CHAPTER 258: Qin & Tang Extra 32

Before Qin Lunong could close the door, Qin Yinong deftly ducked and slipped through the gap.

Qin Lunong stood at the doorway holding a plate of strawberries, frowning as she sighed at Qin Yinong already inside. "You're such a rascal."

Qin Yinong, proving herself even more of a rascal, snatched the plate of strawberries and boldly occupied Qin Lunong's desk.

Left with no choice, Qin Lunong settled cross-legged on the bed instead.

"What do you want?" 

Qin Yinong popped strawberries into her mouth one after another, her mouth full, and mumbled a question.

Qin Lunong replied, "Finish eating first."

After swallowing the last bit of juice, Qin Yinong spoke clearly, "How are things at school?"

"Pretty well." Qin Lunong answered.

P University had started its term in September, and Qin Lunong, newly appointed as a professor, had only been teaching for a month. Her focus was primarily on research, spending most days in a lab coat buried in experiments. She currently taught just one elective course, so her presence on campus was still minimal.

According to colleagues, her name and appearance had sparked some discussion among students. However, firstly, students in her department were all busy studying and didn't have much energy for gossip. Secondly, even if there were suspicions, Qin Lunong was simply too distant from them. Although her personality was gentle, just her standing there gave people an invisible pressure.

It wasn't the kind of pressure that came from authority or the star power Qin Yinong wielded, but rather an aura that made students feel even linking her to rumors would tarnish her dignity. Besides, even if she was related to Qin Yinong, so what? Students cared more about whether their professors had real expertise, not their family connections. Qin Lunong's credentials alone made her shine in the lecture hall, drawing students from other departments to audit her class.

Colleagues, understanding professional boundaries, occasionally teased her about Qin Yinong in jest. Qin Lunong would only smile without answering, and they wouldn't press further.

But this was temporary. Secrets couldn't stay hidden forever—sooner or later, as Qin Lunong's visibility grew, her bl0od relation to Qin Yinong would come to light.

Hesitantly, Qin Yinong said, "My manager suggested we pick a time to officially reveal you."

Qin Lunong's face lit up.

"Does that mean I can finally ride your coattails openly?"

"..." Qin Yinong was dumbfounded. "Where did you even learn phrases like that?"

Qin Lunong grinned. "I've been doing some targeted research on the domestic entertainment industry lately."

A sense of foreboding crept over Qin Yinong. "What exactly have you been researching?"

"Some PR strategies in showbiz," Qin Lunong replied. "And I've noticed your PR handling is pretty lackluster. If you'd paid attention earlier, things wouldn't have escalated like this. Misunderstandings kept piling up—you're not the type to just take hits lying down."

Qin Yinong lowered her eyes.

"People change." she said quietly.

"Changed, or just hidden away?" Qin Lunong pressed.

Qin Yinong turned her face toward the window.

Qin Lunong stepped behind her, resting her hands lightly on Qin Yinong's shoulders. "It was my fault for not being here before, letting you bear all this alone. Now that I'm back, are you still unwilling to tell me?"

Qin Yinong lowered her head and said in a muffled voice, "It's not that I'm unwilling, but my past has little to commend itself. After I became famous, they attacked me—both openly and covertly, kicking me when I was down and trying to drive me to the brink. Later, I pulled through. Since these voices are unavoidable, and no matter how I express myself, I'll be misunderstood—every word I say will turn into a grand spectacle for attention—I simply stopped speaking and stopped listening. The higher I climb, the less they can hurt me. I believe justice exists in this world. A hundred years from now, my films will remain, printed in textbooks, while their slander will forever lie in the mud, unseen by the light."

Qin Yinong smiled and said, "Besides, public relations cost money. You know, given my level of fame, if I had to take every little thing seriously, the annual PR expenses would be astronomical. Since it's futile anyway, why not save that money and use it where it really matters?"

Qin Lunong crossed her arms and quietly watched her.

After two seconds of eye contact, Qin Yinong looked away, defeated.

Qin Lunong chuckled.

She casually draped an arm over the back of Qin Yinong's chair and said, "Do you actually believe this high-sounding nonsense you're spouting?"

Qin Yinong muttered, "You're swearing."

"What if I am? You're not my student—do I need to uphold teacherly virtues with you?"

"Fine, swear if you want. I didn't say you couldn't." Qin Yinong's defiance weakened further.

She was sitting sideways at the desk, half-turned away from Qin Lunong, who tried to swivel both her and the chair around but failed. Qin Lunong smacked Qin Yinong's arm impatiently. "Turn around yourself."

