The Plan to Save the Villainess Supporting Actress [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 19

An early summer night.

A gust of wind swept through the hallway, carrying with it a wave of damp heat. The thick mist clung tightly to the skin, creating an uncomfortable, sticky sensation.

It was the unique prelude to an impending downpour.

“So humid,” Tang Keyue remarked curiously, poking her head out. “How do you southerners deal with this weather?”

Nan Zhi unceremoniously pushed her out the door. “Don’t block the way, it’s just the rainy season. Totally normal.”

Tang Keyue stumbled with a yelp before throwing an arm around Nan Zhi’s neck.

“You’re in such a hurry to get back! I was gonna ask if you wanted to hit the convenience store!”

“No,” Nan Zhi swatted her hand away, looking mildly disgusted. “I’m rushing back to shower and turn on the AC.”

“Fine,” Tang Keyue sighed, giving up.

In this sticky weather, staying in the dorm with the AC blasting was indeed the better option.

“Speaking of which, why did you make them compete on vocals? Personally, I think Mu Siqiong is still the better fit for center.”

Nan Zhi shrugged. “Didn’t you notice? Mu Siqiong was already considering giving up the center position. I just wanted to buy everyone some extra time to think.”

Tang Keyue’s eyes widened in realization. “I totally missed that!”

She patted her chest dramatically. “Close call! It would’ve been such a waste if the center spot was given up.”

“Yeah.”

Though Mu Siqiong had started learning the dance earlier than the others, mastering the choreography for the chorus in such a short time and delivering that level of performance was proof of her skill.

Someone like her shouldn’t be overshadowed by the original protagonist’s halo.

As they chatted, they rounded the first corner. Under the dim glow of a streetlamp, a figure suddenly came into view.

A girl with long, loose hair stood there, a small plastic bag dangling from her wrist. The warm yellow light illuminated her head, making her hair look soft and fluffy.

When she noticed their approach, her expression flickered briefly with surprise before softening into a gentle smile as her gaze landed on the girl half a step behind. Her dark eyes shimmered with quiet delight.

Nan Zhi’s face lit up as she hurried forward excitedly. “Zhu Ran! What are you doing here? What’s that? Bubble tea? Where did you get it?”

Tang Keyue shrieked and lunged toward Zhu Ran. “Ahhh! Zhu Ran, you’re an absolute legend! I haven’t had bubble tea in a week, I miss it so much! Which shop did you order from? Wait, how did you even manage to get it? Teach me your ways!”

Inside the white takeout bag were two cups of taro bubble tea. As it was lifted, the ice cubes clinked softly against the milky tea, the chill instantly cutting through the oppressive humidity, as if freeing them from the damp air.

Zhu Ran ‘s gaze briefly swept over Nan Zhi’s pink class uniform, clinging to her skin from the moisture.

“Someone stopped me by the gate and asked me to pass this to Nan Zhi,” Zhu Ran said, her lips curving slightly. “Probably a fan of yours.”

Tang Keyue sighed in disappointment. “Next time, tell your fans you have a best friend named Tang Keyue, and they shouldn’t forget her when ordering bubble tea.”

Nan Zhi burst out laughing and handed her one of the cups. “Seriously, accepting gifts from fans is already awkward enough, and now you’re placing orders for yourself? Here, you can have mine.”

Before Zhu Ran could stop her, Nan Zhi had already taken the cup, revealing a red arched line and a few letters printed on the side.

“What’s YRS? A typo?” Tang Keyue looked puzzled as she asked Zhu Ran, “Did that fan say anything to you?”

Zhu Ran’s eyes flickered slightly as she shook her head. “No, and I didn’t take it out to look either.”

Nan Zhi also leaned in curiously. “No, it can’t be read separately. The top says YR, the bottom S, and the other cup should have the other half.”

As she spoke, she reached into the bag for the milk tea, piecing the two cups together only to reveal a large heart.

The letters on top read YRNS, with SZD written below.

Nan Zhi: …

SZD was way too obvious.

Even if she didn’t know what YRNS meant, the meaning of the heart was clear.

