It took Lin Ruijiao a long moment to react, finally shaking her head. "...No." At this point, no matter what she said, she couldn't match her opponent, so she could only play dumb.
Lin Ruijiao lifted her watery eyes, biting her lower lip tightly, presenting a pitiful appearance that would invoke anyone's sympathy. Ye Ruihuan stared intently at those delicate red lips, her throat involuntarily constricting.
Just as she was lost in thought, that soft sensation pressed against her lips again, tingling and electrifying. Lin Ruijiao pushed desperately against her, but it was useless—instead, a sharp pain bloomed across her lips.
The kiss was fierce and passionate, filled with nibbling bites and soothing licks that left Lin Ruijiao weak all over. The world spun around her as she was pushed down onto the bed.
Ye Ruihuan gripped the back of her head tightly, desperately drinking in this sweetness that didn't belong to her. Her restless fingers slipped beneath fabric, roaming across smooth skin. Hot, intimate breath collided freely in the space between them, the very air seeming to heat up several degrees.
Suddenly, a sharp crack echoed through the room. Lin Ruijiao's palm hung suspended in the air, her teeth clenched on her lower lip, eyes reddened, round pupils glistening with unshed tears. Her pale cheeks were flushed crimson.
She pulled her nightgown tighter around herself and leaped from the bed, fleeing the scene.
Ye Ruihuan sat stunned on the bed, one hand covering her struck cheek, watching the retreating figure with complex emotions flickering in her eyes, the corners reddened. After a long moment, she let out a cold laugh toward the open doorway. She still couldn't hold back.
After returning to her room, Lin Ruijiao brushed her teeth several times and even took a shower. When she emerged from the bathroom, her face was thunderously dark.
Jing Jing, standing nearby, silently made a mental note: the second time her face had turned black after returning from CEO Ye's place.
The relationship between these two was truly puzzling. But who was really on top—CEO Ye or Sister Lin? Wait, could it be that CEO Ye was actually... inadequate? The seemingly serious Jing Jing was actually imagining all sorts of scenarios in her head.
After this incident, the two never met privately again. Their next encounter was on set, where they would pass each other without a word. Lin Ruijiao even dispensed with her usual pleasantries and attempts to curry favor.
But now they had no choice but to break the ice. The two were performing a scene together, each dressed in elaborate robes with dark patterns, presenting an ancient, elegant appearance. Yet the director called "cut" after their very first line.
This simple scene was ruined take after take, forcing the director to call for a break in exasperation.
"Xiao Ye and Xiao Lin, come over here!" Director Liu waved them over.
Lin Ruijiao's expressionless face softened slightly.
Ye Ruihuan remained unchanged—emotionless, looking down on everyone with her cold, proud demeanor undiminished.
"Xiao Lin, you need to be more cooperative," the director said, then turned to Ye Ruihuan. "Xiao Ye, did you not sleep well? You seem off today."
Both nodded in tacit understanding, saying nothing.
Seeing this, Director Liu raised an eyebrow. So it was these two causing problems. "Do you two have some kind of conflict?" he probed.
"No," they answered in unison.
"...Alright, whatever's going on between you two, we need to get this scene right today!" With that, the director walked away, leaving them alone together.
And so the set presented this spectacle: Lin Ruijiao and Ye Ruihuan sitting together, but neither showing the other a pleasant face, saying nothing at all. Ye Ruihuan would occasionally glance her way from the corner of her eye, but Lin Ruijiao acted as if the other didn't exist.
The surrounding crew's attention was entirely focused on them. These two belonged to the same company, and Ye Ruihuan was even the company's boss, yet their relationship looked so hostile. Combined with all the online rumors, everyone was intensely curious about them. It really seemed like the internet gossip was true—they were at odds, possibly even enemies.
Lin Ruijiao no longer cared about maintaining appearances. She wasn't so easily manipulated.