Qin Yinong obediently turned to face her, placing both hands on her knees like a scolded child.

"In the spirit of scientific truth-seeking, I have three points I'd like to correct you on." Qin Lunong raised a finger. "First, your films may endure a hundred years from now, but your scandals will outlast them. Do you think people a century from now will be any different? They won't. Frank McAndrew, an American psychology professor, believes gossip has existed since ancient times—originally to exchange information, stabilize communities, and ensure survival. Later, humans became so bored that they ingrained gossip into their genes, evolving it into the current focus on attention-grabbing facts. If your films and scandalous rumors were placed side by side, eight out of ten people would be drawn to the rumors. The better your films are, the higher your status, the greater the popularity of your gossip. A hundred years from now, you'll have twice as many rumored boyfriends and girlfriends than reported during your lifetime. They'll even come out and publish memoirs about you, titled 'My Affairs with Qin Yinong,' Believe me?"

Qin Yinong: "..."

"Second, you said every word you say is misunderstood, so you stopped speaking. People can choke to d3ath on food, so why don't I see you stop eating?"

"..." Qin Yinong protested, "Hey, you're being a bit unreasonable there."

Qin Lunong countered, "Let me rephrase it: 'giving up eating for fear of choking.' Do you admit it?"

Qin Yinong rubbed her face.

Qin Lunong said, "Zhuangzi's 'Autumn Floods' states: 'You cannot speak of the ocean to a well frog—it is confined by the space it lives in. You cannot speak of ice to a summer insect—it is bound by its season. You cannot speak of the Way to a scholar of limited views—he is shackled by his doctrines.' Your words aren't meant for everyone. Are you really willing to abandon the entire ocean for the sake of those well frogs and summer insects? Is it worth it? Do you still remember Tang Ruoyao's situation? If she hadn't been young and easily fooled, do you think those scandalous rumors of yours—convincing enough to pass as real—would have kept her away? Where would you have found a wife then?"

Qin Yinong opened her mouth to refute the "easily fooled" remark—Tang Ruoyao was sincere, not stupid—but upon reflection, if she had truly been a bad person, Tang Ruoyao might have even helped her count the money.

So she sheepishly closed her mouth.

Qin Lunong ate a strawberry to moisten her throat and said calmly, "As for the third point, it goes without saying. While not doing PR saves money, the damage to your reputation is far more valuable than money. I don't believe your team hasn't considered this."

Qin Yinong widened her eyes and couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure you've only learned a little about the entertainment industry?"

Qin Lunong pinched her thumb and forefinger together.

"Just a tiny bit," she shrugged. "But some people have brains the size of a walnut. My 'tiny bit' is their entire brain."

Qin Yinong, used to her sister's daily jabs, replied indifferently, "Fine, you're the smart one, and I'm the fool. Happy?"

"You're not a fool. You're just afraid." Qin Lunong said bluntly, cutting straight to the point.

Qin Yinong's expression stiffened briefly before returning to normal.

"Even if you don't say it, I know. When you came to me abroad, crying your eyes out, do you remember what you said?"

"What did I say?"

Qin Lunong tapped the table with her finger. "I'm asking you, not letting you question the teacher."

Qin Yinong searched her memory seriously but couldn't recall saying anything, let alone crying dramatically. If anything, it was Qin Lunong who had cried harder after learning about Qin Hongjian's betrayal.

But if Qin Lunong said she had said something, then she must have.

Qin Lunong's voice suddenly lowered. "You didn't even dare to go outside when you were abroad. That alone shows what you endured back home. I still regret not insisting on returning then, leaving you to face it all alone."

"Isn't it all in the past now?"

Qin Lunong's tone sharpened abruptly. "If it were truly in the past, you wouldn't be like this now. Only after I decided to teach at a university and Tang Ruoyao became your girlfriend did you think to clear your name—using such aggressive methods that you provoked public outrage, clearly aiming to eradicate the rumors in one sweep." She looked at Qin Yinong for a long moment before murmuring, "Dudu, I don't want you to be like this."

Qin Yinong met her gaze helplessly. "Then what do you want me to do?" Her hands, resting on her knees, clenched the fabric, betraying a mix of suppressed frustration and sorrow.

So what if she was afraid? Was it wrong to be afraid? Who said she couldn't be?

"Can't a person be weak?" Qin Yinong lowered her head. The overhead light couldn't reach her face, leaving her expression hidden in shadow.

Qin Lunong covered her hand gently and said, "Of course you can, but I hope your clarification isn't for anyone else—it should be for yourself." She crouched down, looking up so Qin Yinong could see her eyes clearly.

