The Devoted Female Supporting Lead and the White Moonlight’s Sister Got a Happy Ending (GL) - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Who Is That?

He Baizhou walked toward the door of the bridal dressing room, but her footsteps came to a sudden halt.

The door wasn’t fully closed, and the voices of Shao Qingran and Xu Chengyue drifted out clearly.

“Touch my hand, it’s cold,” came Shao Qingran’s voice.

“Are you nervous?” Xu Chengyue asked.

“Nervous doesn’t even begin to cover it. I’m terrified. My body is trembling unconsciously, and I’m covered in a cold sweat.” Shao Qingran’s voice carried that touch of delicate weakness unique to her. Even without seeing her face, He Baizhou could imagine her expression—one that naturally invited pity.

At the very least, Xu Chengyue felt that pity. Her voice sounded almost urgent as she said, “Shh—don’t say that word.”

“Then…” Shao Qingran’s voice took on a soothing, playful tone, drawing out her words like a spoiled child. “Give me a kiss; maybe that will make it better.”

The conversation ended there.

He Baizhou had originally intended only to offer a few private words of congratulations, but now that seemed unnecessary. She had no desire to find out if they were kissing, nor did she want to continue witnessing their intimacy, so she walked away with light footsteps.

She had planned to head downstairs, but then she thought of the guests—many of whom were mutual friends of hers and Xu Chengyue, as well as Shao Qingran’s former pursuers. He Baizhou’s pace wavered. On a day like today, she truly didn’t want to face those meaningful, knowing looks.

So, she turned and walked toward the lounges on the other side.

The wedding of Shao Qingran and Xu Chengyue was being held at the Chunjian Hotel, a property under the He family’s group. As the young owner of the hotel, He Baizhou had naturally contributed much to the arrangements. In addition to the grand hall, all the vacant rooms on the second floor had been converted into guest lounges.

Actually, He Baizhou had been returning to the country frequently over the last two years and kept a permanent suite on the top floor. However, she only intended to rest briefly and didn’t feel the need to go all the way upstairs. She picked a lounge at random and pushed the door open.

To her surprise, the push revealed that someone was already inside. And quite unfortunately, the person was in the middle of changing clothes.

The person had their back to her. In that fleeting glimpse, He Baizhou saw only a pair of shoulder blades that looked like butterfly wings and a slender waist that seemed like it could be circled by a single hand. In the next instant, long, slightly wavy hair cascaded down like soft, fluffy seaweed, concealing everything.

Even so, He Baizhou felt a sudden throb in her heart and turned her back in a panic.

She was someone who valued personal distance. She disliked others intruding upon her space and certainly didn’t wish to violate someone else’s privacy. After such an incident, her heart was inevitably filled with unease.

A “Sorry” lingered at the tip of her tongue, but she hesitated, and in the end, the word remained unspoken.

Only when she was certain the door behind her had fully closed with a soft “click” did she breathe a sigh of relief. She was about to leave, but after a moment’s hesitation, she stood still.

The person inside had likely forgotten to lock the door. Since this was the second floor and there were many guests today, someone else might come along. It would be bad if another person intruded. She decided to stay there, just in case.

A moment later, the door opened again. He Baizhou stood up straight as if in a reflex, looking up.

The woman who walked out of the room was wearing a lake-green dress with an off-the-shoulder neckline and lantern sleeves that reached her forearms. A silver chain was tied around her waist, and the skirt flared out, making her look incredibly fresh and natural. Her seaweed-like long hair hung freely, revealing beautiful collarbones. A red pendant hung at her chest, making her skin appear so white it seemed to glow.

He Baizhou didn’t dare look for long. Her gaze naturally moved upward, meeting a pair of smiling eyes.

“Thank you.” The woman clearly understood why He Baizhou was standing there. Matching He Baizhou’s gaze, she spoke with a smile.

Her manner was poised and frank, as if she didn’t mind being seen earlier.

In truth, it wasn’t a huge deal—in terms of scandalousness, it couldn’t even compare to Shao Qingran and Xu Chengyue’s display in the dressing room—yet the discomfort in He Baizhou’s heart did not fade. She gave a slight nod and immediately turned to leave.

As she hurried downstairs and met the gazes of several people, He Baizhou suddenly remembered that the reason she had stayed upstairs was specifically to avoid them.

But it was too late to hide now. She had to walk over with a natural demeanor and find a seat.

Fortunately, while most people looked, they didn’t dare say anything to her face. Only two of Shao Qingran’s pursuers approached with wine glasses, wanting to toast with her. He Baizhou deeply disliked the “fellow sufferers in a foreign land” look on their faces; her expression remained cold and distant, and after that, no one else came to bother her.

Before long, a familiar figure descended the stairs.

She was exceptionally beautiful. Unlike Shao Qingran’s clear and natural beauty, hers was a bright, striking elegance that caught the eye instantly. Without a doubt, she drew the attention of everyone in the room.

She seemed accustomed to the spotlight, walking toward a corner seat by the window and sitting down as if no one else were there.

“Who is that? I don’t think I’ve seen her before,” He Baizhou heard someone ask not far behind her.

This was the same question she was curious about. Unconsciously, she sat up straighter and strained her ears to listen.

The person answering was Shao Qingran’s cousin, Chen Minjun. She was Shao Qingran’s little follower and was familiar with all her affairs. At this moment, her tone carried a hint of something else. “Her? She… is Qingran’s elder cousin.”

