The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 56

Soon, the reunion feast began.

Because it was a festive occasion, everyone maintained a facade of harmony, no matter how much undercurrent of hostility swirled beneath the surface.

There was only one exception: Qi Yun.

Ever since Shen Zhuan was forced abroad and Qi Zhou was imprisoned, this noble lady seemed to have lost her spirit. Compared to a few months ago, she had grown much thinner, and her naturally somber features now appeared even more bitter and ruthless.

Shen Nian occasionally made eye contact with her, catching glimpses of undisguised hatred in her eyes every time.

“Heh,” Shen Nian let out a cold laugh.

Shen Zui was sitting near her; hearing the sound, she looked over. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Shen Nian shook her head. When she looked back, Qi Yun had already averted her gaze, her brow clouded with sorrow.

As the head of the family, Shen Bi gave the usual opening remarks. Eventually, the conversation drifted toward the younger generation. As if on cue, Qi Yun suddenly burst into tears.

“Shen Zhuan is abroad and can’t return; she can’t pay her respects to you in person this year. Just now, she was crying to me on the phone, saying how much she misses you, misses Shen Que, and misses… misses her dear aunt…”

Shen Nian remained expressionless, sitting upright as if in a meditative trance.

“But that child is filial,” Qi Yun continued. “She prepared gifts in advance and asked me to pass them on to the elders who cherish her.”

Shen Bi nodded. After all, Shen Zhuan was her biological granddaughter. She sighed and instructed, “Sending her abroad was for her own growth. Shen Zui was right—if her character is lacking, entering the family departments now would only cause trouble. But don’t be anxious. When the time is right, I will arrange for her return. At that time… what belongs to her will be hers. It won’t run away.”

This was a direct promise. Upon hearing this, the gloom on Qi Yun’s face vanished instantly. “Shen Zhuan knows you have always doted on her!”

Shen Bi gave a faint, indifferent “Mm.”

“Mother, regarding my side of the family…”

Before she could finish, Shen Bi shot her a sharp, warning look. Qi Yun immediately swallowed her words. However, she remained indignant. Glancing at the detached Shen Nian, she suddenly smiled.

“Our Shen Nian has become quite successful too. I heard she’s been filming a lot lately—quite the big star now.”

Shen Nian wasn’t surprised that Qi Yun had been investigating her. She merely looked up. “…Not really.”

Qi Yun pressed on, “The family has raised you for so many years. Have you prepared a New Year’s gift for Mother?”

Shen Nian froze. She truly hadn’t thought about it. In the past, the Shen family never took her seriously, so she was never expected to participate in such grand traditions. During the New Year, she would usually lock herself in her room, eating whatever leftovers the servants brought her. She had never even been eligible to give a gift.

“She has.”

Beside her, Shen Zui’s voice suddenly rang out. She turned to Shen Bi and explained softly, “We brought them together. They’re outside; I’ll have them brought in later.”

Under the table, Qi Yun’s hands clenched her skirt in silent fury.

“That’s very thoughtful of you,” Shen Bi nodded. She was always indulgent toward her youngest daughter. But when her gaze shifted to Shen Nian, the smile faded slightly.

Then, she turned to Yu Bingnan. “Bingnan, bring the items I prepared…”

“Yes, Madam.”

Yu Bingnan left for a moment and returned with two exquisite velvet boxes.

“I’ll wait to mail Shen Zhuan’s portion to her. Shen Nian, Xi You, take these. New Year, new beginnings. I hope our family remains safe and prosperous in the year ahead.”

“Thank you, Aunt Shen!” Xi You’s face flushed with excitement as she took the gift, unable to put it down.

Shen Nian forced a slight smile and accepted the box with both hands. “Thank you… Grandmother.”

She opened it to find a white-and-lavender jade bracelet inside the dark green silk lining. The jade was high quality and the color was vibrant, perfectly suited for a young woman. Shen Nian felt neither joy nor sorrow; she closed the lid and set it aside properly.

Even with the delicacies prepared by the Shen family’s chefs, the presence of these people made the food taste like wax.

The Midnight Encounter

After dinner, the party dispersed. Shen Nian breathed a sigh of relief. She was about to urge Shen Zui to return to their small villa, but Shen Bi called her over first.

“A-Zui,” Shen Bi took her hand. “This year is the same—let’s stay up to see the New Year in together, just us mother and daughter.” She asked, “Are we going to the small villa?”

In previous years, when Shen Zui was in the isolation ward, Shen Bi would go there to stay with her.

Shen Zui looked back at Shen Nian. Their eyes met, but Shen Zui quickly looked away. “Not the small villa,” Shen Zui said. “I’ll stay here with you.”

“Good,” Shen Bi stroked her cheek tenderly. “I’ll take you to see your mother. She would be so happy to know you’ve recovered…”

Shen Zui helped her into the inner chambers, disappearing from Shen Nian’s sight.

Shen Nian felt a sudden sense of emptiness. She didn’t want to stay in the main house, so she decided to walk back to the villa alone. As she stepped out, she caught the scent of cigarette smoke. Turning her head, she saw Shen Que standing in the shadows.

