The Entire Harem has Transmigrated - Chapter 23

After the call ended, Jiang Li unwrapped a peach-flavored hard candy.

The pure, alluring taste stimulated her taste buds, the sweetness spreading across her tongue. This reminded her of the girl’s flushed cheeks from earlier.

She was undeniably beautiful.

But even such beauty shouldn’t have left her so disoriented.

Jiang Li swiped through her phone and reread the message.

It mentioned her cousin, Jiang Meimei.

The peach candy rolled around in her mouth as Jiang Li narrowed her eyes slightly.

Without further hesitation, she dialed her cousin’s number.

“What nonsense have you been spreading again?” Jiang Li demanded.

“Nonsense?” Jiang Meimei sounded genuinely confused. “What nonsense? What are you talking about?”

“About that girl,” Jiang Li clarified.

“Oh, you mean President Fu’s little girlfriend?” Jiang Meimei said knowingly.

Jiang Li’s expression hardened. “I told you, she might not be Fu Yeqiu’s girlfriend.”

Jiang Meimei sighed, trying to reason with her. “Matching outfits, a princess carry—isn’t that enough proof? I don’t know what’s going on with that girl, but my goddess isn’t someone who’d just be with anyone.”

With a sharp crack, Jiang Li crushed the peach candy between her teeth.

Her voice turned colder, her brow furrowing. “Jiang Meimei, stop slandering her.”

Jiang Meimei clicked her tongue. “Still defending her? You’ve really been bewitched by that vixen.”

Jiang Li’s realization struck instantly. “So, you really did fabricate those rumors.”

Jiang Meimei grew flustered. “How did you find out?”

She quickly caught herself. “Wait, you don’t have a fake account lurking in my goddess’s fan group, do you? Come to think of it, I only muttered a few things in the group—I hadn’t even had time to spread it elsewhere…”

Jiang Li: “What fan group?”

Jiang Meimei: “Stop pretending! Why are you playing dumb? It’s the group for my goddess’s wife fans! You snuck in with a fake account when I wasn’t looking, didn’t you? Confess! How long have you been lurking?”

Jiang Li: “……”

Fu Yeqiu’s wife fan group?

So that girl must have seen Jiang Meimei’s nonsense there.

But why would she join such a group?

Could it be… she really likes Fu Yeqiu?

That’s… somewhat interesting.

Jiang Li finally spoke up, her tone firm: “That girl is a member of the Metaphysical Sect. My grandmother, Jiang Minhui, plans to invite her home as an honored guest. I’m not protecting her because I like her; I have a mission to fulfill. Do you understand?”

Jiang Meimei: “!!!”

Jiang Meimei exclaimed excitedly, “When is she coming to our house? You have to tell me!”

Jiang Li frowned. “What do you want to do?”

Jiang Meimei replied, “Since she’s Grandma’s esteemed guest, how could I dare do anything else? I’ll serve her tea and water, and maybe even catch a glimpse of her extraordinary demeanor.”

Jiang Meimei was lying through her teeth.

What she really wanted was to see that enchanting, scheming little vixen again—to understand what kind of girl could captivate her goddess.

However, because of Jiang Meimei’s comments in the group chat, Ruan Qingqing had already decided to indefinitely postpone her visit to the Jiang family.

Thinking back to her conversation with Jiang Meimei, Jiang Li sent another message: “I’m sorry.”

When Ruan Qingqing didn’t reply, Jiang Li sent another: “Are you still angry?”

By this point, Ruan Qingqing had finally shaken off her dazed state. Clutching her phone, she stared at Jiang Li’s messages, finding them strangely intriguing.

In the past, Jiang Li rarely asked her such questions. More often, when she noticed Ruan Qingqing was unhappy, Jiang Li would clumsily try to cheer her up.

Even though Jiang Li had completely forgotten their past, Ruan Qingqing couldn’t forget those old memories. She replied, “I’m a little upset,” and then held her breath, staring at the screen.

How would the Imperial Preceptor respond?

Would she try to comfort her?

Jiang Li didn’t reply immediately. Half a minute later, her phone rang. She answered, “Does that mean our meeting with my grandma is still on?”

Ruan Qingqing: “???”

Is that all she cares about?

She doesn’t even care that I’m upset?

