After the Vicious Supporting Female Character Became the Heroine's Cat - Chapter 44

Young Miss Cheng had a falling out with the Cheng family.

The incident happened swiftly and spread rapidly through the upper-class circles. Everyone believed the car crash had damaged Young Miss Cheng’s mind.

Of course, no one dared to say this to her face.

Some who were in the know, reckless enough, went to Jian Jingqiu to inquire. It was widely acknowledged in their circles that CEO Jian had a good temper.

Jian Jingqiu, however, only gave one response: “Oh! CEO Cheng doesn’t have just one daughter.”

The inquirer didn’t dare to say another word.

The Cheng family’s second daughter didn’t carry the Cheng surname and wasn’t biologically related.

Who didn’t know that this one was even more ruthless? She had directly crippled the Young Master of the Yan family. Originally, Young Master Yan was the undisputed next chairman, but now he was drowning himself in alcohol and madness completely finished.

If CEO Cheng truly intended to groom this adopted daughter as the successor, why would she let her do such a thankless and morally questionable deed?

The inquirer quickly laughed it off and made a hasty exit.

But as the rumors spread, people couldn’t help but wonder.

On one hand, the Jian family was on par with the Cheng family, and in recent years, Cheng Su seemed intent on fostering good relations with the Jians. Words coming from Jian Jingqiu naturally carried a certain credibility.

On the other hand, Cheng Su’s dictatorial tendencies were plain for all to see. For Cheng Nian to cut ties with the Cheng family now was a direct slap in Cheng Su’s face. Everyone had long known that the two Cheng daughters each had their own uses.

For Cheng Nian, the presumed heir, to act this way, being replaced wasn’t all that surprising.

In no time, the entire upper-class circle instinctively kept their distance from Young Miss Cheng.

Zuo Ying watched as company orders were canceled one after another and sighed, “Isn’t this just throwing away opportunities to make money?”

As she sighed in her office, the rumored Second Miss Cheng arrived.

A knock sounded at the door, and Zuo Ying called out, “Come in.”

The glass door pushed open, revealing a young woman in a white dress outside. Her demeanor was gentle, but compared to Shen Yunmiao, she carried an added innocence and lacked a certain cool sharpness. Her gaze was clear and unworldly.

Song Xianyin, the Cheng family’s second daughter.

Seeing it was her, Zuo Ying hurriedly stood to greet her. “Second Miss, what brings you here?”

Song Xianyin smiled gently. “I heard that Big Sister had a disagreement with Mother, so I came to check on her.”

Her eyes were pure and innocent.

Remembering Cheng Nian’s instructions, Zuo Ying steeled herself and said, “CEO Cheng isn’t feeling well and isn’t at the company. But I don’t know where she is.”

Song Xianyin didn’t press further, only expressing regret. “Is that so? Then there’s nothing to be done. I’ll come again when Big Sister is feeling better.”

Watching her retreating figure, Zuo Ying broke out in a cold sweat.

After Shen Yunmiao woke up, her body showed no significant changes. Ultra-precise instruments were tracking her physical condition in every possible way.

This was the first fully mature attempt to use a deep consciousness virtual pod to awaken someone from a vegetative state.

Even though there had been many stumbling blocks and issues, and even some human interference in the middle, it had ultimately succeeded.

No one dared to ask for Cheng Nian’s physical data, but Shen Yunmiao, as the chief R&D lead, had no choice but to contribute hers.

Jiang Ying held a freshly printed, thick stack of reports and sighed, “Ah, you went through hell for her. Such a loss.”

Shen Yunmiao’s voice was cool, but her tone held enough intimacy. “What counts as not a loss? What, Sis, are you suggesting I be with her?”

Jiang Ying pinched her ear, the small earlobe turning bright red from the rubbing. “Be with her? That would truly ruin your life.”

Shen Yunmiao sighed helplessly. “Sis, I know! I won’t.”

She lowered her gaze, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.

The moment those words left her lips, her entire mouth felt bitter, the bitterness welling up from the depths of her heart.

Jiang Ying snorted coldly. “I’m just afraid you’ll waver again.”

“Haven’t you done enough foolish things for her?”

Shen Yunmiao opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, Jian Jingqiu arrived, carrying two lunch boxes, likely bringing them a meal.

“Time to eat,” she said, sliding one over before calmly opening the other, taking out the bowls and chopsticks, and arranging them one by one.

Jiang Ying frowned and tried to push the celery away, complaining it tasted awful.

But Jian Jingqiu gave her a silent, pointed look, her meaning clear.

Watching the subtle interaction between the two, Shen Yunmiao felt a stir in her heart. How wonderful.

Her sister already had a home.

She curved her lips into a faint smile, opened her own lunch box, and began eating bite by bite.

What counted as not a loss? Ten years of acquaintance, three years as classmates.

And those dreamlike, hazy years spent chasing illusions in the fog.

Shen Yunmiao didn’t know the answer, but she knew that if meeting and reuniting were destined to bring sorrow, it would be better never to see each other again.

While watching Jiang Ying eat, Jian Jingqiu remarked, “Li Shenyang is hosting a dinner at Huanxi Sha this afternoon. Should we go?”

Jiang Ying replied casually, “Go if you want, big boss.”

Jian Jingqiu sighed helplessly. “He’s in new technology. What use would I be there? It’s you two who can really impress people.”

“As if this project isn’t funded by you, President Jian,” Jiang Ying retorted impatiently. “Fine, fine, we’ll all go, okay? It’s not like anyone’s developing the technology anyway.”

Jiang Ying had a short fuse, and though the misdeeds Jian Jingqiu had committed years ago were long in the past, Jiang Ying still brought them up from time to time, just to stew in her anger.

