Category: After I Abandoned the Protagonist [Quick Transmigration]

Chapter 5: The Future Movie Queen About to Be Abandoned (5)

“Teacher Yu?”

The gentle voice calling from beside the bed startled Yu Yinglan awake. She opened her eyes in a daze and found that the person standing by the bed was Assistant Lu.

“You’re going to be late, Teacher Yu.” The person calling her was momentarily breathless as she looked into Yu Yinglan’s alluring eyes. When she spoke again, her voice became a bit stammering: “To-today’s morning scene, Director Ying said that by four o’clock… everyone needs to be in place.”

Yu Yinglan blinked again, and the previously dreamy and lingering aura suddenly disappeared. She smiled at Assistant Lu, her smile exceptionally pure, like a lotus blooming in the morning. “Thank you for your hard work.”

Seeing her walk towards the bathroom, Assistant Lu couldn’t help but touch her chest. For some reason, she felt that Yu Yinglan exuded an especially alluring aura when she woke up, as if she had just woken up from a sensual dream.

Realizing what she was thinking, Assistant Lu quickly stopped herself and slapped her forehead hard.

In the bathroom.

Yu Yinglan held her toothbrush and looked at herself in the mirror. This was the seventh day since she returned to the crew. So many days had passed since the strange night she shared a bed with Su Mingxiu, but the other party’s influence on her hadn’t dissipated.

The girl in the mirror looked exceptionally pure, with a clean aura, like a lily in the mountains. But her eyes were heavy, like dark clouds pressing down on a city.

She had a dream.

In the dream, Yu Yinglan’s hands were tightly bound by a black and red riding whip, her whole body burning hot. The culprit was merely holding the black sandalwood disciplinary ruler, lifting her chin, and asking with a smirk: “Are you still going to move?”

The scene abruptly ended because of Assistant Lu’s urging, but even with her eyes closed, Yu Yinglan knew what would happen next—

She would unhesitatingly and wholeheartedly provoke the other party, as if… she was full of anticipation for the other party’s actions, welcoming everything with open arms.

She had the same dream for seven consecutive days, each time with similar scenes. It was like telling her what a regrettable choice it was not to move in Su Mingxiu’s arms that night.

The fingertips holding the toothbrush dug deep into her palm. Yu Yinglan looked at herself in the mirror and asked word by word: “Are you crazy?”

Even if that person only gives you hurt and pain, you still want it?

Her bad mood in the morning didn’t affect Yu Yinglan’s performance on the set, because today’s scene happened to be the villain character killing her way through the battlefield, responding coldly to the enemy. Her icy demeanor made Director Ying praise her for being in a good state. Even after the scene, her expression remained cold, and the crew only thought she was trying to maintain her character.

Until near noon, an unexpected guest arrived at the set.

Ying Song heard the producer’s reminder, looked away from the screen, surprise flashing in his eyes, and then said jokingly: “Oh, President Su, are you here to inspect the project or to see someone?”

Su Mingxiu held 30% of Star Entertainment’s shares, and “Celebrating the Mountains and Rivers” also had Star Entertainment’s investment. Calling her President Su was appropriate.

But this title was mostly teasing. As everyone knew, Su Mingxiu had never been very interested in managing Star Entertainment, letting the Su family take turns in power, while she only cared about her own affairs.

At the moment, she only heard the newcomer nod lazily and reply: “To see someone.”

With that, she walked straight towards Yu Yinglan. Her camel-colored trench coat billowed like waves in the cold wind, and with the rhythmic tapping of her high-heeled boots, she stopped by the bench in the corner.

Yu Yinglan hadn’t changed out of her costume yet. It was dark green like ink, but with dots of red plum blossoms painted on it, like the enemy’s blood splattered on the battlefield. The moment she met Su Mingxiu’s gaze, the ice in her eyes cracked.

Immediately, the person in front of her leaned forward, her long hair brushing past Yu Yinglan’s nose, gently scratching it, accompanied by the other party’s slightly smiling question: “Your complexion is so bad, are you cold or in a bad mood?”

She was the first person to mention Yu Yinglan’s mood today.

The cold villain’s facade instantly crumbled, her face turning red for no reason, stammering out a “I” before trailing off, eventually only retaining surprise as she asked: “You… why are you here?”

Su Mingxiu sat down on another reclining chair that Assistant Lu had pulled over. Even outdoors in the middle of winter, she closed her eyes, looking drowsy. She casually took Yu Yinglan’s long down jacket and covered herself with it, her lips moving as she answered: “I couldn’t sleep well at home.”

Strangely enough.

During the week that Yu Yinglan was away, Su Mingxiu had significantly improved the conditions at home. But whether it was the hot spring or massages from others, none of them were as effective as Yu Yinglan herself in helping her sleep.

Su Mingxiu was never one to wrong herself. Even though she didn’t know why the protagonist could cure her insomnia, she decided to get a good night’s sleep first. Sure enough, just with the other party’s presence, she actually felt sleepy.

The speaker had no intention, but the listener took it to heart.

Yu Yinglan watched her close her eyes, the faint dark circles under her eyes. Thinking of how she held her that night and quickly fell into a deep sleep, her heartbeat suddenly skipped a beat.

That villa was said to be Su Mingxiu’s favorite place to stay. In the most familiar environment, how could this person still not sleep well?

The only thing missing in the house was herself.

Just herself.

Herself…

Yu Yinglan felt like she was going crazy again, until Director Ying’s voice came: “Next scene, get ready! Wire work first!”

She abruptly sat up from the chair, stiffly moving her gaze away from the napping person. When she got up, she absentmindedly picked up the hot water cup. If it weren’t for the steam hitting her eyes, she would have almost put the scalding hot water into her mouth.

After she left.

Su Mingxiu was quickly disturbed from her sleep by the commotion on set. After resting for a few minutes, she opened her eyes again and looked towards the scene in front of the camera in the distance.

