Chapter One: Transmigrated into a Novel

Once inside the restroom, the cacophony in her ears finally faded away.

Sang Yijia gazed at her heavily made-up reflection in the mirror, her brows knitting swiftly—this was her, and yet not entirely her.

Just minutes earlier, Sang Yijia had finished working overtime and headed downstairs to wait for a ride home. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, the world spun wildly and she lost consciousness.

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a small room with a dozen others, all claiming to be waiting for some kind of notification.

She massaged her temples, frowning deeply at the unfamiliar face in the mirror. The girl was young, with a petite face, but it was buried beneath layers of makeup—foundation caked on in thick patches, her complexion almost ghastly white, lips painted a vivid red that curved into a smile resembling a gaping maw.

Sang Yijia disliked makeup, reserving only the faintest touch for banquets. The image before her was unsettling, her brows furrowing even more.

Her petite handbag vibrated, quickly followed by a pleasant ringtone.

It was the original owner's ringtone. Frowning, Sang Yijia rummaged through the bag, finding the phone—and a compact powder and a small bottle of makeup remover.

The caller ID flashed "Agent." Something flickered in Sang Yijia's mind as she answered, "Hello?"

The agent was clearly taken aback by her tone, pausing before asking, "Jiajia, where are you?"

"We've secured you a spot on Director Lu's reality show. You don't need to wait for any more notifications," the agent explained cautiously. "Shall we come pick you up?"

"Alright," Sang Yijia replied without objection. "That's fine."

After the call ended, Sang Yijia stared at her phone for a few seconds before realizing why the scene felt so familiar.

It was just like the novel she’d recently signed to adapt into a web drama—"A Promise of Half a Summer."

Before signing the contract, Sang Yijia had seen the novel recommended several times on social media. It had a large readership and an excellent reputation, and since her company was looking for good stories to adapt, she reached out to the author and secured the rights.

Coincidentally, the supporting female character in the book shared her name. During the contract signing, the author had joked nervously, warning her not to accidentally become a character in the story.

Sang Yijia had laughed it off, never giving it a second thought—never imagining that one day, she would indeed find herself living in the book, and as the villainous supporting female, no less.

Her head throbbed.

In the original story, the character whose body she now inhabited was obsessed with the male lead. She entered showbiz for his sake, publicly declaring her intentions to chase after him—a move that quickly became a hot topic online. Fans supported the pairing; after all, people loved a beautiful couple.

But the original Sang Yijia was reckless. Emboldened by the fans, she started seeing herself as the male lead’s girlfriend. She acted possessively, attacking any actress who got close to him—hurling accusations, calling them home-wreckers, warning them to stay away.

It all became too much for the male lead. He clarified publicly that he had nothing to do with her, even expressing his disgust. The netizens turned against her, finding her behavior outrageous and criticizing her incessantly.

Yet the original Sang Yijia remained undeterred, treating every obstacle as a thorn on the path to true love. She pressed on, convinced that once she overcame these hardships, happiness would be hers.

Then the heroine appeared. The male lead showered her with care and affection, driving Sang Yijia mad with jealousy. Trying to win him back, she joined a reality dating show, hoping to create a romantic storyline with him.

She hadn’t expected the heroine to join as well—and during the random pairing, the heroine ended up with the male lead. Sang Yijia was left to partner with an ordinary contestant.

Unwilling to accept this, she snubbed her assigned partner on the show, shamelessly tagging along with the male and female leads, seeking opportunities to slander the heroine and even plotting to have her sent abroad under false pretenses.

Her schemes all failed. Eventually, the authorities intervened, declaring her mentally unstable and confining her to a psychiatric hospital—a fitting end for a villainess.

But the heroine was so traumatized that she suffered nightmares for nights on end. The male lead seized the opportunity to orchestrate Sang Yijia’s death in the hospital, finally putting an end to the heroine’s nightmares.

Recalling the plot, Sang Yijia drew in a sharp breath. "I never imagined a joke could become reality."

Still, now that she knew the storyline, she resolved to avoid all these messy entanglements. Her best course would be to wait out the original contract, announce her retirement from the industry, and then open her own studio—following the path she had always envisioned.

Sang Yijia’s life had always been meticulously planned, and she had no patience for disruptions.

—

After removing her makeup, Sang Yijia stepped out of the restroom. Passing the small room, she noticed the same group of people still waiting.

As soon as they saw her, the conversations stopped.

Sang Yijia glanced at them once, then walked on.

"Who does she think she is, acting all high and mighty?" someone grumbled. "Everyone knows Shen Jin can’t stand her."

"Exactly! And now she’s here, desperate to join the reality show. What if Shen Jin doesn’t pick her and goes for another actress instead?" As the complaints began, others quickly chimed in.

"I heard Lan Qing is participating too. I wonder if she and Shen Jin will hit it off."

"They probably will. Didn’t Shen Jin say in an interview that Lan Qing was his ideal type?"

...

The voices behind her grew fainter, and Sang Yijia finally felt a semblance of peace.

The elevator was ascending, but Sang Yijia was in no rush. She waited quietly by the doors.

Before long, Shen Jin arrived. At the sight of her, he halted. His assistant and agent, sensing the confrontation, immediately stepped in front of him, wary and defensive.

Sang Yijia pretended not to notice, lowering her gaze to her phone. She had no desire to pry into others' affairs, but now, as Sang Yijia, there were things she needed to know.

"Brother Jin, what’s with her?" The assistant was puzzled; normally, Sang Yijia would rush toward Shen Jin without hesitation. The odd behavior made him even more suspicious and vigilant.

The agent found it strange as well.

"If she leaves me alone, all the better. I enjoy the peace," Shen Jin said coldly, not even sparing her a glance. "Just the sight of her makes me sick."

As he finished speaking, another elevator arrived. He turned to board it.

But Sang Yijia was a step ahead, entering the elevator and pressing the close button. Only then did she raise her eyes to meet Shen Jin’s through the doors, her gaze calm. "Fortunately, I don’t care to see you either."

"For the sake of your health—goodbye."

The doors slid shut.

Shen Jin’s face shifted from green to pale, every shade reflected in the elevator’s glossy surface.

Inside, Sang Yijia glanced at the family group chat on WeChat. The earliest message was three months old.

The latest was from her father:

"If you persist in this madness, you are no daughter of mine!"

Sang Yijia had grown up in an orphanage. The headmistress was kind, and the other children were good to her, but she always longed for the love of a real family.

When the elevator arrived, Sang Yijia tapped out a message on her phone, sent it, then exited WeChat. Lifting her head, she saw her agent’s van waiting not far away in the underground parking lot.