The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 40

Shen Nian began to calculate silently.

Buying all the fruits Shen Zui liked would cost several hundred yuan. To last until next month’s allowance—excluding the necessary daily lunch expenses—she would have to cut out her coffee and transportation costs for the time being.

“Niannian?” Shen Zui flipped the switch. With a splashing sound, tap water cascaded into the salad bowl.

She reached in and swirled the cherries. The crimson fruit further accentuated the fair, slender elegance of her wet fingers.

“Why are you dazing off?”

Shen Nian snapped back to reality and instinctively shook her head. “It’s nothing.” She stepped forward and offered, “Let me do it.”

Shen Zui lightly tapped Shen Nian’s palm. Water droplets slid down her fingers, moistening Shen Nian’s skin and leaving a glistening trail. Shen Nian felt as if that spot had been seared. She slightly curled her fingers and lowered her head, staring at her fingertips.

With Shen Zui out of her immediate line of sight, her other senses became heightened. Shen Nian heard the water stop. In the silence, she caught a faint, ethereal scent of cold plum blossoms drifting like misty waves.

The next moment, she sensed a sudden warmth as another person leaned in close. Shen Zui pinched a red cherry and brought it to Shen Nian’s lips.

“Want a taste?”

Shen Nian’s reaction was a bit slow; it took her two seconds to remember to open her mouth. But before her lips could touch the fruit, Shen Zui abruptly pulled her hand back.

Shen Nian’s eyes followed the cherry, only to see Shen Zui pop it into her own mouth right in front of her.

“Mmh.” The cherries from the high-end supermarket were exceptionally fresh and large. Shen Zui’s mouth couldn’t quite contain it, and a streak of red juice escaped, sliding down the corner of her lips.

She seemed unaware of it, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she smiled at Shen Nian. “So sweet.”

Shen Nian looked away and cleared her dry throat with a couple of light coughs. The scent of cold plums was now mingled with the sweet and sour aroma of cherry flesh, making it even more… appetizing.

Shen Zui finished the cherry leisurely and pinched another one. She repeated the trick, holding the cherry in front of Shen Nian.

“No need…” Shen Nian felt she had learned her lesson. “Eat it yourself.”

Her original intention for coming into the kitchen was to get a glass of water. Noticing the kettle and her usual cup were directly behind Shen Zui, she took a step back and turned, intending to bypass her.

But before she could take a step, someone grabbed her sleeve. Shen Nian looked down to find Shen Zui looking up at her.

She had clearly just showered; her makeup-free face was as delicate as a freshly peeled eggshell. However, she didn’t look plain. On the contrary, her features were exquisite and bold—her dark eyes and red lips complementing each other in an unforgettable way.

Shen Nian gently touched Shen Zui’s lip with the pad of her finger, coming away with a thin, oily red sheen.

“…Did you put on lipstick?”

“Lip balm,” Shen Zui said, pursing her lips.

Shen Nian brought her finger to her nose and sniffed. There was no scent.

Shen Zui narrowed her eyes. Dissatisfied at being ignored, she shook the cherry in her hand. “Sure you don’t want it?”

Shen Nian looked at her.

“There’s only a little left,” Shen Zui said. “Once they’re gone, they’re gone.” Having said that, she pressed the cherry directly against Shen Nian’s lips.

Shen Nian opened her mouth, her tongue reaching out to hook the cherry, but Shen Zui had planned this. Her movement to dodge was faster. In the fluster of the moment, Shen Nian felt as if she had only licked the back of Shen Zui’s hand.

Teased again. She had fallen for the same trick twice.

“It seems Niannian really doesn’t like them.” Shen Zui’s eyes brimmed with laughter. Delighted to see Shen Nian thwarted, she satisfied herself by bringing the cherry toward her own mouth.

But this time, Shen Nian didn’t let it go so easily. With quick reflexes, she reached out and seized Shen Zui’s wrist.

“…” Shen Zui closed her fingers into a fist, shielding the cherry in her palm while putting on an innocent act. She looked at Shen Nian with her captivating, beautiful eyes. “Niannian?”

“Mhm.”

Shen Zui twisted her arm. “You’re holding on so tight.”

