The fans from both sides immediately erupted into arguments. Though Lin Ruijiao didn't have many fans, Ye Ruihuan's public reputation wasn't particularly good either, so when the two sides clashed, it was fairly evenly matched.
But the hashtag #LinRuijiaoScoldingYeRuihuanOnSet shot straight to the trending topics.
As the post went viral, Lin Ruijiao's follower count surged again, and more people became aware of this newcomer's existence in the industry.
Strangely though, even after several days, there was no sign of damage control from Ye Ruihuan's side. They just let it run its course, almost as if confirming what netizens were saying—that Lin Ruijiao had powerful backing.
Naturally, the crew became even more courteous toward Lin Ruijiao. And after Ye Ruihuan wrapped her scenes, she never appeared on set again. Even after her own scenes were finished, Lin Ruijiao continued staying on set. Since she didn't have to see Ye Ruihuan, she felt free and relaxed, so she simply waited until "Phoenix" wrapped completely.
Ever since learning that Lin Ruijiao had returned to the Yuwan Villa, Ye Ruihuan had been obsessing over the situation. The dreams that came every night left her exhausted, and their content made it impossible to let go.
It seemed to trigger a butterfly effect—imperceptibly, she had already been subtly influenced. She could barely distinguish her true self anymore. Could that person in her dreams, aloof and untouched by worldly affairs, really be her?
What remained was her heart's constant clamoring—she wanted to see Lin Ruijiao. Desperately.
Dong Yulan seemed to have been forgotten entirely. Even when she opened her tablet, she logged into her alternate accounts, consuming all content related to Lin Ruijiao. Anything connected to her—every word, every sentence, every photo, every frame of video—she examined thoroughly, many scenes watched on repeat.
Ye Ruihuan frowned as she watched the other woman's videos, her eyes full of longing. But her recent behavior had been excessive, and she couldn't think of any excuse to approach her now. Rumors flew online, yet Lin Ruijiao never took the initiative to contact her. Never once. At this thought, she couldn't help but sigh deeply.
Jiaojiao was capable and strong-willed—how could she possibly make the first move?
Her gaze wandered as Ye Ruihuan found herself at a loss. She missed her so much.
Dawn was just breaking, the air cool and crisp, with wisps of mist drifting through the distant sky. Lin Ruijiao took advantage of the beautiful morning for her run. Following her usual routine, she would return to her room to wash up, then eat breakfast prepared by Aunt Liu.
But as she emerged from the bathroom and sat on the edge of her bed, hands resting on the mattress, she noticed an obvious bulge beneath the covers. Frowning, she yanked the blanket away.
"Why are you here?" Lin Ruijiao stood up, eyes narrowing. After the initial surprise, she was completely composed.
"Mm?" Ye Ruihuan rubbed her eyes, lying in bed and refusing to get up. Her bare face showed nothing but laziness and drowsy half-consciousness. "I was out for a morning run and stopped by..."
Meeting those drowsy eyes, Lin Ruijiao felt speechless. She just wanted to leave any place where Ye Ruihuan was present.
"Mm." Lin Ruijiao responded coldly, too lazy to listen to the rest. She crossed her arms and stared at the other woman expressionlessly.
"What, you won't even say my name anymore?" Ye Ruihuan sat up, speaking unclearly, the upward curve of her lips forming a slight smile.
"..." Lin Ruijiao bit her lip helplessly. "This is my room, isn't it?"
Her pure face bore round eyes veiled with mist, her teeth gently biting her lip. Even with such a serious expression, she inevitably looked like a little adult—interesting and adorable. At least Ye Ruihuan was thoroughly charmed, though she couldn't tease her just yet.
"But I couldn't find any spare rooms in the entire Yuwan Villa to rest in," Ye Ruihuan replied helplessly, her tone soft.
"..." Lin Ruijiao found herself momentarily speechless. She had been the one to tell Aunt Liu not to prepare extra rooms. Now she'd lifted a rock only to drop it on her own foot.
"Go home then." Lin Ruijiao couldn't help but purse her lips. Since they'd already torn off all pretenses, there was no need to keep up the act.
"I'm tired, no energy," she answered lightly, the corners of her lips curving up. That shallow smile dispersed the last trace of coldness from her bearing, leaving no hint of her usual pride.
Just as Lin Ruijiao was about to turn and leave, a light voice drifted from behind: "Is this how you treat your boss?"
She turned back to see the other woman propping her chin on one hand, sitting cross-legged on her bed with a gentle smile. Her features were soft as jade, even her eyes containing playful mirth.
"...Ruihuan~" Lin Ruijiao deliberately put on a sweet smile as she called out. Then she turned and stormed out, slamming the door.
A clear "Mm" drifted from behind, the floating tone like a lazy cat stretching, thoroughly satisfied. Lin Ruijiao pressed her lips together, her expression extremely sour. But Ye Ruihuan just wouldn't leave her alone, following right behind her. It was truly infuriating.
Meanwhile, the people in the kitchen were having their own discussion.
Jing Jing picked up a glass of soy milk: "If CEO Ye acts like this, Sister Lin is definitely going to be angry."
Assistant Li: "Right, ever since they separated at the hotel last time, something's been off between them. Sister Ye's mood has been terrible lately too. I have no idea why she insisted on coming here so early this morning."
Jing Jing raised an eyebrow: "...Sister Lin is the one who should be angry. What exactly did CEO Ye do?"
Assistant Li: "Not sure. Sister Ye does incomprehensible things from time to time. I'm used to it by now."
Jing Jing: "..."
Aunt Liu, busy nearby: "Aren't they talking to each other? They probably had a fight. It's normal for young couples to bicker."
Assistant Li and Jing Jing looked at each other: "..."
The 'young couple' they were discussing sat in the living room in complete silence, as if separated by an invisible barrier.
Even when Ye Ruihuan occasionally sent her 'meaningful glances,' Lin Ruijiao showed no reaction, as if she were the only person in the room.
"Jiaojiao?" Ye Ruihuan suddenly called softly, her voice three degrees gentler than usual, as if trying to appease.
Lin Ruijiao continued watching the TV in front of her, treating the words as if she'd heard nothing at all, completely ignoring them.
Ye Ruihuan's smile stiffened slightly, a bitter expression flickering in her eyes. This little rabbit had quite the temper. She reached out to tug at the other woman's arm, smoothly linking their arms together.
Lin Ruijiao felt the weight on her arm and glanced down, continuing to watch her show without any expression on her face. But emotions churned in her eyes—the suppressed disgust was becoming almost unbearable.
She knew in her heart that now wasn't the time to be willful. But Ye Ruihuan made no further moves, instead fixing her with an intense, persistent stare.
Being watched so intently made Lin Ruijiao extremely uncomfortable. The other woman caught every micro-expression on her face. After enduring it for who knows how long, she finally turned her head: "Is there something on my face?"