I Have the Aura of a Supporting Character in Yuri Novels - Chapter 83

It was impossible to get her to call her “Mom” again. Whether the young Tang Ruorui had a telepathic connection with her adult self was anyone’s guess, but for the past few days, no matter what tricks Zhuyun tried, she couldn’t get Tang Ruorui’s small mouth to open. She wasn’t giving up on getting Tang Ruorui to call her “Mom,” but unfortunately, every attempt was a failure.

“Please! Just call me Mom!”

“Ruirui, come and learn from me, Mom~”

“Mom!”

Zhuyun was persistent. There were some things she didn’t care much about, but when they didn’t go her way, she became stubborn, determined to see it through no matter what. She was the kind of person who wouldn’t turn back even after hitting a wall.

Sitting on the sofa, playing with her little feet, Tang Ruorui looked at the woman in front of her with an innocent expression. She swung her feet, a crisp giggle echoing through the room. She was like a little cannonball, launching herself into Zhuyun’s arms and tugging on her ear. “Zhu Zhu looks so silly like this, even sillier than Grandma Huang’s little white dog.”

Grandma Huang was the resident on the first floor. She had flowers and pets and would take her favorite pot of flowers and her pet out for a sunbath every afternoon. Tang Ruorui had once stumbled upon them, and if Zhuyun hadn’t physically carried her away, Tang Ruorui would have probably tried to steal Grandma Huang’s little white dog.

Zhuyun slumped onto the sofa in defeat, placing Tang Ruorui on her stomach. She played with her like a doll, waving her hands and lifting her chubby little legs. Zhuyun mumbled, “You say I’m like a little white dog, then what does that make you, the little dummy who admitted to being my daughter?”

Tang Ruorui tilted her head, answering seriously, “A little-little white dog?”

“Pfft.” Zhuyun burst out laughing, and Tang Ruorui laughed along with her. Seeing how happy Zhuyun was, Tang Ruorui affectionately hugged her neck and pressed her cheek against Zhuyun’s. “Zhu Zhu looks the prettiest when she smiles.”

Zhuyun’s nonchalant expression disappeared, a hint of teasing in her eyes. “Did Ruirui notice I was in a bad mood today?” she asked.

“As soon as Zhu Zhu came back from work, your mouth was so pouty you could tie a donkey to it. I’m so smart, of course I knew,” she said.

Zhuyun chuckled softly, covering her eyes with the back of her hand. Her voice was particularly gentle, full of doting and helplessness. “Did you learn that line from a TV show?”

“No, I heard Old Tie say it.”

“Oh?”

Zhuyun’s question made Old Six, the clematis lying on the floor, tremble its petals and quietly sneak back to the balcony to hide. Oh, how embarrassing. Talking behind her back was one thing since Zhuyun couldn’t hear, but who knew Ruirui would sell her out? Time to run, run, run.

Zhuyun noticed the movement on the balcony out of the corner of her eye and decided not to water them tomorrow. She had been serving that group of flowers like a nanny, so it seemed she had been too good to them.

Tang Ruorui’s tiny hand gently patted Zhuyun’s cheek, drawing her full attention. Their eyes met, and Zhuyun saw the concern in them, which made her smile.

“What is it, Ruirui?”

“Is Zhu Zhu sad because of work?”

Zhuyun’s eyes were complex and unreadable. She reached up and stroked Tang Ruorui’s soft, dark hair, keeping the details of her recent meeting with Ding Wenjun to herself. Zhuyun hadn’t expected Tang Ruorui, despite her young age, to be so perceptive. Being caught off guard made Zhuyun realize she had no defenses against Tang Ruorui. A child could see through her, which showed just how relaxed Zhuyun was when she was home.

She remembered the documents Ding Wenjun had brought, which explained the damage the Youtan clan would suffer if they forced their way through the period of confinement. In comparison, Tang Ruorui’s occasional transformations were the least dangerous kind of harm. A sudden transformation was much more acceptable to Zhuyun than a regression in cultivation and severe injuries.

