Tag: The Socially Anxious Side Character is Too Cute

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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Seeing this scene, Wen Qiaozhou was convinced that anyone else would also think she had been kidnapped.

But who could have kidnapped her?

Wen Qiaozhou quickly scanned the room. Everyone present seemed perfectly normal, and Xu Qingli was sitting freely right in front of him, showing no signs of being coerced or bound in the slightest whatsoever.

He nearly took off his glasses to rub his eyes, wondering if he’d hallucinated. Aside from the first time he’d witnessed the barrage of comments above people’s heads, it had been a long time since he’d experienced such disbelief.

However, Wen Qiaozhou soon considered another possibility—could this be some kind of invisible kidnapping?

For instance, being blackmailed into doing something against her will?

Although Wen Group didn’t prioritize its entertainment subsidiary, Wen Qiaozhou had spent enough years in the business world to know that industries like showbiz, a place driven by fame and fortune, were bound to harbor all sorts of shady dealings.

The company had strict policies against such underhanded practices, but rules were only rules. Whether subordinates secretly flouted them was something he couldn’t guarantee.

Wen Qiaozhou turned to look at Shui Miao. If Xu Qingli really was being blackmailed, her manager would surely know.

Shui Miao was also watching Wen Qiaozhou and hadn’t expected him to suddenly turn her way, locking eyes with her.

[President Wen has been staring at Pear Blossom for so long… That look in his eyes… Did I misjudge? Is really just smitten with Pear Blossom’s beauty?]

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

This was the first time someone had accused him of being swayed by looks.

Plenty of people, however, had been swayed by his.

But that wasn’t the point… The manager’s gossipy, relaxed demeanor didn’t suggest she was in trouble or had done anything wrong.

Could it be that Xu Qingli was facing a threat even her manager wasn’t aware of?

A manager was supposed to be an artist’s shield. If Xu Qingli wasn’t seeking her manager’s help despite being threatened, it could mean she either didn’t trust her or was trying to protect her.

Judging by their interactions, Xu Qingli didn’t seem distrustful of her manager.

If it was the latter, the manager still had the company’s backing. What kind of threat could Xu Qingli be facing that even the Wen Group couldn’t handle?

Or perhaps Xu Qingli had some secret of her own in someone else’s hands, making her too afraid to ask for help?

Whatever the case, Wen Qiaozhou couldn’t stand by while one of his employees was in such a situation—especially since Xu Qingli was more special to him than others.

Moreover, ever since gaining his ability, he’d rarely encountered a scenario he couldn’t decipher. This was just a small challenge for him, and he was the type that wouldn’t be able to sleep until he solved it.

“Carry on with your work. Don’t mind me,” Wen Qiaozhou said calmly, giving nothing away.

He had only planned to drop by briefly today, but now he wasn’t in a hurry to leave. After quietly instructing his assistant, he went to speak with the housekeeper.

The housekeeper hadn’t noticed anything amiss either, and the barrage above his head confirmed he wasn’t lying.

Wen Qiaozhou wasn’t surprised but didn’t press further, simply turning to leave.

*

The book explained that the Wen family lineage could be traced back centuries. According to the earliest records, the Wen ancestors were merely humble tailors. However, thanks to their skill, craftsmanship, and eloquent tongues, their business flourished, eventually elevating them to the status of illustrious imperial merchants.

However, it is a universal truth that all things must decline after reaching their peak. Over the centuries, the Wen family has experienced its ups and downs, at one point falling so low that mere survival became a challenge. Yet perhaps there truly is a talent for business in their bloodline, as no matter how severe the setbacks, within a few generations at most, they would always rise again.

One of the key elements of this promotional video was to showcase the Wen family’s long-standing heritage and profound legacy.

Initially, the company’s plan was to simply use a voiceover narration, which would have been more straightforward and easy to understand.

But after Wen Qiaozhou saw the images in Xu Qingli’s mind regarding the other female leads, he decided to divide the promotional video into three separate eras.

The first was the brilliance of their initial beginnings; the second, the vicissitudes during the war-torn period; and the third, their current pinnacle of prosperity.

Three eras, three female leads: the ancient era featured Wen Xiangxiang, the modern era Shu Ruan, and the middle period naturally fell to Xu Qingli.

The Wen family’s ancestors started as tailors, and even now, the clothing industry remains one of their core businesses. They had long since established a top-tier luxury brand, and their associated jewelry and accessories brands were also gaining increasing popularity.

The costumes for the female leads were all handcrafted by the Wen family’s treasured master tailors, each piece exquisitely made.

Xu Qingli’s first outfit was a retro-style cheongsam, and here, the advantage of her childhood dance training became evident. Her figure, which usually didn’t stand out, was now perfectly outlined by the snug-fitting cheongsam, making her appear soft and graceful—utterly flawless.

Wen Qiaozhou sat in a rattan chair by the window, gazing through the newly installed one-way glass as Xu Qingli emerged from the cobblestone path, holding an oil-paper umbrella. Like a refreshing breeze, she seemed to breathe life into the moss beneath her feet, evoking the poetic image of “a girl like lilac.”

The director was clearly very pleased with this scene, praising it repeatedly and asking her to walk the path a few more times.

Under the eaves, Xu Qingli turned gracefully. The dark green fabric of today’s cheongsam was notoriously difficult to pull off, especially for young women. If not worn well, it could easily make them appear older. But her fair skin made her resemble a dewy little green pear, and the elegance and classical charm in her lowered gaze were nothing short of stunning.

Wen Qiaozhou suddenly grew curious. What sort of scene was playing out in her mind right now?

Unfortunately, Xu Qingli’s gaze never drifted his way. Unhurried, Wen Qiaozhou sipped his tea leisurely.

Finally, after filming this segment, the crew began changing props, giving the actors a brief break. The director reviewed the footage while Xu Qingli tiptoed over, watching silently for a moment before retreating just as quietly.

As she turned her head, her eyes swept past the window where Wen Qiaozhou sat, and he caught a fleeting glance.

In her mind, her chibi avatar had also donned a cheongsam today. But unlike the poised and graceful image she projected in reality, the Xu Qingli in her inner world twirled around gleefully before energetically kicking her short legs, hopping into a flowerbed to chase butterflies.

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

It seemed she was quite satisfied with the cheongsam and was in good spirits.

He had come to realize that this girl’s inner world and outward demeanor seemed to be two entirely different personalities.

In the past, Wen Qiaozhou had little patience for such people, finding them insincere. But for some reason, this time, far from disliking it, he instead felt inexplicably amused.

Wen Qiaozhou observed for a while longer, confirming that none of these people posed any issues to her. Xu Qingli’s shoot was proceeding smoothly, and the little girl in her mind was no longer being held hostage, now brimming with liveliness instead. Satisfied, he quietly left the premises.

At the very least, the person who had “kidnapped” her wouldn’t be among today’s filming crew.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Leaving the estate, Wen Qiaozhou headed straight to Huo’an Hotel to attend an important meeting.

During a break in the meeting, he stepped out of the conference room for some fresh air and spotted Huo Wanfeng walking past the doorway, surrounded by a group of bodyguards, accompanied by a young man.

The man beside him looked somewhat familiar, though Wen Qiaozhou couldn’t immediately recall where he’d seen him before.

“Second Master Huo,” Wen Qiaozhou called out, stopping them.

Huo Wanfeng turned around, still holding a grudge over being barred from visiting the estate during the shoot today, and wasn’t keen on engaging with him. But in front of outsiders, he didn’t want to embarrass Wen Qiaozhou either. After a brief internal struggle, he forced a stiff smile on his face. “President Wen is such a busy man, how do you have the time to come to my family’s hotel?”

He emphasized the words “my family” heavily, though even without that, Wen Qiaozhou could tell from the barrage of captions above Huo Wanfeng’s head that he was still upset. Smiling faintly, Wen Qiaozhou said, “I was hoping to treat you to dinner, Second Master Huo. Would you honor me with your presence?”

Wen Qiaozhou was notoriously difficult to pin down, and invitations from him were exceedingly rare. Huo Wanfeng was instantly mollified, though he still insisted on putting on airs. “Tonight? What a coincidence. Unfortunately, I already have plans to dine with Young Master Xu. Perhaps another time?”

“Young Master Xu?” Wen Qiaozhou glanced at the young man beside him and finally remembered who he was.

This was the man Xu Qingli had been afraid of at the last fashion event, the one she hadn’t wanted to sit next to. His name was something like Helin or Linhe.

Wen Qiaozhou had been more deeply impressed by the “monster” in Xu Qingli’s mind and hadn’t paid much attention to the man himself. He’d even forgotten about this detail until now. Could he be the one who had “kidnapped” Xu Qingli?

Unable to resist, Wen Qiaozhou studied Xu Linhe a moment longer.

[So this is Wen Qiaozhou?]

[Damn, just a pretty boy who got lucky being born into the Wen family.]

[Doesn’t seem that intimidating. Huo Wanfeng’s just a naive fool with too much money. Birds of a feather flock together, so they’re probably quite similar.]

[Still, there’s benefit in befriending this kind of person. Better play nice.]

“President Wen, I’ve long admired your reputation,” Xu Linhe extended his hand, his smile impeccably polished. “You’re even more handsome than the rumors suggest. It’s truly an honor to meet you in person. By the way, I’m Xu Linhe, just a small-time actor.”

Huo Wanfeng chimed in helpfully, “Young Master Xu is the only son of Director Xu Wenjing. He just won Best Actor at the TV Awards and has starred in many acclaimed works—extremely talented.”

[Having a powerful father sure is nice. Winning awards through sheer nepotism, without any fear it would backfire.]

Xu Linhe maintained his smile, though his thoughts clearly disagreed.

[Damn it, must you always bring up my dad? Can’t you see I have legions of fans? Are you blind?]

Wen Qiaozhou shook Xu Linhe’s hand briefly before releasing it. “So it’s Young Master Xu. My apologies for not recognizing you earlier.”

“You flatter me, President Wen,” Xu Linhe replied. “You’re swamped with responsibilities and your time is precious. Unlike me, a man of leisure. How about… you and Second Master Huo discuss business tonight, and we’ll reschedule our dinner for another time?”

[Slaving away, yet aren’t you still just working for your grandmother?]

[Meanwhile, I’m living the high life, making money effortlessly while eating, drinking, and having fun. Isn’t that much more enjoyable than your life?]

“Indeed, I can’t compare to Young Master Xu’s carefree lifestyle,” Wen Qiaozhou said with a smile. “But Huo Wanfeng and I don’t have any serious business either. If you don’t mind, why don’t we have dinner together tonight?”

“Sounds great.” Xu Linhe nodded, pleasantly surprised. “If President Wen doesn’t find it intrusive, I’d be honored.”

[Hahaha, so getting into Wen Qiaozhou’s social circle isn’t that difficult after all.]

[Seems like that playboy Huo Wanfeng is somewhat useful after all. I should treat him better from now on.]

Huo Wanfeng, however, looked surprised. After excusing himself from Xu Linhe, he pulled Wen Qiaozhou aside and whispered, “He’s just an idiot. Why would you want to have dinner with him?”

“My reasons are the same as yours,” Wen Qiaozhou replied.

“I’m trying to learn about the entertainment industry. Though Xu Linhe’s a good-for-nothing, his father’s a famous director and his mother’s a producer. He’s been immersed in this circle since childhood and knows it better than anyone,” Huo Wanfeng explained. “Do you need to learn about the entertainment industry too? Don’t you already know everything?”

“There are still some things I don’t know,” Wen Qiaozhou said.

“I don’t believe that.” Huo Wanfeng knew Wen Qiaozhou well enough. “I think you’re up to no good.”

“You guessed right.” Wen Qiaozhou nodded. “So you don’t have to come.”

“Now I definitely will.” Huo Wanfeng was never one to miss out on potential drama. “I’m coming no matter what.”

Wen Qiaozhou: “…Suit yourself.”

After they left, Wen Qiaozhou went to a corner, took out a handkerchief to wipe his right hand thoroughly, then threw it in the trash before calling his assistant, “How’s the progress on the promotional video?”

“Everything’s going smoothly,” the assistant replied. “But we probably won’t finish shooting today.”

“No rush.” Wen Qiaozhou said. “Everyone’s worked hard. Treat the entire crew to dinner tonight at Huo’an Hotel.”

Author’s Note:

President Wen: I’ll take the initiative to help my wife solve her problems.

Then proceeds to gather her and all her “fish” at the same table.

Xu Qingli: Thanks a lot.

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any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
support mio on kofi! ◡̈

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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Xu Qingli returned home with a heavy heart, still feeling gloomy. She just wanted to indulge a little and maybe have some barbecue and beer.

But her assistant, Xiao Yezi, strictly enforced Shui Miao’s orders, keeping a tight rein on her diet. At this late hour, she could forget about her beloved barbecue and beer. She wasn’t even allowed any other snacks. At most, she was only allowed to have a glass of milk.

According to Shui Miao, even if Xu Qingli’s relationship with Wen Qiaozhou was currently in its ambiguous phase, she was still a celebrity. As long as she hadn’t officially left the industry yet, she had no choice but to maintain her image.

What if her connection to the Wen family turned out to be nothing? What if Wen Qiaozhou was just momentarily infatuated with her looks? If she ended up gaining weight, would he still like her?

Xu Qingli had no energy to argue with her and didn’t want to make things difficult for her assistant either, so she simply retreated to her bedroom, claiming she needed rest.

But sleep seemed to elude her. Instead, she pulled out her sketchpad and sat by the bed, drawing.

Whenever she was upset or facing difficulties, focusing on drawing always helped her to calm down.

Today, Xu Qingli wanted to sketch a comic of Wen Qiaozhou getting beaten up.

Though he hadn’t actually done anything to her, his attention alone had already put immense pressure on her. Anyways, it wasn’t like Wen Qiaozhou would ever find out about this. This was just a way for her to vent her anger peacefully.

She first started with an outline, but when she glanced back at it, she immediately forgot her original intention as the sketch was just too striking.

No wonder the author had declared him the most handsome man in the entire novel. Even as a mere outline, he was breathtaking.

Fictional characters really were the most handsome.

Xu Qingli had been drawing since childhood, and beautiful things always compelled her to capture them on paper, whether it be landscapes or people. She’d sketched plenty of attractive faces in real life, but none seemed to hold the same allure for her as Wen Qiaozhou’s.

Her desire to draw him getting pummeled faded. Now, she just wanted to create a proper portrait of this beauty. But as she tried filling in the details, she hit a snag—she didn’t actually know Wen Qiaozhou very well at all, and had little grasp of the specifics of his physique or facial features.

Attempting to fill in the gaps based on vague impressions or her general understanding of beauty only led to missteps.

He really was hard to draw. But then again, the most exquisite things always were—favored by the Creator, where the slightest deviation could ruin everything.

In the end, Xu Qingli gave up, unable to proceed further, and tucked the half-finished sketch into a drawer.

Next time she saw Wen Qiaozhou, she’d have to overcome her social anxiety and steal a few more glances.

Otherwise, this whole transmigration would feel like it had been wasted on her.

*

But the next morning, when Shui Miao knocked on her door bright and early to remind her about submitting documents at the company, all thoughts of admiring handsome men soon vanished from her mind.

What did Wen Qiaozhou even want with her information?

Couldn’t he just ask her directly if he wanted to know something? This was seriously unsettling!

Shui Miao was equally puzzled. When they arrived at the company and met Gao Xuan, she tried probing him for answers.

Gao Xuan clearly didn’t know the answer either, and simply handed over the form with a smile, explaining that it was something that was required by headquarters.

The form spanned five full A4 pages, covering everything imaginable, from basic details like height, weight, and blood type, to psychological aspects like hobbies, favorite colors, and foods, all the way down to environmental factors, including specifics like where she sat in kindergarten or who her first dance teacher had been. The list went on and on.

“There’s quite a bit to fill out, but just answer what you remember. It’s fine to leave blanks if you’re unsure,” Gao Xuan added helpfully.

Needing this much information from her… was definitely suspicious.

Shui Miao skimmed through the documents and gave Xu Qingli a meaningful look that seemed to say, Looks like you might really be part of the Wen family.

In this form, the proportion of questions about her childhood was noticeably larger.

But Xu Qingli wondered, Did Wen Qiaozhou want to see her real handwriting?

She could mimic the original owner’s handwriting temporarily, but with so many questions and having to write extensively while thinking, it was inevitable that she might slip up.

