Striving for Harmony After Transmigrating as an Alpha Female Supporting Character - Chapter 17

The morning sun was bright, its rays filtering through heavy curtains to bring a few slivers of light into the damp room. Jing Nianxun sat on the edge of her bed for a minute before standing up and walking to the window to pull back the curtains.

Dust fell from the fabric, making her cough twice as she squinted against the glare. The sunlight was selfless, refusing to overlook even the smallest, most cramped corners; even though the window here was narrow, it still managed to send in some brilliance.

Jing Nianxun placed her cactus on the windowsill, threw on a coat, and stepped out of her room.

There was no sound from the first floor. Ai Xiaoyu’s parents were out today, and Ai Xiaoyu herself was likely still sleeping in. Jing Nianxun glanced at Ai Xiaoyu’s closed door before heading out the main entrance.

The weather had gradually turned cold. Winter was not far off, and the early arrival of the autumn wind whistled around her. Sitting on the bus, Jing Nianxun watched the shops lining the road. Because it was so early, few were open; only a few sanitation workers were out sweeping the streets. There were only a handful of people on the bus, all yawning and clutching briefcases with the look of people who hadn’t quite woken up yet.

Jing Nianxun sighed. Today was her birthday, or more accurately, the anniversary of her parents’ death.

Three years ago, both of Jing Nianxun’s parents were killed in a car accident. On their way home to celebrate her birthday, their cake had been scattered across the road, cream mixing with blood. For three years, Jing Nianxun had not celebrated her birthday. Once, feeling a spark of envy at the lively birthdays of others, she had secretly bought herself a small cake. She had wanted to light a candle and make a wish—wishing that she would grow up quickly and become happy and joyful.

But then Ai Xiaoyu had pushed open her door, found the poorly hidden cake on her desk, asked with a sneer where she had stolen it from, and thrown it into the trash.

At the thought of Ai Xiaoyu, a tug of pain tightened in Jing Nianxun’s chest. She clutched her heart and gasped for breath several times before recovering. She disliked—even hated—the Ai Xiaoyu from a year ago who had thrown away her cake. Yet lately, Ai Xiaoyu seemed like a completely different person.

Would the current Ai Xiaoyu still throw away her cake? No, but no one was giving her a cake anyway, and she was no longer greedy enough to buy one secretly.

The bus soon reached the final stop: a vast expanse of public cemetery. Countless people who loved and were loved had died elsewhere, burying their forgotten and lost love along with their souls into the earth. Near the cemetery, an old woman with white hair was selling flowers; she made a prayerful gesture as she handed the bouquet to Jing Nianxun.

Jing Nianxun placed the flowers by the grave. Looking at the inscription that had been nearly eroded by time, she whispered, “Dad, Mom, I miss you.”

She stayed at the cemetery for a long time. It had been high noon when she arrived, but by the time she snapped out of it, evening was approaching. She hadn’t even eaten lunch, but she didn’t feel very hungry.

When she returned to the Ai residence, she spotted the stray cat, Mimi, by the roadside. Mimi meowed at her softly, looking very hungry. Jing Nianxun felt the cat’s belly; it was nearly touching its bones. She felt a sudden pang of pity. Madam Ding Chengying thought small animals were dirty and forbade them in the house, so Jing Nianxun could only feed it in secret. Mimi had disappeared for a while recently, and she hadn’t expected the cat to be this thin upon seeing it again today.

She quickened her pace home, wanting to grab some food for Mimi. When she rang the doorbell, no one answered. Jing Nianxun found it strange. Was even the nanny not home?

She used her key to open the door. The house was pitch black. Even the doors on the second floor were shut, letting in no light. Ai Xiaoyu’s door looked as though it hadn’t been opened all day.

Panic began to set in. Jing Nianxun looked around anxiously until she spotted a flickering light near the kitchen. It was a dim, eerie green glow that made her heart race. Jing Nianxun summoned her courage and walked toward the light. As she drew closer, the green glow grew larger and began to shake violently, as if something were about to emerge.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A sudden racket of clanging and drumming erupted. Several figures carrying pots and pans came running out, jumping and banging away.

“Happy Birthday!”

Ai Xiaoyu stepped out from behind them, holding a flashlight and walking toward Jing Nianxun against the light. The main lights flickered on, followed by a shower of streamers tied to the ceiling and walls, along with countless swaying balloons. On the long dining table directly in front of them sat a large, two-tier cake, with seventeen candles arranged in the silhouette of a rabbit.

Jing Nianxun watched this, her shoulders trembling slightly. Was this for her? Really? Was she not dreaming?

Jing Nianxun closed her eyes and opened them again. She saw several other classmates from her class welcoming her with gifts. Her group members were there, as were some class officers and some people she didn’t recognize—likely Ai Xiaoyu’s friends—who had all been invited.

It was the first time she had so many people at her birthday. When her parents were still alive, it was usually just the three of them with a small cake, a walk outside, and some snacks she liked. They hadn’t been wealthy enough for a grand banquet, so when she first arrived at the Ai house and saw the scale of Ai Xiaoyu’s birthday parties, she had been stunned.

Ai Xiaoyu walked up to her, looking a bit embarrassed. “Did I scare you? I wanted to give you a surprise, so I took the liberty of inviting them. If you don’t like it, we can do something smaller tomorrow with fewer people.”

Jing Nianxun waved her hands hurriedly. “No, no, it’s fine!”

She looked around. Ai Xiaoyu’s parents were nowhere to be seen; only the nanny stood there, smiling at her. If Ai Xiaoyu’s parents were home, they likely wouldn’t have allowed such a commotion.

The lights went out, leaving only the lit candles flickering in the darkness. Through the flames, Jing Nianxun saw Ai Xiaoyu’s eyes. Ai Xiaoyu winked at her, signaling her to blow them out.

Jing Nianxun whispered, “Is it bad if I can’t blow them all out in one go?” Seventeen was quite a lot, after all.

“Then I’ll do it with you, okay?” Ai Xiaoyu asked.

Tears were already shimmering in Jing Nianxun’s eyes. She nodded and gave a soft “Mm.”

The candles were blown out, and she folded her hands and closed her eyes to make a wish. It was quiet all around; no one spoke. Jing Nianxun thought she could hear breathing beside her, soft and gentle like a kitten’s.

The lights came on, and the others began cutting the cake. Jing Nianxun, wearing a birthday hat, sat at the table with a small plate in front of her.

Ai Xiaoyu asked, “What did you just wish for?” Jing Nianxun shook her head. “It won’t come true if I say it.”

Ai Xiaoyu smiled, making her own guesses. What would she wish for? If it were her, she might wish to get rich overnight though that wish had already been granted. So, maybe wishing for no homework, being able to play games until the end of time, good health, and for everything to go her way.

That was probably it. She could also wish to transmigrate back to her original world, but Ai Xiaoyu felt that wish might be hard to achieve for now. For a fleeting moment, she even hesitated, thinking that things were actually quite good as they were.

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