Ye Ruihuan's expression grew distant, her lips pressed into a tight line. After hesitating for several seconds, Jing Jing stepped forward. Wouldn't it be better if Boss Ye applied the medicine personally for Sister Lin? She blinked expectantly.
Taking the ointment from Ye Ruihuan's hands, Jing Jing noticed the angry red swelling on the right side of Lin Ruijiao's face. The moment she applied the medication, Lin Ruijiao immediately hissed in pain.
Eyes tightly shut, brow furrowed, Lin Ruijiao tilted her face upward in resigned submission. "Hurry up," she urged softly.
Ye Ruihuan took a step back, her brow creasing as her hand gripped the bedside so tightly that it bunched the sheets into wrinkled folds.
"Thank you for the medicine, Ruihuan. It feels much better already," Lin Ruijiao said with a forced smile.
In the past, Ye Ruihuan might have found Lin Ruijiao's grimacing somewhat amusing, but seeing her in such a pitiful state now left her feeling hollow. The vivid red marks stirred uncomfortable waves in her chest. She was beginning to regret her actions—the injury looked genuinely painful.
Once the medication was applied, Jing Jing retreated to her usual corner, making herself as invisible as possible.
"That's good to hear." Ye Ruihuan looked down briefly before continuing, "If you need anything, just ask Xiao Li. Don't try to tough it out if it gets worse." She patted Lin Ruijiao's arm gently, as if trying to offer comfort.
"Alright."
"You don't have any scenes scheduled for the next few days anyway. Just rest well at the hotel," she couldn't help but add.
"Yes, Ruihuan." Lin Ruijiao nodded obediently. The injury did seem rather serious—it wouldn't be convenient to show her disfigured face in public anyway.
After Ye Ruihuan left, Lin Ruijiao pulled out her phone to check Weibo. Her comment section was flooded with criticism, and the controversy between her and Ye Ruihuan was intensifying. Surely Ye Ruihuan, having struck her so hard, would have to address this situation somehow. She smiled confidently.
Back in her own room, Ye Ruihuan's expression remained impassive, her eyes deep in thought. After a long moment, she summoned Assistant Li and instructed her to handle the Weibo posts.
"Sister Ye, is this about Lin Ruijiao?" she asked cautiously.
"Mm. And clean up her scandals while you're at it," Ye Ruihuan said casually, resting her chin on her hand as if it were merely a trivial matter.
"Understood." Assistant Li had been waiting for this instruction. From her knowledge of Ye Ruihuan, this casual demeanor meant she cared deeply about Miss Lin. But this wasn't necessarily a good thing. The personalities of these two women... sigh...
Overnight, all posts about Ye Ruihuan and Lin Ruijiao, along with Lin Ruijiao's scandals, vanished completely.
[Holy shit, Lin Ruijiao must have serious backing... all the posts disappeared in one night.]
[She has no looks, no acting skills—can she please stop ruining the entertainment industry?!]
[This is ridiculous. Looks like even our Sister Ye got outmaneuvered.]
[Damn, more powerful than Ye Ruihuan? I really can't figure out who's behind her.]
[Am I the only one who thought there was something beautiful about that hand on Sister Ye's face?]
[Above poster is shipping the wrong CP—I bet that slap was pretty satisfying!]
...
Netizens buzzed with speculation, but overall, Lin Ruijiao's follower count continued climbing, breaking one hundred thousand and gaining a devoted base of fans drawn to her looks and acting.
Even more noteworthy was that Lin Ruijiao, who had been a constant presence on set for over a month, was mysteriously absent today... However, due to the director's packed shooting schedule, no one on set had time for gossip.
Instead, the usually professional Ye Ruihuan seemed off her game, requiring several takes to get through a single scene. The crew whispered among themselves, wondering if her condition was related to the whole Lin Ruijiao situation...
The subject of all this speculation was having a delightful time at the hotel, scrolling through fan praise on Weibo with an unending smile. Just as she'd expected, Ye Ruihuan had intervened—fair compensation for the handprint on her face. She was quite satisfied with the outcome.
