Chapter 23: 24-Hour Real Girlfriend Experience Card: [I've temporarily talked to Jiang Yan.]

Even though Qin Lan herself came up with the idea and drafted the contract, hearing Jiang Yan say those words made her feel short of breath and her chest tighten.

Qin Lan nodded unhappily and said listlessly, "That's right."

“Then I want…” Jiang Yan said softly.

Qin Lan predicted in advance: "Don't even think about sleeping."

Jiang Yan pouted: "Oh..."

"What if you can't resist?"

Qin Lan looked as if she had heard a joke: "Are you doubting my self-control? Do I look like the kind of person who can't control myself?"

Jiang Yan readily changed the subject: "Okay then, I want the answer to one question in exchange for a 24-hour trial card for a real relationship. For a real relationship... we should be able to kiss and hug, right?"

Qin Lan once again predicted: "No questions to be discussed."

"...Alright then, I'll just take the trial card, okay?"

"You can't sleep," Qin Lan said warily.

Although they had already slept together once... two or three times, now that they were starting over, Qin Lan was determined to stick to her principles. Before officially establishing a relationship, she was resolved not to sleep around with Jiang Yan anymore!

"......"

Jiang Yan said speechlessly, "You don't need to care so much."

She hasn't said anything yet.

"What do I mean?" Qin Lan asked. "Then what else do you want to do?"

Jiang Yan was a little excited: "I want to go out for a late-night snack with Teacher Qin, go shopping with Teacher Qin for a while, and then sleep in the same bed with Teacher Qin at night."

Seeing Qin Lan's expression turn unnatural, Jiang Yan narrowed her eyes with satisfaction: "It's just sharing a bed, what are some people thinking?"

Qin Lan blushed. Before she could retort, Jiang Yan suddenly stood up, tiptoed over to her, and said, "Um... I want to sit on your lap for a while now."

"Sit down," Qin Lan said as calmly as possible, stiffly reaching out to pull her into his arms.

Jiang Yan let her stiffly pull her over, sit down on Qin Lan's lap, and hug her neck for a while.

Qin Lan initially sat very upright, looking like a terracotta warrior that had just been unearthed, but after hugging for a while, she actually felt very happy and couldn't help but squint her eyes.

Jiang Yan is often mischievous and seems to be deliberately trying to annoy or seduce her, but sometimes she is very well-behaved and just looking at her or holding her makes her very content.

Her heart softened, and she couldn't help but hug Jiang Yan tighter, making her more comfortable on her lap. Jiang Yan rubbed against her for a moment, then leaned in and gently kissed her chin.

"May I kiss you?" she asked cautiously. "You're so beautiful."

Qin Lan felt incredibly soft-hearted and wanted to tell her that this was her right, but the words that came out of her mouth were still rather unpleasant: "The contract has already been signed, so you don't need to ask me about these things in the future."

Jiang Yan smiled contentedly, leaned in and kissed her lips, as if she knew all the unspoken thoughts in her heart. Her kiss was sincere and joyful; Qin Lan had never seen her so happy.

She couldn't help but think that if she really agreed after filming wrapped, Jiang Yan would definitely be happier than she is now.

She felt an urge to keep Jiang Yan happy.

"Teacher Qin, don't be distracted," Jiang Yan said, separating herself from her slightly, sounding very aggrieved.

"Oh," Qin Lan said dryly, hesitated for two seconds, and then apologized, which was uncharacteristic of hers: "I'm sorry."

As soon as Jiang Yan showed a surprised expression, Qin Lan kissed her, his hand unconsciously stroking the back of her head, completely unable to bear making Jiang Yan feel uncomfortable.

Jiang Yan was surprised at first, but quickly responded, sobbing softly as if she couldn't bear it, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.

She tilted her head back, her eyelashes trembling, her back going limp in her palms.

Qin Lan trembled with arousal, biting her lip, angry that she had reacted so easily to a simple kiss. She tried to control herself, warning Jiang Yan, "Don't be so horny."

"No way..."

Jiang Yan let out a soft groan, as if she couldn't catch her breath.

Qin Lan bit her fiercely.

"No more kissing." Jiang Yan barely managed to break free, glanced at her watch, and said, "If we kiss again, we won't have time for late-night snacks or shopping."

