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墨書 Inktalez
Su Yao sat in front of the makeup mirror, while the makeup artist, Xiao Li, was preparing her look for the opening ceremony.
In the mirror, her eyes sparkled, but there was a hint of fatigue between her brows. For the past few days, she had been deeply immersed in understanding her character's personality and emotions, almost neglecting her own needs.
What truly unsettled her, however, was that woman named Lin Yue from the dinner party. Every time she thought of her, it felt as if someone had gently nudged her heart. Su Yao was well aware that it was the feeling of infatuation, yet she couldn't comprehend why she felt this way about another woman.
"Sister Yao, you seem a bit distracted today," Xiao Li teased while applying foundation. "Is the pressure of this role getting to you?"
Su Yao managed a slight smile, her gaze inadvertently drifting to her phone. The screen displayed news about the investors of Dark River, prominently featuring Jiang Rou and Lu Chen's photos, while Lin Yue's name and image were conspicuously absent.
She recalled Lin Yue's cool yet beautiful face and smiled faintly to herself. "A little bit, I suppose. After all, it's my first time playing a lead role," she replied softly, her voice slightly hoarse.
Xiao Li leaned in closer with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I heard that the investor, Ms. Lin, is young and beautiful and has a special admiration for you." She elongated her tone playfully. "Is there some insider information here?"
Su Yao's face flushed instantly as she hurriedly denied it. "That's not true! I only met Ms. Lin once at the dinner."
Her voice trembled involuntarily; even she could hear the panic in it, but she couldn't explain why thinking of Lin Yue made her heart race.
"Really?" Xiao Li clearly didn't believe her, a sly smile playing on her lips as if to say she understood everything.
She didn't press further but added, "Regardless, it's always a good thing to have a big boss appreciating you."
"By the way, I heard Ms. Lin is dating that Miss Jiang; it's all over the industry."
Su Yao instinctively tightened her grip on the armrest of the chair.
She forced herself to remain calm. "The personal matters of investors are none of our business; we should focus on performing our roles well."
Since that moment when she locked eyes with Lin Yue, she couldn't forget the complex emotions reflected in those eyes—vulnerability and pain intertwined with a tenderness she had never seen in anyone else's gaze.
Especially that underlying loneliness beneath Lin Yue's seemingly strong exterior felt like a silent call that made Su Yao yearn to draw closer.
And when she remembered Jiang Rou leaving a kiss mark on Lin Yue's cheek affectionately, an inexplicable pang of bitterness surged within her.
She knew she shouldn't develop feelings for someone who was taken, let alone for another woman; it was too sensitive for public figures like them.
Yet that feeling sprouted like tender shoots in spring, unknowingly taking root deep within her heart.
"Alright, your makeup is done!" Xiao Li's voice broke through her thoughts.
"You look particularly enchanting today; you'll definitely be the center of attention at the opening ceremony!"
Su Yao looked at herself in the mirror and forced a smile. "Thank you, Xiao Li."
Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself to focus on work and not let these chaotic emotions interfere.
Lin Yue had tossed and turned all night, her mind filled with scenes of reuniting with Su Yao, rehearsing every detail over and over again. On the day of the opening ceremony, she woke up early and tried on six or seven outfits before finally settling on a beige blazer that she rarely wore. The feeling was both unfamiliar and amusing to her.
The ceremony took place at a film studio in the outskirts, where the morning sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. She arrived at the venue early, her heart racing like a shy girl on her first date. The film set was bustling with excitement, adorned with red banners, colorful balloons, and flowers, all radiating good wishes for the new production.
Media reporters were already prepared, and actors donned their carefully chosen costumes, exchanging professional smiles as they mingled. Lin Yue quickly spotted Su Yao in the crowd. Today, she wore a light pink dress that fluttered gently in the wind, resembling a delicate peach blossom. Under the sunlight, she radiated an enchanting glow; her shoulders were smooth and rounded, her neck long and elegant, with three small moles clearly visible—she was as beautiful as a star fallen to earth.
Lin Yue's heart raced even faster as she instinctively smoothed out nonexistent wrinkles on her blazer, unable to tear her gaze away from Su Yao. Su Yao's makeup was exquisitely natural, and the light pink lipstick enhanced her fresh and captivating look. After years of navigating the entertainment industry, she had grown accustomed to such occasions. She smiled gracefully at the media and fans, elegantly facing the barrage of flashes with a professional demeanor. Yet, there was an underlying hint of tension and anticipation in her eyes.
It seemed Su Yao sensed something; she suddenly turned her head, and their eyes met. In that moment, time stood still, leaving only the two of them in their own world. A flicker of panic crossed Su Yao's eyes but quickly gave way to her professional calmness. She politely nodded at Lin Yue, a slight smile gracing her lips while her gaze held an indescribable emotion.
For a brief moment, Lin Yue felt as if someone had tightly gripped her heart. "Lin Yue!" A sweet voice called from behind, dousing her in cold water.
Turning around, Lin Yue saw Jiang Rou approaching her in a pale yellow suit that accentuated her charming demeanor. Her makeup was elaborate and clearly well-prepared for the occasion. Jiang Rou quickly walked up to Lin Yue and naturally linked arms with her in a gesture that was both affectionate and slightly boastful.
Leaning close to Lin Yue's ear, with her red lips almost brushing against her earlobe, Jiang Rou whispered, "Lin Yue, you look stunning today!" As she spoke, her gaze deliberately swept towards Su Yao's direction, revealing an unmistakable warning in her eyes.
