After Rebirth, the Cold and Aloof Film Queen Always Wants to Cuddle with Me - Chapter 24
Chapter 24
The expression on Ye Ruihuan’s face cooled, her lips pressed into a thin line.
Jingjing hesitated for a few seconds before coming over. Wouldn’t it be better if President Ye applied the medicine to Lin-jie herself? She blinked uncertainly.
Taking the ointment from Ye Ruihuan, she began to gently apply it to the swollen red mark on Lin Ruijiao’s right cheek. As soon as she touched it, Lin Ruijiao winced and let out a sharp hiss.
Her eyes were tightly shut, brows furrowed, face tilted up with a look of pitiful surrender. “Hurry up,” she urged softly.
Ye Ruihuan took a step back, her brows knitting together. The hand she had rested on the edge of the bed was clenched so tightly it wrinkled the sheets beneath it.
“Thanks for the ointment, Ruihuan. It feels much better after applying it,” Lin Ruijiao said with a strained smile.
In the past, Ye Ruihuan might have found her pained grimace amusing, but now, seeing her in such a pitiful state, she couldn’t muster any mirth. The vivid redness of the slap mark stirred a storm of guilt in her heart. She regretted it—clearly, it hurt a lot more than she thought.
Once the medicine was applied, Jingjing quietly returned to her original seat and tried to make herself as invisible as possible.
“That’s good,” Ye Ruihuan murmured, lowering her gaze. “If you need anything, ask Xiao Li. And don’t try to tough it out if it gets worse.” She gave Lin Ruijiao’s arm a light pat, seemingly as a gesture of comfort.
“Okay.”
“You don’t have any scenes for the next few days—just rest at the hotel,” she added, unable to resist giving instructions.
“Alright, Ruihuan,” Lin Ruijiao nodded obediently. The injury really was serious, and with a face like this, it wasn’t convenient to be seen in public anyway.
After Ye Ruihuan left, Lin Ruijiao pulled out her phone to check Weibo. Her comment section was full of angry comments. The controversy between her and Ye Ruihuan had only gotten more heated. Given how hard Ye Ruihuan had hit her, surely something would be done about it. Lin Ruijiao smiled confidently. She had a good feeling about this.
Back in her own room, Ye Ruihuan’s face remained expressionless, her eyes full of thought. After a long while, she called in Assistant Li and instructed her to handle the Weibo posts.
“Ye-jie, is it about Lin Ruijiao?” she asked cautiously.
“Mhm. While you’re at it, clean up her blackmail content too.” Ye Ruihuan leaned on her elbow, resting her chin in her palm as she spoke airily, as if it were just a small, casual task.
“Got it.” Assistant Li had been waiting for this. Based on her understanding of Ye Ruihuan, this attitude clearly meant she cared a lot about Miss Lin.
But… that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. These two women’s personalities… sigh…
Just like that, overnight, all posts about Ye Ruihuan and Lin Ruijiao vanished from Weibo—along with any so-called “dirt” on Lin Ruijiao.
Netizen reactions:
“Damn, Lin Ruijiao must have some serious backing… all the posts disappeared overnight.”
“Seriously? No looks, no acting skills—can we stop letting people like her ruin the industry?”
“So speechless. Looks like even our Ye-jie has been overshadowed.”
“Who the hell is more powerful than Ye Ruihuan? I’m stunned.”
“Am I the only one who thinks that moment where her hand touched Ye-jie’s face was kinda… beautiful?”
“Uhhh… wrong channel for shipping, buddy. That slap probably turned someone on.”
People buzzed with speculation. Yet despite the controversy, Lin Ruijiao’s follower count kept rising—it had already broken 100,000. She even gained a small batch of loyal fans, attracted either by her looks or her acting.
What stirred even more chatter was that, after over a month on set, Lin Ruijiao was mysteriously absent today. But due to the director’s tight schedule, no one on set had much time to gossip.
Instead, they whispered about Ye Ruihuan. Her usual professionalism seemed off today. She NG’d several times during one scene—something nearly unheard of. Crew members began to murmur: Was this because of everything happening with Lin Ruijiao?
Meanwhile, the subject of everyone’s gossip, Lin Ruijiao, was having a wonderful time at the hotel. She scrolled through Weibo, grinning as she read fans’ compliments. Her smile hadn’t left her face all day—she was practically beaming ear to ear. Just as she expected, Ye Ruihuan had intervened. It was compensation enough for that slap. She was very satisfied with the outcome.
