After Swapping Bodies with the Movie Queen, She Ended Up with Me (GL) - Chapter 57

At the downtown shopping mall, Ye Junjun stood idly by the central flower bed, waiting aimlessly while repeatedly opening and closing her phone.

Before long, Rong Qing came running over in small strides.

Today, Rong Qing had returned to her own body and deliberately wore a little white dress to go shopping with Ye Junjun. Mu Lingwan looked displeased but had no choice—after all, she also had to attend a dinner in her own body today.

Before heading out, Mu Lingwan had insisted on draping a white coat over Rong Qing, thoroughly dissatisfied with her wearing a short dress that exposed her legs in such cold weather.

“This body is mine now too. If you catch rheumatism or arthritis from the cold, won’t I be the one suffering?” Mu Lingwan grumbled.

Rong Qing recalled how Mu Lingwan had ended up with a fever after she got caught in the rain last time and had to admit she had a point.

But the mall’s heating was so intense that Rong Qing felt overheated the moment she stepped inside. In the end, she draped the coat over her arm and hurried over to Ye Junjun.

“I’ve been waiting forever,” Ye Junjun said, puzzled. “You’re never late. What happened today?”

Rong Qing sighed. “Lingwan thought I’d be cold and insisted I wear more layers before leaving, so we got delayed a bit.”

Ye Junjun raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so you’re just here to flaunt your lovey-dovey relationship, huh?”

“No, no,” Rong Qing quickly clarified. “I’m just stating the facts.”

“Sure, sure. Flaunt away—who cares if I’m single?” Ye Junjun looped her arm through Rong Qing’s as they headed toward the elevator. Excitedly, she said, “I asked you here today to help me check out a storefront. I’m planning to open a shop in this mall. The space is secured, but I’m still figuring out what to sell.”

Ye Junjun pressed the button for the third floor and turned to Rong Qing. “I was thinking women’s fashion, but the third-floor location isn’t ideal, so I’m a bit torn.”

Typically, malls reserved the first floor for jewelry and cosmetics, the second and third for clothing (women’s and men’s, respectively), the fourth for food, and the fifth for cinemas.

The third floor really wasn’t the best spot.

Rong Qing didn’t know much about retail, either. She had just wanted to spend time with Ye Junjun today and couldn’t offer much useful advice.

Once they reached the third floor, Ye Junjun eagerly led Rong Qing to her future shop. The space was cordoned off, with only a small door left open. Ye Junjun unlocked it, flicked on the lights, and Rong Qing finally got a clear look inside.

“It’s not big—only about thirty square meters,” Ye Junjun said, twirling her keys as she surveyed the cluttered space. “This used to be an underwear shop, but the business flopped, so the owner gave it up. I thought the location was decent and took it over.”

She pointed around. “Over here, I’ll set up a checkout counter. That side will have a row of women’s clothing, and I’ll put a couple of mannequins by the entrance.”

She enthusiastically outlined her renovation plans in the cramped space, but no matter how much she envisioned, the shop’s size severely limited her options.

“That’s about all I can do,” Ye Junjun admitted. “But my taste is solid—I’ll go for a niche, trendy style. You’ll have to come support me when I open, okay?”

“Sure.” Rong Qing didn’t refuse either. Standing beside Ye Junjun, she smiled and daydreamed: “Then I’ll be the model for your shop. Maybe your store will become an instant hit when it opens.”

“Haha, that’d be perfect! We’ll give you all our clothes for free then.”

“Deal, it’s settled.”

Looking at the messy, empty shopfront before them, Ye Junjun had already planned out how to decorate it. In about two months, they could open for business, and she’d finally be her own boss.

“By the way, how’s your relationship with Mu Lingwan?” Ye Junjun sipped her milk tea and asked Rong Qing: “I see Ming Qiao’s new drama is getting a lot of hype—that ‘Tianshan Xiaoyao Lu’, right? It’s super popular. Do you think your Mu Lingwan can compete?”

“There’s no such thing as winning or losing, right?” Rong Qing drank her sugar-free fruit tea: “I think the script for ‘Spring Moonlight’ is just as good, not inferior to Ming Qiao’s. Honestly, both might gain popularity.”

