Hou Xiaoguang was gay, but even he couldn’t resist the flattery of a beauty like Lin Qian. Her constant praise left him beaming, and he was even tempted to linger and chat.
Before he could utter a word, however, the door swung open. A woman strode in, draped in fur and wearing heavy makeup.
Despite the thick foundation, Lin Qian spotted the signs of plastic surgery immediately. The woman’s face looked stiff and unnaturally old.
Hou Xiaoguang did a quick mental calculation before scrambling to her side. “Yaqi, you’re here.”
Xin Yaqi was another one of his artists. She had just found some minor fame from a recent fantasy web series and was now drawing in plenty of offers. Hou Xiaoguang was betting big on her.
She grunted in response, then turned her icy gaze on Lin Qian. “Why are you sitting in my spot?”
Lin Qian looked puzzled. “Isn’t this my office?”
Xin Yaqi rolled her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips. She twisted her waist as she scanned the room for a seat, intending to explain everything to Lin Qian in a more comfortable position. But there were no other chairs—only the one Lin Qian was occupying.
The other chairs were missing for a simple reason: Lin Qian had thrown them all out.
After pacing twice with her arms crossed, Xin Yaqi could only stand there awkwardly on her towering stilettos.
“Don’t you know yet? This office is mine now,” Xin Yaqi declared.
“You’re barely working. Why do you even need an office? I’m the one running around like crazy, without even a moment to drink some water. Brother Hou felt bad for me, so he gave me the office.”
Hou Xiaoguang felt Lin Qian’s gaze drift toward him and shifted awkwardly.
Lin Qian paused, deep in thought, then asked earnestly, “But in our line of work, doesn’t being busy mean you need an office even less? You don’t exactly film scenes in here, do you?”
Xin Yaqi was left speechless. Damn it, she thought, momentarily unable to retort.
Her eyes darted around the room, and she noticed the picture frame she had left on the desk was gone. When she looked down, she saw it lying in the trash can.
“Lin Qian, how dare you throw my photo frame away!” she snarled.
Lin Qian covered her mouth in surprise. “Oh, is that yours?”
“Can’t you tell?!”
Lin Qian leaned over to compare the photo with Xin Yaqi’s face. “The person in the picture doesn’t even have nostrils. I really couldn’t tell it was you.”
What do you mean, “doesn’t even have nostrils”? She was mocking her for over-editing the photo! That bitch!
Lin Qian seemed oblivious to Xin Yaqi’s fury. She pointed at the trash can and asked, “Should I take it out for you?”
It’s in the trash! It’s filthy! How could I possibly want it back?
“No need!” Xin Yaqi spat through clenched teeth.
Lin Qian immediately sat up straight. “Good. I agree. A photo edited that badly is better off not being displayed anyway.”
Xin Yaqi’s face darkened instantly. Only then did Lin Qian seem to realize she’d said something wrong. She lightly covered her lips with her hand. “Oh, I’m sorry. I meant the photo is ugly, not you. I hope you don’t mind.”
“…”
Xin Yaqi had been bullied by Lin Qian before. Back when Lin Qian was successful, she’d treated her like a maid, making her serve tea and water. But even then, she’d never felt this humiliated. Lin Qian’s tongue must have been sharpened to a razor’s edge; she knew exactly how to infuriate a person.
Lin Qian seized the moment. “Nothing else? If not, you can leave now.”
With a dark expression, Xin Yaqi turned to walk out. As she pulled open the door, she suddenly realized something was wrong. Wait, this is my office now!
And I wasn’t finished talking!
Taking a deep breath, Xin Yaqi smoothed her expression and turned to Lin Qian with a smug smile. “There’s something you don’t know yet. The role of the fourth female lead in Ruyi Ling is mine now.”
Your dad here has read the original novel, Lin Qian thought. Of course I know.
She feigned surprise, her eyes turning to Hou Xiaoguang. “Wasn’t that role mine?”
The deal had been struck, and all she’d been waiting for was the contract signing.
Hou Xiaoguang hesitated, his voice trailing off. “Uh… the production team thought Yaqi was a better fit.”
Lin Qian’s lips trembled with feigned grievance. “What about me, then?”
Hou Xiaoguang had pulled strings to give the role to Xin Yaqi, but he’d never expected to feel this soft-hearted toward Lin Qian. Now, he found himself utterly speechless.
Xin Yaqi seized the moment, her smile radiant. “You still have a role. I recommended you to the crew to play my palace maid, the one who dies early on.”
The original owner of this body had always bullied Xin Yaqi. If Lin Qian accepted this role, Xin Yaqi would undoubtedly make her life hell on set.
Since I haven’t signed the contract, I can just refuse, Lin Qian thought. But then she remembered the other lead actors in Ruyi Ling and the novel’s future plot. She decided to take the job after all.
Lin Qian offered Xin Yaqi a brilliant smile, her perfect features radiating beauty. “Thank you, Sister Yaqi, for keeping me in mind.”
Seeing that Lin Qian wasn’t angry, Xin Yaqi found herself wondering what the other girl was plotting. She offered a cool, curt reply.
“You’re welcome.”
“Mhm,” Lin Qian hummed. “To repay your kindness, Sister Yaqi, I’ll tell you a secret. Your nose is translucent.”
Xin Yaqi’s expression instantly soured as if she’d swallowed a fly. She scrambled backward, retreating into the shadows.
She glared venomously at Lin Qian, who beamed back. “I suggest you get it fixed, Sister Yaqi. Good luck, I hope you become even more beautiful soon.”
