CHAPTER 263: Qin & Tang Extra 37

Fu Yujun wasn't surprised to be rejected. She lowered her head, pretending nothing had happened.

Qin Yinong calmly withdrew her gaze and asked, "Do any of you know why the wine is called 'Daughter's Red'?"

Wen Shuxian shook her head.

Fu Yujun knew, but remained silent.

Tang Ruoyao took a sip of tea, watching her.

Qin Yinong explained, "It comes from an old Shaoxing custom. Families who had daughters would brew wine when the child turned one month old and bury it. When the daughter married, they'd dig it up to serve guests at the wedding. That's why there's an old saying: 'Brew daughter's wine at birth, drink daughter's red at marriage.'"

As she spoke the last line, she happened to turn and meet Tang Ruoyao's gaze.

Tang Ruoyao felt her cheeks grow inexplicably warm.

Remembering how Qin Yinong had casually mentioned their future marriage earlier, even the spacious private room suddenly felt stifling. She took two quick sips of tea to suppress the heat rising to her ears.

Wen Shuxian said, "I think this wine tastes great. Maybe you should use it at your wedding."

Qin Yinong smiled, "That sounds perfect."

Her hand slipped beneath the table to cover Tang Ruoyao's where it rested on her knee, her thumb gently stroking twice.

Wen Shuxian added, "But let me say this first—Tangtang won't be easy to marry. Even though you're Teacher Qin, we'll need to see some sincerity."

Qin Yinong asked seriously, "What kind of sincerity would you like to see?"

Wen Shuxian hesitated, "Well..."

She hadn't actually thought this through. Tang Ruoyao was only twenty—marriage seemed too soon. But Qin Yinong looked so earnest, as if she'd fulfill any request immediately to take Tang Ruoyao as her wife, making Wen Shuxian feel she might have overstepped.

What if Tang Ruoyao wasn't ready to marry yet? Had she just thrown her friend into an awkward position?

Biting back the urge to chew her nails, Wen Shuxian's eyes darted about: 'What should I do?'

Fu Yujun came to the rescue, "You should worry about yourself first. A single dog like you, always meddling in others' marriage plans."

Wen Shuxian seized the lifeline, even at her own expense, "Right, why am I so nosy? Hahaha! Let's eat, let's eat."

While Tang Ruoyao sighed in relief, a pang of disappointment surfaced in her heart.

She... did want to marry.

Guan Han never looked up the entire time, showing no courtesy to her boss. Only when waiters brought dishes would she pause her chopsticks, remaining vigilant before resuming her aloof demeanor.

"Don't bother me"—that summed up her attitude perfectly.

When leaving, Qin Yinong took two jars of Daughter's Red.

Their meal lasted over an hour. By 6:40 PM, they arrived at the stadium hosting the concert. From 400 meters away, they could already see fans wearing glowing support gear—stars on the left, moons on the right, all in blue.

Ren Xingyue, in the current sluggish Chinese music scene, was like a sudden phenomenon, and concert tickets were extremely hard to come by. There were street vendors selling support items everywhere, with people crowded around each stall, selling posters, fans with chibi Ren Xingyue figures, light sticks, and various fan clubs distributing hand banners, card stickers, and light boards.

The 405 dorm members got out early. Unlike Qin Yinong, whose appearance would cause a sensation, they could walk through the crowd unnoticed—their striking looks the only thing setting them apart, with no gathering effect whatsoever.

The concert had ticket checks starting half an hour early. As the entry time approached, Cui Jiaran and Wen Shuxian dashed frantically, clutching their phones to exchange their Weibo super-topic levels for fan banners and other merchandise at fan stations. Fu Yujun and Tang Ruoyao strolled leisurely behind them, unable to fully immerse themselves in such fervent fandom. However, their noticeable presence—walking empty-handed—drew frequent excited inquiries from fan-like girls: "Are you two Xingfans here for the concert too?"

(Xingfan being the fandom name for Ren Xingyue's fans.)

Tang Ruoyao remained taciturn, while Fu Yujun responded with poised grace, "Yes."

