The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 63.1

Good medicine tastes bitter.

The sobering agent worked well. By the time the car reached the apartment parking garage, Shen Nian had mostly regained consciousness. However, the alcohol still numbed her nerves; a dull pain throbbed at her temples, and everything she saw seemed veiled in a layer of mist.

Shen Zui moved slightly in her arms. Shen Nian looked down, only then realizing with a start that she was clinging to the other woman—arms and legs entwined like a vine.

Startled, she forced her heavy limbs to let go.

“Hmm?” Shen Zui looked up.

Having finally returned to the apartment, Shen Zui had been wondering how to pry the “octopus-like” Shen Nian off her. She hadn’t expected her to cooperate so suddenly. Thinking the little drunkard was finally tired of the hugging game, Shen Zui patted the crown of her head as a reward.

“Being so good all of a sudden?”

“…” Shen Nian stared at her blankly.

The two had been in an odd state lately, characterized by a sense of drifting apart. She didn’t know why Shen Zui was suddenly speaking to her so tenderly. Of course, Shen Nian wasn’t about to ruin the moment.

Taking advantage of her intoxication, she pulled Shen Zui’s soft hand down and gently rubbed it against her cheek. Since she was “drunk,” she wouldn’t be judged too harshly for whatever she did.

Shen Zui laughed and let her be.

Driver Liu parked the car and came over to open the rear door. “President Shen…” He stole a cautious glance inside. “Do you need help?”

Shen Zui replied with a brief “Wait,” then turned to Shen Nian. “We’re home. Can you get out by yourself?”

Shen Nian gave a muffled “Mm.” Feeling reluctant, she gave Shen Zui’s palm a small squeeze before finally letting go. This was a private, spoiled gesture they shared.

Shen Zui froze. She looked up at Shen Nian, meeting a pair of eyes that were still blurry and dazed. Without thinking further, she stepped out of the car, walked around to the other side, and opened the door. Holding out her hand to Shen Nian, she said, “Come down.”

Her tone and gesture were exactly like someone coaxing a child.

Shen Nian licked her lips, tasting a faint trace of alcohol. “I can do it myself…” she murmured. With a stride of her long legs, she stepped directly onto the grey-white concrete floor of the garage.

Shen Zui didn’t relax. “Careful. Slow down.”

Shen Nian found it almost funny. Before her brain could process it, her body reacted—her foot took a deliberate stagger. The next second, she leaned in, hanging her entire weight onto Shen Zui.

The familiar scent and warmth made her exhausted, drunken body let out a sigh of satisfaction.

“Mmh…” Shen Nian took the opportunity to wrap her arms around Shen Zui’s waist, burying her head in the crook of her neck to greedily inhale her scent. The fragrance of plum blossoms mixed with the scent of wine made her throat go dry.

Driver Liu was startled and came running over, his hands hovering helplessly. “Miss!” he called out. “Let me do it. I’ll help Miss Nian upstairs.”

Shen Zui held her close, answering distractedly, “No need.” After a pause, she added, “You should go back and rest.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Driver Liu was worried, but Shen Zui’s word was final. He didn’t argue further.

However, he didn’t leave immediately. He stepped forward and lowered his voice to mention another matter. “The scene of you and Miss Nian leaving the bar just now… I imagine many people saw it. Do we need to handle it?”

Shen Zui knit her brows in thought. Shen Nian, still clinging to her, stiffened.

Leaving the bar with Shen Zui… She searched her memory until, just before the headache became unbearable, a blurry image surfaced. On the neon-lit bar street, she had been supporting Shen Zui and had kissed her directly on the crown of her head.

That kiss had been too natural. It wasn’t something that could be brushed off as “affection between an aunt and a niece.”

Shen Nian didn’t remember how many people saw it, but Lin Xinwen and those other girls were right there. If they leaked the story, the relationship between her and Shen Zui…

“Contact Qin Li,” Shen Zui said. “She knows what to do.”

“Understood,” Driver Liu replied respectfully, then turned and left without hesitation.

