The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 65

Shen Nian stared at the latest message, unable to make head or tail of it. Fortunately, Mo Huai didn’t harass her further, so she simply pretended not to see it and ended the conversation.

School soon began, and Shen Nian found herself busy once again.

One day after school, she followed her usual routine, heading to the gym before returning to the apartment. However, she found the place pitch black; there wasn’t a soul in sight.

“Working late?” Shen Nian pulled out her phone and sent a message to Shen Zui, asking what time she would be back and if she should prepare dinner.

She waited for half an hour, but Shen Zui didn’t reply.

“Strange,” Shen Nian muttered, walking to the kitchen to fix herself a quick bite. “Is she really that busy?” At the time, she didn’t think much of it.

But as the hours ticked by, the chat window between her and Shen Zui remained cold and quiet. Her message hadn’t received a single response. Shen Nian finally sensed that something was wrong—no matter how busy Shen Zui was, it was impossible for her to not have a single spare second to reply.

Worried, she stood up and dialed the number. She expected it to be difficult to get through, but after two rings, the call was answered.

Shen Nian breathed a sigh of relief. “Shen Zui?”

“…” The other side was silent. The background was terrifyingly quiet, save for the sound of faint, shallow breathing.

Shen Nian frowned. “Who is this?!”

“Nian-jie’er,” a somewhat familiar female voice replied. Fortunately, the woman didn’t intend to play games and identified herself quickly. “It’s Yu Bingnan.”

Yu Bingnan—the capable assistant to the Old Matriarch at the Shen family estate.

Several thoughts flashed through Shen Nian’s mind. She asked, “Why do you have her phone?”

“The Old Matriarch is unwell. Miss Shen has returned to care for her,” Yu Bingnan replied, her voice devoid of emotion.

Shen Nian: “When will she be back?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Yu Bingnan said coldly. After a pause, she added, “Allow me to remind you—you should refer to Miss Shen as ‘Aunt’.”

“Then let me remind you as well,” Shen Nian countered with a cold laugh. “What I call her is none of your business.”

Yu Bingnan: “…”

“Give the phone to Shen Zui. I have something to say to her,” Shen Nian demanded, though she didn’t have much hope.

The response was exactly as she expected.

“Apologies. Miss is currently speaking with the Madam. She has no time… to pay attention to insignificant outsiders.”

Shen Nian hung up without hesitation. The next instant, she grabbed her coat, threw it on, and left the apartment.

When Shen Zui stepped out, she happened to see Yu Bingnan holding her phone. She knit her brows. “What are you doing?”

“Miss?” Yu Bingnan froze. “You… why are you out here?”

“Give me my phone,” Shen Zui said flatly.

“Hehe…” Yu Bingnan laughed awkwardly, cautiously handing the device over.

Shen Zui pulled up the call log. Seeing the most recent call, she gave Yu Bingnan a cold, piercing look. Yu Bingnan, who had been trying to stand her ground, trembled under that gaze. Shaking, she muttered, “I… I’ll go check on the Old Matriarch…”

“She’s sleeping,” Shen Zui said, casually redialing the number. “Mother’s illness came on quite strangely this time. I’m thinking of going to the ancestral hall to kneel for the night to pray for her…”

Before she could finish, Yu Bingnan broke into a cold sweat. “You are of noble status, and the weather is still cold! How could you go and kneel in such a freezing place?!”

Shen Zui: “Then…”

The call connected. Shen Nian’s voice and Yu Bingnan’s frantic pleading rang out simultaneously.

“Hello?” “I’ll go in your place! I’ll go right now!”

Shen Zui didn’t even spare her a glance, giving a faint “Mm” in response. “Then I shall trouble you.”

“Not at all, not at all.” Yu Bingnan forced a smile, though a clear sense of resentment lingered between her brows. She didn’t dare vent it on Shen Zui, so she merely glared at the phone in Shen Zui’s hand before scurrying out of the heated living room.

Hearing the footsteps recede, Shen Nian spoke tentatively. “Shen Zui?”

