Acting as the Vicious Second Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 9

Since the other party had put it that way, Qin Xiaoxiao naturally stopped dwelling on the matter. She gave a short “Oh” in response and walked toward the counter with her bag slung over her shoulder.

Now that she was here, she couldn’t exactly turn tail and run just because she ran into someone unexpectedly. After all, she had to follow the original soul’s life motto: Don’t be a wimp; just go for it.

With that in mind, she lifted her gaze to check the menu hanging on the wall. There were many dishes, arranged in ten rows and ten columns. The template used a green background with black text; the font was large and widely spaced, making it clear even for someone with mild nearsightedness.

The shop owner was a middle-aged man with metal-framed glasses perched on his nose. He had a bald spot on top—a “Mediterranean” style—but the sparse hair around the edges was combed perfectly into place, each strand reflecting the light. It was clear he groomed himself meticulously.

Seeing another customer, he put down his newspaper and greeted her warmly, “Welcome! What can I get for you?”

“What are your shop’s signature dishes?” Qin Xiaoxiao kept her expression sour, making herself look cantankerous to match the original character’s image.

At the same time, she noticed that this large shop had no servers, yet it was exceptionally clean. Every piece of furniture was spotless. Could it be… the owner does all the cleaning himself? Qin Xiaoxiao glanced at his hair. She had suddenly found the reason for his baldness.

Hearing a customer ask about the menu, the owner’s eyes lit up with excitement. He began to list them like precious treasures: “Our signatures include Donkey Rolls, Mini Rose Buns, Pearl Meatballs…”

This non-stop torrent of words made Qin Xiaoxiao’s head spin. Eventually, she couldn’t be bothered to listen anymore. She waved her hand and said with the air of a wealthy tycoon, “Fine, one of everything. And don’t make me wait too long.”

Owner: “Coming right up!”

Qu Li lowered her eyes and interjected, “I recommend the Magic Egg Rolls. They contain a ‘colored egg’ (hidden surprise), you know.”

With the reminder, the shopkeeper added, “Yes, yes! How could I forget that one?” He then turned to introduce it to Qin Xiaoxiao: “Customer, our Magic Breakfast Rolls are prepared with great care by my wife. The ingredients alone take ten days and nights from selection to processing. We strive for perfection to ensure every bite is exquisite… are you sure you don’t want an order?”

“I’ll take one then,” Qin Xiaoxiao said indifferently.

After ordering, she turned to find a seat. Seeing the woman finally sit by the window, the owner lowered his head and took out his phone to notify his wife in the kitchen to start the breakfast. Having just closed a big sale, the owner was in a great mood. It had been a long time since he’d met such a straightforward customer.

After sending the order, he looked back at the beautiful woman opposite him and suddenly felt she looked familiar. But for the life of him, no matter how much he searched his memory, he couldn’t remember where he’d seen her.

Suddenly, a spark of inspiration hit him. “Are you a star?”

The middle-aged man paused, then hesitantly repeated his question: “I think I’ve seen you in the newspaper before. Are you a celebrity?”

Internally, he was already secretly thrilled. A big star from the screen! You have to realize, many ordinary people never get to meet one in their entire lives; they are figures to be looked up to. Although he had long since entered middle age and lived a somewhat detached life, in his youth, he had been a hardcore fan. Even now, he occasionally bought entertainment tabloids to check out the gossip.

And anyone who could make it into the newspaper was at least not some nameless bit-player. Although he didn’t know who she was yet, searching based on her physical features would yield an answer sooner or later.

At this thought, the man breathed heavily. He seemed only to be waiting for an affirmative answer before he would pounce with a pen to ask for an autograph. Then he’d frame it and make it the “treasure of the shop” to attract fans. Or he could put it online and sell it for a good price.

The man’s business mind was spinning rapidly. However, a single response shattered his dream.

Qu Li shook her head, her lips curling into a deceptive, kind smile. Without skipping a beat, she lied: “Oh, no.”

“You’ve seen me, but not in the newspaper. I’ve traveled here before and visited your shop. You even recommended the local specialties to me then.”

“That’s why I look familiar to you.”

“This is my second time traveling here,” Qu Li continued, turning and pointing her slender, white hand toward the large production bus parked outside. She was bluffing with a completely straight face. Her eyes crinkled into a smile as she coaxed, “See? That’s the bus the travel agency provided for our group.”

Hearing this, the owner turned his head toward the direction she pointed. Sure enough, he saw a row of black vehicles, all identical in appearance. This was a rare sight, resembling some kind of organized event. Furthermore, since she could accurately name the specialty dish he had missed…

Perhaps it was a psychological effect, but a “memory” suddenly surfaced in the man’s mind. He had hosted her before and had chatted warmly with her during her travels.

“Oh, oh! I got the wrong person.” He smiled apologetically. “My apologies.”

Qu Li waved it off. “It’s quite alright.”

Then, she paused for a moment as if finally making up her mind. “I’ll have a bowl of millet porridge.”

“Certainly, right away.” Learning she wasn’t a celebrity, the man was slightly disappointed, but he didn’t slack off. He quickly relayed the order to his wife. He said to Qu Li, “Please have a seat; I’ll bring it over as soon as it’s ready.”

“Thank you for the trouble.”

Qu Li turned around and walked toward the seating area. Moments later, the figure of the Top Star appeared before Qin Xiaoxiao.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” Her tone had a hint of playfulness.

“Suit yourself.”

Qin Xiaoxiao naturally wanted to say no, but as the saying goes, one does not strike a smiling face. Moreover, a few days ago, because she had mistaken her for the female lead, she had grabbed her by the collar and vented. The other woman hadn’t held a grudge and had even recommended a dish. With these events piling up, refusing her now would make Qin Xiaoxiao feel guilty.

