After Becoming The Malicious Female Supporting Character, I Was Pursued By The Third Female Lead - Chapter 6

Amidst Yu Keqing’s struggles, the chain let out a sharp, piercing clatter. It trapped every ounce of her remaining dignity inside this bedroom, only for Lin Sheng to grind it into the dust, bit by bit. What did she have left now? A frail, sickly body and a heart riddled with a thousand holes.

She had once… been deeply infatuated with Lin Sheng. In her own way, she had loved this glamorous, radiant woman with utmost care and caution. She had once naively believed that as long as she was sincere, gentle, and considerate enough, Lin Sheng, this noble rose, would eventually bloom for her alone. She had actually harbored such wishful, foolish thoughts.

Yet, her absolute obedience had been rewarded with nothing but Lin Sheng’s endless mockery. She used to think it was because she wasn’t beautiful enough, not alluring enough… and it was true that she was remarkably plain and ordinary. Lin Sheng’s heart held only Man’er. Lin Sheng’s devotion to her was profound, and to this day, it had never changed.

Sincerity moves people the most? Not necessarily. The premise for sincerity to move someone is that you must be beautiful and outstanding, and the other person must already harbor feelings for you. Otherwise, even your very breathing will be loathed.

It was only ten years ago that Yu Keqing had finally jolted awake from her delusion and chosen to leave. If she had recognized it sooner, if she had known earlier the depth of Lin Sheng’s feelings for Man’er, she wouldn’t have overestimated her own worth. She wouldn’t have ended up in such a wretched state, nor would she have dragged Xiaobao into suffering with her.

The maid brought up lunch. Noticing that the breakfast from this morning hadn’t been touched at all, she let out a soft sigh and kindly urged, “You should eat at least a little. How can your body take it if you don’t eat anything? If you ruin your health completely, it will only be harder on you.”

Everything had clearly been fine yesterday, and the Mistress had seemed to be in a decent mood. How could things turn into this after just one night? When the Mistress left the house this morning, she was practically radiating an aura of absolute zero, and the look in her eyes was like shards of ice. It was absolutely terrifying. If it weren’t for the incredibly high wages, the maid wouldn’t have dared to keep working here.

She had worked in the homes of many wealthy and powerful employers, and she had seen plenty of things like this. The only difference was that the people kept by those employers were always breathtakingly beautiful and entirely willing. They were their employers’ caged canaries, showered with money and resources. But the woman before her… her looks were thoroughly ordinary, the kind you wouldn’t be able to find if you threw her into a crowd.

If there was anything special about her, it had to be her temperament. She was like jade, warm and gentle, making people instinctively want to draw close to her. Even her voice was soft and whispery. The maid truly couldn’t fathom why such a gentle soul was being subjected to this kind of treatment.

Seated on the balcony sofa, Yu Keqing shifted slightly. She liked sitting here, she could bathe in the sun, watch the blue sky and white clouds, and see the brilliantly blooming flowers in the courtyard below. This vibrant display of nature could inject a tiny spark of vitality into her otherwise numb spirit.

She slowly turned her head and asked the maid in a soft voice, “Where is Tantuan?”

Her voice was raspy from crying, carrying a trace of cautious, fragile hope.

The maid looked at her with pity, hesitating for a long moment before responding carefully, “Before the Mistress left this morning, she said… she said you aren’t allowed to hold Tuantuan today.”

Yu Keqing’s fingertips trembled slightly. She bit down on her lip, breaking open a fresh scab, as bitter, sorrowful tears welled up in her eyes.

“I just want to look at him. I won’t hold him.”

“This…” The maid looked entirely conflicted, at a complete loss for what to do.

Yu Keqing understood. She stopped making things difficult for the maid and instead comforted her, “It’s alright. Go ahead and rest. I’ll just stay by myself for a while.”

The maid didn’t leave immediately, she still wanted to persuade her to eat something. But seeing Yu Keqing turn back to stare blankly at the scenery outside, the maid swallowed the words at the tip of her tongue. Before stepping out, she looked back, gritted her teeth, and seemed to make up her mind.

A few minutes later, the maid returned. She crept back in, hunched over like a thief.

