Chapter 298: A Few Things After Marriage 7

After Qin Yinong finished playing "Great Compassion Mantra," she was almost fully awake from her half-asleep state. Lin Ruohan leaned back into Ren Xingyue's embrace, and Ren Xingyue gently wiped the smudged lipstick from her lips. Lin Ruohan then held her head and gave her a firm kiss, making Ren Xingyue unable to resist a smile.

Qin Yinong was unfazed by the scene.

Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Guan Han and Fu Yujun. One was an agent, the other an artist. Aside from that initial glance, they hadn't exchanged a single look the entire time. Something was definitely up.

Tang Ruoyao, now half-sober, became noticeably more restrained in the presence of so many people. Unlike before, she nestled obediently in Qin Yinong's arms, not even letting others catch a glimpse of her face, sparing Qin Yinong any potential jealousy.

Those sitting on the floor staggered to their feet, tidied themselves up, and prepared to leave.

Qin Yinong saw them off one by one, leaving only Wen Shuxian, who was still lying on the floor. Qin Yinong had initially planned to take her back to the Qin residence on the way, but Cui Jiaran slapped her awake. Wen Shuxian jolted upright, asking, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Cui Jiaran handed her a bottle of water. Wen Shuxian gulped down a few mouthfuls of cold mineral water, scanned the room, and let out a drunken burp. "Is it over?"

Cui Jiaran teased her, "It's over. You slept like a log."

Wen Shuxian wasn't bothered and chuckled, "Well, we're all family here. Nothing bad could happen."

Cui Jiaran said abruptly, "I took photos."

Wen Shuxian: "..."

The two began wrestling on the floor.

Qin Yinong turned her attention to the last "guests," Miss Guan Han and Miss Fu Yujun. With a hint of amusement in her expression, she asked, "Are you two...leaving together?"

Since becoming an agent, Guan Han had become much more talkative, but now she reverted to her old taciturn self.

Fu Yujun smiled faintly and said, "I have a schedule tomorrow. Manager Guan needs to accompany me to catch a flight."

Qin Yinong curved her lips into a smile. "Then I won't keep you."

Fu Yujun picked up the small blazer Guan Han had draped over the chair and naturally helped her into it. "Then we'll be going?"

Qin Yinong replied, "Please."

She escorted them all the way to the staircase, where Fu Yujun turned back and nodded to her with a smile.

By then, the battle between Wen Shuxian and Cui Jiaran had ended. Cui Jiaran decided to spend the night at the wealthy lady's villa. The Qin-Tang duo saw them off into their car and then got into the one behind.

Tang Ruoyao was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open. Qin Yinong cradled her head and let her rest on her lap, allowing her to lie down and sleep more comfortably.

By the time they arrived home, it was already three or four in the morning. Qin Yinong couldn't bear to wake her, so she decided to wait in the car until she woke up. Unintentionally, she too fell asleep.

The first rays of dawn filtered through the car window, casting a soft glow on Tang Ruoyao's face. Her thick eyelashes fluttered, and she raised a hand to shield her forehead as she slowly opened her eyes. The sensation beneath her head felt off, and the scene before her was unfamiliar. Where was she?

Where was Qin Yinong?

Tang Ruoyao shifted her head restlessly, and Qin Yinong soon woke up.

Rubbing her sore neck, Qin Yinong looked down and asked, "Awake?"

Tang Ruoyao hooked her arms around Qin Yinong's shoulders and sat up, glancing around the dimly lit car interior. "We didn't get out of the car last night?"

Qin Yinong replied, "I meant to wait for you to wake up, but I accidentally fell asleep."

Tang Ruoyao said, "Is this the first time we've...in the car..." She deliberately left the rest unsaid, creating an amb!guous atmosphere.

The adult world was full of color.

Qin Yinong and she tacitly exchanged a knowing "Mm," and Qin said, "What a pity." The woman blinked meaningfully and added, "But it's not too late now."

Tang Ruoyao reached out to push the car door open but failed—it was locked from the inside.

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

Qin Yinong unlocked the car with her key, pinched her ear, and teased, "You talk a big game, but when it comes down to it, you can't handle the real thing?"

Tang Ruoyao smoothly got out of the car, opened the back door, and extended a hand toward her, saying, "Who says I can't? It's just too late now. What if Ningning wakes up, sees the car in the yard, gets curious, and comes knocking? 'Mommy, Mom, what are you doing?'"

