Chapter 79 The Masquerade Ball: "Because I wanted to be more domineering when I married Teacher Qin."
Qin Lan stood up with satisfaction: "What are we filming?"
Yu Jintang took out paper and pen: "Let me write a script."
"..."
"Just kidding." Yu Jintang put away her pen and paper and directed the cameraman: "Come on, you two, one stand on the left and the other at the door. Do you have any lighting? Call a few people up to set up the lighting. Also, bring some Pokey up."
The moment Pokey appeared, everyone knew what she was up to.
Qin Lan coughed, reminding her, "Be mindful of your image."
Yu Jintang: "Don't you trust me to handle things?"
Qin Lan: "It's precisely because you handled this that I'm so worried, okay?"
Yu Jintang: "Oh dear, you'd better hurry up and go over there."
Qin Lan was kicked into a single sofa and sat down.
Jiang Yan walked up to her, then turned to look at Yu Jintang: "What should I do?"
“You walk towards her from two steps away with Pokey in your hand, and then do this and that…” Yu Jintang used Xiahou Cheng as an example for her.
Xiahou Cheng had an expression of happiness so intense it was almost overwhelming.
Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow and gave an OK sign: "I'm fine, is Teacher Qin okay?"
She was still bothered by Qin Lan's words, "be mindful of the impact." The pent-up frustration of the past few days had left her feeling down.
"Okay, let's go." Qin Lan got into shooting mode.
Ten minutes later, Qin Lan updated a video on her main account.
Fans clicked on it with great excitement, and the result was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
In the video, the woman that their older sister hates the most runs in from off-camera with an innocent look on her face, and then sits down on her sister's lap without any hesitation.
"Sister Lan, would you like some cookies?"
Their older sister parted her lips slightly, took a small bite of the biscuit tip, and stared intently at the dead woman.
Jiang Yan interlocked her fingers, one hand open and the other clenched tightly: "Do this."
Then their older sister raised her big hands, which had been trending on social media many times, and copied the gesture with a blank expression.
Jiang Yan, that dead woman, squeezed one hand between her fingers and grabbed her older sister's large hand, raised it above her head and pressed it against the wall, then twisted her waist seductively.
Pink balloons filled the sky as Jiang Yan happily ate cookies.
Qin Lan's eyes darkened as he stared at Jiang Yan, then he used force to pull her towards him.
Balloons floated up again in front of the camera, and only two blurry figures could be seen... seemingly kissing.
The fans went wild on the spot, spamming the comments section before they even finished watching.
[Listen closely to the waves]: Sis!!! What are you doing?!
【momo】: I'm blind, right? I'm deaf, right? I'm mentally unstable, right?
[AAA Farmhouse Free-Range Eggs]: My sister might be having a brief, acute episode of mental illness. Someone please wake her up.
[Fix the drafty windows. Replace the window screen strips.]: Where are the production team? Where are the staff? Where are the senior members? Didn't anyone stop this from happening? Is this how games are made?
【Flower Language Loves Qin】: Ahhh, you damn woman, get away from me! Don't sit on my baby's lap!!
[Flower Among the Smoke]: Who wants to sit on your woman's lap?!
【Wind Blowing Through River Mist】: Qin fans are going to die! Do we need a lawyer's letter?!
[A Northern Beauty's Smile Creates Waves]: Jiang fans, get out! You're not welcome here.
[Xinyue Graphic Advertisement, Broadband Service]: How dare you Qin fans criticize our baby? Is your sister hiding? Can one hand clap?
User 【远空清澜】 was reported for using abusive language.
User 【花开如烟】 was reported for personal attacks.
The comment sections of both websites were in chaos. The CP (couple) supertopic was filled with joy and excitement, with people spreading the news and rapidly uploading and editing videos, even trying to remove the balloon that was blocking the camera at the end.
At the end of the video, balloons slowly drift down, and there are indistinct human voices; upon closer listening, it is Jiang Yan's voice.
"We'll always be together, right?"
"Yes." Qin Lan's voice was clear. The camera shook twice, and the video went completely black.
It leaves behind a group of solo fans insulting each other and CP fans holding hands to celebrate the New Year.
The seventh king was Song Man.
Without a second thought, she said, "I'll post a big picture of 4 and 10 making a heart shape together."