Although both were female-led dramas, there were still some differences.

Mu Lingwan’s was about a fallen princess seeking revenge, while Ming Qiao’s was about a goddess descending the mountain to save the world. Different genres, different storylines—one focused on national sentiment, the other on personal grudges and love. As long as they were popular, both dramas could be hits.

But fans from both sides loved to tear each other apart, insisting on a life-or-death competition. The producers were happy to see this kind of hype, so they often pitted the two against each other to milk the fans’ enthusiasm.

Rong Qing could see it clearly—as long as there was hype, there was no real winner or loser.

“True, but I still have more faith in Mu Lingwan.” Ye Junjun said: “I always feel like Ming Qiao has some ulterior motives. Last time we met at the restaurant, you didn’t see how awful Mu Lingwan looked. Their relationship must be even worse than the rumors say.”

Rong Qing nodded, biting her straw as a hint of worry crept in. Mu Lingwan was going to discuss the drama’s release schedule in a few days. She didn’t really have much to say—just needed to show her face. Zhou Ying was accompanying her, so there shouldn’t be any reason to worry, but Rong Qing had a bad feeling.

She took out her phone and tapped on Mu Lingwan’s profile. The last message was still the “Be safe” sent right before she got into the taxi.

It was strange.

Rong Qing nibbled on the transparent straw with her teeth. They had only been apart for less than an hour—why was she already missing Mu Lingwan?

Meanwhile, Mu Lingwan had just arrived at the quaint, understated private restaurant with Zhou Ying.

Passing through the rock garden courtyard, they reached the private room at the back. The restaurant was highly discreet, specializing in exquisite Cantonese cuisine—perfect for business meetings. As they walked down the corridor, a refreshing woody fragrance filled the air, unlike the usual perfume or disinfectant smells of ordinary restaurants. It was light and elegant.

Zhou Ying walked beside Mu Lingwan and said: “We’re meeting Director Zheng at noon today. Mr. Wang and the others will be there too. Once we arrive, you’ll need to toast everyone. It’s been a while since they’ve seen you, so they’ll probably have a lot to say.”

Mu Lingwan nodded.

Zhou Ying noticed Mu Lingwan’s expression and quietly said to her, “Don’t worry, I’ve taken care of everything else. Today is just a formality. Your new film is still in the pre-release phase, so it’s a good opportunity to have dinner with a few directors. We’re all old acquaintances anyway.”

As they were speaking, the two turned a corner and unexpectedly bumped into a familiar figure.

Ming Qiao was dressed in a navy blue professional suit today. Despite the cold weather, she wore cropped suit pants and high heels, revealing her fair and slender ankles. She seemed slightly surprised to see Mu Lingwan but quickly regained her composure.

“Lingwan, what a coincidence running into you here,” Ming Qiao said, looking polished and efficient. Her assistant stood beside her, carrying several heavy-looking bags. Ming Qiao stepped forward to greet Mu Lingwan and Zhou Ying.

Zhou Ying thought to herself how “convenient” this encounter was, but her expression remained unchanged. Sensing Mu Lingwan’s irritation, she immediately stepped between them, grabbing Ming Qiao’s hand and exclaiming, “Oh my, Ming Qiao, your hands are so cold! Are you not dressed warmly enough? Female celebrities must learn to keep warm. When I was managing you, I never let you fall ill. Now that you’re a big star, you should take better care of yourself.”

Ming Qiao turned to Zhou Ying, allowing her to hold her hand, and smiled warmly. “You’re right, Zhou Ying. I actually brought a coat with me today.”

She then glanced at Mu Lingwan and asked, “Lingwan, do you have plans with someone?”

Mu Lingwan ignored her and instead said to Zhou Ying, “Which private room is it? I’ll head there first.”

Zhou Ying quickly replied, “Room 102.”

Mu Lingwan nodded and walked past the two. As she brushed past Ming Qiao, she heard Ming Qiao say, “Director Zheng said he’ll be running late. You might have to wait a bit.”

