Exchange of Movie Queens - Chapter 13

Xi Mo had no choice but to follow each other on Weibo with these two. From their eyes, she could see the excitement akin to a triumphant reunion of some organization, which successfully gave her goosebumps.

The photographer and makeup artist extended their hands and said, “From now on, we’re comrades-in-arms!”

Xi Mo was forced to shake their hands: “…”

The photographer and makeup artist chorused, “Xi Mo, mwah!”

Xi Mo: “…”

It seemed they even had a slogan now. Definitely a cult.

The video of Ruan Yesheng’s substitute press conference continued circulating, and her drinking GIF was still being reposted like crazy on the homepage. Many people tagged Shen Qingbie in it as a provocation, and Shen Qingbie’s Weibo comments were once again flooded by Xi Mo’s fans.

Xi Mo specifically went to check it out. The tables had turned—Shen Qingbie’s comment section was now uniformly filled with replies:

“Haha, the quiet lady, our goddess isn’t disfigured!”

“Haha, the quiet lady, our goddess isn’t disfigured!”

“Haha, the quiet lady, our goddess isn’t disfigured!”

Xi Mo: “…” At this point, having fans was worse than having haters.

Shen Qingbie’s fans counterattacked in an instant, and a new round of online warfare erupted between the two sides.

After the break ended, Xi Mo dragged her exhausted self through the last few sets of photos. Though she was proud and picky, she had always been professional about her work. No matter how tough filming had been in the past, she could endure it. This time, the torment was mostly psychological, but she managed to keep a straight face and didn’t complain once. The staff, including the person in charge, seemed to like her a lot.

The makeup artist and photographer took out their phones, patted her shoulder, and said with a smile, “Miss Ruan, let’s take a commemorative photo together.”

The phone in selfie mode was held by Matt, right in front of her face. Seeing the glaring white light of the screen and feeling someone’s arm around her shoulder as they posed for the shot, a chill crept up from the depths of Xi Mo’s heart. She shuddered violently.

Her face pale, Xi Mo quickly stepped back, avoiding the selfie camera, and even reflexively pushed Matt away.

The two men were startled. “Miss Ruan?”

This was the first time Xi Mo had ever felt so awkward in public. Cold sweat beaded on her neck as she forced out, “Sorry, I’m not used to taking selfies with others. I overreacted just now—did I scare you?”

Matt hurriedly said, “No, no! We didn’t know. We were the ones being presumptuous. Are you okay, Miss Ruan?”

Xi Mo tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, using the small gesture to ease her discomfort. “I’m fine, thank you.”

Lifting her head, she quickly switched to her professional actor mode and forced a smile. “I’m too ugly. I’m not comfortable taking selfies with others.”

The photographer and makeup artist: “…”

“If Miss Ruan is considered ugly, then we might as well disintegrate into dust?” The two were deeply wounded.

Xi Mo pointed at Ruan Yesheng’s face and said, “No, I genuinely think I’m really too ugly. To be honest, I don’t like my appearance at all. I’m very insecure about it.”

The photographer and makeup artist: “…”

They sighed inwardly. Miss Ruan was a nice person, but she really needed to see a psychologist—and maybe an optometrist.

Xi Mo put on a sincere expression. “I consider you both comrades now, so I’m telling you this. Please keep it a secret.”

The two chorused, “Don’t worry! Xi Mo, mwah!”

Xi Mo: “…”

The two saw Xi Mo off at the door, waving reluctantly. “Come visit often!” they said.

The scene had an oddly red-light-district vibe to it. Xi Mo turned away with a dark expression and strode off briskly.

Her first act upon returning home was to wash her face. The cold water washed away her underlying anxiety as she cupped her face, droplets falling from her hair.

She didn’t take selfies.

And certainly never took them with others.

In this industry, whether celebrities were popular or not, their Weibo feeds overflowed with selfies. Shen Qingbie was especially notorious—morning selfies to greet the day, evening selfies to say goodnight, close-ups of every dessert. It was as if posting without a selfie would be shameful. This behavior had once led Xi Mo to conclude that Shen Qingbie was simply begging to be smacked.

Calmer now, Xi Mo walked into the living room. The newly rented space felt hollow, even though it was much smaller than her own home. The emptiness was overwhelming, likely because she had become someone else entirely, forced to inherit all of that person’s solitude.

