The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 48

“Oh?”

Shen Nian raised her hand to greet Yang Min, who put down her phone and approached. She studied Shen Nian carefully. “Who upset you?”

“No one,” Shen Nian pulled her lips into a faint smile.

Yang Min narrowed her eyes. “You’re clearly unhappy. You weren’t like this just a moment ago.” She sounded a bit self-reproachful. “Is it because I didn’t go with you to hand in the list? Are you angry?”

This time, Shen Nian was genuinely amused by her absurd reasoning. “In your eyes, am I really that petty?” She gave Yang Min a light nudge. “Let’s go. The class monitor and the others are bringing the freshmen over.”

Yang Min tucked away her curiosity and obediently followed behind.

Everything proceeded according to the schedule. About an hour later, the entire freshman class had gathered in their ranks to listen to the school leaders deliver their speeches. Yang Min was nodding off, hiding behind Shen Nian’s back to yawn.

“It’s the same old routine every year,” she whispered a complaint. “I’ve got calluses on my ears from listening to this.”

Shen Nian smiled but said nothing. Her eyes were bright; despite standing still for so long, there wasn’t a trace of impatience on her face.

Yang Min watched her in amazement. “How do you manage to stay so high-energy all day?”

Shen Nian winked at her. “Keep up the anticipation.”

Yang Min was momentarily dazzled by the radiant smile. Feeling a bit self-conscious, she turned away and looked toward the pot-bellied school leader at the front. “…What is there to look forward to?”

Half an hour later, the main leaders finished their speeches. The host, dressed in formal attire, raised her voice: “Next, let us welcome this year’s Outstanding Student Representative—Shen Zhuan, to offer a warm encouragement to our fellow juniors.”

The venue fell silent for a moment, but as Shen Zhuan made her entrance, a wave of “Wow—” broke out among the freshmen.

Shen Nian looked up to see her appearing in a high-end designer shirt, her makeup exquisite. Her previous claim of having “no time” for styling was clearly an excuse; Shen Nian had no doubt she had hired a professional team for this look.

It was a stunning entrance. Under layers of disguise, Shen Zhuan appeared incredibly elegant and intellectual. Flanked by the school leaders, she looked even more ethereal and refined. The drowsy students suddenly perked up, their eyes glued to her as cheers broke out.

Of course, not everyone was impressed—at least the students from the Performance Department remained remarkably calm.

“What are they shouting for?” Yang Min rolled her eyes and stuck a finger in her ear. “She’s not even half as beautiful as our Shen Nian.”

A strange boy nearby heard this and turned to argue, “You can’t compare them like that! This senior isn’t from the Performance Department; this level of beauty is already top-tier!” His eyes filled with envy. “Besides, she represents the entire student body. What’s the use of just having a pretty face?”

Yang Min crossed her arms. With the students engaged in heated discussion, it was a convenient time to speak her mind. “Oh? Do you know that representative very well?”

The boy shook his head but remained stubborn. “She must have extraordinary qualities to be chosen.” He looked directly at Shen Nian. “Shen Nian, what do you think? It’s not that hard to admit someone else is excellent, is it?”

Shen Nian smiled. “It’s not hard at all.” She watched Shen Zhuan adjust the microphone height with a nonchalant gaze, adding pointedly, “An ‘Outstanding Student Representative’ must have impeccable character, right?”

The boy rolled his eyes. “Does that even need to be said? She’s definitely better than the two of you.”

“What did you say?” Yang Min bared her teeth, shaking a fist at him in anger. Seeing this, the boy shrunk his neck and scrambled a few steps forward to distance himself from them.

“Honestly, what a jerk,” Yang Min couldn’t help but mutter.

“Don’t be angry,” Shen Nian comforted her. “It’s nothing.”

Yang Min felt there was a deep meaning in her expression. “Shen Nian, do you know something? Do you know that girl on stage?”

Shen Nian shook her head. Not wanting to lie, she weighed her words and said two: “Not close.”

“Hello everyone, I am Shen Zhuan, a senior in the Economics and Management Department. It is my honor to represent all the faculty and students of A University to welcome our new freshmen.”

On stage, Shen Zhuan had just finished a brief introduction, immediately drawing a round of applause and cheers. The lively scene was a world apart from the previous school leaders’ speeches.