Ruan Qingqing took a few deep breaths to calm herself, but she couldn’t resist rolling her eyes at her phone.

Her voice was icy. “Jiang Li, don’t worry. I always keep my promises. Since you helped me, I’ll honor my agreement to meet your grandma. You don’t need to worry about me breaking my word.”

Jiang Li was silent for a moment before speaking again. “And…”

Ruan Qingqing cut her off impatiently, “No ‘and’ about it. After we visit your grandmother, we’ll go our separate ways. Let’s pretend we never knew each other. We don’t need to have anything to do with each other for the rest of our lives.”

She was being stubborn.

Everything she said after that was out of spite.

If Jiang Li had tried to salvage the situation, Ruan Qingqing might have taken back her words.

But Jiang Li simply said, “Fine.”

Her response was crisp and decisive, without a trace of hesitation.

It was like how she used to slay demons with a swift stroke of her sword, reducing them to scattered souls. Now, with a single, decisive word, she had effortlessly shattered all the ties that once bound them.

How could Jiang Li be so cold?

Even the Empress, who no longer remembered her, still treated her with warmth. Only Jiang Li, who shared the same soul and essence as the Imperial Preceptor—the same person, in essence—had become completely different simply because she had lost her memories.

“This Emperor is furious!”

When Yu Yunfei and Li Qianxuan arrived, they found Ruan Qingqing with her cheeks puffed out, looking utterly incensed.

“What’s wrong?” Yu Yunfei asked, handing her a cup of green tea, her eyes filled with concern.

Li Qianxuan swept Ruan Qingqing into her arms and started carrying her away, saying to Yu Yunfei, “Do you even need to ask? That bastard Fu Yeqiu must have bullied her again.”

“Don’t worry, Qingqing,” Li Qianxuan said. “I’ll take you back first, and then I’ll come back later to settle the score with Fu Yeqiu.”

Ruan Qingqing kicked her legs in Li Qianxuan’s arms and patted her shoulder. “Qianxuan, put me down. Qiuqiu didn’t bully me, and I’m not mad at her either.”

Yu Yunfei stepped forward to stop Li Qianxuan, gently taking Ruan Qingqing from her arms. Smiling, she asked, “Then who is Your Majesty angry with? Surely not the green tea?”

Ruan Qingqing glanced at the cups of green tea, inserted straws, and handed one to each of them. She took a sip from her own cup, savoring the delicate, refreshing aroma that spread through her mouth, seemingly washing away all her troubles.

“I’m not angry about the green tea anymore,” Ruan Qingqing declared.

How could she make someone let go of their anger?

The most effective method was probably to make them even angrier about something else.

Now, because of Jiang Li, Ruan Qingqing found being called a “green tea fox spirit” rather trivial.

After all, green tea tasted quite good.

And fox spirits were rather cute.

Ruan Qingqing poked her straw deeper into the cup and slurped down several more mouthfuls before finally saying, “I called you here because I wanted to ask about something.”

Li Qianxuan clinked her glass against Ruan Qingqing’s and asked, “What is it?”

“Well,” Ruan Qingqing began, “how did you two remember about the Qian Dynasty?”

Since she had promised to help the Empress recover her memories, she needed to explore every possible avenue. She had already tried using a Talisman, but it hadn’t worked. Perhaps examining Li Qianxuan and Yu Yunfei’s experiences could offer some clues.

Li Qianxuan didn’t overthink it. When Ruan Qingqing asked, she recounted her experience in detail again: “I started having dreams when I was seven or eight years old. At first, I had only vague impressions of the Qian Dynasty, but those impressions gradually became clearer. By my teens, I had remembered everything.”

Yu Yunfei added, “As for me, I never had any memories of it until the day I met Your Majesty. Then, fragments of memories flickered through my mind. But at the time, I thought it was just exhaustion-induced hallucinations and didn’t pay much attention. That night when I brought Your Majesty home, I couldn’t sleep properly. I only drifted off near dawn, and it was in that dream that I remembered everything.”

Ruan Qingqing tapped her forehead thoughtfully. “So, it’s connected to dreams? Qiuqiu also mentioned having recurring dreams. Could it be that to help Qiuqiu recover her memories, I need to try entering her dreams?”

