After Transmigrating into the Book, I Bent the Heroine O - Chapter 18

The news of Murong Feng’s injury hit the trending searches instantly.

He owned a small company and was also an active actor; having just landed a role in a new drama, an injury severe enough to stop him from filming was no small matter.

The role Murong Feng had secured was one coveted by many young male actors. In He Lingxing’s eyes, his acting was merely mediocre—he relied mostly on his handsome face to attract fans. Landing that role was purely due to the “male lead halo.”

Just as the production was about to begin, he was suddenly unable to film. The diagnosis suggested it would take a long time before he could resume normal activities.

A whole crew couldn’t wait around for him indefinitely; every day of idle production was a massive financial loss. The director was so furious he could hardly speak, wishing he could charge into the hospital and give Murong Feng another beating himself.

Of course, the fact that he was beaten by a mysterious person while attempting to mark Shu Minglan could not be made public. Even his manager only learned the truth after persistent questioning. They immediately chose to cover it up, claiming Murong Feng had “accidentally slipped down the stairs.”

As for how many flights of stairs one would have to fall down to be out of commission for months… whether anyone believed such a reason depended on their own common sense.

Regardless, every word that came out of his mouth made the director and head producer seethe. They hung up the phone in a huff within five minutes and immediately notified other male actors to come in for emergency auditions.

This “shambolic situation” drew the collective ire of the production crew while keeping the heat on various social platforms high.

Fans were desperately trying to explain on behalf of their “Big Brother,” leaving messages of sympathy on Weibo, telling him to focus on recovery. Passersby were split between skepticism and mockery, or expressing mild regret.

Anti-fans aside, various marketing accounts—clearly paid off by rival companies—started questioning how Murong Feng managed to get injured so “conveniently” at this specific time, and how a fall down the stairs could be so severe. Murong Feng’s studio had no counter-argument and could only remain silent.

He Lingxing enjoyed the drama while handling her new project, sending the news links to Shu Minglan, who was still on set. Shu Minglan had a heavy filming schedule and didn’t reply until very late that night.

【He was the one who tried to harbor ill intentions toward me.】

Shu Minglan had hesitated repeatedly before finally telling He Lingxing the truth. In the original plot, He Lingxing was deeply in love with Murong Feng, so saying this might not yield any benefit. But whenever she remembered the way Murong Feng looked at her that night, Shu Minglan felt nauseous.

As of now, He Lingxing hadn’t actually harmed her—in fact, she had stepped in to help several times. Whether she still liked Murong Feng was a mystery.

They were all adults; they should be able to distinguish right from wrong. If He Lingxing truly liked Murong Feng to the point of ignoring reality, Shu Minglan felt there was nothing she could do.

Logically, staying silent would have been the safest choice, but a strong hope deep inside pushed Shu Minglan to describe the full event to He Lingxing. To ensure she was believed, she even sent an audio file.

At the time, Shu Minglan had sensed something was wrong and wanted to run, but the “entity” in her mind had tried to forcibly control her to follow the plot. The audio came from a recording pen she had hidden on her person.

To prevent Murong Feng from denying it or turning the tables, Shu Minglan had even carried a scent-storage bottle, capturing the pheromone aura.

Including, of course… the scent of Night-Blooming Cereus and Rum that appeared later.

He Lingxing remained silent for a while before typing into the chat box: “SO”

【I am simply stating the facts. Whether you believe them is up to your own judgment. However, I want to tell you: I have never liked Murong Feng from the beginning, and I would never resort to framing someone to steal him away.】

Shu Minglan’s screen showed “the other party is typing…” for a long time, but nothing was sent.

In a chat that isn’t face-to-face, long silences make it even harder to guess the other person’s thoughts, allowing mutual suspicion to fester.

If He Lingxing wanted to, she could easily use her position to retaliate or destroy evidence, leaving Shu Minglan with no recourse. Telling her was an impulse based on her recent impression of He Lingxing, but she had no idea how the other woman truly felt about her.

She had been impulsive. But she didn’t regret it.

If there was even a shred of hope to pull someone out of the mire, she didn’t want anyone to repeat her mistakes—to give up everything and become a submissive subject at that man’s feet.

Ten minutes isn’t long, but in the midst of an uncertain wait, every second felt like a slow burn. The window in the set room wasn’t closed, and the cold wind blew against Shu Minglan’s icy face. Her phone remained silent. As if in slow motion, she stood up to close the window.

Clack.

The sound of the latch closing seemed to strike her heart. Shu Minglan let out a long breath. Just as she was about to set her phone to “Do Not Disturb” and continue reading the script, the familiar profile picture popped up. The vibration of the message made her heart skip a beat.

