I Have the Aura of a Supporting Character in Yuri Novels - Chapter 81

On the evening of what seemed to be a normal day, the sun had set, and a smattering of stars dotted the night sky. They accompanied Zhu Yun on her walk home, where the moonlight stretched her shadow long and thin.

She twisted the doorknob and stepped inside, her eyes immediately finding the little bundle of flesh asleep on the sofa. A thin blanket was draped over her, and several clematis vines rested near the couch. Their blossoms seemed to glow even more beautifully under the lamplight, as if they were part of a fantastical dreamscape. The scene was breathtaking.

Zhu Yun quietly draped her trench coat over her arm, her eyes filled with a gentle smile as she gazed at the peacefully sleeping Tang Ruorui.

She knelt down, her gaze fixed on the little one. Earlier that afternoon, Zhu Yun had indulged her curiosity by watching some of Tang Ruorui’s old videos to learn about her past.

The woman on the screen was stunning, and even in minor roles, she had a powerful presence. Her acting and beauty complemented each other perfectly, which helped Tang Ruorui, a small-time celebrity without a powerful company backing her, gain a loyal fan base.

Having seen the adult Tang Ruorui so many times, Zhu Yun couldn’t help but feel a secret delight looking at her now, sleeping so soundly. It was as if she was proud that she was the only one who got to see this completely different side of Tang Ruorui. How could she not be proud?

Zhu Yun tucked the blanket in around her and glanced at her wristwatch. They had planned to go grocery shopping, but Tang Ruorui was sleeping so soundly. What should she do?

She decided that for Tang Ruorui’s sake, she had to harden her heart and wake her up. After all, Tang Ruorui had probably been looking forward to this outing for a long time.

“Rui Rui, wake up. Didn’t we say we were going to the supermarket?”

Zhu Yun gently stroked Tang Ruorui’s hair, her gaze drifting to the clematis on the floor that looked like fake flowers. She couldn’t help but smile. If she hadn’t seen them moving on the security camera, she probably would have been fooled.

Zhu Yun realized that Tang Ruorui’s peaceful afternoon was all thanks to the clematis. They had acted like babysitters, heating up food and entertaining the child. Zhu Yun almost felt like she should pay them.

“Piggy, you’re back?” Tang Ruorui emerged from under the blanket, her face rosy from sleep. Her small, chubby lips curved into a huge smile when she saw Zhu Yun.

She wiggled her arms and legs, crawling and rolling into Zhu Yun’s embrace. Tang Ruorui was so happy to see her that she gesticulated wildly, telling Zhu Yun all about the dream she had just had.

Zhu Yun held her close, glad she had taken off her coat earlier so that Tang Ruorui had a soft sweater to nuzzle against.

“Okay, okay. Let’s comb your hair and go to the supermarket.”

“Yay, yay! I want to drink yogurt. Piggy, you don’t have any at your house.”

“What do you mean I don’t have any yogurt at my house?”

Tang Ruorui pouted, her expression full of disdain. “Piggy doesn’t have mango-flavored yogurt. I saw an ad today, and the yogurt looked so good. When you drink it, you can see lots of mangoes flying in the sky. I want to try it.”

Zhu Yun was speechless at her innocent words and quickly explained, “That was just a commercial. It’s not real.”

“Huh?! You modern people are so good at tricking kids!”

Zhu Yun was confused. “What do you mean, ‘you modern people’?” she asked.

Tang Ruorui looked at her sympathetically and patted her cheeks with both hands. “Piggy is so silly. The last time I opened my eyes, I was in the Great Zhou Dynasty.”

“The Great Zhou Dynasty? What’s that? Wait! Are you saying the last time you were awake, you were in ancient times?”

Zhu Yun was flustered. She had thought she had the upper hand because she was a mature woman of almost thirty. But now, it seemed like Tang Ruorui had the advantage. This wasn’t just some non-human infant; she was a woman no, a flower spirit who had lived for hundreds of years!

“So, do you know how old you are now?”

