I Have the Aura of a Supporting Character in Yuri Novels - Chapter 38

A Morning Greeting

Colorful bougainvillea clung to the wall of the house, swaying in the wind. A few long, untrimmed branches hung down, dancing like they were on a swing—carefree and elegant. Bougainvillea was everywhere in the city, and when Zhu Yun opened her curtains, she could see her neighbor’s flourishing plants, a stark contrast to the withered grape trellis on her own roof. She could even faintly smell their sweet scent.

That day, as usual, she pulled back her curtains and looked down through the glass. Sure enough, there was Tang Xinhai, the woman with the black shoulder bag, leaning against the wall and on her phone. Zhu Jun muttered to herself, “How does this feel like feeding a cat? Just one time, and this beautiful little stray has gotten attached.” She thought of a funny video she’d seen about feeding cats and giggled secretly behind her hand.

She hurried downstairs, grabbed a light purple lunch box tote from the kitchen, and pushed open the back door. The creak of the door made Tang Xinhai look up from her phone. A smile played on her lips as she said affectionately, “Good morning.”

Zhu Jun, with a sullen expression, handed over the lunch box. She tried to seem cool and distant, but Tang Xinhai didn’t mind her coldness. A deeper, more charming smile bloomed on her face as she saw the food. She was like a passionate fire—unaware of her own allure, yet you wouldn’t feel afraid because her warmth brought comfort.

“This is for you.” Tang Xinhai said, handing her a large paper bag.

Zhu Jun blinked in confusion. “What’s in here?”

“Last time you said the beef jerky my family sent was delicious, right?” Tang Xinhai explained. “I had my sister-in-law send another package. This one’s for you.”

She tucked the bag into Zhu Yun’s arms, giving her no chance to refuse. She had to hurry to catch the bus for work, so she left quickly. As she reached the corner, she couldn’t help but turn back for one last look at Zhu Yun.

Zhu Yun’s bangs had grown longer, framing her delicate face and tucked behind her ears. Her pure, exquisite features gave her the innocent aura of a fragrant, tiny gardenia—snow-white and flawless. A small smile curved Tang Xinhai’s red lips. It was another day that she had been healed.

“See you tonight!” she called out.

A Cat’s Repayment

Zhu Yun clutched the heavy paper bag in her arms. The substantial amount of jerky made her feel that she was “eating someone’s food and was now beholden to them.” She nodded awkwardly. “Yeah, see you tonight.”

This stray cat she often fed seemed quite thoughtful. She had only mentioned the jerky in passing, but Tang Xinhai had remembered it. What did this mean? It must mean she cared about her. Zhu Yun pouted her cherry lips and said with a touch of arrogance, “The videos were right! If you feed a stray cat, it really gives you gifts!”

Jerky, jerky! She had another delicious snack today! As the owner of a small restaurant, Zhu Yun was never short on food, but this particular jerky had a special meaning. It was a gift in return from her little stray cat. Humming a happy tune, she closed the back door and headed into the kitchen. A beautiful day had begun.

Their current dynamic started because of that bowl of spicy hot pot. Zhu Yun’s fears had come true: when Tang Xinhai came to the shop the next day, she looked pale and was clutching her stomach. Zhu Yun immediately made her some stomach-soothing millet porridge, simmered slowly until a layer of “rice oil” appeared. She even added a few deseeded red dates, making it sweet and comforting.

After that meal, Tang Xinhai was no longer a woman who only appeared at night—she now came by in the mornings. Zhu Yun’s small restaurant didn’t serve breakfast; it was too exhausting, and she needed the mornings to buy ingredients. So, the special meals she made for Tang Xinhai became more and more frequent. Each time Tang Xinhai came for breakfast, she would bring a small gift, and she’d laugh as she listened to Zhu Yun’s complaints while she ate. The gifts were always blind boxes, but Zhu Jun could never get the one she wanted, which drove her crazy.

Maybe Tang Xinhai was afraid Zhu Yun would get too angry, because today she had brought a different kind of gift. It seemed the beef jerky was much more to Zhu Yun’s liking than those blind boxes.

“Xiao Zhu, why don’t you let Xinhai eat inside the shop?” asked Aunt Zhao, her only employee.

Zhu Yun pouted unhappily. She felt her employee was biased. “Because the last few times she ate breakfast here, my regulars started hounding me to serve breakfast, and it made it hard to turn them down. It’s better for her to wait at the back door. It’s on her way to the bus anyway.”

