I Have the Aura of a Supporting Character in Yuri Novels - Chapter 109

“Drip, drop” went the clock’s hands, and soon another guest arrived. She knocked on the repair room door, carrying takeout. Lu Ke placed the food aside and meticulously tidied up the mess on the desk. This woman had a stunning face, sculpted by the goddess Nüwa, and was a young, fashionable city girl.

“You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I specially brought you the signature dishes from Wanwei Xiang. Hurry and eat, don’t let your stomach problems flare up again.”

Tang Ning’an heard the door open and turned to see the woman behind her. Lu Ke was wearing a long coat, her gentle smile carrying a unique, lazy charm. Pushing up her glasses, Tang Ning’an said calmly, “Why are you here again?”

“I came to see you,” Lu Ke smiled the moment she saw Tang Ning’an. She took a good look at her face and sighed, “Just looking at you, I know you haven’t been taking care of yourself. How long has it been since I was on a business trip? Half a month? Why have you lost weight again?”

Tang Ning’an unbuttoned her sleeves and rolled them up, revealing her slender wrists. Lu Ke’s gaze fell on her hands, and her smile turned a little helpless. “Why aren’t you wearing the bracelet I gave you before?” she asked.

Tang Ning’an bent down and pulled a few bags of nuts from a drawer. She didn’t touch the takeout Lu Ke brought. Leaning against a random desk, she ate a cashew. “It’s too valuable,” she said. “It’s not really suitable for me to wear to work.”

“Ning’an, you’re my sister. Is it wrong for a sister to give you some valuable gifts?” Lu Ke’s expression was serious. She was willing to be good to Tang Ning’an and care for her, but that didn’t mean she could tolerate Tang Ning’an’s attempts to keep her at a distance.

Tang Ning’an’s eyes curved into a smile. There was no mockery in them; she just found it a little amusing.

“Lu Ke,” she said, “we aren’t related by blood. It’s just that my mother married your father. So I’m ashamed to accept your gifts. You don’t need to give them, and I don’t need to accept them.”

Tang Ning’an looked at Lu Ke, but her expression quickly changed. She struggled to maintain her composure and then quickly turned her head away, afraid she’d burst out laughing.

Seeing this, Lu Ke said sadly, “Am I that ugly? That you’re so disgusted by me!”

This time, Lu Ke really misunderstood Tang Ning’an. Even if Tang Ning’an harbored some resentment toward Lu Ke, her personality and upbringing prevented her from saying anything truly harsh. She had to be polite for her mother’s sake and didn’t want to make things too difficult with her.

So, Tang Ning’an’s strange reaction was for a different reason. The magical glasses allowed her to see Zhu yun, after all.

The woman in green was floating behind Lu Ke, occasionally reaching two hands from behind her head to act as rabbit ears, or using Lu Ke as a hiding place. Zhu Jun would make a face at Tang Ning’an before hiding, playing a very childish game of hide-and-seek.

Tang Ning’an almost choked on the nuts in her mouth. She quickly explained, “I’m not disgusted by you.”

Lu Ke stomped her foot in a fit of pique. “Then why won’t you look at me?” she complained.

Tang Ning’an was puzzled. She simply asked, “Is that so important? Or are you pretending to be stupid and can’t see that I want to stay far away from your family?”

Tang Ning’an quickly finished the bags of nuts. It wasn’t much and certainly wasn’t enough to fill her stomach. As for the signature dishes Lu Ke brought, she completely ignored them.

Zhu yun “whooshed” over to Tang Ning’an’s side, sitting wherever she went, showing just how lazy she was.

She tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. “This woman is your sister? It looks like your relationship isn’t very good.”

It was more than “not good.” It was Lu Ke’s one-sided attempt to please her. In truth, Tang Ning’an also didn’t understand why Lu Ke was so enthusiastic toward her, especially since their first meeting hadn’t been friendly at all.

Lu Ke’s face darkened, no longer forcing a smile. She said bitterly, “You’re clearly Aunt Chu’s daughter, so why didn’t you inherit her business sense? My dad agreed to let you into the company with a million yuan annual salary and a share of the profits, but you refused and chose to do this instead! Can’t you learn from Aunt Chu’s intelligence? You’ll spend your whole life here and probably won’t make what you’d make in a year at the company!”

She was always so aloof and proud, like a snow lotus that couldn’t be tainted by the world’s filth. In this world, money was the best thing. She was practically begging her to take it, so why did she refuse her good intentions?

With each refusal, her indifference made Lu Ke seem more and more materialistic and cunning. So why couldn’t she be more like Aunt Chu?

