The Female Supporting Character in a Melo-dramatic Novel Switched Roles from Omega to Seme - Chapter 9

The sudden question silenced both women.

Lu Chizao’s face turned deathly pale, while Lin Tingci’s expression grew terrifyingly dark.

Shi Yuer, startled, protested, “Why are you looking at me like that? I’m just telling the truth.”

“Xiao Ci, did you know about this too? What exactly…”

Before she could finish, Lin Tingci cut her off sharply. “Don’t say another word.” Stepping past Shi Yuer, Lin Tingci grabbed Lu Chizao’s wrist, who stood frozen in shock. “I’ll take you home.”

After a few steps, Lu Chizao seemed to snap out of her daze, wrenching her hand free with clear resistance. “I don’t want to.”

Lin Tingci blinked in surprise, then immediately understood. “Not Yuanshou’s place—my home.”

For some reason, Lu Chizao found Lin Tingci’s voice unusually gentle, her composure radiating an undeniable strength.

Her mind blank, Lu Chizao abandoned her struggle and allowed herself to be led away.

In her previous life, Lu Chizao had already accepted the truth that she wasn’t the Lu family’s daughter.

She had believed that by changing her mindset, the same wounds couldn’t pierce the hardened scabs of her past. Yet now, she felt the inevitable suffocation of a tidal wave crashing over her.

Despite her desperate attempts to reassure herself that she could start anew in this reborn life, the countless jeers and scorn she had heard and witnessed in her previous life had already eroded her nerves.

Lu Chizao no longer knew if the pain in her chest was real or merely a conditioned physiological response.

Knowing the brutal storm brewing, she had turned off her phone, yet reminders of the cruel reality kept surfacing.

Shi Yuer, though spoiled, was still a child of a wealthy family and wouldn’t stoop to kicking someone when they were down. Her earlier remark had been meant as a warning to Lin Tingci.

Lin Tingci called her Chief Assistant to postpone the afternoon meeting by an hour.

As they walked from the cafeteria to the parking lot, the hand circling Lu Chizao’s wrist felt icy cold.

It was the overwhelming malice that deepened the autumn chill.

Lu Chizao’s hands and feet instantly lost all warmth.

The circumstances of her exposure were different now. Compared to being confronted at the dinner table in front of her adoptive parents and lover, she found this situation almost preferable.

Lu Chizao couldn’t help but mock herself.

A faint smile flickered across her pale face, making Lin Tingci worry about her mental state.

She wasn’t sure whether to be grateful that this had happened after they’d eaten, at least giving her something in her stomach to sustain her.

With a complex expression, Lin Tingci pressed down on the accelerator and drove them home.

The phone rang incessantly throughout the journey, impossible to ignore.

Lu Chizao’s lifeless eyes fixed on the source of the ringing. Lin Tingci, as she had done the night before, silenced the phone.

Arriving at the sixteenth floor, they turned left and entered the apartment. After hesitating several times, Lu Chizao finally unzipped her crossbody bag, forgetting to change her shoes as she walked straight into the living room.

In the end, she took out her phone, sat quietly on the sofa, and stared at the pitch-black screen.

After a long internal struggle, her finger moved to the power button and pressed it for a few seconds.

Lin Tingci noticed but said nothing. She brought indoor slippers and placed them by Lu Chizao’s feet, then knelt on one knee, looking up at her with eyes that had lost their luster.

Afraid of disturbing her, she spoke softly, “You don’t have to force yourself.”

Why not?

Lu Chizao understood that she couldn’t escape forever. Even if she could leave gracefully, she would eventually have to face the Lu family, Raoyin, and the outside world.

Yet Lin Tingci’s sincerity, the unwavering trust in her eyes, made her slowly relax her grip on the phone.

Lu Chizao remained silent, and Lin Tingci didn’t ask any questions.

For some reason, it felt like with Lin Tingci, she would never have to endure the heart-wrenching interrogations of “Is it true?” or “How could this happen?”

The woman kneeling before her had been there for several minutes, like an ancient, immovable rock, steadfast and unwavering, her eyes cautiously probing Lu Chizao’s thoughts.

Lu Chizao’s heart skipped a beat under Lin Tingci’s unwavering gaze. Flustered, she averted her eyes to the floor. “Don’t you have a meeting this afternoon? You should hurry to school.”

“I’m worried about you,” Lin Tingci replied, leaning forward slightly with one hand resting on the sofa, her eyes still fixed intently on Lu Chizao.

“I’ll be fine,” Lu Chizao forced out a strained smile that convinced no one.

Lin Tingci’s concern only deepened.

Locked in such an intense, burning gaze, Lu Chizao shifted from dejected to utterly helpless. She also felt uncomfortable being comforted by someone younger than herself.

She blurted out, “I really am okay. I won’t go anywhere. I… I have nowhere else to go.”

