After Transmigrating into the Role of the Villain Forced to Pamper the Heroine of an Angsty Novel - Chapter 29

Yuan Yi had always held Gu Ruolan in both deep affection and high esteem. Even now, with a face-to-face opportunity to exchange pleasantries, she only dared to let her “fangirl” nature show through her eyes and subtle micro-expressions.

Her hands remained pressed tightly against her sides, and her legs and waist were ramrod straight. In the end, all she managed was: “Teacher Gu, I especially, especially like you. Your acting is incredibly good! You… you are so beautiful, and today’s show was great…”

Yuan Yi spoke with such raw sincerity that no one could doubt her heart. However, her delivery—which was only slightly better than incoherent babbling—left Meng Qiuran stuck between laughter and tears.

But Meng Qiuran noticed that it wasn’t just Yuan Yi; a subtle change in expression appeared on Gu Ruolan’s face as well.

It was as if she didn’t quite know how to face someone’s profound affection directly, or perhaps Yuan Yi’s heartfelt delivery made it impossible for Gu Ruolan to respond with her usual professional platitudes. She was clearly not adept at being in close quarters with fans, though whether from lack of experience or personal preference, it was hard to tell.

A slight trace of awkwardness flickered in her expression, but it wasn’t directed at Yuan Yi; it seemed more like she was frustrated with herself.

When Yuan Yi finished and gazed at her with sparkling eyes, Gu Ruolan didn’t avoid her gaze. Yet, after a long pause, she only managed a similar response: “Thank you. I will continue to work hard.”

She spoke very sincerely, as if she truly were telling herself to work harder so as not to let down the love of her fans.

Meng Qiuran was quite amused. If these two tongue-tied people kept at it, she wondered who would fall into silence first.

Fortunately, Yuan Yi still had the awareness of a fan. She pursed her lips, took her phone out of her pocket, and asked nervously, “Teacher Gu, can I take a photo with you?”

Gu Ruolan readily agreed.

Not only did she agree, but she also proactively walked over to Yuan Yi’s side, cooperating to look into the lens.

Once again overwhelmed by the favor, Yuan Yi’s hand trembled as she held the phone. She said she’d take one, but she actually pressed the shutter three times in a row, and Gu Ruolan didn’t say a word. In every shot, Gu Ruolan was so perfect it was impossible to look away; her face was truly made for the camera.

Yuan Yi looked at her own face—which wasn’t actually large—and sighed. Standing next to Gu Ruolan, anyone’s face would probably look big. Thinking of it that way made her feel much better. Although the result wasn’t perfect, she didn’t have the nerve to ask her idol for more.

Gu Ruolan expected Yuan Yi to show her the photos, and after waiting a moment with no follow-up, she felt a bit awkward. She was thinking of leaving when she heard Meng Qiuran’s voice.

“Let me take a couple for you.”

Gu Ruolan and Yuan Yi looked at her simultaneously. Meng Qiuran pouted casually. “Yuan Yi’s arms aren’t long enough; she can’t find a good angle for a selfie.”

Yuan Yi wasn’t as tall as the other two, but her arms weren’t exactly short. However, Meng Qiuran’s suggestion suited her perfectly, so she didn’t offer a single word of protest. Instead, she obediently and swiftly handed over her phone and leaned closer to Gu Ruolan. “Thanks, Sister Qiu.”

Meng Qiuran’s lips curled. Her gaze shifted to Gu Ruolan, who had already adjusted her pose. Meng Qiuran stepped back two paces, yet no matter how she shifted, she couldn’t make the two faces in the frame look the same size. She wanted to help Yuan Yi, but she couldn’t ignore the facts of reality.

“Yuan Yi, lean back a little,” Meng Qiuran said softly.

This time it was better. The gap still existed, but the contrast wasn’t as glaring. She took several shots so Yuan Yi could choose for herself. As she handed the phone back, she heard Yuan Yi’s soft gasp of surprise and satisfaction. Just as she was about to say “no problem,” the next thing she heard was: “Sister Qiu, do you want one too?”

Meng Qiuran: ???