Yu Yinglan had changed into another outfit. The inner lining was scarlet, but the outer robe was moon-white with a silver dark pattern.

It was that face, and “Celebrating the Mountains and Rivers” was a Xianxia drama—Su Mingxiu was momentarily lost in thought, narrowing her eyes, as if she saw that person wielding a long sword, with a charming smile, causing the collapse of the Five Sacred Mountains.

Just as she was lost in thought, someone suddenly came up to her, bending down and looking at her cautiously:

“Agent Su, hello, I heard that as long as you’re satisfied, even the most ordinary person can become a superstar, is that true?”

The newcomer was wearing a mask, but just by looking at her eyes, one could read the boundless charm.

Su Mingxiu sized her up from head to toe, and a score appeared in her mind, like an instinct left by the original owner.

She didn’t say anything, but the other party gently pulled down her mask, revealing a delicate face the size of a palm, her features and makeup complementing each other perfectly.

Seeing that Su Mingxiu was unmoved, she took this silence as acquiescence and moved closer to Su Mingxiu, her breath falling on Su Mingxiu’s lips.

The distance between the two kept shrinking.

“Cut!”

Director Ying’s voice suddenly came.

Many extras and staff had already noticed the situation here with Su Mingxiu. But the crew was a mixed bag, and without the director’s orders, they didn’t dare to casually drive away the person who had come in.

A smile immediately appeared in Yu Yinglan’s eyes, and she quickly walked towards Su Mingxiu. However, she had only taken a few steps when she suddenly stopped because of the scene she saw.

In an instant, people from all directions turned their attention to her, many with pity in their eyes.

Everyone knew that the ace agent of Star Entertainment was very capricious, and it wasn’t like she hadn’t replaced people midway before.

It was said that when she first became an agent, she had changed the people she managed five times within a year. Although that was something she did in her early years, no one could say for sure if she still had the same interest now.

Not far away.

Su Mingxiu heard the person in front of her whisper: “I can give you everything. As long as you need it, and everything I have is yours.”

She still didn’t move. The smile in the woman’s eyes became more and more obvious, as if she had already gotten the answer. Because she was leaning forward, her hand couldn’t help but cover Su Mingxiu’s hand. The moment their skin touched, the person who had been silent finally spoke.

“It seems you’ve done a lot of homework on my preferences.”

Su Mingxiu’s knee blocked the other party’s attempt to move forward, her head tilting back, her brow furrowing slightly. Just as she was about to continue speaking, she saw the other party lean in again. This time, she didn’t hold back, following her instincts, the sole of her boot stepping on the other party’s hip bone, exerting a little force, pushing her back several steps.

“But hasn’t anyone reminded you? I hate it the most when people get close to me casually.”

“You’ve lost your qualification, don’t appear in front of me again.”

Because the other party was too close when she spoke, the perfume on her body seemed to have lingered. Su Mingxiu’s brow didn’t relax as she tossed the down jacket she was wearing to Assistant Lu nearby. “Xiao Lu, wash this jacket clean.”

Then, she pulled out a wet wipe and wiped the back of her hand that had just been touched, displeased.

Only then did Su Mingxiu notice that the previous scene of the crew had already ended. Yu Yinglan was standing not far away. When her gaze swept over, the other party blinked slowly, as if belatedly realizing something. She somehow took off the coat she was wearing and walked quickly towards Su Mingxiu.

“Be careful not to catch a cold.”

Yu Yinglan handed over the coat, but Su Mingxiu held her hand. “No need.”

She withdrew her hand and yawned, her eyes slightly watery. In Yu Yinglan’s opinion, Su Mingxiu looked much better in this state than the person who had just tried to seduce her.

Then, she heard Su Mingxiu say: “We’re done, back to the hotel?”

Yu Yinglan was stared at by her and subconsciously nodded, then saw Su Mingxiu’s eyes brighten even more.

As if… with some expectation.

Yu Yinglan tried to tell herself not to overthink it. She followed Su Mingxiu out, but the person who had been pushed away suddenly raised her voice: “I can give you what she can, Agent Su, can you reconsider me?”

Su Mingxiu wanted to go back to sleep too much. She had no patience for this kind of nobody that even the system didn’t bother to remind her about. Without turning back, she said: “Get lost.”

“She’s ten thousand times better than you, don’t question my taste.”

Yu Yinglan: “!”

Back at the hotel.

Assistant Lu ordered a meal for two, but Su Mingxiu wasn’t actually hungry. Her attention was all on the big bed in the room. In order to get a comfortable sleeping experience, she simply changed into her pajamas while Yu Yinglan was eating.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Not long after.

Yu Yinglan choked on the soup and coughed violently. Seeing Su Mingxiu come out wearing her pajamas, the snow-white fluff made her look exceptionally delicate and cute, almost making people forget her usual cold demeanor.

Su Mingxiu was holding a tablet, casually playing the finished commercial sent by W brand. Hearing the sound, she looked over and followed Yu Yinglan’s gaze to herself: “What?”

“Are you going to wear this pajama?”

The person at the dining table quickly waved her hands: “No, no, no…”

This was a gift from the brand they collaborated with. She brought it just in case. Because she had too many clothes, she couldn’t possibly wear them all. But even so, this pajama was still nominally hers!

How could Su Mingxiu be so indifferent?

The person wearing the pajamas didn’t know what she was thinking. She leaned against the bed and finished watching the commercial, putting the tablet aside. She caught a glimpse of Yu Yinglan finishing her lunch and breathed a sigh of relief: “Finished eating?”

“Then come to sleep.”

Yu Yinglan: “!!”

She seemed to have a lot of questions to ask, but as soon as she reached the bed, she was pulled up by Su Mingxiu. She instinctively wanted to adjust her sleeping position, but Su Mingxiu mistook it for her not being sleepy and casually handed her the tablet from the bedside, as if coaxing a child, whispering: “Be good.”

“Play by yourself, but don’t disturb me.”