"How wonderful you are shouldn't just be known by a few of us."

......

"Congratulations on wrapping up filming!"

The entire crew cheered in celebration. The main creative team handed out red envelopes to everyone. Tang Ruoyao brushed off the confetti from her shoulder and quietly slipped into a corner to send Qin Yinong a message.

[We've wrapped up filming.]

Tang Ruoyao stared at the message for a few seconds, sighed, then continued typing: [If you get a break during filming, reply when you can.]

She tucked her phone back into her purse and rejoined the crowd.

Qin Yinong deliberately waited twenty minutes before sending an old photo from the Dunhuang set.

Tang Ruoyao, on her way to the hotel, saw the message and replied: [Still working so hard, huh?]

Qin Yinong sent a tear-jerking sad emoji.

Tang Ruoyao grew restless, wishing she could skip the wrap party and fly straight to Dunhuang.

Qin Yinong said: [I have to get back to filming.]

Tang Ruoyao deleted the comforting words she had just typed, feeling down, and replied: [Go ahead.]

Qin Yinong: [Flying kiss]

Tang Ruoyao: [XOXO]

At this moment, Mo Changgan, the director of Tang Ruoyao's film crew, received a phone call. He was still talking to a producer from the production team on set when he saw the caller ID and broke into a smile.

The producer, noticing, asked curiously, "Who is it? You look so happy."

Mo Changgan smirked mysteriously. "Not telling."

The producer laughed. "Is a phone call really that big a deal?"

Mo Changgan walked away, still grinning. "Oh, it is."

The producer shook his head in amusement.

Thanks to Han Yuping's influence, Qin Yinong was more familiar with directors than actors. Mo Changgan answered the call and teased, "Has the esteemed one finally remembered this old man? So, do you have time now?"

Qin Yinong laughed brightly. "Director Mo, can you stop asking about my schedule the moment we talk?"

Mo Changgan sighed dramatically. "What can I do? You're impossible to book. If I don't act fast, your schedule will be packed for the next decade."

Qin Yinong said leisurely, "Film schedules are hard to say, but dinner plans? Those I can manage."

Mo Changgan: "Then dinner it is. When are you free?"

Qin Yinong: "How about today?"

Mo Changgan was considering skipping the wrap party when Qin Yinong suddenly asked, "Aren't you filming something right now?"

Mo Changgan followed her lead. "Yeah, we just wrapped today."

Qin Yinong: "No time like the present. Mind if I crash your party?"

Mo Changgan hesitated. "Your presence would be an honor, but wrap parties are crowded. I don't want to ruin your mood. Maybe another time—"

Qin Yinong cut in bluntly: "I'm already outside your set."

Mo Changgan: "What?"

Mo Changgan and the producer went to meet Qin Yinong. Whether it was their imagination or not, Qin Yinong, already radiant on any ordinary day, looked even more dazzling this time—wearing a perfectly tailored, high-end red gown as if ready to step onto an international red carpet.

Qin Yinong said calmly, "Just came from an event."

The two straight men nodded in sudden understanding.

Mo Changgan said, "Coming straight to me after the event, Yinong, you're too kind to me."

Qin Yinong smiled. "Well, I've turned down your film offers several times, so I felt a bit bad." She added, "I'll go to the hotel with you later."

Mo Changgan agreed readily. "Sure."

No sooner had Qin Yinong made plans with the director than she sent a message to Tang Ruoyao: [It's almost dark, still haven't finished filming. Working overtime all day, so tired]

Tang Ruoyao immediately responded with a heartbroken: [Hugs]

Tang Ruoyao was among the earlier arrivals among the actors. The table reserved for the main cast had name cards, and she took a seat in a corner, occasionally glancing at her phone.

Soon, another group arrived—actors and crew members, led by a young man at the front. He wore a garishly patterned T-shirt, black pants with a decorative silver chain dangling from the waistband, swaggering as he walked.

In a film crew, it was impossible to completely eliminate the issue of investors bringing in their own people. Investors had their favored individuals, and the crew could only try their best to assign them to roles that required little acting, like "vases." This young man, Yang Wei, was a relative inserted by an investor. Tang Ruoyao disliked him because he always tried to get close to her. Tang Ruoyao wasn't foolish, she could tell who had ill intentions towards her, especially with his occasionally expl!cit gaze, which made her almost avoid him on set.

But the wrap party was unavoidable, and now they had crossed paths again.

Tang Ruoyao tugged at Xin Qian, signaling her to stand in front of her to block Yang Wei's gaze.

