The moon hung like a luminous disk against the velvet sky, draped in gossamer veils of pale yellow, casting its gentle radiance upon the world below.
Ye Ruihuan's footsteps quickened involuntarily as she made her way from the car toward the villa, but when she pushed open the door, she was greeted by nothing but darkness. No sign of life, no trace of the Lin Ruijiao from her dreams.
She pressed her hand against her hollow chest, murmuring to herself, "It seems I've been too deeply affected by that dream."
Meanwhile, Lin Ruijiao was still at the company dormitory with Sister Wang. Because of her, Sister Wang had moved twice during this period, and as both a longtime colleague and friend, she naturally had to help.
As for the acting classes Ye Ruihuan had mentioned, when the time came, she hadn't shown up. Presumably, as Assistant Li had said, she wouldn't be coming because of the evening gala. Perfect—she was utterly disgusted by her right now anyway.
"Ruijiao, I can manage on my own. You should head back first. Who knows, maybe Boss Ye will go to Yuwan Villa looking for you," Sister Wang said while organizing the wardrobe.
"It's fine, Sister Wang." Lin Ruijiao smiled in response.
"Well, thank you so much for this."
"What's there to thank between us two? We've been partners for so many years—I should be thanking you for taking such good care of me." Lin Ruijiao couldn't help but feel moved.
"Of course, Ruijiao. Don't worry, we'll both do even better. I believe in you." Sister Wang had watched her sincere and passionate heart all these years. Someone like her just lacked the right opportunity. And now, Lin Ruijiao carried something that seemed like newfound confidence, her acting skills were sharp, and as long as she wasn't affected by the company's manipulations, she was destined to become famous and reach the pinnacle of their dreams. Sister Wang believed this without a doubt.
The two women shared a knowing smile. After helping Sister Wang organize everything, Lin Ruijiao finally made her leisurely way back to Yuwan Villa.
However, before Lin Ruijiao could even enter the house, she spotted Ye Ruihuan's car and instantly felt the urge to turn around and leave. She paused, clenched her fists, and walked straight in, her eyes harboring hidden disdain and mockery.
At that moment, Ye Ruihuan sat alone on the sofa, her expression serene but inscrutable.
Xiao Li and Aunt Liu had long since retreated to the sidelines. Sister Ye hadn't allowed them to send Lin a message to notify her of her arrival—it was impossible to read her mood, so it was better not to hover around her.
The moment Lin Ruijiao entered, she immediately spotted Ye Ruihuan in the center of the room. Her exquisite, luxurious gown and perfectly applied makeup made her look like a fallen fairy, the light blue-purple gradient adding an ethereal, dreamlike quality that was dazzling and absolutely stunning.
A flash of amazement crossed Lin Ruijiao's eyes. This beautiful appearance masked Ye Ruihuan's usual arrogance, leaving only cool elegance. She quickly composed her expression and put on a light smile. Of course—when going to see someone you like, you'd naturally want to dress beautifully.
But as she drew closer, she realized that Ye Ruihuan hadn't even noticed her presence yet. Her expression was complex, brows slightly furrowed in a troubled manner. She must have stumbled in front of her beloved and come to seek comfort from her substitute. Lin Ruijiao pressed her lips together.
Ye Ruihuan slowly lifted her eyelids, but the complex emotions in her eyes hadn't dissipated—confusion, longing, frustration...
"You're back?" When she raised her eyes again, all those emotions had vanished, leaving only a trace of joy.
"Yes, Ruihuan." Lin Ruijiao obediently sat down beside her. At this moment, she only needed to play the role of a substitute.
"Where were you? Didn't we arrange for acting lessons today?" Ye Ruihuan's tone grew stern as she questioned her.
"I was with Sister Wang. Yes, we did, but... I heard you had a gala tonight, so I assumed you wouldn't come." She answered smoothly, her round eyes meeting Ye Ruihuan's gaze directly.
Looking at Lin Ruijiao's gentle smile, whether it was her imagination or not, Ye Ruihuan felt her heart skip an uncontrollable beat. But... there was nothing about her that should attract her attention.