Not far from them, Assistant Li and Jing Jing kept their eyes glued to their respective employers while whispering to each other. Assistant Li glanced at Ye Ruihuan's expression and said, "What was Miss Lin's reaction when she went back that day? She's so brave, slapping Sister Ye like that."
Jing Jing looked shocked. "Ah? Sister Lin just seemed a bit angry. Sister Lin hit CEO Ye?!"
Assistant Li leaned in closer. "Yes, something must have happened."
Jing Jing said seriously, "Does CEO Ye like Sister Lin?"
Assistant Li: "...I don't know, but it seems like it."
Jing Jing muttered quietly, "I knew it."
Assistant Li's eyes lit up. "What do you know? Tell me quickly."
Jing Jing: "...I was just guessing."
...
In their eyes, these two sitting together looked exactly like a couple having a lovers' quarrel, both refusing to acknowledge the other, sulking in silence.
But only Ye Ruihuan was truly sulking. Lin Ruijiao didn't care much about any of this. She had already given herself a thorough pep talk, convincing herself she'd just performed in two plays and been bitten by a dog. She only wanted to finish filming quickly and stay far away from Ye Ruihuan.
When everything was ready and they returned to set, Ye Ruihuan was still unfocused, causing multiple takes to be ruined again. Lin Ruijiao couldn't help but frown at her, her round eyes filled with impatience and irritation.
"Ye Ruihuan, can you please act properly?" Lin Ruijiao said in a flat, direct tone.
Her voice wasn't loud or soft, but every crew member heard it clearly. Instantly, the set fell silent. Even Director Liu didn't dare speak—he wouldn't dare talk to Ye Ruihuan like that.
Ye Ruihuan wasn't just any actress. She was an award-winning Best Actress who had won every major prize, and CEO of Huarui Entertainment. Yet even so, she was being loudly scolded by a newcomer in front of everyone on set. This newcomer's status was truly unimaginable...
The crew didn't dare make any big movements, afraid of being caught in the crossfire between these two. But then, the supposedly difficult Ye Ruihuan actually nodded and said gently, "Alright."
Ye Ruihuan, dressed in gorgeous robes with all the proud bearing of someone in power, was now doing something completely at odds with her usual style—obediently lowering her head and agreeing. For the first time ever, she even seemed to radiate a soft quality, her usual coldness completely vanished.
Lin Ruijiao: "..." She was shocked, never expecting Ye Ruihuan to be so agreeable.
It was as if Ye Ruihuan had done it on purpose. From the moment Lin Ruijiao spoke those words, the subsequent scenes became much easier to perform, flowing smoothly. They even wrapped early.
Lin Ruijiao slowly made her way to the makeup room to remove her makeup, thinking maybe Ye Ruihuan would still come looking for her. She'd better hide out at the production site for now. But when she returned to the hotel very late, she received no messages and didn't see Assistant Li again. So Ye Ruihuan wasn't planning to settle scores after all?
Well, that was for the best.
The incident passed quietly, but it stirred up quite a storm online. Lin Ruijiao's fan count shot up dramatically, though most were haters.
[No way, does Lin Ruijiao really have such powerful backing? Even Huarui Entertainment's CEO Ye is afraid of her?]
[This is unbelievable. The last time I saw our Sister Ye this gentle was with Dong Yulan... Who exactly is this newcomer?]
[Don't know who she is, but their bad relationship and confrontational attitude is definitely real!]
[How dare she scold our Sister Ye?! What award hasn't our Sister Ye won? When is it a newcomer's turn to speak? This is ridiculous.]
[Exactly! Everyone knows about our Sister Ye's acting skills. In terms of acting and looks, who do you think you are?]
[Ye family army above, get lost! We've been annoyed with you for ages. Our Jiaojiao's acting is just as good!]
[That's right! Our Jiaojiao's acting is top-notch! Unlike your Ye Ruihuan who just walks around with that sour face all the time!!]