Yuan Yi had loosened up. Once the nervousness vanished, her inhibitions went with it. She was fervently “marketing” her idol, signaling with her eyes, afraid that Meng Qiuran would miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Xiao Yan was waiting not far away, and other artists were heading backstage. Though Gu Ruolan didn’t rush them, her time was limited. Meng Qiuran didn’t want to be a wet blanket, so she gave a low grunt of assent.

Yuan Yi gently pulled her over and swapped places with her. “Say cheese!”

Meng Qiuran ignored her; she hadn’t agreed to that. Following her usual habit for photos, she slightly curled her lips into a natural, shallow smile. She could feel the person beside her cooperating; at least in terms of posture, they had moved a bit closer.

Meng Qiuran had to tilt her head slightly toward the middle as well. The sense of distance finally shrank from a chasm to a sidewalk.

Yuan Yi happily finished the shoot. Looking at the photo, she marveled belatedly, “Sister Qiu, your face is so small too!”

Meng Qiuran didn’t “lose” by much in the frame. Her narrow eyes paired with that relaxed smile were hard to ignore. At first glance, Gu Ruolan caught the eye, but on closer inspection, Meng Qiuran was just as striking.

Gu Ruolan saw the photo as well. She didn’t have as many exclamations as Yuan Yi; she simply thought that Meng Qiuran was quite photogenic.

Xin Qi emerged from Xiang Jing’s office. She had intended to check on the recording but ended up discussing cooperation with Xiang Jing until now.

“I’ll go find Ruolan. No need to see me out,” Xin Qi signaled to Xiang Jing.

“I’m heading over to take a look anyway, no rush.”

Xin Qi walked over to Yu Youqing and saw the three of them taking turns for photos by the stage.

“They seem quite close,” Xin Qi remarked casually after seeing Meng Qiuran and Gu Ruolan’s photo.

Yu Youqing sighed softly. “Miss Meng is persistent. I think Ruolan has no choice.”

She chased her all the way to the recording set; Gu Ruolan couldn’t very well refuse a request for a photo, could she?

After the photos, Gu Ruolan went backstage with Xiao Yan to remove her makeup. Xin Qi didn’t rush to leave, watching the staff clear the stage with her arms crossed. “Was the recording successful today?”

“Quite smooth. The details were well-controlled. The premiere effect should be good.”

Xin Qi nodded with satisfaction, still watching the gradually emptying stage. Yu Youqing glanced at her and asked, “Did the talk with Xiang Jing go well today?”

“It did. She agreed to arrange for three of the company’s newcomers to appear on the next variety show.”

“That’s excellent. I thought securing one and fighting for two would be good enough.” Penguin TV was a giant in variety; appearing on their shows was a massive exposure opportunity for newcomers.

“You know Xiang Jing’s personality. Would she agree to something without benefit?” Xin Qi smiled. “She wants Ruolan to consider filming two more episodes.”

Yu Youqing was surprised. “Did you agree?”

Xin Qi didn’t give a definitive answer, only saying flatly: “Let’s see the word-of-mouth after the premiere first.”

Yu Youqing felt a bit relieved. “This is Ruolan’s first variety show. It’s better to be cautious; I’m afraid of her having a bad experience.”

“I won’t force her.” After a moment of silence, Xin Qi added: “If she really doesn’t renew her contract… what do you think we should do?”

Yu Youqing’s expression darkened. Xin Qi looked at her, then turned and walked away. “Let’s head back to the company first.”

Meng Qiuran and Yuan Yi left Penguin TV. Yuan Yi was like a child who had spent a blissful day at the zoo, practically dancing with joy. She cradled her phone like a treasure, not wanting to blink.

Meng Qiuran looked at her several times, but Yuan Yi was too busy to pay her any mind. “Sister Qiu, I’ll send the photos to you.”

The moment the words left Yuan Yi’s mouth, Meng Qiuran saw the photo of herself and Gu Ruolan. Seeing it on someone else’s phone felt different from having it on her own; she was momentarily dazed.

“Do you think it’s too high-profile if I use this as my lock screen?” Yuan Yi looked very hesitant.

“You didn’t make her look ugly. Why not?”

“I’m afraid she’ll be unhappy if she finds out.” Yuan Yi decided against it for now.

Meng Qiuran found it hard to understand. “She would even care about that?” In her mind, she figured Gu Ruolan would forget about this by tomorrow.

