I Have the Aura of a Supporting Character in Yuri Novels - Chapter 39

Women and their discussions about love could be put on hold for the time being because Tang Xinhai saw that the restaurant was getting busier and went to help serve dishes. Zhu Yun’s eyes couldn’t help but look at her feet. This woman wasn’t afraid of getting tired while walking in those stiletto-like high heels. Zhu Yun hesitated, wanting to say something to express her concern, but Tang Xinhai didn’t give her the time to speak at all.

Zhu Yun’s face was expressionless, and she looked at Tang Xinhai, who was urging her to cook, with a hint of disdain. She let out a cold snort and ducked into the kitchen.

She just knew this woman wouldn’t understand her!

Tang Xinhai tilted her head in confusion. What was wrong with Zhu Yun? She suddenly gave her the evil eye. Had she done something to offend her?

“Boss, check out!”

“Okay.”

Tang Xinhai responded naturally. After checking the bill, she put down Zhu Yun’s phone. Aunt Zhao, who was nearby, saw her about to clear the table and quickly stopped her, saying, “You’ve also just finished a long day at work. Just sit there and don’t move. Or do you want to steal my job?”

She was pushed aside by Aunt Zhao. Tang Xinhai smiled and chatted for a bit, but the restaurant was so busy that Aunt Zhao didn’t have time to talk. So Tang Xinhai became a lazy idler. She saw something on the counter, took it, and saw that it was a delivery order. Tang Xinhai thoughtfully looked back at Zhu Yun, who was in the back kitchen. She pursed her lips and smiled.

The corporate job was more of a way for Tang Xinhai to survive in this society. She had seriously considered quitting to help Zhu Yun, but that choice was obviously not very likely. If she made that decision, she would become a burden to Zhu Yun, as she was not familiar with things in the kitchen. So Tang Xinhai could only abandon the idea and continue to work hard at the company.

Tang Xinhai took a deep breath and squinted her eyes contentedly. Even though her ears were filled with noisy chatter, her heart felt a sense of peace.

The thought of almost quitting her company was not a rash decision; it was something she had thought through carefully.

Before Zhu Yun opened this small restaurant, Tang Xinhai’s sleep quality was very poor. The slightest noise could wake her up. It was only when she noticed that her sleep had improved recently that Tang Xinhai realized this change was very likely brought about by Zhu Yun. As for the reason, Tang Xinhai didn’t plan to delve into it. She only needed to know that meeting Zhu Yun was a very happy thing.

She cupped her face with both hands, a silly smile hanging on her lips. She was a stunningly beautiful woman, but now she had a bit of a goofy charm that made people smile kindly.

“I say, Boss, have you ever thought about partnering with a food delivery platform?”

Now, delivery drivers are everywhere, and it seems like a restaurant that doesn’t partner with a food delivery platform is an anomaly. So some customers felt that a good chef like Zhu Yun should be enjoyed by more people. And with delivery drivers, they could save time and not have to run back and forth. This was a win-win situation.

Aunt Zhao had heard this so many times that her ears were practically numb. She patiently explained, “It’s not that my boss doesn’t want to be on the platform. It’s mainly because she’s the only one in the restaurant. If too many customers order, she can’t handle it. What if she messes up your mealtime? Wouldn’t that be a sin? So my boss just decided to focus on the in-store work and not touch the platform for now.”

The customer laughed heartily after hearing this. “Then I’m quite lucky since I live right here! You wouldn’t believe it, but ever since your boss opened for business, I come every day. The food is delicious and affordable. Sometimes I even think your prices are too low!”

Aunt Zhao couldn’t take his words seriously. If prices were to be raised just like that, would they still have a business? She maintained her unchanging smile and said, “As long as everyone thinks the food tastes good, that’s what matters. Enjoy your meal.”

The subject of the conversation was hiding behind the curtain, and she silently gave Aunt Zhao a thumbs-up. As expected of a smooth-talking retiree, her words were pleasant to hear!

However, Zhu Yun also had other ideas. The prices for these ordinary home-cooked dishes couldn’t be changed, but she could bring out some private-style dishes. The restaurant no longer lacked a good reputation; all that was left was to make money. So Zhu Yun planned to make a few famous dishes from the imperial chef’s handbook and go the route of private customization!

She immediately had an idea and let out a sly chuckle, as if she could already see herself getting rich and wealthy in the future.

