Chapter 106: The Final Chapter of Fate: "Former Nemesis, Now Girlfriend."
The next morning, the two landed on Nanyu Island and rushed to the hospital without stopping.
Anna was squatting in the corridor facing the wall when Song Man opened the door: "You guys go in, I'm going out for some fresh air."
The two entered the house with trepidation. Yun Chui was asleep in her wheelchair. In just a few months, she had become even thinner, almost like a rotten tree. She was no longer the young noblewoman she once was.
They didn't dare disturb Yun Chui's rest, so they sat down and waited for her to wake up. After a while, Qin Lan couldn't stay any longer. She felt that she would cry if she sat there any longer, so she pointed outside and said, "I'll go see Song Man."
Jiang Yan nodded absentmindedly.
Qin Lan gently closed the door. Anna was still squatting in the corridor, her forehead against the wall, as if she were asleep.
But when Qin Lan passed by, she suddenly spoke up: "She went to the rooftop. She goes there whenever she can't take it anymore."
"Thank you." Qin Lan nodded listlessly and went up to the rooftop.
Song Man clung to the railing, unafraid of falling. Qin Lan pulled her down, and Song Man suddenly burst into tears.
"Sister..." she sobbed, "She's going to die..."
Qin Lan held her, unable to utter a single word.
By the time the others arrived, it was already afternoon. During this time, Yun Chui fell into exhaustion again, and the doctor issued a critical condition notice.
Yun Chui sat motionless in the chair, like a statue. Perhaps sensing that everyone had arrived, she struggled to open her eyes, her gaze sweeping over each person's face.
She stared at Yu Jintang and Xiahou Cheng, stubbornly refusing to look away.
Confused, Yu Jintang looked at Song Man for help: "What is she trying to say?"
Before Song Man could speak, Xiahou Cheng had a sudden inspiration, took Yu Jintang's hand and kissed it: "Don't worry, we'll all be fine."
Yun Chui seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, then looked at Yang Xingji with concern, then at Anna, and then at Qin Lan and Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan burst into tears, while Qin Lan silently shed tears.
Neither of them spoke, but they silently took each other's hands, using body language to tell her that everyone would be alright.
Yun Chui seemed completely relieved, but his gaze remained fixed on Song Man's face for a long time.
Everyone wanted to step back and give them some space, but Yun Chui shook her head weakly. Song Man said, "You all stay. She wants to stay with everyone."
At nine o'clock in the evening, Song Man suddenly fainted.
Qin Lan took a deep breath and began to make arrangements for the funeral.
Proofreading, closing the account, contacting the funeral home—Qin Lan handled all the procedures non-stop.
After Song Man wakes up, she must stay in the morgue.
No one stopped her; they kept vigil with her.
The body was cremated the next day. Song Man stood for a while holding the urn, then took out several letters from her bag.
“She started writing when she was first hospitalized. She insisted on writing it by hand, and sometimes she would add a few words to leave for you as a memento.”
Jiang Yan opened her letter with trembling hands, and burst into tears after reading only the first line.
"My dearest Jiang Yan, I am relieved to receive this letter."
Sometimes I feel that the connections between people are wonderful and magical. It just so happened that I moved into your dorm room and we became friends. Other times, I feel that connections are fleeting and cruel because we can only spend such a short time together.
Besides Aman, you're the one I worry about the most. About you all, about love.
I still remember that lowest point you went through four years ago, seeing how heartbroken you were because of someone. Yanyan, being yourself is the most important thing. No matter what stage you're at, if she makes you feel less vibrant, don't cling to the warmth of the past. Eat on time, rest properly, and don't let acting and emotions overwhelm you.
I'm so happy to be your roommate and your friend.
May your relationship blossom into marriage, and may you enjoy a lifetime of happiness. May your career be brilliant, and may you be joyful every day.
No one online knew about Yun Chui's death, but her friends were all remembering her in their own ways.
Song Man declined all invitations and went on a solo world trip.
She continued to compete during her travels, but she no longer danced in duets. Sometimes people felt that there was another person opposite her, as if she were dancing with someone she couldn't see.
Anna has completely changed careers to become a psychologist. She has also become a member of eNet and opened a psychological counseling studio, specializing in serving women with postpartum depression and marital depression.
