After Kissing the World-Weary Female Supporting Character [Transmigration] - Chapter 31

Ji Ruyue felt awkward about the misunderstanding concerning sleeping arrangements. However, the unaware Song Xingzi, who hadn’t realized her feelings, continued her routine: waking up early to secretly make breakfast for Ji Ruyue, and then gently waking the Female Second Lead  who was already awake.

Song Xingzi completed lunch and dinner at the set, using prop pots and ingredients. Yielding to the pleading of the crew, she would often make extra portions whenever she could cook a large batch. After serving herself and Ji Ruyue, she would quietly slip away, acting as an “anonymous elementary school student who does good deeds”, leaving the food for the eagerly awaiting crew. The directors’ team, having tasted the benefits, intentionally scheduled all cooking scenes for the last shoot of the noon or the last shoot of the afternoon.

Due to the late start of the shooting, only a few days of smooth filming had passed before it was New Year’s Eve. Zhao Yu and the directors’ team consulted with each other and grandly gave the crew a day off.

Well, the real reason was that Ji Ruyue had promised her parents to return home for the New Year, so the directors’ team simply extended the day off to the busy staff.

Ji Ruyue had booked an early flight, carrying the packed lunch and snacks prepared by Song Xingzi, and was flying to Imperial Capital. Zhao Yu and Qi Nanchun rented a rickshaw  to wander the bustling city of the film studio, having set off early in the morning, arm-in-arm, to display their affection. He Ya also booked a flight to return to Imperial Capital to find Li Yebai. Wang Qiang, however, was lying in bed, preparing to be a couch potato all day…

Everyone in the crew had clear plans and were busy with their own affairs, but Song Xingzi was struggling over where to spend the New Year.

According to custom, she should have flown back to Imperial Capital to celebrate the New Year with the original owner’s father, Song Xuelin, at the hospital. However, first, Song Xingzi didn’t know how to interact with a father. Second, Song Xingzi was afraid she would expose her identity, as parents have an almost terrifying intuition about their children. Third, Lin Shu had already accepted a special variety show invitation for her, scheduled for recording that very night.

With things piling up, Song Xingzi didn’t know what to do. On Li Yu’s advice, she called Song Xuelin to discuss the matter with the original body’s father.

It was called a discussion, but Song Xingzi had no idea how to talk to Song Xuelin. If she knew, she wouldn’t have waited so long to make that first phone call.

“Hello, who is this?”

Song Xingzi squatted in the corner, holding the phone to her ear. After a moment of silence, Song Xuelin’s honest voice came through. Song Xingzi subconsciously felt nervous. She didn’t know how Song Xuelin addressed his daughter, nor what tone to use, so she was momentarily speechless. Her lips moved open and closed, but not a single word came out.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Did you dial the wrong number?” Song Xuelin heard no reply. He looked at the unfamiliar number displayed on the screen and asked doubtfully, “Who are you looking for?”

“It’s me. I changed my number,” Song Xingzi rushed to speak, afraid Song Xuelin would hang up. But the last word, “Dad”, she hesitated for a moment and still couldn’t say it.

As soon as Song Xuelin heard the voice, a smile appeared on his honest face. “It’s Xing Xing (Star)? It’s New Year’s Eve today. Did Xing Xing get a day off? Why haven’t you come back to see Dad?”

Song Xuelin’s honest voice was a bit like Uncle Niu’s. Thinking of the familiar elder, Song Xingzi’s nervousness lessened. She replied, “I’m at the crew now. We got a day off, and I’m not sure if I should go back or not.”

“Why? Do you have extra arrangements? You take care of work first and be careful not to tire yourself out. Running back and forth is tiring, too. If you have time, just get a good sleep.”

The heart of a parent! No matter how much he missed his child, Song Xuelin’s first reaction was to tell Song Xingzi to rest well.

“It’s okay. It’s not tiring,” Song Xingzi nervously picked at a small weed in the corner with her free hand. “It’s just that… didn’t I change companies? My new company values me more and arranged a variety show for me. It’s tonight, and I don’t know if I should go.”

