I Have the Aura of a Supporting Character in Yuri Novels - Chapter 37

The small restaurant’s business was even better than expected, thanks to the regulars who were addicted to the food. They felt like something was missing if they didn’t have lunch there, and they always felt cheerful when they stepped into the restaurant, as if all their worries had disappeared. There was only the pleasure of enjoying delicious food, completely free from the negative energy of society.

“Boss, do you have your signature steamed pork with rice powder today?”

Zhu Yun was chatting with another customer when she heard someone ask about the signature dish. She smiled brightly, “Yes, we do! I prepared a lot today.”

Unknowingly, the restaurant had been open for a month. Zhu Yun’s round face had lost its baby fat from the hard work, and her petite, melon seed-shaped face now had a touch of mature beauty. She had smiling eyes and loved to laugh, more vibrant and radiant than the colorful flowers on the flower stand.

Being her own boss was certainly a bit tiring at first, but every day was fulfilling. Most importantly, she didn’t have to see that unreasonable Chu Chengwen. How could Zhu Yun not fall in love with this busy and profitable life?

“Then I’ll have one portion of steamed pork with rice powder and one portion of preserved mustard greens with pork. I’m starving, boss, please hurry!”

Zhu Yun proudly raised her chin and gave a thumbs-up, “No problem! You can count on my speed!”

After a month of practice, Zhu Yun had become skilled and familiar with the kitchen’s workflow. But she couldn’t handle everything alone, so she put up a job posting and hired a kind-faced, middle-aged woman in her forties or fifties to help her.

“Hello, I’d like a bowl of wonton noodles and four boneless chicken feet, please.”

In this city near the sea, the evening breeze always brought to mind the waves—sometimes calm, sometimes tumultuous. This wind, like the waves, was unpredictable.

So, as night approached, Zhu Yun often heard the sound of the wind chimes hanging by the window swaying, as the night wind was never gentle.

Zhao Yi, the helper, came out with a tray to serve dishes. Temporarily freed from her duties, Zhu Yun was slurping down her bubble tea. She leaned against the kitchen door frame in a daze, like a door god, scaring Zhao Yi into hopping a few times.

“Little Zhu, when did you buy that bubble tea?” Zhao Yi asked.

Zhu Yun chewed on the tapioca pearls, mumbling, “An old customer gave it to me.”

“An old customer? Was it that woman who looks like a goddess?”

Zhu Yun stopped chewing, then nonchalantly sped up and shook her head, “Not her. She hasn’t been here for several days.”

Hearing this, Zhao Yi realized that Tang Xinhai really hadn’t been to the restaurant for a while. She hesitated before finally speaking in a low voice, “Maybe she’s eating somewhere else? There are quite a few restaurants in this area.”

She knew Zhao Yi was concerned about the business, but Zhu Yun felt a bit indignant. She said, “Don’t worry, with my cooking skills, customers will always want to come back for more!”

She was a woman who possessed the handwritten notes of a imperial chef, after all!

Zhao Yi was amused by Zhu Yun’s confident expression. It wasn’t that she was mocking Zhu Yun’s self-love, but her little expressions were simply too adorable.

Her bangs were clipped back with a lemon-shaped hairpin, revealing her beautiful brows and bright, round apricot eyes that seemed to speak. She was pure and lovely, like a pampered little doll, making it hard to connect her with being the owner of this restaurant.

After a whole day in the kitchen, Zhu Yun showed no signs of distress. Her fair and delicate face was flushed from the heat and activity, a rosy pink that was even more vibrant than a freshly picked peach.

Zhao Yi stared at her for a moment and said directly, “Little Zhu, your skin is in such great condition.”

Zhu Yun pouted, “Don’t talk as if you’re so old!”

Zhao Yi laughed heartily and reached out to rub Zhu Yun’s cheek. “That reminds me of something. My daughter, who’s in college, came home a few days ago and insisted I look several years younger.”

Zhu Yun glanced at the brightly blooming flowers not far away, thinking: the spirit spring water is the real hero!

The spirit spring water came from the cultivation world. Zhu Yun couldn’t quite figure out its specific use, but that day she had used diluted spirit spring water to save a wilting orchid. Seeing the orchid regain its vitality, she watered the other pots of flowers with the same water, just to keep them from dying. She needed them for decoration, after all.

She didn’t expect the diluted spirit spring water to be so effective. Zhao Yi was a perfect example; while it didn’t miraculously make her look young again, her overall spirit and energy had improved significantly, which was why her daughter thought she looked prettier.

Zhao Yi chatted happily about her daughter, while Zhu Yun was preoccupied with something else. She wasn’t thinking about anyone else, but about Tang Xinhai, whom Zhao Yi had mentioned in passing.

