CHAPTER 241: Qin & Tang Extra 15

At that moment, Tang Ruoyao had just put a piece of green vegetable into her mouth, unsure whether to swallow or spit it out.

With a comical half-piece of green vegetable hanging from her mouth, her eyes widened in disbelief, cheeks puffed out as if she couldn't believe what was happening before her. Qin Yinong couldn't help but smile. She stood at the entrance, one hand on the shoe cabinet changing shoes, casually greeted, "Having dinner?"

The remaining half of the vegetable fell back into the bowl. Realizing it was too rude, Tang Ruoyao hurriedly picked it up with her chopsticks and ate it.

"Yes, I am." Tang Ruoyao was both happy and nervous. "Have you eaten?"

Qin Yinong had already eaten at home, but seeing the girl's bright eyes and hopeful gaze, she changed her words at the last moment, "Not yet."

Tang Ruoyao put down her chopsticks, stood up, and said, "I'll go make you dinner."

Qin Yinong raised a hand.

Tang Ruoyao halted her steps upon seeing her gesture.

"You eat first." Qin Yinong gestured with her eyes towards the bowl of noodles on the table.

Tang Ruoyao lied with wide eyes, "I'm full."

"But there's so much left."

"I had a lot of snacks during the day and accidentally cooked too much at night." She escalated the lie.

"That works out well." Qin Yinong, under Tang Ruoyao's gaze, walked to the table and sat in her seat, looking into the bowl of noodles. "I didn't eat much, so this is enough."

Tang Ruoyao's mind seemed to crash. Each word was familiar Chinese, but when put together, she couldn't make sense of it.

Qin Yinong sat upright, calmly saying, "Get me a pair of chopsticks."

Tang Ruoyao went to the kitchen and returned with clean chopsticks and a soup spoon.

Qin Yinong picked up the bamboo chopsticks, lifted a few noodles onto the spoon, and slowly fed them into her mouth.

Boom—

In Tang Ruoyao's mind, white fireworks exploded, her entire body stiffened in place, every cell frozen like a river on the cusp of winter and spring, slowly flowing beneath the frozen surface, with spring grass growing wildly on both sides brushed by the spring breeze.

As Qin Yinong ate the noodles left by Tang Ruoyao, every time her red lips moved, Tang Ruoyao couldn't help but shiver uncontrollably, a sensation spreading from her soles to her crown.

It felt as if Qin Yinong wasn't tasting noodles but rather... her.

Inch by inch, strand by strand.

Tang Ruoyao's face turned red, her breathing quickened, stammering: "I—I'll go to the study. Call me when you're done."

She turned to run.

Qin Yinong didn't even look up, saying, "Sit." Her voice was light, yet carried immense weight.

Tang Ruoyao's feet stayed rooted in place.

Qin Yinong continued, "I have something to tell you."

Tang Ruoyao sat across from her, avoiding eye contact, looking around nervously, not daring to meet Qin Yinong's gaze.

A faint smile played on Qin Yinong's lips, not minding these details. While eating, she asked in a gentle tone, "I left in a hurry this morning and didn't get a chance to ask you—how's it going on the set?"

Tang Ruoyao: "It was good."

Qin Yinong asked, "What's specifically good about it?"

Tang Ruoyao lowered her eyes to the ground and said, "The director is very good, everyone is very nice, and I learned a lot on the set." She wasn't one to talk much and wasn't good at small talk.

Qin Yinong responded with a faint "Mm."

Tang Ruoyao stole a glance at her, quickly lowered her gaze again, her eyes revealing a fleeting joy hidden beneath her eyelashes.

Qin Yinong casually remarked, "Leng Jie mentioned you to me."

Tang Ruoyao looked up, "Oh?"

Qin Yinong made a quiet sound of disdain in her heart. Was she really not as good as that middle-aged man, Leng Jie?

Qin Yinong subtly pursed her lips and said, "He didn't say much."

Tang Ruoyao: "...Oh."

Instead of avoiding, she met Qin Yinong's gaze head-on, looking at her soft features under the crystal chandelier light.