Tang Ruorui counted on her fingers, her confident expression slowly crumbling. She wailed and hugged Zhu Yun’s neck. “Waaah, I can’t count! My fingers and toes aren’t enough!”

Zhu Yun couldn’t help but laugh. She bounced the little one in her arms. Who cared if she was a hundred years old? Right now, she was just a little kid.

“Then Rui Rui won’t count. Let’s go! We’re off to the supermarket!”

Zhu Yun carefully stepped over the clematis on the floor, afraid of stepping on their leaves. The vines were surprised by her considerate behavior. After Zhu Yun closed the door behind her, Clematis Six said, “What’s the deal with this woman? After she found out Rui Rui isn’t normal, she didn’t get scared. She accepted it really quickly. And when she saw us, she didn’t look shocked or disgusted. It’s like she really thinks we’re just normal clematis, not spirits!”

Clematis Eight said, “Maybe she’s from a special department? Don’t forget she can fly! And she lives so close. If I’m not mistaken, she moved in recently, right? Maybe she’s from a special department and was sent to watch over Rui Rui.”

“But she’s a lawyer. She shouldn’t be from a special department.”

Eight retorted, “Rui Rui is a celebrity.”

Six was speechless. It drooped its petals and crawled back to the balcony, deciding it wasn’t going to talk to Eight anymore today!

The supermarket was a dazzling maze of people and products, and Tang Ruorui’s eyes widened in wonder. Her mouth didn’t close for a moment.

“Rui Rui, do you want to ride in the shopping cart?”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

She saw a shopping cart being pushed toward them with a cute, clean-cut little boy sitting inside. She studied his posture carefully, making the boy blush.

When his mother started pushing the cart away, the boy anxiously said, “Mom, Mom, wait a minute.”

His mother thought he had spotted another toy and ignored him, pushing the cart even faster. The cart was in her control, and the boy’s words were useless. If he said, “don’t go,” she would do the opposite.

The boy couldn’t persuade his mother and had to turn his head to keep looking at Tang Ruorui. He gave up only when he couldn’t twist his neck any further.

Zhu Yun patted her on the bottom, a playful smile on her face. “What were you looking at?”

“I was learning how to sit in the shopping cart.”

Tang Ruorui finally got her wish and sat in the shopping cart, happily swinging her short legs. She was well-behaved, her round eyes looking all around, seemingly interested in everything in the supermarket.

“Wow, is this your daughter? She’s so beautiful and cute.” A young woman couldn’t help but chat with Zhu Yun, and her enthusiasm made Tang Ruorui smugly wiggle her toes.

Zhu Yun stroked Tang Ruorui’s hair. Before she could speak, Tang Ruorui nodded and said, “Yes, I’m Piggy’s daughter.”

Zhu Yun was caught off guard. Okay, okay. From this moment on, she, a normal, twenty-nine-year-old human woman, was officially the mother of a possibly centuries-old non-human flower spirit daughter. Thinking about it, it sounded pretty cool.

She maintained a perfect smile and walked past the woman. After they moved to another aisle, Zhu Yun pinched Tang Ruorui’s cheek and whispered, “I’m Rui Rui’s mother?”

Tang Ruorui looked at her innocently. “Doesn’t Piggy want a beautiful daughter like me?”

Zhu Yun and Tang Ruorui stared at each other for a moment. Then, Zhu Yun lowered her head and burst out laughing over the shopping cart.

“Tang Ruorui,” she said between laughs, “I really look forward to the expression on your face later.”

Once a mom, always a mom. Tang Ruorui, this is a hole you dug for yourself.

“What are you laughing at, Piggy!” Tang Ruorui tugged on her sleeve, protesting unhappily.

Zhu Yun was growing to love this little one more and more. Not many people could make her laugh like this.

She affectionately rubbed Tang Ruorui’s perfectly soft cheek, her eyes crinkling with a smile. “I’m laughing because Rui Rui is so cute.”

Tang Ruorui blushed and pushed Zhu Yun away, looking serious. “Don’t do that in public.”