Li Qianxuan realized the implication of Ruan Qingqing’s question and immediately abandoned her green tea, crossing her arms and sitting stiffly to the side. “So you weren’t actually concerned about me,” she said sourly. “You just wanted to help Fu Yeqiu.”

Yu Yunfei took things a step further. Her sly fox-like eyes darted around before she bit her lip and said coquettishly, “Qingqing, I forgot to mention a detail earlier. Before my memories returned, I think I hit my head. Why don’t you have Fu Yeqiu try banging her head against a wall too?”

She continued with mock seriousness, “After all, in dramas, amnesia is cured by hitting your head, and regaining memories requires hitting your head again. Of course, if we’re going by dramas, car accidents, jumping off buildings, falling into the sea, or even getting struck by lightning can also restore memories. Why don’t you have Empress try them all?”

Ruan Qingqing set down her cup, stood up, and tapped Yu Yunfei’s head. “Stop being mischievous, A-Yun,” she said. “I see right through your intentions.”

Yu Yunfei pouted and shrugged.

“You’re really that eager to help the Empress regain her memories?” Li Qianxuan’s jealousy still lingered.

“Of course I am,” Ruan Qingqing replied.

The Empress wasn’t like the Imperial Preceptor.

Jiang Li had no memory of her past and no desire to recover it. The Empress, however, desperately wanted to regain her memories, often losing sleep over it.

I must help Qiuqiu recover her memories, Ruan Qingqing resolved.

Li Qianxuan smiled and suddenly wrapped her arms around Ruan Qingqing’s slender waist, pulling her into a tight embrace. “I do have another example you could consider,” she said, refusing to let go. “But you have to let me hold you for a while first.”

Ruan Qingqing shifted slightly and reached over to pat Li Qianxuan’s head. “No bargaining with me,” she commanded. “This Emperor orders you to speak.”

“It’s Ye Shiyu,” Li Qianxuan blurted out, her resolve crumbling under Ruan Qingqing’s beauty.

Having gotten her answer, Ruan Qingqing pried Li Qianxuan’s arms from her waist and stood up, her eyes shining with determination. “Then I’ll ask Xiao Yu again! I have a feeling I’ll find a way to help Qiuqiu recover her memories soon!”

Yu Yunfei pursed her lips, and Li Qianxuan huffed in annoyance. Just then, Ye Shiyu’s phone rang. “Your Majesty,” she said, “this humble servant has returned.”

How convenient, Ruan Qingqing thought.

And Ye Shiyu brought even better news: Ruan Qingqing’s true identity could finally be confirmed.

“Could this be what you’ve been working on lately?” Ruan Qingqing asked, deeply moved.

Ye Shiyu brushed her chestnut-brown hair behind her ear, her gaze piercing through her clean, gleaming glasses. Her demeanor radiated serene grace as she stood there and recited, “Li Bai wrote in ‘Knotting Socks’: ‘In Yannan, brave warriors from Wumen dwell, hiding lead-weighted fish and concealed blades within their armor. Grateful for Your Majesty’s boundless grace, I pledge my life to your service. To serve you, I would climb mountains of knives and plunge into seas of fire without regret. How then could I hesitate over such a trivial matter?'”

“Here she goes again,” Li Qianxuan groaned, her eyes rolling in exasperation. “Can’t you go five minutes without reciting poetry?”

Yu Yunfei, meanwhile, gripped Ruan Qingqing’s arm and rested her head on her shoulder, cooing, “Whenever Virtuous Consort Shiyu recites poetry, my head starts to ache. It seems my old ailment is acting up again.”

Ruan Qingqing couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time.

Securing her identity was indeed a matter of paramount importance. She had initially planned to ask Fu Yeqiu for help, but Ye Shiyu had already quietly arranged everything behind the scenes.

After Fu Yeqiu confirmed the details over the phone, the group set out in a grand procession.

These three women turned the simplest task into a full-blown drama. They argued for hours just over what Ruan Qingqing should wear for her ID photo, as if they were prepared to debate the matter until dawn.

Ruan Qingqing couldn’t take it anymore. In the end, she rejected all their choices and grabbed a plain black shirt paired with a dowdy black skirt.

Yu Yunfei nearly shrieked, “Qingqing, your ID card will be with you for years! Can’t you be a little more careful?”

Even Li Qianxuan, who had little sense of fashion, frowned and said, “This really is a bit… dowdy.”