Yang Xingji's girl group Eleven still faces the problem of slow cooling off after their debut. She actively choreographs and brings a better stage to each tour, trying to break the vicious cycle of the rules.
Yu Jintang has directed another film featuring an ensemble cast of women, which has once again sparked widespread discussion.
Xiahou Cheng is the female lead in this story. The day she moved out of Feng Manhong's house, she only had a suitcase with her. Feng Manhong joked with Yu Jintang, saying that he mustn't bully her, as her family had reserved a room for her.
A month later, the Liu Lü film crew returned and moved into Feng Manhong's house.
Jiang Yan directed an art film and won a prestigious international award.
Qin Lan has become a rising star in the film industry. Xue Wumi's praise brought her tremendous resources, leaving Bai Ai dazzled by the choices.
Fortunately, her schedule and Jiang Yan's schedule didn't overlap, so they could often visit each other on set.
She maintained an ambiguous relationship with her ex, but Qin Lan felt content, as if it would be good to continue like this forever. She had an unprecedented sense of security, and Bai Ai even felt that she had become more grounded.
"You just need to be a little more discreet." Bai Ai watched her hurriedly pack her luggage with a headache: "Last time, some fans already suspected that the woman who appeared on Jiang Yan's set was you. If only you had been willing to cover it up a bit..."
Qin Lan clicked her tongue impatiently, her eyes gleaming arrogantly: "I'll do whatever I want, why should I care what they do? If you're so bored, why don't you go write some fanfiction in the supertopic? I'm waiting to see it."
Bai Ai pointed a trembling finger at her: "You...you actually looked at your own—"
Qin Lan had already turned and walked away, her curly hair swaying back and forth: "I'm going out, you go on your vacation."
Bai Ai sighed, "Are there any managers in the Chinese entertainment industry as incompetent as me?"
Xiaoqing came out of the bathroom: "Sister, aren't you one?"
The following afternoon, a stunningly beautiful woman wearing sunglasses appeared on the set of "Wandering Through the World." In front of a group of fans visiting the set, she walked up to actress Jiang Yan, who was distributing coffee to them, and asked, "Where's mine?"
Jiang Yan tilted her head, her earring swaying on her shoulder: "I didn't know you were coming, I wasn't prepared..."
The woman was clearly unhappy; her lips were pressed into a thin line, and she went inside without saying a word but stomped her foot heavily.
Jiang's fans kept their mouths open the entire time.
Although Jiang's fans were determined to keep the matter to themselves, the fans who came to visit the other actors on set were clearly unwilling to let go of the two of them and their popularity.
【The Psychic Rice】: Report, ql has come to visit jy on set.
【Evil Strawberry】: What what what! Is it solid evidence? Is there any proof?
[The Sinister Cake]: Image (jpg).
[Ominous Pants]: I'm a Qin fan, I can vouch for this, this is ql.
[Automatic Human]: Get out of here, CP fans are pretending to be solo stans.
[Pure Apple]: This is QL, okay? Even I, a passerby, recognized her. What are those two doing?
[Crazy Master's Student]: Haven't you ever seen someone ask for directions? Let's take our Lanlan away, Qin Lan is all alone!
[Psychology Master]: The person upstairs is blind. Jiang Yan's mouth is practically stretched to her ears. Who would believe there's nothing going on between them?
[User 32434]: But why does ql look so impatient?
[Thesis/Internship Stamping and Plagiarism Reduction]: I know, I know. At the time, Professor Jiang was handing out drinks to fans when Professor Qin came over and asked her about it. Professor Jiang said she hadn't prepared any, and Professor Qin became unhappy.
[Proud Soap]: Hehe, I've hit the jackpot...
【Shy Underwear】: Who would make that meme: Brainless and Unhappy?
The clueless lady followed closely behind the unhappy lady.
"There are a few more cups left, can you pick whichever you like?"
The unhappy lady scoffed, "I won't drink what others have left over."
The clueless woman exclaimed, "Then can I give you mine?"
Qin Lan slammed on the brakes and turned around, waiting for Jiang Yan to crash into her arms: "Reluctantly agree..."
