Transmigrated as the Future Movie Queen's Arch-Nemesis - Chapter 24

Chapter 24

“Do you have time now? I have something to tell you.”

Her tone was solemn, as if she were about to reveal some monumental secret to Su Mi. In the original work, Shi Yaya didn’t even have a name, let alone any plot of her own. The author hadn’t spent much ink on the works that made Xin Keke a household name, choosing instead to focus on the petty skirmishes between the original host and Xin Keke.

Now that Su Mi had transmigrated and fundamentally altered that storyline, it had triggered a chain reaction. Characters who didn’t exist before and plot points that never occurred were now happening, and Su Mi had no way of gauging Shi Yaya’s true agenda.

In this world, the only person who could determine Su Mi’s fate was Xin Keke. She wasn’t particularly interested in other people or their dramas, nor did she want to be distracted. She waved her hand dismissively: “What is it? Just say it here; I still need to pack up and go back with Xin Keke once you’re done.”

Shi Yaya: “…”

She wore a look of hesitation, so obvious that even Xin Keke noticed. Xin Keke, unwilling to be in the way, stood up: “You two talk. I’ll go grab our things first.”

Wait— The last thing Su Mi wanted was for Xin Keke to leave!!

“Hey…” Su Mi called out, but Xin Keke ignored her. Su Mi shouted worriedly toward her retreating back: “Wait for me in a bit! We’re going back together!”

Xin Keke didn’t look back, only waving her hand.

“So?” Su Mi looked at her, sounding impatient. “What is it, exactly?”

She didn’t like Shi Yaya to begin with. Today’s shoot had been rough, and since the final take had finally passed, she was in a good mood, looking forward to easing things over with Xin Keke. Who knew Shi Yaya would show up and throw a wrench in the works? It looked like she had come specifically for her, too.

Shi Yaya remained silent. Su Mi pouted: “Speak up, or I’m leaving.”

Shi Yaya watched Xin Keke’s retreating figure, and only when she was sure she was out of earshot did she say to Su Mi: “You’re close with Xin Keke?”

“?”

Su Mi was filled with confusion. What kind of opening is that? More importantly, did Shi Yaya have some kind of mental issue?

“You came all the way over here in this heat just to ask me that?” Su Mi felt the heat; when she took off her wig, her forehead was covered in a layer of sweat. “Are you… okay in the head?”

Even if she didn’t point at her own temple, any normal person would have understood her implication. But Shi Yaya clearly wasn’t a normal person. She plopped down next to Su Mi and said earnestly: “Su Mi, you should stay away from Xin Keke.”

“…Ha?”

Hearing this, Su Mi felt like a thousand alpacas were stampeding through her mind. Sister, do you have nothing better to do? You weren’t even scheduled for scenes today, yet you came all this way just to tell me to stay away from her? The author really was careless with these character settings; I can feel it now! If you were the protagonist, maybe, but you’re not the female lead, sister.

In less than a second, a dozen snarky thoughts raced through Su Mi’s mind. She furrowed her brows tightly: “Why?”

“I know you have a good relationship with her, but whether you believe me or not is your business.” Shi Yaya’s expression remained solemn: “During that shoot the other day, I didn’t push her at all—she slammed into the cabinet herself!”

Once those words were out, Su Mi finally understood why Shi Yaya was so serious. The memory was so vivid that even at the mere mention of “that day’s shoot,” Su Mi could perfectly reconstruct the scene. It was the time Zeng Liumei ran into Wei Minghui and Yuan Yuan in the dorm. Shi Yaya had shoved Xin Keke into a cabinet, leaving a massive bruise on her back. That incident had led to the whole safflower oil mess and everything that followed.

Su Mi stayed silent, listening to Shi Yaya’s indignant rant: “It’s true that I can’t stand her, but how could I be stupid enough to shove her into a cabinet in front of everyone? The director and assistant director were blaming me—I’m not an idiot!”

Oh, so you don’t think you’re an idiot? That was Su Mi’s first thought. Shi Yaya wasn’t some high-level manipulator in the entertainment industry; her tactics were those of a petty schoolyard bully.

Su Mi realized that by coming to tell her this, Shi Yaya might indeed be trying to drive a wedge between her and Xin Keke. But by using this tactic, she had inadvertently increased the credibility of her claim. Because Shi Yaya had specifically sought her out in plain sight of Xin Keke, it was all the more proof. There was a high probability that Shi Yaya was telling the truth—that Xin Keke might have genuinely chosen to crash into that cabinet herself.

Su Mi: “…”

Still, she didn’t want to expose Xin Keke in front of Shi Yaya. She believed that even if Xin Keke had initiated the collision, she had her own reasons. Having read the original work, she was more familiar with Xin Keke’s true nature than anyone else present; she had no reason to doubt her.

So, Su Mi feigned disbelief: “She hit it herself? Her back was bruised for days and it hurt like hell—did she break her brain to go and hit a cabinet on purpose?”

“Because she wanted the director and the assistant director to know that I loathe her, so she struck first to ensure I wouldn’t target her later!” At the mention of it, Shi Yaya ground her teeth. “If I ever tried to trip her up later, everyone would be biased and assume it was my fault!”