Lin Ruijiao couldn't help but turn away. At such close distance, gazing into Ye Ruihuan's eyes, she could see more clearly—that flawless face, those misty, enchanting eyes, and those crimson lips. This formal attire made her even more beautiful, and Lin Ruijiao found herself secretly admiring the sight.
But then, remembering Ye Ruihuan's cruel treatment of her, she couldn't help but let her emotions show. To avoid her gaze, she had to turn her head away and stop looking at her.
Ye Ruihuan continued staring at her, motionless, as if trying to decipher her own heart. After a long while, she finally looked away and faced forward. "Let's watch a movie."
"Alright." Lin Ruijiao was more than happy with this suggestion and quickly turned on the television.
Since Ye Ruihuan gave no specific instructions, Lin Ruijiao randomly selected a highly-rated must-watch film and focused intently on the screen. But Ye Ruihuan beside her was different—she could feel the intermittent glances being cast her way. Well, it had nothing to do with her; she was probably just thinking about her white moonlight. Lin Ruijiao simply ignored this completely.
Ye Ruihuan licked the corner of her lips, emotions churning in her eyes, dark and inscrutable. After an indeterminate amount of time, she finally spoke: "Jiaojiao..." Her voice was incredibly gentle, filled with unnamed emotion.
"Mm?" Lin Ruijiao cooperatively responded, turning to look at her. A misty veil covered Ye Ruihuan's eyes, shimmering with loving enchantment that left Lin Ruijiao stunned. It seemed Ye Ruihuan was looking at Dong Yulan through her again.
But... Ye Ruihuan's hazy gaze slowly drew closer, and Lin Ruijiao instinctively pulled back. She froze, her brows furrowing as she grasped Lin Ruijiao's chin. "What are you running from?" The words were ice-cold, dropping the surrounding temperature to freezing.
Lin Ruijiao bit her lower lip, her gaze evasive, saying nothing. Playing along was one thing, but she couldn't truly become someone else's substitute. Yet at this moment, she seemed trapped with no room to retreat.
"Are you afraid of me?" Ye Ruihuan asked with a lilting tone, light as air but carrying obvious threat.
Lin Ruijiao's throat constricted as she lowered her eyes and shook her head.
"Then you must hate me?" She narrowed her eyes, her words laced with dangerous undertones.
Lin Ruijiao still shook her head, neither looking at her nor making a sound.
But this very demeanor made Ye Ruihuan find her particularly grating. The emotions in her heart churned wildly, seemingly about to explode at any moment, and even the surrounding air seemed to grow cautious.
"No matter what—whether you hate me or like me, Jiaojiao, you must never think of escaping from me." Ye Ruihuan leaned close, staring directly at her, her clear voice carrying a husky quality that was both alluring and filled with danger.
Lin Ruijiao couldn't help but meet her gaze. She could no longer see clearly—Ye Ruihuan's eyes seemed veiled in white mist, hazy and obscure, concealing her true thoughts. She couldn't make any judgment, much less react. What madness had possessed Ye Ruihuan?
"Do you understand?" Ye Ruihuan moved to her ear, murmuring indistinctly. Then a warm sensation followed, sending shivers through her very core.
Ye Ruihuan had bitten her ear. The slight pain was masked by the tingling numbness, and Lin Ruijiao suppressed the urge to push her away. Stay calm, stay calm—she didn't yet have the qualification to break things off with her.
She could only lower her head, her black hair falling naturally to hide her complicated expression.
Ye Ruihuan happily stroked her hair. Such an obedient little rabbit—she quite liked her. The churning emotions rolled back and forth before finally being covered by this surge of joy. Ye Ruihuan was now quite clear that she hadn't fallen for Lin Ruijiao—this was her conclusion.
However, she completely forgot that when facing Dong Yulan in the past, she had seemed equally unclear, doing equally foolish things...
Lin Ruijiao kept her head down, ignoring her until she left this space, finally allowing her room to breathe and relax. Expressionless, she stood up, her round eyes cold and detached. She slowly returned to her room, the corners of her lips curving in a barely perceptible arc full of mockery.
The lights remained off, her slender figure disappearing into the darkness. Through the moonlight streaming from outside, her lovely almond eyes reflected a determined brightness.