CHAPTER 238: Qin & Tang Extra 12

Thud Thud Thud—

The heavy and hurried footsteps on the wooden stairs caused the three girls in dorm 405 to look up simultaneously, only to see Tang Ruoyao hurriedly slipping on her shoes and rushing out with her phone in hand.

A gust of wind blew through the corridor.

A student carrying a washbasin was blinded by the wind blowing directly into her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, all she saw was a figure disappearing around the corner.

"Who was that?" she asked the student across from her, who was carrying a thermos.

"It looked like someone coming out of 405. Was it Wen Shuxian?"

"No, it seemed like Tang Ruoyao."

"Tang Ruoyao? No way."

"Why don't we go check to find out?"

They were heading downstairs anyway—one to do laundry and one to get hot water. As they reached the open space before the stairs, they indeed found Tang Ruoyao in a corner making a phone call. They greeted her, and Tang Ruoyao slightly delayed her response, lifting the corners of her mouth with a perfunctory smile.

On the other end, Qin Yinong had no idea how her casual mention of "little sister" had such a big impact on Tang Ruoyao, making the usually composed campus goddess abandon her image and run off, thankfully with few people around to witness it.

"Why didn't you tell me you passed the audition? You heartless little thing." Qin Yinong teased her, half in jest.

Tang Ruoyao, with one hand hidden behind her back, nervously fiddled with the wall tiles, stammering, "I... I..."

Qin Yinong chuckled, "Since when did you start stuttering? Stuttering won't work in movies, correct it quickly." The woman's voice over the phone lost a layer of authenticity, sounding distant. Even so, Tang Ruoyao could vividly imagine the expression on Qin Yinong's face.

She must have had a faint smile, her eyebrows slightly raised, effortlessly charming, yet with a hint of mischief that made her likable.

Qin Yinong didn't often call her, to be precise, not since they signed the contract. Tang Ruoyao kept recalling the day she encountered Jiang Shikun's secretary at the café and how Qin Yinong had taken Guan Han's phone, saying "Don't be afraid." They had only met once, not really acquainted.

She was such a... good person.

Fair and kind to everyone.

Tang Ruoyao's expression dimmed slightly.

Qin Yinong: "Where is she?"

Tang Ruoyao snapped back to reality and hurriedly said, "I'm here." She continued, "I intended to personally share this good news to you. Sister, have you been very busy lately?" She asked casually, but inside she was apprehensive. Would this make her angry?

"A little." Qin Yinong replied, resting her hand on her forehead and teasing, "I'm taking time out of my busy schedule to call you. Aren't you touched?"

Tang Ruoyao didn't dare to move, but a small burst of joy lit up in her heart.

Taking time out of her busy schedule... to call her...

Tang Ruoyao pressed her lips together in delight.

Qin Yinong: "Ignoring me again?"

Tang Ruoyao: "Haha, no."

She accidentally let out a laugh, caught by Qin Yinong's sharp ears. Qin Yinong said from the other end, "Wow, what are you laughing at? Tell me, I want to hear."

"Nothing." Tang Ruoyao instinctively looked down at her shoelaces, but her slippers had her pale toes lined up like small hills, curling inward.

Suddenly, Qin Yinong said, "Little sister."

Tang Ruoyao felt a slight tingling in her heart and softly responded, "Hmm."

"I should be back this Saturday."

"Okay."

Guan Han leaned over and whispered a few words into Qin Yinong's ear. Qin Yinong glanced at her and said to the person on the other end of the phone, "I have something to take care of, let's end it here. By the way, if your company gives you trouble, just call Guan Han. Goodbye."

Qin Yinong handed the phone back to Guan Han—this was Guan Han's other number, and Qin Yinong had decided to have a little fun by using the new number to tease Tang Ruoyao.

Tang Ruoyao stood there, listening to a minute of the busy tone, before slowly walking back to her dorm.

Her roommates didn't question her earlier behavior. Fu Yujun glanced at her expression, saw nothing unusual, and made a shushing gesture to Wen Shuxian. Fu Yujun said there was nothing wrong, and Wen Shuxian dragged her chair over to ask about a question the teacher had posed in class.