Her cheeks flushing crimson, Xin Yaqi covered her nose and fled. Hou Xiaoguang called out her name and hurried after her.
As soon as they left, Lin Qian’s smile vanished. She packed up the original owner’s belongings and departed.
Meanwhile, Xin Yaqi wailed to Hou Xiaoguang, “Brother Hou, look at her! How could she say such a thing to me?”
Though Hou Xiaoguang was gay, he failed to detect the malice in Lin Qian’s words. Instead, he replied earnestly, “I think Lin Qian is right. Your nose is translucent.”
Xin Yaqi was on the verge of tears. “What am I supposed to do? If my fans find out I had plastic surgery, they’ll tear me apart! Is it really that obvious?”
“A little. This clinic was a mistake. I’ll have my friend recommend a better one.”
Mhm, Xin Yaqi seethed. Just wait until we’re on set, Lin Qian. I’ll show you what I can do.
Shortly after Lin Qian signed her contract, filming for Ruyi Ling began. She had wanted to visit Lin Yajun’s shop, but the schedule didn’t allow it.
The production company, flush with cash, had booked out a hotel near the Film and Television City. Even a minor extra like Lin Qian was assigned a bed, saving her the commute during the shoot.
Her room was on a lower floor and quite small, containing just two beds. Her roommate was a crew member named Ren Mengmeng. The girl looked to be in her early twenties, a bit plump, with short hair and glasses, and a quiet, gentle demeanor.
Perhaps because they were strangers, Ren Mengmeng said nothing after their brief introductions. She simply sat on her bed, engrossed in her phone.
Lin Qian kept a calm expression, but her heart was racing with excitement. This was her first time ever sharing a room! In her previous life, her poor health had kept her from boarding school, so she’d never known what it was like to have a roommate.
Living a second life has its perks, she thought with a grin.
Leaving Ren Mengmeng to her phone, Lin Qian took her script from her bag and began to study it.
Yes! This time, she had actual lines, unlike her role as a lifeless body in the last shoot. Wow, I’m really improving already. This is only my second acting gig!
A palace maid who dies early wouldn’t have much screen time. Her script was only five pages long, and Lin Qian had already memorized it perfectly.
Just as she was quietly reciting her lines—”Greetings, Her Majesty. Please spare my life! This servant will withdraw now”—a soft voice spoke from behind her.
“Lin Qian…”
She turned around. “Yes?”
Seeing the script in her hand, Ren Mengmeng looked apologetic. “Am I interrupting you?”
“Not at all. What’s up?”
Ren Mengmeng had worked in the industry for a long time and seen plenty of beautiful women, but someone as stunning as Lin Qian was a rare find.
Lin Qian had a poor reputation online, and her acting in previous dramas was cringeworthy. Even her colleagues had criticized her. Because of this, Ren Mengfeng had been cautious and kept her distance.
The rumors must be wrong, she thought. Lin Qian seems really nice.
She turned her phone screen toward Lin Qian. “Is this you?”
Lin Qian stood up and leaned in to look. It was indeed her. In the shot, she held a sword, her expression one of grim determination. Chi Juanbei stood before her, the two of them perfectly framing the scene.
The handsome man and beautiful woman made for a visually stunning pair.
She had reshot some scenes for an xianxia web series a few days ago, but hadn’t Chi Juanbei explicitly said she wasn’t to be included in the edit? Could it be that the post-production team had been so moved by her beauty that they kept her in? Heh heh.
“It’s me,” Lin Qian said, turning away from the phone and confirming for Ren Mengmeng.
“I thought you looked familiar,” Ren Mengmeng replied with genuine admiration. “You look great in this costume.”
Inside, Lin Qian’s inner monologue was practically doing a happy dance. Someone is praising me!!
Outwardly, she simply offered a calm smile. “Thank you.”
After saying that, she walked back to the table. With her back turned to Ren Mengmeng, she secretly pulled out her phone and put on her earbuds.
She navigated to the video streaming site, clicked the banner on the homepage, and found her scene among this week’s newly released episodes.
She had thought the costumes looked cheap during filming, but with the post-production filters applied, she looked positively ethereal—unless she was compared to Chi Juanbei, who had glowing effects added to both his person and his weapon.
The entire fight sequence lasted just over twenty seconds, yet Lin Qian dragged the progress bar back and forth, rewatching the clip endlessly without growing tired of it.
As she watched, she remembered that the bullet chat function was turned off, so she enabled it. Instantly, streams of comments began to scroll across the screen.
Chi Juanbei was stunning, an actor of immense talent and appeal, and he had a legion of devoted fans. The bullet chat was flooded with their praise: Baby is so handsome! Baby, marry me!
Lin Qian felt a twinge of envy. Hmph, once I have fans of my own, they will praise me just like that.
As the video played on, she reached the moment she “died.” The camera remained focused on Chi Juanbei, which Lin Qian understood. After all, he was the male lead.
But then she saw a comment in the chat: Who’s that girl with the big round face in the background? She’s got a lot of screen time.
Who has a big round face?!
Well, alright, looking closer, she supposed it looked a little… but it wasn’t her fault! This body had the exact same appearance as her previous life. Back then, she had been gravely ill; she stood 165 centimeters tall but weighed less than 80 jin. She had been as thin as a rail, ready to be blown away by the wind.
This life, she barely weighed over 90 jin! It was all Lu Shihan’s fault! His insistence on a divorce had driven the original owner to binge-eat, causing her weight to balloon.
She had been eating in moderation these past few days, and she was confident she would soon be back down to 80 jin.
And they still call me fat! How is a girl supposed to live?!