The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 18.1

Xi You let out a sharp cry, pushed past Shen Nian, and sprinted toward the classroom door, vanishing from sight in seconds.

Yang Min and the others stood dazed. They turned to look at Shen Nian, only to find her expression as calm as ever.

“Sorry about that.” Shen Nian lowered her eyes and brushed a non-existent speck of dust from her collar.

“It—it’s fine…” The Class President snapped out of it and waved her off. “It wasn’t your fault. Why are you apologizing?”

Shen Nian returned a friendly smile.

The group didn’t let the minor incident ruin their mood. They quickly finalized the details of Shen Nian joining the Drama Club. Before parting ways, Yang Min invited Shen Nian to the club social on Wednesday night, and Shen Nian readily agreed.

She packed her things and was the last to leave the classroom. It was only when she reached the hallway that she realized her video call with Shen Zui was still active.

“Young Auntie?” Shen Nian called out.

“Mm,” Shen Zui’s voice crackled through the earbud. “Done with your business?”

“…Yes.” Shen Nian took her phone in hand and began walking outside with a light step.

It was late spring. The university campus was lush with greenery, and the air was filled with the sounds of cicadas and birds. As she passed a Bauhinia tree, a flower drifted down and landed on her shoulder. She brushed it off, watching it settle into the soft soil.

“The environment at A-University is quite nice,” Shen Zui remarked wistfully.

“Auntie, didn’t you graduate from here?” Shen Nian recalled. “You were in… the Economics and Management Department?”

“Mm.” Shen Zui leaned back, resting lazily against the headboard of her bed. A stray lock of hair escaped from behind her ear and fell against her cheek, softening her already stunning features.

Shen Nian looked at her, while Shen Zui looked at the vibrant spring scenery behind Shen Nian.

“I haven’t been out in so long,” Shen Zui spoke softly, turning her head toward the only window in the room. “I’ve almost forgotten what it feels like to walk on the street.”

Shen Nian felt a pang in her heart. She forced a smile and asked, “What does the doctor say? Your health is improving. You should be able to go out in a while, right?”

Hearing this, Shen Zui looked up, her gaze fixed on Shen Nian’s face. Shen Nian felt a bit self-conscious under that gaze.

The midday sun was intense, making her throat feel dry. Seeing a small shop by the road, she walked over and bought a two-yuan bottle of mineral water. Placing her phone on the counter, Shen Nian unscrewed the cap and took a deep, thirsty gulp.

A drop or two of water escaped her lips, sliding down her jawline and neck before disappearing into the hollow of her collarbone, leaving a faint damp mark on her dark collar.

On the screen, Shen Zui’s gaze darkened.

Once Shen Nian had drained half the bottle, Shen Zui finally spoke: “I have you to thank.”

“Hmm?” Shen Nian gasped for air, her lips still wet. “Thank me?”

“Thanks to you, I’ll have the chance to go out,” Shen Zui finished.

“Ah…” Certain “R-rated” memories flashed through Shen Nian’s mind, and she blushed in embarrassment. She rubbed her nose, feeling that saying “you’re welcome” was wrong, but saying “it’s my duty” felt too awkward.

Seeing this, Shen Zui smiled. “Alright, it’s late. Aren’t you going to eat lunch?”

“Right away,” Shen Nian replied. She waved at the camera. “Then… goodbye, Young Auntie.”

Shen Zui tapped her index finger against the back of her hand, her expression unreadable. After a moment, she gave a soft hum and ended the call.

The screen went black, and Shen Nian’s fingers lingered on the phone with a sense of longing. She quickly gathered herself, however, and headed straight for the cafeteria.

Her schedule for the week was packed. Aside from picking up the courses she had once ignored, she had added Drama Club activities and fitness training. She didn’t have a moment to rest.

Tuesday was full of classes. It wasn’t until night that Shen Nian had a chance to hit the gym. By the time she finished her workout, it was nearly 10:00 PM. Hurrying to catch the last campus bus, she didn’t notice she was being followed—not until she was cornered in a dark alley by two tall men.

The area was surrounded by skyscrapers, but in the narrow gaps between the grand buildings lived the rats and flies of the shadows.

There were four of them in total—all large, grown men. The strange thing was their attire; they didn’t look like traditional street thugs. Some wore expensive streetwear, and the leader even wore a decent-quality suit.

With no way to retreat, Shen Nian asked tentatively, “Did you get the wrong person?”

Under the streetlamp, the man in the suit stepped out of the shadows. He cracked his knuckles and smirked at Shen Nian’s face. “Not a chance,” he said. “With a face like yours, it would be hard to make a mistake.”

“Oh.” Shen Nian remained expressionless. There weren’t many people who would target her. She quickly identified the likely culprit. “Did Shen Zhuan tell you to pass on a message?”

“Who’s Shen Zhuan?” the man in the suit sneered maliciously.

“Then it’s Qi Zhou,” Shen Nian shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. Same thing.”

At the mention of “Qi Zhou,” the four men froze for a split second.

