Acting as the Vicious Second Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 29

Temptation was one thing, but Qin Xiaoxiao wasn’t so impulsive as to agree to see the cat immediately. Her intuition told her that once she stepped into Qu Li’s home, she wouldn’t be able to leave easily.

Struggling to tear her gaze away from the cat photos, Qin Xiaoxiao looked at Qu Li’s messages. A sudden flash of inspiration hit her, and she tapped out a string of characters, hitting enter to send. She perfectly shifted the blame onto her manager to clear her own suspicions.

[Yin Ni]: I don’t know what you’re talking about. My Weibo is always managed by my manager. Whatever “like” you saw must have been her making a mistake. [Yin Ni]: I’m very busy. Don’t look for me if there’s nothing, and definitely don’t look for me if there is.

Having said her piece, she logged out of QQ, refusing to hear whatever Qu Li had to say next.

The world was finally quiet.

Qin Xiaoxiao glanced at Lin Yu. You’ve坑d (screwed) me so many times; it’s time you were put to use. Heh, take this blame-shield, she thought.

At that moment, Lin Yu was clutching her phone, tapping the screen repeatedly with a grieving expression. Seeing the girl look over with ill intent, her hand jerked as she explained: “I just notified the producer of Feng Qiu Huang that we’re turning down the lead role.”

“Oh.”

Standing up, Qin Xiaoxiao looked down at her. “Try to use your brain a bit more in the future. Don’t be so stupid.”

“Instead of wasting your energy trying to use others to get ahead, just follow me and walk forward honestly.”

That’s right, follow me and relax. Conflict with seniors, suppress juniors—we’ll be partners in crime. Be a “salted fish” when it’s time to rest, and rise up when necessary; act out boldly without worrying about “proactive career management.”

“…” The manager was speechless. She was actually being lectured on how to be a person by a young brat.

But when opportunity knocked, who wouldn’t want to take a shortcut? After a moment, the manager’s voice sounded, resigned.

“Fine, I’ll listen to you.” Lin Yu finally compromised. Immediately, she smoothed the hair at her temples, a new training plan forming in her mind.

“I’ll sign you up for basic acting classes first. I’ll hire famous teachers to strengthen your fundamentals.” Since the artist wanted to walk a steady path, Lin Yu felt it was her duty to invest funds into developing her talent.

In truth, Lin Yu had planned this all along but had been stalled by the company’s lack of funds. That was why she wanted Qin Xiaoxiao to take more roles—to grab a bunch of cash first. Or cling to someone famous for quick “clout money.” Acting classes for a non-graduate were a massive undertaking compared to cheap social etiquette classes.

The manager had previously seen Qin Xiaoxiao play a corpse. While she couldn’t judge her true skill, seeing her lie motionless on wet concrete on a rainy night proved her endurance was tougher than most, which had improved Lin Yu’s impression of her.

But as a newcomer, she surely lacked polish. Lin Yu didn’t know that Qin Xiaoxiao’s acting was already superb. Bound by her preconceptions, Lin Yu believed she desperately needed to absorb knowledge and sharpen her craft.

However, the company really had no money. Lin Yu could barely squeeze out the fees for basic courses. As for advanced classes? At the rate this artist was refusing to be “ambitious,” they felt light-years away.

“Did you misunderstand something?”

Suddenly, Qin Xiaoxiao spoke, her face full of cynicism as she shattered the illusion. “Who said I was taking classes? Learning is so bitter and exhausting; why would I do that to myself?”

“Huh?” Lin Yu’s expression went blank. “Then what do you plan on doing?”

The last flicker of hope in her heart vanished. She had thought that besides “wreaking havoc,” her artist had some pursuit of excellence as an actress. It seemed not.

Qin Xiaoxiao walked up to the woman and explained patiently, “I said it ten minutes ago. Did you forget already?”

“I’ll say it one last time.” Qin Xiaoxiao leaned down, staring at her manager. Shadows covered her fair face, leaving only her pupils shining with a cold light. Her sinister grin and close proximity made her look exactly like a villain from a drama about to throw acid.

“Me,” she said flippantly, “I’m just here to play. I never planned on being a ‘good actress.’ Understand?”

“Understood! Understood!” Cowalled by the aura, the manager shrank back, her hands trembling. “I’ll remember! Don’t come any closer… men and women shouldn’t be so… I mean, girls shouldn’t be so close!”

What the hell? Watching the woman curl into a ball for no reason, Qin Xiaoxiao wondered: Am I that scary?

