Achieving A Happy Ending With The Tragic Female Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 57

Hearing Su Mi’s request, Lin Nanyue immediately gave her a generous kiss on the lips. “Is that enough?”

Lin Nanyue, having received only a single kiss, showed a hint of dissatisfaction, as if to say this wasn’t quite what she wanted.

Su Mi’s gaze swept over her red nose. “Your nose is still stuffed. I’m afraid you won’t be able to catch your breath.”

It was a logical reason. Lin Nanyue looked a bit grumpy but gave a nasally hum of acknowledgement. Su Mi knew she just needed a point of emotional release to let her feelings gradually recover.

“It’s not like I haven’t thought about doing what I did today before,” Lin Nanyue said slowly, calming her emotions. “But every time I face them, I can’t help but soften my heart. I know their thinking has been trapped for too long, and they can’t recognize certain facts, but sometimes I still don’t understand what they are holding onto.”

Su Mi said deeply, “You can’t protect them here forever. You can only let them walk out, or walk out yourself. Don’t let these things bind your life.” She spoke as tactfully as possible, otherwise, given her personality, she would have unhesitatingly cut off these burdensome ties for her. But she knew Lin Nanyue was reluctant, so she couldn’t do that.

“Where are the two of them now… when will they come back?” Lin Nanyue asked.

“No one’s life is in danger. The companies these institutions are affiliated with are legal. Do you want them to come back?”

Lin Nanyue hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. “If they come back now, it’ll just be a cycle repeating. Nothing will change.”

Su Mi said lightly, “Then let them stay away for a while and work hard to pay off their debts.”

Lin Nanyue looked up at her, suddenly reached out to hug Su Mi, and rested her chin on Su Mi’s shoulder. Her voice was soft: “Professor Su, thank you.”

Before, whenever she wanted to make such decisions, she felt alone. Everyone stood against her, persuading her otherwise. She could face the outside world’s voices, but she couldn’t resist her mother’s tears or her grandmother’s increasingly bent back. She had softened her heart and yielded time and again. This was the first time she felt she had backing, that she wasn’t alone. It also made her realize that hardening her heart wasn’t that difficult.

The hardest part of change is always the first step.

Su Mi, being held, tossed the tissue into the wastebasket and hugged her back. “Mm, you’re welcome.”

The two lingered upstairs for nearly an hour. Eventually, Lin Nanyue grew tired, perhaps from crying, and drowsiness washed over her. Su Mi accompanied her to bed, holding her until she drifted off.

Sleeping, Lin Nanyue’s breathing was shallow, and her thin eyelids were tinged with red, looking more youthful than when she was awake. Su Mi waited for her to fall into a deep sleep before quietly getting out of bed. She went to the desk, found a piece of paper and a pen, and wrote something down. She tucked the paper into her palm, straightened her clothes, and walked out.

She hadn’t said much downstairs earlier for two reasons: she wanted Lin Nanyue to take that important step herself, and currently, she was still a stranger to the mother and grandmother. In that situation, they wouldn’t necessarily listen to her. But now, there were things she had to say, just not in front of Lin Nanyue.

Downstairs, only Lin’s mother remained seated. Hearing movement, she turned her head, her face showing a flash of disappointment when she saw it was Su Mi.

Su Mi walked to the living room. Lin’s mother nervously called out “Teacher Su.” After all, Su Mi had witnessed this farce. It was fine for family to see, but she felt ashamed that an “outsider” had seen it.

“Where is Grandmother?” Su Mi asked, noticing her absence.

“Ah, she went outside to get something,” Lin’s mother replied softly. Lin Nanyue’s looks largely came from her mother, but the mother’s years of subservience gave her a more fragile appearance. She looked at Su Mi, then at the stairs, her hands gripping her knees. “Yueyue… is she okay?”

Su Mi’s expression was cold. “What kind of ‘okay’ do you hope for?”

Lin’s mother opened her mouth but closed it again, eventually changing the subject. “Did she cry? She’s been a crybaby since she was little…”

“Nanyue made herself very clear just now. I hope you will take her words to heart,” Su Mi continued, not letting her get distracted.