After asking around, only Yun Chui reported 10; no one else reported 4.
Song Man was secretly delighted, but she turned over her hidden card without revealing her thoughts: "Oh dear, what a coincidence, I am the 4."
This is perfect; I don't even need to learn how to cheat like them.
Qin Lan said disdainfully, "Keep pretending."
Yun Chui walked towards her from the crowd, smiling slightly: "How do we take the photos?"
"I know, I know!" Yu Jintang jumped up in a flash: "Come on, you two, do this, Yun Chui, you're behind, rest your chin on Lao Song's shoulder, and then you put your hands in front..."
Xiahou Cheng turned her head and whispered, "As expected of the director, the feeling he produces is just different."
"No, it's too dark here. Come on, you two, come over here to where it's brighter."
Yun Chui loosened his arm and moved to the right.
"Put him on, put him on," Yu Jintang commanded.
Yun Chui smiled helplessly and hugged Song Man again.
Yu Jintang looked at it for a few seconds, then moved two potted plants to the side, studied whether the pattern on the cushion looked better straight or at an angle, and even tried to shape the wood in the fireplace into a perfect shape.
She was busy inside, and the two waiting to take photos could only maintain their intimate embrace. Although they were both embarrassed, neither of them let go.
Yang Xingji, getting annoyed, blurted out, "No, Sister Yu, is this how you usually film—"
Qin Lan covered her mouth and dragged her to the back of the crowd to lecture her.
"You have some sense of perception. You've been in the industry for quite a while now, so why is your emotional intelligence still so low?"
"Ouch! Sister Qin, don't hit my head! It'll make me stupid!"
"Don't talk nonsense. Do you think you're smart now?"
Jiang Yan leaned back on the sofa and smiled at the two of them.
Feng Manhong and Liu Lü sat side by side, their eyes fixed on Song Yun and Liu Lü, smiling and speaking softly, like two gentle elders discussing the future of their juniors.
Anna was furtively taking photos with her phone.
Xiahou Cheng squatted on the ground and counted the floor lines.
In the best of sunshine, a carefree morning quietly passed. Everyone would remember that they had spent ten pleasant days on a foggy island, tacitly helping a couple of long-separated lovers reunite.
＊
At 2 PM, the makeup and styling team was in place.
It took Qin Lan nearly an hour to put on her dress. Two assistants, sweating profusely, stood behind her, threading the several-meter-long straps through the eyelets like shoelaces...
If it weren't for the fact that this outfit was so pleasing to the eye, Qin Lan would have torn it up on the spot.
"Teacher Qin is perfect!"
The fashion stylist scrutinized the iPad repeatedly, confirming that the effect was even more stunning than the pictures: "No one suits this dress better than you. I now think the lipstick shade could be a bit brighter to match this gown."
Qin Lan had no choice but to sit down and let them continue their antics.
The fashion stylist stroked her red velvet dress with obvious affection, then turned to his assistant and asked, "Do you think it would be better if she came out biting a rose? Ms. Qin's outfit today is very glamorous; we can add some cool elements to balance it out."
Qin Lan: "It sounds like Yu Guaiguai and Xiahou would like it. Why don't you go ask them?"
Those people completely ignored her and continued arguing: "This dress already has many black roses on the skirt; adding more would be inappropriate."
The hairstylist interrupted, "I think we could do an updo and use this rose as a hairpin, how about that?"
Qin Lan muttered to herself, "Is it really necessary to bring these roses...?"
“Of course.” Dresser gestured for her to look closely at the ribbon on the flower stem. “Every teacher has a bouquet of roses today, and yours has your name on it. You’re going to give it to the person you like the most later.”
Qin Lan felt a warmth in her heart as she thought of Jiang Yan.
Then she thought of Yang Xingji and couldn't help but chuckle for a while. It seems she'll have to make do with Anna for now; she wonders who dragged these two singletons into this dating reality show…
She was both nervous and expectant. Finally, as seven o'clock approached, the Fashion Stylist solemnly picked up the mask and gently placed it on her face.
Qin Lan bowed slightly, lifted her skirt, and gave her an elegant greeting. Then she opened the door and went to wait for the elevator.
The living room on the first floor had been renovated, creating a large ballroom area. A long dining table with cold dishes was placed near the porch. The record player started playing at five o'clock in the evening, filling the entire house with melodious classical music.