But Ruan Qingqing declared firmly, “This is the one! I like dowdy clothes. They make me feel the fragrance of nature.”

She was spouting nonsense again.

Yet her rambling seemed to work. The three bickering beauties fell silent at her choice.

Thanks to Ye Shiyu’s meticulous arrangements, Ruan Qingqing smoothly registered her household in South City. When she had her ID photo taken, she wore the same black shirt and dowdy skirt. But her striking beauty ensured the photo turned out flawless, without a single flaw.

With her identity established, Ye Shiyu took Ruan Qingqing to handle the housing arrangements.

“A small apartment, two bedrooms and a living room—just enough for me and Your Majesty,” Ye Shiyu said calmly, dangling the keys in her hand.

Li Qianxuan: “???”

Li Qianxuan wanted to hit someone. “Ye Shiyu, what do you mean by this?”

Ye Shiyu offered a gentle smile, her voice soft and soothing. “Your Majesty needs someone to care for her, and I believe I am well-suited for the task.”

Ruan Qingqing stiffened at these words. She hadn’t forgotten the day in the bathroom when Ye Shiyu had deliberately frightened her.

Warily, she hid behind Li Qianxuan, only her head peeking out. “Xiao Yu, while I’m grateful you resolved my identity issue, that was merely you making amends for your past misdeeds. I haven’t forgotten how you bullied me before.”

“Your Majesty, to err is human,” Ye Shiyu replied calmly, her gaze fixed on Ruan Qingqing, attempting to appeal to her emotions. “This concubine truly regrets her past actions and would never dare to offend Your Majesty again. Can’t Your Majesty grant me another chance, considering we grew up together?”

She then drew a comparison to Li Qianxuan. “Besides, the Noble Consort also bullied Your Majesty, yet Your Majesty forgave her. Must I kneel and offer myself for punishment like she did?”

“Alright, alright,” Ruan Qingqing relented. Always easily swayed by others, she forgave Ye Shiyu before she could say another word.

“From now on, we’re all sisters,” Ruan Qingqing said, walking over to pat Ye Shiyu’s shoulder. “You don’t need to call yourself ‘Your Majesty’s concubine’ anymore, and you don’t have to address me as ‘Your Majesty’ either.”

“Alright,” Ye Shiyu replied, only half-adjusting. “I’ll do as Your Majesty commands.”

Ruan Qingqing didn’t correct her further, thinking, Let her have her way.

It’s just a title, after all.

The small two-bedroom apartment was warmly decorated, but Ruan Qingqing had no intention of staying overnight. She needed to return to protect Fu Yeqiu.

Li Qianxuan was the first to object, insisting on accompanying her.

“Then let’s all go to Qiuqiu’s place,” Ruan Qingqing suggested. “Maybe seeing so many of us will help her memory recover a little.”

On the way back to the Golden Bay Hotel, Ruan Qingqing asked Ye Shiyu again about how she had regained her memories.

Ye Shiyu replied that she didn’t need to recover them.

For her, coming to this world was like being reborn with all her memories intact from birth.

Ye Shiyu rested her chin on her hand, her movements graceful, and chuckled softly. “It was quite exhausting having to pretend to be a baby back then.”

Ruan Qingqing smiled faintly, but couldn’t help feeling troubled.

So Xiao Yu’s memories have nothing to do with dreams. Then how can I help Qiuqiu recover hers?

Fu Yeqiu hadn’t expected to find half the Imperial Harem gathered in her room upon her return.

Her eyes turned slightly cold, but she maintained an impassive facade as she approached Ruan Qingqing and asked, “Who is this?”

Ruan Qingqing eagerly stepped forward to introduce her. “This is the Virtuous Consort. She was once a renowned literary talent in Great Qian. Her Ode to the Morning Sun caused a sensation in the Capital City.”

Fu Yeqiu pondered for a moment, then said, “I seem to recall something about that.”

Ruan Qingqing’s eyes lit up instantly. “Can you remember anything else?”

Fu Yeqiu shook her head.

“That’s alright,” Ruan Qingqing said, undeterred. She first arranged for everyone to sit down for a storytelling session, reminiscing about past events. Then she had Yu Yunfei dance, Li Qianxuan perform a sword dance, and Ye Shiyu demonstrate tea ceremony and recite poetry.