She imitated it perfectly, making Qin Yinong laugh with crinkled eyes.

"Mommy, Mom, what are you doing?"

Little Qin Jianing had appeared behind Tang Ruoyao at some point, asking curiously.

Tang Ruoyao raised an eyebrow at Qin Yinong in front of her, flashing a proud "See how good I am?" look before turning back and saying, "Mommy and Mom just got back from outside and are about to go home to shower and sleep."

Qin Jianing had already detected the smell of alcohol and asked, "Did you drink?"

Tang Ruoyao replied, "Yes."

Qin Jianing said, "I'll go make some sobering tea."

Tang Ruoyao thought she misheard, "You will?"

Qin Jianing said, "Yes, I learned it from Grandma. I'm going now."

Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao were genuinely astonished as they watched the child prepare the sobering tea step by step—and she did it quite skillfully.

Sitting at the dining table, sipping the tea their daughter had made, they felt a mix of pride and complexity at the realization that their little girl was growing up. Tang Ruoyao asked, "Why did you suddenly learn this?"

Qin Jianing said, "I learned it when I had free time. I can cook too."

Tang Ruoyao needlessly asked, "Aren't you busy with school?"

Sure enough, the child replied, "No. The school assignments are too easy. My teacher said I don't have to do them and gave me some other problems, but they're also very simple."

The homeroom teacher was the same one who had previously called to suggest testing Qin Jianing's IQ—a teacher with insight and ideas. In the second semester of first grade, she called Qin Yinong again, recommending either transferring the child to another school or having her skip a grade.

This summer, Qin Yinong was once again worrying herself sick over Qin Jianing's education.

Ningning herself was very studious. Just over seven years old, she already knew more than 4,000 characters. The books in Qin Yinong's study posed no reading difficulty for her, and she could skillfully look up any unfamiliar words in a dictionary. In the mornings, she practiced piano; in the forenoon, she practiced calligraphy and read; after nap time, she would scribble and calculate with various formulas that even Qin Yinong hadn't understood since her college entrance exams—so self-disciplined she hardly seemed like a child.

Qin Yinong transferred Qin Jianing to a new school and, after much comparison, chose a well-regarded international elementary school.

Qin Jianing's assessment remained: "The classmates don't seem very smart." Worried that she might become overly arrogant and isolated by her peers, Qin Yinong frequently contacted the teacher, who assured her, "Qin Jianing gets along very well with everyone, they all like her."

At her previous school, the teachers had said the same. Tang Ruoyao had not only changed Qin Yinong but also brought a positive influence to their small family.

At the end of the first semester of second grade, the school held a New Year's Eve party where the children were to perform on stage. The school warmly invited parents to watch the show and asked the children to inform their families.

Though Qin Jianing was still young, she had faint memories of her earlier years. There had often been parent-child activities in kindergarten, but Ji Shulan was always the one who attended. Ji Shulan had a limp, and for some activities, her presence didn't help much—especially when all the other children had both their mom and dad with them. Her reluctance to go to school had started with this very issue.

Qin Jianing took the car home. Neither Qin Yinong nor Tang Ruoyao were there. She ate her meal, practiced the piano, took a bath, and then snuggled into her soft, fragrant blanket. Fighting back yawns, she read a book while waiting for them.

When the couple returned from their alone time, they opened the child's door as usual to check if she had kicked off her covers. Instead, they found the room lit by a desk lamp, with Qin Jianing sitting at the head of the bed, reading a book, her small face wearing an overly serious expression—one she had deliberately put on when she heard the door open, but which had ended up looking a bit too earnest.

Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao exchanged a glance before stepping forward and asking gently, "Sweetie, why aren't you asleep yet?"

"Going to sleep now." Qin Jianing replied, closing her book and placing it on the bedside table, her expression still serious and earnest.

Tang Ruoyao's eyes curved into a smile.

Even the way the little girl closed the book and set it aside reminded her of her mother.

Qin Yinong tucked the blanket snugly around her, leaned down, and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight."

"Mom," Qin Jianing called out, tugging at the hem of Qin Yinong's clothes as she turned to leave.

Qin Yinong turned back, her voice soft. "What is it?"

Qin Jianing hesitated, words caught in her throat.

Qin Yinong sat down on the edge of the bed, gently brushing back the stray hairs that had fallen over the child's forehead as she lifted her head. "You can tell Mom anything."

