25 lip prints overlap

◎Love Wrapped Around the Ring Finger◎

As Yan Sui asked this question, she also saw the person standing at the door.

She resisted the urge to take a step back, her hand gripping her coat so tightly it trembled slightly, but her expression remained natural.

"Miss Lu?"

Yan Sui looked very surprised.

Jian Liyun glanced back at Yan Sui. Well, Yan Sui was indeed not suited to be an actress. She was clearly uncomfortable but was forcing herself to be. Jian Liyun saw right through her.

Lu Shutian was another person who saw through it all.

Her smile remained sweet as she took out her gold-rimmed glasses from the fruit basket. "Sister, you left your glasses at my house yesterday."

Yan Sui walked towards the two people standing at the door.

The further she walked, the faster her heartbeat became.

The shadow cast by Lu Shutian was heavier than she had imagined. Although Yan Sui felt that she should not be afraid of this person, her body's instinctive reaction still made her feel uncomfortable.

The more distressed Yan Sui became, the calmer her expression grew, until finally, even Jian Liyun couldn't tell whether Yan Sui was truly no longer afraid.

She first held a coat in each hand, gesturing for Jian Liyun to take one.

Jian Liyun randomly picked one, and Yan Sui wore the remaining one herself.

Facing the female lead, Yan Sui felt that she should wear more clothes to stand up straight.

Jian Liyun's lips curled up almost imperceptibly, and she said in a calm tone, "My clothes might be a little big on you. If you like them, I'll go and buy you a smaller size of the same style later."

Lu Shutian's expression didn't change; she even nodded in agreement. "If you're cold, sister, I have a cashmere blanket at home. I'll bring it to you later."

Yan Sui wouldn't dare accept anything from Lu Shutian; she was already being kind by not harming Lu Shutian.

She smiled and took the glasses from Lu Shutian's hand. "I forgot my glasses yesterday. Thank you for bringing them to me."

Lu Shutian waved her hand: "No need to thank me for this. We'll be neighbors from now on anyway."

"Neighbors?" Yan Sui asked, puzzled.

Jian Liyun explained, "She moved across the hall from our house."

Yan Sui suppressed the urge to twitch her lips; this female lead was just too...

[Host, I have a feeling this female lead is a bit like a ghost... no, I mean, she's a bit clingy.]

The system used a high level of emotional intelligence to help Yan Sui express her thoughts effectively.

Yan Sui, who had originally planned to go back by herself today, gave up the idea.

Yesterday, Yan Sui went to Lu Shutian's apartment in the city center. That apartment is in the best building in the area and has the highest price.

Although Jian Liyun's current neighborhood is also a high-end neighborhood, it is still inferior to Lu Shutian's.

Lu Shutian had no reason to suddenly want to move to a worse place.

So, the fact that the female lead moved to the house opposite the female supporting character's house clearly means she wants to continue looking for opportunities to harm the female supporting character.

In that situation, how could Yan Sui possibly go home?

Of course not.

After Jian Liyun finished explaining, Lu Shutian also extended a warm invitation, "There's no time like the present, Sister, Senior Jian, why don't you come to my house for lunch?"

Yan Suizhen really wanted to let out a heavy sigh, which was completely out of place.

Why does Lu Shutian insist on bothering her and Jian Liyun?

But appearances still had to be maintained, so Yan Sui smiled and said, "Ms. Lu, as your new neighbors, we haven't even given you a housewarming gift yet, and you've already given us one. How could we possibly bother you by going to your house again?"

Yan Sui was still playing tai chi with Lu Shutian, completely unaware that Jian Liyun behind her was barely suppressing her smile.

Jian Liyun thought to herself, "She didn't deny what I said about 'our family,' she even said 'we.'"

Yan Sui, having already spoken, intended to wait for Jian Liyun to cooperate with her performance, but after a long while, she turned her head in confusion and saw Jian Liyun smiling smugly.

Yan Sui: ?

Jian Liyun then came to her senses, and she stammered, "Yes, Sui Sui is right."

