Chapter 72: Fourteen

Don’t let Lin Zixi’s gentle demeanor with everyone fool you—she had an icy, unyielding core like an iron-clad iceberg. Ye Can’s rude behavior on set could be called taking advantage if you put it lightly, or outright on-set sexual harassment if you were serious.

Ye Can might seem illogical in her daily actions, but she had her own way of thinking. At least in the month-plus they’d known each other, aside from her bossy domineering side, she mostly respected Lin Zixi.

But something like today—kissing her outright when she was caught off guard—that was a first.

In Lin Zixi’s eyes, the nature of this incident was utterly vile, no different from coercion. What made it even worse was that Ye Can hadn’t uttered a single word of apology afterward. Not one!

On this matter, Ye Can showed zero remorse and had no intention of offering any reasonable explanation.

Lin Zixi thought that even ordinary friends would offer some kind of clarification in a situation like this.

She and Ye Can had at least shared a bed as partners for so long, and Ye Can had sworn up and down that she’d come to this world for her sake—yet on this, she showed not the slightest respect.

Lin Zixi was furious, so she asked Tong Lin to pull some strings, vacate the room next door, and booted Ye Can over there.

Ye Can seemed to realize she’d messed up. Back at the hotel, she touched her nose tip and slunk sheepishly to the neighboring room.

Lin Zixi watched her guilty-looking back retreating, which only made her angrier.

The fact that Ye Can could act like this proved she knew full well her actions were wrong. And yet, she understood the gravity but refused to apologize or explain—infuriating.

Burning with anger, Lin Zixi glowered at Ye Can’s departing figure and slammed the door shut with a vicious bang.

The thunderous slam made Ye Can jolt all over. She turned, blinking at Lin Zixi’s tightly shut door.

How come Lin Zixi’s temper seems bigger these days? she wondered.

That night, someone was destined to suffer insomnia.

Ye Can’s actions on set had shaken Lin Zixi deeply. After washing up, she curled up in bed, feeling so cold she couldn’t sleep.

Even with the AC on, in this winter night, it was torture for someone as icy as Lin Zixi. Inevitably, she recalled the warmth of the past half-month, when Ye Can had held her close.

The contrast between that warmth and her current chilly sheets only made Lin Zixi more livid.

She even thought, Ye Can’s usually such a perceptive little weirdo—how does she not read the room at a time like this?

After all, Ye Can was just a half-grown kid. Over the line as it was, Lin Zixi wasn’t that opposed herself—she could chalk it up to being bitten by a dog.

Lin Zixi paused, snapping irritably: “No!” She’d slept fine without Ye Can before.

Confirming her anger, Ye Can—standing outside in her pajamas, phone in hand—probed: “I’m already at your door. If you don’t open up, I’ll kick it down.”

She’s a little lunatic! Lin Zixi fumed.

Given Ye Can’s track record, Lin Zixi endured and endured, finally compromising by getting out of bed: “Fine, wait there.”

The call clicked off with a beep. Moments later, footsteps approached the door.

Click. Lin Zixi twisted open the door, face like stone: “Don’t you have your own room now?”

Ye Can blinked innocently: “I’m worried you’ll be cold.”

Lin Zixi had no comeback and stepped aside: “Then come in.”

Once Ye Can was inside, Lin Zixi clicked the door locked behind them. In the dark, they climbed into bed. As they lay down, Ye Can pulled Lin Zixi into her arms.

A free human heater right there—why waste it? Lin Zixi didn’t hold back, pressing her icy feet against Ye Can’s warm thighs.

Still a bit mad, she slapped her cold hands onto Ye Can’s warm belly too. Ye Can didn’t flinch—instead, she hugged tighter, enveloping her in body heat.

After a while, as her body warmed, Lin Zixi uncurled, her anger ebbing too.

Seeing sleep claim her bit by bit, Ye Can whispered by her ear: “Not mad anymore?”

Lin Zixi buried her face in Ye Can’s chest, murmuring: “Mad.”

Ye Can paused, holding her close coaxingly: “Look, I warmed the bed… so…”

Lin Zixi huffed a laugh: “Aren’t you my little dog I raised? What’s warming the bed to you?”

She looked up in the dark, urgent: “Shouldn’t you apologize for what you did today? Ye Can, even if you wanted a real kiss, you should’ve asked first. We’re partners—did you respect me? Respect our relationship?”

“You know that kind of behavior can be called assault, right?”

