The Villain Decides to Go on Strike [Transmigration] - Chapter 5

The drama where the plot began was just one of many that “Luo Xiying” had acted in.

But for Mu Qinghan, it was a major turning point in her career.

When she first entered the industry, Mu Qinghan was just playing a game as an actress, and she was lucky to have been selected by the directors of two web dramas.

As a newcomer without formal training, her performance was indeed commendable, with great potential and room for improvement.

But at this time, she didn’t have any real sense of belonging to the identity of “actress,” only seeing it as a temporary stopping point in her life.

It was within Director Shen’s drama that she truly found her place. She first entered the public eye through the supporting female role and subsequently genuinely fell in love with acting.

This was the beginning of the long story that followed.

Director Shen was known for his historical dramas. While not every one was a classic, they were always above the passing grade and rarely flopped, offering a certain guarantee of quality among audiences.

He particularly liked to mentor newcomers, and many popular young actors got their start with him.

As a result, countless newcomers dreamed of squeezing into Director Shen’s crew every time.

When Mu Qinghan’s director-mentor heard she had been spotted by Director Shen, he was more excited than she was.

Even when he heard that a paratrooper had displaced Mu Qinghan from the female lead role she had already secured, the mentor earnestly told her not to make things difficult for the director.

Even though she suffered this setback, the director wasn’t blind and wouldn’t treat her too unfairly.

This proved true. Although Mu Qinghan lost the female lead role, she was given the script for the female second lead, a role that hadn’t been cast yet.

The female second lead was a tragic villain, whose screen time was far less than the female lead’s, but she was a pivotal character that ran through the entire story.

Coupled with a rather miserable backstory, she was a character who, as long as the acting wasn’t too bad, would always attract some sympathy and affection.

It was a relatively appealing role.

The Mu Qinghan in the original plot carved out her own path with this role, truly launching her acting career.

However, any feelings of emotion or passion only came about toward the end of the drama’s production. At this moment, Mu Qinghan was mostly indifferent, apart from her disappointment in Luo Xiying.

She treated the script like simple work, doing whatever she was given without showing any dissatisfaction or preference.

This attitude looked obedient, but in reality, it held a sense of detachment.

Mu Qinghan’s easygoing attitude was quickly broken by a phone call.

It was the assistant director, calling to inform Mu Qinghan that Luo Xiying had voluntarily passed the female lead role to her.

Even over the phone, the assistant director’s tone of excitement and happiness couldn’t be concealed.

Mu Qinghan was startled. “It’s not April Fool’s Day, is it?”

“Hey, why would I lie to you? Luo Xiying called the director herself just now; I heard it with my own ears,” the assistant director explained. “She felt that the role was a better fit for your temperament, and since Director Shen originally chose you anyway, she decided to let you have it.”

Mu Qinghan asked, “What about her?”

The assistant director thought for a moment. “Either she withdraws, or she takes the female second lead script. Director Shen had actually considered casting her as the female second lead because her image was quite suitable, but he didn’t expect her to come forward herself before we could even offer it.”

Mu Qinghan frowned slightly.

“Ah, let’s not talk about her for now. This is a good thing,” the assistant director brought the conversation back. “Didn’t you already read the female lead script? The screenwriter and director team discussed it and made a few minor adjustments over the past two days. I’ll send you a new copy later; read it carefully at home these two days…”

The rest of the assistant director’s instructions completely failed to reach Mu Qinghan’s ears.

Luo Xiying’s move had truly exceeded her expectations, leaving her somewhat caught off guard.

She almost wondered if she was still dreaming.

How is that possible?

Luo Xiying clearly cared immensely about that role; otherwise, she wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of staging the whole act of being pushed and hospitalized.

Now, she probably hadn’t even been discharged yet, but had suddenly changed her mind. It was no wonder others suspected she had some ulterior motive.

It couldn’t possibly be that the fall damaged her brain, causing a complete change in personality, could it?

Mu Qinghan was utterly bewildered.

But the reality was what it was.

After a few light “dings,” the assistant director sent the electronic draft of the new script, along with a detailed explanation of where the subtle adjustments had been made.

Mu Qinghan looked at the constantly refreshing messages on her phone, her eyes filled with confusion.

What a strange, utterly hypocritical person.

…

Aside from some logistical crew members, Luo Xiying was the first to arrive at the set.

She arrived a few days earlier than the set time.

After returning home to an empty house, Luo Xiying slept for days until she finally woke up from her dazed and decadent state.

Everything before her was real, not an illusion born of despair.

The better news was that the trashy System hadn’t shown up to cause trouble, as usual.

This kept Luo Xiying in a good mood.

When she arrived at the crew’s hotel, the smile on her face was warmer than usual as she encountered crew staff and hotel attendants on her way.

Luo Xiying’s room faced the sun. Drawing the curtains revealed continuous rolling mountains and a view of lush greenery, with the fresh air of the small border town wafting in.

They would be spending the next two months here.