Low murmurs filled the dormitory.

Tang Ruoyao sat at her desk and opened a movie.

Wen Shuxian passed by behind her and casually said, "You're watching a movie of Qin, the famous actress?"

Tang Ruoyao took off her earphones, feeling inexplicably guilty, and whispered, "Yeah, she has a lot of classics in her films, the teacher recommended them."

She straightened her back, afraid Wen Shuxian would notice something, but to her surprise, Wen Shuxian left right after that, not even hearing her response. Tang Ruoyao discreetly let out a sigh of relief and put her earphones back on.

The crew of "Yanzhi" quickly got in touch with Star Media and Tang Ruoyao's manager, Ruan Qin.

"Who did you say you are?" Ruan Qin asked, her cigarette slipping from her fingers and scattering ash all over the desk.

The visitor introduced themselves again, stating their name and purpose.

Everyone in the industry is well-informed and experienced, so Ruan Qin's surprise didn't concern him much, but he replied with some impatience, "If everything is confirmed, let's sign the contract."

Ruan Qin's mind was in a whirl.

A film producer, Director Leng Jie, a new movie titled "Yanzhi," and the female lead is her artist, Tang Ruoyao.

How could this be possible? Could it be a scam?

Ruan Qin turned back to call Tang Ruoyao to confirm, and Tang Ruoyao calmly replied, "It's true."

Ruan Qin exclaimed in disbelief.

"When did you go for the audition?"

"Almost a month ago."

"I mean, how did you get the audition opportunity?"

"I have my own connections."

"Is it because of Jiang—"

Tang Ruoyao interrupted her: "Sister Qin, if you don't respond to the production team soon, this opportunity might slip away. The pay for this movie is good, and you can earn a decent commission."

Part of the manager's income comes from the artist's commissions. Ruan Qin may not agree with Tang Ruoyao's actions, but in the entertainment circle where resources are frequently snatched, she couldn't afford to lose this opportunity. To prevent any further delays, she immediately arranged the contract signing date with the production team.

On the day of the contract signing, the dorm 405 team gave Tang Ruoyao a grand makeover. Fu Yujun applied light makeup, while Wen Shuxian contributed a new dress she had never worn, only to be met with disdain from Cui Jiaran, who rolled her eyes and said, "You should look at your height, Tang Tang is much taller, little shortie."

Wen Shuxian is 165 cm tall, which isn't particularly tall, but certainly not short.

Wen Shuxian flared up and lunged at her: "Who's a little shortie? I'm clearly goddess-height, capable of being both a queen and cute!"

Fu Yujun asked Tang Ruoyao to close her eyes as she carefully drew her eyebrows. Tang Ruoyao, listening to the commotion around her, chuckled, "With all this fuss, it feels like you're sending me off to get married."

Fu Yujun said, "If it were a real wedding, I wouldn't be the one doing your makeup." She admired Tang Ruoyao's features and remarked, "I wonder who will be lucky enough to marry you in the future."

A tall figure slowly surfaced in Tang Ruoyao's mind but was quickly brushed away.

'Impossible.'

Fu Yujun said, "Open your eyes."

She took a few steps back, looked at Tang Ruoyao, and said, "All done."

Tang Ruoyao stood up, Wenshu Xian handed her the bag, which Tang Ruoyao slung over her shoulder, looked at everyone, and said, "I'm off."

In this scene, Wen Shuxian felt she had to say something, so she loudly recited, "The wind is chilling, the Yi River cold..."

Cui Jiaran and Fu Yujun simultaneously interjected, "Bah!"

Tang Ruoyao laughed, "Hahaha."

The three of them accompanied her to see her off.

From across the hall, someone exclaimed, "What's going on here?"

Wen Shuxian replied, "Sending her off to get married."

The person opposite exclaimed, "Ah?"

Despite Tang Ruoyao's protests, they escorted her all the way to the bus stop at the school gate. This wasn't just Tang Ruoyao's affair, it was an honor for their entire dormitory!

