Acting as the Vicious Second Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 23

“No outside food or drinks allowed.”

By the door, a waiter in a slim-fit black-and-white uniform looked up. Noticing the suspicious-looking new guests, he walked over slowly. His eyes darted toward the bag the woman was carrying, his tone displeased. “Miss, please check your drinks at the bar yourself.”

Following his gaze, Qin Xiaoxiao looked down at the bag in her hand. Inside were the two bowls of ramen her manager had ordered at noon. It seemed he had mistaken the takeout for alcohol.

Not that it mattered; hotel and club rules generally prohibited both. As the saying goes, “Without rules, there is no order.” Everyone should exercise self-discipline and stick to the rules, otherwise, the world would fall into chaos.

However, for a troublemaker like Qin Xiaoxiao, rules were made to be broken.

According to the setting and plot, the original host was a hedonist who loved messing around in bars. Over time, she had developed a close relationship with several bar owners, including this one.

The reason Qin Xiaoxiao remembered this place was because of a specific plot point in the original novel: The original host had hired a private investigator to dig up information on the Female Lead, discovering she had grown up in an orphanage. The file even included childhood photos. Back then, the Female Lead was young and hadn’t “blossomed” yet; she was dark, thin, and plain—a world of difference from her current ethereal, beautiful self.

Xiang Liwei’s parents had been missing for years, but she had never given up searching for them. Indeed, every “White Lotus” female lead usually has a tragic backstory to flesh out the plot; Xiang Liwei’s particular misery was her mysterious origins.

The road to reuniting with her family was full of twists, and the first “twist” was orchestrated by the original host—the classic “big-chested but brainless” antagonist.

The original host had disguised herself as a mysterious person and sent the Female Lead a text from a burner account, lying: “I know where your parents are. If you want to know, come to ‘Nightfall Bar.’ Remember, you must come alone. Do not tell anyone.”

The simple, naive Female Lead actually believed it. The next day, she entered the bar alone as instructed.

With the scheme in motion, the original host slapped her head and came up with a truly vile idea. She conspired with the owner to spike the Female Lead’s fruit wine with the strongest, fastest-acting aphrodisiac. Then, she ordered five burly men to carry her into a private booth, intending to film her losing control and throwing herself at men to ruin her reputation forever.

In reality, when the unsuspecting Female Lead drank the wine and the men reached out their wicked hands, she was rescued by the passing Film Emperor (the Male Lead). The chapter ended with the Male Lead taking her home and “sacrificing his body” to help her resolve the aphrodisiac’s effects.

Thanks to the original host’s “divine assist,” their relationship took a massive leap forward. How wonderful.

By her calculations, in two months’ time, Qin Xiaoxiao would have to act out that R-rated plot. The problem, however, was that the current Female Lead was no longer an innocent little lamb—she was already “broken” beyond repair… Could the Male Lead really hold his own?

While worrying, Qin Xiaoxiao didn’t forget to light a candle for herself.

Her thoughts spun for a while, though only a second had passed in reality. Qin Xiaoxiao snapped back to the present to handle the immediate problem. Based on the clues, the bar’s address in the text was near the original host’s apartment, so this must be the place.

To be safe, she pulled down her mask.

“Is this Nightfall Bar?” she asked in a low voice.

Without the fabric covering her, the woman’s gorgeous features were fully exposed. Her straight hair was slightly messy, draped lazily over her shoulders with a few strands tickling her cheeks. Because of the recent intense exercise, her face was slightly flushed, and her lips were an exaggerated red—just as bold as their owner, exuding a fatal sexiness.

Her beauty was aggressive, much like an imperious queen inspecting her territory.

The waiter’s eyes went wide when he saw the face behind the mask. His tone softened instantly as he replied breathlessly, “Yes, Miss.”

Ignoring his blatant staring, Qin Xiaoxiao narrowed her eyes. “Are you new here?”

“Yes, Miss.” He was surprised by her insight. How did she know? Did I act like a rookie? He had worked at a hotel for three years before this; he was quite experienced. After some thought, he figured she just made a lucky guess.

Qin Xiaoxiao muttered to herself. No wonder he didn’t recognize me or give me a VIP seat—he’s new. She didn’t bother with small talk and commanded, “Tell your boss to come see me.”

“This…”

The boss wasn’t someone you could just see on a whim. But after hesitating for only two seconds, the waiter decisively abandoned his professional integrity, surrendering to her beauty. “Please wait a moment,” he said with a grin, turning to find the owner.

After he left, Qin Xiaoxiao looked around with curiosity. She was like a child who had just done something bad; her heart hammered against her ribs, and her eyes darted away whenever she saw a couple kissing.

Then, she noticed Qu Li, who was huddled quietly behind her, head down and silent like a wooden statue. Qin Xiaoxiao looked back at her. Is she this quiet because she’s afraid of being recognized? Still, this posture suited her. Seeing her shut her mouth and stay well-behaved was much more pleasant than her usual glib tongue.

The peace didn’t last long. Soon, the waiter returned, followed by a man with sallow skin.

“Which bastard wants to see me?” the owner shouted as he approached, looking ready to grab the intruder and throw them out. He turned to the waiter and scolded, “You can’t even handle a small matter? You have to drag me out? I’m deducting your bonus for the year.”