Lu Shutian shoved the fruit basket into Yan Sui's arms. "Oh, don't be so polite, sister. See you at twelve o'clock. I'm across the hall, just knock."

Before Yan Sui could even utter her refusal, the door was slammed shut by Lu Shutian.

On the other side.

Upon returning to her new home, Lu Shutian instantly suppressed her smile and made a phone call with a blank expression.

"Hello? Who is this?"

Lu Shutian said calmly, "Hello Jinlan, I am Lu Shutian."

Jin Lan frowned, then remembered that Lu Shutian might also participate in that all-female dating reality show.

Could it be that the production team was able to contact his ex-girlfriend?

"Hello, is there something you need that you're contacting me about all of a sudden?" Jin Lan asked tentatively.

Lu Shutian got straight to the point: "Let's make a deal. I can get Tian Yufu to participate in a variety show so we can meet. In return, you have to grant me one request."

Tian Yufu is Jin Lan's ex-girlfriend who suddenly broke up with her abruptly.

Jin Lan's heart tightened. "...Okay."

Lu Shutian laughed emotionlessly. "Very well, I like dealing with straightforward people. Did you tell Yan Sui and the others that you would agree to cooperate with Jian Liyun if you could meet with your ex-girlfriend?"

"right."

Lu Shutian paused for a moment, then said, "Don't let a third person know about our deal. When you're ready to film, you can still work with Jian Liyun, but I have one condition."

What are the requirements?

Lu Shutian flexed her left wrist. "Adding someone to the crew? Don't worry, that person won't be a main character. If you're worried about funding, I'll invest."

Jinlan disliked this forced entry of people.

But compared to being able to meet her ex-girlfriend, she would be willing to do anything, let alone force someone into the production or bring her own funding, even make Jin Lan star in a terrible movie that would never be seen before or ever again.

Jinlan agreed without hesitation.

Lu Shutian gave a few more instructions, then hung up the phone and went to the kitchen.

As she walked toward the kitchen, she typed a text message and sent it to an unknown number.

The kitchen was filled with various ingredients that had just been delivered. Lu Shutian hummed her upcoming new song as she began preparing to cook.

Compared to Lu Shutian's relaxed demeanor, the atmosphere on Yan Sui's side was somewhat tense.

She paced back and forth in the living room wearing Jian Liyun's coat, her face revealing her anxiety.

Jian Liyun, on the other hand, was much more natural. She took the fruit basket to the coffee table in the living room and examined it carefully for a few moments. "The fruits she gave me look quite good, they must not be cheap."

"What time is it to talk about fruit?" Yan Sui frowned, then, as if remembering something, she gestured for Jian Liyun to be quiet.

Jian Liyun was puzzled, but she obediently did as she was told.

Yan Sui tiptoed quietly to the fruit basket and took out the fruit one by one.

Great, there were no hidden compartments in the fruit basket, no secretly placed recording pen, and no camera was found.

What about pinhole cameras?

Yan Sui didn't know much about this, so she could only place her hopes on Jian Liyun.

She first made a hand gesture to take a picture of Jian Liyun, and then mouthed the words.

Beware of hidden cameras.

Jian Liyun picked up the fruit basket and carefully inspected it—

No abnormalities were found.

Yan Sui finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry, Li Yun. The main problem is that when she saw you and He Chenyu last night, it didn't look like our house, so I guessed it must be He Chenyu's house. But she actually secretly installed a camera in He Chenyu's house."

"So the more I think about it, the more something seems off. Just to be on the safe side, we should check the things she sent over carefully."

After Yan Sui finished explaining, her mouth was dry. Just as she was about to pick up the glass on the coffee table, a hand grabbed her wrist and said, "Drink warm water."

Jian Liyun handed her her thermos.

Yan Sui hesitated, "It's okay, besides, this is your water bottle."

"You despise me?" Jian Liyun said gently.

It's not like I haven't drunk it before.

Yan Sui shook her head vigorously, unscrewed the bottle cap, and gulped down several mouthfuls.

