After the Vicious Supporting Female Character Became the Heroine's Cat - Chapter 24.4

Yet, she couldn’t shake a strange feeling. It seemed as though many things were inexplicably falling into place just as she wished, almost as if as if the world itself was helping her.

The thought sent a chill down her spine. Cheng Jianian scolded herself inwardly: I’m just a villainous supporting character, no need to entertain such bizarre ideas.

Once everything was arranged, they got into the car. Zuo Ying stood by the window and waved to Shen Yunmiao. “Yunmiao, I won’t give you another business card just search my phone number to find my WeChat.”

With fewer people around, she had finally found the right moment to say this.

As the car window rolled up, Jian Shen wasn’t sure if the driver up front would report their conversation to higher-ups, so she forcibly suppressed her urge to ask Shen Yunmiao what she was thinking.

Shen Yunmiao didn’t offer any explanation either, instead gently holding the restless-looking cat in her arms.

The car drove off slowly, covering several kilometers steadily. Cheng Jianian estimated that the timing was about right and began to act up. She squirmed and retched in Shen Yunmiao’s arms though nothing came up, it was alarming enough.

Jian Shen was startled, recalling what Shen Yunmiao had said earlier, and assumed the cat was genuinely ill. She quickly told the driver to head to the nearest veterinary hospital.

The driver, a man in his fifties who seemed experienced, paused and replied uncomfortably, “It’s so late, I doubt there are any veterinary hospitals still open around here.”

Jian Shen didn’t notice the stiffness in his tone, but Shen Yunmiao did. She calmly said, “Driver, I know where there’s a veterinary hospital. Why don’t you let me get off first? You can just take Director Jian back.”

The driver’s palms were slick with sweat, almost too slippery to grip the steering wheel. He nervously glanced in the rearview mirror, only to meet the girl’s profound gaze. His heart raced instantly, suspecting she might have figured something out.

But the boss hadn’t said much just told him to drive toward the bridge, promising that once the job was done, his family would never want for anything again.

His nervousness didn’t go unnoticed. Jian Shen also sensed something was off, though she didn’t think Li Shengran would go so far as to tamper with the dispatched car. Besides, she was still in the vehicle. After all, she was considered a meritorious minister of Shuixing, having delivered billions in box office revenue. Surely, they wouldn’t try to take her down along with everything else?

The cat in her arms grew increasingly restless. Already feeling somewhat guilty, Jian Shen couldn’t care less now and said to the driver, “Driver, could you please pull over? Or let Yunmiao direct you to the veterinary hospital, alright?”

The driver hesitated.

But Shen Yunmiao’s attitude turned uncharacteristically firm: “I said pull over. Is that hard to understand? Or do I need to call the police?”

At her words, the driver no longer dared to dwell on the boss’s instructions. He slammed on the brakes abruptly, the tires screeching against the pavement with immense friction. Thrown forward by the inertia, Jian Shen felt as if she were about to be flung out of the car.

Turning her head, she saw the girl in the white top and black skirt, her expression cool and detached. One hand braced against the front seatback, the other securely holding the cat in her arms, she remained completely unfazed.

Not only was Jian Shen surprised, but Cheng Jianian’s heart also raced. She clearly saw everyone and everything in the car thrown into disarray by the inertia, yet she distinctly felt herself held firmly by this person, not a single strand of fur out of place.

The scent of fresh snow enveloped her, almost wrapping her, a mere cat, in its embrace. She felt as if she were about to drown in this pristine, snowy aura.

The moment the car stopped, Shen Yunmiao didn’t waste a second. She immediately opened the door to get out. Just as Jian Shen was wondering whether she should follow, the white cat, which had been quietly nestled against the black skirt, suddenly leaped down and seemed to want to burrow into her arms.

Jian Shen was stunned, unable to comprehend what was happening. She stiffly looked at Shen Yunmiao, only to see the usually calm and gentle young girl now trembling as she pleaded, “Good kitty, come to me.”

