After I Abandoned the Protagonist [Quick Transmigration] 3

Chapter 3: The Future Movie Queen About to Be Abandoned (3)

Yu Yinglan was so preoccupied with the candy she hadn’t tasted that she even forgot how she regained her freedom and returned to her room. Just before going to bed, the maid knocked on her door again: “Miss Su said you drank some wine tonight, so we made a cup of honey water for you.”

She thanked her softly and took the glass. Her gaze fell on the remaining red marks on her wrist. When the sweetness of the honey bloomed on her taste buds, Yu Yinglan’s understanding of Su Mingxiu became clearer—

This woman… even her rewards were meant to leave a lasting impression. At first glance, it was like a gentle breeze, but in reality, tiny wounds had already appeared on her skin. It was the wind, and also a blade.

There was also a voice dissatisfied with Su Mingxiu’s actions.

“The reward you gave was too perfunctory.” In the other room, the system said to Su Mingxiu.

At that time, she had just stepped out of the bathroom, her snow-white bathrobe loosely draped over her body, the neckline so open that the belt couldn’t be tied.

She was gathering her still dripping long hair with one hand, bending down to look for the hairdryer. Hearing this, she casually replied: “Are you teaching me how to do things?”

[…]

The system truthfully said: “According to the data, if the protagonist falls in love with you and then is betrayed by you, the pain she experiences will be deeper. So everything you give her includes affection, but you are so stingy at this stage that you can’t even fulfill one of her wishes.”

“Fa Hai*, you don’t understand love.” A faint smile spread across Su Mingxiu’s lips.

System: [?]

Su Mingxiu, who had just teased it, explained casually: “The most important thing to make someone feel loved is to give them a unique identity. And those who feel this specialness are usually the ones who are most likely to have the illusion of ‘they love me so much’—in other words, as long as I can make her fall in love with me before the final mission and make her think that I love her too, that’s enough.”

“Uh…” The system fell silent again, seemingly convinced.

“I found a good role for you. You should familiarize yourself with the script of ‘Celebrating the Mountains and Rivers’ in the next two days and try to get into the crew directly after securing it.” That day, after receiving Director Ying’s reply, Su Mingxiu finished her meal and informed Yu Yinglan, who was sitting opposite her: “I don’t need to introduce you to the strength of this project, do I?”

Yu Yinglan was startled. Naturally, she understood the reputation and prospects of “Celebrating the Mountains and Rivers” in the industry. Normally, this project was about to start filming, and the roles had already been decided. She didn’t know what magic Agent Su had used to win this opportunity for her. But the woman’s expression was too indifferent, blocking all her questions in her throat.

In the end, the only choice left for her was to reply: “Thank you, I will work hard.”

Su Mingxiu nodded slightly, neither offering encouragement nor threats, as if she had already assumed that this role was in her grasp. She got up and left the dining table.

From then on, until the day of the audition, Yu Yinglan didn’t see her again.

Instead, it was Assistant Lu who, in order to ease her nervousness, asked her while waiting for the director: “Do you need me to prepare anything for you?”

Yu Yinglan came back to her senses, smiled at her, and her eyes narrowed: “Can you buy me a pack of mint candy?”

Assistant Lu was puzzled for a moment, but still agreed: “Okay.”

“Celebrating the Mountains and Rivers” was a major Xianxia drama. Thanks to the development of holographic technology in recent years, the stunning special effects and the epic love stories spanning several lifetimes had a bigger stage. This type of theme became a wealth code. Among many popular dramas, “Celebrating the Mountains and Rivers” had the strongest production team. And the role Yu Yinglan was going to play in it was a powerful, lonely, and tragic villain.

A beautiful, strong, and tragic character, as long as it was successfully portrayed, it would be forever etched in the hearts of the audience, becoming a white moonlight.

She stayed up late studying the original work and the character, and finally lived up to Su Mingxiu’s efforts for her, securing the role and entering the crew that night.

In the hotel, Yu Yinglan held her phone, hesitating whether to call Su Mingxiu.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Assistant Lu got up to get the takeout, but Yu Yinglan, who happened to be pacing nearby, opened the door first. A tall man with dark blue eyes, a black mask, and a slender figure stood outside, handing her a bag with a magnetic voice: “Hello, takeout, ending number xxxx?”

Anyone would be attracted to this man at first glance. Even though he was wearing a mask, covering two-thirds of his face, his aura couldn’t be ignored. One could instantly tell that he was definitely a handsome man. Yu Yinglan was also attracted by his aura and her response was delayed by a second. Suddenly, she felt that this person looked familiar.

But the other party took her silence as acquiescence, casually hung the takeout bag on the door, and turned to leave.

