The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 20

After coaxing her for over an hour and finishing breakfast, Shen Nian carefully led Shen Zui out of the annex.

The early summer morning breeze was gentle, carrying the scent of flowers and grass as it brushed past Shen Nian’s forehead. She looked back into Shen Zui’s eyes to ensure there was no discomfort, then took two more steps, leading her completely into the sunlight.

The amber glow of the sun hung on her eyelashes. Shen Zui, unaccustomed to the brightness, swayed slightly and raised a hand to shield her eyes. This small movement terrified the medical staff following behind.

“Miss, are you alright?” The doctor rushed over immediately. “Please don’t push yourself. If you feel unwell, we should return to the room at once.”

Shen Zui rolled her eyes and pointed to the light metal mask covering the lower half of her face. “What’s the difference between this and being in my room?”

“There is a difference, of course…” The doctor gave an awkward laugh. “The variables outside are uncontrollable. If an accident happens…”

Shen Zui waved them off. “Go back. Don’t follow us.”

The doctor’s eyes widened. “How can we do that?”

“I’m only walking nearby,” Shen Zui frowned. “Besides, if something goes wrong, isn’t Niannian here?”

The doctor turned red and stammered, unable to find words.

“Pfft,” Shen Nian suddenly chuckled. She reached out to carefully smooth Shen Zui’s collar, which had been ruffled by the wind, and whispered, “Let them follow. I’m afraid I’ll be the one getting nervous if it’s just us.”

“Nervous about what?” Shen Zui ignored the others and squeezed Shen Nian’s hand.

Shen Nian’s face reddened slightly. She cleared her throat and pointed ahead. “Let’s look over there.”

“Mm.” Shen Zui nodded.

The medical staff didn’t dare follow too closely. They stayed back, watching the two walk away, making sure Shen Zui remained within their line of sight.

In a city like A-City where land is as precious as gold, building such a vast Chinese-style courtyard was a massive expense; the Shen estate was truly one of a kind. While skyscrapers and traffic noise roared outside, the world inside was hidden by trees and flowers, full of quiet elegance.

Shen Zui stopped before a small tree by the stone path. Her voice sounded slightly muffled behind the mask. “It was only as high as my calf before. In the blink of an eye, it’s almost at my chest.”

Shen Nian looked at her sideways. “…That ‘blink of an eye’ was quite long.”

“Yes.” Shen Zui looked up. The morning light filtered through the leaves of the osmanthus tree, dabbing her face like a phantom reflection. She remembered the years perfectly: “Five years… and three months.”

Shen Nian was stunned. Shen Zui continued: “That winter was very cold. When I first saw it, I thought it wouldn’t survive.”

“It seems it’s more resilient than you thought.” Shen Nian took a deep breath, trying to keep the topic positive. “And not just the tree. You survived too, Auntie, didn’t you?”

Hearing this, Shen Zui turned to look at her. With the mask on, her expression was hidden, but Shen Nian could see a flickering light in her eyes.

Shen Zui curled her lips. “Back then, Niannian was just a middle schooler. In the blink of an eye, you’re in university.”

Shen Nian had a sudden thought: “Do you think… it would have been better if I had grown up sooner?”

Shen Zui didn’t understand. “Hmm?”

“If I had grown up sooner, you wouldn’t have had to suffer so much,” Shen Nian said honestly.

Shen Zui froze for a moment, then laughed softly. “…Niannian, you’re still so innocent.”

Before Shen Nian could react, Shen Zui let go of her hand and walked a few steps further along the stone path. Shen Nian chased after her and stopped her before an archway.

“Any further and the doctors and nurses will cry,” she persuaded. “For your first time out, let’s just stay around here.”

“This area was built recently around the annex; there isn’t much to see,” Shen Zui said, leaning against the archway to look out. “Inside is the courtyard my mother designed herself. I haven’t been there in a long time; I’ve almost forgotten what it looks like.”

The “mother” she referred to was the late Xi Wu.