—Even if my current identity is a vicious female lead, at my core, I am a good person. Qin Xiaoxiao thought with zero self-awareness.

…Whatever. It’s just one meal; it won’t hurt.

Suddenly, the atmosphere at the dining table was one of harmony. Before long, the owner arrived with a tray. Once the dishes were served, he returned to the counter. Due to the distance and several more customers entering the shop, the room grew noisy, blurring the conversation between the two girls by the window.

“Last time, when I grabbed your collar and acted like that…” Qin Xiaoxiao suddenly spoke up, touching her neck as if saying something against her will. “I’m sorry. I had the wrong person. I hope you don’t mind.”

The woman’s expression was incredibly arrogant; the apology coming from such a face made it sound more like she was trying to pick a fight.

There was no helping it; Qin Xiaoxiao was also troubled. What if she was just adding fuel to the fire? What if reminding the other woman of that embarrassing incident only made her flip the table in rage? But to stay in character, she could only speak this way.

“Let’s just let past unpleasantness be forgotten,” Qin Xiaoxiao added.

Opposite her, Qu Li rested her chin on her hand, her gaze landing softly on Qin Xiaoxiao’s face as if exploring. “I’m more curious… who exactly did you mistake me for?”

Qin Xiaoxiao was taken aback, then said, “Xiang Liwei, obviously. Why?”

“Nothing. I just felt… you seem to like her quite a lot.”

“Like her? Me?” Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Qin Xiaoxiao pointed at her own nose and cried out exaggeratedly, “How could that be possible! I can’t wait to see the last of her.”

Why was I mistaken for liking the female lead? Was my hatred not obvious enough? Qin Xiaoxiao’s mind was flooded with question marks.

Qu Li immediately cleared her confusion: “In the dressing room… I saw you and her…”

Qu Li didn’t say the rest, but Qin Xiaoxiao had already recalled the memory of being pinned down by the female lead. It was so embarrassing. A true history of blood and tears.

Qin Xiaoxiao covered her face, her tone weary. “We just fell on top of each other. Don’t misunderstand.” After a pause, she added, “She and I are like fire and water—it’s ‘you die or I die’ between us.”

Whether it was a hallucination or not, the moment the explanation left her mouth, Qin Xiaoxiao felt the atmospheric pressure lighten. It was no longer as stifling as the calm before a storm.

“I see.” Qu Li felt the weight lift from her heart. Her brow and eyes grew even softer. Then, a flash of confusion crossed her almond eyes. Wait… was I just interrogating her?

The realization startled her, bringing a sense of novelty and strangeness she had never felt before. Why did I care so much about them being too intimate? Why did I feel relieved to learn they weren’t a couple?

Thump, thump, thump—

The intense pounding in her chest gave Qu Li the answer. Finally, she realized… the rhythm of her heart, which she usually controlled so well, had been thrown into total disarray the first time she met the person before her. The sweet taste of romance—once tasted, it left one craving more.

Meanwhile, Qin Xiaoxiao—still in a state of confused ignorance—picked up her chopsticks and began to enjoy her breakfast.

First, she turned her attention to the shopkeeper’s recommended Magic Egg Roll. In the wide-mouthed coffee-colored porcelain bowl lay oval-shaped egg rolls of identical color and size. The outer skin was intact, fried to a perfect, uniform pale yellow, emitting a wonderful aroma. Several small egg rolls were sprinkled with scallions and arranged neatly; they were quite adorable.

Picking one up with her chopsticks, she could clearly feel through the wood that both the egg skin and the filling were soft—as if they might break if she wasn’t careful. Without lingering, Qin Xiaoxiao popped it into her mouth.

After two chews, a sharp, spicy mustard (wasabi) flavor rushed straight to her brain, stimulating her taste buds. Qin Xiaoxiao’s face instantly turned bright red. Fortunately, the portion was small and within an acceptable range. The stinging sensation faded quickly, and she began to taste the flavors carefully. She discovered that besides the tenderness of the egg, there was also the fresh silkiness of salmon.

After swallowing, she finally attacked the other egg rolls in the bowl…

The second was filled with sweet shrimp. The third contained savory and fluffy mashed potatoes. The fourth was diced tomato, its tart and rich flavor merging perfectly with the wrapped egg skin. Qin Xiaoxiao’s eyes lit up, and she continuously repeated the chewing and swallowing motion.

Soon, the bowl was empty, revealing a cute smiley face pattern painted at the bottom. It was accompanied by text: Thank you for your patronage. May you have a good mood all day long.

Is this the ‘colored egg’ the star mentioned? Qin Xiaoxiao arched an eyebrow. Leaning back in her chair, she thought to herself: The Magic Egg Roll truly lives up to its name. It has a special magic that makes it impossible to stop eating. It was like those mystery-flavored beans—you never knew what the next one would taste like.

Unlike Qu Li, who forever wore that same slight smile. At that thought, Qin Xiaoxiao looked at her. Her expression was mischievous, laced with a teasing intent.

Noticing the burning gaze, Qu Li looked back with a smile. On the windowsill, the morning light filtered into the room, spilling onto Qu Li’s face. Under the light, her eyes looked like a pool of spring water—clear and transparent to the bottom. She blinked, and suddenly, layers of light and shadow blurred, creating a shimmering ripple effect.

The scene was beautiful, the person was beautiful, and the smile was the same. Thus, Qin Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but look for a few moments longer.

Who would have thought—Qu Li would put down her spoon, lean forward slightly toward the woman, and tease her with a heart of mischief while asking with the utmost sincerity:

“How much longer do you intend to keep looking at me?”