Confusion

"Sister Lin, we got it! Sister Wang said she received the email!" Jingjing exclaimed excitedly.

"Really?" This long-awaited news nearly made Lin Ruijiao jump up with joy.

"Yes, yes!" Jingjing hurried over to show her.

"That scared me to death..." Lin Ruijiao breathed a sigh of relief as if she had narrowly escaped disaster.

"Don't be so nervous. I knew everything would be fine," Dong Yulan consoled her.

Ye Ruihuan had somehow placed her hand over Lin Ruijiao's palm, comforting her: "See? Everything's fine. You were making such a fuss over nothing."

"Mm-hmm." Lin Ruijiao's face lit up with joy. She was about to reach for her water glass when she noticed that Ye Ruihuan's hand had somehow come to rest on hers without her realizing it. What was more unsettling was that her body showed no resistance whatsoever to the contact.

Lin Ruijiao froze for a moment. Her body hadn't rejected Ye Ruihuan's touch... This was troubling news indeed. These past few days, with everyone's subtle matchmaking efforts, she really had begun to resemble Ye Ruihuan's rumored romantic interest. This situation was getting complicated.

Back at the hotel, after receiving the good news about passing the audition, Lin Ruijiao found herself preoccupied with this very question despite her initial joy. Could her tolerance for Ye Ruihuan really be this high? She was even beginning to doubt her own supposedly unflappable heart.

Yet as always, she felt no romantic stirrings when around Ye Ruihuan. However, she didn't find the other woman physically repulsive either. It seemed she needed to pay closer attention to their interactions and try to avoid physical contact.

The day after the auditions, everyone gathered at the film set. The opening ceremony drew numerous entertainment media outlets, so the project was no longer a secret. Soon, photos and videos flooded the internet.

[No way, Director Wenxian's new work? So exciting!]

[Ahhh, my goddess Yulan is in it!!! And Sister Xia too!! Their relationship has always been so wonderful! My goddess is so beautiful!]

[Ahhh, what a divine cast! Ye Ruihuan and Dong Yulan working together—this movie's box office is guaranteed!]

[Ahhhhhh, my Yulan is finally back!!!]

[Why is Lin Ruijiao there too?]

[Damn, Lin Ruijiao's really in it? This is Director Wenxian's crew—how did she get in?!]

[Ahhh, our Jiaojiao is in it! Our Jiaojiao is finally getting recognition!]

[What the hell, isn't Lin Ruijiao just a variety show celebrity? Don't ruin the work]

[Lin Ruijiao and Ye Ruihuan? Damn, how are these two together again?! Will they be able to film peacefully without incident?]

[What nonsense, our Jiaojiao's acting is excellent! Let me promote her!]

[Why is Ye Ruihuan everywhere, really...]

[??? My Sister Ye has been partnering with Dong Yulan in Director Wenxian's works for ages. What is Lin Ruijiao even? Coming here to leech off their success—does she even know where she stands?]

[Exactly, does she really think this is some attention-grabbing variety show?]

[Our Ruijiao's acting is really good, okay? She's just still developing. Getting into Director Wenxian's crew proves our Jiaojiao's acting skills are up to standard]

[Heh, probably begged her sugar daddy again. Word is there's some big shot backing her]

[Stop slandering people without any evidence!]

...

Soon the trending topics shifted: #Director Wenxian's New Work Begins Filming#, #Dong Yulan's Comeback#, #Ye Ruihuan and Lin Ruijiao Together#, #Lin Ruijiao's Sugar Daddy#...

Everyone was discussing fervently, but the main parties remained silent, keeping a low profile. Faced with various gossip, none of them came out to clarify anything. Even the usually arrogant Ye Ruihuan hadn't appeared on media platforms to argue with netizens for quite some time.

It was truly surprising.

Meanwhile, on the set of "Floating Life," everyone was preparing. The first day of filming always brought various small problems. Dong Yulan and Ye Ruihuan were currently in the makeup room getting their looks done.