The thought of it made Zhuyun resent the special department. If their people had guarded Tang Ruorui properly and prevented the fox clan from taking advantage of the situation, Tang Ruorui wouldn’t have had to fight against the confinement. But it was no use complaining about the special department now.

Zhuyun’s voice was gentle. “That’s right, work made me sad. I need Ruirui to call me Mom to cheer me up.”

Tang Ruorui frowned, staring intently at Zhuyun.

Zhuyun sat up halfway, coaxing Tang Ruorui. “Come on, repeat after me. Mom~”

Tang Ruorui smiled brightly and answered crisply, “Yes!”

Zhuyun’s eyes widened, but it didn’t faze Tang Ruorui. With a conflicted expression, she said, “Zhu Zhu has been so strange lately. You keep calling me Mom. Are you sick?” She then tried to reach out and touch Zhuyun’s forehead, which made Zhuyun flip over and pin her down, tickling her.

Zhuyun was furious and laughed. “You little brat, you’re so naughty!”

“Hahahaha, Zhu Zhu, let me go!”

“Not a chance.”

She couldn’t bully the big one, but she could certainly bully the little one, right?

Zhuyun didn’t feel bad about bullying a child. She tormented Tang Ruorui until tears welled up in her eyes before finally taking pity on her and letting her go.

Zhuyun smoothed her messy hair and looked at the little ball of flesh lying weakly beside her. She nonchalantly blew a strand of hair from her nose and said, “Admit defeat?”

Tang Ruorui flapped her hands and feet, huffing and puffing unhappily.

Both of them were tired from playing and there was no more conversation.

After a while, Tang Ruorui, who had been bullied by Zhuyun, crawled over like a little turtle. She moved past Zhuyun’s slender, straight legs, over her soft, flat stomach, and finally stopped at the peak of her chest. She rested her little head there comfortably, closing her eyes and sighing in contentment. “Zhu Zhu is so soft. I love it here.”

Zhuyun rolled her eyes and let out a few cold laughs. She was like this at a young age, so what would the adult Tang Ruorui be like?

She placed a hand on Tang Ruorui’s lower back, turned her over, and didn’t forget to pull the warm, thin blanket over them.

Huddled under the blanket, their warm breaths made Tang Ruorui feel safe in Zhuyun’s arms. She rubbed against her shoulder and said, “Zhu Zhu.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I only get to see you at night. I miss you so much.”

Zhuyun sighed softly and patted her back reassuringly. “I miss Ruirui, too.”

Suddenly, Tang Ruorui initiated a warm kiss. Her eyes, free of any impure thoughts, held a pristine beauty. Zhuyun smiled. “Is that Ruirui’s thank-you?”

“Yes, yes, kissing Zhu Zhu.”

“Good girl.”

The sofa was spacious, the room had a faint, elegant scent, and she had a lovely little baby in her arms. This kind of night made Zhuyun feel incredibly fulfilled. Her body, tired from a long day, seemed to be recharged.

Many people who worked hard and came home would feel that their boring day had finally come to a perfect end only when they saw a light on or had someone waiting for them at home. Zhuyun had the same feeling.

That was probably what it meant to have a place to put your emotions; it always brought a sense of peace and comfort.

The night had a hypnotic effect, making them both sleepy after their playful antics. They lay close together, intimately.

After an unknown amount of time, an unfamiliar ringtone sounded. Zhuyun instinctively covered Tang Ruorui’s ears. She half-opened her eyes and fumbled for her phone, but another phone was placed in her hand by the clematis. Zhuyun, still half-asleep, didn’t think much of it and answered the call.

“Hello, who is this?”

Rongrong, the manager, looked at the phone number and her eyelids twitched.

She hadn’t dialed the wrong number!

“I’m looking for Ruorui. You… give the phone to her.”