“Ahhh, Senior Shen is so beautiful!” “Senior Shen, it’s our honor to be at A University too!” “Senior, look at me, look at me…”

A photography team and newspaper reporters were recording the event, capturing the moment. Seeing this, Shen Zhuan’s lips curled into a satisfied smile. Feeling excellent, her subsequent speech was exceptionally fluid and impressive.

Shen Nian leaned back with her arms crossed, appearing to listen intently, but her mind wasn’t on the speech. In fact, it wasn’t even on Shen Zhuan. Using the rhythm of her fingertips tapping her arm, she was silently counting in her head.

“Two hundred and thirty-one, two hundred and thirty-two…”

“Shen Zhuan!” Just as she was about to reach “three hundred,” a sharp female voice pierced the air.

Shen Zhuan froze, instantly forgetting her lines. Like everyone else, she turned toward the source of the noise. A girl in a plaid skirt with disheveled hair was forcefully pushing past the security guards.

“Shen Zhuan, you sanctimonious scum! You’re not human! Give me back my—Mmph!!!”

At the most critical moment, her mouth was covered by a security guard, cutting off the rest of her words. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the girl was dragged out of the hall by two guards.

While others looked on in confusion, Shen Nian’s lips curled into a faint smile. Even though she had seen this scene in her previous life, watching it again was still highly entertaining.

“…Cough, cough.” On stage, a shaken Shen Zhuan looked a bit pale.

She tried her best to hide it, pulling everyone’s attention back to her. “In our long lives, un—uh, unexpected accidents are always unavoidable… Of course, the most important thing is how we respond to them properly…”

She frantically flipped through her speech notes. “As I was saying, uh, oh right, the time of youth is limited, but because it is limited, it is all the more worthy of our treasure, our grasp…”

Though there was an unavoidable tremor in her voice, Shen Zhuan managed to stumble through the rest of her speech.

Yang Min, for some reason, had been unimpressed by this “Outstanding Student Representative” from the start. Watching her clumsy damage control, she couldn’t help but nitpick in her mind. Seeking an “accomplice,” she nudged Shen Nian. “Don’t you think…”

“Hmm?” Shen Nian was busy with her phone, not even looking up.

“Eh? You’re sending a text?” Yang Min leaned in curiously, but Shen Nian turned away to block her view.

Yang Min wasn’t annoyed; instead, she smirked. “Tsk tsk, you can’t stand that representative’s speech either, can you? So boring!”

“Is it boring?” Shen Nian finally finished, looking up with a smile. The joy in her eyes was intense as she looked at Shen Zhuan. “I think it’s quite… interesting.”

She had encountered the screaming girl before. Back then, she had been cautious enough to ask her roommate, Xu Hong, to get close to her. Although she hadn’t gained much substantial information, Xu Hong had managed to get the girl’s contact details.

That was enough.

Shen Nian looked at the “Delivered” status on her screen, satisfied. She exited the encrypted messaging app and deleted it.

Outsiders didn’t know, but students knew the hall had several entrances—otherwise, it would be a hassle for Student Union staff to use the main doors every time. Shen Nian had familiarized herself with the place beforehand. She knew which doors students used most and which were designated for staff to reach the stage quickly for equipment repairs.

She put away her phone and continued to watch Shen Zhuan with great interest. At one point, their eyes met across the void. Shen Nian tilted her head with a smile, while Shen Zhuan looked away in disgust, her speech even faltering for a second.

As the speech neared its end, Shen Zhuan began to relax. Her tone became lighter as she tried to recreate the enthusiastic atmosphere from earlier to make this “life moment” even more brilliant.

But just as she was interacting with the students below, the girl who had been dragged away by security somehow appeared on stage! Shen Zhuan had her back turned and didn’t notice immediately. By the time she realized something was wrong from the freshmen’s expressions, the girl had already rushed up behind her and grabbed her waist tightly.

“Shen Zhuan! Shen Zhuan!! You can’t do this to me! You promised we’d be together forever!” the girl screamed frantically.

Shen Zhuan froze and tried to break free. “Where’s security? Where’s security?”

Unfortunately, this time, the security personnel were all below; no one could stop her immediately. The girl’s voice was broadcast through the small microphone on Shen Zhuan’s chest: “Shen Zhuan, you can’t abandon me and the baby! I won’t get an abortion! The baby and I are going to be happy with you forever!”