Had he truly noticed something off about her?

“Director Gao, is there an electronic version?” Xu Qingli quietly probed Gao Xuan. “With so many questions, if I make a mistake, rewriting would be troublesome… I think an electronic version would be more convenient… What do you think?”

“There is,” Gao Xuan replied without hesitation, even praising her. “Miss Xu is so thoughtful. I’ll send it to you right away.”

So straightforward?

Wasn’t this about checking her handwriting?

Xu Qingli was a bit puzzled.

But regardless, since Gao Xuan had already accommodated her request, Xu Qingli couldn’t say much else and had to exchange contact details with him.

Gao Xuan sent over the electronic version with a pleasant attitude, “Miss Xu, feel free to take it home and fill it out at your leisure. Just hand it to me when we shoot the promotional video this weekend.”

After all, it wasn’t very realistic to expect her to finish filling out so much information on the spot.

Xu Qingli agreed.

Seeing he had nothing else, the two took their leave.

Back in Shui Miao’s office, she quickly closed the door and stared intently at Xu Qingli.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Qingli felt unnerved by her gaze and touched her face. “Is there something on my face?”

“How are you so calm right now?” Shui Miao whispered excitedly. “Haven’t you realized yet?”

“Realized what?” Xu Qingli was confused.

“My guess must be right,” Shui Miao grabbed her hand. “Look, President Wen wasn’t even here today.”

“Huh?” Xu Qingli became even more confused.

What did that have to do with anything?

“President Wen paying so much attention to you can only mean two things: either he likes you, or you’re somehow connected to the Wen family,” Shui Miao analyzed logically. “Honestly, these documents seem extensive, but there’s nothing particularly special about them. If he liked you and wanted this much information, he should’ve called you to his office to fill it out in front of him—that way, he could keep looking at you…”

“…” Xu Qingli was speechless. “Sis, it’s such a shame you’re not a screenwriter.”

“You’re not even a little excited?” Shui Miao looked at her. “Since he didn’t use the documents as an excuse to see you, it’s more likely that your background is tied to the Wen family. Don’t you want to be part of the Wen family?”

Xu Qingli shook her head vigorously. “No.”

“Why not?” Shui Miao was surprised. Wasn’t it her dream to have a prestigious background?

“Just look at Wen Xiangxiang’s resources: aren’t you envious? And she’s just a distant relative. Yet President Wen personally intervened for you and is being so cautious about it… It must be a significant connection.”

All Xu Qingli wanted to do was leave the entertainment industry, so she felt no envy for Wen Xiangxiang’s resources. The only thing she envied was her freedom to come and go in the industry. However, being part of the Wen family would undoubtedly only bring her more complications, not less.

For example, according to the novel, Wen Qiaozhou alone had dozens of cousins, not to mention all his other relatives. Just thinking about it was already overwhelming. Besides, if the original owner really was part of the Wen family, why had she been left outside? This likely involved many secrets of high society, and just imagining all the drama and intrigue was enough to make her want to scream for help.

Compared to Shui Miao’s two speculations, Xu Qingli would rather believe the third possibility: that Wen Qiaozhou had noticed something unusual about her.

After all, when it came to the matter of a soul switching bodies, as long as she stubbornly denied it, even Wen Qiaozhou wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

However, Shui Miao had always been sharp in judging people, and her reasoning made sense. So Xu Qingli still decided to be cautious, filling out the information with a mix of truth and lies. Especially when it came to her childhood memories. Anything that might be related to her origins, she deliberately kept vague.

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

The weekend arrived quickly—it was the day the company was scheduled to film the promotional video.

The shoot was taking place at one of the Wen family’s estates. Upon entering, the butler led them to the garden to rest, explaining that they would proceed to the filming location once everyone had arrived.

Shortly after they sat down, Shu Ruan and Wen Xiangxiang arrived one after another.

Shu Ruan spotted Xu Qingli and immediately came over to greet her.

Wen Xiangxiang, on the other hand, cast a distant glance in their direction before asking the butler for a blanket and lying down to catch up on sleep, with no intention of making small talk with them.

Xu Qingli had originally planned to go over and thank her, but now she didn’t have to agonize over that anymore.

Shu Ruan lowered her voice and handed Xu Qingli a small gift box, saying that it was a brooch she had made herself.

In the novel, Shu Ruan was known for her dexterity. Though she appeared as a stunning, aloof beauty, she secretly loved crafting cute little handmade trinkets, creating an endearing contrast. Several influential figures in the industry had also taken notice of her precisely because of this.

Xu Qingli opened the box and found a beautiful, exquisitely-made brooch. Coincidentally, the outfit she was wearing today seemed to be perfect for accessorizing with one, so she pinned it on immediately and thanked Shu Ruan profusely.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xu Qingli couldn’t shake off her concerns about the personal information she had submitted. She lowered her voice and asked Shu Ruan, “Did you bring the documents today?”

This question was deliberately left vague. If Shu Ruan had also been asked to submit personal information, she would naturally understand. If she didn’t, then it would mean Wen Qiaozhou had only requested Xu Qingli’s documents, confirming that he was indeed specifically targeting her.

“Documents?” Shu Ruan blinked in slight confusion before replying, “I brought them.”

Xu Qingli quickly glanced at Shui Miao, who also looked surprised. Could it really be that the company had requested these documents? Was it simply because they were the female leads of the promotional video, and the company wanted to know more about them because it involved the company’s image? 

“Just a moment.” Shu Ruan stood up and returned to her seat, retrieving a thick stack of documents from her bag before handing them to Xu Qingli.

Xu Qingli was torn between wanting to see the contents yet also feeling it might be inappropriate. But when she looked down, she realized it wasn’t personal information at all, it was actually the history of Wen Group’s development.

As the female leads of the promotional video, they naturally needed to be well-versed in Wen Group’s background. On the day the leads were finalized, Gao Xuan had also distributed these materials to everyone. No wonder Shu Ruan had misunderstood her meaning.

“Thank you,” Xu Qingli said, accepting the documents. “I just needed to look something up.”

Upon hearing this, Shu Ruan assumed she wanted to study and excused herself to go prepare elsewhere.

Xu Qingli pretended to read the materials, but her mind was in turmoil. Why was Wen Qiaozhou so focused on her? And what exactly was he planning to do?

Just as she was thinking about him, his deep and mellow voice sounded from behind her, “Miss Xu, are you studying diligently, or just cramming at the last minute?”

For a second, Xu Qingli thought she was hallucinating. Then she realized Wen Qiaozhou had actually arrived. Only one thought filled her mind: 

Wen Qiaozhou might have discovered my secret. Since he’s so skilled at reading people, I have to stay on guard around him.

The best thing is not to think about anything at all. That way, he won’t have anything to observe.

“Good morning, President Wen.” Xu Qingli turned around and greeted him politely.

Wen Qiaozhou hadn’t seen the little figure above Xu Qingli’s head for several days and had genuinely started to miss it. Occasionally, he would even be momentarily distracted and wonder whether the chibi-style figure of her he had seen was real or not.

The moment their eyes met now, he couldn’t help but eagerly glance up at her head.

The little figure was still there, but… it was sitting in a chair, its hands and feet tightly bound with ropes that were nearly as thick as its wrists. Its mouth was stuffed with a large wad of fabric, completely unlike the staged kidnappings in TV dramas where the strip of cloth would fail to even smudge lipstick. This one was shoved in so tightly it looked downright uncomfortable. The little figure stared in his direction, its big eyes wide and round, brimming with confusion, innocence, and a pitiful plea for help.

Wen Qiaozhou: ???

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any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
support mio on kofi! ◡̈

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Shui Miao sent her phone number to Gao Xuan and then turned to Xu Qingli with an inquisitive look on her face, “You didn’t even give your new number to President Wen? What kind of game are you playing here? Are you playing hard to get?”

“No…” Xu Qingli sighed helplessly, “How could I possibly tell him if I don’t even have President Wen’s contact info?”

Should she go and shout it out loud at the company?

Shui Miao: “…”

Clearly not believing her, she asked, “How could you possibly not have President Wen’s contact information?”

“…” To that, Xu Qingli simply had no words to say, so she simply handed her phone over. “See for yourself if you don’t believe me.”

Just as Shui Miao took it, an incoming call popped up. It was an unknown number with no saved contact.

Since she didn’t have Wen Qiaozhou’s number either, she wasn’t sure who it was and quickly shoved the phone back into Xu Qingli’s hands.

“…” Xu Qingli tapped the speakerphone button and asked softly, “Hello, may I ask who’s calling?”

After a brief pause, a deep, slightly husky male voice came through, “Wen Qiaozhou.”

Xu Qingli’s head snapped up as she stared at Shui Miao in shock: It really was Wen Qiaozhou! Why was he calling?

Shui Miao was even more bewildered than her: How should I know? And why did you put it on speaker?!

After all, she had no interest in being force-fed dog food¹.

Perhaps the silence had already stretched on for too long, as Wen Qiaozhou spoke up impatiently, “Miss Xu?”

“Ah, yes…” Xu Qingli snapped out of it, stammering, “President Wen, how are you…? May I ask what this call is about?”

“The documents I mentioned to you last time, have you submitted them yet?” Wen Qiaozhou asked.

Xu Qingli: “…”

The last time they’d run into each other near her apartment complex, Wen Qiaozhou had said he was visiting a friend in the area and casually asked her for some documents, telling her to hand them over to Gao Xuan. But he also hadn’t specified what exactly they were.

At the time, Xu Qingli’s emotions had been all over the place, so the request had naturally gone in one ear and out the other. Later, with no reminders and Gao Xuan not asking about it either, she’d completely forgotten about it.

Shui Miao hadn’t even known about this and was now frantically signaling Xu Qingli with her eyes.

Reading her lips, Xu Qingli whispered, “I’m sorry, President Wen… Should I deliver them now?”

“No need,” Wen Qiaozhou said. “Just give them to Director Gao tomorrow.”

“Got it.” Xu Qingli hurriedly agreed.

After hanging up, Xu Qingli and Shui Miao exchanged a glance before they both fell silent.

After a long pause, Shui Miao finally asked, “What documents?”

Xu Qingli recounted the incident.

“…” Shui Miao also found it odd. After a beat, she pressed her further, “So you really didn’t have President Wen’s number saved?”

“Yeah.” Xu Qingli nodded innocently.

Then it suddenly hit her: didn’t she have Wen Qiaozhou’s number now?

“Then how do you two usually communicate?” Shui Miao couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer.

Xu Qingli blinked. “We don’t.”

Shui Miao: “…Then how did he know to specifically send food over to you today since you were hungry?”

“Wasn’t that just him caring for his employees?” Xu Qingli didn’t dare overthink it. “Didn’t he send some to everyone?”

If anything, it was more likely out of respect for Shui Miao’s reputation than hers. After all, this was a top-tier manager they were talking about.

Shui Miao had initially been convinced the two were already involved with each other, but Xu Qingli’s expression was too genuine for her to be lying. Hesitating for a moment, she finally asked outright, “Be honest with me—just how far have things progressed between the two of you?”

When Gao Xuan called earlier, Shui Miao had assumed it was because Xu Qingli and Wen Qiaozhou had a falling out, and that Xu Qingli had blocked him as result, making her gasp at her supposed boldness. Only now did Shui Miao realize the situation might be different from what she had imagined.

“There’s nothing going on,” Xu Qingli clarified quickly, noticing Shui Miao’s deep misunderstanding and fearing it would become even harder to explain later. “We’ve only met a few times, and you were aware of each occasion. In total, we’ve only barely exchanged a few sentences.”

Shui Miao was puzzled. “Then what exactly does President Wen mean by all this?”

Previously, sending food could still be brushed off as concern for an employee, though no one had ever heard of him showing such care before. But the phone call just now was absolutely out of the norm for him.

If this matter had been so important, why had they forgotten about it earlier, and why hadn’t Gao Xuan mentioned it at all?

Moreover, since the documents were to be handed over to Gao Xuan anyway, and since he had already called to ask them for Xu Qingli’s new contact details, why hadn’t he just asked them for the documents directly? Why did Wen Qiaozhou need to call them again? And yet, Wen Qiaozhou called late at night but didn’t immediately ask for the documents, making it seem anything but urgent.

But if it wasn’t important, why would the president of the company personally call to follow up on documents in the middle of the night?

If it were anyone else, Shui Miao would have thought the call was just an excuse to hear Xu Qingli’s voice. But when applying that logic to Wen Qiaozhou, it suddenly felt completely out of character—it was impossible. After much deliberation, Shui Miao suddenly said, “Could it be…”

When she trailed off, Xu Qingli couldn’t help but press her for more details, “What?”

“I remember you said that you’re an orphan, and that you’ve been raised in a welfare home since childhood,” Shui Miao hesitated before asking, “Do you have any memories of your life before the welfare home?”

Xu Qingli froze. “You mean…”

“Well, the Wen family is such a prominent and large household, and I’ve heard the inside story is full of drama…” Shui Miao stopped herself before elaborating on her speculation and cut straight to the conclusion. “So losing a child or having an extra illegitimate child wouldn’t be out of the question, right?”

Based on Xu Qingli’s account, she and Wen Qiaozhou had almost no private interactions. Shui Miao truly couldn’t imagine Wen Qiaozhou being the type to fall in love at first sight with a woman. Furthermore, there hadn’t been any noticeable flirtation in that call either.

But if he genuinely suspected Xu Qingli might be connected to the Wen family, his insistence on obtaining the documents would make sense.

Xu Qingli: “…”

Is it really that coincidental?

In the original novel, her character had merely been a supporting role, with little background detail provided by the author. It was briefly mentioned that she was an orphan who, due to exceptional talent and with a small amount of luck, had gained the opportunity to study dance. As for her biological parents, the author never addressed it, or perhaps they had never even been mentioned in the story.

But now that the novel’s world had become reality, a person couldn’t possibly just appear out of thin air. So who were the original character’s real parents?

Could it really be connected to the Wen family?

No, there was actually another possibility, and that was that Wen Qiaozhou had already noticed the differences between her and the original character and was doing all this to deliberately test her.

The novel had described Wen Qiaozhou as exceptionally skilled at reading people. There wasn’t a single person who could hide their secrets from him.

Xu Qingli’s head spun.

So was she already doomed to fail?!

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

In Huo’an Hotel, Wen Qiaozhou hung up the phone and lit a cigarette.

Before he could bring it to his lips, Huo Wanfeng suddenly leaned in from behind, nudging him. “You sly dog.”

Wen Qiaozhou ignored him and turned away.

Huo Wanfeng, however, thought he was trying to avoid the topic and stubbornly pressed forward, determined to thoroughly expose him today, “Going to such lengths to get her phone number in the middle of the night, wasn’t it all just so you could hear her voice? Yet you had to put on this nonchalant act with that flimsy excuse about needing documents, so lame. She’s a signed artist under your company for crying out loud, what documents of hers could you possibly not have access to? The information you can dig up might even be more comprehensive than what she knows herself…”

Before he could finish talking, Wen Qiaozhou raised his hand and stuffed the cigarette into Huo Wanfeng’s mouth instead. “You talk way too much.”

He couldn’t explain to him that the reason he had asked Gao Xuan to get Xu Qingli’s number and called her personally was simply to conduct an experiment.

Earlier that afternoon, his damned curiosity had gotten the better of him. He had lingered a little too long scrolling through trending topics, and when he tried to exit, his finger slipped, accidentally tapping on a livestream link.

It wasn’t an official broadcast but a personal livestream by one of the artists who had just walked the red carpet and was heading into the venue.

Wen Qiaozhou had no interest in such things and was about to exit when he caught sight of Xu Qingli and her manager in the very corner of the camera frame.

His finger hesitated for half a second, and then he noticed both of their expressions shift slightly as they began looking around.

What had they seen?

Curious, Wen Qiaozhou watched as Xu Qingli turned her head, her gaze meeting his through the screen.

Above her head, a “monster” with the body of a qilin and the wings of a white crane, gripping a bloodied knife as it chased after the familiar chibi version of herself.

The little girl spun like a top. Although her legs were short, her steps were lightning-fast. Her long hair fluttered in the wind, and even sparks seemed to fly out from the ground beneath her frantic steps. The sight was both pitiful and amusing.

Just as the corner of Wen Qiaozhou’s lips twitched upward, the screen suddenly went black.