As the cool breeze blew, Shen Nian felt her heart throb with a sharp pain.

Hah. Of course. The Great Miss Shen’s methods are flawless; she even has specific subordinates to monitor public opinion. Her worry just now had been entirely unnecessary. How could Shen Zui ever allow their relationship to be exposed? That would tarnish the reputation of the “Jewel of the Shen Family.”

At that thought, Shen Nian suddenly felt it was all pointless. She let go of Shen Zui and leaned back against the car door. She stared gloomily at the fluorescent lights on the garage ceiling, refusing to look away even when her eyes stung.

Unaware of the shift in mood, Shen Zui grabbed her forearm. “Let’s go. To the elevator.”

Shen Nian brushed her hand away. She struggled to control her numb tongue. “I… will walk… myself.”

“Heh.” Shen Zui gave a helpless smile. She didn’t push, instead adopting a “let’s see you try” stance, waiting for her to stumble before offering help again. “Fine.”

Shen Nian gritted her teeth. Knowing she wasn’t trusted only fueled her spite. Shen Zui’s parking spot was near the elevator. Though her vision was blurry, her memory was intact. She forced her legs forward. Staggering and unstable as she was, she actually managed to make it to the automatic doors.

Shen Zui was slightly surprised.

As the doors opened, Shen Nian walked in without looking back, deliberately leaning into the furthest corner to keep her distance from Shen Zui.

The numbers on the display climbed until they reached their floor. Shen Zui looked back at her, but Shen Nian kept her lips pressed thin and strode out.

Inside the apartment, she kicked off her shoes. She didn’t have the energy to put them away as usual and walked barefoot toward the dining room.

Shen Zui followed. “What do you want?”

Shen Nian mumbled a single word: “Water…”

A pair of hands rested on her shoulders, and Shen Zui’s voice sounded very close to her. “I’ll get it.” She led Shen Nian toward the living room. “Sit down for a moment. The water is coming.”

Shen Nian was suddenly overcome with anger. She pushed her away again and repeated, “I can walk by myself!”

“…” Shen Zui froze in place.

The apartment was well-lit, and under the bright lights, the two stood in a silent standoff. Shen Nian wondered if she was hallucinating; looking into Shen Zui’s eyes, she saw nothing but pure sorrow.

Clearly, the one who should be sad was her—Shen Nian.

She thought she would lose her temper, but instead, she felt mostly heartache. Regardless of whether it was real or fake, she simply couldn’t bear to see someone as proud as Shen Zui wear such an expression.

Shen Nian turned her head away, ending the stalemate. She walked past Shen Zui and headed to the floor-to-ceiling window. After a while, Shen Zui approached with a glass of warm water.

“…Thank you.” Shen Nian took it. She tilted her head back and took a sip; the perfectly tempered water slid down her throat, slightly cooling the fire inside her.

“Sober now?” Shen Zui asked.

Shen Nian didn’t turn around, giving only an “Mm” in response.

“Are you still feeling unwell?” Shen Zui watched her. “Go wash up and get to bed early…”

Before she could finish, Shen Nian’s phone rang. She reached into her pockets but couldn’t find it. Following the sound, she looked toward Shen Zui’s coat. Shen Zui had taken it from Lin Xinwen earlier and had been carrying it since.

Shen Zui pulled out the phone, looked at the caller ID, and without a second’s hesitation, declined the call.

Two seconds later, Shen Nian realized what had happened. She frowned. “Why did you hang up my phone?”

Shen Zui spoke quite calmly. “It was someone unimportant. No need to answer.”

Shen Nian ground her back teeth. She took the phone and checked the call log—the latest missed call was from Tao Di. She dialed back immediately, and it was picked up almost instantly.

“Shen Nian?!”

“Yeah, it’s me.” Shen Nian’s voice was a bit raspy after the drinking. She tried her best to soften her tone. “Is something wrong?”

“No…” Tao Di clearly breathed a sigh of relief. She sounded a bit sheepish as she added, “I saw you were quite drunk earlier and was worried… I wanted to know how you were doing.”