Song Xuelin was excited and cheerful. “Ah, Dad knows about that! I even met your boss!”

Song Xingzi was puzzled. “Our boss?”

Where did a boss come from? Did Uncle Lin actually go to see Song Xuelin?

“Yes, the female boss who is very young, very beautiful, and very polite. She just looks a bit low-spirited and lacking in energy.”

It’s Ji-Ji! Song Xingzi instantly understood. “Oh, oh. That’s our CEO (Zǒng Cāi).”

“Such a big official? She even said you two are friends.”

“Right? Ji-Ji is so good,” Song Xingzi relaxed and spoke endlessly. “She is so gentle and kind. She even saved me, found me a good job, and even moved Dad to her family’s private hospital…”

Song Xuelin listened attentively, nodding in agreement. Then, remembering what his daughter said about work, he interrupted her nervously, “You just said she got you work. What’s the situation? If you should go, then go. Don’t let down her kindness.”

“But we finally got a day off, and I haven’t seen you in two months,” Song Xingzi sighed in relief after hearing Song Xuelin’s words. She was indeed not ready to face the father who had suddenly appeared in her life, so aside from sending Song Xuelin money every month according to the original owner’s habit, she had been trying to avoid contact with him.

“What does that matter? Did you forget you didn’t have time to come back for half a year when you filmed that web drama last time? Dad is fine. You take care of yourself, figure out what you should choose, and once you choose, just take steady steps and walk forward.”

Song Xingzi took a deep breath and softly responded, “Okay. Xing Xing knows. Dad, Happy New Year.”

“Ay, ay. Happy New Year. Xing Xing, don’t tire yourself out too much. You need to rest when you should. Dad didn’t know you wanted to act before, and I couldn’t dissuade you, but no matter what, you must take care of your body first. Otherwise, all the money in the world is empty.”

“Okay, okay, okay. Xing Xing knows,” Song Xingzi gave Li Yu, who was packing a suitcase, an “OK” gesture. After listening to Song Xuelin ramble for a while longer, she hung up the phone, after saying goodbye to each other.

After confirming the flight time with Lin Shu, Song Xingzi and Li Yu drove to the airport.

Three P.M., Ji Family Mansion, living room.

After Ji Ruyue rushed home on the early flight, Father Ji (Jǐ Bà Ba) and Mother Ji (Jǐ Mā Ma), who had been waiting for a long time, quickly welcomed their little princess (Xiǎo Gōng Zhǔ) into the house and sent her to the bedroom to rest. It wasn’t until they finished lunch at past one o’clock that the family formally reunited and sat down together to chat.

A painting of “Ten Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains” (Wàn Lǐ Jiāng Shān Tú) hung in the living room. In the painting, the river flows deep, the mountains swallow the smoke, and the rising sun brings about a magnificent, vibrant scene of the world. It faced Ji Ruyue. Ji Ruyue looked up at it, and in a trance, she felt as if the mountains, rivers, and seas in the painting had come alive.

Xu Yan (Mother Ji) saw her daughter spacing out and, remembering the discussions at the Li family banquet (Lǐ Jiā Wǎn Yàn) and the board of directors a few days ago, thought her daughter was still unhappy. So, she said softly, “Xiao Yue (Little Moon), what are you looking at?”

“Nothing,” Ji Ruyue forced a smile at her mother. After too many cycles of reincarnation, she, like Song Xingzi, didn’t know how to face her own parents. That day, in a moment of emotion, she promised Ji Hongguang (Father Ji) to come home and visit, but when truly facing them for a heart-to-heart talk, she found she still couldn’t naturally face her parents’ programmatic concern.