Jian Shen inwardly cursed her luck whenever this cat was involved, Shen Yunmiao was never her normal self. Flustered, she hurriedly got out of the car. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I’ll go with you. It’s not safe for you to go alone this late.”

As she stepped out, the driver gritted his teeth and also got out, trying to persuade them, “How about this? Tell me where it is, and I’ll drive you there.”

Shen Yunmiao merely stared coldly at him. Her demeanor was as sharp and chilling as snow, and her unsmiling gaze was somewhat intimidating.

The driver’s hands trembled, and he didn’t dare say another word.

Witnessing the tense atmosphere, Jian Shen felt a headache coming on. She had no idea how they’d ended up clashing with Li Shengran’s people again, it was just her luck.

Trying to smooth things over, she smiled and said, “It’s alright, it’s alright. We’ll just take a taxi and head there. It’s late, you should go home and rest. I’ll call Li Shengran later and explain everything.”

By now, Jian Shen had come to understand: trying to change Shen Yunmiao’s mind when it came to anything related to the cat was nearly impossible. It was better to let the driver go home and rest.

To avoid any further trouble after all, she now felt something was off about the driver too.

The driver grew anxious. “But I can’t do that! General Manager Li insisted I escort both of you safely. Director Jian, I—”

“Is this car safe?” Though phrased as a question, Shen Yunmiao’s tone was unnervingly calm, betraying no emotion. Only the resolute way she held the cat revealed her determination. “Or do you believe we’d be unsafe if we didn’t ride with you?”

Her sharp words clashed starkly with her placid tone. Paired with her exceedingly gentle face under the soft glow of streetlights and the pale moonlight, the dissonance was even more unsettling.

The driver shuddered and fell silent.

Holding the cat, Shen Yunmiao turned and walked away. Jian Shen glanced back at the driver, whose face had flushed crimson, unsure of what to say. He simply urged the driver to leave quickly before hurrying to catch up with Shen Yunmiao, who was already far ahead.

Little Cheng Zong clung to the narrow cuff of Shen Yunmiao’s snow-white shirt, where a metal button gleamed with a vintage hue.

She glanced back. Thankfully, Jian Shen had caught up.

Surely, everything would be fine now?

Her intuition told her it wasn’t that simple, but Shen Yunmiao’s earlier reactions had pained her deeply. How much suffering and hardship must she have endured to instinctively sense something amiss?

Little Cheng Zong didn’t dare dwell on it. All she wanted, on this sweltering summer solstice night, was to hold the person who had been so incredibly kind to her, whether she was human or a cat.

Jian Shen caught up, panting. “Why walk so fast?”

Shen Yunmiao clenched her jaw, forcing an unnatural smile. “I was worried Guaiguai might be uncomfortable. I’m sorry, Director Jian, for causing you trouble again.”

Jian Shen took in her stiff expression and sighed wordlessly. After a moment, he pulled out a cigarette case, selected one, and placed it between his lips. “Want one?” he mumbled, the words short and slurred.

Unsurprisingly, Shen Yunmiao declined the “kind offer.”

The lighter’s intricate mechanism clicked a few times, casting a unique metallic gleam under the light.

With a snap, the cigarette was lit.

Almost simultaneously, a gentle, crisp scent reminiscent of fresh snow enveloped them. The kitten’s sensitive nose was physically blocked by a slender, elegant hand.

Jian Shen pulled out his phone to navigate to a veterinary clinic that was still open, while simultaneously dialing his overworked assistant.

The assistant, who had probably just finished washing up and was about to rest, answered in surprise. “What’s wrong, Director Jian? Do you need me to pick you up?”

“Forget it. Just send a car. I can’t even hail a taxi here, unbelievable.”

Shen Yunmiao remained far calmer. Her gentle dark eyes were deep and unreadable, showing no trace of emotion.

Cheng Jianian met her gaze and felt inexplicably guilty, as if Miaomiao knew she was faking her illness.

