Acting as the Vicious Second Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 1

The heat was sweltering, and the drone of cicadas drifted in from the distance.

It was midsummer. Inside a stifling room, the young actors waiting for their audition notifications grew increasingly restless. Some paced anxiously, while others played on their phones with practiced composure. The only commonality was that everyone present was exceptionally attractive; gathered together, they formed a visual paradise for any aesthetics lover.

Gradually, they began to whisper amongst themselves, and the room filled with the rustling sound of conversation. While the surface appeared calm, an undercurrent of tension surged beneath. Everyone was observing their competitors, silently sizing one another up.

Among them sat a woman with striking beauty and a haughty expression. Her aggressive aura made her stand out like a sore thumb. Her pale, slender fingers rested against her chin while her other hand held a cup of iced fruit juice. She bit her straw, her cherry-red lips pursing slightly as she made a loud “slurp-slurp” sound, showing absolutely no regard for those around her.

This person was the vicious female supporting lead of this world, now inhabited by Qin Xiaoxiao.

In the world of novels, there is always a group of people with vile characters who spend their days opposing the protagonist, only to inevitably become stepping stones on the path to the hero’s success. No matter how hard they try, they cannot escape their destiny as “cannon fodder.”

Because they are—the villainesses.

However, because their endings were always so tragic, the original villainesses had decided they were “done with love” and went on strike. Without them to drive the plot, the worlds neared collapse and order was in jeopardy. Thus, for the sake of the big picture, the Transmigration Department decided to send her to stabilize the chaos.

Heaven had dropped a heavy responsibility, and she had no choice but to take it. Left with no other option, Qin Xiaoxiao accepted the mission and entered the book, forced into a life of “evil.”

Her original character’s name was Yin Ni, from the “sweet” novel Ten Thousand Ways to Seduce the Best Actress.

The story followed a female protagonist with no background or strength who was looked down upon by everyone. She fought her way through the entertainment industry and eventually caught the eye of the Film Emperor. The plot had its twists; initially, the heroine refused to date him, to which the Film Emperor replied, “Heh, if I can’t seduce you, I won’t be called Duan Longze anymore.” Thus, he launched an offensive, chasing the heroine with various tricks for more than half the book.

Ultimately, his sincerity moved the heroine, and they began dating. Later, under the Film Emperor’s personal guidance, she counterattacked to become the Best Actress, reaching the peak of glory and slapping the faces of everyone who had once looked down on her.

The original Yin Ni was the stepping stone at the beginning of the article used to trigger the plot.

Qin Xiaoxiao had thought that being a stepping stone just meant lying down and letting people trample over her. But once she actually took over, she realized being a stepping stone was not easy. Not only did she need good acting skills, but she also had to endure the torment of a 31°C room.

Qin Xiaoxiao took another slurp of her strawberry-flavored ice juice, her thoughts drifting away.

「Host, stop daydreaming!」

Suddenly, clusters of light appeared in the air, eventually condensing into a Wagashi Rabbit. The rabbit was a Japanese-style sweet; it was snow-white, oval-shaped, and emitted a moist luster. Its eyes were dotted with reddish-pink, and its ears were made of peach-colored dough, standing atop its head like two leaves—fresh and lovely.

The rabbit flicked its long ears and flew in front of the woman. It urged, 「The plot is about to start. Are you ready?」

Qin Xiaoxiao glanced at it subtly and communicated telepathically, 「Ready for what?」

Upon hearing this, the System flew into a rage. It practically wanted to shake her shoulders and demand how she could have forgotten the world background material it supervised her reading just yesterday.

Unbearable.

However, after a long pause, the System half-squinted its bean-like eyes and reminded her with a tsundere tone, 「Ready to bully the heroine…」

「When the heroine walks over later, stop her and spill your juice on her. Do you understand?」

「Got it.」

Seeing the woman’s nonchalant attitude, the System felt a deep sense of frustration. If you “get it,” then take it seriously!

Then, as if remembering something, it said, 「Your exclusive Black Finger has arrived. Don’t forget to activate it. I’m leaving now; call me if you need anything.」 With that, it wiggled its body and its form gradually became transparent.

「Mhm.」

Qin Xiaoxiao withdrew her gaze and checked her mind. Sure enough, she saw a square box lying quietly with a slip of paper labeled “Black Finger.”