Zhuyun’s sleepiness vanished completely. After seeing the contact’s name, she knew she couldn’t give the phone to Tang Ruorui, so she said calmly, “She’s still sleeping. It’s not a good time for her to answer. If you have something to say, I can pass on the message.”

Rongrong grabbed her phone and walked into her office. After closing the door behind her, she got straight to the point. “Do you know how much potential Tang Ruorui has? Do you know that your existence will ruin her? If you truly care about her, I advise you to leave her immediately. Tang Ruorui has the ability to become a star, she just needs a push, and I happen to have a good script in my hands right now. This is a rare opportunity. Tang Ruorui signed with me because she had a dream of becoming a star. So, do you think she would choose her career or you? A smart person would step back. This way, Ruorui might even appreciate your kindness and remember you forever.”

It had to be said that this manager was good at making promises. On one hand, she was bragging about being able to make Tang Ruorui famous, and on the other, she was blaming Zhuyun for potentially ruining Tang Ruorui’s career. Someone who didn’t know the inside story might have thought Tang Ruorui was already a famous actress.

Zhuyun tiptoed away from the sofa. Seeing Tang Ruorui’s hands reaching for something to hold while she slept, she quickly grabbed a pillow and put it in Tang Ruorui’s hands. When she saw Tang Ruorui’s brows relax as she fell into a deep sleep, Zhuyun felt relieved and went to the balcony.

She didn’t need to close the balcony door herself; as soon as she stepped inside, Old Six, the clematis, closed the glass door behind her.

Zhuyun let out a soft laugh. Her voice was enchanting, clear, and melodious. “The person who will truly ruin Tang Ruorui isn’t me, it’s you. She’s been with you for three years. What kind of roles have you given her? Do I need to tell you in detail? A cannon fodder who gets slapped, a cannon fodder who commits suicide, a cannon fodder whose family is killed and who is then killed by the female lead… Are you sure you’d be willing to give that script you just mentioned to Tang Ruorui? Since she’s your artist, why can’t you work a little harder and fight for some good roles for her? Maybe Tang Ruorui would have already been famous, and I wouldn’t have to listen to your nonsense now.”

Rongrong was used to ordering her artists around and had long since become arrogant. She gave resources to whomever she wanted and controlled whichever artists she wanted. Forget about secret underground relationships; even long-term relationships had to be broken up. This was Rongrong’s bottom line. In her opinion, a relationship would only make artists more demanding, so it was better for them to quietly make money for her.

Therefore, Rongrong didn’t see artists as people. It was already ten o’clock at night, and she didn’t care about a person’s rest. If she wanted to make a phone call, she would. If they didn’t answer, they’d get yelled at.

But this time, she had miscalculated. She thought it was the easy-going Tang Ruorui who had answered the phone, but it was another articulate woman, which made Rongrong’s face turn a sickly green.

Rongrong cursed into the phone. “I’m Tang Ruorui’s manager. The roles she gets are up to me. Who are you to tell me what to do? If you’re so capable, tell Tang Ruorui to break her contract with me! Let’s see if she can afford the breach of contract fee!”

Zhuyun was amused. This was right up her alley!

“A lawsuit? Sure, I’m good at that. I’m a lawyer.”

Rongrong scoffed, thinking what famous lawyer could Tang Ruorui possibly know? Besides her pretty face, she was an orphan. If Tang Ruorui hadn’t been so obedient, she would have already used the contract to manipulate her.

Rongrong said with disdain, “Oh, you’re a lawyer? Then do you know about Junlin Law Firm? It’s the most famous law firm in the country. Ordinary people can’t hire anyone from there. Those lawyers only serve people with power and influence. A good friend of my sister’s works there. If you want to sue me, you have to be worthy.”

This was truly a case of “the dragon king’s palace being flooded by the river god.” Zhuyun’s fingertips itched. She pulled a pack of cigarettes from the flower stand, her eyes narrowed as she put a slender cigarette in her mouth. The low click of the lighter ignited the cigarette.