Jian Liyun nodded in satisfaction, "It's right to be careful, but don't be too easily alarmed. I'm here, don't be nervous."

"She wanted to kill you and He Chenyu, how could I not be nervous?"

Yan Sui sighed, "So, why did you go to see He Chenyu yesterday—"

"If you don't want to answer, you don't have to," she added.

Jian Liyun took the water glass from Yan Sui's hand and drank a few more sips herself.

Yan Sui stammered, "Li Yun, the place you drank from is where I just..."

She found it hard to say it.

Neither of them is wearing makeup right now, otherwise the lip prints would be completely overlapping.

Yan Sui thought that someone with Jian Liyun's personality must be a germaphobe.

Jian Liyun raised an eyebrow. "This is my water cup. I'm thirsty, so you won't let me drink from it?"

Yan Sui had a bitter pill to swallow, but then she thought that perhaps she was being too sensitive.

She waved her hand, "It's okay, you can continue."

Seeing that she had teased him enough, Jian Liyun stopped laughing.

"There is no information about me from my childhood in my publicly available online information, and I have never disclosed it to anyone."

Yan Sui nodded; she knew that.

In the original novel, most of the description of Jian Liyun focused on how she tried to please the male protagonist.

The remaining descriptions of her focus on how outstanding her professional abilities are.

But her background was not mentioned at all.

After all, in the setting of romance novels, what the female supporting character is like is not important; her existence is only to highlight how sweet the love between the other two main characters is.

Therefore, Jian Liyun's background is indeed an unsolved mystery.

Jian Liyun first placed the thermos on the coffee table, then relaxed and leaned back on the sofa, patting the seat next to her: "Let's sit and chat."

Yan Sui sat down next to her.

Jian Liyun chuckled, "Why are you sitting so upright? It's not like you're a student in class."

Yan Sui shook her head, "Because I feel that what you are about to say is a bit serious, so it's better to listen carefully."

Seeing that Yan Sui remained unmoved, Jian Liyun simply slumped down on the sofa, resting her head on Yan Sui's lap. Her thick, black hair, like seaweed, spread across her shoulders, arms, and Yan Sui's legs.

Jian Liyun had completely shed her usual aloofness and assertiveness. She squinted, her eyes revealing a vulnerability that Yan Sui couldn't decipher.

Yan Sui was at a loss for words. What was Jian Liyun trying to do?

You're squinting before you've even started speaking. Didn't you get enough sleep last night?

Jian Liyun had already lay down, but she acted first and asked later, "Lying on top of you, Sui Sui, you don't mind, do you?"

Yan Sui pursed her lips and carefully brushed aside a strand of hair from Jian Liyun's profile. "I don't mind."

The beauty's profile was fully revealed at this moment, with flawless fair skin, a straight nose, and eyes that, though slightly upturned at the corners, still exuded an undeniable coldness.

Jian Liyun's face is really...

360 degrees without blind spots.

Yan Sui was still marveling at Jian Liyun's stunning beauty when the aloof beauty suddenly spoke.

"I grew up in an orphanage."

"Uh-huh?!"

Yan Sui's eyes widened. The female supporting character actually grew up in an orphanage?

She froze for a moment, then realized that it made perfect sense.

After all, both main characters come from prominent families, but when the female supporting character's career plummeted later in the story, her family never appeared.

Jian Liyun grabbed Yan Sui's hand and wrapped a small strand of her hair around Yan Sui's ring finger.

Jian Liyun admired her masterpiece: "Everyone in the orphanage..." She thought for several seconds before saying lightly, "They're alright for me."

"But later, the orphanage encountered an unprecedented crisis. The building collapsed inexplicably, the director fell seriously ill, the children had no money to go to school, no money for food, and no place to live."

"He Chenyu appeared at this time."

Yan Sui listened with a solemn expression; it seemed that the female supporting character and the male lead were playing a redemption role.

Jian Liyun paused, then changed her posture, curling up slightly and shifting her gaze to the side.

"He said he could help me solve these problems."

Yan Sui said softly, "So that's how you two met?"