To put it simply, a Black Finger was a cheat. A protagonist’s cheat is called a “Gold Finger,” so naturally, the villain’s cheat is called a “Black Finger.” The original host didn’t have one; this was custom-made for her as a transmigrator.

She opened the wooden box. Simultaneously, the cheat was activated. The box vanished, replaced by a stream of data flowing into her body. The moment they merged completely, she received the instructions for the cheat.

Cheat Type: Black Finger Name: Photographic Memory Duration: One World Details: You will be transformed into a photocopier, possessing a brilliant mind that will amaze and earn praise from everyone. If you were born foolish, then congratulations—this will make you look a bit smarter.

Seeing this, Qin Xiaoxiao fell into deep thought. She… seemed to have been insulted by a cheat.

However, this cheat did save her poor memory. It was a pity it was time-limited and would expire in the next world.

Just then, the door creaked open. A set of footsteps followed.

Qin Xiaoxiao tilted her head slightly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a girl running over in a hurry, seemingly looking for a place to sit. It was exactly 1:00 PM; she had arrived just in the nick of time. Due to the rush, she was panting, and a rosy flush had appeared on her pretty face.

With a single glance, Qin Xiaoxiao recognized the newcomer: the heroine, Xiang Liwei.

I just have to spill juice on her, right?

Qin Xiaoxiao looked down at the remaining half of her drink in the glass, feeling quite a bit of physical pain for the waste. But for the sake of the mission, she had to sacrifice her minor interests for the greater good.

Having made up her mind, she stood up and stepped forward, blocking the heroine’s path. However, because she had hesitated for a moment, her timing was slightly off. The heroine had already rushed right in front of her.

Then, an accident occurred—

“Thump!”

In a flash, the girl, unable to brake in time, crashed straight into Qin Xiaoxiao’s arms.

The impact caused Qin Xiaoxiao to lose her balance. The hand holding the juice jerked violently, and the liquid poured out. The scent of strawberry juice intensified in the air, stimulating everyone’s nostrils. Instantly, both their hands, shoulders, and exquisite dresses were soaked.

The commotion drew everyone’s attention. They looked toward the two by the public chairs, their gazes a mix of curiosity and scrutiny.

“Wah!!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Over here, Xiang Liwei, who had slammed into someone’s chest, had a look of sheer terror. The softness she felt against her face made her brain stall. Hurriedly pulling away to stand straight, she felt her face grow scorching hot, as if it were about to catch fire.

The girl’s eyelashes trembled as she raised her eyes to look timidly at the woman before her. Perhaps because she looked like a lost little lamb, Qin Xiaoxiao felt a momentary sense of confusion.

The juice meant to be splashed in the heroine’s face was gone, and she had made a complete mess of herself. What now?

Although the heroine had also been splashed, the process was just as important as the result. She had to make things difficult for her to solidify her “vicious” image. Qin Xiaoxiao’s mind raced. In less than a moment, she came up with a desperate plan.

She acted immediately.

The woman put on a look of disgust, placed the empty glass on the chair, and then extended her juice-stained hand toward the girl. She tilted her chin up slightly and looked down at her with disdain. “You spilled my drink, and all I get is an apology?”

“I… what do you want?” the girl asked weakly.

“Lick it clean for me.”

The moment those words were uttered, the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. The air filled with the metaphorical smoke of war, and everyone keenly sniffed out the scent of gossip.

Most people widened their eyes, thinking to themselves: This is way too much! She accidentally spilled your drink, and you humiliate her like this?

Although the audition was coming up and appearance was important, everyone knew Yin Ni had come in through the back door. Why should a “veteran” newcomer make things so hard for a “newbie” newcomer? Whether out of jealousy toward Yin Ni or pity for the girl, despite their internal monologues, no one stepped in to stop it. Simultaneously, they memorized that woman’s face, planning to take a detour whenever they saw her to avoid provoking this petty person.

The wary gazes of the crowd were very satisfying to Qin Xiaoxiao. Yes, fear me. I am a devil.

Meanwhile, Xiang Liwei stood frozen in place, looking as though she had been scared out of her wits. The sweet scent of fruit juice wafted toward her, making her head feel a bit dizzy.

Xiang Liwei stared at the woman’s brilliant face. At this moment, the other’s lips were curved up in a wicked, flamboyant smile. It was an aggressive type of beauty. What a beautiful person, she couldn’t help but marvel internally. For some reason, her heart suddenly began to race, as if it were about to jump out of her chest.