Shu Minglan waited a few seconds before picking up the phone.

【He Lingxing】: Noted.

When He Lingxing typed those words, she had originally followed them with another sentence. But just as she was about to hit send, a call came in from an unfamiliar number. Upon hearing the voice on the other end, He Lingxing’s face went cold; her instinct was to hang up.

“Auntie Zhou is in the hospital.”

The person on the other end merely spoke those few light words, quickly stated the name of the hospital, and hung up.

Pingkang Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology Department.

The heavy smell of disinfectant in the hallway made He Lingxing—who already had a bit of an aversion to it—let out a sneeze. A small handkerchief soaked in perfume was immediately offered.

Seeing her take a step back, Yu Fanhui giggled, seemingly oblivious to He Lingxing’s rejection.

“Sister Lingxing, you’re so funny. We shared a bed when we were little, and we’re both women. Do you really need to guard against me like I’m some kind of wolf?” Yu Fanhui tried to put her arm around her shoulder. “Alright, I was joking before. I’m straight; I don’t have those thoughts about you.”

He Lingxing only found her noisy and unceremoniously brushed away the hand. “Is ‘straight’ or ‘gay’ written on your face?”

Even with another straight woman, she didn’t want a shred of involvement with someone like this.

“Fine, fine, I won’t provoke you. So fierce.” Although she said that, Yu Fanhui only backed off slightly. “Auntie Zhou is undergoing an examination.”

The original book didn’t describe “He Lingxing’s” family much, so He Lingxing had no idea what was wrong with her nominal mother. Her father had gone to collect the reports, and Yu Fanhui showed no intention of telling her. He Lingxing didn’t want to ask, either. A few minutes later, the doctor pushed open the door.

He Lingxing stepped forward.

“Are you Zhou Lan’s family?” The doctor nodded after getting an affirmative. “In about seven months, you’ll have a younger brother or sister. The patient needs some nutrient IVs and will be hospitalized for three days.”

He Lingxing was stunned.

In this relatively egalitarian society, Omegas aren’t forced to give birth. She was currently an only child. Her mother was nearly fifty—an advanced maternal age—yet she was pregnant. Even for a high-level Omega, giving birth at this age was dangerous.

Though she felt little for the original host’s family, He Lingxing ordered a fruit basket and walked into the ward.

As soon as she pushed the door open, she saw the woman on the bed struggling to sit up. He Lingxing went to help, but her hand was subtly pushed away the moment it touched her mother’s arm.

“It’s a bit hot.”

Hearing her murmur, He Lingxing pushed the window open a crack, letting in the cool night breeze. Zhou Lan asked for a glass of water, drank most of it, and let out a long breath of relief before looking up at He Lingxing.

The woman in her twenties was slender and elegant; her tall, well-proportioned frame was convincing enough for some to believe she was an Alpha. Zhou Lan had actually suspected He Lingxing was an “Alpha faking being an Omega,” but the test reports said otherwise, forcing Zhou Lan to accept reality.

Alphas were natural leaders; Omegas were relatively weak and, in her view, useless except for political marriages. But this daughter of hers lacked an Alpha’s body yet possessed an Alpha’s pride, saying “no” to every path Zhou Lan tried to arrange.

Zhou Lan’s mocking gaze made He Lingxing uncomfortable. She wasn’t the type to swallow her pride, but out of respect for a patient and her nominal mother, she endured it and looked away.

However, He Lingxing’s restraint was misinterpreted. A cold sneer touched Zhou Lan’s lips.

“So you still know how to come back, He Lingxing? I thought this family no longer had a place for you.”

Yu Fanhui, who had entered with He Lingxing’s father, heard this sharp comment. Seeing He Lingxing’s face darken, she quickly tried to mediate.

“Auntie, don’t be angry. What happened last time was my fault. Lingxing is an Omega; it’s only right for her to keep her distance from an Alpha. Lingxing, why don’t you apologize to Auntie Zhou and we’ll forget the past?”

He Lingxing’s long lashes lowered, but she remained silent.

“Alright, alright, I’ve already forgiven Sister Lingxing for leaving so abruptly last time. Auntie Zhou, don’t be mad at her.”

Yu Fanhui smiled as she played the peacemaker, but her eyes drifted to He Lingxing’s perfectly contoured side profile. Her jawline was exquisitely beautiful; looking at her now, with her head lowered like an elegant, somber swan, she was stunning.

On a whim, and right in front of He Lingxing’s parents, Yu Fanhui hooked her arm around He Lingxing’s neck and leaned in close.