For a moment, Lin Ruijiao's heart lurched, her thoughts scattered and broken.
The man immediately covered her mouth with his hand, and a sharp blade appeared in her line of sight, reflecting cold silver light in the dim illumination. "Shut up. Don't scream." His deep voice carried a hint of madness.
Even with her back turned to him, Lin Ruijiao could feel the crazed smile spreading across his face—like a demon suddenly appearing in the mountains, dangerous and chilling.
Watching the blade press closer to her neck, Lin Ruijiao swallowed nervously, her mind going blank. After a long moment, she caught the nauseating, fishy stench emanating from him, making her stomach turn.
Lin Ruijiao nodded frantically, her eyes fixed on the blade against her throat, terrified that the slightest movement might make contact.
"Don't... don't hurt me. I'll give you whatever you want," Lin Ruijiao said slowly, her voice trembling uncontrollably, unconsciously tinged with tears. Her body shook continuously as tears welled in her eyes.
"...Heh... give me? Haha... I want you to disappear from this world." His voice was vicious, filled with maniacal laughter, even carrying disdain and arrogance.
The man dragged her backward into the washroom, tearing off some fabric to gag Lin Ruijiao's mouth. The dry, salty, damp taste spread through her mouth, but she dared not move, fearing the knife would fall on her the next second.
Her restrained hands were tightly bound, causing sharp pain, but this physical discomfort couldn't compare to the terror in her heart.
"...Heh, I've been watching you for a long time," the man crouched before her with disdain, the cold flat side of the blade tapping against her face.
Lin Ruijiao finally looked up and saw his face clearly—greasy flesh piled up in layers, paired with a vicious expression that was frightening and repulsive. His twisted, nauseating expression was so dark it made her shudder.
This must be the mastermind behind everything, but Lin Ruijiao had never seen him before, let alone made any enemies. Why was he targeting her specifically for death?
Lin Ruijiao stared directly at him, tears falling uncontrollably, blurring her vision with a hazy mist that obscured everything around her, including this man's hideous face.
"Lin Ruijiao, just an extra. Are you worthy?" He spoke with disdain again, mockery piling up on his face.
The nauseating stench like garbage filled Lin Ruijiao's senses, making her dry heave. She tightened her throat, controlling her body's natural reaction. She needed to stay calm, stabilize his emotions, and find an opportunity. But her body continued trembling uncontrollably as she instinctively shrank into the corner, trying to escape his grasp.
"Signing with Huarui Entertainment, living in the Yuyuan Villa, living with my Sister Ye, riding on Sister Ye's popularity to climb up, and treating our Sister Ye that way." He continued his accusations, his words dripping with sourness and disdain, speaking in the tone of Ye Ruihuan's devoted fan.
Upon hearing "Ye Ruihuan," Lin Ruijiao immediately calmed down, confusion flashing in her eyes. How was this related to Ye Ruihuan?
"My Sister Ye—stunning looks, perfect figure, exceptional acting skills, she has everything. How could she possibly like you? What good is there in a mere extra?!" His eyes flashed with vicious light, but his tone carried the hatred of someone whose love had been stolen, mixed with disbelief.
Lin Ruijiao's tears stopped immediately. If not for her current hostage situation, she would have burst out laughing. With tear stains still on her cheeks, she listened to his words, nodding and shaking her head alternately, trying to appease him.
The sharp knife pressed against her chin again, forcing Lin Ruijiao to tilt her head up along the blade's edge.
"I couldn't get a chance in the car, couldn't infiltrate 'Floating Life' crew, but this 'Wilderness Survival' variety show—heaven finally gave me an opportunity. I planned to strike at the end when everyone left, who would know about you then? But I never expected my Sister Ye to come, just to be with you. What kind of magic do you have? Lin Ruijiao..." The vicious man's eyes blazed with murderous intent as he gripped the knife handle, preparing to act.
Just then, sounds came from outside—rustling footsteps drawing closer. Ye Ruihuan, who had been alone in her tent thinking, suddenly arrived. This seemed like a perfect opportunity to confess her feelings to Jiaojiao.
"Jiaojiao?" she called softly.