Qin Yinong's emotions lifted slightly as she said, "Leng Jie praised you for your talent."

Tang Ruoyao blinked, "Didn't sister say that a long time ago? It's all because sister has good taste."

Qin Yinong was unexpectedly pleased by her words and couldn't help but smile.

"Are you complimenting me or yourself?"

"Complimenting you."

"Smooth talker." the woman teased.

For Tang Ruoyao, who had lived for so long, this was the first time someone had associated her with those words. It was both novel and strangely sweet.

Qin Yinong set down her bowl and chopsticks, "I'm done eating."

Tang Ruoyao stood up to clean up.

She was familiar with this kitchen, everything in its place. Qin Yinong watched her busy figure inside, hesitating whether to go in, lingered at the doorway for a moment, then returned to the living room.

No need to rush.

She walked slowly with her hands behind her back, exhaling softly, "Take it slow, no rush."

Tang Ruoyao stood in front of the dishwasher, a smile playing on her lips the whole time.

That's how it is with a crush, even a small joy can be magnified infinitely. Besides, Qin Yinong not only gave her a little joy but also ate her noodles, didn't that indirectly mean a kiss?

The thought of kissing brought back memories of that night when they wrapped up filming, and her earlobes felt a slight warmth.

Did Qin Yinong remember that incident? Should she ask her about it? How should she ask? If she came back now, did that mean she didn't mind? What kind of not minding was it? Was it the kind where she didn't mind anything, or the kind where she didn't care?

On second thought, what exactly was their relationship now? Why did Qin Yinong never sleep with her? Was she not good enough?

With these daring speculations in mind, Tang Ruoyao choked on her own saliva, coughing loudly.

She quickly drank two large gulps of water to suppress the cough.

No more overthinking.

She sighed softly, finished tidying up the kitchen, and walked out.

Qin Yinong sat on the sofa reading a book, leisurely flipping a page, and asked, "Caught a cold?"

Tang Ruoyao replied, "No, I just choked a bit." She glanced at Qin Yinong's long, slender fingers.

Is it going to work out after all?

Qin Yinong didn't notice her small movement and asked, "Do you have class tomorrow?"

"Yes." Tang Ruoyao responded obediently.

Qin Yinong sighed inwardly, she was still a student.

Can they really make it work? Was she too impulsive?

Tang Ruoyao keenly observed Qin Yinong's slight change in mood after she answered, definitely not in a positive direction.

"Does sister have something to discuss with me tomorrow? I can take a leave." she speculated.

"Not really," Qin Yinong looked up and smiled at her, "Just asking, you can't just take a leave casually. Focus on your studies when going to school."

"I know," Tang Ruoyao bit her lip and proactively asked, "Sister, what do you like to do in your free time?"

"Me?" Qin Yinong looked surprised and repeated, "You're asking me?"

"Yes, you," Tang Ruoyao mimicked her, and earnestly asked again, "I'm asking you."

Qin Yinong thought for a moment and said, "Sleep." Unfortunately, she always had trouble falling asleep.

Tang Ruoyao almost blurted out, "I'll sleep with you!"

She bit her tongue gently, holding back the bold words, and asked, "Anything else?"

"Reading."

"Anything else?"

"Drinking."

Tang Ruoyao's eyes lit up, this was something she could get on board with. But Qin Yinong frowned and denied, "I don't like drinking." Drinking was out of necessity, she drank at home to sleep better.

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

She had to change her approach: "Then is there something you want to do?"

Qin Yinong shook her head.

Her unwavering response inexplicably tugged at Tang Ruoyao's heart. Summoning her courage, she placed her hand on the sofa beside Qin Yinong, leaned in slightly, gazing into her eyes, and asked, "Are you free this Saturday?"

Qin Yinong suddenly swallowed nervously.

'Is she... asking me out?'

***

"And then? What did you say?" The love novice recounted her experience from the previous night to her sister the next day, pausing at the crucial point. Qin Lunong couldn't help but ask curiously.

Qin Yinong lowered her voice, "I said I have a work assignment."

