Chapter 21: The Stand-In Heroine (Part 2)

"Let me help you," Zhou Rongrong said, her kindness as abundant as that possessed by most heroines. Without hesitation, she took the bundle from Mu Yin's hands. "Which floor do you live on, landlady?"

"I'm on the fifth floor," Mu Yin replied.

"Alright." Zhou Rongrong carried the items away with ease. This heroine had a special skill—a remarkable strength—not superhuman, but enough to rival a sturdy man.

"Thank you, young lady," Mu Yin said when they reached the fifth floor. Zhou Rongrong set down the things and left; she herself lived on the third floor.

"You're welcome," Zhou Rongrong waved and descended the stairs.

Mu Yin opened the door to find the apartment empty and bare. When it was rented, it had only been simply furnished; some basic furniture, but no major appliances.

She set her things down and stretched her back. She had never realized climbing five flights of stairs could be so exhausting. Looking at the pile of belongings, she knew she had to start organizing. Why couldn’t her powers conjure up a robot to help?

Wait—her abilities. Mu Yin remembered the symbols. In her previous world, she had read novels and learned about the techniques and talismans of cultivation stories, such as the Cleanliness Spell. Perhaps she could use her symbols for similar purposes?

Truth be told, Mu Yin had never used her abilities for mundane tasks like these. She wondered if it would work. After some thought, she took a notepad, used her powers to alter it, and began to write.

Looking at the neat handwriting, Mu Yin realized she needed to practice her penmanship. She wrote four characters—a proverb meaning "neat and tidy."

Holding it, she infused it with her abilities. Instantly, a gust of wind swept through the room, forcing Mu Yin to close her eyes. When she opened them, everything was perfectly in its place.

Blinking in surprise, Mu Yin realized her powers had much untapped potential. Beyond creating and crafting, the symbols alone could provide countless conveniences.

Thus, Mu Yin became determined to practice calligraphy diligently, yet even as she busied herself, she did not forget to keep an eye on the heroine, the male lead, and the reborn woman.

She had returned just before disaster befell the heroine. The timing varied greatly; this time, she arrived three years prior, which was comparatively early.

Yet even now, the reborn woman had already returned from abroad and begun wooing the male lead. She had left him of her own accord, and remained a shadow in his heart because she was his first love—a memory etched deep. They had suffered through family opposition, but she was the first to give up.

After her family declined, she came back from overseas and remembered the male lead. Unfortunately, he already had the heroine by his side. The reborn woman did not relent; openly, she dressed as she once had to stir old memories, secretly telling the heroine that she was merely a stand-in.

At first, the male lead was confused, but when the heroine decisively left to give them her blessing, he realized the truth and chased after her. The reborn woman was once again cast aside.

Since there was no account of how the reborn woman died and was reborn, Mu Yin had no idea what would happen to her next. One way or another, things had not gone her way, hence her immediate return to pursue the male lead.

Thinking this over, Mu Yin pondered how to resolve her current mission. This reborn woman was not like the previous transmigrator, whose backers were obvious; this one was ruthless by nature.

It was impossible to root out the hidden pests of this world directly. The most crucial thing was to give the heroine more leverage. The heroine's weakness was what allowed the reborn woman to harm her so easily. If she had her own status and connections, even if the reborn woman tried something, she would not get the chance.

That way, the people lurking in the background might be drawn out. Mu Yin was convinced this world was not free of such pests.

But how to accomplish this? She thought for a while. This world's heroine actually had a male supporting lead. After all, it wasn't a real novel—she was surrounded by not only the male lead, but also a second, third, and fourth male. Perhaps because of the stand-in trope, there was a second male lead, whom the heroine met during her time away.

If the male lead hadn't shown up, maybe the heroine would have ended up with the second male, and none of the later troubles would have occurred.

Now, Mu Yin thought, it would be best to arrange for the supporting male to meet the heroine early and surpass the male lead. The only complication was that he wasn’t from this city—he was the owner of a major clothing company in the neighboring city.

Mu Yin tried to recall, and from the original owner's memories discovered that, apparently, she and the second male lead were relatives. Yes, she and his mother were cousins, though not particularly close.

She decided to keep that option in reserve and see if there were other ways she could help. Then she remembered another detail: according to the character descriptions, the heroine later became a fashion designer—she was very gifted in this field, but initially studied accounting and worked as an accountant in the male lead's company.

Perhaps she could intervene there. With an idea forming, Mu Yin prepared to put her plan into action.

That evening, when Zhou Rongrong returned from work, she encountered Mu Yin climbing the stairs. "Rongrong, are you just getting off work? Come, have dinner at Auntie's place."

"No need, Auntie, I've already eaten," Zhou Rongrong hastily declined.

"You must, you must. Auntie cooked far too much—if you don't come keep me company, I won't be able to finish it all," Mu Yin said, pulling her upstairs without another word.

"Auntie, please stop pulling, I'll go, I'll go," Zhou Rongrong said quickly after being dragged a few steps.

Mu Yin had lived here two months now. Aside from maintaining her health, she had been working to increase the heroine's favorability. Her method was to buy armfuls of groceries and, when Zhou Rongrong returned from work, laboriously carry them upstairs, prompting the kind-hearted Zhou Rongrong to help. This gave her the chance to invite Zhou Rongrong over as a guest.

Given her age, befriending Zhou Rongrong as a peer would not work, but as an elder she had other methods. People say distant relatives are less reliable than close neighbors, and in modern times, aunties are an indomitable force—not to be trifled with. She was now one of them.

Moreover, only elders could so directly drag someone along. After just two months, Mu Yin was quite satisfied with her role. If only her absent husband didn’t urge her to return, things would be perfect.

Mu Yin felt it was best to finish her mission soon. "Rongrong, you're not so young anymore—do you have a boyfriend?" During dinner, Mu Yin, like any typical auntie, began to inquire about the young woman’s love life—a favorite pastime, matchmaking.