The man inside panicked completely, never expecting his Sister Ye to come at this moment. He pressed the knife closer to Lin Ruijiao's throat, pulled the towel from her mouth, and leaned close to whisper threateningly, "Answer properly, or else..."
Lin Ruijiao nodded obediently.
"Jiaojiao?" When no one responded, Ye Ruihuan called again.
"Yes, Sister Ye, I'm here," Lin Ruijiao replied quietly, her voice somewhat hoarse.
Ye Ruihuan frowned. "Jiaojiao, about what happened earlier..." she said tentatively.
"Sister Ye, what happened earlier was my fault. I'm sorry," Lin Ruijiao quickly responded.
Ye Ruihuan's brow furrowed deeper. Something was very wrong. Jiaojiao always called her "Ruihuan," and about what happened earlier—why would there be an apology? Even if there should be one, it should come from her. Moreover, Jiaojiao usually wouldn't even acknowledge such matters.
Ye Ruihuan slowly approached.
The man's knife moved closer to Lin Ruijiao's skin with each of Ye Ruihuan's steps. Lin Ruijiao's hair stood on end, her heart racing faster, her breathing nearly stopped from fear. She was walking the edge of death.
"Jiaojiao, aren't you done washing yet?" Ye Ruihuan tapped twice on the wooden door with her knuckles.
"Not... yet," Lin Ruijiao answered according to the man's instructions.
"Alright then, hurry up. I'll go back and pack my toiletries first." With that, Ye Ruihuan turned to leave.
Lin Ruijiao inside panicked instantly, her fingers trembling desperately. She opened her mouth but couldn't make any sound, the knife at her throat preventing even the slightest movement.
Her tears fell again despite herself. So this life would end like this too... Ye Ruihuan really was an idiot, fool, dummy...
But the next second, a loud crash—Ye Ruihuan burst through the door like a whirlwind, lifting her leg to kick the man to the ground. Quick as lightning, she pulled Lin Ruijiao up from the floor.
Neither Lin Ruijiao nor the man had time to react. The man writhed on the ground clutching his stomach, while Lin Ruijiao simply followed Ye Ruihuan's movements, tears blurring her face.
How could Ye Ruihuan not know her little rabbit's personality? Those words just now weren't something she would ever say. Moreover, Assistant Li had mentioned before that Lin Ruijiao had nearly had a car accident, and according to her assistant, it wasn't accidental. From that moment, she had been paying attention to such matters, afraid something might happen to her, just like in her dreams.
Ye Ruihuan held her tightly in her arms, her gaze immediately fixing on the bright red blood flowing from Lin Ruijiao's neck, her brow furrowing deeply.
The man on the ground suddenly got up, grabbed the knife, and rushed toward them. Everything happened too fast. Ye Ruihuan turned around, pushed Lin Ruijiao away, and the blade plunged into her body from behind.
"...Mmm..."
Lin Ruijiao clearly heard the pained sound erupting from her body. Ye Ruihuan in front of her smiled slowly, supporting herself against the door frame as she slowly slid to the ground.
Lin Ruijiao's tears gushed forth uncontrollably, soaking her entire face as bright red blood rapidly spread across Ye Ruihuan's clothes.
The man stared in disbelief at the blood-covered blade in his hands. "Sister Ye, why... Sister Ye, why do you like her? Sister Ye, you deserve to like her..." He babbled incoherently, the knife falling from his hands as he knelt on the ground in a twisted, manic state, muttering like a madman.
"Ye Ruihuan!" Lin Ruijiao, bound hand and foot, shouted loudly, falling to the ground and crawling toward Ye Ruihuan.
"...Haha... Lin Ruijiao, Lin Ruijiao, Lin Ruijiao!" The man stood up again, swaying as he picked up the knife. "It's all you, all your fault! Without you, none of this would have happened! Lin Ruijiao, go die!!" He charged at Lin Ruijiao again.
Ye Ruihuan, barely breathing, grabbed the man's legs, struggling to prevent him from reaching Lin Ruijiao, but still couldn't stop him.
Lin Ruijiao, sensing the danger, rolled backward.
"Ruijiao! Sister Ye!" Suddenly, several bright beams of light shone down as Chen Yin and several male guests appeared. The commotion here had been too loud for Chen Yin to come alone, so she brought everyone together—if there was trouble, they'd face it together; if not, even better.