"The legal department has reviewed the contract, and everything is in order." Ruan Qin handed Tang Ruoyao a pen and whispered softly in her ear.

One of the production team leaders was sitting opposite.

Tang Ruoyao glanced at him, "Can I take another look?"

He adjusted his suit sleeve and smiled, "Of course."

Tang Ruoyao carefully read through the contract and solemnly signed her name.

"Pleasure working with you, Miss Tang."

Tang Ruoyao shook hands with the man and personally escorted him out of the company gates.

"Hold on." the man said, getting into the car with his assistant parked at the entrance.

Tang Ruoyao held the freshly signed, immediately effective contract in her hands.

Phew, everything was settled.

Ruan Qin grabbed her arm, couldn't hold back any longer, and blurted out, "What's the deal exactly? How did you get the audition opportunity? Did you make connections behind my back?"

Tang Ruoyao looked up at her, causing Ruan Qin to involuntarily step back under her gaze.

Tang Ruoyao spoke softly, "Yes, so you better rein yourself in."

Ruan Qin was stunned, "You—"

Tang Ruoyao smiled lightly and said, "I'm heading back to school now, I have classes in the afternoon."

She left gracefully.

Ruan Qin stood there, fuming with anger.

She had been outsmarted!

But thinking about the commissions stipulated in the contract, Ruan Qin calmed herself, happily returning to the company.

.......

"Ahhhhh—"

The high-pitched female voice of the four-part harmony echoed through the entire corridor, accompanied by infectious laughter, "Hahahahahaha."

Several dormitory doors opened one by one.

"What's going on?"

"It's starting again."

"Is 405 rehearsing again?"

"They've never been this crazy before."

"Where? Wasn't Wen Shuxian always quite wild?"

"Birds of a feather flock together, I didn't expect even Tang Ruoyao and Fu Yujun to get caught up in it."

"If this continues, will the Drama Department go insane?"

"Who knows." The classmates shook their heads and each returned to their rooms.

Inside Room 405.

Cui Jiaran slapped away Wen Shuxian's hand, which was reaching for the contract: "Have you washed your hands? Don't touch it with your dirty paws."

Wen Shuxian wasn't angry and grinned, "Who here has clean hands? Let me see."

When Tang Ruoyao brought back the contract, just looking at the first page made them scream for half a day. Fu Yujun washed her hands in advance and said, "Let me see." She flipped through the pages one by one. Wen Shuxian and Cui Jiaran didn't even blink as they reached the signatures and seals at the end. Wen Shuxian bit her lip.

Just as Wen Shuxian was about to cry, Cui Jiaran quickly said, "Let's hurry up and discuss where to eat tonight!"

It was agreed beforehand that Tang Ruoyao would treat them to dinner after signing the contract.

At the mention of dinner, Wen Shuxian immediately forgot about crying, licked her lips, and began counting on her fingers, "Hot pot, barbecue, skewers, bullfrog, teppanyaki... I want to eat them all."

Tang Ruoyao waved her hand grandly: "All of it!"

The four from 405 left the dorm in a lively mood, joy radiating from them. Passing dorm rooms caught a glimpse and asked, "Why so happy?"

Wen Shuxian mysteriously replied, "It's a happy occasion! A huge happy occasion! You'll find out soon!"

The classmates cheered, "Congratulations, congratulations!"

Wen Shuxian laughed, "Hahahahaha, same to you!"

Fu Yujun turned her head back, almost twisting it 180 degrees: "Let's go."

Huo Yuke sneered, "What happy occasion? Just a bunch of naive people."

The four went to eat skewers.

The stainless steel trays on the table were piled with freshly skewered beef in various flavors like cumin, five-spice, spicy, spinach, chives, etc., while the vegetarian options were on another tray. The red oil was boiling, steam rising, Wen Shuxian put a piece of beef in, dipped it in the bone broth pot with cabbage, and couldn't wait to start eating.

Cui Jiaran didn't want to fall behind.

Across from them, Tang Ruoyao and Fu Yujun were much calmer. Fu Yujun added some tea to her cup and asked quietly, "Have you spoken to the school yet?"

