I'm Not Playing This Vicious Female Supporting Character Anymore! - Chapter 14

The next day, when Qin Yuzhen came downstairs at around 9:30 AM, Rong Xi had just emerged from the kitchen, her expression conflicted. Their eyes met, and a hint of resentment flickered in Rong Xi’s gaze.

To make the Xiang Yin Ya dish, Rong Xi had woken up at 6 AM. This dish involved stuffing meat into bean sprouts, and after working on it all morning, she had managed to complete only five sprouts. She had painstakingly pushed the meat inside using a sewing needle, constantly risking puncturing the delicate sprouts. Without gloves, her fingers would have ended up riddled with holes. It had been an incredibly tedious task.

“What’s with that look?” Qin Yuzhen asked as she sat down at the dining table.

Rong Xi didn’t respond. She turned back into the kitchen, brought out a plate with the five sprouts, and snapped, “Your Xiang Yin Ya.”

“Only five?” Qin Yuzhen sighed, picking up one sprout and adopting a refined smile. “Such a rarity deserves careful savoring. Thank you for all your trouble, dear sister.”

Rong Xi watched Qin Yuzhen’s affected demeanor and suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, instead sitting across from her with a huff.

Qin Yuzhen spent ten minutes eating the five sprouts, lingering until Mother Rong came downstairs. When Mother Rong descended the stairs and saw the two sitting quietly at the table, she glanced at them briefly but said nothing.

The three of them left together. Although Mother Rong didn’t particularly like her own daughter, she was very generous when it came to spending money. She paid without hesitation for anything Qin Yuzhen set her heart on.

Rong Xi followed beside Qin Yuzhen, noticing that she favored ostentatious items like diamond-studded bracelets and pearl necklaces the size of pigeon eggs—things most people couldn’t pull off. But seeing Qin Yuzhen’s confident demeanor, Rong Xi kept her thoughts to herself.

Mother Rong had expected Qin Yuzhen to look bewildered by the grandeur of the mall, like someone who’d never seen the world. Instead, Qin Yuzhen remained composed throughout, even occasionally showing a hint of disdain for certain items. This made Mother Rong feel slightly better; at least she was displaying the proper demeanor for a young lady of the Rong family.

Initially, Mother Rong felt a flicker of happiness at Qin Yuzhen’s arrival, but once the initial excitement faded, it was replaced by endless irritation. In her eyes, blood ties were no longer particularly important, and when she considered the endless troubles hidden behind this trivial bond, her discomfort only deepened.

Mother Rong had long since resolved that if Qin Yuzhen proved unsuitable, she would be sent away. As long as the financial settlement was sufficient, her obligations would be fulfilled.

“

“Are you not buying it, Sister?” Qin Yuzhen tilted her head to look at Rong Xi, noticing Mother Rong’s complicated expression but not reacting much. In her eyes, Mother Rong was essentially a walking wallet, and there was no need to be overly distressed over a single purchase.

Rong Xi shook her head and leaned closer. “You’ve bought so many things already.”

“Really?” Qin Yuzhen blinked. Since everything here was delivered to her door, she had no real sense of how much she’d purchased.

Rong Xi nodded. “A ton.”

“Aunt, do you think I bought too much today?” Qin Yuzhen turned to look at Mother Rong.

Mother Rong paused. “I haven’t even counted.”

“I’m sorry. I was so happy shopping with you and Sister today that I completely lost track of how much I was buying.” A hint of bashfulness crept into Qin Yuzhen’s expression.

“It’s fine,” Mother Rong waved her hand grandly. “Buy whatever you want.”

Qin Yuzhen smiled and took Rong Xi’s hand. “Let’s shop together, Sister. I can’t bring myself to buy anything if you don’t.”

Rong Xi: I really don’t see any sign of bashfulness.

Rong Xi tried to pull her hand free, but Qin Yuzhen held on tight. After several unsuccessful attempts, she gave up, utterly baffled by Qin Yuzhen’s intentions.

“Sister, why don’t you try this on? I think this dress would suit you perfectly.”

Rong Xi glanced at the dress Qin Yuzhen was holding up. It was a style she had never tried before. She tilted her head to look at Qin Yuzhen, certain that this person was trying to make a fool of her.

“It really does suit you.”

Rong Xi sighed, knowing Qin Yuzhen was about to start her usual routine.