It was a cold winter night, and the doorway offered no protection from the wind. Shen Que looked as though she had been standing there for a long time.

“Going back to the villa?” Shen Que asked, stepping forward.

“Yes.”

Shen Que crushed her cigarette underfoot. She stepped closer. “You and Shen Zui… how far have you two progressed?”

Shen Nian frowned at the smell of smoke. She played dumb. “…I don’t understand what you mean, Mother.”

“Heh,” Shen Que sneered. She leaned in and patted Shen Nian’s shoulder. “To be able to sleep with that precious lady… Tsk, lucky you! So, what’s she like in bed? I hear those who act reserved on the surface are actually the most—”

Thud!

Shen Que gasped in shock. “You pushed me?!”

Shen Nian retracted her hand and brushed off the spot where Shen Que had touched her with visible disgust. “Mother, you must be drunk.” Her voice was colder than the night air.

“You’ve only been with her for how long? And she’s already got you this well-trained?” Shen Que sneered, refusing to back down. “No matter how impressive she is, she’s just an Omega. A broken, sickly Omega at that. Only people like you would treat her like—”

Shen Nian suddenly slammed her against the doorframe.

Shen Que was only a Beta, and Shen Nian had long since outgrown her in height and strength.

“What are you doing?!” Shen Que screamed.

“If you had any backbone, or felt Grandmother was biased, you’d go inside and make yourself useful,” Shen Nian said darkly. “Instead of hiding out here, venting your pathetic jealousy on whoever passes by.”

Hit where it hurt most, Shen Que stood stunned.

“And one more thing…” Shen Nian released her and straightened her clothes. She looked down at the older woman. “Resorting to sexual rumors because you can’t compete with her is the most disgusting, low-class thing you could do. Do you really not know why you can never hold your head high in front of her?”

Shen Nian turned and walked into the courtyard without looking back.

A New Year’s Wish

Back at the villa, Shen Nian’s phone was buzzing incessantly. Unlike in her past life, she had made many friends after her rebirth.

She replied to messages from her agent, Tao Di, and her colleague, Mo Huai. She even posted a New Year’s greeting on her social media account with a fresh photo.

The fans were ecstatic, but one comment caught her eye: “It’s New Year’s Eve, why does this photo look so lonely?”

Shen Nian paused. Shen Zui wasn’t here. The medical team was gone. She didn’t want to stay in the empty house, so she sat on the steps outside. It was 11:51 PM.

Will there be progress between me and Shen Zui this year? she wondered. Or will we stay in this delicate, stagnant balance?

The wind was like a blade. She hugged her camel-colored coat, remembering that Shen Zui had helped her put it on this morning.

11:58 PM. Footsteps approached the gate.

Shen Nian stood up, thinking it was just the patrolling servants again. But the light didn’t pass by—it turned onto the path and approached her.

She turned to go inside, not wanting anyone to see her sitting alone. But then, a voice called out:

“Shen Nian.”

Shen Nian froze. 11:59 PM.

She turned to see Shen Zui standing in the moonlight, holding an antique-style lantern. Her face was flushed from running, and her breath formed white clouds in the freezing air.

“Why are you outside?” Shen Zui asked breathlessly. “Is it cold?”

Shen Nian didn’t answer with words. She pulled Shen Zui into a fierce, heated embrace.

“So cold,” Shen Nian whispered, her voice trembling.

“You’re like a child…” Shen Zui slipped her hands inside Shen Nian’s coat, hugging her waist through her sweater.

“Shen Zui, why are you only back now?” Shen Nian murmured against her ear. “I almost froze to death.”

12:00 AM.

Firecrackers erupted in the distance, and fireworks lit up the sky. The lantern fell to the ground and went out, replaced by the brilliant colors of the sky reflecting on their faces.

Shen Nian cupped Shen Zui’s face and kissed the sweat from her brow. “Happy New Year.”

Shen Zui buried her head in Shen Nian’s neck, greedily inhaling her cedar-scented pheromones. “Shen Nian… Happy New Year.”

“Did you run back?” Shen Nian asked, feeling the dampness in Shen Zui’s hair.

“Mm,” Shen Zui replied muffledly. “Running… kept me warm.”

“Wouldn’t you be warmer in the main house by the fireplace?”

Shen Zui looked at her. “Mother fell asleep early. I saw the trees shaking and thought it was getting windy… I didn’t know if you were asleep yet.”

Shen Nian wrapped her coat around both of them, pulling her closer. “Make a wish,” Shen Zui whispered. “The first wish of the New Year always comes true.”

Shen Nian looked at her for a long time. “I already said it.”

Shen Zui’s eyes flickered.

“I said it…” Shen Nian repeated, leaning her head on Shen Zui’s shoulder. “…But you won’t give it to me.”

Shen Zui’s body stiffened. Shen Nian chuckled softly. “It’s okay. I’ll just have to figure out another way.”

She leaned down and captured Shen Zui’s lips as the fireworks continued to bloom above them.