Well, there’s no helping that. Su Mi did acknowledge the logic in what Shi Yaya was saying. Because Xin Keke knew Shi Yaya was seething with resentment toward both of them, she had decided to preemptively neutralize her. She had forced Shi Yaya into a corner where she couldn’t act out—at least, not in front of everyone.

Su Mi’s fingers subconsciously traced the patterns on her jeans. She didn’t think Xin Keke was “calculating” in a malicious way. Xin Keke had grown up without a mother or father; she had to plan for herself in every aspect of life. This was just a matter of self-preservation. There was nothing wrong with that.

“Su Mi,” Shi Yaya leaned in abruptly. The sudden closeness startled Su Mi. “You’re close to her now, so you don’t feel it, but what if one day you upset her? Have you ever thought that she might do the same thing to you?”

“I’m telling you, stay away from her.”

It was nearing noon, and the sun was scorching, making it hard for Su Mi to keep her eyes open. The humid air made Su Mi irritable. She curled the corner of her lips: “Are you done?”

“You don’t believe me?”

Su Mi smiled: “Why wouldn’t I? I believe you.”

“You believe me and you’re still smiling?” Shi Yaya looked suspicious. “What kind of bad idea are you cooking up with that look?”

“It’s sweet of you to come all this way in this heat to ‘share intelligence’ with me.” Su Mi’s smile became increasingly mischievous. She hooked her finger at Shi Yaya, signaling her to lean in closer. “Actually, I have a secret I want to tell you too. Want to hear it?”

“A secret?” Shi Yaya actually leaned in obediently. “What secret?”

“I’ve liked Xin Keke for a long, long time.”

The hot air brushed against Shi Yaya’s ear, mixed with Su Mi’s lazy, signature drawl, hooking Shi Yaya’s attention like a little barb. The moment the words left her lips, Shi Yaya slapped her hands over her ears and sprang up from the bench. Even with her large sunglasses on, Su Mi could see the flush rising on her cheeks under the midday sun.

Su Mi rested her arms on the back of the bench, crossing her legs like a boss. “See? I traded you a secret for yours. You didn’t lose out.”

Shi Yaya snorted, though her slightly flustered expression betrayed her. “I just happened to have some time this morning, so I thought I’d take a walk and tell you the facts. Believe it if you want.”

“Why the attitude? I told you a fact too, didn’t I?” Su Mi shrugged, though her tone sounded as devil-may-care as ever.

“You’re crazy!!”

She looked like she was afraid Su Mi might retaliate, sweeping in like a gust of wind and leaving just as quickly. Su Mi remained on the bench, watching Shi Yaya’s retreating back, and burst into laughter. Well, if you have the heart to provoke others, you have to be ready to be provoked back.

Su Mi had her own interpretation of Xin Keke after reading the book, but once she truly met her, she realized that what was written in the pages was only one facet of her—or rather, only the parts the author chose to show. In the later stages of the book, Xin Keke was a powerhouse, formidable and awe-inspiring. But the current Xin Keke wasn’t just a character in a “slap-face” novel; she was a living, breathing person—a girl who wasn’t all-powerful or perfect, but someone who always gave her all and was easy to love.

Regardless of whether Shi Yaya was truly trying to stir up trouble, the timing of this “confession” meant she definitely had her own agenda. Su Mi couldn’t be bothered to figure it out. Even if Shi Yaya was telling the truth, it only made Su Mi feel more protective of Xin Keke. In this society, who didn’t have a few schemes or an instinct for self-preservation?

Su Mi felt even more pained that she had needed to hurt herself just to protect herself. With that thought, Su Mi stood up and walked toward Xin Keke. Xin Keke, true to Su Mi’s instructions, was waiting for her to walk back together. Seeing her approach, Xin Keke nodded: “Done talking? Shall we go b—”

“Does your waist still hurt?” Su Mi interrupted.

Whether it was her imagination or not, Xin Keke’s body seemed to stiffen at the question: “…What?”

“I asked if your waist still hurts. That bruise you had should still be there, right? I’ll rub some more safflower oil on it for you when we get back today.” Su Mi said, adding after a moment of thought: “And I promise I won’t get it wrong this time. Trust me, okay?”

“…”

Xin Keke was silent for a moment. She gripped the items in her hands tightly, her eyes downcast in unease, looking like a child who had done something wrong. Su Mi waited for an answer for a long time, only for Xin Keke to suddenly look up, as if she were about to confess something: “Su Mi, I… umph!”

“I know!”

Su Mi laughed, reaching out to pinch Xin Keke’s cheeks, cutting her off. Under her palms were soft, elastic cheeks. Su Mi pulled them to the side, kneading them playfully. “It’s okay. I know that must have hurt a lot, but don’t worry—with Master Su on the job, I’ll make sure to rub it out until you feel nice and relaxed today!”

“Umph… le-goh (Let go)…”

Su Mi’s eyes curved into crescents. She didn’t need to say it. They were both adults; some things didn’t need to be said aloud—they were understood between them. This bit of pain could be considered a small punishment for Xin Keke. She kept smiling. As for the other things—like hurting herself to make Su Mi worry—as long as Xin Keke didn’t pull a stunt like that again, she wouldn’t hold it against her.