Now Yu Yinglan already knew her habit when falling asleep. She held the tablet and didn’t dare to move. Only when Su Mingxiu’s breathing became even did she subconsciously turn on the screen.

The other party hadn’t set a password for the tablet, so when she opened it, it was the video that had just finished playing.

Yu Yinglan muted the sound first before clicking on the video again. When she saw the content clearly, she was stunned.

A few minutes later.

A new post appeared on a certain well-known forum.

[Tree Hole] OP: There’s a person around me who doesn’t like being touched by others, but she wears my pajamas, kisses the corner of my lips, likes to watch videos about me before going to bed, can’t sleep well without me, and says I’m ten thousand times better than others. Excuse me, what’s going on with her?

1L: Do you want to hear those three words?

OP: ?

2L: I’m not going to say it.

OP: ??

3L: An honest person is here, let me tell you, she likes you.

4L: She loves you.

5L: She can’t live without you.

6L: All of the above are correct, so let me wish you a happy life together.

…

Yu Yinglan uninstalled the app, turned off the tablet, and threw it aside.

She rubbed her face hard and heard her own heart pounding like a drum.

Thump, thump.

Chapter 4: The Future Movie Queen About to Be Abandoned (4)

Yu Yinglan suffered greatly for her choice.

She actually had a high tolerance for pain. After all, with a father who enjoyed violence, Yu Yinglan had learned from a young age when to remain silent. Crying and screaming would not only fail to elicit pity from the abuser, but might also lead to more severe injuries.

However, Su Mingxiu’s fingertips made her not only endure the pain in her waist, but also control her instinct to clench her teeth.

The sounds in her throat were shattered before they could even escape.

Only when the bruises on her waist were rubbed open with medicinal wine did the woman slowly withdraw her hand. At that moment, Yu Yinglan’s gaze was somewhat unfocused as she lay on the chaise lounge, her lips parted slightly. Only when she saw the glistening moisture on the slender fingers reflected in her pupils did she suddenly come back to her senses. Realizing the origin of the glistening trace, her face flushed crimson, even redder than the other person who had just emerged from the hot spring pool.

Su Mingxiu’s right palm was covered in medicinal wine, and she was about to get up and walk to the nearby shower room.

But seeing Yu Yinglan staring at her left hand, blushing and dazed, her playful thoughts, which had subsided for a while, stirred again. She raised her hand and saw two faint red marks on her index finger from being bitten. The feeling from just now resurfaced.

Several times, Yu Yinglan couldn’t help but want to bite down. But every time her teeth touched Su Mingxiu’s skin, she would abruptly stop the force and be forced to release the strength in her jaw. However, this relaxation would only make her mouth and tongue spasm even more…

Su Mingxiu lowered her eyelashes. Her already dark eyes were even more unfathomable in the misty atmosphere by the hot spring pool. Realizing what she was recalling, she gently closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, she used her backhand to wipe the moisture on her fingertips onto Yu Yinglan’s cheek.

The person lying on the chaise lounge hadn’t reacted yet and could only see her leaving figure.

Yu Yinglan was very sensitive to changes in people’s emotions.

She could feel that Su Mingxiu’s mood seemed a bit unpleasant just now.

Why?

[You have developed desire for her.]

Amidst the splashing water, Su Mingxiu stood in front of the mirror, her neck bent low, carefully washing away the pungent smell of medicinal wine from her palms. Hearing the clear mechanical voice in her mind, her movements paused, but she didn’t respond.

However, the system seemed to have already gotten the answer. After a brief analysis, it said to her in a matter-of-fact tone: “Human love and intimate relationships are inseparable. Deceiving the protagonist both physically and mentally will deal a greater blow to her—establishing an intimate relationship with her at this stage will help you get a higher score after completing the final mission.”

The woman in the mirror suddenly raised her hand and turned off the faucet.

The room fell silent in an instant.

She looked at herself in the mirror, their eyes meeting. Su Mingxiu asked in her heart: “You seem to really want me to have a relationship with her?”

System: “I’m just giving the host better suggestions.”

“I’ll give you a suggestion too.” Su Mingxiu changed to speaking out loud.

---

She smiled at herself in the mirror. The smile was too shallow, far less than the depths of her eyes: “Mind your own business.”

[…]

The person who had washed her hands clean returned to the courtyard.

Yu Yinglan had just sat up from the chair and seemed to be waiting for her. Su Mingxiu had just soaked in the water and enjoyed a massage, so she was a bit hungry now. Seeing that Yu Yinglan hadn’t left, she thought she wanted to stay here.

“You just applied the medicine. It would be a waste to soak in the water now.” Su Mingxiu reminded her indifferently.

The girl suddenly got up from the chair. After all this time, the blush hadn’t faded from her face. She waved her hands and explained: “I… I just wanted to ask if there’s anything else I can help you with.”

“No.” Su Mingxiu replied truthfully.

Seeing the clear eyes of the girl in front of her suddenly dim, like a pearl covered in dust, it was a pity that the person facing her had no intention of being gentle and considerate. She walked straight out of the courtyard towards the dining room in the villa and immediately ordered the servants to prepare the meal.

After spending more than a month on the set of “Celebrating the Mountains and Rivers,” Yu Yinglan’s acting skills had greatly improved. During this period, she also solved many incidents with her own abilities. The progress in her career made her think that she had been reborn. But until she saw Su Mingxiu again, she realized that she still couldn’t understand this person.

She was still affected by the other party’s every move, experiencing the trance of heaven one second and hell the next.

For example, today.

Su Mingxiu was clearly rubbing the bruises on her waist, but she insisted on making her feel so uncomfortable. It even made Yu Yinglan wonder if the other party had seen through her probing intentions and was warning her?

And when she tossed and turned, unable to sleep because of this guess, Su Mingxiu knocked on her door.

