Good news had a way of lifting the spirits. Outside, the rain fell in endless sheets, the sky so dark it seemed ready to swallow the world whole, draining interest from everything.
Le Yiqiu, waiting idly now that filming on her movie had wrapped and release was pending, felt utterly relaxed.
She lounged comfortably in a recliner, a cup of coffee within reach and a cat sprawled across her chest. As she rocked the chair gently, both she and the cat narrowed their eyes in contentment.
Despite the gloomy rain, brilliant sunshine beamed in her heart.
Lin Xianing busied herself with makeup and getting ready. Le Yiqiu had skipped the cosmetics, slipping into a simple white hoodie instead, and now waited patiently while Lin Xianing finished primping.
They had plans that day to meet friends for indoor ice skating—a rare chance for both of them to have free time. It would be a shame not to turn it into a date.
Rain limited them to indoor fun, though.
Ice skating in the morning, then house hunting in the afternoon.
The development was smack in the city center, featuring both apartments and villas.
City-center villas started at a hundred million yuan, perfect for those craving urban access with the privacy of a standalone home.
Take Lin Xianing: as an actress, she needed secure, low-profile digs. But she also had a commute.
Off filming, her mornings meant Summer Group, followed by afternoons packed with work and lessons of every sort.
Le Yiqiu was no different. After finishing When Flowers Fall, she filled her days with sports, boxing lessons, and picking up film production skills.
She dropped by Tu Sheng’s editing suite often, shadowing the team to learn.
A top-tier editor teaming with an international director? Rare combo—too good to pass up.
When work and study eased, they treated themselves to breaks, just like office workers clocking weekends unless something urgent cropped up.
This marked their first real weekend off since the grind had let up.
Saturday, they took Manman for grooming and hit the supermarket to stock up the house. Today, they’d left Manman with Chen Tao for safekeeping while they headed out to play.
As they left, Manman’s pleading gaze left them feeling inexplicably guilty.
In the car, Le Yiqiu glanced back at that look. “We come off like parents ditching the kid to sneak away for fun.”
Lin Xianing nodded. She felt it too.
“But whatever—as long as we’re happy. That little troublemaker crashes our intimate moments at home. Out here, no nosy supervision.”
Any time they tried to kiss, Manman wedged right between them with a curious meow.
Who could keep the mood going under that kind of scrutiny?
Now that they’d slipped away, a playful spark lit Le Yiqiu’s eyes. “Honey~”
Every time she called Lin Xianing “wife,” her heart soared. It meant their sham had turned real—they were true partners now. How could she not be thrilled?
Lin Xianing melted at the endearment, already guessing her intent.
Sure enough, the next instant, Le Yiqiu captured her lips. They kissed deeply right there in the car.
Only when their faces burned red did they finally pull apart.
…
The drive was smooth, landing them at Jianglin City’s largest ice rink—an asset under Lin Xianing’s name. Big stars like her disrupted the public vibe anyway, so they’d booked the place outright.
Closed for maintenance that day, the rink stood empty save for staff when they arrived.
They’d invited friends too: aside from Chen Tao on cat duty, there were the Zhao sisters, Zhao Ruo and Zhao Yu… Kang Han and Luo Luo…
Talk about bizarre pairings. The Zhao sisters could barely stand each other, and Kang Han was deep in her desperate redemption chase for ex Luo Luo.
Such an odd mix begged for backups to dilute the weirdness. Le Yiqiu roped in a few more.
Tu Xun was on long vacation, so Le Yiqiu summoned her.
For some reason, Tu Xun dragged Lou Hansong along.
Round it out with When Flowers Fall‘s two leads, Jiang Wenxi and Gan Ying, plus Le Yiqiu and Luo Luo’s high school classmate Li Lanli.
Over a dozen in the group now, the racket from Jiang Wenxi and Gan Ying alongside Luo Luo and Li Lanli helped mask the underlying awkwardness.
