Chapter 101: Nineteen

Ye Can’s words were just too ambiguous, forcing Meng Zhiqiu to overthink. She had only been bluffing to test Ye Can, not declaring war.

After all, Meng Zhiqiu knew deep down that her own hesitation to confess her feelings was why she kept missing chances with Lin Zixi. If Lin Zixi had started dating someone during that time, it wouldn’t have been surprising at all.

As the saying goes, strike first to gain the upper hand. She hadn’t made the first move, so tasting the bitterness of regret was only natural.

What she never expected was that the one making her taste that regret would be Ye Can, who had sworn to help her.

Her friendship with Ye Can had started with that accidental CP pairing mix-up and developed through their acting on set. While filming Above the Throne, Ye Can’s performance had mesmerized Meng Zhiqiu more than once, even making her consider signing her to her studio. Overall, Meng Zhiqiu quite admired Ye Can as a person.

Admiration aside, Ye Can blocking her still left a lingering grudge.

But Meng Zhiqiu couldn’t just confront Ye Can and demand, Why did our friendship boat capsize out of nowhere? She buried the issue, planning to bring it up someday if they crossed paths.

She hadn’t expected to collaborate with Ye Can so soon—and as a screen couple, no less.

As a professional actress, Meng Zhiqiu knew that on set, especially in front of the camera, personal grudges had to be set aside.

She suspected Ye Can liked Lin Zixi. Maybe she’d just realized it, or perhaps they were already together.

Either way, it could explain the block.

Before the block, they’d shared that mix-up of a “girls’ friendship.” Now, playing on-screen lovers felt awkward. Considering their upcoming collaboration, Meng Zhiqiu decided to address it head-on, clear the air, and focus on work.

All in all, even if Ye Can was her rival in love, Meng Zhiqiu wasn’t mad at her for it.

If anything, realizing Ye Can might have blocked her over this made Meng Zhiqiu a bit indignant.

They’d spent over half a month together on set, and she’d genuinely seen Ye Can as a friend. Turning into romantic rivals overnight didn’t make them real enemies.

Meng Zhiqiu looked up at Ye Can, her gaze complex. “What makes you say three years? Ye Can, what’s really going on with you?”

Ye Can didn’t want to explain to Meng Zhiqiu. Even if she did, Meng Zhiqiu might not remember in three years.

Ye Can shoved her hands in her pockets, straightened her back, and met Meng Zhiqiu’s eyes. “No basis. Just call it nonsense. Bottom line: you can’t have her now. Only… after I leave, then you can like her.”

Meng Zhiqiu thought kids this age were impossible.

She let out a cold laugh. “Even if you’re together, that doesn’t stop me from liking her. Only I can stop myself.”

Meng Zhiqiu enunciated each word: “But you’re right— if you’re dating now, I won’t do anything presumptuous.”

Ye Can nodded. “I know you won’t. You’re a good person.”

Meng Zhiqiu raised a brow and huffed lightly. “Are you handing me the good person card right now?”

She shot Ye Can a look, gesturing for her to enter first. “Whatever, let’s go in. There are cameras in the hallway—I don’t want rumors of me bullying the newbie.”

Ye Can stood rooted. “I’m not going in with you. I don’t want to room together.”

Meng Zhiqiu pinched the bridge of her nose. “Come on, Ye Can. This is the director’s order. Be professional?”

Ye Can objected. “Professionalism is for the set, not off-camera. Living and eating together won’t affect our shooting.”

Meng Zhiqiu sighed deeply. “It won’t affect shooting, but we need to build chemistry—chemistry!”

“Fostering a screen couple takes time!”

Ye Can crossed her arms, staring fixedly at Meng Zhiqiu. Soon, her eyes—usually sharp with cold mockery—softened like a pool of spring water.

Gazing at Meng Zhiqiu, she spoke with deep affection, as if reuniting with a deity after a millennium: “Don’t cry for me, Ah-jie.”

“I’ll become the cold wind, become the snow, and return when the plum blossoms carpet the snowy ground.”

“Wait for me. You must wait until that day.”

Her voice trembled like qin strings in the wind, husky and captivating. Meng Zhiqiu stared into her eyes and, in that instant, felt pulled into the story’s apocalyptic end.

In the tale’s finale, the Demon Fiends vanished with the wind, leaving the lonely demigod to survey the mortal world.

Seeing Ye Can like this, Meng Zhiqiu felt a lump in her throat, too saddened to speak.

Ye Can noted her reaction and pulled back. She reined in her tenderness, reverting to the prickly kid, and said, “Do we still need to build chemistry now?”

