The Plan to Save the Villainess Supporting Actress [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 3

“Nan Zhi?” Shen Jiaying’s smile faltered for a moment, her face showing a hint of confusion.

Zhu Ran pointed at Nan Zhi and introduced, “She’s my roommate.”

Shen Jiaying’s smile grew increasingly strained. “Oh, so you’ve already made new friends so quickly. I thought you’d be the same as me…”

Her voice gradually trailed off, losing its earlier cheerful tone. Her entire demeanor now radiated “wronged,” to the point where even Nan Zhi, standing nearby, couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

Yet Zhu Ran remained as cold as ever, even asking, “What do you mean, ‘the same as you’?”

The next second, Shen Jiaying sniffled lightly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“If I had made it into the top 25, I would’ve definitely chosen Ran to film the video with me. After all, we’re best friends.”

Nan Zhi was stunned.

What’s with this female lead…?

Zhu Ran lowered her gaze slightly, avoiding Shen Jiaying’s expression.

“Sorry.”

Nan Zhi heard her murmur in response.

For some reason, though Zhu Ran’s apology had been soft, it made Nan Zhi’s mood sink even further.

Even though Zhu Ran didn’t know that if the opportunity had fallen to Shen Jiaying, Shen Jiaying wouldn’t have chosen her.

Yet, faced with Shen Jiaying’s “accusation,” Zhu Ran still accepted it and chose to apologize.

The original plot had mentioned that in the early stages, Zhu Ran had boundless patience and tolerance for Shen Jiaying.

And indeed, that seemed to be the case.

System: [A reminder, host seems to have forgotten that Zhu Ran also lied to Shen Jiaying.]

Caught up in the moment, Nan Zhi automatically tuned out this message.

System: […]

Shen Jiaying wiped her tears and added, “It’s okay. Since Ran has already made her choice, there’s nothing we can do. Next time, we’ll definitely do it together!”

Zhu Ran nodded slightly, tacitly agreeing.

Only after Shen Jiaying had walked away did she turn to Nan Zhi. “Shall we go?”

Nan Zhi was still reeling from the shock Shen Jiaying had delivered, her expression dazed.

“Go where?”

Zhu Ran waved the phone issued by the production team. “Where do you want to film?”

“I’m fine with anything.”

Zhu Ran gave a slight nod and led the way out of the classroom. “Then let’s go to the rooftop.”

On the way, Nan Zhi couldn’t resist asking, “Can I ask why you lied to Shen Jiaying?”

“It wasn’t exactly a lie,” Zhu Ran replied calmly. “I was already planning to invite you. She just got to me first.”

Nan Zhi froze for a second. “Invite me? We’re not that close, are we?”

Zhu Ran tilted her head slightly, the loose strands of hair by her cheek swaying with the movement.

“We’re really not that close. So, why did you help me in the dorm?”

The staircase leading to the rooftop was narrow. Zhu Ran pushed open the door and gestured for Nan Zhi to go first.

Suddenly face-to-face, Nan Zhi nearly slipped, but luckily Zhu Ran reacted quickly, steadying her before she could fall.

Zhu Ran’s hand was cool to the touch, and the moment it made contact with Nan Zhi’s arm, both of them shivered imperceptibly.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, no problem.”

Once Nan Zhi was steady, Zhu Ran immediately withdrew her hand.

With this little interruption, the earlier topic naturally died.

Neither spoke, and the atmosphere grew awkward for a moment.

While Zhu Ran was occupied with her phone, Nan Zhi suddenly remembered a question and called out to the system again:

“If Shen Jiaying doesn’t participate in this short video, will it affect her popularity later on?”

The system’s response remained that mechanical voice: “The plot of the novel world will change with the host’s intervention. The host can alter the fate of the supporting female character, which will also affect the original female lead’s destiny. If the host alters the world too much, it may lead to its collapse.”

Nan Zhi was shocked: “How much is considered ‘too much’?”

The system hesitated: “…As long as the original female lead’s final outcome isn’t changed, it probably won’t collapse?”