“I remember the bed in your room isn’t small.” The woman was wearing a nightgown, the silky fabric too close-fitting. Rather than covering up, it seemed to outline her exquisite curves. In the dim night, only the light from the bedside lamp cast a shadow on her. It should have been a somewhat suggestive scene, but because of her overly indifferent expression, people didn’t even dare to have any disrespectful thoughts.

Seemingly already accustomed to Yu Yinglan’s slow reaction, Su Mingxiu patiently finished her sentence: “Lend me half.”

Perhaps it was because the other party’s tone was too righteous, Yu Yinglan didn’t even have the chance to refuse before she had already moved aside.

Only when she stood by the door and watched Su Mingxiu pull open the quilt and lie down on her bed did a question mark slowly appear on Yu Yinglan’s forehead.

Not only her, but Su Mingxiu herself, who suddenly came to this room tonight, was also confused.

It all started before going to bed.

Su Mingxiu had taken a two-hour nap by the hot spring pool, but this was far from enough for her, who had been suffering from insomnia for a long time. She originally thought that she was in a relaxed mood today and could continue her sweet dreams as soon as she touched the pillow at night, but she was wrong.

Back in her room, she couldn’t sleep again.

And the drizzle that had fallen outside the window at some point dispelled her idea of going to the courtyard to continue her open-air hot spring hypnosis. It was already midnight, and she couldn’t call for a massage therapist.

After counting them one by one, the only person in the entire villa who could help her relax and fall asleep was Yu Yinglan.

Su Mingxiu knew that she was going back to the crew tomorrow, so naturally, she wouldn’t exploit her rest time at night. With the attitude of trying anything, she chose a compromise.

—Find a place to sleep near the massage therapist, so that she could give her another massage before she left tomorrow.

Now.

Finding that the owner of the room was still standing at the door without moving, Su Mingxiu yawned and threw out two words: “Not sleepy?”

Only then did Yu Yinglan hurriedly close the door and move towards the bed. She moved carefully, but with some difficulty. After all, after following Su Mingxiu for so long, she had never been so close to her.

So she tried to find an excuse for the other party.

There happened to be a muffled thunderclap outside the window.

“Are you… afraid of thunder?”

The person who had already closed her eyes hummed through her nose, even with a hint of laughter, and said languidly: “Be quiet.”

Yu Yinglan’s cheeks flushed slightly from her laughter, then she reacted to her command, quickly turned off the light, and gently pulled open the quilt on the other side, quietly pulling it up to cover her face.

If it wasn’t fear of thunder, then what was it?

Qi Ran’s words inexplicably echoed in her ears: Little girl, never think you’re special in front of Su Mingxiu.

A little devil popped up in her heart, holding a fork and retorted: “But she’s never been close to anyone else, and now she’s climbed into your bed.”

Maybe she’s changed her habits?

The little devil whispered in her ear: “But she climbed into your bed.”

A person like her would only love herself, not others.

The devil continued to whisper: “But she climbed into your bed.”

Yu Yinglan: “!”

The little devil made her toss and turn even more, unable to help but turn over.

Su Mingxiu, who had just barely fallen asleep on the other side, was awakened by this slight movement. She opened her eyes in the darkness, stared at where the other party was for a while, and after confirming that Yu Yinglan didn’t do it on purpose, she slowly closed her eyes again.

A few minutes later.

The other side of the quilt started rustling again.

Su Mingxiu, who was almost asleep: “…”

She took a few deep breaths, but in the end, she couldn’t hold back. Amidst Yu Yinglan’s exclamation, she stretched out her arm and pulled the other person into her arms, grabbing her wrist, pressing down her legs, and her lips against the other’s ear: “Shh.”

The exhaled breath made the ears of the person in her arms turn red.

But Su Mingxiu just closed her eyes, her voice low and husky, warning softly:

“Don’t make a sound.”

“And don’t move.”

“Otherwise, I’ll gag you and tie you up, hmm?”

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.

Chapter 2: The Future Movie Queen About to Be Abandoned (2)

The words “scared” carried Su Mingxiu’s usual lukewarm tone, making it hard to fathom her true intentions, but sending chills down Yu Yinglan’s spine due to her unpredictable methods. Yu Yinglan nodded instinctively, almost without thinking.

Then, she suddenly realized something and shook her head vigorously.

However, Su Mingxiu didn’t pursue it further. The moment Yu Yinglan nodded, she casually placed the long ruler on the corner of the table and said to her: “If you’re scared, don’t try to fool me with such a performance. I’ll check again tomorrow morning. I hope the ‘Pass’ on your report card wasn’t a clerical error by the teacher.”

Yu Yinglan bit her lower lip, wanting to apologize, but saw Su Mingxiu wave her hand dismissively. Only when she safely walked out of the room did she come back to her senses—

She was let off so easily?

After all, even the teacher, when he heard that her learning outcomes would be checked by Su Mingxiu at the end of the class in the afternoon, had given her a sympathetic look. Everyone knew that Su Mingxiu’s repeated success in creating stars was inseparable from her strict methods of training artists.

Yu Yinglan had originally prepared herself to be severely punished before returning to her room. Now that she had come out unscathed, she didn’t feel relieved at all.

Instead, she felt even more uneasy, unsure whether she was too incompetent or… Su Mingxiu treated her differently?

The moment the latter bold guess surfaced, she couldn’t help but hold her breath.

In the study.

Su Mingxiu took advantage of the time before dinner to contact the director of the crew she had just chosen. Glancing at the several work email notifications that popped up in the computer window, she originally wanted to ignore them, but the system jumped out again:

[Star Entertainment will become the protagonist’s property in the future. Before that, you must work hard to ensure the normal operation of Star Entertainment.]

“Hmm?” Su Mingxiu raised her eyebrows, unexpectedly, she, the tool sharpener, would be utilized so thoroughly.

Not only did she have to help the protagonist grow in the early stages and give her the final test, but she also had to put away the reward for clearing the stage herself.

The emails on the desktop were opened, the computer screen reflecting her dark eyes. The person sitting at the desk suddenly responded: “Alright.”

