The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 63.2

“I’m doomed…” Shen Nian muttered. She sniffled, and the tears that had stopped began to fall again. But compared to her previous anger and helplessness, these tears were full of grievance and fear, which made Shen Zui’s heart tremble even more.

“Shen Zui, I’m really drunk…” She looked at the other woman through tear-filled eyes, yet obstinately stared into her eyes. “I think I’m hallucinating sounds.”

Shen Zui struggled for a long time and got tired. She gave her a bashful look, thought about it, and then stuck out her tongue to lick Shen Nian’s palm.

Shen Nian’s hand jerked. Seeing that the trick worked, Shen Zui licked it again.

Shen Nian immediately hid her hands behind her back. She cried hysterically. “Wuwu, stop teasing me…”

“How am I teasing you?” Shen Zui was speechless.

“I’m very fragile right now…” Shen Nian leaned forward, wiping her tears on Shen Zui’s clothes. “Wuwu, if you seduce me like this, I won’t be able to hold back…”

Shen Zui pinched her earlobe. “Can’t hold back?” She countered, “So what exactly have you been holding back all this time?”

Shen Nian gave her a pained look but said nothing. Shen Zui didn’t rush her, waiting for her to calm down. Finally, Shen Nian’s breathing leveled out. She sat on the floor, her chin resting on Shen Zui’s shoulder.

“You’re always like this… stirring up someone’s emotions and then leaving them be.”

Shen Zui chuckled softly. “Isn’t that your specialty?” She still held a grudge over the other night when Shen Nian had left her in bed and fallen asleep from exhaustion.

“You’re doing it again!” Shen Nian was frantic. “So what I heard just now really was a hallucination!” She let go of the arms she had wrapped around Shen Zui.

Shen Zui stole a glance at her. “It wasn’t a hallucination.”

“…” Shen Nian stopped moving. She lowered her head, her right fingertip tentatively touching Shen Zui’s waist, her ears turning so red they looked like they might bleed.

“If it wasn’t a hallucination, then… then you just said it to coax me…” Her tone was innocent. “Shen Zui, you really are something…”

Shen Zui cupped her face. Caught off guard by the eye contact, Shen Nian froze; her heart seemed to stop. But very quickly, Shen Zui’s next sentence dialed her heart rate up to 200.

“I’m not coaxing you.” Her tone was serious. “Shen Nian, I take responsibility for what I say.”

Shen Nian pursed her lips. “What words?”

Shen Zui’s cheeks flushed. She shyly turned her face away, but Shen Nian forcefully turned it back. “Look into my eyes and say it.”

Shen Zui’s lips parted. She took a deep breath and finally spoke: “You are not single. We love each other.”

Shen Nian: “And the rest?” Even while speaking, the faint scent of wine was still present. If there were a breathalyzer here, she would have enough alcohol in her to wake up every resident in the building.

Shen Zui truly couldn’t understand how she could remember a detail that she herself hadn’t even consciously registered. But she wasn’t afraid.

“…And we have plans to get married.”

Shen Nian stared at her, blinking very, very slowly. She began to make an unreasonable request: “Put it all together and say it one more time.”

And yet, Shen Zui was more than willing to dote on her little lover.

“Shen Nian, I love you.” “You are not single; our feelings are mutual, and we will get married in the future.”

“I don’t believe you,” Shen Nian said coldly the moment she finished.

Shen Zui: “…”

She blinked, and just as she raised her hand, Shen Nian suddenly opened her arms and pulled her into a tight embrace. It was too much force. Shen Nian knew she had lost control—not only was the Shen Zui in her arms crying “it hurts,” but she herself felt a fine, dense stinging pain.

The pain radiated from where their bodies touched, spreading to her limbs. But she couldn’t stop. It hurt to hold her, but it hurt more to be apart.

“Shen Zui, I don’t believe you.” Her voice had no emotional fluctuation. The embrace meant they couldn’t see each other’s expressions; hearing this, Shen Zui found it even harder to judge her true thoughts.

She pondered. “Which part?”

“…” Shen Nian felt a bit guilty. But soon, she raised her voice: “None of it!”

Shen Zui tried to move.

Shen Nian said fiercely, “See, you’re going to pull back again!”