“I’m fine.” Shen Nian instinctively turned her back to Shen Zui. Her friend’s concern provided a small measure of comfort. She curled her lips into a slight smile. “Sorry, I seem to have forgotten to say goodbye when I left.”

She looked at the shifting neon lights outside. “The concert was wonderful. You performed every song perfectly. Tonight was an incredibly pleasant night for me. Thank you, Tao Di.”

On the other end, Tao Di’s face had already turned red. “If you keep praising me, I’m going to get a big head!”

Shen Nian smiled. “You deserve it.”

Tao Di took a deep breath, clutching her chest to suppress the bubbling emotions. “By the way, you’re home, right?” She remembered something and asked tentatively, “That Miss Lin wanted to take you back earlier, and I was worried… Fortunately, your aunt came later…”

The smile froze on Shen Nian’s lips. “Yeah,” she said. “I’m home.”

Tao Di: “That’s good then.”

Shen Nian recalled Shen Zui’s concerns. Rubbing her brow, she took the initiative to help cover things up. “I’m not a very graceful drinker. When I get drunk, I like to hug and kiss people… I didn’t make a fool of myself in front of you, did I?”

“Huh?” Tao Di realized what she meant and immediately shook her head. “No, no!” She laughed. “So you have that kind of quirk? I didn’t even notice just now.”

“Yeah, I don’t get drunk often,” Shen Nian said.

“The cocktails in that set look like juice, but the alcohol content is actually high. If I’d known, I should have warned you…” Tao Di sounded regretful. She took a breath. “I won’t disturb you anymore. Go get some rest. Your body won’t be able to take it if you stay up any longer!”

Shen Nian gave an “Mm.” She reminded her, “You sang all night, you should sleep early too.”

Tao Di replied shyly, “Okay~”

After hanging up, the living room fell silent again, save for the sound of their breathing. Shen Nian looked at Shen Zui’s reflection in the glass window and gave a playful, bitter smile. “That was a good excuse, wasn’t it?”

Shen Zui looked up slightly. “…What?”

“That I’m a bad drinker.” Shen Nian desperately told herself not to care. After all, it wasn’t the first day she knew Shen Zui was wary of their relationship.

In her past life, it took her accidental death for Shen Zui to finally wake up. In this life, she truly didn’t have a bargaining chip of equal value. Was she supposed to die again?

“If there’s any fallout, just use that story. Let your loyal subordinates pin everything on me.” By the time she finished saying this, she had to admit she was nowhere near as unfazed as she pretended to be. It felt as if a thorn had been planted in her chest; every word made her heart throb with pain.

“Anyway, no one is going to hold a drunkard accountable for her actions. Heh.”

“Shen Nian.” Shen Zui’s voice was cold. She seemed not to have listened to the long speech at all. She turned sideways and questioned her word by word: “Why are you speaking to me in that tone?”

Shen Nian felt like she couldn’t breathe. She reached for her collar, only to realize she wasn’t wearing a shirt; only a platinum necklace hung around her neck. “What tone?” While asking, she unclasped the chain and tossed it casually onto the floor.

Shen Zui was provoked by her careless attitude. She stepped forward and forcefully turned Shen Nian by the shoulders. For a moment, Shen Nian’s gaze did land on her face. But she quickly looked away, her dark eyes deep and unfocused, reflecting the brilliant lights of the city outside.

“Am I not the lover you long for?” Shen Zui snapped. Her breathing became heavy with anger. “You knew how to speak softly when you were on the phone, but when you face me, all that’s left is impatience and weariness?!”

Shen Nian: “…”

Shen Zui gritted her teeth. “Are you really sober?” She closed her eyes and opened them again, her voice trembling more with every word. “If this is how it is, I’d rather you be like you were just now—unable to speak clearly, but at least knowing to cling to me and not let go…”

“Of course I’m sober,” Shen Nian interrupted. She curled her lip, her eyes so sour she didn’t dare blink. “What ‘lover I long for’?” She took a deep breath and forcefully broke free from Shen Zui’s grip. “It’s clearly… it’s clearly my feelings that cannot see the light of day.”