However, their styling was deliberately plain to match their characters—both roles were from society's lower rungs, one a restaurant server, the other a grimy, lowest-ranking office employee.

When the two emerged from makeup, everyone couldn't help but want to laugh. Ye Ruihuan and Dong Yulan's natural beauty was simply too striking—this kind of styling looked rather comical on them. Director Wenxian frowned; this was far from the image he wanted.

Looking at Ye Ruihuan's grimy face, Lin Ruijiao couldn't help but laugh out loud. Ye Ruihuan was usually so glamorous and radiant, but now styled like this, Lin Ruijiao almost wanted to interview her about her feelings. Especially when Ye Ruihuan curved her lips in a slight smile—it looked even more amusing.

Lin Ruijiao found it irresistibly funny. Sister Yulan, on the other hand, was like a lustrous pearl covered in dust—still beautiful and gentle, still endearing. But this version of Ye Ruihuan looked somewhat strange, almost sharp and bitter, off-putting to look at.

Director Wenxian studied them for a long time: "Go redo your styling." His tone was cold.

The two had barely emerged before they were sent back in. Director Wenxian consulted with the producer about something, then the extras received instructions to make adjustments. After the relevant staff provided explanations and everything was arranged properly, filming began.

This was truly rare. Lin Ruijiao was inwardly shocked—Director Wenxian was this strict even with extras.

The extras only had a few seconds of screen time, yet Director Wenxian called for multiple retakes. This made Lin Ruijiao break out in a nervous sweat. The more she witnessed this level of perfectionism, the more anxious she became, losing confidence in herself.

She couldn't help but harbor deep doubts—had Director Wenxian really chosen her for her acting ability? Or were there other reasons? This question magnified infinitely in her mind as she stared seriously at the set. She'd have to ask Ye Ruihuan about this when they got back.

"Sister Lin, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Jing Jing noticed her pale complexion and asked with concern.

"No, I'm fine." Lin Ruijiao shook her head and took a few sips of water.

Finally, Ye Ruihuan and Dong Yulan emerged again, looking even more haggard than before, but the strange quality was gone. This time, Director Wenxian said nothing.

Ye Ruihuan sat down beside Lin Ruijiao, her grimy face sporting an upturned smile that looked quite comical. "What's wrong? Nervous?" She reached up to touch Lin Ruijiao's face.

The idle crew members couldn't help but be drawn to this scene. What was going on with these two? Weren't they supposed to be rivals? Everyone's eyes filled with surprise. But no one had time to focus on them—Director Wenxian's filming pace was notoriously tight and could start at any moment.

Lin Ruijiao nodded expressionlessly, her gaze still fixed on the extras, completely ignoring Ye Ruihuan's presence.

"Don't be nervous. Director Wenxian won't eat you alive," she joked.

Hearing this cold humor, Lin Ruijiao gave her a light, dismissive glance—silence speaking louder than words.

"Relax, it'll be fine." Ye Ruihuan patted her back reassuringly.

Lin Ruijiao leaned forward, dodging away.

Seeing her hand fall into empty air, Ye Ruihuan froze, a flash of disappointment crossing her eyes. Why was the little rabbit suddenly so moody? It was like being sent back to square one, leaving Ye Ruihuan feeling dejected.

Dong Yulan sat quietly nearby, watching the crew film while occasionally glancing at this awkward couple. The atmosphere between them was truly hard to fathom.

It seemed Ruihuan would need to put in more effort.

"Ruijiao," Dong Yulan called out, her face radiant with a gentle smile.

"Sister Yulan," Lin Ruijiao looked up, surprised, then smiled and moved closer to her.

"You've read the script, right? We're playing sisters." She said intimately, "If you don't mind, you can call me sister now—getting into character, you know."

Lin Ruijiao looked up with delight: "Okay, Yulan... sister." When she said it, she felt somewhat shy, her cheeks flushing.

Ye Ruihuan: ...

Xia Dongyang: ... and shot Ye Ruihuan a sharp look.

