After Swapping Bodies with the Movie Queen, She Ended Up with Me (GL) - Chapter 4

When the hashtag #FashionNight_MuLingwanRefusesToAnswerQuestions climbed to the top three trending topics, Mu Lingwan posted a brief statement on her Weibo.

Mu Lingwan: “I didn’t answer because I wanted to say it myself. Let me introduce—this is my girlfriend @AGirlGroup_Rong Qing.”

This single post from Mu Lingwan said it all. All the previous speculations and doubts were now answered. The A-list actress Mu Lingwan was indeed in a relationship—and with a relatively unknown idol at that!

The moment the post went live, the entire entertainment industry’s fanbase erupted. Mu Lingwan’s fans were especially distraught, flooding the comments with cries of disbelief.

I don’t believe it! This can’t be real!
Our Lingwan is only 26 this year—why does she need a girlfriend? And most importantly, a girlfriend!
After shipping so many CPs that never happened, I thought Lingwan would stay single forever and suddenly get married and have kids. But no—she just had to start dating like this!
Who the hell is Rong Qing anyway?!?!

Idol culture was no longer niche in the entertainment industry. Who wouldn’t love young, beautiful, energetic girls who sang and danced with such vitality? The AGirlGroup had some minor fame and was considered one of the top groups in the scene.

But being known within the industry was one thing—breaking out into mainstream popularity was another.

AGirlGroup had several sub-units, each with over a dozen members. Rong Qing was just a small, obscure figure among them, barely getting any screen time and never ranking in the top three during fan-voted events.

As for her looks… she was pretty in a delicate, approachable way, with a hint of baby fat that made her seem sweet and innocent.

A lovely, pure-hearted young girl.

Some AGirlGroup fans spoke up, annoyed by Mu Lingwan’s fans badmouthing the group.

Who she dates is her own business. What’s wrong with AGirlGroup? Even if Lingwan wasn’t dating Rong Qing, it could’ve been any other celebrity—certainly not any of you clowns.
I’m not Rong Qing’s fan, but I’ve seen her perform live. She’s a hardworking girl—fans should watch their words.
What kind of nobody is she to deserve dating our queen?!
No one is good enough for our queen! Rong Qing should just die!!!

Soon, edited “memorial photos” of Rong Qing began circulating in AGirlGroup’s fan communities. Some even stormed Rong Qing’s account, demanding explanations and hurling abuse.

Meanwhile, Mu Lingwan—sipping black coffee to suppress her appetite—glanced up at Rong Qing, who sat across from her sighing, unable to even stomach boiled spinach. She raised a brow slightly.

“Relax. Zhou Ying is handling the PR crisis,” Mu Lingwan said calmly. “The fans will rage for a few days, then it’ll blow over. After that, your name will be tied to mine. Consider it a blessing in disguise.”

The entertainment industry was packed with people desperate for fame, but only a handful ever made it. Many had tried to ride Mu Lingwan’s coattails by dating her, but none had succeeded.

Mu Lingwan had debuted at a young age and was all too familiar with the deceit and treachery in this industry. In the entertainment world, there were no good people—everyone was a villain.

In the past, Mu Lingwan wouldn’t have bothered with someone as insignificant as Rong Qing, who wasn’t even worth a glance. But given the current situation, she had no choice but to help her—at least to ensure they got through this critical period safely.

“Stay at my place these days. You can sleep in the guest room,” Mu Lingwan said, sipping her coffee and crossing her legs. “The housekeeper comes daily to cook and clean. You don’t need to do anything, and don’t even greet them. The more you do, the more mistakes you’ll make—you’re old enough to understand that, right?”

Rong Qing looked up at her, pondering for a long moment before replying, “If it’s just one meal a day and cleaning, I can handle it. There’s no need for the housekeeper to come.”

Mu Lingwan eyed her. “You want to be the housekeeper?”

“No… I just think the fewer people who see us together, the better,” Rong Qing explained. “I’m afraid others might gossip.”

Mu Lingwan found her reasoning sound and nodded slightly, pulling out her phone. “You’re not wrong. I’ll tell the housekeeper to take a break starting tomorrow.”

As Mu Lingwan made the call, she also instructed the family driver to stay away and paused all assistant duties except for Zhou Ying’s. Though she didn’t need to personally call everyone, there were still arrangements to be made.

With nothing else to do, Rong Qing decided to prepare a salad for Mu Lingwan’s dinner.

The kitchen was spotless, gleaming like something out of a TV show, with no signs of use. The pots and pans looked brand new, and the spacious kitchen boasted not one, but three refrigerators.

Rong Qing opened the first fridge—it was packed from top to bottom with chilled face masks and skincare products.