Su Mingxiu picked up her phone from the table and called her lawyer, mentioning that she needed to revise her will and making an appointment to meet.

The person on the other end of the phone teased her: “Weren’t you planning to donate everything? Could it be that some young one has caught your fancy?”

She only smiled without saying a word.

The system, which had been listening to her arrangements the whole time, hesitated for a moment. Of course, it knew that when Su Mingxiu pushed Yu Yinglan into the abyss again and the protagonist rose again, she would definitely not let Su Mingxiu go. Not only would she take everything Su Mingxiu had in Star Entertainment, but she would also return the humiliation she had suffered a hundredfold.

However, it felt that Su Mingxiu’s method of setting up a will to plan her assets for Yu Yinglan in advance was a bit strange?

Unfortunately, the Tempering System ultimately didn’t understand the intricacies of human emotions. After confirming that Su Mingxiu’s current actions didn’t affect the plot, it acquiesced.

The next day.

Su Mingxiu sat at the breakfast table, carefully spreading butter evenly on the bread before taking the time to look at Yu Yinglan opposite her. Today, she had temporarily assigned her the task of performing fake eating. Facing her obsessive table manners, Yu Yinglan had to act as a child escaping famine, with only an empty bowl in front of her. The pressure was immense.

After Su Mingxiu slowly finished eating the bread and called “stop,” Yu Yinglan looked over with bright eyes, filled with an inexplicable expectation.

Su Mingxiu wiped her hands with a napkin, took a sip of milk, and then said to her: “Assistant Lu will take you to the W company headquarters at seven o’clock. This is your first luxury endorsement. They will have you try out a commercial. As long as you perform normally, it won’t be a problem to get a one-year contract.”

Yu Yinglan didn’t get the performance review she was expecting, only her schedule for the day. Seeing that Su Mingxiu had even arranged her evening business banquet, she finally couldn’t help but ask: “You…”

“Hmm?” Su Mingxiu raised her eyelids slightly, her jet-black pupils staring at her as if asking what her doubts were.

The little girl being stared at was still too young. Her cheeks puffed up slightly, and she finally deflated, asking in a small voice: “Do you have other plans today?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she wanted to bite her tongue.

What she really wanted to ask was why the other party wasn’t going with her today?

Sure enough, the person being asked smiled even wider. Although it was a gentle expression, it bloomed with a dazzling brilliance, attracting attention. At the same time, a cold voice that contrasted with this gentle facade came:

“I don’t think I’ve ever given you the right to control me?”

Even when she sat in the assistant’s car and arrived at the W company, Yu Yinglan hadn’t recovered from this sentence.

A senior who had worked with her before told her that Su Mingxiu’s actions always carried an indescribable charm that made people uncontrollably want to get closer. Once they got closer, they would have the urge to submit. She was born to be a ruler standing in the clouds.

The word “control” still echoed in her mind. She suddenly remembered her gambler father. The man never held back when hitting her, only because her eyes never changed when she was beaten.

So he became more and more ruthless each time, even pulling her hair and asking her slurredly if she had been subdued yet?

Even the neighbors nearby advised her not to be stubborn, as if her unyielding spirit was also a mistake.

Later, she learned to restrain herself, pretending to be weak, obedient, and helpless. Sure enough, her situation improved a little, but the flame in her heart burned even brighter.

She longed for the man’s death more than ever, and she wanted to be the one to deliver it.

The book said that some people were born rebellious. Yu Yinglan deeply agreed. Whoever wanted to control her would regret it. Su Mingxiu was the most controlling person she had ever seen in her life. Even her father would tremble at Su Mingxiu’s status—

Yu Yinglan was also afraid of her, but the more afraid she was, the more she wanted to get closer.

Because when the bones trembled to the extreme, they would boil.

“Teacher Yu?” The W brand manager who came to meet her was holding the design concept of the new product. He was halfway through his explanation when he saw her staring blankly and couldn’t help but remind her.

Yu Yinglan immediately blushed and apologized. Her appearance fell into the eyes of others. The design director in the corner had an even bigger headache. He sat in the corner with his arms crossed and complained to the advertising director beside him: “Even if you’re looking for a celebrity endorsement, you should find someone with more aura… The muse of my design is Su. Only she can be the owner of this watch. Even if you couldn’t convince her, where did you pick up this little white rabbit? Do you think this is an advertisement for a children’s watch?”

The advertising director thought of the person he mentioned and nodded approvingly. Everyone who had met Su Mingxiu would be impressed by her temperament. Many people in the industry had jokingly advised her that instead of painstakingly packaging others to debut, she should step out from behind the scenes and onto the screen. She would be the only king on the stage.

After a moment of emotion, he replied soberly: “This is a newcomer under Su, the great agent. The people she fancies are never simple, you know.”

“Oh?” Hearing him say this, the brand director looked at Yu Yinglan again.

At this moment, the rising star in the industry had already entered the fitting room.

Not long after, the curtain was pulled open, and a woman in a black and white striped professional suit walked out. Her previously weak temperament disappeared, as if she had changed into a different person. Her fair fingertips slowly buttoned the last button of her collar, and her gaze turned to the brand manager: “To become its master, not its bearer, is that right?”

Yu Yinglan recalled the irregular dial, cold tones, and sharp edges of the watch design on the design drawing. Her eyes were slightly unfocused, which made her tone and pauses different, as if everything in front of her was quietly waiting, waiting for her bestowal.

The person in charge of communicating with her was stunned.

Suddenly, sporadic applause sounded from not far away. The design director stood up and looked at her with some surprise. Then, as if remembering something, he praised: “You’re great.”

“You remind me of my initial muse… I almost thought I saw her just now.”

How could Yu Yinglan imitate her so well?

At this moment, the “person” being mentioned was at a private racecourse in the suburbs.