The man in the suit rubbed his chin. “Fine. At least you know why you’re getting a beating. You dare offend Brother Qi? You’re in for it, little girl!”

“Is that so?” Shen Nian calmly held up her phone. “Why don’t you ask Qi Zhou if it’s worth betting his entire career just to have me beaten up?”

The man caught sight of the live stream running on her screen, and his face instantly paled.

“Your voices were all recorded,” Shen Nian mocked, the tables turned. “Brother Dahu, you finally became a ‘normal person.’ Why are you going back to your old trade?”

The man in the suit was genuinely shocked, his eyes widening. “Dahu” was his stage name; he was currently a streamer under Qi Zhou’s company, specializing in “rustic humor.” He was doing quite well for himself. Few people knew that before streaming, he had indeed been a street thug.

“Brother Hu, she knows who we…” a lackey said nervously, grabbing the man’s arm.

“Get lost!” The man in the suit shoved him away. He rubbed his nose. “Alright. I underestimated you. For a college student, you’ve got quite a few tricks up your sleeve.”

He stepped aside to clear a path. “Consider yourself lucky. Get lost.”

“How are you going to explain this to Qi Zhou if you just go back like this?” Shen Nian tucked her phone away. She beckoned him closer. “Come here. Help me pass a message to Qi Zhou. I’ll give you something to report back with.”

The man was clearly tempted. He gave his lackeys a look and followed Shen Nian deeper into the alley.

About five minutes later, Shen Nian walked out, looking completely normal.

“Where’s Brother Hu?!” the lackeys waiting outside asked anxiously.

“Oh…” Shen Nian glanced back. “He’s still in there.”

Another man scratched his head. “What game are you playing? Why isn’t he coming out with you?”

Shen Nian shrugged. “How should I know?”

The night wind blew away the clouds, revealing the crescent moon. Shen Nian stood in the moonlight, wearing cargo pants and sneakers, her figure as poised as a stalk of bamboo. Though she was alone, the three thugs suddenly felt a chill and didn’t dare approach her.

Shen Nian’s gaze swept over them. Seeing they had no more business, she slung her bag over her shoulder and walked out of the alley.

As the shadows receded and she stood under the streetlamps again, the three men noticed her delicate skin was glistening with sweat; she seemed to glow in the dark.

After she left, the three men snapped out of it and ran inside. In the depths of the dark alley, the arrogant man in the suit was clutching his stomach on the ground, letting out broken groans.

“Br—Brother Hu!” A lackey crouched before him, seeing his blackened eye in the moonlight. “What happened?!”

“D*mn it!” The man in the suit slapped him. “Stop howling and help me up.” He winced as he touched his face. “Take me… to the hospital…”

“She… she beat you up?!” another thug asked, his eyes wide with pure stupidity. “Should we call the police?!”

The others looked at him, the word “idiot” practically written on their faces.

After a long silence, the man in the suit leaned on his lackeys.

“Brother Hu, what do we tell Brother Qi?” one asked as they helped him out. “He told us to take photos after the beating to show him.”

Brother Hu: “…”

Another asked, “Didn’t that person say she had a message for Qi Zhou?”

“D*mn!” At the mention of this, the man in the suit forgot his physical pain and slapped the lackey again. “You idiot, do you think anything she says would be a good message?”

He recalled the scene of Shen Nian stepping on his chest and sneering. He shuddered. In the darkness, her expression had been hidden, and he had only heard her “demonic” whisper.

She had said: “Some things the Eldest Miss of the Shen family can get away with, but if a ‘white glove’ doesn’t recognize their place, they’ll eventually be disposed of by those above them.”

The man didn’t know the specifics of the feud, but he was sharp enough to know he shouldn’t get involved. Emerging from the alley, he looked around, but Shen Nian was nowhere to be seen.

Shen Nian returned to her dorm safely. She hadn’t expected Qi Zhou to provoke her before she even started investigating him.

Lying in bed, she put on her earbuds and checked Qi Zhou’s social media again. About half an hour ago, he had uploaded a new video—still filled with flashing lights and nightlife. The background noise was chaotic, but Shen Nian listened to it several times, peeling back the layers of sound until she was certain that a voice very similar to Shen Zhuan’s had called out two words:

“Xiao Yuan.”

It might not be those exact characters, but the syllables were definitely similar. She yawned, turned off her phone, and fell into a deep sleep.

On Wednesday night, after her classes, Shen Nian went to the Drama Club’s activity center with Yang Min’s group.

When they saw her, many people wore expressions of disbelief; they clearly knew of her existence. Shen Nian realized that although she kept a low profile, her reputation in the department was high—mostly for her beauty and her “hopeless” grades.

“Why did you bring her here?” A tall Alpha male rolled his eyes unceremoniously. “Do you have water in your brain?”

“Senior Yan, don’t be so harsh!” Yang Min stepped up. “We brought her here because we confirmed her talent.”

Yan Yi looked Shen Nian up and down. “What talent?” He gave a rude “Hey” toward her. “Do you even follow stage plays?”

Shen Nian kept her hands in her pockets. “A little.”