A fan asked, "Why haven't you picked up your support banners?"

Before Fu Yujun could reply, the girl supplied her own explanation: "Do you not know where to get them?"

Fu Yujun smiled. "Mhm."

The fan eagerly offered, "I can take you there!"

Politely declining, Fu Yujun said, "Sorry, we're waiting for two friends."

The fan looked slightly disappointed. "Oh." She pointed toward a distant café. "The Right Bank Coffee around the corner is reserved by the Qingcheng fanbase. Super-topic level 8 and above can collect banners there."

Fu Yujun smiled warmly. "Thank you."

For some reason, the girl blushed, her voice softening. "No problem." Biting her lip, she mustered courage. "Want to exchange WeChat? If you can't find it, I can guide you. I come to this venue often."

Fu Yujun turned to glance at Tang Ruoyao and gave the girl an apologetic smile.

Ren Xingyue and Lin Ruohan's rumored relationship was widespread, and many of Ren's fans were at least familiar with the LGBTQ+ community. The girl took one look at Tang Ruoyao's icy demeanor and immediately understood. "Have fun!"

She nodded and walked away.

Fu Yujun chuckled at Tang Ruoyao. "Thanks."

Tang Ruoyao was puzzled. "For what?"

As a lesbian, her lack of awareness was astonishing. Clearly, nothing existed in her world beyond Qin Yinong. Fu Yujun cleared her throat with amusement. "Never mind."

Tang Ruoyao hummed in acknowledgment.

Neither noticed the fan snapping a discreet photo of them from a few meters away and posting it in a fandom group chat:

[The most gorgeous Xingfans I've seen today—and they're a couple!]

The group exploded.

[Holy sh!t!]

[Those porcelain skin, stunning looks, and long legs—are they even real? And two of them?!]

[Where'd you see them? I need to witness this!]

[The one in white is definitely the bottom.]

[Xingfans are elite!]

The fan didn't reveal their exact location but shared another photo of their retreating figures, sparking another wave of excited chatter.

Wen Shuxian and Cui Jiaran returned laden with spoils.

Tang Ruoyao pulled a hand from her white jacket pocket to text Qin Yinong:

[I'm all set here.]

With twenty minutes until the show, long queues had already formed at the entrances, the crowd packed shoulder-to-shoulder—a spectacular sight from afar. Naturally, Tang Ruoyao and the others didn't need to jostle. They waited outside a landmark building near the venue until a petite girl soon came running toward them.

She glanced down at her phone, seemingly comparing photos, then walked toward Tang Ruoyao and said, "The Heavenly King covers the Earth Tiger."

Wen Shuxian quickly responded, "Chicken stew with mushrooms!"

The petite girl covered her mouth and laughed.

Tang Ruoyao replied, "The pagoda subdues the snake demon."

The petite girl said, "Follow me."

Wen Shuxian was shocked, "Isn't it supposed to subdue the river demon?"

Tang Ruoyao explained, "That's what the code phrase they sent said."

Cui Jiaran asked, "Is this pagoda perhaps the Leifeng Pagoda?"

Wen Shuxian burst into laughter, "Hahahaha!"

Having matched the code phrase, Tang Ruoyao and her group were smoothly led backstage by the petite girl. The backstage was bustling with staff, each busy with their own tasks. At a glance, Tang Ruoyao spotted Qin Yinong, who waved at her with a smile.

Standing beside Qin Yinong was another woman, about the same height, wearing a loose white chiffon top and black wide-leg pants. A cinched waistband accentuated her slender waist, while her ample bust and long legs made her strikingly beautiful.

Lin Ruohan's expression was lively, full of teasing.

As Tang Ruoyao approached, she greeted properly, "Sister Lin."

Qin Yinong introduced her to Lin Ruohan, "This is Tang Ruoyao."

Lin Ruohan studied her with interest before drawling, "So this is little sister Yao."

Qin Yinong corrected, "Tang."

Lin Ruohan amended, "Little sister Tang. You look so familiar—have we met somewhere before?"

