Got a Happy Ending With My Ex’s Sister? (GL) - Chapter 7: Like

Chapter 7: Like

Shi Huan had a habit of waking early, arriving at the set bright and early. The makeup artist hadn’t arrived yet, so Shi Huan crouched by the door, waiting for Tang Yiqiu.

She waited until after dinner to see Tang Yiqiu coming down the hallway. She jumped up, ready to greet her, but seeing someone behind Tang Yiqiu, she quickly covered her mouth.

Tang Yiqiu looked much better than yesterday, wrapped in a red scarf that made her cheeks seem rosy. Noticing Shi Huan’s gaze, Tang Yiqiu’s brow twitched, but she passed by silently and went straight to the makeup room.

In contrast, Ye Rong, following behind, made a grand entrance, wearing white velvet and oversized sunglasses, with two assistants trailing her. One might mistake her for a big shot bankrolling the production.

Ye Rong stopped in front of Shi Huan, pushing her sunglasses down with a finger, revealing sharp eyes that quickly scanned Shi Huan’s face. She nodded. “Not bad, a real vixen.”

Unsure if it was praise or sarcasm, Shi Huan returned a polite smile. Ye Rong stepped closer, extending her hand. “You’re Shi Huan, right? Chang Qing mentioned you yesterday. Yiqiu troubled you with her care.”

“You’re too kind. Teacher Tang has taught me so much about acting. It’s only right I help,” Shi Huan said, reaching out. As their hands met, Ye Rong’s fingertip pressed and rubbed her hand. Shi Huan instinctively pulled back, but Ye Rong gripped tighter.

“Miss Ye,” Shi Huan said, frowning in reminder.

Ye Rong smiled, releasing her hand. “Miss Shi, your skin’s great. Ever done a skincare endorsement?”

Shi Huan was currently blacklisted online; no brand would ruin their image by signing her. She shook her head, smiling. “Not yet. I’ve been too busy filming to deal with that. Thanks for your concern.”

“No worries, let’s grab dinner later,” Ye Rong said. “Words of thanks don’t mean much. Actions do, or people might say our apology lacks sincerity.”

Shi Huan could tell this was subtle pressure. A top manager’s words carried weight, invisible but heavy. If she didn’t go, she’d seem clueless, but going might be a trap. For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond.

Just then, Chang Qing rushed out of the lounge, breaking the awkwardness. “Hey, Sister Ye, why’re you still out here? Yiqiu’s asking where you packed her cold medicine. She can’t find it.”

Ye Rong shot her a look. “Are you the assistant, or am I?”

“There’s other stuff to talk about. Hurry up!” Chang Qing stuck out her tongue, pulling Ye Rong toward the lounge.

At the door, Ye Rong turned, removing her sunglasses to reveal a refined face. “Miss Shi, we’ll talk later.”

Shi Huan’s sigh of relief caught in her throat, forced back down. It felt suffocating. She glanced at her touched hand, quickly wiping it with a tissue while no one was looking.

Wen Jing, nearby, was equally stunned. “That’s gotta be Tang Yiqiu’s manager, Ye Rong, right? Man, she’s too good-looking, like a celebrity. Most stars can’t outshine her.”

In the entertainment world, an artist’s face is everything. With Ye Rong’s looks, no one dared sign with her, afraid fans would say the manager was prettier than the star.

Rumor had it a director once asked Ye Rong to act, but she waved it off dismissively, saying arrogantly, “Don’t look at my face, look at my hands. If I acted, the industry would lose a top star.”

Some laughed at her boldness, but they were proven wrong. She later managed Tang Yiqiu, and word spread in the industry: no one Ye Rong couldn’t make a star. She was bold, but she had the skills to back it up.

“Teacher Tang outshines her, though. She’s not just beautiful, her acting’s amazing too.”

“And her family’s loaded. Huanhuan, I still think you’re a Tang Yiqiu fan!”

Not a fan, she liked her! Shi Huan glanced at Tang Yiqiu’s makeup room. Ye Rong had closed the door, blocking her view.

Wen Jing continued, worried. “Why do I feel like Manager Ye’s hostile toward you? She invited you to dinner. You going?”

Shi Huan looked away, unsure if she’d go.

Wen Jing grumbled, “It’s gotta be that incident causing a misunderstanding. You’re the victim, yet no one speaks up for you! The company too, now they’re testing the waters for Tao Ziyan.”