Tang Ruoyao chimed in, "If you don't want to tell Mom, you can tell Mommy."

Qin Yinong shot her a mock glare.

Qin Jianing bit her lip, wrestling with her thoughts for a moment before asking in a soft, hesitant voice, "Are you free this Saturday?" As if afraid they might refuse, she quickly added, "Just for the afternoon—no, just three hours."

Qin Yinong thought about her schedule and said, "I have something on Saturday."

Before she could say "but," Qin Jianing's eyes welled up with tears. Fighting back sobs, she said, "I'm going to sleep now. Goodnight."

Qin Yinong stopped her from pulling the blanket over her head and said, "But I can ask for time off." An artist's work schedule was complicated, and terms like "canceling an appearance" might be too hard for Qin Jianing to understand, so she used words most people would grasp.

Tears pooled in Qin Jianing's eyes.

"This Saturday, the school has a talent show. I'm playing Snow White, wu wu wu..." Her voice grew more tearful as she spoke, and soon she was crying uncontrollably.

Qin Yinong took a tissue from Tang Ruoyao and gently wiped her tears. "You're such a crybaby Snow White. How will you defeat the Evil Queen?"

Ningning sniffled and said, "It's not Snow White who defeats the Evil Queen—it's the Prince."

Qin Yinong replied, "You can defeat the Evil Queen yourself. You don't need to wait for a prince to save you."

Ningning stopped crying, blinking her long, tear-dampened eyelashes, and asked in a soft, sweet voice, "Then can I marry Sleeping Beauty?"

Qin Yinong: "???"

Tang Ruoyao, standing behind Qin Yinong, couldn't hold back a chuckle.

Qin Jianing looked past Qin Yinong's shoulder at her and asked, "Mommy, are you free on Saturday?"

Tang Ruoyao's expression softened. "Yes, I am. I wasn't originally, but if you need us, we are always free."

Ningning sniffled, her eyes still red, and said, "Now I feel like crying again."

"Cry, it's okay. Mom and Mommy are both here. These are tears of happiness." Tang Ruoyao sat down on the other side of Qin Yinong, and Ningning hugged them both, wiping her tears on their shoulders.

After soothing the little one to sleep, Qin Yinong returned to the bedroom to take a shower. She changed into her pajamas and sat on the bed, watching Tang Ruoyao emerge later. Puzzled, she asked, "She's still so young. Why is she always thinking about marrying someone?"

Tang Ruoyao casually dried her hair with a large towel and replied, "Maybe she sees how deeply in love we are and has developed an early longing for romance."

Qin Yinong had read many books on child psychology, but her own mindset leaned toward conservatism. She worried, "Is this really okay?"

"What could possibly be wrong?"

Qin Yinong gestured for her to come closer. Tang Ruoyao sat on the edge of the bed, and Qin Yinong took the towel from her, continuing to dry her hair. "Early romance—I don't oppose it, but it just feels strange for someone so young to be in a relationship. What if she brings a boyfriend or girlfriend home next semester? Wouldn't that be a shocking scene?"

Tang Ruoyao imagined it and had to admit it felt a bit awkward.

"Mom, Mommy, this is my boyfriend/girlfriend." Ningning introduced, holding the hand of a child whose face was unclear and gender amb!guous.

Even more awkward would be Tang Fei, already in his first year of high school, focused solely on studying with no interest in romance.

After a moment of thought, Tang Ruoyao said, "The talent show is this Saturday, right? Let's see which classmate she's close to. Or if she's already in the 'flirting stage'."

Qin Yinong paused her movements and said, "Alright."

The weekend arrived in the blink of an eye.

Ningning had breakfast early and was driven to school by the family driver. The school had a rehearsal in the morning, and it was said that the set design, props, and lighting were all supervised and personally handled by the teachers, making it quite formal.

Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao had cleared their weekend schedules and spent half the day leisurely relaxing in the open-air swimming pool in the backyard.

It was rare for the little one to be away. Aunt Fang had never stepped into the backyard again after accidentally stumbling upon the two of them kissing by the poolside. Ji Shulan, with her limited mobility, stayed within the front yard.

Qin Yinong coaxed Tang Ruoyao into wearing a bikini, which perfectly accentuated her curves. She herself wore something even bolder, deliberately trying to seduce her.

While Ningning was diligently rehearsing at school, her mom and mommy were passionately exploring new scenarios at home.