“Aunt Zhou (Zhōu Mā), please brew a cup of black tea for Miss (Xiǎo Jiě),” Xu Yan instructed the servant standing nearby. Then, she took her daughter’s hand, placed it in her palm, and held both hands together. “Why is my little princess (Xiǎo Gōng Zhǔ) unhappy? Who made our Princess Xiao Yue (Xiǎo Yuè Gōng Zhǔ) angry this time? Drink a cup of your favorite Keemun Black Tea (Qí Mén Hóng Chá) and tell Mom. I’ll see which blind idiot dared to anger my little princess (Xiǎo Gōng Zhǔ) and have your Dad teach him a lesson.”

Ji Hongguang (Father Ji) took off his glasses, put down his newspaper, and echoed his wife with approval. “Yes, Xiao Yue, tell me. Dad will help you teach him a lesson. I’ll see which blind idiot dared to bully our Princess Xiao Yue (Xiǎo Yuè Gōng Zhǔ)!”

“What are you two talking about? You’re not being serious at all. You sound like the mafia (Hēi Shè Huì),” the young woman pouted playfully, but her eyes held an undetected weariness and numbness.

Ji Ruyue wanted to sigh, but she didn’t know how to explain after sighing.

She knew it would be like this before she came back. She had to act everywhere. The closer the people were, the more she had to be a qualified puppet, unable to show flaws.

“Xiao Yue can’t bear to say it, can she?” Xu Yan patted her daughter’s hand. Her voice was gentle, but her tone was angry. “I heard that at the Li family’s banquet (Lǐ Jiā De Wǎn Yàn), Li Yebai didn’t go with you and openly disgraced you? Were you bullied?”

“No, Mom, you’re overthinking it. I scolded him.”

“What good is scolding him? His family has to rely on us. He should be revering you, coaxing you, and spoiling you. How dare he even give you an attitude!” Xu Yan grew angrier the more she spoke, lightly tapping her daughter’s forehead with her index finger. “You are just too fond of that boy, which is why you always suffer losses.”

Revering me, coaxing me, spoiling me? Ji Ruyue’s gaze was cold. She had heard these words until she was numb. I am merely a puppet on a string in the hands of destiny, deserving of being ignored, hated, and abandoned. Even a complete death is a luxury.

It was Ji Family’s parents’ bottomless doting on Ji Ruyue that led her to develop such an arrogant and lawless personality, and it was precisely this arrogance that caused the Ji Corporation (Jǐ Shì) to lose so miserably.

But how could Ji Hongguang and Xu Yan be blamed for this? She was their only daughter throughout their lives, so they naturally treasured her like a precious jewel, afraid of her melting if held in the mouth, and afraid of her breaking if held in the hands.

And Ji Hongguang and Ji Ruyue were commercial prodigies in their own right, and the Ji Corporation was a deeply rooted, large enterprise. If the script hadn’t been arranged this way, how could it have been so easily swallowed by the Li Corporation (Lǐ Shì)?

Ji Ruyue turned her head and said nothing more. Just then, the servant brought the freshly brewed tea. She picked up the teacup and sipped the cool tea slowly.

“You, stop talking about our daughter. She knows what she’s doing,” Ji Hongguang poured a cup of tea for his wife and handed it to her, gently balancing the atmosphere.

“Only you and your daughter are clever. Am I the foolish one, then?” Xu Yan pretended to be dissatisfied, but then smiled.

“Xiao Yue, your Dad told me about what happened last time. Whatever you want to do, just go ahead and do it. Don’t worry about those old fogeys. You don’t need to worry about Mom and Dad’s opinions either.”

“Mom, what are you saying? Am I such an unreasonable person?”

Ji Hongguang interjected, “Exactly! Our Xiao Yue is very sensible!”

“Haha, you two really are father and daughter, working together like a duet.”

Laughter filled the room instantly, and the atmosphere was lively and harmonious.

The family of three talked for a while longer. Xu Yan noticed that her daughter hadn’t eaten much at noon and had even brought a thermos and snacks home for the New Year.