“Yes.” Shen Zui sat down in a nearby chair. She got straight to the point. “Mother is ill and called me back to care for her.” After a pause, she added, “I won’t be back at the apartment for a few days. You’re at home by yourself; be careful with what you eat and wear.”

This version was largely consistent with what Yu Bingnan had said.

“She’s ill…” Shen Nian frowned. “Is it serious?”

“She’s getting older; minor ailments are inevitable.” Shen Zui unconsciously rubbed her fingers. “Plus, she’s been despondent lately…” She left the sentence unfinished, letting the implication hang.

Shen Nian scoffed internally, but out of consideration for Shen Zui’s feelings, she didn’t let it show. She was currently standing in the parking garage. As a draft blew through, her coat did little to keep out the cold, making her shiver.

Shen Zui heard the movement. “Are you outside?”

“I was planning to pick you up.” Shen Nian stopped walking. She paused. “In that case, I’ll go back, pack a few sets of clothes, and head to the estate to stay with you.”

Shen Zui shook her head. “No need.”

Shen Nian: “…”

Shen Zui: “The doctor says she needs peace and quiet. Having more people around will only be a disturbance.”

“Oh,” Shen Nian replied. She asked, “When can you come back?”

Shen Zui: “I can’t be sure yet.”

“If she stays bedridden, do you plan on moving back to the estate long-term?” Shen Nian asked.

Shen Zui froze. She glanced at the closed wooden door nearby. “…No.”

“Then at least give me a firm time,” Shen Nian gritted her teeth. “Even a nurse caring for a patient gets a break. Give me a time, and I’ll come pick you up.”

Shen Zui knit her brows in thought, remaining silent for a moment.

“Shen Zui…” Shen Nian took a deep breath. She began to act shamelessly. “If you don’t tell me, I’m coming over right now.” She began to plan aloud: “I won’t disturb her. You take care of her, and I’ll take care of you. Is that not allowed?”

“Pfft.” Shen Zui smiled. She let out a sigh. “School just started, and you have to head to the film set later. It’s not convenient for you to come here.”

Shen Nian cut in urgently: “Then—”

“Come over on Sunday,” Shen Zui gave her an answer. “Come here this Sunday.” Her voice was rich and steady; even without raising her volume, it carried a sense of authority. “Regardless of the situation then, I’ll at least go back to the apartment for one night.”

“Okay!” Shen Nian’s mood brightened instantly.

The two had only just confessed their feelings a few days ago; they were in the peak of the “honey moon” phase of a new relationship. With business out of the way, Shen Nian softened her voice. “You work during the day and have to go to the estate at night… are you tired?”

Shen Zui instinctively stretched her shoulders. She gave a playful laugh. “Without you here, I’ll get a good night’s sleep tonight. It shouldn’t be too tiring.”

Shen Nian: “…”

She turned around and walked back toward the elevator. “You make it sound as if you only suffered through it,” she hummed, teasing her on purpose. “When we were doing it, President Shen clearly enjoyed herself too. You were clinging to my neck, crying out ‘Niannian, Niannian’…”

“Shen Nian!” Shen Zui’s face turned scarlet.

The elevator arrived. It was empty, which suited Shen Nian perfectly. She stepped in. “What did you expect? If you hadn’t called out so beautifully, how could I have lost control? I was being seduced over and over again.”

The tail end of winter lingered in the south, refusing to leave. The night was cold, yet Shen Zui felt her body heating up. She left the living room and walked out to the veranda; the breeze made her feel much more comfortable. The night was clear, and a crescent moon hung in the sky.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come over?” Shen Nian’s voice was very soft. “Even just to bring you some things? Your usual clothes, shoes…”

Shen Zui: “Everything I need is here.”

“How can new things be as comfortable as the things you’re used to?” Shen Nian knew the vast Shen family wouldn’t mistreat their “Jewel,” but she couldn’t help being pedantic. “The perfume we just bought—you’ve only used it a few times. Didn’t you say the scent was nice?”

