I Have the Aura of a Supporting Character in Yuri Novels - Chapter 67

“Zhuyun, come, come, eat! I had the kitchen make these just for you. I remember your master often said you like sweet and sour pastries. See if they suit your taste.” The Marquis of Loyalty and Valor was a big, burly man with eyes like a beast, which could be intimidating when he glared. But with his handsome features, as long as he wasn’t angry, he lost that scary aura and looked like an honest, simple man.

Hearing the Marquis’s concern, Zhuyun couldn’t help but wonder. This high-ranking Marquis seemed to have a very good relationship with her master, to remember such a small detail about her. He must truly care for her master to remember his little apprentice.

Zhuyun politely smiled, her lips pursed, and said softly, “Thank you, Marquis. These pastries are delicious. It’s not just me who likes this flavor, my master does too.”

Sitting perfectly upright in her chair, Tang Yihuan moved with the grace of a noblewoman. Even when she blew on a cup of hot tea, her every movement and gesture was just right, perfectly elegant.

This version of her was completely different from the girl under the umbrella on the street. It seemed that once she entered the Marquis’s residence, she returned to her position as the young lady of a noble house, and no longer had the charmingly petulant expression she wore when she complained that Zhuyun had deceived her.

Tang Yihuan seemed distant and aloof. While the boisterous Marquis chattered with Zhuyun, she was a striking contrast—cold and noble.

“Zhuyun, stop sneaking peeks at Little Yi. She’s always putting on airs. She’s actually quite awkward about it herself.” Her father, the Marquis, didn’t give Tang Yihuan any face. He grabbed a handful of exquisite pastries with his large, fan-like hand and stuffed them into his mouth. The pastries that took Zhuyun two bites to finish were gone in the blink of an eye. Zhuyun quickly slid a cup of tea closer to him, afraid he might choke.

With her father exposing her pretense of being proper, the usually considerate Tang Yihuan began to “leak.” She gave an exasperated shrug and huffed, “You don’t need to listen to my dad. He’s just a magical middle-aged man. Everyone in Tongzhou knows the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor has the strength to eat a whole ox. Whenever a child is disobedient, parents can just use my dad’s name to scare them. It works every time. If they’re still naughty, they’re told to wait for my dad to come to their house and catch them.”

Her smile was bright, and her words were sharp and sarcastic, which made Zhuyun cover her mouth and giggle.

Zhuyun quipped, “You two are truly a family.”

You’re so harsh, you’ll strip all the bamboo shoots off the mountain.

Tang Yihuan blinked uncomfortably, sneaking a glance at Zhuyun’s smiling face. This person was also a master of changing faces. Not long ago, she was crying and saying she had been deceived, and her words made Tang Yihuan feel a little guilty. She had planned to buy her some new headpieces and jewelry to cheer her up, but she was won over by her own father’s plate of pastries. A young girl is a young girl. She hadn’t seen the dangers outside, which was why she could see her father as an honest man.

The Marquis let out a boisterous laugh, scaring away a flock of sparrows perched on a tree branch outside. Zhuyun was astonished. The Marquis’s voice was so loud, it was a waste that he didn’t train in opera.

The Marquis truly cared for Zhuyun. He said with a cheerful smile, “Just call me Uncle from now on. Why call me Marquis? It’s too distant. Little Yi will be your older sister from now on. If anyone bullies you, find her. My daughter, she’s not one to be taken advantage of.”

Tang Yihuan raised her delicate eyebrows and complained with a forced smile, “Are you my real father? Everyone outside says I’m a noble lady, the poised and gentle first talented woman of Tongzhou. How is it that when it comes from your mouth, I sound like some unreasonable villain?”

The Marquis awkwardly took a sip of water to calm himself. Tang Yihuan’s fierce glare made him a little nervous. He’d had enough of his daughter’s tricks. To have a comfortable life in the future, it was best to provoke her as little as possible. He didn’t want to eat pig slop for another month.

“Zhuyun, my daughter is a wonderful girl, gentle and considerate. Once you get to know your sister Yihuan, you might not be able to do without her,” the Marquis said, wiping his mouth with a lack of ceremony. Then he stood up abruptly, a man of immense height. Zhuyun had to crane her neck to look up at him. He said kindly, “You two girls have fun chatting. I’m going back to the camp to continue training my soldiers! Zhuyun, don’t be shy. Treat this place like your own home.”