Among them was the wilderness survival expert, and everyone quickly worked together to subdue the crazed man.
"Quick, call an ambulance! Where are the production crew staff?! Hurry, emergency aid!" Lin Ruijiao shouted anxiously to Chen Yin who approached.
"Okay, okay, Ruijiao, don't panic..."
Once the ropes were untied, Lin Ruijiao quickly got up, stumbled slightly, and threw herself beside Ye Ruihuan.
Everything around was chaotic, completely out of control.
Lin Ruijiao lay beside Ye Ruihuan. "Ye Ruihuan, are you okay?!" she shouted frantically, tears falling uncontrollably. Blood flowed from her body, spreading in all directions.
"...Jiaojiao, don't cry, I'm fine..." Ye Ruihuan smiled comfortingly, her lips pale. Her raised hands were stained with blood, trembling slightly. She paused for a moment, then lowered her hands suspended in the air.
The medical staff from the production team's medical station quickly arrived, followed by ambulances and police cars.
...
Sitting outside the emergency room, Lin Ruijiao had gauze wrapped around her neck. "Sister Lin, why don't you go rest? Sister Ye has me and Secretary Li here," Jingjing said with concern.
Lin Ruijiao shook her head with lowered head, disheveled, her clothes stained with dirt and blood, her hair messy.
Before long, Ye Zhi rushed over. "Xiao Li, what's the situation?" she asked with a frown, her tone calm but urgent.
"Sister Ye Zhi, the doctor said it's not serious, fortunately," she replied.
"...That's good." Ye Zhi let out a heavy sigh of relief. When she heard about the stabbing, she rushed over immediately. This young lady was always either in stories or accidents—at least there was no life-threatening danger...
Ye Zhi's gaze swept around and she sat beside Lin Ruijiao, while Jingjing tactfully moved to the opposite side.
"Ruijiao, I heard Ye Ruihuan got hurt because of you this time..." Ye Zhi said directly, her words carrying no blame, merely stating the facts.
Lin Ruijiao froze for a moment, then slowly nodded, her lowered face hiding her expression, but large teardrops fell one by one.
"...Don't cry, it's okay, it's okay..." Ye Zhi put her arm around Lin Ruijiao's shoulders, drawing her into her embrace. "This isn't your fault. When you get down to it, it's still because of Ye Ruihuan... You must have been frightened..." she comforted gently.
Lin Ruijiao sobbed uncontrollably in her arms.
"There, there, if you're like this, Ye Ruihuan will scold me when she comes out..."
Hearing this, Lin Ruijiao couldn't help but laugh once, pulling away from Ye Zhi's embrace and wiping the tears from her face. But she still said nothing.
The air fell into silence again. Assistant Li and Jingjing exchanged glances—what kind of situation was this?
"Ruijiao," Ye Zhi finally spoke first, "you know Ye Ruihuan likes you, right?" She paused, then continued, "She really likes you very much. When you proposed to terminate your contract, she gave up all her shares in Huarui Entertainment, leaving me to manage the company alone, just to put your mind at ease and ensure she wouldn't interfere with your acting career."
Lin Ruijiao looked up at her in surprise, her water-misted eyes red.
"She joined the romance show for you, and this 'Wilderness Survival' too. She rushed over immediately after working overtime to finish filming 'Floating Life'..." Ye Zhi's tone shifted: "But these are all things she willingly did for you unilaterally, nothing to do with you." Ye Zhi's face showed a shallow smile, as if gloating.
Lin Ruijiao buried her head heavily, then looked up at Ye Zhi in surprise upon hearing these words.
"I won't hide it from you—Ye Ruihuan used to like Dong Yulan. She was simply an idiot when it came to feelings, liking Yulan for years, unconditionally supporting her from behind the scenes. She was single-minded and ended up missing her chance... Initially, she noticed you because you looked somewhat like Dong Yulan, but somehow, this time she wasn't being an idiot. She openly declared to the world that she likes you..." Ye Zhi smiled, her tone both annoyed and proud, making it unclear whether she was actually speaking well of Ye Ruihuan.
Assistant Li watched Ye Zhi nervously—she had revealed everything that should and shouldn't be said.