Only then did he remember what the host had mentioned earlier. They had said that the inner venue would infringe on too much privacy to continue streaming and that they would be ending the livestream.

Though he felt a twinge of regret, Wen Qiaozhou hadn’t planned to do anything about it. He was about to set his phone aside when his movements abruptly halted, his expression shifting slightly. Had he just seen Xu Qingli’s inner world through the screen?

As far as he could recall, his ability had a limited range. Once text became too blurry to read, he could no longer see the thought bubbles. He also seemed to never have seen anyone else’s inner thoughts through a screen before.

But then again, he rarely watched livestreams and seldom engaged in video calls, so he wasn’t entirely sure whether he had never seen them or simply hadn’t noticed before.

To test his theory, Wen Qiaozhou randomly clicked into another livestream.

Coincidentally, it was the official broadcast of that day’s red carpet.

The guests on the red carpet waved and smiled at the camera, their heads completely empty, with no thought bubbles in sight.

Wen Qiaozhou was about to look for others when he spotted a comment mentioning the name “Xu Linhe.”

Instantly, the image of the “monster” from Xu Qingli’s head flashed through his mind. Wen Qiaozhou was almost certain that this was the very person she was afraid of.

Although he didn’t know what history existed between the two of them, Xu Qingli was, without a doubt, now the most unique existence to him.

So until he figured out why she was so special, he was still willing to help her with small favours like these that were easy for someone like him to solve.

So Wen Qiaozhou messaged his assistant, instructing him to call Wen Xiangxiang and have her intervene on Xu Qingli’s behalf.

Later, Wen Qiaozhou checked a few more livestreams and confirmed that through a screen, he couldn’t see anyone else’s inner thoughts.

This only deepened his curiosity. Why was Xu Qingli the only exception to this?

Then he suddenly had a whimsical thought: if video comments could be seen, could they also be heard over a phone call? He had never heard them before.

And that was what led to the phone call earlier.

“You’re just lashing out of embarrassment.” Huo Wanfeng, unaware of his many secrets, took a leisurely drag of the cigarette, looking quite pleased with himself at this deduction.

Wen Qiaozhou shook his head and turned to walk back inside. “You seriously talk too much. How on earth will your future wife put up with you…”

“How do you know she wouldn’t like a chatterbox?” Huo Wanfeng’s voice was clearly uncertain. “Who knows, maybe she’s the type that doesn’t like talking much herself and enjoys listening to others instead?”

“She?” Wen Qiaozhou glanced at the top of his head.

[Can’t let Seventh Master Wen find out I fell for her at first sight… He’d never let me live it down.]

Huo Wanfeng laughed awkwardly and changed the subject, “By the way, isn’t your company’s promotional video shoot this weekend? Can I come watch?”

Wen Qiaozhou narrowed his eyes and walked back. “Since when are you interested in these kinds of things?”

“Haven’t you all been saying I’m too idle and should find something to do? So I’ve been looking around lately, and… I’m not good at much else, but I do have some interest in the entertainment industry.” Huo Wanfeng said. “So, I thought I’d go and broaden my horizons.”

[But the main reason, of course, is to chase after my wife.]

[But I can’t let Seventh Master Wen find out.]

Wen Qiaozhou remained silent.

“Seriously?” Huo Wanfeng couldn’t help but exclaim when he got no response. “You won’t even agree to such a little thing? You’re not usually this petty.”

“You’re wrong.” Wen Qiaozhou patted his shoulder firmly. “I’ve always been this petty—you can’t go.”

Huo Wanfeng: “…”

---

Petty King WQZ: tease me about my wife, and i’ll block you from being able to pursue yours 🙂

there will be double updates at chapters 10, 15, and 20! i’ll be stopping the double updates and continuing with one weekly chapter after bc chapters past chapter 22 get absurdly long, with every chapter being 6k-11k characters QAQ

any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
support mio on kofi! ◡̈

1. Slang used to humorously describe couples’ PDA as giving out ‘dog food’ to the ‘single dogs’ ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Xu Qingli walked straight to the end of the red carpet in one breath, even overtaking the group of guests ahead of her.

It wasn’t until a staff member stopped her and asked for her signature that she paused.

Afraid that her signature might expose her, Xu Qingli casually drew a chibi-style pear and tried to leave immediately after signing. However, the host intercepted her, “Pear Blossom, come on over.”

With no choice, Xu Qingli had to stand in the interview area.

“You walked the red carpet unusually fast today. Is there a reason for that?” the host asked, deliberately glancing at Yu Cheng behind her with a provocative look in their eyes.

Xu Qingli replied, “Would you believe me if I told you I just really needed to use the restroom?”

The host: “…”

Just then, the group of guests Xu Qingli had overtaken earlier arrived at the interview area. She gestured for the host to interview them instead and quickly slipped away.

Her haste wasn’t just due to social anxiety. Another reason was that Yu Cheng was also one of the “fish” the original host had hooked into her romantic fishpond.

The original host had no significant background, so most of the people she interacted with were industry insiders. The chances of running into them at various events were alarmingly high.

What made it worse was that the two of them had recently collaborated on a drama. Though they weren’t the lead roles, because both their names contained a type of fruit, netizens had paired them together as the “Fruit CP¹.”

The moment Xu Qingli appeared in the red carpet waiting area, Yu Cheng had sidled up to her, deliberately leaning in just to whisper in her ear. Seriously, his intention to fuel the CP rumours was blatantly obvious.

CP fans in the audience had immediately erupted into excited screams, making Xu Qingli’s scalp tingle.

But what unsettled her even more was Yu Cheng’s overly intimate behavior.

The moment he got close, the warmth of his breath against her skin made her unbearably uncomfortable, while the overpowering scent of cologne he wore made her want to sneeze.

And so, Xu Qingli had bolted down the red carpet.

Though socially anxious, she wasn’t out of touch with the world. She kept up with news and had a decent understanding of fandom culture, so she knew her actions had pretty much amounted to her personally dismantling this CP.

Both Yu Cheng and the CP fans would probably be furious, right?

If Gao Xuan got angry too, that would be perfect. He had just helped her secure a photoshoot location, yet now she couldn’t even walk the red carpet properly. It was downright ungrateful of her.

She hoped he’d stop giving her resources altogether, letting her fade into obscurity.

With these hopeful thoughts, Xu Qingli headed toward the event hall.

The pathway between the red carpet area and the hall was lined with media personnel.

Xu Qingli had walked the red carpet too quickly, leaving the media with few usable shots. Now, they were all shouting at her:

“Pear Blossom, look this way!”

“Xu Qingli!”

“To the right!”

“Turn around!”

The noise made her head throb, and she quickened her pace even more.

In their urgency, the crowd surged forward. Someone lost their footing, nearly falling, and chaos briefly erupted.

Xu Qingli was walking with her head down when something suddenly flew toward her, grazing the tip of her nose.

Reacting swiftly, she instinctively caught the object, which turned out to be a pair of glasses with thick lenses, smeared with what looked like coffee stains.

This section of the pathway was narrow and short, so no staff had been stationed there. No one had expected an accident like this, and soon, security quickly arrived to restore order.

Xu Qingli scanned the crowd and spotted a media reporter in the front row, slightly hunched over, squinting as he looked around, his gaze unfocused. Beside him on the ground lay a shattered coffee cup.

The glasses were clearly his.

There happened to be a handkerchief in her bag, so Xu Qingli casually wiped off the liquid before walking over and placing the glasses in the reporter’s hand.

The residual warmth on the glasses made the reporter pause for a moment.

At that moment, Shui Miao arrived with the staff, shielding Xu Qingli as they escorted her toward the inner venue while bombarding her with questions about whether she was alright.

It wasn’t until they reached the inner venue that the staff dispersed.

Shui Miao still remembered what Xu Qingli had said during the interview earlier. She didn’t actually believe Xu Qingli needed to use the restroom. Given the ambiguous relationship between Xu Qingli and Yu Cheng on set, along with their sizable CP fanbase, Shui Miao figured Xu Qingli was deliberately avoiding any impropriety to spare Wen Qiaozhou any discomfort.

But since she’d lied, they had to follow through, so Shui Miao led her straight to the restroom.

This suited Xu Qingli perfectly. The inner venue was packed with people, and just the thought of greeting everyone made her scalp tingle, let alone having to socialize.

Ideally, she could hide in the restroom until the event ended.

Once they reached a quieter area, Shui Miao lowered her voice and asked, “That guy was from Star City First in Entertainment. And you actually still wiped his glasses for him?”

Star City First in Entertainment had once been highly reputable in the industry, but with the decline of print media, they’d taken a turn for the worse, specializing in digging up dirt on celebrities.

If there was no dirt, they’d fabricate it; they’d do anything for clicks and traffic.

Most importantly, they were backed by the same investors as Xiao Chuxia. Since Xiao Chuxia and Xu Qingli had overlapping personas, Star City First in Entertainment had frequently targeted Xu Qingli with smear campaigns.

Shui Miao had seen it clearly from outside—the reporter had crouched down to snap unflattering photos of Xu Qingli from an awkward angle, which was how someone had managed to knock his glasses off.

So, Shui Miao thought not stomping on them was already an act of kindness. Why bother wiping them clean before returning them?

Although Xu Qingli had inherited nearly all of the original owner’s memories, they weren’t truly her own, so they didn’t come naturally. Without actively recalling them, some people and events that were somewhat irrelevant to her wouldn’t immediately click.

She was already nervous enough in such a crowded setting, so how could she possibly spare the energy to figure out whether she had any grudges with a particular paparazzo?

She’d just acted on impulse. Wiping the glasses had also been a way to distract herself and ease her tension.

Who could’ve guessed he was from the rival camp?

“Well, there were so many people watching…” Xu Qingli mumbled before suddenly coming up with an idea. “Someone must’ve filmed it, right? This could be a chance to improve my image a little.”

Shui Miao paused, then nodded approvingly. “Good point. I’ll have someone track down the footage and make sure you trend.”

Xu Qingli: “…”

That wasn’t exactly necessary.

“You’ve been doing really well lately,” Shui Miao praised, glancing around to ensure no one was nearby. “You’re becoming more and more mature.”

“Mature?” Xu Qingli wondered if she’d misheard. “The red carpet earlier… won’t it have any negative impact?”

“Relax. I checked the comments. Although there are some haters, overall, most people are praising you for being genuine and adorable.” Shui Miao said. “Sacrificing a few shippers to boost public favor is worth it. Especially since it completely draws the line with Yu Cheng… brilliant.”

Pleasing Wen Qiaozhou meant endless resources, and with resources came exposure. With that, why worry about lacking fans?

Xu Qingli: “…”

So her plan had backfired again?

Just what kind of luck was this?

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Xu Qingli lingered in the restroom for a long time before finally emerging.

Shui Miao had never wanted her flirting around in the first place, and now that she knew Xu Qingli was fully focused on Wen Qiaozhou, she didn’t say a word.

The two of them leisurely made their way back to the event hall. Yu Cheng was looking around in another corner, possibly searching for her.

Xu Qingli jolted in alarm and hurried to find her seat. When she saw it clearly, her heart sank once more.

For this event, the original owner had previously pulled some strings for her to be arranged to sit next to a male actor who had debuted not long ago. Though the actor wasn’t particularly famous yet, he had excellent resources, landing lead roles right from his debut. The original owner had coincidentally happened to watch his latest film, which had high production value and was likely to become a hit.

The original owner had high hopes for this actor and wanted to extend her goodwill before he rose to stardom, believing such relationships to be the most stable.

It had to be said, the original owner had a keen eye in this regard, because in the novel, that actor did indeed become a sensation later on.

But now, Xu Qingli’s seat wasn’t next to that actor. Instead, she was seated beside Xu Linhe!

Xu Linhe was already in his seat, gazing in her direction. Catching Xu Qingli’s glance, he smiled faintly at her.

Despite the smile being gentle, Xu Qingli still sensed a hint of warning behind it, causing her to tense up inexplicably.

Xu Linhe’s parents were industry heavyweights, placing him among the top of the nepo baby pyramid. Though his actual achievements were mediocre, event organizers always showed him respect, ensuring he got the best seats. The current seating arrangement, however, was one the original owner had compromised on to accommodate the male actor, and was hardly befitting of Xu Linhe’s status.

Xu Qingli couldn’t help but glance at Shui Miao.

Shui Miao’s expression was also grave as she whispered, “Seems like he’s doing this on purpose.”

Last time, he had acted magnanimous, as if he didn’t care much about Xu Qingli, so how come he had now changed his mind in just a few days?

Xu Qingli: “…”

In the novel, Xu Linhe was indeed a troublesome character, but he had been fixated on Shu Ruan. It was only after the male lead, Huo Wanfeng, intervened that he finally stopped causing trouble.

What should she do now?

“Should I ask someone to switch seats with you?” Shui Miao scanned the guests, considering who might be suitable.

But they had arrived late, and many guests were already seated. Without a solid reason, switching seats now would draw attention and embarrass Xu Linhe—possibly backfiring.

“Forget it.” Xu Qingli decided it was best not to involve more people. Gritting her teeth, she resolved to take the seat. At worst, she’d offend Xu Linhe, and if he blacklisted her, that would actually be even better. “I’ll just go—”

Before she could finish, a haughty female voice called from behind, “Xu Qingli!”

Xu Qingli and Shui Miao turned simultaneously to see Wen Xiangxiang striding toward them.

“Miss Wen.” Xu Qingli nodded slightly in greeting.

“I’ve got my eye on your seat,” Wen Xiangxiang said coldly. “Switch with me.”

Xu Qingli was both startled and delighted, studying Wen Xiangxiang for a moment.

Today, Wen Xiangxiang was also wearing a voluminous gown, adorned with a luxurious emerald necklace, her chin slightly raised. Her tone was imperious, like a spoiled princess unfamiliar with the notion of being denied.

Nearby onlookers exchanged subtle glances, thinking Wen Xiangxiang was being overly domineering.

But for Xu Qingli, this was akin to giving her a pillow just as she was about to doze off, simply the perfect opportunity! Feigning hesitation, she paused briefly before replying, “Alright.”

This way, she had been forced to change seats, able to avoid sitting next to Xu Linhe while temporarily not offending him either.

Seeing her agreement, Wen Xiangxiang didn’t bother to even say a word of thanks, lifting her skirt and heading straight for Xu Qingli’s seat.

Xu Linhe had noticed the commotion too, looking slightly stunned. However, he didn’t dare to offend Wen Xiangxiang either and said nothing in opposition.

Only then did Xu Qingli heave a long sigh of relief, quickly moving to take Wen Xiangxiang’s seat.

This spot was closer to the front, with popular celebrities seated on either side of her. Xu Qingli politely greeted them when she first sat down but didn’t speak again afterward.

They had all witnessed the earlier incident, and the male star to her right even comforted her, “Miss Wen has a bit of a princess syndrome, but it might not necessarily be ill-intentioned. At least this seat isn’t bad, right?”

He clearly thought she was upset about the seat swap, so Xu Qingli could only smile at him and say, “Thank you.”

Truthfully, she also found Wen Xiangxiang’s behavior a bit odd.

No matter how you looked at it, Xu Qingli had helped Wen Xiangxiang in getting the female lead role in the promotional video. So logically, Wen Xiangxiang shouldn’t have come to take her seat.

Even if she wouldn’t be grateful, openly snatching someone else’s seat in front of so many people wasn’t exactly the best thing for her own reputation.

No matter how much of a princess complex Wen Xiangxiang had, why would she go and tarnish her own image?

But if you said she had done it to help Xu Qingli—well, that was something Xu Qingli couldn’t quite believe either. How would Wen Xiangxiang even know she didn’t want to sit next to Xu Linhe?

After turning it over in her mind without reaching any conclusion, Xu Qingli decided to stop overthinking it. After all, she didn’t really understand Wen Xiangxiang as a person, so she simply stopped thinking.

The latter half of the event passed quickly without further incident. Once it ended, Xu Qingli left immediately, but as soon as she reached the parking lot, Wen Xiangxiang caught up to her. “Xu Qingli.”

“What is it?” Xu Qingli stopped and turned to look at her.

“I helped you today, so let’s consider us even from last time,” Wen Xiangxiang said awkwardly, still wearing her haughty expression. “I don’t owe you anything now.”

“You knew I didn’t want to sit there?” Xu Qingli stared at her in surprise. “How did you know?”

“Beg me, and I’ll tell you,” Wen Xiangxiang suddenly smirked.