He became a hands-off manager. Now that he had met Zhuyun, the Marquis felt his job was done. It was better to leave the delicate young lady to his daughter, Tang Yihuan, to entertain.

He was like a hurricane, quickly disappearing. The sound of horse hooves outside confirmed that the Marquis had left. Zhuyun calmly took a sip of tea, her eyes drooping, looking a bit listless.

“Ahem.”

“Hmph.”

Tang Yihuan smiled helplessly. She frowned and sat down next to Zhuyun, not looking at her directly, but said, “Got a big temper, are you still angry?”

Zhuyun offered a serene smile and cooed softly, “How could I be angry? Sister Yihuan just didn’t mention her surname. It’s not a big deal. It just makes me look like a little fool.”

There were many prominent families in Tongzhou. While some liked Tang Yihuan, others were annoyed by her, thinking she was just putting on an act to get a reputation as a talented woman, all in an effort to marry into a prominent family in the capital. So, every time Tang Yihuan attended an event, she always had a battle of wits with others. Her father was a military officer skilled in warfare, and his daughter was a skilled warrior too, just in verbal battles.

She had seen too much pretense. On the surface, people would praise you as a rare beauty, but you could never know what they were cursing you with in their hearts. Don’t be fooled by the high-society’s elegant manners; behind closed doors, they could be worse than country folk.

Tang Yihuan was on the receiving end of this veiled sarcasm, but she wasn’t in a hurry. She just found Zhuyun’s feigned smile and sharp tongue very amusing.

Tang Yihuan had never forgotten the scene she saw under the umbrella. Zhuyun was profound, using her incense to catch the phoenix butterfly, a gesture full of a unique charm, as if she were a hermit from beyond the mortal world. At that moment, Tang Yihuan had thought Zhuyun was a formidable woman, giving her a sense of being unapproachable.

However, Zhuyun’s current behavior made Tang Yihuan overturn her previous judgments.

What was there to be conflicted about? No matter how powerful she was, wasn’t she still just a little girl?

Tang Yihuan propped her chin up and asked with a smile, “So, what can I do to make you forgive me?”

Zhuyun tilted her head. “Are you really willing?”

“Mmm.”

Zhuyun gave a delicate cough and said without a hint of politeness, “Then I’d like to trouble Yihuan to help me find some good deeds to do.”

Tang Yihuan frowned, then quickly relaxed. “You mean merits?”

“Yes, exactly!”

Tang Yihuan’s smile was restrained, her eyes teasing, as if mocking Zhuyun.

“What’s with that look? You’re so strange.”

“When you were being sarcastic, you didn’t forget to call me ‘sister’ to annoy me, but now that you need a favor, you just call me ‘Yihuan’,” Tang Yihuan had a bit of pent-up frustration, feeling as if Zhuyun had played with her emotions. She pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve, crumpled it, and lightly tossed it at Zhuyun’s head. The startled long-tailed phoenix butterfly flew up, passed through the falling handkerchief, and landed on Zhuyun’s nose, a scene that captivated Tang Yihuan, who was mesmerized by the beautiful image of the woman and the butterfly.

“Oh, you have to be good and not fly away. The big one isn’t good, and the small one isn’t good either,” Zhuyun chattered, never forgetting to use her eyes to look at Tang Yihuan, afraid she wouldn’t understand. Her eyes clearly indicated that Tang Yihuan was the “bad” adult.

She took down the handkerchief and sent the butterfly back. Tang Yihuan asked worriedly, “Did I scare it?”

“This is a treasure from our Xuanmen sect. It’s very powerful. How could your little handkerchief scare it?” Zhuyun said, lifting her chin proudly.

Tang Yihuan’s lips curved into a smile. “I’ll help you with what you just said.”

“Yuxuan,” Tang Yihuan called out. The door opened, and a beautiful maid walked in, bowing her head in silence.

“This is my head maid. I feel more at ease with her taking care of you. Another day, I’ll have the housekeeper bring some new people for you to choose from to be your own maids.”

Zhuyun nodded. She was already very satisfied with Tang Yihuan’s promise. Nothing else mattered.

