I'm Not Playing This Vicious Female Supporting Character Anymore! - Chapter 36

Liang Xuzhou desperately wanted to spar with Qin Yuzhen, but since he couldn’t beat her, he had to silently endure it. He prepared to secretly film her entire 800-meter run that afternoon, planning to capture screenshots of her strained expression. He refused to believe he couldn’t get at least one distorted shot of her.

However, when he took out his DSLR again, he discovered it was completely drained, even though he hadn’t used it much that morning. This is bizarre, he thought, at a loss for words.

Fortunately, Qin Yuzhen had only sent the photo to him personally. As someone with a strong sense of her image, she didn’t want such a picture circulating.

Qin Yuzhen won the 800-meter race, finishing in three minutes. Since her group lacked any athletic students, she controlled her pace to avoid running too fast. When Rong Xi heard Qin Yuzhen’s time, she was stunned. Even if she borrowed two extra legs, she doubted she could manage a three-minute finish.

“Amazing,” Rong Xi marveled.

“If you trained regularly, you’d improve a lot too,” Qin Yuzhen said.

“Forget it,” Rong Xi shook her head. “I’m just happy to pass.”

“No ambition,” Qin Yuzhen remarked, wiping sweat from her forehead. “I’m going for a shower.”

“I’ll walk you back to the dormitory,” Rong Xi offered.

“Alright,” Qin Yuzhen nodded.

On the way back to the dormitory, Rong Xi stopped by the cafeteria and bought two fried chicken legs.

“Didn’t you say you were trying to lose weight?” Qin Yuzhen asked.

“Today was such a tiring day. A little treat won’t hurt, right?” Rong Xi replied.

Qin Yuzhen: …

“What exactly did you exhaust yourself doing?” Qin Yuzhen asked, puzzled.

“I was running after you, okay!” Rong Xi protested.

“You mean those few steps you took before stopping after three or four seconds?” Qin Yuzhen gave Rong Xi a skeptical look.

Rong Xi: …

“But I really tried my hardest!” Rong Xi pouted. “Sister, you can’t blame me. I just can’t run fast.”

Qin Yuzhen: …

Most people were still on the field, so the dormitory was relatively quiet.

Qin Yuzhen had spare clothes and toiletries in the dormitory. Rong Xi sat in the room eating her chicken leg, glancing at the bathroom door and listening to the sound of running water as she took another big bite.

Qin Yuzhen took her time bathing. An hour later, her hair still damp, she emerged to find Rong Xi already finished with her chicken leg and half-asleep on the bed.

“Rong Xi.”

“Hmm?” Rong Xi’s eyes snapped open, a hint of drowsiness lingering in his gaze as he looked at Qin Yuzhen.

Qin Yuzhen tossed the hair dryer onto the bed and sat down in a chair. “Dry my hair for me.”

“Oh.” Rong Xi yawned and walked behind her.

Qin Yuzhen’s hair reached past her waist, long and luxurious. Rong Xi moved with careful precision.

“Your hair is so beautiful,” Rong Xi sighed.

“You’re just noticing that now?” Qin Yuzhen leaned back against the chair, closing her eyes.

“I’ve always wanted to ask… how do you take care of your hair and skin?”

“Good genes, I guess.” Qin Yuzhen crossed her legs.

Rong Xi pursed his lips.

“Your skin looks pretty good too.”

“But yours just seems a little better.” As he spoke, Rong Xi reached out and gently brushed his hand against her cheek.

Qin Yuzhen pressed her lips together. “Why are you touching my face again?”

“I can’t help it! Besides, you’re always pinching my cheeks. What’s wrong with me pinching yours?”

“Are you even comparing yourself to me? I’m your older sister.”

“Only the officials are allowed to set fires, while the common people aren’t even allowed to light lamps,” Rong Xi muttered softly. “Sister, why are you so mean?”

Qin Yuzhen decided not to respond.

Rong Xi slowly dried her hair, and the room suddenly fell silent. Neither of them spoke, and the only sound was the whirring of the hairdryer.

After finishing her hair, Rong Xi casually helped Qin Yuzhen tie it up, smiling with satisfaction.

“Alright, let’s go. It’s just about time for lunch.”

“Mm,” Qin Yuzhen nodded. “Thank you.”

Rong Xi paused, staring at Qin Yuzhen in disbelief. “Wow, did my sister just say ‘thank you’?”

Qin Yuzhen: …

“Sister, it’s only natural for your little sister to dry your hair. There’s no need to thank me.”

“Shut up.” Qin Yuzhen pinched Rong Xi’s mouth shut, finally acting on the urge she’d been suppressing for days.

Rong Xi frowned, struggling to swat Qin Yuzhen’s hand away.

The moment Qin Yuzhen released her grip, the cheeky girl piped up again, “Sister, you’re pinching me too hard! What if it hurts?”

“Endure it.”

“Sister, why are you so mean?”

When the two of them arrived at the cafeteria, it was already crowded. After some difficulty, they managed to find a spot to sit down.

“I’ll get the food. What do you want?” Qin Yuzhen put her things on the table.

“Meat.”

“Okay.”

Rong Xi propped her chin in her hand, waiting for Qin Yuzhen to return with the food. Qin Yuzhen’s phone vibrated.

She glanced at it and noticed several messages had come in.