"Mm-hmm... Ruijiao little sister." Dong Yulan patted her fluffy head.

Lin Ruijiao lowered her head bashfully, her ear tips tinged with red.

"What happened just now? You looked pale as a sheet," she asked gently.

"I feel like everyone here is so talented. Does Director Wenxian really think my acting is good enough?" she asked quietly, her raised eyes dewy with uncertainty.

Ye Ruihuan nearby was startled, not expecting her distress to stem from such concerns.

Dong Yulan glanced at Ye Ruihuan, blinked, then said to Lin Ruijiao: "Ruijiao, you need to be more confident. Director Wenxian only chooses people based on acting ability." She paused, her smile deepening. "Don't let Ruihuan's appearance fool you—if her acting were truly poor, Director Wenxian would have kicked her out long ago. No amount of money could buy a way in." She patiently reassured her.

Ye Ruihuan touched her nose. The logic was sound, but somehow it felt odd to hear. "What's wrong with how I look... hmph..." she muttered to herself.

"That's right, Jiaojiao, don't be nervous. Director Wenxian chose you because your acting is good," Ye Ruihuan added her explanation.

"It must have been Ruihuan's words that caused the misunderstanding. Ruijiao little sister, your acting is excellent—don't worry." Dong Yulan comforted her, then turned her attention to the center of the set where the scene was still being retaken.

"Thank you, Yulan... sister," Lin Ruijiao thanked her softly, then turned to glare at Ye Ruihuan, but still said "thank you."

Ye Ruihuan smiled back but said nothing and made no other moves. It seemed some things really needed to be explained to the silly rabbit—what an adorable fool.

However, maintaining such pure innocence in this industry was truly rare. Dreams? She really hadn't had any... but perhaps she did now. She turned to look at Lin Ruijiao, who sat beside her with a gentle smile.

Next, everyone turned their attention to the set, where the extras' scene still hadn't passed. Ye Ruihuan and Dong Yulan took out their scripts to study, and Lin Ruijiao also opened hers. Though she had no scenes today, she still needed to prepare well—her line delivery skills had to shine.

"Ruijiao, look at this—the two sisters have such a good relationship," Dong Yulan suddenly said, flipping through the script. "Right, little sister?"

"Mm-hmm, sister." Lin Ruijiao nodded, her face unconsciously blushing again.

"Haha, if you're this shy, what will you do when we're filming?" Dong Yulan's tone was full of teasing affection.

"I'm not... I won't be shy," Lin Ruijiao quickly waved her hands in explanation.

Ye Ruihuan smiled knowingly—the little rabbit was truly adorable in certain ways.

Dong Yulan sat chatting with Lin Ruijiao while Ye Ruihuan seemed isolated on the side. This scene was photographed, and the fresh candid shots topped the trending searches.

[See? Our Jiaojiao is just naturally likeable, unlike a certain someone nearby]

[Ahhh, doesn't anyone else think Dong Yulan and Lin Ruijiao look a bit alike?]

[They really do, she's like a second Dong goddess!!!]

[Ahhh, that's exactly it—no wonder our Ruijiao is so cute]

[What nonsense? Stop trying to leech off our Yulan goddess's popularity!]

[Our Sister Ye is just seriously reading her script—what isolation??? When our Sister Ye was already close with Dong Yulan, who knows where Lin Ruijiao even was? Oh right, still working as an extra]

[??? Damn, our Jiaojiao worked her way up step by step through her own efforts, unlike someone who was born into capital]

[Thanks for the compliment—our Sister Ye has that kind of ability, she deserves it]

[Stop trying to associate with us. What's our Yulan goddess's status in the industry?! A variety show nobody dares to compete? Second Dong Yulan—does she even deserve that title?]

[Exactly, don't know where she gets the nerve. No notable works but dares to make such claims. This kind of marketing—isn't she afraid of the stone she throws hitting her own foot?]

[Our Ruijiao has works, looks, and character—stop your malicious attacks]

...