Just then, Meng Xiayan called. Meng Qiuran signaled for Yuan Yi to wait in the car.

“What is it, Brother?”

Meng Xiayan cut to the chase: “How was the recording today?”

Meng Qiuran knew he wasn’t asking about the show but about Gu Ruolan. She pinched her nose. “It was fine.”

On the other end of the line, there was the faint sound of a fountain pen tapping against a desk. Then Meng Xiayan spoke: “And… Gu Ruolan?”

The first thing that came to Meng Qiuran’s mind was her diamond studs, then her slight awkwardness, and then that flawless face in the photo on her phone. She realized that sitting idly below the stage for hours hadn’t been entirely fruitless; at least she had seen many of Gu Ruolan’s details.

To Meng Xiayan, however, she said nonchalantly, “She’s just like always. It’s not like she grew three heads and six arms.”

Meng Xiayan “tsk-ed.” “I mean, did she run into any trouble?”

“No. She just sat on stage recording a show. What trouble could there be?”

She sounded very impatient, as if she hadn’t observed closely at all. Meng Xiayan felt that if he pressed further, his sister might just hang up. He was really just asking out of concern; if something had actually happened, Penguin TV wouldn’t be so quiet.

So, he changed the subject: “Come with me to the hospital tonight to see Dad.”

Meng Qining’s condition had been unstable. The doctors suggested a longer stay, and Meng Xiayan had persuaded him to comply. Their stepmother, Ding Shiwei, spent most of her time at the hospital, and when she did return home, it was usually when the siblings were out. Everyone was comfortable with the arrangement.

Meng Qiuran wouldn’t go to the hospital alone, but since Meng Xiayan asked, she went along to fulfill her duty. Meng Qining was looking better than when she first returned to the country; he could sit up and talk for longer periods.

Seeing Meng Qiuran settled down this time, he felt relieved. Although she couldn’t make it in the Meng Group, hearing she was working hard on her own company was not a bad thing. As long as she didn’t leave or cause trouble, it was fine.

After taking the medicine Ding Shiwei handed him, Meng Qining looked at his children, his gaze finally resting on Meng Qiuran. “Since you’ve settled your heart this time, you should consider your personal life. I heard you’ve been getting close to Xing Qu lately…”

Meng Qiuran felt irritated the moment she heard this. Neither she nor the original host had any interest in such things. “Dad, I don’t want to.”

Meng Qining was used to her attitude and smiled. “I’m not forcing you to get engaged. You can just try to spend some time together.”

“No. I have zero feelings for him. I’ve only been in contact with him because I needed to ask for advice regarding ad placements. If you’ve misunderstood because of that, then I just won’t talk to him anymore.”

She spoke with such finality that the smile receded from Meng Qining’s lips. Meng Xiayan stepped in to smooth things over. “Dad, Xiao Qiu is still young, and she was abroad for so long. Give her some time.”

Meng Qining gave a short huff and shifted his attention to Meng Xiayan. “She’s young, but what about you?”

Meng Xiayan was taken aback.

“You aren’t young anymore; it’s time to find someone and settle down. There are only so many people from suitable families. If you don’t pick now, you won’t have choices later.”

Meng Qining’s stance was clear: since Meng Xiayan was to take over the Meng Group, he could not marry an ordinary person; it had to be a match of equal status.

Meng Xiayan remained silent. Meng Qiuran chuckled on the side.

Leaving the hospital, Meng Xiayan was still somewhat moody. Meng Qiuran teased, “Brother, why don’t you consider getting married?”

“I haven’t met the right one.”

“You care about ‘love’?” Given his past record with girlfriends, mentioning love was practically a joke.

Meng Xiayan remained silent, but his expression was quite serious and earnest. After a long while, just as Meng Qiuran thought he had dropped the subject, he said, “I might really be a bit smitten.”

Meng Qiuran’s heart skipped a beat. The name Gu Ruolan immediately surfaced in her mind.

Meng Xiayan didn’t continue, but she felt she already knew the answer. If her brother was serious, it would be even more troublesome.

However, she also knew that there was one thing that would always come first for Meng Xiayan: interest. As long as her brother’s interests and Gu Ruolan were placed in conflict, he would never choose her first.