His grumbling stopped abruptly the moment he saw Qin Xiaoxiao’s face. His expression went blank, and his lips trembled. “Yin… Yin… Yin…”

Yin Ni?!

Good heavens! He prayed to every deity he knew that she hadn’t heard his cursing.

“Miss Yin, you’re here! Welcome, welcome!” All of his previous arrogance vanished as he bowed and scraped. “Are you going to your usual booth?”

“Yes,” Qin Xiaoxiao replied. After a thought, she added with cold elegance, “Bring me four cases of Brandy. I’m entertaining a friend.”

“Yes! Right away!” The owner nodded like a chicken pecking at grain.

Behind her, Qu Li’s eyes flickered at the word “friend.”

The two of them took the key to the private booth and followed a waitress away. Back at the entrance, the male waiter was dumbfounded by his boss’s sudden 180-degree turn. He felt a wave of lingering fear. He was incredibly glad he hadn’t snubbed her and had made the wise decision to get the boss immediately.

Inside the luxury booth, the wallpaper was dark and etched with intricate patterns. Wall lamps cast a glow of orange and deep purple, making the space look like a galaxy in the night sky. The atmosphere was perfect for throwing away one’s troubles and going a bit wild.

Sitting on the supple sofa, Qin Xiaoxiao brewed a devious scheme. She placed the takeout on the table and cracked open the box the waiter had left by her feet. Six bottles per case, four cases—twenty-four bottles in total. More than enough to drink the starlet under the table.

“Want a bottle?” Qin Xiaoxiao picked one up.

Qu Li shook her head, declining politely. “My tolerance is poor, I can’t drink much. Besides, drinking on an empty stomach is bad for you.”

“You didn’t eat lunch?” Qin Xiaoxiao asked.

“Mhm.”

“Here,” Qin Xiaoxiao didn’t hesitate to push the takeout toward Qu Li, her voice urgent. “Eat it while it’s hot. My treat.”

Qu Li didn’t refuse, offering a soft thank you. She opened the paper bag, took out a bowl of ramen, and unwrapped it. The noodles were soaked in a bright red broth topped with green scallions, sliced beef, bean sprouts, and half a boiled egg. The sight of the tender egg white and golden yolk was enough to boost anyone’s appetite.

The savory aroma filled the air, eventually drifting into Qin Xiaoxiao’s nose. She watched as the starlet used wooden chopsticks to pick up a piece of beef. Qu Li took a bite, her lips glistening slightly with oil, making them look even redder. She ate elegantly, chewing slowly like a hamster.

Watching Qu Li eat was actually quite a treat. Qin Xiaoxiao rested her cheek on her hand, a phrase popping into her mind: Good enough to eat.

Originally, having eaten so much chocolate and then sprinted half a street, she should have had no appetite. But for some reason, watching Qu Li eat made her hungry. So, Qin Xiaoxiao followed her heart’s desire. Within moments, the two of them had polished off both bowls of ramen.

Qin Xiaoxiao wiped her mouth with a tissue. The ramen was excellent—oily but not greasy, spicy but not irritating. Because it had sat for ten minutes, it was the perfect lukewarm temperature for the hot weather.

“Now we can drink,” Qin Xiaoxiao urged, rubbing her rounded belly. To prevent a refusal, she “dived into the sea” as an example. “Come, I’ll toast you first.”

She popped a cap with an opener and poured two full glasses. Brandy was a strong spirit with a powerful kick; an average person couldn’t last more than a few bottles. But Qin Xiaoxiao wasn’t afraid.

According to her careful logical deduction: the original host hated sweets, so her body couldn’t handle the chocolate. But the original host loved bars, meaning her alcohol tolerance must be high. Meanwhile, the starlet had admitted she couldn’t drink, which meant her tolerance was low.

As long as she got Qu Li drunk, she could do whatever she wanted with her.

Yes, the plot from the book about the Female Lead had given her inspiration. Get her drunk, take embarrassing photos of her wasted in a bar, and use them to blackmail her into staying away from each other so they could stop hurting one another. And while she was at it, she’d threaten her not to tell anyone that she was intentionally “acting” like a villain, or else the embarrassing photos would go public.

While it was a shameless plan, for someone as thick-skinned as Qu Li, this was the only way that would work. With that thought, Qin Xiaoxiao watched her even more intently.

“Mmm…” Faced with those expectant eyes, Qu Li wavered. After a moment, she took the glass and blinked. “You’ve already eaten so much; are you sure you can still drink?”

Seeing her accept the glass, Qin Xiaoxiao was overjoyed. “Positive!”

“You won’t regret it?” Qu Li’s voice was slightly husky.

“Never. Hurry up, don’t dawdle.”

“Alright.” Qu Li’s eyes curved into crescents. Her smile was half-shadowed, like a fox that had successfully stolen a treat. She looked entirely confident, possessing a calm that suggested she was in control of everything.

Unfortunately, at this moment, Qin Xiaoxiao—who was obsessed with her “seeking death” path—didn’t realize what kind of dangerous demon she had actually provoked.