Tang Ruoyao replied, "I'll talk to the teacher about it tomorrow."

In-school students need to get school approval to go out for filming, going through layers of bureaucracy for stamps. Academic arrangements during the filming period require coordination with the school.

"When does shooting start?"

"Next month."

"Mmm."

Both of them were decisive people, so there was no need for further discussion.

Wen Shuxian: "It's cooked!"

The two exchanged smiles and dove into a food fight.

The application was quickly approved, making Huo Yuke the first person in the class to know this news. Tang Ruoyao passed by Room 432 and heard her leaning against the door, sarcastically saying, "What role has the big star taken? Already acting all high and mighty?"

Tang Ruoyao initially wanted to turn back but instead demonstrated what it meant to be "high and mighty" right there.

She headed to the laundry room.

However, the chatter behind her didn't stop.

Other classmates, not as well-informed as Huo Yuke, began to ask in a flurry: "Did Tang Tang get a role?" "When did this happen?" "What genre is it? Is it a big production?"

Most classmates were very friendly towards Tang Ruoyao. Firstly, they were all students in their ivory tower with no deep-seated grudges. Secondly, although Tang Ruoyao was a bit aloof, she had a good personality. She would usually reply when asked questions and was excellent herself, so it was only natural for her to get opportunities earlier than others. It was much better than someone like Huo Yuke who relied on a benefactor to rise.

Huo Yuke's expression darkened.

One of her friends, picking up on the mood, remarked, "What good role could it be? It's probably just a third-rate web drama."

A smirk crossed Huo Yuke's lips.

Her friend's expression was somewhat haughty as she added, "If we're talking prestige, movies are definitely better. If it were me, I'd rather play the second female lead in a film than the main female lead in a TV drama, let alone a web series."

Huo Yuke had just played a supporting role in a movie during the summer vacation, becoming the first in their class to venture into movies. The flattery made her very comfortable.

Seeing the other classmates' expressions darken, Huo Yuke cleared her throat, sensing it was time to back off, and gestured for her friend to stop.

Her friend fell silent.

"Pfft."

Huo Yuke looked toward the source of the sound, which came from 405. The door to 405 was wide open, and Wen Shuxian was leaning against the door frame, giving her the middle finger.

Wen Shuxian said, "It's late, and all I can hear is barking. Can't anyone get some sleep?"

Laughter erupted again in the corridor.

Wen Shuxian, as usual, shot off her mouth and ran, slamming the door behind her with a bang, not giving Huo Yuke a chance to retaliate.

Fuming, Huo Yuke walked over and kicked the door hard twice.

Wen Shuxian banged on the table in anger: "That一!" and stormed out.

Fu Yujun followed her but didn't try to stop her.

It was common for girls to get into fights or tug at each other's hair, and the key point was that Huo Yuke could never win against Wen Shuxian. Wen Shuxian was like a little monkey, quick and agile. If Huo Yuke let her guard down and got scratched on the face, she would scream as if her heart was being ripped out, terrified of ruining her looks.

Fu Yujun shouted decisively, "Someone separate them!"

The onlookers rushed in, each grabbing one of them, and they were both taken back to their dorms.

Wen Shuxian enjoyed her triumphant return, while Fu Yujun gave her a few token criticisms, like how she could have dodged the first hair-pulling. She didn't bother saying much more, it was pointless. Huo Yuke had a sharp tongue, and if Wen Shuxian could tolerate it, she wouldn't be a Wen. So as long as Huo Yuke kept her sharp tongue, Wen Shuxian would have to fight her.

Wen Shuxian looked at Tang Ruoyao, who was pouring her some water, and asked, "Why do you think she still wants to provoke me even though she knows she can't win?"

Tang Ruoyao replied calmly, "Some people never learn, no matter how old they get."

Wenshu Xian clapped her hands and laughed heartily, "Hahahahaha."

Half a month later.