The fans from different camps were in heated arguments, and the trending topics immediately exploded.

At the scene, Dong Yulan's assistant Xiao Liu approached and said something to her. Dong Yulan looked surprised. "Alright, got it," she smiled.

"Ruijiao, let's take some photos. We just finished makeup, so let's show our faces." Dong Yulan took out her phone, and they took several selfies together.

Lin Ruijiao naturally agreed—photos with her idol! With so much happening lately, she hadn't even thought of this. She wasn't usually someone who enjoyed taking photos.

After taking the photos, without any editing, Dong Yulan immediately selected three and posted them on Weibo with the caption: Let me introduce my little sister (heart emoji) @Lin Ruijiao

Her fans, who had been arguing, immediately calmed down and commented below:

[Lanlan goddess, if you're being forced, just blink—you can't just call anyone little sister!]

[Oh, so she's a little sister, got it got it, nothing to do with me then]

[Ahhh, is goddess specially coming out to clarify? Worthy of being my gentle sister]

[Sister Yulan looks beautiful even with this styling]

[Ahhhhhh, my sister is finally active on social media]

[No way no way, goddess really accepted her as a little sister?]

[Ahhhh, Sister Yulan called our Jiaojiao little sister, ahhh, thank you sister for coming to the rescue]

[Ahhhh, my idol acknowledges our Jiaojiao, what a heavenly scene]

...

The argument stopped instantly, turning into a large-scale family recognition scene. Dong Yulan's and Lin Ruijiao's fans got along harmoniously, leaving only Ye Ruihuan's fans feeling sour and looking for trouble.

Finally, the extras' scene passed, and Dong Yulan and Ye Ruihuan took the stage. Lin Ruijiao watched with complete focus.

The scene was set in a warm family home, with the two discussing trivial daily matters, gradually revealing the elderly family member's serious illness. The warm atmosphere suddenly became heavy. Watching their vivid expressions, Lin Ruijiao found herself frowning along with the characters, getting goosebumps all over. Their chemistry created an effect where one plus one was greater than two—she hadn't felt such intensity watching Ye Ruihuan perform alone before.

The two sat together in dejection, every pore seeming to emanate sadness and worry. Blame and conflict slowly emerged as they deflected responsibility onto each other, ending in a long, silent pause.

Even the bright lights couldn't dispel the gloom—shadows seemed to shroud their faces and everyone's hearts.

Everyone was seasoned partners with excellent acting skills and deep familiarity. The director let them continue, filming in one continuous take until their dialogue ended. Only then did Director Wenxian call "Cut!"

When they came down, Lin Ruijiao immediately stood up to greet them: "Sister Yulan acted so well!"

"What about me?" Ye Ruihuan looked at her expectantly, like a child seeking praise.

"You acted well too," Lin Ruijiao said perfunctorily.

"You're showing favoritism," Ye Ruihuan pouted in dissatisfaction.

Lin Ruijiao couldn't be bothered to acknowledge her, instead joining Sister Yulan to discuss the plot. The two stuck together again, while Xia Dongyang looked resentfully at Ye Ruihuan, her eyes clearly conveying "my wife has been stolen again."

Ye Ruihuan was also helpless—the little rabbit wouldn't talk to her, so what could she do? She wouldn't be the villain here.

They were just discussing the plot—she felt there was nothing wrong with that. Besides, Xia Dongyang was right there, vigilantly guarding her wife. If anyone should be anxious, it should be her first.

But could the little rabbit please get along with her properly? She needed to be treated well too.

With so much going on, Lin Ruijiao had no mind for other matters. So that evening, sitting on her bed, she finally saw the message Jingjing had sent, reminding her to check Weibo.

Lin Ruijiao immediately saw the photos Dong Yulan had posted—the ones they'd taken together today. After browsing Weibo for a while, she understood the whole situation. Sister Yulan had specifically posted to help her, or she'd have been torn apart by the fans.