Tang Ning’an took a deep breath, her eyes filled with melancholy. “I’ve already told you, I’m not interested in your family’s affairs. I have my own job and my own life. Do I need to compromise for money? I’m not unable to make my own money.”

Zhu yun’s head snapped around. “Oh my god,” she thought, “from today on, I only respect Tang Ning’an! That’s millions of yuan! That’s money!”

[Don’t be too envious. Even if you were given a hundred million, you couldn’t spend it.]

Zhu yun put her hands in her pockets and pouted.

There wasn’t much to say between her and Lu Ke. Tang Ning’an said coolly, “My mother and your father are very happy, and that’s enough. I’m just her daughter from a previous marriage. You have no obligation to look after me. Please don’t come to my workplace again. If my boss finds out, I’ll have to write a report explaining it.”

“Write a report about what? I can sponsor you guys. It’s not a big deal.”

Tang Ning’an felt her blood pressure rising. “OK, whatever. I’m busy. I won’t see you out.”

Lu Ke looked at her, hiding her hurt. With a cold snort, she picked up the takeout she’d brought and tossed it into the garbage can. This action not only left Tang Ning’an speechless but also made Zhu Jun scowl.

“What… what is she doing?”

Lu Ke turned her head haughtily and left, slamming the office door shut. Tang Ning’an rubbed her temples, a headache brewing. Other colleagues, seeing this scene, quietly gulped. One of the more outgoing colleagues, drawn by the delicious scent, went over to Tang Ning’an. “Ning’an,” he asked, “I just changed this trash bag, and it’s completely clean. Should I take the takeout out? That’s the signature dish from Wanwei Xiang. I’d never be able to afford to eat at that century-old restaurant. It’s ridiculously expensive.”

Hearing this, Tang Ning’an guessed what her colleague was thinking. She picked up the takeout herself. The exquisite bag and containers had kept the food safe. She opened the dishes, and the aroma instantly filled the office. “No wonder it’s a century-old restaurant,” Tang Ning’an said.

The smell was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

The colleague who’d just spoken chuckled. “You might be at odds with your ‘sister,’ but don’t take it out on your stomach. If you really don’t want it, I don’t mind helping you get rid of it.”

Tang Ning’an smiled. “If you don’t mind that it was just in the trash can.”

The colleague patted his chest. “That’s nothing! Before I came to work here, I was an archaeologist. After doing that job, I’m not afraid of anything. Let me tell you, back then…”

Before he could finish, a hand covered his mouth.

It was a man with a tough, crew-cut face. “Xue Liang,” he said, annoyed, “if you tell us any more ghost stories, I swear I’ll take off your head and use it as a soccer ball.”

Xue Liang escaped his grip and laughed. The man looked big and burly, but he was afraid of ghost stories.

Xue Liang dodged his colleague’s attack and scurried over to Tang Ning’an. He tore open the chopstick wrapper and said with a smile, “Then I won’t be shy.”

Tang Ning’an nodded reservedly, making room for them. She then looked at the umbrella hanging on the rack and said, “You guys get busy. I’m going out for a bit.”

Zhu Jun smiled and followed Tang Ning’an, teasing her. “If he could see me, I’d love to go scare him.”

Tang Ning’an’s lips curved upward. She said softly, “Don’t be mischievous. Do you want to hide in my umbrella?”

She remembered seeing in old TV shows that spirits would hide in umbrellas to avoid the sun. So Zhu yun should probably do the same, right?

Zhu yun suddenly ran into Tang Ning’an’s back, passing through her body in an instant. A puff of smoke rose and then solidified in front of Tang Ning’an.

Stepping on a wisp of smoke, Zhu Jun looked like a fairy, ethereal and graceful. She bashfully tugged on the silken scarf draped over her arms. “Isn’t this a little too much?” she said.

Tang Ning’an looked up at the sky outside and smiled awkwardly. She immediately regretted bringing the umbrella. Who carries an umbrella on a walk in the autumn when it isn’t even raining?

“So… will you wait for me in the repair room?”

Perhaps because she was the only one who could see Zhu Jun, Tang Ning’an felt a sense of responsibility. It was as if leaving her behind would make her feel guilty. So even when she went out, she felt she had to let Zhu Jun know.

[According to this system’s probe, it will start raining in five minutes.]

“Really? It’s so sunny right now.”

Zhu yun wasn’t sure whether to believe 857. But soon, she saw dark clouds covering the sun. The warm weather instantly turned into a cool, gray autumn day.

“…”

[Hehehehe!]

Zhu yun played it cool and said, “It’s going to rain soon.”

Tang Ning’an was quite surprised. She didn’t doubt Zhu yun’s ability. She simply smiled and opened her umbrella, her gentle eyes urging Zhu Jun to come in.