Lin’s mother felt this Teacher Su was different now. When the daughter was present, she was quiet but had a hint of warmth, now, she radiated an aura of indifference.

“B-but… that’s her father and brother,” Lin’s mother choked out.

“She is also your daughter, and the only one in this place you call home who actually cares for and protects you,” Su Mi’s voice was calm but powerful. Lin’s mother fell silent, her eyes downcast.

“You cannot treat her kindness as a dagger to stab her with, over and over again,” Su Mi said, her cold tone carrying a hidden threat.

At this moment, Lin’s mother felt a strange fear of her daughter’s friend. Unlike her husband’s overt aggression, Teacher Su’s intensity was internal.

Coal ball (the system) seemed unable to watch anymore and whispered a reminder to the host to mind her attitude. Su Mi paused and adjusted herself. “Auntie, do you have your phone with you?”

Lin’s mother was confused but nodded and took it out.

“If it’s convenient, let’s exchange contact info.” Su Mi held out her hand, effectively demanding the phone. Lin’s mother didn’t refuse. Su Mi added herself as a contact.

“I hope you won’t tell Nanyue about this for now, to avoid her worrying,” Su Mi said, returning the phone and handing over the slip of paper. “In case you lose your phone, this is my number. If you run into trouble, try reaching out to me first.”

Lin’s mother stared at the paper before taking it.

“As for your husband and son, don’t worry. They won’t die. You should focus on your daughter now,” Su Mi added.

Lin’s mother looked up sharply. “Are they really okay?”

Su Mi looked at her for a long time before responding, “Yes.”

As she was about to leave, Lin’s mother called out, “Teacher Su, why are you… so good to our Yueyue?” She sensed this level of care exceeded normal friendship.

Su Mi paused, turning her head slightly. “I just want her to be able to breathe. As her mother, please pity her a little too.”

Lin’s mother felt a surge of shame. She wanted to say more, but Su Mi was already heading upstairs. She tucked the paper carefully into her pocket.

Su Mi returned to the room. The curtains were drawn tight, blocking out the dim light. She sat by the bed, watching Lin Nanyue’s peaceful sleeping face. Her irritation with the mother faded.

Lin Nanyue felt the movement and slowly opened her eyes. Still groggy, she reached out for Su Mi. Finding her there, her brow relaxed. She took Su Mi’s hand and drifted back to sleep.

Su Mi let her hold her hand, listening to the rain on the window and their synchronized breathing. About half an hour later, Lin Nanyue woke up fully. Seeing Su Mi leaning against the headboard with her eyes closed, her hair spilling over her shoulder, Lin Nanyue admired her profile, the cold, elegant curve of her nose and lashes.

Lin Nanyue propped herself up and cautiously leaned in. Without glasses, the professor’s features were even clearer. Her lips were a pale pink. With a hint of trial, Lin Nanyue slowed down and pressed a soft kiss to those lips.

It was the warmth and softness she loved.

The next second, as Lin Nanyue tried to pull back, the “sleeping” Su Mi suddenly placed a hand on the back of her neck and pulled her closer.

“Mmph…” Lin Nanyue was startled. The kiss was full of tenderness and lingering affection, devoid of heavy lust, yet profound. Lin Nanyue’s shock turned into compliance.

When it ended, a blushing Lin Nanyue accused her, “Professor Su, how can you pretend to be asleep?”

Su Mi had actually just been resting. “I wanted to see who was trying to steal a kiss.”

Lin Nanyue replied righteously, “I’m kissing my girlfriend. That’s not stealing.”

Having slept, Lin Nanyue seemed to have recovered her energy and was more lively with Su Mi, like a small animal finally exposing its soft belly.

“I’m going to wash my face,” Lin Nanyue said, feeling the dried tears on her skin.

Su Mi got up to let her pass. It was nearly 10:00 AM. Lin Nanyue heard chopping sounds from downstairs. When she finished washing her face, Su Mi used a tissue to dry the remaining droplets on her skin.

Su Mi spoke suddenly, “The rain seems to have stopped. Want to go downstairs?”