In her arms, she was cradling a fluffy, furry dog.

Detecting a familiar scent at the doorway, Tuantuan instantly grew excited. Just as he was about to bark, the maid swiftly caught his muzzle.

“Shh! My little ancestor, don’t make a sound! If the bodyguards downstairs hear you, it’ll be a disaster.”

Holding the dog, the maid carefully slipped into the bedroom, opening and closing the door with absolute stealth.

She didn’t dare set the dog down immediately either, but instead carried him over to the balcony.

“Look who I brought up for you.”

Hearing the voice, Yu Keqing turned her head. Her previously lifeless eyes instantly ignited with starlight.

“Tuantuan,” she called out softly, the pleasant surprise on her face impossible to conceal.

Carefully taking the dog from the maid’s arms, she lowered her head and nuzzled against Tuantuan’s warm, furry body. The dark clouds hanging over her heart finally dissipated a little thanks to the arrival of this little cutie, as sunlight broke through to drive away the gloom.

A smile reappeared on her face as she accepted the freeze dried treats handed over by the maid, placing them on her palm to feed Tuantuan.

Seeing her happy made the maid feel immensely relieved. Although smuggling the dog up carried an enormous risk, one that could cost her her job if discovered, she truly couldn’t bear to watch Yu Keqing remain locked in this room, utterly miserable. To lose one’s freedom was simply too pitiful.

The maid believed she had acted with absolute secrecy, entirely unaware that the bedroom was equipped with a miniature camera, monitoring Yu Keqing twenty-four hours a day without interruption.

Lin Sheng had very few close friends she could confide in, and Xiao Zhiyu was one of them.

The afternoon sun washed over the golf course, and a gentle breeze drifted by, carrying the faint scent of green grass and earth.

Dressed in an off-white athletic skirt set, Lin Sheng stood at the teeing ground, her posture holding the golf club effortless and elegant.

Xiao Zhiyu leaned back under the shade of a parasol, her light apricot suit highlighting her gentle and refined demeanor.

Toying with her own club, she teased, “Making an appointment with you is harder than scheduling a meeting with the Queen Mother of the West.”

Lin Sheng raised her wrists, swinging the club in a smooth, fluid motion that sent the white ball drawing a light, graceful arc through the air.

“The company has had a lot going on lately. I’ve been busy.”

“Oh, come off it. Those are all excuses. Do you think I don’t know whether your company is busy or not? Don’t put on an act in front of me.”

Lin Sheng tossed the club to her assistant and walked back to sit under the parasol. “Didn’t I accept your invitation today?”

“That’s because I practically dragged you out of your office. If I hadn’t dragged you, you wouldn’t have come at all,” Xiao Zhiyu complained.

“I really didn’t have the time.” Lin Sheng picked up the coffee on the table, her expression cold and detached.

“Is it a lack of time, or have you given all your time to the one you keeping at home?” Xiao Zhiyu saw right through her, clearly knowing quite a bit.

Lin Sheng’s movements froze. “Wen Man told you?”

“I’m not even close with Wen Man. It’s just that I’ve seen you going to the school to pick someone up these past few days, and that young girl happens to be surnamed Yu. I guessed it.”

“Mm.”

“Finding her is a good thing. Why do you still look so unhappy?”

Lin Sheng gently swirled the coffee cup in her hand. “Her heart is still fixed on Jiang Shuang.”

“How is that possible?” Xiao Zhiyu’s immediate reaction was pure disbelief.

“Nothing is impossible. The moment she found out Wen Man and Jiang Shuang divorced, she kept pressing for answers. If her heart isn’t fixed on her, what else could it be?”

“Uh…” Xiao Zhiyu was somewhat speechless. She felt it necessary to remind her. “Back then, her eyes were completely filled with you. Even I could see it, and you were the only one who didn’t care at all. How could she still be hung up on Jiang Shuang? You must have gotten it wrong.”

“Is that so?” Lin Sheng let out a mocking laugh. “If I were in her heart, why did she insist on divorcing me? And why did she leave without a single word?”