“I won’t! I won’t! I won’t!” Zhu Yun had a rebellious streak. Seeing Tang Ruorui act like a little adult, she just had to play along.

“You’re so annoying.”

Tang Ruorui puffed up like a pufferfish, but her eyes, as she looked at Zhu Yun, were bright and sparkling, as if they held the most beautiful stars in the world.

“Rui Rui, do you want to call me ‘Mom’ again?” Zhu Yun held up the mango yogurt Tang Ruorui wanted, tempting her. The smart lawyer from her office was nowhere to be seen. Now, she was just the Big Bad Wolf trying to trick Little Red Riding Hood.

Tang Ruorui put her hands on her hips, looking cocky. “Even if I don’t call you that, you’ll still buy it for me.”

Zhu Yun raised an eyebrow. “Such a small child, and you’ve already learned how to manipulate people?”

Tang Ruorui bared her teeth. Zhu Yun let out a huff, took the yogurt, and put it in the cart, saying, “I’m buying this for myself. Not for Rui Rui to drink.”

“What! How can you be like that!”

Zhu Yun’s simple words broke Tang Ruorui. Zhu Yun hummed happily.

“Little Zhu, are you even human, tormenting a child like this?”

“Blah, blah, blah,” Zhu Yun thought.

Zhu Yun realized she was becoming a little childish. Was Tang Ruorui’s influence rubbing off on her?

Maybe a sudden surge of conscience, Zhu Yun went back and bought a few more cartons of mango yogurt, comforting the pouting Tang Ruorui. “These are all for Rui Rui. I only get to drink one.”

Tang Ruorui stared at Zhu Yun, surprised by her change of heart. After she realized Zhu Yun wasn’t joking, she nervously picked at her fingers and said, “That’s not true. Piggy can have lots and lots of cups. I… I’ll save some for Piggy. I won’t secretly drink them all. Piggy is so good to me; how could I only let you have one cup?”

She said it very quietly, probably out of shyness.

Zhu Yun’s eyes filled with a gentle warmth, and her smile was utterly captivating. She stroked Tang Ruorui’s hair and said softly, “Rui Rui, you’re so sweet to me.”

“Of course I am!”

Zhu Yun’s heart was filled with warmth, and she grandly waved her hand. “Whatever Rui Rui wants today, I’ll pay for it!”

“Really!”

“Absolutely.”

Tang Ruorui clapped her hands and cheered. “Then Piggy, will you buy me this supermarket? Please?”

“… Huh?”

Zhu Yun wanted to cry. What could she do about the promise she just made?

She said with determination, “Don’t worry, Rui Rui. I’ll work hard and try to get rich early.”

“I’ll wait for you, Piggy.” Tang Ruorui gave her a brilliant smile, clearly taking Zhu Yun’s words to heart.

Zhu Yun chuckled nervously, feeling the weight on her shoulders grow heavier. Now, in addition to her mortgage and car loan, she had to consider a supermarket loan.

With this little incident, Zhu Yun dared not make any more promises. Today, it’s a supermarket. Who knows, maybe tomorrow it’ll be my life. It was better to buy some small things kids liked to keep her happy.

The shopping spree ended with the supermarket staff helping load their purchases into the car trunk. While Zhu Yun was putting things away, Tang Ruorui sat in the passenger seat eating a cheese stick. Everything was peaceful and harmonious.

But on their way home, Zhu Yun encountered a crisis.

The night sky was as black as an overturned ink bottle. The stars that had been there earlier were gone, as if the car and its occupants had entered another world—a world completely different from Zhu Yun’s.

It was the same street, the same cars, but Zhu Yun had already passed this intersection three times.

Her face was serious, but she was calm.

Tang Ruorui was busy with her second cheese stick, completely oblivious to the strange danger that was now upon them.

Zhu Yun looked ahead, vigilantly observing her surroundings. She didn’t show any surprise at their predicament. She had already met system 857 and had indirectly saved Tang Ruorui. She had seen so many strange things that her ability to cope was far beyond that of a normal person. Zhu Yun’s hands were no longer on the steering wheel; she was ready to pull out a talisman at any moment to protect herself.