Qin Lan felt a little unsatisfied, and this inadvertently showed on her face: "What kind of late-night snack is more attractive to you than kissing?"

Jiang Yan straightened her clothes: "To love someone is to want to do every little thing with them. Kissing you is certainly pleasant, but if I can hold your hand and walk down the street, I will experience a different kind of happiness. When two people are together, they need to keep trying new things and go through the process of adjusting to each other to see if they are suitable for each other."

Qin Lan was shaken, not only by her own ignorance of love and shame, but also because Jiang Yan had just bluntly said she loved him.

She blurted out involuntarily, "You just said...love?"

"Hmm? Yes." Jiang Yan looked at her with a smile, her eyes still gentle.

"I love you," she said.

For a fleeting moment, Qin Lan almost wanted to say something, perhaps in response to Jiang Yan's straightforward and passionate affection.

She opened her mouth, then closed it again, lost in confusion. What is love?

She had pondered this question for a very long time, and she realized that she not only couldn't figure it out, but she also lacked conviction. Later, she finally stopped being so conflicted, and she thought that perhaps by the time filming wrapped up, she could reciprocate Jiang Yan's love with certainty.

＊

"Are we going to maintain this look every time we go out?" Qin Lan walked down the street expressionlessly.

Passersby pointed and whispered among themselves, "Are they cosplaying Qin Lan and Jiang Yan?"

“Yes,” Jiang Yan smiled, “if you still want to eat in public.”

"I can choose not to eat," Qin Lan said dejectedly.

"But our figures are too suspicious. If we wear hats and masks, it will look like we're trying to hide something."

"Yeah, you don't even try to hide it, you just cosplay yourself..."

“And this way I can see Teacher Qin’s face.” Jiang Yan suddenly turned her head, her smiling eyes crinkling.

Qin Lan's heart skipped a beat, and her ears turned red. She couldn't help but wonder when Jiang Yan would finally add her on WeChat? They'd already been dating, yet this guy was still as steady as a rock, refusing to mention it.

She couldn't hold back any longer and casually said while Jiang Yan was buying late-night snacks, "How much is it? I'll transfer it to you."

Jiang Yan didn't even turn her head: "We don't talk about money when we're dating. I'll treat you this time, and you can treat me next time."

Qin Lan held her breath and took a vicious bite of the ice cream cone Jiang Yan had bought for her. She ate as much as she could whenever Bai Ai wasn't looking.

Jiang Yan herself went to a light food stall and ordered a vegetable salad for herself.

"You scheming woman, you eat a low-fat meal yourself and give me an ice cream cone." Qin Lan muttered, poking Jiang Yan's slender waist.

"If you want to eat a low-fat meal, I'll make it for you from now on." Jiang Yan turned her head seemingly casually, her long, straight black hair making her look stunning.

Qin Lan's arrogance slowly returned. She raised her chin and looked at Jiang Yan with an overbearing air: "You're definitely up to no good. What are you plotting now?"

"I'm thinking about how to seduce Teacher Qin," Jiang Yan smiled. "Want to hold hands?"

"..." Qin Lan fell silent, her expression turning unnatural: "What are you doing?"

Jiang Yan walked over with a smile and intertwined her fingers with hers. Qin Lan was led by her like a puppet for a few steps before she realized the ambiguous gazes of the passersby around them, and her face instantly turned red to the roots of her neck.

Jiang Yan chuckled softly beside her, making her feel hot all over. She felt the hand that was clasped with hers move slightly and stroke her knuckles.

This was her first time dating, her first time holding hands with someone. Qin Lan was both excited and nervous. With her head flushed, she turned her head absentmindedly, pretending to look at the shop behind Jiang Yan's profile, and quickly glanced at her.

"Hmm?" Jiang Yan noticed and turned to look at her, her eyes smiling.

"Let's go check out that shop," Qin Lan quickly pointed to the store they had just been at.

She had originally intended to check Jiang Yan's expression to see if she was blushing like her, but she was too guilty and didn't see anything clearly. All she could see was Jiang Yan's delicate profile, blurred by the lamplight.

Honestly. She inwardly berated herself, wondering how she could be so infatuated with Jiang Yan's face.

"Teacher Qin, why didn't you look at anything when you came in?"