At first, she thought her daughter was in a bad mood and didn’t want to eat. Now that things were cleared up, she worried that her daughter was hungry. She ordered the servant to bring in afternoon tea snacks and said gently to her daughter, “Xiao Yue, you didn’t eat much at noon. You must be hungry now. I had Aunt Zhou (Zhōu Mā) prepare your favorite tea cakes and pastries a long time ago. Have some first. We will have our New Year’s Eve Dinner (Nián Yè Fàn) here at home tonight; we won’t go to the main mansion.”

“Mom, I’m not hungry,” Ji Ruyue saw the familiar Pirate Ship Cake (Hǎi Dào Chuán Dàn Gāo) and felt not only no appetite but even a little nauseated.

No matter how much she liked something, eating it repeatedly across so many lifetimes had long turned it into something utterly repulsive.

Xu Yan’s beautiful eyes curved into a smile. “Not hungry? Did you secretly eat snacks?”

Ji Ruyue pouted in denial. “Absolutely not.”

“Then why did you bring a packed lunch and a whole box of small pastries home? Are you looking down on the chef’s skills here?”

“What are you saying, Mom? This was specially prepared by a friend of mine, who was worried I’d be hungry on the plane.” Actually, it’s today’s meal, Ji Ruyue silently corrected. Thinking of the obedient Female Lead, her mood improved slightly.

“Oh,” Xu Yan’s expression was complex, looking as if she had seen through everything. “Which friend is that? Why is Xiao Yue still worrying about her even though she is home for a day? Why don’t you bring her home for Mom and Dad to see?”

“Her name is Song Xingzi. She is a new starlet signed to the company,” Ji Ruyue added specifically, noticing Xu Yan’s expression. “She is a girl.”

“Oh—” Xu Yan’s expression became even more meaningful, just like when Ji Ruyue was a child and insisted on getting engaged to the Male Lead (Nán Zhǔ). “Song Xingzi? Why does that name sound so familiar? Right, Xiao Yue’s Dad?”

Ji Hongguang was dealing with business by email. While responding to his wife, he said, “Ay, yes, it sounds quite familiar.”

“Mom?” Ji Ruyue was slightly surprised. How could Xu Yan be familiar with Song Xingzi’s name? That shouldn’t be right. It’s still a long time before my parents find out about Song Xingzi and Li Yebai’s relationship. Therefore, she asked tentatively, “What are you saying, Mom? Why the expression?”

“Ah, a daughter’s love cannot be stopped by her mother,” Xu Yan sighed dramatically. Seeing her daughter getting anxious, she slowly continued, “Xiao Yue, if you truly like her, don’t treat her unfairly. If she’s a girl, your Dad and I won’t object. Right, her father?”

The assistant had replied with a tricky issue in the email. Ji Hongguang was busy solving it and didn’t clearly hear his wife’s question. As usual, he raised his voice and readily agreed, “Ay, yes, I don’t object, I don’t object.”

“Mom!” Ji Ruyue jumped up in shock. This scene, this scene shouldn’t be what happens in Li Yebai’s family! How did it shift to me? And Xu Yan and Ji Hongguang were just now agreeing to my engagement with the Male Lead! Why do they seem to have suddenly forgotten all of that?

“Aiya, Xiao Yue is shy! Sit down, sit down quickly,” Xu Yan pulled her daughter to sit next to her, leaning her head close in a mother-daughter confiding manner. “I’ve heard people talking. You really like that Song Xingzi. You not only paid double the penalty (Liǎng Bèi Jiě Yuē Jīn) to poach her, but you also signed her to the best contract, and you’re even living with her.”

“Mom?” Ji Ruyue still hadn’t fully recovered, and she subconsciously murmured, “Mom, it shouldn’t be like this, it shouldn’t be like this.”

“What are you saying, Xiao Yue? Quickly unpack the snacks your little girlfriend (Xiǎo Nǚ Yǒu) prepared for you and let Mom and Dad have a taste. It counts as meeting the parents in advance,” Xu Yan patted her daughter’s hand and earnestly imparted her experience. “You, don’t be so completely devoted to her (Tā) like you were with that Li family boy (Lǐ Jiā Xiǎo Zǐ). First, see which one you like better. There’s no rush to dissolve the engagement with the Li family boy. The red flag (Hóng Qí) at home must remain standing, and the colored flags (Cǎi Qí) outside should flutter (metaphor for a woman having affairs while being engaged/married) to properly repay what the Li family boy owes you.”