By the time Qin Yuzhen returned, the messages were still coming through. She wondered who it could be.

“Someone’s messaging you.”

“Oh.” Qin Yuzhen set down the food and picked up her phone. “Go get your rice.”

“Okay.” Rong Xi nodded. As she passed Qin Yuzhen, she stole a glance at the phone screen.

She couldn’t make out everything, but she did see the word “Sister.”

Who was this?

Rong Xi’s curiosity was piqued, but she couldn’t turn back to look.

Huo Yaoxu: Sister, your photos are being circulated again on our school forum.

Huo Yaoxu: [Image]

Huo Yaoxu: [Image]

*****

The photos were from a thread on the Thirteenth High School forum. Qin Yuzhen glanced at them—mostly pictures from the sports meet, posted by someone she didn’t know.

Qin Yuzhen: Are you trying to get me to sue them for violating my portrait rights?

Huo Yaoxu: Sister, your thought process is… unique.

Qin Yuzhen: Why else would you send them to me? What’s your angle?

Huo Yaoxu: Everyone’s really interested in you.

Qin Yuzhen: I’ve been the center of attention since childhood.

Huo Yaoxu chuckled as he read the messages on his phone, finding Qin Yuzhen’s reactions quite amusing.

Huo Yaoxu: Okay.

Huo Yaoxu: So, Sister, are you going to sue them?

Qin Yuzhen didn’t respond.

Though this kid is good-looking, even the most handsome face can’t cover up his unlikable nature.

“Host, don’t you dislike him because you’re worried he’ll outperform you on the exams?” the System asked.

“Ridiculous,” Qin Yuzhen scoffed. “How could I possibly lose to him? You must be living in a dream.”

“What if he does?”

“There is no ‘what if.'”

When Rong Xi returned home, she immediately noticed Qin Yuzhen’s foul mood. She placed her bowl on the table and glanced at her several times. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Qin Yuzhen replied, taking a bite of rice.

“Have you heard of Huo Yaoxu from Thirteenth High School?”

“Ah, I know about him…” Rong Xi took a sip of soup. “He’s been consistently first in the joint exams and won numerous gold medals in competitions.”

“You can’t outscore him?” Qin Yuzhen frowned.

Though Rong Xi didn’t want to admit it, she nodded. Even her best score still fell three or four points short of his.

Qin Yuzhen was puzzled. How could anyone outperform the female lead? He’s just a background character with a halo.

“So, Sister, you absolutely must score higher than him this time!” Rong Xi urged.

“Hmm,” Qin Yuzhen said thoughtfully. “System, investigate his background.”

“I’ve already checked. Nothing special,” the System replied. “Rong Xi’s scores have consistently placed her in the top three, but she’s never maintained a steady first place. Others have outscored her before. The Host doesn’t need to be so concerned.”

Qin Yuzhen picked up a piece of spare rib and took a bite.

The afternoon’s events proceeded smoothly, with the only notable incident being Qin Yuzhen’s nine-meter throw that stunned the crowd. She nearly broke the high school women’s shot put record; if the System hadn’t been constantly warning her to hold back, she might have shattered it.

“Remarkable! Are you interested in joining the sports team?” the PE teacher asked with a smile.

“Teacher, if you let the grade’s top student join the sports team, the Principal might come looking for you,” someone remarked from the sidelines, their tone ambiguous between sarcasm and jest. “We’re still counting on her to be the college entrance exam champion.”

“Right, I’m supposed to be the college entrance exam champion,” Qin Yuzhen replied with a grin. “Can outsiders just wander in here today?”

The person glanced at Qin Yuzhen and tugged at their school uniform. “I’m wearing my school uniform, you know.”

“Tsk.” Qin Yuzhen grabbed Rong Xi and walked away.

Rong Xi glanced back several times. “Even on Fridays, when we held the sports meet, outsiders couldn’t just wander in. How can people get in on Wednesdays? Don’t they have classes to attend?”

“Who knows?” Qin Yuzhen rubbed her neck.

When the class rankings for the sports meet were announced that evening, Qin Yuzhen’s class placed second, with the sports class taking first place.

When Rong Xi stepped forward to receive her award, her bright, gap-toothed smile was unmistakable.

Qin Yuzhen couldn’t understand why Rong Xi was so ecstatic. The others were happy too—was this what they called class pride? She watched Rong Xi, and before she knew it, the corners of her own lips had curved upward slightly.

After cheerfully posing for photos, Rong Xi ran down from the podium and stumbled right in front of Qin Yuzhen, falling forward.

“Did you do that on purpose?” Qin Yuzhen asked, immediately catching her.

“No!” Rong Xi regained her footing and stamped her foot. “Look, this spot is uneven!”

“Oh.”

“It really is uneven!” Rong Xi stamped her foot twice more for emphasis.

“How silly,” Qin Yuzhen said, watching Rong Xi’s exaggerated movements, her tone a mix of exasperation and amusement.

Rong Xi: ???

“Sister, how could you say that? I tripped and fell!” Rong Xi frowned.

“You should stand with the group.” Qin Yuzhen pulled Rong Xi back into line and gently pressed down on her shoulder.

“Sister, are you mad at me?”

“Hey, Sister, why aren’t you talking? Didn’t you promise to talk more with me?”

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