After the Soul Swap Between Love Rival AO - Chapter 4

Cheng Luanxin had only officially debuted last year. Though she had gained some recognition in the music scene, her influence was nowhere near Song Qiuchi’s. Their follower counts were worlds apart—Cheng Luanxin’s was just a fraction of Song Qiuchi’s, with over 20 million versus a little over 200,000.

Yet, in just one day, Cheng Luanxin’s follower count was about to break 300,000—an astonishing spike.

Cheng Luanxin’s eyes widened in shock: “Why? Just because I promoted my song in this morning’s livestream? That can’t be it, right?”

Song Qiuchi also opened Weibo and, sure enough, the platform was flooded with clips from that morning’s livestream. Netizens were quick to dig up old photos of the two from their school days, even piecing together shippy fan videos at lightning speed.

“Not to exaggerate, but this pair is just too perfect to ship. I heard they were even desk mates back in school—what a dreamy campus romance!!”

“Ugh, they truly met at their peaks, only going public after both winning Golden Ear Awards. Seemingly casual, but secretly pining all along.”

“AHHHHHHH sis you read my mind—’Secretly Pining’ is so romantic AHHHHHHH!”

The more Song Qiuchi read, the colder her expression grew. “You should’ve expected this outcome when you decided to ride my coattails for clout.”

“Clout?” Cheng Luanxin was baffled. “Is that really what you think of me? What good are these fans to me? They’re not even following me because they like me—why would I be happy about that?”

She paused, then pointed at her phone screen. “And this fan community—’Secretly Pining’—is this some CP fan page for you and me? Who wants to be shipped with you?”

Song Qiuchi’s face darkened. “Weren’t you the one who said we’ve supported each other since our school days? Fans even dug up that we were desk mates in high school, along with a bunch of old photos of us together.”

“That was the teacher’s seating arrangement, not my choice!” Cheng Luanxin scrolled through the fan page posts. “And these so-called ‘together’ photos are even less convincing. What’s the big deal about being in the same frame? There are tons of people in these pictures—are they all dating you too?”

Song Qiuchi: “Cheng Luanxin, spare me the nonsense. This hype isn’t dying down anytime soon—it might even last until Romance for You airs. You’d better stop leeching off me. If anything comes up, we’ll communicate by phone. Keep it civil—it’s better for both of us.”

“I’m leeching off you?!” Cheng Luanxin forced herself to take three deep breaths. “Song Qiuchi, remember what you said today. Once the show starts filming, don’t you dare speak to me—wouldn’t want you catching any ‘stench.’ Get out, get out. How could Cheng Luanxin possibly deserve to be in Song Qiuchi’s home? Wouldn’t want anyone snapping another photo and making this mess even harder to explain.”

Song Qiuchi had no interest in continuing the argument either. She tossed out one last remark: “Today’s the 10th. I’ll come to you for the inhibitor injection on the 15th.”

Cheng Luanxin was livid. “Just get out already!”

After shooing Song Qiuchi away, Cheng Luanxin stewed in frustration until she decided to visit her usual nail salon for some retail therapy—a bold manicure to calm her nerves.

The nail technician was stunned when she saw who walked in. Though many celebrities frequented her salon, this was Song Qiuchi’s first visit.

And she happened to be a longtime fan.

Blushing, she stammered, “H-Hello, Ms. Song… d-do you have an appointment…?”

Cheng Luanxin inwardly groaned. Crap. In her anger, she’d forgotten to book ahead. This salon was always packed—walk-ins rarely got a slot. She’d been turned away a few times before.

“Sorry, I forgot to make a reservation. Just let me know when you’re free next, and I’ll come back—”

The technician hurriedly cut in, “No need! We can take you right now. Please, have a seat and pick a design.”

Cheng Luanxin: “……?”

She watched helplessly as the manicurist walked into the partitioned room, faintly hearing her make calls to other customers: “I’m so sorry, there’s a special situation this afternoon. Let me reschedule you for another time, and I can offer a 50% discount…”

Cheng Luanxin: “…???”

Was Song Qiuchi’s face really that influential?

The manicurist emerged from the room, and the usually aloof girl instantly transformed into an adoring fan, speaking softly and gently: “Sorry to keep you waiting. Do you have a favorite design in mind?”

Cheng Luanxin pointed to the color palette: “I want this dragon fruit color, with a flame checkerboard pattern. You can improvise the details.”

The manicurist took a deep breath, cradling Cheng Luanxin’s—or rather, Song Qiuchi’s—hand: “Absolutely, no problem. Your skin is so fair; the dragon fruit color will look stunning. Would you like it on your natural nails or with extensions…”

Cheng Luanxin: “…Extensions, please.”

The manicurist eagerly replied: “Of course, no problem.”

Watching the manicurist meticulously file Song Qiuchi’s nails with such care, Cheng Luanxin couldn’t hold back: “Your salon is quite easy to find, and the ambiance is nice.”

The manicurist beamed: “Really? Then you must come often!”

“Yeah, Cheng Luanxin recommended this place. She said she comes here all the time,” Cheng Luanxin observed the manicurist’s expression.

The manicurist nodded: “Oh, Cheng Luanxin. Let me know if it hurts.”

…Completely unfazed.

Cheng Luanxin felt a pang of bitterness. She had quite liked this manicurist, always happy to chat with her during visits. She never expected to lose so thoroughly.

Well, now even the edgy nail art didn’t seem appealing anymore.

Noticing Cheng Luanxin’s low spirits, the manicurist, fearing she had neglected her, personally hand-ground a cup of coffee and ordered desserts from the neighboring bakery—clear signs of how highly she valued Song Qiuchi as a client.