What is she saying? What kind of development is this? Why did it turn out like this? Where exactly am I in the plot now?

“Mom, here,” Ji Ruyue felt like her head was about to explode. Too many variables were laid out before her. She was thinking about too many things. Listening to Xu Yan’s words, she instinctively stood up, took out the snack box prepared by Song Xingzi, and confusedly handed it to Xu Yan.

“Xiao Yue’s Dad, come and taste the pastry that Xiao Yue’s little girlfriend made. It looks very delightful,” Xu Yan picked up the Lotus Puff Pastry (Hé Huā Sū) that Song Xingzi had specially prepared for Ji Ruyue. She first broke off a small piece for Ji Hongguang and put it near his mouth, then ate a piece herself.

“Ah!” Xu Yan’s pupils dilated, and her expression was joyful and content. The crispy outer layer melted in the mouth, revealing the soft, fine sand filling, while a light lotus fragrance went straight from her mouth to her head…

“It’s truly delicious! It’s even better than the imperial cuisine (Gōng Tíng Yù Shàn) that old chef makes. Your little girlfriend (Xiǎo Nǚ Yǒu) is quite something!” Xu Yan savored the taste reluctantly, unable to resist breaking off another small piece to eat. “Where did she buy such delicious pastries?”

“Mom, didn’t you just say it? She made it herself,” Ji Ruyue replied irritably. She couldn’t sort out the confusion. She felt as if she were trapped in turbulent seawater. She struggled to poke her head out and saw a line of light in the distance, only to be quickly pulled back down by gravity. Over and over again, she truly didn’t know what to do, where salvation was, or when it would all end.

“Aiya, Xiao Yue, don’t get angry. Mom will just eat a little less,” Xu Yan chuckled and ate another piece. “Forget it, Xiao Yue should just let your little girlfriend teach our family chef.”

“She is not my little girlfriend, she is—” Ji Ruyue roared, but the last two words (Female Lead) got stuck in her throat and couldn’t be spoken.

“Xiao Yue, don’t be angry. It’s Mom’s fault. Not a little girlfriend, no,” It’s a wife, I (Xu Yan) know. Xiao Yue still has that temper and can’t stand anyone saying anything bad about the person at the center of her heart. Xu Yan gently patted her daughter’s hand. “Whatever Xiao Yue says, it is that. Don’t be angry. Come, come, come, drink some tea.”

“Mom, I,” Ji Ruyue finally calmed down after being restricted by the power of the Way of Heaven (Tiān Dào) again. She gripped Xu Yan’s hand, trying to find some comforting strength from it.

“Xiao Yue, don’t be angry, don’t feel upset. Mom won’t tease you anymore. Drink some tea and relax. Come on.”

Ji Ruyue took the teacup and drank it in one gulp. “Cough, cough, cough. Cough, cough, cough.”

“This child, she just can’t hold her temper,” Xu Yan said, patting her daughter’s back to help her breathe.

“Mom, I’m fine,” Ji Ruyue’s breathing gradually stabilized. Just as she finished speaking, her phone rang immediately.

“I got this pain so deep inside…”

“Hello, Uncle Lin (Lín Shū)?”

“CEO Ji (Xiǎo Jǐ Zǒng), something has happened! Song Xingzi sustained a head injury and is currently in emergency treatment.”

Ji Ruyue leapt to her feet, trembling with tension. She yelled hysterically, “Where is she? Where is she now?”

“CEO Ji, please don’t get agitated. Don’t get agitated. I am standing guard outside the operating room. The situation is not life-threatening.”

“I asked you where she is right now!” Ji Ruyue felt the world spinning. The only hope she had desperately protected, the only path to break free from destiny, was now in unknown peril. What the f*ck  were they talking about?!