After the Vicious Supporting Female Character Became the Heroine's Cat - Chapter 30.2

To match her, Cheng Jianian wore all black: a black coat over a striped shirt, with the cuffs rolled up to add a touch of brightness. The black trousers made her appear tall and aloof.

Her collar was left open, revealing the striped stand-up collar that shifted her aura from distant and unapproachable to carefree and untamed.

For the first time, she tied up her hair and wore a rimless half-frame metal glasses with a delicate, shimmering chain. A black top hat added an air of mystery and elegance.

Cheng Jianian naturally reached out to adjust Shen Yunmiao’s collar, then lowered her head and handed her the hat. “Miaomiao, help me put on the hat,” she said softly, almost like a coquettish plea.

Shen Yunmiao felt her breath lightly brush against her neck and, feeling a bit awkward, adjusted the hat for her, noticing how soft her slightly wavy brown hair felt.

Once their outfits were settled, the two practiced once and concluded that the softer Shen Yunmiao sang, the better.

Shen Yunmiao’s ears flushed with warmth as she shyly apologized, “Sorry, I’m not very good at singing.”

Cheng Jianian was extremely forgiving and laughed, “It’s nothing. The first time I sang on stage, I was even worse and super nervous.”

Liar.

Shen Yunmiao recalled the footage of Cheng Jianian’s first stage performance, it was radiant and far from bad.

Unaware that Shen Yunmiao had rewatched her every stage appearance countless times, Cheng Jianian took her hand, her eyes sparkling. “Come on, I’ll give you some courage. Don’t be afraid.”

Shen Yunmiao’s dark eyes looked dazed, as if veiled in mist, shimmering with a watery glow.

In that sudden moment of eye contact, both their heartbeats quickened.

It wasn’t until Jian Shen came to call them, seeing that they were about ready, that they let go of each other’s hands.

By the time they actually stepped on stage, Shen Yunmiao’s heart was still racing a little, but her ability to adapt on the spot was strong, and she showed no signs of unease.

At first, the stage was unlit, and the host’s voice rang out:

“Everyone has a program list in hand, and I’m sure you’re all looking forward to the performance of our princess Yunmiao!”

Her voice took a playful turn as she added with a laugh, “But today, joining her on stage is the princess’s good friend! I won’t say her name again. Let’s enjoy this romantic duet together.”

Whether they were drama fans or the actors’ followers, the audience was a bit confused, unsure who this friend might be.

However, the professionals hired to hype up the atmosphere had already been informed. They started chanting “Cheng Jianian” from the front, rallying the rest of the crowd. The fans, though unsure of the details, grew excited.

This was the film queen, Cheng Jianian someone rarely seen in the public eye. Aside from occasionally acting to maintain her presence and win awards, she hardly ever performed.

The last time she performed on stage was probably when she was in her teens, appearing on the Spring Festival Gala. Only such a grand stage could invite her, and even then, it was mainly to advertise her family’s business.

Now, hearing her sing on a stage that could hardly be called a stage felt even more worthwhile than buying a ticket specifically for it far more worthwhile!

As the atmosphere reached its peak, the stage lights suddenly brightened, converging at the center. There stood Wang Ji in white, her expression gentle and detached, with a faint trace of sorrow in her eyes.

Opposite her, a tall girl dressed like a magician wore a teasing, playful smile as she gently took Wang Ji’s hand.

It felt like a meeting transcending time and space brief yet romantic, weaving an exquisite tale of beauty.

Most people recognized Cheng Nianian, and the cheers grew louder and louder.

Cheng Nianian pressed a finger to her lips and smiled softly.

Picking up the microphone, she waited for the prelude to pass before she began to sing. Shen Yunmiao, who had been momentarily blinded by the lights, snapped out of her daze and started singing along, albeit a bit clumsily.

Although they had only rehearsed together two or three times, their coordination was surprisingly seamless. Shen Yunmiao’s voice wasn’t bad she just wasn’t very skilled at singing. Guided by Cheng Nianian’s voice, she found her rhythm, soft and gentle, while Cheng Nianian’s voice remained clear and lingering.

Their voices complemented each other perfectly, creating an exceptional stage effect.

During the climax, Cheng Nianian took advantage of the moment, leaning down to plant a light kiss on Shen Yunmiao’s forehead.

Shen Yunmiao, who was already struggling to stay on key, nearly let out a startled cry. Fortunately, having experienced many things, she managed to steady her voice.

The screams from the audience surged like waves, almost threatening to overturn the makeshift stage.

Though Shen Yunmiao’s cheeks didn’t easily flush, her small earlobes turned completely red.

Cheng Nianian felt quite pleased with herself and sang with even more enthusiasm, making the rest of the song flow even more smoothly.

For the final bow, she took her companion’s hand again, and they bowed together.

However, Cheng Nianian didn’t dare let her guard down.

In the original plot, Qiao Jingshu had refused to share the stage with Shen Yunmiao and didn’t attend. Shen Yunmiao was the last to perform, and after her, all the acts concluded.

Then, the host called all the cast members on stage to play a few games. Just as the games were about to begin, a chandelier suddenly fell.

Liang Jue, who was quicker than the others, reacted swiftly and threw himself forward.

If the plot were to correct itself, the chandelier should fall right about now!

Even though the chandelier had been inspected countless times, Cheng Nianian still pulled Shen Yunmiao aside, her movements tense and cautious.

One by one, the cast members gathered on stage.

The chandelier remained firmly in place, as if her worries were unfounded. Yet, Cheng Nianian’s palms grew sweaty, and she tightened her grip.

