Acting as the Vicious Second Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 38

A dignified daughter of a wealthy merchant, actually bowing her head for money.

For a moment, Wang Yi thought he had called the wrong person. He quickly regained his composure, sweating slightly as he said, “Hello? We are offering nine million—minimum.”

“Deal!”

She answered so promptly that Wang Yi felt as if he had just leaped into a fiery pit. Still, he trusted his own vision, and he trusted Qu Li’s judgment; after all, Qin Xiaoxiao was the one Qu Li had recommended, and the top starlet’s integrity was beyond reproach.

With that in mind, he detailed the filming schedule and the location of the set. Once the explanation was finished, Wang Yi bid a polite farewell and hung up.

“The ancient city in H-City… where is that?” Qin Xiaoxiao murmured, opening her mobile map.

“So you agreed to do it!” Qu Li said, her voice filled with delight.

Earlier, she had heard from the manager that Qin Xiaoxiao had flatly rejected the role, refusing to budge no matter what. Qu Li had respected her wishes and hadn’t mentioned it again, not wanting to pressure her. Now that the other woman had finally nodded, Qu Li leaned in closer, her upper body tilting forward.

“It’s okay if you aren’t sure where it is. It’s on my way, so we can just take my private car.”

“Great,” Qin Xiaoxiao said happily. Truly, when out in the world, one relies entirely on friends.

She put down her phone and looked at Qu Li. From her low-angled perspective, she had a clear view of the “scenery” before her. Today, Qu Li was wearing a fitted white knit top with lace around the collar, adorned with small pearls and a tiny bow. The ends of the ribbon dangled, dipping right between her soft curves.

…It’s rude to stare at someone’s chest like this. Qin Xiaoxiao quickly sat up straight. Remembering something, she frowned and said, “Just now, before I answered the phone, were you about to say something?”

“I…” Qu Li froze. Then she shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

The more the other woman refused to talk, the more curious Qin Xiaoxiao became. “No way. Tell me. What if it’s something important?”

“I won’t~”

The words that hadn’t been said required the right atmosphere; mentioning them now would feel forced. Qu Li elegantly speared a piece of strawberry, holding the bowl beneath it to catch any yogurt drips. She brought it to the woman’s lips, changing the subject. “Don’t worry about that. Open wide.”

Qin Xiaoxiao was dissatisfied. Keeping secrets from me again. She stared at Qu Li resentfully, but her mouth opened obediently. She chewed the strawberry with extra force, her spiteful gaze making it seem like she was imagining chewing on Qu Li’s head.

After swallowing, she suddenly stood up. “It’s late. I’m going home to sleep.”

She turned to leave.

“Goodnight. Sweet dreams,” Qu Li’s lingering, affectionate voice drifted from behind.

Reaching the door, Qin Xiaoxiao turned back and gave her a glare. “Hmph!” She snorted and marched back to her own apartment.

Turning on the lights, the glow illuminated a rather lonely room. Because she had spent so much time freeloading at Qu Li’s place, her own furniture was covered in dust.

“Little White, are you there?” Qin Xiaoxiao called out to the system.

The space distorted visibly, a phenomenon beyond human comprehension. Light gathered into the shape of a long-eared rabbit—snow-white and no larger than a palm.

“Long time no see,” it said, landing its short legs on her pillow. “What do you need, Xiaoxiao?”

“I want to ask you something,” Qin Xiaoxiao hesitated, fidgeting with her fingers. “After the mission is over, can I stay in this world until I die of natural causes?”

“…Why?”

Qin Xiaoxiao sat up and looked at the system. “I’ve made a friend. At first, I thought she was terrible because she always teased me. I was afraid of her, thinking she was an unknown variable that might ruin my plans. I even felt the urge to get rid of her. But after spending time with her, I realized she’s a truly good person. I want to stay with her a bit longer. I might never meet someone so gentle to me ever again.”

Little White thought for a moment. “What if she gets tired of you? What if she leaves or stops being gentle?”

Qin Xiaoxiao lowered her eyes with a confident smile. “I don’t know why, but I just feel that Qu Li won’t get bored of me.”

