Acting as the Vicious Second Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 39

In front of the cameras, the two leads reenacted the kiss over and over again.

The onlookers could only stare, their hearts exploding with envy. To kiss the national goddess in public—this was a dream they wouldn’t even dare to have! And yet, it had fallen into Qin Xiaoxiao’s lap.

Jealousy breeds distortion. Every man has ambition, a grand goal… they all hoped for a day when they could have physical contact with the popular starlet. But they never expected to be beaten to the punch by another girl.

Then, a thought flashed through their minds, bringing up Qin Xiaoxiao’s noble and cold face. Looking at the charming scene in the garden, their resentment faded. Suddenly, the image didn’t seem bad at all; in fact, it was quite beautiful.

Feeling those scorching gazes on her, Qin Xiaoxiao frowned. Having failed to pass the scene over a dozen times, she had no choice but to repeatedly “harass” her good friend. She was on the verge of a breakdown.

“I can’t do this anymore,” she said tiredly. She pulled back the folding fan she was holding under Qu Li’s chin and snapped it open, fanning the heat from her face.

Several times she wanted to announce she was giving up, but she held back. As the saying goes, a tree lives for its bark, a person lives for their pride. If she gave up now, wouldn’t those dozen-plus kisses have been for nothing?

Qin Xiaoxiao thought indignantly, then sneakily glanced at the starlet. Seeing no disgust or impatience on Qu Li’s face, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Director Wang Yi, a shrewd man, saw that Qin Xiaoxiao was in a foul mood and stopped at the right time to give her a buffer. “Alright, everyone take fifteen minutes. We’ll continue later.”

The crowd dispersed. Some went about their business, others chatted and laughed. Some stole glances back at the garden path lined with hibiscus flowers—delicate, fan-shaped petals layered in white and purple. They were distinct yet complementary, much like the two women standing by the tree. Like the “White Moonlight” and the “Cinnabar Paste” of one’s heart, they stood together in a way that was exceptionally pleasing to the eye.

There were many actors on set, including nearly a hundred extras. Feeling like a monkey in a zoo, Qin Xiaoxiao scowled. She turned toward a few men who were looking over with lecherous eyes and suddenly held up her left hand, hooking two pale fingers into a claw.

“Keep staring and I’ll gouge your eyes out,” she threatened violently.

Holy crap, she’s fierce! They quickly ducked their heads.

Because she had been quiet and obediently accepted every retake, they had forgotten who she was. She wasn’t just anyone; she was the rumored unreasonable, fickle, and wicked beauty who used her father’s power to do as she pleased. If she said she’d gouge them, she’d do it. They retreated into the corners, trying to vanish.

Qin Xiaoxiao didn’t care what they thought. She grabbed Qu Li’s hand and pulled her away, leaving the area together. Go ahead, keep looking! She huffed, her face puffed with anger.

The two women walked side by side along the stone path. A crisp autumn wind swirled the leaves; a few withered ones drifted down, landing on the calm surface of the lake and startling the koi.

The wind rustled their ancient robes. Their long hair rose and tangled together. Standing by the pond, they looked like a pair of mandarin ducks at a secret tryst.

Qin Xiaoxiao leaned against the railing, resting her chin on her palm. “The director’s standards are too high,” she grumbled, wrinkling her nose. “He might be targeting me on purpose.”

Inwardly, she knew it was her own mindset that was the problem, but she couldn’t help acting tough in front of Qu Li. She didn’t want to show her “clumsiness” or ruin her “cool” image. Little did she know, in Qu Li’s heart, she had no “image” left to speak of.

Qu Li stepped forward. “It’s okay,” she said, gazing at Xiaoxiao’s profile. “You’re doing very well.”

“…” Qin Xiaoxiao’s face flushed. She didn’t feel like she was doing well at all! Was she praising her kissing skills? Whether it was the clumsy acting or the clearly green kissing technique, being praised for either was embarrassing.

Seeing the crimson hue spreading over the woman’s snowy skin, Qu Li suddenly felt a dry sensation in her throat.

“It’s just… you’re lacking a bit of ‘heat,'” Qu Li said, slowly leaning in. Staring at those rosy lips, Qu Li’s gaze darkened. “If you don’t mind, I can teach you how to act it.”

“Sure,” Qin Xiaoxiao agreed without thinking. To be taught by a top-tier actress was a bargain she wouldn’t refuse. She didn’t want to go back out there and make a fool of herself in an infinite loop of retakes.

“Look at me closely,” Qu Li said. “Mhm.”

Qin Xiaoxiao focused. Qu Li half-closed her eyes, the corners of her mouth curling up. Her aura shifted instantly from gentle and sweet to profligate and elegant. She entered the character perfectly, her gaze soulful, her tone playful: “Little lady, you smell so sweet.”