“No…” Shen Zui softened her tone. “Shen Nian, let go of me. I’ll prove it to you.”

Shen Nian calculated in her mind. “Prove what?” Although her tone was still stiff, her hands had obediently loosened.

Shen Zui was finally able to move. She pulled back slightly, looking into Shen Nian’s eyes, cupping her face, and leaning down to kiss her lips. “Is this… enough?”

Shen Nian knit her brows.

Shen Zui licked the wound on her lower lip. She leaned down again, and this time, her kisses fell sequentially on the tip of her nose, the corner of her mouth, her chin, and finally the center of her neck.

Shen Nian couldn’t stop herself from swallowing; her body trembled slightly.

“I love you,” Shen Zui said again. “Can you feel it?”

Shen Nian gripped her wrist. “Is… is that it?”

Shen Zui looked at her steadily. The next moment, she undid her hair tie, letting her hair fall, and took off her coat, revealing the form-fitting dress underneath.

“…” Shen Nian couldn’t even move her eyes.

Suddenly, Shen Zui stopped. She frowned and looked at Shen Nian with some difficulty. Then, she actually picked up the coat she had just thrown on the floor and draped it back over her shoulders.

“…” Shen Nian asked, “What are you doing?”

Shen Zui: “You don’t seem to like this way of proving it.” She tilted her head, troubled. “I should change—”

“Don’t change!” Shen Nian interrupted urgently. Her hand moved upward, fumbling until it reached Shen Zui’s cheek. “Shen Zui…” Her voice was raspy, thick with desire. “I like this way.”

Shen Zui arched an eyebrow. “But last time…”

“I’ll teach you.” Shen Nian’s index finger pressed against her lips. She licked the corner of her mouth restlessly. “For every item you take off, you say ‘Shen Nian, I love you.’ How about that?”

Shen Zui’s face turned completely red. She confirmed, “Will that work?”

“It’ll work!” Shen Nian’s eyes sparkled; she was almost unable to keep acting and was ready to pounce. “Of course it’ll work!”

“Oh.” The Jewel of the Shen Family gave a faint response, lifting her chin to reveal her graceful lines.

“Shen Nian.” She leaned in for a kiss and quickly pulled away. “I love you.”

The coat fell to the floor. Shen Nian picked her up.

“Shen Nian, I love you.”

The necklace and earrings were tossed onto the sofa.

“Shen Nian, I love you…”

The dress lay crumpled at the bedroom door.

“Shen Zui!” Shen Nian practically ground out the name. Holding back was too painful; a thin layer of sweat broke out on her forehead.

In the room, the scent of cedar surged wildly. It wasn’t the usual crisp scent but was now rich and aggressive. Shen Zui hooked her arms around her neck. “Do you believe me now?”

Shen Nian’s gaze flickered. As a dense flurry of kisses fell, her breathing became unstable. “…I don’t completely believe it yet.”

“Mmh…” Shen Zui gritted her teeth, but a soft moan still escaped from her parted lips. She pulled Shen Nian’s hand to her cheek. “It’s okay. Tonight… we have plenty of time…”

Shen Nian froze for a moment, then licked her canine tooth and nodded with satisfaction. “Yes… plenty of time…”

She finally stopped restraining herself, revealing her true nature as she began to enjoy this long-overdue feast…

The Next Morning.

Shen Zui felt as if she had been run over by a truck; every part of her body was aching. Yet, amidst that general feeling, the tingling sensation at her core was still strongly present, making it impossible to ignore.

“Mmh—” she gave a soft moan and felt warm arms lifting her up. Realizing what was happening, she gave a “smack” to those arms.

Shen Nian didn’t dodge. She obediently brought over some warm water. “Are you thirsty?”

Shen Zui glared at her. “…”

“Because you were… calling out for a long time last night.” Shen Nian gave her a flattering smile. “I figured you’d want some water when you woke up.”

“…Cough, cough.” Shen Zui tried to speak, but her throat was raspy. She gave a scoff and forced herself to say, “I thought you didn’t plan on letting me wake up at all.”

Shen Nian’s expression froze. “…”

Playing dumb. At a time like this, playing dumb was the only option.

“I should also thank you for not letting me die in bed…” Shen Zui pursed her lips.

