Exchange of Movie Queens - Chapter 1

Ruan Yesheng stepped out of the taxi, the harsh sunlight making her raise a hand to shield her eyes. Her fingers were slender, nails neatly trimmed and translucent, while her delicate wrist bore an old silver watch that seemed oddly mismatched with her.

The driver handed over her change, his gaze lingering. He had been stealing glances at her through the rearview mirror the entire ride, hesitant and uncertain.

Ruan paid no mind, accepting the money with a polite “thank you” before turning to leave. The driver quickly called out, “Wait, miss!”

“What is it?” Ruan turned back, her wavy long hair cascading casually over her shoulders.

She was undeniably stunning, her figure bewitchingly alluring.

And then there were those eyes—mesmerizing, whether intentional or not, as if teasing with the tip of a feather, leaving hearts weak and souls scattered, yet forever out of reach.

Years ago, a sharp-tongued senior had called her a calamitous beauty, saying she relied on her looks to get by and wouldn’t last long.

Turns out, she was right.

The driver, his accent marking him as an out-of-towner, stammered, “Sorry, I know this is rude, but… have you been on TV? Or written a book? My daughter has one with photos that look just like you. She adores it. Are you the star from that book?”

If she was, he probably wanted an autograph for his beloved daughter.

Ruan smiled faintly. “You’ve mistaken me for someone else. I’m not her—no such luck.”

The driver flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry, really sorry.” Of course—what celebrity these days would ride a taxi alone? They all had private cars.

Unable to linger, the driver soon drove off.

Ruan opened her parasol and hurried into the hotel. In the lobby, she dialed Feng Tangtang’s number, but after several rings, there was no answer.

She tried a few more times—still nothing.

Putting her phone away, Ruan glanced at the massive advertisement board in the lobby. The fourteenth floor was hosting a new jewelry collection launch by a luxury brand.

As the newly signed ambassador, Xi Mo’s photo naturally graced the display.

Xi Mo was at the peak of her fame now, a goddess in countless hearts.

Many young fans clutching flowers and gifts loitered on the first floor, unable to go upstairs. Some took photos with Xi Mo’s billboard or snapped selfies.

Ruan stared at Xi Mo’s image, transfixed.

The enlarged photo of Xi Mo gazed back down at her, lofty and untouchable. The hotel’s dazzling lights illuminated her features—her brows, her hair—every detail radiant with flawless beauty.

Even the diamond necklace she modeled seemed dull in comparison against her slender neck.

She was dazzling, like an unreachable moon.

And Ruan could only watch her, humbly.

Only her photo.

Finally, Feng Tangtang called back, frantic. “I’m so sorry, Ruan! I was swamped earlier and missed your calls. Are you here?”

“It’s fine. I’m in the lobby,” Ruan replied lightly. “You’re so busy—should I just come up to get the thing? Though I doubt they’ll let me in.”

Feng Tangtang spoke breathlessly, “There are too many people, and security stopped letting anyone in a while ago. Here’s what we’ll do—I’ll give the guard a heads-up, and if you tell him, he’ll let you through. Wait for me in the lounge at 1437. It’s empty, and the stuff is still in my bag. I’ll come as soon as I’m free.”

“Alright, I’ll wait for you,” Ruan Yesheng replied.

After hesitating, Feng Tangtang lowered her voice, “Ruan Ruan, about Sister Xi… you really don’t blame me, do you?”

She had been apologizing to Ruan Yesheng over and over these past few days.

Ruan Yesheng deliberately huffed, “Why are you still dragging this out? You keep bringing it up every other day—don’t you know I don’t like her? Why keep mentioning her?”

“No, no, that’s not it.”

“I already said it’s fine. People move on to better things—you deserve better choices.” Ruan Yesheng’s voice softened, as if she had let go. “Just do well under her.”

“Mm.” Only then did Feng Tangtang feel reassured and hung up. “Come on up, see you soon. Bye.”

Ruan Yesheng took the elevator to the fourteenth floor, and the guard let her through.

The press conference venue had already been temporarily closed off, with several layers of people still gathered outside. Just from the noise, it was clear the place was packed and buzzing, swarmed by countless reporters.

Ignoring the commotion, Ruan Yesheng avoided the crowd and headed straight for the lounge at 1437. The area was secluded, and indeed, hardly anyone came by. She waited for about twenty minutes, but Feng Tangtang still hadn’t shown up.

Then, suddenly, she felt the ground tremble violently beneath her, as if something had exploded.