As the orchid-like breath hit her cheek, Qin Xiaoxiao felt her face grow even hotter. She wanted to retreat.

The next second, a hand reached out from a sleeve and gripped her chin, killing any thought of escape.

The wind whistled, and leaves rustled. They stood face to face, their shadows overlapping. Qu Li leaned in and tasted her lips, her gaze unfettered and smooth.

“Mm… mmm…”

Her lips were captured. Qin Xiaoxiao’s mind went blank. So this is the ‘teaching’ she meant?

It was efficient, yes—she could directly feel where she was going wrong. But it was far too stimulating. Although Xiaoxiao had kissed Qu Li many times that morning, being the one being kissed felt different. Her heart hammered like a drum.

Qu Li didn’t let go immediately. Seeing the confusion in the woman’s eyes but no rejection, Qu Li’s heart skipped a beat. She grew more greedy, her other hand sliding around Xiaoxiao’s waist to deepen the kiss.

It was lingering and poignant. They sipped each other’s sweetness.

Qin Xiaoxiao’s eyes widened slightly. This was the first time she had seen such a dominant, forceful, and bold Qu Li. It was like lukewarm water suddenly coming to a boil. The heat of the other woman’s tongue almost scorched her.

Qu Li was drowning in it, her expression flirtatious, as if she were a different person. She gripped Xiaoxiao’s jaw, forcing her to accept the kiss.

Time stretched. Qin Xiaoxiao’s face grew redder and redder. She didn’t push her away—perhaps from a lack of oxygen, her head felt dizzy and her legs weak. That’s the only reason I’m forced to accept it, she thought fuzzily.

So… the taste of a kiss… is sweet. Like a White Rabbit creamy candy—sticky and sweet.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded in the distance.

Clack—clack—

Qu Li frowned and reluctantly let go. she stepped in front of Qin Xiaoxiao, shielding her flushed face as a staff member appeared around the corner.

“You two,” he announced, “it’s time to head back to film.”

“Alright, we’re coming,” Qu Li replied with a smile. She looked perfectly normal, as if she hadn’t just been in the middle of a fierce “battle.”

As the staff member left, Qu Li cleared her throat. “Let’s go back.”

Before she could take a step, her hand was caught. She looked back to see a face still filled with a dazed, lingering passion.

“That… that last part wasn’t in the script, was it?” Qin Xiaoxiao’s brow furrowed. Despite the late autumn chill, she was sweating. She felt hot.

But the other woman wasn’t out of breath, wasn’t blushing, and wasn’t embarrassed. She looked completely indifferent, as if nothing had happened. Qin Xiaoxiao bit her lip, feeling a sense of injustice.

“Why are you so calm?” Qin Xiaoxiao’s tone turned cold and dangerous. “Don’t tell me you just felt like ‘acting’ on a whim?”

The more she thought about it, the more afraid she became. She was afraid of hearing a “yes.” She was afraid that she would be the one to fall, while the other person walked away untouched.

Qu Li felt the grip on her arm tighten. Sensing the low pressure, she quickly denied it: “It’s not like that, it’s…”

It’s what? Qu Li went silent. The custom wedding ring wasn’t ready yet. This wasn’t the right place; it didn’t fit her romantic aesthetic. But she decided to confess anyway. She didn’t want the other woman to feel uncertain because of her transgression.

Qu Li parted her lips to confess… only to be interrupted by Qin Xiaoxiao.

“That was my first kiss,” Qin Xiaoxiao said, looking away awkwardly.

Inwardly, she was relieved. Good, she wasn’t playing a prank on me. As for why they actually kissed… maybe it was just “bestie things.” In high school, she’d seen girls who were close kissing in the woods to express friendship. Those people told me it had no special meaning, just a way to show they were friends.

Qin Xiaoxiao shook off the memory and changed the subject. “Let’s go, time to film.” She started walking away hurriedly.

Halfway there, she suddenly turned back. The sunlight caught her black hair, creating a beautiful halo. Her smile was confident and dazzling.

“I’ll prove to you that my performance is the perfect one—flawless and without loopholes!” she declared, as arrogant as the day they first met.

Looking at that brilliant face, Qu Li’s eyes crinkled into crescents. She changed her confession to: “Mhm, I believe in you.”

But… first kiss?

Recalling that drunken night, Qu Li narrowed her eyes and smiled like a cat that had swallowed a canary.

Her first kiss, her first love. Her first heartbeat, her first loss of composure, and the first time she was truly gentle to someone.

Her heart was full of Qin Xiaoxiao; it was no longer empty. Qu Li smiled sweetly and whispered into the wind, like a secret:

—”That was my first kiss, too.”

However, the words dissipated into the breeze, leaving no trace behind.