The beautiful woman’s jade-like fingers held the cigarette with its fiery tip. Her stunning face gained a hint of mature, seductive charm. She exhaled a puff of smoke, a lazy, dignified smile on her lips. “Li Ke’er? I’ve heard of her. I was the one who mentored her when she first joined Junlin. Maybe we can all have dinner together sometime and see if she still recognizes me.”

Rongrong’s smile froze. She asked in disbelief, “Who are you? You’ve got a lot of nerve!”

Zhuyun tapped the ash into the ashtray. Her voice was a little playful. “Me? My name is Zhuyun. The lawyer who specializes in lawsuits.”

Rongrong made a mental note of the name but wasn’t afraid at all. She said defiantly, “Don’t talk big. Tang Ruorui knows someone from Junlin? Who are you trying to fool? Just listen to me: you two should break up. Don’t make me threaten Tang Ruorui with the contract. By the way, have her come to the studio to see me tomorrow. If it weren’t for the higher-ups specifically asking for Tang Ruorui, I wouldn’t even be willing to give this opportunity to her!”

She was about to hang up when she heard Zhuyun say, “Junlin takes on all kinds of cases. For the powerful, the wronged, and for ordinary people. If you listened to Li Ke’er and think that Junlin is just a law firm that only cares about money, then I can only say you’re an idiot.”

Zhuyun spoke in a slow, deliberate tone that was unnerving. She frowned and ended the call. The phone was now on the flower stand. She murmured, “Trying to use the contract to trap Tang Ruorui? Does she really think I’ve been doing nothing all these years? Tch, what a waste.”

She wasn’t worried that her argument with Rongrong would cause trouble for Tang Ruorui, because Zhuyun would handle it. After all, she had helped so many people; of course, she had connections.

The thought of Tang Ruorui’s years being wasted by a useless person like Rongrong made her feel even more for Tang Ruorui.

“Even if a flower fairy is powerful, she’s still an innocent creature who hasn’t seen the world. In the end, she’s still being played by humans.”

“That idiot.”

Zhuyun extinguished the cigarette in her hand and stayed on the balcony for a while to let the smell of smoke dissipate before returning to the living room. As soon as she left, Old Six, the clematis, raised a flower. It wrapped around Old Eight and chirped, “This human seems to be a little useful! Does this mean Ruirui won’t have to film those disgusting shows anymore?”

Old Eight shook its petals, a little disgusted by Old Six’s naivety. “Human hearts are the most complicated. She’s so nice to Ruirui; she must have an ulterior motive!”

Old Six didn’t quite understand what it meant and trembled a little on its body. “I’m older than you and I’m ranked higher, you have to listen to me! This human might be a good one.”

“You, Old Six, get off me right now!”

What a mindless, simple-minded clematis. There was a human saying that was very true: “Nothing is offered for nothing, unless it is a theft.” This human named Zhuyun was definitely up to no good!

She could have discussed this with Ruirui, but unfortunately, she was in her young form. Now she only had Old Six to talk to. Discussing things with it was as good as hanging herself from a tree.

Old Eight huffed, pushed open the window, and climbed out. It needed some alone time.

Zhuyun washed up, making sure there was no smell of smoke on her, before going back to pick up Tang Ruorui.

The sweet-smelling little one felt great in her arms. Tang Ruorui let out a soft whimper, and Zhuyun patted her back, saying gently, “It’s me, don’t be scared.”

Tang Ruorui smacked her lips and went back to sleep. Zhuyun stroked her plump cheeks over and over, and as she looked at her peaceful face, she began to hum a lullaby.

[Wow, is this a woman’s unique maternal glow?]

“Shut up, you’re bothering me.”

857’s sudden outburst made Zhuyun’s tune go off-key, which she was very displeased with.

[Okay, okay, you’re playing favorites!]

Zhuyun’s lips curled into a smile. “I admit it, I am a little biased towards her.”

After all, who wouldn’t be captivated by a flower fairy who could grow big and small?

She was sorry, but she couldn’t maintain a calm and composed attitude right now.

