Transmigrating into the Rival's Fanfiction - Chapter 4

“How did you know…?”

She really did read the fanfic, Qin Zhi thought. Her phone rang, and she glanced at the caller ID.

Father.

Qin Zhi answered the call, and Sheng Mingluo quietly crawled closer, leaning against her side to eavesdrop.

They were now in the same boat.

Qin Zhi put the call on speakerphone so both could hear clearly. A male voice boomed from the other end.

“A-Zhi, when are you coming home? I know you’ve been arguing fiercely with your mother and sister… but you need to understand us elders. What kind of place is that theater you’re working at?”

“Just come back and apologize to your mother and sister. It’ll solve everything.”

As the conversation dragged on, Qin Zhi’s expression darkened. Sheng Mingluo recalled the original novel’s plot and Qin Zhi’s character background. Could those rumors about her family really be true?

Is she… is she really the Second Miss of the Bai Ling Group?!

That damn author! Why couldn’t she have made her family richer? Another day, another urge to strangle the author.

“I’m not coming back… Dad, don’t try to persuade me.”

Lost in thought, Sheng Mingluo didn’t notice her knee had unconsciously slid to the edge of the sofa. Just as she leaned closer to hear the call more clearly…

Her knee slipped unexpectedly, sending her tumbling to the floor. Beneath her bathrobe, her long, pale legs were completely exposed. Sheng Mingluo’s face flushed crimson. Her legs were already sore, and the fall only intensified the pain.

She gasped involuntarily.

The woman on the other end of the line clearly heard the commotion. A moment of silence hung in the air before Qin Zhi, annoyed, hung up the phone with a sigh and extended a pale hand.

“Are you alright? How could you be so careless?”

Sheng Mingluo had to admit she was completely drained. She could only scramble awkwardly to her feet, placing her limp hand in Qin Zhi’s. The moment their fingertips brushed, the absurd events of the previous night flooded back into her mind.

Her legs trembled, her entire body flushed. She coughed, straightened her disheveled bathrobe, and sat demurely on the sofa.

Her entire demeanor instantly transformed into that of a refined lady.

I shouldn’t have been so undignified earlier! And I ended up falling on my butt!

Repent, repent! As a female celebrity, I shouldn’t be so unreserved.

“I’m fine… but how are we going to get out of here like this?”

“This must be a hotel, right? Is the reservation on your phone?”

Sheng Mingluo rubbed her aching lower back and unlocked her phone. There were no hotel reservations listed, which piqued her curiosity. According to the fanfiction, the two had indeed spent a passionate night together at a hotel. But when Sheng Mingluo had read it, she’d skimmed through the details, focusing only on the steamy parts.

Now, she regretted it—deeply, profoundly regretted it! The person involved was utterly, utterly remorseful!

She nearly burst into tears. Who could understand the agony of wanting to cry but having no tears left? If only she hadn’t skipped the plot and focused solely on the smut!

She was breaking down, truly breaking down.

“Mm, it’s with me.”

“Just two more hours until we arrive…”

“Hurry and extend the reservation. I need to compose myself.”

Sheng Mingluo brushed aside her disheveled hair. She was wearing nothing beneath her bathrobe, and her calves trembled. She couldn’t bear to look at the hickeys covering her neck, a dense constellation that extended down to her abdomen and waist.

“Um… Qin…”

The name caught in her throat. Calling her that felt disrespectful. After all, within the fanfiction’s world, Qin was her senior and the Best Actress.

“Senior Qin, are you sore?”

Sheng Mingluo clutched her lower back, tears welling up as she stared at Qin. Surely she wasn’t the only one aching all over, right?

Qin Zhi shook her head, her brow furrowing slightly.

She truly lived up to her reputation as a renowned Best Actress and superstar. Her features resembled distant mountains rendered in ink wash painting, flawless and pure as uncarved jade.

Even when not acting, she maintained a cold, unapproachable demeanor. Sheng Mingluo still felt a little intimidated around her.

Even her sorrowful expression was strikingly beautiful.

“But my hand aches… Are you okay?”

Sheng Mingluo’s silence dried up at those words. Feeling somewhat resentful, she leaned closer to examine Qin Zhi. Though Qin Zhi seemed uncomfortable, she knew they shouldn’t argue about this now. Their priority was to find a way to escape this hellish place and return to the real world together.

Qin Zhi had kiss marks on her neck, but they weren’t as dense as Sheng Mingluo’s. They looked… less severe.

“My whole body hurts. Ugh, I need to check my schedule for tomorrow and call in sick.”

Sheng Mingluo fumbled for her phone and scrolled through her group chats and messages.

Great, Fanfic Author. Why is my career still a mess even after transmigrating into this world? Apart from a few invitations from obscure magazines, there seemed to be nothing else.

It was enough to make her grind her teeth in frustration.

“I… I’ll take responsibility for this.”

Sheng Mingluo looked utterly pitiful, and Qin Zhi’s hazy memories of the previous night resurfaced. She was panting, tears streaming down her face.

Congratulations, Host—Plot Progression +1

You are currently still in negative points for completion. Please keep trying!

Another simultaneous ding echoed in both their minds. Sheng Mingluo closed her eyes and reopened them. Great, so this system wants us to act out a live porn scene?

Despicable Fanfic Author! Once I get out of here, I’ll find the account holder and tear them limb from limb!

Just how thirsty are they?

“I’ll contact you again later,” Qin Zhi said, stopping herself from bringing up the plot. She seemed to have finally grasped the mechanics of this so-called Fan Girl CP Wish System:

Forced Mary Sue scenarios.

“Thank you for your concern, Senior Qin, but… could you get me some clothes first? We can’t exactly go out like this, can we?” Sheng Mingluo asked, feeling embarrassed. If all else failed, she’d have to call a friend to bring her some clothes.

Her assistant wasn’t with her today; he was accompanying another female artist from the company. Such was the bitter reality for struggling celebrities—lacking popularity and status meant even her assistant wasn’t always at her side.

“My assistant is nearby. She just texted me. Your clothes… I’ll take care of them.”

Qin Zhi’s gaze fell on the tattered, indecently torn fabric lying in the distance. The phone in her palm vibrated incessantly, clearly indicating that the caller on the other end was refusing to give up and had called repeatedly.

But Qin Zhi ignored every call.

After a moment, there was a faint rustling at the door, as if someone were knocking. Sheng Mingluo scanned the room, finding no place to hide. She could only straighten her collar, trying to conceal as much of the marks as possible.

“Finally found you, ancestor! Why do you need two sets of clothes?”

The assistant burst in, carrying two brown leather shopping bags. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene: Qin Zhi sitting disheveled on the sofa, with a dazed woman beside her.

Isn’t that Sheng Mingluo?!