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

Qin Yinong suddenly interjected, "Ren Xingyue is here."

"D@mn it!" Lin Ruohan stiffened and turned around, only to find no one there. Annoyed, she pinched Qin Yinong's cheek. "You scared me to death."

Qin Yinong retorted coolly, "If you know you're going to get f*cked, why run your mouth so much?"

Tang Ruoyao almost thought she had misheard—what word had Qin Yinong just used?

Lin Ruohan shot back, "Like you haven't been f*cked either."

Qin Yinong clicked her tongue, "There's a kid here." All this talk of f*cking wasn't very elegant.

Tang Ruoyao swallowed hard.

Was this how colorful the adult world was?

The deafening music from the front stage mixed with the fans' chants.

The three gossipers from Room 405 stared at Lin Ruohan, chattering excitedly among themselves.

Wen Shuxian's eyes sparkled as she grinned. "I never thought we'd see Lin Ruohan here! I'm so thrilled, I'm over the moon, I couldn't be happier!"

Cui Jiaran asked, "Could they be best friends?"

Wen Shuxian countered, "Have you ever seen best friends with such an age gap? Friendship across generations?"

Fu Yujun said, "Friendship across generations is a bit exaggerated, but I think they might be real. The videos captured before seemed pretty convincing."

Wen Shuxian posed a soul-crushing question, "Why can't I ever tell what's real? I once genuinely shipped a male couple, only for it to come out that one was married and the other had a girlfriend. My ship sank."

Fu Yujun tried to think of an excuse to brush her off.

Cui Jiaran mocked, "Because you're dumb, obviously."

Wen Shuxian laughed loudly, "Oh, you're so smart—so smart that even when the girlfriend is right in front of you, you still refuse to face reality."

Cui Jiaran made a last-ditch effort, "I'm not! There's just no solid proof yet!"

Under Ren Xingyue's deliberate guidance, the fan community maintained a healthy ecosystem. However, some solo fans still harbored reservations about Lin Ruohan. Despite her wealth, fame, and acting skills—she was eleven years older than Xingyue! A full eleven years! Ren Xingyue debuted at sixteen, and by eighteen was already linked with Lin Ruohan in rumors. This musical prodigy who appeared out of nowhere had her entire romantic life tied to Lin Ruohan. In contrast, Lin Ruohan's sexual orientation had been an open secret since Xingyue was still in elementary school, and she'd had previous girlfriends. Solo fans felt Lin Ruohan wasn't good enough for Xingyue.

To Xingyue's fans, she was like a little white rabbit lured away by a big bad wolf. They constantly worried Lin Ruohan might tire of her and break her heart.

Wen Shuxian found this absolutely believable. "It's only a matter of time before we get solid evidence." she said.

Tang Ruoyao remembered her companions left behind and tugged at Qin Yinong's wrist, glancing back.

The group caught the hint, stopped gossiping, and approached.

Qin Yinong introduced them personally: "These are my honored guests tonight—Yaoyao's roommates: Wen Shuxian, Fu Yujun, and Cui Jiaran."

With too many people to tease properly, Lin Ruohan adopted a mature, friendly elder sister demeanor. "Hello, I'm Lin Ruohan. Welcome to Xingyue's concert."

The three reacted with flattered surprise, shaking hands cautiously.

Lin Ruohan resumed her conversation with Qin Yinong.

Wen Shuxian winked at Cui Jiaran.

'Did you hear that? "Xingyue"—sounds like family already.'

Cui Jiaran: 'I think there's still hope.'

The dressing room door opened, and a figure emerged.

"Ruohan." A voice, young yet clear and gentle, rang out.

Wen Shuxian and Cui Jiaran turned, both covering their mouths with their hands.

Tang Ruoyao froze slightly.

Qin Yinong nodded in greeting.

Ren Xingyue wore an strikingly designed crimson cape, stage makeup accentuating her features. Her hair was swept up neatly, revealing a fair, full forehead. With exquisite bone structure and delicate features, she looked younger than Tang Ruoyao, though they were peers. Yet after four years in the spotlight, her aura far surpassed that of the 405 dorm members.