Mu Lingwan turned to look at her, just as Ming Qiao also turned her gaze.

Zhou Ying exclaimed in surprise, “Really? Director Zheng didn’t message me. But it’s fine—maybe he’s stuck in traffic. No rush.”

“Zhou Ying,” Ming Qiao said softly, finding the person behind her noisy. “I’d like to speak with Mu Lingwan alone. Would you mind?”

Zhou Ying looked at Mu Lingwan, who calmly said, “Sorry, but I have nothing to say to you.” She then glanced at Zhou Ying. “Let’s go. We shouldn’t waste time on irrelevant people.”

Ming Qiao frowned slightly and stepped forward. “Lingwan, actually, we—”

“Not ‘we,'” Mu Lingwan corrected her. “It’s you and me.”

Ming Qiao’s expression faltered slightly. Mu Lingwan continued, “There hasn’t been a ‘we’ for years now. I hope Ms. Ming can maintain an appropriate distance in the future to avoid paparazzi rumors.”

Crossing her arms, Mu Lingwan added, “I don’t really care—I have thick skin. I just don’t like people trying to ride my coattails for headlines.”

Ming Qiao forced a smile. “Lingwan, Shen Nian and I broke up.”

“I know,” Mu Lingwan said. “You broke up to promote your new drama and undermine the currently airing variety show.” She looked at Ming Qiao. “You know Rong Qing has taken over as the investor for ‘Heartbeat in Progress,’ right? What you’re doing is just trying to oppose us. I see right through it.”

Ming Qiao’s expression darkened. “I’m not targeting Rong Qing.”

“Then you’re targeting me,” Mu Lingwan shrugged. “In that case, there’s even less reason for me to continue this conversation with you, Miss Ming. We were never on the same path to begin with.”

With that, Mu Lingwan turned to leave, unwilling to waste another breath on Ming Qiao.

“But aren’t you and Rong Qing just putting on an act too?” Ming Qiao suddenly said.

Mu Lingwan stopped in her tracks.

Seeing her pause, Ming Qiao understood everything. She looked at Mu Lingwan with a gaze that said ‘I know you best.’

“Your acting is really clumsy,” Ming Qiao told her. “Shen Nian and I were fake, and so are you two. I don’t understand why you’re tying yourself to Rong Qing, but I’m certain you’ll eventually part ways.”

Mu Lingwan turned her head to look at her.

“Admit it,” Ming Qiao said. “This industry runs on benefits, not emotions.”

“Don’t be so absolute,” Mu Lingwan tapped her chin as she regarded the woman before her. In the past, this would have angered her and ruined her whole day, but now she found Ming Qiao rather amusing.

She was always trying to oppose her, like those troublesome kids in elementary school who liked someone but would pull their hair and push them around until they cried.

Nearly thirty years old, yet still so childish.

She much preferred someone like Rong Qing—clear about her likes and dislikes, wearing her shyness on her sleeve, without any ulterior motives, simple and adorable.

“Everyone knows about my relationship with Rong Qing. She’s my girlfriend, we’re dating, and we’ll remain a pair even if the sky falls,” Mu Lingwan gave Ming Qiao a once-over. “If you have nothing better to do, go film more dramas or movies. If that’s too much, try appearing on some variety shows. There’s no need to keep finding ways to hover around me.”

Mu Lingwan waved her off. “Alright, we’ve talked enough. Let’s end it here today.”

With that, she walked away. Zhou Ying glanced at Ming Qiao but said nothing, quickly catching up to Mu Lingwan. Their hushed whispers were followed by laughter, leaving Ming Qiao standing there, her hands and feet icy cold, yet her gaze eerily calm.

Even carrying a hint of indifference.

The truth was, Ming Qiao had broken up with Shen Nian because she noticed how Shen Nian’s eyes had grown increasingly evasive after their variety show wrapped. Shen Nian kept finding excuses to visit her home or studio every few days, even showing up on set with flimsy reasons like “passing by” or “happened to be nearby.”

During the last visit, paparazzi hiding in the shadows took photos. Ming Qiao paid to retrieve them, but Shen Nian merely muttered, “So what if they took pictures? We’re already public. It wouldn’t matter if they got out. Why waste the money?”