Qin Yinong agilely dodged Qin Lunong's incoming slap and said, "I really do have a work assignment! I'm not like her, who only has to worry about grades, I'm quite busy."

"But you still come home every day." Qin Lunong shot her a sidelong glance.

"Aren't I worried about you?"

"I'm not useless!"

"I didn't say you're useless." Qin Yinong gradually got used to her sudden bursts of anger and sharp tongue, soothingly said, "I'm just concerned about you. Can't I care?"

"I'd rather you not care about me." Qin Lunong huffed, though her expression softened a bit.

"I'll still care."

"Anyway, you all think I..." Qin Lunong muttered to herself.

"What are you saying?"

"Nothing." Qin Lunong pointed to the garden in front and said, "I want to go over there and take a look."

After Qin Lunong looked at the sky for a while, Qin Yinong escorted her back to rest.

Ji Shulan held the baby in her arms, pacing back and forth in the living room. The baby seldom stayed awake, with big dark eyes rolling around, the little hand wrapped in a cotton jacket waving in the air.

"Mommy and Auntie are back." Ji Shulan looked up and saw the two people coming in together. She took the child in her arms, Qin Yinong stood there, immediately extending her finger to the baby's side. The baby instinctively grabbed her pinky finger and grinned.

She couldn't produce a real laugh yet, but at this moment, she smiled with her eyes narrowed, her mouth open without teeth, looking adorable.

Ji Shulan exclaimed, "She's smiling again, every time she sees you, she smiles."

Qin Yinong was quite pleased, "Of course, I feed her every day."

Ji Shulan said, "I feed her too, but she doesn't smile at me."

Qin Yinong chuckled, "Mom, I was born beautiful, while you..."

Ji Shulan also laughed, "You keep teasing me, your sister is prettier than you."

Qin Yinong didn't object to this statement, she also thought her sister was prettier.

Qin Lunong timely spoke up, "Let me see." No one noticed, her voice was somewhat hoarse.

Ji Shulan lowered the child a bit and placed her in Qin Lunong's arms. Qin Lunong carefully held the baby, perhaps due to nervousness or something else, she showed a somewhat stiff yet gentle smile, softly saying, "Baby."

The child's face was like a day in June. Just moments ago, the baby was smiling with squinty eyes, but now her mouth pursed, and she let out a loud wail.

This baby's silent laughter was overshadowed by her earth-shattering cries, heart-wrenching and soul-piercing, enough to break the hearts of everyone present.

Qin Lunong's smile froze on her face.

Even her own child...

Qin Lunong adjusted her expression several times but couldn't manage to smile. She simply lowered her head, letting her bangs cover her eyes, and said, "Who can calm her down?"

Qin Yinong said, "I'll do it."

As the baby was taken from Qin Lunong's arms, she took a deep breath, pushed her wheelchair forward, and tried to speak calmly, "I'll head back to my room first."

Ji Shulan followed, "I'll take you."

Qin Lunong said, "No need."

"Still, I..."

"Didn't you hear me say no need?!" The sudden sharp rise in voice made the baby, who had just stopped crying, start crying loudly again. Qin Yinong hurriedly tried to soothe the baby, Ji Shulan looked at the child, then at Qin Lunong, who took the opportunity of her hesitation and went back to the room alone.

The door slammed shut.

Outside, Qin Yinong paced back and forth in the living room with the baby in her arms. The child revealed a smile again, causing Qin Yinong to break out in a sweat.

She handed the baby to the nanny waiting nearby, her face gradually turning serious.

"Mom."

Ji Shulan was still anxiously staring at the closed door, turning back when she heard Qin Yinong speak, "What's wrong?"

Qin Yinong said, "Come with me."

The two of them went to the study upstairs.

"Have you noticed that sister has been acting strange recently?"

"I have, I have." Ji Shulan was indecisive, when Qin Lunong was present, she followed Qin Lunong's lead, and when Qin Lunong wasn't around, she followed Qin Yinong's lead. Hearing Qin Yinong's words, she nervously tightened her fingers, saying, "She gets angry often, and sometimes she even cries. She wasn't like this before."

