movie, and she's the female lead for Director Leng Jie! I've accumulated eight lifetimes of good fortune to wait for this day, wuwuwu..."

Cui Jiaran corrected her, saying, "It's Tang Tang who has accumulated eight lifetimes of good fortune."

Wen Shuxian, with tears and snot streaming down her face, choked and said, "I don't care, both of us have accumulated good fortune."

Cui Jiaran made a surrender gesture, then secretly turned on the camera on her phone and started recording.

Seeing this, Fu Yujun also took out her phone and took pictures.

Wen Shuxian cried uncontrollably on Tang Ruoyao's shoulder. She changed her position and cried while leaning on the table, saying amidst her sobs, "It's not that easy." With some free time, Tang Ruoyao also took out her phone.

All three of them captured Wen Shuxian's embarrassing moments.

After half an hour, with swollen red eyes, Wen Shuxian sniffed and her sobbing subsided.

Tang Ruoyao reminded them once again, "Before the official announcement, don't tell anyone."

All three of them replied seriously, "We know." They had seen enough and understood the importance of keeping this secret. Even though Wen Shuxian was not known for keeping her mouth shut, she would never reveal something that needed to be kept confidential.

Tang Ruoyao trusted them and didn't need to say much.

"Oh, by the way," after Wen Shuxian's excitement settled down, she remembered to ask, "How did you get the audition opportunity? You never mentioned it before."

Tang Ruoyao had already prepared her explanation earlier and calmly said, "The company arranged it for me."

The other three hadn't signed with any talent agencies, but even a relatively unknown agency like Star Media could still do many things in their eyes, including arranging an audition for the female lead in Leng Jie's movie. They had no reason to doubt it. Wen Shuxian clapped her hands and said, "That's impressive. Didn't Huo Yuke also audition? But she still got rejected, and now you're the female lead."

Tang Ruoyao smiled.

Wen Shuxian laughed heartily and said, "When the official announcement comes out, I want to see if Huo Yuke's face turns green."

Cui Jiaran played along, "Why green?"

Wen Shuxian chuckled, "Out of envy and anger, of course."

The dormitory was lively and noisy, with everyone clamoring for Tang Ruoyao to treat them to a meal. Tang Ruoyao said she would treat them after signing the contract, so they started discussing what to eat in advance. 

Tang Ruoyao climbed up to the top bunk, pulled the curtain closed, and sat leaning against the wall.

She had passed the audition. Should she call Qin Yinong to share the good news? After all, it was Qin Yinong who recommended the opportunity to her, and she should express her gratitude.

But in what capacity should she express her gratitude? Thank you for helping me sell myself at a good price?

She was nothing more than a pet raised in a cage.

The cold, chilling wall seeped through her thin clothes into her skin. Tang Ruoyao's knuckles tightened, and she dismissed the idea of making the call.

But at that moment, her tightly clenched phone vibrated.

Tang Ruoyao's fingertips trembled.

'Was it her?'

She was afraid to look, but slowly glanced at the caller ID. It was another unfamiliar number. The expectation that had just risen fell flat. Tang Ruoyao bitterly pulled at the corner of her lips and answered, "Hello."

"Little sister." A woman's teasing and gentle voice sounded.

Tang Ruoyao froze.

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