The title "Second Dong Yulan" really was something—the fans were talking nonsense. How could she deserve such comparison? That was Sister Yulan they were talking about.

She happily replied below: Sister Yulan please take care of me! (heart emojis)

Within moments, she noticed another comment had appeared.

Ye Ruihuan: Why didn't you include me? (pitiful emoji)

In her room, Lin Ruijiao thought: ...What was she doing butting into this situation? It wasn't exactly a good thing.

These days, with the intense filming schedule, everyone was exhausted. Even back at the hotel, Ye Ruihuan and Lin Ruijiao had little contact.

Though Ye Ruihuan kept trying to discuss scripts as an excuse to spend time together, Lin Ruijiao completely ignored her.

Lin Ruijiao's role was Dong Yulan's sister, with all her scenes related to the main character. Ye Ruihuan had nothing to do with it. But she only had about ten scenes total. During her time on set, she constantly chatted with Sister Yulan about scripts, discussing plot points, and asking about detailed acting techniques.

So when her time came to perform, everything went relatively smoothly. Even when she had to retake scenes, she quickly adjusted her emotions and immersed herself in character. With help from Dong Yulan and Ye Ruihuan, she successfully completed all her scenes.

On a beautiful moonlit night, Lin Ruijiao hummed happily in her room. Today she'd wrapped filming—she'd finally performed well in Director Wenxian's production. Now, alone in the spacious suite, she could do whatever she wanted. Ye Ruihuan was still at the set filming and probably wouldn't return until very late.

Thinking of this made her even more cheerful. She bounced around the various rooms of the suite like a dancing butterfly finally spreading her wings. The acting process had gone smoothly too—it was all so wonderful.

After her excitement subsided, Lin Ruijiao washed up early and nestled in her room, scrolling through her phone. But finding it boring and having nothing else to do, she felt like something was missing. Suddenly, she remembered the bottles of wine in the living room.

This wine was probably brought from Yu Yuan—the packaging looked the same.

Under the bright lights, Lin Ruijiao walked with light steps, took out a wine glass from the cabinet, selected a bottle of red wine, and slowly poured herself a glass. A celebration for wrapping today—she'd drink and then sleep. Perfect.

Bubbling with joy, Lin Ruijiao browsed various news on her phone while sipping slowly, savoring the rich red wine. Its fragrance filled her nostrils and slid smoothly down her throat. Ye Ruihuan really had good taste—the wine was getting to her head.

She couldn't help taking sip after sip.

The phone in front of her began showing double images. Lin Ruijiao knew she'd had enough, but finally poured herself one last full glass and returned to her bedroom, closing the door.

When Ye Ruihuan returned, the full moon hung high in the sky, clouds drifting like sheer gauze—as if the moon wore a silk dress, casting cool light everywhere. Ye Ruihuan returned to the hotel in this quiet atmosphere. She didn't turn on the lights; the moonlight streaming in was enough to see clearly inside.

Only Lin Ruijiao's room glowed with light—the little rabbit was still awake.

She headed to the bathroom to wash away the day's exhaustion. These days of filming were truly tiring—perhaps she hadn't lived on set for so long in a while. Was she getting old?

Under the gentle shower stream, she suddenly heard a commotion outside, breaking the peaceful quiet—sounds of something crashing.

Ye Ruihuan quickly threw on her pajamas and rushed out.

Under the bright lights, she saw Lin Ruijiao in a milk-white slip dress, swaying and struggling to stand up from the floor. Red wine was spilled in a circle around her, making her exposed skin look even more fair and smooth, with a generous expanse of her chest revealed.

One hand supported her on the ground while the other still gripped a wine glass, red wine sloshing and spilling from it. Her fair face was flushed red, her round eyes filled with confusion—clearly quite drunk.

What made it even more stimulating was the strong scent of alcohol that filled the air. Ye Ruihuan smiled helplessly—what was Jiaojiao trying to do? This little rabbit really was... drinking alone at home? Ye Ruihuan could roughly guess the reason.