With the filming date fast approaching, Lin Tingci had countless urgent matters to attend to. Hearing Lu Chizao’s words, she lowered her gaze for a moment, then decided, “I’ll have Xiao Jiang come keep you company.”

Lu Chizao waved her hand. “No need. I want to be alone.”

Despite her repeated assurances, Lin Tingci remained firm. “I’m still worried.”

Watching Lin Tingci’s phone light up with a constant stream of notifications, the mere sound of the alerts triggered Lu Chizao’s PTSD. She couldn’t guarantee she could maintain her composure.

Lin Tingci couldn’t bring Lu Chizao to school, where they might run into acquaintances at any moment, nor could she leave her alone at home.

After agonizing over the dilemma, Lin Tingci had Lu Chizao download and register for an app called “Close Hearts,” which allowed real-time location tracking between linked accounts.

Lin Tingci downloaded and logged in as well, then unilaterally linked accounts with Lu Chizao.

Once the connection was established and the location tracking proved accurate, Lin Tingci shook her phone, as if to say, “I’ll be watching you.”

Lu Chizao chirped, “Actually, you don’t need to worry. I didn’t sleep well last night, so I might just reply to a few messages and take a nap later.”

Regardless, Lin Tingci had been thoroughly shaken by Lu Chizao’s earlier state. She lingered at the door, dragging her feet. “If you can’t sleep, there’s food in the fridge. You can come watch a movie in my room.”

Before leaving, she hesitated and asked, “Shall I take you out for dinner tonight?”

Is this really Lin Tingci, being so indecisive and fussing over details? Lu Chizao thought with amusement.

“Okay,” Lu Chizao replied.

At the door, Lin Tingci repeatedly confirmed, “Wait for me?”

“I will~ I’ll be waiting for you to come back,” Lu Chizao said, her earlier despondency replaced by a playful determination to hurry Lin Tingci out.

After closing the door, Lu Chizao changed into indoor slippers on the sofa and unlocked her phone, which was still on the app’s interface.

The location tracking updated swiftly and accurately. The dot representing Lin Tingci moved downstairs, paused briefly, then accelerated as she drove away.

Lu Chizao had never used an app like this before, so she curiously tapped around the interface. Somehow, a heart suddenly shot out from the dot representing her, accompanied by an adorable “whoosh” sound effect, and landed on Lin Tingci’s side.

Lu Chizao: “……”

If she wasn’t mistaken, this was probably a couples app.

Besides the location tracking, there were also private chat interfaces, forums, and shared virtual pet raising features.

Lu Chizao’s guess was correct. Close Hearts was an app where 70% of users were couples. The forums were either for showing off their relationships or finding partners.

With a casual swipe, the top trending post was from the couple with the highest pheromone compatibility in the country, who were once again sharing their daily lives.

Indeed, the couple with the highest known pheromone compatibility in the country was 99.1%. Due to their rare, exceptionally high compatibility, striking looks, and genuine affection, they were major celebrities both online and in real life.

Over the years, Lu Chizao had often seen them trending on other platforms. It seemed they were active on multiple apps.

Perhaps because she had never experienced such a connection herself, Lu Chizao felt a pang of envy.

After a brief moment of distraction, she returned to reality. Lu Chizao found herself wondering why Lin Tingci had asked her to download this app. She believed the other woman’s intentions were for her own good.

Lu Chizao understood. Mm-hmm.

******

When Lin Tingci received the heart notification, she had just stopped at a red light. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes before she quickly realized what it was.

Her fingertip gently tapped the heart to collect it. Her thin lips curved into a slight smile as she glanced at her phone for a moment before putting it down to continue driving.

Lin Tingci had never responded to any messages or calls on Lu Chizao’s behalf, nor had she ever urged Lu Chizao to respond.

Lu Chizao herself believed that a short, sharp pain was better than a lingering one—the sooner she broke free, the sooner she could find peace.

After Lin Tingci left, Lu Chizao poured herself a glass of water and wandered through the empty house, both exploring and relaxing. She eventually settled into the brown rattan chair on the balcony.

The autumn sun shone brightly outside, preventing her heart from being completely enveloped by darkness.

Ignoring the dozens of missed calls, she opened WeChat and clicked on Lin Raoyin’s chat, which remained pinned at the top.

[Zaozao, if you’re breaking up with me because of those rumors, there’s no need. Something strange is definitely going on, and I’ll find out what it is. Don’t be scared.]

[Please reply to me. Just let me know you’re okay.]

[Baby, didn’t you sleep well last night? Tell me when you wake up, and I’ll bring your favorite cake over.]

[Please pay attention to me.jpg]

The previous pages were filled with similar messages.

Lu Chizao read through them, her lips pressed into a thin line.