Ren Xingyue walked over and, ignoring the others, kissed Lin Ruohan on the lips before wrapping an arm around her waist to face the group. "Hello, welcome to my concert."

Polite but unsmiling, she maintained her signature cool demeanor—rarely smiling offstage, even for fans.

Wen and Cui, both fans, barely restrained their inner fangirl screams.

Wen Shuxian carefully pulled a fan banner from her bag. "Could you sign this?"

"Of course."

Xingyue looked down—it was a dual banner featuring both her and Lin Ruohan. A smile blossomed like a night-blooming cereus.

"You have excellent taste."

Taking the pen from her assistant, she signed with a flourish, adding a lyric.

Cui Jiaran: "Could I get one too?"

Xingyue signed the solo banner expressionlessly in quick strokes before returning it.

Wen Shuxian stifled a laugh.

Cheers erupted from the front stage.

Ren Xingyue turned to Lin Ruohan, voice tender. "I need to go on now."

Lin Ruohan adjusted the intricate overlapping collar of her cape. "Go on then."

Ren Xingyue closed her eyes and kissed her again, pulling away after three seconds. Her makeup artist calmly stepped forward to touch up her lipstick.

Ren Xingyue looked back repeatedly as she walked away: "I'm going now."

Lin Ruohan: "I'll be watching from the audience."

The venue lights completely dimmed as dazzling opening effects lit up the stage. Dancers in golden sequined outfits performed passionately while fans waved glow sticks, eagerly shouting Ren Xingyue's name.

Several figures quietly took their seats in the first VIP row.

Qin Yinong sat beside Lin Ruohan, both wearing hats. Tang Ruoyao sat to Qin Yinong's right, with the rest of dorm 405 lined up beside them without disguises. Guan Han sat to Lin Ruohan's left, three seats apart from Fu Yujun.

It was Tang Ruoyao's first concert experience. Leaning close to Qin Yinong's ear, she whispered, "It's so loud."

Qin Yinong squeezed her fingers in response.

Despite the noise, the lively atmosphere was infectious. Tang Ruoyao picked up the cheering stick from her seat and waved it rhythmically before asking, "When will she come out?"

With her mask on, Qin Yinong couldn't whisper back. Instead, she took Tang Ruoyao's hand and wrote on her palm with a smooth fingertip: Soon.

The ticklish sensation made Tang Ruoyao's heart flutter. Under cover of the music, she couldn't resist kissing Qin Yinong's delicate ear.

Qin Yinong shivered involuntarily and wrote: Behave.

Tang Ruoyao rested her chin on Qin Yinong's shoulder, laughing softly.

Suddenly the music stopped and stage lights went dark as the dancers exited silently.

The crowd erupted in screams.

Qin Yinong wrote: She's coming.

Tang Ruoyao immediately straightened up, focusing intently on the stage like other fans, not wanting to miss a single moment.

The giant screen displayed falling red maple leaves while the stage remained dark.

A melodious flute melody began.

The maple leaves transformed into snowy winter scenes as the flute's tone turned plaintive and sorrowful.

Then came spring's greenery and birdsong, the flute turning bright and cheerful.

A spotlight illuminated center stage where Ren Xingyue appeared in striking red attire. Eyes closed, she played the horizontal flute, guiding the audience through the seasons with her music.

Tang Ruoyao, who had only known Ren Xingyue as a pop singer, was surprised by her flute skills.

As the song ended, Ren Xingyue secured the flute at her waist and grasped the standing microphone to begin the night's first song.

With the live accompaniment starting, she swayed gently to the music, one foot lightly tapping. Her singing voice—completely different from her speaking tone—carried a casual, lazy charm. Her stage presence was effortlessly cool, equally captivating in motion or stillness, the red cape adding an alluring sensuality.

Her husky, murmuring vocals drew constant soft screams from enthralled fans.