She didn’t dwell on it, instead urging: “Is the food here? I’m starving.”

“I’ll go check!” Lin Yu scrambled up and ran out. Clang! The door opened and shut.

Silence returned.

Tap, tap, tap. Qin Xiaoxiao clicked her heels back to the sofa. Thinking of the delicious ramen with beef and half an egg, her hunger grew. She felt like she could swallow the entire universe.

After twenty minutes of enduring hunger, the manager returned with a bag containing two takeout containers. She set them on the table, but before they were even steady, Qin Xiaoxiao snatched one.

She opened it eagerly, but her excited expression froze. The portion of noodles was half of what they had yesterday. A pinch of bean sprouts and two leaves of green veg floated in a clear broth.

It looked completely unappetizing.

“Where’s my meat? Why is there only veg?”

Qin Xiaoxiao opened the second container. It was the same: clear soup, white noodles, and a few sprouts.

“We’re poor. Out of money,” Lin Yu said with a resentful, casual air. “We’re eating low-end noodles today to save up. Oh, by the way, remember to reimburse me for the delivery.”

Qin Xiaoxiao: “…”

“Are we that poor?”

“Yeah. Otherwise, we’d be sitting in a big company with a flock of assistants serving you,” Lin Yu replied as if asking a stupid question.

“Where’s the pay from my last role?”

Lin Yu smiled sheepishly. “I spent it all on ‘water soldiers’ (fake accounts) to hype up your heat.” Seeing the girl’s ugly expression, she added, “You said before that these ‘petty profits’ were up to me. No take-backs.”

Qin Xiaoxiao: “…” Petty profits my ass!! That was the fruit of her hard labor! Even as an extra, the director had given her 20,000 yuan out of respect for her father, and it had all gone up in smoke.

But she couldn’t blame Lin Yu; these were likely the terms the original host had agreed upon. She snorted, “Fine, that was then. In the future, you must ask me.”

Lin Yu nodded like a woodpecker. “Mhm, mhm, mhm.”

Qin Xiaoxiao opened Alipay to check her “little treasury.” Since transmigrating, she had assumed the original host’s wallet was bottomless and hadn’t bothered to look. Today’s talk made her wary.

The balance: 5,391 Yuan.

Qin Xiaoxiao’s liver shivered at the number. She tried to top up 100 yuan from her bank card. [Insufficient funds in Bank Card] She tried 50. [Insufficient funds]

Confirming the card didn’t have a cent in it, she gave up. What now? A solution appeared quickly: Ask the parents.

She opened her contacts. To her shock, the “Parents” entry was empty. Deleted. She checked WeChat; she couldn’t find her father, only her mother. She messaged her mother, saying she was broke and needed “the nourishment of love.”

[Mother has enabled friend verification. You are not her friend. Please send a request…]

I… was deleted.

What a strange family. Qin Xiaoxiao was confused, but luckily the chat history remained. After scrolling through, she figured out the story.

It was a classic tale of pursuing dreams and breaking with family. The original host was determined to be an actress; her parents disapproved. The father was so enraged he cut her off financially, while the mother stood by the father, gently trying to convince the daughter to give up. The original host was stubborn; she claimed she didn’t need them, deleted their numbers, grabbed her luggage and her allowance, and walked out.

She then signed with Lin Yu, who led her into the industry.

Qin Xiaoxiao sank into thought. The original host didn’t care about money, but she did. 5,000 yuan was too easy to spend. She wouldn’t stoop to blackmailing like the original host might have, so she had to get money from the parents.

Looking at the ramen, she had an idea.

She used her chopsticks to eat all the garnishes, leaving only a bowl of pitiful plain noodles. She turned the bowl so the shop logo was hidden from the camera. Snap, snap.

Then, she took out her makeup kit.

She used dark foundation on her cheeks, carefully contouring from the cheekbones to the jaw, then highlighted the center of her face to make it look gaunt. After quite a while, she put down the tools. Looking at the mirror at a woman who looked as thin as a skeleton spirit, she smiled with satisfaction.

She took several selfies and picked the most convincing one, editing it slightly to be blurrier so no one would notice the “hollow” cheeks were just makeup.

“Why did you make yourself up like a ghost?” Lin Yu asked.

Qin Xiaoxiao mimicked her: “You’ll know in a bit.”