Yang Wei might as well have had "I have connections" written on his forehead, so some minor actors in the room seized the chance to curry favor with him. Smugly, Yang Wei chatted with everyone, not heading straight for Tang Ruoyao as he usually would.

She breathed a temporary sigh of relief.

The banquet hall grew increasingly crowded, with most guests arriving, yet Mo Changgan was nowhere to be seen.

Tang Ruoyao was seated at Mo Changgan's table. While waiting, she noticed an extra seat had been hastily arranged at the round table—apparently for a VIP guest. Bored, she wondered who it could be. Mo Changgan's wife? Or some big shot in the industry?

From the staircase to the banquet hall entrance, a red carpet stretched out. No one paid it much mind, treating it like any ordinary path—until a figure emerged at the top of the stairs. Clad in a blazing red dress, she resembled a peony in full bloom.

She breathed life into the red carpet, swaying with effortless grace.

The attendant at the door only snapped to attention as she approached, subtly straightening his posture before pushing open the banquet hall doors.

Qin Yinong lifted the hem of her dress and glided in, her steps light yet carrying a barely perceptible urgency.

Mo Changgan and a certain producer, left trailing behind her: "..."

Something about this script felt off.

A sudden commotion erupted around Tang Ruoyao—like a drop of water hitting hot oil, crackling and popping. She even heard a sharp, high-pitched scream, followed by an eerie silence.

The air grew so still that even breathing seemed to stop.

Unfazed, Tang Ruoyao calmly lifted her gaze—only to nearly scream herself when she saw the figure entering through the door.

Xin Qian did scream, immediately clapping a hand over her mouth.

Seeing her reaction, Tang Ruoyao finally snapped out of her disbelief—this wasn't an illusion.

Qin Yinong strode through the crowd with the regal bearing of a monarch surveying her subjects, effortlessly making her way to the round table reserved for the main creators. She stood naturally beside Tang Ruoyao and asked politely, "Do you mind if I sit here?"

Tang Ruoyao looked up at her in a daze. The dazzling light from the chandelier in the banquet hall illuminated that breathtaking face.

"No, I don't mind."

"Thank you." Qin Yinong placed the name card in front of her at the seat that had been intentionally left vacant and sat down gracefully, her gaze casually surveying the surroundings.

Before Tang Ruoyao could whisper to her, Mo Changgan had already approached and taken the seat to Qin Yinong's left.

Qin Yinong tilted her chin toward Tang Ruoyao, glanced at Mo Changgan, and raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

Mo Changgan laughed heartily. "This is Tang Ruoyao, my female lead." Then, turning to Tang Ruoyao, he said, "This is Qin Yinong—I'm sure you know her."

Tang Ruoyao responded with polite deference, "Hello, Teacher Qin."

Qin Yinong nodded and smiled faintly. "Hello, Teacher Tang."

She acted as if this were their first meeting. But Tang Ruoyao had countless questions for her.

As Qin Yinong turned to chat with others, Tang Ruoyao discreetly held her phone under the table, fingers flying across the screen:

[Weren't you filming in Dunhuang? How did you suddenly appear here?]

[And you sent me on-set photos?!]

[Said you were working overtime?!]

[I thought you were really in Dunhuang. Today, sitting in the car, I thought of you working hard in the desert, and I couldn't even visit you. I almost cried in front of my assistant.]

[How could you do this?!]

[Is tricking me fun?!]

The phone in her bag kept vibrating incessantly. Qin Yinong paused mid-conversation with the screenwriter, her instincts making her glance toward her lover beside her. Tang Ruoyao was glaring at her furiously, but what truly unsettled Qin Yinong was the fleeting glimmer of tears in those amber eyes.

Her first thought was: 'D@mn, I've gone too far.'

When she looked again, Tang Ruoyao had already turned her face away.

For the rest of the evening, Tang Ruoyao avoided meeting her gaze—even during the customary toast, she kept her eyelashes lowered, maintaining an extremely humble demeanor, as if she dared not look directly at her, making it impossible for anyone to find fault.

Tang Ruoyao tilted her head back and drained her glass of red wine in one go.

Under the cover of the tablecloth, Qin Yinong reached for her hand. She grasped it, only for Tang Ruoyao to pull away. She tried again, and Tang Ruoyao withdrew once more—this time decisively placing her hands on the table, cutting off any further attempts.

Qin Yinong: "..."

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the table grew lively—glasses clinking, boasts flying, everyone in high spirits.

Seizing the moment, Qin Yinong leaned close to Tang Ruoyao's ear and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Tang Ruoyao dragged her chair away, putting more distance between them.

Qin Yinong: "..."

