Transmigrating into the Rival's Fanfiction - Chapter 47

Seeing Qin Zhi’s reply, Sheng Mingluo’s eyes curved into crescents with a smile. Qin Zhi’s response felt as if she were standing right in front of her.

“Whate~ver~”

The two words arrived. Sheng Mingluo murmured them aloud, her voice lifting at the end.

Okay, then I’ll return it to Teacher Qin when we meet next time.

Qin Zhi seemed to be waiting by the chat window, replying instantly to Sheng Mingluo’s messages. This was a stark contrast to her previous hesitation and cold, aloof demeanor, now replaced by a vibrant warmth.

Hmm… what are you up to? Do you have work today?

Nope, Teacher Qin.

I’m free all day today. What do you think I should do?

Sheng Mingluo had just finished tidying up her apartment. She’d found the hair tie while making her bed, a reminder that she’d be away filming for over half a month this time, unable to return home.

Her luggage was packed, and she’d be flying to the film set tomorrow.

What’s Teacher Qin doing?

Sheng Mingluo imagined Qin Zhi’s activities: likely poring over her script, covered in her meticulous notes.

No wonder she became a Best Actress, a name that shook the film industry.

Something came up at home.

After sending that reply, the cemetery came into view through the car window: a verdant landscape of intertwined tree branches, lush mountains, and clear waters, with rows upon rows of gravestones dotting the hillside.

This was where the Qin Family was buried.

Qin Zhi’s shoes clicked against the bluestone pavement as she accepted a white chrysanthemum from the butler and cradled it in her arms. She followed the group up the hill, the warm sunlight bathing the delicate petals.

She felt she was desecrating this sacred sorrow. For some reason, half her mind was occupied with wondering what Sheng Mingluo was doing at that very moment.

Probably packing her luggage, she thought. Sheng Mingluo had always been meticulous about planning ahead.

Qin Li noticed her sister’s distraction. After gently placing her white chrysanthemum before their grandmother’s grave, she approached Qin Zhi. Without her usual high heels, Qin Li now stood nearly as tall as her sister.

For the first time in a long while, Qin Li met her sister’s gaze directly. The awkwardness had faded, replaced by sharp features and a fully matured face.

Qin Li knew perfectly well that Qin Zhi’s thoughts were elsewhere.

Perhaps she was thinking about that woman.

“A-Zhi, you’re not even paying attention to Grandma. Are you hiding something from her?”

Every time they met, they clashed like swords.

Just then, Qin Zhi’s phone, tucked inside her pocket, vibrated at an inopportune moment. It was Sheng Mingluo replying to her message, accompanied by a short notification tone.

“A-Zhi, aren’t you going to reply?”

Qin Li leaned closer, her jade earrings reflecting green light in the sunlight. The corners of her eyes tilted upward, though she already knew who was messaging Qin Zhi.

“Reply to what?”

“How many times have I told you? My affairs are none of your concern.”

Soft strands of black hair fell across Qin Zhi’s nose. A faint dark circle shadowed beneath her eyelids. Dressed in formal black, her eyes showed neither joy nor sorrow—a testament to her years of award-winning acting. Qin Li, despite being her older sister by several years, sometimes struggled to understand what Qin Zhi was truly thinking.

“What do you think Mother would say if she knew?”

“A-Zhi, I’m not Mother.”

“Do you really want to be with that actress?”

A faint smile curved the corner of Qin Zhi’s lips.

What right did Qin Li have to advise her? She was no different herself. But Qin Zhi refused to acknowledge the awkwardness of having her true feelings exposed.

“Stay away from me.”

Her posture resembled that of someone fleeing in panic. Qin Zhi stepped forward, blending into the crowd of Qin Family members. Yet her upright spine made her instantly recognizable amidst the throng.

It was just like when they were children.

Hiding her beloved doll behind her back, her fingers clenching tightly into the plush fabric. Qin Li always enjoyed teasing her like this, inevitably getting bitten by the flustered, embarrassed cub.

“Sister Li, Sister A-Zhi rarely comes home. Please don’t argue with her,” Tang Rou pleaded, her gaze fixed on Qin Zhi’s retreating figure. Sensing the tension between the two women, she stepped forward to urge Qin Li to avoid conflict.

Her anxiety was palpable.

The girl’s feelings were written all over her face. Tang Rou gazed at Qin Zhi with adoration. If her family hadn’t forbidden it, she would have debuted as an artist long ago, wanting to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Sister A-Zhi. Would she finally notice me then?

“When have you ever seen me arguing with her?” Qin Li retorted.

“Isn’t it always your Sister A-Zhi who throws the first tantrum whenever she comes home?”

Qin Li found this utterly ridiculous, a complete injustice, and nothing more than alarmist nonsense. She had never once given Qin Zhi a cold shoulder; quite the opposite, Qin Zhi acted like a mouse spotting a cat, desperate to avoid her.

Or else, he would bombard her with icy words, using superficial indifference to mask the chaos within his heart.

“But, but…” Tang Rou’s words caught in her throat, unable to escape. Qin Li’s assessment was accurate: Qin Zhi now seemed to have severed all familial ties. Even Qin Chengyi’s intervention could only compel him to return to the Qin Family.

“Why are you defending her so fiercely? Could it be you have feelings for A-Zhi too?”

Qin Li wasn’t a rigid traditionalist; her open-mindedness was well-known. Countless people, especially those with even a hint of attractiveness, had tried to cozy up to her.

Could she possibly fail to see through this young girl’s affections? Qin Li studied Tang Rou’s slender frame with amusement, noting that compared to Sheng Mingluo, she seemed like a bland side dish—still too young and immature.

Sheng Mingluo was the epitome of “all chest, no brains.” Though she possessed a veneer of politeness, her thoughts were transparent on her face, and her cunning was limited. Qin Li pondered endlessly, unable to fathom how her beloved younger sister could have fallen for such a woman.

Yet, unrequited love was always a love poem.

If Sheng Mingluo wanted to play with fire, it was harmless enough.

Tang Rou was once again silenced by Qin Li’s words. She could only stare at her shoes, feeling utterly flustered as her deepest feelings were laid bare.

A soft chuckle drew Tang Rou’s flushed gaze to Qin Li, who smiled knowingly. Tang Rou looked bewildered, unsure what Qin Li found so amusing.

“It’s a pity, though. Your Sister A-Zhi already has someone she loves. Even I can’t persuade her otherwise.”

Having navigated the treacherous waters of business for years, Qin Li could read the ever-shifting tides of human emotion like an open book. This single sentence stirred a tempest. As expected, the innocent, deer-like look in Tang Rou’s eyes instantly transformed.

“Sister Li… don’t lie! Sister A-Zhi would never do such a thing!”

Tang Rou’s hands twisted together as she desperately tried to refute the claim. Her face flushed crimson, tears of anger threatening to spill.

“Why would I lie to you?” Qin Li countered. “Besides, when have I ever lied?”

As if determined to escalate the situation further, Qin Li added, “Perhaps you’re just afraid of facing the truth.”