Ignoring her manager, she posted to Weibo:

[Yin Ni V]: After working a whole day, I finally saved enough for takeout. It’s delicious, just opened and still hot. @YinShaozhuo @ZhouLing Mom, Dad, don’t worry about me. I’m doing great and I’m self-sufficient. Gotta go, the manager keeps staring at me; she definitely wants to steal my ramen.

The two photos: one of steaming plain noodles, and one of Qin Xiaoxiao’s haggard, thin face.

Comments immediately popped up: [Er Yi]: What happened? Did I follow the wrong person? Why am I seeing a rich girl living in poverty? The persona is breaking! [Protector]: Waaaah, Xiao Yin is so thin! Rub-rub.

Having played the “misery card,” Qin Xiaoxiao ignored the discourse and finished her noodles. Meanwhile, Lin Yu saw the post and said, “Did you take the wrong medicine?” She felt very awkward. Who wants to steal your food? I’m not a dog.

Qin Xiaoxiao replied coolly: “Those who know me need no explanation; those who don’t, deserve none.”

A phone call came. “Hello?” Qin Xiaoxiao lowered her voice as if she were about to draw her last breath.

“My Ni! You’ve suffered!” A gentle woman’s voice came through—her mother, Zhou Ling.

“Mom, I’m not suffering.” She put on a performance, her voice trailing off. “I… I just miss your cooking a bit. Cough, cough.”

“Ni! Do you have a cold?”

“It’s okay, I just need to drink hot water. The temperature is changing; Mom, take care of yourself too, don’t end up like me. Cough, cough, cough!”

The acting was hammy, but the mother believed it. “You’ve matured.” Touched and heartbroken, Zhou Ling sighed: “If you’re suffering, you can come home anytime. I’ll transfer you some money; go to the hospital first?”

“Is 500,000 enough?”

Qin Xiaoxiao grinned. But before she could reply, a man’s voice broke in.

“That’s enough! You’re spoiling her!” Her father, Yin Shaozhuo, snatched the phone. “Quit the entertainment industry and come home immediately, or you won’t get a cent!” Hang up.

Qin Xiaoxiao’s lip twitched. Grumpy old man, steady as a rock.

The plan was working, but he stepped in and ruined the dream. She couldn’t go home, though; her mission wasn’t finished. She ate a few more bites of noodles, which now tasted like wax.

Suddenly, her phone lit up. Two messages. One bank notification, one text from her mother.

[Zhou Ling]: I secretly put the money in your account. Buy lots of good food.

Qin Xiaoxiao’s heart warmed. Humanity still exists.

Time flew. Three months passed. It was now August, the beginning of autumn. Leaves were turning yellow and fruit was ripening. With Zhou Ling’s 500,000 yuan, Qin Xiaoxiao had lived at home like a total salted fish.

It was near noon. Qin Xiaoxiao was still sleeping in when the sound of a vehicle disturbed her. She frowned and rolled over.

Then, a cat meowed. “Meow. Meow-meow~ Meowuuu~”

“Stop it!” Qin Xiaoxiao shouted into the air.

“Meow! Meow-meow!” The cat meowed even louder.

Unbearable. She sat up, rolled up her sleeves, and decided to give that “cat in heat” a lesson. After a search, she found a snow-white cat on her balcony. It sat elegantly on the wall, its blue eyes blinking. Seeing her, the cat stood up, turned around, and jumped off the second floor.

“Hey—!” Qin Xiaoxiao thought the cat looked familiar but couldn’t place it. Seeing it “jump,” she panicked. She ran to the balcony, fearing she’d see a bloody mess.

Instead, she saw a sight that left her dumbstruck.

A large truck was parked outside. Men in overalls were carrying boxes into the apartment next door. The sound of heavy objects landing echoed—someone was moving in.

And the cat was being held in someone’s arms. That person captured all of Qin Xiaoxiao’s attention.

The person wore a bunny mask and a camel beret. Her eyes were exposed, crinkled with laughter. Her hair had grown a bit, resting softly on her shoulders. She looked at Qin Xiaoxiao, pulled down her mask to reveal her beautiful face, and parted her red lips.

“What a coincidence~”

Qin Xiaoxiao had nothing to say. She was one step away from dying on the spot.

A new neighbor was fine. But a new neighbor who was a top starlet? That was a massive problem.

In the urban bustle, the two girls looked at each other from a distance. One held a Ragdoll cat with a cunning smile. The other had just woken up, looking disheveled in her cute bear pajamas, her beautiful face twisted in a look of pure resentment.