Shen Nian observed the area inside and outside the archway but couldn’t see a significant difference. She figured she was just a “crude person”—she had traveled between the main house and the annex many times, but she rarely stopped to appreciate the scenery.

A gust of wind blew a fading flower toward Shen Zui, but Shen Nian caught it with a quick hand. Looking at the petal, Shen Nian sighed. “If Grandmother had lived until now, she would have surely been a famous architect.”

Shen Zui smiled, but the smile wasn’t entirely pure.

“Did I say something wrong?” Shen Nian asked.

“Surviving was already a miracle; living a long life was a dream too far,” Shen Zui said quietly.

Shen Nian frowned. “Why do you say that?”

“Pheromone allergy is a rare genetic disease that only affects Omega women in the family,” Shen Zui looked at her. “Mother was almost aborted during her prenatal checkup.”

Shen Nian gasped. “So that’s why… then, you…”

“Yes,” Shen Zui nodded. “When they chose to keep me, they knew I would be just like her.”

She spoke with a faint smile, as if discussing someone else’s life and death, but it made Shen Nian’s heart throb with pain. She reached out and grabbed Shen Zui’s hand tightly. “That won’t happen.”

“Hmm?” Shen Zui’s hand was squeezed so hard it hurt.

“Auntie… won’t be like Grandmother.” Shen Nian took a deep breath and forced a smile. “At least you have me, right?”

Shen Zui stepped forward, stood on her tiptoes to touch Shen Nian’s long hair, and gave a soft “Mm.”

Shen Nian felt a wave of relief. “In theory, once the final step is taken and you are ‘completely marked,’ won’t you be immune to interference from other pheromones?”

“Completely marked…” Shen Zui whispered.

“Yes.” Shen Nian leaned down toward her. “Even with just a temporary mark, your health is improving rapidly. This treatment is working better than anyone expected.”

Shen Zui looked up into her eyes. Being watched like that, Shen Nian’s face flushed. She wanted to cover Shen Zui’s bewitching eyes, but realizing the gesture would be too bold, she turned her head away instead. “…Why are you looking at me like that?”

Shen Zui laughed at her reaction. “I’m just thinking about what you said.”

“And? What did you think of?”

Shen Zui blinked mischievously. She tried to pull her hand away from Shen Nian’s grasp, but failed. She wrinkled her nose. “Let go first.”

Shen Nian was wary. “Are you trying to go outside again?”

“No.”

Shen Nian narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

“Niannian!” Shen Zui laughed helplessly and reached up with her other hand to pinch Shen Nian’s cheek. “Would I lie to you?”

Shen Nian finally let go. But before she could react, Shen Zui took a small step to the left. In this position, they overlapped, and the medical staff at the annex completely lost sight of Shen Zui.

“What is it?” Shen Nian was confused.

“Shh—” Shen Zui put a finger to her lips.

The next moment, she reached behind her head and—click—unlocked the metal mask. Under Shen Nian’s bated breath, Shen Zui took the mask off.

The morning light was perfect, plating her fair skin in warm gold. In the breeze, Shen Zui shook her head, her long black hair cascading down like a waterfall, brushing against Shen Nian’s nose. Shen Nian stared, lost in her beauty. Xi You was a beauty, but Shen Zui was the limit of what a creator could achieve.

“Why… why did you take it off?” Shen Nian’s heart was pounding.

“Didn’t you say being marked means I won’t be affected?” Shen Zui used Shen Nian’s own words against her.

“That’s just a theory…”

“A theory is enough.” Shen Zui stuffed the mask into Shen Nian’s arms. “It’s too stuffy; it’s uncomfortable.”

Shen Nian tenderly touched the red marks the mask had left on her face. After a moment, she asked, “How do you feel?”

“Great.” Shen Zui looked up, her eyes bright. She suddenly took a step forward, wrapped her arms around Shen Nian’s neck, and buried her face in her chest, taking a deep breath. “Mmm.”

Shen Nian didn’t dare move.

“Niannian?” Shen Zui tilted her head. “Your body is so stiff.” Before Shen Nian could speak, she added: “Tch, you’re not like this at all when we’re in bed.”

