The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 101

Two hours later.

Mo Huai was surprised to see Shen Nian. “What are you doing here?”

Shen Nian shed her coat and collapsed onto the sofa in Mo Huai’s office, looking like she had no bones.

“Mo Huai,” she called out to her manager, her voice lazy. “Help me find a place to live.”

“Huh?” Mo Huai’s eyes widened. She stroked her chin, thinking for a full minute before coming to a conclusion she thought was logical: “Did Shen Zui kick you out?”

Shen Nian didn’t speak, only shooting her a complex look. Seeing this, Mo Huai frowned and began pacing back and forth like a worried mother hen.

“What are you doing?” Shen Nian asked, sitting up straight. “Find me a small apartment near the company so I don’t have to keep hunting for hotels whenever I’m back in town.”

“Are you sure?” Mo Huai’s expression was nothing short of horrified. Both of them knew exactly what Shen Nian buying a new property implied.

Shen Nian nodded. “Mhm.”

She remembered the polite, distant attitude Shen Zui and Sunny had shown her yesterday, and her heart felt heavy. She interpreted this feeling as the anger of being neglected. “Are there any high-end complexes nearby?”

“Figure it out yourself,” Mo Huai waved her hands repeatedly. “Don’t involve me in this.”

Shen Nian was puzzled. “Why?”

Mo Huai twitched her lips. “Buying an apartment is easy. I’m just afraid that once you get your memory back, you’ll skin me alive.”

Shen Nian scoffed. “Is it really that serious?”

“Yes.” Mo Huai stared at her and gave a heavy nod. She emphasized each word: “It is more serious than you can imagine.”

“…” Shen Nian relaxed back into the sofa. She turned her head to look out the window. Mo Huai’s office was on a high floor with a great view, offering a clear layout of the surrounding buildings.

“I don’t understand…” she said. “Was the ‘previous me’ really that in love with Shen Zui?”

Mo Huai found a spot to sit beside her. “I’m not entirely sure either.”

Shen Nian glared at her.

“But a person leaves without a word for three years, you keep yourself clean for her, and the moment she’s back, you’re living together again…” Mo Huai shrugged. “You tell me—what does that count as?”

Shen Nian let out a sharp tchi. Her voice was weaker than her attitude suggested. “The previous me might have been an idiot.”

“I think so too,” Mo Huai agreed with a nod. “Shen Zui just has to crook her finger, and you go running over like a lost puppy.”

Shen Nian felt a surge of inexplicable irritation and kicked her legs restlessly.

“Let’s put the house-hunting on hold for a bit,” Mo Huai said, knowing a stalemate wasn’t the answer. “I have a place in the Changshun district. If you don’t want to stay in a hotel, you can move in there for now.”

Shen Nian stood up instantly, not wanting to stay a moment longer. “Deal.”

Mo Huai gave her a long, lingering look before turning to call the driver. Shen Nian didn’t waste words; she grabbed her luggage and headed straight for the elevator.

“Sigh—” Once she was gone, Mo Huai stood before the floor-to-ceiling window and let out a heavy sigh. She watched the car carrying Shen Nian merge into the main road. After a thought, she picked up her phone and dialed a number.

“President Shen?” Mo Huai’s tone reflexively became respectful. “Yes, it’s Mo Huai.”

Shen Nian felt she was better suited for work. A full schedule allowed her to throw her entire soul into her career, sparing her from thinking about other complicated, meaningless things.

Life proceeded step-by-step until one day, Mo Huai brought several movie scripts for her to choose from.

“Because of your accident, the projects we originally booked were either pushed back or cancelled,” Mo Huai said, sitting across from her. “But it doesn’t matter. You’re recovering well. Want to take a look?”

Shen Nian’s spirits lifted instantly. “Yes.” Between promoting her upcoming film and shooting commercials, she was itching for a new project.

Mo Huai nodded. “Take your time. We’ll talk tomorrow.” She left Shen Nian alone in the new apartment to go through the scripts.

The next day, during their meeting, their opinions clashed for the first time.

“Are you sure?” Mo Huai found it hard to understand. “You want to film Snow in Hangzhou?”

Shen Nian was confused. “Didn’t you tell me to choose?”

“These are just the scripts that met the quality bar lately, so I sent them all over.” Mo Huai rubbed her forehead. “There are two major productions in there, and you actually picked this artistic romance film?”

“This doesn’t even fit your usual taste.”

Shen Nian held the script, her fingertips feeling slightly hot.

“Is it because of the head injury? Are you lacking confidence or afraid you won’t have the energy?” Mo Huai tilted her head to observe her. She thought to herself, Actually, Snow in Hangzhou could work. The filming intensity is low and the schedule is short. It’s a good way to get back into the rhythm of being on set.

Shen Nian put the script back on the table. “I’ve decided.”

“Alright then,” Mo Huai finalized. “If you’re sure, I’ll contact the crew.”

Shen Nian nodded. “Mhm.”

Before leaving, Mo Huai couldn’t help but ask, “Is my taste that bad lately? You think Snow in Hangzhou has the best chance of being a hit out of all these?”

She respected Shen Nian’s ability to pick scripts; seeing her choose something so different made Mo Huai doubt her own judgment.

Shen Nian scratched her head. “Not necessarily.”

“Oh.” Mo Huai narrowed her eyes. “Then what’s the charm of this movie?”

“I just think…” Shen Nian said calmly, “the female lead’s character design is quite good.”