Shen Zhuan’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head: “!!!”

The amount of information in those words was staggering. The freshmen, and even the school leaders on stage, were stunned. Newspaper reporters, smelling a scandal, pushed their cameras forward, desperate to capture the two of them. Chaos erupted.

“Holy crap!” Yang Min couldn’t help but swear. “This is explosive!”

Shen Nian smiled but said nothing.

“This kind of person? An ‘Outstanding Student Representative’?” The class monitor rushed over. After his critique, he called out to Shen Nian and Yang Min, “Alright, stop staring! Help maintain order!”

Yang Min muttered under her breath, “What order is left to maintain…” She caught sight of Shen Nian. The girl’s features were striking, standing out even in a crowd. Shen Nian’s eyes were lowered, but the smile on her lips was impossible to suppress.

Noticing Yang Min’s gaze, Shen Nian looked over. “What’s wrong?”

“Tsk tsk,” Yang Min snapped out of it. “You look so happy.”

“Really?” Shen Nian touched the corner of her mouth. She straightened up and took a long breath. “Maybe. It really is quite interesting…”

On stage, security had arrived, but the girl was clinging to Shen Zhuan’s clothes for dear life. Out of consideration for Shen Zhuan’s status as a top student, the others didn’t dare use much force.

“Waaaah, Shen Zhuan, are you… are you just playing with me? I always thought I was different from your ex-girlfriends… I… I’m carrying your baby…”

“Let go!”

“Shen Zhuan, no, don’t leave me…”

Finally, with no other choice, Shen Zhuan had to pull her into the backstage area. The host, looking pale with fright, forced herself onto the stage for the final closing: “Th—that’s all for today’s convocation. Students, please leave in an orderly fashion. Be—be careful not to push or shove…” She then hurried off the stage with a stiff face.

As they arranged for the freshmen to leave, Shen Nian heard the whispers in the crowd.

“What? Is what that girl said true?” “Too explosive! An ‘Outstanding Student Representative’ gets someone pregnant and won’t take responsibility. Big news!” “So scummy… the girl must have been desperate to make such a scene here.” “Hahaha, I just want the gossip! Wonder what that Senior Shen is going to do now.”

Shen Nian couldn’t help but look back at the now-empty high stage.

“Shen Nian,” the class monitor called from behind. “That’s enough. Everyone is accounted for. Lead them to the exit.”

“Alright,” Shen Nian replied. She walked to the front of the line. “Students, follow me. Take it slow.”

“Senior Shen Nian,” a petite girl at the front of the line asked boldly, “Um, can I ask for your phone number?”

“Hmm?” Shen Nian played dumb. “If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask your counselor.”

The girl’s eyes widened. “But I want to be friends with you!” She remembered something. “So, does Senior have a lover?”

Shen Nian: “No.” Before the girl’s smile could form, she added helplessly, “I haven’t caught her yet.”

“Awww—” Around her, every man and woman paying attention to her answer broke out into a collective wail of disappointment.

Shen Nian was in a great mood, her eyes still curved in a smile. “Alright, let’s go. Watch the steps ahead~”

Outside, the warm early autumn sun hit them. It didn’t feel scorching; instead, it brought a cozy sense of drowsiness. A luxury car drove by; Shen Nian glanced sideways and recognized it as the Shen family’s vehicle. She narrowed her eyes, feigned ignorance, and after saying goodbye to Yang Min and the others, left the school without looking back.

The next day was the weekend. Yang Min’s group invited Shen Nian to help with the Drama Club’s recruitment stall. Shen Nian was hesitating when she saw Shen Zui, dressed in formal attire, walk into the bedroom.

“Change your clothes.”

“Hmm?” Shen Nian looked at her. “What for?”

Shen Zui glanced at her, a hidden current flowing in her gaze. “We’re going back to the family house.”

Shen Nian gave an “Oh,” lowered her head to reply in the group chat that she was busy, and got up to pick a safe black-and-white suit to change into. She didn’t ask, but in the car, Shen Zui took the initiative to explain.

“Something happened to Shen Zhuan at the convocation yesterday. There’s an investigation now; her quota for the management trainee program might be cancelled.”

