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墨書 Inktalez
The sunlight poured in like golden gauze, gently draping over the white sheets of Jiang Rou's apartment. It had been three days since Jiang Rou was discharged from the hospital. Although her complexion had returned to its usual rosy hue, she still resembled a dandelion, fragile and ready to be blown away by the slightest breeze, needing constant care.
Lin Yue's heart softened. To better take care of Jiang Rou, she moved into Jiang Rou's home. Every day, she shuttled between the office and Jiang Rou's place. The two were nearly inseparable, except for when they slept or used the restroom.
That day, after Lin Yue arrived at work, Jiang Rou leisurely sat on the living room sofa and took out her phone to dial a number.
"Zhang Zihao," she said coolly.
"Miss Jiang? What can I do for you?" Zhang Zihao teased.
"I just wanted to let you know that Lin Yue won't be going to the film set anytime soon. You have plenty of time to pursue Su Yao now," Jiang Rou got straight to the point.
Zhang Zihao paused for a moment before responding playfully, "Oh? That's great news! I owe you a meal."
"Cut the nonsense," Jiang Rou interrupted impatiently. "I'm just reminding you not to miss this rare opportunity."
"Don't worry," Zhang Zihao replied confidently. "I'll make sure to seize the chance."
She hung up and smiled with satisfaction. Ever since she recovered from her illness, Jiang Rou had been busy arranging various film projects for Lin Yue under the pretense of "expanding the company's entertainment sector."
In reality, Lin Yue understood that Jiang Rou was using work to keep her tied down, leaving her no time to think about anyone else.
Now, the conference room at Yuexing Capital and Lin Yue's office had become bustling marketplaces. People from various film companies, directors, and screenwriters came in waves, their conversations mingling with the sounds of papers rustling and keyboards clacking—a chaotic symphony echoing throughout the company.
Lin Yue felt like a wind-up machine, barely finding time even to drink water. Each day during lunch breaks, she collapsed onto the sofa, closing her eyes for a brief rest while her temples throbbed.
In the evening, Lin Yue returned to Jiang Rou's apartment. Jiang Rou was sitting on the sofa, reviewing a document. Upon seeing Lin Yue come in, she immediately smiled and stood up to greet her, taking Lin Yue's bag and preparing slippers as if she were a virtuous housewife—clearly enjoying her role as "Mrs. Lin."
"Lin Yue, tomorrow at ten in the morning, people from Blue Ocean Pictures will come to discuss cooperation," Jiang Rou said while helping Lin Yue out of her coat.
Lin Yue nodded slightly without looking up. She knew Jiang Rou too well. She understood the hidden intentions behind this "thoughtfulness," like an invisible bond that tightly bound her, leaving her with no choice but to silently accept Jiang Rou's arrangements.
"Are you hungry? I'll get you some soup," Jiang Rou asked softly.
Sitting at the dining table surrounded by all her favorite dishes, Lin Yue rubbed her temples and said, "Xiao Rou, next time let Auntie come over to cook. You’re still recovering; you don’t need to be in the kitchen every day." Her tone carried an air of exhaustion.
Jiang Rou emerged from the kitchen with a bowl of soup and placed it in front of Lin Yue before walking behind her and gently massaging her shoulders with delicate fingers. "I’m afraid you wouldn’t want to eat what Auntie makes."
Her voice was soft as feathers—warm and considerate.
Lin Yue hadn’t been to the film set for several weeks now. Every night when silence enveloped her as she lay in bed, Su Yao’s face would involuntarily surface in her mind, stirring feelings of bitterness within her.
Since that night when Jiang Rou was hospitalized, Lin Yue had not responded to any of Su Yao’s calls or messages. By the time Jiang Rou’s condition stabilized several days later, she found herself at a loss for how to explain this sudden silence to Su Yao.
Was it an apology? An explanation? Or simply pretending nothing had happened? In the end, Lin Yue chose to evade. She could only hear bits and pieces about Lu Chen from others, those fragments like a drop of water in a desert, utterly incapable of quenching the fiery longing in her heart.
Sometimes at night, Lin Yue lay in bed, pulling out her phone to open the chat window with Su Yao. The few messages they had exchanged became their only connection. Meanwhile, Su Yao could only piece together information about Lin Yue from Lu Chen in fragmented snippets. Feeling lost, she poured all her energy into acting, using the intensity of work to numb herself.
On the film set, the director's shouts, the actors' lines, and the clattering of props created a cacophony. Yet during breaks, she often stole glances into the distance, her eyes filled with yearning.
Although Lin Yue had moved in with Jiang Rou, Jiang Rou still worried about their private communication. One night, Jiang Rou walked into Lin Yue's room with a pitiful expression and gently woke her from sleep.
"Lin Yue, I've been having nightmares lately and keep waking up scared. Can you sleep with me? I'm so afraid alone."