Hearing this, Ming Qiao’s eyes turned cold. She soon contacted her agent to discuss ending things with Shen Nian.

Upon receiving the news, Shen Nian found it hard to comprehend. She couldn’t understand why Ming Qiao would act that way, but her pride prevented her from asking outright, even in her anger. She merely instructed her agent to inform Ming Qiao that she would be responsible for paying the penalty fee for terminating their variety show appearance after the breakup.

The amount was insignificant to Ming Qiao, who promptly drafted a statement and posted a breakup announcement on Weibo. Shen Nian cooperated seamlessly, immediately unfollowing and blocking Ming Qiao in one swift motion.

Not one to idle, Ming Qiao seized the opportunity to promote an upcoming drama, capitalizing on her own trending breakup news.

Yet in quieter moments, Ming Qiao herself felt puzzled. Why had she so decisively severed ties with Shen Nian? Had they truly been in a relationship, she wouldn’t have been the disadvantaged party.

But once someone occupies your heart, making room for another becomes extraordinarily difficult.

The heart only has so much space.

Only after the figure disappeared around the corridor corner did Ming Qiao calmly turn to her assistant and say, “Let’s go.”

The assistant hurriedly gathered their belongings and followed. As they passed the corner, Ming Qiao glanced back at the path Mu Lingwan had taken. After a two-second pause, she resolutely averted her gaze.

Perhaps Mu Lingwan was right—they were never meant to walk the same path.

Meanwhile, Rong Qing spent the day accompanying Ye Junjun on a shopping expedition, ostensibly to research competitors in women’s fashion. They wandered through stores all afternoon, accumulating piles of dresses and outfits, including several newly arrived winter pieces.

“Aren’t you planning to go into wholesale, are you?” Rong Qing asked with concern as they loaded the purchases into the car trunk.

Ye Junjun, catching her breath with hands on hips, retorted, “This is just the beginning! Don’t you know the saying ‘know thy enemy’?”

“I’ve heard it, just never seen it practiced through shopping sprees,” Rong Qing replied, equally exhausted as she slid into the passenger seat. Ye Junjun joined her in the driver’s seat, unpacking sushi for them to share.

“Mmm, try this roe one—it’s amazing,” Ye Junjun said through a mouthful, feeding Rong Qing a piece overflowing with fish eggs. Both chewed with puffed cheeks.

“Delicious! The seaweed one’s great too.”

“Honestly, these are all fantastic. You should ditch fashion and open a restaurant—it’d be packed!”

“Good point. Think it’s too late to change careers?”

They polished off the entire box in the car. Ye Junjun patted her satisfied stomach and sighed, “Guess we’re skipping dinner. I was going to take you to this incredible lamb chop place.”

Rong Qing stared in disbelief. “More food?”

“Why not?” Ye Junjun leaned her head against the seat. “At AG we lived on salads and boiled chicken br3ast. Now that I’ve quit, I don’t have to starve myself skeletal anymore. Shouldn’t I eat what I want?”

Rong Qing considered this. Their AG days had indeed been grueling—endless training, flavorless meals, and cramped dormitories. Nothing like their current freedom to shop and dine at will.

“But you still need to maintain your figure,” Ye Junjun said, glancing at the jewelry box Rong Qing had placed nearby before tilting her chin up. “Is this something you bought for Mu Lingwan?”

“Yes,” Rong Qing nodded. “I thought that butterfly hairband looked really pretty, so I wanted to get it for her.”

Mu Lingwan was wealthy and certainly didn’t lack jewelry. Rong Qing had often struggled to think of gifts for her in the past. But while shopping that afternoon, she had spotted this black hairband in a store. The large, elegant black butterfly on it looked like a forest sprite resting on a tree branch. The moment Rong Qing saw it, she knew it would suit Mu Lingwan perfectly and bought it without hesitation.

“Things are so expensive these days. A simple hairband actually costs eight thousand yuan,” Ye Junjun remarked, not quite understanding the price. But then again, considering it was for Mu Lingwan, she supposed it was acceptable.