“Suit yourself,” Little White floated up to eye level. “You can choose to stay, but—if the mission fails, you will be penalized and forcibly disconnected from this world. Currently, the relationship between the lead pair has seen zero progress. You need to hurry up.”

Qin Xiaoxiao nodded. “Understood.”

Spurred by a sense of crisis, Qin Xiaoxiao returned to her “vicious” duties. She contacted the head of the female lead’s agency and pulled strings to have her isolated and stripped of her best resources, arranging for her to play a minor “passerby” role in the male lead’s drama instead.

Perfect, she thought. The isolated female lead, playing a cannon-fodder role and suffering cold glares, will inevitably meet the passionate male lead during her lowest point. Sparks will fly!

Satisfied that the plot was back on track, she returned to her “shameless” daily life with the starlet.

Time flew by, and soon, filming for The Phoenix Seeks the Phoenix began. It was now late October. The autumn wind was chilly, and the air was crisp.

The set was a lavish ancient estate. Qin Xiaoxiao and Qu Li arrived in their private car and were led inside by the staff. Qin Xiaoxiao took the chance to review the script. It was a long series, estimated to take five months to film.

The first episode featured the first meeting between the male lead, Liu Zhier, and the female lead, Yao Yan. Liu Zhier, a profligate son of a wealthy family, hides in the garden to avoid an arranged blind date. There, he finds Yao Yan, who has wandered off from her sister. Thinking she is a new maid because of her dusty appearance, he decides to tease her.

He was supposed to flirt with her, touch her waist, and “steal” a kiss.

In the dressing room, Qin Xiaoxiao put on her male costume—a gold-trimmed robe with a white jade pendant at her waist. After her makeup was done, she looked in the mirror and was thoroughly satisfied. Her eyebrows were shaped like swords, and her features looked deeper and sharper. She looked like a classic “flower boy” prince—dashing and elegant, with no hint of being “girly.”

She walked out, eager to see Qu Li’s look. Turning a corner, she saw a beautiful figure in a high-waisted Hanfu gown, her long hair reaching her waist. Qu Li looked exceptionally pure and ethereal.

“This outfit really suits you,” Qin Xiaoxiao praised.

“Action!” the director shouted.

Qin Xiaoxiao moved into character, sneaking into the garden. She spotted the woman and gave a mischievous grin. She walked silently behind her, reached out, and pulled her into a firm embrace by the waist. She buried her head in the crook of the woman’s neck, murmuring, “Little lady, you smell so sweet.”

While her exterior was flirtatious, Qin Xiaoxiao was screaming internally. Her waist is so thin… and she really does smell good. She quickly tried to squash the “unholy” thoughts. I’m not a human, being this thirsty for my best friend!

“Scoundrel!” Qu Li broke free and turned to glare at her.

Qin Xiaoxiao approached her, using a folding fan to lift her chin. She spoke with a tone of intoxication, reciting poetry about her beauty. Seeing the man—or “man”—teasing her so boldly, Qu Li’s face flushed with anger and hesitation.

Then, Qin Xiaoxiao leaned in suddenly, pressing her lips against those vermilion ones.

It was supposed to be a simple five-second press. But as she felt the soft, damp sensation, Qin Xiaoxiao’s heart wavered.

“Cut! Stop, stop, stop!”

“Yin Ni, you don’t look like a flirtatious noble son; you look like a green boy in his first love,” the director said bluntly. “Again! Action.”

Qin Xiaoxiao: “…”

She kissed her again. Her expression was still stiff.

“Cut! Redo!”

She leaned down again, pressing against Qu Li’s soft lips. Everything seemed fine, but her heart rate was accelerating traitorously.

“Cut! You—yes, you! Why is your face so red? Redo!” “Redo!” “Redo!”

After ten takes, Qin Xiaoxiao’s lips felt numb. Director, can’t you just look the other way?! But for nine million yuan, she endured. She leaned down and covered Qu Li’s lips once more.

This time, she felt she was in the zone. But somehow, the sensation of the kiss brought back memories of that “erotic dream” she’d had… their breaths mingling, the entanglement…

Her breathing hitched, her expression went blank, and her mind turned to mush.

As expected, the director’s voice rang out like a demonic chant: “Redo!”

Qin Xiaoxiao felt her vision go dark.