Lin Yue sat up groggily and looked at her pitiful face, unable to refuse. She lifted the blanket and shifted over to make space for her.
Jiang Rou wore a light pink sheer nightgown that was almost translucent against her skin. The neckline was low and hung loosely off her shoulders, revealing large patches of fair skin and the graceful curve of her chest.
In the moonlight, that subtly visible fullness was tantalizing.
She slowly sat on the edge of the bed, slightly turning her body so that the straps of her nightgown "accidentally" slipped off her shoulder. One side of the gown nearly slid down to reveal her soft curves almost entirely exposed to the air.
Jiang Rou seemed completely oblivious as she flashed a sweet smile at Lin Yue.
"Lin Yue, do you like the perfume I wore today?" Jiang Rou spoke softly, deliberately leaning closer to Lin Yue. "Does it smell good?"
Her warm breath brushed against Lin Yue's ear, moist and laced with a hint of deliberate seduction.
The scent was unique, carrying an oddly rich sweetness that made Lin Yue's heart race and her body heat rise uncontrollably.
This reaction left her bewildered; she had never felt such a physiological response towards Jiang Rou before.
Lin Yue frowned slightly. "Um, it's nice. Let's go to sleep; we have an early start tomorrow."
She tried to keep her tone neutral, but her breath had already begun to quicken.
Jiang Rou noticed Lin Yue's unease and pressed further. She gently rolled over until she was almost on top of Lin Yue, her soft curves brushing against Lin Yue's arm.
Her delicate fingers traced along Lin Yue's collarbone before slowly moving downwards, eventually slipping inside Lin Yue's nightgown. Her fingertips circled on Lin Yue's flat abdomen, teasingly exploring towards more dangerous territories.
"Lin Yue..." Jiang Rou's voice trembled softly as her lips brushed against Lin Yue's ear; she lightly licked Lin Yue's earlobe.
A rush of heat surged through Lin Yue's lower abdomen as sensitivity enveloped her entire being.
Though she had always maintained a cool and reserved demeanor, she was still human; faced with such blatant temptation, desires within her stirred restlessly.
Yet she knew this feeling was wrong; it was merely a physiological response and not what she truly wanted. She quickly regained some clarity.
With a gentle sigh, she caught Jiang Rou’s restless hand to halt any further advances. "Rou Rou, we have a meeting tomorrow; let’s get some rest."
Her touch was soft but firm enough to pull Jiang Rou’s hand out from beneath her clothing.
Suddenly sitting up straight as if fleeing from the situation, Lin Yue dashed out of the bedroom.
She rushed into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and chugged down a bottle of ice water until the cold liquid flowed down her throat, finally easing some of the burning heat within her.
Leaning against the kitchen counter, she took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart.
"What are you doing?" Jiang Rou's voice came from the kitchen doorway. Lin Yue turned around to see Jiang Rou leaning against the doorframe, the neckline of her nightgown slipping dangerously low.
"Just having some water," Lin Yue replied, waving the water bottle in her hand, trying to keep her tone light. "I suddenly got thirsty."
"Once you're done, let's go back to sleep," Jiang Rou said playfully, reaching out her hand toward Lin Yue.
Back in bed, Jiang Rou seemed eager for another round, but Lin Yue was mentally prepared and gently stopped Jiang Rou's movements. "Rou Rou, I'm tired. Let's get some rest."
Seeing Lin Yue ignore her teasing, Jiang Rou bit her lip and eventually withdrew her fingers obediently. "Can you hold me? Please?" Her voice carried a hint of a pout. "Just like before."
With a resigned sigh, Lin Yue lifted her arm slightly, allowing Jiang Rou to nestle into her embrace.
Jiang Rou immediately curled up in Lin Yue's arms, resting her head against her shoulder and wrapping her arms around Lin Yue's waist, tightening her grip gently.
Jiang Rou's nightgown had become disheveled during their movements, the silky fabric clinging between them. Her eyelashes brushed against Lin Yue's neck as she breathed evenly and softly.
Before long, she fell asleep.
Lin Yue felt a headache coming on as she looked down at Jiang Rou. Then she stared blankly at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep as thoughts of Su Yao filled her mind.
The next morning, Lin Yue and Jiang Rou went to the office for a meeting. While Jiang Rou was scrolling through her phone in Lin Yue's office, she suddenly looked up and said, "Dark River is really popular now, and Su Yao is too."
She emphasized her words deliberately. "The high society is buzzing about her and Zhang Zihao. I heard he’s been visiting the set every day."
Jiang Rou then pulled up an entertainment article and handed it to Lin Yue. The content detailed how Zhang Zihao had repeatedly shown up at the film set with flowers and lavish gifts, even treating the crew to luxurious dinners while being particularly attentive to Su Yao.
Lin Yue didn't want to dwell on such matters but couldn't help glancing at the photos. In them, Su Yao maintained a polite smile while keeping a safe distance from Zhang Zihao.