At this, Tang Yihuan stood up. She told Zhuyun, “Let’s go. I’ll show you the courtyard where you’ll be staying. If there’s anything you don’t like, be sure to tell me.”

The Marquis’s residence was quiet. The Marquis didn’t have a large female quarters, and the huge mansion was managed by Tang Yihuan, so there weren’t many maids or servants. As Zhuyun followed her, she had already memorized the route. When she saw the well-prepared and beautiful courtyard, Zhuyun gave Tang Yihuan a bright smile and said, “I like it very much. Thank you for taking the trouble.”

The fact that the courtyard had been prepared before she even arrived showed that she was truly welcome.

This kind of thoughtful detail revealed her character and strengthened Zhuyun’s resolve to save Tang Yihuan.

Sincerity in exchange for sincerity—that was true fairness.

Tang Yihuan quickly lowered her eyelashes. The way that frail-looking Zhuyun smiled was surprisingly captivating. Her bright eyes were charming and quite delightful.

“I’ll come tomorrow to take your measurements for some clothes and buy some jewelry. You can rest today. Yuxuan will arrange your dinner,” Tang Yihuan said lightly, controlling her inner emotions, which made her expression a little more serious.

Seeing her about to leave, Zhuyun raised an eyebrow and stood in front of her.

Zhuyun tugged on Tang Yihuan’s sleeve and whispered in her ear, “Don’t forget about your maid Lingxi!”

Tang Yihuan’s eyes curved into a smile, no longer trying to control her emotions.

See? This girl was also considerate. She was worried about her safety.

Tang Yihuan softened her voice and agreed.

Zhuyun, knowing that Tang Yihuan had taken her words to heart, let go of her sleeve and turned to walk into the courtyard without lingering. Occasionally, her surprised exclamations could be heard, as if something had amazed her.

Tang Yihuan’s smile deepened. She was so excitable, but lively.

The autumn breeze was cool today, bringing with it the scent of osmanthus. A carriage stopped in front of the Prefect’s residence, which was planted with sweet osmanthus trees. The gatekeeper immediately opened the door upon seeing the Marquis’s carriage. He remembered the Second Young Lady’s instructions that Tang Yihuan would be coming today, so he dared not neglect her. He bowed and scurried to the side of the carriage, saying some auspicious words. The maid Yuxuan got out first, lifting the curtain to reveal a beautiful, delicate face. Tang Yihuan gracefully stepped down with Zhuyun’s hand in hers, shocking the gatekeeper, who rubbed his eyes.

Who was this unfamiliar, precious-looking girl, to be so attended to by Miss Tang?

Zhuyun followed Tang Yihuan closely, her eyes cast down. Her occasional coughs signaled that she was frail.

When Zhao Qingshu saw Tang Yihuan, she smiled and moved close to her, asking urgently, “Yihuan, can you really help me find Doudou?”

She was the Prefect’s daughter, and her beloved pet was a Shih Tzu. Anyone who knew Zhao Qingshu knew she doted on that dog, but half a month ago, it had suddenly disappeared. The maid who was supposed to be watching it had nearly cried her eyes out, and Zhao Qingshu was heartbroken. So, when she received Tang Yihuan’s invitation, she couldn’t wait to go see her.

Tang Yihuan said calmly, “I couldn’t guarantee it before, but now I’ve met a new friend. She’ll definitely be able to help you.” She gently nudged Zhuyun, drawing Zhao Qingshu’s attention to her.

Zhao Qingshu first frowned, but then remembering Tang Yihuan’s reliable nature, she knew she wouldn’t be joking about something as important as Doudou. So, could this frail-looking girl in front of her really find Doudou?

She asked patiently, “Who is this young lady…?”

“The apprentice of the person who saved my father’s life.”

Tang Yihuan was very grateful that Zhuyun’s master had once saved her father, so when she heard Zhuyun was coming to stay, she immediately had the best courtyard prepared. She had waited for a few days, and when Zhuyun still hadn’t arrived, she accepted the invitations from her close friends she had been turning down. It was on that day that she saw Zhuyun taking shelter from the rain.

Tang Yihuan suddenly pursed her lips and smiled. What “taking shelter”? That heavy rain couldn’t faze Zhuyun in the slightest. Her abilities were great.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qingshu’s eyes filled with hope. Someone who could save the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor was no fraud. She must be able to save Doudou.