“We often did this at palace banquets,” Ruan Qingqing said, her eyes filled with anticipation. “Qiuqiu, does any of this bring back any memories?”

Fu Yeqiu glanced at the three women below, their reluctance palpable. She sneered inwardly, but a flicker of confusion appeared in her eyes, and her voice turned light and airy. “I seem to recall some lively occasions.”

Ruan Qingqing’s anticipation surged. “What kind of lively occasions?”

Fu Yeqiu closed her eyes. “It was around the time when osmanthus blossoms filled the air with fragrance. The palace was bustling with activity. Someone mentioned celebrating my birthday…”

Ruan Qingqing nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes! And then?”

Fu Yeqiu continued slowly, “She raised her hand to play the zither for me. When the music ended, she gave me a single earring. I asked why there was only one…”

Fu Yeqiu paused deliberately, her brow furrowing slightly.

After waiting in vain for her to continue, Ruan Qingqing prompted, “Because… that earring was personally crafted by This Emperor. It was hard-won, painstakingly made, and time simply didn’t allow for a second one.”

Fu Yeqiu lifted her phoenix eyes to meet Ruan Qingqing’s gaze, her eyes brimming with emotion. “Your Majesty…”

“Enough!” Li Qianxuan snapped, throwing her sword aside in exasperation.

Perhaps Consort Shu was right—the Empress’s amnesia was nothing but an act.

Why are we putting on this elaborate performance? What’s the point?

“Qianxuan,” Ruan Qingqing said disapprovingly, her tone slightly reproachful. “What’s wrong with you? Qiuqiu might have been about to remember something important. By interrupting her, you’ve made her forget again.”

“I don’t want to watch you two lovebirds.” Li Qianxuan stepped forward, pulled Ruan Qingqing over, and sat her down opposite Fu Yeqiu. She curled her lips into a smile, her striking features becoming even more assertive. “The Empress wants to reminisce, does she? Then let me help you.”

“Only three months after I entered the palace, Your Majesty gifted me the precious bl00d-red coral he had worked so hard to obtain, simply because I admired it. Within a year, Your Majesty, understanding my love for martial arts, broke precedent by constructing a small training ground within the Imperial Harem. Oh, right—the Empress at the time deemed this against the rules and even petitioned the Imperial Study. But what was the result?”

Fu Yeqiu remained silent.

Ye Shiyu chimed in from the side, “The result, of course, was a fruitless endeavor.”

Fu Yeqiu’s expression remained impassive.

She maintained her composure, merely pressing her temples and saying, “I can’t seem to recall any of this.”

Li Qianxuan was about to press further, eager to provoke her further, but Fu Yeqiu suddenly furrowed her brow, appearing to be in great pain.

Ruan Qingqing asked anxiously, “What’s wrong?”

Fu Yeqiu’s breathing grew shallow. “My head suddenly hurts terribly… It’s so noisy…”

Ruan Qingqing assumed Fu Yeqiu was annoyed by the noise. She quieted the others and personally helped Fu Yeqiu into bed.

“Rest well,” Ruan Qingqing said, tucking the blanket around her. She turned to leave with Li Qianxuan and the others.

But as she turned, Fu Yeqiu gripped her wrist.

Her voice barely a whisper, Fu Yeqiu pleaded, “Could you stay and keep me company?”

Seeing her in such a state, Ruan Qingqing couldn’t refuse. Steeling her resolve, she firmly ushered the others out.

Yu Yunfei, furious at being expelled, gritted her teeth and asked the two beside her, “Doesn’t it seem like Fu Yeqiu is faking her amnesia?”

“It’s highly possible,” Ye Shiyu replied, removing her glasses to polish them with a cloth. Gazing toward the door, she smiled faintly. “Have you noticed that Fu Yeqiu has worn only a single earring all these years?”

Yu Yunfei immediately understood. “Because Your Majesty gave her that one earring back then?”

Ye Shiyu raised an eyebrow. “Well, I think it’s a possibility.”

On the other side, Fu Yeqiu had hoped to seize this opportunity to do something more, but Ruan Qingqing genuinely believed she was unwell. She slipped a talisman paper under Fu Yeqiu’s pillow, saying, “This is a sleep-inducing talisman I wrote. It’s very effective, Qiuqiu. Rest easy.”

