After Swapping Bodies with the Movie Queen, She Ended Up with Me (GL) - Chapter 40

“Taoist priests?” Mu Lingwan paused, slightly furrowing her brows as she roughly guessed their purpose.

“Oh, you mean those people,” Mu Lingwan said softly. “Don’t worry about it. Zhou Ying will handle it.”

Rong Qing gave a quiet “Mm” before asking, “Do you believe in this kind of stuff?”

“No,” Mu Lingwan answered bluntly.

“Then why—”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures.” Mu Lingwan took back the towel, ruffling Rong Qing’s half-dried hair. “Unless you have any other ideas?”

Well… that was true.

Rong Qing chuckled awkwardly, unsure how to respond. The two stared at each other in silence for a few awkward seconds before Rong Qing finally said, “I’ll head back to my room first.”

Mu Lingwan nodded and handed her the towel.

“Later, no matter what noises you hear, don’t come out,” Mu Lingwan warned. “It might get a bit loud, and it wouldn’t be appropriate for you to be there.”

Rong Qing gave her a puzzled look but nodded and retreated into her room, closing the door behind her.

For the rest of the afternoon, Rong Qing stayed hidden inside. Outside, the clanging of unknown activities echoed, accompanied by the faint scent of burning incense. Peering down from the window, she could barely make out figures in red Taoist robes moving about, though their exact actions remained unclear.

Though curious, Rong Qing remembered Mu Lingwan’s words and obediently stayed put.

Only after the priests had left did Zhou Ying turn to Mu Lingwan and ask, “So, what do you think?”

“Not impressed. The whole place reeks of smoke and incense.” Mu Lingwan crossed her arms, fanning away the lingering scent before heading back inside. “Are you sure the ones you hired are reliable?”

“No idea,” Zhou Ying admitted honestly. “I’ve never dealt with this kind of thing before. We just have to try everything.”

“And they’ll keep this confidential?”

“Of course. They signed NDAs. Breaching them would cost them a hefty penalty.”

Mu Lingwan smirked. “So when gods fail, the law steps in, huh?”

Zhou Ying corrected her, “Taoism follows the Dao. You’re thinking of Buddhism and Christianity.”

Mu Lingwan shot her a sidelong glance. “Does that really matter?”

Zhou Ying laughed. “Not at all. Just my professional habit kicking in—feel free to ignore me.”

“Enough joking around.” Mu Lingwan sat on the sofa, still bothered by the stubborn incense smell. She pinched her nose and said, “Arrange for a cleaner to come by later.”

“Got it,” Zhou Ying nodded.

“From now on, have them clean every other day. But no longer than a month.”

“Fine.”

Mu Lingwan thought for a moment before asking, “Rong Qing’s contract has been transferred over, right?”

Zhou Ying nodded, eyeing her suspiciously. “Why? What are you planning now?”

“I’ve been thinking about that drama of mine,” Mu Lingwan murmured.

The words Ming Qiao had said to Rong Qing at the wrap party still lingered in her mind.

Ming Qiao never approached people without reason. Though Mu Lingwan wasn’t familiar with her tactics, she knew the other woman was definitely eyeing that project.

“Spring Moonlight?” Zhou Ying instinctively read out the name of the drama, looking at her in confusion. “What’s the issue with this series?”

“Rong Qing and I swapped bodies, and several months have passed since then. We can’t keep delaying that production indefinitely,” Mu Lingwan said thoughtfully to Zhou Ying. “We invested heavily in this script from the start, and Ming Qiao is likely preparing a similar project.”

“So, you’re worried she might overtake our progress?”

“Yes.”

Mu Lingwan and Ming Qiao had been rivals for years, their career moves almost synchronized. Whenever Mu Lingwan released a film, Ming Qiao would follow with one. When Mu Lingwan starred in a TV drama, Ming Qiao would soon appear in another.

They competed for prime movie slots and summer drama premieres, fueling fan wars between their supporters. Mu Lingwan’s fans accused Ming Qiao of copying, while Ming Qiao’s supporters claimed Mu Lingwan plagiarized.

Though such controversies generated buzz for new releases, the constant tension was undeniably draining.

Mu Lingwan’s expression darkened. While she disliked this rivalry, she refused to lose. Ming Qiao’s earlier probing suggested she was indeed developing a similar series. The current trend of female-led revenge dramas was hot, and both actresses wanted a piece of the action.

“But you can’t perform right now,” Zhou Ying said worriedly. “Maybe let her have this one? There’s always next year or the year after. You don’t need to compete on every project.”

“It’s not about competition,” Mu Lingwan leaned back on the sofa, resting her head on one hand. “We’ve already poured significant resources into this production. The filming was nearly complete—just about ten episodes left. I can’t let Ming Qiao benefit from our groundwork.”

“So you mean…” Zhou Ying frowned. “You want Rong Qing to act in your place?”

Mu Lingwan remained silent.

But Zhou Ying understood her unspoken intention.

“Lingwan.”

Zhou Ying’s brow furrowed as she studied her friend anxiously. “What exactly are you thinking? Do you truly intend to promote her this way?”

