After Failing To Win Over the Yandere Best Actress, I Got Marked - Chapter 14

Su Jin slept fitfully all night, her dreams a chaotic tangle of images.

As the first light of dawn broke, she opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling for a long while before remembering where she was. She got out of bed quietly, afraid of waking Ye Qinglan in the next room. As she pushed her door open, she faintly heard the sound of an argument coming from downstairs.

Subconsciously, Su Jin lightened her steps, holding onto the banister as she slowly descended the stairs.

“I said it already!” Ye Qinglan’s voice carried a hint of suppressed fury. “I’ve made my decision. There’s no need to discuss it further.”

A muffled voice came from the other end of the line, seemingly trying to persuade her.

Ye Qinglan’s tone spiked several notches: “Zhao Man, I don’t need to account for my private life to anyone. If the company thinks there’s an issue, they can terminate the contract.”

Su Jin’s heart skipped a beat, her fingers involuntarily tightening around the railing.

She hadn’t expected Ye Qinglan to clash so violently with her agency just to announce their relationship. Was it really just because she resembled that “old friend”? She hadn’t expected someone who appeared so cold to be so deeply devoted.

She couldn’t help but sigh deeply, unsure if she was sighing for Ye Qinglan or for her own status as a “stand-in.”

Whatever the person on the other end said triggered a rare outburst from Ye Qinglan: “Enough! This matter ends here. I don’t want to say it a second time.”

The phone was slammed down. For a moment, the living room was terrifyingly silent.

Su Jin hesitated, wondering if she should retreat to her room, but her foot creaked against the wooden floor.

“Who’s there?” Ye Qinglan turned around alertly.

Su Jin had no choice but to walk down awkwardly. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to eavesdrop…”

Ye Qinglan’s expression softened instantly. “You’re awake? Why didn’t you sleep longer?”

“I… I heard you on the phone.” Su Jin bit her lower lip. “If announcing our relationship is causing you this much trouble, I can cooperate with a clarification.”

Ye Qinglan stepped closer and smiled. “No need. I’ll handle these things.”

“But…”

“No ‘buts’,” Ye Qinglan interrupted her. “Go wash up. The auntie has prepared breakfast.”

Su Jin nodded and turned to go back upstairs, but she heard Ye Qinglan whisper behind her: “You look beautiful today.”

Her heart hammered like thunder. She rushed into the bathroom in a panic and splashed cold water on her face, trying to calm herself down.

“Host, you’re blushing,” the System suddenly chimed in.

“Shut up!” Su Jin snapped in embarrassment. “I’m just… just too hot!”

The System gave an expressive “Oh?” “Then why are your ears red too?”

Su Jin refused to answer, focusing intently on brushing her teeth.

By the time she finished getting ready and came downstairs, the aroma of breakfast filled the entire living room.

Ye Qinglan was sitting at the dining table reading a script. Sunlight streamed through the floor to ceiling windows, casting a soft golden glow over her. Hearing footsteps, she looked up, her gaze lingering on Su Jin for a few seconds.

“Let’s eat.” She pointed to the chair beside her.

Su Jin sat down and found the table covered in a variety of breakfast items soup dumplings, steamed dumplings, soy milk, fried dough sticks… it was so lavish it looked less like breakfast and more like a banquet.

“So much… can the two of us finish all this?” Su Jin asked in surprise.

Ye Qinglan poured her a glass of soy milk. “I didn’t know what you liked, so I asked the auntie to prepare a bit of everything.”

As a foodie, Su Jin couldn’t resist. She immediately picked up a soup dumpling and took a bite. The savory broth exploded in her mouth: “So delicious!”

Watching her look so satisfied, the corners of Ye Qinglan’s mouth curled up involuntarily. “Slow down, be careful not to burn yourself.”

For a while, the only sound at the table was the light clinking of utensils. Su Jin could feel Ye Qinglan’s gaze fixed on her face, making her incredibly nervous.

“Don’t you… have to go to the set today?” Su Jin finally broke the silence.

Ye Qinglan nodded. “I’ll head to the set after breakfast.” She paused. “How did you sleep last night? Are you getting used to it?”

“It was… okay,” Su Jin answered vaguely, unwilling to admit she had tossed and turned for half the night.

Ye Qinglan seemed to see through her, a glint of amusement flashing in her eyes. “That’s good.”

Another silence followed.

Su Jin racked her brain for a topic, then somehow blurted out: “That… ‘old friend’ you mentioned. What… what kind of person was she?”

The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted it. She knew she was a stand-in; why go out of her way to humiliate herself? Yet, a voice in her heart urged her: Find out. It’s better to know exactly who you’re portraying.

Ye Qinglan’s expression turned complex. She put down her chopsticks, her gaze drifting toward Su Jin. “She was… very special.”

“Extremely kind, extremely brave. She never bowed to authority,” Ye Qinglan’s voice was soft, as if recounting a distant dream. “She always thought of others, even at her own expense.”

A pang of bitterness welled up in Su Jin’s heart. Sounds like a perfect person…

“To help me, she even…” Ye Qinglan stopped abruptly and shook her head. “Anyway, she’s the best person I’ve ever met.”

Su Jin forced a smile. “She sounds wonderful… I’ll never compare to her in my life.”

Ye Qinglan’s gaze focused on her face with an indefinable emotion. “No. I think you are just as good as she was.”

The words felt like a dull knife slowly sinking into Su Jin’s chest. No, I’m not like her at all. I compromise because of the System’s fear. I’m not that brave.

Su Jin lowered her head and chewed her food mechanically, her mood suddenly plummeting.

After breakfast, Ye Qinglan stood up to clear the dishes. “You don’t have any scenes today, so you can rest at home. I’m heading to the set.”