Freshly showered, Lin Ruijiao stepped out to see Assistant Li waiting for her. Right on time.
“Miss Lin, Ye-jie is waiting for you.”
“Alright.” Lin Ruijiao wrapped herself in a bathrobe and followed her upstairs. “How was the set today, Li-jie?”
“Pretty good,” she answered honestly. “By the way, Ye-jie handled your blackmail posts.”
“…I thought so. That’s why they all vanished. Thank you.” Lin Ruijiao smiled sweetly.
“You’re welcome.” After escorting her, Assistant Li left without a word.
The moment Lin Ruijiao stepped into the room, she was greeted with a breathtaking scene.
Ye Ruihuan stood in a thin silk nightgown, one arm wrapped around herself, the other holding a wine glass. Every movement revealed her graceful curves. Her exposed skin was fair and luminous, her delicate features tinged with a rosy hue. Damp hair draped loosely over her shoulders, and the deep red wine swirled in her glass, making her white skin seem even more flawless. Her slender fingers looked almost too perfect to be real.
Lin Ruijiao stood frozen, completely captivated. It took her a while to recover and softly say, “Ruihuan.”
“Mhm.” Ye Ruihuan tilted her head back and took a sip of the wine, the rich red liquid like bl00d. Every motion oozed seduction, yet her slender silhouette radiated a detached coolness—the contrast only made her more alluring.
Lin Ruijiao approached, unsure whether to sit or remain standing beside her. She looked at Ye Ruihuan with innocent uncertainty.
“What? Want a drink?” Ye Ruihuan licked the corner of her lips. Her pink lips looked even more vivid than the wine.
“No, no.” Lin Ruijiao immediately shook her head. She still didn’t know what had happened the last time they shared a bed. She wasn’t eager for a repeat performance under hazy circumstances.
“Is your face feeling better?” Ye Ruihuan stepped lightly closer.
A cool sensation followed as Ye Ruihuan gently cupped the left side of Lin Ruijiao’s face, tilting it slightly as she examined the injury closely.
“Looks much better,” she said, withdrawing her hand. That soothing coolness disappeared instantly.
Lin Ruijiao looked up with a bright smile. “Mm, much better. Thanks for the ointment—and for the PR help.”
“…” Ye Ruihuan didn’t respond. She turned, sat down on the sofa, and poured herself another glass of wine. The rich aroma of alcohol spread through the room.
Lin Ruijiao joined her on the couch, her wide eyes full of sparkle as she gazed at her.
Her round, shining eyes were full of innocent joy. Ye Ruihuan swallowed hard before taking another sip of wine.
“Stay here tonight,” Ye Ruihuan said after a glance at the bathrobe loosely draped on Lin Ruijiao, her gaze darkening at the sight of her exposed collarbone.
Lin Ruijiao looked shocked. “Huh?” She lowered her gaze for a moment before replying, “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Ruihuan. I’m not used to strange beds. I’d rather sleep in my own.”
“Didn’t we sleep just fine together that night?” Ye Ruihuan leaned in closer.
Her face loomed in front of Lin Ruijiao’s, those soft red lips moist and full, and the strong scent of wine lingered between them.
“…That night—I was drunk,” Lin Ruijiao raised a hand to lightly block her, eyes wide and shimmering, the picture of innocent protest.
“Aren’t you drunk again now?” Ye Ruihuan raised a brow and smirked, her smile devoid of warmth. “If you’re going to thank me, shouldn’t there be something a bit more… tangible?”
Lin Ruijiao blinked, dazed and dumbfounded, looking adorably clueless. But inside, she was weighing the pros and cons.
Ye Ruihuan was a major investor, and they were in the same production crew. She had the power to kick her out at any time.
“So?” Ye Ruihuan’s gaze darkened, her voice husky and low, clearly not asking—but claiming.
Lin Ruijiao slowly nodded.
“There we go. We’re both women—what’s there to be afraid of?” Ye Ruihuan chuckled and took another sip from her swaying glass.
“…I’m afraid… that maybe you actually like women,” Lin Ruijiao replied, her tone still innocent and naive, but her words blunt and direct.