Qin Lan lifted her skirt and slowly walked into the living room.
The production team turned off the main light source, leaving only two dim chandeliers and white spotlights.
Amidst the bustling crowd and clinking glasses, familiar faces were dressed in glamorous gowns, their carefully crafted looks adding a touch of unfamiliarity.
Qin Lan slowly walked onto the red carpet.
"Hey, beautiful."
A beautiful woman leaning against the bar gave her a lewd whistle.
"What exactly does Xiahou see in you?" Qin Lan walked over with a look of disgust.
Yu Jintang's look today is both cool and ethereal. She wears a deep blue dress adorned with sparkling diamonds, and her hair is elegantly styled, revealing her innocent face. She looks so pure that you could believe she just graduated from high school.
If only she could put away the lighter that was spinning on her fingertips.
Xiahou Cheng appeared out of nowhere. "Of course, I'm attracted to Teacher Yu because of her interesting personality and stunning beauty."
Qin Lan glanced at her and was stunned. This person was actually going for a sweet girl look today. She was wearing a feathered tutu dress with a pink and purple gradient, which looked very dreamy. Her light chestnut hair was straight and tied up in a bun at the back of her head, even more adorable than Yu Jintang's.
Qin Lan looked Xiahou Cheng up and down several times in disbelief: "Xiahou Cheng?"
"It is indeed me." Xiahou Cheng nodded.
"Your stylist has great ideas." Qin Lan gave a thumbs up: "You two look quite well-behaved."
Yu Jintang: "We were both very well-behaved to begin with."
Qin Lan: "If there is even one living person besides Xiahou Cheng who agrees with this nonsense, I'll take your surname!"
"Yu Lan? That sounds nice."
"Xiahou Lan is not bad either." Xiahou Cheng smiled obsequiously, "Both names are quite nice."
"That's because both Teacher Xiahou and my surnames sound very nice." Yu Jintang took a sip of wine: "Wow! Heavens! Song Aman!"
Song Man stepped out of the elevator. She was wearing a long, feathered, fringed fishtail dress, which shimmered and flowed with light as she moved, exuding elegance and grace, perfectly matching her dancer's temperament.
Song Man walked across the red carpet with a cold and arrogant expression, glanced around calmly, and reached for the small cake on the table.
"Someone's stealing food!" Yu Jintang mischievously threatened her.
Song Man was startled, and with a guilty expression, she immediately withdrew her hand.
Upon seeing this, a staff member standing near the food counter said, "Professor Song, these dishes are prepared for the guests. Please enjoy them..."
Song Man glared at Yu Jintang and picked up a bowl of raspberry Greek yogurt, looking rather unhappy.
Yang Xingji, Anna, and Feng Manhong arrived the earliest and chatted happily at a small table in the corner, appearing to be some of the most serious people at the party.
"Oh my—" Yu Jintang whistled again: "Sister Yun looks like a white-haired aristocrat today!"
Yun Chui wore a wig with white hair that reached past her shoulders, and she also wore a black dress with thousands of butterflies fluttering their wings, creating a silvery sheen.
She walked over step by step, her high heels clicking at a leisurely pace: "Everyone looks beautiful today."
She turned to Song Man, looked at her intently for a moment, and said solemnly, "You are exceptionally beautiful."
Song Man was so flattered she felt like she was on cloud nine, but she had to pretend to be nonchalant: "Thank you, you're pretty too."
Xiahou Cheng took the lead in cheering: "Oh my gosh—won't the two dance masters lead the dance later?"
Song Man glanced at Yun Chui with a completely indifferent expression.
A hint of a smile gathered in Yun Chui's cool, dark eyes, rippling gently like waves.
Her arms, clad in lace gloves, were also beautiful: "Of course, is Ah Man willing?"
Several words swirled around Song Man's lips, but in the end, she blurted out, "Of course I'd like to," leaving her utterly annoyed. It made it seem as if she was incredibly eager...
Yu Jintang exclaimed again.
"What a handsome young lady! It seems our Princess Salon has welcomed a Prince Charming. Wow, those legs, those hands, Old Qin, you've been eating well!"
Jiang Yan smiled gently: "I wonder which young lady would be willing to be my princess?"
