Wen Ruoxi looked a bit conflicted. Still, she couldn’t afford to offend Yan Ling…after all, no one turns down money. Besides, Yan Ling had already made it clear that she didn’t care how minor the role was; she just wanted a taste of acting.
After calling the screenwriter over to discuss it, they immediately created a character for Yan Ling: a straight female friend of Gu Yan’s who lacked personal boundaries, leading Lin Zhen to constantly misinterpret things and spark frequent arguments between them.
Yan Ling offered a noncommittal smile, her gaze drifting between Gu Yan and Gu Ming before finally settling on Gu Ming. “Ming, I’ll be in your care from now on.”
“If needed, I’ll be sure to give President Yan a proper education,” Gu Ming replied.
An unspoken, volatile tension sparked between the two women.
Everything Wei You had previously filmed was scrapped, with Gu Ming replacing her entirely. It was only after getting into position that Gu Ming noticed the faint, lingering mark on Gu Yan’s face from where Wei You had slapped her. She frowned almost imperceptibly.
Noticing Gu Ming’s lingering gaze on her cheek, Gu Yan gently touched the spot, offering a reassuring smile to say it was fine. Gu Ming’s brow remained furrowed. She carefully reached out to touch the mark and whispered, “Come to my room tonight. I’ll apply some ointment to reduce the swelling. Oh, by the way, I’m staying right across from you.”
Gu Yan was quietly stunned. Hadn’t Yan Ling booked out that entire floor long ago? How could Gu Ming possibly…
Gu Ming didn’t elaborate, and Gu Yan didn’t want to press for details, suppressing her sudden joy as she immersed herself back into the scene.
Gu Ming, too, slipped seamlessly into character.
She truly deserved her title as the youngest Best Actress of the new generation. The moment she entered character, no one could question her love for Gu Yan. She made the audience understand exactly why she would lay a hand on Gu Yan, why she would argue with her so hysterically.
Though they were the same age, Lin Zhen was mentally much more mature than Gu Yan, having endured far more. In this relationship, her thoughts ran deep and heavy.
Because of their looks, they were constantly mistaken for sisters, and they could only ever refer to each other as such. Even though they weren’t actually related by blood…everything was a mere coincidence.
But how could one say coincidence wasn’t fate?
They were made for each other.
Yet, because they couldn’t openly acknowledge their relationship in public, someone with a complete lack of boundaries had managed to wedge herself between them.
Gu Ming knew she shouldn’t be jealous, shouldn’t be angry, shouldn’t be terrified. She knew deep down exactly how much Gu Yan loved her…that she would never leave or abandon her. Gu Yan had even uprooted her life to follow her to a foreign land for this relationship, only returning home once a year.
Gu Yan loved her so much that Gu Ming believed she wouldn’t be easily stolen away.
But that didn’t stop the jealousy, the suspicion, and the gnawing insecurity.
Especially lately, as they constantly fought over Gu Yan’s boundary-challenged female colleague.
Just because you’re friends, it’s okay to hug and hold each other?
Just because you’re friends, you can intimately link arms, hold hands, and even nuzzle against each other’s necks?
Gu Yan also knew Yan Ling went a bit too far sometimes, but that was just her nature. It wasn’t directed at her alone; Gu Yan had met Yan Ling’s other friends, and Yan Ling was just as physically affectionate with them. She simply liked being touchy-feely.
Gu Yan explained this repeatedly, and while Gu Ming claimed to understand and believe her, the moment she saw them together, the suspicion returned. She would demand that Gu Yan cut ties with her.
But Gu Ming knew Gu Yan’s personality all too well. Gu Yan was simply not the type to initiate conflict or cut off a friend for no apparent reason.
Besides, Yan Ling was the only friend she could truly talk to at the company. She didn’t want to spend ten hours a day at work isolated, mindlessly staring at her phone between tasks. She needed a social life.
And so, Gu Ming fought with her over it.
If she wanted to vent, Gu Ming could be her listener. Why did it have to be Yan Ling?