Even if they all worked in the department, different people received different levels of importance. Someone of Shen Zhuan’s status wouldn’t be satisfied with a entry-level position; the “Management Trainee” role she coveted was for key talent being groomed for leadership. As long as nothing went wrong, she would have a smooth path to the top. Yesterday’s convocation was supposed to be a highlight of her resume, but because of that girl, it had become her political nightmare.

As soon as they entered, Shen Nian heard Shen Zhuan’s hysterical wailing. “Suppress it! Don’t you have money? Huh? Why won’t you suppress this? Waaaah—”

Shen Nian frowned. Shen Zui gripped her wrist. “Don’t be afraid. Stay by my side. We’ll comfort your sister and then head back.”

Shen Nian curled her lip sarcastically. “I think she’d be more comforted if she didn’t see me.”

Shen Zui said nothing, only tightening her grip. Shen Nian was led into the room. Shen Zhuan, who was in the middle of a breakdown, glared viciously at the door when she heard them. Seeing Shen Zui, she immediately collapsed into tears. “Aunt… Aunt…”

In the next moment, she threw herself at Shen Zui. Shen Nian tactfully stepped aside, watching as Shen Zhuan clung to Shen Zui. Shen Zui’s brow furrowed slightly, her body stiff with obvious endurance. “Shen Zhuan, calm down.”

“Aunt…” Shen Zhuan looked at her pleadingly. “Aunt, you can do it, right? Help me. I… I can’t lose that quota. Someone… someone framed me…”

Qi Yun’s eyes were also red. “Shen Zui, look at this…” Usually, she felt mostly wary and disdainful of Shen Zui, but now that she needed a favor, her posture was very humble. “Shen Zhuan is young and innocent; no one expected this. You have wide connections; see if you can… if you can pull some strings?”

Shen Zui let out a cold snort. She pushed Shen Zhuan away. “You say someone framed you. So, this business about you getting someone pregnant out of wedlock… is it all fake?”

At this question, Shen Zhuan’s crying paused. She looked flustered, her eyes darting across the floor. “I… I don’t know…”

“If you’re not even clear on something like this, you’d better stop overthinking and stay as a manager in the family business,” Shen Zui said coldly.

Shen Zhuan panicked. “No, it’s not that!” She wiped away her tears, forcing back a sob. “The pregnancy is… is real. But…” She took a deep breath. “I already had Qi Zhou handle it. I don’t know why she suddenly ran out and demanded I take responsibility.”

“I knew it!” Shen Que suddenly stood up from her chair, glaring at Qi Yun in anger. “It’s the Qi family’s doing again! A perfectly good child, ruined by you and that bastard brother of yours!”

Qi Yun’s neck turned red with rage. “You only know how to blame me!” she shrieked. “I ruined the child? What about you? Where were you when we needed you?”

Shen Que’s eyes widened. “You have the nerve to blame me? Why don’t you ask your precious brother what he’s been doing with Shen Zhuan all these years? Qi Yun, let me tell you, if Shen Zhuan ends up like this, no one in the Qi family is going to have a good time!”

“Enough! Stop fighting!” Shen Zhuan covered her ears in a breakdown. “Aren’t we supposed to be talking about how to solve the problem? Why are you fighting?”

Shen Que glanced at her and sneered, “Solve the problem? Ask Qi Yun, this useless woman, if she has any way to solve your problem.”

“Stop… stop yelling!” Shen Zhuan was panting heavily. Suddenly, she caught sight of Shen Nian leaning against the doorframe and immediately shifted her target. “It’s you! You did this, didn’t you?”

Shen Nian, caught in the crossfire, remained calm. “Hmm? What are you talking about?”

“I know! I know!” Shen Zhuan rushed forward and grabbed her sleeve. “You were there yesterday too. You’re the one who called that woman over?” She glared at Shen Nian, looking as if she wanted to swallow her whole. “You little rat, it’s not enough that you live off the Shen family; now you’re framing me! You think if you ruin me, the Shen family will be yours? You’re dreaming!”

She grabbed Shen Nian’s collar. “I will never let you—AH—”

SLAP!

Before Shen Zhuan could finish, a slap landed directly on her face. She fell to the floor, looking up in disbelief at Shen Zui, who was rubbing her wrist.

“Aunt?”