Zhu Yun couldn’t help but look at the lucky cat on the counter. It was an opening gift from Tang Xinhai, a surprising gesture that made Zhu Yun’s heart flutter.

Receiving a gift was certainly a happy thing, but every time Zhu Yun saw Tang Xinhai, she would be flustered and embarrassed by her gaze. It was as if Tang Xinhai came to the restaurant not for the food, but for Zhu Yun herself.

“Boss, one bowl of preserved egg and lean pork congee, please.”

The customer’s voice brought Zhu Yun back to reality. She responded, and Zhao Yi went into the kitchen to scoop a bowl of steaming congee from the hot pot.

Now that Zhu Yun was alone, she playfully poked the head of the chubby lucky cat on the counter and muttered softly, “I wonder what happened to her these past few days that she’s not even eating.”

Zhu Yun and Tang Xinhai didn’t interact much. She only saw her in the restaurant in the evenings. Zhu Yun was annoyed by the way Tang Xinhai looked at her, not because she felt offended, but because it was a look that made her heart race and her nerves tighten uncontrollably. This gave Zhu Yun a headache.

Tang Xinhai would sneak glances at her while eating and while paying. No, it was more like a bold stare. Even though every table had a QR code for payment, she always insisted on walking to Zhu Yun’s counter to pay.

Zhu Yun wanted to act as if she didn’t care, but her facade never lasted long.

Because she would fall apart when Tang Xinhai smiled and said goodbye.

Tang Xinhai’s actions could be described as gentle, but Zhu Yun felt she was arrogant and unreasonable, using her charm to seduce people. She had laid her intentions bare, which made Zhu Yun a little resentful.

“Ding-ding-ding,” went the wind chime.

The wind had come and brought her with it.

Zhu Yun heard footsteps, turned around, and a look of delight flashed in her eyes. She said proactively, “You’re here? What would you like to eat today?”

Her words tumbled out faster than she could think.

When Zhu Yun noticed Tang Xinhai’s slightly red eyes, the smile on her lips vanished completely.

Tang Xinhai walked over, her jacket draped over her arm. Without the jacket, she was wearing a dark blue shirt and a pencil skirt. She had a graceful, elegant figure, looking both poised and intellectual.

She leaned her hands on the counter, smiling, seemingly unbothered by the lingering tears in her eyes.

Tang Xinhai said, “Could you agree to a slightly unreasonable request of mine?”

Her pretense of strength made Zhu Yun purse her lips. Zhu Yun said, “Go ahead.”

Her usual eyes weren’t like this. They were supposed to be full of light, sincerity, and passion. But at this moment, Tang Xinhai looked tired and defeated. Those eyes that could draw a person in and make them fall deeply in love had lost their moving radiance and become quite fragile, as if a certain belief in her heart had been shattered, leaving her crestfallen.

Tang Xinhai used the action of brushing her hair to distract herself from the stinging urge to cry.

Everyone’s emotions were hidden behind a veil of indifference and coldness.

In the vast sea of people, one person was shining, and she was the only one.

“I want a bowl of mala tang, extra spicy, a super-spicy one.”

Mala tang wasn’t on the menu, which was why Tang Xinhai said her request was a bit unreasonable.

Zhu Yun was stunned, then she laughed, “I thought it was something big. It’s just a bowl of mala tang. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely fulfill this little request of yours.”

Zhu Yun thought for a moment and then patted Tang Xinhai on the shoulder.

Zhu Yun didn’t know what she had been through, but it must have been painful, even despairing.

“What else would you like to eat?” Zhu Yun asked softly, with a hint of undetectable sympathy. Someone who usually smiled so brightly was now crying so pitifully. Zhu Yun wasn’t hard-hearted, so of course, she would be gentle with her.

Tang Xinhai bit her lip and let out a laugh, “This is enough.”

“What an ungreedy person.” Zhu Yun bent down to get a bowl of “drunkard’s peanuts” that Tang Xinhai loved. She urged her in a disapproving tone, “Eat a little to fill your stomach, but don’t eat too much. If you get full on peanuts, how will you eat the mala tang?”

The other customers overheard Zhu Yun and Tang Xinhai’s conversation. A young woman, who looked like a recent college graduate, joked, “So you can get special treatment from the boss. I want mala tang, too, then!”

Zhu Yun, who had just entered the kitchen, poked her head back out. She mischievously wrinkled her nose and said with a smile, “She’s my friend. I haven’t seen her in a while, and she looks so pitiful, so how could I not agree? So today, I’ll make whatever she wants, since good food can make people feel better. Now that you’ve all discovered my special treatment, I won’t be able to make mala tang for everyone. But I think the braised beef and chicken feet are even more delicious, so I’ll give each of you a complimentary plate later.”

The young woman hadn’t expected Zhu Yun to respond to her comment, let alone offer free braised beef and chicken feet. She no longer cared about the mala tang.