Aunt Zhao smiled kindly, sitting on a small stool and peeling potatoes. She seemed to remember something and sighed with concern. “That Tang Xinhai, when we chatted last time, she said she was thinking of quitting her job and working here. You can tell she’s had a hard time at her company. Xiao Zhu, do you know what happened?”

Hearing this, Zhu Yun felt a pang of jealousy. She was the one who fed her every day, yet it seemed Tang Xinhai was more familiar with Aunt Zhao and had even told her about her work troubles. She hadn’t told Zhu Yun anything. How annoying! Truly annoying!

“Hmph, how would I know anything about her business?” Zhu Yun retorted.

Aunt Zhao saw her little pout and knew her temper was flaring up. She laughed. “Aren’t you two friends? I think friends should support each other through difficult times. Since you don’t know, it must not have been a big deal. Maybe I’m just worrying too much.”

Zhu Yun placed the large paper bag under the counter, where no one from the front could see it. If her regulars found out about the jerky, they would surely clean her out. It was better to hide it. She then pushed through the curtain and returned to the kitchen. “I’m not her friend,” she said dismissively. “Tang Xinhai is a customer, a god, my very source of food and clothing.”

Aunt Zhao couldn’t help but slap her thigh and burst out laughing. “Oh, not friends, you say? Who gets up early to make breakfast, with both porridge and buns? Xiao Zhu, you’re just too cute. But you should let Tang Xinhai know about all these things you do for her, so she knows you care about her. Besides, the way Tang Xinhai looks at you is just like a hungry cat seeing a dried fish. Have you ever raised a cat, Xiao Zhu? She’s exactly the same!”

Her teasing made Zhu Yun stomp her foot in frustration. She had never had an employee who was so good at tearing down her defenses. She angrily threw down a final threat. “I’m not making dinner for you tonight, hmph! I’ll be too tired to cook!” She shoved the curtain aside and returned to the kitchen, still hearing Aunt Zhao’s laughter from the other side. She puffed up her cheeks, feeling very put out.

But Aunt Zhao’s words lingered in her mind. She still wondered what had happened to Tang Xinhai at work.

“Today’s wish: For Chu Chengwen to go bankrupt quickly.”

Tsk, that’s a bit difficult. Unless you, Xiao Zhu, were to stab him like in the original plot. Then maybe he’d be left with a chronic illness and die young.

Zhu Yun rolled her eyes. “I haven’t been driven crazy by those idiots yet. I’m not doing something that would get me sued.”

Then why don’t you wish to get rich every day? Then, you could just say, ‘It’s getting cold, Chu Chengwen should go bankrupt.’ Hehehehe.

“…You are truly a pain,” Zhu Yun said, clutching her chest dramatically. She had never met a system that liked to twist the knife like this. It was pure torment.

I’m just encouraging you, Xiao Zhu! You don’t know a good heart when you see one!

“You’re not a person.”

I think you just insulted me.

Zhu Jun smiled slyly, ignoring System 857 because she had to get ready for the lunch rush. She was working hard to enrich her own life, just like everyone else trying to survive in the world.

Office Politics

At the same time, Tang Xinhai stood with a group of colleagues, waiting for the elevator with an indifferent expression. Her stunning beauty stood out even in a dull, black business suit, making her look like a noble queen. She stared straight ahead, her brows set in a frosty look that made her seem more unapproachable than ever.

“Sister Xinhai, do you think Sister Fei Fei found another job okay?” a woman with a tiny, resentful heart whispered. She couldn’t stand Tang Xinhai’s arrogance. So what if she had a better education and was more capable? Why was she protected by the vice president and admired by Director Chu? They all knew what happened. Tang Xinhai was pretending to be pure, even turning down Director Chu’s invitation to be his date at a banquet. It was just a ploy to get his attention! How calculating!

Tang Xinhai adjusted her glasses. Her expression was cold, and her gaze made the woman who had just spoken instantly fall silent. Tang Xinhai swept her eyes over everyone and curved her thin lips. “Do you also want to go in for a chat and a cup of tea?”

The woman was confused. “What do you mean?”

Tang Xinhai gave a dismissive laugh. “I thought you might want to go with her, to squat in prison and sew for a while.”

“What? Chen Feifei went to jail?”

Tang Xinhai narrowed her beautiful eyes, a half-smile on her face. “So, do you want to? If you do, I’d be happy to help you out.”

The woman’s face immediately turned pale. She waved her hands frantically. “Sister Xinhai, you’ve misunderstood! I thought Chen Feifei had just resigned. I had no idea she committed such a serious crime!”

