The Morning After

Lin Ruijiao hurriedly devoured her steamed buns and tore off half a breadstick, practically inhaling her breakfast in her rush to finish quickly and escape this awkward situation with Ye Ruihuan present.

"...Slow down, what's the hurry?" Ye Ruihuan couldn't help but remind her again, watching her frantic eating.

"..." Lin Ruijiao nodded but didn't slow her pace, wolfing down her food as the flush on her face deepened with Ye Ruihuan's words. Her fluffy head remained lowered, avoiding the other woman's gaze entirely.

To her dismay, Ye Ruihuan picked up the remaining half of her breadstick and began eating it with leisurely precision.

Lin Ruijiao could still feel that intense stare boring into her. Why did Ye Ruihuan keep watching her like that? At least she hadn't brought up last night's incident—she seemed to have no intention of mentioning it at all.

Finally finishing breakfast, Lin Ruijiao abandoned her planned morning run with Jing Jing. Jing Jing would understand anyway and hadn't come looking for her. Completely ignoring Ye Ruihuan's presence, Lin Ruijiao took her plate to the kitchen and headed straight to the living room to find Jing Jing and discuss their plans.

Unfortunately, she had acquired a persistent shadow—Ye Ruihuan followed behind her like a loyal puppy, impossible to shake off.

"Jing Jing, we'll skip the morning run today," she said, settling beside her friend.

"Alright..." Jing Jing's words died in her throat as she glanced at Sister Ye behind Lin Ruijiao, swallowing whatever she'd been about to say.

Lin Ruijiao felt the familiar sensation of the cushion dipping beside her.

"...Why do you keep following me around?" Lin Ruijiao finally couldn't hold back, though the crimson on her face had faded considerably, her ear tips still glowed red.

Ye Ruihuan didn't miss these details, her gentle smile growing even warmer.

"...I'm not following you... Just pretend I don't exist..." Ye Ruihuan replied with a smile, showing no trace of apology.

"...How can I pretend you don't exist?" Lin Ruijiao frowned in response. "Your presence is too overwhelming." A hint of impatience crept into her otherwise calm expression.

"...Just ignore me then. I won't interfere with anything you're doing," Ye Ruihuan explained.

"You're already interfering..."

"...Well then, should we discuss last night...?" Ye Ruihuan's face bore a gentle smile, but her eyes sparkled with mischief and an indecipherable meaning that Lin Ruijiao couldn't grasp.

"Wait... don't say anything..." Lin Ruijiao immediately cut her off, terrified of what inappropriate words might come next. Last night had been too embarrassing.

Lin Ruijiao's shame rose from deep within her heart, two patches of red blooming on her cheeks like peach blossoms, creating an unexpectedly charming sight.

"Alright..." Ye Ruihuan obediently agreed, her gentle smile never wavering.

Jing Jing tactfully slipped away from this charged atmosphere, preferring not to interrupt the couple's intimate banter.

"Nothing happened last night. Don't bring it up," Lin Ruijiao said defensively, her face growing increasingly red until she resembled a tempting rosy apple, radiating a sweet fragrance that made one want to take a bite.

Ye Ruihuan's gaze grew hazy as she stared at Lin Ruijiao. This adorable appearance was truly heart-stirring. She couldn't help but lick her lips, though she refrained from any action, carefully studying the other woman's shy demeanor. Only then did she register what had been said, nodding obediently.

"...Why do you keep staring at me?" Lin Ruijiao lowered her eyes to avoid that gaze, embarrassedly looking away. Ye Ruihuan was truly persistent.

"...Because you're beautiful," Ye Ruihuan replied with sudden clarity, the words floating out casually without a hint of embarrassment.

Those words instantly set Lin Ruijiao's face ablaze, the flush spreading down her neck and finally tinting her ears crimson.

Watching all of Lin Ruijiao's exposed skin turn the same rosy pink as if dyed, Ye Ruihuan laughed inwardly. Had Ruijiao always been so easily flustered? She didn't remember her being this shy before...

"Can... can you please speak normally?" Lin Ruijiao grabbed a teacup from the coffee table and drained it in one gulp, the cool tea flowing down her throat and calming the restlessness within her body.

"Ruijiao, that was my cup..." Ye Ruihuan's eyes were full of amusement.

Having already drunk it, Lin Ruijiao could only helplessly set the cup back on the table. How mortifying. She stole a glance at Ye Ruihuan, her expression a mix of shyness and reproach.

Ye Ruihuan found this coquettish look absolutely adorable. If circumstances allowed, she would pull Lin Ruijiao into her arms right now and kiss her thoroughly. Unfortunately, the current situation—and Lin Ruijiao herself—wouldn't permit such actions.

"Why didn't you stop me earlier?" After a moment, Lin Ruijiao found an excuse to shift the blame.

"...I was too slow to speak up..." Understanding Lin Ruijiao's little schemes perfectly, Ye Ruihuan played along, taking the fault upon herself. Whatever Ruijiao said was right.

If she continued teasing her, Lin Ruijiao might truly want to dig a hole to hide in, and then how would she get to see such an adorable side of her?

After a long while, most of the flush finally faded from Lin Ruijiao's face as she glared at Ye Ruihuan: "Exactly." Her voice was firm, tinged with indignation.