Jiang Yan buried her face in her eyes, and when she looked up, she had a smug look on her face: "Teacher Qin, do you want it?"
Qin Lan was so startled that she quickly covered her mouth: "It's broad daylight!!"
Jiang Yan blinked, her eyelashes brushing against her palm: "No one else can hear us but you..."
Qin Lan looked around and gave in: "Bai Ai always says I'm flamboyant, but if I brought you along, wouldn't you be driven crazy..."
Jiang Yan inserted a straw into the coffee and held it to her lips: "I probably have four more days to finish filming."
Qin Lan hummed in agreement and drank her iced drink through the straw.
Do you have any travel plans?
Qin Lan thought for a moment and said, "I got three days off from Bai Ai."
Jiang Yan was disappointed: "Three days? That means I won't be able to finish filming until the fourth day..."
Qin Lan glanced at her: "What do you want to do?"
"I wanted to take you to my house to play..." Jiang Yan was still calculating the time: "No, no matter how hard I try to finish, I can't finish it now. I'll have to wait until next time..."
"I only got a three-day holiday, but they didn't say which three days." Qin Lan suppressed her excitement and tried to appear less concerned. "I'll go to work tomorrow, and then I'll have a four-day holiday."
Because her co-star suddenly fell seriously ill, Jiang Yan not only couldn't finish filming on time, but it was also delayed.
She hesitated for a long time about how to explain to Qin Lan, but after listening, Qin Lan asked her one question: "Take me home, and you'll keep your word, right?" "Okay, go ahead and do your thing."
Jiang Yan breathed a sigh of relief, and the reshoots became much easier.
The two have worked out very well and are currently in a state where both are very satisfied.
At the wrap party, Jiang Yan had a few drinks, and her eyes were a little blurry when she came out. She vaguely sensed her assistant leading her to a car, where a man who looked a lot like Qin Lan asked the assistant, "She's been drinking? How much?"
"Three cups," the assistant replied truthfully.
Qin Lan got out of the car, picked up Jiang Yan and put her in the back seat, then moved next to her. Jiang Yan's van wasn't empty either; her assistant got in.
Yu Shan always judges whether to raise the partition based on the boss's mood, and it's clear that the boss has started to need it again recently.
"Sister Qin, where are we going?" Yu Shan asked her.
Qin Lan pinched Jiang Yan's cheek, as if she wanted to take a bite: "Where do you live?"
Why should I tell you where I live? Who are you?
Jiang Yan was actually quite lucid, but when she saw Qin Lan's sparkling eyes, she really wanted to tease her a little more.
"Because you're taking me home." Qin Lan was used to her teasing, and her fluffy head nuzzled against her. "Only a puppy would break its promise."
Jiang Yan stared at her for a moment, then opened her mouth and said, "Woof woof."
"I am your little dog."
A faint fragrance, strands of hair on the tip of her nose—all these things, mixed with the smell of alcohol, rubbed against Qin Lan, yet Jiang Yan still pressed forward relentlessly.
I love her so much.
The two kissed all the way into the house, and Qin Lan didn't have time to get up and visit until noon the next day.
Jiang Yan's home is not big, with two bedrooms, two living rooms and two small balconies. The balcony in the living room is full of flowers, which are very unique in appearance.
Qin Lan looked around and found that Jiang Yan's house didn't have a second bedroom; the second room had been converted into a multi-functional home theater. She browsed the bookshelves and discovered that the entire room was almost entirely filled with her own merchandise, so she awkwardly went to examine the dining room instead.
The refrigerator door was open, and Jiang Yan stood in front of it, rummaging through it, wearing only her underwear. The light shone on her body, making her slender curves look like a beautiful human sculpture.
Qin Lan moved closer and hugged her from behind: "What are you looking for?"
Jiang Yan withdrew her arm in frustration: "The durian is all gone, and the ice cream is expired... Waaah!"
Qin Lan glanced inside and saw that there was still some milk, yogurt, eggs, and the like left, taking up about a third of the space: "Why don't you fill it up?"
"It'll spoil, Miss." Jiang Yan smiled and turned to kiss her. "Food will grow mold if it's not cleaned up in time. Are you hungry? I'll make you some noodles. How about udon?"