The heat rushed to Shen Nian’s face and ears. She stood there, stunned and speechless. Shen Zui didn’t mind; she treated Shen Nian like a giant human pillow, poking and prodding her.

Shen Nian, holding the mask in one hand, could only try to steady her with the other. Shen Zui dodged playfully, but her body wasn’t fully recovered yet, and she soon became out of breath. She stopped and leaned against Shen Nian to rest.

“Had enough fun?” Shen Nian asked, nuzzling her hair.

Shen Zui shook her head. She stood on her tiptoes, her nose brushing Shen Nian’s neck. “Niannian smells so good.”

“Really?” Shen Nian could only smell the flowers in the yard. “Are you sure it’s not the flowers?”

“I can tell the difference.” Shen Zui hugged her tight. “It’s Niannian’s scent.”

The sun continued to rise, and the sounds of the morning commute from the city reached the estate. A gust of wind blew in from outside. Shen Nian turned to shield her, but when she looked down, Shen Zui’s face had paled, and she was pinching her nose.

“What is it?”

“It smells bad,” Shen Zui said. “The smell from outside is awful.”

“You have a sensitive nose…” Shen Nian sighed and handed her the mask. “Put it on; it’ll block the smell.”

“No.” Shen Zui stubbornly pushed it away.

“Then what? We can’t predict the wind. You’ll suffer if another gust comes.”

“It’s fine.” Shen Zui leaned against her, holding her tight. “Just stay close to me, Niannian.”

Shen Nian held her head so she could lean more comfortably. “Is that better?”

“Mm.” Shen Zui nodded, her cheek brushing against Shen Nian’s heart. “When I smell Niannian’s scent, I don’t feel bad anymore.”

Shen Nian didn’t know whether to be happy or sad; she just sighed silently.

After half an hour, Shen Nian said, “It’s time to go back. The doctor will be anxious to check on you.”

Shen Zui buried her face in Shen Nian’s neck. “Ignore them…”

Shen Nian was about to persuade her when she heard footsteps. Shen Bi was approaching with her entourage.

“Give it to me.” Shen Zui took the mask and Shen Nian helped her put it back on.

“Mother is old, yet she always has to worry about my health,” Shen Zui explained simply. “Let’s go wait for her in the annex.”

As they walked back, they passed the small tree again.

“You said the area around the annex was built later,” Shen Nian remembered. “Did you hire a new designer?”

Shen Zui nodded.

“I think the scenery here is beautiful, not inferior to the main house,” Shen Nian said. “The designer must be very famous to be hired by you and Grandmother.”

Shen Zui looked at her and shook her head.

“Not famous?” Shen Nian was surprised.

Shen Zui’s eyes curved with a smile. “You like it?”

“Yes.”

“I drew it several years ago when I was bored, based on the sketches my mother left behind,” Shen Zui said softly.

Before Shen Nian could process this, the medical staff swarmed them, separating the two as they began their disinfection and checks.

In the room, Shen Bi arrived shortly after.

“Going out is a major event! You didn’t even consult the family? Do you even care about your own body?!” The Old Madam, who usually spent her time in quiet prayer, was visibly upset. “Your health just started to improve. Don’t you know the situation outside? If something had happened…”

“I was only out for a bit,” Shen Zui interrupted. “I felt fine.”

Shen Bi stared at her and lost the staring contest within seconds. She turned her anger toward the doctor. “Didn’t you say to wait until she was stable? She’s impatient, but don’t you know how to advise her?”

The medical staff trembled. Shen Bi scolded them for several minutes, and the doctor was too terrified to explain.

“How can you not know anything when asked?” Yu Bingnan played the ‘bad cop’ for the Old Madam. “What’s the use of the Shen family spending so much money on you?!”

“Mother,” Shen Zui said calmly.

“What?”

“It’s noisy,” Shen Zui rubbed her forehead.

“My apologies, my apologies,” Yu Bingnan whispered, bowing. “Miss, please rest. I’ll take her outside to talk.”

