The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 4

Returning to the main residence, Shen Nian inevitably got caught in the rain. Strands of hair stuck to her cheeks, making the girl look somewhat disheveled, yet the moisture in her eyes only made her striking features more prominent.

She shook her head, handing the swim ring to a passing servant with instructions to return it to Xi You. The servant, looking impatient, took it with a dismissive “Fine” and rolled his eyes right in front of her. Shen Nian was used to it; she ignored him and went to her room to shower.

This was her life at the Shen estate: few dared to openly defy her, yet few truly respected her.

After eating dinner alone, she sat at her desk to plan her future. Her previous life had lasted ten years, and while it ended tragically, it proved one thing—if she were strong enough, she could break free from the behemoth that was the Shen family.

As she jotted down key events from her memories, a knock came at the door. Auntie Li entered with a bowl of hot tonic.

“Nian-jie’er, come drink your medicine,” Auntie Li beckoned.

Shen Nian smiled genuinely, covering her notes and walking over. In this house, aside from Shen Zui in the medical building, Auntie Li was the only one who truly cared for her.

“Look at you, running back in the rain without calling for an umbrella,” Auntie Li nagged affectionately. “What if you get sick?”

“It’s nothing, I didn’t get that wet.” The tonic was bitter and sour, but Shen Nian finished every drop without complaint.

As she set the bowl down, she looked at the older woman. “Auntie Li… when I was little, was I… very close to Young Aunt?”

Auntie Li paused at the door. “Of course. You were so clingy with the Miss.”

Something exploded in Shen Nian’s mind. Hearing it from Shen Zui was one thing, but hearing it from Auntie Li confirmed that she had indeed forgotten a massive part of her past.

“How is that possible?” Shen Nian countered instinctively. “She was always sick. How could she look after a child?”

“But the Miss liked you,” Auntie Li laughed. “She wanted you around. Back then, even when the Madam and the eldest daughter tried to stop it, the Miss wouldn’t have it.”

“Then… why did I stop being clingy?” Shen Nian frowned. In her current memories, she and Shen Zui had almost no direct contact.

“I don’t know,” Auntie Li shook her head as she wiped the table. “One day, you just suddenly didn’t like her anymore. The Miss tried to visit you several times, but every time you saw her, you’d cry. Eventually, she stopped coming.”

Shen Nian’s expression froze. She remembered the fear and hatred for the Shen family, but the intimacy with Shen Zui was a total blank.

Auntie Li continued, “Do you remember when Shen Zhuan [Shen Nian’s nominal sister] used to bully you? Once, she locked you in a wardrobe. It was the Miss who came home from school, found you, and personally carried you out.”

Shen Nian remained silent.

“After that,” Auntie Li chuckled, “the Miss gave Zhuan-jie’er such a lecture that she never dared to lay a hand on you again.”

The memories were so specific that Shen Nian couldn’t argue. Why did she remember the trauma of being bullied, but not the person who saved her? She could only assume the psychological damage from Shen Zhuan had lasted until the present day, while her sudden break from Shen Zui had created a permanent rift.

Suddenly, a voice shouted from downstairs. It was Auntie Li’s son, Li Ya, shouting that he was going to the medical building for night duty.

Shen Nian’s heart gripped. Night duty? If Shen Zui’s condition was worsening tonight while she was away in her past life… she couldn’t let history repeat itself.

She grabbed a jacket and a black umbrella and rushed back into the rain.

The Medical Building

Ten minutes later, Shen Nian reached the small building. Inside, the atmosphere was far from the calm of the afternoon. Red lights flashed on medical monitors, and a piercing beep-beep filled the air.

The female doctor was staring at a monitor. On the screen, Shen Zui was curled into a ball, her eyes tightly shut in agony.

“What happened?” Shen Nian grabbed the doctor’s shoulder. “She was fine when I left!”

“Let go!” the doctor snapped. “I should ask you! Allergic reactions have a latent period. I wanted her to sleep to gain time for treatment. What did you do to make her emotions fluctuate so wildly?”

Shen Nian froze. She remembered Shen Zui flushing and gasping beneath her earlier that day. She couldn’t defend herself.

She tried to open the bedroom door, but it was locked.

“What are you doing?” the doctor demanded. “Get out of here!”

“Open the door!” Shen Nian snapped back. “I’m going in!”

“And do what? Add more chaos?”

“I am the core of her treatment,” Shen Nian said, regaining her composure. “You should worry about how to save her, not about blocking me.”

The doctor paled but hesitated. “I have to respect the patient’s wishes! She doesn’t want to see you!”

“Is that a lie, or did she actually say that?” Shen Nian narrowed her eyes. “If she loses her legs tonight because you were too busy arguing with me, can you handle the consequences?”

The doctor wavered. Finally, she tossed Shen Nian a silver key and walked away.

