Transmigrating into the Rival's Fanfiction - Chapter 45

The day’s filming wrapped up.

Since Qin Zhi had sorted and taken out the trash at Sheng Mingluo’s apartment on the day she left, she hadn’t contacted her again.

Here we go again.

Sheng Mingluo knew Qin Zhi always retreated like this whenever she was conflicted, so she didn’t try to reach out.

Maybe in a couple of days, when her emotions have settled, she’ll be more approachable.

The nanny van’s door slid open, and Keke popped out. Sheng Mingluo hadn’t seen Keke since transmigrating to this world, and the sudden reunion stirred a pang of emotion, as if she had briefly returned to her real life.

But she knew it was just an illusion.

Because someone else was sitting in the van.

“Mingluo?”

“Keke mentioned she was coming to pick you up after work, so I tagged along.”

“Hop in quickly.”

The woman was Yu Li, a fellow artist from the same agency. In the original world, Sheng Mingluo hadn’t been close to her. Yu Li was a second-tier actress who had starred in several leading roles and enjoyed decent popularity within the company—far more than Sheng Mingluo, who was stuck playing supporting characters and was barely known.

Perhaps the author favored Yu Li, which explained why she had been written in as Sheng Mingluo’s best friend.

Of course, when Sheng Mingluo read this passage, she scoffed at the author’s characterization, calling it “out of character.” As colleagues in the same company, Sheng Mingluo knew Yu Li wasn’t the type to gossip or talk too much.

On the contrary, Yu Li was a shrewd and perceptive person.

But this wasn’t the real world, so different rules applied. Since her character was supposed to be the protagonist’s best friend, she couldn’t break character. Otherwise, the Fan Girl System would inevitably activate and deduct points for deviating from the script.

“Let’s go out for dinner later, Mingluo,” Yu Li said warmly as Sheng Mingluo sat down. She pulled out her phone to check nearby restaurants with good reviews.

“Sure, Sister Yu,” Sheng Mingluo replied, hoping she hadn’t made a mistake by using the correct term from the script.

Yu Li gave her a strange look, making Sheng Mingluo’s heart skip a beat. Oh no, did I say something wrong again?

Damn System! Silent as usual, only popping up to deduct points when I mess up.

“Mingluo, can I ask you something?” Yu Li leaned closer, her cheek almost touching Sheng Mingluo’s.

“Is it true about you and President Qin?”

Ahhh, what President Qin?

“Sister Yu, what are you talking about…?”

Sheng Mingluo was confused by Yu Li’s meaning. In their circle, Qin Zhi was usually referred to as “Big Shot Qin.” She had never heard anyone call her “President Qin.”

“Don’t play dumb with me,” Yu Li whispered, her hand hovering near Sheng Mingluo’s ear. “President Qin of Bai Ling Group. Everyone knows about what happened that night.”

“What kind of relationship do we have? Do you think you could have landed Director Zhao’s role without Bai Ling Group’s backing, given your current status?”

Yu Li leaned in closer, her voice barely audible.

“But… President Qin has always been into Yin Qianxue types. How did she end up with you…?”

Yu Li’s gaze drifted involuntarily to Sheng Mingluo’s chest. Sheng Mingluo quickly covered herself with both hands and flicked the ends of her hair.

“Hey, I’m not small, okay? What’s that supposed to mean…? Besides, President Qin and I are just nodding acquaintances. Believe me, we’re completely platonic—nothing happened.”

Even though Qin Li had rushed over that day and said a bunch of strange things, even dragging Qin Zhi into it, Sheng Mingluo had no intention of getting involved in the sisters’ feud.

They were dividing family assets; she was completely innocent.

“Mingluo, if you keep hiding things from me, this is pointless. I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

Host, please continue narrating the original plot to your dear friend. Otherwise, this System will deduct points!

Ugh, here we go again.

Sheng Mingluo had no intention of revealing this, but the author had written the plot this way, so she had no choice.

Might as well go all out.

She’d act like those Mary Sue heroines in novels, bragging about their beloved husbands.

Her acting skills had improved dramatically lately. With a confident flick of her leg, she crossed her legs with a boss-like flair, then blushed coyly and said, “Actually… it’s Qin Yinghou.”

The tactic worked instantly. Even Keke, who was driving, perked up her ears.

Could it be? Is my ship finally sailing? My ship is actually real! This is a major win!

The thought of Sheng Mingluo getting intimate with Qin Yinghou sent Keke into a frenzy of joy and smugness. My investment paid off big time! Who’s going to call my ship a niche pairing now?

“A-ah… you mean Qin Zhi, that ice-cold face?”

“Could President Qin have come to make trouble for you that day?”

Given that Bai Ling Group was such a massive corporation, it seemed odd that Qin Zhi had chosen to sign with their company independently. This had fueled endless speculation, with many believing it stemmed from a rift between the Qin sisters, leading Qin Zhi to leave the Qin Family. However, the current head of Bai Ling Group wasn’t Qin Li, but Qin Chengyi.

“Not really,” Sheng Mingluo replied.

“Maybe she just wanted to see what kind of person her sister would fall for,” Yu Li suggested.

Reciting the lines from her hazy memory, Sheng Mingluo felt utterly disgusted with herself. This is just too much.

“Seriously? Mingluo, don’t lie to me! I’ve seen Qin Zhi’s ice-cold demeanor myself.”

“Are you two having an office romance?”

So, the rumors in the company gossip group about Qin Zhi being asexual were false after all?

Yu Li, ever the gossip, nudged Sheng Mingluo’s shoulder, her face conspiratorial. “Is Qin Zhi really asexual? Like… does she have no desire in bed?”

Hearing this, Sheng Mingluo nearly burst out laughing. She barely managed to suppress it, knowing the System would deduct points if she failed. Asexual? Qin Zhi was anything but! Every time they lay together, she seemed to have endless energy.

“No… but honestly, her abs and defined core look amazing.”

Sheng Mingluo feigned shyness, but her cheeks flushed genuinely as she spoke, not just for the act. Qin Zhi’s physique was even more impressive in person than on screen—the kind that looked lean in clothes but revealed solid muscle when stripped.

Yu Li: “……”

Damn it, I think my ears need cleaning after hearing this. What even is this conversation?

“Ahem… you two really need to practice some restraint. Young people should be more moderate!”

“Sister Yu, it’s not like I have any control over this.”

Sheng Mingluo adopted the demeanor of a caged canary, her portrayal of helplessness and resignation utterly convincing.

No, actually, this is all an act. I was genuinely thrilled when I got the money. For a moment, Sheng Mingluo even considered that being a pampered canary might not be so bad after all.

“True. You should milk Big Shot Qin while she’s still fresh and grab as many resources as you can.”

Though harsh, the words were both honest and well-intentioned.

Just as a best friend should be!

Author, if you dare write a plot twist about a leak, I swear I’ll kill you.