She looked enviously at the dazed Tang Xinhai and said, “Wow, it must be so great to be the boss’s friend!”

Wait! The boss’s friend was also a stunning beauty! This… This made it difficult for her to decide whether to envy the friend or the boss for having such a beautiful friend.

She had been so focused on eating that she hadn’t paid attention to Tang Xinhai’s appearance, but now she was completely amazed.

The young woman stared at Tang Xinhai with fascination, noticing that Tang Xinhai’s gaze was fixed on Zhu Yun’s retreating figure. Even though the curtain blocked her view, Tang Xinhai’s focus on Zhu Yun didn’t waver.

The young woman rested her chin on her hand and suddenly understood why Zhu Yun was willing to make mala tang just for her. With that endearing expression, let alone a bowl of mala tang, someone would even go to the moon for her!

Tang Xinhai’s heart was thumping, nervous and excited. She hadn’t misheard, had she? Zhu Yun had called her a friend.

A hint of sadness welled up, and her nose tingled. It turned out there was someone in this city who was concerned about her.

Tang Xinhai obediently sat down in a corner seat by the wall where she could see Zhu Yun with just a glance. She didn’t like having her back to Zhu Yun. The happiest part of her day was eating the food Zhu Yun made, with Zhu Yun not far away. It was a comforting and hidden companionship, as it was all Tang Xinhai’s wishful thinking.

She slowly exhaled a sigh of relief and chewed on the drunkard’s peanuts Zhu Yun had fried. It would be perfect if she had a can of beer right now.

Unfortunately, she had to work tomorrow, and drinking would only mess things up.

Work? It was a terrifying thing that could turn a person into a numb machine.

Tang Xinhai’s eyes were clouded with an unclear, cold expression. She would repay everything that had happened over the past few days, which had also made her see that woman’s true colors.

Friends? Colleagues? They were nothing more than an exchange of interests. A rumor had ruined all her efforts, turning her into someone who used her body to climb the ladder. She had thought the rumor was started by someone else, but it turned out to be…

At that moment, a pungent and fragrant mala tang was ready. It was first put into a clay pot, and the steam gave off an enticing aroma. Zhu Yun sprinkled a layer of white sesame seeds to garnish the dish.

Just as she was leaving, Zhao Yi couldn’t help but say, “My goodness, this mala tang smells so good! I wonder if Little Zhu will make it again in the future.”

“Here you go, the improved version of Zhu Yun’s mala tang. There were no mala tang seasonings in the kitchen, so I used other sauces. All the balls and stuff inside are handmade by me—fish balls, beef balls, and super delicious shrimp paste. Try it and see if it suits your taste.”

Zhu Yun surprisingly sat down this time, right across from Tang Xinhai.

Zhao Yi quickly came over with two bowls of rice. The bowls had corn kernels and sliced sweet potatoes on the side, a unique feature of Zhu Yun’s small restaurant that many people loved.

She smiled and said, “Little Zhu has been busy all day. You should eat a meal with her.”

Zhu Yun hadn’t expected Zhao Yi to act as a matchmaker, but she didn’t object and nodded in agreement.

As old customers left and new ones came in, the rich and fragrant mala tang quickly caught the attention of a new customer. Zhu Yun apologetically said, “We’ve run out of ingredients. I can’t make a second bowl. I’m so sorry.”

The new customer was a little disappointed, but luckily, there were other delicious dishes in the restaurant to distract him.

The chicken feet and braised beef he ordered didn’t require Zhu Yun’s attention; Zhao Yi could handle the customer’s request alone.

So Zhu Yun got up and brought two cans of beer. She smiled and said, “Would you like to drink?”

Tang Xinhai was overjoyed when Zhu Yun sat across from her. “Yes, I would.”

Just a moment ago, she was trying to avoid drinking, but she instantly changed her mind when Zhu Yun suggested it.

This was the first time they were having a meal together. Tang Xinhai felt a bit reserved, wanting to steal glances but feeling too shy to do so.

Her attempt to hide her glances made Zhu Yun laugh softly. She whispered, “You’re so silly. I can see you.”

Tang Xinhai’s face instantly turned red. Zhu Yun didn’t seem to notice and decided to be even more bold. She asked, “Every time you come to the restaurant, do you stare at me?”

At this moment, Tang Xinhai’s sadness from being betrayed by her colleagues had completely vanished, replaced by an overwhelming sense of shyness. She blinked frantically, exposing her nervousness.

Zhu Yun smiled, like a cunning little fox. She was very pleased with Tang Xinhai’s awkwardness, so she laughed with satisfaction.

Tang Xinhai knew that any explanation she gave would be a cover-up, so she honestly nodded. “You… you noticed?”