Shen Zui glanced at her indifferently. “There are still checkups to do. Is there something more important than the doctor’s work?”

Yu Bingnan’s face turned green. She looked to Shen Bi for instructions but received none, so she stood awkwardly behind her.

Shen Bi sighed. “I’m only doing this for your health.”

“I know.” Shen Zui looked at Shen Nian, her expression softening. “With Niannian here, there won’t be any big problems.”

Shen Nian bent down to tuck the blanket around her legs.

“You feel better with her here, don’t you?” Shen Bi asked.

“Yes.”

“Good.” Shen Bi paused for two seconds and then said, “Shen Nian, your aunt needs you. You will stay by her side for now.”

Shen Nian looked at her. “Hmm?”

Shen Bi’s gaze was like sandpaper, causing a blunt pain. Shen Nian thought for a moment and said, “I’ll come back early every weekend from now on.”

“Did you not hear me?” Shen Bi asked. Her voice was calm, but her tone was as hard as a rock. “Stay by your aunt’s side. Do not go anywhere.”

Shen Nian frowned. “What about school?”

“Do I have to teach you that too?” Shen Bi rubbed her brow. “Take a leave of absence, suspend your studies… if all else fails, just drop out. The family doesn’t need another useless diploma.”

Shen Nian clenched her teeth. This was her status in the Shen family—one word from Shen Bi could cut her future short.

“Mother, you’re saying that again.” A hand pressed down on the back of Shen Nian’s hand. She felt a warm sensation spread through her body. Shen Zui looked at her mother. “Nothing is more important than Niannian’s studies.”

“Is your health not more important than her studies?” Shen Bi gripped her prayer beads and stood up.

“I’m fine now,” Shen Zui didn’t back down. “And there are better ways than interrupting her education.”

“You…” Shen Bi clutched her chest, speechless.

The doctor interrupted the standoff. “Madam, Miss… we need to draw blood to check the Miss’s condition. We need to know how much the outing affected her.”

Shen Bi let out a sigh and returned to her aloof state. “Proceed.”

After Shen Bi and Yu Bingnan left, the tension in the room eased. While the doctors worked, Shen Nian was stuck on one thought.

Did Grandmother never want me to go to school in the first place?

Shen Nian realized it was true. Shen Zui looked at her and sighed. “She’s used to giving orders. Sometimes her thoughts are extreme.”

Shen Nian laughed bitterly. “Are you sad?” Shen Zui asked.

“Sad? What right do I have to be sad?”

The nurse finished drawing blood and pressed a cotton ball to the wound. Shen Nian stepped forward. “I’ll do it.” The nurse moved aside.

Shen Nian sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the wound. “Does it hurt?”

Shen Zui leaned her head on Shen Nian’s shoulder. “Much better.”

Shen Nian realized how many disasters Shen Zui must have blocked for her in the past. Her touch became even gentler.

Shen Zui smiled, playing with a strand of Shen Nian’s hair. “Don’t be nervous. I’m used to it.”

Shen Nian looked at the old and new marks on her arm. “Not anymore…” she whispered.

She leaned in and kissed Shen Zui’s lips. She didn’t kiss deeply, just lingering with tenderness. But Shen Zui followed her as she pulled away, taking the initiative.

“Don’t want more?” Shen Zui asked, looking unsatisfied. She hooked her finger into Shen Nian’s collar.

It was a lazy, comfortable weekend afternoon. The two stayed in bed together. Shen Zui discovered the script Shen Nian had brought back.

“Mushroom Jungle?”

“It’s for the end-of-term play,” Shen Nian explained.

Shen Zui flipped through it. “Who are you playing? Lu Jue?”

Lu Jue was the Alpha lead, a con artist who fooled the entire upper class.

“It hasn’t been decided yet,” Shen Nian said. “Casting starts tomorrow afternoon.”

Shen Zui skimmed the script, occasionally smiling and looking at Shen Nian mischievously.

“What is it? It’s not a comedy…”

Shen Zui smiled. “You’re very suited to play Lu Jue.”