Lin Ruijiao's eyes showed surprise mixed with confusion. What the other person said left her somewhat bewildered, but complex feelings spread through her heart...
The emergency room light went out, and Ye Ruihuan was wheeled out. Her delicate face was pale, bloodless, and her usually lively, proud eyes were tightly closed, showing no signs of life.
"Doctor, how is she?" Lin Ruijiao immediately rushed forward.
"The surgery was very successful. She just needs to rest and recover well now."
"Thank you, doctor." Lin Ruijiao followed into the hospital room, sitting beside her bed to watch over her.
She said nothing, and no one could persuade her otherwise.
Lin Ruijiao rested her elbow on the bedside, and slight movements woke her from her daze.
Ye Ruihuan's lips moved, seemingly saying something. Lin Ruijiao leaned closer to listen, her pupils immediately contracting in shock as she sat down, carefully pondering the meaning of the word "little sparrow" from her mouth—this term of endearment from their previous life.
Was Ye Ruihuan also reborn? Her frail body seemed lonely and helpless as she processed this information alone.
After an unknown amount of time, Ye Ruihuan gripped her hand tightly.
"You're awake? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?" Lin Ruijiao snapped back to attention, asking with a pale, forced smile. This appearance was like an empty shell.
"Jiaojiao, don't leave." Ye Ruihuan gripped her hand tightly, unwilling to let go.
Lin Ruijiao paused, then sat back down.
"Jiaojiao, I'm so glad you're okay." Ye Ruihuan smiled slowly, her gentle eyes filled entirely with Lin Ruijiao alone, emotion pouring forth.
"...Yes, thank you, Ruihuan." She replied with a pale, weak smile.
"Jiaojiao, I had a dream where you died, and I was so scared..." Toward the end, Ye Ruihuan held back her sobs.
Lin Ruijiao listened quietly as she recounted all the dreams. Her previously still eyes couldn't help but ripple. So that was how it was.
"...Jiaojiao, don't you have anything to ask me?" Ye Ruihuan asked, as the other had remained silent for so long.
"...No, I had a similar dream too." Lin Ruijiao looked up and replied, her face full of calm. Too many things had happened in such a short time—she was no longer surprised by anything.
"I decided to stay away from you because you were very hateful in the dream..." Lin Ruijiao said frankly.
Ye Ruihuan's face seemed to pale further. She swallowed and slowly asked, "...What about now?"
"Now, I don't know. Let's just leave things as they are for now..." Lin Ruijiao replied. She was getting confused about her own heart.
"...Good, so Jiaojiao is willing to be with me?" Ye Ruihuan, realizing something, shouted joyfully.
"...Let go." Lin Ruijiao said softly, not directly answering her question.
"No, I'm scared." Ye Ruihuan wrinkled her face, acting spoiled and pitiful.
"..."
This incident caused a huge stir online. #Fan's love turns to hate, night attack on Ye Ruihuan and Lin Ruijiao# became a trending topic with everyone discussing it. The "Wilderness Survival" program also stopped filming, with officials issuing clarifying statements. But fans of both sides were still fighting, not knowing their idols' safety status. These two were quite something—they always managed to have incidents together, constantly dominating trending topics.
Both returned from the hospital and stayed at Yuyuan Villa. Their relationship now was above friends but just short of being lovers, but at least Lin Ruijiao no longer resisted the other's presence.
Watching Sister Ye frequently acting spoiled in front of Lin Ruijiao, asking for kisses, hugs, and to be lifted up, Assistant Li and Jingjing were initially shocked but gradually got used to it.
During this period, both rested and pushed back work commitments. Friends and family sent well-wishes, and online discussions about their story continued fermenting. The first issue was that Ye Ruihuan had lost her shares in Huarui Entertainment.
Netizens speculated that after all the grievances Sister Ye had suffered, it turned out to be internal family conflict—Huarui Entertainment had pushed Sister Ye out. They also heard she was severely injured this time, possibly related to this matter.
There were too many online speculations, but neither planned to address them, preparing to ride this wave of popularity. The previously filmed "Phoenix" was about to air, and "Floating Life" had plenty of promotional work—this wave wasn't a loss.