Le Yiqiu held Lin Xianing’s hand, occasionally drawing friendly fire from Luo Luo to keep things lively.
Luo Luo’s barbs slid right off her—they were used to trading jabs by now.
Just then, Luo Luo and Li Lanli launched into high school anecdotes, pulling everyone’s attention.
“That Le Yiqiu,” Luo Luo said, “put on this straight-laced front. If all those smitten underclass girls knew what a goof she really was, they wouldn’t have braved the summer heat to fetch her water.”
As childhood pals, Luo Luo knew every embarrassing Le Yiqiu tale.
Li Lanli had been class president—a high-EQ straight-A student who got along with everyone. She’d aced the nation’s top university, gone abroad for grad school after undergrad, then built a stellar career overseas.
Recently transferred back home, she now oversaw her company’s East Asia projects.
She and Luo Luo reconnected when one of her brands tapped Luo Luo for an endorsement; they got along fine.
Their bond had always been solid back in school. Li Lanli even flew in from abroad for class reunions, staying tight with most classmates.
No mystery why she and Luo Luo clicked.
Le Yiqiu, meanwhile, had turned hermit after holing up to write novels. She skipped every reunion unless Luo Luo physically dragged her out.
Li Lanli shot her a look. “Seriously, tons of people crushed on Le Yiqiu back then.”
With a sigh, she added, “Lin Xianing-senpai too. After debuting, she turned into school legend overnight.”
“You all went to the same place?” Tu Xun blurted, surprised.
“Yeah.”
“Alumni were floored,” Li Lanli said. “Two campus icons ending up together—and married, no less.”
Those in the know from their graduating classes still gossiped about Le Yiqiu and Lin Xianing’s wedding.
Le Yiqiu caught their prying stares and smiled, filing it away.
“I’m dying to hear it too,” Gan Ying said, the younger lead from When Flowers Fall beaming with curiosity. “Director Le and Teacher Lin’s love story. Did it start in high school?”
Luo Luo wore a gleeful, trouble-stirring grin while Li Lanli zipped up her puffy jacket for her.
Le Yiqiu arched a brow. Glancing at the dejected Kang Han, it clicked: so this was the redemption chase in action?
“About us…”
Le Yiqiu hadn’t expected Lin Xianing to jump in, her voice tinged sour. “She had all those admirers back then, but never noticed me.”
Lin Xianing still fumed inwardly at the thought of her old crush photos falling into Le Yiqiu’s hands.
Lingering so close for so long, only to go unseen? It left a complicated ache.
Le Yiqiu had puzzled over it herself. Those photos showed them practically side by side—how had she missed Lin Xianing?
High school Lin Xianing had that pure, innocent look, straight out of a teen drama ingenue. Stunning, really. Yet no memory at all. What a lapse.
Post-amnesia, though, that first glimpse of her in a red dress had hit like love at first sight.
“Honey~” Le Yiqiu cooed sheepishly.
No point picking it apart—better to flirt it away. Overexplaining just dredged up hurtful details, fodder for future fights.
Shed learned that lesson hard. Last time, one stray comment about Lou Hansong earned her days of shade.
Calling her “wife” in front of everyone shut Lin Xianing right up. Her ear tips flushed pink; she couldn’t even meet Le Yiqiu’s eyes.
The others lit up like they’d witnessed live candy. Lou Hansong just stayed frosty, scoffing inwardly: All for show. Fake sugar—poisonous kind.
As the sole keeper of their sham-marriage secret, that’s all she saw: illusions, toxic ones.
Le Yiqiu ignored the gossip and laced up first, gliding onto the ice.
She extended a hand to Lin Xianing. Hand in hand, they started skating.
Le Yiqiu was a natural athlete, versed in all sorts of sports. Back during the winter Olympics craze in elementary school, her class had skated nonstop.
No pro, but solid for an amateur. Killer balance too—leading Lin Xianing posed no trouble.