Su Jin nodded. “Take… take care on the road.”

Ye Qinglan seemed to want to say something, but finally just gave a soft “Mm,” turned to go upstairs to change, and left.

Su Jin sat on the living room sofa in a daze. For some reason, thinking about the conversation how perfect that “white moonlight” was made her feel miserable.

“What’s… wrong with me?” she startled herself with the thought.

The System took the opportunity to twist the knife: “Obviously, you’re jealous.”

“I am not!” Su Jin fumed. “I just… I just don’t like being a stand-in!”

The System gave another meaningful “Oh” and went quiet.

Su Jin shook her head, refusing to think about the complicated issue, and walked toward the kitchen to distract herself. Inside, a kind looking middle-aged woman was tidying up.

“Hello, Auntie,” Su Jin greeted politely.

The woman turned around in surprise. “Oh, you must be Miss Su! Miss Ye specifically told me to make more of what you like.”

Su Jin felt a bit embarrassed. “Thank you, Auntie. Breakfast was great.”

“Miss Ye rarely brings anyone home,” the auntie said while washing dishes. “She doesn’t talk much usually. The house is always so cold and quiet.”

Su Jin asked curiously, “What does she… usually do at home?”

“Reads, works out, plays the piano occasionally.” The auntie thought for a moment. “Oh, right. She doesn’t let anyone into her study easily. There’s a photo frame in there she never lets anyone touch. Once, when I was cleaning, I accidentally knocked it over, and she got very angry.”

Su Jin’s heart stirred. Could it be a photo of that ‘old friend’? Her curiosity intensified.

The auntie soon finished and left, leaving Su Jin alone in the empty villa. Suddenly, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Manager Li: 【Xiao Jin, a variety show wants to invite you and Film Queen Ye to participate. The pay is huge!】

Su Jin replied decisively: 【Not going.】

Several more messages followed invitations for shows and brand collaborations. Su Jin rejected them one by one, then finally silenced her phone and lay on the sofa browsing.

The hashtag #YeQinglanSuJinRelationship was still trending high. The comments section was a battlefield.

[Hehe, an 18th-tier nobody climbing up to the Film Queen. Quite the tactics.]

[Who is Su Jin? Never heard of her. How is she worthy of our Film Queen Ye?]

[Definitely climbed up through the “unspoken rules.” Look at that “Green Tea” face of hers.]

Su Jin got angrier as she read. What is wrong with these people? They can’t just slander someone’s reputation like this.

Even if she was a “stand-in,” she was still the legitimate girlfriend Ye Qinglan had officially announced. She wouldn’t take this lying down.

Feeling quite justified, Su Jin’s fingers flew across the screen.

@LemonSpirit: I can smell the sourness through the screen. It’s none of your business who she likes!

With this comment fueling the fire, the section became even more heated. The haters intensified their attacks, which only activated Su Jin’s combativeness. She got more into it, eventually switching to her main account and posting a photo of the garden background similar to one Ye Qinglan had posted recently.

Caption: “Good morning~ The garden scenery is so lovely~ [Heart]” She intentionally kept it vague, leaving plenty of room for imagination.

The anti-fans went wild:

[Shameless! She actually posted the Film Queen’s private residence!] [Wait to be kicked out!]

Su Jin crossed her legs, munching on an apple while passionately arguing back:

@FilmQueenYeLittleFangirl: Sorry, but my Qinglan personally gave me the keys.

@ProHater: Mad? I’m literally lying on the sofa right now.

To her surprise, this move actually attracted some passersby to follow her:

[Hahaha, this girl is so bold! Love it!] [I love this arrogance. Followed.] [Living the good life. Can you give us some fanservice? Want to see the Film Queen’s abs!]

Su Jin froze. Wait, Ye Qinglan has abs?! She felt the urge to show off and replied: 【No problem! I’ll take some when she’s back~】 Though she knew very well she wouldn’t actually dare to photograph Ye Qinglan’s abs.

After her battle with the haters, Su Jin felt refreshed and her mood improved. When the auntie came to cook lunch, she took more photos, framing the table to show settings for two. She posted immediately: “Lunch specially prepared by someone~ [Heart]”

The comments section was another sea of wails.

“Host, you’re really good at making things up…” the System couldn’t help but criticize.

“This is called strategic bluffing!” Su Jin said righteously. “Anyway, Ye Qinglan doesn’t look at Weibo. I’ll just annoy those haters to death first~”

In the afternoon, bored, she took a tour of the villa. The small garden in the back was meticulously kept. Su Jin sat in a wicker chair, watching butterflies dance among the flowers, feeling as relaxed as a kept canary.

“Host, don’t forget your task,” the System reminded her at an inconvenient time.

Su Jin frowned. “There’s a task?”

“The Hot Spring play!” the System said excitedly. “Now that you’re living together, opportunities are everywhere!”

Su Jin’s face flushed instantly. “You… you’re having a breakdown again!”

“According to the plot development, the crew is going to a hot spring resort for filming next week. That will be the best time to complete your task!” The System planned for itself. “You can use the hot spring as an excuse…”

“Shut up!” Su Jin gritted her teeth. “I’m not doing it!”

System: “Then are you prepared to accept the punishment?”

“Of course not.” Su Jin paced back and forth in the garden in frustration. She didn’t want to hurt Ye Qinglan, and she certainly didn’t want to use such underhanded methods. But the fear of the System’s punishment weighed on her.

She said indignantly, “Why do we have to follow this perverted plot?”

“Because this is a PO novel world,” the System said matter of factly. “How can we not have some ‘yellow’ content?”

Su Jin was speechless.