It was Qin Yinong who started it, but she hadn't expected to take it too far. Exhausted by Tang Ruoyao's advances, she tried to climb out of the pool by gripping the horizontal bar. Tang Ruoyao wrapped her arms around Qin Yinong's slender waist from behind, pulling her directly into her embrace.

Tang Ruoyao pressed against her back as Qin Yinong gripped the bar with both hands, her knuckles turning white. She bit her lower lip hard, suppressing the involuntary sounds in her throat.

Usually, it was Qin Yinong who took the lead in such moments, while Tang Ruoyao had less practice. But that didn't stop her from surpassing her teacher.

Wrapped in a snow-white bathrobe, Qin Yinong lay weakly on the lounge chair by the pool. Tang Ruoyao applied sunscreen on her, put sunglasses on her, and adjusted the umbrella slightly, letting her enjoy the sunlight at home.

Gradually regaining her energy, Qin Yinong opened her eyes slightly behind her sunglasses and turned to ask Tang Ruoyao, "What time is it?" Her throat felt a bit sore—she hadn't been able to hold back her sounds in the pool, and Tang Ruoyao had silenced them with kisses.

Tang Ruoyao had just managed to open a hole in the air-flown coconut, inserted a straw, and brought it to Qin Yinong's lips. "It's 10:30. Still early for lunch."

Qin Yinong chuckled lightly, "You're not that impressive."

As soon as the words left her mouth, a shadow fell over her. Tang Ruoyao stood before her, a faint, amb!guous smile playing on her lips.

Qin Yinong, with zero backbone, immediately backtracked, "You're the most impressive woman I've ever met!"

The lounge chair was spacious, so Tang Ruoyao simply lay down beside her, narrowing her eyes dangerously. "Who else have you seen?"

Qin Yinong took a sip of cool coconut water, then hooked an arm around Tang Ruoyao's neck, sharing half the sip with her. Tang Ruoyao's eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly before her expression hardened again.

Qin Yinong grinned, her red lips parting to reveal white teeth as she fabricated a story, "Ren Xingyue isn't impressive."

"How would you know?"

"Lin Ruohan told me. She's nowhere near as good as you."

"You two even discuss things like that?"

"We're adults," Qin Yinong gave her a "you know what I mean" look.

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

Fine, she'd pretend to believe it.

She and Ren Xingyue had added each other as friends—it wasn't like they hadn't exchanged tips before.

The world of young wolves was quite colorful, after all.

Tang Ruoyao helped Qin Yinong stretch her muscles. It was still early, and they had initially considered taking another swim, but after exchanging a glance, they decided against it. They'd wait until the pool's self-cleaning system had purified the water completely.

The talent show was scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Qin and Tang arrived at 1:20 p.m. After reporting their child's class and name, a teacher escorted them to the auditorium where the performance would take place.

Both of them only wore masks, which they removed upon entering the auditorium. This international elementary school had many children of celebrities, so while they attracted some attention, it wasn't as intense as it would have been outside.

Qin Yinong had already attended a parent-teacher meeting at the start of second grade. When they reached the seating area for Class 1, Grade 2, she smoothly greeted the parents who had already arrived and introduced the person beside her as her wife, Tang Ruoyao.

Given their fame, no one found it strange.

Besides, the same-s3x marriage bill had already passed and was set to take effect in the latter half of the year, with registration opening soon. In just a few months, the two of them would be able to become legally recognized partners.

Qin Yinong had an important objective for this visit. She approached the mother of a child surnamed Wei and greeted her warmly, "Wei Nan's mom, long time no see."

Wei Nan's mother's eyes lit up as she replied enthusiastically, "Oh, it's Jianing's mom!"

Tang Ruoyao's expression remained calm, but a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes.

No matter how accomplished Qin Yinong was outside—an international film queen, a top-tier actress in Chinese cinema—at school, she was simply a mother.

"My Ningning is playing Snow White. What role is your Nannan playing?"

"She's playing the Queen," Wei Nan's mother said cheerfully. "The one who gives Snow White the poisoned apple. They're in the same scene, so Nannan came early in the morning."

"Ningning did too. I heard she's been rehearsing very seriously."

"You're an actress, so she must have inherited your talent. I'm sure your Ningning will perform wonderfully."

"Nannan is good too. Ningning often praises her in front of me."

"Nannan is the same! She's always talking about Jianing this, Jianing that," Wei Nan's mother said. "The two little girls are really close. Every time Nannan brings snacks from home, she always saves a portion for Jianing."