The elevator doors opened. Tang Xinhai entered first, and the others, after exchanging glances, followed.

After Tang Xinhai had left with her folder, the woman who had just been rebuked whispered to a close colleague, “So Chen Feifei was embezzling! No wonder Tang Xinhai has been so smug these past few days. Now no one will dare to mess with her.”

“I told you to fix your mouth. I’m afraid you’ll offend the wrong person one day!” her friend scolded.

The woman shrank back, but still argued, “I don’t just talk to anyone like that!”

Her colleague shook her head helplessly. “You just thought Tang Xinhai was a pretty face who slept her way to the top, so you figured she was all looks and no brains. But did you see how she took down Chen Feifei? Everyone knows they were friends. Tang Xinhai wouldn’t have sent her to prison if Chen Feifei hadn’t tried to set her up first. But Chen Feifei brought it on herself.”

The woman was still a little unconvinced, but she listened to her friend’s advice. She bit her tongue for a while before carefully asking, “What did Chen Feifei do to fall out with Tang Xinhai?”

The colleague pointed meaningfully at the ceiling. “The assistant to the person upstairs was sent to a different branch. Her position is currently empty.”

The woman’s eyes widened in understanding. She then hugged her arms, feeling that this kind of office politics was too mentally exhausting. “I’m not watching these big shots fight anymore,” she said. “Tang Xinhai’s eyes were like a demon’s just now. She never used to be like that. What happened to her?”

She didn’t know how much Tang Xinhai had suffered to become this way, only that she was no longer her old self. She had become a rose with thorns.

Chen Feifei and Tang Xinhai had been friends since they joined the company in the same year. They were initially just lunch buddies. But when Tang Xinhai was hand-picked by Vice President Ye Yiran to be her assistant, their statuses suddenly changed. During her time with the vice president, Tang Xinhai attended many product meetings, and Director Chu Chengwen was immediately smitten with her. He was a man of status who could have any woman he wanted, even this one who had turned down his advances.

The change in status and the preference of a desirable man made Chen Feifei blind with jealousy. They had similar education and ability, so why did Tang Xinhai get to climb the corporate ladder? It had to be because Tang Xinhai had sold her body. After all, she had the face and figure for it.

Tang Xinhai hadn’t been to Zhu Jun’s shop for a while because she was away on a business trip with the vice president. When she returned, she found the rumors about her were getting out of control—some even claiming how much she cost per night. Ye Yiran was furious and quickly punished those responsible. After that, Tang Xinhai started digging a trap for Chen Feifei. In the end, Chen Feifei was taken away because she had been caught moving large sums of money into her personal account and selling company secrets to a rival. She had brought it all on herself.

Tang Xinhai respectfully handed a proposal to the vice president, Ye Yiran, a full-figured woman with a sharp, short haircut that gave her an authoritative presence. If it weren’t for the fine lines at the corners of her eyes, no one would guess she was in her forties.

“Xinhai,” Ye Yiran said.

Tang Xinhai turned back, her eyes clear and her complexion healthy, a stark contrast to her previous exhaustion. “Is there anything else you need?”

Ye Yiran lowered her eyes, twisting the ring on her finger. After a moment’s thought, she said, “I have a designer friend in another country who sent me many evening gowns recently. Go and have a look in my lounge later. You can take any that you like.”

Tang Xinhai smiled subtly, tactfully refusing. “I’m just your assistant. I don’t need such glamorous clothes. The ones I bought before are enough for the next few banquets.”

Ye Yiran’s face was tight and humorless. “The Chen Feifei incident was, at its core, a disaster I brought upon you. My making you my assistant created jealousy in her. So, those dresses are my apology. You know as well as I do how difficult it is for women to work in this company. I brought you to my side because I want you to connect with more people in the industry. Do you understand?”

Tang Xinhai’s eyelashes fluttered. She didn’t understand. She didn’t believe in a free lunch, nor did she think she was lucky enough to get such a big advantage. Even if she was capable of the position, she had never expected to be trained as a confidant by Ye Yiran. The vice president was known for being serious and cold, and the gossip about her never seemed to involve her. But now, she was her assistant, and this seemingly iron-faced woman was actually quite easy to get along with in private. It was unbelievable.

“First of all, I’m very grateful for your protection and for helping the rumors at the company disappear. I don’t believe you did anything wrong, so I don’t have the right to accept this gift,” Tang Xinhai said, bowing to show her gratitude.

Ye Yiran’s eyebrows twitched. She started to say something but held back. Massaging her temples, she said coldly, “Alright, you’re dismissed.”

