The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 105

City A saw no snow, yet the air remained bitterly cold.

After stepping out of the car, Sang Nian quickly rounded to the other side to open the door for Shen Zui. Despite being prepared, a sudden gust of cold wind snuck through the gaps in Shen Zui’s collar, making her shiver.

Sang Nian pulled open her trench coat and leaned forward, enveloping the woman in her embrace. “Still cold?” she asked.

Shen Zui leaned obediently against her chest, looking up into her eyes.

On this New Year’s Eve, the villa district had been meticulously decorated. As their car drove in, the route was lined with red silk ribbons, Chinese knots, and various festive elements. The auspicious red glow seemed to light up people’s hearts, warding off the old and welcoming the new.

In her deep gray trench coat, Sang Nian did not stand out against the bleak winter backdrop; without focusing on her natural star-quality features, she was easily overlooked. Shen Zui, however, felt that Sang Nian alone occupied her entire field of vision—so much so that she had no time to appreciate the grand scenery of the streets.

“What is it?” Sang Nian smiled, seeing her wife dazed in her arms. “Frozen solid?”

Beneath the coat, Shen Zui’s hands slowly circled Sang Nian’s waist. “Mhm,” she asked. “Will you take responsibility?”

Sang Nian nodded, her chin brushing against Shen Zui’s hair. “I’ll take responsibility. Of course, I will.” She acted quite generous, appearing ready to grant any request. “How does President Shen want me to do it?”

“Niannian.” Shen Zui gripped the hem of Sang Nian’s sweater behind her back. She looked up, a hint of dissatisfaction flickering in her eyes as she called out the other’s hypocrisy: “You aren’t being sincere.”

Sang Nian’s composure broke instantly. As she leaned down, her lips brushed past the corner of Shen Zui’s mouth. “I have my difficulties.”

Shen Zui arched an eyebrow. “Difficulties?”

Despite being half a head taller than the woman in her arms, Sang Nian began to act spoiled. “After all, my entire net worth—from my body to my soul—has already been claimed by someone.” A glimmer of a smile spilled from her eyes, devoid of any real guilt. “I truly have nothing else left to give to take responsibility for President Shen.”

Shen Zui’s cheeks flushed. She instinctively tried to withdraw her hand, only to find her arm already pinned down by Sang Nian.

“What should we do?” Sang Nian used her gaze instead of her fingers to tenderly trace Shen Zui’s exquisite features. “President Shen, why don’t you decide for me?”

Shen Zui tilted her head, thinking for a moment. “So, you want to escape?” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “You are free; no one can stop you…”

Sang Nian didn’t want to hear the rest. She shook her head and hurriedly captured the other’s lips, cutting off Shen Zui’s voice. “No.”

Shen Zui lowered her eyes, savoring the intimacy. Sang Nian pulled her into a hug, leaving no space between them. “I want to redeem myself for one month first.”

Shen Zui: “Mhm?”

Sang Nian smiled, looking both wicked and charming. “At least for this winter, I can warm President Shen’s bed.”

Shen Zui’s eyelashes trembled, the starlight in her eyes worth more than ten thousand words. Sang Nian watched her with such obsession that she couldn’t help but lean down and press a restrained kiss onto her eyelid.

But restraint eventually reached its limit. Feeling Shen Zui’s obedience and cooperation, she forgot they were still on the street outside the villa. She lowered her head, her heart set on intensifying the warmth of this moment.

At the critical second—

“Mama! Mommy!”

Sunny, who had been brought back from the apartment to the villa by the nanny earlier, came running toward them from the gate on her short legs.

Sang Nian froze. In the next heartbeat, Shen Zui had withdrawn her hand, pressing against Sang Nian’s chin to push her away. Deprived of each other’s warmth, both of them shivered.

Sang Nian ground her teeth. The frustration of being interrupted hadn’t even fully formed before her heart was filled with joy and affection at the sight of her daughter. She crouched down, catching the adorable girl in her arms and lifting her effortlessly.