Lin Ruijiao had just finished her evening routine when she emerged to find Assistant Li waiting. How punctual.
"Miss Lin, Sister Ye is waiting for you."
"Alright." Lin Ruijiao wrapped herself in a robe and followed upstairs. "Assistant Li, how were things on set today?"
"Fine," Assistant Li answered honestly. "Miss Lin, Sister Ye was the one who handled your scandal cleanup."
"...I see. I wondered why everything had disappeared. Thank you," Lin Ruijiao said with a bright smile.
"Don't mention it." After delivering Miss Lin, Assistant Li tactfully withdrew.
When Lin Ruijiao entered the room, she was greeted by a breathtaking sight.
Ye Ruihuan wore a thin silk nightgown, one arm folded across her body while the other held a wine glass. Every movement revealed her graceful curves, her exposed skin luminous and translucent. Her exquisite features glowed with a rosy flush, damp hair cascading loosely over her shoulders. The swirling red wine in her glass made her skin appear even more porcelain-white, her fingers slender and elegant as jade.
Lin Ruijiao stood transfixed for a long moment before finally finding her voice: "Ruihuan."
"Mm." Ye Ruihuan tilted her head back, lips parting as she sipped the blood-red wine. Every gesture was seductive, yet her slender figure maintained an air of cool detachment. The contrasting qualities merged to make her appear even more alluring.
Lin Ruijiao approached uncertainly, unsure whether to sit or remain standing beside Ye Ruihuan. She looked up innocently.
"What? You want some?" Ye Ruihuan licked the corner of her mouth, her pink lips appearing more vibrant than the wine itself.
"No, no, that's okay." Lin Ruijiao quickly shook her head in refusal. After what happened last time—when she still couldn't remember exactly what had occurred—she had no desire to share Ye Ruihuan's bed again under unclear circumstances.
"How's your face healing?" Ye Ruihuan approached with light steps.
A cool sensation followed as Ye Ruihuan's palm gently cupped the left side of her face, tilting it slightly to examine the injury more closely.
"It looks much better," she said, withdrawing her hand and taking the soothing coolness with it.
Lin Ruijiao looked up with a smile: "Yes, much better. Thank you for the ointment, and thank you for handling the PR situation."
"..."
Ye Ruihuan didn't respond, turning to sit on the sofa and pour herself another glass. The rich wine's aroma filled the air. Lin Ruijiao sat beside her, watching expectantly. Her round eyes sparkled with pure, innocent laughter. Ye Ruihuan's throat tightened, and she took another sip of wine.
"Stay here tonight," Ye Ruihuan said, glancing at the collarbones visible through Lin Ruijiao's robe, her gaze darkening.
Lin Ruijiao looked shocked. "What?" After a moment of confused silence, she continued: "That's not appropriate, Ruihuan. I don't sleep well in unfamiliar beds. I should go back to my room."
"You seemed to sleep just fine with me that night," Ye Ruihuan leaned closer.
Suddenly that face filled Lin Ruijiao's vision—those moist, full lips gleaming crimson, breath heavy with wine's rich fragrance.
"...That night, that night I was drunk," Lin Ruijiao raised her hands defensively, blinking her wet, pitiful eyes.
"Well, you're not drunk now, but it's the same thing, isn't it?" Ye Ruihuan smiled coldly, following her logic. The smile held no warmth. "Gratitude requires some concrete action, don't you think?"
Lin Ruijiao stared with wide, doe-like eyes, appearing completely innocent and bewildered. Internally, however, she was calculating the risks and benefits.
Ye Ruihuan was her financial backer, they were in the same production, and she was the investor in Phoenix. Removing someone from the cast would be effortless for her.
"Well?" Ye Ruihuan's eyes held indecipherable emotions, her voice dropping three octaves. This wasn't a tone for negotiation—it was certainty, inevitability.
Lin Ruijiao slowly nodded.
"That's better. We're both women—what are you afraid of?" Ye Ruihuan smiled, swirling her wine glass before taking another sip.
"...I'm afraid that maybe you actually like women," she said with continued innocent directness.