CHAPTER 244: Qin & Tang Extra 18

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Bl0od, a bathtub full of bl0od.

Her long hair was a tangled mess floating on the water's surface. She reached out to push aside the strands that resembled seaweed.

Qin Yinong's heart felt as if it were being gripped by a large hand, suffocating her, her expression filled with pain.

She suddenly opened her eyes wide, sat up straight, and gasped for air.

Before her was the sterile white hospital room, the smell of disinfectant invading her nostrils. Her fingers, having remained in the same position for too long, felt stiff and sore, as if she were clutching something.

Qin Yinong slowly looked down to see a slender, pale hand, its wrist wrapped in thick white bandages.

It wasn't a dream.

But it was also a dream.

Qin Yinong pressed that pale, frail hand against her face, feeling the cool temperature coming from the palm.

Warm, soft.

Not as cold and rigid as in the dream.

Qin Yinong tightly held the woman's hand, tears streaming down her face.

She was saved.

She was saved.

The chaos from earlier gradually surfaced in her mind. The doctor said that Qin Lunong had gone into shock due to excessive bl0od loss and was already weak. If they had delayed any longer, it would have been too late.

Fortunately, she had returned just in time.

In that one moment, she had snatched Qin Lunong's life back from the clutches of d3ath.

If her sister had di3d... if her sister had di3d...

Qin Yinong pressed her face against the palm and cried out in pain.

The fingertip pressed against her forehead moved slightly, then brushed aside her bangs and gently ruffled Qin Yinong's hair.

A weak woman's voice came from above, "Why are you crying again?"

Qin Yinong raised her tear-streaked face, filled with rage, and said, "Why am I crying? Don't you know? You've got some nerve, daring to attempt suic!de. If you're so brave, why don't you k!ll me instead? K!lling yourself doesn't make you a hero."

Qin Lunong's pale face showed a hint of a smile, and with a sigh, she said, "Why would I k!ll you for no reason?" After a pause, she chuckled, "I'm not a hero. I'm just a woman."

Because her body was weak, she spoke very slowly, but even so, she was undeniably alive, her bright eyes wide open, engaging in conversation.

Qin Yinong burst into tears again with a loud wail.

She cried so fiercely, completely disregarding her image, like a child standing on the street crying because their parents wouldn't buy them a toy.

"You're such a jerk, wuwuwu..."

"Once you're better, just wait and see how I'll strangle you, wawawawa..."

She cried and scolded, scolded and cried.

Listening to her crying and scolding, Qin Lunong's smile grew wider, but tears rolled down the corners of her eyes.

She raised her arm, pulled Qin Yinong closer to her, and said hoarsely, "I'm sorry." Feeling the trembling under her palm, she said again in an increasingly hoarse voice, "I'm sorry."

Footsteps sounded at the door, Qin Yinong hastily wiped her face, tidied herself up, and Qin Lunong couldn't help but smile again as she watched.

The doctor came in, gave her an examination, and reassured Qin Yinong with some comforting words.

"There's nothing serious now, just take a good rest."

There was a small baby at home that needed care, so Ji Shulan and Aunt Fang were both at home. After hearing the news, Aunt Fang stayed behind, and Ji Shulan rushed over. Seeing her daughter, who had narrowly escaped d3ath, brought another wave of tears. After speaking with Qin Lunong for a while, Ji Shulan showed signs of fatigue.

"Mom, let her rest first." Qin Yinong said.

Ji Shulan took the tissue that Qin Yinong handed over, wiped her tears, and said, "Yes, you should rest now." She turned to Qin Yinong beside her, "Dudu, let me keep watch for a while. You've been here for so long."

Qin Yinong stared at the woman on the hospital bed and said, "I'm not tired."

Ji Shulan had no choice but to give up.

Qin Lunong would wake up and fall asleep, sleeping more often than waking up. Qin Yinong, dressed in her clothes, stayed in the hospital room taking care of her, never stepping out even once.

......

The melodious sound of a violin filled the air, but Tang Ruoyao was in no mood to appreciate it.

From the initial nervous excitement to the current frustration and disappointment, she turned on her phone screen to check the time: exactly eleven o'clock.