Shen Nian looked at their entwined hands. Her fingers climbed upward, soon enveloping Shen Zui’s fist within her own palm. She began to gently but firmly pry Shen Zui’s hand open.

Shen Zui did not cooperate. She was very skilled at negotiating: “There are more in the bowl.”

Shen Nian ignored her.

Shen Zui tried again: “There are more in the bowl. I’ll give them all to you, I won’t fight you for them…”

Shen Nian’s stance was clear: “I want this specific one.”

Shen Zui rolled her eyes. “I’m not giving it to you.”

It was just an ordinary cherry, but because of a joke, both had become serious. Shen Nian couldn’t read Shen Zui’s mind, but she was feeling a bit spiteful, annoyed that Shen Zui was playing her like a fiddle.

In the struggle, Shen Zui lost focus and used too much strength, accidentally crushing the “red gem” in her palm.

“…” “…”

Both fell silent. Shen Nian watched the red juice leak from between Shen Zui’s fingers, sliding down her arm and leaving a trail of red marks. Shen Zui’s skin was so fair that marks which might not show on others appeared vividly crimson on her.

In the kitchen, the scent of cold plums was almost entirely overwhelmed by the cloyingly sweet smell of cherries. Shen Nian swore that she hadn’t been that interested in the cherries before.

She lifted Shen Zui’s arm, extended her tongue to catch a sliding red droplet, and skillfully curled it into her mouth.

Shen Zui’s breath hitched for a second. She called Shen Nian’s name again, her voice slightly more unstable than before: “Niannian…”

Shen Nian acted as if she hadn’t heard. She licked upward along the red trail, leaving a winding wet mark on Shen Zui’s forearm. By the time she reached the wrist, the cherry juice had stained her lips as vivid as blood.

The next moment, she grabbed Shen Zui’s hand. Shen Zui had forgotten to resist. Shen Nian easily pried her fingers open to see the crushed, pulpy cherry flesh inside. She lowered her head, took a piece into her mouth, and chewed slowly.

Sweet—purely sweet—with the unique fragrance of cherries, melting in her mouth with the slightest touch.

“Don’t,” Shen Zui breathed. “…It’s messy, don’t eat it, ngh!!!”

Before she could finish, Shen Nian took her index finger into her mouth. She tasted it meticulously, as if the residual juice on Shen Zui’s finger was even more delicious than the cherry flesh itself. Eventually, a light lick wasn’t enough to satisfy her growing greed; she sucked on Shen Zui’s fingertips, not letting a single drop of sweetness escape.

Shen Zui’s mind went blank for a moment. The sensations from her fingertips hit her whole body—warm, moist, slippery…

“Uh, Nian… Niannian…” Her eyes wavered and her legs began to feel weak. She had to place her other hand on Shen Nian’s shoulder to maintain her balance.

The process of “eating” was drawn out. A cherry that would normally be eaten in a second took Shen Nian over a minute to clean up. For several moments, Shen Zui felt that what Shen Nian was licking and sucking wasn’t a cherry, but her herself.

During this process, every inch of skin on her right hand was tasted and appraised by Shen Nian. Especially when Shen Nian finished “the cherry,” she expressionlessly rubbed her lips against the back of Shen Zui’s now-clean hand.

Rather than a kiss, the gesture was more like a diner wiping their mouth after a satisfying meal.

“It really is sweet.”

“…” Shen Zui turned her head and gritted her teeth. She felt like she had “lifted a rock only to drop it on her own foot.”

Only a pit remained in her palm, which she indignantly tossed away. Shen Nian picked up the salad bowl, which still held six large cherries.

“Want more?” she asked.

Blushing, Shen Zui snatched the bowl from her hand and left the kitchen without looking back.

Only after she left did the air in the room seem to flow again. The smell of cherries remained strong, but the cold plum scent had almost vanished. Shen Nian finally achieved her original goal—she poured cup after cup of cold water from the kettle and gulped them down.

She drank so fast that the collar of her shirt became wet. After consuming half the water in the kettle, she finally stopped. She turned her head, her eyes gazing distantly at the dim yellow light outside the door.