The big changes for the restaurant were decided by Zhu Yun in these few minutes. As a one-woman show, she didn’t need to discuss her ideas with anyone. When she sat down to eat opposite Tang Xinhai, she acted as if nothing was different.

It was unclear when these two developed the habit of eating dinner together. There weren’t many customers at this point; it was already nine in the evening, and Zhu Yun could finally sit down for a meal.

Tonight’s meal was still unique. There was a dry-pot spare ribs dish with a rich sauce, a sour and spicy shredded potato dish to whet the appetite, and finally, a bowl of sweet fermented rice ball soup. Along with a mouthful of soft, glutinous rice, this was the true enjoyment of food.

Tang Xinhai was battling a piece of spare rib. As the crispy bone in the rib was crunched open, the battle ended with Tang Xinhai’s victory. Of course, she didn’t forget to favor the bowl of sweet fermented rice ball soup at her side, sipping it spoon by spoon. She felt that the sweet wine flavor in the soup was unlike traditional sweet fermented rice, but it was just one word: delicious!

Her hearty eating made it hard to believe that this was the cold beauty from the company. This was clearly just a foodie who had been won over by Zhu Yun’s cooking.

Zhu Yun saw this and served her another bowl of soup, which scared Tang Xinhai so much that her face turned pale. She said, “No more, I can’t eat anymore. I’ll get fat!”

As she spoke, she used her fingers to pinch her cheeks. It wasn’t a lie; a few days ago, when she weighed herself, Tang Xinhai found that she had gained weight! This was all thanks to Zhu Yun.

Zhu Yun glared at her. “Eat if you want to. I’m afraid the sea breeze will blow you away with your figure. Eat more and gain some meat. Who are you trying to get to feel sorry for you by being so skinny?”

She knew the price young people paid for their jobs: waking up early, coming home late, and occasionally working overtime. Sometimes you’d have to reply to messages from your boss even after you got home. Some bosses were like owls who didn’t need to sleep, constantly harassing workers at night. So even when you were at home after work, you were always on edge.

The company Tang Xinhai worked for was full of high achievers. Even when Zhu Yun successfully interviewed, it took a lot of effort. The company offered high salaries and good benefits. This was also why in the story, Zhu Yun would rather block out all the rumors and work hard. She was already bankrupt, and finding a stable job after paying off her debts was her happiness.

Unfortunately, her good life was ruined by Chu Chengwen…

Tang Xinhai smiled shyly and took the bowl of soup Zhu Yun handed her. There were no other thoughts in her eyes; they only held Zhu Yun. She said, “I’ll be a good girl and listen to you.”

Zhu Yun awkwardly retorted, “I didn’t say you have to listen to me. Don’t pin that on me.”

She was already used to Zhu Yun’s way of speaking: arrogant and stubborn. Tang Xinhai smiled and remained unfazed. “It’s okay. I just like listening to you anyway.”

Zhu Yun felt a strange emotion called “satisfaction” well up in her heart. She lowered her head and ate a few mouthfuls of rice, trying to hide her inner joy.

“I know how good you are to me, Zhu Zhu. I’ll be good to you, too!”

How could Tang Xinhai be someone who didn’t understand consideration? She would bring Zhu Yun a small gift during breakfast and would wash the dishes and clean up after this dinner.

No one could keep giving without expecting anything in return while also giving their heart. For a relationship to last, it had to be a genuine exchange of hearts.

Aunt Zhao had previously wanted Zhu Yun to express her care for Tang Xinhai out loud, but little did she know that Tang Xinhai had already noticed.

Zhu Yun’s heart was beating “thump, thump, thump.” She was captivated by the honest woman in front of her and couldn’t help but bite her chopsticks. It was strange how she could smile so beautifully.

[According to system data, Zhu Zhu, your heart rate is a bit fast! Are you sick~]

Zhu Yun couldn’t help but blush. How did she not know that 857 could be so considerate! It was clearly making fun of her.

“You, a non-human, of course wouldn’t understand what a fast heartbeat means, so just shut up.”

I do understand. I’m a highly intelligent being. Isn’t this just you…

Before 857 could finish its sentence, Zhu Yun was quick to give it the block and mute treatment. Her mood instantly became cheerful.

Just then, Tang Xinhai suddenly said, “Why is this butterfly orchid blooming so beautifully? It never seems to wither.”

Zhu Yun, who was just happy, immediately calmed down. She casually explained, “This isn’t the same one as before. I replaced it. What do you think, isn’t it beautiful?”

Tang Xinhai didn’t suspect anything. She nodded and said nothing more.

