I Have the Aura of a Supporting Character in Yuri Novels - Chapter 34

The office was buzzing with activity today. While slacking off at work was a regular occurrence, it had never been this lively. The reason? Many people had seen their usually cool and aloof CEO, Tang, walking with a young woman, her arm draped around her shoulder. The girl looked quite young, with a naive charm in her eyes and a youthful innocence. Her sweet smile made you want to pinch her cheeks, but that was just a thought, as the formidable CEO Tang was right by her side.

“Is CEO Tang heading to the small conference room?”

“I saw it earlier. Her stepmother went in there too.”

“Oh my gosh, what a rare sight. She hardly ever comes to the company, and when she does, it’s never for anything good.”

“CEO Tang has a stepmother?!” a usually quiet female colleague couldn’t help but join in the gossip. The others, seeing a newcomer who didn’t know about Tang Weixue’s past, quickly filled her in on the story. The new colleague was dumbfounded.

So her boss was a poor little thing in the past. Not long after her mother died, her father became a scoundrel who brought his mistress home. Thankfully, her boss was a capable woman!

Another person chimed in, “So, that Ms. Zhao won’t get the better of our CEO Tang. She’s so cold and ruthless! Humph.”

“Are you sure you’re complimenting her? But honestly, CEO Tang is really unlucky. An old employee who left said that when she first took over the company, her dad would come and cause a scene every now and then, insisting that as a married daughter, she was just earning money for someone else. This angered the still-living grandfather Tang, who beat him with his walking stick, and he was apparently hospitalized.”

“Yes, yes, I heard that too. Grandpa Tang was in the military when he was young; beating him was a piece of cake. Besides, what’s this about a daughter belonging to someone else? The Qing dynasty is long gone; how can there still be such archaic people?”

“I’ll tell you something funny. Guess who called the ambulance?”

“Who?”

“Our CEO Tang! When the ambulance arrived, it caused a huge commotion. It was hard for anyone not to know. But he managed to suppress the news afterward. He was embarrassed, you see.”

The employees happily chatted about old gossip, bringing them closer together. This also helped the new, naive colleague successfully integrate into the company.

Their conversation about Tang Weixue soon circled back to Zhuyun. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Tang Weixue treated her differently. They had never seen her put her arm around a girl’s shoulder before. There must be some secret between them!

Just then, an assistant entered the break room with a cup of coffee, taking a seat. Her arrival immediately silenced the chatter. She was Tang Weixue’s other pair of eyes, a true confidante.

The assistant looked up and said, “Don’t stare at me like that, everyone. All I can say about that girl is that she’s CEO Tang’s sweetheart. Don’t talk about anything else, or you might upset CEO Tang.”

Gossip was fine, but they shouldn’t go too far.

The assistant saw their topic starting to veer off track, with talk of a kept woman coming up. This made the assistant give a meaningful glance at the man who was keeping his head down like a quail.

How despicable. Spreading such rumors about CEO Tang’s wife. Does he not want to work here anymore? I wonder who was so blind as to hire him. I’ll find an excuse to fire him another day. Someone with such a big mouth must not be very competent anyway; he’s useless.

The assistant was satisfied with the effect she had created. Seeing them all smile sheepishly, she gracefully left with her coffee.

With her gone, the conversation in the break room died down, but everyone had their own thoughts. One, Zhuyun was not to be messed with. Two, stay away from that male colleague. The reason? The vast majority of the office was female. If he could spread such malicious rumors about a stranger, he might do the same to them. So, it was better to keep their distance from such a person.

As the assistant returned to her desk, the internal phone rang. She answered, “CEO Tang, what can I do for you?”

The assistant raised an eyebrow. After hanging up, she couldn’t help but smack her lips and mutter, “She’s really being spoiled.”

She didn’t waste any time. She pushed a snack cart back into the small conference room. The assistant seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere inside. Seeing Zhuyun propping her head up with her hand out of boredom, she offered a kind smile. “Hello. I saw you open a few bags of this brand of chocolate balls in CEO Tang’s office, so I brought a few other products from the same brand. Please feel free to enjoy them.”

Zhuyun blinked and quickly said, “Thank you so much. You really went to a lot of trouble.”

The assistant’s smile deepened, and her eyes became more sincere. Look how sensible she is. If I heard correctly, this girl is still in college. My boss is really something. With all her charm, she’s so lucky. I wonder if this girl can handle the cold CEO Tang in private.

She grumbled about Tang Weixue in her mind and found herself feeling a bit of affection for Zhuyun. After all, Tang Weixue had given her too many traumas.

Not gentle, and quite demanding—this was the Tang Weixue in the assistant’s mind.