She had arranged to meet Qin Yinong at 8:00 PM.

The waiter, dressed in a waistcoat and trousers, came over, thoughtfully replaced her water, and quietly walked away.

They were used to seeing scenes of people waiting alone.

The number of guests in the restaurant was dwindling, the violin and piano pieces had stopped, the night outside was thick and dark, and Tang Ruoyao stared at the entrance of the restaurant, her hands, which were neatly placed on her knees, clenched tightly.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but we're closing soon." the waiter said with a slight bow, polite and courteous.

'Closing time already?'

A hint of gloom flashed in Tang Ruoyao's eyes. She picked up her bag from the chair and stood up, saying politely, "I'll be leaving now."

The waiter pushed a neatly packed cake box toward her with both hands, offering a warm smile. "This is a small gift from our restaurant. We hope it can brighten your mood a bit."

Tang Ruoyao returned the smile. "Thank you."

She took the small cake and went outside, standing at the door not far away, watching the restaurant staff finish cleaning up. One by one, the lights went out, and finally, the big door was closed. Her nose suddenly felt a bit sour. She hurriedly looked down and kicked at the nonexistent pebbles on the ground, then slowly walked back with her head down.

It was already 3 a.m. when she got home.

Tang Ruoyao entered the house alone, put the cake in the fridge, washed up, and sat on the edge of the bed, hugging her knees and lost in thought.

'Why didn't she come? Did she forget or was she held up by something?'

'Or was it intentional? Did she stand me up on purpose?'

It was too late for Tang Ruoyao to call Guan Han and ask, so she could only let her thoughts spiral.

She remembered something she had deliberately tried to forget—Qin Yinong's chaotic private life. She could keep someone like her, but she could also keep others. Maybe right now, she was in another lover's bed, stroking their head, teasingly calling them "little sister" or "little brother." After all, she wasn't picky about gender.

What Tang Ruoyao had with her was just a game, no matter how much it seemed like Qin Yinong liked her. She was just one of many.

Tang Ruoyao bit her lip, a flash of humiliation crossing her eyes.

When had she sunk so low as to become just one of someone's many?

Maybe Qin Yinong didn't come on purpose to make her face reality, to stop her from deluding herself. But then why didn't she refuse from the start? Was it to make her remember it more deeply?

If that was the case, her goal had been achieved.

Tang Ruoyao lay down flat, pulling the blanket over her head.

The next day was Sunday.

Tang Ruoyao slept in unusually late. After getting up, she habitually checked the entrance to see if there were any extra pairs of women's shoes, then pushed open the door to the spare room to see if someone had suddenly appeared. After doing these two things, she raised her hand and pinched her own face hard.

"No memory, huh? You just never learn."

'Still obsessing over whether she'd sleep with you? Aren't you afraid she's carrying some disease?'

Tang Ruoyao closed her eyes and silently repeated "She's sick" three times, and the moment she opened her eyes, she immediately looked at the tightly closed door.

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

'It seems I can't even keep my eyes anymore, so cheap.'

For lunch, she ate the cake the restaurant had given her—chocolate flavor. It left a slightly bitter aftertaste on her tongue. Tang Ruoyao finished it quietly, threw the packaging into the trash, and went to the study to work.

By the time it was twelve o'clock, Qin Yinong still hadn't arrived.

Tang Ruoyao lay on her side and fell asleep.

One day, two days, three days passed, and she couldn't help but send a message to Guan Han, asking about the missed appointment. Even if it k!lled her, she wanted to get to the bottom of it.

Qin Lunong's health had improved somewhat. She was propped up with two pillows behind her back. Qin Yinong held a bowl of milky-white fish soup, scooping it with a spoon and bringing it to Qin Lunong's lips.

Guan Han knocked on the door and came in, walking over to Qin Yinong and whispering something in her ear.

Qin Lunong saw Qin Yinong's look of annoyance and couldn't help but show a hint of curiosity.

Qin Yinong said, "Call her back and tell her something came up suddenly. It wasn't intentional."

Guan Han nodded. "Understood."

Qin Yinong thought for a moment and changed her mind, saying, "Forget it, I'll apologize to her in person later."