Just then, a thunderous crash came from the sky. A fox, its body glowing with fiery red light, descended from above. It landed with a “bang” on the hood of Zhu Yun’s car, leaving a deep dent.

The car shook violently from the impact. Zhu Yun, acting quickly, grabbed Tang Ruorui, opened the car door, and rushed out. Staying in the car would have meant certain death under the fox’s foot.

Zhu Yun gritted her teeth, holding Tang Ruorui tighter as she looked at the ball of flame that seemed to be able to burn everything to ashes.

The fox looked down arrogantly, lazily flicking its long tail. Its narrow eyes stared calmly at Zhu Yun. It showed no emotion about Zhu Yun’s escape, treating her like a struggling ant that wasn’t worth its attention.

It spoke in a human voice. “Human, put down the Udumbara flower in your arms, and I will spare your life.”

Only then did Zhu Yun realize that Tang Ruorui was an Udumbara flower. Would she believe the fox? Of course not. Its aggressive attitude and the fact that it had smashed her car the moment it appeared showed no signs of goodwill. If Zhu Yun believed the fox, she would be a fool.

Tang Ruorui looked up from Zhu Yun’s embrace, her delicate face filled with disgust. She pursed her lips and whispered in Zhu Yun’s ear, “Piggy, put me down. My Udumbara clan and this stinky fox have a blood feud. It won’t let me go. You can’t be dragged into this because of me.”

Zhu Yun wasn’t trying to be a hero, but after hearing Tang Ruorui’s words, there was no way she would back down.

She smiled, bouncing Tang Ruorui in her arms, and whispered, “With that smug look on its face, it would be weird if it let me go. In its eyes, a human like me is probably not worth anything. Do you really think it won’t kill me the second it gets you?”

Tang Ruorui’s eyes widened. Thinking of the stinky fox’s cunning and ruthlessness, Zhu Yun’s assumption was highly likely.

Tang Ruorui’s eyes turned red. She hugged Zhu Yun tightly and said, “Piggy, I won’t let the stinky fox hurt you!”

The red fox laughed loudly, looking at her with pity. “Your Udumbara clan should be used by my fox clan. Since heaven made you a medicinal ingredient for our clan to achieve human form, why resist? If you had listened to our clan leader back then, there wouldn’t be so few of you left. But it doesn’t matter. Our fox clan will take good care of your clan now.”

All living things have spirits, and becoming human is their final stage of cultivation.

But the Udumbara flowers were special. Their path to human form was much faster than other species. However, every advantage comes with a drawback. The Udumbara flowers that easily attained human form would return to their infant stage during their blooming period and then had to endure a lightning tribulation. Only after that were they considered to have successfully passed their blooming period. Many Udumbara flowers died in the lightning tribulation, but those who survived each one would see a massive increase in their cultivation. This was extremely precious in a modern world where spiritual energy was scarce. So, even though the lightning tribulation was terrifying, the Udumbara flowers would do their best to endure it, waiting for the moment they became stronger.

A blooming flower would eventually wither, but a blooming Udumbara flower would only return to its infancy. This was the natural law of their species.

Zhu Yun listened to the red fox’s arrogant words, utterly disgusted. To romanticize the act of harming another species to this extent this red fox was truly shameless.

The red fox’s gaze lingered on Zhu Yun, and it let out a contemptuous snort, as if sneering at Zhu Yun’s fearlessness. It didn’t care that Zhu Yun and Tang Ruorui had seen through its true nature. Why waste words on two people who were about to die?

Tang Ruorui was an Udumbara flower that the fox clan had been watching for a long time. She wasn’t getting away!

The fox’s four paws hovered in the air, a trail of flames beneath them. As it moved, its long tail swayed, and Zhu Yun saw its two wagging tails stretch out infinitely.

The fox hadn’t even gotten close yet, but Zhu Yun could already feel a scorching heat coming toward her.