Seeing Jian Jingqiu too afraid to say another word and looking to her for help, Shen Yunmiao sighed. “Sis, let’s just go.”

Once Shen Yunmiao spoke up, Jiang Ying naturally didn’t oppose. She shot a glance at Jian Jingqiu and said, “Alright, if you want to go, we’ll go.”

But when afternoon came, Shen Yunmiao suddenly discovered a malfunction with the export connection of the virtual pod. By the time it was fixed, the dinner would likely have already started.

She had no choice but to message Jiang Ying: “Sis, you go ahead. Oh, and Mr. Li asked to meet me in the first-class private room before dinner to discuss the new model, around 5:30.”

Li Shenyang was a second-generation heir particularly obsessed with technology, and he was especially interested in the virtual pod awakening project Jian Jingqiu had invested in something Jiang Ying could understand.

As it happened, Jian Jingqiu was also tied up with work and would be lucky to arrive by 6 p.m. on the dot, let alone early.

So Jiang Ying went ahead first.

The first-class private rooms at Huanxi Sha were designed with inner and outer sections, separated by a screen that obscured the view of the interior. However, the sounds of specialized performances, like pipa or guqin music, could still be heard from within.

When Jiang Ying entered, she noticed Li Shenyang hadn’t arrived yet, so she slipped behind the screen, crossed her legs, and started playing on her phone.

Cheng Jianian, brought along by Li Shenyang, hesitated at the doorway, too nervous to step inside. Her heartbeat quickened with each passing moment.

Li Shenyang watched anxiously from the side.

They had been childhood friends, but beyond that, there was another layer to their relationship: Li Shenyang had liked Lin Shiyuan for many years even back when Lin Shiyuan was still engaged to Cheng Jianian. In fact, Li Shenyang had played a role in the eventual fallout between Lin Shiyuan and Jiang Ying.

In short, the relationships among them were incredibly complicated tangled and messy, inexplicably binding them together on the same boat.

Because of this, Li Shenyang was well aware of Cheng Jianian’s messy affairs and was eager to push these two together, lest Cheng Jianian have a change of heart one day and try to revive the engagement with the Lin family. The probability was slim, but it wasn’t entirely impossible.

So when Cheng Jianian approached her, asking to help set up a meeting and some alone time with Shen Yunmiao, Li Shenyang immediately agreed. Using the investment as a pretext, she arranged a private meeting with Shen Yunmiao.

Now, seeing Cheng Jianian hesitate at the last moment, Li Shenyang grew anxious, worried that Cheng Jianian might back out. If that happened and Cheng Jianian went back to Lin Shiyuan, it would be a disaster.

Li Shenyang couldn’t afford to wait any longer and urged, “President Cheng, hurry up and go in. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, opportunities like this don’t come twice.”

Cheng Jianian let out a bitter laugh. “You’re right. I should make the most of the time.”

There might not be another chance to say this later.

Suppressing the turmoil in her heart, she pushed the door open and carefully closed it behind her.

No one was visible outside the screen, but a faint silhouette of a person could be seen projected onto it.

Though blurry, it was clearly the figure of a slender woman.

For a moment, Cheng Jianian felt as if it wasn’t just the screen separating them, but countless mountains and rivers.

The person behind the screen seemed to have heard the noise and made a move to stand up.

Cheng Jianian quickly spoke up, “Miaomiao, there are some things I want to say to you. No matter what you think, it doesn’t matter. I just want to tell you.”

Cheng Jianian didn’t know where to begin. All the words she had rehearsed beforehand vanished from her mind. Her usual composure and calmness disappeared completely, replaced by a trembling voice:

“Miaomiao, I don’t know how to say this.”

“About the incident with Jiang Ying, I absolutely didn’t hide it from you to mock you, Miaomiao. Back when we were just classmates, I was already unconsciously drawn to you. That’s why I didn’t want you to know about it at the time. I know I was selfish, but I really, truly didn’t want you to be exposed to so many unpleasant things. I realize now that I was wrong.”

Cheng Jianian decided to pour everything out, her words losing all coherence:

“As for what happened in the virtual warehouse, it’s okay if you’ve forgotten. I’ll remember. If you don’t want to know what happened back then, that’s fine too. Those memories can stay with me alone.”

“And in high school, when you found out about that incident, I was so, so scared. I was afraid you would ignore me, hate me, and never want to see me again.”

“Miaomiao,” Cheng Jianian’s voice grew weak, “In my heart, we were never just friends. That time you were pushed into the artificial lake, I was terrified. After I pulled you out and gave you that breath of life, I thought your lips were so, so soft. Looking at your face, I thought you were incredibly beautiful. I know it was awful of me to think such things at a time like that, but in that moment, I knew for sure.”

Thud it sounded like the person behind the screen had stood up.

Or perhaps the door outside had opened.

But Cheng Jianian couldn’t stop herself now. No matter who might be listening outside, she had to speak her heart:

“I’m certain, I like you, I love you. I want to be with you, to protect you. I want to make you happy always, never let you suffer again. I’ve left the Cheng family, Miaomiao. I’m begging you please give me a chance, okay?”

She said it all in one breath, her breathing slightly unsteady.

The person behind the screen slowly stepped out, a cold smile playing on their lips, but their gaze went straight past her, fixed on someone behind:

“Miaomiao, what do you think? Will you give her this chance?”

The moment Cheng Jianian saw Jiang Ying emerge, her mind went completely blank. Hearing those words left her utterly stunned.

She turned around slowly, looking back in disbelief.

There at the doorway stood Shen Yunmiao, expressionless yet with a slight frown.

Along with Li Shenyang, who looked as if she wanted to dig a hole and hide in it, and Jian Jingqiu, whose face was as unreadable as still water.

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