“Heh? A little?” Yan Yi raised an eyebrow. “The National Theater Troupe from Country F is coming to A-City soon. Do you know which play they’re performing?”

He raised his voice intentionally. Most people in the room stopped what they were doing and looked over.

Shen Nian looked appropriately surprised. “The National Theater Troupe from Country F? They’re coming to perform?” She shrugged. “I really didn’t know about that.”

“Heh.” Yan Yi’s mockery was now blatant. “I won’t bother explaining their status in the industry to you. If you don’t even follow their schedule, how can you claim to be interested in drama?”

The others began to whisper. “Does she really care about drama?” “This club isn’t a place for people to just idle around for credits!” “Drama isn’t an idol drama; you need more than just a face. Is Yang Min crazy?”

Yang Min’s face turned red with embarrassment. “It’s not like that! Don’t jump to conclusions, okay? You didn’t see her in Professor Zhang’s class…”

“Enough, Yang Min,” Yan Yi interrupted. “Have you forgotten we have important things to do tonight?” He crossed his arms. “Take her away. Don’t waste our time.”

Yang Min was fuming.

Shen Nian didn’t like seeing others get in trouble because of her. She thought for a moment and asked, “Does knowing the schedule of every top drama troupe in the world prove that someone is interested in drama?”

Yan Yi frowned.

Shen Nian smiled. “Then professional ticket scalpers must be the biggest drama lovers in the world.”

Yan Yi sneered. “Don’t twist my words.” He leaned against the wall, striking a pose he thought looked cool. “If you don’t even know basic info like this, how can we expect you to know anything else?”

“The National Theater Troupe from Country F is widely known for their rendition of Shakespeare’s King Lear,” Shen Nian said slowly, syllable by syllable. “Mr. Claude, who plays the lead, has been famous for a long time and delivers the role effortlessly. He’s also played memorable supporting roles in Les Misérables and As You Like It.”

Shen Nian looked at him. “But Mr. Claude is elderly. There’s a high probability he won’t be traveling abroad for this tour. To be safe, the troupe will likely choose plays from their ‘second-tier’ repertoire—works like The Taming of the Shrew or A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which have high name recognition but are less demanding to perform.”

No one spoke. A strange silence fell over the room. Yan Yi’s expression began to crack.

Shen Nian took two steps toward him and asked, “Did I guess right?”

Yan Yi tried to save face. “Lucky… lucky guess…”

“But as an audience member, I personally prefer their original play, Miss Reilly’s Birthday Banquet,” Shen Nian continued. “That innovative script was unpopular with traditional audiences because it fits modern aesthetics too well. It was archived after only a month of performances. It’s a real shame.”

She threw the question back at Yan Yi: “Do you know who played the lead role of Miss Reilly?”

Yan Yi stammered even harder. “What… what use is… telling me this?”

“Pfft.” Shen Nian laughed.

The laughter was like a breeze sweeping through the room, bringing the silent club members back to “life.” The way everyone looked at Shen Nian changed; they huddled together, whispering praise instead of insults.

“She’s so good!” “I’ve seen that! Miss Reilly was stunning!” “Wow, she looks so cool when she’s shutting someone down. Her credibility just shot through the roof!”

Yang Min snapped out of it and grinned. “See, Senior? Shen Nian isn’t what the rumors say.”

Yan Yi looked away, speechless.

Yang Min addressed the group: “But that’s not all she can do. You’ll see when you have the chance.” She was smart enough to give Yan Yi a way out. “Senior, weren’t we going to decide on the play for the end-of-term performance tonight? Let’s get started.”

Yan Yi looked back, giving Shen Nian a dark glare. He didn’t mention kicking her out again and gathered everyone together. “Everyone’s here. Come over.”

Yan Yi stood before a chalkboard. “After several rounds of discussion, we’ve narrowed it down to these four options. Everyone, submit your vote. The one with the most votes will be our play for the finals.”

Shen Nian noticed that two of the options were original works. When Yang Min asked for her opinion, she chose to abstain since she wasn’t familiar with them.

The winner was an original play titled Mushroom Jungle.

“Don’t let the name fool you; it sounds like a fairy tale, but it’s actually a tragedy about the law of the jungle in a modern setting,” Yang Min whispered. “It was written by a senior who already graduated. It’s quite shocking.”

Shen Nian nodded.

Yang Min’s eyes lit up. “By the way, you should audition for the lead role!” She pulled out her phone. “I’ll send you the script. Look—the Alpha lead is a con artist who accidentally infiltrates a high-society banquet and plays everyone like a fiddle.”

Shen Nian skimmed it. “But isn’t the lead male?”

Yang Min shook her head. “It doesn’t have to be a male. But the lead needs a face that people can trust instantly and a huge amount of personal charisma.”

Shen Nian nodded in understanding.

At the front, Yan Yi was satisfied. “Alright, let’s start preparing for Mushroom Jungle. Auditions will be this Sunday afternoon in the hall.”

As the group dispersed, Shen Nian saw Yan Yi walking toward her. But as he got closer, she realized his target was Xu Lele.