But why had Ye Ruihuan changed so completely in this lifetime, becoming so agreeable and even confessing her feelings? Lin Ruijiao's mind was full of questions.
However, with the audition approaching, she had no time to spare analyzing Ye Ruihuan's psychological journey. For now, she needed to maintain discipline in her life, practice her acting, and thoroughly study the script of "Floating Life."
Though Ye Ruihuan had received the crew's message early on, she didn't take it to heart. Director Wen Xian's style remained unchanged—no script provided, everything would depend on improvisation at the scene.
The last time she'd worked with Director Wen Xian was four years ago. Time had flown by so quickly. With no good scripts or production teams in the industry lately, she'd been in a state of having no roles to play.
Ye Ruihuan swirled the bubbling liquid in her glass and took a small sip. Her acting-obsessed little rabbit would surely be thrilled. The thought of being able to stay close to her little rabbit again brought a joyful smile to Ye Ruihuan's face, her eyes nearly overflowing with tender affection.
Half a month remained until the audition. This time was different—thanks to joint investment from Haocheng Entertainment and Huarui Entertainment, the "Floating Life" crew was exceptionally well-funded. Everyone would audition on-site, with results announced the next day, followed by immediate filming. The shooting schedule wasn't particularly rushed, but for some unknown reason, Director Wen Xian seemed unusually eager to begin production now.
Apparently, the original plan had been to start a year later. But none of that concerned her—her schedule was completely free, and even if she had commitments, she would make time for this.
Assistant Li and Jing Jing, upon learning of this major opportunity, had immediately begun arranging various schedules with a palpable sense of urgency. Assistant Li had even inquired with Sister Ye about whether they needed to book all the nearby hotels.
Lin Ruijiao took the matter seriously, maintaining daily workouts and a balanced diet. The only person seemingly unconcerned about the whole affair was the nonchalant Ye Ruihuan, who spent her days wandering around the house—or more precisely, following Lin Ruijiao around. Whatever Lin Ruijiao did, she would join in, constantly staying close and seeking every opportunity to spend time together.
This left Lin Ruijiao with nowhere to hide.
"Ruijiao, don't be too nervous. Director Wen Xian's auditions mainly focus on improvisation..." Ye Ruihuan sat beside her, pressing close.
Lin Ruijiao hesitated but ultimately didn't push her away. The information Ye Ruihuan offered was valuable—after all, she had collaborated with Director Wen Xian for years and understood his style and methods well.
"...What's it usually like?" Lin Ruijiao followed up, though she shifted slightly to the side.
"Auditions are all the same—it's mainly about acting ability," Ye Ruihuan replied vaguely. She hadn't paid much attention to these details before; her assistant had always focused on Dong Yulan back then, and she hadn't understood much about crew operations. All she remembered was that every piece of gossip and controversy had involved Dong Yulan, naturally causing her to overlook other things.
For a moment, Ye Ruihuan's memories drifted. If Ruijiao knew she had previously been infatuated with Dong Yulan, and they would inevitably encounter each other on set, would that scene cause her little rabbit to misunderstand even more...?
"Don't worry, your acting is excellent. Director Wen Xian never overlooks good talent," Ye Ruihuan quickly added, though her gentle features clearly carried some hidden concern.
"..." After listening to this stream of unhelpful information, Lin Ruijiao prepared to leave.
"Ruijiao, this time might be particularly challenging though. Apparently, nearly half the industry's artists will be self-recommending for auditions. The competition should be quite fierce," Ye Ruihuan mused thoughtfully.
"...Is that so?" Lin Ruijiao couldn't help but frown. The competition was more intense than she'd imagined. Somehow, she immediately thought of their frequent co-star. "Will Senior Dong Yulan be going too?" she asked without disguise, studying Ye Ruihuan's face carefully and watching for subtle expressions. Ye Ruihuan was exceptionally good at pretending.
"...Yes, if nothing unexpected happens, she'll definitely go," Ye Ruihuan's heart trembled involuntarily. This reaction further confirmed her suspicion—Ruijiao must have had the same dream as her.