“What?” Mo Huai had read the script carefully; her expression was horrified. “You mean the character who seduces her teacher for her future and climbs up step-by-step using her influence is ‘special’?”

Shen Nian: “…”

Mo Huai continued with some disdain: “Or is it the logic of the female lead abandoning her lover to fly far away, only to return with regret after finding success, that attracts you?”

Shen Nian: “…”

Mo Huai’s lip twitched. “It can’t be the ‘chasing the wife back’ tropes later on that you find exciting, can it?”

“No, no, no!” Shen Nian waved her hands. She took two deep breaths. “I… I meant the character of the teacher!”

Mo Huai was the one rendered speechless now.

Shen Nian continued: “Don’t you think she’s very intellectual and mature? Whether facing her lover’s betrayal or her own guilt, her reactions are perfectly measured.” At this point, she asked casually, “By the way, which actor are they looking at for that role?”

“Wait!” Mo Huai snapped back, her mouth agape. “What does that have to do with you? That’s someone else’s role! It has absolutely nothing to do with you, an Alpha!”

Shen Nian rubbed her nose—a clear sign she was feeling guilty. “Why does it have nothing to do with me? I have to act opposite her…”

Mo Huai stared at her for a long time. “Whatever,” she shrugged. “Suits yourself.” With that, she put on her heels, dropped a “I’ll contact you in a couple of days,” and left the apartment.

The crew of Snow in Hangzhou was stunned when they got the news from Cheng Yue. The producer had only sent the script over as a long shot through a connection with a manager, hoping just to get Shen Nian’s attention. Instead, less than a week later, they received a definitive “Yes” from her.

The production was already in preparation. Getting such news, they didn’t dare delay and quickly invited Shen Nian to discuss the contract, try on makeup, and offer her input.

Shen Nian didn’t have to worry about the contract; Cheng Yue had a mature process for that. Mo Huai negotiated terms so generous that even Shen Nian, watching from the side, was secretly amazed.

The issue arose during the script reading session after the makeup tests.

The actor playing Shen Nian’s lover (the teacher) was named Chen Xi. She was a “solid” actor who had remained moderately famous without ever truly exploding in popularity. She was a perfect match for the role—35 years old, with a waist like a willow branch, at an age where beauty is at its most flavorful.

Sitting there in the vintage qipao prepared by the crew, her eyes full of expression, she was the definition of graceful.

Most of Shen Nian’s attention was on her. Even her assistant, who was usually slow on the uptake, noticed.

“Nian-jie,” she tugged on Shen Nian’s sleeve and whispered, “Do you like Teacher Chen?”

“Huh?” Shen Nian shook her head. “No, don’t talk nonsense.”

Assistant: “But you’ve been staring at her.”

Shen Nian didn’t see anything wrong with it. “We have the most scenes together. Is it wrong for me to look at her?”

“You’re staring so hard she’s getting shy!” the assistant reminded her. “Haven’t you noticed? Everyone else is looking at you two strangely!”

Shen Nian: “…”

Only after this reminder did she realize her behavior. For the next two hours of the reading session, she was very restrained, trying not to draw attention.

As things wrapped up, Chen Xi took the initiative to come over.

“Shen Nian.” The beauty’s eyes were like autumn ripples. Her fragrance reached Shen Nian before she did. “Can we exchange contact info? We can communicate directly if anything comes up later.”

The assistant quickly interjected, “Teacher Chen, Nian-jie’s phone is here, add me!” She held out the work phone.

Chen Xi saw through it but didn’t point it out, adding the contact gracefully. She waved her phone at Shen Nian. “Then I won’t be polite. If I disturb you later, please don’t mind.”

Shen Nian shook her head. “I won’t.”

Chen Xi didn’t linger; she said her polite goodbyes and left.

“Phew.” The assistant breathed a sigh of relief. She looked enviously at Chen Xi’s slender back and asked Shen Nian softly, “What perfume is Teacher Chen wearing? It smells so good!”

“Good?” Shen Nian rubbed her nose, disagreeing. “It’s too strong.”

“Eh?” The assistant looked at her in confusion.

Shen Nian turned. “Let’s go, heading back.”

“Right, right.” The assistant jogged to catch up. She chatted casually, “You were staring at her so much earlier, I really thought you liked her.”

Shen Nian shook her head truthfully. “No.” After a pause, she glanced at the assistant with confusion. “It’s just a colleague relationship. It’s not about liking or not.”

“Then why were you staring at her the whole time?”

“…” Shen Nian was silent for a moment. She felt a need to explain. “I just felt… she was a bit different from the ‘Gu Zikan’ I imagined.”

Gu Zikan was the other female lead in Snow in Hangzhou, the character Chen Xi would be playing.

“Wow—” The assistant suddenly thought Shen Nian was incredibly professional. She asked humbly, “How is she different? Teacher Chen is very beautiful, and she looks great in a qipao.”

Shen Nian thought for a moment. “It’s just… the feeling. Something feels slightly off.”

The assistant scratched her head, clearly unable to understand such an abstract description.

Shen Nian didn’t say more. She opened the car door and sat inside. As the driver started the car, she leaned against the seat and closed her eyes to rest, her mind reflexively recalling the script’s contents.

In a half-dreaming state, she entered a specific scene—her favorite one. It was the moment her character, during her student days, confessed to Gu Zikan. The young girl’s face was shy, but beneath that three-parts sincerity lay seven-parts calculation.

Gu Zikan was called out to, and she slowly turned her head back to look.

It was Shen Zui’s face.