"Add this sausage." Qin Lan curiously poked at the bag in the refrigerator.
Jiang Yan turned and went to the kitchen excitedly: "You have good taste! This sausage is super delicious. Wait here! I'll make you some noodles!"
It's not a large house, but it has a very homey feel, unlike her old-fashioned Chinese-style villa or her own huge, almost empty villa. Here, she feels perfectly enveloped, and the color scheme is very warm.
“When I was little, we didn’t have a refrigerator at home. We only got a small one after I started junior high school. Ever since then, my grandfather has always liked to bring back some food whenever he goes out and he insists on putting it in the refrigerator. So I’ve always thought that having a refrigerator full of food is a very happy thing. My expectations for life are very simple: a warm house, growing flowers and taking care of myself, having books, musical instruments, painting equipment, a projector, a refrigerator full of delicious food, and a set of handy kitchen utensils.”
Jiang Yan smiled and held up the milk pot, which was shaped like a penguin: "Isn't it cute?"
Something stirred in Qin Lan's heart: "...Not as cute as you."
"Who did you learn from? Is Anna really that good?" Jiang Yan blushed slightly.
"Look at my shovel and plate, this whole set is penguin-themed..."
The plate was absolutely adorable, with two little penguins perched on its rim. Qin Lan had never seen such cute furniture before. Her dad preferred Chinese style, her mom preferred European style, and their home would never have a sun-shaped frying pan or a warm orange soup bowl…
"Try a sip, and I'll add more salt if it's bland." Jiang Yan scooped up a spoonful of soup and held it to Qin Lan's lips. "I feel like you usually have a slightly stronger palate than me."
Qin Lan took a sip: "Add a little more salt."
Jiang Yan's apron has a small dog on it.
Her home is so cute.
She's even cuter.
Qin Lan liked this place; she knew where Jiang Yan's sense of satisfaction came from. When she wasn't a celebrity, she took care of herself like an ordinary person, giving warmth to every piece of cold furniture, making her feel happy just by looking at it.
"What are you daydreaming about? Eat up," Jiang Yan asked her, sitting at the table.
Qin Lan snapped out of her daze and, without thinking, picked up a piece of noodles and held it to her lips.
Jiang Yan lowered her head, tasted it, and praised, "Actress Jiang Yan delivered a solid performance; four stars for cooking today."
Qin Lan was taken aback, and took a bite herself: "Why did I deduct a star from my score?"
"Because diner Qin Lan hasn't given a score yet." Jiang Yan sat opposite her, her hands supporting her chin, her eyes crinkling with a smile.
Qin Lan replied without hesitation: "Five stars."
She felt that saying it wasn't enough, so she took a picture and posted it on Weibo: "Udon noodles, five-star review! [heart]"
[Unit 2, Room 406]: Front row!!
【momo】: Wow, my sister cooked! It looks so delicious!!!
[When I was in the army]: Did you buy new tableware, sis? These two penguins are so cute!!
[Free 500Mbps broadband and HD TV]: Wait, my sister can't cook, but this presentation doesn't match the style of her family's chef!
【AAA's own freshly picked kiwifruit】: What are you trying to say? Can't I just order takeout?
[Qin Lan's Little Wildcat]: The person upstairs is a fake fan, Sister Qin never eats takeout.
[彳亍]: Doesn't anyone else think this soup bowl doesn't look like something Sister Qin would use? Our sister has a queenly style!
[I'm just lucky]: Hehe, I know whose home has this style.
[My grandma often slaps Zhao Zilong]: What are you talking about upstairs?
[Qinjiang is my mother river] posted a picture with the river mist watermark.
Jiang Yan likes to share her daily life, and her fans know what her home style is like. They can tell that this plate is from the same series as the plate used to serve cakes in the pictures Jiang Yan shared.
【Water in my brain】: Holy crap, have they already moved in together?
[Trial Operation of Childcare Subsidy]: Are you all crazy? You've said "arch-rivals" eight hundred times and you still put them together to fight.
[One-time housing subsidy]: Here we go again, trying to ride the coattails of two celebrities.
[Affordable housing allocation in kind]: Damn it, you can even break through a cipher wall with a plate...
[Tax Incentives for Enterprises]: What are the obstacles?