Her body felt cold. She sat down by the window, hugging her knees and curling into herself. The floor was freezing. Shen Zui leaned down to pull her up, only to realize with a shock that her face was already covered in tears.

Her movement faltered, her hand freezing mid-air. “Niannian…”

“Shen Zui, you are truly cold-blooded.” Shen Nian glared at her through tears.

Shen Zui: “…”

“I didn’t believe it when I heard others say it before.” Shen Nian wiped away her tears. She wanted to act with more dignity—at least to keep her voice from cracking while accusing her. But her emotions weren’t something she could control; despite gritting her teeth, more and more tears spilled out.

“You don’t want to respond to my feelings, yet you calmly enjoy my advances. Fine, it doesn’t matter. It’s me who isn’t good enough for you. I’m the one trying to pursue you; it’s what I should do. But…” She caught her breath. “I’m not some pre-programmed robot. When you trample on my feelings like this, am I not allowed even a bit of negativity? Can’t I take a break and lose focus for a while?”

Shen Zui reached out to hug her. “It’s not like that…”

“Or do you just like this? Watching me try so hard to restrain myself only to lose to you? Do you have to torture me over and over again just to prove that I’m truly obsessed with you?”

Shen Zui shook her head.

“I hate them. Why do so many people come and ask me if I’m single?” Shen Nian spoke through gritted teeth. “Do you know how humiliated I feel every time I hear that question?”

Shen Zui stroked her cheek.

“Can you tell me how I’m supposed to answer?” Shen Nian hated herself for being so weak, but the moment Shen Zui’s hand touched her, she instinctively leaned into it. “Should I say that the person I like doesn’t like me, but we still maintain an ambiguous physical relationship under the guise of ‘treatment’—umph!”

Shen Nian’s breath hitched.

It wasn’t until Shen Zui’s soft tongue began to lick and kiss her lips, trying to part her teeth to push further inside, that she realized she was being kissed forcefully. She loosened her jaw, and the other woman quickly seized the opportunity to invade, capturing her numbing tongue…

“No…” Shen Nian pressed against her shoulders.

It was happening again. Not solving the problem, but trying to gloss over everything with desire! Under normal circumstances, she would have pushed Shen Zui away, but tonight, she was still half-drunk…

While Shen Nian tried to explain to herself why she couldn’t muster any strength, she was already uncontrollably responding. It was Shen Zui’s scent. Her body was more honest than her reason; having been celibate for so long, saying she didn’t crave Shen Zui was nothing but self-deception.

She reached out and pressed the back of Shen Zui’s head. At first, she pretended to hold her loosely, but once the kiss became passionate, she stopped hiding it and pulled her closer.

A kiss unto death; it would be best if we never separate!

Thinking this, Shen Nian lost her sense of restraint. When she bit Shen Zui’s lower lip, she had originally intended it as a small bit of revenge—Shen Zui made her cry, so of course she wanted the other woman to feel pain too. But when she came to her senses, she could already taste the distinct metallic tang of blood.

Shen Nian jolted awake and pulled back, their lips parting.

“I’ll tell you how to answer,” Shen Zui’s voice rang out. “Of course you aren’t single. We are living together, our feelings for each other are clear, and we have plans to get married in the future.”

Shen Nian’s attention was entirely on the wound. She stared blankly. “It really bled…” She licked her own lip. “Is it serious? I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention…”

Shen Zui frowned. “Shen Nian?”

“Wait…” Shen Nian’s vision gradually cleared. She stood there like a wooden statue. “What did you just say?”

Shen Zui looked at her steadily. “I said, you should answer that you aren’t—”

“Wait!” Shen Nian covered her mouth in a panic.

“Mmph!! Mmph!!” She really used her strength. Shen Zui tugged at her arms, struggling, but couldn’t move her an inch.