“That’s because you’re always so busy! I don’t want to disturb you. Our work is completely different—I’m not like you, so swamped that you don’t even have time to look at your phone!”
“I want someone who can text me back instantly. Can you do that?!”
“I just like to chat! I want to talk and vent my frustrations. I have so many uncoordinated thoughts and dissatisfactions…why am I not allowed to have friends?!”
“She isn’t just clingy with me! Besides, there aren’t that many lesbians out there. You’re always hounding me, but what about the girls around you? Have none of them ever shown interest in you?!”
Their argument grew increasingly heated until Gu Yan, losing her filter, began throwing past grievances in her face. Gu Ming despised it when she dragged up old history…especially when Gu Yan did it because she was losing an argument. In a fit of exasperated rage, she struck her.
Unlike Wei You’s calculated, malicious slap, Gu Ming’s swing looked incredibly powerful, but the moment her hand made contact with Gu Yan’s cheek, it was nothing more than a gentle caress. It left no fingerprint, barely even transferring the scent of her skin.
The emotions she conveyed were infinitely more complex than Wei You’s…restrained, laced not just with panic and disbelief, but also with a shred of deep remorse, heartache, and terror.
She rushed to apologize, desperate to hold Gu Yan, needing to feel her presence. She was terrified. They had promised never to resort to physical violence; it was their ultimate boundary, yet she had just slapped her face.
Because it was the first time, and because Lin Zhen wept so bitterly while begging for forgiveness, how could Gu Yan possibly stay hardened? She forgave her.
But Gu Ming couldn’t just accept the forgiveness with a clear conscience. The unease still lingered, which was why she had prepared tonight’s candlelight dinner.
Swept up in the atmospheric tension, they embraced and kissed.
There was no revulsion, no resistance…only the fluttering thrill and profound gratitude of a long-awaited wish finally coming true.
Gu Ming would never know that even though it was just acting, even though she knew it was fake, Gu Yan felt a secret, sweet joy, as if she had stolen a piece of candy.
She even craved more.
Gu Ming had rushed to S City the moment she heard Yan Ling was returning to the country. Though she was a day late, she luckily arrived just in time.
She just hadn’t expected to witness that scene in the restroom.
Turn a blind eye.
Her upbringing told her she should immediately look away and leave, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away.
She couldn’t look away from Gu Yan, whose legs were trembling so badly from being kissed that she could barely stand.
Even though Gu Yan looked so reluctant, her face a mask of endured humiliation, she still hadn’t pulled away.
Gu Ming’s gaze had lingered entirely on Gu Yan’s lips…kissed red, kissed wet.
Even now.
The dim, shadowy lighting, the flickering amber candlelight, the heavy air of romance…everything was flawless.
They embraced, kissing as naturally as breathing. The moment her lips met those soft ones, Gu Ming’s own lips trembled, going completely numb.
She had to summon every ounce of her life’s acting experience just to appear seasoned, practiced, and calm.
But in the end, she wasn’t calm enough.
She deviated from the script. She forced her way past Gu Yan’s teeth, using a soft, lingering, yet utterly dominant motion to flood every corner of her mouth with her own breath.
It was a cleansing. It was a claim of ownership.
Once again, Gu Yan’s legs went weak, nearly causing her to collapse embarrassingly into Gu Ming’s arms.
She could feel Yan Ling’s gaze on them the entire time…venomous, cold, like the stare of a viper.
She knew it was a warning, a manifestation of jealousy, and that there would be hell to pay when she got back. But to trade that impending pain for a single moment like this? It was entirely worth it.
The moment Wen Ruoxi called “Cut!”, Yan Ling was the first to clap. Ignoring how abrupt it seemed, she walked forward. After tossing a few compliments Gu Ming’s way, she turned her gaze to Gu Yan. Disregarding the numerous crew members on set, she reached out and intimately ruffled Gu Yan’s hair, leaning in close to murmur, “Well done.”