After Transmigrating into the Book, I Bent the Heroine O - Chapter 9

Inside the car heading toward the company, Shu Minglan let out a loud sneeze.

Ever since she filmed that water scene in the cold wind, she had come down with a bit of a cold. Despite drinking ginger soup immediately, it didn’t seem to get any better. The weather in mid-autumn was fickle; seasonal transitions were prime time for getting sick, and for an Omega’s constitution, it was quite unfriendly.

Top-tier Omegas were slightly hardier than those with average constitutions, but only “slightly.”

She had no scenes for the next two days. Director Zhu wasn’t overly strict with his actors; as long as they were serious during filming, he didn’t micromanage their free time, so she could leave as she pleased.

Shu Minglan originally wanted to stay on set to observe, but Jia Qimei was watching her with predatory eyes, forcing her to find an excuse to get out first.

Once these scenes were wrapped up, the crew would move to a different city. Shu Minglan had planned to rest for two days, but unexpectedly, the company was holding some sort of team-building party. After thinking it over, she was certain it was He Lingxing’s doing again.

She had zero interest in that so-called “cosplay party,” much less the childish game of drawing lots. However, He Lingxing knew her schedule perfectly and wouldn’t allow her to take leave for a minor cold, forcing her to show up on time.

Entering the magnificently decorated conference room, Shu Minglan’s eyes flashed with a momentary flicker of impatience as they landed on the lottery box in the center. Still, she reached in and casually pulled out a slip.

The slip, encased in a small round ball, held a sense of mystery, but the woman held it and walked toward the dressing room without the slightest hint of anticipation.

Leading such a boring, prank-like activity for the first time, He Lingxing felt a faint wave of guilt. After a moment, she strode after her.

It’s better to get this ghost of a mission over with as soon as possible, He Lingxing told herself repeatedly. She had specially prepared that specific lot for Shu Minglan beforehand. Of course, there was no need for anyone else to see it; as long as she witnessed it herself, the mission would count as complete.

The dull thud-thud of her low heels echoed on the floor, closing the distance to the female Omega dressing room step by step.

After entering her fingerprint, the door was pushed open.

He Lingxing didn’t have any strange fetishes for humiliating people, so she wouldn’t actually make Shu Minglan wear some sort of “adult” lingerie. Since the System hadn’t specified a style, she found a loophole and had a more “normal” version custom-made.

The first thing that caught her eye was a pair of fluffy black bunny ears.

Because of her previous role as a police officer, Shu Minglan’s hair had been dyed back to its original black. It now rested softly on her shoulders, with a few strands falling over her pale, straight collarbones. The black tulle skirt ended just above the knees; the mesh veiled her legs, making the snow-white skin beneath appear tantalizingly elusive.

Used to her usual pure and elegant look, this sudden visual impact made He Lingxing freeze. That tingling sensation returned to every nerve in her body. Even without contact, her heart began to thud uncontrollably.

“System, if I take a photo now, does it count as finished?”

【Yes, Host.】

With the affirmative answer, and under Shu Minglan’s slight wariness, He Lingxing walked forward a few steps with forced naturalness. She pulled her phone out of her pocket while lightly resting a hand on the woman’s shoulder.

She was about half a head taller than Shu Minglan, but the height difference didn’t affect the shot. The moment the selfie camera popped up on the screen, He Lingxing felt the shoulder beneath her fingers twitch unnaturally. It was just a split second, but she caught it.

He Lingxing quickly understood where the resistance came from. Artists who had been in the industry for a year or two knew all about the “dirty side.” Countless lewd photos were circulated or used as blackmail without the subject’s knowledge.

It was an instinctive defense. The Shu Minglan who was gentle to everyone else always became a prickly hedgehog when facing her.

“I didn’t expect the best outfit to be drawn by you,” He Lingxing said softly, her gaze sweeping up and down with a hint of feigned disdain. “But on you, I guess it’s just barely acceptable. Take one with your own phone; I don’t want it taking up storage on mine.”

Since the task didn’t specify whose phone to use, this loophole worked. She noticed Shu Minglan visibly relax. The actress put on her professional smile and took several photos with her, then showed them to He Lingxing.

Neither woman had any fatal flaws in their looks; even without filters or Photoshop, they were incredibly photogenic. He Lingxing pointed to one where Shu Minglan had tilted her head slightly, making it look as if her chin was resting on He Lingxing’s shoulder. She used a familiar, commanding tone:

“Send it to me.”

On the cold work account, a new photo appeared beneath the recent bank transfer.

The temperature in the dressing room had been turned down in advance. The chilly air made the already-congested Shu Minglan sneeze. Just as she was covering her mouth with her hand, a long trench coat was draped over her shoulders.

He Lingxing stood 173cm tall with a standard female Alpha build; her frame was slightly larger but not awkward. The coat was one or two sizes bigger than what Shu Minglan usually wore. On He Lingxing, it reached the calves; on Shu Minglan, it reached her ankles, wrapping her entirely within it.

【Mission Progress: 1/3. Please proceed quickly to restore your villainous persona. Currently, persona restoration is at 50%.】

“Sneezing just from wearing this? You’re a disgrace to top-tier Omegas.”

He Lingxing tugged at the woman’s sleeve with feigned indifference. Mindful of the mutual attraction between Alphas and Omegas, she was careful to minimize physical contact. As she drew near, the cool, sparse fragrance of “Peach Blossom Snow” drifted into Shu Minglan’s nose. The woman took a deep breath; surprisingly, she didn’t find the scent of this other “Omega” repulsive.

“Go soak in the hot spring. Don’t bother joining the party; wouldn’t want you ruining everyone’s fun!”

Shu Minglan hadn’t wanted to attend the team-building event dressed like this anyway. He Lingxing’s words were exactly what she wanted. She gave a soft response and headed toward the hot springs.

Watching her push the door to leave, He Lingxing suddenly called out: “Wait, I’m going too. Brew two cups of tea first. I want a lemon-aloe fruit tea with a bit of Pingyin rose—don’t get it wrong.”

The woman, who had been leaving in a hurry, paused. She then turned and walked obediently toward the pantry.