Lin Xianing managed basics from childhood rink trips, but barely. She could avoid wiping out at a crawl; any speed doomed her.
Le Yiqiu stayed glued to her side instead of racing around.
The ice chilled deep; they bundled thick, splintering into cliques for fun.
Zhao Yu angled to sign Jiang Wenxi, hovering nearby.
Zhao Ruo wanted her too, naturally. Sisterly rivalry reignited.
Tu Xun stuck loyally with Lou Hansong, who kept stealing glances at Le Yiqiu. Tu Xun just rolled along.
Gan Ying, meanwhile, eyed Tu Xun with open fascination. Freshly signed to Empty Entertainment as a prized trainee, she probably shared the common curiosity about scientists.
The other trio made for prime drama: Luo Luo chatted solely with Li Lanli, stonewalling Kang Han.
Kang Han lingered nearby, neither joining nor fading away.
Only Le Yiqiu and Lin Xianing had come to actually enjoy themselves—and they did, thoroughly.
Worn out at last, they stepped off for a seated break outside the rink, watching the cliques inside.
Le Yiqiu leaned in, gossipy. “Think Luo Luo and Li Lanli have something going?”
Lin Xianing shook her head. “No clue.”
“I clocked it back in school. Li Lanli had it bad for Luo Luo. Class whispers everywhere—everyone saw how she played favorites.”
Le Yiqiu reminisced. Sure, Li Lanli treated classmates well as president, but Luo Luo got the real special treatment. Textbook favoritism.
Shed even told Luo Luo once. Shed waved it off: “Nah, class prez is just nice to everyone.”
Le Yiqiu let it drop. Crushes demanded action from the piner—meddling never helped.
Lin Xianing glanced worriedly at Kang Han. “No shot at making up?”
Everyone rooted for their friends, Lin Xianing included.
But she knew the dirt on the breakup. Kang Han’s fault, through and through. Never once had she taken Kang Han’s side.
“No idea.”
Le Yiqiu backed Luo Luo completely. Kang Han had hurt her—no faith in a reunion.
Even if Kang Han still carried a torch, Le Yiqiu wouldn’t bet on it.
From the start, Luo Luo had chased hot and heavy. Kang Han stayed cool-headed, walled off.
Passion clashing with restraint? No spark.
To onlookers, Luo Luo’s every move seemed worthless to Kang Han.
Luo Luo’s fiery pursuit met Kang Han’s freakish icemount calm—and fizzled out.
Le Yiqiu had mapped it onto her own story with Lin Xianing once. Lin Xianing didn’t chase, but she responded.
She tucked away every gesture, replying in her quiet way—gentle waves of inclusion, not outright fire, but encompassing all the same.
Never Kang Han’s brand of ignoring… or dousing flames with cold water.
With dynamics like that, Le Yiqiu couldn’t root for reconciliation.
Of the three, shed even back Li Lanli, maybe.
No telling if Li Lanli’s flame still burned. But the way she fussed gently over Luo Luo? Probably.
“What does it feel like,” Le Yiqiu mused, “realizing your secret crush is taken?”
She hadn’t noticed Lou Hansong sidling up till the editor chimed in. “Like botching a shot take after endless take—no recast, no rewrite. Utterly powerless, no fix in sight.”
Le Yiqiu felt that viscerally, out of nowhere.
“Or a pitch-black night where the one streetlamp dies,” Lou Hansong added, the subtext screaming.
Le Yiqiu went quiet. Ever since clocking Lou Hansong’s feelings, she avoided even casual chit-chat. Wouldn’t want misunderstandings.
Or for Lin Xianing to get hurt over too much “sis time.”
She checked Lin Xianing first—no flicker of upset. Only then did she exhale.
Le Yiqiu took her hand, warming it on her lap.
The ice rink was freezing, and Lin Xianing always felt chilled to the bone in winter, struggling to warm up. Just like now—her hands were as cold as ice blocks.