Shen Nian unlocked the door and rushed to the bed. She noticed the green light of the security camera in the corner but focused entirely on the woman groaning in pain.

“Young Aunt,” Shen Nian knelt, carefully touching her. “How are you?”

At the scent of cedar, Shen Zui’s curled body began to relax. She instinctively moved toward the source of the smell. “Niannian… Niannian…”

Shen Zui opened her eyes and leaned into Shen Nian’s embrace. She reached out as if to hug her neck, but then slowly let her hand fall. “Why are you here again?”

“You’re in this state and you’re worried about me?” Shen Nian pulled back the duvet and saw that Shen Zui’s entire right calf was red and swollen. “Does it hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt…” Shen Zui’s breath was scorching. “It’s itchy… unbearable…”

Shen Nian tried to touch it, but Shen Zui flinched. “Don’t touch it!”

“Okay, okay. I won’t.” Shen Nian touched her forehead instead. “You’re burning up.”

“I… I took medicine,” Shen Zui muttered, appearing dazed yet strangely docile in Shen Nian’s arms.

“What medicine? It’s not working at all!”

“It’s always like this,” Shen Zui whispered, her breathing heavy. “I just have to endure it.”

Shen Nian felt a pang of guilt. To distract her, she brought up the wardrobe story Auntie Li had told her.

“Hmm?” Shen Zui digested the words and hummed softly. “That was the first time I saw you. You were so small, hiding in the corner of the closet like a broken doll. I carried you out and found your arm was swollen from an injury. You gripped me so hard the doctors couldn’t pull you away.”

Shen Nian looked down at the woman in her arms. In her childhood, Shen Zui had protected her. Now, it was her turn.

“Was I a crybaby back then?”

“Pfft,” Shen Zui laughed weakly. “Yes. You cried when you were hurt, you cried at thunder, you cried if I ignored you. You hated strangers and even cried when the doctor gave me an injection…”

Shen Nian listened to the details of their shared past. “And how did you handle me?”

“What else could I do? I coaxed you,” Shen Zui said with a faint, playful look.

As they talked, the look of agony on Shen Zui’s face began to fade. Shen Nian tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “And how exactly did you ‘coax’ me?”

“Niannian was very good. A hug was usually enough, and if I also…” Shen Zui stopped.

“Also what?”

Shen Zui’s face flushed red. She looked away. “If I also… kissed you to comfort you, you’d recover.”

Shen Nian lifted her chin and leaned in, pressing a gentle, non-sexual kiss to her lips. When they parted, she asked, “Like that?”

The air was thick with the scent of white plum and cedar. Shen Zui stared at Shen Nian’s lips and whispered, “Not… not there.”

Shen Nian began to nuzzle her cheek. She heard Shen Zui’s breathing grow heavy. Beneath the duvet, her legs began to rub together restlessly. This time, Shen Nian didn’t ask for permission.

“Young Aunt.”

“Mm?”

“Close your eyes.”

“Why—”

Shen Nian cut her off with a deep kiss. This time, she was patient. She gave Shen Zui time to sink into the sensation. Shen Zui’s body turned incredibly soft, shivering with pleasure. Under Shen Nian’s guidance, her tongue tentatively met Shen Nian’s before retreating.

Shen Nian didn’t miss the gesture. She pinned Shen Zui to the bed, her kisses becoming more intense, each touch like a spark.

Shen Zui was drowning in desire. A thin trail of moisture escaped the corner of her mouth, and she let out a low moan. “Niannian… Niannian…”

Shen Nian pulled back slightly, her gaze meeting Shen Zui’s hazy eyes. “Young Aunt, have you decided?”

“Decided… what?”

“Do you want to be… saved by me?” Shen Nian used the word “saved” as a substitute for “marked.” It was a tactical choice, but she was confident she could make Shen Zui love her in this life, too.

Shen Nian squeezed her face gently to keep her eyes locked. “Say ‘I want it’.”

“Niannian…”

Shen Nian nibbled her lower lip. “Be good. Say ‘I want it’.”

Shen Zui’s breathing was ragged. She realized she was trapped, with no way out. She reached up and clung to Shen Nian’s neck.

“…I want it.”

The heat in the room reached a boiling point. Shen Zui knew she was making a life-altering decision, but the fire in her blood pushed her forward.

Suddenly, Shen Nian pulled back. Shen Zui looked up, aggrieved, but Shen Nian simply grabbed a pillow and threw it at the security camera. Thud. The camera was perfectly covered.

“Sorry,” Shen Nian whispered, pressing her thumb against Shen Zui’s lips as she pulled off her own damp jacket. “Did I keep you waiting?”

Shen Zui tried to look away, blushing, but Shen Nian’s thumb teased her tongue.

“You don’t like it?” Shen Nian teased. She replaced her hand with her lips, beginning the process of gentle, thorough comfort. Outside, the rain poured, but inside, the only sound was the thundering rhythm of their hearts.