Acting as the Vicious Second Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 22

At this very moment, a massive wave of reporters and paparazzi was closing in. The situation was dire; escape was a matter of utmost urgency.

In the silent room, Qin Xiaoxiao hung up the phone, her face etched with gravity. After a moment of contemplation, she smoothed her brow and turned to the woman beside her, offering a touch of “sympathy for a fellow sufferer.”

“You heard her. They’re looking for you. Run for it.”

That was right. They were after Qu Li—what did it have to do with her?

The manager had been frantically yelling for her to take Qu Li and bolt. Did the woman expect her to take advantage of the crisis to spend some alone time with the starlet and cultivate feelings?

Sorry, not happening.

She was here to complete a mission: to promote the forces of evil, cause trouble, and push the plot forward so the Male Lead and Female Lead would get together, eventually allowing her to exit the stage.

As for saving the second female lead, joining forces to solve problems, or clinging to the second female lead’s thigh for a sweet, lovey-dovey daily life… no matter how she looked at it, the style just wasn’t right, was it?

Hearing the indifference in her tone, Qu Li offered a shallow smile. “Not necessarily,” she said.

“They might be looking for you, too.”

Qu Li tucked a strand of chestnut hair behind her ear. Her jade-white knuckles brushed through her hair, revealing a small patch of her nape; the gesture was exceptionally alluring.

“Me?”

Qin Xiaoxiao observed her expression more closely, leaning forward instinctively in an attempt to find any trace of a lie on that smiling face. Unfortunately, the other party’s expression was natural. Under Qin Xiaoxiao’s blatant scrutiny, Qu Li showed no signs of guilt, remaining remarkably calm from beginning to end.

“You are currently at the center of public discourse. There is no reason they wouldn’t want to interview you.”

Upon hearing this, Qin Xiaoxiao changed her posture, leaning back against the soft cushion. “My manager said they’re likely here to intercept you,” she said leisurely. “As for you, if you linger any longer, you won’t be able to get away. But it has nothing to do with me. Do as you please.”

As she spoke, her voice trailed off with a hint of smugness. Even though her manager loved to pit teammates against each other and was a shameful “traitor,” in Qin Xiaoxiao’s eyes, the woman was still much more reliable than this starlet.

In any case, she had already squeezed out the information she wanted regarding her acting flaws. Qu Li had no more utility; there was no need to stay and continue playing mind games with her. This time, to protect her own peace and quiet, she was determined to cut ties with Qu Li and walk separate paths from now on.

Hearing this, Qu Li narrowed her eyes and spoke persuasively. “Let’s say, for the sake of argument, they aren’t here to interview you…”

“But when they see you, do you really think they’ll just let you go and return empty-handed?”

“This…”

Qin Xiaoxiao was stumped. She propped her chin on her hand, simulating the scene in her mind.

It was possible that when Qu Li came over, her movements had been leaked, and someone had tipped off the reporters. When they caught the scent and chased her to this small, nameless company, they would burst through the door with excitement only to find that the popular starlet was gone. In her place would be the current “scandal queen,” sitting boldly on the sofa.

The result was predictable. Even if they hadn’t come for her specifically, having just lost a piece of “fat meat,” they wouldn’t mind filling up on her as a “side dish.”

The thought of being squeezed in the middle of a crowd, pestered with interviews, made Qin Xiaoxiao shiver. Moreover, it was a scorching summer. By the time they ran all the way here, they would likely smell of greasy sweat. She had already eaten too much chocolate; if she smelled that while her stomach was bloated, she might actually throw up on the spot.

How embarrassing and awkward that would be.

Seeing the girl wavering, Qu Li stood up with her bag, offering a pleasant smile in a classic move of “playing hard to get.” “I don’t want to force you. Since you don’t want to be with me, I’ll head out first. See you around.”

With that, Qu Li turned to leave without a hint of lingering.

Seeing this, Qin Xiaoxiao hurriedly grabbed her sleeve.

The other woman looked back, her gaze calm and still. Her eyes seemed to be shrouded in a layer of misty haze, like a thousand-year-old hot spring; bathing in her gaze made one feel warm. But through that misty veil, one could never see the bottom or perceive her true self.

“I’ll go with you.”

Qin Xiaoxiao retracted her hand sheepishly and turned her head away. Clearing her throat to mask her internal awkwardness, she said righteously, “Don’t misunderstand. I mainly want to lead you to the back door… in case you don’t know the way and wander around aimlessly. I don’t want you blaming me if you get lost.”

“Thank you.”

Qu Li didn’t expose her. “How could I ever blame you?” she murmured softly toward her treasured prize.

Her voice was so low it was almost inaudible, quickly vanishing into the air.

The sharp-eared Qin Xiaoxiao frowned. “What? Were you just saying something bad about me?”

“No.”

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps and a clamor from outside interrupted their conversation. Then, there was a knock at the door.

“Let’s go,” Qin Xiaoxiao whispered. She stood up stealthily, not forgetting to grab the two takeout lunches the manager had ordered.

She swore! She wasn’t taking them because she was greedy, but to prevent the reporters from seeing them and getting suspicious.

Next was finding the legendary back door. A back door… should generally be at the back, Qin Xiaoxiao thought, silently praying for everything to go smoothly as she led the starlet toward the rear of the building.

The two made their way back until they discovered a small door on the side of a room. Qin Xiaoxiao opened it to reveal a dark, long corridor. She turned on her phone’s flashlight, and once they stepped inside, she closed the small door behind them, taking the lead to scout the way.

The corridor seemed to have been cleaned recently; the floor was spotless, and there was no scent of dust in the air. However, the echoes of their footsteps were exceptionally clear, making the atmosphere feel eerily frightening.