“I’m caring for a patient. I can’t wear perfume.”

Shen Nian: “…”

The elevator reached her floor. she scanned her fingerprint and entered the apartment, kicking off her shoes and placing them heavily on the rack. “Fine!”

Shen Zui suddenly laughed. She could imagine Shen Nian’s expression—the girl was likely pouting with furrowed brows, looking aggrieved with nowhere to vent. If she were standing right in front of her…

Shen Zui didn’t dare think further. “To be honest, moving back so suddenly really is a bit of an adjustment. The clothes and perfume you mentioned are secondary. The main thing is…”

“Hmm?” Shen Nian’s eyes lit up. “The main thing is what?” Her voice took on a spoiled, coaxing tone. “Tell me. I’m at home; I can pack it up and bring it to you right now.”

Shen Zui: “What do you think?”

Shen Nian: “Hmm?”

Shen Zui smiled. “My Niannian, of course.”

“…” Shen Nian froze. Once she realized what was said, she lost all her strength and collapsed onto the sofa. She mimicked Shen Zui’s favorite posture, lifting her legs and resting her bare feet on the soft cushions. “Shen Zui… you’re teasing me again…”

In the Chinese-style courtyard, the shadows of the branches swayed gently under the moonlight; sparse shadows fell across the ground as a faint fragrance wafted through the air. Such a beautiful scene couldn’t win even a glance from the woman on the veranda. Shen Zui’s entire attention was focused on her little lover on the other end of the phone.

“How am I teasing you?”

Shen Nian asked gloomily, “Then if I pack myself up and send myself over, would you want me?” She added indignantly, “I’m going to pack my bags and come find you right now!”

“Alright,” Shen Zui replied.

Shen Nian sat up straight. “Really?! Then I—”

“From now on, Niannian will stay by my side. You’ll come to the office with me and accompany me to banquets.” Shen Zui listed her ideal way of being together. She even planned: “I’ll have Qin Li train you. You’ll be in charge of my personal itinerary. Wherever I go, I’ll take you ‘packed’ along with me.”

Shen Nian bit her lower lip. “Hmph.”

Shen Zui asked again, “What time will you arrive?” Her tone held a hint of seriousness.

Shen Nian checked the time. “7:00 AM on Sunday.”

Shen Zui gave a soft scoff.

“Hmm?”

“Too early,” Shen Zui said. “Come at 10:00. I’ll leave after I’ve had breakfast.”

Shen Nian: “…That works too.”

The conversation was drawing to a natural close. “Go to sleep early.” Shen Zui turned to go back inside. “I’m going to check on Mother again, then I’ll wash up and head to bed.” She initiated the goodbye: “Goodnight.”

Shen Nian: “…”

Shen Zui: “Niannian?” She said it again, “Goodnight.”

“I can’t sleep,” Shen Nian muttered. She took a deep breath. “Shen Zui, I miss you.”

Shen Zui’s footsteps faltered. She stood in the center of the living room—ahead of her was her mother’s bedroom, and behind her was the bright, moonlit night. She paused and gave a soft “Mm.”

Shen Nian: “What does ‘Mm’ mean?”

Shen Zui pressed her face against the screen. They had been talking for a long time, and the phone was slightly warm, as if Shen Nian were truly leaning against her. She parted her lips and said warmly, “I miss you, too.”

Shen Nian found that she was very easy to coax. Because of that one sentence, her pouting lips immediately curved into a smile. “Yeah. I know.”

This time, the call finally ended.

In the ensuing silence, Shen Nian sat on the sofa for a long time, her elbows on her thighs and her head hanging low. Suddenly, the wind picked up, making the gold-threaded curtains flutter with a whoosh.

She came back to her senses and walked over. Looking up, she saw the moon hanging at the edge of the sky. The crescent moon was curved, much like Shen Zui’s usual—yet still cold—smile. She gave a small smirk, snapped the window shut, and returned to the bedroom.