Several people surrounding her were Shao Qingran’s pursuers, and the others were close friends. They were instantly surprised. “Qingran has a cousin like that? Why haven’t we ever seen her or heard of her?”

“She lives abroad year-round, so of course you haven’t seen her.” Chen Minjun gave a dry laugh. “Forget about you guys, even I am meeting her for the first time.”

“Eh? If she’s Qingran’s cousin, isn’t she your cousin too? How have you never met her?” someone asked curiously.

There was an unmistakable trace of bitterness in Chen Minjun’s voice. “Oh, she’s a cousin from Qingran’s paternal aunt’s side. They say they’re relatives, but she actually has nothing to do with our family.”

Hearing this, He Baizhou finally understood. She did recall hearing that Shao Qingran had an aunt living in Australia, but because they rarely interacted, she had never seen them. This person must be the cousin from that aunt’s family.

Thinking of this, He Baizhou felt as if she were overlooking something, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

While she was lost in thought, she noticed the person by the window repeatedly pinching her brow, appearing unwell. He Baizhou immediately cast aside her thoughts, stood up, and walked over.

Only when she reached her did she realize how abrupt her action was. But since she was already there, retreating would be even stranger. She braced herself and asked, “Hello, do you need any help?”

The seated woman quickly lowered her hand and looked up. She seemed to recognize her; a flash of surprise crossed her eyes, followed by a smile. “Thank you, no need.”

At this point, He Baizhou should have taken the opportunity to leave.

But she hesitated for a second and asked anyway, “Is it a headache? I can have the staff bring some painkillers.”

“Ah…” the other woman laughed. “I’ve already taken some medicine; it doesn’t seem to be working.”

“Yes, many painkillers need to be taken in advance. Once the pain starts, it’s hard for them to take effect,” He Baizhou said. “If you’re feeling very unwell, I have a room upstairs…”

“The banquet is starting soon, isn’t it?” the woman interrupted.

He Baizhou realized her invitation was far too forward and immediately shut her mouth. Feeling apologetic and worried she was bothering her, she was about to say goodbye when a hand was extended toward her.

“But thank you anyway.” The person remained seated, reaching out with a smile. “Let’s get acquainted. I’m Shao Peiran.”

“He Baizhou.” She shook the hand somewhat stiffly and sat down opposite Shao Peiran after letting go.

Shao Peiran laughed. “Drinking plain congee? (He Baizhou?)”

Note: In Chinese, “He Baizhou” sounds identical to “Drinking plain congee” (He bai zhou).

He Baizhou had spent almost all her student years abroad, where no one would make puns out of her name. After returning, the people around her were mostly of lower status than her, and as adults, no one dared to tease her like that.

Hearing Shao Peiran say this, she was stunned for a moment, failing to react.

Seeing her like this, Shao Peiran laughed even harder. She propped her hand against her temple, tilting her head slightly, and watched He Baizhou with a smile, making no effort to hide her amusement.

At such a close distance, He Baizhou suddenly noticed that when she laughed, a shallow dimple appeared on her right cheek.

This tiny detail made her smile seem several degrees sweeter. He Baizhou hadn’t been angry to begin with, and facing such a smile, she couldn’t possibly get upset. She even had an absurd thought—that if her name could make this woman smile like that, it actually served a purpose.

However, He Baizhou’s expression was habitually indifferent; she was used to remaining calm regardless of her surroundings. When Shao Peiran finished laughing and saw her silence, she assumed He Baizhou minded and offered a consolation: “Actually, it’s a good name. Hmm… I happen to like drinking plain congee. It’s good for the stomach.”

“Oh? Is your stomach not well?” He Baizhou asked instinctively.

The reaction was so unexpected that Shao Peiran had to suppress her laughter and nod. “Yes.”

He Baizhou realized her own reaction and felt a bit embarrassed. She instinctively changed the subject. “‘Shun lived in the deep mountains, dwelling with trees and stones, and wandering with deer and swine. The way he differed from the rustics of the deep mountains was slight; but when he heard a single good word, or saw a single good deed, it was like the breaking of the banks of the Yangtze or Yellow River—so vast (Peiran) that nothing could withstand it.’ Your name is the one that is truly excellent.”

“…Thank you for liking it?” Shao Peiran said after a thought.

Only then did He Baizhou realize something. “Your surname is Shao?”

“I take my mother’s surname,” Shao Peiran said.

She spoke the sentence calmly, with little emotion on her face. But to He Baizhou’s ears, it felt jarring. Realizing she had accidentally intruded on the other’s privacy again, the same anxiety she felt when accidentally opening the door earlier returned to her body.

“Sorry,” she said, standing up and turning to walk away.

Shao Peiran thought she had left and didn’t pay much attention, turning her head to look out the window.

But a few minutes later, a glass was placed on the table in front of her. Steam was rising from the rim; it looked like a cup of hot water.

She turned and saw He Baizhou sitting down across from her again. He Baizhou took a decorative handkerchief from her breast pocket, draped it over the rim of the cup, and pushed it toward her.

“Use the steam to soothe your eyes; it should help relieve the headache.” She looked at Shao Peiran. “Give it a try.”

Shao Peiran looked down at the cup on the table and suddenly smiled. The kindness from a stranger was so wonderful that it felt as if a whole day’s bad mood had suddenly cleared up.

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