The drowsiness surged over Fu Yeqiu, and though she struggled to resist, her efforts proved futile.

The next day, Fu Yeqiu woke up well-rested but in a less-than-ideal mood. Still, she pretended everything was normal and thanked Ruan Qingqing again.

“Don’t be so formal,” Ruan Qingqing said, her almond eyes curving into a smile. “By the way, have you found out who harmed you yesterday?”

Fu Yeqiu’s eyes flickered slightly as she shook her head.

“Then you still need to be careful,” Ruan Qingqing said, her voice filled with concern.

“Mm.”

Fu Yeqiu had urgent matters to attend to, and Ruan Qingqing, worried about her safety, insisted on staying by her side, acting as her temporary secretary for half the day. The morning passed smoothly without incident, but when Fu Yeqiu noticed the bandage still on Ruan Qingqing’s ankle, her eyes narrowed.

“Go back and rest,” Fu Yeqiu said, unable to bear the thought of Ruan Qingqing staying any longer.

Even though she also longed for Ruan Qingqing’s constant companionship.

“But we haven’t found out who’s targeting you yet…” Ruan Qingqing yawned, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Go back now. Listen to me,” Fu Yeqiu said, pressing her hand firmly on Ruan Qingqing’s slender shoulder, her voice deepening. “I have bodyguards here. Nothing will happen.”

Ruan Qingqing still hesitated, but Fu Yeqiu simply picked her up and placed her in the car.

The sudden action jolted Ruan Qingqing awake.

She wanted to say something, but Fu Yeqiu gently patted her head.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.”

Ruan Qingqing nodded blankly. “Okay.”

Something felt off.

As soon as she sat down in the car, drowsiness returned. By the time they reached the Golden Bay Hotel, she couldn’t even recall what had felt strange, only wanting to rest and catch up on sleep.

But Yu Yunfei, Li Qianxuan, and Ye Shiyu were lined up outside the presidential suite door.

Ruan Qingqing blinked, but before she could speak, Yu Yunfei pulled her inside and opened the door.

“What’s going on?” Ruan Qingqing asked, sensing something was up.

“Where’s Fu Yeqiu?” Li Qianxuan asked.

“She said she’d be back soon,” Ruan Qingqing replied.

“Perfect timing!” Yu Yunfei glanced around before choosing a large wardrobe that could fit several people. She dragged Ye Shiyu and Li Qianxuan inside.

Ruan Qingqing stared in confusion.

Ye Shiyu innocently spread her hands, signaling that this was their idea, not hers.

What are they planning?

Ruan Qingqing was completely baffled.

Just as she was pondering this, a knock came at the door.

“Just pretend we’re not here,” Yu Yunfei whispered urgently. “We’re just here to make sure you’re not being tricked.”

“Huh?” Ruan Qingqing said, her head swimming with confusion.

She opened the door, expecting to see Fu Yeqiu, but instead found Jiang Li standing there.

What’s Jiang Li doing here at this hour? Ruan Qingqing thought, her mood souring at the memory of their previous encounter. She snapped, her tone sharp, “What do you want?”

Jiang Li replied coldly, “I couldn’t reach you by phone, and you didn’t reply to my messages.”

Ruan Qingqing retorted, “That’s because I blocked you.”

The sight of Jiang Li stirred complex emotions in Ruan Qingqing. She couldn’t quite articulate them, nor could she sort them out. She knew she shouldn’t be angry or resentful, but she couldn’t suppress these feelings.

“Did your grandmother send you again?” Ruan Qingqing asked sarcastically.

Before Jiang Li could answer, another knock sounded at the door.

This time, it was Fu Yeqiu.

“Qingqing,” Fu Yeqiu called out, tapping on the door. “Are you asleep?”

Ruan Qingqing was still staring at Jiang Li, but Jiang Li misinterpreted her gaze, a smirk playing on her lips. “Looks like I came at the wrong time. What should I do now? Should I hide?”

Ruan Qingqing blinked in confusion.

Hide? Why would you need to hide?

But Jiang Li, whose mind worked on a different wavelength, had already opened the closet door.

In that instant, several pairs of eyes met hers.

Jiang Li: “……”

Li Qianxuan, Yu Yunfei, and Ye Shiyu: “……”

Ruan Qingqing: “……”

So what exactly are they doing?