Xu Qingli: “…”

Before she could respond, Wen Xiangxiang glanced to the side and added, “Never mind, we’ll talk next time. You should go now.”

Following her gaze, Xu Qingli saw Xu Linhe approaching as well.

“Let’s go,” Shui Miao hurriedly opened the car door.

Only after the car left the garage did Shui Miao speak up. “Could it have been President Wen?”

“Huh?” Xu Qingli didn’t follow.

“The only one who could make Wen Xiangxiang sacrifice her image to help you is probably President Wen, right?” Shui Miao guessed.

But she wasn’t so sure. If it was Wen Qiaozhou, did that mean he knew about Xu Qingli’s… fishkeeping? And he still helped her?

Xu Qingli was even more confused. “But he wasn’t even there. How would he know? And why would he ever do something like that? It couldn’t have been him!”

Shui Miao was about to say more when her phone rang. Seeing it was Gao Xuan, she quickly answered, “President Gao?”

“Why isn’t Pear Blossom’s phone working?” Gao Xuan asked urgently.

Shui Miao froze. “Her phone broke, and she just got a new number… Sorry, we haven’t had time to report it to the company yet.”

“You two are going to be the death of me,” Gao Xuan muttered.

“Did something happen?” Shui Miao asked nervously.

Gao Xuan replied, “President Wen is looking everywhere for her.”

Xu Qingli: ?

---

weekly updates r back!

any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
support mio on kofi! ◡̈

1. CP = couple pairing. Yu Cheng’s name “Cheng” is an orange. ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

The elevator doors closed once again, and after ascending several floors, someone finally broke the silence in the quiet cabin with a hushed voice, “I never expected to run into President Wen here.”

“It’s not that surprising. The Wen and Huo families have always been quite close after all.”

“He seems different from the rumors. I heard he’s very fierce, but he seemed quite gentle.”

“Still, his presence is too overwhelming. I accidentally made eye contact with him just now—damn, my legs went weak.”

“More like you went weak-kneed from how handsome he is.”

“Hahaha, he really is even more handsome than the rumors say.”

*

As everyone chattered, Shui Miao glanced at Xu Qingli beside her.

Now she was certain—Wen Qiaozhou had only scanned the group briefly, but his gaze had lingered solely on Xu Qingli.

The fact that they had been granted access to film on this rooftop today must also be connected to Wen Qiaozhou.

It seemed she had underestimated Xu Qingli.

From what she knew, Xu Qingli hadn’t left the house in days. Counting their encounters up until now, she and Wen Qiaozhou had only met a handful of times. How on earth had they gotten so close?

Did she have some kind of cloning ability?

Xu Qingli, oblivious to Shui Miao’s thoughts, was lost in her own daydream. Earlier, she had noticed Wen Qiaozhou carrying a bag of food, and that delicious aroma she smelled had also come from it.

What exactly had he bought? It smelled amazing!

And now she was even hungrier.

They soon arrived at the rooftop.

The group stepped out and got to work.

Unlike the usual bare rooftops, this one was adorned with flowers, lounge chairs, and more, resembling more of a resort.

The photographer circled the area, picking out a few spots and started to direct the team in setting up props.

Xu Qingli tensed up, her hunger momentarily forgotten.

She rarely went out normally, let alone had opportunities to pose for photos. Being photographed under the scrutiny of so many people was a first for her.

Would she finally crash and burn right here? The Huo family had lent her this prime location out of respect for the Wen Group, only for her to fail at even striking a pose, her skills utterly lacking. Then Wen Qiaozhou, furious, would blacklist her on the spot.

If that really happened… it might not be so bad.

With that thought, Xu Qingli suddenly felt much less nervous.

“Pear Blossom¹, look toward the ocean. Keep it natural, you don’t have to force a smile…” The photographer adjusted the lens, searching for the right angle. “Yes, this is your style today… just like that. Perfect!”

Xu Qingli could hardly believe her ears. She hadn’t even done anything yet.

Was he being sarcastic?

But the shoot went smoothly. Shui Miao went over to review the shots and returned, giving Xu Qingli a thumbs-up. “Your presence in front of the camera today was great, very fashion-forward. Well done!”

Xu Qingli: ?

During the shoot, she had already realized that this body, after such long-term training, had already developed muscle memory when in front of the camera. Even without experience, she somehow naturally adjusted herself according to certain angles, avoiding stiffness in front of the camera.

But being praised repeatedly was still unexpected for her.

Curious, she went over to take a look. The photographer was just reviewing a frontal shot and made room for her when she approached.

In the photo, she wore a black spaghetti-strap maxi dress with a slight sheen and her hair was tied in a high ponytail, further accentuating her elegant shoulders and neckline and harmonising with her delicate features. Her expression was aloof, yet her eyes were clear and bright, with the endless ocean stretching behind her… The overall effect was a paradoxical blend of cold fragility and vibrant vitality.

Even Xu Qingli herself loved this photo—she looked just like her original appearance.

When Xu Qingli first transmigrated, she noticed that while her facial features were strikingly similar to the original owner’s, for some inexplicable reason, they still looked like two completely different people.

But this photo looked more like her true self.

While the team made edits to the photos, Xu Qingli searched for some of the original owner’s past photos on her phone to compare.

Unexpectedly, Shui Miao noticed and mistook her actions as studying performance techniques. Unable to hold back, she remarked, “Your previous issue was being too deliberate.”

“Huh?” Xu Qingli was lost in her own thoughts and didn’t catch it clearly, reflexively making a questioning sound.

“Look at your past expressions.” Shui Miao pointed at the old photos and lowered her voice. “You were too eager to showcase your charm…”

Her face was practically screaming, “Look at me, I’m irresistible!”

The original owner had a habit of keeping admirers on a hook, always trying to present her most attractive side. While she was undeniably beautiful, it felt too superficial and lacked a certain depth to it.

Today, whether she was feeling down, slacking off, or starving to the point of discomfort, all of it was her genuine emotion, making her appear more natural.

Cameras have a way of capturing truths the naked eye might miss.

It was only after seeing the contrast today that Shui Miao realized this, “Now that you’re not overthinking it, the shots also turn out more authentic.”

She assumed this change was because Xu Qingli had decided to stop stringing people along.

Xu Qingli didn’t bother explaining and let her believe what she wanted to believe.

For the rest of the shoot, Xu Qingli followed Shui Miao’s advice, focusing on expressing her genuine emotions. Combined with the muscle memory of her body, the session went surprisingly smoothly.

Just as the shoot wrapped up, Xu Qingli caught a familiar scent and instinctively glanced toward the door.

Her hunger immediately surged back. She was starving!

The staff member who had greeted them earlier pushed the door open, carrying two large bags of food.

Xu Qingli’s eyes lit up, her mouth practically watering.

Shui Miao grabbed her arm. “You haven’t walked the red carpet yet.”

So you can’t eat.

Xu Qingli: “…”

“President Wen said everyone’s worked hard, so he sent some food down for you all.” The staff member opened the bags and specifically pulled out a smaller one. “This is for Miss Xu, it’s low-calorie.”

Xu Qingli shot Shui Miao another pleading look.

Shui Miao: “…”

She silently withdrew her hand. If Wen Qiaozhou said so, could she even argue?

But one thing truly puzzled Shui Miao—Xu Qingli had been within her sight the entire time, and she was certain there had been no contact with Wen Qiaozhou. So how did he know Xu Qingli wanted something to eat?

Were they communicating via their brainwaves?

Or was it just from that one glance they exchanged in the elevator earlier?

If that were the case, even she might start shipping them.

Shui Miao couldn’t help but watch Xu Qingli, who was already digging in eagerly. Unlike most female celebrities who ate with restrained elegance, or those who wolfed down food when famished, Xu Qingli ate with a focused reverence, as if being able to respect the food was an honour in itself.

It was a complete reversal from the past.

Before, Shui Miao never had to monitor Xu Qingli’s eating habits. The original owner had been ruthlessly strict about her figure, never indulging. Even when she had to eat, it felt like a chore. Today, it was like she was a different person—not pretending, but as if her very soul had been swapped.

The thought startled Shui Miao.

Has she been reading too many novels? How could something like a soul swap even happen?

With a full stomach, it was time to get back to work. There was still so much to do.

For example, the photos taken needed to be posted as soon as possible.

Today’s event had already been teased by media and marketing accounts for several rounds, and fans were eagerly waiting on the results.

Because this venue was so hard to come by, they had even added another outfit, increasing their workload.

Fortunately, the photos turned out well and didn’t require much editing.

Shui Miao had originally prepared to have a few marketing accounts repost the photos as soon as they were released to ensure they trend, but she abandoned the idea at the last moment. This time, they should be able to make it to the trending list on their own.

*

This was just how the entertainment industry worked these days, and female celebrities were inevitably compared in terms of beauty and red carpet appearances.

This was especially the case for actresses like Xu Qingli and Xia Chuxia, who had similar styles. Marketing accounts would repeatedly pit them against each other, dragging their fans into endless battles with their online manipulation.

Today was no different. The celebrities attending the event had started releasing their photos since the morning. Some were stunning, while others flopped, making it quite the spectacle.

Xia Chuxia’s studio had released her photos relatively early. She had borrowed a high-end couture gown with a dramatic skirt, and the retouched images were dazzling, quickly landing her on the trending list with overwhelmingly positive feedback.

Meanwhile, Xu Qingli’s studio had yet to release any photos. When one fan left a comment expressing anticipation, it was met with a wave of mockery.

[Sure, Xu Qingli can pull off the innocent sweet girl persona, but what’s there to look forward to on the red carpet?]

[She’s such a weird one—her face and figure are decent, but somehow, she always seems to lack soul on the red carpet.]

[She’s got no substance to begin with, yet she dares to call herself a femme fatale. I’m laughing myself to death.]

The fans were furious but didn’t know how to counter the criticism. Just then, Xu Qingli’s studio finally released the photos.

The fans, lacking confidence, nervously clicked to view them only to jump in excitement on the spot. They rushed to their supertopic to share the news, only to find the chats already buzzing.

Today, Xu Qingli released two sets of photos—one in a black, high-fashion editorial style and another in a white, pure and innocent look.

Completely different styles, yet she pulled off both effortlessly. Her eyes, in particular, were brimming with life, a stark improvement from the previous criticism about her lacking soul.

But what excited the fans even more than Xu Qingli’s performance was the shooting location.

[Holy shit! Isn’t this Huo’an Hotel?!]

[My girl has finally made it! This is beyond anything I could’ve imagined!]

A quick check across major platforms showed overwhelmingly positive feedback.

[Xu Qingli seems like a completely different person today.]

[The view from the top floor of Huo’an Hotel is amazing!]

[So many people attended the event, so why was Xu Qingli the one allowed to shoot up there?!]

[LOL, stay mad.]

[I declare Xu Qingli today’s best-dressed.]

[Yeah, right. Studio photos are all about heavy editing. Let’s see the red carpet and live shots first.]

*

Today’s red carpet was being livestreamed, and quite a few netizens were watching. When Xu Qingli’s appearance was announced, the comment section was still filled with arguments.

[Pear Blossom’s look today is absolutely worth the hype!]

[What does Xu Qingli even do besides posing seductively?]

[Pear Blossom is just that stunning—deal with it.]

[I’m betting a pack of spicy strips Xu Qingli will take the longest to walk the red carpet again.]

When the long-awaited figure finally appeared on screen, the barrage comment section suddenly fell silent.

Xu Qingli was wearing a black gown, her figure graceful and her skin so fair it seemed dipped in milk, instantly drawing all eyes to her. The media photographers were shouting her name, but Xu Qingli, expressionless, strode forward as if she hadn’t heard them.

The male actor walking the red carpet with her seemed like he hadn’t snapped out of his daze yet, but Xu Qingli was already nearing the end of the carpet.

The livestream camera perfectly captured his utterly bewildered expression.

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

“Hahahaha, I’m dying.” Huo Wanfeng sprawled lazily on the sofa, clutching a tablet in his hands, laughing so hard he nearly toppled over.

The next second, a crumpled ball of paper flew toward him, hitting him right on his tall, straight nose bridge.

“Ow!” Huo Wanfeng yelped, looking up at Wen Qiaozhou, who sat composedly working at the side. “What was that for?”

Wen Qiaozhou: “If you have nothing better to do—”

“I was watching Little Rabbit on the red carpet, she’s too cute.” Huo Wanfeng shoved the tablet right under Wen Qiaozhou’s nose, but as soon as he saw his gaze flicker over, he quickly pulled it back. “Never mind, you probably don’t want to see.”

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

“I won’t disturb your work.” Huo Wanfeng stood up. “I’ll go find someone else to chat with. After all, there must be plenty of fellow fans.”

With that, he actually headed to the adjacent lounge.

Wen Qiaozhou glanced at his retreating figure.

[I refuse to believe he can resist watching.]

What’s so irresistible about it? Aren’t all red carpet appearances the same?

Did he think his self-control was really that weak?

Wen Qiaozhou lowered his head and continued working.

The lounge was only separated by a folding screen, so every few seconds, he could hear Huo Wanfeng burst into exaggerated laughter.

The laughter was too over-the-top, too theatrical. It was devoid of genuine amusement, and obviously just bait for him.

Wen Qiaozhou scoffed softly and kept working.

But Huo Wanfeng’s laughter suddenly cut off a short while later.

It must be another trick.

If he ignored it, the laughter would surely resume.

Yet Huo Wanfeng remained eerily silent.

Three minutes later, Wen Qiaozhou lifted his gaze slightly, stealing a glance toward the lounge.

From this angle, he could only catch a sliver of Huo Wanfeng’s profile. He still seemed to be staring at the tablet, but he hadn’t moved for a while, his focus unnaturally engrossed.

Wen Qiaozhou stood up, picked up his cup, and went to refill it.

The water dispenser was right next to the lounge. As Wen Qiaozhou approached, he could clearly see the barrage of text floating above Huo Wanfeng’s head.

[Ahhhh so gorgeous! I’m gonna die!]

Wen Qiaozhou frowned slightly, but Huo Wanfeng’s tablet was blocked from his view. Without getting closer, he couldn’t see what was on it. From the audio, it still seemed to be the red carpet event.

After a pause, Wen Qiaozhou turned back to his seat and picked up his phone to check trending topics.

#Xu Qingli Huo’an Hotel#

#Xu Qingli Red Carpet#

#Yu Cheng Xu Qingli#

#Fastest Female Guest on the Red Carpet#

He already knew about the Huo’an Hotel situation. After a brief hesitation, Wen Qiaozhou tapped on the #Yu Cheng Xu Qingli# tag.

Turns out Yu Cheng was a male actor who had recently collaborated with Xu Qingli on a drama. The trending page was flooded with videos and GIFs of them walking the red carpet together.

At the start, Yu Cheng bent his arm slightly, waiting for Xu Qingli to loop hers through his. But Xu Qingli, whether from nerves or anxiety, didn’t even glance his way, already walking straight ahead.

Dressed in an elegantly tailored black gown, her slender neck fair and luminous, she walked expressionlessly the entire way, like a haughty black swan that had accidentally wandered into the human world.

Left behind, Yu Cheng failed to control his expression and looked completely bewildered.

While others walked the red carpet, she treated it like a mere formality.

Wen Qiaozhou couldn’t help letting out a soft chuckle. Suddenly, he was overcome with an intense curiosity. What was the little figure in her heart up to right now?

---

i love my babies so much QAQ

any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
support mio on kofi! ◡̈

1.  I’m assuming Li Hua or Pear Blossom is her stage name/nickname so I’ll be translating it as such from now on ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

As soon as Wen Qiaozhou left, Shui Miao arrived with the driver and assistant in tow. Her expression was somewhat complicated.

Xu Qingli immediately recalled that Shui Miao had previously warned her not to come downstairs. Yet not only had she actually come down, but she had also run into Wen Qiaozhou. Worried that Shui Miao might think she had done it on purpose, Xu Qingli hurriedly explained, “Um… didn’t my phone fall into the water? That’s why I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to reach me, so I came down to check.”

Shui Miao had indeed misunderstood her. Even if her phone hadn’t been working, the driver or assistant could have been sent to tell her, and there was no need for Xu Qingli to come down personally.

However, Shui Miao wasn’t too concerned about that anymore. When Wen Qiaozhou’s car had driven past earlier, the window on the driver’s side had been open, and from a certain tricky angle, she had caught sight of Wen Qiaozhou actually smiling.

