Acting as the Vicious Second Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 20

The sunlight was gentle, golden rays piercing through thin clouds and spilling over the world, painting the streets and pedestrians in the warm hues of an old photograph.

The person standing before her wore light makeup, her cheeks dusted with a faint layer of blush. Her lips were coated in gloss, sparkling and translucent, looking like a ripe cherry—delicious and inviting.

She wore a white shirt paired with a high-waisted plaid mini-skirt in an understated, elegant coffee brown, which made her aura exceptionally fresh and gentle.

At this moment, a summer breeze wrapped in heat swept past. The hem of her skirt fluttered with the wind; in the backlight, her two snow-white legs were half-illuminated and half-shadowed.

Finding that the visitor was none other than Qu Li, Qin Xiaoxiao’s expression fractured. While a hint of surprise showed in her eyes, her inner world was already a churning sea.

Dammit! My hair is still a mess!

No, she couldn’t leave behind a point of ridicule or give the other person a chance to seize a weakness and mock her. At the very least, in terms of appearance, she could not be surpassed.

“Hi…” Qu Li’s lips curled up as she greeted her with a smile.

However, in the next second, the woman in front of her remained expressionless. She dropped a curt “Wait a moment,” and then, with lightning speed, slammed the door shut.

Left with a closed door, Qu Li rubbed her nose. She thought to herself: As expected, coming so suddenly must have startled her.

On the other side, Qin Xiaoxiao rushed to the sofa at top speed. She pulled open her bag, took out a mirror, smoothed her hair, and touched up her makeup.

Perfect.

Looking at the glamorous self in the mirror, Qin Xiaoxiao glanced left and right, confirming she was impeccable before stuffing the cosmetics back into her bag. Then, she turned, walked to the door, and reopened it.

“Didn’t you say you were coming in a couple of days?” Qin Xiaoxiao’s tone held a hint of blame.

“There’s no time like the present,” Qu Li replied with a smile, answering fluently.

In truth, only Qu Li knew that she was worried that if she waited two more days, the other party might actually flee back to her hometown as mentioned in their chat, making it impossible to meet. Although the probability was low, she never allowed for errors in her work; she had to ensure everything was foolproof—especially for something as important as this meeting.

However, Qin Xiaoxiao knew nothing of the popular starlet’s mental activity, nor did she care to find out.

“Now can you tell me? What exactly was the ‘flaw’ in my performance as a wicked woman that you mentioned?”

Sitting on the same sofa, Qin Xiaoxiao turned her head toward the woman and asked the question she cared about most.

Being focused on by her gaze, with her own reflection captured in those beautiful pupils, Qu Li’s mood brightened significantly.

“Alright,” Qu Li smiled. “Then I’ll tell you.”

Hearing this, Qin Xiaoxiao looked focused, assuming an air of listening intently. She thought to herself: Fortunately, she’s not as tiresome as my manager—she doesn’t love playing riddles.

“Your mistake lies in the fact that when you were bullying that young girl, your eyes didn’t hold enough loathing. You lacked the impulse to drive her to her death.”

“To be precise, simply grabbing someone and shouting a couple of insults doesn’t count as bullying.”

“You are capable of many things, yet you choose to do nothing; you put in no heart and no effort. It was as if doing those things was not of your own volition, but rather following someone else’s requirements.”

“If I were you—a vengeful rich second-generation—I would use money to bribe the staff to arrange for her to eat spoiled bento boxes. Dealing with her would be as easy as stepping on an ant.”

“I wouldn’t just give her a light scolding and call it a day. I would trip her up until she was forced out of the production crew. I would make her disappear from my sight entirely.”

Qu Li’s voice remained soft, yet she was currently reciting terrifying words. When speaking of such frightening things, the woman’s expression was so gentle it could drown someone. The final sentence, in particular, made Qin Xiaoxiao shudder.

These days… even a ‘righteous’ supporting character from the original book is more professional than me, the ‘wicked’ second female lead.

Feeling like she could no longer play this game happily, Qin Xiaoxiao felt a small sense of defeat. The room fell silent, and the atmosphere solidified.

“By the way.”

Sensing the mood was off, Qu Li eased the tension. She turned and reached into her bag, pulling out a small pouch. She unwrapped the packaging, pinched the tinfoil at the base of a truffle chocolate with her fingers, and stretched her hand out. With an ambiguous smile, she placed it before the girl’s eyes and said mysteriously, “I brought you a little gift.”

As the distance closed, the sweet aroma of chocolate and the faint fragrance of cocoa powder drifted into Qin Xiaoxiao’s nose. Her stomach, which was already famished, became even harder to bear after this temptation.

“You think a single chocolate can buy me off?” Qin Xiaoxiao said, instinctively swallowing.

Qu Li blinked, her tone sounding like the Big Bad Wolf kidnapping Little Red Riding Hood: “I have many more in my bag. If you like them, I’ll give them all to you.”

“I’ll grant that you’re thoughtful.”

Qin Xiaoxiao naturally wouldn’t refuse flattery from her rival. Just as she reached out her hand to take it…

Unexpectedly, Qu Li suddenly pulled her hand back.

Qin Xiaoxiao looked at her in confusion and reached out her “paw” again. Qu Li avoided her once more.

Back and forth, they repeated this three times.

Watching the girl’s huffy expression at being unable to get what she wanted, Qu Li laughed inwardly. It was as if she had found a new joy. She said teasingly, “If you can grab it, it’s yours.”

“You really are bored,” Qin Xiaoxiao said through gritted teeth.

Qu Li replied, “Yes, I told you long ago, I am a boring person.”

“Since you insist on this, then I have no choice but to use any means necessary.”

After Qin Xiaoxiao finished speaking, she suddenly leaned forward, closing the distance with the starlet, and firmly grasped Qu Li’s restless hand with both of hers. Then, she lowered her head toward the chocolate in front of her…

“Nom.”

With her left hand captured and unable to break free, Qu Li gazed at the face inches away from her own. Feeling the warm breath brushing against her wrist, she suddenly became a bit dazed.

Having eaten the chocolate from Qu Li’s hand, Qin Xiaoxiao sat back in her original spot with a look of satisfaction. Then, she noticed that Qu Li was still stunned, maintaining her hand-raised posture while pinching the tinfoil—looking quite comical.

“Haha!” Qin Xiaoxiao laughed at the sight.

Afterward, she rested her chin on her hand and said meaningfully, “I didn’t expect a boring person like you to be capable of making such an interesting expression.”