Thump-thump, thump-thump—

Struggling to shift her gaze, she stared at the hand held before her eyes. The berry-red juice dripped down the woman’s jade-white fingers. The red was red, the white was white—like plum blossom petals fallen upon a snowy field. The image was incredibly enticing, causing her throat to tighten involuntarily.

If I could take it into my mouth and carefully lick the juice clean… the taste would surely be wonderful.

Xiang Liwei’s mouth suddenly went dry. She bit her lip, terrified that others would notice her abnormality. However, in the eyes of the onlookers, this gesture made her look like a poor little thing who had been wronged but didn’t dare speak.

“Lick it.”

Since she was acting, she had to go all the way. Seeing that the heroine hadn’t moved for a long time, Qin Xiaoxiao knitted her brows and voiced a threat: “If you don’t lick it clean bit by bit, don’t even think about leaving this room today.”

Someone couldn’t watch anymore. A handsome young man stood up, pointed at Yin Ni, and rebuked: “Please, know when to stop.”

Hearing this, Qin Xiaoxiao turned her head toward him and said indifferently, “Oh? Are you sure you want to go against me?”

Although the original host was isolated and had no friends, she had a deep background. Making his life miserable would be child’s play. The young man clearly thought of this as well; his face instantly turned a mix of blue and white. He began to regret his impulsiveness but couldn’t bring himself to take back his words.

The air went silent, and the scene became extremely awkward. At this moment, Xiang Liwei stepped forward.

“Don’t fight…”

“I’ll lick it.”

Her voice held a trace of raspiness. Her hands twisted anxiously, and her silhouette looked fragile. Yet, it was this seemingly vulnerable, pitiable girl who stood up. In an instant, her image grew mountain-high in the hearts of the onlookers.

This exit ramp came just in time; the young man took the opportunity to sit back down. He scratched his head with an awkward laugh, backing down: “Then I guess there’s nothing I can do, haha…”

The crowd was speechless. So what exactly was the point of you getting up?

The scene was a powder keg, the atmosphere tense. Just as the conflict was about to ignite, a knock on the door broke the deadlock.

“Knock, knock.”

Several staff members stood by the door, making a formal announcement: “Get ready, the judges are here. Follow the order of the list; come over when your name is called.”

As the staff were explaining, a man and a woman walked past the door. The man had a cold expression, his suit fitting his frame perfectly to highlight his tall stature. His legs were long and straight, and he walked quickly, disappearing down the corridor in an instant.

The woman accompanying him had an elegant temperament and wore a ladylike, knee-length dress. Her pace was slightly slower. When she reached the door, she suddenly turned her head to look at everyone in the room. Her shoulder-length chestnut curls playfully brushed against her cheek. Then, she gave a polite curve of her lips before turning back and walking away.

In that instant, the people inside the room failed to snap out of it for a long time. That smile had inexplicably made their hearts itch, as if brushed by a feather.

“The Film Emperor is here… I didn’t expect the ‘Starlet’ Qu Li to come too…” someone exclaimed, their speech stumbling from excitement.

Another person chimed in, “What do I do? With them as judges, I’m so nervous!!”

“Look at how pathetic you all are.”

Over here, because the staff were present, it wasn’t convenient for Qin Xiaoxiao to cause more trouble. Thus, she gave the heroine a feigned look of indignation, returned to her chair, took some tissues from her bag, and began to rub her hand vigorously.

Beside her, Xiang Liwei was watching her quietly. The girl’s gaze held a hint of disappointment, as if she were regretting that she hadn’t been able to use her tongue to clean off the juice just now. Then, seeing that the other party was rubbing too hard, causing a brilliant flush to stain the creamy skin on the back of her hand—it was incredibly alluring…

Xiang Liwei’s eyes grew darker and darker, and she couldn’t help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.

But because her head was lowered, Qin Xiaoxiao remained completely unaware of all this. At the moment, her mind was still replaying the image of that popular starlet, Qu Li.

Earlier, due to her position, the woman had happened to be standing directly in front of her. Therefore, Qin Xiaoxiao could see clearly…

When she smiled, there were two cute little dimples on her cheeks. Thus, even though she knew it was just a casual smile directed at everyone, Qin Xiaoxiao inexplicably felt an illusion—She was looking at me. She was smiling at me.