At the same time, the floor’s alarm blared—piercing and shrill.

Ruan Yesheng immediately stood up. The tremors grew more intense, making it impossible to keep her footing several times.

An earthquake?

That was the first thought that flashed through her mind.

She flung the door open and rushed out, only to be met with waves of scorching heat. People were running in panic everywhere, thick smoke billowing closer by the second.

Without hesitation, Ruan Yesheng followed the emergency exit signs toward the stairwell.

She had always excelled in sports and dance, with remarkable agility and flexibility. Combined with her proximity to the stairs, she was fortunate enough to stay ahead of the crowd.

Behind her, a flood of people surged forward, faces twisted in desperation. In the chaos, many were shoved, trampled, or even crushed to death.

Among them were numerous reporters and even some high-profile celebrities—but at this point, no one cared who was who. Survival was all that mattered.

Yet after running a few steps, Ruan Yesheng suddenly turned back.

Her phone rang. Dodging the stampede, she pressed herself against the wall and answered while running, “Tangtang!”

Feng Tangtang sounded on the verge of tears, “Oh my god, Ruan Ruan, are you still up there?! Get down now! There was an explosion on the thirteenth floor—it’s on fire, and it’ll spread to the fourteenth soon! Hurry down, and don’t take the elevator!”

“Where are you?!” Ruan Yesheng demanded.

“I’m outside the hotel! Sister Xi sent me to buy her a drink, so I came down—who knew the thirteenth floor would suddenly catch fire?! No time to explain, just get down now!”

The signal flickered in and out before cutting off completely. Left with no choice, Ruan Yesheng scanned the crowd but saw no sign of Xi Mo.

With all those bodyguards around her, Xi Mo must’ve already been escorted downstairs, right?

Ruan Yesheng’s mind was in turmoil as thick smoke billowed from the venue, obscuring everything from view.

Unable to proceed further, she had no choice but to turn back and run toward the emergency staircase.

The scorching heat chased after her like venomous tongues of fire. Spotting a restroom nearby, Ruan recalled a public service advertisement she had filmed long ago about fire safety, which had detailed the correct way to escape during a fire.

The main emergency staircase was likely overcrowded by now due to the panicked crowd, making it a death trap. A high-end building like this would surely have multiple escape routes. Ruan dashed into the restroom, intending to wet herself before finding another staircase.

But the moment she entered, she froze.

Xi Mo’s luxurious evening gown was drenched, water dripping steadily from the soaked fabric. To move more freely, she had torn off most of the skirt, revealing her long, pale legs. Her hair was wet, her high heels discarded, leaving only her delicate bare feet. She looked utterly disheveled, as if she had been about to flee in haste.

Ruan Yesheng: “…”

Xi Mo: “…”

Even a swan in distress was still a swan.

Despite everything, Xi Mo retained her usual aura of cold, untouchable elegance.

She lifted her gaze, staring icily at Ruan.

Ruan scoffed inwardly—even in the face of death, she couldn’t stop putting on airs. Without a word, she turned on the faucet and drenched herself.

Xi Mo had already soaked herself and could have fled, yet she lingered, seemingly waiting for Ruan.

After quickly wetting herself, Ruan shouted at her, “Run! You planning to stay here for hotpot? You’ll be the one getting boiled!”

Xi Mo’s expression darkened.

Ruan grabbed her hand and tried to pull her out, but strange noises suddenly echoed from outside.

Crack.

Crack.

It sounded like bones being crushed—or something grinding its teeth.

At the same time, an indescribable odor seeped in, mingling with the scorched air, making it all the more unsettling.

Xi Mo tightened her grip on Ruan, her eyes flicking toward the gap beneath the restroom door.

Ruan understood—she saw it too. Something was outside, a dark shadow creeping beneath the door.

With a loud bang, the door was violently flung inward. Instinctively, Ruan threw herself over Xi Mo, shielding her. She couldn’t see anything, only felt the door slam into her back with brutal force.

Something frenzied charged inside, rushing straight at her.

Another set of footsteps followed, faster than the first.

The heat surged in like a tidal wave.

Ruan felt like she was losing her mind. She struggled to open her eyes, but her eyelids refused to obey. Her ears felt filled with molten lava, as if her eardrums had burst—she could hear nothing but the faint, rhythmic thumping of her and Xi Mo’s heartbeats beneath her.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Each beat grew louder, echoing slowly in her ears.

The footsteps drew closer.

Xi Mo lay motionless in her arms, unconscious.

Ruan, too, blacked out.