Wen Qiaozhou might have a bad reputation, but that didn’t mean he never smiled. So a simple smile wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy.

The problem was, he wasn’t smiling openly, but was actually smiling secretly!

And he had been smiling in Xu Qingli’s direction!

Wasn’t that just the kind of behavior typically seen in someone who had been lovestruck?

Shui Miao didn’t dare associate Wen Qiaozhou with being lovestruck, but one thing was undeniable—Xu Qingli really could effortlessly make Wen Qiaozhou happy.

If that were the case, then why should she worry so much?

If the two of them ended up together, Xu Qingli would become the boss’s wife, with Shui Miao standing to benefit as well.

And even if they didn’t end up together, given Xu Qingli’s skills, she probably wouldn’t suffer any losses.

Thinking about it this way, anything Shui Miao did now would only complicate things.

Shui Miao had completely come around this time. She had originally planned to advise Xu Qingli to not think with such a lovestruck brain, but now she felt it was unnecessary. After all, who the one with the lovestruck brain here was still up for debate.

“It’s fine,” Shui Miao said gently. “As long as the issue is resolved. I’ve also dropped a hint of our intentions to Xu Linhe as well. He’s smart, so he should understand what I mean.”

“Thank you, Sister Miao.” Xu Qingli was overjoyed.

According to the original owner’s notes, Xu Linhe was a difficult character to deal with and required careful handling. If the matter could be resolved so easily, then that that would be perfect.

“Let’s go. Change your clothes, and we’ll go get a new SIM card.” Shui Miao ended the conversation.

After getting the new SIM card and looking at her phone, which now only had contacts for her manager, assistant, and driver, Xu Qingli felt a wave of relief wash over her.

Although this relief was only temporary, it was still enough to allow her catch her breath.

As for the troubles she would inevitably face in the future, well, she’d worry about them when they came.

Over the next few days, Xu Qingli happened to not have any work lined up, so she rearranged her home according to her own preferences. Aside from the essentials, she packed up all the original owner’s belongings and stored them in a separate room, not forgetting to include the water-damaged phone.

No matter what kind of person the original owner had been, no matter how much she herself didn’t want to be here and transmigrate into this body, it was an undeniable fact that this body ultimately belonged to the original owner. The least Xu Qingli could do was preserve as many traces of her existence as possible.

At the same time, she also took the opportunity to buy some paper, pens, and a drawing tablet to continue her drawing.

The original owner hadn’t known how to draw, so Xu Qingli had worried her hands wouldn’t cooperate with her brain. Surprisingly, aside from a bit of initial awkwardness, she soon quickly adapted.

After completing a few satisfactory pieces, Xu Qingli’s emotions stabilized considerably. She reanalyzed her current situation, and after much deliberation, concluded that the best course of action was for her to leave the entertainment industry.

A clean break.

This way, she wouldn’t have to worry about all those troublesome things like acting, singing, or facing the camera. Even the issue of the “fish pond” would be completely resolved with this move. Most of the “fish” the original owner had raised were people in the entertainment industry, with the rest being investors related to it. As long as she stayed away from the entertainment industry, she naturally wouldn’t have the opportunity to cross paths with these people again.

Moreover, distancing herself from those familiar with the original owner would make it less likely for anyone to notice that this body now housed a different soul.

Leaving the industry was an excellent solution—except for the fact that she had one problem: the original owner had signed a ten-year contract with the company, and only three years had passed so far.

Although Wen Qiaozhou had a bad reputation, the company’s contracts were industry-standard, with no loopholes to be exploited.

It was precisely because there were no loopholes that Xu Qingli found it even harder to terminate her contract.

In the early stages of her career, the company had invested heavily in training the original owner in various skills necessary for a newcomer, with the training period lasting for half a year. Now, unless the company was at fault, the only way to terminate the contract was to pay the stipulated penalty fee.

Originally, the money the original owner had earned over the past two years wasn’t an insignificant amount, but she had already spent it all. Xu Qingli was much poorer than she had imagined. In any case, she definitely couldn’t afford the termination fee.

If she wanted to terminate the contract, she could only rely on unconventional methods.

For example, privately negotiating with the higher-ups on waiving the contract termination fee.

But that was obviously very unlikely to succeed. She hadn’t saved Gao Xuan’s life either, so why would he give up a cash cow that was still generating profits?

Xu Qingli refused to give up and subtly asked Shui Miao about it.

Shui Miao laughed and replied, “Sure, if you become the boss’s wife, you could even have Gao Xuan terminate the contract for you.”

Xu Qingli: “…”

Becoming the boss’s wife was even less realistic than finding a way to return to her original world.

That left only one option—flopping. If the company saw no value in her, terminating the contract would become much easier. Even if they didn’t terminate it, she’d be left with no jobs lined up and would be unemployed at home, effectively no different from terminating her contract.

Anyway, since she couldn’t act or sing, had low emotional intelligence, and was socially awkward, flopping should be quite simple for her.

Though in actuality, this approach also carried significant risks. In the novel, the original owner had first fallen from grace before meeting her demise. So, the best outcome for her was to fade away gradually, quietly disappearing from public view rather than suddenly crashing and burning overnight.

She still had to attend scheduled work events and maintain a good attitude. She could be incompetent, but she couldn’t self-sabotage.

After a brief break, Xu Qingli’s first assignment was attending a fashion event.

The day before the event, Shui Miao took Xu Qingli to try on the evening gown.

The original owner’s innocent “white lotus” appearance wasn’t particularly favored in the fashion world, so this time, Xu Qingli opted for a change in style, and deliberately chose a black gown. The simple yet elegant cut, made of silk, accentuated her curves, but any flaws in it would also be glaringly obvious.

Shui Miao circled Xu Qingli once, frowning. “Have you been eating too much lately?”

Xu Qingli checked herself in the mirror but didn’t think she looked any heavier. Casually, she replied, “I’ve been eating very little.”

“What did you have for lunch?” Shui Miao pressed.

Xu Qingli: “Cola chicken wings and—”

“You actually dare to eat cola chicken wings?! Meat and sugar—you were never this careless before!” Shui Miao was furious. “What else?”

Xu Qingli: “…That’s it.”

She loved good food. In her original world, she ate when happy, when upset, when inspired, and when uninspired. Not only did she cook all kinds of dishes, but she also kept a constant stock of snacks all year round.

However, she was also afraid that eating too much would make her unhealthy, so she made sure to exercise regularly and wasn’t overweight.

But clearly, she had forgotten that the standards for being “overweight” for female celebrities were different from those for ordinary people.

“Xiao Yezi, you’ll go back with Li Hua¹ today and keep an eye on her.” Shui Miao obviously didn’t believe Xu Qingli’s words, but she couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. She simply instructed the assistant, “Starting from today, she can only eat boiled vegetables. After breakfast tomorrow, no more food. and try not to drink water either.”

Xu Qingli: “…”

Help!

Aside from the misery of being deprived of good food, there was another important issue—Xu Qingli knew that the original owner’s excessive dieting, coupled with the constant chatting until late at night, had been the ultimate cause of her death, collapsing in the bathroom from sudden cardiac arrest. When she transmigrated into this body, she had been lying unconscious on the floor.

But this wasn’t something she could easily explain to others.

Please let her flop quickly.

Shui Miao clearly wasn’t just making empty threats, but even called in constantly to check in.

Xiao Yezi was extremely dutiful, and Xu Qingli, being socially anxious, didn’t want to make things difficult for an assistant, so she could only endure it herself and go to bed early.

The next day, Shui Miao took one look at her good complexion and flat stomach, and was very satisfied, immediately taking her straight away to do hair and makeup.

Today’s styling was meant to match the edgier look of the evening gown, and the makeup artist said it would be finished even quicker than usual.

Yet the entire process still took two hours.

Xu Qingli: “…”

Their definition of “quick” was clearly not the same as hers.

After makeup, it was time for photos.

At events like this, with many celebrities attending, the locations and backdrops of the photos became points of comparison among fans. Sometimes, it could even hint at a celebrity’s connections and status in the industry.

For example, tonight’s fashion event was being held by the beach, next to the Huo’an Group’s five-star hotel.

The rooftop of the hotel offered a unique view and an elevated vantage point for shooting the sea view—a perfect spot for taking photos.

But the Huo family was no minor wealthy clan. This five-star hotel was primarily used to host distinguished guests, and they rarely lent it out for photoshoots.

That’s why most people wouldn’t even dream of asking.

Shui Miao hadn’t dared to consider it before and had planned to shoot by the beach like everyone else. But just before leaving, she overheard staff gossiping about how a certain award-winning actor had failed to secure the venue and was throwing a tantrum over it.

Although this comment had been made casually, it gave birth to an idea in Shui Miao’s mind. On a whim, with an attitude of giving it a try anyway, she called Gao Xuan, mentioning how Xu Qingli’s gown would look perfect against the rooftop as a backdrop and asked if he could help arrange access.

There was a pause on Gao Xuan’s end. Shui Miao braced herself for him to scold her for overreaching, but instead, he said he’d ask and asked her to wait.

Less than twenty minutes later, Gao Xuan called back with an approval.

Shui Miao hadn’t actually expected it to work and was momentarily stunned. However, she played it cool, calmly instructing the team to change the shoot location.

“Wow, you guys actually got Huo’an’s  rooftop?”

“Sister Miaomiao’s influence is insane!”

“Or maybe it’s just that Li Hua’s that popular now.”

“Li Hua looks stunning today, the rooftop shots will definitely be next-level.”

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

The styling and photography teams buzzed with excitement and envy.

Xiao Yezi even whispered to Xu Qingli, “Li Hua, you’re amazing! The number of celebrities who’ve shot on Huo’an’s rooftop can only be counted on two hands. You’re definitely going to crush Xiao Chuxia this time—her fans are gonna lose it.”

Xiao Chuxia had debuted with the title of “First Love Goddess,” following the same innocent and delicate image as Xu Qingli, making them direct competitors of each other.

Although Xu Qingli was slightly more popular, but Xiao Chuxia had a better reputation. Their fans often clashed whenever they met, with their teams not getting along either.

Xu Qingli was well aware of all this, but she was simply too hungry to care.

She’d only had an egg and some vegetables that morning, and now that it was lunchtime, her stomach was staging a full-on “Empty City Stratagem².” But with the photos still unshot and the red carpet yet to be walked, Shui Miao would never allow her to eat.

The group arrived at the Huo’an Hotel, where staff had already been notified and were waiting to escort them through the VIP entrance. That way, the other guests wouldn’t be disturbed, and no one came to bother them.

There were quite a few of them, but fortunately, Xu Qingli’s dress didn’t have a long hem, so they all managed to squeeze into the elevator.

Just as the doors closed, they slid open again. Obviously, someone outside wanted to get in.

Xu Qingli’s nose twitched as the scent of food wafted in. Unable to resist, she glanced toward the door and unexpectedly locked eyes with a pair of strikingly beautiful peach-blossom eyes.

“Sorry, this lift is already full—” The staff member at the door suddenly stopped mid-sentence, quickly correcting himself, “President Wen!”

Standing outside the elevator was none other than Wen Qiaozhou.

Shui Miao reacted swiftly, signaling for everyone to step out first.

“No need.” Wen Qiaozhou waved a hand, his tone gentle. “You go ahead first.”

A quick glance around the elevator revealed the thoughts of over a dozen people, all inwardly marveling at the luxury and attentiveness of the five-star hotel. Only the little figure atop Xu Qingli’s head sat amidst a mountain of snacks, munching away happily.

The moment she spotted him, the little figure looked up, one cheek stuffed full, a smattering of crumbs still clinging to the corner of her mouth, looking utterly adorable.

It made him want to reach out his hand and wipe them away for her.

This was probably the pinnacle of “drawing a cake to satisfy hunger³,” right?

Poor little thing.

---

WQZ: woman, you’ve successfully caught my attention

any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
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1.  I’d assume this is either her stage name, a nickname, or the original owner’s actual name that they’ve never mentioned before QAQ  ↩︎
2.  “空城计” Empty City Stratagem — comes from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It refers to a clever ruse where an empty, vulnerable city pretends to be full of troops to scare off enemies. Here, it’s a witty metaphor for her stomach being “empty but putting on a brave front.” ↩︎
3.  The phrase 画饼充饥 literally means “drawing a cake to satisfy hunger,” a Chinese idiom referring to trying to satisfy oneself with mere illusions or empty promises. The literal translation plays on this metaphor for humor and irony. ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Although Shui Miao was stunned speechless, she still felt that it was best to avoid anything backfiring, so she said, “I’ll go down and take a look first. I’ll call you later depending on the situation, and you can come down then.”

“Okay, thank you, Sister Miao.” Xu Qingli nodded gratefully, only to remember that her phone was currently broken and wouldn’t be able to make any calls.

Xu Qingli: “…”

This is seriously akin to taking her life.

How did transmigrating into a novel also make her brain transmigrate away?

After a moment of hesitation, Xu Qingli put on her hat and decided to go downstairs to check things out as well.

If Shui Miao couldn’t contact her and something unexpected happened, things would definitely come to explode in her face.

Moreover, the current situation was already quite different from what was described in the novel. Based on her experience with transmigration novels, a character’s predetermined ending couldn’t be so easily changed.

If she were to crash early and die again… as long as she could return to her original world after dying, that would be fine. But if she were to just disappear after death, wouldn’t that be a huge loss for her? Although she might be socially anxious, she still didn’t want to die.

In any case, this was her own matter after all, and she couldn’t rely entirely on Shui Miao to solve it.

Even if she had to die, she wanted it to be in her control.

The elevator was empty, and Xu Qingli breathed a sigh of relief.

This community had been rented at a high price by the original owner due to its good security measures, as well as the fact that most residents were either wealthy or influential, making it convenient for her to attract potential lovers.

Not to mention, the environment was truly good, and even the parking spaces were larger than those in other parking lots.

The parking space rented by the original owner was a bit off to the side and slightly farther from the building where she lived, requiring one to turn the corner to see it.

At this time, there weren’t many people in the garage. Xu Qingli slowly approached, hiding behind a pillar at the corner and looking towards her parking space.

Shui Miao was talking to a tall man, who had his back to her, making it impossible to see his face clearly.

Just from his build, Xu Qingli was certain that it wasn’t Wen Qiaozhou. Wen Qiaozhou was taller, had longer legs, and had a more upright posture… In short, that man should be Xu Linhe.

Xu Qingli glanced around, and saw that aside from her driver and assistant, there didn’t seem to be anyone else here.

So where was Wen Qiaozhou?

Had he already been sent away by Shui Miao?

So could she go back then?

Just as Xu Qingli was about to turn around, her assistant noticed her. She opened her mouth slightly, seemingly wanting to say something. But in the next second, her expression suddenly turned panicked, and she made a series of complicated gestures towards Xu Qingli.

Without the tacit understanding between the original owner and her assistant, Xu Qingli couldn’t understand what she was trying to convey.

What happened?

Before she could react any further, Xu Qingli heard a slightly hoarse, deep male voice coming from behind her, “Miss Xu, what are you doing?”

Wen Qiaozhou!

Xu Qingli turned around abruptly.

Wen Qiaozhou was dressed casually today, wearing a British-style plaid jacket that reached his knees, accentuating his tall and upright figure and giving him an ethereal demeanour.

Xu Qingli stared into Wen Qiaozhou’s eyes, momentarily unable to look away.

To outsiders, she appeared calm even when facing Wen Qiaozhou.

However, Wen Qiaozhou noticed that the chibi character above her head was tightly hugging a pillar, repeatedly banging its forehead against it with a bang bang bang sound effect. There was also a tangled ball of black lines clearly visible above her head, indicating that she was clearly so scared she couldn’t even think.

Was he really that scary?

No, it was her who was doing something she felt guilty for.

Wen Qiaozhou quickly discerned the situation and instinctively looked in the direction she had been peeking at.

“President Wen!” Xu Qingli finally snapped back to reality at the critical moment and called out to him, “What are you doing here?”

Wen Qiaozhou withdrew his gaze and saw the little figure on her head still clinging to the pillar, though it was no longer banging its head, instead, it was staring intently in his direction while holding its breath. Although the little figure made no sound, he could almost feel the fact that she was about to suffocate out of sheer nervousness.

What was most astonishing was the large, red bump on the little figure’s forehead—clearly received from the earlier head-banging.

What attention to detail.

To think that this girl still had such intricate thoughts despite being so terrified.

