Acting as the Vicious Second Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 5

As evening approached, the filming drew to a close.

On the set, the final scene was being enacted. Before cameras from all directions, Qu Li stood in a crisp police uniform. She played the assistant to the male lead—the actual female protagonist of this drama.

She stood silently by the door, her youthful figure accentuated by a black leather belt around her slender waist. Her mid-length curls were tucked into her police cap; the brim cast a deep shadow over her face, leaving only her clean chin and pale, thin lips visible. Those lips looked soft and moist, like two fallen peach blossom petals. She tilted her face slightly, her long, curled lashes veiling her light brown eyes as she looked into the room.

Upon seeing the scene inside, she frowned, her face showing shock before she took a step back.

The plot had reached its climax: the father had died at home, and the male lead had arrived at the crime scene with his assistant. As they pushed open the door, they saw the hall floor covered in dark red bloodstains. The body of a man with graying hair lay quietly at the base of the stairs. His face was ashen, eyes sunken, his expression frozen in a final moment of terror mixed with confusion—as if asking why.

Why kill me?

No one could answer. The camera zoomed in on the knife in his neck. The wound was deep; most of the blade was submerged, showing how ruthless the killer had been. The scene was bloody and cruel. For a moment, the atmosphere froze, and the world seemed to slow down.

Suddenly, a loud shout broke the silence.

“Cut!”

“That’s a wrap for today,” the director announced. He stood up with a greasy smile, looking satisfied. “Hard work, everyone. The performance was excellent. Pack your things; we’re heading to the hotel.”

The director looked at the crowded room, feeling a sudden weight of pressure. The “backdoor” investors and extra actors were more numerous than he had anticipated. The filming location was in the scenic but remote City B to avoid urban pollution. Consequently, he had promised room and board. In this desolate wilderness, finding extra lodging on short notice would be a nightmare. He pulled out his phone to pray that the hotel had enough vacancies.

The actors, oblivious to his worries, happily packed their bags. On the stage, Qu Li removed her police cap and smoothed her messy hair, returning smiles to those greeting her. Her movements were elegant, her smile polite but not distant. Anyone who saw her would praise her for being easy on the eyes.

A minor actress who received a response from her felt overwhelmed by the favor. No wonder she’s a star, the girl thought. She’s so down-to-earth. Not like that newcomer, Yin Ni, who acts like a diva and even grabbed Qu Li by the collar earlier.

In the Dressing Room

Inside the room, two figures stood by the neatly arranged lockers.

Xiang Liwei, being slightly shorter, hung her head and huddled against a locker door, clutching her costume. Her body trembled slightly; she looked pitiful. Opposite her, Qin Xiaoxiao was strictly following the plot. She had her hands pinned against the wall, “wall-slamming” (kabedon) the female lead to block her escape.

“Are you hiding from me?” Qin Xiaoxiao asked in a low voice.

The air grew heavy. After a long silence, a voice as small as a mosquito’s drifted into her ears: “No…”

“Are you saying I’m framing you?” Qin Xiaoxiao snapped, immediately cutting her off. This was the “vicious supporting role” logic: Even if the whole world is wrong, I am not. If I say it’s ‘one,’ it’s ‘one’; you don’t get to say ‘two.’

The threatening tone worked. “Yes,” Xiang Liwei bit her lip and stammered. “I… I was hiding from you.”

The girl’s submissiveness pleased Qin Xiaoxiao. She leaned in closer, her voice turning husky and strangely alluring. “Last time you spilled juice all over me, I haven’t settled that debt yet. You weren’t planning on running away and ignoring your responsibility, were you?”

“No!” Xiang Liwei suddenly looked up, her gaze firm. “I will take responsibility. You can do whatever you want to me. I won’t resist.”

Her breathing was ragged, her chest heaving. Because of her movements, the costume in her arms loosened, and a long sleeve slipped to the floor. The two were so close their breaths intertwined.

Qin Xiaoxiao tilted her head back slightly, confused by the girl’s sudden intensity. Is she so desperate she’s just giving up? She pulled her hands back and folded them over her chest, looking down at her.