Jian Liyun hummed in agreement. She had already closed her eyes, but she didn't need to look to know how cautious Yan Sui's expression was.

"Do you think," Jian Liyun said calmly, "that he helped me when I was in danger, so I fell in love with him?"

Yan Sui coughed lightly, "I wouldn't call it love, but it's definitely for someone who lends a helping hand in times of crisis..."

I think I'll develop feelings for him/her?

“He did help me out of my predicament at the time,” Jian Liyun interrupted, “but he also asked me for something.”

“Sui Sui, that’s not helping, that’s a transaction.”

Yan Sui looked at her ring finger, which was entangled in black hair. She untied the hair and asked, "A deal? What kind of deal did you make?"

Jian Liyun noticed Yan Sui's movements. She opened her eyes, seemingly a little unhappy.

The aloof beauty, with a cold expression, wrapped her hair around Yan Sui's ring finger again.

Yan Sui didn't understand, but she respected it.

After her hair was re-wrapped, Jian Liyun's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed.

She said slowly, "He enrolled me in an acting class so I could study acting in college and become an actress."

He Chenyu said he also likes acting, and that when I become a good actor, I will give him some pointers.

Jian Liyun scoffed, "I've heard about his background. With the He family's status, they could even persuade those big-name actors who have already gone into seclusion to come out of retirement. Why did they insist on making me, who hadn't even been exposed to acting at the time, act in a play, and why were they so certain that I would become an actress in the future?"

“Sui Sui, I can’t see through his intentions. I’m financially independent now, but… the hospital director is still receiving treatment at a hospital abroad funded by the He family. I can’t afford to break ties with him.”

Yan Sui's voice was devoid of emotion. "So every time he asks you to meet now, it's to talk about things related to the play script?"

Jian Liyun hummed in agreement. "His appearance isn't bad, but his actual acting skills are terrible. Before the two dramas he filmed with me, he asked me for a long time about his understanding of the characters. Otherwise, given his level of comprehension, he wouldn't have been able to say a single word at the script reading."

“So the reason he contacted me yesterday was because,” Jian Liyun finally got back to the point, “He was about to go to a director for an audition and was asking me how to understand and act the role.”

Yan Sui bowed her head slightly, "But I remember Miss Lu said before that He Chenyu had a conflict with the He family, and the He family would not allow him to stay in the entertainment industry anymore."

Jian Liyun sat up and knelt on the soft sofa, facing Yan Sui who was sitting to the side.

“I also subtly inquired about this matter yesterday, and he said that the He family is now in charge.”

...Such an old-fashioned CEO quote.

Yan Sui breathed a long sigh of relief.

She looked at Jian Liyun seriously and said, "If you really have feelings for He Chenyu and want to get closer to him and do anything for him, I will support you. But if your relationship is just a simple exchange of interests, you should try to have less contact with him in the future."

In this world, the female lead is acting strangely, and the male lead is acting strangely too.

Yan Sui could only tremble and cling to the female supporting character.

Jian Liyun's lips twitched down, and she even looked a little aggrieved. "Sui Sui, I've told you so many times, I don't like him at all."

Yan Sui untied the hair that was wrapped around her ring finger again, then raised her hands and said, "Okay, okay, I'm sorry, I was wrong. I won't say that again. If he asks you out again, ask me to come along."

Yan Sui hasn't officially met the male protagonist since arriving in this world, but she now has a better understanding of the situation.

It's time to meet.

Without thinking, Jian Liyun blurted out, "Sui Sui, is this what you call checking up on me?"

[Author's Note]

It seems everyone is very curious about Xiao Lu's identity. I've looked around, and so far no reader has gotten it completely right, but some have guessed part of it [covering face and peeking].

Some of the mysteries surrounding Xiao Jian have been solved! [Sprinkling flowers]

The next chapter will still be a chaotic scene between the three of them, plus Xiao Lu completely revealing his identity, hehe.

Babies, also, what's your preferred update time? Would you like it to be 9 PM/10 PM, or midnight? [pleading emoji]