Wen Qiaozhou couldn’t bring himself to tease her any further and said. “I have a friend who lives in this neighborhood,” he said.

So it turned out that he was just was here to visit someone.

Xu Qingli: “…Oh.”

Was that her only reaction? Wen Qiaozhou was slightly surprised. Though they hadn’t met often, based on his understanding of her, her response shouldn’t have been so simple.

The next second, the little figure atop Xu Qingli’s head suddenly released its grip on the pillar and fell backward with a “bang,” landing flat on its back. A large thought bubble slowly rose above its head: [Turns out he wasn’t here to see me.]

Wen Qiaozhou: ?

Why would she think he was here for her?

Narrowing his eyes, Wen Qiaozhou was about to say something when he saw the little figure spring back up like a carp leaping out of water. The pillar vanished, and in her hands appeared… a fireworks tube?

The little figure twisted the base of the fireworks tube, and with a pop, the fireworks shot into the air before raining down. The little figure spread her arms and spun gleefully beneath the falling fireworks, her joy practically overflowing.

Just how much did she not want to see him?

Wen Qiaozhou adjusted his silver metal-framed glasses and calmly added, “And since it’s on the way, I also came to see you, Miss Xu.”

The chibi figure slipped—splat!—and fell flat on her face. The fireworks that were still falling mid-air instantly transformed into large bean-sized raindrops, mercilessly pelting down on her body. Messy strands of hair clung to her cheeks, and her eyes welled up with tears, seamlessly shifting from excitement to utter dejection.

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

He felt slightly more balanced now.

“See… me?” Xu Qingli asked with difficulty. “Is there something you need?”

“Aren’t you going to film a promotional video? HR needs a copy of your information,” Wen Qiaozhou lied offhandedly.

“Information?” Xu Qingli stared at him blankly.

The tiny figure above her head mirrored her expression, its large eyes filled with even more confusion.

She was a company artist. If they needed her documents, wouldn’t it be easy for them to obtain it? Why would the CEO personally make a trip for this?

Oh, right, it was because she was on his way.

But still, stopping by on the way was still an unnecessary move on his part.

“Mm.” Seeing her like this, Wen Qiaozhou couldn’t bear to tease her anymore. “Just give them to Gao Xuan,” he said before stepping into the nearby SUV with its headlights on.

The door closed, and the SUV made a U-turn, passing by Xu Qingli. The driver’s window had been rolled down, and the driver nodded politely at her.

Xu Qingli reflexively returned a perfectly practiced smile before realizing something was off. Why did the driver look familiar?

The car looked familiar too… Wasn’t this the same SUV she’d seen in the company parking lot last night?

This was actually Wen Qiaozhou’s car?!

So had he been in the car last night?

Xu Qingli stared at the tinted car window, petrified on the spot.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Inside the SUV, Wen Qiaozhou easily caught Xu Qingli’s gaze through the specially treated glass. Then he saw the chibi version of her atop her head vividly illustrating what “petrification” meant—her body instantly turned into a stone, with the texture, colors, edges, and even the occasional weed in the crevices rendered in lifelike detail. With a slight tremor, the large stone instantly disintegrated into smaller pieces, falling one by one.

Just before the sight disappeared, the last fragments finally finished falling. A fierce wind howled through Xu Qingli’s mind, whipping up the debris into fine sand that blotted out the entire sky, transforming the scene into a barren desert.

The scene was artistically breathtaking.

Wen Qiaozhou finally couldn’t hold back anymore and let out a soft chuckle. This girl really was one of a kind.

A quiet “tsk” came from beside him.

Wen Qiaozhou schooled his expression and suppressed his smile, leaning back and resting one arm on the seat’s armrest, saying calmly, “Assistant Qu, deliver what Second Young Master Huo wants tomorrow.”

“Understood, President Wen,” the assistant in the passenger seat quickly replied before turning to the young man in the back. “Mr. Huo, where would you like it sent?”

“No need to trouble Assistant Qu. I’ll pick it up myself,” Huo Wanfeng waved him off, leaning toward Wen Qiaozhou. “President Wen is being unusually accommodating today. Must be in a good mood, huh?”

“If you want to speak, then speak properly. Sit properly,” Wen Qiaozhou pushed his head away.

Was he afraid Wen Qiaozhou wouldn’t be able to see the bullet comments above his head?

[There’s definitely something fishy going on between them!]

[What have I missed in these past few months when I was away?]

[Is Seventh Master Wen finally descending to the mortal world? So exciting!]

[So Seventh Master Wen likes little rabbits, no wonder that certain someone never had a chance all these years.]

[That little sister looks a bit ditzy, but kinda cute. Too bad she’s caught Seventh Master Wen’s eye. Isn’t this practically like a rabbit walking into a wolf’s den? How pitiful, such a poor thing!]

“Since when do you care about manners?” Huo Wanfeng remained oblivious, grinning. “‘Sit properly’? That doesn’t sound like you. Lately, have you been—”

“If you’re really that free, you can set up a stall on the street,” Wen Qiaozhou cut him off. “Save Chairman Huo from losing sleep from worrying over you.”

Huo Wanfeng was momentarily stumped, too distracted by the suggestion to mind the rudeness. Curious, he asked, “What do you think I should sell at the stall?”

“Fortune-telling,” Wen Qiaozhou said.

“You think I have good foresight too?” Huo Wanfeng preened, thinking quite beautifully.

Wen Qiaozhou brushed the nonexistent dust off his sleeve and replied flatly, “Just that you’re good at talking nonsense.”

Huo Wanfeng: “…”

Are you being polite?

“Assistant Qu,” Huo Wanfeng, undeterred, turned to harass the assistant again. “Do you know that girl from earlier?”

Assistant Qu shot a pleading look at Wen Qiaozhou.

“Second Master Huo,” Wen Qiaozhou said mildly. “Don’t be too curious.”

Huo Wanfeng’s heart suddenly skipped a beat, a chill creeping down his spine.

Their group of rich second-generation heirs had grown up playing together since childhood. At first, everyone liked playing with Wen Qiaozhou because he was good-looking, with Huo Wanfeng especially adoring him.

It was hard to pinpoint exactly when, but Wen Qiaozhou gradually became sharper, always able to unflinchingly call out the ugliness in people’s hearts.

No one was perfect, with everyone having their own dark corners. His blunt behaviour left others embarrassed and, more importantly, afraid.

Slowly, people stopped wanting to hang out with Wen Qiaozhou, and he, in turn, also disdained their company.

Huo Wanfeng was an exception. He was superficial, valuing looks above all, and his simple-minded nature meant he had always maintained a decent relationship with Wen Qiaozhou.

As a child, he genuinely hadn’t thought much of it. But as an adult, whenever Wen Qiaozhou fixed him with that penetrating gaze that seemed to see right through him, he couldn’t help but feel a little unnerved.

He had to admit—Wen Qiaozhou could easily see through him, but he could never decipher Wen Qiaozhou’s true thoughts. 

When they were younger, it hadn’t been so bad, with his likes and dislikes still being somewhat predictable. But now, with the ability to wield such immense power in his hands, Wen Qiaozhou liked to act unpredictably and his moods shifted without warning, making him utterly inscrutable.

“Hahaha.” Huo Wanfeng let out a forced laugh, deliberately provoking him, “Still saying you don’t care, yet now you’re already warning me? Tsk tsk… I think you’ve fallen in love without even realizing it, huh?”

Wen Qiaozhou smiled, as if the earlier warning he just gave had never existed. “Do you really think I’ve never seen a woman before?”

“Have you?” Huo Wanfeng shot back. “I mean the kind without clothes on.”

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

“Since you say you don’t care…” Huo Wanfeng still couldn’t resist and his eyes gleamed mischievously as he teased, “Then I’ll go after her? I quite like this little sister.”

Wen Qiaozhou paused, raising a hand to adjust his the frame of his glasses before slanting him a sidelong glance.

[I don’t like little rabbits—they’re too soft. I prefer someone cold and sexy.]

[Will Seventh Master Wen get anxious?]

[Is he losing his cool? Angry? Jealous?]

“You can give it a try,” Wen Qiaozhou’s tense body relaxed as he said lazily, his tone light and indifferent.

Author’s Note:

Wen Qiaozhou: As long as I act calm enough, my heart won’t be moved.

---

i think you’re the little rabbit HWF — he’s practically a rabbit in front of WQZ as well QAQ

also the description of WQZ as the big bad wolf and XQL as a little rabbit is such an apt description GHSDKLF so fitting huhuhu

any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
support mio on kofi! ◡̈

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Xu Qingli waited for quite a long time before finally calming down. Then she suddenly realized she had forgotten something very important—she had originally come to ask for directions, but after all that commotion earlier, she had already sent everyone away without even asking for directions.

What should she do now? Xu Qingli was dumbfounded.

Just as she was panicking, footsteps suddenly sounded behind her.

Xu Qingli’s heart tightened. She turned around and saw a strange man, who looked quite young, walking toward her step by step.

“Miss Xu?” The man looked very surprised when he caught sight of her.

Xu Qingli took a deep breath, forced herself to stay calm, and took two steps back, eyeing him warily. “Hello.”

The man’s expression grew even stranger, but after glancing inside the car, he ultimately said nothing and simply walked forward to open the door on the driver’s side.

Only then did Xu Qingli realize—this was his car. Feeling awkward, she took another two steps back.

“Miss Xu.” The man cast a look behind at the back seat, then leaned out to ask her, “Where are you headed? Need a ride?”

“No, thank you,” Xu Qingli quickly waved her hand and replied politely.

The man let out a sound of acknowledgement before saying, “Goodbye then.”

With that, he closed the door and slowly drove the car out of the parking space.

Xu Qingli suddenly recalled that she could ask him for directions and hurriedly chased after him for a couple of steps. The man seemed to notice her movement and rolled down the window, looking at her in confusion.

That glance made Xu Qingli a little nervous, and the opening line she had prepared to say got stuck in her throat.

Just then, Xu Qingli suddenly heard Shui Miao’s voice. Turning around, she saw Shui Miao and the driver walking toward them.

“Never mind.” Xu Qingli waved at the man in the car and ran toward Shui Miao and the driver.

“Xu Qingli, what are you doing!?” Shui Miao’s expression was dark, and she looked furious. “Do you know how much danger your face could attract? I almost called the police—”

Before she could finish, she noticed the car that had just driven away and swallowed the rest of her words.

“I’m sorry,” Xu Qingli said sincerely. “My phone died, and I wanted to wait for you in the car, but then I got lost again.”

“As long as you’re okay.” Shui Miao’s attitude instantly calmed down.

But Xu Qingli inexplicably felt that Shui Miao seemed a little more distant toward her now.

“How did you know I was here?” Xu Qingli took the rare initiative to ask a question.

The driver quickly answered, “Sister Miaomiao called Shu Ruan, and she said she ran into you here.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Shui Miao’s phone rang. It was Shu Ruan, calling to check if they had found Xu Qingli.

Shui Miao responded briefly before hanging up.

On the way back, Shui Miao seemed distracted and didn’t scold Xu Qingli anymore.

Xu Qingli wasn’t good at making conversation with people she wasn’t familiar with in the first place, so she didn’t take the initiative to speak up either.

The journey back was silent, and they soon arrived home.

Shui Miao dropped her off, reminded her to be careful, and then left.

After washing up and lying in bed, Xu Qingli felt utterly exhausted. Though her mind was full of thoughts, having to go out and socialise was truly draining, so she quickly fell asleep.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

She slept soundly and woke up the next morning to sunlight streaming through the window, which felt like a rather unfamiliar sight to her.

As a full-time comic artist, her sleep schedule was all over the place. Ever since she had graduated, she had never once woken up this early again.

However, the original owner worked in the entertainment industry, and her sleep schedule was even more erratic than Xu Qingli’s, with no fixed schedule at all. Having just slept for so long, she couldn’t fall back asleep right away and had no choice but to get up.

While washing up, her phone suddenly buzzed with several consecutive message notifications.

Xu Qingli was startled. She tapped to check and saw that the messages were from someone named Meng Dongling.

[Had a late-night shoot last night. Though it was tough, there were also unexpected moments of beauty. Sharing this with you, hoping that you’ll be able to see it as soon as you wake up.]

[Image]

[Oh, and while waiting between scenes last night, I came across a short poem. Found it quite interesting, so I thought to share it with you too.]

[Image]

The first image was a photo of a sunrise.

The surroundings were still shrouded in gray, with an orange sun having just broken through the clouds at the horizon. Although it lacked that dazzling brilliance, instead resembling an enlarged egg yolk, it still looked utterly beautiful.

The photographer had decent skills, with the composition of the photo distinctive and clearly taken with care.

The second image was a poem.

[Say it’s the grief of lonely autumn
Say it’s the longing of distant seas
If someone asks about my sorrow
I do not dare to mention your name.

I do not dare to mention your name.
If someone asks about my sorrow
Say it’s the longing of distant seas
Say it’s the grief of lonely autumn¹.]

In Xu Qingli’s opinion, this wasn’t even a hint—it was outright confession of love. It was obvious that this person had genuinely loved the original owner. Yet, the original owner had left a note beside his name with the letter “C” in her contacts.

The original owner divided the “fish” in her fishpond into three categories. The “C” here didn’t stand for the letters in “ABC,” but was rather, an abbreviation for “chicken rib².”

Obviously, the original owner considered this C-tier “fish” as dispensable and not worth the effort to invest and maintain. If they could remain completely devoted to her, that was great, but if they didn’t, that was also fine.

Xu Qingli couldn’t even continue brushing her teeth.

How could she have even forgotten about this mess?!

Compared to its peak, the original owner’s current “fish pond” was less than a third of its former size. But based on the notes Xu Qingli had counted, there were still a full dozen of them!

Help!!!

Just imagining her future encounters with these people made Xu Qingli’s scalp tingle.

Fortunately, she didn’t have to face them in person yet.

So she needed to deal with this as quickly as possible.

Xu Qingli first casually changed her nickname, then replied to Meng Dongling.

Pear Under Pressure³: [The sunrise is beautiful. Next time, you should find someone to watch it with you, otherwise, it would feel like such a waste.]

He replied almost instantly.

Meng Dongling: [Will you watch it with me next time?]

Pear Under Pressure: [I’m a night owl, not suited for early-morning activities like this. You should ask someone else instead of wasting your time on me.]

Meng Dongling’s status kept showing that he was “typing” for a long time, but no message came through.

Xu Qingli knew he understood her hidden meaning, so she silently apologised while simultaneously blocking his contact.

In situations like this, being ruthless was the kindest approach for both sides.

It would be the best if Meng Dongling ended up resenting her and withdrew his feelings of affection for her.

Xu Qingli carefully went through the other “fish” in the original owner’s pond once more and realized why Meng Dongling had been lumped into C-tier. The other “fish” were either wealthier, better connected, or more famous than him. Even the only other person classified as C-tier was a taekwondo expert, recruited by the original owner for her protection. But she probably could have never imagined that after her downfall, his fists would be the first to turn against her.

Among all the “fish” in her pond, only Meng Dongling had still wanted to help the original owner in the end.

Now, when looking at this list, Xu Qingli couldn’t help but sigh. Lost in thought, her phone suddenly buzzed with an incoming call from Shui Miao.

In real life, since becoming a full-time comic artist, Xu Qingli mostly communicated through messaging apps and rarely answered calls. Every ring startled her, and this time was no exception. Her fingers jerked as the phone slipped from her grasp.

With quick reflexes, Xu Qingli caught the phone just before it could plunge into the water basin. But then, as if remembering something, she slowly loosened her grip and watched as the phone fell into the water.

She had been standing there too long that she had forgotten to drain the basin. The phone sank straight to the bottom, the screen stubbornly remaining turned on for a while before abruptly blacking out.

Xu Qingli exhaled, fished the phone out, and carried it to the living room before placing it on the coffee table.

Just then, a loud knocking erupted from the door.

Knowing it must be Shui Miao, Xu Qingli hurried over to open the door.

“What’s wrong with you?” Shui Miao’s voice came in before she did. “Why didn’t you answer your phone again?”

“My phone fell into the water basin. I think it’s broken,” Xu Qingli said.

Shui Miao paused, as if biting back a curse, and asked, “Where is it?”

Xu Qingli handed her the waterlogged phone from the coffee table.

“You didn’t even wipe off the water?” Shui Miao was exasperated. “Forget it, let’s get it repaired… No, just replace it.”

