“What’s going on, Gu Yan?” Wen Ruoxi called out, her voice laced with irritation. The atmosphere had just been perfect.
“I’m sorry, Director. I’m just feeling a bit unwell.” Gu Yan’s face was deathly pale. Her stomach was churning, bile rising in her throat.
She inadvertently caught Yan Ling’s gaze. The sheer malice, contempt, and playful mockery in those eyes left her feeling profoundly disgusted and furious.
Ming, kiss me. Lick me. Yes… right there…
Ming, call my name…
Ming, I love you so much. Can you feel how badly I want you?
Ming, Ming…
God, she wanted to throw up again.
“I’m sorry, everyone. I—I need to use the restroom.” Clutching her mouth, Gu Yan bolted from the room.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the bizarre, suspicious stares from the crew, but she couldn’t care less right now. All she wanted was to purge the sickness from her system.
What she didn’t expect was for Yan Ling to follow her. Catching a sudden glimpse of Yan Ling’s face behind her in the mirror, Gu Yan flinched violently.
“What? Can’t bring yourself to kiss Wei You? I went out of my way to pick Qianceng’s best-looking girl to be your partner just to accommodate you. You could at least show some respect.”
Yan Ling pressed close, crowding Gu Yan from behind. Slapping her hands down on the vanity, she effectively trapped Gu Yan between her body and the sink.
Resting her chin on Gu Yan’s right shoulder, Yan Ling wore a frivolous, mocking smirk, clearly relishing how wretched and miserable Gu Yan looked.
Refusing to show weakness, Gu Yan took a deep breath and looked up, meeting Yan Ling’s eyes in the mirror. “If I actually kissed her, wouldn’t you be the one suffering? Can you really tolerate me using this face to get intimate with someone else?”
Yan Ling’s eyes darkened, her gaze turning icy. Gu Yan kept her eyes locked on the mirror, her expression laced with defiance.
Just then, footsteps echoed from the outer hallway. Someone was coming in to use the restroom.
Gu Yan’s expression shifted slightly. She hitched her shoulder. “Someone’s coming. Are you sure you want to keep playing chicken with me here, CEO Yan? Even if this gets out and ruins me, you won’t come out unscathed. The CEO of Tianding Entertainment is a lesbian who uses her power to molest her female artists…a scandal like that is bound to tank Tianding’s stock, wouldn’t you say?”
“Are you threatening me?” Yan Ling’s eyes narrowed into slits.
“I’m reminding you.”
The footsteps were right outside the door; the person would walk in any second. After a silent, tense standoff, Yan Ling backed off. But before Gu Yan could even sigh in relief, Yan Ling suddenly grabbed her by the chin and forced a kiss onto her lips.
“Yan… Yan Ling… you’re… crazy…” Gu Yan’s words were broken, muffled by the harsh grinding of their lips.
Strangely enough, the footsteps stopped. Blocked by Yan Ling’s body, Gu Yan couldn’t tell if the person had left or was frozen in shock, paralyzed by the sight of them hooking up in public.
Either way, she had no intention of playing along with Yan Ling’s madness. She tried to push her away, but Yan Ling pinned her hands firmly against her chest.
“Don’t push me away. Otherwise, you know the consequences.”
Gu Yan swallowed her rage, forcing her body to go limp.
Only when Yan Ling had had her fill and finally let go did Gu Yan turn around to turn on the tap and wash her lips.
“Oh? Ming? What are you doing here? So the person just now… was you?”
Gu Yan froze instantly, a jolt of pure shock electrifying her system.
Yan Ling looked at Gu Ming with faux surprise, as if she had only just realized who it was. Yet, her hand possessively slid around Gu Yan’s waist, caressing her with blatant intimacy right in front of Gu Ming.
Gu Yan bit her lip so hard she nearly drew blood. Her lowered face burned with an unbearable, suffocating humiliation.
Why was Gu Ming here? She was supposed to be filming Wilderness Survival.
If that person just now was her, then she had seen everything…
Ignoring Yan Ling’s snide remarks, Gu Ming walked over, turned off the running water for Gu Yan, and handed her two paper towels. “Yan, wipe your face.”