"And she's having trouble sleeping."

"Also, she seems a bit resistant to the baby."

The two of them pieced together all of Qin Lunong's anomalies.

"Mom," Qin Yinong looked at Ji Shulan and said, "Let's take her to see a doctor."

Ji Shulan was shocked, "Are you saying your sister is sick?"

Qin Yinong nodded, "Yes, I suspect she's depressed."

Qin Yinong had experienced depression herself early in her career due to certain events and had sought help from a psychologist. She was still doing periodic adjustments and was familiar with the symptoms of depression.

Ji Shulan's face turned pale: "Is it serious?"

Qin Yinong said, "Hopefully not. With proper management, she should be fine." If she could handle it, there was no reason her sister couldn't.

Ji Shulan sighed in relief, biting her lip, "That's good to hear. When should we take her?"

Qin Yinong said solemnly, "The sooner, the better."

"See a doctor?" Qin Lunong sat on the bed, slightly puzzled, smiling faintly, "Why see a doctor? I'm perfectly healthy." She looked at Ji Shulan, "Mom, am I sick?"

Ji Shulan looked at her eldest daughter, then at her second daughter, hesitating.

Who should she believe?

"Who told you I'm sick?" Qin Lunong asked again.

Ji Shulan replied, "Your sister."

"Little sister, do you think I'm sick?" Qin Lunong still smiled, her lips curving in a playful manner.

This was the familiar, strong Qin Lunong. Qin Yinong momentarily spaced out but quickly focused and said firmly, "Yes, you're unhealthy and sick."

Qin Lunong responded with a soft "Oh," looking at her as if she were a child who didn't understand.

"So?" she asked, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes, too quick to catch.

"So I want to take you to see a doctor, but don't worry, this is just temporary. Once this period passes, you'll be fine."

"In the end, you still think I'm sick?"

The "sick" in her words clearly didn't mean it literally but extended to an insulting level.

Qin Yinong frowned.

"That's not what I mean."

"That's exactly what you mean! Look at me now, if this isn't being sick, then what is it?! Yes, I am sick, might as well just die and be done with it, end it all!"

Ji Shulan was frightened, nearly collapsing to her knees. At this moment, she fully believed Qin Yinong's words—she must see a doctor, immediately!

She turned to Qin Lunong, "We'll go see a doctor tomorrow."

Qin Lunong's eyes were red, and she said sadly, "Mom, you don't believe me either?"

Ji Shulan's heart ached, incoherent, "Mom, Mom believes you, Mom just..."

With a sharp sound, a digital clock shattered near Ji Shulan's feet, and she stepped back in shock.

Qin Lunong sat there, her eyes vacant, her hand still in the position of throwing something.

"Get out." she said.

Ji Shulan took a step forward, and Qin Yinong pulled her hand and led her out.

Ji Shulan was restless, then saw Qin Yinong standing motionless by the window, couldn't help but ask, "Your sister is like this, and you're not doing anything?"

"She's emotional right now, she won't listen to what I say. I'll go back in a bit."

"Okay, okay." Ji Shulan grabbed her hand, "I'm counting on you."

"She's my sister." After a long pause, Qin Yinong looked at her and said.

In the evening, Qin Yinong entered Qin Lunong's room once again.

Soon she came out.

Ji Shulan waited at the door, speaking softly, "How is it?"

Qin Yinong smiled, sounding cheerful.

"She agreed to see a doctor."

She knew, Qin Lunong wasn't the type to give up on herself. Once the negative emotions passed, she would actively seek help. As soon as she entered the room, Qin Lunong took the initiative to talk to her about seeing a doctor and even apologized.

The sisters reconciled.

"That's great." Ji Shulan also smiled lightly, "I'll go cook some good dishes."

"Mom, I want to eat..."

Ji Shulan turned away, cutting her off, "Smashed cucumber, I know."

Qin Yinong smiled and went to play with the baby, but the little one had fallen asleep again, so Qin Yinong had to come back.