Given the contents of Xu Qingli’s phone, if it fell into the hands of someone without professional ethics who leaked it online, she might as well retire from the industry immediately.

“Mm.” Xu Qingli hadn’t considered the career-ending consequences yet—her mind was still fixated on resolving the “fish” situation. “I want to change my phone number as well.”

Shui Miao, who had been about to call her assistant to arrange for a new phone, turned to stare at Xu Qingli, narrowing her eyes. “Change your number?”

With so many “fish” in her contacts, was she really willing to do that?

“I said I wanted to turn over a new leaf,” Xu Qingli murmured, avoiding her gaze and lowering her head slightly. “A new number can symbolise a fresh start.”

Shui Miao opened her mouth but found herself speechless.

Yesterday, Xu Qingli’s unexpected maneuvers had successfully caught Wen Qiaozhou’s attention and even landed her the lead in the promotional video, something Shui Miao had never seen coming. She had even felt a little resentful, thinking that since Xu Qingli was this capable, then she wouldn’t need her management anymore.

But after cooling off for a night, Shui Miao had regained her composure.

Even if they didn’t have any personal feelings between them, she and Xu Qingli were still bound by shared interests. If Xu Qingli soared to stardom, Shui Miao still stood to benefit greatly. Conversely, if Xu Qingli crashed and burned, she’d suffer the fallout too. Beyond the immediate financial losses, with rising stars like Shu Ruan—who outshone others in every aspect—already in the company, how long would it take for Shui Miao to groom another newcomer to prominence?

And according to Shui Miao’s calculations, the odds of Xu Qingli crashing were extremely high. After all, she had even dared to cast her fishing line toward Wen Qiaozhou himself.

So today, she had originally intended to advise Xu Qingli with good intentions. While high risks brought high rewards, the consequences of keeping someone like Wen Qiaozhou as a “fish” in her pond was simply too absurdly high.

Shui Miao had once heard a piece of gossip about Wen Qiaozhou. When he was still very young, Zhu Zhenshan had once pitted her two sons against each other for the same project. Anyone with eyes could see she was testing their abilities so she could choose an heir.

The younger of the two brothers, who was Wen Qiaozhou’s father, gave it his all but ultimately lost.

After the results came out, his father was devastated. Suddenly, Wen Qiaozhou stepped forward and accused his uncle of scheming against his father behind the scenes, making the competition unfair.

Naturally, his uncle denied it, but Wen Qiaozhou laid out every detail, even articulating exactly what his uncle had been thinking, leaving him no room for rebuttal.

Zhu Zhenshan was furious, and the uncle’s status in the family plummeted from then on.

However, Wen Qiaozhou didn’t necessarily benefit from it either. Everyone, including his own parents, found him terrifying.

Given Wen Qiaozhou’s capabilities at the time, there was simply no way he could have uncovered his uncle’s schemes. No one knew how he had found out, and that was precisely why they feared him. Who didn’t have any secrets of their own? After all, there was no one who liked being seen through so easily by another person.

Wen Qiaozhou had always been strikingly beautiful ever since he was a child, with an androgynous charm that made some whisper behind his back, calling him a “demon.” After this incident, he seemed even more like one, and the label seemed even more fitting for him.

Although Shui Miao felt these rumors were likely exaggerated, there was no doubt Wen Qiaozhou had an uncanny ability to perceive the subtlest details in observing people’s true intentions.

Countless sly old foxes in the business world had stumbled because of him. Xu Qingli’s little schemes probably weren’t even worth his consideration and wouldn’t even register on his radar.

Shui Miao had thought long and hard about dissuading her from keeping this particular “fish,” never expecting that Xu Qingli would skip straight to the finale in one step—the sea queen had actually grown a love-struck brain!

For a moment, Shui Miao was overwhelmed and couldn’t decide which was more dangerous: raising fish in general, or having Wen Qiaozhou as one of them.

She couldn’t help but take another look at Xu Qingli. Unlike before, when she always had a slew of excuses for everything, she now stood quietly with her hands at her sides. Her silent resolve seemed to carry an even more powerful weight.

Shui Miao had no choice but to ask, “Have you thought this through? Are you really sure you want to do this?”

“Mhm.” Xu Qingli nodded, then tilted her head slightly in confusion. Wasn’t Shui Miao always hoping the original owner to behave more? So why didn’t she seem happy about this?

“You…” Shui Miao tugged at her hair in frustration and pressed her again, “Aren’t you afraid Wen Qiaozhou will find out about your other ‘fish’?”

Xu Qingli shook her head. “I’m not afraid.”

So what if he found out? After all, what did it have to do with him?

Just as Shui Miao was about to say more, her phone rang.

It was her assistant, who had been waiting downstairs. After answering, Shui Miao’s expression shifted rapidly, her gaze toward Xu Qingli becoming extreme complex.

Xu Qingli couldn’t contain her curiosity, “What’s wrong?”

“President Wen is downstairs,” Shui Miao said.

Xu Qingli’s eyes widened involuntarily.

Why would a domineering CEO like Wen Qiaozhou condescend himself to visiting her apartment building?

“Xu Linhe is here too,” Shui Miao added.

Xu Linhe? The name sounded familiar… Xu Qingli quickly recalled seeing this name earlier in her A-tier “fish” list.

Xu Qingli: “…”

“They both seem to be here looking for you,” Shui Miao continued. “I remember you just said you weren’t afraid—”

“Sis Miao, my stomach suddenly hurts!” Xu Qingli clutched her abdomen and squatted down on the spot.

Shui Miao: “…”

---

XQL: the queen of misunderstandings LMAO

any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
support mio on kofi! ◡̈

1.  The poem is Sorrow, by poet Dai Wangshu and translated by Anna Gustafsson Chen ↩︎
2.  the slang “chicken rib” (鸡肋, jī lèi) — a phrase meaning something of little value, but hard to throw away. It comes from a famous saying in Romance of the Three Kingdoms: “鸡肋，食之无味，弃之可惜” (“Chicken ribs — tasteless to eat, but a pity to throw away”).  ↩︎
3.  “鸭梨山大” is a homophone for “压力山大”, which literally means “pressure as large as mountains”, a popular internet slang phrase meaning “I’m under huge stress” or “feeling crushed by pressure.”
   But instead of writing the serious version “压力,” XQL playfully swaps in “鸭梨” — which sounds the same but means “duck pear.”
   So “鸭梨山大” literally reads as “A mountain of duck pears,” a pun that visually softens the phrase and adds humor. The ‘duck’ is sort of irrelevant and just served as a homophone, so I’ve omitted that part ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Wen Qiaozhou’s character was exactly like this in the original novel, with his actions always unpredictable, never following conventional logic. The author personally certified him as the story’s major villain who loved stirring up trouble.

That was why Xu Qingli instinctively used this phrase in her mind, figuring that Wen Qiaozhou would never know about her inner thoughts anyway.

Wen Qiaozhou was so amused by her he almost laughed out of anger—who exactly was the one stirring up trouble here?

However, ever since gaining the ability to see the inner thoughts of others, he had encountered far more infuriating remarks than this. He had long since hardened his heart and remained unflappable to insults. Thus, he showed no emotion and simply instructed calmly, “Since it was your suggestion, you’ll be the one to go and inform the two of them of the result.”

Despite it being just a random excuse on his part, it still meant yet another unnecessary social interaction for Xu Qingli.

Fortunately, she would be the bearer of good news, so it wasn’t too much of a hassle. Afraid Wen Qiaozhou might make further demands of her, Xu Qingli quickly agreed and retreated, swiftly closing the door behind her.

“Why did you help Shu Ruan and Wen Xiangxiang?” Shui Miao asked only after they had put some distance between themselves and the office.

If she told her the truth and said that she didn’t want to film the promotional video, it would only raise more questions that would be even harder to explain, and Shui Miao wouldn’t believe them anyway. After giving it some thought, Xu Qingli put on a mysterious air and said, “To share the spotlight.”

She had already drawn enough attention tonight, which was bound to invite the envy of others.

Now that the female lead role was to be split among three people, that scrutiny would also naturally be divided.

At the same time, she could also leave Wen Qiaozhou with an impression of her kindness and selflessness.

As for Gao Xuan, seeing how Wen Qiaozhou granted every single one of Xu Qingli’s requests, wouldn’t he further prioritize her for future resources?

Truly a move that killed two birds with one stone.

“Brilliant,” Shui Miao couldn’t help but praise, then asked, “But why three people?”

In her mind now, every word Xu Qingli said and every decision she made was laden with deeper meaning.

Xu Qingli didn’t have an answer to that, after all, wasn’t it because of Wen Qiaozhou?

Before she could figure out how to respond, Shui Miao came to her own conclusion, “I see, it’s because a triangle is the most stable structure.”

As a manager, she naturally understood the entertainment industry better than most. Shu Ruan’s qualifications were top-tier even in the entertainment industry, and now that she had signed with a major company, she was bound to rise as long as she didn’t self-destruct. Wen Xiangxiang had connections and was a guaranteed resource magnet, someone no one dared to cross.

So, even though Xu Qingli was slightly more popular than them at the moment, if these two truly saw her as a rival, given her pile of past scandals… she likely wouldn’t stand a chance against them.

By putting the two of them together, each with their own strengths, it was easy to create a situation where “when the snipe and clam fights, the fisherman profits¹.” Instead, neither would dare act rashly, naturally reducing the threat to herself.

Moreover, this opportunity was something Xu Qingli had helped them secure. As long as they had any remaining conscience at all, they would still remember her kindness to some extent, further minimizing the threat.

Shui Miao gave Xu Qingli a thumbs-up. “I really underestimated you before.”

Xu Qingli: “…”

This only proved how powerful Shui Miao’s imagination was, didn’t it?

There had been no way for her to possibly explain herself, even if she grew over a hundred mouths.

“Never mind, this is a good thing. With this mindset and awareness, my job just got a lot easier,” Shui Miao said. “Alright, you go notify Shu Ruan, and I’ll handle Wen Xiangxiang. Let’s wrap this up quickly so we can rest, today’s been truly exhausting.”

Heaven knows she was speaking from the heart. Setting aside everything else, as Xu Qingli’s manager, Shui Miao received a share of all her earnings. So of course she wanted Xu Qingli to be as successful as possible. But now that she had truly realized Xu Qingli was even smarter than she was, when she recalled how she had once taught her a few petty tricks in the past, Shui Miao couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions.

Xu Qingli was too embarrassed to explain herself, so she simply nodded in agreement.

At any rate, meeting Shu Ruan was better than having to see Wen Xiangxiang. The little princess might not only refuse to appreciate her kind gesture, but might even mock her in return.

Tonight’s meeting had run late, and then she’d also spent quite a long time being held up by Wen Qiaozhou. By now, it was already late, with only a few people remaining in the company.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

After parting ways with Shui Miao, Xu Qingli headed to the artist department, only to find Shu Ruan wasn’t there.

She thought about calling but realized her phone had died at some point. Today had been so chaotic that she hadn’t paid attention to such trivial matters.

Too embarrassed to borrow someone else’s phone, Xu Qingli decided to wait for Shui Miao in the parking lot.

After all, informing Shu Ruan could be done with a phone call later, and there was no need for a face-to-face meeting, which would save her both the time and hassle.

The company parking lot was enormous. Xu Qingli rarely left her house and couldn’t navigate the place properly. As she walked, she realized she might have taken a wrong turn somewhere along the way.

By now, only a handful of cars remained in the vast, empty lot. With few identifying landmarks, Xu Qingli began to feel uneasy.

Her personality made her dread inconveniencing others. What if Shui Miao couldn’t find her and got angry?

Quickening her pace, she turned a corner and heard voices ahead.

Anxious, she mustered some courage and walked toward the source of the sound, hoping to ask for directions.

This was still company property, so there shouldn’t be any danger.

But as she got closer, she realized something was off. Five or six people were surrounding one person in the corner. This wasn’t colleagues chatting until late, but a group bullying someone.

The girl being bullied stood out amongst them in a striking red dress—it was Shu Ruan!

Suddenly, Xu Qingli recalled a scene from the novel: After Shu Ruan secured the lead role in Wen Corporation’s promotional film at the company artist conference, she became the center of attention. Many people approached her to chat, delaying her departure. At the time, Shu Ruan was still living in the company dormitory behind the office building, connected by an underground parking lot. She kindly escorted her manager to the parking lot before heading back to the dorm, only to be ambushed before she could leave.

The attackers were a girl from Shu Ruan’s dorm and her friends. The girl’s boyfriend had developed a wandering eye and tried to hook up with Shu Ruan. Shu Ruan scolded the scumbag but, not wanting to cause misunderstandings, didn’t mention the matter to her roommate. Unbeknownst to her, the guy held a grudge and told his girlfriend that Shu Ruan had tried to seduce him but he’d rejected her.

Shu Ruan and her roommate already had minor conflicts between them, so the roommate believed her boyfriend and gathered her friends to teach Shu Ruan a lesson.

Outnumbered, Shu Ruan stood no chance against the group until the male lead of the original novel happened to pass by and rescue her, beckoning in the start of their story.

Xu Qingli had assumed that since Shu Ruan hadn’t publicly secured the lead role tonight, the subsequent events would surely differ from the original novel. Yet here they were, the same scene unfolding just the same.

It seemed changing the course of the plot wasn’t so easy after all.

Xu Qingli hid behind a pillar and didn’t dare to take another step forward.

The male lead would surely arrive at the critical moment to save Shu Ruan, so there was no need for her to intervene now.

But still had a lingering trace of worry and couldn’t bring herself to leave either, so she decided to wait until he appeared before slipping away.

“What a shameless slut, to even think of stealing your roommate’s man!”

“I hate homewrecking bitches the most!”

“You dressed like that tonight just to try and seduce President Wen, right? Too bad he wouldn’t even look at you.”

“Acting so shamelessly, why bother pretending to be so modest? Just take off that flimsy cover-up too…”

The group grew more aggressive, even starting to tear at Shu Ruan’s clothes.

Xu Qingli stomped her feet anxiously. Where was the male lead? Why wasn’t he here yet?

She kept looking around, but the parking lot remained eerily empty, with no one else coming except those few in the corner.

What was going on?!

Male lead, hurry up and come save your wife!

Her inner plea failed to summon the male lead, but had instead drawn a scream from Shu Ruan—those people had actually torn a piece of her clothing off.

“Stop!” Xu Qingli couldn’t bear to just stand by and do nothing any longer. Steeling herself, she shouted at the group and rushed over.

The group hadn’t expected anyone still be here and intervene at this time. They turned around, and seeing Xu Qingli, they at least remained somewhat polite. Shu Ruan’s roommate said, “Li Hua², this has nothing to do with you. We’re just teaching this homewrecker a lesson.”

“Shu Ruan isn’t a homewrecker.” Now that she’d stepped in, Xu Qingli had to see it through, even if she was socially anxious. She forced herself to speak up. “I can vouch for her.”

“How can you vouch for her?” Shu Ruan’s roommate’s expression darkened.

A thin layer of sweat formed on Xu Qingli’s forehead. Clenching her fists, she tried to stay calm. “I saw it by accident. It happened behind the silk tree³ near your dorm. That scumbag cornered Shu Ruan and confessed to her, saying the reason he got together with you was because of a painting… Shu Ruan scolded him, and he got so angry he swore he’d make her suffer. It must’ve been the scumbag who instigated things between you two to turn you against her. Don’t fall for it.”

The moment she finished, everyone believed her words.

Because these details were things no outsider could’ve known.

Shu Ruan’s roommate, having been deceived by the scumbag and mistakenly wronging Shu Ruan, couldn’t bring herself to apologize. Instead, she snapped angrily at Shu Ruan, “Why didn’t you tell me? If you’d said something earlier, wouldn’t none of this happened?!”

Shu Ruan clutched the collar that they had torn off, her face cold as she remained silent. Calming down after a moment, she turned to Xu Qingli and said, “Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.” Xu Qingli shook her head. “Actually, I came here specifically to find you.”

“Find me?” Shu Ruan was stunned. “What for?”

“President Wen sent me.” Xu Qingli raised her voice. “He said you’ve been cast as the female lead for the promotional film.”

She deliberately didn’t mention that there would be three female leads.

The women who had been about to slip away during their conversation all turned back in shock.

“The female lead for the promotional film… is me?” Shu Ruan was equally stunned.