Her words were a wake-up call for Zhu Yun. She had been careless. She could still use an excuse to cover it up now, but that wouldn’t work in the winter.

Because she had just told a small lie, Zhu Yun felt a little guilty toward Tang Xinhai and started thinking of a way to compensate her. This spiritual spring water couldn’t be told to anyone.

“What do you want to eat tomorrow?”

Tang Xinhai wasn’t picky and said with a smile, “I like everything Zhu Zhu makes.”

The arrow shot into Zhu Yun’s heart hit the bullseye. It was over. She felt even more guilty.

She secretly glanced at Tang Xinhai, racking her brains for a way to make it up to her.

Tang Xinhai’s expression remained unchanged. In fact, she saw all of Zhu Yun’s little movements; she just didn’t know what this stubborn girl was thinking about now.

The night was full of stars, and Zhu Yun once again stood at the door to see Tang Xinhai off. This time, however, Zhu Yun handed her a bottle of medicine. Tang Xinhai looked at the words on the bottle and her face lit up with a smile. Her bright, crescent-shaped eyes were filled with warmth. She was staring intently at Zhu Yun, wanting to use those charming eyes to pay close attention to her.

“Hurry up and go. I need to go back and clean the kitchen!”

Zhu Yun lowered her head, not wanting Tang Xinhai to see her shyness. This was too embarrassing, and it was all Tang Xinhai’s fault with her intense and deep eyes that were impossible to resist.

She said she was going back into the restaurant, but Tang Xinhai grabbed Zhu Yun’s wrist, wrapped one arm around her waist, and whispered, “You care about me so much?”

This bottle of medicine wasn’t given out by Zhu Yun on a whim. She had been observing Tang Xinhai’s footsteps earlier. Don’t be fooled by her calm demeanor; the bandages on her heels had already revealed that her high heels had caused injuries. This was unavoidable. It would be great if she didn’t have to wear high heels to work, but the company wasn’t so accommodating to women. So Tang Xinhai always had bandages at home.

Zhu Yun’s medicine was something she had bought for her medicine cabinet. This time, she gave it to Tang Xinhai. She had also unscrewed the cap and added some of the spiritual spring water, hoping this painful little injury would heal quickly.

Zhu Yun pushed Tang Xinhai away, but when she didn’t succeed, she just leaned into her embrace.

She let out a frustrated and said, “This is what I have left over. It’s just a favor.”

Tang Xinhai didn’t care if the medicine was leftover. She smiled and stroked Zhu Yun’s hair, saying, “Thank you for your concern.”

“I told you it’s not that!”

“Mhmm, no, it’s not.”

Zhu Yun still wanted to argue, but when she looked up, she saw his eyes filled with tenderness. She saw through Zhu Yun’s disguise and understood her intentions. Realizing this, Zhu Yun, in defeat, bumped her forehead against Tang Xinhai’s shoulder and mumbled, “You’re so annoying.”

Why did she have to be so smart!

Tang Xinhai’s face was beaming. She sighed and said, “It’s a good thing I can see you.”

She was very clear about one thing: she was lucky to be able to see Zhu Yun’s face and understand her joys and sorrows.

Finding a person who shines in a vast sea of people is not an easy thing. Tang Xinhai, who had never seen such a light, faithfully admired this warm glow. She never expected to be exclusively favored by this light; as long as she could see this light for a certain time each day, that was enough.

She maintained a friendly distance, but she had underestimated Zhu Yun’s charm.

With each passing day, Tang Xinhai no longer wanted to keep her distance. She wanted to be friends with Zhu Yun, which was why she came to the restaurant for meals until now.

If Zhu Yun was the light that helped Tang Xinhai see before, now, Zhu Yun’s personality and charm added more colors to that light. It was no longer a single color but a vibrant, colorful one.

She had cured Tang Xinhai’s face blindness, but even without this special circumstance, Tang Xinhai would still have been attracted to Zhu Yun.

She was destined to be extraordinary, Tang Xinhai believed.

Zhu Yun reached out and touched her forehead, puzzled. “You don’t have a fever. Why are you saying things I don’t understand?”

Tang Xinhai hugged her tightly, then let go, saying, “With Zhu Zhu feeding me every day, how could I be so weak that I’d get sick?”

Zhu Yun was very pleased with her quick wit. She smiled, put her hands on her hips, and said, “Not bad, not bad. I’m very satisfied with that.”

Suddenly, Tang Xinhai said, “I have tomorrow off.”

