The Plan to Save the Villainess Supporting Actress [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 24.1

“Zhu Ran?” Mu Siqiong was slightly surprised, then smiled gently. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

The girl before her was tall, with black curly hair tied into a high ponytail. A few loose strands casually framed her temples and ears, while the faint blue veins beneath her fair skin were just visible along her slender neck.

The girl pressed her lips together slightly, her dark, deep pupils devoid of emotion. She seemed like transparent glass exquisite yet exuding an air of distance.

This was Mu Siqiong’s first close encounter with Zhu Ran, and for some reason, she felt an inexplicable sense of pressure.

Even though the other girl was simply standing there, doing nothing at all.

“Hello, Mu Siqiong. I’ve heard a lot about you too.”

Zhu Ran curled the corners of her lips slightly, responding with a faint smile.

The ice-cold beauty looked quite lovely when she smiled, finally making her seem a little less intimidating.

Mu Siqiong subtly exhaled in relief, her gaze flickering between Nan Zhi and Zhu Ran.

“Should the two of you chat? I’ll head to the convenience store first.”

Nan Zhi seemed to snap out of her daze and quickly stopped her. “No, no! We just agreed to go together. If the footage gets edited to show only you going to the store alone, who knows what kind of drama the internet will stir up.”

“Huh?” Mu Siqiong blinked, confused.

Had she misread the atmosphere?

Or misunderstood?

In the next moment, Nan Zhi suddenly hugged Zhu Ran.

Whatever Nan Zhi whispered in her ear, Zhu Ran’s expression first froze, then shifted to confusion and shock, even reddening slightly at the rims of her eyes.

Mu Siqiong watched their dynamic with great interest.

One moment, Zhu Ran had been an aloof goddess, but the second she encountered Nan Zhi, she turned into a dazed little kid.

As for Nan Zhi, who had been so composed and logical in the practice room earlier now seemed like an overexcited puppy seeing its owner return home, completely flustered.

No wonder Shao Xiling and the others were suspicious.

If Mu Siqiong didn’t know Nan Zhi’s character, even she might have started doubting things after seeing this.

“Well, see you later.” Nan Zhi hastily let go of Zhu Ran and waved. “We’re heading off now.”

Zhu Ran also smiled faintly and waved at the two of them.

“Captain, let’s go, let’s go!”

On the way, Mu Siqiong couldn’t resist her curiosity. “Did you and Zhu Ran meet after coming to the training camp?”

Nan Zhi kept fanning her face with her hand. “Yeah, we’re roommates.”

“That’s really nice.”

Mu Siqiong smiled softly, her tone gentle.

“Huh? Why do you say that?”

“Because here, everyone is technically a competitor in the same contest,” Mu Siqiong tilted her head, a hint of loneliness flashing in her eyes. “Actually, my relationship with the other trainees from my company is pretty distant. So seeing you and Zhu Ran so close makes me a little envious.”

She added somewhat sheepishly, “After all, the pressure here is intense. Having a good friend by your side is really lucky.”

Nan Zhi’s footsteps paused. After a moment, she slowly broke into a radiant smile.

“Yeah, meeting Zhu Ran is my good fortune.”

Meanwhile, in Nan Zhi’s mind, the system’s frantic notifications flashed like crazy.

[Host! Are you really sure about this?!]

A mental image of a tiny Nan Zhi nodded emphatically.

The three-year-old system found human emotions utterly incomprehensible.

When Nan Zhi first felt her heart flutter for Zhu Ran, she kept denying that feeling, afraid to lift the veil.

At that time, the system never imagined that once this person pierced through the paper window, she would throw all caution to the wind.

Stay in this world?

Was she insane?!

The system shouted: [Host, are you really sure about this? Won’t you reconsider?]

On the left side of her mind, the gray interface she had deliberately blocked out with her consciousness appeared in full for the first time.

Nan Zhi tilted her head slightly, and when her gaze landed on that spot, she couldn’t help but tremble.

[That’s your ultimate wish, isn’t it?]

Nan Zhi let out a soft “Mm.”

It wasn’t just a wish it was also a debt she had yet to repay.

It was for that person that she had decided to return to the Quick Transmigration Bureau and take on the system’s missions.

Because as long as she accumulated enough points, she could wake that person up.

[So, Host, are you going to give up all your efforts for Zhu Ran?]

The system didn’t understand.

Finding the soul fragments of Key Figure α was Nan Zhi’s only reason for returning to the Quick Transmigration Bureau.

And Zhu Ran was just a character in this mission world.

Once Nan Zhi completed her task, this world would be nothing more than a fictional story to her.

If she liked Zhu Ran.

If she stayed for Zhu Ran.

In her mind, the translucent fingers of her consciousness reached out and brushed against the gray interface. The touch was met with endless silence.

Her long lashes fluttered slightly, and Nan Zhi couldn’t help but close her eyes.

That person was still asleep. This dark gray space would never light up or pulse again; it would never coldly toss back a “Boring” when she cracked a lame joke.

Her heart ached with a dense, sour numbness.

After a long while, Nan Zhi finally whispered a single sentence.

[I understand.]

How could she not know the consequences of staying here?

The moment she completed her mission, everyone in this world would no longer have anything to do with her.

Nan Zhi suddenly recalled a line she had once seen in an anime.

Do not form bonds.

That was the nature of her relationship with Zhu Ran.

But still, but still.

Her heart had already settled here.

[Host…]

[Relax, I just want to accompany Zhu Ran to the end of this world. I won’t forcibly extend it.]

Nan Zhi steadied her emotions and even comforted the system instead.

She had heard many predecessors mention it before.

Some had fallen in love with characters in small worlds and, to stay with their loved ones, secretly extended the world’s timeline behind the system and the Quick Transmigration Bureau’s back.

In the end, they were even trapped in the world’s endless cycle, never able to return to reality.

Nan Zhi looked at the gray interface, lightly tapped it with her fingertip, and hid it away.

[She is my comrade. I will definitely bring her back to life.]

[But I don’t want to miss Zhu Ran either.]

Even if Zhu Ran was just a character in this world.

Even if, after she left, this love would remain known only to herself.

Even if all of this was nothing but a fleeting illusion.

Still, she wanted to be close to Zhu Ran.

Nan Zhi smiled as if she had found peace.

[Come on, this is my first time falling in love. Can’t you support me a little?]

Hmph.

The little furball rolled into a corner, sulking with its face to the wall.

[Host, are you really sure this is love?]

Nan Zhi burst into laughter.

[Yes, absolutely, without a doubt!]

[I like Zhu Ran.]

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