“Don’t you trust your sister’s sense of style?” Qin Yuzhen withdrew her hand. “Fine, if you don’t want to try it, I can’t force you.”

A hint of melancholy and sadness appeared on Qin Yuzhen’s face.

Rong Xi: …

“Xixi, why don’t you try it on? It’s a lovely dress,” Mother Rong chimed in from the side.

Rong Xi glanced at the dress, then at her mother, resigned. She took the dress and went into the fitting room.

Rong Xi’s usual style leaned toward “dignified”—the kind of look that suggested she was a well-bred young lady. Yet Qin Yuzhen had brought her a pink, cutesy dress.

When Rong Xi emerged, she noticed Qin Yuzhen’s gaze and instinctively tugged at the hem. The skirt ended above her knees, shorter than she was used to, making her feel self-conscious.

“It looks lovely,” Qin Yuzhen sighed.

“But this dress is too cold to wear now,” Rong Xi pointed out.

“It has central heating at home,” Qin Yuzhen said. “We can wait to wear it in winter.”

Rong Xi: …

Mother Rong nodded from the side, smoothly swiping her card to pay without consulting Rong Xi.

“I feel like the cute style isn’t really suited to me,” Rong Xi whispered to Qin Yuzhen as they walked together.

“Do you have some kind of misunderstanding about yourself?”

Rong Xi frowned. “What misunderstanding? I’ve always thought of myself as more of a mature, older-sister type.”

Qin Yuzhen paused, trying hard to suppress her laughter but failing with a stifled “pfft.”

Rong Xi stared expressionlessly at Qin Yuzhen, deeply embarrassed by her laughter.

“Sister, I didn’t realize you had such a sharp sense of humor,” Qin Yuzhen said, patting Rong Xi on the shoulder. “Keep developing that talent!”

Rong Xi took a deep breath, forcing herself to look away. She feared she might do something regrettable if she kept staring at Qin Yuzhen.

The three of them spent the entire day shopping, returning home at around 7 or 8 PM.

Only when Qin Yuzhen saw the piles of shopping bags cluttering the living room did she realize just how much she had bought.

Rong Xi remained silent, and Mother Rong stared in surprise. Qin Yuzhen, thick-skinned as she was, felt no shame but knew she had to pretend to be embarrassed.

“It’s understandable that Sister bought so much,” Rong Xi said quickly, offering Qin Yuzhen an excuse. “After all, we were lacking everything. Sister, let me help you put everything away.”

Qin Yuzhen glanced at Rong Xi, wanting to ask why she needed to do it herself when they had maids to help. But since Rong Xi was so enthusiastic, Qin Yuzhen could only nod.

A few people helped carry the bags to the dressing room.

“Do you usually have to put everything away yourself?” Qin Yuzhen asked, watching Rong Xi unwrap the packages.

Rong Xi nodded. “Mm-hmm. I find it fun.”

“So you’ll do it yourself?”

Rong Xi: ???

“This is your dressing room,” Rong Xi said, puzzled.

“But I only find it fun. I originally wanted the maids to do it,” Qin Yuzhen said earnestly. “Look at me—I even find going to class annoying. Do you think I’d enjoy organizing things?”

Rong Xi stared at Qin Yuzhen, wide-eyed.

“But…” Rong Xi didn’t know what to say.

Qin Yuzhen glanced at Rong Xi.

“Then I’ll help you tidy up…” Rong Xi said softly. “But if you don’t tidy up yourself, you’ll never be able to find anything later.”

“So you’re implying you’ll come help me find things in the future?”

Rong Xi fell silent for two seconds. “Have you ever watched the Romance of the Three Kingdoms TV series?”

“Sis.”

“Hmm?”

“Good luck.” Qin Yuzhen offered a gentle smile.

Rong Xi: …

Rong Xi felt utterly drained. Qin Yuzhen went out, brought back a chair, and dragged it into the wardrobe where she sat down.

Rong Xi: ???

System: “Host, you’re truly a dog.”

“Not too bad,” Qin Yuzhen replied, casually crossing her legs and picking up a box to unwrap.

Rong Xi pursed her lips. “But you said you wouldn’t tidy up.”

“It’s already seven or eight o’clock. I’m afraid if you tidy up until eleven or twelve, it’ll affect my sleep,” Qin Yuzhen said nonchalantly.

Rong Xi: So she really shouldn’t have any expectations.

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