Zhu Yun’s smile faded and then returned. “Then you can sleep in tomorrow.”

Was there something wrong with her? Shouldn’t she be happy that she didn’t have to make breakfast for one more person? Why did she feel a sense of loss, as if something was missing when Tang Xinhai wasn’t there for a day? Maybe it wasn’t Tang Xinhai who had a fever, but her!

She waved her hand, urging Tang Xinhai to leave quickly.

Tang Xinhai was naturally obedient. After quietly watching her back, Zhu Yun returned to the restaurant.

She thought about how Tang Xinhai was off tomorrow. They were both working people, so why couldn’t she take a day off, too?

Zhu Yun also remembered her private dish plan. She happily waved her hand and told Aunt Zhao that they would be closed tomorrow so she could spend more time with her daughter, who hadn’t been home in a while.

“Then I’ll put up a ‘Closed for the day’ sign on the door so customers don’t have to wait for us.”

“Sounds good.”

A peaceful day ended just like that. Lying in her soft bed, Zhu Yun had just closed her eyes when she suddenly thought of Tang Xinhai again. She tossed and turned, unable to sleep, so she simply turned on the lamp and sat up. She frowned and said, “Her female boss at the company didn’t actually fall for her, did she?”

It had been so long since that happened, and Zhu Yun was only just now realizing it. She desperately needed someone to help her analyze the situation, so the blocked and muted 857 was the perfect candidate.

The floating screen in the system’s space had been black for a long time, and 857 was so bored that it was almost growing mushrooms. Then it saw Zhu Yun sitting on the bed, staring blankly with her hands on her face. The antenna on its head swayed, bent, and quickly straightened again.

What’s up, what’s up? Remembering me now?

Zhu Yun couldn’t be bothered with its schadenfreude and honestly explained what was on her mind.

As soon as 857 finished listening, it burst into laughter, and its goose-like honking made Zhu Yun’s lips twitch.

Zhu Yun gritted her teeth and said, “Tomorrow, I’m definitely going to eat goose stewed in an iron pot!”

Gagagagaga, what do you care if she likes Tang Xinhai or not? All you need to know is who Tang Xinhai likes, that’s the important part, my dear.

857’s words successfully made Zhu Yun blush. It wasn’t from shyness, but from embarrassment. She hadn’t even thought of such a simple truth!

She burrowed under the covers, covering herself completely.

“Stop with the nonsense. Connect to the internet and turn off the light!”

Alrighty~

The long, thin antenna on 857’s head lit up. Silver-white garbled code swirled around its antenna. When a silver-white light sphere condensed at the tip of the antenna, the garbled code disappeared. It had successfully connected to the world’s internet.

Soon, the room went dark, but the sound of system 857’s laughter continued.

Zhu Yun couldn’t stand it anymore. She threw off the covers and cursed, “For the next week, I’m going to eat goose meat every day!”

Since she couldn’t eat 857, she’d eat its substitute: a big white goose!

Poor geese~ Hehehe.

The next day, before dawn, the night had not yet faded.

It was four o’clock, and Zhu Yun came downstairs, yawning. It was another day of early morning grocery shopping.

Just as she finished getting ready, her phone rang.

Zhu Yun picked it up, her eyes wide, and went to the kitchen to open the back door.

The two of them looked at each other. One was in a daze, the other was smiling.

At that moment, the seashells hanging from the wind chimes swayed back and forth, creating a crisp, pleasant sound, but Zhu Yun thought this sound was no match for Tang Xinhai’s “Good morning.”

“You… what are you doing here?”

Tang Xinhai walked in and closed the door. “I saw the delivery order on the counter yesterday. You wrote the date and time on it. I figured I had nothing to do at home, so I came to help.”

Without asking for permission, she turned around. Zhu Yun, who was right behind her, accidentally bumped into her, which made Tang Xinhai chuckle. “Are you not fully awake yet?”

“It’s all your fault!”

Zhu Yun quickly backed away, holding her hands in front of her in a defensive posture.

Tang Xinhai smiled without saying anything, left the kitchen, and sat down on a chair. Her eyes were gentle. “When are you leaving?”

“After I eat, of course,” Zhu Yun said with a glare. She thought she wouldn’t have to cook for her today, but before she started cooking, she wrote another line on the shopping list. Tang Xinhai leaned over to look. “You need to buy five geese?”