As he left, his back revealed an empty, swaying left sleeve. Yu Yinglan’s pupils shrank. At the same time as she remembered who this person was, she heard Assistant Lu come closer: “What’s wrong? Did another sasaeng(obsesive) fan sneak in?”

“I just…” Yu Yinglan turned to look at her: “I think I saw Movie Emperor Qi.”

“Who?” Assistant Lu looked at her blankly.

Qi Ran.

The man who once held the crown of the Superstar List for three consecutive years, the most brilliant artist under Su Mingxiu, who retired at his peak…

His mixed-race looks and deep, melancholic eyes drove countless fans crazy.

But even if such a person quit the entertainment industry, he wouldn’t deliver takeout in such a sorry state, right?

Yu Yinglan felt that she must have mistaken him for someone else, but she had watched all of Qi Ran’s works and considered herself to have some understanding of him.

Looking at Assistant Lu’s still confused eyes, Yu Yinglan remembered that this person had only been following Su Mingxiu for a year, so she pursed her lips and smiled again: “It’s nothing. By the way, the fruit takeout here is quite fresh. Can we order it often in the future?”

“Of course,” Assistant Lu nodded, responding easily: “This role requires weight gain, and the nutritionist team has given you some dietary freedom.”

Yu Yinglan was quite lucky. Two weeks later, her takeout order was picked up by this man again.

She successfully kept him by offering him his highest daily income as compensation. After sending Assistant Lu away, it was the man who spoke first: “You don’t seem like my fan. To be able to live near this film city, have such a unique temperament, and be interested in me, you must be a newcomer under Su Mingxiu.”

He said it as a statement.

Yu Yinglan still held a bottle of mineral water in her hand. She walked over to him, put it down, and said with a smile: “Yes, Teacher Qi.”

Qi Ran’s dark blue eyes looked at her. “I’ve already retired from the industry, you don’t have to call me that.”

“I’ve watched all your works, and you’ve also written several books to guide newcomers into the industry. I’ve also had the honor of reading them. It’s only right to call you Teacher.” Hearing Yu Yinglan say this, Qi Ran’s eyes flickered slightly, but he only fell silent, too lazy to correct her again.

The room was quiet for a long time. Yu Yinglan tried to start a conversation. “Your achievements are still legendary in the industry. Now that you’ve suddenly changed careers, is it… because of something?”

Qi Ran looked up and met her gaze. He wasn’t deceived by Yu Yinglan’s clear and innocent eyes, but instead said bluntly: “Don’t you already have the answer?”

Before Yu Yinglan could cover it up, Qi Ran looked away and said indifferently, as if narrating someone else’s story: “She never tried to hide her actions. Anyone who wants to be with her, as long as they make some inquiries, will know the whole story—I’m no different. I asked her for help because of my own desires. In exchange, I showed her my potential, did my best to please her, until she got tired of it, and everything ended.”

The listener was slightly stunned.

Qi Ran obviously wasn’t satisfying someone’s curiosity about Su Mingxiu for the first time. Thinking that she didn’t understand, he explained in more detail: “She likes to discover other people’s talent in acting, like picking up a doll and constantly changing it into newer and more beautiful clothes. Until she picks out a look that she thinks can’t be more perfect—”

“Then she throws it away and moves on to the next one, understand?”

“What if someone wants to go back on their word?” Yu Yinglan asked softly.

Qi Ran didn’t know what he thought of, his eyes filled with an inexplicable mockery: “A senior gave me a kind reminder, ‘Everything she gives you has already been secretly priced.’ Little girl, never think you’re special in front of Su Mingxiu. Only then can you retreat unscathed.”

Yu Yinglan’s throat bobbed slightly.

Her eyelashes also trembled.

He warned: “Don’t expect to get her favor. She only loves herself. You should have already experienced it… Even an unintentional touch is an offense to her, isn’t it?”

Yes.

Yu Yinglan still remembered how the other party meticulously wiped her fingers clean after they were stained with her lipstick.

But…

She also remembered that the other party had taken the initiative to kiss the corner of her lips.

A long time later, the senior’s warning still echoed in Yu Yinglan’s ears. She had clearly seen the trap coated in honey, but she couldn’t help but move forward.

[The protagonist met with an artist who used to work with Su Mingxiu.]

In the villa.

The system reminded Su Mingxiu in her mind, but the woman didn’t care, just lying drowsily on the pillow, too lazy to even respond.

This was the thirteenth day of her insomnia.

Ever since Yu Yinglan joined the crew, she would dream about what happened in her original world every night. The dreams were always blood-red, even her nostrils were filled with the strong smell of rust. She kept waking up, initially thinking it was some new trick of the system. But with the system’s same confusion, she could only attribute it to her own emotions.

Physical therapy, massage, these could only bring her a moment of peace.

Nightmares followed her like a shadow.