Lin Yue suppressed the urge to shake Jiang Rou off and allowed herself to be linked by her arm, though her expression felt somewhat stiff. Her gaze still drifted uncontrollably towards Su Yao but found that she had already been surrounded by people, causing a wave of disappointment to wash over her.
Jiang Rou beamed as she chatted with those around them, intentionally using intimate gestures to proclaim to everyone: Lin Yue is mine. Lu Chen stood nearby and noticed Lin Yue's discomfort; he kindly handed her a glass of water.
"Don't be too nervous," he whispered reassuringly, "I'm here, you don't have to socialize too much."
Lin Yue glanced at him with gratitude; he always knew how to provide her with support and understanding at critical moments. This unspoken connection was what she cherished the most.
The opening ceremony officially began, with the host enthusiastically introducing the cast and the storyline.
Lin Yue watched intently as Su Yao spoke on stage. Her voice was clear and pleasant, filled with an understanding of her character and anticipation for the project. That sincerity moved everyone present, captivating Lin Yue even more.
When the host introduced the representative from the investors, Lin Yue was invited to speak on stage.
Jiang Rou was about to follow her up but was cleverly stopped by Lu Chen, who signaled that it was Lin Yue's choice to go up.
Reluctantly, Jiang Rou stayed behind, her gaze fixed on Lin Yue and Su Yao in the distance, her expression complex.
Standing at the microphone, Lin Yue felt a tightness in her chest. She had never been good at public speaking, and such occasions always triggered anxiety.
Taking a deep breath, her eyes inadvertently met Su Yao's.
Su Yao smiled gently at her, eyes filled with encouragement and support. In that moment, a warm current flowed through her body, miraculously easing much of her tension.
"I am very honored to be part of the project 'Dark River,'" Lin Yue said softly yet firmly. "It is a story about finding light in darkness, conveying courage and hope that audiences need right now."
"I believe that under Director Li's leadership, and with Miss Su Yao and all the actors' brilliant performances, 'Dark River' will surely become a touching work."
"Thank you all."
The audience erupted into warm applause as Lin Yue's gaze met Su Yao's once more.
Su Yao's eyes were filled with gratitude and something deeper that made Lin Yue's heart race. She quickly looked away towards Jiang Rou in the audience, who was staring coldly at her, dissatisfaction sharp in her gaze.
After stepping down from the stage, Jiang Rou immediately approached her, gripping Lin Yue's hand tightly and reproaching her in a low voice: "You’ve never liked speaking in public, and why did you specifically mention Su Yao just now?"
"I just mentioned the female lead; that's normal," Lin Yue explained calmly, though she felt slightly flustered at being seen through.
"But your look at her was anything but normal," Jiang Rou's voice carried an obvious warning. "Lin Yue, have you forgotten your promise to me?"
Lin Yue felt a wave of frustration and suffocation wash over her, as if invisible chains were binding her breath.
She didn’t argue back but sighed softly: "I haven't forgotten, Xiao Rou. Don't worry."
The weariness and compromise in her voice made her heart ache even more.
Jiang Rou finally relaxed a bit but still held onto Lin Yue tightly, as if afraid she would run away.
She pulled Lin Yue towards the group of reporters, smiling broadly as she discussed investment plans.
Lin Yue was forced to follow along, distractedly answering the reporters' questions while her gaze occasionally drifted towards Su Yao.
Seeing Lin Yue being pulled away by Jiang Rou, a flicker of disappointment crossed Su Yao's eyes. She quickly adjusted her mood and began chatting with other actors, yet her eyes still wandered towards Lin Yue.
Lu Chen noticed Lin Yue's distraction and leaned in closer to her ear. "Lin Yue, would you like me to take you home?"
Just as Lin Yue was about to nod in agreement, her attention was suddenly captured by a scene unfolding before her. A tall man with striking features was walking towards Su Yao, dressed in a sharp suit that screamed privilege and sophistication.
He was engaging Su Yao in conversation with enthusiasm, a confident smile plastered on his face as he occasionally reached out to touch her arm. The intimacy of their interaction sent a sharp pang through Lin Yue's heart, her expression instantly turning cold as her fingers unconsciously clenched into fists.
This unfamiliar yet intense feeling nearly made her forget Jiang Rou's presence.
Jiang Rou noticed the change in Lin Yue and followed her gaze, spotting the man getting close to Su Yao. A smirk crept onto her lips. "Looks like our star has quite a few admirers. That’s Zhang Zihao, the second son of Zhang Group. I’ve heard he has a penchant for female celebrities."
Lin Yue ignored Jiang Rou's comment, fixated on the interaction between Su Yao and the man, feeling as if countless ants were gnawing at her insides. Logic told her she had no right to feel jealous, but emotions surged uncontrollably within her, like an unending storm.
At that moment, it seemed Su Yao sensed Lin Yue's gaze and turned just in time to meet her envious eyes. A faint blush crept onto Su Yao's cheeks as if she understood Lin Yue's feelings.
She quickly wrapped up her conversation with Zhang Zihao, politely nodded, and turned to leave. The hurried retreat seemed to convey some unspoken message, easing Lin Yue's heart slightly.
"Lin Yue, we should go talk to Director Li now," Jiang Rou said firmly.
Taking a deep breath to steady the tumultuous emotions within her, Lin Yue replied, "Okay."
After casting one last glance at Su Yao, she turned and followed Jiang Rou.
Su Yao's assistant, Xiao Lin, leaned closer to her. "Sister Yao, that Lin total was watching you just now!"
Su Yao pretended not to hear but felt her heart racing out of rhythm. Unable to resist, she stole a glance at Lin Yue’s departing figure, waves of emotion rippling through her heart.
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