Tang Weixue used to be quite popular, but she changed a lot later, her aura becoming stronger and her heart harder. So the assistant was puzzled about how someone Zhuyun’s age could handle Tang Weixue. Was she a special genius?

Zhuyun, of course, had no idea about the assistant’s wild thoughts. She was like a person without a care in the world, picking through the snacks on the cart, her eyes sparkling. It was clear that the assistant had picked out all her favorite flavors.

Tang Weixue quietly curved her lips, giving her full attention to Zhuyun.

The two people who had been ignored by Tang Weixue for a long time finally couldn’t hold back. Zhao Mingzhu no longer cared whether Bai Xiangming would look down on her. Anyway, no one in this circle respected her, so why bother pretending? Getting her benefits was the main thing.

She was dressed in opulent clothes, a walking mountain of jewels. Zhao Mingzhu touched the sapphire earring on her lobe and said sourly, “Where did this wild girl come from? Look at how my dear daughter is treating her. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was an illegitimate daughter the old Tang lost somewhere.”

“Weixue, I’m still your elder and your father’s lawfully wedded wife. Is this how you treat your elders, making them sit in the cold?” Zhao Mingzhu was furious. She thought Tang Weixue was a terrible woman. Why didn’t she die with her mother back then? If she had, who would dare to steal the family property?

Tang Weixue had her hands in her pockets, leaning lazily against the back of her chair. She said, “You call her a wild girl? With just a word from her, I’d give her this seat. Ms. Zhao, you can eat whatever you want, but don’t speak nonsense.”

Zhao Mingzhu cared most about the Tang family’s assets. Her face fell when she heard Tang Weixue’s words. She said, “Weixue, this seat can’t be filled by anyone but a member of the Tang family. When you get married, your father will come back to take over the company. As a married daughter, you don’t need to shamelessly manage your maiden family’s affairs anymore. Just be a good wife and mother to your future husband. That’s your value.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she gave a look to the silent Bai Xiangming. They’d come this far; why was he still pretending? Why wasn’t he taking care of Tang Weixue? A big man with no use other than to wear a sour face, just like his mother, Dou Huayue.

Tang’s father had introduced Bai Xiangming to his daughter Tang Weixue, hoping she would marry him. The father’s terrible idea was mainly due to Zhao Mingzhu’s pillow talk. She and Dou Huayue were in cahoots. One couldn’t wait to marry Tang Weixue off, and the other couldn’t wait for Tang Weixue to marry into their family and bring the Tang family with her. They each had their secrets but shared the same goal: to get these two married.

However, they underestimated Tang Weixue. What good was a stage if the main actor didn’t show up?

And Dou Huayue never imagined that the matter of Qiu Hongliang, which had been giving her a headache, was actually Tang Weixue’s doing. She was puzzled as to why things went wrong and why Qiu Hongliang was put in prison. Dou Huayue was on pins and needles every day, terrified that if Qiu Hongliang confessed, she would be implicated. After all, Dou Huayue’s financial dealings with Qiu Hongliang weren’t just about Zhuyun. So, not long ago, Dou Huayue tried to get help from Zhao Mingzhu, but Zhao Mingzhu, with her own motives, intentionally didn’t help her. In a roundabout way, Dou Huayue set her sights back on Tang Weixue. If she became her daughter-in-law, she could ask Tang Weixue to talk to Grandma Xia and plead with her to let Qiu Hongliang go. Then all would be well.

Coincidentally, Bai Xiangming also had his own plans for Tang Weixue. At Dou Huayue’s suggestion, he contacted Zhao Mingzhu, leading to today’s “tacit understanding.”

Bai Xiangming was more clever than Zhao Mingzhu. He said, “Miss Tang, it’s not my place as an outsider to comment on the family matters between you and your stepmother, but as a daughter, you should visit your father in the hospital to avoid being gossiped about.”

Tang Weixue scoffed, her mocking expression making Bai Xiangming frown. He always felt that Tang Weixue was too aggressive and lacked any femininity.

Zhao Mingzhu wrinkled her nose in distaste, thinking he would say something to make Tang Weixue submit. His words were far less impactful than hers.

Without hesitation, she proudly took out a key. Zhao Mingzhu said triumphantly, “This is the key to a safe deposit box at the bank. I’ll give you a year to date someone. Marry yourself off as soon as possible. As soon as you’re married, I’ll give you this key. We already have a suitable candidate; Mr. Bai is an excellent choice.”

Zhuyun’s crunching of potato chips grew louder.

“We won’t be returning to the old family house either. Old Tang said he only cares about me now, so the old house doesn’t matter.”

“Crunch crunch.”

“If you still want that thing, listen to me. Don’t make things ugly between us.”

“Crunch crunch.”

“If you don’t need a year to date, you can get married as soon as possible. I just don’t know if Mr. Bai is willing to get married so quickly.”