After fastening the buckle at the top of her riding boots, Su Mingxiu straightened up, tall and straight like a pine tree, yet sharp like a blade. When she reached the wall, she casually picked a long riding whip woven with red and black, but didn’t hang it on her waist. Instead, she rubbed the metal snake head on the handle of the whip, stroked the patterns on the whip inch by inch, and slowly walked out.

Before reaching the stable, she met the person she had an appointment with. Seeing her attire, the visitor couldn’t hide the surprise in his eyes. After a while, he finally found his words: “I heard that there’s a newcomer you like very much recently. Did you invite me today because of her?”

There was a highly anticipated big-budget production in the industry called “Celebrating the Mountains and Rivers.” The cast was very luxurious, and the investors were also quite powerful. Although Star Entertainment also had capital invested, it was still not easy to influence the choices of the producers and director in important casting decisions.

The person Su Mingxiu invited today was the director of this drama, Ying Song. He and Su Mingxiu were in the same circle and were relatively familiar with each other.

Su Mingxiu nodded and walked towards the stable with him. Normally, the person in charge should lead their horses out, but Su Mingxiu’s horse was special. It was a golden, fiery mare with Akhal-Teke blood, with a temper like its owner, uncontrollable by anyone. Even when feeding and walking it, the people serving it had to be extremely careful.

The first time Su Mingxiu saw this horse, her eyes lit up. Every strand of the horse’s mane seemed to be condensed from sunlight, smooth and shiny, more dazzling than gold.

“‘Yun Jin’ is still so beautiful.” Ying Song praised beside her, a hint of envy in his eyes, and then smiled at Su Mingxiu: “You’re very stingy with your treasures. You’re willing to let me see this horse again today, let me guess—the casting for ‘Celebrating the Mountains and Rivers’ has already ended, you wouldn’t want me to make an exception, would you?”

Su Mingxiu finally put down the riding whip and picked up the brush beside her, carefully brushing the fur of the little darling in front of her.

She didn’t say anything, which surprised Ying Song even more. He leaned closer and his voice became a few degrees louder: “No way? Sister Su, Ancestor Su, this matter has already been decided. You know who the female lead is. When that Mr. Song from Bai Yao Media wanted to push his lover into the position, he invested a lot of money. Didn’t Star Entertainment avoid the conflict at that time? Why are you changing your mind now?”

“Just for the newcomer under you? I saw her on the way here. She does have potential and is very malleable. But how big is the production team of ‘Celebrating the Mountains and Rivers’? I need actors who are stable and don’t cause trouble. Her? At this stage, even the fifth female lead is better than her. You’re trying to make something grow faster than it naturally would!”

Amidst the nagging complaints, Su Mingxiu put down the brush and stroked the horse’s neck as she looked at him: “I don’t need the female lead.”

“I want that villain role. You hold another internal audition. I only want this opportunity. Whether it works or not is up to you.”

After a pause, the woman added: “Haven’t you always coveted Yun Jin? One month, if you can tame her, she’s yours. This exchange isn’t a bad deal, right?”

After settling things with Director Ying and accompanying him for a few laps around the racecourse, Su Mingxiu met with her lawyer who had just finished afternoon tea. After revising her will with him and preparing to go home, the system became restless again.

[The protagonist encountered ill-intentioned people at the banquet. Please proceed to the location as soon as possible.]

Su Mingxiu, who had been running around all day, laughed in anger: “Am I the villain or the lackey?”

The system calmly replied: “A stepping stone, of course, is both an obstacle and a boost—both a villain and a lackey.”

But when Su Mingxiu arrived, she found that Yu Yinglan happened to be walking out of the hotel with her assistant. The other party was originally walking in the other direction.

But somehow, she glanced over here. The next second, she recognized Su Mingxiu’s license plate and actually trotted towards them.

When the car door opened, those exceptionally bright eyes caught Su Mingxiu’s attention. “Agent Su… Are you here to pick me up?”

Su Mingxiu’s gaze swept over her, finding nothing amiss. Guessing that the problem had been solved, she noncommittally moved inwards, seemingly acquiescing to the other party getting into the car. At the same time, she peeled a mint candy and put it in her mouth as a substitute for a meal.

Yu Yinglan, with an inexplicable burst of excitement, lost her footing when getting into the car. Her high heels tilted, and she fell straight into Su Mingxiu’s arms. The smell of alcohol, along with her fragrance, drifted into Su Mingxiu’s nose.

She raised her eyebrows, lowered her eyes to look at the person in her arms, and patiently waited for her to leave.

But Yu Yinglan, emboldened by alcohol, not only didn’t sense the danger, but instead boldly moved closer, her face as red as an apple, her breath falling near Su Mingxiu’s jaw: “I… I got the W brand contract…”

Just to say this?

Su Mingxiu bit the candy, wanting to push her away and respond, but heard her blurt out another sentence: “Will you give me a reward?”

Su Mingxiu carefully looked at the drunkard in her arms, seeing the blush on her cheeks from the alcohol, her whole being seemingly drunk and teary-eyed. Her fingertips couldn’t help but caress her cheek when a mechanical voice popped up again: “Reward her!”

Yu Yinglan’s throat moved slightly, feeling Su Mingxiu grasp her wrist. Her gaze unconsciously fixed on a small mole under Su Mingxiu’s left eye.

That mole was incredibly sexy.

But the person who possessed it was so dangerous.

Just as the other party’s long hair fell over her shoulder, brushing against Yu Yinglan’s collarbone, sending shivers down her spine, a sweet mark was left on her lips.

Along with the other party’s perfunctory sentence: “A candy as a reward.”

Too close.

Yu Yinglan felt that she only needed to slightly open her lips, and the sweet candy would fall into her mouth. That’s what she thought, and that’s what she did.

Her red lips parted slightly. Just as she was about to claim her reward, her wrist suddenly tightened, and then it was lifted—

The dazed girl looked subconsciously and saw that her hands were tied with a long red and black whip that appeared out of nowhere, locked to the support frame of the seat beside her.

“Swish.”