Guan Han still had no expression. "Understood."

Qin Yinong waved her hand.

Guan Han went out.

Qin Lunong used her uninjured hand to scoop the soup herself and asked, "Did I delay something important for you?"

Qin Yinong replied, "No."

Qin Lunong said, "Go handle it. I'm fine here—"

Qin Yinong glared at her.

Qin Lunong silently closed her mouth.

After waking up, Qin Lunong found her sister had turned into a fierce demon, glaring at her constantly and sticking to her like glue. Feeling guilty, Qin Lunong had no choice but to let her be.

In the evening, Aunt Fang came over to deliver dinner. Qin Yinong kept Aunt Fang in the hospital room while she quickly stepped out.

Guan Han, without waiting for her to speak, swiftly handed over the phone and retreated ten steps away.

Tang Ruoyao and her roommate were queuing up for food in the cafeteria, the crowd bustling like boiling water. With one hand holding a plate, Tang Ruoyao was surrounded by people in front and behind her, not noticing the vibration of her phone in her jeans pocket.

Qin Yinong waited until the call was automatically disconnected, and a female voice prompted, "Sorry, the number you dialed is temporarily unavailable."

After swiping her card, Tang Ruoyao escaped the crowd and sat down at the seat they had saved earlier.

Buzz buzz

Tang Ruoyao had just taken a sip of the free soup with her spoon when she felt her phone vibrate. She looked down and pulled it out.

The caller ID flashed two bold characters: Guan Han.

Tang Ruoyao glanced at her three roommates beside her, and figured that talking to Guan Han shouldn't reveal anything, so she pressed the answer button.

"It's me." Qin Yinong said.

Tang Ruoyao was about to greet her when she suddenly choked on her own saliva.

"Cough, cough, cough."

Qin Yinong wondered, 'Am I really that scary?'

"Cough, cough, cough," Tang Ruoyao coughed, "Sorry—"

Qin Yinong interrupted her, "I'm the one who should apologize. I had an urgent matter last Saturday, so I couldn't keep my promise. I'm sorry." The woman's voice was consistently gentle, but now it carried an extra layer of seriousness.

Tang Ruoyao: "N-no, it's fine. So..." She mustered up the courage to ask, "Have you finished dealing with your matters now?"

Qin Yinong sighed and said, "Not yet. After it's over, I'll treat you to a meal."

She didn't mean to break the appointment and even took the initiative to invite herself to dinner.

Tang Ruoyao's heart exploded with fireworks, and a faint dimple appeared on her cheek.

"Okay." she replied softly, lowering her gaze.

Hearing the noise on her end, Qin Yinong inexplicably didn't want to hang up just yet. She searched for something to say and asked, "What are you doing?"

Tang Ruoyao pressed her lips together, poked the rice with the tip of her chopsticks, unconsciously showing a little girl's delicate demeanor, and said softly, "Just eating."

"It's too noisy," Qin Yinong said with a smile. "I can't hear you clearly."

Tang Ruoyao got up and walked to a quieter spot.

"How about now?"

"There's an echo," Qin Yinong said, hearing her footsteps. "No need to move further, this is fine."

"Mm."

"Um..." Qin Yinong suddenly felt a bit awkward since Tang Ruoyao had gone out of her way to find a quiet place to talk. "I actually don't have anything important to say."

"Neither do I."

The two "nothing" didn't mean the same thing. Qin Yinong's "nothing" meant she had finished what she needed to say, while Tang Ruoyao's "nothing" meant she had time and was willing to listen.

So, let's just talk.

Qin Yinong cleared her throat and asked, "What are you eating?"

Tang Ruoyao: "Eggplant, potatoes, and pork ribs. What about you?"

"Fruit. I'll eat later."

Wen Shuxian picked up one grain of rice at a time, looking at the empty seat across from her. "When is Tangtang coming back?"

Cui Jiaran shrugged, "I don't know."

Fu Yujun ate her hotpot noodles leisurely.

Wen Shuxian put down her chopsticks and leaned in, gossiping, "Don't you think she's been acting strange lately? Did you see that smile just now? She's definitely seeing someone."

Cui Jiaran whispered, "I think so too."