Ye Can stared straight at her, not daring to speak. Before, she’d been slick at this stuff. But now, facing an angry Lin Zixi, she couldn’t bluster.

No answer came, so Lin Zixi sighed: “No more of that from now on. And say you’re sorry.”

Ye Can nodded: “Okay, won’t happen again.”

Lin Zixi’s anger softened a tad, voice still cool: “Say you’re sorry.”

Ye Can didn’t speak—instead, she chuckled and leaned down for a smack! on Lin Zixi’s chin.

The warm kiss landed with a smack!, and Lin Zixi burned hotter. She wiped her chin, icily: “Say you’re sorry!”

Ye Can refused, planting another smack! on her cheek. Lin Zixi was livid, shoving her: “I said apologize—not kiss me! You’re taking advantage again!”

Ye Can ignored it, hugging tight and peppering her face with puppy-like kisses. Back and forth, Lin Zixi’s fire was thoroughly worn down.

Dodging the placating smooches, she pushed helplessly: “Are you a dog, licking all over? Stop licking!”

They tussled a good while until Ye Can yanked her atop herself with one pull. Looking up at Lin Zixi sprawled on her chest, she grinned: “Then as apology, I’ll be your mattress for the night.”

Lin Zixi smacked her face: “Too hard, no thanks. Now sleep—be a good heater and quit fussing.”

Ye Can went “Oh,” but wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her from sliding off.

Lin Zixi couldn’t beat her and wasn’t mad anymore, so she threw in the towel, sprawling on Ye Can’s chest and passing out.

The position wasn’t great for sleep—Lin Zixi felt like she had nightmares all night.

In the dream, a big dog held her, licking nonstop.

It was the most absurdly erotic dream of Lin Zixi’s life. Waking to Ye Can’s beaming face, her doused anger inexplicably reignited.

She resolved not to acknowledge Ye Can for a while.

The next few days on set, Lin Zixi kept up the post-kiss chill, no more interaction with Ye Can.

But the next-door room got canceled eventually—Ye Can’s heater powers won out, letting her stay by Lin Zixi’s side for now.

They lived days of cold shoulders, nights of shared beds. Normally sharp Ye Can this time thought Lin Zixi was fine, goofing off heartlessly with eats and drinks after shoots.

Lin Zixi, though, stewed more over Ye Can’s actions in those tormenting days despite it being minor.

It was her first time with such big emotions over someone.

Jiang Yue, who’d known her years and seen her as still waters run deep, keenly sensed the surging undercurrents—and felt something wondrous in them.

One day post-shoot on set, Jiang Yue stood by Lin Zixi with her thermos, watching Ye Can film.

Lin Zixi stood in the crowd, eyes locked on Ye Can in frame—gaze softer and deeper than Jiang Yue had ever seen.

Jiang Yue sighed lightly, nudging her arm a few times. Lin Zixi finally turned, meeting her teasing eyes: “Staring so hard—is Ye Can that good-looking?”

Lin Zixi shot her an exasperated look: “I’m checking her performance. What are you imagining now?”

Jiang Yue huffed: “I haven’t said a word—how do you know I’m imagining? How do you know it’s just imagination?”

Lin Zixi ignored her, eyes back on Ye Can: “Given your recent chatter, my take’s spot on.”

Jiang Yue tsked, eyeing Lin Zixi’s lovely profile and sighing: “Fine, no arguing. Zixi… I used to think you were from some mountain peak, untouched by worldly dust. Now? You’re one of us mortals.”

Lin Zixi turned, amused: “How am I untouched? Don’t I slave away at work, bowing for a modest salary like everyone?”

Jiang Yue shook her head: “Nah, different. In my mind before, you were this pure artist, all about creation. Untouchable, someone we looked up to.”

“But now you’ve got that worldly vibe, those vulgar emotions.”

Lin Zixi laughed helplessly: “Why does it feel like you’re insulting me sideways? ‘Worldly vibe,’ ‘vulgar’—really?”

Jiang Yue sipped her thermos, smirking: “Nope, complimenting you.”

She sighed dramatically: “Love’s power is truly great.”

“It can lift you briefly above the mundane—or plunge you right back in!”

Jiang Yue sighed again, thermos in hand, and walked off.

Lin Zixi stared at her back, blindsided.

Love? Who do I love? Ye Can?

Never thought the day would come when someone I like looks like this.

No way I could like someone so unreliable, such a little psycho.

Right?