Being the Golden Finger for the Best Actress Love Rival (GL) - Chapter 2
Song Jianzhi was curled up in the blanket. When she opened her eyes, her eyelashes could still brush against the soft blanket.
The first thing she did upon waking was: “System?”
Song Jianzhi remembered that yesterday, as they were having a good time, a loud, booming “Installation successful, System 4399 at your service” suddenly rang in her mind.
It gave her a jolt, making her body tremble. Ming Xu then bit her earlobe from behind, whispering indistinctly, asking if she was coming so quickly—
No, she couldn’t think about it anymore. Any more, and the author would get their work locked.
This time, the system didn’t disappoint Song Jianzhi and said kindly, “Hello, Host, nice to meet you. I am System 4399, from the Jinjiang Small World Branch of the Underworld’s Re-employment Project, dedicated to serving you.”
Song Jianzhi asked sternly, “Quick, tell me, is Ming Xu awake?”
“Not yet.”
Song Jianzhi let out a sigh of relief and cautiously crawled out of the covers.
As her body moved upwards, the hand draped over her waist slid downwards, accidentally landing on a critical spot. Song Jianzhi’s face flushed as she gently removed it.
The system quietly waited for Song Jianzhi to finish her movements, its voice still unhurried: “May I ask, Host, why did you sleep with Ming Xu when I was only one step late?”
Song Jianzhi: “I couldn’t help it, I didn’t mean to, it was an accident.”
She added, “I originally wanted to get her contact information and develop things slowly. Now that we’ve slept together, it’s not too late to ask, right? What do you think?”
“Do you know who she is?”
Song Jianzhi looked down. Ming Xu was lying on her side, her features from forehead to chin perfectly aligned with her preferences. Her skin was a cool porcelain white, her features delicate, and her nose especially beautiful.
Song Jianzhi mused: “She’s the one my heart desires.”
The system let out a confused “Huh,” no longer maintaining its image, and pasted a panda head emoji onto her brain: “You’re probably single and hallucinating.jpg”
Without giving the host another chance to flirt, the system immediately followed up the panda head’s statement: “You are her love rival.”
Song Jianzhi was still immersed in the shock of the high-definition, un-pixelated panda head, and blurted out, “I know, isn’t it exciting? Hehe.”
System: “Then do you know that Ming Xu is your mission target?”
Song Jianzhi: ?
The system said no more, reverting to its friendly and natural tone: “System 4399 will transmit the small world plot and the ‘Song Jianzhi’ body’s memories to you. The process will last 3 minutes, it’s safe and painless. Please remain conscious.”
A chaotic rush filled Song Jianzhi’s mind. When she regained consciousness, she understood everything.
This small world was indeed a romance novel world, a CEO novel at that. The male lead, Wei Xiao, while claiming to deeply love the female lead, would constantly sabotage her, sleep with other female supporting characters, and even allow other female supporting characters to bully the female lead, all to make the female lead realize that he was her only destination.
The story was unfinished, ending when the white lotus female supporting character, pregnant, went to find the female lead, begging her to fulfill her own “epic love story.”
Song Jianzhi’s role in the novel was of extremely noble status. She was a brain-dead female supporting character who was blind enough to fall for the male lead and served as his stepping stone. Because she had fallen in love with the male lead at first sight since childhood, she cared about him even while living abroad. When she heard the male lead had taken an interest in a celebrity, she packed up and returned home.
Yesterday was Song Jianzhi’s first appearance in a domestic social setting, and she drank spiked wine. The Song Jianzhi in the novel, of course, naturally ended up having a situation with the male lead. Afterwards, she would claim to be Mrs. Wei, make things difficult for the female lead, and frame her until she was reviled online and nearly ruined, with Wei Xiao doing nothing.
It wasn’t until the original host almost pushed the female lead downstairs that Wei Xiao, in a fit of anger for the beauty, found someone to defile the original host. She was then confined to a mental hospital after going mad. As for the Song family, it became a supplement to Wei Xiao’s expanding power, completely falling into decline.
Song Jianzhi commented: “The original host was so miserable, falling for such a blockhead. Ming Xu is even more miserable, being targeted by such a blockhead.”
“Let me reiterate, as a crucial part of the re-employment plan, and your way of paying for living in this small world, you must help the fated female lead separate from Wei Xiao’s interference, achieve her career goals, and become a Best Actress as soon as possible.”
Song Jianzhi glanced at her soundly sleeping love rival again, sighed, and said, “The female lead is Ming Xu.”
“Yes,” the system paused, “I will continuously monitor your service progress and attitude, and upload it to the Re-employment Jinjiang Branch for your work performance assessment. If deemed to be passively slacking, you will be repatriated to the underworld and permanently lose eligibility to participate in the plan.”
Recalling the vibrant world now and the eighteen underground levels of the underworld, here there were delicious food, jewels, and entertainment, while the underworld only had the best-selling knockoff Meng Po soup that was somewhat drinkable. Even a simpleton would know how to choose.
Song Jianzhi couldn’t regret how she ended up sleeping with her mission target. She immediately stated:
“I will definitely perform well!”
Song Jianzhi thought of the beautiful tomorrow awaiting her and decisively abandoned her original plan of waiting for Ming Xu to wake up and getting her contact information. She climbed out of bed.
Only when she moved did she realize that her legs ached, her back ached, and her whole body was sore, not to mention there.
Song Jianzhi moved with difficulty, picking up the crumpled dress from the floor and putting it on. Only then did she realize that the scant fabric of the sexy white dress couldn’t cover the red marks covering her body.
Song Jianzhi couldn’t help but complain softly: “Is Big Sister Ming Xu a puppy?”
The system checked its data and replied seriously: “The female lead is a rabbit.”