Mu Lingwan met her gaze without speaking.

Shifting position, Zhou Ying continued, “You’ve taken her on variety shows, publicly acknowledged your relationship, and built her visibility. Her popularity has skyrocketed already. Countless people dream of such opportunities, yet she’s achieved this effortlessly—it’s more luck than anyone could hope for.”

“I know,” Mu Lingwan replied.

“And now you want her to star in your drama?” Zhou Ying’s frown deepened. “This is a serious investment aimed at critical and commercial success. How can an untrained idol possibly carry such a major production?”

“But she’s using my face now.”

“She’ll never be you.”

Zhou Ying pressed on, “Have you forgotten how Ming Qiao left you?”

Mu Lingwan’s expression tightened.

“You nurtured her with such care, yet she walked away the moment she achieved success. Now you’re elevating Rong Qing just like you did Ming Qiao. Do you really want history to repeat itself?”

Mu Lingwan’s face darkened. After a long pause, she finally said, “It’s just an idea. There’s no need for such dramatics.”

Zhou Ying stood up angrily and said, “I’m just upset on your behalf. Ming Qiao is a cautionary tale—you’ve already done more than enough for Rong Qing. This was never your responsibility to begin with. If it were anyone else, a bit of money would have settled the matter. But you—”

Mu Lingwan raised her eyes unhappily. “You’re speaking to me more and more aggressively these days.”

Zhou Ying froze, then obediently sat back on the sofa with a smile. “No, I just got a little emotional. I don’t want you to repeat past mistakes.”

“Enough. I know what I’m doing.” Mu Lingwan avoided her gaze and said softly, “If there’s nothing else, you should go. Let me rest these next few days. Don’t bother me unless it’s important.”

“Alright, I’ll leave then. The housekeeper I arranged for you will arrive in an hour. Let them know if there’s anything you need done.”

“Mmm.”

After the sound of the villa door closing, Mu Lingwan sat in the living room for a long time.

The lingering scent of incense and the bitter, slightly acrid smell of burnt talismans filled her nose. Lowering her eyes, lost in thought, she propped her head on one hand and gazed at the maple leaves drifting past the floor-to-ceiling windows.

When the housekeeper arrived, Mu Lingwan briefly explained the cleaning tasks before heading upstairs to knock on Rong Qing’s door.

Rong Qing quickly opened it and looked at Mu Lingwan standing in the doorway.

“The housekeeper is here,” Mu Lingwan said. “I told her to clean your room last. Let her know if there’s anything specific you need done.”

“Okay, but I don’t think there’s anything special,” Rong Qing replied with a smile.

Mu Lingwan hesitated before asking, “Why did you stay in your room without even opening the door when I told you to?”

Rong Qing blinked in confusion. “Huh? Wasn’t I supposed to listen to you?”

“What I mean is, you followed my instructions without question. Shouldn’t you think for yourself?” Mu Lingwan said. “After all, you’re using my body now. If you really wanted to transfer my assets, there’d be no way for me to stop you.”

It wasn’t just about the assets—Rong Qing could do so much more. She could transfer all the property under Mu Lingwan’s name, whether to herself or her family.

If Rong Qing gave it even a moment’s thought, Mu Lingwan would be powerless. Yet here this girl was, not only obedient but completely unquestioning of her demands.

Rong Qing paused, then said belatedly, “Oh, I could do that?”

Mu Lingwan stared at her intently.

“Uh, I was just joking,” Rong Qing laughed. “Besides, that money is what you worked hard for. Why would I ever take it from you?”

“…Really?”

Rong Qing nodded vigorously, raising three fingers as if to swear. “I’d never touch your assets. If I did, then I’d—!!”

Mu Lingwan covered her mouth. Rong Qing stumbled back a step, only for Mu Lingwan to catch her by the waist.

In that instant, they were pressed close together—so close that Rong Qing could smell the faint scent of incense clinging to Mu Lingwan.

“You’re using my body right now, so if you swear an oath, the consequences will fall on me,” Mu Lingwan looked down at her and said, “Don’t make vows so casually in the future. What if they actually come true?”

Rong Qing hadn’t expected Mu Lingwan to be somewhat superstitious too, having just claimed not to believe in such things.

“Alright,” Rong Qing nodded, pulling Mu Lingwan’s hand down with a smile. “I promise you—I’ll speak less and do more from now on. If you don’t want me going out, I’ll stay home quietly and won’t go anywhere.”

Mu Lingwan’s heart pounded uncontrollably. It felt strange to her—Rong Qing had merely said a few simple, pleasant words, words she might not even follow through on, yet they made Mu Lingwan’s heart flutter inexplicably.

She had heard plenty of sweet talk in the industry, flowery words pouring in from all directions. Rong Qing’s two sentences wouldn’t even rank among them.

Yet, they filled Mu Lingwan with an inexplicable sense of security.

“Remember what you said today,” Mu Lingwan held Rong Qing by the waist and murmured to her, “From now on, you’ll have to listen to me obediently.”