There was a heavy scent in the air—something like thick roses mixed with cold antiseptic.
Lianna slowly opened her eyes.
Blinding white lights.
The faint hum of medical machines.
The soft, constant beep of a heart monitor.
Hospital? she realized, dazed.
Her body ached everywhere, as if she had been hit by a truck... again.
For a terrifying second, she thought she had failed the challenge and returned as a vegetative corpse. But when she wiggled her fingers and toes, they moved just fine.
Relief flooded her chest.
"Host, welcome to your first mission!" Atheron's soft voice chimed cheerily inside her mind.
"This world is titled: Found Love In The Entertainment Industry! A dazzling modern story full of fame, heartbreak, ambition—and, of course, true love."
Lianna blinked, trying to process.
Entertainment industry?
She tried to sit up but groaned. Her body felt like it weighed a ton.
From the corner of her eye, she spotted a full-length mirror against the far wall. Even from the bed, she could see herself.
Her reflection was… stunning.
Long, silky black hair that cascaded like a waterfall down her back. Skin fair and smooth, almost translucent under the hospital lights. Big, expressive eyes framed by delicate lashes. A body slender and graceful, like a swan.
Damn, Lianna thought, I'm gorgeous.
But then, her mind clicked.
Wait. Whose body is this?
Atheron piped up like a helpful school guide.
"You are now occupying the identity of Song Liwei! In this world, she's a newly debuted actress with a tiny agency, struggling to survive in the harsh entertainment industry."
"Song Liwei..." Lianna whispered the name.
It felt strange, like trying on a new pair of shoes that almost, but not quite—fit.
"And your mission," Atheron continued, "is simple: fall in love with the second male lead of this story and accumulate good karma."
Lianna frowned.
"And who exactly is the second male lead?"
"His name is Xu Minze. A rising star. Talented, charming, but overshadowed by the male lead, Gu Chenghan. Xu Minze is the type who always sacrifices for others but never gets the girl."
Lianna smiled wryly.
Sounds like a hopeless romantic.
The door to the hospital room clicked open.
In came a middle-aged woman wearing glasses and holding a basket of fruits. Her eyes were red from crying.
"Liwei! Oh, my poor baby!" she sobbed, rushing to her side and held her hand gently.
Lianna instinctively stiffened. This must be Song Liwei's mother.
Her heart softened at the worry etched in the woman's face.
"I told you, sweetheart," her mother sniffled, wiping her eyes.
"You work too hard! Always auditioning... running around... not eating properly. Look what happened!"
Lianna smiled faintly, guilt bubbling up even though the accident hadn't technically been her fault. Still, she squeezed the woman's hand gently, feeling a strange warmth bloom in her chest. It reminded her of her real mother who always loved to nag about everything.
Maybe being Song Liwei won't be so bad after all.
Later that night, as Lianna lay awake staring at the cracked ceiling, Atheron quietly briefed her on the world's plot.
In this story, the female lead was a nobody who fought her way up to become the nation's best actress. The male lead, Gu Chenghan, was already the King of the silver screen, cold and untouchable.
They would fall in love through countless trials, winning fame and each other's hearts.
Meanwhile, Xu Minze, the second male lead, would become the female lead's best friend—always supporting her from behind, secretly loving her, but never being chosen.
Lianna felt a pang.
That's so unfair, she thought. Xu Minze sounded like a good man—the kind you could spend your life with peacefully, happily. It's just that he seems like a little hopeless.
"You must not interfere with the main leads," Atheron warned softly. "Your fate is tied to the second male lead."
Lianna smirked lazily.
"Got it. I have no intention of becoming a cannon fodder."
She turned on her side and closed her eyes.
But deep in her heart, an unfamiliar emotion stirred. For the first time in her life, she wasn't chasing money, success, or social status.
She was chasing love and good karma.
The kind she had only read about in novels, the kind that laughed at storms and wept under stars.
Tomorrow, her new life as Song Liwei would begin.
A poor actress with a struggling career, tangled in a world of glamor, backstabbing, and hidden dreams.
Somewhere out there, in this glittering battlefield... was a man with gentle hands and soft eyes, waiting for her.
Her second male lead.
Lianna smiled as she drifted into sleep, her heart lighter than it had been in years.