The final performance was over, and University A had officially entered summer break. Before joining the film crew, Shen Nian and Shen Zui went to a large supermarket near the apartment.

This was a luxury supermarket where both products and services were high-end and expensive. Of the various nearby options, Shen Zui only liked this one because the foot traffic was low and it was quiet.

Before leaving, Shen Nian had checked her account balance; she had about 2,000 yuan left. Usually, a trip here didn’t exceed 2,000, so she felt relatively confident.

“…I’m going to take off my mask for a bit later,” Shen Zui said suddenly.

Shen Nian, who had just pushed out a shopping cart, was stunned. She asked, “Did the doctor suggest that?”

Shen Zui glanced at her and said nothing. Shen Nian knew then that it was Shen Zui’s own idea.

She advised, “The supermarket isn’t well-ventilated. If there are pheromones, they won’t dissipate. Maybe don’t be so impatient.”

Shen Zui walked straight ahead, one hand touching the heavy mask on her face. “You’ll be busy again soon. If I’m not ‘impatient’ now, I won’t have the chance later.”

“That’s not true,” Shen Nian said instinctively. After calming down, she suggested, “If you really want to desensitize quickly, let’s go to the park later and find a quiet corner to try.”

Shen Zui shot her a look.

As they spoke, they arrived at the produce section. Shen Zui picked up a bag of peaches and asked, “Does Niannian like soft peaches or crunchy peaches?”

“Either is fine,” Shen Nian replied. She had no particular preference. “Just pick the ones you like.”

Shen Zui frowned slightly, seemingly finding the choice difficult. Shen Nian found this a bit strange. She glanced at the price tag and saw that the soft peaches were cheaper, though even a single peach cost nearly 50 RMB.

Despite the “heartache” over the price, she said, “If you can’t choose, let’s just take both.”

Shen Zui didn’t look up. “We won’t finish them if we buy too many.”

Shen Nian looked at her in surprise.

“What?” Sensing her gaze, Shen Zui arched an eyebrow to meet her eyes.

“It’s just…” Shen Nian rubbed her nose. “I didn’t expect you to say that.”

Shen Zui tapped her forehead. “In Niannian’s heart, am I the kind of extravagant person who just loves wasting money?”

Shen Nian smiled, realizing she really lacked an understanding of Shen Zui. She knew the Shen Zui of her impressions, and she knew the villainous Shen Zui described in the novel who spent everything on revenge—but she didn’t know the real Shen Zui standing before her.

If she had to be honest, her exploration of Shen Zui’s body far exceeded her understanding of her mind. Thinking of this, she felt a strange blush creep up and she didn’t dare look at the other woman for a moment.

Shen Zui noticed. “What are you thinking about?”

“Ahem.” Embarrassed, Shen Nian shook her head. To change the subject, she took both bags of peaches from Shen Zui and put them in the cart. “Let’s buy both. If you can’t finish them, I’ll take responsibility for them.”

Shen Zui smiled gently and stopped refusing, nodding her head.

At that moment, a girl in front of them pointed at Shen Nian and said to the man beside her, “Look at her girlfriend! She buys her whatever she wants to eat. I wanted to try some imported peaches and you were so stingy!”

The man gave a disdainful laugh and put his arm around her. “Spending 300 yuan on a peach is just a waste. Wouldn’t it be better if I saved that money and bought you a few more bags?”

The girl stamped her foot. “I haven’t seen you buy me any bags either. You just make empty promises.” She stepped forward and grabbed a bag of soft peaches. “I don’t care. I’ve had enough of your ’empty promises.’ I’m buying these peaches today.”

“Hey, you!” The man frowned. For some reason, he blamed Shen Nian for the situation and glared at her before compromising with his girlfriend. “Fine, fine, buy them. Buy whatever you want.”

Shen Nian felt speechless. Wanting to avoid the eccentric couple, she guided Shen Zui to the side. “Let’s go to the deli section first.”

Shen Zui had no objection. “Mhm.”

The shopping trip took about 40 minutes. As usual, Shen Nian was responsible for the checkout while Shen Zui waited outside the crowd.