“Yes, it’s you.” Xu Qingli nodded. “If you don’t believe me, have your manager check with President Gao. He’ll contact you before filming starts anyway.”

Only then did Shu Ruan truly believe her. Perhaps because of the sheer shock of it all, her eyes reddened slightly. At a loss for words, she repeated, “Thank you.”

“Why should you thank me? This is because of your own talent after all.” Xu Qingli said.

“Shu Ruan.” Her roommate hurried back, pulling a shawl off one of her friends and handing it to Shu Ruan. “Sorry about today. We were wrong, and I apologize. How about this, we’ll take you back to freshen up, and then we’ll make it up to you properly, okay?”

Shu Ruan hesitated but eventually took the shawl, wrapping it around herself. Then she glanced at Xu Qingli, her expression uncertain.

“It’s alright, you guys can go back first.” Xu Qingli waved her hand with a smile.

She believed they wouldn’t trouble Shu Ruan anymore, and she had exhausted all her energy, no longer in the mood for socializing anymore.

Shu Ruan hesitated for a moment, ultimately feeling that her current state was indeed a bit disheveled. After leaving Xu Qingli with a, “Let’s keep in touch,” she soon left with the group.

Xu Qingli watched their figures disappear around the corner before leaning against an ordinary-looking black SUV nearby, bending over her waist as she caught her breath.

Inside the heavily tinted car window, Wen Qiaozhou’s hand was still hovering over the door handle, yet his eyes gleamed with curiosity and amusement as they met Xu Qingli’s through the specially treated glass.

Above her head, a chibi version of herself plopped onto the ground, mouth wide open as she wailed, sobbing uncontrollably.

Her tears flowed like a breached dam, cascading down in torrents, while a large thought bubble floated beside her: [My god, really scared the baby⁴ to death!]

Not long after, the ground was soon flooded with water. The little girl stretched out her stubby arms to paddle around, as if discovering a fun new toy. Then she reached into the empty space beside her and pulled out… a tiny boat.

She then climbed aboard, rowing playfully while still continuing to shed tears.

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

What a talent.

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1.  When two sides fight over something, a third party takes advantage of their conflict to benefit. ↩︎
2. Xu Qingli’s given name (Qingli) translates literally to ‘green pear’. Lihua (translated literally as ‘pear blossom’) could be used as an affectionate nickname by close friends, but since this group does seem close to XQL, it could also be used in a mocking or passive-aggressive manner, with the use of such a soft, pretty name being sarcastic, emphasizing that she’s too gentle or meddling. ↩︎
3. “合欢树”, literally “tree of joyful union,” is often associated with love and couples in Chinese symbolism. Mentioning that the scene happened “behind the silk tree” subtly reinforces the irony of a tree symbolizing harmony and affection becoming the setting for betrayal and conflict. ↩︎
4.  Playful and cute way of referring to oneself. ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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During the latter half of the meeting, Xu Qingli noticed Shui Miao’s phone beside her continuously vibrating, likely flooded with messages asking for advice.

Shui Miao’s gaze toward her had also subtly grown stranger.

Though socially anxious, Xu Qingli wasn’t stupid. She knew Wen Qiaozhou’s attention had now made her the center of everyone’s focus.

But she was utterly helpless and had no words that could possibly express how pained she was now.

Who could’ve guessed that despite keeping such a low profile, she’d still be singled out by Wen Qiaozhou?

Had she accidentally overplayed her hand and piqued his interest?

Or was he perhaps reprimanding her for tarnishing the image of the company’s artists?

When she asked Shui Miao, the latter looked surprised. “If even you don’t know, how would I?”

Shui Miao was already skeptical and clearly unwilling to open up to her.

Xu Qingli had anticipated this. Given the stark contrast between her personality and the original owner’s as well as Shui Miao’s incredibly sharp instincts, the discrepancies would inevitably surface. She had prepared several explanations for her sudden personality shift, and flimsy as they might be, any excuse would do. After all, their body remained the same, and no one could provide evidence of a soul swap.

But she never expected that her worries had actually been misplaced. Shui Miao not only wasn’t doubting her identity, but had now already rationalized the reason for her change instead. She seemed to think that Xu Qingli was deliberately trying to catch Wen Qiaozhou’s attention, and that she’d succeeded spectacularly.

Now even if she jumped into the Yellow River, Xu Qingli would never be able clear herself of the guilt. Too socially drained to bother explaining, she simply gave up.

Screw it. It’s already a mess now. Whatever.

As the meeting ended, the room erupted into chatter.

Xu Qingli’s sharp ears picked out discussions about her amid the noise, accurately catching words like “master manipulator,” “sea king,” “bound to backfire,” and “not necessarily a good thing.”

The situation had already diverged from the novel’s plot.

In the original novel, Wen Qiaozhou had confirmed Shu Ruan as the promotional film’s lead during the meeting. But tonight, no decision had been made, only that Xu Qingli was to be summoned for a discussion. To everyone else, this signaled that she was the most likely choice.

With a bitter sigh, Xu Qingli followed Shui Miao to meet Wen Qiaozhou.

Perhaps that sigh had caused her trouble. Just then, Wen Xiangxiang, who was seated in the row in front of her, suddenly stood, turning to glare at her before striding off with her chin raised.

Xu Qingli: “…”

The young heiress had always looked down on most people in the entertainment industry despite being a part of it. Sharing the Wen surname, it was only natural that she had assumed the promotional lead was hers by default.

In the novel, losing to Shu Ruan had infuriated her, and she’d later made trouble for the latter.

Now, Xu Qingli was probably the new target of her resentment.

This only deepened Xu Qingli’s depression. Unlike the female lead, she had a pile of scandals and no plot armor to shield her from Wen Xiangxiang’s wrath. She was afraid she had no way to deal with Wen Xiangxiang

What a nightmare.

Wanting to avoid any possible interaction with her, Xu Qingli stayed put, waiting for Wen Xiangxiang to leave first.

But as soon as Wen Xiangxiang left, Shu Ruan then also stood up.

Her figure and outfit made her impossible to miss, let alone Xu Qingli, who as a looks fanatic and despite her troubles, couldn’t help stealing a glance. Unexpectedly, Shu Ruan was looking right back at her. When their eyes met, Xu Qingli forced an awkward smile.

Shu Ruan smiled back, then leaned in and whispered, “What Wen Qiaozhou asked earlier was: ‘What are your thoughts on the promotional film?’”

With that, she walked away.

Xu Qingli froze for a moment. Was this considered a gesture of goodwill? Was the aloof female lead actively extending an olive branch toward her?

She turned to ask Shui Miao, who didn’t understand why she found it strange. “She’s just a nobody. Is it weird for her to show you goodwill?”

Xu Qingli: “…”

She had only been thinking of Shu Ruan as the female lead, forgetting that at this point, the female lead was still just a pearl covered in dust.

“Let’s go,” Shui Miao said flatly, seeming to be in a bad mood.

Xu Qingli had no choice but to follow her.

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

The Wen Group had never placed much emphasis on the film and entertainment sector. Wen Qiaozhou rarely visited and didn’t have a dedicated office, temporarily settling for borrowing the space of Gao Xuan, the head of the artist department.

Gao Xuan was a chubby middle-aged man who loved to smile and appeared amiable, but in reality, was ruthless. Behind his back, everyone called him the “Smiling Tiger”—the friendlier his smile appeared, the harsher his methods.

However, at this moment, Gao Xuan’s smile toward Xu Qingli was absolutely genuine.

Earlier, Wen Qiaozhou had come from the conference room and immediately asked for Xu Qingli’s file, which he had been scrutinizing meticulously the entire time. Though his expression remained unreadable, just who was Wen Qiaozhou? Could anyone he personally took the time to investigate be someone simple?

So, regardless of their relationship, this girl Xu Qingli was not someone to be trifled with.

But to Xu Qingli, Gao Xuan was clearly the more terrifying one. After just one glance at him, she quickly averted her gaze and greeted softly, “Hello, President Wen. Hello, President Gao.”

“Hello, Miss Xu.” Gao Xuan beamed as he handed her a glass of water.

Xu Qingli thanked him and sat on the sofa, sipping the water quietly with her head down, pretending to be preoccupied with something.

After all, Shui Miao was here. She excelled at social interactions and would handle anything that came up. Xu Qingli just had to play dead.

Shui Miao hadn’t expected Xu Qingli to still be putting on such an act at this point. She secretly labelled her as a “dog,” but at the same time, couldn’t help but admire her. This level of acting was truly masterful, far surpassing her performances in front of other suitors. Her potential was indeed limitless.

If only she applied this acting skill to films and dramas, she would have long risen to become the company’s top star. Why then would she need to juggle so many admirers?

But she just wouldn’t listen. When it came to real acting, she was half-hearted, yet in daily life, she was a master performer.

Still, no matter how much she complained internally, as Xu Qingli’s agent—or more accurately, for their shared interests—Shui Miao had to step in. Just as she was about to speak up, Wen Qiaozhou beat her to it, addressing Xu Qingli directly, “Have you come up with an answer to the question I asked you earlier?”

Xu Qingli hadn’t expected that this big-shot CEO would be so fixated on that question that he’d actually ask again. Mentally thanking Shu Ruan profusely, she steeled herself and replied, “The greatest truths are the simplest ones. I think the simpler, the better.”

She lifted her head slightly as a courtesy, but her gaze only reached the tip of Wen Qiaozhou’s nose before she quickly lowered it again.

As for the answer itself, it was pure nonsense. She was sure Wen Qiaozhou wouldn’t be satisfied with it.

To her surprise, Wen Qiaozhou nodded. “Well said. In that case, you’ll be the female lead for this promotional film.”

“What?” Xu Qingli was so shocked that she forgot all about his intimidating gaze. Her head snapped up as she stared into his eyes, disbelief written all over her face. “You’re saying I’ll be the female lead?”

Wen Qiaozhou watched as the chibi version of her in his mind had already frozen in shock, her eyes turning into dizzying spirals like mosquito coils, with a giant line of text floating above her head: [Is he insane?!]

“Yes.” Wen Qiaozhou asked with great interest, “What? You think it’s beneath you?”

“It’s definitely not that,” Xu Qingli hurriedly waved her hands and shook her head. “I just feel… that someone else would be a better fit than me!”

“Who would be a better fit?” Wen Qiaozhou inquired.

Xu Qingli quickly replied, “Shu Ruan! Shu Ruan would be perfect!”

As the name “Shu Ruan” was mentioned, the little girl above her head took a few quick steps to the side with her short legs, and in the spot where she had been standing, another tiny figure appeared. This time, it wasn’t a chibi version of a person but a miniature model of a real person. Though small, the figure clearly had an enviable figure and striking, beautiful features. She was an undeniably stunning woman, with even a halo of colorful light surrounding her.

Meanwhile, the original chibi girl had her fists pressed against her lips, gazing at “Shu Ruan” with starry-eyed admiration, sending little stars and hearts flying toward her with each biubiubiu from her eyes.

Wen Qiaozhou strongly suspected that the little girl’s drool might have already dripped out if she hadn’t used her hands to block her mouth.

“…”

For a moment, Wen Qiaozhou truly didn’t know what to say. Xu Qingli belatedly noticed the intensity of his gaze and immediately lowered her head.

Beside them, Shui Miao and Gao Xuan exchanged glances, neither daring to speak. What was going on now? Would President Wen get angry?

The office fell into an eerie silence.

Finally, Wen Qiaozhou turned to Gao Xuan. “Director Gao, do you have any information on Miss Shu Ruan?”

“Yes,” Gao Xuan replied, quietly breathing a sigh of relief as he quickly handed over the documents. “Miss Shu is also very outstanding.”

Since Wen Qiaozhou was coming, he had made preparations in advance. Just like in the original novel, he had been the most optimistic about Shu Ruan and Wen Xiangxiang, so their files had already been readily available for inspection.

Wen Qiaozhou took the documents and skimmed through them quickly.

Gao Xuan compared the speed at which he had reviewed the files of Xu Qingli earlier and could tell Wen Qiaozhou had little interest in Shu Ruan.

“Fine,” Wen Qiaozhou closed the file and turned to Xu Qingli. “Then it’ll be the both of you.”

Xu Qingli: “…”

She glanced up at Wen Qiaozhou briefly before quickly looking away again.

In that split second, Wen Qiaozhou saw the little girl above her head playing rock-paper-scissors with herself. She obviously still had something to say but wasn’t sure whether to voice it.

“Still have objections?” Wen Qiaozhou asked flatly, his tone neutral.

Even Gao Xuan couldn’t help but worry for Xu Qingli. When he himself used that tone, it usually meant his patience was running thin and he was already getting angry.

Xu Qingli was also afraid, but she really didn’t want to participate in this promotional video. Gritting her teeth, she whispered, “If you need two female leads, I think Wen Xiangxiang would also be… a great choice.”

After speaking, she cautiously peeked at Wen Qiaozhou’s expression.

Wen Qiaozhou actually did know Wen Xiangxiang, though not very well, and his impression of her was rather mediocre. He’d heard she was arrogant and had a princess syndrome.

Yet, the image he saw above Xu Qingli’s head was vastly different from his impression. It was a young girl in ancient Chinese attire with only her profile visible while even her facial features remained indistinct. Just a few simple strokes outlined her silhouette, yet the overall impression she gave was one of grace and dignity, like that of a genuine princess.

Wen Qiaozhou suddenly grew curious about what kind of image he had in Xu Qingli’s mind.

“Including Wen Xiangxiang is fine too,” Wen Qiaozhou agreed readily after a brief consideration. “Then it’ll be the three of you together.

To be honest, he had other purposes for coming this time. The casting for the promotional video had just been incidental and wasn’t of much importance to him. If he had to personally oversee every single one of these trivial matters, he would have been exhausted long ago.

So, although he made an appearance, he hadn’t actually planned to select anyone himself, and had originally intended to leave this task to Gao Xuan.

The appearance of Xu Qingli had been an accident and was something completely unexpected

He chose Xu Qingli as the female lead to further observe her and understand why she was different from others. Perhaps through her uniqueness, he could find the reason behind his own supernatural abilities.

But now, the three distinct character images in Xu Qingli’s mind had genuinely given him some ideas for the promotional video.

As soon as he said this, the remaining people were completely stunned.

Gao Xuan wondered if President Wen was possibly being too indulgent with her. Did he agree to everything, just like that? This Xu Qingli seemed to be even more extraordinary than he imagined.

Shui Miao wondered what kind of game Xu Qingli was playing now. Didn’t she used to despise Shu Ruan and Wen Xiangxiang? Why would she possibly recommend those two?

Xu Qingli, on the other hand, had only one thought: I give up, just let the world end already!

She didn’t want to speak anymore and couldn’t even be bothered to look at Wen Qiaozhou.

Wen Qiaozhou seemed to read Xu Qingli’s mind and leisurely asked, “Is there a fourth person you’d like to recommend?”

Xu Qingli was innately timid, and no matter what thoughts she had in her heart, she didn’t dare to confront Wen Qiaozhou directly. She replied softly, “No, there’s no more.”

Wen Qiaozhou’s intention was already very clear: he would accept everyone she recommended, but she herself wouldn’t be able to escape either.

Xu Qingli didn’t know why he was doing this, but she didn’t want to make her interpersonal relationships any more difficult.

“Alright then,” Wen Qiaozhou didn’t say anything more. “You can go back now. President Gao will contact you when it’s time to film.”

Xu Qingli sighed in relief and quickly stood up to leave.

Just as she reached the door, she heard Wen Qiaozhou call from behind, “Xu Qingli.”

Xu Qingli instinctively turned around and met his gaze.

Wen Qiaozhou just wanted to see what image he had in her mind.

But when she turned back, no image of him appeared above her head. Instead, the adorable chibi version of her suddenly knelt down with a thud, shedding two thick streams of noodle-like tears, while a line of speech bubbles slowly popped up above her simultaneously: [What. On. Earth. Does. He. Want. This. Time?!]

Wen Qiaozhou: “…”

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i’ll be on hiatus starting from the 10th of nov until the end of the month TAT i’ll be on vacay so won’t have time to update any of my series except for rhrpaw which i have a phat backlog for! so this series will return on the 26th of november! thanks for understanding ◡̈

anyways, i just love when the WQZ can’t get what he wants from the XQL AHHHH MY DAUGHTER OTZ

any typos or broken links, pls comment or dm me on discord!
support mio on kofi! ◡̈