The fierce resistance from the two fan groups did not dampen the fervor of the CP fans. The Qin Jiang super topic grew rapidly, and the comment section was quickly flooded with crazy CP fans.
"If you keep going like this, someone will eventually find out we're living together," Jiang Yan said with a smile.
Qin Lan was busy editing the photos, and she cleverly took a picture of the orange pumpkin soup pot as well, captioning it, "Time to wash the pot after eating," simply and bluntly telling everyone that this meal was neither cooked by a chef nor delivered by takeout.
This pumpkin pot is like a hammer, smashing into the faces of the fans.
"Aren't you afraid of breaking your fans' hearts...?"
Jiang Yan watched her wash the pot with her arms crossed.
"I'm an actress, not an idol. Dating isn't a disqualification." Qin Lan shrugged. "When I'm promoting your work, I always say 'Please pay more attention to actress Qin Lan,' but when it comes to announcing a relationship, am I supposed to say that idols can't date?"
Jiang Yan: "But our relationship wasn't good to begin with."
"So I'm giving everyone time to adjust." Qin Lan put the pot back in the cupboard and took two penguin soup bowls out of the dishwasher and put them in another cupboard: "I'm not asking others to accept it, but I'm an actress and a person, and I have the right to date. I don't want to keep it a secret from my fans and let them indulge in the fantasy of being a girlfriend fan. I've never created a girlfriend persona."
Jiang Yan let out a soft "Oh no!": "Oh no, my team has assigned me the girlfriend persona..."
"No, you can only be my girlfriend." Qin Lan walked towards her arrogantly: "Go take a shower."
"Hey, I haven't agreed to date you yet," Jiang Yan protested.
"You're not allowed to agree to that with anyone else either," Qin Lan said fiercely.
After living together for three days, Qin Lan, who was so engrossed in the experience that she forgot all about home, insisted on taking an extra week off.
She did have a day off, but Wang Zihan insisted that Jiang Yan run two announcements in the province.
Qin Lan agreed, but instead of leaving, she busied herself moving. After moving, she began to fill Jiang Yan's cabinets, refrigerator, and bookshelves... stuffing all her clothes and daily necessities into them, and then buying her a bunch of delicious food. After filling everything up, she went to IKEA to pick out all sorts of pretty tableware.
When Jiang Yan opened the door to her home, Qin Lan was taking a shower.
Looking at all of Qin Lan's things in the room, she felt a surge of heat in her heart, kicked off her high heels, and squeezed into the bathroom.
On the fifth day of living together, Qin Lan suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and touched the side of her body, only to find it was cold.
She was startled and ran outside without even putting on her shoes. When she opened the door, she was instantly stunned to see a winding river of red roses on the ground.
A woman sitting on the floor in the middle of the living room, arranging candles, turned around immediately upon hearing the sound: "Why are you out here??"
Qin Lan was also stunned, looking around in disbelief at the balloons and ribbons... Good heavens, could this be a confession scene?!
She paused for two seconds, then decided to pretend to be sleepwalking. She turned her head and walked back, saying, "Who am I? Where am I? I think I fell asleep..."
The woman hugged her waist and pressed her face against hers: "You've already seen it all, are you still trying to pretend?"
Qin Lan asked cautiously, "Should I have seen it or not?"
Jiang Yan walked around to the front of her, smiling, and picked up a large bouquet of exquisitely wrapped roses from the doorway.
"Sister Lan, be my girlfriend."
I like you very, very much.
Qin Lan took the flowers, stammered for some reason, and suddenly felt a burning sensation in her eyes.
She was speechless for a moment, glancing around. This home she loved so much was now decorated by Jiang Yan with love for her… It felt unreal, and she wondered if she was dreaming. After all, it was the middle of the night; maybe she was sleepwalking…
"Why won't you agree? What, are you trying to back out?"
Jiang Yan smiled and leaned closer, examining her reddened eyes: "Wow, Sister Lan, you're not going to lose your little pearls, are you...?"
Qin Lan used a kiss to confirm whether she was asleep or awake.
She finally realized she wasn't dreaming. Jiang Yan was preparing to confess his feelings, and although she had discovered it beforehand, she felt everything was going perfectly: "Right now, all I want to do is make my girlfriend produce little pearls!"