Xiahou Cheng elbowed Qin Lan away, exclaiming, "This...this...she's willing!"
Qin Lan almost fell flat on her face... Luckily, Jiang Yan caught her.
This person was also unusual today, dressed in a sharp military-inspired outfit. The top was a short white jacket with an asymmetrical placket and double-breasted buttons, paired with a gorgeous fringed cape. The bottom was a striking pair of pure black trousers, highlighting her incredibly long legs while drawing attention back to her upper body.
Qin Lan's angle was just right so that she could see the small, sword-shaped silver brooch that adorned her chest.
Besides, her mask was different from everyone else's. Everyone else wore masks, but hers was a black lace one. It blended European court knightly attire with Lolita style, making her look gorgeous, elegant, and aloof.
In short, she's different from all of them and very eye-catching.
"So cool!" A chorus of exclamations rose and fell in the dance hall.
Anna had already spilled her wine, while Yang Xingji, a hardcore anime fan, was already taking a photo with Jiang Yan: "Teacher, who did you portray? Is there a real-life counterpart? Teacher, your gray contact lenses today are absolutely stunning! Teacher, can I get your autograph? Teacher..."
Feng Manhong didn't quite understand what the two of them were saying. After admiring the scene for a while, she began to wonder why Liu Lü hadn't arrived yet.
"Hey? Where's my mother? Is she still getting ready because her makeup and styling are so stunning?" Xiahou Cheng asked excitedly, "The grand finale is definitely going to be a masterpiece!"
Lin Shu affirmed, "It is indeed a masterpiece."
Now everyone was really looking forward to it. Finally, after much anticipation, the elevator doors opened, and Liu Lü emerged.
There was a few seconds of silence in the room, until she finished walking the red carpet before someone opened their mouth.
"Oh my god, Teacher Liu is getting married."
Liu Lü's expression was breathtakingly passionate. Dressed in a pure white wedding gown and holding a bouquet of flowers, she carried the heartfelt blessings of her youth as she "married" the star she had gazed upon for so many years, her wish finally fulfilled.
"Teacher Liu, you..."
Feng Manhong was stunned, then realized something and reached out to take her hand.
If she hadn't responded in time, there would definitely have been a lot of people online criticizing Liu Lü.
Liu Lü smiled, lifted her veil, and gracefully stepped back, declining her invitation.
She knew that many people would criticize her after the show aired, calling her a "dream girl," a "sasaeng fan," and saying that she was too old to still dream of being a national goddess. But she didn't care. She wasn't there to have a wedding ceremony with anyone; she just wanted to wear a wedding dress in a place where Feng Manhong was, and to host a banquet for the younger version of herself who had once single-mindedly pursued a divine figure.
"No, Teacher Feng, you don't need to feel any pressure."
She smiled and took another step back, not offering the roses in her hand: "I'm wearing this wedding dress for myself. This is the day I've dreamed of for so long, and I feel very fulfilled."
The lights suddenly went out, leaving only the spotlights spinning back and forth. A familiar waltz began playing from the record player.
Yu Jintang immediately extended her hand to Xiahou Cheng: "Beautiful Ms. Xiahou Cheng, may I invite you to dance?"
Xiahou Cheng's tail practically wagged: "Okay, okay!"
Yang Xingji quickly invited Anna, as if afraid of being left out.
Anna was nervous: "I... uh, I'm not very good at dancing, but you're definitely very good."
Yang Xingji immediately comforted her: "What's the big deal? I only learned girl group dances, which have nothing to do with this kind of elegance. I'm afraid you'll laugh at me for dancing so badly later."
They both breathed a sigh of relief and stumbled onto the dance floor, stepping on each other's shoes.
Before Yun Chui could make a move, Song Man had already walked over: "It's not that I wanted to invite you, but you're the only one in this room who knows a bit about Latin dance."
Yun Chui stared at her and gently kissed the back of her hand.
The difference was immediately apparent the moment they entered. While the others were merely engaging in ballroom dancing, these two seemed to be aiming for the pinnacle of art. However, no one seemed to care, especially Yu Jintang and Xiahou Cheng, who were as unrestrained as two spinning tops, their skirts frequently whipping against the camera.