Her coach, knowing she wouldn’t have time for the gym during summer break, sent a message to discuss her workout schedule. Shen Nian was busy replying and didn’t pay attention to the cashier.

When the cashier signaled for payment, Shen Nian handed over her phone without thinking. The machine made a loud beep.

“Insufficient balance.”

Shen Nian looked closer and realized the price on the display was exactly 3,278.

“How is it so much?” She frowned at the items on the counter. Because her balance was limited, she had been paying attention to the total. If her mental math was correct, the items shouldn’t have cost more than 1,800 yuan—well within her budget. But now it wasn’t just over; it was over by nearly 1,500 yuan.

She asked the cashier, “Could there be a mistake?”

The young woman was polite. “Please take a look here. All your purchased items are listed.”

Shen Nian leaned in to check and found two packs of premium ham that she had no memory of picking up. Thinking back, she vaguely remembered passing the ham shelf. No doubt, Shen Zui must have slipped them in when she wasn’t looking.

“This…” Shen Nian felt awkward.

Coincidentally, the couple from the peach stall also came to check out. Shen Nian’s appearance was very striking; even someone seeing her for the first time would want to look twice. Seeing her again, the girl stared curiously.

The cashier was very considerate and asked, “Would you like to return these two packs?”

“…Yes.” Shen Nian didn’t hesitate for long. “Let’s return them for now.” The ham wasn’t essential; she could explain it to Shen Zui later.

It would have been a minor incident if the man hadn’t started mocking her.

“Oh? Overspent? Can’t afford it?”

“Hey!” The girl angrily pinched his arm. “What are you saying!”

“What? Can’t I say she can’t afford it?” Under his girlfriend’s restraint, the man intentionally raised his voice. “Babe, what did I tell you just now? These people are either ‘new money’ or just putting on a front. Look at them now—can’t pay and have to do a pathetic return.”

The girl was extremely embarrassed. “Seriously, do you have to say it out loud? Do you realize how rude you’re being?!”

“If she’s brave enough to do it, why shouldn’t I be brave enough to say it?” The man rubbed his nose, seeming proud rather than ashamed. “I’m saying my piece. Who’s going to stop me?”

Shen Nian didn’t bother engaging with such a person. She watched as the cashier reorganized the items and prepared to leave quickly.

But the nearby Shen Zui had already been drawn over by the noise. She walked up to Shen Nian. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” Shen Nian didn’t want to ruin her mood. “Let’s go.”

Shen Zui saw the ham packages that hadn’t been put away yet and connected it to the man’s shouting. She met Shen Nian’s eyes. “Out of money?”

Shen Nian: “…”

Shen Zui walked past her gracefully to the counter. She pulled a black card from her pocket. “Sorry, please pack these up again.”

The cashier nodded hurriedly and took the black card with both hands. “Of course, please wait a moment.”

While waiting for the transaction, Shen Zui glanced at the man. The man was clearly someone who recognized wealth; his eyes shook violently when he saw the black card, and he awkwardly looked away.

The girl gave a cold laugh and mocked her boyfriend, “So, you finally hit a steel wall, didn’t you?”

The man stiffened his neck, still unwilling to lose. “What ‘steel wall’?” He looked at Shen Nian, trying to regain his confidence by belittling her. “She’s just someone living off a woman.”

Shen Zui took two steps toward him. She tilted her chin up slightly, her contempt undisguised. “Thank you for praising my child; she is indeed very beautiful.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough to stun the man. Shen Zui looked him up and down. Under her gaze, the man’s legs actually felt weak, and he had to lean against the counter to steady himself.

“I don’t quite understand. Are these malicious speculations born out of jealousy?” She suddenly gave a disdainful smile. “Then you are truly pathetic, inside and out.”

The man stammered, unable to form a complete sentence. “You… you…”

The girl frowned deeply. She took a step away from him, seeing his true colors as a bully who only picks on the weak.

The cashier quickly finished the transaction and returned the ham and the black card to Shen Zui.

Shen Zui returned to Shen Nian’s side and waved. “Let’s go.”

“Mhm.” Shen Nian nodded with a smile. As they walked, she leaned down to take the bags from Shen Zui. “Let me carry those.”