“Truly the fiercest rabbit I’ve ever seen,” Song Jianzhi mumbled.
She tiptoed out. Just before leaving the room, she saw a miserable burgundy shawl lying on the ground. It was clear its owner had been in a hurry when taking it off.
Song Jianzhi was only drugged, not blacked out drunk. She clearly remembered tearing this off Ming Xu’s shoulder.
Song Jianzhi: I’m truly an animal.
She picked it up and draped it over herself: “Consider this making amends for your owner’s sins.”
After speaking, she gathered her long chestnut curls, holding her stilettos in one hand and opening the door with the other as she left.
Ming Xu, like 60% of CEOs in CEO novels after a night of passion, opened her perfectly clear eyes at this moment.
She had woken up after Song Jianzhi did. She had been waiting for Song Jianzhi to make her own choice, after all, strictly speaking, last night wasn’t entirely consensual.
Since Song Jianzhi chose to leave secretly, she had no intention of forcing anything.
After all, Song Jianzhi had always considered her a love rival, and even when she was in a foreign country, people kept bothering her under Song Jianzhi’s name.
Last night’s events were strange. Miss Song, notorious for her obsession with Wei Xiao, actually sought her help. Logically, she shouldn’t have gotten involved, but seeing Song Jianzhi’s pitiful state, she actually forgot the humiliation in the banquet hall and was tempted.
At this moment, she must be going back to find Wei Xiao, right?
Ming Xu thought blandly, brushing off a stray chestnut curl clinging to her collarbone.
Song Jianzhi’s evening bag had long since disappeared. Without money or a phone, she hailed a taxi back to the family address from memory. Once home, the butler naturally paid.
The butler, a middle-aged man named Li, greeted her: “Third Miss, you didn’t return last night. First Miss came home yesterday and learned of this; she’s waiting for you in the study.”
Song Jianzhi: What’s it like to meet the family head right after doing something bad?
She maintained a smile: “I’ll go right now.”
Uncle Li looked at her kindly, thought for a moment, and still advised: “Third Miss, don’t be afraid of First Miss. Although First Miss seems fierce, she actually cares about you the most. First Miss just came back from an engagement in the middle of the night yesterday. When she learned you hadn’t returned, she immediately sent people to look for you.”
Song Jianzhi asked confusedly: “Then why didn’t they find me?”
Uncle Li hesitated, cleared his throat, and said: “Everyone was sent to the Wei family, and the Wei family said you weren’t there. Xiao Wang and the others directly ‘invited’ Young Master Wei out of his room to confirm you weren’t with him.”
The word “invited” was used very subtly.
Song Jianzhi imagined the scene of Wei Xiao being dragged out by several bodyguards like a fire-breathing dragon…
Couldn’t think about it too much, afraid she’d laugh out loud.
But her image as “Wei Xiao’s dog-licker” truly was deeply ingrained.
Song Jianzhi took a deep breath and walked towards the study on the second floor.
In this kind of melodramatic novel, Song family parents were naturally just background characters, dismissed with a line about “being abroad all year round,” conveniently providing a means for the younger Song generation to cause trouble and mess things up. The majority of the Song family’s industries were currently in the hands of the eldest daughter, Song Jianyin. This woman controlled the Song family’s vast business empire.
In the original host’s memory, Song Jianyin was very serious with her, unsmiling, and too busy with her career to communicate emotionally with the original host. The original host was quite afraid of her older sister. Later, because Song Jianyin disapproved of her relationship with Wei Xiao, she even went on a hunger strike at home and threw things, alienating her own family.
However, Song Jianzhi, having learned the entire plot, knew clearly that Song Jianyin had used all of the Song family’s resources to seek revenge after her sister’s incident. Unexpectedly, she was betrayed, completing the “stepping stone” mission and helping Wei Xiao’s career.
Song Jianzhi sighed softly, tightened the shawl around her, making sure it was completely covered, then knocked on the door.
“Enter.” The woman’s voice was short and powerful.
Song Jianzhi pushed the door open. The study was well-lit, and Song Jianyin was sitting at the computer, handling affairs.
Song Jianzhi obediently walked to the mahogany desk and greeted her: “Sister, I’m back.”
Song Jianyin’s hand paused on the keyboard. She took off her gold-rimmed glasses, crossed her arms, and looked at her: “Have you improved?”
Song Jianzhi meekly said: “I wouldn’t dare.”
Song Jianyin tapped on the table and said: “It’s one thing that you’re blind enough to like Wei Xiao, but you even personally went and troubled a female celebrity for him.”
Song Jianzhi guessed this referred to the incident of snatching the wine in the banquet hall. Speaking of which, she really wanted to hug her sister’s arm and cry about Wei Xiao drugging her, and have Song Jianyin tear Wei Xiao apart.
But then she remembered that the spiked champagne was snatched by the original host in a public tantrum, and then unknowingly drunk by herself, which was truly too foolish to even lift her head.
Song Jianzhi: Can’t speak.
She could only choke, enduring the humiliation: “I know I was wrong.”
Song Jianyin was surprised by her good attitude in admitting fault, and her tone softened: “Knowing you were wrong is enough, just don’t make the same mistake again.”
So, this matter was just over? As expected, she was a doting sister-type parent.
Unexpectedly, just as Song Jianzhi relaxed her guard, Song Jianyin spoke again: “I sent people to the Wei family to find you, but they couldn’t. Wei Xiao said you left with Ming Xu, and I asked a few acquaintances who also said you left with her.”
“Did you make things difficult for that Ming Xu?”
Song Jianzhi’s expression changed dramatically, becoming very complex.
How should she put it…
Does “draining her dry” count as making things difficult?
Author’s Notes:
Seeing Miu, Song Jianzhi, the “scum girl’s big wavy hair” (not really)