Zhu yun floated to her left side, keeping pace with her.

“Ning’an, where are you going?”

Fang Fang was riding her bicycle and saw her coming. She saw Tang Ning’an strangely holding an umbrella. Leaning her arms on the handlebars, Fang Fang teased, “What are you doing? Hiding from the sun?”

“I think it’s going to rain soon, so I took an umbrella.”

Fang Fang confidently pursed her lips. “Impossible, absolutely impossible. I’m a woman who checks the weather forecast.”

However, the next second, a raindrop landed on her face. Fang Fang was dumbfounded. She looked at the sky, her mouth twitching. “No way,” she murmured. “Is this for real?”

Tang Ning’an smiled. “Hurry up. Don’t just stand there.”

Fang Fang, who had just been laughing at Tang Ning’an, started pedaling her bike faster, her figure disappearing into the ever-increasing rain.

A gust of wind blew a raindrop onto Tang Ning’an’s cheek, like a glistening tear. Zhu yun glanced at her and took credit. “It’s good that you can see me, right? If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have brought an umbrella.”

Tang Ning’an’s eyes were tender. “You’re right,” she agreed.

Zhu yun proudly raised her chin, completely forgetting that the credit belonged to 857.

“I have a private question for you.”

“You want to ask about Lu Ke, right?”

Zhu yun nodded, then worried that Tang Ning’an would think she was overstepping. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I’m just a little nosy, but I don’t have any other intentions.”

Tang Ning’an shrugged nonchalantly. “She’s my mom’s stepdaughter. She comes from a good family and has been a spoiled princess since she was a child. I met her after my mom and her father got married. But Lu Ke is a bit strange. She’s always trying to be my friend and lecturing me in a ‘I’m doing this for your own good’ tone. To be honest, she’s not malicious, but what she does is stifling. My colleagues all know her, after all, I’ve been working here for years.”

Worry creased her brow. She tightened her grip on the umbrella handle and said in a low voice, “My mom thinks I came here because of her, afraid that her ex-husband’s daughter would cling to her. She was wrong. I’m here for my own dream, and it has nothing to do with her. I’m not stupid. How could I not see her perfunctory attitude? She’s long since moved on, so why would I come to this city because of her?”

Suddenly, a sky-blue scarf flew across Tang Ning’an’s vision a way for Zhu yun to get her attention. When Zhu yun pulled the scarf back, the smoke turned into a vivid street scene from an ancient city. The bustling atmosphere of that era enveloped Tang Ning’an, and she watched the beautiful scene with rapt attention.

Zhu yun’s hand rested on Tang Ning’an’s shoulder. “Isn’t it beautiful here?” she said with a smile. “I was born in this dynasty. But after centuries, my dynasty has become your era. Oh, I guess I really am old.”

Tang Ning’an was amused by her exaggerated tone. “Not old,” she said. “Not at all.”

“Hmph, I’m not going to show you anymore because I’m a little sad.” Zhu yun scattered the scene, pouting petulantly. Tang Ning’an struggled to suppress her laughter. No matter the era or status, women were very sensitive about their age.

Zhu yun complained, “You haven’t told me where you’re going.”

“I’m going to tell the security guard at the gate that if Lu Ke comes again, he should call me. I know he can’t stop Lu Ke, so I’ll deal with it.”

Zhu yun said meaningfully, “You really dislike her.”

Tang Ning’an explained, frustrated, “She doesn’t understand me, and I don’t understand her. It’s difficult to communicate, so we shouldn’t be friends.”

Zhu yun waved her scarf joyfully. “What about me? What about me?”

Tang Ning’an gave a subtle, mischievous smile. By the time she answered Zhu yun, the smile was gone, and she looked completely serious again.

“We’re friends,” she said. “You’re a very special friend.”

“Special? What kind of special?” Zhu yun leaned closer affectionately. The rain outside didn’t bother them. The road that used to feel so long now felt very short. She hadn’t even had a long conversation with Zhu yun, and they had already reached their destination.

She stood under the eaves, closed her umbrella, and shook off the rainwater. Leaning close to Zhu yun’s ear so no one could hear, she whispered, “Hello there, my artifact friend.”

Zhu yun stood there, stunned. The sentence had a strange, magical power that shattered her composure and left her feeling shy.

It was so strange. Why was she a little nervous?

Was it because of Tang Ning’an’s gentle voice, or because she could feel the warmth of a human’s lips?

Zhu yun slowly leaned against the wall. She was standing on a wisp of smoke, so her feet were invisible. She didn’t continue following Tang Ning’an, preferring to stay outside and watch the rain.