“Understood.” Tang Xinhai closed the door behind her, glancing back at Ye Yiran sitting in her office chair. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was a good thing the vice president didn’t push her to accept the gowns. Otherwise, she would be in debt to her and working would be even more stressful.

As soon as she left, Ye Yiran opened a drawer and took out a bottle of pills. She numbly put a tablet in her mouth and drank some water. After a while, a bitter smile spread across her lips.

An Evening Conversation

Night settled over the city, the lights twinkling everywhere, promising another beautiful day.

Tang Xinhai walked into the shop as if she owned the place. When a customer asked for a drink, she grabbed a bottle for them. Her vibrant beauty was a magnet for people’s attention. The customer was a college student who had heard from a friend that this small restaurant was delicious. She had intended to order takeout, but discovered they didn’t support delivery platforms. So she rode her bike over. She hadn’t put much stock in her friend’s praise, but the moment the tripe from the spicy hot pot touched her tongue, she nearly cried. This was the taste of home!

“Wow, you’re so pretty!” the student exclaimed.

Tang Xinhai smiled warmly. “Enjoy your meal. Let me know if you need anything else.”

The student clutched her heart, her eyes turning into little hearts. She whispered to her friend across the table, “Oh my God, this place is amazing! The food is so authentic, and the owner and her employee are both gorgeous!”

Her friend, nibbling on her chopsticks, looked at Tang Xinhai’s outfit. “She’s probably not an employee,” she said. “She’s still wearing a business suit. She must have just gotten off work.”

“But she’s acting like she works here,” the student pointed out. She looked back at Tang Xinhai and saw that she was now talking to the owner, Zhu Jun, who had been busy with the calculator. It was clear from their interaction that they were friends. The student lowered her voice. “The owner, who almost makes a musical instrument out of her calculator, is finally looking up! Looks like her ledger has been replaced.”

“Haha, just eat. We have to get back to school soon.”

“This place is great, but it’s a shame they don’t do takeout. Oh well, next time I’ll bring more friends. We can’t be the only ones getting fat!” The two girls looked at each other with determination and focused on their food.

Tang Xinhai’s familiar presence made Zhu Jun speak in a sarcastic tone. “You’re not really planning on working here, are you? If so, we have to be clear—you can’t get more money just because we’re friends. You’ll get the same salary as Aunt Zhao.”

Tang Xinhai leaned her hands on the counter, taking the weight off her feet. She bent her slender legs, her high heels silently tapping the floor and effortlessly highlighting her perfect figure. She smiled, her eyes crinkling. “Why are you acting so strange?”

Zhu Jun still remembered Tang Xinhai’s “favoritism”—telling Aunt Zhao her secrets but not her. She wasn’t one to hide her feelings, so she immediately retorted.

Tang Xinhai tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes, soft and full of pure emotion, were different from how she looked at anyone else. “I actually wanted to talk to you about it, but I didn’t want my work problems to bring you negative energy. I’ve always handled things on my own. But now I have you. Your cooking brings me happiness, so how could I have the heart to hurt you with my negative energy?”

Her voice was soft, and her smile was mesmerizing. But it was her sincerity and care for Zhu Yun that were the most beautiful. It was so good it left Zhu Yun speechless. Softening her stance, Zhu Yun angrily pounded the calculator’s “clear” button. Tang Xinhai just laughed at the sound of the repeated “zero, zero.”

“I’ve handled my company problem. But now I have a new issue in front of me. Can you help me figure it out?”

Zhu Yun gave her a small look. On the condition that Tang Xinhai was being reasonable, Zhu Yun naturally agreed. Tang Xinhai’s story about Vice President Ye Yiran wouldn’t bring negative energy—it would just ignite a passion for gossip.

Zhu Jun pouted her lips. “That’s easy. She has a crush on you.”

Tang Xinhai knew Zhu Jun was confused about Ye Yiran’s gender. “But she’s not a man.”

Zhu Yun lazily rested her chin in her hand, her eyes full of amusement. “Who says women can’t like women?”

Tang Xinhai’s face suddenly flushed. She broke eye contact with Zhu Yun for a moment before letting out a soft laugh and looking back at her. “You’re right,” she said.

Zhu Jun’s hands clenched into fists, and she looked away.

“857, is she trying to hit on me?”

Huh?

“She must be! Why else would she smile at me like that?”

Well, should I call the police for you? Tell them someone is using their good looks to bully Xiao Zhu. How’s that?

“Pfft!”

What do you think Zhu Yun will do now that she’s considering Tang Xinhai in a new way?

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