Zhuyun said in a gentle voice, “Miss Zhao, I know a little about mystical arts. I might be able to help with Doudou.”

Zhao Qingshu was overjoyed and stepped forward, grabbing Zhuyun’s hand gratefully. “Really? Can Doudou really be found?”

The two hands clasped together looked a bit jarring to Tang Yihuan. Zhuyun was delicate, and she was worried Zhao Qingshu might squeeze her hand too hard.

She found a way to use Zhao Qingshu and get her to release Zhuyun’s hand. She said, “Find a few of Doudou’s old clothes. We’ll use an item to find the missing thing.”

Tang Yihuan then turned to Zhuyun and asked, “Is that the right way to do it?”

Zhuyun blinked. She really wanted to say that it wasn’t necessary to go to so much trouble, as her “Number 857” had already located Doudou.

But Zhuyun didn’t argue. She nodded and said in a thin voice, “That’s right.”

Zhao Qingshu excitedly urged her maid to find Doudou’s clothes, her mind so focused on Doudou that she didn’t remember that she had just held Zhuyun’s hand.

Zhuyun looked at the dog-loving Zhao Qingshu and smiled gently. It seemed this was a very sincere pet owner.

“What are you smiling at?”

Tang Yihuan turned sideways. Zhuyun looked at her eagerly. “It’s nothing. I just think Doudou will be very happy to know its owner is so worried about it.”

Tang Yihuan’s red lips curled up. “I thought you were mesmerized by Zhao Qingshu. After all…”

“After all, what?”

Tang Yihuan continued, “After all, she is a famous beauty in Tongzhou.”

Zhuyun covered her mouth to hide her smile. “I’m not a pervert. I wasn’t staring at her.”

Tang Yihuan smiled faintly, her teasing eyes seemed to refute Zhuyun’s explanation. Why else would she have been staring so intently at Zhao Qingshu? At the same time, Tang Yihuan felt a little annoyed. She had never looked at her that way.

Thinking of this, Tang Yihuan’s smile faded.

She had given her good food and drink, but she still didn’t like her as much as she liked Zhao Qingshu. Sigh, I feel wronged, but I won’t say it.

“Young Lady, these are Doudou’s two favorite clothes. What… what do I need to do next?”

Zhuyun turned to the side and covered her lips with a handkerchief, coughing. “You don’t need to do anything else. Just come with us in the carriage. I’ll take you to find Doudou.”

Zhao Qingshu asked tentatively, “Don’t you need to set up a formation or perform a ritual?”

Zhuyun’s lips twitched, and she held back a laugh. “The mystical arts don’t require that.”

Are you kidding? I have the cheat code of Number 857. I’d be a fool not to use it. Why else would it hide so many things from me? Don’t think you can get away with it just because I don’t ask. Hmph, we’ll see!

Tang Yihuan watched her with concern. Seeing that this time there were no bloodstains on the handkerchief, she finally relaxed. Heaven knows how scared she was the first time she saw the blood-stained handkerchief. If Zhuyun hadn’t stopped her, Tang Yihuan would have already called for a royal physician.

“Alright, alright, I’ll follow you to find Doudou.”

Zhao Qingshu only brought her personal maid with her. The carriage was spacious, filled with dried fruits and pastries, but Zhao Qingshu had no appetite, her mind entirely focused on her beloved dog, Doudou.

The constant coughing on the road made Zhuyun feel annoyed as well. Zhao Qingshu was already irritable and found the sound of coughing even more annoying. She frowned and leaned on her maid’s shoulder in silence. Tang Yihuan poured Zhuyun several cups of pear juice to soothe her throat, her concern obvious in her eyes. Zhuyun said in a hoarse voice, “It’s nothing. I’ll be fine in a moment.”

Tang Yihuan saw her coughing until the corners of her eyes were red and her frail body trembled. Tang Yihuan pressed her lips together and said in a low voice, “If you’re not feeling well, be sure to tell me.”

“I know.”

Zhuyun didn’t forget to give her a bright smile, but this display of feigned strength only made Tang Yihuan’s heart ache more.