If anything, it might even be a bit cheap.

“I remember their stuff has always been pricey—luxury brands, after all,” Rong Qing said, opening the box to admire the black butterfly nestled inside. It looked perfect in every way.

Would Mu Lingwan like it? Would it look good on her? With so much jewelry already, would she even appreciate something Rong Qing picked out?

A flicker of worry crossed Rong Qing’s face.

Ye Junjun noticed her expression and hesitated before speaking. “Xiao Qing.”

Rong Qing looked up at her, puzzled.

“What I’m about to say might not be pleasant, but I’m saying it because I care about you,” Ye Junjun straightened up, meeting Rong Qing’s gaze. “This industry is complicated, and Mu Lingwan is such a dazzling figure. I’m really afraid she might end up hurting you.”

“That won’t happen,” Rong Qing laughed. “Lingwan is very kind and takes good care of me. She wouldn’t do that.”

“Her being a good person doesn’t mean she’ll always treat you well,” Ye Junjun countered. “Take dating, for example. I might look for someone stable, from a well-off family, good-looking, tall—someone who treats me well is the bare minimum. But that doesn’t guarantee they’ll always be good to just one person.”

She studied Rong Qing. “You know about Ming Qiao and Shen Nian’s breakup, right? I was genuinely invested in them for a while—two beautiful women together was such a sight.”

“But they still broke up,” Ye Junjun continued. “It happened so suddenly. It made me realize this industry is all just an act. Everything they do is for the fans. And Mu Lingwan—she’s the same with you. It’s all about crafting an image.”

“Of course,” she added, “dating Mu Lingwan is still a win. She’s gorgeous, popular, and it helps your career. I’m just worried that you like her so much now… What if you two break up later?”

Rong Qing understood what Ye Junjun meant.

Deep down, she knew it herself. Her relationship with Mu Lingwan had been a last resort, a forced arrangement when they couldn’t switch back. They had announced their relationship out of necessity. Now that things were progressing, maybe Ye Junjun’s fears weren’t unfounded—she might be getting in too deep.

“I understand what you mean.” Rong Qing forced a smile and held onto the gift in her hand, saying, “No matter how you look at it, I’m the one benefiting from being with Mu Lingwan. Don’t worry about me. Even if we break up in the future… she won’t treat me unfairly.”

Ye Junjun looked at Rong Qing and couldn’t help but hug her, resting her head on Rong Qing’s shoulder as she comforted her, “I didn’t bring this up on purpose. Don’t be upset. I just see how much you’re growing to like her, and I’m afraid she might not feel the same way about you.”

Rong Qing nodded. “Yeah, it’s fine.”

Ye Junjun continued, “Actually, you’re right. Relationships are about mutual consent. Promises made now don’t guarantee anything in the future. Maybe I’m just talking nonsense, and you and Mu Lingwan will definitely have a smooth and happy relationship.”

She let go of Rong Qing and gently rubbed her reddened eyes. “Alright, let’s drop this topic. Where are you staying now? I can drive you back and get to know the place. I’ll visit you often from now on.”

Rong Qing chuckled and sent the address to Ye Junjun’s phone. After glancing at it, she fastened her seatbelt and declared, “Private chauffeur Ye at your service!”

Standing at the villa’s entrance, Rong Qing watched as Ye Junjun drove off before turning to head inside.

The sun outside was nearly setting, casting the entire villa in quiet stillness. Rong Qing placed the gift on the living room coffee table, changed into loungewear, and settled in to watch some TV. By the time night had fully fallen, the only sound filling the empty house was the chatter from the television.

Nibbling on an apple for dinner, Rong Qing wondered—why wasn’t Mu Lingwan back yet at this hour?

Just as she pulled out her phone, debating whether to call Mu Lingwan, Zhou Ying’s call came through instead. Rong Qing quickly answered.

“Xiao Qing, we’ll be home soon!” Zhou Ying said, supporting a thoroughly drunk Mu Lingwan. “Boil some water and prepare ginger tea—Lingwan’s had too much to drink. You’ll have to take care of her tonight!”