Wow, this kind of life is just too wonderful, so much so that when Bai Ai announced that the holiday was over and that the two of them had to go back to work, Qin Lan was filled with resentment.
Jiang Yan smiled and coaxed her, "We'll have a lifetime together. Once I win the Best Actress award, let's put work aside, live together for three months and have some fun, then go on a trip, okay?"
Qin Lan cupped her face in his hands and kissed her several times with lingering affection: "How can you describe our life as so blissful..."
"A double success in both career and love, if I'm not proud, who is?" Jiang Yan smiled like a fox: "Looking forward to Teacher Qin's brilliant performance in the film industry..."
The Golden Tree Awards, held every three years, were held again, and Qin Lan and Jiang Yan were both shortlisted.
Amidst the intense anticipation of the crowd, numerous filmmakers began walking the red carpet. Directors, producers, stars, and others strolled along, displaying impeccable images before the cameras.
One team after another passed by, and finally the crew of "Star Spy" appeared.
Xue Wumi led the way, and the number of cameras posing for photos of the legendary director was no less than that of a celebrity. Qin Lan appeared, still in a red dress. Even though she always attends award ceremonies in a red dress, each time the design has a different effect. Last time it was like a heiress from a wealthy family, this time the design leaned towards gothic, with makeup full of retro charm.
Twenty minutes later, the cast and crew of "Wandering Through the World" made their grand entrance as the final act. Director Cheng Li led Jiang Yan out of the car, and all the cameras immediately focused on them.
Whispers arose: "Jiang Yan is actually wearing a red dress..."
"Her style is so similar to Qin Lan's..."
"Wearing the same outfit isn't scary, it's embarrassing for whoever looks worse..."
After a long opening performance, it was time for the awards to be announced.
The award presenters are always the previous winners. Last year's Best Actress Feng Manhong and Best Actor Song Bo walked onto the stage one on the left and one on the right.
The film footage scrolled rapidly across the large screen. Feng Manhong smiled and said, "Next up is the Best Actress award. The new Best Actress will be chosen from among them..."
A high-definition five-grid image of the scene appeared on the big screen.
Of the five nominees, some were expressionless, some had smiles on their faces, and some maintained a stiff smile while remaining expressionless...
Song Bo continued, "The exciting moment is about to be revealed, the winner of Best Actress is..."
The camera was pointed at Qin Lan and Jiang Yan for an extended period of time, filming them.
Feng Manhong opened the envelope, glanced at it, and handed it to Song Bo with a smile: "Oh dear, I'm suddenly a little nervous."
Song Bo feigned surprise at just the right moment: "What result scared our Best Actress Feng? Let me see... Oh... Good heavens. Shall we read it together?"
The two announced in unison, "Best Actress award goes to Qin Lan!"
The sound quickly faded into the distance, and Qin Lan's vision blurred for a moment. She mechanically smiled at the camera, then lifted her skirt and walked towards the stage.
Along the way, she saw Jiang Yan's face. The camera captured the initial disappointment on Jiang Yan's face, but it had turned into a genuine smile as she happily looked at her, bathed in starlight.
Qin Lan's vision began to blur again. She thought of the massive number of haters she'd faced since her debut, the endless insults, the attacks and accusations against her temperament and acting skills—saying she had powerful connections, was a "resource-backed" actress, and couldn't act in romance scenes... Yet this person had always stood behind her, silently supporting her, with her room full of merchandise and fan support; even when she had spoken harshly to her, she remained steadfast in her support; even though she herself had longed for this award for a long time, she was still genuinely happy for her...
She couldn't express her gratitude to her in front of the whole world right now, but she knew Jiang Yan understood her feelings at that moment.
She walked onto the stage and paused in front of Feng Manhong. The latter smiled reassuringly at her and opened her arms.
Qin Lan felt a pang of sadness and gave her a tight hug.
The camera thoughtfully zoomed in on Jiang Yan's face.
Jiang Yan gave a professional, fake smile.
"It's time to speak, Actress Qin." Feng Manhong patted Qin Lan on the back.
She took a deep breath and walked toward the microphone.