Feng Manhong walked over to Liu Lü and said to her half-jokingly, "Although I don't know who Teacher Liu is planning to marry today, I hope to have the honor of asking Teacher Liu to dance for me."
Liu Lü carefully touched the mask to make sure it wouldn't fall off, then placed her hand in Feng Manhong's warm palm.
Only Qin Lan and Jiang Yan remained, gazing at each other across the dance floor.
Jiang Yan lifted her foot, and Qin Lan walked towards her as well.
She looked at the woman, who was wearing a red dress and walked with her head held high, just like the proud Qin Lan in her memory.
The two faced each other, neither speaking. Jiang Yan extended her hand, and Qin Lan placed his hand in her palm.
"Oh, you're even wearing gloves," Qin Lan teased her, looking down at her.
"They made me wear it." Jiang Yan looked innocent, her eyes crinkling slightly behind the black ribbon. "Teacher Qin looks like she's a great dancer."
“We all learned our social etiquette from Song Manhui.” Qin Lan playfully hooked her little finger with Song Manhui's when the camera wasn't rolling. “What about you? How much do you know?”
"How much can you do? Teacher Qin, are you so sure I can dance?"
"I'm just guessing. You seem to know a little about everything. So, do you know how to do it?"
Are you afraid I'll step on your foot?
"Am I that petty?"
Jiang Yan smiled: "I did study a little bit. When I was in college, Liang Jin enrolled me in eighty classes."
She led Qin Lan into the dance floor. Qin Lan turned around and gently placed his left hand on her shoulder.
Jiang Yan's cloak fluttered lightly with her movements, making her look particularly dashing.
Qin Lan felt like she'd been counterattacked. And this face-to-face confrontation had even revealed the height difference; Qin Lan quickly looked down, and sure enough, thigh-high boots!
Her voice choked with jealousy: "How many height-increasing insoles are inside??"
Jiang Yan grinned mischievously, squeezed her hand, and took a step to the left with her.
"Not much, only eight centimeters?"
They entered the dance floor, beams of light swept across Qin Lan's back, and the shadow of her arm fell on Jiang Yan's sharply defined profile.
Jiang Yan's posture was standard, but her movements were somewhat casual and undisciplined: "Did I dance well? Is Teacher Qin satisfied?"
"Satisfied?" Qin Lan twirled the fingertip around once. "How long have you been learning?"
"Not long, half a semester?" Jiang Yan recalled: "I feel that college is busier than high school. At least in high school, you only need to sit in the classroom to study, but I have to run to film sets, get sick leave slips, attend endless ethics classes and Liang Jin's lectures."
Qin Lan became curious: "What classes did he sign you up for?"
Jiang Yan frowned and recalled for a moment, "Hmm... I remember there were flower arranging, horseback riding, oil painting, fencing, and piano, and so on."
"Exactly the same classes I took." Qin Lan nodded, spun halfway around, and looked at her from afar: "Liang Jin wants you to enter the upper class?"
"He's always been hoping to establish the glory of the Liang family or something." Jiang Yan sneered, "He doesn't even consider that my surname is Jiang... He actually wants me to change my name."
"From this perspective, no matter how old you get, you'll have to learn these courses; it's unavoidable."
Jiang Yan smiled and put her arm around Qin Lan's waist, and Qin Lan leaned back into her arms.
She used Jiang Yan's strength to get up, but the force was too great and she fell into Jiang Yan's arms, their noses touching.
She could see the surprise in Jiang Yan's eyes, hidden behind the alluring lace. Jiang Yan was very different today; she was incredibly cool in every gesture.
Qin Lan felt her heart burning as she held Qin Lan's palm, and couldn't help but ask, "Why did you choose this outfit? You're lucky, you're the second most eye-catching one today."
"Because I wanted to be more assertive when I married Teacher Qin." Jiang Yan smiled, intentionally or unintentionally brushing against her shoulder blade: "So? Is Teacher Qin even a little bit tempted?"
"Hmm." Qin Lan responded, her long eyelashes fluttering suddenly: "Guess what I want to do most right now?"
"I."
"You guessed right, that's great!" Qin Lan clapped her hands. "Your outfit looks pretty exciting."
Yu Jintang twirled past them, leaving behind a message: "Want a short script? I can provide one! A young, ruthless military officer in the Republican era & his beautiful new concubine!"
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