Chapter 2: The Online Love Rival Becomes a Charmer (2)

Chapter 2: From Web Novel Sidekick to Universal Heartthrob (2)

Once she’d settled the money matters, Tang Qing finally began to properly examine her new self. The face in the mirror felt both foreign and familiar—about seventy percent similar to her original appearance, but with terrible skin and bloodless lips, making her look like a ghost who’d just clawed her way out of hell.

Compounded by the original host’s self-loathing fashion choices—habitually hiding behind oversized glasses and long bangs that obscured her striking features—her slumped posture and lifeless strands of hair clinging to her neck left her with zero charisma.

The only redeeming quality was her surprisingly good figure, despite the overall malnutrition.

"This bust is really nice," Tang Qing mused, studying her own body with frank appreciation. Aside from the dull complexion, the curves were unmistakably sexy—full cleavage paired with a slender waist, embodying the currently popular "sexy older sister" aesthetic.

Yet the original host, ever the insecure wallflower, had never once thought to flaunt such assets.

"Her voice wasn’t half bad either." Naturally sweet, unlike Gu Xiaoman’s artificial affectations from her past life. Tang Qing’s voice now was like freshly brewed wine, sweetly intoxicating, especially when she drew out her words—the trailing notes seemed to hook into the listener’s soul, drowning them in velvet temptation.

"Come out. Let’s talk."

The white orb in her mind burst forth eagerly, launching into a rant. "You vile woman! How dare you shove me into the dark like that!"

"My original master never treated me like this!" The system squawked like a spoiled child. "I don’t like you! I want to unbind!"

"Save the whining for someone who cares," Tang Qing said, taking a sip of water, unfazed. "If you could unbind, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, would we?"

"What’s so great about Gu Xiaoman?"

"You hand-held her through everything, and in the end, she still died with me."

The system squawked, its voice rising. "That was because of you! Don’t pretend the accident had nothing to do with you!"

"And I was healing my master at the time! If not for you, she’d be awake by now!"

"Pfft. Gu Xiaoman really hit the jackpot—even at death’s door, someone dragged her back from the underworld." Tang Qing recalled the white glow that had enveloped Gu Xiaoman back then. So it was the legendary resurrection technique.

How fucking unfair. She’d schemed and clawed her way up her entire life, never once encountering true devotion, while Gu Xiaoman—utterly useless—had people mourning her even in death.

Her lashes dipped, hiding the darkness in her gaze. "The reality is, you can’t unbind. So let’s talk."

"Starting with this mission—if I’m not mistaken, I need to earn men’s affection to leave this world?"

Dream on! The system snapped, still fuming. "You’re a notorious catfish now. No one will ever like you!"

"Soon, you’ll be public enemy number one!"

"And I won’t help you either!"

Tang Qing seized on a key detail. "So you always helped Gu Xiaoman before?"

"Of course! Without me, how could my master—" Catching itself, the white orb cut itself off mid-sentence. "I won’t tell you even if you ask!"

"Hmph! You’re my master’s worst enemy. I’ll never help you!"

Suits me fine. Eternity in this dump might even be fun." Tang Qing shrugged, unaffected.

"Yeah, I’m broke and infamous, but hey—I’m alive. And younger. Not a bad deal."

Thirty-seven, suddenly seventeen years younger. No surgeon’s knife could’ve pulled that off.

A smirk curled her lips. "I do wonder about Gu Xiaoman, though. After a wreck like that, without you… think she made it?"

"What a waste. On the cusp of stardom, only to croak with me."

"Why don't you guess how many people will be bawling their eyes out for Gu Xiaoman, that stumpy little swan?"

"Shut your mouth! Don’t you dare call my master a stumpy little swan!"

"If it weren’t for you, my master would be fine right now!" As if struck by a nerve, the system flew into a rage again. "It’s all your fault! That day was my master’s award ceremony, and you just had to come bursting in!"

"You’ve got a viper's heart! Not only did you harm my master, but you also forcibly bound me."

As the system continued its tirade, Tang Qing impatiently cut it off. "So what? You want to go back to Gu Xiaoman? Maybe we can figure something out."

Given the severity of the injuries, this foolish system had just claimed it could heal them—it must have some extraordinary abilities. "Let me guess. You spent a huge price trying to save Gu Xiaoman, so much that you can’t even unbind from me now?"

"How did you—"

"How did I know? Want to praise me for being sharp as a tack?" Tang Qing rolled her eyes. "Tch, you’ve been following that idiot Gu Xiaoman all this time. Never crossed paths with anyone with half a brain, have you?"

The system: "..."

"You don’t want to save Gu Xiaoman anymore?"

"Of course I do!" The system replied sorrowfully. "But to save my master, I used up all the Affection Points I’d collected. Now I can’t even go back."

"My master must still be waiting for me..."

Cutting off the system’s melancholy rambling, Tang Qing spoke again. "Affection Points—that’s how much men like Gu Xiaoman?"

She deduced, "So, the more people like Gu Xiaoman, the more energy you have?"

"Not just men. Everyone’s affection can be converted into Affection Points, but ordinary people’s affection isn’t as valuable as that of specific male leads. Only by winning over the men in the storyline can you earn more Affection Points."

"Then I should be able to earn Affection Points too."

"I’ll go after the men. Once you have enough energy, you can go back and save Gu Xiaoman."

"So, do we have a deal?"

The system’s first instinct was to refuse. After all, this woman had always been Gu Xiaoman’s greatest enemy—wicked to the core and a total pain to deal with. "Think carefully."

"I don’t care either way. I’m younger now, with a new life. Worst case, I’ll just live this life all over again." Tang Qing’s voice was eerily reminiscent of a temptress from folklore. "But then, she won’t come back to life, will she?"

"That sweet, kind Gu Xiaoman will just stay dead, will she?"

"Don’t you love your master the most?"

"She is so fragile and delicate—she must really need you, right?"

"I..." After much hesitation, Tang Qing finally heard the answer she wanted. "Fine! But you have to earn those Affection Points seriously—no funny business!"

"I’m only working with you temporarily for my master’s sake!"

"There are three Male Leads in this world. The first is Si Yuechen from the Computer Science Department at University B—your high school crush. The second is Yang Mingyue from the Department of Physical Education at your University A, who was also in your harem and just got scammed out of five thousand yuan by you. The third is Zhong Yu, Jiang Yiyi’s childhood friend, who exposed you for pretending to be Jiang Yiyi."

"Three Male Leads? Seems Gu Xiaoman was quite the man-eater." Tang Qing smirked, eyes sparkling with glee. "But right now, all three must really hate me, huh?"

The system: "You bet they do! Not just them—everyone hates you!"