When she had a moment to herself, another child's figure flashed in her mind. This child wasn't one from home, it was the one who made her heart ache and was constantly on her mind.

People's emotions are truly strange. She actually fell in love with a girl much younger than her, and her understanding of her was limited to being academically excellent, having high performance talents, being obedient and well-behaved, and their interactions were confined to a small house.

Such inexplicable affection.

Qin Yinong rubbed her face, which had unconsciously stiffened from smiling, and her thoughts wandered: 'I wonder what she intended to ask me to do this Saturday?'

.......

Tang Ruoyao walked through the campus holding her books, wearing a beige sweater, a skirt, sheepskin ankle boots, her long hair flowing, a long tassel scarf naturally hanging in front of her, elegant and graceful.

She kept her gaze straight ahead, but people around her were stealing glances, especially the boys.

"Ouch!" A male student exclaimed in pain, rubbing his head where he had bumped into a utility pole, eliciting laughter, then he awkwardly walked away with his head down.

Whispers behind her reached her ears.

"Who is that?"

"That's Tang Ruoyao from the Performing Arts Department. You don't know her?"

"I've heard of her and seen photos, but why does she look so much better in person than in photos?"

"Stars always look better in person than in photos."

"No, the last time I saw her, she wasn't as good-looking as now, like she's had a complete makeover."

"Is it because she went out to film? I heard she's in Liang Jie's new movie."

"Maybe."

Wen Shuxian lightly bumped into Tang Ruoyao's shoulder, but Tang Ruoyao didn't even flinch. She raised a finger to tuck her hair behind her ear and looked over gently, asking, "What's wrong?"

Wen Shuxian exclaimed with her two other roommates, "See?"

Fu Yujun and Cui Jiaran both nodded.

Tang Ruoyao was puzzled, "What?"

Cui Jiaran said, "Xiaowen said that you've become much more beautiful since you came back from the set."

Tang Ruoyao smiled, "Was I not pretty before?"

Cui Jiaran said, "You were, but it feels different now, You look more..." She struggled to find the right word, and Wen Shuxian chimed in, "More feminine."

Cui Jiaran punched her palm with her fist and said, "Exactly!"

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

Even the usually fair-minded Fu Yujun added, "Mm."

Tang Ruoyao lifted her sleeve and sniffed.

Was it because of the perfume Qin Yinong gave her?

So was it that she felt she lacked femininity before, which is why she hesitated to use it?

Wen Shuxian laughed heartily, "What are you sniffing for? Femininity isn't a scent, it's a feeling, a result of female hormones, you know?"

Tang Ruoyao really didn't know.

She stood in front of the only full-length mirror in the dormitory, studying herself, but couldn't see any difference from before. Fu Yujun called her name, saying she had sent a photo to her phone.

The photo was taken in the freshman year, and after looking at it, Tang Ruoyao said, "The beauty filter on phones is getting better and better."

Fu Yujun laughed.

The other two joined in the banter, sharing candid and sneaky photos of each other taken during their freshman year in the group chat. When Wen Shuxian found out, she realized all of her embarrassing moments were exposed.

Wen Shuxian: "..." What kind of torment is this?

Tang Ruoyao climbed onto her bed, drew the curtain, and felt insanely happy.

Does she have a feminine charm now?

She definitely does!

Hahaha!

Can she finally do things with Qin Yinong like this and that?

Tang Ruoyao lay on the upper bunk, trying to roll over carefully, but the creaking of the wooden bed frame startled her roommates. Wen Shuxian raised her head from the script, "Huh? Did a mouse just come into our dorm?"

Tang Ruoyao immediately stopped moving, reached under her pillow, took out her phone, opened Weibo, browsed Qin Yinong's fan page, saved a bunch of beautiful pictures, still unable to contain her excitement.

She registered a new Weibo account, rolled her eyes, a smile in her eyes, and typed a nickname: My Daily Life with Miss Q.

First post:

Daily Life with Miss Q:

[On the first day apart from Miss Q, I miss her.]