Lin Ruijiao's gaze remained fixed on her face, but to her disappointment, Ye Ruihuan showed no particular emotion, as if merely stating an expected occurrence. Could she really be interested in Lin Ruijiao herself? This only deepened Lin Ruijiao's confusion.
"Ruijiao, why did you bring up Yulan?" Ye Ruihuan asked casually, amusement hidden in her eyes. Before waiting for an answer, she continued, "Oh right, you haven't met Yulan yet. You mentioned before that she's your idol..."
"...Yes, I'll finally get to meet her. I'm so excited..." Lin Ruijiao snapped back to attention, nodding eagerly like a pecking chick. This was indeed a good opportunity to meet her idol. Though she'd initially said it to needle Ye Ruihuan, she genuinely admired and liked Senior Dong Yulan. The senior had become increasingly reclusive in the industry, with few occasions to encounter her.
Reportedly, she'd even opened an art gallery, though she rarely appeared there herself—perhaps because she had too many fans. Dong Yulan was truly the white moonlight in everyone's hearts, including Ye Ruihuan's...
Both harbored their own thoughts, seeking to verify their suspicions, and each believed they'd found their answers.
Time flew by. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the bare trees had sprouted fresh green buds, full of vitality, with tiny new shoots adorning the branches. A new cycle had begun.
At the filming location, the style was modern with impressive scale. Ye Ruihuan and Lin Ruijiao, who had arrived a day early, couldn't contain their curiosity and came to familiarize themselves with the environment. Though auditions hadn't officially begun, the site bustled with people, including Director Wen Xian himself, while crew members busied themselves everywhere.
Many renowned actors were also present, including Dong Yulan, accompanied by her partner Xia Dongyang. Her signature bob cut with straight bangs was instantly recognizable. After all this time, her image remained unchanged—cool, tall, ascetic yet commanding. However, she seemed softer than her usual screen appearances, likely influenced by Dong Yulan's presence beside her.
At that moment, Xia Dongyang smiled gently at Senior Dong Yulan, her aura instantly transforming to become warm as jade, making her even more attractive.
Dong Yulan's gaze swept across and met theirs. She smiled and gave a small wave, graceful and radiant, with sunlight casting a golden glow around her.
Lin Ruijiao felt momentarily embarrassed and lowered her eyes, while Ye Ruihuan beside her beamed broadly, waving back at Dong Yulan.
"Let's go over. I didn't expect everyone to arrive so early," Ye Ruihuan said with sudden clarity, hooking Lin Ruijiao's arm to lead her in their direction.
"Mm." Lin Ruijiao pulled her hand free and walked alongside her instead.
"Ruihuan, you're here too?" Dong Yulan smiled gently, beautiful and graceful, radiating warmth like a spring breeze.
"Mm, you're here quite early," Ye Ruihuan smiled back. Scanning the area, she spotted Chen Xiao and others nearby. "You're all here too."
"Of course! How could I miss such an important occasion?" Chen Xiao replied casually. When he smiled, his seductive phoenix eyes gleamed with mischief.
Everyone was accustomed to his demeanor by now.
"Yeah, such an interesting event—naturally we had to join the fun," Ye Junhua chimed in from the side.
"How come it's just you two? Where's that Ye Zhi fellow? Missing an occasion like this isn't her style." He looked around, not spotting their usual "brother."
"...She's been busy lately. She'll probably arrive later," Ye Ruihuan estimated, realizing it had been some time since they'd heard from Ye Zhi.
"Ruihuan, who is this?" Dong Yulan asked, wearing her characteristic gracious smile.
"..." Ye Ruihuan was momentarily stunned. This question was difficult to answer—she'd love to say this was her girlfriend, but Ruijiao would certainly object.
"Hello everyone, I'm Lin Ruijiao, an artist with Huarui Entertainment," Lin Ruijiao introduced herself with a brilliant smile, greeting each person before stopping before Dong Yulan. "Senior Yulan, I've seen your work. I'm your fan—if it's convenient later, could you sign something for me?" She looked humbly and sincerely at the graceful beauty before her.