So, she would just admit it.

On this day, a beautiful woman with a powerful stride appeared at the law firm. Unlike her usual self, she was carrying a delicate little girl. They were both wearing matching colored clothes, but the little girl had a painter’s hat on her head, which, paired with her chubby cheeks, made people want to hug and lift her high.

“I’m not gonna lie, girl, where did you get this little girl from?”

A stylishly dressed figure darted out and pushed open the office door. As soon as she saw Tang Ruorui on the floor, butt in the air, building a sandcastle, Zhuyun’s friend, Zhao Xin, couldn’t help but twitch her lips.

The simple, low-key, minimalist design was inexplicably ruined by the pile of sand that Zhuyun had somehow gotten. Zhao Xin looked down at the castle that Tang Ruorui had painstakingly built, and an impulse rose up in her hands and feet.

“Ahem.”

Zhuyun smiled at Zhao Xin. She could see through her friend’s thoughts at a glance, so Zhao Xin awkwardly rubbed her nose and sat down across from Zhuyun’s desk.

Zhuyun glanced at her. “If this little ancestor cries, not three of me, but eight of me won’t be able to console her. Don’t go bothering her.”

“Whose kid is this? A relative?”

Zhuyun’s gaze fell on Tang Ruorui, who was wrestling with the sand. Her smile was gentle. “A neighbor’s.”

“Huh? When did you become a softie, Zhuyun? Taking care of a neighbor’s kid? Is it a man or a woman? I think you mentioned it was a woman. What happened? Is she a single mom? Did her husband die or did she get divorced?”

Sometimes, Zhuyun couldn’t help but sigh. Why did Zhao Xin, a perfectly good person, have to have a mouth? Wouldn’t she be better off as a mute?

“Why are you asking so many questions? If you have so much time, why don’t you go and finish the work you have on hand?”

Zhao Xin chuckled and leaned over, asking Zhuyun, “Girl, we’ve known each other for a while now. I’ve never seen you take care of someone else’s kid. You’re acting strange this time. There’s something up with you.”

Zhuyun suppressed the urge to curse and said irritably, “I’m a fool, alright? I’m just willing to take care of her kid.”

“Holy crap, girl, you like married women? And now you can even be a mom? You’ve hit two birds with one stone!”

Zhuyun couldn’t take it anymore. She reached over to cover Zhao Xin’s mouth. “Get out of my office. You’re annoying me!”

Zhao Xin dodged Zhuyun, grinning cheekily. “I get it, I get it. You’re not annoyed when you see the kid’s mom.”

The word “mom” caught Tang Ruorui’s attention. She blinked, raised the shovel in her hand, and said, “I’m Zhu Zhu’s Mama! I love being a Mama!”

Zhuyun held her head in despair. A few days ago, she was Tang Ruorui’s mom. How, after all her efforts, had she become her mom?

Zhao Xin froze in the office chair, then burst into a fit of laughter.

“Holy crap, hahahahaha, Zhuyun, what… what did you tell this kid?”

Zhuyun twitched her mouth, pointed at the door, and said to Zhao Xin expressionlessly, “Get out. And bring Li Ke’er to me.”

“What are you gonna do?”

“Nothing. I just want to ask her how she’s been spreading rumors about our law firm outside.”

Zhao Xin held back her laughter and left under Zhuyun’s glare. Her expression infuriated Zhuyun, who punched the air a few times. Everything Zhuyun had just endured was because of Tang Ruorui, who was now playing in the sand. So Zhuyun got up and walked over to Tang Ruorui.

“Zhu Zhu?”

Zhuyun stood still, then lightly kicked the castle.

Tang Ruorui looked at Zhuyun, then at the castle with a missing corner. Her mouth drooped, and she tilted her head back, wailing.

Zhuyun was numb.

857 was also numb.

[What are you doing, what are you doing! Why are you provoking her!]

[Holy crap! Transformation, transformation!]

[Zhuyun, you’re dead.]

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