Shen Nian brought the glass closer again. “Have a little. It’ll soothe your throat so you can scold me more effectively.”

Shen Zui: “…”

At a time like this, she wasn’t going to make things hard for herself. She lowered her head and took small sips. As the warm water hit her throat, her body felt as if it were coming back to life. She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling her strength gradually return and finally regaining control of her body.

Shen Nian put the glass away and looked down to unlock her phone. She glanced at Shen Zui and silently put the phone back down.

“What is it?” Shen Zui noticed her strange expression.

“Nothing.” Shen Nian acted nonchalantly, then added after a pause, “I posted an update.”

Shen Zui: “What kind of update?”

Shen Nian hemmed and hawed, giving an evasive answer. “Just… just a public message on my account that everyone can see.”

“…” Shen Zui held out her hand. “Let me see.”

Shen Nian picked up the phone. Before handing it over, she looked into Shen Zui’s eyes. “Shen Zui.”

“Hmm?”

Shen Nian pursed her lips. “You haven’t forgotten what you said last night, have you?”

“…” The Great Miss Shen got a bit annoyed. “I said it so many times. Did you not listen even once?”

“Not that part!” Shen Nian quickly explained. Her face turned red. “No, not the ‘I love you’ part.” That part she naturally remembered; Shen Zui had cried it out all night, and those words were already deeply engraved in her heart.

“Oh.” Shen Zui retracted her gaze. “Then it’s what came after.” She nodded naturally. “I remember. I wasn’t drunk; of course I remember.”

“…” The flush on Shen Nian’s face had already spread to her ears; she felt like she was about to go up in flames. Fearing she might literally start smoking if she stayed, she tossed the phone to Shen Zui and strode out of the bedroom.

“I-I’m going to go check if the living room window is closed!”

Shen Zui laughed at the sight of her fleeing back. Shen Nian walked with her head down, nearly bumping into the half-closed door.

“Careful!” Shen Zui called out.

Shen Nian stole a glance back at her. She had left the bedroom but hadn’t closed the door, leaving a gap as wide as a palm. Shen Zui knit her brows in thought, but gave up after a few seconds, knowing full well she couldn’t untangle the complex thoughts of a twenty-year-old girl.

Fortunately, she had another clue. She picked up the phone Shen Nian had left behind and successfully unlocked it. The screen was on Shen Nian’s profile page. Just as Shen Nian said, she had posted a new update:

[She said we’re going to get married!]

Under the text was a photo. Shen Nian’s exquisite side profile took up most of the frame; her eyes were half-closed as she devoutly kissed the back of someone’s hand. The overwhelming love made her look somewhat humble, yet she remained firm, her gaze as pious as a faithful believer willing to offer her life to a deity.

And her deity was Shen Zui, of whom only a single hand was visible.

Having been pushed too hard last night, Shen Zui had eventually passed out and had no idea when this photo was taken. To post such content and images on her verified main account—the meaning was self-evident. Although the content was still somewhat cryptic and didn’t explicitly reveal the identity of the other person, neither she nor Shen Nian had any desire to invite people into their private lives. Such words were already the most blatant declaration possible for them.

Shen Zui chuckled softly, her voice thick with indulgence for her little girl.

By the door, a dark shadow shifted. Shen Zui caught a glimpse but pretended not to notice. She wasn’t in a hurry; instead, in high spirits, she looked back at the phone and curled her lips, repeatedly reading the text.

[She said we’re going to get married!] We… are going to get married… Married…

Words had a kind of magic. Even though she was the one who had said it first, seeing it now still sent ripples through her heart. Looking at it, scenes of fantasy inevitably popped into her mind, as if she and Shen Nian had truly entered that stage already.

Mutual love, a lifelong companion.

The corners of Shen Zui’s mouth curled up further. The joy in her heart was impossible to hide, spilling over from her expression and gestures until it filled the entire room.

…

But suddenly, Shen Zui froze. After repeatedly confirming there was no mistake, her brows knit tightly together.

“Heh. Coward.”

Outside the bedroom.

Shen Nian leaned against the wall, unable to sit or stand still. She didn’t dare go in, but she couldn’t bear to be too far from Shen Zui. She could only wait there, staring blankly at the gap in the door. They had only just confirmed their relationship last night; would doing this make her look too impatient and childish?