Unaware of her concerns, Shen Yunmiao asked curiously, “Why are your hands so sweaty?”

Cheng Nianian forced a smile. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been on stage. I’m a bit nervous.”

Though Shen Yunmiao found it strange, she couldn’t possibly guess it had to do with the plot and assumed Cheng Nianian was just hot from wearing two layers of clothing.

Once the host came on stage, they started warming up the crowd, steering the conversation toward Cheng Nianian. Most of the actors present had some connection to Mercury Entertainment, so no one minded.

After all, her presence alone was an honor.

They were well aware of who Little Cheng Zong’s sudden enthusiasm was for, and they quietly moved a bit farther away from the two, tacitly leaving some space around them as if there were an invisible barrier.

The host, being exceptionally sharp, smiled and said, “I really didn’t expect Little Cheng Zong to come today. Is it because of Little Wang Ji beside you?”

Cheng Jianian’s family background was widely discussed online, and since she had debuted as a child star, she had gradually earned the nickname “Little Cheng Zong.”

Cheng Jianian glanced at Shen Yunmiao and smiled gently. “Yes, Little Wang Ji has no one to accompany her in the movie, so I’m here to keep her company outside of it.”

In the movie’s plot, Shen Yunmiao’s character, Little Wang Ji, later became the queen and then the queen dowager. Unfortunately, due to political disagreements with her own son and her longtime friend leaving for a foreign country, she spent the latter half of her life in loneliness.

The host sighed, “What a wonderful bond! Then, for the next game, I’ll pair you two together?”

Cheng Jianian raised an eyebrow. “I’d be delighted.”

Shen Yunmiao smiled softly. “Sure.”

The others had no objections either. Yuan Duan and Liang Jue were paired together, while the remaining two young actors, who were professionally trained, naturally teamed up.

For the first game, the host didn’t hold back and started with one that required teamwork and was fun: Pictionary.

The game had two rounds. In the first round, Shen Yunmiao guessed while Cheng Jianian acted out the words.

The first word: Baby.

Cheng Jianian’s face nearly twisted at the sight. She had no idea what kind of word this was. She had instructed Zuo Ying to arrange games that would foster closeness, but this probably had nothing to do with that.

She braced herself and started gesturing, but such an abstract word was impossible to convey accurately through gestures.

Left with no choice, she tried to describe it: “A term of endearment between lovers.”

Shen Yunmiao, seeing her indescribable expression, hesitated and called out, “Wife?”

Cheng Jianian: “…!!!”

She didn’t know whether to laugh or react otherwise.

Licking her lips and blinking innocently, she said, “Try another one.”

At this point, not only Cheng Jianian but Shen Yunmiao across from her was also struggling to keep a straight face, even suspecting that this game was designed to torment her.

She reluctantly called out again, “Husband?”

Cheng Jianian: “…”

Was there any difference from the previous one?

She shook her head. Shen Yunmiao, embarrassed, tried a few more terms, each one more awkward than the last, until she finally managed to say, “Baby.”

The other two groups couldn’t help but laugh.

Fortunately, the following words were relatively normal, until the last one: Kitten.

For a moment, Cheng Jianian seemed lost in thought. After a brief silence, she said, “Two characters, an animal.”

Shen Yunmiao nodded obediently.

Then, the person in front of her suddenly raised her hand to her lips and made a motion as if licking the air.

Shen Yunmiao froze. That gesture. She pursed her lips and cautiously asked, “Little cat?”

Cheng Jianian shook her head. “Close.”

“Kitten?”

“Mm-hmm.”

The timer happened to end just then, and it was clear to the naked eye that Cheng Jianian noticed Shen Yunmiao’s mood had dipped.

They played two more games afterward, all of which were based on mutual understanding partner games.

In the end, the scores were quite close. The host smiled and said, “The next one is going to be tricky. We’re playing an obstacle course. The first one to bring their Wang Ji across wins.”

The props were brought out. The so-called obstacle course was set up with various hurdles and pressure point mats laid underneath. The rule was that only two feet from both people could touch the ground, and they had to maintain physical contact.

Yuan Duan groaned, “Isn’t this making things difficult for an old lady like me?”

Liang Jue comforted her, “Sister Duan, if it’s too hard, I can carry you on my back.”

Another pair of young actors, who also played a couple in the drama, were instructed to play up their chemistry.

Inspired by their example, they decided that one would carry the other through the course.

Then they realized it was impossible because some obstacles had limited height and width. Unless they pressed together as closely as one person, they couldn’t get through.

Holding their breath, they turned sideways and hopped on one foot, forced to hold hands, an awkward and uncomfortable position.

Cheng Jianian stared at the acupressure mat, inwardly cursing Zuo Ying for being so unreliable.

Shen Yunmiao whispered softly, so only the two of them could hear, “We can give up.”

But Cheng Jianian saw it as a perfect opportunity. If they could figure out the right position, there would be plenty of physical contact.

So, she reached out directly and said, “No need.”

She lifted Shen Yunmiao into her arms, letting Shen cling to her like a koala hugging a tree, with her legs wrapped tightly around Cheng’s waist. This way, both the height and width fit the requirements.

Shen Yunmiao was so embarrassed she could hardly bear it. Between them, there was nothing but two layers of clothing.

By the time they made it across, her face was burning as if on fire.

But just as they were about to reach the finish line, the ceiling lamp above them began to sway.

Shen Yunmiao gasped in alarm, but Cheng Jianian reacted faster, pulling her aside as they tumbled to the ground.

With a sharp crack, the crystal lamp crashed down, shattering into pieces across the floor.

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