System 33 materialized silently, settling onto the rattan coffee table. The square head’s ‘eyes’ shifted to display a mission status.

[Ding! New mission: Persuade Lin Raoyin to let go of her first love and focus on her work, preparing for Lu Wanqing’s return. Reward: 60,000 yuan.]

Ripples stirred in Lu Chizao’s usually still lake-like eyes.

It wasn’t so much that she was being forced into missions under threat of annihilation; rather, Lu Chizao herself felt compelled to act.

In her previous life, everyone, including Lu Chizao, had dismissed the anonymous letters as mere rumors until Lu Xingyan secretly ordered DNA tests that confirmed their validity.

Soon after, another letter arrived, revealing the True Young Lady’s whereabouts.

The entire affair had been a psychological war, starting with confident assertions, progressing to irrefutable proof, and culminating in the revelation of the biological daughter’s location as bait. This starkly illustrated the Lu and Lin families’ shifting attitudes.

This wasn’t a prank; it was revenge, indiscriminately targeting every member of both families.

Lu Chizao was utterly innocent, having been switched at birth just days after her birth and becoming a mere pawn in this conflict.

In her previous life, she had been a passive bystander. Now, she resolved to take a proactive approach, extricating herself from this war. First, she sent a message urging her parents to undergo DNA testing, then she replied to Lin Raoyin.

[You don’t have to believe me, but you’ll soon realize it’s true.]

[But I’m ending this relationship not because of anyone else, but because of you.]

Though the author was to blame, Lu Chi had already exhausted every effort behind the scenes, in moments the author couldn’t see, to try and keep Lin Raoyin.

She truly couldn’t continue loving her.

But Lin Raoyin would never understand this now. Lu Chi had already made her decision to break up clear, while also trying to snag some rewards along the way.

Lin Raoyin called immediately upon receiving the reply.

Lu Chi swiped to answer.

“No matter what, I won’t agree. We’ve been together since tenth grade—a full ten years, Zaozao. I don’t know where you heard this news, whether it’s true or false. Weren’t you the one who shared my youth and walked with me into adulthood? Didn’t we promise to stay with each other for a long time?”

Lovers who have loved passionately say all sorts of things. But Lu Chi was just a supporting character.

The protagonist of this story was never meant to belong to a supporting role.

With a single sentence, Lu Chi extinguished all of Lin Raoyin’s illusions: “I’m sorry, you’ve missed your chance. And so have I.”

Lin Raoyin had been sleepless all night. This morning, she was bombarded with an anonymous letter, yet she still had to sit in the corporate penthouse, forcing herself to focus on work.

She was on the verge of madness.

The usually understanding Lin Raoyin, now seething with anger, declared, “I don’t care! I refuse to give up on our relationship so easily!”

How many decades does a person have? In all her years, Lin Raoyin had only ever loved Lu Chizao.

But love is a two-person affair, while breakups are a one-person decision. Romance is inherently an unfair game, where one party’s departure forces both to bear the consequences.

Isn’t that what makes love so difficult?

Lu Chizao couldn’t explain everything right now. She simply said, “I’m sorry, Raoyin. I don’t have the courage to abandon myself again for you.”

With that, she hung up.

The phone lay face down on the coffee table. Lu Chizao closed her eyes, letting her mind drift.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the System’s voice chimed again:

[Congratulations, Host! Mission complete. Reward: 60,000 yuan and 4 Luck Points.]

[Huh?]

[Luck Points already?]

Lu Chizao pulled up the System interface and noticed Lin Raoyin’s Growth Value had increased to 70.

Gaining Luck Points required Lin Raoyin’s Growth Value to increase.

[She must be suffering too.]

But growth is inherently painful. Lu Chizao refused to soften. She muted the System, silenced her phone, and retreated to the guest bedroom for an afternoon nap.

*****

Lin Tingci, immersed in a storyboarding workshop at Linchuan Art University, periodically checked her phone’s location under the table.

Shi Yuzhe, the producer and her close friend sitting beside her, noticed everything. During a break, he teased, “So our great director Lin is quite clingy, huh? Only been apart for a little while, and you’re already keeping such a close eye?”

Chief Assistant Ye Zi’ang and Junior Assistant Jiang Yiling exchanged knowing glances.

Jiang Yiling’s look seemed to say: I told you! Our boss is hiding a treasure at home! You didn’t believe me!

Ye Zi was starting to believe it too: A stone-cold Alpha actually has someone? I’ve lived long enough to see everything.

Lin Tingci remained unfazed by their comments. After confirming that Lu Chizao was safely at home, she put away her phone with an indifferent expression, never revealing any personal emotions.

She retorted coolly, as if rebuking her friend, “You wouldn’t understand.”

Support The Female Supporting Character in a Melo-dramatic Novel Switched Roles from Omega to Seme