After Transmigrating into the Role of the Villain Forced to Pamper the Heroine of an Angsty Novel - Chapter 14

As the atmosphere that had finally eased up threatened to tighten again, Meng Qiuran cut it short just in time. She could clearly feel Gu Ruolan’s wariness, and even a faint trace of displeasure.

It made sense; no one would enjoy being constantly surrounded by such messy, headache-inducing rumors.

Meng Qiuran cleared her throat, trying her best to appear sincere. “Actually, I didn’t mean to target you before; it was just a special situation.” She looked at her companion and added, “Perhaps we’ll have more opportunities to cooperate in the future.”

Gu Ruolan’s fingertips, resting on her lap, flicked slightly, but her face remained unchanged. It was impossible to tell if she understood the overture or not; she remained as calm and as distant as ever.

“I look forward to it.”

Meng Qiuran thought to herself: With that look on your face, it’d be a miracle if you were actually looking forward to it.

But calling Gu Ruolan out and making their relationship worse wasn’t the goal today. Meng Qiuran knew exactly why she was here: to scout the situation. On one hand, she needed to understand Gu Ruolan’s attitude; on the other, she needed to find opportunities to get closer. To help her, she first had to be near her.

“Ahem… How long will this movie take to film?”

Gu Ruolan was puzzled. Why was Meng Qiuran still trying to find conversation topics? They had already discussed yesterday’s incident, and the excuse of “movie cooperation” had already been used.

Does she still not want to leave?

“A month and a half here in Qujiang, then we move to other locations for exterior shots. About three and a half months total.”

“That’s quite long. Must be exhausting.”

“I’m used to it.”

The conversation hit another wall. Meng Qiuran sipped her tea slowly. Back at the Qidu Mansion, Gu Ruolan rarely initiated a topic; she mostly answered when others asked. Compared to the other social butterfly actresses, her unique nature left a deep impression.

Meng Qiuran set down her cup and stole a few glances at her, as if weighing something. Gu Ruolan noticed, of course. But she said nothing and offered no reaction, keeping her eyes downcast as she savored her tea.

“I…”

The moment Meng Qiuran spoke, Gu Ruolan immediately set down her teacup, assuming the other was about to take her leave. However, Meng Qiuran’s next words were not a goodbye.

“Could you give me an autograph?”

Gu Ruolan: ???

Seeing her visibly stunned—a flash of pure shock darting through her eyes and contrasting sharply with her usually indifferent, exquisite face—Meng Qiuran found her somewhat cute.

“I have a subordinate named Yuan Yi. She’s a die-hard fan of yours. When she saw the news online yesterday, she immediately started defending you. Since I’m visiting the set today, I thought if I could bring her an autograph, she’d be thrilled.”

This was worded skillfully. It wasn’t just because Yuan Yi was a subordinate, but because she had defended Gu Ruolan. Gu Ruolan knew the fans had put in a lot of effort yesterday and felt genuinely grateful.

“Where should I sign?”

Meng Qiuran took a small notebook and an elegant silver fountain pen from her bag. “Right here is fine.”

Gu Ruolan rested the notebook on her lap, deftly unscrewed the cap, and began writing seriously. She tilted her head slightly, her ponytail sliding over her left shoulder, looking much like a high school beauty queen focused on her homework.

Meng Qiuran was silently considering how to help Gu Ruolan avoid other scandals from the original plot when the woman suddenly looked up. Meng Qiuran was caught red-handed staring directly at the top of her head. Fortunately, Meng Qiuran stayed calm and didn’t look away, choosing to simply maintain eye contact.

“Your subordinate’s name—which ‘Yuan’ and which ‘Yi’?”

“The ‘Yuan’ from Yuan Shikai, and the ‘Yi’ from Yi Shu.” As she explained, Meng Qiuran gestured the characters in the air.

Gu Ruolan finished signing quickly and handed the book back. “Is this okay?”

Meng Qiuran had expected a simple signature, maybe “To Yuan Yi, best wishes” or something. To her surprise, Gu Ruolan had written quite a bit. The handwriting was elegant and neat, with a touch of fluid grace—clearly the result of childhood practice.

Yuan Yi:

It is an honor to have your love and support. I am also very grateful for your trust and for defending me. I wish you success in your work and happiness in your life.