Her voice was as gentle as ever. Always so considerate, as if she could read the sheer embarrassment radiating off her.
Gu Yan stiffly took the paper towels. The moment she pressed them against her face, she felt the damp warmth of two tears soaking into her fingertips.
“Ming, aren’t you being a bit biased? Why didn’t you give me a paper towel to wipe up?” Yan Ling complained, tightening her grip on Gu Yan’s waist with jealous possessiveness.
Gu Ming took it all in, her eyes narrowing slightly into a cold sneer. “If you want paper, CEO Yan, there’s plenty on the wall. Pull it yourself.”
Turning back to Gu Yan, her tone softened completely. “Yan, do you need more?”
Seeing how differently Gu Ming treated her compared to Gu Yan, Yan Ling’s fake smile almost shattered.
“Ming, this… isn’t really appropriate, is it? You saw it yourself just now, Gu Yan and I—” Yan Ling wanted to flaunt her intimacy with Gu Yan, but Gu Ming didn’t even bother to acknowledge her. Without throwing a single glance Yan Ling’s way, Gu Ming kept her eyes fixed on Gu Yan, her voice soft and soothing.
“Yan, don’t worry. Go back to the set.”
Gu Yan lifted her reddened eyes to look at her.
Gu Ming offered her a reassuring smile.
Gu Yan’s heart skipped a beat as a sudden realization dawned on her, her eyes widening. “Gu Ming…”
“CEO Yan,” Gu Ming called out formally.
Yan Ling felt a flicker of flattered vanity, her face lighting up with delight. “Ming, there’s no need to be so formal between us—”
“Forgive me for acting before reporting,” Gu Ming cut her off smoothly. “I have just invested in The Companion, taking over the role of Lin Zhen. Miss Wei You has been dropped.”
Yan Ling’s face dropped.
“Of course, to compensate Miss Wei, this S-tier script in my hands now belongs to Qianceng.”
Gu Ming had clearly come prepared. She casually tossed a rolled-up script synopsis into Yan Ling’s arms, not even bothered to see if she caught it, before grabbing Gu Yan’s hand and walking straight out.
Gu Yan had to admit, the sheer melodrama of this moment was romantic to the extreme. For the rest of her life, she might never experience a thrill as exhilarating, triumphant, and ecstatic as this.
She didn’t see Yan Ling’s expression right now, but she could guess it was utterly hideous.
Hand-in-hand, she and Gu Ming walked back onto the set. The crew looked up, their expressions a mix of wild speculation and curiosity.
Gu Yan ignored them all. She couldn’t care less. Her entire focus was pinned on the hand Gu Ming was holding, absorbing the reassuring warmth of her palm.
Even without anyone speaking, the set was loud with the hum of cameras and equipment, yet the only thing Gu Yan could hear was the thumping of her own heart. Boom. Boom. Each beat heavier and faster than the last.
Wei You was currently arguing with Wen Ruoxi, her face twisted in anger. When she saw Gu Ming approach, she choked on her words, suddenly losing her train of thought.
“The compensation has already been sent to your agency,” Gu Ming said coldly. “If you have any complaints, feel free to take them up with me. Now, please leave immediately.”
Wei You’re face flushed with embarrassment. But when she saw Yan Ling walk in behind them and give her a warning look, she had no choice but to swallow her humiliation. Forcing a polite, practiced smile onto her face, she packed up her things and made a hasty, albeit dignified, exit.
The moment she left, Wen Ruoxi beamed and hurried over to greet Gu Ming. “I had no idea you’d be joining us personally, Teacher Gu! This is a true honor for my set.”
“The honor is mine, Director Wen, to be able to work on your project,” Gu Ming replied smoothly, matching her professionalism.
“Director Wen, do you think we could squeeze in another character? I wouldn’t mind trying my hand at acting either,” Yan Ling said, strolling over. While she addressed Wen Ruoxi, her eyes remained fixed entirely on Gu Ming.
Gu Yan loathed that look.
That slimy, covetous, degrading look directed at Gu Ming.