The second fridge was just as full, also stocked with masks.

Blinking in disbelief, Rong Qing pinned her hopes on the last fridge. When she opened it, there were no masks—but in their place was an entire row of bottled water, eggs, and neatly portioned vegetables in containers. There were also peeled frozen shrimp and beef.

A shrimp salad it is!

She grabbed two bags of greens, a box of frozen shrimp, and an unopened bottle of olive oil, checking the expiration date.

“Phew,” Rong Qing sighed in relief. At least it hadn’t expired.

Mu Lingwan finished delegating tasks in the work group chat, announcing that she needed rest and forbidding anyone except Zhou Ying from visiting. Work matters were to be handled at the office, and even phone calls were unnecessary unless urgent.

Though puzzled, the employees replied with a string of “Received.”

The unfamiliar, noisy hum of the range hood caught Mu Lingwan’s attention. She glanced toward the kitchen, where Rong Qing was cooking, and raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.

Leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, she watched Rong Qing deftly boil the shrimp and mix the salad. Impressed, she pulled out her phone and called out, “Hey, you—turn around.”

Rong Qing turned in confusion just as Mu Lingwan snapped a photo with a click. Blinking, she asked, “Miss Mu?”

“Oh, just taking some photos for Weibo.” Mu Lingwan put away her phone, her eyes curving into a smile. “I never step into the kitchen—afraid the fumes will ruin my skin. But Teacher Zhou Ying said I should build a more relatable public image, so you’ve actually helped me out.”

Rong Qing gave an awkward smile. She knew maintaining a public persona was part of a celebrity’s job and wasn’t surprised. Turning back to stir the shrimp that had turned a vibrant pink, she asked, “How much can you eat for dinner, Miss Mu? I used a whole box of shrimp—not sure if it’s enough for you.”

Mu Lingwan walked over and peeked into the pot, nodding slightly. “Half each is fine. Any more would be too much for me.”

Rong Qing hadn’t expected Mu Lingwan to suddenly lean in. Startled, her hand jerked, and the spoon fell into the pot, splashing hot water onto her clothes.

“Ah!” Rong Qing gasped. Luckily, her apron was waterproof, but her exposed arm got scalded by the hot water.

Mu Lingwan was also startled by the accident. She quickly grabbed a towel from the kitchen counter, ran it under cold water, and pressed it against Rong Qing’s arm, frowning. “Why are you so careless?”

Rong Qing’s heart skipped a beat at the gesture.

Mu Lingwan then added, “What if my skin got burned?”

Rong Qing’s racing heart instantly calmed. She glanced down at the green towel on her arm—if she remembered correctly, wasn’t that the rag used to wipe the stove?

She didn’t dare say anything, quietly removing the rag and murmuring, “Sorry, I’ll clean up.”

Mu Lingwan watched her rinse her arm under the tap and realized she might have been too harsh. After all, she’d have to get along with Rong Qing from now on—better treat her a little nicer.

“I’ll get a bandage,” Mu Lingwan said. “Come to the living room in a bit.”

“Huh? Oh, okay.” By the time Rong Qing turned to respond, the other woman had already left the kitchen.

Mu Lingwan found the first-aid kit and sat beside Rong Qing, applying a white ointment to her arm. After smoothing it with her fingers, she inspected the burn—aside from slight redness, there was no serious damage.

“Once it dries, you should still use a bandage to avoid leaving marks,” Mu Lingwan said, packing up the kit. “I’ll handle dinner. You rest and familiarize yourself with the house—except for my room. Who knows how long we’ll be stuck together?”

Rong Qing felt the cool sensation on her arm and slowly nodded, her gaze drifting past Mu Lingwan.

Mu Lingwan’s villa was enormous. The first floor held the living room, dining area, kitchen, and maid’s quarters. The second floor had the master and guest bedrooms, along with a walk-in closet that took up over half the space, filled with dazzling clothes, accessories, and handbags displayed in glass cases.

The third floor was a rooftop garden, and below ground was a home theater and gym. The landscaped yard was pristine, complete with an outdoor pool.

Rong Qing had seen plenty of luxury homes, but never one with such a massive closet—so packed that some items had spilled over into the guest room.

Rong Qing stepped into the small guest room—small because it had practically been turned into a storage space. Aside from the bed, everything else belonged to Mu Lingwan. Fortunately, the bathroom and bedding were clean, and there was even half an empty closet where Rong Qing could store some of her things in the future.

The thought of not knowing how long she’d have to stay here made her sigh involuntarily.

She casually opened the closet door and spotted a lone box inside. Curious, Rong Qing lifted the lid—and froze.

Handcuffs, a riding crop, low-temperature candles, and a fiery red full-body rubber suit…