Sigh, seeing her cough so painfully, I really want to suffer this for her. At least my body is healthy, and even if I get sick, it wouldn’t be this bad.

Everyone has sympathy, but Tang Yihuan’s sympathy for Zhuyun was mixed with a touch of tender affection. She knew about Zhuyun’s mysterious abilities, but despite that, she was still sickly and frail. This feeling of being given hope and then disappointment was a form of torture. How could Tang Yihuan not feel for her?

“Stop.”

Zhao Qingshu immediately lifted the curtain. They were at the entrance of an alley. The alley ahead was too narrow for the carriage to enter. After learning this from Number 857, Zhuyun had told the driver to stop.

She asked, “Is it here, miss?”

Zhuyun’s throat felt raw, so she didn’t speak. She just nodded and, with Tang Yihuan’s help, got out of the carriage.

Zhuyun pointed to a house. Zhao Qingshu gripped her handkerchief tightly. She and Tang Yihuan exchanged glances, and the group approached the door. The maid knocked on the door at a signal from Zhao Qingshu.

The commotion outside naturally alerted the dog inside. It barked a few times, and Zhao Qingshu’s eyes welled up with tears. That voice was definitely Doudou’s! It couldn’t be anyone else!

“Who is it?” The woman’s voice was coquettish and sweet, which sounded a bit indecent. When she opened the door, Zhao Qingshu recognized her and was instantly furious, regretting that she hadn’t brought a few bodyguards.

Tang Yihuan grabbed Zhuyun, who was about to go in, and led her to the side. Tang Yihuan said, “Yuxuan, go help Qingshu.”

Yuxuan entered and very thoughtfully latched the door behind her. Zhuyun wagged Tang Yihuan’s sleeve, her eyes full of gossip. She now understood what was happening. They had found the dog, but they had also stumbled upon the Prefect’s scandalous secret!

Tang Yihuan covered her mouth with her hand and whispered, “The Prefect’s mistress.”

Zhuyun’s eyes widened. So the mistress stole Zhao Qingshu’s dog?!

Zhuyun gave her a thumbs-up. The high society really knew how to play! A mistress stealing a dog was truly explosive news.

Tang Yihuan pulled out some dried fruits from her purse and ground her teeth. “That thing with Lingxi has a solution.”

Zhuyun’s eyes were sharp. Tang Yihuan scoffed, “The other day, I went out to see my close friend Li Huimei. We’ve known each other since we were children. I never expected she would be the one to harm me. Lingxi spraining her foot wasn’t an accident. I often go to her house, and her servants have no qualms about the people from the Marquis’s residence. I just asked a servant casually and found out the truth. I wondered why she would suddenly act against me. It was all because of a man. How ridiculous.”

“Don’t be angry. I’ll give you a good thing. You can get revenge with this.”

Zhuyun was always protective. When she heard Li Huimei was a fake friend, she reached into her crossbody bag. It was embroidered with a few butterflies and had tassels hanging from the edges, looking like a treasure pouch. Every time Zhuyun could pull out good things from it.

“Find an opportunity to give her some of this. In a few days, she’ll become incredibly smelly.”

Zhuyun handed a small porcelain bottle to Tang Yihuan, winking. “I wouldn’t give this to just anyone.”

She had bought it for thirty points and thought she’d never get a chance to use it.

The items in the system’s store would refresh. Zhuyun often browsed the store and always found cheap and strange things. When she read the detailed description, ‘Heh, Fairy Yun Yao.’ This was an old acquaintance. Zhuyun had seen this name among the items stored in the system space before, and she was very curious about who Yun Yao was.

Tang Yihuan gazed at Zhuyun, her deep eyes making Zhuyun ask tentatively, “You don’t think I’m too malicious, do you?”

No way, Tang Yihuan. Don’t disappoint me.

Tang Yihuan chuckled softly. “Of course not. This is your way of protecting me.”

“Hmph, that’s more like it. By the way, you said it was related to a man. Who is it?”

Tang Yihuan’s eyes hardened, and she lowered her voice. “The current King of Yan.”

Without a word, Zhuyun pulled out three or four more porcelain bottles. She said earnestly, “I’ll give you all these poisons as well.”

“And this is a lucky charm. I wish you every success.”

I’ll have to see which is more powerful: the poison or his dragon’s energy!

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