Out of the corner of her eye, Tang Ruoyao saw Qin Yinong typing on her phone—moments later, her own phone buzzed incessantly in her pocket. She pulled it out and glanced down.

Qin Yinong's face brightened with hope.

Tang Ruoyao opened the notification settings and muted all alerts, then ignored her completely.

Under normal circumstances, she might not have reacted so strongly. A surprise visit without prior notice could have been romantic. But this time was different—they hadn't seen each other for three months. Between their hectic filming schedules, they could only manage a call every few days. The longing during their honeym0on phase was already hard enough to bear. At just twenty years old, Tang Ruoyao's emotions were far more intense and unrestrained.

Last night, she genuinely cried when Qin Yinong mentioned it would take three more months to wrap up filming. Especially when Qin Yinong casually said, "See you during winter break," her tears wouldn't stop flowing. After her shower, she hugged her pillow and cried again.

She never used to cry easily. No matter how Jiang Xuezhen targeted her, she never shed a single tear. But when Qin Yinong's promise to meet fell through, she couldn't stop crying, and even the next day, just thinking about it made her eyes sting.

She kept thinking—she absolutely couldn't wait until winter break. She would fly to Dunhuang every weekend, whether Qin Yinong agreed to meet her or not. The thought that Qin Yinong might truly be too busy with filming to see her made her want to cry all over again.

But it turned out Qin Yinong had been lying to her! She had completely fooled her! The tears she had shed for her these past two days felt like water that had entered her brain.

A young girl's heart is delicate—a small gesture from her beloved can make her world sunny and calm, or turn it into a raging storm in an instant, completely unreasonable.

Tang Ruoyao's raging storm was something Qin Yinong hadn't anticipated.

She wanted to build anticipation first, then reveal the good news, but she overdid the anticipation, and now she couldn't lift the mood back up.

Tang Yaoyao grew angrier by the minute.

Qin Yinong could only watch helplessly as Tang Yaoyao picked up her wine glass and moved to another table.

Guan Han silently watched the drama unfold.

Qin Yinong sighed, keeping an eye on Tang Yaoyao's movements while responding to the conversation at the table with Mo Changgan and others.

Tang Yaoyao was quite popular on set—beautiful, talented, and down-to-earth. Though her usual aloof demeanor kept people at a distance, the wrap party loosened things up. Wherever she went, she was quickly surrounded.

Both men and women.

Tang Yaoyao held her wine glass lightly with three fingers.

Guan Han noticed a man in a floral shirt hovering near Tang Yaoyao, his gaze frequently flickering to her glass. One hand was loosely clenched, as if holding something.

But Tang Yaoyao was always surrounded by people, leaving him no opportunity.

After sipping her wine, Tang Yaoyao moved to another table. The floral-shirted man hurried ahead and picked up the remaining half-bottle of red wine. As he lifted it, something flickered at his fingertips and fell into the bottle, dissolving instantly into the deep red liquid.

Tang Yaoyao's glass was nearly empty. Yang Wei, wearing a warm smile, offered, "Tangtang, let me pour you some more."

Tang Yaoyao hesitated for two seconds before tilting her glass toward him.

Yang Wei felt a surge of dark satisfaction, but as he tipped the bottle toward her glass, the wine didn't pour. His hand was frozen—a slender, pale hand had clamped around his wrist with effortless ease. He struggled, face flushing, but couldn't break free.

Following the hand upward, he saw a young woman with glasses. Attractive enough ordinarily... but compared to Tang Yaoyao, merely average.

Yang Wei narrowed his eyes unkindly. "What do you think you're doing?"

Guan Han replied coldly, "That's my question. What did you put in the wine?"

"Nothing! Let go!" Yang Wei snapped.

"Is that so?" Guan Han said. "Care to have it tested?"

Yang Wei's eyelid twitched. "Are you crazy?!"

Unfazed, Guan Han tightened her grip. Suddenly, Yang Wei released the bottle, letting it drop—only for it to freeze mid-air. Blinking, he realized the interloper had caught it.

Later, he belatedly noticed that as Guan Han bent to catch the bottle, her foot had incidentally kicked him to the ground.

Furious, Yang Wei scrambled up, cursing, "I'll f—"

"You still have time to swallow those words," Qin Yinong's calm voice cut through as she gracefully stepped forward through the crowd.

Author's Note:

Who would have thought we'd get to see Chief Guan's extraordinary combat skills in a side story? Tomorrow, Yaoyao will finally get to drink water. If you don't stay, if I don't stay, when will Yaoyao ever rise? If you stay, if I stay, Sister Qin will turn the tables and become the top—ahhh, that's all there is to it!

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