Transmigrating into the Rival's Fanfiction - Chapter 23

But there’s no such thing as a truly airtight secret.

The film crew was a mixed bag, and the video inevitably leaked online, though the person who sold it to the media only released the first half, likely fearing repercussions.

The footage showed Luo Hu abruptly pulling Sheng Mingluo behind him. The video had been zoomed in countless times, but fans familiar with the two stars instantly recognized their idols.

The internet exploded.

Public opinion erupted.

During the film crew’s downtime, Sheng Mingluo had been jotting down bits of the story she knew. Truth be told, the plot was rather fragmented, mostly serving as a backdrop for… you know what.

Plus, she’d often skipped chapters while reading at night. Don’t even mention it—the tears are already flowing. I should have known better!

Sister… bad news! Have you seen the news about you online?

Keke texted her. Keke was currently assisting another artist at the agency, also under Zhong He’s management. This male celebrity had a higher profile and greater popularity than Sheng Mingluo, so his assistant was always prioritized.

What news?

Seeing Keke’s name and ID, Sheng Mingluo felt a foreboding sense rise within her. It was all Keke’s fault for sending her fanfiction links in real life, leading her to this predicament.

Never click on strange links… or you’ll regret it.

A screenshot quickly arrived from the other end, showing her and Luo Hu’s names trending at the top of the hot topics list:

#FemaleCelebrityS’sRomanceExposed

#LuoHu

#ShengMingluo

The marketing accounts using the first hashtag at least tried to conceal her identity with a pseudonym, but netizens quickly unmasked them, revealing the true identities of the two individuals.

The video screenshot captured the incident on set that day, but Qin Zhi’s face had been carefully edited out. It was clear the editor had gone to great lengths to keep Qin Zhi out of the frame, even slowing down the footage multiple times.

Honestly, the second half of the video would have been far more captivating than this bland clip, Sheng Mingluo thought with a sigh. They really do pick on the weak.

Did she really look that easy to bully?

The comments below were even more appalling. Despite Luo Hu clearly initiating the physical contact by grabbing her arm, his fans were overwhelmingly attacking Sheng Mingluo’s supporters.

Several passersby couldn’t stand to watch any longer.

“Seriously speechless. Even a blind person could see the guy grabbed her first!”

“Ugh, do you even have a mother? How dare you try to leech off our Oppa? What a nobody! As if our Oppa would ever look twice at you!”

“Exactly! Female Celebrity S getting such good roles? She probably slept her way to the top. Vomit—”

Sheng Mingluo scrolled through the comments, her frustration growing with each line. To say she wasn’t hurt would be a lie. She swallowed the lump of bitterness rising in her throat.

After all these years, she’d grown accustomed to this. If she took every online comment to heart, she’d probably die of anger sooner or later.

Still, it stung. None of this was her fault. How could she have anticipated Luo Hu suddenly grabbing her? The sheer difference in physical strength between them had made it impossible to break free from his grip.

“Sister Mingluo, want some coffee? The crew ordered a batch.”

Xu Yun approached with a plastic bag of coffee cups. The ice had mostly melted during the walk. She carefully pulled out a Jiamu Coffee cup, inserted a straw, and handed it to Sheng Mingluo.

Sheng Mingluo irritably turned off her phone, murmured a soft “thank you,” and bit down on the straw. The icy coffee washed over her lips and teeth, significantly cooling her temper.

Xu Yun picked up her own coffee, but just as she was about to take a sip, her phone rang. She answered without checking the caller ID.

“Hello? Who’s calling?”

“Ah, Sister Zhong, what’s up?”

Clearly startled by Zhong He’s sudden check-in, Xu Yun froze mid-motion, straightening up instead of sitting down. She glanced nervously at Sheng Mingluo beside her and answered the call with cautious politeness.

The tone on the other end was clearly tense, and Xu Yun’s expression grew strained as she listened.

As a newly appointed assistant, Xu Yun’s eyes kept darting to Sheng Mingluo, who sat beside her, pretending to be oblivious as she sipped her coffee.

“Just tell me what’s wrong… I’m prepared.”

Sheng Mingluo knew Xu Yun lacked experience. Watching her hang up and put her phone away, she asked, “Ah, Sister Mingluo, did you already know?”

Xu Yun looked utterly astonished. How could so much have happened just while I was getting coffee?

“Yeah, it just happened. I’ve already checked everything online,” Sheng Mingluo replied calmly.

For her, rumors with male co-stars were practically routine. After each drama promotion, there would inevitably be forced pairings, after-sales marketing, and manufactured hype.

While this generated buzz, it was extremely unfair to female celebrities. Male stars could conveniently disappear or be coddled by their fans, but female stars faced backlash, losing followers, and even being attacked by the male lead’s obsessive fans.

“Wait, Sister Zhong just told me to keep you off your phone. She said the company will release an official statement soon.”

Such official statements were usually useless. Everyone in the industry knew the drill, and netizens were long tired of these empty gestures.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine. You don’t need to overthink it.”

“I have to film later, so I need to review the script.”

“Oh, okay, okay. Then I won’t bother you anymore, Sister Mingluo.”

Sheng Mingluo reached for the thick script resting on the table. She had barely read two pages when she noticed someone approaching from a distance.

The newcomer was dressed in the red robes of her character. As she drew closer, the vibrant color stood out, yet she carried herself with the grace of a clear breeze and a bright moon. Qin Zhi’s face was still made up with the heroic makeup for her role.

Qin Zhi’s gaze immediately fell upon Sheng Mingluo, who looked visibly downcast. She recalled hearing crew members gossiping earlier about how Luo Hu kept flubbing his lines during the Crown Prince’s solo scenes. Growing impatient with the delays, Qin Zhi had decided to take a walk and stumbled upon Sheng Mingluo hiding away to study her script.

“What’s wrong?” Qin Zhi asked, pulling out the opposite chair and sitting down. Her sudden action startled Xu Yun, who was sitting next to Sheng Mingluo. Xu Yun had heard plenty of gossip about Qin Zhi at the company—it was better to be ignored by the Best Actress than to receive her sudden attention.

“Nothing much,” Sheng Mingluo replied stiffly, trying to change the subject. “Teacher Qin, we have scenes together this afternoon. Should we rehearse?”

Her distraction was written all over her face. While most people might have let it slide, Qin Zhi wouldn’t.

“If you can’t adjust your mood, you’ll just keep flubbing your lines this afternoon too.”

Qin Zhi pulled out her phone, opened the camera app, and focused on Sheng Mingluo’s face. The younger woman looked back with a slightly bewildered expression. Qin Zhi smiled faintly and pressed the shutter button, snapping a quick photo.

The soft click startled both women. They exchanged puzzled glances, unsure why Qin Zhi had taken the picture.