"Of course, no need to be so formal. Just relax," Dong Yulan naturally accepted paper and pen from Xia Dongyang, immediately signing an autograph for her.
Lin Ruijiao's face lit up with joy and excitement upon receiving the signature. Only after a moment did she realize something, looking up at Dong Yulan and Xia Dongyang. The two moved with such perfect synchronization and intimacy that she hadn't even registered their seamless interaction, too focused on the autograph in her hands.
Senior Dong Yulan and her partner Xia Dongyang were indeed deeply in love.
Though auditions hadn't begun, many actors had already arrived, standing around chatting casually without daring to disturb the busy Director Wen Xian.
"How have you been lately?" Dong Yulan suddenly asked with a teasing expression. "There's been quite a lot of gossip about you recently."
Everyone turned to look at Ye Ruihuan with curious gazes.
"...Not bad... gossip can't be trusted," Ye Ruihuan shook her head, glancing at Lin Ruijiao beside her.
"...Right, it does seem untrustworthy," Dong Yulan's gaze moved back and forth between her and Lin Ruijiao, her graceful face wearing an amused smile like someone enjoying juicy gossip.
"..." Ye Ruihuan met her gaze and nodded helplessly.
Lin Ruijiao felt somewhat embarrassed, avoiding everyone's direct stares and keeping her head down throughout, completely missing Ye Ruihuan's obvious hints.
"Ruijiao, I've seen your work. Your acting is quite good," Dong Yulan said gently, seeing Lin Ruijiao remaining silent like an ostrich.
"Really? Thank you, Sister Yulan!" Lin Ruijiao immediately lifted her head, looking at her with surprise and excitement shining in her eyes.
"Really," Dong Yulan nodded with a gentle, affirming smile.
"Thank you, Sister Yulan!" Lin Ruijiao exclaimed gratefully. Receiving praise from her idol in person was incredibly thrilling.
The awkwardness Lin Ruijiao had felt in this unfamiliar circle instantly dissipated, her entire being radiating joyful pink bubbles.
"Little Lin's acting really is quite good. Any interest in joining my Haocheng Entertainment? The conditions won't be worse than Huarui's," Chen Xiao joked from the side.
"...Um... no, thank you," Lin Ruijiao thoughtfully declined.
Chen Xiao immediately received threatening looks from Ye Ruihuan. "Isn't poaching talent right in front of someone a bit excessive?" Her smile faded considerably, her eyes full of warning.
"Hey, I was just joking. Why so serious?" Chen Xiao replied tactfully.
Ye Junhua seemed uninterested in these matters, constantly looking around the set for someone. Suddenly he shouted loudly: "Ye Zhi! Over here!" He waved energetically at Ye Zhi, who had just gotten out of a car.
Lin Ruijiao looked in that direction and indeed saw Sister Ye Zhi arriving. It had been so long since she'd seen her.
"Hi everyone, you're all here. Ruijiao came too," Ye Zhi quickly walked over, standing beside Ye Junhua and greeting everyone.
"Yes, Sister Ye Zhi," Lin Ruijiao replied obediently.
"Ye Zhi, why are you so late today?" Ye Junhua asked curiously, naturally draping his arm over her shoulder.
The others exchanged knowing glances, apparently understanding their relationship perfectly.
Observing everyone's reactions, Lin Ruijiao finally looked at Ye Ruihuan, who also wore a teasing expression. These two were apparently a couple, though they didn't seem to be officially together yet, Lin Ruijiao mused.
Ye Ruihuan, noticing her stare, gave her a brilliant smile and nodded, seemingly confirming her guess.
Lin Ruijiao immediately avoided eye contact, keeping her head down again.
Watching their interaction, everyone seemed to understand something. Dong Yulan even exchanged a meaningful look with her wife, both smiling.
Love was precious and should be treasured.
Everyone present was paired up, leaving Chen Xiao as the odd one out. He touched his nose: "You all chat. I'll go talk to Wen Xian." With that, he departed.
The remaining six continued chatting casually, though it was really five people—Xia Dongyang simply stood beside Dong Yulan, barely speaking, silently protecting her while gazing at her with loving eyes.