Qin Xiaoxiao kept turning left, rubbing her arms as she went. Even though she wasn’t afraid of ghosts, she couldn’t help but feel a bit creeped out.

Gradually, she realized… the space behind her was deathly silent. At some point, the only sound left in the corridor was her own.

“Qu Li?”

Griping her phone tightly, Qin Xiaoxiao turned around stiffly. By the light of the flash, she saw Qu Li standing not far away.

Qu Li, who was leaning to the side and staring at the wall, noticed the flashlight beam. She turned her head and pointed forward. “Hey, there’s a door here.”

Under the glow of the white light, the woman’s already pale face looked even more ghostly.

“Oh. Let’s open it and see.” Qin Xiaoxiao’s palms were sweating. She scratched her face, pretending to be calm. “I accidentally walked past it.”

Creeeak— the door opened a crack.

Qu Li pressed against the gap, looking outside. Before Qin Xiaoxiao could say anything, Qu Li suddenly pulled the door shut.

“There are too many pedestrians outside,” she explained. “If we just walk out like this, we might be recognized and cause an unnecessary riot.”

“Oh, right.”

Qin Xiaoxiao felt like she was losing the energy to care. They couldn’t go out through either side—were they supposed to stay in this corridor all day?

“It’s okay. I brought a baseball cap and a mask, and I happen to have a spare set. You should wear them too,” Qu Li said as she approached, reaching into her bag.

Qin Xiaoxiao looked at her for a moment before hesitatingly agreeing. “Okay.”

Then, the seemingly reliable Qu Li, acting like a literal Mary Poppins, fished out a black baseball cap and a mask shaped like a rabbit or a little tiger. Qin Xiaoxiao took the tiger mask with a look of chagrin, forced back into the “cute” style the system had previously deemed ill-suited for her.

But once the mask was on, nobody could tell who was who, so “cute” or not didn’t really matter. The mask’s material was light and unexpectedly breathable; it didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.

They were fully equipped, their faces completely concealed.

Just then, a notification flashed. Qin Xiaoxiao tapped it to see a text from her manager.

[Did you get out?]

Qin Xiaoxiao replied: [Going out now.]

[Then I’m opening the door. They’ll leave once they see you aren’t here.] As if considering something, the manager added: [Seize the opportunity. It’s rare that you’re both free. Take Qu Li out for a stroll. By the way, there’s a sauna club on the next street—it’s a great place to ‘meet with sincerity’ and deepen your bond.]

What the hell are you thinking about?!

Qin Xiaoxiao replied with a long string of ellipses. It turned out the one with the deepest schemes was her manager. “The older the ginger, the spicier it is,” as they say—but Qin Xiaoxiao had no intention of listening to her terrible ideas. As soon as the reporters left, she would go back to the company, pack her bags, and head back to her hometown for a few days of peace… She really needed some time to herself. Urgently.

Seeing the girl looking down at her phone and not moving, Qu Li took the lead, opened the door, and stepped out.

“It’s clear.” Under the sunlight, Qu Li waved her over.

One had to admit, some people were born clothes hangers. The strange combination of a baseball cap and a skirt actually looked uniquely stylish on her.

Qin Xiaoxiao wanted to say there was no need to go out, that staying inside for a bit longer would be safer. Silence hung in the air for a moment. She felt it would be too troublesome to explain, and besides, she was too embarrassed to use her manager’s logic as an excuse.

So, giving up on thinking, Qin Xiaoxiao decisively chose to “join the filth.” She turned off her phone, stepped out the back door, and habitually pulled it shut behind her.

The result was the same anyway. Surely no accidents would happen, right?

Suddenly, a shout came from the left—

“Old man, there she is!”

Qin Xiaoxiao turned her head in a daze, seeing a small, skinny man. Coincidentally, from the wall of the front entrance, her equally dazed manager poked her head out.

The two stared at each other. What the hell? Does he have superpowers? How can he recognize us when we’re wrapped up like this?

For the first time, Qin Xiaoxiao felt a literal rush of adrenaline. Her whole body tensed, her hair stood on end, and her legs felt weak. Only one word remained in her mind: Run.

Making a split-second decision, she grabbed Qu Li and pulled her into a sprint.

According to her “settings,” she shouldn’t have cared about Qu Li and should have left alone. However, in this critical moment, her instincts had reacted. Qin Xiaoxiao kept a stone-faced expression while brainwashing herself: I’m not doing this to help her. I just feel like I can’t be the only one doing a hundred-meter dash and running away in such a pathetic state. I’m just dragging her down with me.

The reporters, seeing the commotion and popping their heads out, were stunned. Apparently, they hadn’t expected the pair to bolt so directly. They immediately gave chase.

Only the blank-faced manager was left behind. Who am I? Where am I? I can already see tomorrow’s headlines: “SHOCKING! Popular Starlet Caught Eloping on the Spot!”

Ahead, a dense crowd of people chased side-by-side, bumping into numerous pedestrians. Qin Xiaoxiao gripped the starlet tightly, intentionally weaving through the thickest parts of the crowd. Then, after several turns, they escaped into a public venue.

Qin Xiaoxiao stopped to catch her breath, her skin flushed and her stomach cramping. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol and strong perfumes. A rhythmic, pounding beat filled her ears, interspersed with ambiguous moans.

Taking a breath, Qin Xiaoxiao looked at the dance floor filled with swaying bodies, sexy silhouettes, and colorful strobe lights. Suppressing her inner stirrings, a question involuntarily surfaced in her mind—

Is this… the sinful world of adults?