At that moment, Lu Chen walked in with coffee and sat down across from Lin Yue and Jiang Rou, his brow furrowed. "That Zhang Zihao even asked me out for dinner to help him pursue Su Yao."
Lin Yue shot up her head and glared at Lu Chen, her eyes filled with reproach as if blaming him for indulging in gossip.
Jiang Rou perked up at Lu Chen's comment and eagerly asked, "What did you say?"
"I told him I’m not familiar with Su Yao and can’t help him," Lu Chen replied with a slight smile directed at Lin Yue. "I'm not foolish; we can't let some idiot ruin our first film investment."
He added reassuringly, "Lin Yue, don’t worry. I've already taken care of those rumors; they won’t resurface."
Lin Yue smiled with satisfaction.
Jiang Rou scoffed slightly. "The Zhang family has considerable influence in the industry, and Zhang Zihao isn't just some useless rich kid; he has achieved quite a bit in technology on his own. Besides..." She shot a glare at Lu Chen. "How do you know Su Yao isn’t aiming higher?"
"From what I understand, Su Yao is very professional and has been politely handling Zhang Zihao’s advances; it's clear she's not interested," Lu Chen said while observing Lin Yue's reaction.
Lin Yue remained focused on her computer screen, but the slight upward curve of her lips was evident to both Lu Chen and Jiang Rou.
Jiang Rou’s expression immediately turned displeased as she thought that this Zhang Zihao was truly useless.
"By the way, I saw Su Yao’s mother, Su Yuyan, visiting the set yesterday," Lu Chen mentioned.
Lin Yue abruptly looked up at Lu Chen. "Fang Yuyan? Su Yao’s mother?"
"Yes, Su Yao's mother was a somewhat obscure actress in the 1990s, and now she hardly takes any roles. Most of her energy is focused on her management company, and Su Yao is one of her artists. Su Yuyan personally acts as Su Yao's manager to nurture her."
"Why are you only thinking about visiting the set now?" Jiang Rou asked dismissively.
"I heard from Su Yao that her mother has been in poor health and just got out of the hospital," Lu Chen explained. "Previously, Su Yao's affairs were managed by her assistant, but since Dark River is Su Yao's first leading role, as soon as Su Yuyan was discharged, she rushed to the film set."
He continued, "Speaking of which, Zhang Zihao has been so attentive to Su Yuyan, sending gifts and flowers. I've never seen anyone so good at charming others; he had Su Yuyan smiling from ear to ear."
"Really?" Jiang Rou raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued. "Seems like he's trying to win over his future mother-in-law?"
"Su Yuyan even said she wanted to treat us to a meal to thank Yuexing Capital for giving Su Yao such a great opportunity." He paused and glanced at Lin Yue. "Then Zhang Zihao immediately said 'count me in' and suggested he treat everyone instead."
Upon hearing this, Lin Yue suddenly stopped typing and looked up at Lu Chen with a clear expression of displeasure.
Noticing Lin Yue's discontent, Lu Chen quickly clarified, "I didn't agree to it."
Jiang Rou noticed Lin Yue's reaction and immediately chimed in, "That sounds great; you should go."
Lin Yue slammed her laptop shut with a loud thud, her expression darkening. "I don't have time."
She stood up, grabbed her notebook, and headed for the door. "If you want to go, go ahead."
With that, she left the office without looking back, walking toward the conference room.
A flicker of understanding and satisfaction crossed Jiang Rou's eyes while Lu Chen shook his head and sighed softly.
A week later, after finally making progress on several projects, Lin Yue collapsed onto the sofa in exhaustion. She felt as if her body had been dismantled like a set of building blocks; even the soft touch of the sofa couldn't ease her aching muscles.
Seeing Lin Yue's haggard appearance filled Jiang Rou with both concern and conflict. She walked over and gently sat beside Lin Yue, reaching out to stroke her face.
However, that useless Zhang Zihao wouldn’t be able to pursue Su Yao anytime soon, so Jiang Rou feared that if Lin Yue had too much free time on her hands, she would start thinking about Su Yao again.
Determined, she bit her lip and was about to arrange more projects for Lin Yue when Lu Chen arrived just in time to stop her.
He called Jiang Rou into the conference room and burst out as soon as they entered, "Miss Jiang, are you out of your mind? Are you trying to work Lin Yue to death?"
He pointedly accused her with anger in his tone. "Do you have any idea that her depression has worsened recently? You spend every day with her—haven't you noticed she's increased her medication? I spoke with Doctor Zhang; she's already developing a tolerance to the drugs she's taking!"
Jiang Rou felt a buzzing in her ears as if countless bees were swirling around them. Her face turned pale instantly, and her lips began to tremble involuntarily.
Guilt surged within her like a tidal wave as she realized she might have gone too far.
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