Among those present were either seniors or investors, so Lin Ruijiao naturally had little opportunity to speak, occasionally chiming in with a few words.
"Ruijiao, why did you want to become an actress?" Dong Yulan asked with a beaming smile, so kind and approachable.
Ye Ruihuan, by contrast, seemed unapproachable. It was hard to imagine how these two had become such good friends.
"...Well, acting is my dream. My goal is to win the Sanhua Award," Lin Ruijiao declared boldly. Among the actors present, only she had yet to achieve this honor. Dong Yulan and Ye Ruihuan had long been crowned with Sanhua Awards.
"That's wonderful. Ruijiao, you can definitely do it," Dong Yulan encouraged with genuine warmth after a moment's consideration.
"Thank you, Sister Yulan."
Meanwhile, Ye Ruihuan fell into contemplation. She realized she'd never considered these questions before. She knew her little rabbit loved acting but had never known her goals or motivations for becoming an actress. But it wasn't too late—she still had plenty of time to spend with her, gradually learning everything about her, including the future she envisioned.
She hoped she could be part of that future.
Ye Ruihuan's expression grew even gentler, surprisingly similar to Dong Yulan's demeanor.
Everyone couldn't help but exchange glances again. Ye Ruihuan had certainly changed a lot recently—love's power was indeed formidable.
Ye Zhi had something else to attend to and left to find Chen Xiao and the others, with Ye Junhua following behind. Now only the four of them remained, with assistants bringing chairs from somewhere.
Dong Yulan seemed to particularly like Lin Ruijiao, moving closer and intimately placing her hand on Lin Ruijiao's.
Being so close to her idol, especially such a graceful beauty, naturally delighted Lin Ruijiao. She also felt a secret satisfaction—this was Ye Ruihuan's white moonlight, yet she was being so intimate with her while Ye Ruihuan could only watch helplessly from the side...
Dong Yulan continuously shared various industry stories with her, and Lin Ruijiao listened with great interest, responding obediently.
Initially, Ye Ruihuan thought their good relationship was wonderful—of course everyone would like her adorable Ruijiao. But gradually she realized something was wrong. Why were those two sticking together while she was left out?
And Ruijiao had mentioned really liking Yulan before—wouldn't she like her even more now? If she really fell for her, what would happen then?
Watching the two chatting enthusiastically, Ye Ruihuan's smile gradually faded, and an inexplicable chill ran through her. Looking up, she met Xia Dongyang's resentful gaze. She remained unchanged, constantly acting like a jealous vinegar jar, afraid someone might steal her wife.
Previously, she couldn't even chat with Yulan before receiving those threatening looks. But now there was nothing Xia Dongyang could do about it, and Ye Ruihuan suddenly felt pleased—finally, Xia Dongyang was getting a taste of her own medicine.
But what if her little rabbit ran off with someone else?
Assistant Li's imagined voice: Sister Ye, get a grip! Didn't you used to really like Dong Yulan?!
Dong Yulan and Lin Ruijiao chatted enthusiastically like old friends, pouring out stories while Lin Ruijiao responded, asked questions, or exclaimed in amazement, clearly enjoying herself immensely.
Ye Ruihuan's smile had completely disappeared. Ruijiao had never been this happy when with her. When she snapped back to attention, Xia Dongyang had somehow moved beside her. Half a head taller than Ye Ruihuan, she whispered like a mosquito: "Ye Ruihuan, can you control your girlfriend?" she complained.
"...Isn't it Yulan who's pulling Ruijiao into conversation?" she confidently countered. She'd long been at odds with Xia Dongyang—their history ran deep.
But then she realized something, her attention completely captured by those three words: "girlfriend." Did she and Ruijiao really look so much like a couple when standing together? They truly were a perfect match.
Having successfully retorted to Xia Dongyang, Ye Ruihuan felt much better, completely absorbed in the identity of being Lin Ruijiao's girlfriend, filled with joy.
Watching her lovestruck expression, Xia Dongyang muttered "idiot" under her breath before returning to her wife Yulan's side.