"Mm, my fault, my fault," Ye Ruihuan continued in the same vein, her voice soft and laughing, full of indulgence.

This version of Ye Ruihuan left Lin Ruijiao stunned. When had she started speaking this way? How had she changed so much? Her ear tips unconsciously reddened again.

"...Stop talking. It's weird," Lin Ruijiao said quietly, though she still hadn't turned her head back.

"...Alright," Ye Ruihuan agreed again. She had to listen to her wife.

Seeing Ye Ruihuan's cooperative attitude, Lin Ruijiao's thoughts gradually cleared. She blinked—such an opportune moment for negotiation couldn't be wasted.

"Ruihuan..." Lin Ruijiao finally turned her head, meeting Ye Ruihuan's smile-filled eyes that were warm as jade, containing emotions she couldn't quite decipher.

"Mm? What is it?" Ye Ruihuan asked with a beaming smile. The little rabbit had stopped mid-sentence—who knew what she was plotting.

"About... last night's incident... let's just pretend nothing happened, okay?" After much hesitation, Lin Ruijiao steeled herself to voice the tangled thoughts in her heart.

"...What happened last night?" Ye Ruihuan deliberately played dumb, a flash of confusion crossing her eyes.

"You weren't that drunk, were you? Last night's incident—stop playing dumb..." Lin Ruijiao paused, recalling the entire sequence of events from the previous evening, confirming that those things had indeed happened and weren't just a dream.

"I'm not," Ye Ruihuan smiled lightly. "What incident last night?" she asked pointedly.

Lin Ruijiao found herself speechless at this response, frustration rising. How was she supposed to answer that question?

"...Last night... those things! You even kissed me forcibly! Stop pretending!" Lin Ruijiao exploded with embarrassed anger, her face flushed with shame and indignation.

Ye Ruihuan's smile faded slightly. She couldn't continue teasing any further, so she answered honestly: "Wasn't it you who seduced me last night?"

Before Lin Ruijiao could reach over to cover her mouth, Ye Ruihuan continued: "Alright, alright, I'll stop." She firmly grasped Lin Ruijiao's hand, gently lowering it.

"What do you mean 'stop'? You kissed me first, so whatever I did afterward was perfectly normal... Let's call it even—no one keeps score," Lin Ruijiao rattled off a string of words before concluding: "So, let's just pretend nothing happened, okay?" She looked up at Ye Ruihuan.

Ye Ruihuan was left dazed by this torrential explanation. Who would have thought the little rabbit was so skilled at turning black into white and twisting logic? The amusement in her eyes deepened, while her overflowing affection had nowhere to go but to spill forth.

Lin Ruijiao didn't dare look too long. When Ye Ruihuan wore that deeply affectionate expression—especially directed at her—she always felt unsettled, strange somehow.

"Fine, I'll listen to you. You have the final say," Ye Ruihuan replied gently, her words soft as flowing spring water, warm and soundless.

This warmth slowly flowed into Lin Ruijiao's heart, leaving her momentarily stunned. Ye Ruihuan's behavior was truly hard to get used to.

She lowered her head, avoiding eye contact and any further interaction, only then realizing that her hand had been captured by Ye Ruihuan's. She quickly pulled it free.

The sudden withdrawal of that soft palm left Ye Ruihuan momentarily stunned, a flash of loss and reluctance crossing her eyes.

Having settled the matter, Lin Ruijiao got up and left.

Within just a few days, Director Wen Xian's audition notification arrived. Lin Ruijiao looked at the message on her phone, joy spreading across her face...

During her time away from work, thanks to the reality show's broadcast, Lin Ruijiao's name frequently appeared on trending topics. The online rivalry between her and Ye Ruihuan's fan bases showed no signs of cooling, with supporters clashing across all platforms. This made it difficult for Lin Ruijiao to post any updates or clarifications without causing unnecessary uproar, so she decided to stay home and rest properly, treating it as lying low until the storm passed.

Reflecting on Director Wen Xian's previous life work "Floating Life," she remembered how it depicted the myriad faces of humanity through the simple lives of several families, vividly portraying modern people's struggles and resonating deeply with audiences to critical acclaim.

The characters in that film were incredibly complex, each person multi-dimensional and layered. Even knowing the plot, Lin Ruijiao felt uncertain about her chances. This was the film where nearly every main actor had won major awards that year, testament to both the work's depth and the actors' exceptional performances.

Knowing this had been her predecessors' masterpiece in her previous life, she felt deeply insecure. These were all ceiling-level figures in the entertainment industry—seemingly unreachable heights.

However, she remembered that Ye Ruihuan had indeed appeared in it, though she herself had not. By then, their relationship had already become quite ugly.

More precisely, Ye Ruihuan had made things ugly, creating obstacles for her in every way possible, as if retaliating for her unilateral breakup by deliberately targeting her. Even when she tried to terminate her contract with Huarui Entertainment, the process had been extremely difficult, with Ye Ruihuan using her industry position to make things hard for her...

But in the end, she had still managed to cut all ties with Ye Ruihuan completely.

Recalling that difficult period, an unnamed fire rose in Lin Ruijiao's heart, along with a trace of disgust...