Meng Zhiqiu snapped back to reality, her chest tightening. Honestly, she was starting to resist rooming with Ye Can too.

Being around someone so naturally talented would make a hard worker like her jealous enough to implode!

Damn, so annoying.

Meng Zhiqiu fought the urge to roll her eyes. “Fine, let’s swap info later. We should at least know each other’s likes and dislikes.”

Ye Can gave her an OK sign. “My luggage is still in the room. Mind pushing it out? I won’t go in.”

Ye Can was dead set against rooming together, but now that they’d talked it out, there were no hard feelings.

Meng Zhiqiu nodded. “Alright. Let’s cooperate well from here on.”

Ye Can said, “Paid to work—I get it. I will.”

Ye Can had hustled on three sets as a wage slave; she knew the drill.

Meng Zhiqiu, having worked with her, knew her professionalism and returned the OK sign. “That’s that, then.”

Meng Zhiqiu opened the door, wheeled out Ye Can’s suitcase. Ye Can took it with a thanks, then rushed to Jiang Yue and Lin Zixi’s door.

Watching her eager figure, Meng Zhiqiu felt like she was seeing a puppy frantically seeking its owner to fawn over.

So Lin Zixi likes this type of kid?

Meng Zhiqiu glanced at Ye Can’s slender frame, closed the door softly, touched her own face, and thought, Yeah, totally different from me.

Meng Zhiqiu left Ye Can alone. Ye Can knocked at Jiang Yue’s door for a while until footsteps approached.

Click. The door opened. Jiang Yue, wrapped in a robe, leaned against the frame and gave Ye Can a casual glance.

Jiang Yue was surprised. “Can-can, aren’t you rooming with Meng Zhiqiu? What brings you here? Did she kick you out?”

Ye Can wheeled her luggage in, pouting. “No way I’m sharing with her. I’m here for Lin Zixi.”

Jiang Yue got it. “Oh~ tadpole seeking mommy.”

Ye Can ignored her. “Where’s Lin Zixi?”

Jiang Yue pointed to a bedroom door. Ye Can wheeled her suitcase in. Jiang Yue closed the main door, thinking Ye Can planned to stay.

Tsk, such a clingy couple.

When Ye Can entered Lin Zixi’s room, Lin Zixi was showering. Hearing the noise, she assumed it was Jiang Yue. “Jiang Yue?”

Ye Can set down her suitcase and grumbled, “It’s me, not whatever Jiang-something.”

Lin Zixi shut off the shower. “Ye Can?”

Ye Can pulled pajamas from her bag, locked the main door, then went to the bathroom. “Open up. I wanna shower too.”

Click. Lin Zixi opened the door. “Why are you here?”

Ye Can eyed the water droplets on her. With a huff, “Of course I’m here. No way I’m rooming with Meng Zhiqiu.”

Ye Can shut the door behind her, set her clothes aside.

Lin Zixi puzzled, “But not rooming with Ms. Meng is the crew’s arrangement—and the director…”

Ye Can spun around and kissed her fiercely, silencing the nagging.

The sudden kiss made Lin Zixi grab Ye Can’s shirt at the waist. Her wet palms quickly soaked the fabric.

Lin Zixi pushed her away, flushed and annoyed. “Jiang Yue’s still out there…”

Ye Can ignored it, kissing her steamy neck, mumbling, “So what? She can’t come in.”

Lin Zixi dodged, pushing Ye Can’s face from her neck. “Ye Can… stop messing around…”

Ye Can released her, stared intently, then slowly unbuttoned her silk blouse.

She undid the buttons leisurely, narrow eyes fixed on Lin Zixi, dark intent swirling. “I want to mess around.”

“Lin Zixi, you made me unhappy today.”

With that, Ye Can leaned in, pressing down dominantly.

She kissed Lin Zixi’s lips with forceful passion, nipping lightly in complaint. “You actually wanted me rooming with someone else—what were you thinking?”

“Don’t you like me? Then why are you okay with me being alone with others?”

Lin Zixi went limp, arms weakly around Ye Can’s waist. “You… you agreed before. Ye Can, this is the crew’s arrangement—it’s work…”

Ye Can bit her neck possessively. “I never agreed. I was just placating you so you’d stop persuading me.”

“I’ll only be with you. And you—only with me.”

“Don’t you dare leave me behind.”

Her words grew more outrageous, and her actions even more boundary-pushing.

Amid this softening passion, Lin Zixi heard Ye Can whisper hotly in her ear, “Don’t you know how jealous I get?”

Lin Zixi thought, I know now.

This woman’s possessiveness was off the charts.