Wen Shuxian got excited, "Right?"

The two of them huddled together, whispering and chattering.

Fu Yujun coughed lightly.

Tang Ruoyao's figure appeared in the sight of the three.

Wen Shuxian and Cui Jiaran immediately fell silent, lowering their heads to focus on their meals.

Fu Yujun picked out the ginger from the clay pot and placed it on a tissue laid on the table.

Tang Ruoyao sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat the slightly cooled food. Her usually cold features, softened by a faint smile, looked incredibly gentle.

The three roommates exchanged glances, understanding each other without words.

"What have you been up to?" Qin Lunong asked, feigning ignorance as she watched Qin Yinong enter with a radiant smile.

Qin Yinong pressed her tongue against the roof of her mouth, suppressing her smile, and said seriously, "Handling some official business."

"Official business, huh?" Qin Lunong dragged out her tone..

Qin Yinong glared, "Do you have a problem with that?"

Qin Lunong chuckled helplessly, "Stop glaring, you glare every day, your eyes are too big, it doesn't look good."

Qin Yinong said fiercely, "I want to, can you stop me?"

Qin Lunong, used to her sister's sharp tongue, wasn't annoyed and instead laughed out loud.

"Do you talk to her like this too?" Qin Lunong asked.

"Of course not." Qin Yinong's eyes softened, and a smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Before Qin Lunong could ask another question, Qin Yinong shot back, "Do you think everyone else is as troublesome as you?"

Qin Lunong nearly laughed herself to death.

Her sister was just so amusing! That girl was truly lucky.

Qin Yinong couldn't be bothered to deal with her.

Qin Lunong, tired from laughing, lay down to rest. When the nurse came to change her bandages and unwrapped the wrist, Qin Yinong looked away.

A week later, Qin Lunong was discharged. Upon returning home, Qin Yinong moved her to a different room and locked the original one. Qin Lunong, of course, had no objections—daring to object would only make Qin Yinong cry.

Qin Yinong had the nanny bring the baby over for Qin Lunong to see.

Qin Lunong said, "Let me hold her."

The baby continued to cry, and Qin Lunong walked around with her for a while, but it didn't help. Qin Yinong brought over a rattle, shaking the little drumstick back and forth. The baby reached out for it, and her cries gradually subsided.

Qin Lunong, her arms aching, finally handed the baby to another adult.

Qin Yinong asked her, "Isn't she adorable?"

Qin Lunong didn't say much, only raised an eyebrow and said, "She's my child."

But Qin Yinong heard the familiar pride in her words.

'My child, of course, is adorable.'

Qin Lunong opened her arms, and Qin Yinong hesitated for a moment before allowing herself to be pulled into a hug, her sister gently patting her back.

"Your sister loves you the most." Qin Lunong whispered. That's why she hurt you the most, but it won't happen again.

Qin Yinong's tears soaked her sister's shoulder.

That night, Qin Lunong stayed in the newly relocated room. Qin Yinong appeared at the door with a pillow, silently walking to the bed.

Qin Lunong scooted over, leaving more than half the bed for her.

Qin Yinong, without a word, produced a rope from somewhere and silently tied one end to Qin Lunong's wrist and the other to her own.

Qin Lunong exclaimed, "Isn't this a bit excessive?"

Qin Yinong lifted her eyelids and gave her a completely calm look.

Qin Lunong quickly amended, "Not excessive at all, this is just right. Perfect. Tie it tighter, tie it even tighter."

Qin Yinong wanted to smile, but as soon as the corners of her mouth turned up, she suppressed it and put on a stern face.

The two sisters lay side by side on the bed.

Qin Yinong sulked in silence, so Qin Lunong had to take the initiative and start the conversation. "Do you remember when we were kids, we used to sleep on the same bed? You were so small, yet you always pushed me to the corner."

"Did I really?" Qin Yinong said stiffly.

"Yes, you did. I slept on the inside against the wall, and you slept on the outside. Every morning when I woke up, I was pressed against the bed. I even told you I was practicing the lizard wall-climbing technique, and you believed me."

Qin Yinong thought to herself, 'Was I really that naive as a child? Hmm, yes, I was.'