This place was not unfamiliar to her. The main plotline in her previous life had begun right here.

Those memories were not pleasant for Luo Xiying. Back then, she had just officially taken on the role of the villain and was constantly harassed by the System due to her inexperience.

Now, she finally had the leisure to appreciate the beauty of this famous tourist city.

The official tourist attractions were concentrated on the other side of the city. The side leaning against the mountains was much quieter, but it didn’t detract from the ethereal beauty of the distant peaks and thin mist.

The benefit of arriving early at the set was the peace and quiet.

Luo Xiying could lean on the communal small balcony, stand on her tiptoes to gaze into the distance, and flip through her script without too much noise.

By the third day, she had developed a new spot—the small garden downstairs.

Because it hadn’t been tended to for a long time, it was overgrown with weeds and rarely visited.

But in the spring, several clusters of small flowers bloomed there, and there was a set of steps where she could sit.

Once seated, the surrounding man-high wild grasses concealed her completely, ensuring no one would disturb her.

When Mu Qinghan stopped outside the hotel, she inadvertently glanced over and saw this very scene.

The familiar face was hidden behind a pile of wild grass. Taking a few steps to the side, one could clearly see the person’s posture.

Leaning against a broken door, one leg slightly bent, the other resting down the steps, swinging along with some sort of rhythm.

The expression on her face wasn’t the sweet and lovely demeanor she usually faked. Her brows were slightly furrowed, her gaze was downcast, and she was chewing on something like a stalk of grass.

The stack of booklets in her hand was likely the script.

This relaxed posture reminded Mu Qinghan of a country boy on holiday.

Someone casually lounging in the shade of a tree or on a branch, covering his face with a straw hat, either sound asleep or shouting and playing with friends.

In the distance, there were friends bending over by a stream, fishing or catching shrimp, one of them perhaps being pushed into the water by a companion with a splash.

She looked relaxed, unrestrained, and utterly out of place with this city cast in iron and concrete.

She was simply too relaxed, and also inconsistent with the person in Mu Qinghan’s memory, so much so that it was hard to fit her into the shell of the same name.

She was neither the “angelic little sister,” simple, innocent, and cute, as rumored, nor the black-hearted schemer.

And certainly not a gentle, proper, and high-and-mighty young lady of wealth.

But Mu Qinghan inexplicably felt that this Luo Xiying might be the real one.

She had only taken a wrong turn, but Mu Qinghan found herself quietly pausing here for a moment.

By the time Luo Xiying sensed something, raised her head, and looked forward, she only saw dense weeds.

She stood up thoughtfully, brushed the dirt off her clothes, and looked up again. The spot where the person had stood was empty.

Luo Xiying tilted her head, pondered for a moment, didn’t pay it much mind, and turned to walk towards the hotel lobby.

It was about time for dinner.

…

When Luo Xiying discovered that Mu Qinghan had also arrived at the hotel early, she panicked a little.

She wasn’t fully prepared yet.

Therefore, when opening her door, her peripheral vision caught the familiar face of the person coming around the corner. Luo Xiying’s hand shook, and she slammed the door shut, avoiding the fate of an awkward eye contact with Mu Qinghan.

Luo Xiying leaned against the door, expressionless, her hand clutching her frantically beating little heart.

It was probably a conditioned reflex from her previous life; the moment she saw Mu Qinghan’s face, a surge of panic was inevitable.

At the hospital, since she had just woken up and there were too many world-shattering events, this panic wasn’t too noticeable.

But upon seeing Mu Qinghan again, Luo Xiying felt the intense thumping of her fragile little heart with clarity.

In the previous life, seeing the female lead meant a new forced plot was about to begin, and now…

Part of it was still a conditioned reflex, and the other part was perhaps due to a guilty conscience.

Luo Xiying closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

When she opened her eyes again, she took out her phone and turned to a blank screen.

The wallpaper was Mu Qinghan’s gentle and beautiful face.

Luo Xiying prepared herself and whispered a self-hypnosis to the photo: “…I… like… you.”

I hate you. Luo Xiying silently supplemented the truth in her heart.

“I like you.”

I hate you.

“I like you.”

I hate you.

“Like you.”

Hate you.

…

Luo Xiying hated Mu Qinghan.

But “Luo Xiying” should like Mu Qinghan.

And Mu Qinghan should hate “Luo Xiying.”

.

After a long period of self-hypnosis, Luo Xiying finally found the courage to open her door.

She ran into Mu Qinghan the moment she arrived at the restaurant.

After leaving her room, she was still somewhat distracted, muttering quietly to herself, and not paying much attention to where she was going. It wasn’t until she bumped right into the other person’s arms that she snapped back to reality.

“I’m sorry, are you okay—”

Luo Xiying covered her sore nose and stepped back. When she saw the face of the person in front of her, the final “…” was stuck in her throat.

Mu Qinghan was as gentle and generous as ever. Seeing Luo Xiying, her expression didn’t change at all.

“What were you just saying?” Mu Qinghan asked.