A soft sound, it was the sound of Su Mingxiu pressing down the window on the other side. As the car sped through the night, the cold wind whipped against Yu Yinglan’s face, unable to dodge.

She saw Su Mingxiu lean back comfortably, close her eyes, and throw a sentence at her: “However, you should sober up from being so drunk and lacking self-control.”

Reward and punishment, like the fire burning from the alcohol in her body and the wind blowing in from outside the window, Yu Yinglan was suffering in this ordeal, but she looked at Su Mingxiu’s lips and thought somewhat aggrievedly:

The candy, she hadn’t even tasted it yet.

Chapter 1: The Future Movie Queen About to Be Abandoned (1)

The moment Su Mingxiu opened her eyes, the weight on her legs made her instinctively recoil—

As her back leaned against the cold, hard back of the chair, her blurry vision focused, and she finally saw the scene before her. A beautiful woman in a dark blue cheongsam, the silk embroidered hem hanging down her sides, a silver-blue peacock embroidered on it, seemingly about to take flight, its beak just reaching the curve of the woman’s leg.

And this woman in the Suzhou-embroidered cheongsam seemed like the enchanting peacock come to life. Seeing the fleeting surprise in Su Mingxiu’s eyes, she moved even closer.

Their postures were almost seamlessly intertwined, and the woman’s voice was like a feather, gently scratching Su Mingxiu’s ear: “Did I dance well just now?”

As her senses gradually returned, Su Mingxiu’s fingertips twitched, realizing that there was a soft touch beneath them. Instinctively, she exerted force, and saw a faint blush creep onto the beauty’s earlobes. Her gaze moved downwards, noticing her palm resting on the woman’s waist.

And the spot where she had just exerted force was the woman’s waist dimple.

What an indecent act!

Just as she was overly startled and about to push the woman away and stand up, a mechanical voice finally sounded in her mind: “Host successfully deployed… World storyline loading…”

A massive influx of information surged in, instantly occupying all of Su Mingxiu’s thoughts. Her actions paused, and she recalled her identity, hurriedly reading the transmitted content.

This was a world focused on entertainment. In this world, everyone wanted to become a superstar, possessing endless fame and fortune. There was even a global “Annual Superstar List” released every year. It was said that as long as one could be in the top fifty of this list, all their dreams could come true.

There was once a beggar who accidentally passed the audition for comedians and rose to the 30th place on the list as a comedic actor.

Now he had bought an exclusive island and built it into his own paradise, possessing endless wealth;

There was also someone whose relative suffered from a serious illness, and this person, through continuous hard work in the entertainment industry, had invested in several famous pharmaceutical companies to research special drugs for their relative…

Many legends emerged, and the creator of these legends was the industry giant, Star Entertainment.

“Su Mingxiu” in this world was the ace agent of Star Entertainment. Her figure appeared in many legends. She possessed the most extensive resources and connections in Star Entertainment and even held 30% of the shares. As long as she wanted, an ordinary person with no acting talent could be on the Superstar List within a year.

But her temper was truly eccentric. She had cultivated five superstars who ranked first globally, and the most talented one had held the crown for three consecutive years. Unfortunately, all of these superstars disappeared at the peak of their careers.

And the one who made them retire was Su Mingxiu, who had initially made them famous.

Even with such a reputation, there were still people flocking to her. For those who had nothing, even a moment of glory was worth dying for—

The protagonist of the story, Yu Yinglan, also preferred to take risks.

She was born into a poor family. Her father was an alcoholic and gambler. Her mother died when she was ten years old while trying to escape debt collectors with her, accidentally falling from a dilapidated building. After that, it was the story of her working part-time to repay debts while enduring her father’s domestic violence. Until she was sixteen, she ran away from home to the seaside and encountered Su Mingxiu, who happened to be there for a walk.

[Storyline deployed! Ultimate mission released: Make Yu Yinglan hold the top spot on the Superstar List for three consecutive years, give her everything she wants, then make her owe a debt a thousand times greater than the original, lose everything, and ruin her reputation.]

Su Mingxiu came back to her senses. Just as she recognized the person sitting on her lap as the protagonist, the system’s voice rang in her mind. Her eyelashes trembled, but she didn’t speak.

The system suddenly emphasized:

[I’ve already told you, the existence of the Tempering System is to make the protagonist undergo the harshest tests during her growth, so that she can grow into a powerful being who can shoulder the world. Su Mingxiu, this is your only chance. If you fail because of your soft heart, your shattered soul will be irreparable. Without me, you will have no chance of rebirth.]

[Understood.]

Su Mingxiu’s eyes narrowed slightly. She remembered the scene when the Tempering System found her, took a deep breath, and was about to raise her hand to let Yu Yinglan get off her when she suddenly heard the system’s reminder:

[Maintain your character setting, no OOC behavior allowed!] (OOC – acronym that stand for out of character)

She secretly took a breath and paused.

From Yu Yinglan’s perspective, Su Mingxiu was almost indifferent after the initial surprise. She was unsure whether to advance or retreat for a moment, hesitating for a while before deciding to muster her courage and further test Su Mingxiu’s bottom line.

Tomato-colored lipstick outlined her lips like jelly. Seeing the fragrance about to leave a mark on her lips, Su Mingxiu reacted and timely distanced herself slightly, her right index finger resting on the other’s lips.

The always casual expression finally revealed a slight smile. Yu Yinglan saw the unpredictable Su, the great agent, bloom into a smile and thought it was encouragement. However, the other party’s cool voice slowly entered her ears: “I only agreed to watch you dance, who allowed you to sit up here?”

Instantly.

Yu Yinglan’s back suddenly went cold. She almost panicked and got off Su Mingxiu, her face flushed red as she stammered an apology: “I’m… I’m sorry…”

She had only heard that the previous superstars who followed Su Mingxiu were all stunning beauties. Although she didn’t know the specific content of the contracts, even Su Mingxiu’s assistants said that they offered everything they had in exchange for Su Mingxiu’s help.