“What do you mean ‘probably’?!”

“Huh?” Zhu Ran tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with a trace of confusion.

Nan Zhi hurriedly covered her mouth, her eyelashes fluttering: “Did I just say something out loud?”

Zhu Ran nodded: “Mm.”

“Never mind, never mind, just talking to myself. By the way, what do you think about this short video?” Nan Zhi quickly waved her hand, steering the conversation away.

Zhu Ran paused for a moment before countering: “What about you? Any ideas?”

Of course, she had none!

She was just a minor character here to complete her mission.

Idol activities? Nan Zhi had never even considered it.

But she couldn’t say that to Zhu Ran, so with a quick thought, Nan Zhi suggested: “How about you sing a cappella?”

“A cappella?” Zhu Ran seemed puzzled.

Nan Zhi smiled and said, “Actually, I heard the last part when you were practicing earlier. Your singing is really beautiful, and your breath control is steady even after dancing the whole song. Why not make the focus of this video your singing?”

She had another reason for suggesting this, Zhu Ran’s debut stage.

The one where she performed with Shen Jiaying and the others.

During that debut stage, Zhu Ran had missed two notes, which landed her in Class C.

With the first episode of the show about to air, it wouldn’t hurt to shift the audience’s impression of Zhu Ran through this short video beforehand.

The better Zhu Ran’s public reception, the more stable her “darkening value” might remain.

The more Nan Zhi thought about it, the more feasible the plan seemed.

Zhu Ran suddenly frowned and asked, “You want me to sing alone?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

Nan Zhi blinked and answered matter-of-factly: “Because you sing so well!”

Zhu Ran opened her mouth slightly, her expression momentarily flustered before it vanished so quickly that Nan Zhi thought she might have imagined it.

Then Zhu Ran said, “But aren’t we supposed to collaborate? You!”

Before she could finish, Nan Zhi boldly waved her hand and interrupted:

“Then just add a caption, ‘Filmed by Director Nan Zhi’!”

The June wind carried the prelude to the coming summer heat. It wasn’t gentle, but it playfully tousled the loose strands of hair by their cheeks, brushing against the tips of their ears again and again.

It tickled unbearably.

Nan Zhi’s smile was too radiant, making Zhu Ran avert her gaze slightly.

The brief silence was a tacit agreement. Seeing that Zhu Ran didn’t object, Nan Zhi excitedly pulled out her phone to select a song.

Nan Zhi picked six songs in total, and Zhu Ran sang each one.

It wasn’t until the last song, an English one that Zhu Ran had only sung the first line before Nan Zhi’s eyes lit up, and she immediately made her decision.

Zhu Ran was visibly nervous in front of the camera, and the first take didn’t go well.

By the third take, she gradually relaxed.

Under the clear blue sky of early summer, on the simple rooftop, with the wind rustling loudly.

The girl tied her long hair into a low ponytail, revealing her delicate and elegant neckline.

She wore headphones, her eyes lightly closed as sunlight caressed her face, casting shadows from her long, curled lashes.

Like the last statue left behind in a divine miracle.

Or like Venus fallen into an ancient oil painting.

Until she opened her mouth.

Just as Nan Zhi had imagined, Zhu Ran’s voice was extraordinary.

Especially when singing slow songs, it carried an ethereal, lingering quality, as if naturally layered with reverb, pure and free of any impurity.

The moment Zhu Ran’s voice rose, the clear sky and clouds became mere backdrops.

In this mundane world, only her singing could cleanse everything.

“And I’ll be waiting in the shadow of the sun.

(Seizing time where no one has been before.

Close the curtains, what are you waiting for?

And I’ll be keeping secrets till I’m in the ground.)”

As the last note faded, Zhu Ran slowly opened her eyes.

Behind the camera, Nan Zhi couldn’t help but hold her breath.

Zhu Ran was the cold moon, the untouchable mountain peak, a spirit descended into the mortal realm.

And she, was the first to capture that moonlight.

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