Noticing her gesture, Lin Xianing’s lips curved up. No one disliked such a straightforward response.
After hearing Lou Hansong’s words, Le Yiqiu’s first thought was that they were showing off their love, blatantly telling everyone she had a wife and wasn’t open to any flirting.
Lou Hansong, who had seen the same exchange, wore a darkened expression. She couldn’t understand why they had entered a fake marriage.
No matter the reason, though, they shouldn’t sacrifice their own relationship for it.
Le Yiqiu let go of the issue and turned to Sister Tu Xun instead. “Sister Tu Xun, is the project going smoothly?”
“Smoothly. We can take a nice long vacation afterward.”
Sister Tu Xun was the type who either worked nonstop, pulling all-nighters from dawn till dusk, or vanished on extended breaks.
Her words caught Lou Hansong’s attention. “A Xun, don’t overwork yourself.”
Lou Hansong truly cared for Sister Tu Xun. Seeing that she wasn’t wearing gloves, she removed her own and slipped them onto Sister Tu Xun’s hands.
So gentle? No wonder Sister Tu Xun had fallen for her.
…
After skating, the group headed to a nearby farm stay for lunch. These places offered not just food and lodging but also hands-on activities like fruit picking. But after a full morning on the ice, everyone was wiped out, with no energy left for extras. They ate and decided to call it a day.
Zhao Yu and Zhao Ruo, the sisters, had work to handle and needed to rush back to the company.
Gan Ying and Jiang Wenxi chose to hitch a ride with Zhao Yu.
By opting for Zhao Yu’s car over Zhao Ruo’s, Jiang Wenxi had clearly made her choice about which company to sign with.
Zhao Yu strutted past Zhao Ruo like a victorious rooster, neck held high.
She didn’t notice the faint smile on Zhao Ruo’s face. Who didn’t have a childish little sister?
Lou Hansong had a dinner meeting that evening and needed to head back early. Staying longer would only leave her fuming.
Sister Tu Xun, of course, left with Lou Hansong.
In the blink of an eye, only the five of them remained from the group of over a dozen.
Le Yiqiu and Lin Xianing had planned to check out a house, but it wouldn’t take long.
They’d already bought it—just a quick look, maybe ten or fifteen minutes tops.
It wasn’t even two o’clock yet, and they weren’t in a rush to head home, so they decided on massages.
The full monty kind: traditional Chinese oil massages where you stripped down completely. They could choose single or double rooms.
The wellness spa belonged to Luo Luo. Le Yiqiu blinked in surprise. “Didn’t know you had it in you to think of this.”
“What do you mean by that?” Luo Luo aimed a kick at her leg.
Le Yiqiu was ready for it and dodged with agile grace.
Luo Luo huffed coldly, chin lifted in pride. “You wouldn’t get it.”
“Actors don’t just need skincare and beauty treatments—they need to relax their bodies too.”
“After wrapping a shoot, your whole body feels like a board, especially as you get older. Shoulders, neck, lower back—all wrecked.”
“Places like this thrive on privacy and real results. Better to trust yourself than outsiders.”
Luo Luo had originally opened the wellness spa for her own comfort, but Grass Water Wellness Spa hired certified traditional Chinese medicine practitioners with top-notch privacy.
Staff weren’t allowed to bring in any electronics; someone checked before every shift, ensuring nothing went into the treatment rooms.
The oils and such were handled by dedicated personnel—if anything went wrong, accountability was clear, no finger-pointing.
In five years since opening, Grass Water Wellness Spa had zero scandals. It had blown up in celebrity circles, drawing stars from all over.
The privacy was impeccable, the massages professional across the board, and they genuinely eased the wear and tear on your body. Not just celebs—plenty of regular folks loved it too.
Sure, it was pricey, but the results were worth it.
When picking treatments, Le Yiqiu barely glanced at the menu. “Boss Luo’s treating—pile it on.”