Both were still recovering—specifically, Ye Ruihuan was recovering, but Jiaojiao, who wouldn't leave her side for a moment, stayed with her constantly, practically wanting to hang on Lin Ruijiao.
So film promotion was conducted through live streaming, with one upstairs and one downstairs, or both in their own rooms. They absolutely couldn't appear in the same frame—this was Lin Ruijiao's warning to her.
But Ye Ruihuan wasn't one to be so obedient. She couldn't wait for this to be exposed, hoping netizens would help her make her case and get Jiaojiao to give her a proper status.
Both promoted "Floating Life" through online live streaming. After so long, they finally appeared before the public. Fans rejoiced seeing their idols in good condition, but seeing them on screen together again, fans still couldn't help but fight.
Although fans from both sides were antagonistic, some fans still shipped the two as a CP. No wonder they thought so much—the intimate way they addressed each other, and Sister Ye's smile that occasionally appeared on her face, so rare to see. Who wouldn't say this was true love? Otherwise, why would she be smiling?
[Ahhhh, Jiaojiao is so beautiful] [Sister Ye looks a bit thinner, Sister Ye must take good care of herself!] [I'll definitely watch this drama, Sister Yulan is so gentle!] [Does anyone else think Lin Ruijiao and Ye Ruihuan's backgrounds look similar?] [What? A white wall looks similar? Stop trying to create connections, okay?] [Can you Lin Ruijiao fans be more mature? This is about promoting work together, don't cause trouble] [Weren't you the ones who said they looked similar first?] [They really do look similar. Looking at previous live stream footage, the bedside table and desk are from the same designer, and overall, the decoration style is consistent] [Really, the big chandelier above Jiaojiao's head and the light in Ye Ruihuan's room are the same, just different sizes] [Holy shit, what's going on???]
Seeing the comments on screen, Ye Ruihuan couldn't help but curl her lips. Everyone had good eyes.
After Ye Ruihuan answered the host's question, her camera frame became empty—she had disappeared somewhere.
Ye Ruihuan was going downstairs to get a bottle of water, and incidentally bring one for her wife, who must be thirsty after talking for so long.
Then, a bottle of water appeared in Lin Ruijiao's camera frame. While she was answering a question, she naturally took it without realizing what had happened, even taking a sip.
Seeing her obedient appearance, Ye Ruihuan's heart softened. She affectionately kissed Lin Ruijiao's lips, saying "Wife, kiss kiss." Her entire face entered the frame.
Instantly, the live stream erupted. Even the host was stunned, not knowing what to say, while Dong Yulan, also present, just smiled without speaking.
[Holy shit, am I hallucinating? Ye Ruihuan and our Jiaojiao???] [WTF, what is this? Is this Sister Ye???] [Holy crap, what is this?! Wife???] [Ahhhhhhhhhhh???] [Ye Ruihuan and Lin Ruijiao???] [Did they just come out??? What the hell?!] [Ahhhh, the CP I shipped is real, ahhhh, who understands? It's real!] [Damn, rival families became in-laws...] [Fan turning to anti-fan, can't accept this, uwuwuw, Sister Ye, you're confused]
The live stream exploded, and trending topics were immediately dominated by them. Netizens traced everything back, finding that signs appeared from when Lin Ruijiao first entered public view. Gradually, this narrative spread: Ye Ruihuan pursued Lin Ruijiao unsuccessfully, then took a knife for her, so Lin Ruijiao pledged herself to her.
Both lost countless followers, but JiaoHuan CP fans rose unexpectedly, with couple posts flooding Weibo.
"Wilderness Survival" rode this popularity wave, editing and releasing their behind-the-scenes footage overnight.
[A perfectly good "Wilderness Survival" was turned into a romance show... JiaoHuan CP forever!!!] [What "it's part of the island"—Sister Ye, you're just making stuff up hahaha] [Such obvious favoritism, immediately stuffing meat jerky to her wife, eyes full of love, ahhh I'm shipping this CP] [Ahhh, she loves her so much, her eyes never left Jiaojiao!!] [Damn, this is so shippable! This time I'm a CP fan!] [Good lord, you all ate so well!!]