Jiang Yan's ambiguous voice suddenly came over. Qin Lan looked down and saw that Jiang Yan was unconsciously pressing a letter earring in her hand, almost bending it.

The shop assistant was peeking out from a short distance, watching her intently, as if afraid she might break it.

"..."

Qin Lan bought the earrings and inexplicably carried them in her hand.

"Sigh, Teacher Qin, can you please concentrate?" Jiang Yan sighed, her heart sinking, and her voice softened: "Today is only the first day..."

She knew in her heart that although Qin Lan had signed a contract with her, it didn't mean they were a real couple, so she didn't dare to ask anything of her. Perhaps Qin Lan didn't even want to go shopping with her. But they had only just begun to try being together…

"If you're uncomfortable, let's call it a day," she said dejectedly, feeling another wave of sadness wash over her. But when she looked up, she saw that Qin Lan was still holding her hand tightly, showing no intention of letting go.

"Why go back?" Qin Lan asked, surprised, realizing she might have misbehaved. She was used to being assertive and embarrassed to share her inner thoughts with Jiang Yan, leaving her momentarily at a loss.

"Hey, don't be angry," she said awkwardly, while holding Jiang Yan tighter to stop her from leaving. "I didn't mean it that way..."

She didn't know how to explain, her face turned even redder, and she began to stammer, "I...uh...shopping...first time..."

A smile returned to Jiang Yan's face. Although Qin Lan hadn't finished speaking, she understood. She said, "Okay, let's go."

"Where are we going? We haven't finished shopping yet," Qin Lan quickly asked.

"I said I'd like to browse around some more." Jiang Yan laughed. "Teacher Qin, put that earring down. It looks so strange of you to be carrying those shopping bags."

"Oh." Upon hearing this, Qin Lan was about to throw away the bag, which startled Jiang Yan, who quickly stopped her: "I didn't tell you to throw it away... Give it to me, give it to me, I paid for it."

She took out the earring and examined it in her hand, then reached up and gathered her long hair behind her neck, as if she were going to try it on. Qin Lan, seeing that the earring was quite ordinary, snatched it away unhappily and threw it into the nearby trash can: "I'll buy you another one, this one isn't pretty."

She pulled Jiang Yan into another store, but after looking around for a while, she still felt that they were all just average.

"I'll buy you something better next time," Qin Lan said, and then turned to leave.

But Jiang Yan stopped her, took off an earring and held it up to her ear: "How about this one?"

Jiang Yan turned her head slightly to look in the mirror. Qin Lan had initially been staring at the earring, but as she looked, her eyes shifted to Jiang Yan's face: "...It doesn't seem that ugly."

Jiang Yan smiled and picked another one, this time staring directly at her: "How about this one?"

Qin Lan's eyes darted away for a moment: "This one is not bad either."

Jiang Yan compared the items on all the counters and finally took the first one to pay. Qin Lan followed behind, holding all the ones Jiang Yan had tried on, and casually snatched the one Jiang Yan had chosen: "Pay for both at once, which one to scan?"

Jiang Yan put away her phone and leaned against the wall, watching her with a smile.

This is the Qin Lan she likes—arrogant and haughty, but with a gentle heart deep down. Once she starts to include someone in her inner circle, you'll experience the exclusive pampering of the eldest daughter of the Qin family.

She's just a bit too stubborn.

Qin Lan deliberately ignored her, took another box of candy from the counter, and paid for it at the same time.

"Teacher Qin is so generous." Jiang Yan took the bag.

"You think this is free? Transfer the money to me," Qin Lan said.

Jiang Yan nodded readily, and Qin Lan assumed she was about to take out her phone to transfer money, only to find that her WeChat wasn't there...

Jiang Yan readily removed her phone case, revealing three hundred-yuan bills folded behind it.

She handed it to Qin Lan: "Here, for you."

Qin Lan stood there dumbfounded, holding the three red bills. Jiang Yan continued walking after paying, then turned back with a sly smile after a while, looking at her mischievously: "Teacher Qin, why are your bills red? Do you think I didn't give you enough?"

"Stop pretending! You're doing this on purpose, aren't you!" Qin Lan snapped. "You're just here to laugh at me!"

"How could I dare..." Jiang Yan smiled and waved her phone: "Teacher Qin, look at the contacts."