Tang Ruoyao stole a glance at Qin Yinong, who immediately noticed and looked back questioningly.

Tang Ruoyao smiled and wrapped her arms around Qin Yinong's.

No matter how captivating others might be, Qin Yinong only had eyes for her.

Reassured, Tang Ruoyao immersed herself in the concert.

After three songs, Ren Xingyue descended via lift to change outfits. Truly exceptional artists never limit themselves to one style—Tang Ruoyao heard fast-paced numbers, ballads, rock, and lyrical pieces. Ren Xingyue shifted between heroic, sexy, and charming personas effortlessly, speaking little between songs before exiting after each performance.

Half an hour before the finale, she delivered an explosive performance.

The screams nearly blew the roof off the venue.

Ren Xingyue performed an aerial dance routine without any safety measures, relying solely on hanging rings at a height of five meters. Suspended mid-air, she soared, spun, and flipped with effortless grace, each movement flowing naturally like a sprite dancing on the rings.

Fans watched with bated breath throughout, nearly in tears by the time she descended.

Then, together with the backup dancers below, Ren Xingyue sang and danced through another song. Only after finishing did she adjust her earpiece microphone, panting heavily as she said, "I hope you liked it."

The venue was a boundless sea of blue.

Fans choked back sobs, shouting hoarsely, "We loved it!"

Ren Xingyue bowed deeply before straightening up.

"Thank you for coming to my concert."

The crowd roared back, "Thank you for singing for us!"

A fleeting smile crossed her face.

She raised her hand and said, "Alright, let's make the most of our time—next song!"

If Tang Ruoyao had to describe tonight's concert in one word, it would be: an audiovisual feast.

She was beginning to understand why Ren Xingyue had so many fans. Whether as an actor or singer, the standard remained the same—was the performance heartfelt? Moreover, Ren Xingyue wasn't just a singer, her dancing was exceptional too. Viewing it purely as appreciation, Tang Ruoyao thought Ren Xingyue's waist looked incredibly powerful—flexible yet strong, bending effortlessly in ways she herself couldn't replicate.

She wanted to train to be that flexible too.

They left ten minutes early to wait backstage, otherwise it would have been impossible to get away.

Lin Ruohan's back was drenched in cold sweat that still hadn't dried.

Qin Yinong handed her a glass of water: "Scared to death?"

"Not yet, but close." Lin Ruohan gulped down half the glass in one go. "Just wait till I deal with her when we get back."

Qin Yinong teased, "Going to make her serve you tonight?"

Lin Ruohan waved her hand. "She's got another show tomorrow night—needs proper rest." She suddenly slapped the table. "I'm definitely not coming tomorrow! A few more performances like this and I'll die young. I told her not to attempt such dangerous stunts, but she said fans paid for tickets and deserved something extraordinary. But if she'd fallen, wouldn't I be left a widow?"

Lin Ruohan turned her head aside, muttering "peh peh" to ward off the jinx, then buried her face in her arms.

Qin Yinong patted her shoulder.

Sitting down beside Lin Ruohan, she remarked, "You've completely fallen now." Others might not know, but Qin Yinong did—Lin Ruohan hadn't initially been interested in Ren Xingyue. Being close friends with Ren Xingyue's mother, she'd watched the girl grow up, making romantic feelings unlikely. But the younger woman's relentless pursuit gradually wore down Lin Ruohan's resistance, leading her down this irreversible path.

Resting her cheek on her arm, Lin Ruohan said, "You know me—stubborn to the core. Once I commit to someone, unless they leave me, this is it for life."

Qin Yinong harbored unspoken concerns. She feared Ren Xingyue's possessiveness would eventually cause problems, but relationships were personal matters. If they truly suited each other, voicing doubts might make her the villain.

"Then I'll wait for your wedding invitation."

Trying to shake off images of that dance from her mind, Lin Ruohan followed the topic: "When do you plan to get married?"

Qin Yinong's gaze lingered on Tang Ruoyao, who was chatting with her roommate, her eyes softening slightly as she said, "It's up to her. I'm ready anytime."