Tang Keyue blinked, instantly catching on. “You two, CP fans?!”

Zhu Ran turned her head slightly, unwilling to meet their gazes.

Nan Zhi clutched the two cups of milk tea, at a loss.

Though she had long known about this fishing-buddies-esque CP’s existence, facing such an overt heart like this well, how was she supposed to describe this feeling?

Within her line of sight, an unpeeled label still had a line of tiny black text.

Nan Zhi couldn’t help but lean in, trying to read the note.

[No taro paste, just YRNS boba!]

Nan Zhi lifted the milk tea, inspecting the bottoms of both cups there really was no taro paste, only boba!

Why no taro paste? Taro paste is delicious!

Tang Keyue burst into laughter. “Congratulations, hahahahaha!!!”

But as she laughed, a sudden pang of melancholy hit her.

The traffic light trio had three people, why was she left out?!

Wasn’t anyone pairing her with Zhu Ran or Nan Zhi?!

Heartbroken, Tang Tang waved off the milk tea Nan Zhi offered, leaving the “lovebirds” to their little world as she ran off ahead.

With Tang Keyue gone, the remaining two exchanged glances before quickly looking away.

The air grew increasingly humid and sticky, clinging to every breath, suffusing their bodies with a damp heat.

The atmosphere, much like the air, was thick with ambiguity.

Nan Zhi’s hands were half-cool, half-damp from the condensation on the cups, tiny droplets gathering into beads that slid slowly down her wrists and forearms.

“Did your group just finish work?”

Zhu Ran took one of the milk teas from her hands, breaking the silence first.

Nan Zhi glanced up, about to speak, but her gaze was drawn to the dark speck on Zhu Ran’s collarbone. Instinctively, she swatted at it.

“Smack!”

Zhu Ran: ?

Nan Zhi quickly opened her palm. “There was a mosquito!”

Her fair palm held nothing but the warm yellow glow of the streetlights.

Embarrassed, she pulled her hand back. “I, I missed. But there really was a mosquito just now.”

Zhu Ran nodded, lowering her eyes with a faint smile. “I know.”

She lifted her arm, revealing a line of mosquito bites to Nan Zhi.

“How long were you waiting out here? Why didn’t you just go back to the dorm? Come on, let’s hurry!”

Nan Zhi’s eyes widened slightly, the earlier tension forgotten as she grabbed Zhu Ran’s wrist, pulling her toward the dormitory.

The moment their skin touched, Zhu Ran froze.

Only then did she realize she, who had always avoided physical contact, had somehow grown so accustomed to Nan Zhi’s touch.

She had thought she hated this kind of closeness.

So why did Nan Zhi’s touch feel so familiar, so natural?

Zhu Ran lifted her gaze, her dark eyes settling on Nan Zhi’s retreating figure.

Perhaps it was just like that.

The summer night breeze was incredibly gentle.

The sweltering, humid air had reached its peak, and in the evening wind, one girl grabbed another girl’s wrist, running in long strides toward a building not far away.

Above them, massive, elusive clouds gathered together, another storm was brewing.

On the girl’s collarbone rested a trace of moisture left by the other’s hand, the wind from their run brushing over it, amplifying that tiny coolness infinitely.

In her pocket, a receipt that had been tucked away early rustled against fabric, making faint sounds.

On that receipt, which only hu Ran had seen, someone had filled the empty spaces with frivolous, exaggerated hearts.

Only the line in the middle remained visible: Zhu Ran and Nan Zhi must debut together!

Suddenly, a raindrop fell.

Their steps halted at the building’s entrance, their slightly heated breaths mingling with the sudden downpour.

Nan Zhi turned to look at the sky, her bright smile crashing straight into Zhu Ran’s gaze.

“Wow! That was so close, we almost got soaked! I really must have some luck on my side, huh?”

A faint, impossible-to-ignore itch traveled from her collarbone to her heart.

Zhu Ran suddenly remembered.

That mosquito really hadn’t been swatted by Nan Zhi after all.

So itchy.

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