Director Leng Jie's new movie revealed its female lead, a name that was quite unfamiliar to many online: Tang Ruoyao. Entertainment media quickly dug up her background: a newcomer, a student at the Capital Drama Academy, in her sophomore year.

Even being noticed by a renowned director, only a few could rise to the top, so this name was just a brief spark in the vast sea of information. In times when no one was paying attention, a new star was following her path, gradually shining brighter.

But this did not include Huo Yuke.

Huo Yuke slammed a bottle of toner onto the floor, and her roommates, who were wearing headphones, were unfazed. They even celebrated in their dorm group chat with fireworks emojis, as if it were no big deal.

Wen Shuxian, walking sideways like a crab, hands on her hips and back straight, proudly declared, "Isn't it like a dog ascending to heaven when one person prospers?"

Cui Jiaran quickly distanced herself: "You're on your own with that, I'm not part of it."

Wen Shuxian hooked her arm around her neck and laughed, "Aren't we good buddies? For the sake of our friendship, I'll let you have the dog, I'll take the chicken."

Fu Yujun couldn't take it anymore and ended up spitting out the water she was drinking.

Wen Shuxian was laughing to herself when she suddenly felt something was missing. She looked up at the upper bunk and asked, "Where's Tang Tang?"

Cui Jiaran replied, "You just noticed? She left a while ago."

"A while ago?" Wen Shuxian asked, "Did she go to her friend's house?"

Cui Jiaran nodded, "Uh-huh."

Wen Shuxian pouted, "I really want to meet her friend, she's taken away Tang Tang's soul."

Fu Yujun also looked up at the upper bunk, a pensive expression on her face.

.......

Tang Ruoyao changed her shoes at the entrance, walking step by step closer, looking down at the woman lying on the couch with her eyes closed.

She rarely viewed Qin Yinong from this angle, as if the other person was no longer high above her but rather someone she could easily embrace if she just reached out. She knew Qin Yinong wasn't like that, but she couldn't help but indulge in the fantasy.

Qin Yinong kept her eyes shut, a casual smile tugging at her lips as she asked lazily, "Is there something on my face that makes you look at me like that?"

Tang Ruoyao half squatted down, inexplicably said, "Yes."

Qin Yinong: "Hmm?" Then she felt the warm fingertips brushing her cheek, like delicate swan feathers, gentle and traceless.

Qin Yinong's heart inexplicably skipped a beat, and she opened her eyes.

Tang Ruoyao's gaze lowered, unable to see her eyes clearly, her voice submissive, "There isn't now."

The weather had grown cooler, and Tang Ruoyao was wearing long sleeves. Since she came in directly, she hadn't even taken off her jacket, her hands clenched into fists in her sleeves, her thumbs pressing against her knuckles.

She had been so bold just now, actually touching Qin Yinong's face!

The touch was unexpectedly good, smooth, but a little cold. Just like when she hugged Qin Yinong before, everything felt cold. She wondered if holding her a little longer would warm her up.

No, she shouldn't think about it anymore.

Qin Yinong glanced at her, furrowed her brows, suppressed the strange feeling, and rubbed her head, gently asking, "Did anything fun happen today?"

Tang Ruoyao contemplated for a moment and said, "Does my day count?"

Qin Yinong laughed heartily.

"Nope." she said.

"Then nothing did." Tang Ruoyao answered bluntly.

'Am I being spoiled?'Tang Ruoyao thought to herself.

The more she acted like this, the more Qin Yinong found her amusing. A nineteen-year-old should be lively and a bit mischievous, so she indulged her nature even more. Tang Ruoyao had gradually gone from being cautious to now daring to joke with her.

Gaining a bit more courage, Tang Ruoyao asked, "So, did Sister encounter anything fun today?"

Imitating Tang Ruoyao, Qin Yinong responded, "Does my day count?"

Tang Ruoyao's eyes brightened involuntarily and she said, "It does."

Qin Yinong was taken aback, pretending to be angry, "Why aren't you following the script? If you change the lines like that, you'll get beaten on set!"

Tang Ruoyao widened her eyes, "People get beaten on set?"