Everything was so modern, and she was like a delicate figure from a traditional ink painting, an abrupt intruder who couldn’t find her way back into the picture. Her expression was one of bewilderment.

Tang Ning’an saw this as soon as she came out. She looked at her deeply, then opened her umbrella again and raised her arm slightly, making a gesture as if to hold hands, even though she couldn’t.

“Let’s go.”

Zhu yun’s eyes regained their sparkle. She floated close to Tang Ning’an and replied sweetly, “Okay!”

Tang Ning’an’s lips curled up. It was a very unusual workday because she had a very special friend.

“Ning’an, not going home yet?”

A colleague from the porcelain restoration team asked with concern. She stood up and stretched. “I’ve been looking up all day. I’m exhausted. The ancient people were so smart. Some of their techniques still can’t be replicated. If only those methods hadn’t been lost.”

Tang Ning’an was about to take off her glasses to rub her eyes but changed her mind. She leaned back in her chair and massaged her neck. “I’m leaving, too. I can’t do any more work. I’m too tired.”

“Of course, you’re tired. You’ve been restoring artifacts again. Oh, by the way, where did Old Zhang get that antique? It’s so shattered. I don’t know if it can be restored in the end.”

Tang Ning’an shook her head. “I’m not sure. I’m just in charge of restoring that porcelain vase.”

Her colleague said regretfully, “That was a sky-blue porcelain vase. It’s very valuable, even though it’s broken. If it hadn’t shattered, it would have been a museum treasure. Still, its value is high as long as it finds a collector who loves it.”

“It’s broken, so I’ll restore it. You shouldn’t say that, you know. Be careful, she might hear you.”

Her colleague involuntarily shivered. She rubbed her arms and laughed, “When did you become as bad as Xue Liang? Don’t tell me ghost stories. I’m going home.”

Tang Ning’an smiled silently. She looked at the door of the restoration room.

She wasn’t telling ghost stories. The porcelain vase could really hear.

The office gradually emptied. Tang Ning’an deliberately stayed until she was the last one left. When she was alone, she stood up, unlocked the repair room door, and whispered, “Zhu yun.”

The moment the words left her lips, the figure appeared before her eyes.

Bright eyes, beautiful, graceful.

Zhu yun twirled the scarf with her fingers. “Are you going home?”

Tang Ning’an smiled and nodded. “Yeah. I came to say goodbye. I’m leaving now.”

Zhu Jun had finally found someone to talk to, but all day, Tang Ning’an had been surrounded by people, and she couldn’t get close. So Zhu yun had to return to the repair room, bored. She lowered her head in disappointment. “Okay, I know.”

Tang Ning’an hesitated. The word “goodbye” just wouldn’t come out.

But Zhu yun made the decision for her. She smiled and said, “I really want to talk to someone, and I’ll really miss you, but I’m sensible. I won’t make things difficult for you. You’re my only friend. I cherish you too much to make you angry. Don’t worry, I’ll be happy again in a little while. I’ve been lonely for centuries, and compared to before, I’m very happy now!”

As if to prove her point, Zhu yun nodded hard, her beautiful face full of smiles. She obediently waved. “See you tomorrow.”

[I’m afraid Tang Ning’an will wake up in the middle of the night and slap herself for not staying with you longer.]

“That’s exactly the effect I’m going for.”

Zhu Jun cunningly hid her true feelings. She watched Tang Ning’an, urging her to go home and rest.

Tang Ning’an felt a pang of sadness. She turned to leave but couldn’t help looking back at Zhu yun.

A gentle breeze blew, and Zhu yun closed the door.

[Aren’t you afraid Tang Ning’an will really leave?]

Zhu yun shrugged uncertainly. “I am. But I’m just so lonely by myself!”

[Oh, so I’m not good enough to talk to, huh!]

Zhu yun’s lips curved into a slight smile. 857 would never understand this feeling. It was like a child who had been trapped at home. If they were given a day to play freely, how could they bear to go home early? They had to play to their heart’s content.

So Zhu yun was the playful child, and it all depended on whether Tang Ning’an was willing to be the indulgent parent.

Tang Ning’an turned off the office lights. It was dark, with only a faint glimmer of moonlight coming through the windows.

She thought about what Zhu yun had said. She instinctively pushed up her glasses, then paused.

If she took off her glasses, she wouldn’t see Zhu yun anymore.

But she put them on without hesitation. So, from the moment they met, it was destined that she would be soft-hearted toward Zhu yun.

Tang Ning’an opened the door. The soft, gentle moonlight was behind her.

“Zhu yun,” she said, “do you want to come home with me?”

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