Her body’s self-preservation instinct made Zhu Yun close her eyes. As a result, she didn’t see the fireball flying toward her head. It was unstoppable, impossible to resist.

In a flash, Tang Ruorui pushed Zhu Yun away. An Udumbara flower appeared in the air and caught Zhu Yun. The familiar scent of the flower made Zhu Yun open her eyes. She was resting on something soft, but before she could inspect the flower, her attention was completely drawn to the scene in front of her.

Zhu Yun shouted, “Be careful!”

Several fist-sized fireballs flew toward Tang Ruorui, merging into a single massive fireball that engulfed her. The raging flames made the red fox look very pleased.

It laughed uproariously, looking up at the sky. “My fox clan never does anything in vain, Tang Ruorui. Don’t even dream that someone from a special department will come to save you. My people have already lured those guys away. Today, I will surely capture you!”

The fox had waited so long for Tang Ruorui’s blooming period. Its young master had used a forbidden medicine and wouldn’t last long, so it had to quickly turn Tang Ruorui into a pill. But before she died, it had to find out where her clan members were hiding. Only by finding the Udumbara clan could the fox clan surpass the wolf clan and become the strongest!

Zhu Yun’s eyes turned fierce. She didn’t hesitate to pull out a flight talisman and a sky thunder talisman. A bolt of lightning as thick as a man’s wrist shot toward the red fox. Zhu Yun’s hair was tossed by the fierce wind the force of the red fox’s struggle against the sky thunder talisman’s attack.

Lightning had an innate suppression against the red fox. At the sight of it, the fox’s legs trembled, reminding it of a terrifying lightning tribulation.

The red fox no longer dared to underestimate Zhu Yun. It retreated in horror. “How is that possible? You’re just a normal human!”

It had chosen to make its move today for two reasons: one, it could no longer suppress its covetousness for Tang Ruorui; and two, its clan members had already investigated Zhu Yun’s identity. She was just a human lawyer. It didn’t matter if a human like her died it was just her bad luck.

In truth, the red fox harbored a sense of jealousy toward Zhu Yun. It envied her for being human, for not having to live in fear of the lightning tribulation. It also resented the unfairness of the heavens. Why don’t humans have to go through a lightning tribulation, but we do? So, after finding out Zhu Yun was human, it volunteered to capture Tang Ruorui and kill Zhu Yun along the way.

Zhu Yun wiped the blood from her lips, not bothering to waste words on the red fox. She had to strike while the sky thunder talisman was still active and quickly take care of the red fox.

Yes, yes! Just like that! Little Zhu, you’re a fast learner!

Thanks to 857’s guidance from the sidelines, Zhu Yun was able to use the talismans so effectively.

Zhu Yun didn’t think about anything else. Her mind was focused on getting rid of the red fox. In her concentration, she didn’t question why she was so skilled at using talismans, as if she had been born with the ability.

She rode the wind, powerfully throwing out a thick bolt of lightning. But the red fox wasn’t a sitting duck. Its body instantly grew to a gigantic size and it stomped on Zhu Yun’s car. Zhu Yun’s expression tensed. Gritting her teeth, she yelled, “You son of a bitch! You son of a bitch! My car loan isn’t even paid off yet, and you smashed it! You stinky fox, why don’t you go die!”

The red fox let out a long roar, and a foul, musky scent came from its mouth. The strong wind Zhu Yun had experienced before was nothing compared to this tornado.

Zhu Yun was hit by the red fox in mid-air and fell like a broken kite.

Blood once again flowed from Zhu Yun’s lips. Her entire body ached as if she had been run over by a car, making her forehead furrow in pain.

Just then, a figure flew past her. A white dress billowed like flower petals, and long, black hair brushed against Zhu Yun’s cheek. She stared blankly at the woman who caught her, letting out a sigh of relief. “I knew you’d show up.”

The blood from her lips stained Tang Ruorui’s clean, white collar, piercing her eyes.

“You stinky fox, today I will skin you alive!”

Support