Qin Lunong, with one arm behind her head, continued with a smile, "You said you wanted to practice it too, how could I dare let you practice? By then, wouldn't you just push me to the ground? How's your sleeping posture now?"

"I lie down as I am and wake up the same way."

"Then you're better than me."

The two sisters chatted idly. Qin Yinong, who hadn't rested well in the hospital, felt her eyelids growing heavy and soon drifted off to sleep.

Qin Lunong reached out to turn off the light, but her other arm accidentally brushed against Qin Yinong, causing her heart to skip a beat. Qin Yinong's eyes snapped open, but upon seeing her sister's action, she slowly closed them again.

Qin Lunong lay on her side, one arm draped over Qin Yinong, gently patting her, just like she used to when they were children.

Qin Yinong no longer needed anyone to soothe her to sleep, in fact, any disturbance would keep her awake. But she kept her eyes closed and didn't stop her sister. The patting grew slower and slower until it stopped altogether, and the sound of steady, even breathing filled the room.

Qin Yinong relaxed and fell asleep.

She slept for less than an hour before suddenly waking up. She checked Qin Lunong's pulse and breathing, then closed her eyes again.

She slept intermittently through the night, and finally, the sky began to lighten.

Qin Yinong untied the rope from her wrist.

Qin Lunong rubbed her wrist, which had been bound all night, and joked, "Little sister, you're not falling in love with me, are you?"

Qin Yinong scoffed, "Tsk."

Qin Lunong burst into laughter.

Her mental state had indeed improved, but Qin Yinong wasn't entirely at ease. She canceled all her engagements and stayed home to keep an eye on her sister, even standing outside the bathroom door while she showered, calling her name every few minutes. Qin Lunong felt both helpless and heartbroken.

After consulting with a psychologist, Qin Lunong stopped taking her medication.

Qin Yinong stayed at home for another month, and the baby completely turned to her, preferring her over the grandmother, the postpartum nurse, and the aunt. Qin Lunong's smile grew more and more, and Qin Yinong temporarily set her mind at ease.

Qin Yinong changed her clothes and prepared to leave.

Qin Lunong, holding a bottle, expertly fed the baby and watched her sister putting on her shoes at the entrance. "Where are you going?"

Qin Yinong smiled and said, "Going to earn some milk powder money."

Qin Lunong said, "Go ahead."

Qin Yinong raised her phone and said, "Remember to send me a message every hour."

Qin Lunong: "Got it."

Qin Yinong first returned to the company to deal with the backlog of work. After that, she had An Ling arrange her schedule, deciding not to take on any movie roles for the time being. Her home was in complete disarray, and she needed to wait until Qin Lunong fully recovered before she could feel at ease joining the film crew.

In the afternoon, with nothing urgent to do, Qin Yinong thought about returning to her house in Wangyue Mountain. But then she remembered it wasn't a weekend or Thursday, and Tang Ruoyao definitely wouldn't be there, so she lost interest.

She rarely has moments when she doesn't know where to go or what to do, she could spend an entire day reading during her leisurely times, but now she can't muster the energy to do so.

After some thought, Qin Yinong said, "Let's go to the Capital Drama Academy."

Guan Han silently closed her jaw in her mind.

The driver headed in that direction.

Given Qin Yinong's national fame, she certainly couldn't appear openly on campus. She had the driver stop the car near the school gate and used Guan Han's phone to call Tang Ruoyao.

"Sorry, the number you dialed is currently busy. Please try again later."

A text message immediately popped up.

[I'm in class, is there something you need?]

[Nothing.] Qin Yinong replied to her.

Tang Ruoyao almost jumped up in the middle of the lecture.

'Nothing.'

'Nothing.'

This couldn't be Guan Han's tone, it must be Qin Yinong talking to her.

How should she respond?

Tang Ruoyao finally understood why Wen Shuxian liked biting her nails—she wanted to do the same now. Ahhh, how should she reply?

[Do you have class tonight?] Qin Yinong sent another message.

Tang Ruoyao felt like banging her head against the wall, wanting to cry but having no tears.

She had an elective.

[Yes.]

Qin Yinong glanced at the message on the screen and pursed her lips.