Qin Lan almost blurted out, "What are you looking at?" She unlocked her phone, and a thought suddenly struck her. Jiang Yan's friend request was displayed on the screen, accompanied by a single heart.

Qin Lan instantly became happy, but she acted as if she didn't care at all: "Ye Wei has arrived, she's gone."

Ye Wei's car was parked on the side of the road.

Qin Lan opened the car door and then noticed that a partition had been raised between the front and back rows.

Ye Wei is so perceptive! She clicked her tongue inwardly, took out the candy she had just bought, and ate one.

Jiang Yan leaned closer: "Teacher Qin, why are you eating alone? Can I have one to try?"

Qin Lan said coldly, "You don't need it."

Jiang Yan: "Huh?"

Qin Lan rubbed the candy between his tongues twice, then reached out and cupped the back of her head before turning to kiss her.

The car drove smoothly, with the partition creating a second private space.

Qin Lan kissed her forcefully, pushing the candy towards her with his tongue, and habitually running his hands through her hair.

Jiang Yan leaned back from the kiss, but her body moved forward, and she sat on her lap: "Mmm... Teacher Qin..."

She looked up at Qin Lan with a pitiful expression, then lowered the hand that was holding her.

"We agreed that this wouldn't work." Qin Lan stood firm on her bottom line.

"But it hurts so much..." Jiang Yan looked at her with a wronged expression: "Teacher Qin is so mean, she wanted to kiss me but wouldn't help me..."

Qin Lan began to doubt whether she was really too bad, as if she were being very irresponsible.

"Then...shall I rub the outside?" She hesitated and took a step back. "Would that make it feel better?"

"Hmm..." Jiang Yanmei tilted her head back, silently released her hand, turned her back and sat down on her, hooking her knees around her legs.

"Don't make a sound, the partition isn't soundproof." Qin Lan had a mischievous idea and leaned over to bite her ear, finally feeling Jiang Yan's breathing suddenly become heavier.

Qin Lan gently supported her. Jiang Yan bobbed up and down in her palm, like a duckweed in the wind.

＊

That night, Qin Lan lay expressionless on the bed, staring at the ceiling, holding Jiang Yan in his arms, feeling that he would have no sleep that night.

She had already made the boast, and now Jiang Yan, who blushed even when they held hands, was lying next to her. She couldn't sleep, and she couldn't go back on her word.

River, smoke!

Qin Lan turned his head and glared at her fiercely; this woman must be doing it on purpose.

"Teacher Qin, why aren't you asleep yet?" Jiang Yan's voice was slurred with sleepiness as she gently nuzzled her head against her chest.

"What do you think?" Qin Lan gritted his teeth and couldn't help but pinch her waist.

Jiang Yan stirred again, whimpered twice while hugging her waist, then changed her position and continued sleeping.

Qin Lan couldn't sleep at all; her mind was filled with replays of the events.

She stared blankly at the ceiling, feeling utterly lost in a dream. Just yesterday, Jiang Yan was her most hated nemesis, how could she be like this today...?

They can all be in the back seat of the car...

We're all actors, so it's understandable for colleagues to help each other out, right?

Jiang Yan wasn't sure if she was satisfied or not; she was exhausted and didn't do anything when she got back, just lay down immediately.

Qin Lan pondered for a long time before suddenly realizing something was wrong.

Why is Jiang Yan in her room? Doesn't she have her own room?

She lowered her head and bit Jiang Yan's cheek: "You stupid Jiang Yan, go back to your room."

Jiang Yan, whether she heard clearly or not, hummed again, closed her eyes, looked up and kissed her chin, then wriggled and snuggled in her arms.

Qin Lan sighed, pulled the blanket up further to cover that annoying face, thinking she might as well suffocate her. After a while, she pulled it down a bit more and even reached out to fan Jiang Yan.

Actually, it feels quite nice to have someone sleeping next to you. The room feels more lively, the blankets are warm and cozy, and even your heart feels full, filled with a strange but not unpleasant feeling...

She grabbed her phone and opened the group chat: "The Rich and Powerful Sisters (5)".

Qin Lan: [I've had a temporary talk with Jiang Yan.]

Then, disregarding the safety of others, he locked his phone, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.