Sunny’s cheeks were rosy. Sang Nian touched the girl’s face and hands; confirming they were warm, she finally relaxed. “Why did you run out?”

Sunny blinked at her. The little girl was sensitive; even from a simple movement, she realized Sang Nian was different than before. She turned to look at Shen Zui, then back at Sang Nian, her searching gaze moving between the two.

Sang Nian’s face still held a smile, but her heart was aching with love. She tightened her grip and carried the girl to the back of the car. “Mommy bought you a New Year’s gift.”

The trunk opened to reveal a carefully arranged surprise—a heap of plushies surrounding several beautiful gift boxes. The largest one was big enough for Sunny to lie inside.

But the little girl didn’t look at them once. Her nose quickly turned the same color as her cheeks—a bright, painful red like a cherry.

Sang Nian kissed her cheek. “Nini, be good…”

Suddenly, Sunny buried her face in Sang Nian’s shoulder. Her tears vanished into the fabric of the trench coat, leaving two small, barely visible wet spots. “Mommy,” she whispered.

“Mhm.” Sang Nian glanced at Shen Zui, who had moved closer. “Mommy is here.”

Sunny hugged her neck tightly. “I only want Mommy! I want Mommy to never be sick again, and never disappear!”

The two-year-old struggled to express her wish, her sincerity making Sang Nian’s soul tremble. Her throat felt tight with emotion; fearing she would expose her vulnerability if she spoke, she remained silent for a moment.

Shen Zui noticed her emotional state and reached out to stroke Sunny’s hair. “Mommy is all better now. She won’t disappear ever again.”

Sunny was easy to coax. “Really?”

“Mhm.” Shen Zui smiled at her. Having comforted her, she began to distract the girl. “We found a new little bunny and brought it back. Let’s let the bunny go home for a reunion too, shall we?”

Sunny immediately turned toward the colorful pile of gifts. Sang Nian gave Shen Zui a grateful look. “Shall Mommy help you take it inside?”

“Okay!” Sunny nodded vigorously. She turned back to Sang Nian, leaned in, and gave her a loud, resounding “smack” of a kiss on the cheek.

This return gift from her daughter was more precious to Sang Nian than the entire carload of expensive presents.

That night, after a sumptuous New Year’s Eve dinner, the family stayed up to “watch the year” according to tradition. Sunny obviously couldn’t make it to midnight; she tried her best to stay awake until 10:30 PM before her head began to droop.

Sang Nian held her in her arms, coaxing her softly, waiting for her to fall asleep so she could carry her to her room. In her hazy state, Sunny was still thinking about the New Year blessings she had prepared.

She called out: “Mommy.”

Sang Nian lowered her head, her chin resting on the girl’s crown. “Mhm?”

“Mommy, welcome back.”

Sang Nian smiled warmly. “Mhm, thank you.”

“And…”

“And what else?”

“Nini loves you.”

“Oh, right… Mama, Mama loves you too. We all love you…”

The little girl’s voice grew weaker. After finishing that sentence, her eyelids closed completely, and she drifted into a sweet dreamland.

Sang Nian lowered her head and took a deep breath, trying to calm the surging emotions in her chest. “Mhm,” she whispered back. “Mommy loves you both too.”

Shen Zui leaned in, reaching out to wipe a tear from Sang Nian’s jaw. Sang Nian freed one hand to catch her wrist. Their gazes locked, and Shen Zui uncontrollably leaned forward.

Brilliant fireworks filled the sky, reflecting off the river outside the villa like a shimmering galaxy of stars. On this day of parting with the old and welcoming the new, the two of them leaned against each other, exchanging warmth, breath, and every future moment etched into each other’s lives with a kiss.

“Niannian…”

Sang Nian beat her to it: “I love you.”

Shen Zui laughed softly. “Mhm, I know.”

“I never doubted it.”