After reciting the prepared lines, Qin Lan lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, and then began to speak her true feelings.
“From the day I debuted, there have been a lot of dissenting voices. Some people don’t like my temper and think I have powerful connections. My background has indeed brought me a lot of resources, but why not use them? I have never taken anything from anyone. As for my temper and appearance, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
But I know some of the criticism I received was valid. I used to be terrible at acting in romance dramas; I could imitate, but I never quite captured the essence. Today, *The Age of Pink* witnesses my transformation, and *Star Spy* witnesses my ultimate success. First, I want to thank my family and friends who inspired me; second, my teachers who guided me; and lastly, and most importantly, I want to thank myself, because I never gave up trying.
She bowed and took her leave. The Best Actress stepped down from the stage to embrace her moment of glory.
It was almost dawn when all the social activities were over.
After getting into the car, Qin Lan closed her eyes to rest. An hour later, Yu Shan parked in the underground parking garage, and Qin Lan stepped out of the elevator. Jiang Yan was waiting for her by the door of her house.
"Why don't you come inside?" Qin Lan touched her face: "It's freezing cold."
"Waiting to be the first to welcome our Best Actress Qin home." Jiang Yan smiled softly, pulling out a ceremonial cannon from behind her back: "Surprise!"
Qin Lan hugged her, unlocked the door with his fingerprint, and kissed her passionately as they entered the house.
Jiang Yan initially responded enthusiastically, but realizing that she didn't intend to stop, she gently nudged her: "Sister Lan... why don't you go and get some sleep? You have an interview in a few hours..."
"Then you'll sleep with me." Qin Lan sniffed at her neck: "What brand of perfume is that? It smells so good..."
Jiang Yan was exhausted and collapsed onto the bed: "Come up here and let me give you a good smell."
Qin Lan hugged her and snuggled into the blankets, struggling to say before drifting off to sleep, "Next time we'll win the award together, it's a promise, we'll meet at the top..."
Jiang Yan opened her eyes and stared at her for a while, becoming more and more satisfied with the sight. She leaned in and bit the other's lips, then rolled over and buried herself in her arms: "My girlfriend is an award-winning actress!"
The following year, Jiang Yan won the Golden Flower Award for Best Actress.
As per their previous plan, they began to reduce their workload appropriately, only accepting high-quality projects, and gradually shedding their reputation for relying on popularity.
The main character is doing well, the CP fans are relieved, and the solo fans are starting to accept it.
In the fifth year, Qin Lan and Jiang Yan were thirty-two years old, and the films they starred in were both nominated for the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
This is the largest number of Chinese films nominated in the past decade. To stand out from thousands of entries and be nominated is itself a great recognition.
Qin Lan and Jiang Yan went on a trip abroad and kissed each other passionately on the streets of a foreign country.
Returning with honors, both works were nominated for the Golden Tree Award that year.
The two appeared on stage together again.
People noticed that Qin Lan actually wore a white dress this year.
Strangely enough, Jiang Yan was also dressed in white, resulting in another "outfit clash".
Qin Lan walked down the red carpet, took the pen, and quickly signed her name. Amidst the puzzled looks of the crowd, she added a semi-circle after her name.
Jiang Yan quickly walked the red carpet, looked at everything carefully, and signed her name after Qin Lan.
Then, calmly and naturally, he completed the other half of the heart.
The live stream went wild instantly, and the trending topic quickly climbed to the top spot.
Feng Manhong presented the award again...
Actresses come and go, but Feng Manhong remains a constant. She graces this awards stage every two years.
"Today is somewhat similar to five years ago," she began, casually chatting with last year's Best Actor winner.
"Yes, it's a familiar scene, but I wonder what the outcome will be for me..." the movie star chimed in.
Feng Manhong opened the envelope, her smile widening: "The winner of this year's Golden Tree Award for Best Actress is—Qin Lan, Jiang Yan!"
The Golden Tree Award for Best Actress being shared by two actresses quickly topped the trending searches.
Qin Lan was a little confused at first, but then she was pleasantly surprised. It was the actor next to her who gently reminded her, "Teacher Qin, it's time to go on stage."