Xiao Zhiyu really wanted to sigh. This friend of hers had terrible luck in both of her romantic endeavors. The first was an unrequited crush that ended in nothing, the second actually resulted in marriage and a child, but it was tangled up in far too many misunderstandings. Lin Sheng was stubborn and refused to admit she had fallen in love, while the other woman must have left in such a resolute manner out of utter heartbreak.

Not wanting to see Lin Sheng continue down this path, Xiao Zhiyu advised out of kindness, “Go back and have a proper talk with her. Don’t be so hot tempered, and don’t say such harsh things. She has such a gentle personality, as long as you speak to her properly, any conflict can definitely be resolved. Think back to these past ten years, why did you search for her like a madwoman? I’m telling you, Lin Sheng, being stubborn and tight-lipped isn’t going to win your wife back.”

Having her true feelings exposed by her friend, Lin Sheng turned her face away. “Who wants to win her back? I’ve never lacked people around me. There are plenty who are more beautiful and more obedient than her. I can have whatever kind of woman I want. Why would I need to win her back? Laughable. I merely think she’s pitiful. Before, she used to beg me with puppy dog eyes, desperately wanting me to let her touch me.”

Xiao Zhiyu shook her head. “Just keep talking tough.”

If you truly don’t want to win her back, why is your body suddenly carrying a trace of sandalwood scent? If she remembered correctly, that was Yu Keqing’s pheromone.

Lin Sheng was stubborn with her words, but she did take Xiao Zhiyu’s advice to heart.

She stared at the caddy retrieving balls in the distance. After a long silence, she finally asked in a quiet tone, “Then what am I supposed to do?”

Last night, she had been so furious that she ended up hurting Yu Keqing. Afterward, she felt regret, but she would never apologize to Yu Keqing, nor would she let her out of the bedroom.

Xiao Zhiyu was right. In the past, Yu Keqing’s eyes had been completely filled with her. But what about now? Yu Keqing wouldn’t even look at her, not even a single glance. Her face and her body could no longer arouse a shred of interest in Yu Keqing, she could only rely on releasing her pheromones to entice her.

“Let her see your true intentions.”

Before Lin Sheng returned home, the maid had already cleaned the bedroom top to bottom, ensuring that not a single strand of dog hair could be found.

When Lin Sheng walked in holding a large bouquet of daisies, Yu Keqing was no longer on the balcony.

She had changed into a fresh set of clothes and was sitting by the edge of the bed, her head lowered as she stared at the chain around her ankle. The open book in her lap hadn’t been flipped to a new page in a very long time.

Lin Sheng placed the daisies in front of her, extending a silent peace offering.

Among various flowers, these small yellow blossoms were never ostentatious, they were always quiet, serene, and beautiful, just like Yu Keqing.

These were the flowers Yu Keqing used to love, yet Lin Sheng had once mocked her for having no taste.

Yu Keqing pushed away the daisies blocking her line of sight. In her subconscious, every single thing Lin Sheng did carried an ulterior motive.

And without exception, that motive was always for the sake of Wen Man.

“If you don’t like them, throw them away.” Lin Sheng tossed the daisies aside, her voice dropping to a flat tone.

Her mind must have truly gone soft to actually listen to Xiao Zhiyu’s suggestion.

The continuous days of torment and loss of freedom left Yu Keqing feeling exhausted even just to breathe. She kept her head lowered and remained mute, using silence as her shield of resistance.

This gave Lin Sheng a frustrating sensation of punching a wall of cotton. She felt deeply annoyed that after finally lowering her head for once, she was rewarded with nothing but Yu Keqing’s complete disregard. In a fit of irritation, she swept the daisies onto the floor and trampled them ruthlessly.

Yu Keqing’s shoulders trembled. Fear crawled up from the depths of her heart, causing her body to shrink back. The chain clinked sharply with her movement.

The delicate skin of her ankle had already been rubbed red by the metal. If this continued, it would likely break the skin.

Just as panic seized her, Lin Sheng’s hand reached over. Her nails were painted a stunning, brilliant jewel-tone.

Those beautiful hands grasped her slender ankle, gently brushing over the red marks.

Lin Sheng reined in her anger, retrieved a silk scarf, and carefully wrapped it around the chain to pad the metal.

“Be good, and I will grant you your freedom.”