— Gu Ruolan

Meng Qiuran thought the writing was beautiful and instinctively wanted a copy for herself. Luckily, she caught herself and swallowed the words.

“Then, I’ll thank you on behalf of Yuan Yi.” Meng Qiuran put the notebook back in her bag and stood up. This time, she was really leaving.

Gu Ruolan also rose, preparing to walk her out. She hadn’t greeted her upon arrival due to the surprise, but as a matter of politeness, she had to see her off now. Gu Ruolan disliked social obligations, but she didn’t lack manners.

Before stepping out, she put on a very thin down vest. Meng Qiuran, thinking she was cold, urged her to go back. “Don’t bother walking me, it’s just a few steps.”

Gu Ruolan’s expression was neutral, but she showed no sign of leaving, continuing to walk beside her. “It’s only right.”

The two weren’t close. They had managed to find topics in the room, but now this short walk was silent and rather awkward. Just then, complaining voices came from nearby. Both women looked toward the sound.

Xu Anying had just finished her scene, wearing a thick mid-length trench coat over a thin black shirt. She looked the part of a cool “big sister,” but her sharp tone and incessant whining shattered the illusion.

“Go tell the assistant director to get me a new lighting technician tomorrow. He can’t even handle a small task and wasted two hours of my time! My time is precious—can he afford to pay for it?”

Her assistant followed behind, nodding submissively, clearly having dealt with this before.

Meng Qiuran’s first instinct was to look at Gu Ruolan. Seeing no reaction on her face, she kept her own thoughts to herself. As Xu Anying approached, her expression became more exaggerated the closer she got. The path wasn’t wide, and there was nowhere to hide.

Xu Anying wasn’t sure at first, but once she saw clearly, she was shocked: Meng Qiuran was actually at the studio! Though they weren’t close, she stepped forward with a warm greeting: “Miss Meng, hello.”

Meng Qiuran didn’t recognize her immediately. She squinted slightly and nodded. “Hello.”

Xu Anying, ever the opportunist, immediately introduced herself. “I’m Xu Anying. We had dinner at Qidu Mansion before. Do you remember?”

Only then did Meng Qiuran recall her. But… why did she look different? She couldn’t help but look closer. There was something different, though the contours were the same; she blamed her own slight “face blindness” toward actresses. If they were all as recognizable as Gu Ruolan, she wouldn’t have to struggle.

Oh, Xu Anying. She’s the other female lead in this movie, right? Meng Qiuran remembered the dinner talk. This was the person in the original story who would fight Gu Ruolan for top billing.

Hmm… I need to be more careful. Since this person was on the same set as Gu Ruolan, sabotaging her would be much easier than posting blurry photos online.

Meng Qiuran’s gaze lingered on Xu Anying with a hint of scrutiny. This made Xu Anying’s heart race; she took it as a sign of interest. She had messaged Meng Xiayan several times without a reply. Although she wasn’t gay, if Miss Meng was interested, she wasn’t opposed to it—many people in the industry rose to the top that way.

Xu Anying flashed a sweet smile. “Is Miss Meng here at the studio for business today?”

Meng Qiuran already disliked the way she had just flared up, and combined with her knowledge of the plot, her expression wasn’t particularly friendly. She withdrew her gaze, her tone very flat. “Mm. A set visit.”

She didn’t specify who she was visiting, but she tilted her head slightly; anyone but a blind person would know who she came to see. Before Xu Anying could say more, Meng Qiuran spoke first: “Sorry, I’m in a hurry. I’ll head out now.”

As Gu Ruolan passed Xu Anying, she only gave a slight nod. The two were not close in private, and their shared scenes hadn’t started filming yet.

Watching Meng Qiuran’s back as she got into the car, Xu Anying fumed inwardly: These two siblings—both equally arrogant!

After seeing Meng Qiuran off, Gu Ruolan returned to her room. Xiao Yan had already cleared the teacups. Seeing her return, she couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity.

Gu Ruolan’s expression was calm. “She came regarding film investment. It’s nothing.” Her implication was that Xiao Yan needn’t worry, yet she herself couldn’t stop thinking about Meng Qiuran’s various actions.