Shen Zui shifted her body away. Shen Nian was stunned, thinking it was a coincidence. She reached out again, but Shen Zui dodged her a second time.

Finally, she was sure—Shen Zui was angry. Shen Nian reflected on what had happened with complicated feelings. She took a deep breath and asked, “You’re unhappy.”

Shen Zui admitted it bluntly. “Yes.”

Shen Nian wanted to ask “Why?”, but she knew the consequences of those three words wouldn’t be pleasant. She pursed her lips, figured out the reason for Shen Zui’s anger, and explained cautiously, “…I spent a large amount of money before, so I didn’t have much cash on hand, but it’s enough to get through this period. That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

Shen Zui paused. Shen Nian took the opportunity to move in front of her and saw her look of realization.

Shen Zui: “Right, there’s also that debt.”

“…” Shen Nian felt like she had dug a hole for herself. “So, what were you angry about just now?”

Shen Zui huffed and glared at her again.

Shen Nian scratched her hair. “Don’t be angry. Getting angry makes you age faster…”

“Shen Nian!!!” Shen Zui clenched her fist. She threw the bags at Shen Nian, quickened her pace, and retreated into the car without another word.

Shen Nian hadn’t gotten her driver’s license yet, so Driver Liu was still the one picking them up. When she got into the car, she saw Driver Liu constantly signaling her with his eyes through the rearview mirror. Shen Nian rubbed her nose and signaled him to just drive.

Back at the apartment, Shen Zui went straight to the bedroom without a word, looking like she was too angry to have any interaction with Shen Nian. Shen Nian sighed. After a moment of thought, she took the groceries into the kitchen, washed and sliced the fresh fruit, and arranged it neatly on a plate before daring to knock on the door.

There was no response from inside. Shen Nian turned the handle and found it wasn’t locked. She smiled, feeling that Shen Zui wasn’t as hard to coax as she had imagined.

The bedroom curtains were tightly drawn. Though it was daytime, it was as dark as midnight, with only the bedside lamp emitting a faint yellow glow. Shen Nian quickly found Shen Zui curled up on the bed.

She walked over. “I washed some fruit.”

Shen Zui was silent for a moment. “…Not eating.”

Shen Nian sat on the edge of the bed and said to herself, “I washed both the soft and crunchy peaches. They’re very fresh. They won’t taste good once they oxidize.”

Shen Zui propped herself up. She looked at Shen Nian and said pointedly, “I’m not eating the crunchy ones. They’re too hard on the teeth.”

Shen Nian couldn’t help but laugh. She said, “Ah, being angry really does make you age faster. You can’t even bite a crunchy peach anymore.”

Shen Zui was so angry she looked like she wanted to pounce and hit her. Shen Nian set the fruit aside and caught Shen Zui just in time. Shen Zui was truly upset now, her eyes reddening. “You’re still teasing me…”

“Don’t be upset, let me see.” Shen Nian looked at her, and suddenly, she lowered her head and touched her lips.

Shen Zui was stunned. “…”

“Open your mouth,” Shen Nian coaxed.

“…” Shen Zui’s breathing grew heavy, and her face was no longer tense.

Shen Nian pinched her chin, successfully prying open a small gap. She extended her tongue, tracing it over Shen Zui’s two rows of white teeth.

“Mmh.” Shen Zui leaned against her shoulder. It wasn’t the usual lingering deep kiss; she was a bit dissatisfied and let out a soft moan of protest.

But Shen Nian kept to her own pace, sweeping over her teeth one by one. After a long moment, she released Shen Zui. “Mhm, very good.”

Shen Zui’s eyes were hazy, and her glare lacked conviction.

Shen Nian laughed. “Little Aunt is clearly very young and her teeth are healthy. She can eat both soft and crunchy peaches.”

Shen Zui reached out and pinched her cheek. This time, Shen Nian didn’t dodge, letting her vent her frustration.

“Niannian.” Shen Zui’s breathing gradually steadied. She asked, “In your heart, am I too young, or not mature enough?”

Shen Nian: “Hmm?”

Shen Zui’s body went soft, and she fell into Shen Nian’s arms.

“Why… can’t you rely on me just a little bit more?”