“Of course! You were so obvious. I’d be too stupid not to notice, right?” Zhu Yun ate a piece of shrimp paste. The numbing and spicy sauce gave her a huge appetite. She was already a little hungry, but now she felt she could eat two bowls of rice.

Tang Xinhai annoyedly pinched her earlobe and looked at Zhu Yun with an apologetic look in her eyes. She said, “Did I cause you any trouble? I’m so sorry. I just wanted to look at you; there was no malicious intent.”

Zhu Yun raised an eyebrow and asked, “Do you look at other people like that?”

“How could I!” Tang Xinhai looked at her seriously. Zhu Yun’s vibrant expression made Tang Xinhai’s calm heart ripple. This ripple was not bound by any emotion; her appreciation for Zhu Yun was pure and unadulterated. It was like searching for a long time on a beach without finding a single seashell, until Tang Xinhai saw the tide recede and finally saw a pristine white seashell that the waves had cherished for a long time. It was so flawless that she treasured it immensely.

Zhu Yun curled her lips, glanced at her from the corner of her eye, and then said nonchalantly, “You can look if you want. Your eyes are yours, not mine.”

Tang Xinhai smiled with gratitude. “Thank you.”

“What’s there to thank? You’re being too careful.” Zhu Yun looked closely at Tang Xinhai’s pupils, which were filled with a heartwarming smile. She then lowered her head awkwardly and started eating her fish balls.

She looks the best when she is like this.

This bowl of mala tang was worthy of the name “super-spicy.” Even Tang Xinhai, who could handle spicy food, had tears in her eyes. She discreetly wiped away her tears and said shyly, “Your food is so delicious.”

“Come over tomorrow morning,” Zhu Yun said out of the blue.

Tang Xinhai’s eyelashes fluttered, and tears rolled down her cheeks. She was teary-eyed, whether from the spiciness or the pain in her heart, she looked pitiful.

“What?”

“I said, come to my place tomorrow morning. I’ll… I’ll make you some stomach-soothing congee in the morning. With the way you’re torturing yourself, you’ll definitely have a stomach ache tomorrow.” Zhu Yun’s concern triggered Tang Xinhai’s tears again. She finally couldn’t hold it in and buried her face in her arms, crying silently. The silent sobs made Zhu Yun’s face fall, and the chewy fish balls in her mouth suddenly lost their flavor.

But soon, Tang Xinhai composed herself, wiped away her tears, and smiled again. She looked a little disheveled, with tears still clinging to her long eyelashes.

The gossip at the company, the vice president’s scolding, and Chu’s strange overtures—all these messy things disappeared. Tang Xinhai forgot all the things that made her unhappy. Now, her eyes only saw Zhu Yun.

With a thick nasal voice, she said, “You’re so kind! Coming here to eat every day is what I look forward to the most. There’s no work pressure, no worries. Eating and looking at you makes me feel alive again.”

Zhu Yun wrinkled her nose in distaste. “You’re making me sound like a lucky charm.”

Tang Xinhai covered her mouth and giggled. The elegance in her features dispelled the sadness, and she looked genuinely happy.

They didn’t bring up the crying, maintaining a friendly distance. This was a boundary, not coldness. What’s more, Tang Xinhai had returned to her usual self, and bringing it up again would only reopen her wounds.

Comfort and companionship came in many forms, and at this moment, this was the most suitable way for them.

The evening breeze was gentle, without the coldness of autumn.

Zhu Yun stood at the door, watching Tang Xinhai leave. The tall woman not far away suddenly stopped and turned back to look at Zhu Yun.

Under the bright light, Zhu Yun was particularly eye-catching. The beautiful butterfly orchids swaying behind her became a mere backdrop. In Tang Xinhai’s eyes, only Zhu Yun was the most radiant.

Zhu Yun smiled and waved at her. “Be careful on your way.”

After all, they had shared a bowl of mala tang. Zhu Yun felt that Tang Xinhai was particularly lonely today, so she should be treated with kindness.

After tonight, she would surely be full of energy tomorrow.

At that moment, Tang Xinhai, who was standing there, ran back. In Zhu Yun’s confused gaze, she bravely reached out and hugged her. The warm embrace was fleeting. Tang Xinhai was like a butterfly that had startled a flower, coming and going as she pleased.

Zhu Yun stood frozen in place. As she watched the retreating figure, a ripple formed in her heart.

What was she doing? She just came and hugged me out of nowhere. This woman is so unreasonable!

“See you tomorrow!”

Zhu Yun heard her voice and said helplessly, “I know, I know.”

“857, I’m regretting feeling sorry for her.”

What’s wrong?

“She took advantage of me!!”

I have an idea. Next time you see her, hug her back.

“?”

“Are you rewarding her or punishing me?!”

Hug her back? What a beautiful thought 857 had. Hmph, I’ll only feel sorry for her this one time. If I ever feel sorry for her again, my last name will be Tang!

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