Lin Nanyue nodded.

Downstairs, the smell of fried fish wafted from the kitchen. Lin’s mother and grandmother were working together. When the mother saw her daughter, she paused. “Yueyue.”

Lin Nanyue walked over to help prep the vegetables.

“You and… Teacher Su go rest. I’ll handle this,” the mother said.

“No, I’ll do it,” Lin Nanyue said, her tone still somewhat stiff. She took the vegetables outside to sit on a low stool. Su Mi sat with her, rolled up her sleeves, and started learning how to trim the leaves.

“Professor Su, do you think I’m being too cold to my mother?” Lin Nanyue asked softly.

Su Mi trimmed a yellowed leaf. “Nanyue, you need to be clear about what you want. Do you want a life of peace like this, or the chaos and arguments of last night?”

Lin Nanyue looked at the kitchen, peaceful, without screaming or smashing. She was smart and understood immediately. “I know.”

Su Mi was a novice in the kitchen, so she stuck to cleaning vegetables. They ate cherries while waiting carefully this time, avoiding stains. An hour later, a steaming meal was served.

The atmosphere was slightly awkward. The grandmother enthusiastically served Su Mi, and Lin’s mother tentatively gave Lin Nanyue some food as a peace offering. Lin Nanyue accepted it.

After the meal, Lin Nanyue and Su Mi did the dishes. Then, Lin Nanyue approached her mother. “Mom, want to go for a walk with me?”

Lin’s mother smiled gratefully. “Okay.”

While they walked, Su Mi stayed by the gate, watching them talk in the distance. About forty minutes later, Lin Nanyue returned alone. Her mother remained in the distance, wiping her eyes.

“I told Mom we’re going back tomorrow,” Lin Nanyue said.

“So soon?”

“If I stay, she’ll think she still has a chance to persuade me. I don’t want to give her that illusion.”

“Okay,” Su Mi said, hearing her determination.

The next morning, they checked out. They had very few belongings. Su Mi left the extra clothes for the innkeeper’s wife. As they stepped out, they found Lin’s mother waiting.

She handed Lin Nanyue a bag of cherries from the grandmother. “Mom thought a lot last night. I know I haven’t done well. I’ll try to change… but please don’t say the things you said yesterday again.”

Though the mother’s core mindset hadn’t fully shifted, the acknowledgment was progress.

“Yueyue, tell Mom the truth,” the mother whispered, pulling her aside. “Are you and this Teacher Su really just friends? She seems to treat you better than I do, and you rely on her so much.”

Lin Nanyue smiled. “Because Professor Su is a wonderful person.”

“Is that all?” Lin’s mother looked at them, eventually accepting the answer. Perhaps she really was just a good person.

They reached Lin City by 4:00 PM. At the mall near the terminal, they ran into a familiar face.

Song Lingyin was shocked. “Professor Su, did you take this kid on a teaching mission in the mountains?”

Su Mi was still wearing the poorly printed clothes from the village inn.

“What are you doing here?” Su Mi asked.

“Dropping someone off for a business trip,” Song Lingyin shrugged.

Su Mi remembered the photo she’d seen. “Your partner?”

“Which one do you mean?” Song Lingyin teased.

The three of them ended up having an early dinner. When Lin Nanyue went to the restroom, Song Lingyin turned to Su Mi. “What did you actually do? Your mother called me yesterday, worried you were getting into trouble.”

“Nothing major. I can handle it,” Su Mi said. “Actually, I need a favor. Any internship openings at your company?”

Song Lingyin smirked. “For your ‘little friend’?”

“Yes.”

“I can give her an internal referral, but she has to work hard to stay,” Song Lingyin warned. “Send me her resume.”

“I’ll have her quit her current internship first.”

Song Lingyin nearly choked on her water. “Su, you’re really… something.” She didn’t know whether to call it kindness or a desire for control.

After dinner, they parted ways. Su Mi didn’t take Lin Nanyue back to school. Since it was still the holiday, she took her back to her own apartment.

As they changed into slippers, Su Mi spoke after a moment of thought:

“Do you want to move in with me?”