“Crunch crunch.”

“Are you done?!” Zhao Mingzhu’s mouth twitched. The noisy sound made her flustered. She had been holding back for a while. If it weren’t for the important business at hand, she would have kicked this wild girl out long ago.

Zhuyun ate her chips without changing her expression. She looked innocently at the remaining chips and said foolishly, “There’s still a lot. Wasting food is shameful. Auntie, you go on. I still want to watch the show.”

“You little brat, who are you calling ‘Auntie’!”

Zhuyun tilted her head, her face full of innocence. “Then should I call you ‘Ma’am’? Or something else?”

Zhao Mingzhu was so furious that she stood up and slammed the table. She hated these delicate, tender-skinned women the most; they made her feel anxious about her age. So she yelled, “Weixue, where did you find such an unreliable friend? We, people with respectable reputations, are discussing important matters. Not only did you not kick her out, but you didn’t even say a word to stop her. You’re so disappointing!”

Tang Weixue’s face darkened, and her eyes turned cold. Her casual demeanor disappeared without a trace. She hadn’t even changed her expression when Zhao Mingzhu threatened her just now, but now, to protect Zhuyun, she became a completely different person.

Zhao Mingzhu, who had just been smug, became mute when she saw Tang Weixue’s eyes. It was as if her tongue had been cut out, and she couldn’t say a word. It was the first time Zhao Mingzhu had seen her like this. For a moment, she was intimidated. Even Bai Xiangming subconsciously sat up straight, secretly wary of her.

“The little brat you’re talking about is my lover. If you won’t get out of the Tang family, why should I make my person leave?”

Tang Weixue stood up, placing her hands on the long conference table. She furrowed her brows, her eyes filled with a cold chill. She stared at Zhao Mingzhu, the immense pressure firmly controlling her. This made beads of sweat appear on Zhao Mingzhu’s face, and she fearfully avoided Tang Weixue’s gaze.

After enjoying Zhao Mingzhu’s fear, Tang Weixue sneered and sighed faintly, “That was your last chance.”

She didn’t want their family matters to become a joke for others to laugh at, so she had shown them a final bit of respect. But Tang Weixue’s patience was limited. If Zhao Mingzhu and Tang’s father had honestly chosen the path of exchanging the red box for the old house, Tang Weixue would have let them continue their antics. But they chose to be headstrong.

Tang Weixue straightened up and looked coldly at the slumped Zhao Mingzhu. Their choice of this outcome was well within Tang Weixue’s expectations; it wasn’t a disappointment, just a little sickening.

Bai Xiangming was also surprised that Zhao Mingzhu was so useless. Tang Weixue’s words alone had her trembling in fear. But Bai Xiangming was more concerned with the word “lover” that Tang Weixue had used.

He also stood up with a “whoosh” and said anxiously, glancing at Zhuyun, who was still deliberately crunching her chips, “Miss Tang, your stepmother shouldn’t have scolded your friend, but you shouldn’t say such inappropriate things just to spite her, should you?”

Tang Weixue glared, “What are you calling ‘inappropriate’?”

Zhuyun looked at him with a smile. The eyebrows that were so similar to the ones in Bai Xiangming’s memory now showed a hint of intimacy. This made Bai Xiangming lose his focus for a moment. He subconsciously gave Zhuyun a gentle smile. This handsome man had a good-looking face, which was why he was the male lead in this world.

But Zhuyun’s next words made Bai Xiangming lose all his dignity. The brighter someone smiles, the harsher their words can be, and Zhuyun was like that. She said, “A scumbag shouldn’t come barking in front of us. Don’t you know that my sister hates scumbags the most? You, a person with a first love in your heart, have the nerve to want to marry another woman? Is it because you’re a player? Or because you’re a man? You’re so funny. My sister and I are a match made in heaven. Who are you monsters to object?”

Her sharp words came out in a torrent, like hailstones from the sky, hitting Bai Xiangming until he was dizzy. But it didn’t end there. Zhuyun put one hand on her hip and pointed a finger at Bai Xiangming’s nose. “I scolded you before. I thought you’d grow a brain and stop thinking about people you shouldn’t be thinking about. But you, a man with a serious mental illness, are still dreaming of dating and marrying my sister. Who do you think you are? Even if everyone in the world were dead, she wouldn’t choose you. Give up. If you ask me, you’re a real jinx. Whoever gets involved with you will have bad luck! And my sister, because of you, this wretched thing, has attracted other terrible people. Ms. Zhao, no offense, I’m not talking about you, so don’t take it personally. I’m just giving you a heads-up: don’t get too close to Bai Xiangming. It’ll bring you bad luck!”