An alarm bell went off in Qin Yinong's mind.

Ningning rarely mentioned her classmates at school. She had been fishing for information from Wei Nan's mother, but she hadn't expected to uncover so much.

Wei Nan's mother chuckled with a sigh. "She originally wanted to play the prince but didn't get the role. You have no idea how popular your Ningning is—as soon as everyone heard she was playing Snow White, they all wanted to be the prince."

Qin Yinong couldn't believe it. "Everyone?"

Tang Ruoyao could almost picture her lover's expression cracking slowly.

"Yes, both boys and girls were eager to play the prince. Their class has more girls, and even the boys couldn't compete. In the end, they chose Zhao Yue—that short-haired girl in their class, the one who's half-Chinese, half-French. She's both pretty and dashing, remember her?"

"...I remember."

"Zhao Yue is tall and has a poised figure. She'll probably look great in the prince's costume. Our Nannan came home crying over it. I comforted her by saying that although the prince is the male lead, the queen and Snow White have the most scenes together. That cheered her up."

Wei Nan's mother went on, growing nostalgic. "Kids these days have much more vibrant school lives than we did back then."

"Indeed." Qin Yinong replied absentmindedly.

'If I hadn't come, I wouldn't have known. Now that I'm here, I'm shocked.'

Judging by Qin Jianing's popularity, if she ever took a liking to any classmate, she wouldn't even need to pursue them—just a little gesture would be enough.

Qin Yinong chatted with two more parents and received similar accounts: Qin Jianing was practically the class heartthrob, with rivalries and jealousy being everyday occurrences.

The adults dismissed it as innocent childhood friendships, paying it no mind.

What pushed Qin Yinong to the brink, however, was when, while speaking with a parent from her daughter's class, a stranger suddenly appeared beside her. After studying Qin Yinong for a few seconds, the woman asked uncertainly, "Are you Qin Jianing's mother?"

Qin Yinong scrutinized her for a moment before replying cautiously, "Yes."

'Did Ningning cause trouble?'

To her surprise, the parent said, "Hello, Jianing's mom. I'm Yang Ruixue's mother from Class 2, Grade 3."

Qin Yinong frowned. "Class 2, Grade 3? Third grade?"

Yang Ruixue's mother spoke with a soft, sweet southern accent. "Yes, my child wants to be friends with yours, but she's too shy to ask. Since I happened to run into you today, could we introduce them after the performance?"

Qin Yinong glanced at the half-hidden figure to her right. Yang Ruixue's mother gently pulled her daughter forward and said, "Say hello to Auntie."

Little Yang Ruixue was timid, her cheeks flushed under the bright auditorium lights. She pressed her lips together and murmured in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, "Hello, Auntie."

Immediately after, she ducked back behind her mother, tugging at her sleeve with a look of clear disapproval.

Ignoring her daughter's reaction, Yang Ruixue's mother sighed and said to Qin Yinong, "My Ruixue is wonderful in every way, but she's just too introverted—hardly says a word and keeps to herself. This is the first time she's expressed interest in making a friend, so I've mustered the courage to approach you."

Yang Ruixue's face was bright red, whether from shyness or frustration, and she clung to her mother's arm, trying to pull her away.

At eight years old, the child had some strength. Yang Ruixue's mother was tugged back a step before steadying herself. She quickly took out her phone and said, "Jianing's mom, let's exchange contact information. My husband is the director of the XXX Bureau."

In this environment, the children came from either wealthy or influential families. Parents often used their children's connections to expand their own networks—a fact evident from the bustling, enthusiastic conversations among parents even before the performance had begun.

Qin Yinong found it hard to refuse, so she reached into her bag for her phone.

Tang Ruoyao stepped forward, shielding Qin Yinong behind her, and said coolly, "Add mine. I'm also Qin Jianing's mother."

Yang Ruixue's mother froze.

Qin Yinong said, "This is my wife."

Yang Ruixue's mother replied, "Oh, oh, same thing."

She and Tang Ruoyao exchanged contact information before being dragged away by the child, waving as she said, "Let's definitely get in touch after the performance. We should grab a meal together when we have time."

Qin Yinong wrapped an arm around her lover's shoulder and, taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Feeling jealous?"

Tang Ruoyao replied calmly, "I just don't want irrelevant people bothering you."

Qin Yinong grinned brightly, "Isn't that still jealousy?"

