After Swapping Bodies with the Movie Queen, She Ended Up with Me (GL) - Chapter 16

Rong Qing initially stiffened all over. She could feel Mu Lingwan’s slow, steady breathing. The body of someone deep in sleep was soft, pressed against Rong Qing’s rigid back with an adult’s warmth. She could even feel the other woman’s br3asts pressing against her.

Though, to be fair, those were her own br3asts.

In this moment, countless thoughts raced through Rong Qing’s mind.

She remembered Xu Qing patting her bottom on the red carpet, Shen Nian standing before her in a pristine white dress calling her “Sister Mu,” and Ming Qiao proactively adding her on WeChat to ask if she’d agree.

Mu Lingwan’s attitude remained ambiguous too. Apart from Xu Qing, Rong Qing couldn’t discern any particular feelings she held toward the others.

But those gazes—unless Rong Qing was blind, she could feel them all.

What a battlefield of love…

Rong Qing turned slightly to glance at the woman behind her. Mu Lingwan was sleeping soundly, her posture lazy in the pale gray light. Hugging Rong Qing like a teddy bear, her legs draped carelessly over her, as if seeking warmth or perhaps climbing a mountain.

Rong Qing attempted to shift, but Mu Lingwan showed no intention of letting go. Instead, she frowned slightly at the movement and pulled Rong Qing closer.

Rong Qing: “…”

Now pressed tightly together, Rong Qing’s palms grew damp with sweat, her heartbeat pounding loudly in her ears.

Thump-thump—

With a troubled sigh, Rong Qing closed her eyes. Pressing a hand to her chest, her thoughts were a tangled mess. Mu Lingwan was a player—Rong Qing knew that better than anyone. Of course, her heart would race being held like this, but then another thought struck her.

Why would Mu Lingwan even be interested in her?

If it was about looks, the entertainment industry had plenty more beautiful women than her. That Shen Nian was stunning.

If it was about compatibility, that made even less sense. Xu Qing had been Mu Lingwan’s close friend for years—if Mu Lingwan wanted to “graze near home,” Xu Qing would be the first choice.

Even in some love-hate scenario, Rong Qing wouldn’t factor in.

She was the bottom of the popularity charts, a filler guest, the unlucky one who got dragged through the mud whenever she trended. Mu Lingwan was just a restless sleeper—best not to read too much into it.

With that rationalization, Rong Qing felt her heart calm considerably, steady enough to join the Communist Party.

All these mental gymnastics left her wide awake. She stared blankly at the pale light seeping through the curtains, watching it gradually brightens.

The early-rising crew had already begun their work. Rong Qing heard the sounds of equipment being moved downstairs and hushed conversations in the hallway. The quiet murmurs weren’t disruptive in the morning stillness. She even caught the savory scent of meat buns wafting through the air.

Lying on her side with eyes closed, Rong Qing imagined her breakfast—scallion pancakes, crispy baked rolls, fried dough sticks, and soy milk.

Before she could decide between sampling everything or sticking to one item, a chorus of birdsong erupted behind her—Mu Lingwan’s alarm.

Jolted awake, Mu Lingwan first grimaced in displeasure before slowly blinking her eyes open to find herself facing a pale, slender neck. In that split second, countless thoughts flashed through her sleep-fogged mind, but the blaring alarm left no room for coherence. With a groan, she turned to silence it before sitting up, rubbing her temples.

Rong Qing had turned her head the moment she sensed movement from her.

Mu Lingwan’s smooth hair cascaded over her shoulders, the strands on the side near Rong Qing tucked behind her ear. She wore a black silk nightgown she had brought from the villa, its luxurious fabric pooling elegantly against the white bedsheets. The collar was slightly askew, revealing a glimpse of her fair collarbone.

Noticing the gaze from beside her, Mu Lingwan finally turned her head and frowned. “You… woke up?”

“Mm.” Rong Qing propped herself up on the edge of the bed, avoiding eye contact as she straightened the tangled hem of her dress. “What time is it?”

“…7 o’clock.”

“Why are you up so early?”

Mu Lingwan averted her eyes, rubbing her temples as she closed them. “I wanted to go for a run.”

Rong Qing lowered her head, pressing a hand to her waist, and softly murmured, “Oh.”

Honestly, this was awkward. She might as well have pretended to keep sleeping, Rong Qing thought, still staring down. Her hand lingered on her waist—she hadn’t dared move much after realizing Mu Lingwan had been holding her, staying in that same curled-up position for who knew how many hours. Combined with the overly soft mattress, her back was sore and stiff.

Mu Lingwan quickly grabbed her phone and hurried toward the bathroom, her retreating figure almost seeming like she was fleeing.

With a soft click of the door closing, Rong Qing finally let out a breath and openly rubbed her aching back.

After changing, it took another 20 minutes before Mu Lingwan emerged from the bathroom. Rong Qing was already dressed—today’s temperature had dropped compared to yesterday, so she had thrown on a jacket and opted for knee-high socks. She was now turned away, tidying up the scattered clothes.

Mu Lingwan studied her for a moment, watching as Rong Qing deftly folded shirts and jackets. Sensing the gaze, Rong Qing turned and explained, “It’s gotten colder today, especially in the morning. I took out some autumn clothes for you too.”

Laid out on the neatly made bed was an outfit—a plain white T-shirt, beige wide-leg pants, and a khaki-colored trench coat.

“…You picked all this?” Mu Lingwan eyed the ensemble with little enthusiasm. “This trench coat isn’t flattering—it’ll make me look short. Bring out the black leather jacket instead. I’m wearing that today.”

Rong Qing didn’t seem bothered by the order and immediately went to fetch it, which surprised Mu Lingwan.

After trying on the leather jacket, Mu Lingwan still wasn’t satisfied. She pulled out every piece of clothing she had brought and started mixing and matching in front of the mirror, switching outfits back and forth until even Rong Qing had finished washing up—and she was still picking accessories.

Rong Qing sipped warm water in silence, watching Mu Lingwan cycle through outfits like she was in a dressing room. Less than five minutes later, a knock came at the door. Zhou Ying stood outside, calling in, “Are you up? It’s 8 o’clock—time to start filming.”

Rong Qing quickly set down her cup and went to open the door. Zhou Ying slipped inside and shut it behind her, only to freeze the moment she turned around. Staring at the explosion of clothes strewn everywhere, she gaped. “What are you two doing? Planning to set up a flea market on the show?”

Mu Lingwan shot her an annoyed glare, holding up a floral-print dress for inspection. “Why are you here?”

“If I hadn’t come, you two would have turned the place upside down, wouldn’t you?” Zhou Ying said as she placed the bag in her hand on the table. She turned to Rong Qing and continued, “I brought some breakfast. It’s getting late, and filming will start soon. You two should grab a quick bite. I heard today’s outdoor mission will be tough.”

Rong Qing, a complete novice when it came to variety shows, felt her heart sink at Zhou Ying’s mention of “tough.” Hoping to fuel up for the day, she opened the breakfast bag—only to find one corn cob, two tea eggs, and a handful of nuts that wouldn’t even satisfy a chicken.

“Is this all for breakfast?” Rong Qing asked uncertainly, secretly wishing Zhou Ying had a hidden bag of steaming meat buns behind her back.

But no such luck. That was all there was.

“Oh, this is breakfast for both of you,” Zhou Ying added, making it even worse. “I forgot to bring the milk—you two can grab some downstairs later.”

Staring at the palm-sized portion meant for two, Rong Qing suddenly felt utterly hopeless.