Shen Nian bit her lower lip, using the pain to keep herself awake. I’ve already done it; there’s no turning back! She was impatient. She was childish. She needed to use this method to confirm Shen Zui’s attitude. The waiting stretched time out, torturing her anxious heart like a dull knife.

Shen Nian began to drift into endless fantasies. She wondered what Shen Zui was doing. Had she seen the post yet? What would her mood be? Happy or angry? How would she handle it? Would she delete the message immediately, or contact her subordinates to deal with it? Would she scold her for being ungrateful?

How long would it take for her to realize that all of this was nothing more than her own humble and pathetic test?

Yes, a humble and pathetic test.

That latest update on her main account with nearly a million followers was set to [Visible only to myself].

There was no public announcement. There was no declaration. It was nothing but a “private” deception.

In the early hours, when Shen Zui had fallen asleep, Shen Nian had caught a feverish impulse, grabbed her hand, and taken that photo. She had stayed on the editing page for a very, very long time—until her eyes were sore—before finally setting it and clicking “Send.”

“Shen Zui,” she had looked at her sleeping lover on the bed. “I’m just… recording it. I didn’t mean to go public.”

Shen Zui’s breathing had been even, her eyelashes long against her closed eyes.

“Really,” Shen Nian had leaned over and cautiously kissed the back of her hand again. “I posted it for myself to see. Tonight was a very meaningful night, wasn’t it? It’s worth recording. I’m much more mature than you think… much more…”

Amidst those whispered explanations, sleepiness had overtaken her. She had embraced Shen Zui and fallen asleep by her side.

And it had been a dreamless night.

When she woke up, her mind was clear. The intoxication hadn’t blurred her memories of the previous night; on the contrary, every detail was etched clearly in her mind.

Shen Nian picked up her phone. On her profile page, [She said we’re going to get married!] was floating right at the top. While Shen Zui was still asleep, she had made some preparations.

Soon, under her gaze, Shen Zui had let out a soft moan. She frowned, her legs under the covers trembling. Shen Nian had leaned over, supporting her waist to help her sit up.

Then, Shen Zui had given her arm a weak, soft “smack.”

“What is it?” “…I posted an update.” “Let me see.”

… … …

Shen Nian closed her eyes and rested her head against the wall, listening to her own heavy breathing and the thump-thump-thump of her heart. Suddenly, a call broke into her silent world.

“Shen Nian?”

She stepped forward immediately and grabbed the doorknob. Only as she pushed the door open did she realize she shouldn’t have “returned” so quickly. Oh. I blew my act.

Shen Zui was still in the same position, lounging lazily on the bed. Her black hair fell neatly against her cheek, making her exquisite features and fair skin stand out even more.

As if nothing had happened, she asked, “Is there anything to eat?”

“…” Shen Nian approached her. Her head was spinning; it felt like she was walking on clouds, without any real sense of her feet touching the ground. “Yes, it’s all ready. I’ve kept it warm in the kitchen. If you’re hungry… you can eat anytime.”

“Mm.”

Shen Zui got out of bed. When she stood on the carpet, she knit her brows and hissed in pain. Shen Nian quickly moved to help her, but was ruthlessly pushed away by the foul-tempered Miss Shen.

“I’m going to wash up. You bring the food out.”

“Oh,” Shen Nian replied woodenly. “Okay.”

She watched with heartache as Shen Zui slowly moved toward the bathroom, leaning on herself. She couldn’t help but ask again, “Do you really not need my help?”

Shen Zui gritted her teeth and looked back at her. “Heh.” Suddenly, she curled her lips into a cold smile. “You still have time to help me?”

Shen Nian: “Huh?”

Shen Zui pointed at the phone on the bed, which seemed to have been forgotten by both of them. “Go mind your own business.” After a pause, she reminded her, “And don’t let my food get cold.”

The next moment, the bathroom door closed, cutting off Shen Nian’s lingering gaze. She retracted her look, unable to describe her own mood. She just numbly leaned over and picked up the phone.

And then—

Beep-beep— Beep-beep— Beep-beep—

The phone in her palm vibrated frantically, nearly numbing her right hand. Utterly confused, she lit up the screen.