Lin Ruohan scoffed, "Isn't she still in college?"

Qin Yinong replied, "She's a junior."

With a confident smile, Lin Ruohan declared, "Then I'll definitely get married before you."

Qin Yinong snorted, "We'll see about that."

Lin Ruohan's interest was piqued, and she beckoned Qin Yinong closer. "How about we make a bet?"

Qin Yinong leaned in. "What's the wager?"

Two heads were nearly pressed together when Ren Xingyue stood at the backstage entrance, watching them with an inscrutable gaze. She approached step by step, her expression gradually calming before she bent down and asked, "Ruohan, what are you two talking about?"

Qin Yinong voluntarily withdrew. "It's getting late, I should head out first."

Tang Ruoyao stood up as Qin Yinong approached.

Qin Yinong: "Let's go."

Tang Ruoyao glanced over and asked, "Shouldn't we say goodbye to Sister Lin and the others?"

"I already did." Qin Yinong took her hand and looked at the remaining three members of Room 405, saying amiably, "Want to grab some late-night snacks?"

Wen Shuxian, who had been cheering all night and exhausted her energy, immediately raised her hand in agreement.

The other two had no objections either.

Especially Fu Yujun, who almost responded faster than Wen Shuxian.

They had crayfish for their late-night snack, ordering a massive platter with every flavor imaginable: spicy, garlic butter, salted egg yolk, thirteen-spice, chilled, and huadiao wine-infused. Wen Shuxian drooled at the sight and dug in with gusto.

Qin Yinong wore two layers of gloves. After eating two crayfish, she focused on peeling them for Tang Ruoyao.

Wen Shuxian watched enviously between bites, her eyes practically turning red.

Cui Jiaran couldn't stand it and peeled one for her.

Wen Shuxian teared up and said, "Jiaran, why don't you dump your boyfriend and live with me? I promise I'll treat you well."

Cui Jiaran: "Get lost."

Wen Shuxian: "Wahhh."

Tang Ruoyao opened her mouth to accept a thirteen-spice crayfish tail fed by Qin Yinong, then said sheepishly, "You should eat too."

Qin Yinong replied, "I won't. Late-night snacks make you gain weight."

The collective attack made everyone pause their peeling, raising their eyes in silent resentment.

Qin Yinong quickly amended, "Though eating once in a while is fine."

Time resumed its flow.

Fu Yujun noticed that the plate in front of Guan Han was mostly piled with garlic butter shells. She changed into a fresh pair of disposable gloves, peeled a garlic butter crayfish, and carefully placed the meat in Guan Han's bowl.

Guan Han looked at her.

Fu Yujun's heart nearly leaped out of her throat: "It's clean, and... garlic butter flavor."

Guan Han stared at her for a full three seconds before parting her slightly glossy lips (from eating crayfish) and saying flatly, "Thanks you"

Fu Yujun couldn't suppress her rising smile.

"You're welcome."

A moment later, a hand reached over, and another crayfish tail appeared in her bowl.

She looked up to meet Guan Han's gaze. Guan Han glanced at her, then at the crayfish, and gave a calm nod.

Fu Yujun's heart bloomed.

When she tried to peel another for Guan Han, she noticed Guan Han's bowl had disappeared—she was now eating directly with her hands after peeling.

Fu Yujun: "..."

Qin Yinong observed everything quietly.

It was too late to return to their dorm, so Qin Yinong booked them a luxury suite at the nearest Hilton, repeatedly apologizing for her poor time management.

Wen Shuxian blurted out with a laugh, "I wouldn't mind living here every day!"

Qin Yinong said, "Guan Han will drive you back to campus tomorrow. Could one of you leave your contact info with her?"

Just as Wen Shuxian opened her mouth, Fu Yujun grabbed her by the nape and pulled her aside, calmly declaring, "I'll leave mine."

Author's Note:

Qin Yinong: Last time you helped me, now I return the favor →_→

Writing this extra has been pure joy every day. Are you all happy too? If you're happy, scream AHHHHHH—

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