No one cared about her.

No one even noticed her.

She was no longer Xi Mo, no longer the center of attention. After completing Ruan Yesheng’s laughably low-tier work, she found herself idle. The packed schedules that once filled her life had vanished. All she did now was finish her tasks and return home, enduring this unsettling, endless transformation.

Sitting on the sofa, she suddenly felt the urge to call Ruan Yesheng. Damn it. There was a time she’d wished never to see this woman again, but now that Ruan Yesheng inhabited her body, the two were suddenly tied together like grasshoppers on a string. If too much time passed without news of the woman, Xi Mo grew restless.

After all, her body was still in the hands of that flirtatious weirdo.

At this hour, Ruan Yesheng was undoubtedly busy with her usual routine—something Xi Mo knew all too well. Glancing at her phone, she tossed it aside and curled up on the sofa, drifting into a lonely sleep.

In her dreams, she saw a swaying camera lens closing in on her, and she trembled with fear.

The incessant ringing of her phone pulled her from sleep. Xi Mo muttered to herself, lips moving soundlessly, the shrill tone fraying her already taut nerves.

She sat up, irritation flaring, and saw Ruan Yesheng’s name on the screen.

Answering the call, Xi Mo remained silent, waiting.

Ruan Yesheng’s voice was pleasant—whether naturally or deliberately, it always carried a hint of allure. “Good evening, Xi Mo.”

Xi Mo glanced outside. The world was already dark.

How strange. She loathed Ruan Yesheng with every fiber of her being, yet hearing her voice now brought an odd sense of comfort. Perhaps because, after becoming someone else, everything that once belonged to her was gone. Ruan Yesheng had become the only person she could speak to openly—the one before whom she didn’t have to exhaust herself pretending to be someone else.

But from another angle, that was terrifyingly pathetic.

Caught in this tangle of emotions, Xi Mo’s expression shifted unpredictably. “When things are good, sure, you can greet me like that,” she said. “When they’re not, it’s just mockery.”

Ruan Yesheng laughed. “Then let me switch to a greeting everyone can appreciate. Have you eaten?”

Xi Mo: “…”

“Just woke up. No,” she replied lazily.

Ruan Yesheng hadn’t expected her to answer so honestly, as if they were truly friends casually chatting. She was somewhat surprised, but more so secretly pleased. Feigning sympathy, she clicked her tongue: “You can’t cook, and going out at this hour is troublesome. If I were there, I could’ve cooked for you.”

“Ruan Yesheng,” Xi Mo said, “Did the water you drank at today’s press conference flood your brain?”

“Yes,” Ruan Yesheng admitted freely, “It’s your brain.”

Xi Mo: “…”

“Were you satisfied with my performance at the press conference?” Ruan Yesheng asked.

Xi Mo replied, “Passable, aside from the brain flooding. What do you want?”

“If I didn’t contact you, you’d have contacted me anyway. To spare you the agony of deciding when to call me, I thought I’d reach out first. I’m back in my room now, alone—you can relax.”

Xi Mo scoffed, “You seem awfully certain, as if you’ve installed cameras and bugs on me? Where does this confidence come from?”

Ruan Yesheng said, “My heart’s with you—of course I’d know.”

Xi Mo: “…”

Does this woman know the meaning of shame?!

“Miss Ruan, mind your words,” Xi Mo said calmly.

“I’m not wrong,” Ruan Yesheng feigned innocence, “My heart—the organ—is indeed in your body, in your left chest cavity. Don’t believe me? Get an X-ray. Or just look in the mirror.”

Xi Mo: “…”

The truth was she did carry Ruan Yesheng’s black-hearted organ inside her, leaving her speechless.

Ruan Yesheng asked, “How did my magazine cover shoot go?”

Xi Mo answered indifferently, “Done. The client seemed satisfied.” Aside from encountering two weirdos.

Ruan Yesheng laughed, “Looks like you’re adapting well to my work.”

After a pause, Xi Mo said, “There’s something I need to tell you.”

“See? I knew you wanted to call me. Go ahead.”

Suppressing her irritation, Xi Mo said, “Tell Lu Qingming tomorrow to arrange an actress for a new role audition. Have him take her to Director Lin.”

“The supporting female role? Which actress?”

Xi Mo said coolly, “Ruan Yesheng.”

Ruan Yesheng: “…”