Qin Lan lifted her skirt and stood up, walking unsteadily toward the stage. Halfway there, she suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan's skirt was much longer than hers, and she moved it outwards with some difficulty.
A surge of warmth welled up inside her, and she walked over naturally, extending her hand to Jiang Yan.
The live stream chat went wild instantly. Several actors sitting nearby almost lost control of their facial expressions, some even smiling like doting aunts.
Auntie Feng Manhong on the stage was also smiling. She held one in each hand, looked around, and felt like she was the officiant at the wedding.
"The two teachers have finally met at the summit. Is there anything you want to say to each other?"
Jiang Yan spoke first: "Teacher Qin, it's been a long time."
Qin Lan's throat seemed to be inflamed, and she said with a choked voice, "It's been a long time, Teacher Jiang."
Feng Manhong laughed uncontrollably, but still professionally finished reading her speech, and then handed over the microphone: "Please welcome our three Golden Horse Award winners, Teacher Qin and Teacher Jiang, to share their acceptance speeches this year!"
Qin Lan had already regained her composure, so it was the others' turn to get excited. She turned to look at Jiang Yan and leaned closer to the microphone: "Let me introduce you to Ms. Jiang next to me. Our relationship is roughly... former rivals, current girlfriends."
Screams ripped through the venue; the CPF's frenzy was almost enough to lift the ceiling off their heads.
After they quieted down a bit, Jiang Yan also leaned closer to the microphone, and Qin Lan noticed that her hands were trembling slightly.
"Let me also introduce Teacher Qin... my former crush, now my wife."
The End —
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It's finished! Hooray!
Some thoughts on the completion: (This is just a personal record and can be skipped)
At 19, I picked up a pen and that was the beginning of my youth. Four years later, at 22, I felt I had aged considerably.
2025 was a year of many experiences. Looking back at my old writings, I'm even surprised at how simple things were back then. A wild youth, vibrant colors, a heart filled with the spring breeze, the rising sun, and the dawn of a thousand miles. There was once a book called "Big Tree, Small Mountain," and at the time, I didn't consider traffic or the market; I just wanted to maintain the style in my heart. It's a pity that I sacrificed its original name and beginning for the sake of signing a contract, and some things can never be recovered.
The period when I decided to write "Nemesis and Wife" was a low point in my life, and I used it to encourage myself to live life to the fullest. Seven months later, I finished writing it and embarked on a new journey. From March to October, it constantly inspired me in times of despair, reminding me that there was still a glimmer of hope in the world.
"Together in the Dust" is a tragic ending, written in a rush during my youthful folly. Like "Big Tree, Small Mountain," it had no outline or framework; once I started, I couldn't stop. There are many logical inconsistencies, and the writing style is quite naive. When I wrote "The Ghost Catcher," my life was calm and uneventful, but I was actually in a state of emptiness and confusion. I started trying to build an outline and also tried to change my writing style. In the end, I only wrote a half-finished product. Although it's immature, I still like it very much; some of the detailed descriptions are ones I could never write again.
The fourth book I started writing was *Young Master of Fate*. This one has been in development for two or three years, so the outline and world-building are more complete, and the logic is much better. It's like a fresh, ancient fantasy, filled with swordplay, chivalry, girlish thoughts, and beautiful dreams. As my favorite work in terms of writing style, it will begin serialization soon. However, there isn't much romance; proceed with caution if you're sensitive to that.
The fifth book is "Nemesis and Wife," which also has a complete outline. I'm relatively satisfied with it; I think the characters are the most appealing, and it's also quite close to the tastes of Jinjiang Literature City. It healed me during a painful time, so I have a special feeling for it. I don't need any particular writing style to love it.
After finishing "Shao Siming", I plan to write "Cyber", which will most likely be renamed later. It's a cyber theme that I love, with cool neon lights flashing everywhere, and I'll try to have more romance.
Many readers have expressed a desire to see more of the main couple's romance. I'm not particularly good at that kind of thing, and I always feel that if more than 70% of the story is just about emotional entanglements, it will be exhausting and boring. I'll try to write more of that in the future.
Ultimately, it's just a reflection on my growth and changes along the way in my writing career. In short, I am still myself, and I will finish the path I've chosen. May we all be resilient and have light in our hearts.
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