'What a lousy school.'

[What time does your class end?] Qin Yinong smirked and asked again. She herself found it unbelievable, but since she had thought about it, she had to ask. She absolutely had to see her today.

Tang Ruoyao quickly typed, [5:15.]

[What time is your elective?]

[6:30.]

Qin Yinong tapped her knee with her index finger and said, [Okay.]

Tang Ruoyao was frantic.

What did "okay" mean? Did it mean she wasn't planning to meet her?

She might as well skip class tonight. She gritted her teeth and was about to send that message when Qin Yinong's text came through again: [After school, exit the school gate and turn right. Look for the car with license plate number Jingxxxxxx. I'll be waiting in the car.]

Tang Ruoyao quickly deleted the words she had typed and replied, [Okay.]

Tang Ruoyao sat in the front row, very noticeable. The teacher on the podium cleared his throat, and Tang Ruoyao put her phone back in the drawer. Before looking up, she saw Qin Yinong's final message: [Be good and pay attention in class.]

Tang Ruoyao sat up straight, focusing intently on the lecture.

It was only three o'clock now.

Qin Yinong sat in the car reading, unaware of the passage of time. As the sun set, the sky was ablaze with brilliant red clouds. Qin Yinong looked out the window and saw groups of young students walking out of the gate, each brimming with youthful energy.

Qin Yinong glanced at her watch: 4:50.

"Guan Han."

Qin Yinong said, "You go buy it."

Guan Han looked slightly surprised but nodded, opening the back door just enough for one person to slip through, and got out of the car.

"I have something to do, so I won't be joining you for dinner at the cafeteria. I'll be back for class in the evening. Bye." Tang Ruoyao said all this in one breath, grabbed her backpack, and disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving a gust of wind in her wake.

Wen Shuxian was heartbroken, "Tangtang's goddess image is ruined!"

"Excuse me, let me through." The classmates at the door only heard this one sentence, and then a hand gently pushed them aside. Tang Ruoyao hurriedly walked out.

Watching her hurried figure, the students were momentarily stunned.

"That was Tang Ruoyao, right?"

"Absolutely right."

"Rarely see her in such a rush." the students chatted as they walked.

"Could she be rushing to meet her boyfriend?" someone joked.

Huo Yuke narrowed her eyes and whispered to a girl beside her, "Yang Shu, go follow her."

The young lady named Yang Shu looked hesitant.

After all, she was also a student in the acting department. They were all classmates, doing something like secretly following someone was too—

Huo Yuke said coldly, "If you don't go, someone else will."

Another girl immediately volunteered. When Huo Yuke got the meat, she could at least give them a bowl of soup. It was said that her closest friends had already landed acting roles.

Yang Shu quickly said, "I'll go." She moved swiftly and ran off in a few steps.

Tang Ruoyao came down the stairs and simply started running. The girl's jet-black hair traced an arc in the air, her skirt fluttering in the evening sun. Tiny, joyful leaps filled the air, almost becoming tangible.

Pedestrians on both sides of the school path turned to look, whispering to each other.

"Who is that?"

"Hey, isn't that Tang Ruoyao?"

Those who recognized her took out their phones to snap pictures, while those who didn't know her followed suit. A photography student by the roadside spotted her, his eyes lighting up as he immediately swung his camera lens toward her.

Tang Ruoyao, tall and long-legged, sprinted ahead, leaving Yang Shu panting as she chased after her.

"She's running so fast. Could her boyfriend be Daniel Wu or something?"

Tang Ruoyao dashed out of the school gate, leaving behind the gazes fixed on her. Her heart pounded like thunder as she stood on the street, scanning her surroundings. She silently recited the license plate number Qin Yinong had told her, checking each car one by one.

Her eyes locked onto a vehicle, and a spark of recognition flashed in her gaze.

'Found it!'

Tang Ruoyao tapped on the rear car door, and with a soft click, it unlocked.

She pulled the door open and slid inside with lightning speed.

In the dimly lit back seat, Qin Yinong's presence seemed to radiate a serene glow. She smiled warmly, her arms open wide.

Tang Ruoyao joyfully jumped into her arms.

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