“What’s she testing?” Lately, Shi Huan had been busy filming and flirting with Tang Yiqiu, rarely checking Weibo or keeping up with her.

“Use my account, or her fans will bash you.” Wen Jing handed her the phone, opening the trending list. Tao Ziyan’s name hung at the bottom, barely clinging on. Clicking in showed Tao Ziyan’s nine-photo post.

Tao Ziyan: [A brand-new me, grateful for life.]

Top Comment 1: Stop mentioning that person’s name! Peach doesn’t want to trend. Don’t disturb her life. She’s moved on. Please focus on Peach’s new project, Ten Centimeters of Sunshine. Thanks, everyone!

Top Comment 2: What’s with those marketing accounts? Peach just posted some photos, and Shi Huan’s dumb fans have to butt in. Sisters upstairs and down, don’t get mad. Let’s admire her stunning beauty!

Top Comment 3: Am I the only one who thinks Tao Ziyan’s not pretty? I still find Shi Huan classier. No wonder she was cheated on by Shi Huan!

No need to read further—step on one, praise another, bash the third. Tao Ziyan’s hype was steady. Shi Huan checked her own Weibo. The clarification post from six months ago had 700,000 comments.

[Daily check-in: Is Shi Huan dead yet?]

[Seeing everyone curse you puts me at ease.]

[Mistress, come out and take clients!]

By the time she logged out, another trend, #Tao Ziyan’s New Drama#, had climbed to tenth. It was indeed a test, jogging people’s memories before using the buzz to promote her new show.

Wen Jing fumed, “That’s all she’s got—no acting, no work, claiming she doesn’t want to trend, yet stepping on you to climb. Shameless, not afraid of karma!”

Shi Huan didn’t care what others said, but she feared Ye Rong seeing it, mistaking her for a mistress. What if she told Tang Yiqiu to stay away?

These marketing accounts were brainwashing experts, twisting lies into truth. Outsiders couldn’t tell who was right or wrong.

At this thought, Shi Huan’s eyes darkened, anger rising. Wen Jing comforted her, “Tao Ziyan will crash soon. Huanhuan, you’ve been amazing lately. Your acting’s way beyond her. Once this show airs, you’ll blow up!”

“Enough consoling. Let her hold that fire and unleash it on Tang Yiqiu later.” Chen Ling approached, holding the script. “You’ve studied the script, right? Control your emotions. Don’t forget everything after a day off.”

Last time Tang Yiqiu was sick, Director Chen paused her scenes, and Shi Huan got a break too. Now they were filming Ji Yuan moving out of Qin Zhiyan’s house, the first step of Ji Yuan’s breakdown. The emotions were hard to manage. Shi Huan nodded, scrolling Weibo on her phone to stoke her anger.

The thought of Tang Yiqiu distancing herself over these scandals made her rage surge. When the next makeup room door opened, she shot a piercing glare.

Tang Yiqiu and Ye Rong both froze. Tang Yiqiu quickly recovered, calmly looking away, waiting for the script supervisor’s call. Ye Rong raised a brow, tsking, “Quite a temper, glaring at you.”

Shi Huan panicked, retracting her gaze to explain, but seeing Ye Rong beside Tang Yiqiu, her feet stayed put.

Luckily, the crew was still setting up, giving her time before the scene. Shi Huan pulled out her phone, secretly texting Tang Yiqiu, “Teacher Tang, I was getting into character, not glaring at you.”

A buzz sounded soon after. Tang Yiqiu’s hand, flipping the script, paused. She grabbed her phone, read it, set it aside, and didn’t reply.

Shi Huan panicked, sending several messages in a row, her phone buzzing. Tang Yiqiu glanced at them casually, then went back to reading her script.

Shi Huan: [Fine, no 500 words, happy now?]

My Wife My Baby: [Oh.]

Shi Huan: [You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? I say no 500 words, and now you reply.]

My Wife My Baby: [No, your eyes are full of anger, no emotion, more like you’re furious and ready to kill.]

Shi Huan didn’t believe it, turning to Wen Jing. “Did my expression just look like I wanted to kill someone?”

Wen Jing shivered. “Yeah, I thought you were about to jump into Weibo and murder Tao Ziyan. Calm down, don’t ruin your health.”

“And now?”

“Beaming with joy, way too flirty.”