Second post:

[My roommates said I have a feminine charm today, but I don't want to tell them that Miss Q is the most feminine woman I've ever met. I wonder if she'll be even more feminine when she sleeps with me?]

Tang Ruoyao covered her face with her hand.

Really... how shameless.

But she really wanted to know. Tang Ruoyao bit her lips, unable to contain her laughter, shaking the entire upper bunk.

Wen Shuxian, who was terrified of everything, jumped up and rushed down the stairs, "Is there an earthquake?"

Fu Yujun twirled the pen in her hand, raised her chin towards Tang Ruoyao's bed, Wen Shuxian looked up, her face turned pale, and she exclaimed in alarm, "Oh no! Tang Tang is having a seizure!"

Fu Yujun: "???"

Fu Yujun: "Wait..."

But Wen Shuxian had already stepped onto the stairs leading to Tang Ruoyao's side, pulled back the curtain, and found Tang Ruoyao, laughing like a potato. Wenshu Xian froze.

"Sorry to interrupt." she said, her expression dazed, and pulled the curtain back.

Like a wandering soul, she floated back to her own bed and continued reading her script.

After a while, she asked Fu Yujun below, "Lao Fu, did I get up just now?"

Fu Yujun: "No."

Wen Shuxian breathed a sigh of relief, muttering to herself, "I knew it, Tang Tang wouldn't be like that, that scared me to death."

Having been caught once, Tang Ruoyao temporarily restrained herself and sent out her third Weibo post.

My Daily Life with Miss Q:

[The world is so wonderful, yet I am so debauched, sleeping all day. This is not good, not good at all.]

She was cautious, and all three Weibo posts were set to be visible only to herself.

Tang Ruoyao lay there for a while, rubbed her face, and calmed down a bit before coming down to read.

Fu Yujun smiled and nodded at her.

.......

At Qin's Residence.

Qin Yinong carried a plastic bag of medicine and placed it on the living room coffee table. Ji Shulan peeked out from the kitchen, wiped her hands on her apron, and quickly came out, "What did the doctor say? Wasn't it supposed to be not serious? Why do you have medicine?"

Qin Yinong replied, "It's just postpartum depression. Just need to take good care of her for a while, it'll be fine."

"Taking medicine helps me recover faster." Qin Lunong added.

Seeing Qin Lunong taking the initiative to talk to her, Ji Shulan's eyebrows relaxed, and she said, "Mom believes in you, you will get better soon."

Qin Lunong smiled.

Qin Yinong said, "Sister is hungry."

Ji Shulan replied, "I'll go make dinner right now." She happily went back to the kitchen.

Watching Ji Shulan return to the kitchen, Qin Lunong sighed and said, "I've burdened you all."

Qin Yinong said, "Don't think like that."

Qin Lunong nodded and said, "Yes, I shouldn't think that way. We are family." She repeated, "We are family, none of us can do without the other."

Qin Yinong: "Mm."

Qin Yinong didn't know what Qin Lunong and the doctor discussed, but the doctor suggested cooperating with medication, so Qin Lunong's condition might be more severe than she expected. Nevertheless, Qin Yinong believed in her sister. She had never doubted her, whether she was the former pride of the heavens or the current ordinary person.

The good days for their family had just begun.

She crouched down in front of Qin Lunong, lightly resting her hands on her knees, and looked up, saying, "Once you're better, I'll bring her to meet you."

Qin Lunong looked at her, her gaze gentle, and replied, "Okay."

---

Author's Note: 

Ding, your Valentine's Day gift has been delivered, triggering a subplot:

Subplot 1: Following the main plot, the older sister of the sister commits su!cide, Qin's sister gives up on Ruoyao, becomes a zombie, and three years later embarks on a new love journey

Subplot 2: Opening a parallel world, the older sister of the sister does not die, Qin's sister and Ruoyao fall in love early, developing into a completely new light and sweet story

Please choose a subplot and explain your reasons.

I'll take a look at the comments and decide which subplot to write based on them. It's an extra story, so let your imagination run wild.

BACK | TABLE OF CONTENTS | NEXT