Zhu Yun held a grudge and hadn’t forgotten her feud with 857 from yesterday. She said with a mischievous smile, “I’m making a new dish, so of course, I need to buy new ingredients.”

Tang Xinhai’s eyes lit up. Zhu Yun glanced at her sideways. “When the ‘Five-Flavor Goose’ is ready, you’ll get to try it first.”

Look at her, so easily won over. Tsk.

“Zhu Zhu is so good to me.”

“Come in here and help me.”

Tang Xinhai saluted and said seriously, “Yes, ma’am.”

The usual exhausting day of grocery shopping now had someone’s company, which gave Zhu Yun a sense of peace. Even when she spent a large sum of money, her heart didn’t ache. She could always earn it back anyway.

She was happy, but the customers who came to the restaurant with high hopes for Zhu Yun’s food were devastated.

Just then, a luxury car stopped on the side of the road. A woman pushed down her sunglasses and said to her niece, Ding Huiyi, “Is this the restaurant you said was so good?”

Ding Huiyi saw the “Closed for the day” sign and was so upset she wanted to cry. She hugged her aunt Ding Qiuyan’s arm and said, “It’s really, really delicious! A classmate recommended it to me. Auntie, I’m so cute, how could I lie to you?”

Ding Qiuyan shrugged nonchalantly. “Well, it looks like I won’t have the pleasure today.”

“Auntie! You’ll bring me again tomorrow, right, right?” Ding Huiyi had failed her monthly exam a while ago, and her parents had taken away her allowance. She had been craving Zhu Yun’s food for a long time. When her aunt, Ding Qiuyan, returned from her business trip, she had to treat her… no, she had to recommend delicious food to her!

Ding Qiuyan pushed her arm away in disgust and said with a smile, “Alright, alright. Since your dad gave me some time off recently, I’ll listen to you this time. I’ll bring you again tomorrow.”

“Hurray, Auntie!”

She was a woman of her word and wouldn’t disappoint her niece, Ding Huiyi.

So the next evening, they came to Zhu Yun’s restaurant. Ding Huiyi saw a small new blackboard on the wall with the words “Today’s Private Dishes.” Below it were the dish names.

Ding Huiyi asked curiously, “Boss, why have I never seen this ‘Five-Flavor Goose’ and ‘Song’s Fish Stew’ before?”

Aunt Zhao was about to explain when Zhu Yun came out of the kitchen. She heard the question and said, “These are limited private dishes that change every day. If you have something you want to eat, you can also let me know in advance.”

Ding Huiyi didn’t hesitate. “Then we’ll have both of these dishes! What do you think, Auntie?” She hadn’t forgotten that Ding Qiuyan was paying today, so she smiled ingratiatingly.

But Ding Qiuyan stared at Zhu Yun, then laughed impolitely. “Oh my, isn’t this the former jewelry beauty, Miss Zhu Yun?”

Zhu Yun’s lips twitched. She didn’t expect to hear that embarrassing title again one day. She gave a look to Tang Xinhai, who was about to speak, signaling that she could handle the petty Ding Qiuyan on her own and Tang Xinhai shouldn’t get involved.

“So you went bankrupt and became a chef?”

“Oh, my. It looks like business is pretty good.”

“You can cook?” Ding Qiuyan circled Zhu Yun and then said smugly, “Why aren’t you cooking?”

Zhu Yun’s expression didn’t change. “A woman like you, with so many limited-edition sports cars, should understand what ‘limited edition’ means, right? Today’s private dishes are sold out.”

“I’ll pay extra and you can just make some more. I have money.” Ding Qiuyan sized up Zhu Yun, hoping to see a different emotion on her face. But Zhu Yun didn’t fall for it.

“Triple the price!”

“Quintuple the price!”

Zhu Yun still smiled and shook her head. “Dear, it’s sold out.”

Ding Qiuyan slammed her hand on the counter and said haughtily, “Ten times the price! And I’ll even pay you for the ingredients. You have to make it!”

Zhu Yun covered her face with her hand and smiled shyly. “Then I’ll gladly accept.”

She didn’t even look at Ding Qiuyan and turned to go into the kitchen. Aunt Zhao, worried that she might be unhappy, quickly followed her. “Why make food for someone who’s just trying to cause trouble?”

“A big fat sheep that delivers itself to the door should be butchered.” She smiled wickedly.

She dared to insult me in front of Tang Xinhai. Do I have no self-respect!

So what if I went bankrupt? I’m self-reliant! Hmph.

Support I Have the Aura of a Supporting Character in Yuri Novels