No one could escape the seven emotions and six desires, and Yu Yinglan knew this well. Although she was reluctant, compared to being abandoned by Su Mingxiu early and losing everything, this sacrifice was nothing.

So she deliberately asked the teacher to teach her this dance in dance class, hoping to please Su Mingxiu. Who knew it seemed to have backfired?

Seeing Su Mingxiu pull out a wet wipe from the corner of the table and meticulously wipe away the remaining red marks on her fingertips, Yu Yinglan’s face turned even paler. She was already thinking about all the possible scenarios of being kicked out.

Su Mingxiu threw the wet wipe into the trash can and only then noticed that the protagonist hadn’t left yet. At this moment, her clothes were not even tidied up, her wavy hair was messy, and she stood obediently not far away, not daring to move.

She thought for a moment and said softly, “Come closer.”

After Yu Yinglan walked closer stiffly, Su Mingxiu’s gaze swept over her face, which was a mixture of shame and anger. She raised her hand to help the other party straighten her clothes. When the girl lowered her head like an obedient pet and let her smooth her hair, she reminded her faintly: “You’re going to be late for your acting class.”

Yu Yinglan looked at her blankly, her mind unable to process it, but she vaguely felt that she didn’t intend to pursue her previous offense. She could only blush and say goodbye.

When she reached the door, a voice came from behind her: “The things you give away must be things you won’t regret…”

“Think carefully about this before making an exchange next time, little girl.”

With a “thump,” Yu Yinglan’s face turned as red as fire. As she quickly fled the place, her heart was filled with one sentence: She saw through me.

She saw through her reluctance.

Strangely, the other party didn’t accept the “gift,” which somehow made her relieved.

In the study.

As soon as Su Mingxiu sent the protagonist away, she heard the short-term mission issued by the system, “Choose the most suitable script role for the protagonist to increase her popularity.”

She looked at the neat stack of papers pressed down by a sandalwood paperweight on the table, raised her hand to remove the paperweight, and when her gaze fell on the cover of the papers, the origin of these scripts surfaced in her mind.

Behind each script was a pit that the original owner had set for Yu Yinglan. Her eyes scanned through them one by one, and many possible futures unfolded before her. Su Mingxiu closed her eyes, her slender fingers gripping the smooth sandalwood ruler. The two-finger-wide, forearm-long ruler was quite stress-relieving to play with.

Seeing that she hadn’t made a decision for a long time, the system asked: “Are you not satisfied with these?”

Su Mingxiu’s fingertips tapped on the stacks of paper one by one: “This one can make money, but the investors are shady; this one’s casting director is shady; this one’s second female lead has too many schemes, and the filming environment is bad; this one can win awards, but it doesn’t make money.”

After a pause, she asked: “Didn’t you say you wanted me to give her the best?”

The system didn’t expect her to be so cooperative and immediately said with relief: “Then choose carefully.”

It was happy to see Su Mingxiu’s current affection for Yu Yinglan. After all, the greater the contrast between before and after, the stronger the protagonist would become when she climbed from the bottom.

But Su Mingxiu remained seated in her chair and asked in a low voice: “Yu Yinglan’s face, was it intentional?”

[Yes] The system didn’t hide it: “I extracted your memories. This is what your first love looked like, right? To help you adapt to the role quickly, I spent a lot of effort to find such a similar protagonist in countless worlds. Facing this face, it shouldn’t be difficult for you to get into character, right?”

Su Mingxiu took a deep breath.

An unnamed anger surged in her heart, her fingertips holding the sandalwood ruler turning white. After a while, she responded indifferently: “You’re quite intelligent, aren’t you? Choosing this face, once I fall in love, I’ll have to follow the plot to survive later on; assuming I hate her because of love and want to kill her, but I’m also afraid of your coercion and can’t kill her, you can still achieve your goal.”

System: “It’s too late to regret it now.”

She rubbed the patterns on the long ruler, quickly suppressing her anger, and only said: “Don’t regret choosing me.”

System: “?”

Unfortunately, Su Mingxiu went back to seriously studying the scripts and didn’t respond to it anymore.

This work continued until dinner time.

Yu Yinglan lived under the same roof as Su Mingxiu. They had assistants for travel and filming, and Su Mingxiu hired industry experts to teach her courses. Correspondingly, Yu Yinglan’s learning outcomes were also reviewed by her.

Today happened to be the last session of the non-physical acting class. Thinking about what happened before, Yu Yinglan held the report card given by the teacher, looked at the mediocre “Pass” on it, and still felt a little panicked.

This panic reached its peak when she knocked on the study door and saw the戒尺(disciplinary ruler) in Su Mingxiu’s hand.

So naturally, her on-site performance was even worse than during the teacher’s final assessment.

The atmosphere in the study was suffocating.

Yu Yinglan knew she was done for after her performance. She was both regretful and afraid, her eyes welling up with tears. Tears hung at the corners of her eyes, threatening to fall as she pleaded with Su Mingxiu: “I’m sorry, I was too nervous… Can you… give me another chance?”

Su Mingxiu noticed that her gaze kept falling on the ruler in her hand. After thinking for a moment, she remembered what the original owner bought this ruler for.

Her slender fingers steadily held the black sandalwood ruler. She slid the long ruler along Yu Yinglan’s spine, noticing the body under the ruler tense up and tremble…

Along with it came the memories of the original owner’s eccentric hobbies.

The system sensed her change and added fuel to the fire: “We don’t prohibit any means. If you like, you can also have her at this stage.”

The long ruler suddenly stopped at Yu Yinglan’s lower back.

It was precisely one of the waist dimples that Su Mingxiu’s fingertips had touched in the afternoon.

Yu Yinglan thought nervously, was her performance so bad that it angered Su Mingxiu to the point of losing her mind and wanting to beat her to death?

She was struggling between “gritting her teeth and enduring it” and “risking her life to remind her” when she suddenly heard two words fall behind her ear: “Scared?”