Shi Huan rubbed her face, unable to hide the sweetness in her heart. She checked her phone; Tang Yiqiu had sent two messages.

[No need to glare or frown. That’s enough to show anger. Now take a deep breath, hold it, and let your eyes convey the emotion.]

Shi Huan tried it as instructed, and it worked well. Her heart lifted, and she glanced at Tang Yiqiu. Ye Rong’s body blocked part of the view, so she couldn’t see clearly, only catching Tang Yiqiu holding the script in one hand, sneaking her phone under it with the other.

She looked like a middle schooler secretly using her phone, scared of getting caught by the teacher—not at all like a serious award-winning actress. Too cute, Shi Huan was ready to pounce.

Shi Huan: [Teacher Tang, I’ve got it. Let’s talk about something spicy! Don’t waste this perfect moment!]

My Wife My Baby: [?]

Shi Huan: [Look, we’re being all lovey-dovey right under your manager’s and my assistant’s noses. Doesn’t it feel like… an affair?]

It really did feel like that. Maybe Tang Yiqiu was rattled—her fingers trembled, and her script clattered to the floor. Ye Rong turned at the sound. “What’s wrong?”

Tang Yiqiu saw her puzzled face, and those two words flashed in her mind. Even a seasoned actress could falter. She bent to pick up the script, then looked up calmly. “Hands were cold, didn’t hold it steady.”

Shi Huan: [Poor thing, let me blow on them for you.]

Shi Huan: [Puff puff~ Still cold?]

Shi Huan: [Speaking of pain, when are you keeping that promise to help me with the medicine? It hurts even more after a day.]

After sending, Shi Huan giggled for a bit until the crew called them. The director always cleared the set during filming to avoid disturbing the actors’ emotions. Shi Huan took her position, noticing Ye Rong standing by the director, arms crossed, looking like she was waiting for a show.

Chen Ling shouted, “Get your expressions right, especially Shi Huan! Why so frantic? Be angrier!”

Shi Huan nodded, glancing at Ye Rong, recalling Tang Yiqiu’s WeChat advice. When the script supervisor called action, she dragged her suitcase out of the house, eyes red with fury. “Qin Zhiyan, you dared to kiss me, so why not be with me? Are we that shameful? What are you afraid of?”

Tang Yiqiu stood at the door, her eyes dark. “The place in Huajing is nice. I had someone check it. You can move there first.”

Shi Huan insisted, “We close the door and live our lives. What’s there to fear? Why care about others’ looks?”

“Your things are already packed.”

“Qin Zhiyan!” Shi Huan roared. Seeing her unmoved, she softened her voice, clutching her arm. “Don’t make me leave. Look at this snow. Can you really bear it?”

Shi Huan slyly shook off her down jacket to the ground. Even the sexiest bikini couldn’t fend off the snow’s chill. She figured looking this pitiful, even the coldest heart would soften.

But Tang Yiqiu pried her hands off one by one, bent to pick up the clothes, then stepped back, turned, and went inside, slamming the door without a glance.

Shi Huan was stunned by the heartless act, forgetting her next move. Shivering in the cold, she rushed to her suitcase, fumbling for the key, but it wouldn’t fit. Ji Yuan tried for over ten minutes before it hit her.

Qin Zhiyan had changed the lock! She’d planned to kick her out from the start!

In the swirling snow, Ji Yuan’s body went limp, sliding down against the door. The shot was supposed to end here. Her acting was fine, but the feeling was just a touch off.

As Chen Ling was about to call cut, Shi Huan sprang up, hefting the suitcase and slamming it against the closed door, kicking and pounding relentlessly.

Not a single line, like a madwoman.

Everyone was immersed in the performance. Compared to the script’s silent despair and artistic close, this wild, unrestrained outburst fit the story. Even in collapse, Ji Yuan was trying to break into Qin Zhiyan’s heart. Shi Huan’s madness made sense and tugged at the heart.

Only when Shi Huan, drained, collapsed on the ground did Chen Ling signal Wen Jing to bring clothes. Wen Jing grabbed the down jacket but hadn’t rushed in when someone beat her to it, wrapping up Shi Huan in the snow.

Shi Huan, in a bikini in the snow for over ten minutes, had no warmth left, her lips purple, words slurring. She looked at the person crouching before her, seeking warmth.

“Tang, Tang Yiqiu, I still, still will like you.”