Cheng Luanxin felt even more sour inside.

As she left, the manicurist escorted her to the door: “If you have any issues, just come back to the salon. Removal and touch-ups are free. Please visit often!”

Cheng Luanxin: Didn’t feel like returning anytime soon.

Grumpily returning home, Cheng Luanxin had just ordered takeout when her agent, Xin Ying, arrived.

Xin Ying was a renowned agent in the industry, known for her sharp eye and exceptional skills. Every artist she managed became a star, making her a mythical figure in Cheng Luanxin’s eyes.

Feeling slightly intimidated, Cheng Luanxin sat up straight, trying her best to act like Song Qiuchi.

Xin Ying glanced at Cheng Luanxin’s manicured nails: “What made you decide to get your nails done?”

Recalling Song Qiuchi’s list of dos and don’ts—which didn’t include nail art—Cheng Luanxin dared to reply: “Just felt like it… Does it not look good?”

Xin Ying: “It’s not that it doesn’t look good, just not your usual style. By the way, what was with the livestream this morning? Why did you suddenly mention Cheng Luanxin?”

Feeling guilty, Cheng Luanxin fabricated an excuse: “I just thought of her. She encouraged me a lot during filming. Was that not okay to say?”

Xin Ying clearly had no idea about the past between Song Qiuchi and Cheng Luanxin: “It’s not like I can’t talk about it. Having a few industry friends is always good. I just hadn’t heard you mention her before, so it feels quite fresh. Did you know? Cheng Luanxin is also going to participate in the recording of ‘Romance for You.'”

Cheng Luanxin pretended to be unaware: “Oh? Really? What a coincidence.”

“It is quite a coincidence,” Xin Ying said. “So, what do you think? Do you want to keep it as a simple friendship, or are you planning to stir up some CP buzz with her?”

Cheng Luanxin was taken aback for a moment before quickly replying, “We’ve been old classmates for so many years. What’s the point of stirring up CP buzz? Let’s just keep it as friends.”

Xin Ying said, “But ‘Romance for You’ is a dating show. Since you’ve agreed to participate, you’ll inevitably have to build intimate relationships with others. Duan Mengshu and Bian Ning’s agencies have already reached out to us—they’re both interested in forming a CP with you. What do you think?”

Cheng Luanxin had heard of both Duan Mengshu and Bian Ning. The former was a renowned mystery novelist, while the latter was a popular travel photographer online. Cheng Luanxin, who had always been a bit naive, initially thought they were ordinary people and was slightly surprised to learn they had agencies behind them.

“I thought the show didn’t have scripts…”

“Where would you find a reality show without any scripts these days?” Xin Ying gave Cheng Luanxin a strange look. “You seem a bit off today.”

Afraid of slipping up again, Cheng Luanxin quickly asked, “In your opinion, who should I choose?”

Xin Ying replied, “If you choose Cheng Luanxin, that would be the safest bet. After all, you’ve been close friends for years, so there’s natural chemistry between you. The only concern is potential conflicts of interest that might affect your friendship down the line. I looked into Duan Mengshu—she’s a bit arrogant about her talent and might be hard to get along with. Bian Ning has a good personal reputation, but her agency is shady, so who knows what tricks they might pull. It’s up to you to decide.”

“I…” Cheng Luanxin hesitated. This was a big decision, and she didn’t want to make it rashly on Song Qiuchi’s behalf. “Maybe I should discuss it with Cheng Luanxin first?”

Xin Ying said, “Then ask her now. Filming starts the day after tomorrow, and we need to give Duan Mengshu and Bian Ning an answer by tomorrow at the latest.”

Just a few hours earlier, Cheng Luanxin had sworn never to interact with Song Qiuchi again, so having to call her now felt like a slap in the face. But with no other options, Cheng Luanxin picked up her phone under Xin Ying’s watchful gaze, dialed Song Qiuchi’s number, and put it on speaker.

As soon as the call connected, she blurted out, “Hey, Luanxin, what are you up to at home?”

Song Qiuchi paused. “Nothing much. What is it?”

“Ahem, well, I heard you’re also joining the filming for ‘Romance for You’?” Cheng Luanxin suppressed her embarrassment. “Has anyone reached out to you about forming a CP…?”

Song Qiuchi replied, “Not that I know of. Why?”

“Well, on my end, Duan Mengshu and Bian Ning—”

Before Cheng Luanxin could finish, Xin Ying cut in, unable to listen any longer. “Give me the phone.”

Pouting, Cheng Luanxin handed the phone over.

Xin Ying was efficient and concise, explaining the situation clearly without revealing any private details. But since Cheng Luanxin had already mentioned Duan Mengshu and Bian Ning, Song Qiuchi could easily guess the gist of it.

Given Cheng Luanxin’s unreliability, Song Qiuchi changed her mind.

Rather than letting her partner with strangers for a CP, it would be better to keep an eye on her to prevent any mishaps.

Song Qiuchi said, “I agree to collaborate with Qiuchi. Let’s meet up tomorrow to discuss.”

Cheng Luanxin: “???”

What happened to the person who just said, “You’d better not try to ride on my coattails again”?

After hanging up the phone, Xin Ying chided, “Qiu Chi, how can you be so careless? Even among long-time friends, no one is as straightforward as you. Cheng Luanxin has already agreed. I’ll go ahead and decline Duan Mengshu and Bian Ning. You should also prepare yourself. We’ll meet tomorrow to discuss further.”

Cheng Luanxin: “…Oh.”

Being Song Qiuchi is such a hassle.