Lin Ruijiao opened Weibo to see a flood of comments: [Lin Ruijiao, just tell us, is our Sister Ye your wife or not] [Cough cough... Jiaojiao, just give in, we won't lose on this one] [Our Sister Ye already called you wife, hey, I advise you to be smart and kiss back quickly!!] [Sister Ye, why don't you just take her by force] [Ruijiao, Sister Ye really seems... quite acceptable] [Lin Ruijiao, just give her this status, don't make me... please]
Beside her, Ye Ruihuan wore a pleasing smile after being scolded, hugging her arm and shaking it: "Jiaojiao, I really didn't mean to, it's just habit..."
"Really... won't you respond? This incident is quite big..." Ye Ruihuan slowly persuaded, then said pitifully: "Now Huarui Entertainment has nothing to do with me... Ye Zhi definitely won't help me... Jiaojiao..." She blinked at her.
Lin Ruijiao sighed softly, then typed on her screen.
Lin Ruijiao: Let me introduce you—this is my girlfriend @Ye Ruihuan
Ye Ruihuan immediately took out her phone to reply: Yes, wife (heart heart heart) with a photo of them together.
[Ahhhh, official announcement] [Oh Sister Ye, where's your kiss?] [Ahhhh, sweet enough to kill me] [Sister Ye has absolutely no status, (sigh)] [She got the status, what does position matter? Winning the beauty is what counts!!!]
Even after officially announcing their relationship, their work remained the same as before. Ye Ruihuan still didn/t take on commercial projects, while Lin Ruijiao continued filming in various crews, never appearing on variety shows again.
Ye Ruihuan seemed to become like her manager, always accompanying her between various crews, somewhat like a supervisor, but those who understood knew—she was afraid her wife would run away.
In various paparazzi photos online, Ye Ruihuan could always be seen beside Lin Ruijiao. The once consistently proud Sister Ye was now a thing of the past, her face full of doting tenderness. Sometimes you couldn't tell who the real "Jiaojiao" was—who wouldn't say "love it" seeing this?
In contrast, Lin Ruijiao's gaze toward Ye Ruihuan always seemed to carry some reproach. This clingy Ruihuan really seized every opportunity to stick to her, preventing her from concentrating on filming. But whenever she was about to lose her temper, Ye Ruihuan would put on a pleasing, well-behaved expression, leaving her with nothing more to say.
Over two years, the pair seemed even more inseparable. Lin Ruijiao filmed several productions, both lead and supporting roles, ultimately winning the Three Flowers Award for her new film "Limitless."
At the grand awards banquet, Ye Ruihuan and Lin Ruijiao wore luxurious gowns. Lin Ruijiao received the trophy from Ye Ruihuan's hands, while Dong Yulan, also serving as host, slowly stepped aside, leaving the stage to them.
Lights converged, numerous cameras focused on them, and the live broadcast centered on the pair.
Ye Ruihuan suddenly knelt on one knee. "Jiaojiao, will you marry me?" Her raised hand trembled with nerves, and the jade peace pendant in her palm quivered. Her eyes fixed intently on Lin Ruijiao as she unconsciously swallowed.
Lin Ruijiao, already teary-eyed, froze for a moment. Although she had considered this possibility, when Ye Ruihuan knelt with tears in her eyes, she was still inevitably moved. After two lifetimes, they had finally been honest with each other, confessed their feelings, and come together. They hadn't missed each other.
She smiled through her tears: "I do, Ruihuan."
Ye Ruihuan quickly stood and embraced her, crying tears of joy, while tears also fell from Lin Ruijiao's eyes. The venue erupted in thunderous applause, many guests were moved to tears, and the live chat was filled with blessings.
Starting over, this was how it should be—being true to oneself and cherishing those close to you. As Ye Ruihuan held her tightly, the word "cherish" suddenly echoed in her mind. So this was its meaning.
The next day, Ye Ruihuan claimed they were going abroad to celebrate the award, but as soon as the plane landed, she took her to get their marriage certificate. Even the documents had been prepared beforehand—who knew when.
They hadn't even started their vacation when they immediately flew back for the wedding. Such a rushed itinerary was unprecedented. Looking at the wedding venue Ye Ruihuan had planned—dreamy, romantic, and flawless—Lin Ruijiao smiled slowly and planted a kiss on her lips: "I do."