Qin Yinong said seriously, "Of course! Don't think that once you're on set, everything will be fine. They can be really fierce, they might even eat you alive, leaving no bones behind." She waved her hand like a claw and said,  "Just like this, rawr."

Tang Ruoyao felt her health points drop instantly, staring at her in shock.

Qin Yinong: "...."

Qin Yinong retracted the claw hanging in mid-air, cleared her throat, and forcibly tried to salvage her image, saying, "Anyway, less talk and more action, do well in your scenes."

Tang Ruoyao replied, "I will, thank you for the reminder, sister."

Qin Yinong waved her hand dismissively: "This doesn't count as a reminder, it's all just empty words."

She thought to herself: 'Why am I talking so much nonsense lately?'

Tang Ruoyao silently smiled.

"I'll go back to my room to take a bath first." Tang Ruoyao peeled several tangerines, placing them on the small table beside the woman. Every time she fed her, there was a little bit of unfair advantage taken. In the past, Tang Ruoyao didn't think much of it, she treated herself however she liked, and that was only natural. Now, however, she found herself having improper thoughts. Before she rid herself of such delusions, she shouldn't let Qin Yinong have her way.

That said, whatever she wanted to do to herself, she had no grounds to resist.

She just hoped she wouldn't be too aggressive.

Tang Ruoyao turned over, considering that Qin Yinong being aggressive wouldn't be bad either. If she was happy, then she would be happy too.

Qin Yinong picked up a tangerine from the small table. The peel was already removed, leaving only the fruit inside. Qin Yinong held it in her hand, examining it, taking a segment and spacing out for a while after each bite.

After finishing the last segment, she glanced at the tightly closed door of the master bedroom, her eyes darkening.

She had something on her mind.

'What could it be?'

Qin Yinong furrowed her brows. She was supposed to relax by being next to Tang Ruoyao, even if she couldn't be entirely herself, she shouldn't have to stay tense like she did outside.

Now that Tang Ruoyao seemed troubled, it made her uneasy as well. Should she not have come here in the first place?

In her troubled thoughts... could Tang Ruoyao be a part of it?

Suddenly, that question popped into Qin Yinong's mind, and she quickly shook her head, dismissing her chaotic thoughts.

Qin Yinong got up and went back to her room.

Even though Tang Ruoyao was behaving very subtly, Qin Yinong still sensed her avoiding intimacy. From hugs to head pats, she would distance herself, but then approach again, like finding an excuse that there was something on her face to touch it, or if her hair was messy, she'd tidy it up, or if a button was loose, she'd fix it, even if it wasn't, she'd say she had made a mistake.

Humans are truly a contradictory species, and women are contradictions to the nth degree.

Qin Yinong's mind was constantly overloaded, and when faced with Tang Ruoyao, she consciously tried not to think, subconsciously refusing to contemplate the deeper motives behind her actions. She would do as she pleased. If she was happy, then she was happy, and if she wasn't, then she wasn't. But soon enough, Tang Ruoyao would cheer up again, which made Qin Yinong dismiss the thought of not coming over.

Qin Yinong took the gift set of perfume sent by the brand from the company and gave it to Tang Ruoyao. She realized that the last bag she had gifted was never seen being used, so she decided to give her something she could actually use.

Tang Ruoyao's reaction was completely different from when she received the bag.

"Is this for me?" she asked, both surprised and delighted, a hint of subtle shyness flashing in her eyes.

Qin Yinong gazed at her, smiling, and replied, "Of course."

The woman's eyes were as dark as the night sky, containing restrained radiance. As her eyes moved, that radiance flowed out slowly. She softly asked, "Would you like to open it?"

"Sure." Tang Ruoyao unwrapped the gift in front of her, revealing a neatly arranged set of perfumes inside.

Tang Ruoyao's long eyelashes fluttered as she delicately caressed the exquisite bottle.

She looked up, her eyes shining with a brilliance more precious than the rarest gem in the world. The young girl's features were unbelievably gentle as she softly said, "Thank you, I really like it."

Qin Yinong remained silent.

She thought to herself: 'So you like me.' 

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