Luo Luo paused. “…You pay for yours. I’ll cover your wife.”
“Oh, and the class monitor too.”
It was obvious Luo Luo was close enough with Le Yiqiu to tease her that way, while pointedly excluding Kang Han.
Something must have gone down between Luo Luo and Kang Han—their vibe was even frostier than last time.
Le Yiqiu ignored her and winked at Luo Luo.
Luo Luo got it instantly, booking a double room for her and Lin Xianing, singles for the other three.
“Couples in a double room is fine, right?” Luo Luo said with feigned innocence.
Le Yiqiu gave her a thumbs-up. No wonder she was her childhood friend—she just got it.
Le Yiqiu had no ulterior motives; she just wanted to cuddle with her wife.
The treatment she’d picked required going fully nude. Awkward… but she liked the idea.
During the changing process, neither fully stripped—they kept robes on.
With their heads in the face cradle, Le Yiqiu wiggled her toes. Plot foiled.
But they’d have to dress afterward, getting up bare from the table.
During the massage, they both politely declined going fully nude. From behind, they might as well have been in backless bikinis at the beach.
To be fair, it felt amazing. After days of all-nighters, the exhaustion lingered—but this press melted it away. Le Yiqiu drifted into a doze, eyes closing as sleep claimed her. When she woke, Lin Xianing was already showered, dressed, and waiting.
Blearily opening her eyes, Le Yiqiu jolted at the sight of Lin Xianing seated right in front of her.
Dazed, she looked up at Lin Xianing, taking a moment to remember where she was.
Le Yiqiu: “…”
She’d planned to tease Lin Xianing while getting up, but now Lin Xianing was fully dressed, and she was naked.
Nothing on but panties. Standing would flash everything; staying put wasn’t an option.
Her face flushing, she lifted her head. “I… I need to change.”
Good thing the masseuse had left, or she’d die of embarrassment right there.
Lin Xianing looked innocent. “Go ahead and change.”
Easier said than done—she made no move to look away, staying planted right in Le Yiqiu’s line of sight.
Le Yiqiu reached for the robe and realized it was hung up high—she’d have to stand to grab it.
Lin Xianing set down her wellness book, stepped to the rack, and picked up the robe. “This what you want?”
“Yes~”
Le Yiqiu batted her eyes, begging Lin Xianing to hand it over—even tossing it would do.
Lin Xianing arched a brow, amusement sparkling in her eyes. “Shouldn’t you say something first? Like, pretty please?”
???
Le Yiqiu’s eyes widened. “Wifey!!! You’ve gone naughty.”
“Who do you think I learned it from?” Lin Xianing approached, robe in hand.
Well…
Of course, from her. Lin Xianing had simply mirrored her own past tricks.
Le Yiqiu pressed her lips together, gripping the sheet as she steeled herself. “Wifey~ Pretty please~ Give me the robe, okay~?”
She dragged out each word, her voice turning syrupy sweet on purpose.
Something hot stirred inside Le Yiqiu, heat blooming through her body. Her face, ears, and neck flushed pink.
Even her exposed back took on a rosy glow.
Lin Xianing felt the warmth too from that voice and quickly draped the robe over her back before turning away.
Le Yiqiu threw it on and bolted to the bathroom.
When she emerged, showered and dressed, the wall clock read four-thirty.
Lin Xianing sat nearby, still reading her wellness book. She hadn’t left the room, waiting patiently.
Le Yiqiu had figured she’d gone ahead, but seeing her there waiting made her sway happily, mood lifted.
Le Yiqiu hurried over and held out her hand. “Let’s go.”
They still needed to view the house. If Lin Xianing liked it, renovations could start right away.
Their current place was fine, but a villa would be better for pets. They wouldn’t stop at just Manman the cat.
On the drive to the house, Le Yiqiu chattered about her ideas.
Lin Xianing smiled softly, heart light. Le Yiqiu kept weaving her into every plan—how could she not be thrilled?