After walking for over ten minutes, the veterinary clinic was still nowhere in sight, and the company car was taking its time. Jian Shen had finished his cigarette and was growing bored.

They had wandered off course, but at least it was summer, so they wouldn’t freeze in their light clothing.

Suddenly, two overly bright headlights pierced the darkness from a distance.

Jian Shen cursed under his breath, who used high beams on such a well-lit road?

But the lights were rapidly approaching.

The road was reasonably wide, yet the vehicle seemed out of control, heading straight toward them. By the time Jian Shen realized something was wrong, it was too late.

Her mind racing, she instinctively pushed Shen Yunmiao away, who was still some distance from her. Unexpectedly, the cat in Shen Yunmiao’s arms leaped onto her instead. That leap generated a powerful force, allowing Jian Shen to narrowly avoid the out-of-control car.

There was no screech of brakes, only the violent sound of a collision exploding in her ears.

It wasn’t like fireworks blooming but left behind a scene of chaos.

Shen Yunmiao stared blankly in her direction. The shattered streetlamp cast a cold, pale glow on her face from below, and her dark eyes seemed frozen in time, barely able to move.

Not far away, the small white cat had already been stained red.

Almost instantly, Shen Yunmiao was at the cat’s side.

Cheng Nianian, lying on the ground unable to move, struggled to keep her eyes open wide, wanting to see clearly the person who loved her so deeply.

What a pity the streetlamp had been knocked away, and the empty space in front of the car was devoid of any other light. Only the desolate moonlight shone down, making everything feel even colder.

Little Cheng wanted to let out a soft “meow” to show she was okay, but she couldn’t. Her entire body was in pain, and she couldn’t move at all. Gradually, even the excruciating pain of broken bones faded away, replaced only by an intense cold. How strange, it was a summer night, after all.

In her daze, she felt as if she had returned to that winter car accident just as sudden, giving no one time to react.

Just as cold.

She was held in the arms of the person in front of her, yet she couldn’t feel any warmth from them. Only the familiar scent of fresh snow remained.

Summoning all her strength, Little Cheng let out a soft whimper.

Shen Yunmiao felt as if her internal organs were being torn apart by that sound. The pain couldn’t compare to what the little cat in her arms was enduring, but it was enough to make her teeth chatter and her body tremble. She couldn’t utter a word, only stood up numbly.

After a long moment, with trembling lips, she forced out a soothing whisper, “Don’t be afraid, sweetie. Big sister will take you to the hospital.”

Blood soaked the white chiffon blouse, and the button no longer needed to appear artificially vintage, the mottled bloodstains were real enough.

The siren of a police car wailed behind them, its sound echoing like the weeping wind of that night.

The little white cat nestled in the young girl’s arms as she walked step by step toward the light, her figure lonely and desolate.

Regret, grief, self-blame, a flood of emotions surged within her, blending into an endless bitterness.

She had reacted faster than Jian Shen, but in her overconfidence, she had tried to calculate the last moment to dodge, fearing the car might change direction again.

And now, this was the result. But why? Why did her innocent little cat have to suffer in her place?

Shen Yunmiao couldn’t understand. Tears, blown by the wind, fell one by one, round and full, landing on the dying cat.

The paws that were usually full of energy couldn’t even lift now. Seeing her cry, Cheng Nianian felt heartbroken. With her last fading shred of consciousness, she comforted her:

“Miaomiao, don’t cry. We will meet again soon, I’m sure of it.”

But how could the girl, crying too hard to make a sound, understand her comfort?

Under a sky full of stars and on a sweltering summer night,

it felt as cold as bone and as dark as an abyss.

Shen Yunmiao slowly touched the small, cold kitten in her arms, sobbing, “Good girl, good girl, it’s my fault. I’ll never say I like her again. I won’t dream of those impossible things anymore. Please come back, I beg you, don’t die, okay.”

The young girl’s cries were utterly heart-wrenching.

Support