Tang Ruoyao didn't confirm or deny it, but her hand drifted down to Qin Yinong's side, her index finger lightly hooking into her palm.

Qin Yinong gave her a brief, gentle hug before letting go, her ears slightly flushed as she pretended to look around at the scenery.

Tang Ruoyao guided her to her seat. There were still ten minutes until the performance began, and the auditorium was bustling with noise—parents with parents, parents with children, children with children—like a gathering of animals in a forest.

Tang Ruoyao's phone vibrated. She opened it to see a message from Yang Ruixue's mother:

[Jianing's mom, what program did your daughter sign up for?]

[Snow White]

[What a coincidence! Our Xiaoxue loves Snow White the most.]

[It seems like her turn is quite late in the lineup.]

[No worries, we'll definitely watch attentively until the end. Jianing's mom, you're truly amazing, raising such an outstanding daughter. Do you have any parenting tips to share?]

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

Qin Yinong watched her typing with her head down, not even sparing her a glance, and asked with a hint of jealousy, "Who are you chatting with?"

Tang Ruoyao lifted her eyes and expressionlessly showed her the chat history.

Qin Yinong took one look and her expression changed abruptly, as if she'd touched a hot potato. She immediately handed the phone back, saying, "You talk to her."

Tang Ruoyao shot her a sidelong glance and said flatly, "Not jealous anymore?"

Qin Yinong stared straight ahead, keeping a straight face as she replied, "Baby, I trust you. You're the best."

The "best" Tang Ruoyao took on this challenging task and engaged in an awkward conversation with Yang Ruixue's mother.

Two minutes before the start, Tang Ruoyao sent a message saying, "The show is about to begin," finally freeing herself from the ordeal.

At 2 p.m., the auditorium lights dimmed completely, leaving only the stage illuminated. The young hosts, dressed in glamorous outfits, made a dazzling entrance.

Qin Yinong leaned over and whispered in Tang Ruoyao's ear, "Doesn't it feel like we're attending an awards ceremony together?"

Tang Ruoyao silently curved her lips into a smile.

A boy in a crisp white suit announced with robust energy, "Respected leaders and distinguished guests."

A girl in a blue starry dress added in a sweet voice, "Dear teachers, parents, and fellow students."

Together, they chorused, "Good afternoon, everyone!"

Qin Yinong chuckled softly near Tang Ruoyao's ear, "Now it doesn't feel like it anymore—the script is different."

Qin Yinong was clearly in high spirits. When she was happy, she grew excited, talkative, and a little mischievous.

Tang Ruoyao gently squeezed her fingers.

Receiving the reminder from her lover, Qin Yinong straightened up to watch the performance, though the smile on her lips refused to fade.

The elementary school talent show exceeded Qin Yinong's expectations. Children nowadays were nothing like those from the past, who could be raised with just a meal. Kids from affluent families attended various interest classes from a young age, received bilingual education, and the tutor Qin Jianing hired was a doctorate holder who had studied abroad for years. The two often communicated in English. Qin Jianing had also learned piano, violin, calligraphy, painting, and even attended dance classes.

The children were showcasing their talents—some singing, others dancing, playing the piano, with a mix of opera, folk songs, ballet, Latin dance, piano, and violin performances. In sixth grade, they even formed a temporary symphony orchestra, dressed in matching outfits and exuding an impressive presence. The young conductor, wearing a suit and wielding a baton, was completely engrossed, leaving someone like Qin Yinong, who had no musical background, utterly amazed and wide-eyed in admiration.

Kids these days are truly incredible.

She and Tang Ruoyao exchanged a glance, sharing the same thought.

Qin Jianing's stage play Snow White was scheduled to appear quite late, as the second-to-last grand finale.

The previous performance featured a little girl dancing Swan Lake, who received a round of applause as she left the stage.

The host stepped forward to announce, "Next up, Qin Jianing, xxx... will present the stage fairy tale Snow White. Please enjoy."

Thunderous applause erupted.

Qin Yinong couldn't tell if it was her imagination, but the applause this time seemed especially overwhelming.

In the second act of Snow White, Qin Jianing made her entrance. Dressed in a white princess gown, her figure was light and graceful, her skin as white as snow, her lips as red as bl0od, and her hair as black as ebony.

The children in the audience immediately burst into the most enthusiastic applause of the evening, accompanied by suppressed, restrained cheers so as not to disrupt the performance.

Qin Yinong: "???"

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