In the stillness of the night, Ye Ruihuan let out a quiet sigh. The house was shrouded in a deep, heavy silence, broken only by the roar of the winter wind outside.
Though the two of them rarely spoke at home, their atmosphere had become much calmer than before. The previous tension—so tight it made the air feel razor-sharp—had faded. Both Assistant Li and Jing Jing could sense the difference.
There wasn't much work lately, so Lin Ruijiao had decided to let things slide. She focused on eating well, keeping up her workouts, and refining her acting skills. Most of her time, though, was spent alone in her room, with only minimal interaction with Ye Ruihuan. For her, everything felt normal.
But for Ye Ruihuan, it was frustrating. How could they live under the same roof and yet have no chance to connect? Their current dynamic resembled that of distant roommates rather than... anything else.
One day, Lin Ruijiao came downstairs holding something.
"Ruijiao, would you like a drink?" Ye Ruihuan's eyes lit up as she raised her wine glass, refusing to give up.
"...No, thank you." Lin Ruijiao declined and turned away.
"Then... maybe a movie together?" Ye Ruihuan offered again, fishing for any excuse.
"...No need. I've got things to do." Lin Ruijiao refused without much thought. She had long given up trying to understand Ye Ruihuan's behavior—there was no deciphering her intentions, so why bother? It wasn't affecting her life anyway.
The weather was growing colder by the day. Snowflakes had started to fall, drifting in the sky before quietly melting away. Industry events held no appeal for Ye Ruihuan lately. There weren't many worthwhile business opportunities either. The higher her status rose, the fewer engagements she could accept, and each one had to be chosen carefully. Especially with Huarui Entertainment involved—if anything went wrong, Ye Zhi would definitely hold her accountable.
Staring at the falling snow, Ye Ruihuan suddenly remembered her dream. Despite everything, Ye Zhi had managed Huarui for years and must have developed some real feelings for it... She looked down at the snowmelt vanishing on the ground.
She couldn't let the little rabbit die.
The dream had felt too real, as if fate were trying to warn her—maybe it was even a premonition.
But their relationship hadn't progressed at all. Lin Ruijiao stirred something inside her every time she appeared, but they couldn't have a real conversation, much less anything deeper. Wasn't that a waste of this rare chance? A wave of anxiety rose in Ye Ruihuan's chest. Her fingers trembled violently around her wine glass.
With the Spring Festival approaching, the industry had mostly gone quiet, and no events were seeking Lin Ruijiao out either.
Looking at her empty schedule, then at the flood of nasty comments on her Weibo, Lin Ruijiao could only feel a headache forming. Clearly, there would be no invitations this season. Maybe she hadn't acted in enough projects this year, or perhaps she just didn't resonate with audiences...
She sighed lightly and made a phone call.
"Mom, it's me." A genuine smile bloomed across Lin Ruijiao's face, easing the furrow in her brow.
"Ah, Jiaojiao, you're not busy anymore?" Her mother's familiar, gentle voice echoed warmly through the line.
"Not anymore. I'm coming home tomorrow," she said cheerfully.
"Good, good! Come home soon. I saw that drama you acted in—our Jiaojiao was wonderful!"
"Alright, alright, we'll talk about it when I'm back," Lin Ruijiao said, eyes misting.
"Alright then, be careful on the road. Stay safe."
Not long after the call ended, Lin Ruijiao called Jing Jing to help arrange her travel plans. She began to pack. Jing Jing found it strange. Usually, Sister Lin insisted on having the car inspected before any trip, even hiring professional drivers who could repair vehicles if needed. Every trip came with strict safety checks. Still, she didn't overthink it. Given all the slander Sister Lin had faced recently, it made sense to be cautious.
Their packing was a bit loud. During dinner, Ye Ruihuan asked, puzzled, "Jiaojiao, are you doing a deep clean or something?"
"...No, we're packing," Lin Ruijiao replied without even lifting her head, focused on her meal.
"Huh?" Ye Ruihuan's heart jumped. She looked at her directly. "What for? Are you moving out?"She didn't dare ask anything more.
"...No," Lin Ruijiao replied calmly, unaware of the hidden urgency in Ye Ruihuan's question.
Ye Ruihuan pressed her lips together, picking at her food absentmindedly. She didn't dare probe further. But what if she was moving? What could she say to make her stay? The truth was—she couldn't. She had no leverage, no right.
In that instant, Ye Ruihuan's mind spiraled, drowning in thoughts that dragged her into a dark abyss of helplessness.
"With New Year coming up, is Miss Lin heading home for the holidays?" Assistant Li jumped in, cutting through the silence. Seeing Ye Ruihuan's growing distress, she gently nudged the conversation along.
"...Mm, going home," Lin Ruijiao finally looked up and saw everyone staring at her. "What? You're not going home too?" Her round eyes blinked innocently.
"Of course," Ye Ruihuan said, visibly relaxing. A soft smile touched her lips.
Jing Jing watched quietly. At the table, only Lin Ruijiao seemed confused by the strange atmosphere. Ye Ruihuan exhaled in relief. So she wasn't moving out. Her heart returned to her chest at last.
Then it hit her—if Lin Ruijiao was going home, she wouldn't be around for a while. The realization deflated her like a balloon, and even her falling strands of hair seemed to droop with sorrow.
Jing Jing and Assistant Li exchanged a glance, subtle and full of unspoken understanding.
Dinner ended in a strange blend of Ye Ruihuan's unease and disappointment. That night, Jing Jing helped Lin Ruijiao finish packing. When she returned to her room, she found messages from Assistant Li waiting for her.
[It's obvious now—Sister Ye definitely likes Miss Lin.]
[Yeah... Sister Lin doesn't seem to notice it at all.]
[Ahhhhhh what do we do?! You're all leaving—what about me?!]
[...Chill.]
Elsewhere, Ye Ruihuan lay awake, tossing and turning with a heavy heart. She didn't know what to do anymore. They hadn't had any special moments lately, but the thought of not seeing Lin Ruijiao for a while made her chest ache.
She reached beneath her pillow and pulled out the jade peace talisman, clutching it tightly.
As she stared into the blurred darkness, she realized—She was already starting to miss her.
Ever since she admitted her feelings for Lin Ruijiao, everything about the woman had changed in her eyes. Every gesture, every word, every smile... it was all irresistible. She was hopelessly enchanted.
Lin Ruijiao had become like a glistening red apple—ripe, alluring, impossible to ignore. And all Ye Ruihuan wanted was to take a bite, without caring about the consequences.