Transmigrating into the Rival's Fanfiction - Chapter 8

After what felt like an eternity, a minute finally passed, and movement appeared on the other end of the screen.

I have something I want to say, but I’m not sure if I should.

Let’s meet on set later. If you have any questions about acting, feel free to ask me.

This is exactly what I wanted!

Sheng Mingluo’s face lit up instantly. Having the Three-Golden-Award-Winning Best Actress personally coach her on acting was an opportunity she couldn’t have found even with a lantern.

Thank you! Senior, I love you! I love you, Senior!

Overwhelmed with excitement, Sheng Mingluo frantically sent several flying kiss emojis, abandoning all pretense of restraint.

Though physically exhausted, her heart overflowed with joy.

Sheng Mingluo happily flipped through the script again. The protagonist’s character design was excellent, far from the cliché Mary Sue tropes found in typical mainstream novels. After all, the novel had earned considerable acclaim, and the author was well-known in literary circles.

After exchanging goodnights with Qin Zhi, Sheng Mingluo drifted off to sleep, her mind buzzing with anticipation. For now, she’d focus on indulging her acting passion.

In the past, Sheng Mingluo and Qin Zhi had been worlds apart. Whenever their names were mentioned together, it was either in beauty comparison articles or in pieces tearing down their acting skills.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, another notification popped up on her phone. Sheng Mingluo excitedly opened it, thinking Qin Zhi had suddenly come to her senses and sent the words she’d held back earlier.

But Qin Zhi’s profile picture remained still, with no red dot indicating a new message. Clearly, the message wasn’t from Qin Zhi, but from her manager, Zhong He.

Zhong He was a renowned manager at her agency, handling several high-profile clients. Sheng Mingluo was just one of them, and he typically only appeared for important script reviews or external engagements.

The deal with the “Long Blade” drama has been finalized. Remember to be respectful when you meet with Director Zhao next week… As for you and Qin Zhi, I don’t want to interfere, but remember to keep things discreet. Don’t cause a scandal.

Having navigated the entertainment industry for years, Zhong He was well aware of its unspoken rules. He’d seen so much that nothing surprised him anymore, and he often turned a blind eye to his clients’ shady dealings.

What truly baffled Zhong He was how Sheng Mingluo had managed to hook up with Qin Zhi, the notoriously cold and aloof “iceberg” who showed no interest in either men or women. Beyond desire, she barely had any friends and was widely regarded as an eccentric oddball in the industry.

Her mind was filled with thoughts of filming and acting.

Although they often saw each other at the company, Qin Zhi wasn’t Zhong He’s responsibility. Naturally, he envied his old rival for having signed such a promising talent back then.

“Okay, good night, Sister Zhong.”

Sheng Mingluo’s popularity was modest, and she was accustomed to being docile and compliant. Although Zhong He was her executive manager, Sheng Mingluo often acted more like his assistant.

Zhong He was curious about the gossip, but to maintain his authoritative image, he decided against directly asking Sheng Mingluo how she and Qin Zhi, colleagues who rarely saw each other at the company, had ended up in bed together.

At the appointed time, when the assistant came to pick her up, Sheng Mingluo opened the car door and saw Zhong He sitting in the passenger seat. He had come personally today.

“Sister Zhong, you’re here too!” Sheng Mingluo exclaimed, feeling flattered by the attention. She had never worked on such a large-scale production before.

“Mm, you can’t handle this kind of event alone,” Zhong He replied curtly.

After getting into the car, Sheng Mingluo felt an urge to text Qin Zhi, but hesitated. They weren’t very close yet, and she wondered if it would be presumptuous to bother her.

Sheng Mingluo had no choice but to let her phone screen go dark.

Never mind, I’ll just talk to her when we meet later, she thought. She knew this part of the story was glossed over by the author; nothing significant had happened between them.

The truly detailed descriptions would come later, after filming for the drama began.

Just thinking about doing those kinds of things with Qin Zhi made her face flush crimson, her earlobes unconsciously turning bright red.

But if they didn’t do it, she and Qin Zhi might never escape this world. Sheng Mingluo twisted her fingers together, knowing the plot while Qin Zhi remained completely unaware.

I need to find a way to subtly tell her, she thought.

The ride passed in silence.

Upon arriving at the agreed-upon venue, Sheng Mingluo followed Zhong He into the elevator. Her assistant parked the car downstairs and didn’t join them.

“Later, focus on doing more and talking less,” Zhong He instructed. “I don’t have the patience to teach you the usual flattery and formalities. Director Zhao personally insisted on you, so he must have done his research beforehand.”

Research… what kind of research? she wondered. Could he have seen those melodramatic, Mary Sue villainess roles I used to play?

No matter what, Sheng Mingluo consoled herself, she’s still one of the main characters in this world. The plot is unfolding as it should. She can’t possibly let a sure thing slip through her fingers now.

Over the past week, she had grown familiar with the world’s environment. The subtle differences suggested that this wasn’t so much a case of transmigrating as it was a story unfolding in a parallel world.

The moment Sheng Mingluo opened the door, she saw Qin Zhi sitting on the sofa, holding a thick script. Qin Zhi looked up at her.

“Hi~” Sheng Mingluo greeted, tugging at her leather handbag strap and flipping her hair. Although they hadn’t seen each other in person all week, they had occasionally chatted on WeChat about unrelated topics.

“Have a seat,” Qin Zhi said, handing over the script, which still looked brand new. Sheng Mingluo sat beside her and accepted the script, looking at Qin Zhi with a mixture of surprise and gratitude.

“Director Zhao had to step out for a while and won’t be back for a bit. He just brought me this script.”

The two women seemed to have bypassed the usual formalities, a fact Zhong He observed silently as he pulled up a chair and sat down.

Sheng Mingluo lowered her head and began flipping through the script, completely absorbed.

After a while, the door chimed again, and a man entered.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

The man appeared to be around forty, with a pale, slightly graying beard that gave him a melancholic, artistic air. Yet he was surprisingly cheerful and energetic, lacking the weariness often associated with middle age.

No wonder he’s a prodigy director.

“Hello, Director Zhao!” Sheng Mingluo quickly put down her script, stood up, and greeted him.

“No need for such formalities, Xiao Sheng. Please sit down.”

After discussing some production details, the door chimed again.

“That must be Sister Chu,” someone said.

As the door opened, Zhong He tensed, his gaze snapping to the entrance. The two were rivals within the same agency. Chu Wenxiu was Qin Zhi’s exclusive manager, handling only her personal affairs.

“Since everyone’s here and we’re all from the same company, let’s drop the formalities,” Chu Wenxiu said, her gaze lingering meaningfully on Zhong He.

“Hello, Sister Chu!”

Even after transmigrating into a fanfiction world, Sheng Mingluo couldn’t shake her habits as an 18th-tier starlet. Her obsequious behavior earned her a sharp glare from Zhong He.

Crap, I forgot.

My manager and Chu Wenxiu are mortal enemies.