Meanwhile, Xiang Liwei felt a surge of electricity through her body. Being despised, being looked down upon with disgust… for the “strange attributes” awakening inside her, this was an exquisite experience.

I want to be bullied… I want to be humiliated more… The wild thoughts screamed in her mind. Her legs trembled, and her eyes grew misty.

Looking at the blushing, teary-eyed girl, Qin Xiaoxiao felt a momentary pang of guilt, as if she were bullying a child. She sighed, preparing to drop a harsh line and leave. “Today, I’ll just—”

“Please punish me!” Xiang Liwei interrupted, leaning forward. Her pupils were constricted with excitement. “As an adult, I should pay for my mistakes. So…” She took an impulsive step forward, desperate to be closer to her “tormentor.”

Unfortunately, she stepped on the long sleeve of the costume trailing on the floor. The polished tiles were slick.

In a flash of accidents and coincidences, Xiang Liwei lost her balance. Under Qin Xiaoxiao’s shocked gaze, the female lead lunged forward—or rather, slammed into her. The force was so great that Qin Xiaoxiao was knocked off her feet. Her back hit the floor with a loud THUD.

“Oof!” Xiang Liwei fell with her, her forehead slamming into Qin Xiaoxiao’s chin. The sharp pain was accompanied by an intense rush of pleasure for the girl. She couldn’t tell if she was suffering or enjoying it. Or perhaps, it was “painful bliss.”

“Sss…” Qin Xiaoxiao clutched her chin, which was already swelling. This girl is too ruthless, she thought. But seeing the red mark on the lead’s forehead, she felt a sense of balance.

“Did you do that on purpose?!” Qin Xiaoxiao snapped. Seeing the girl still dazed on top of her, she pushed her with her left hand. “What are you staring for? Get off me! Honestly, you’re pretty heavy.”

That last insult was a mandatory part of being a villain. Sure enough, Xiang Liwei seemed to snap out of it, looking embarrassed and trying to hide her arms. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. She braced her hands on the floor to get up.

“Do you think an apology is enough?” Qin Xiaoxiao mocked. “Weren’t you acting all arrogant just now? What, you’ve lost your nerve? Go on. Keep asking me to punish you, hmm? Do you really think I’ll do what you say?”

Xiang Liwei froze, looking down at the woman beneath her.

“Don’t even dream about it,” Qin Xiaoxiao continued, her attitude unyielding. “I won’t let you off easily.”

The words were domineering—or they would have been, if she weren’t currently pinned to the floor by the person she was threatening. Qin Xiaoxiao felt proud of herself. The Transmigration Bureau really has an eye for talent, she thought. Few employees remain this composed under pressure.

Xiang Liwei, still straddling her, tried to explain: “I-I didn’t.”

“You still deny it?” Even sprawled on the ground, Qin Xiaoxiao’s aura didn’t falter. She tilted her head, her hair fanning out to reveal her beautiful face. A playful smirk touched her lips. “What did I teach you? Don’t ever disobey me…”

Her voice was low and gravelly, sending a chill down Xiang Liwei’s spine. But immediately after, the girl was swallowed by a tidal wave of pleasure. Being insulted like this… she was shamefully excited.

Qin Xiaoxiao, unaware of the girl’s inner turmoil, grabbed Xiang Liwei’s collar and pulled her down toward her ear. “I was tired and going to let you go, but it seems there’s no need for that now.”

Thump, thump. Xiang Liwei’s heart raced.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

Suddenly, the door was pounded. “I’m coming in,” a voice announced.

It was Qu Li. She opened the door, and the scene inside turned her to stone.

The two women were tangled on the floor, one on top of the other, in a highly suggestive posture. The woman on the bottom turned her head sharply, looking panicked as if a secret had been exposed. The girl on top was flushed, looking exactly like someone in the middle of a passionate encounter.

Qu Li remained outwardly calm, but the hand on the doorknob trembled slightly. She forced a polite, awkward smile.

“Sorry to disturb you.”

SLAM! Qu Li shut the door and bolted. It all happened in a few breaths, leaving no time for explanations.