Chapter 9: The Immune Sacred Body

“Iyi!”

Gu Yanyue’s voice was sweet and soft, as if she wasn’t the one being silently criticized in her heart. “There are fruits and cakes here, come and have some.”

Gu Lingyi strolled over leisurely, glanced at the drinks and snacks arranged on the glass coffee table, and smiled faintly. “Thank you.”

Gu Yanyue responded sweetly, “You’re welcome...”

In the next moment—

Gu Lingyi’s tone shifted subtly as she lifted her chin slightly. “When do you plan to start shooting?”

Gu Yanyue blinked innocently.

Gu Lingyi wasn’t fooled; her expression was indifferent. “I have to wait until you finish before I can start, so your progress directly affects when I get off work.”

Originally, her schedule with the studio was to finish shooting before six in the evening.

But because of Gu Yanyue’s sudden involvement and the studio’s habit of elevating some while belittling others, her shoot changed from a solo session to a coordinated one.

At this pace, there was no way they’d finish before six.

They even said that to ensure the inner pages and the cover matched, she had to wait for Gu Yanyue to finish first.

Did she look like she had no brains?

“I...” Gu Yanyue’s doe-like eyes shimmered with moisture, her voice trembling slightly like she was being bullied, “I’ll be done soon...”

“Finish your makeup, then change your clothes,” Gu Lingyi said as she settled onto the single sofa beside her, crossing her right leg over her left with a casual yet elegant posture.

Gu Yanyue was at a loss for words, her face flushed. Usually, everyone indulged her; if she wanted to rest, she rested, if she wanted to work, she worked—no one said a word.

But this Gu Lingyi...

[System! What’s wrong with her?]

Gu Yanyue was surrounded by a system-bestowed charm aura, making everyone unconsciously center around her. To exaggerate, even the Earth seemed to revolve around her.

Yet Gu Lingyi repeatedly challenged her dignity, seemingly immune to the aura.

The system was baffled.

[Maybe, the host should interact with her more times?]

Gu Yanyue resisted: [No! She’s impervious; should I keep offering warmth only to meet cold shoulders?]

“Gu Yanyue!”

“Gu Lingyi!”

Two sharp voices rang out simultaneously, silencing the entire studio.

Gu Lingyi leaned back against the sofa, ignoring Huo Qi who spoke up.

“How much longer are you going to delay?”

As soon as the words fell, Gu Yanyue’s already flushed eyes brimmed with tears, the tears trembling but not falling—utterly pitiful.

“Gu Lingyi!”

Huo Qi, as if at his limit, suddenly stood up. “What right do you have to boss Yanyue around?”

Gu Yanyue hadn’t been well lately; he had turned down work to accompany her for days, hoping she would improve. Now, the moment they came out, they ran into Gu Lingyi.

A persistent shadow.

Gu Lingyi relaxed against the sofa back, hands resting on the armrests, looking upward from below, her aura unyielding, even more imposing.

“Master Huo, if your Huo Corporation employees were dragging their feet and affecting progress, would you protect them like this?”

According to the original story, Huo Qi had already started working at Huo Corporation and would soon become president.

Huo Qi answered succinctly, “Yanyue is different!”

“Yes, of course she’s different. She doesn’t affect Huo Corporation.”

Gu Lingyi swept a glance over the silent staff around them. “But she affects me, and she’s delaying a lot of people’s work.”

“I don’t know if others mind being delayed, but I do.”

“So,” Gu Lingyi’s tone grew colder and heavier, “I have every right to boss her around!”

Huo Qi was speechless.

When did this woman become so sharp-tongued?

Seeing Huo Qi seemingly soften, Gu Yanyue hastily stood up. “Don’t fight over me... I’ll go change now!” She then called the staff to follow her upstairs.

Huo Qi frowned slightly at Gu Yanyue’s hurried retreat, then cast a cold glance at Gu Lingyi before sitting back on the sofa.

The tense atmosphere dissipated, and whispers gradually rose in the studio.

“Gu Lingyi is something else... she’s not afraid of Young Master Huo at all...”

Huo Qi’s presence in his suit was imposing. Most studio staff were young and instinctively intimidated by their superiors.

“I just remembered I have a date tonight; I wonder if we’ll finish in time.”

“If Gu Lingyi hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have noticed. It’s already three, and they haven’t started shooting yet. Definitely going to work overtime tonight...”

“No! It’s my partner’s birthday today!”

“Hopefully Yanyue’s side can speed up a bit...”

The studio was empty; even whispers could be faintly heard.

Huo Qi’s expression was complicated, and he couldn’t help stealing glances at Gu Lingyi.

She lay so calmly on the sofa, eyes closed, indifferent to the surrounding chatter. The back of her head rested naturally against the chair’s curve; her swan-like neck was slender and graceful, free of any fine lines.

His gaze was interrupted abruptly: “Had enough?”

Huo Qi, rarely embarrassed, turned his face away and covered his mouth with a light cough. “Sorry.”

“Heh.” Gu Lingyi stood up, casting a half-smile at Huo Qi, then turned toward the makeup area.

Gu Yanyue, with a wardrobe assistant beside her, quickly changed into an elegant and gorgeous French court-style gown.

Layers of skirts overlapped, embroidered with golden-red threads, lace collar standing tall. Descending from upstairs, Gu Yanyue looked like a princess from the Middle Ages.

“Wow—”

A chorus of admiration.

Gu Yanyue lifted her chin and, stepping lightly in heels, stood before the full-length mirror in the makeup area. The earlier low spirits vanished; she was proud and unrestrained.

Because the outfit was cumbersome, her hair had to be styled standing up. The staff combed her hair while showering her with compliments.

Laughter and chatter filled the air.

Gu Lingyi sat at the makeup mirror, eyes closed and resting. Ruonan had been called away by Tang Shu’s phone call, and her two stylists were focused on arranging her hair.

The atmosphere was quiet and cool, a stark contrast.

After a while, the laughter ceased. The rhythmic tapping of heels marked the start of the interior shoot.

With the vivid colors of the dress enhancing her, Gu Yanyue’s shoot went smoothly, and the interior scenes were soon done.

Before preparing for the exterior shots, Gu Yanyue returned to the makeup area to touch up her makeup. “Iyi.”

Gu Lingyi slowly opened her eyes, watching her approach step by step through the mirror. “Yes?”

“I... I want to apologize,” Gu Yanyue nervously twisted her fingers. “Please don’t be angry.”

Gu Lingyi’s gaze darkened. At her ear echoed Gu Yanyue’s conversations with the system.

Gu Yanyue: [She’s immune to my charm aura; does that mean everything I do is useless?]

System: [You could say that.]

Gu Yanyue: [In that case, let her serve some purpose.]

People don’t develop affection for her without reason. She needed to keep causing incidents to create opportunities to gain favor.

System: [What do you mean by that, host?]

Gu Yanyue: [Compared to a terrible person, the victim—me—is obviously more likable.]

Victim?

Gu Lingyi twisted her lips. Who was harming whom?

The huge, magnificent skirt blocked the staff behind. Gu Yanyue stopped, satisfied, and looked at the lace fabric pressed closely against Gu Lingyi.