Although she didn’t have Tang Weixue’s intimidating aura, her unforgiving little mouth made Bai Xiangming and Zhao Mingzhu feel what it was like to be hurt by words. This was just too painful!

Tang Weixue covered her mouth and let out a light laugh. She nodded thoughtfully. “Xiaozhu makes a lot of sense.”

She stroked Zhuyun’s hair, secretly delighted. It felt so good to be protected. With Xiaozhu taking charge, it seemed she had no role to play.

Tang Weixue said with a faint smile, “Bai Xiangming, you can forget about the idea of a marriage alliance with me. My girlfriend won’t agree.”

Zhuyun hugged her arm and grumbled, “I just came to have a meal and a chat with you, and I ended up running into these two annoying people. You have to compensate me for my good mood. It’s your fault for having a magnet for scumbags, hmph.”

She was deliberately showing off Tang Weixue’s doting nature toward her. She would never admit that she was happy because of Tang Weixue’s “girlfriend” comment.

Tang Weixue helplessly pinched her nose and said, “Alright, alright. But I have to object to one thing: I’m not a magnet for scumbags.”

“That’s right. I’m not a scumbag.”

She wrinkled her nose a little haughtily, which earned a gentle laugh from Tang Weixue.

Bai Xiangming had completely lost face. He shot a resentful look at Zhuyun, all gentle feelings gone. The insults had severed his last bit of fantasy about Zhuyun. At this point, there was no reason for him to stay. He buttoned his suit jacket and, in a manner he thought was suave but was actually pathetic, closed the door behind him.

Zhuyun smacked her lips and shook her head. “What’s the deal with this guy? Every time he sees me, I scold him. If I were him, I’d stay far away from us. But he keeps coming back. His brain must be as waterlogged as Dou Huayue’s.”

Without her ally, Zhao Mingzhu’s confidence wavered. She picked up the key from the table, intending to leave.

“Wait.”

Zhao Mingzhu bit her lip, afraid that Tang Weixue would do something to her. So she took a gamble. She puffed out her stomach and cursed, “I’m pregnant right now. Try to touch me!”

Tang Weixue smiled. That charming smile, for some reason, sent a shiver down Zhao Mingzhu’s spine. She bit her lip tightly. It must be her imagination! It had to be!

When she looked at Zhao Mingzhu again, her eyes were filled with pity. She said, “Do you know Sun Kaiwei?”

In an instant, Zhao Mingzhu’s defenses crumbled. Her legs turned to jelly, and she grabbed the table. She said in a trembling voice, “Who is that? I don’t know him!”

“Yes, you do. The twenty-third of a certain month was the first time you met.”

“On the fifteenth, you went to a hotel. It just so happens that the hotel has cameras.”

“Ms. Zhao, do you know Sun Kaiwei now?”

Zhao Mingzhu’s face turned ashen, and she no longer tried to argue. She said in terror, “Tang Weixue… how do you know all this?!”

She shrugged and smiled gently, but in Zhao Mingzhu’s eyes, it was terrifying.

Tang Weixue extended her hand to her. “Give me the key to the safe deposit box.”

Zhao Mingzhu no longer had the strength to resist Tang Weixue. She had hit her where it hurt. Zhao Mingzhu’s eyes were red, filled with a hatred that wanted to tear Tang Weixue to shreds.

With a crisp sound, the key was thrown onto the table.

The second person to leave the small conference room, Zhao Mingzhu, was also in a pathetic state, her legs wobbly and still lacking strength.

Zhuyun blinked in confusion and said, “You… when did you get a ‘mistress’ for Zhao Mingzhu?”

Tang Weixue put her arm around Zhuyun’s shoulder, bent down slightly, and said softly, “This was your inspiration, Xiaozhu.”

“Huh?”

“It’s about Grandma Xia’s love-struck daughter finding her second spring. I found someone for Grandma Xia. He was experienced and quickly diverted her attention from Qiu Hongliang. She’s even willing to get married now.”

Zhuyun was dumbfounded. She never thought her nonsensical idea would actually be put to use!

“At the time, I was afraid one person wouldn’t be enough. What if Grandma Xia’s daughter didn’t like that type? So I found three. Well, now all three have found their matches. It’s great.” Tang Weixue said with a smile, dropping another bombshell.

Zhuyun tremblingly held up three fingers and said, “Three? What happened to the other two?”

“One for Grandma Xia’s daughter, one for Zhao Mingzhu, and one for Dou Huayue.”

Zhuyun’s spirits instantly lifted, and she threw herself onto Tang Weixue, gloating. “Sister, you’re so wicked!”

Xiaozhu, Xiaozhu, how does it feel to win without doing anything?

“Of course my wife is the best in the world!”

It’s so good to have a wife, wuwuwu.

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