Fortunately, she wasn’t busy during this time. The original owner lived a carefree life and didn’t socialize much. The protagonist was also sensible enough to follow the plot on her own and not cause her any trouble.

She had someone specially hollow out the back garden, preparing to build a hot spring at home, just in time to draw water from the mountain. At the same time, she also added a steam room and a physiotherapy room at home, preparing to improve her sleep quality.

Just the day after the hot spring was dug and the garden was irrigated—

Yu Yinglan came back.

“Tap.”

The bamboo tube filled with water gently tapped against the stone.

Amidst the dense water mist, long hair floated on the water surface like a waterfall. The jade-like beauty leaned against the bank, her eyes closed, with beads of water, either sweat or mist, gathering on her eyelashes, wetting her raven-black lashes.

Yu Yinglan approached cautiously, her gaze moving from her long hair to her water-droplet-covered collarbone. She originally only wanted to greet her from afar, but she didn’t know what curiosity drove her closer.

As a result, she saw such a picture of warm spring water bathing her delicate skin.

“Is the crew on holiday?”

Su Mingxiu, who had been woken up by the system long ago, slowly opened her eyes, her voice slightly hoarse.

Yu Yinglan was startled by her voice and immediately replied: “Yes, I came back to get some books and clothes… I heard from Aunt Zhao that you’ve been having some insomnia recently?”

Su Mingxiu glanced at her and closed her eyes again. “Go have fun on your own since you’re on holiday.”

This was an order to leave.

But Yu Yinglan didn’t leave. Instead, she suggested: “I recently learned a massage technique from the massage therapist on the crew. How about I give you a massage?”

Su Mingxiu should have refused.

But she didn’t know if it was because of her prolonged insomnia that made her reaction slow. By the time she realized it, she had already nodded and was walking from the water to the shore.

Yu Yinglan kept her gaze respectfully lowered. Only when Su Mingxiu was lying on her side on the chair did she try to reach out.

Perhaps it was because the hot spring was too relaxing, or maybe it was because Yu Yinglan’s technique was truly professional, Su Mingxiu actually fell asleep while being massaged.

When she woke up again, a few scattered stars were already hanging in the sky above the courtyard.

Su Mingxiu looked at the sky for a while before retracting her gaze. She found a thick bathrobe covering her body, and Yu Yinglan was actually asleep on the small stool she used for the massage, her head resting on the table beside her.

She sat up, wanting to return the bathrobe to her. Her gaze fell on a section of Yu Yinglan’s waist inadvertently revealed beneath her top, and she saw bruises—marks left by the wire work.

She held the clothes and looked at them for a while, then went out to get some medicinal wine from the housekeeper.

When she came back, the person lying down also happened to wake up, rubbing her eyes and asking in a muffled voice: “You’re awake?”

Su Mingxu hummed in response, put the medicinal wine on the table, and said to her: “Lie down.”

Yu Yinglan: “?”

She looked at the medicinal wine sluggishly, realizing that the injury on her body had been seen. She covered it with her hand reflexively, as if wanting to say something, but after meeting Su Mingxiu’s gaze, she eventually lay down on the chair where the other party had been lying before.

The warmth of the previous person still lingered on it, inexplicably making her blush.

But after Su Mingxiu’s strength fell on her, Yu Yinglan couldn’t care less about blushing. She had to control her voice and prevent herself from running away because of the pain. After thinking about it, she only chose one.

So the humming in the courtyard grew louder and louder.

It became even more suggestive.

When it reached Su Mingxiu’s ears, she could even distinguish which part of the voice was hoarse and which part was teary, as if she had been bullied badly and was about to cry.

She paused.

Immediately after, before the person lying down could react, she turned her head to look at Su Mingxiu, her tearful appearance like pear blossoms on a branch after the rain.

Even Su Mingxiu, facing this expression on this face, felt a momentary blankness in her heart.

Not long after, Yu Yinglan heard a sigh-like question behind her: “Can’t help it?”

She blinked and nodded.

The next second.

Su Mingxiu’s left hand reached over, her fingertips touching the corner of her lips. Under the command of “Open your mouth,” Yu Yinglan instinctively obeyed and soon felt her tongue being pressed down.

The woman’s voice was languid, with a hint of malicious amusement:

“Good children don’t bite, do they?”

At the same time, the force on the injury on her lower back increased.

This time, the tears in Yu Yinglan’s eyes finally fell like beads, dripping onto the chaise lounge.

***

• Fa Hai (法海) is a character from the famous Chinese folktale “Legend of the White Snake.” He is a Buddhist monk who is portrayed as rigid, dogmatic, and vehemently opposed to the love between the White Snake (a snake spirit who takes human form) and her human lover. He sees their relationship as unnatural and a violation of the natural order.