The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 78

It was only today that Shen Nian realized accompanying Shen Zui to work could be so entertaining.

As a CEO with a demanding schedule, Shen Zui’s secretary visited the office twice that morning. Although the secretary’s eyes were brimming with curiosity toward this “intruder,” she was forced to suppress her emotions and focus intently on handling the CEO’s affairs.

Shen Nian reclined on the sofa, shielding her face with a business magazine. Once the secretary departed, Shen Nian’s mischievous side took over; she sauntered to the door and, sure enough, saw the woman glancing back three times with every step she took.

Outside the office, the other employees—who appeared to be working diligently—had long since craned their necks, eagerly waiting for the smallest morsel of gossip regarding the “Big Boss.”

The secretary, mimicking Shen Zui’s intimidating aura, shot them a stern look. Instantly, the crowd buried their heads back into their tasks—some returning to their spreadsheets, others frantically typing away at their copy.

Shen Nian closed the door, her lips curving into an amused smile.

Knock, knock—

President Shen, seated regally behind her desk, tapped her fountain pen against the mahogany surface without looking up.

“I didn’t realize my employees had the added function of providing you entertainment.”

“Ahem,” Shen Nian cleared her throat.

She walked over to Shen Zui, her eyes still shimmering with suppressed laughter. “If I came here more often, your secretary’s acting skills would eventually surpass those of a professional actress.”

Shen Zui spared her a glance. “I disagree,” she countered. “If she still hasn’t figured out who you are after two more visits, I’ll have to consider finding a new assistant.”

Shen Nian’s eyes twinkled. She teased her intentionally, “Why? Is the phrase ‘President Shen’s Lover’ written in bold letters across my forehead?” She touched her face playfully. “I don’t see it, do you?”

Shen Zui’s hand paused in the middle of signing a document.

Shen Nian didn’t stop there. She leaned in close, almost pressing against her. “Or could it be… that President Shen’s love for me is simply impossible to hide?”

Shen Zui turned her face away, though the tips of her ears flushed a faint pink. She kept her voice steady. “…Go back to the sofa. Don’t interfere with my work.”

Shen Nian reached out and gave her earlobe a gentle squeeze. Before the CEO could fly into an embarrassed rage, she let go and quickly retreated to a safe social distance.

“Yes, President Shen~”

Once she stopped teasing, the time passed easily. Neither of them was idle; one handled corporate affairs while the other continued studying her script. Three hours vanished in the blink of an eye.

Taking advantage of a lull in her work, Shen Nian picked a nearby Huaiyang restaurant and booked a private room. When they headed downstairs, they inevitably drew another round of stares. Fortunately, they took Shen Zui’s private elevator, the automatic doors sealing away all prying eyes.

“…” Inside the elevator, President Shen looked displeased. “It seems their workload isn’t heavy enough.”

Shen Nian laughed, defending the staff. “Isn’t it human nature to be curious about their boss’s love life?”

“I’d prefer they channel that passion into their work.”

“You’re a tough taskmaster,” Shen Nian said, wrapping her arms around Shen Zui’s waist. Between laughs, she brushed her chin against the top of Shen Zui’s head. “Back in the office, President Shen looked up from her documents to steal quite a few glances at me.”

She lowered her voice to an intimate whisper. “I saw everything, you know.”

Shen Zui remained stone-faced but did not offer a rebuttal.

Shen Nian leaned down and kissed her ear. “What is the President so curious about?” she offered generously. “Tell me, and I’ll reveal everything.”

Shen Zui tilted her head, her gaze cool and faint. Before she could speak, Shen Nian brashly pressed her lips against hers, forcing Shen Zui to reach up and grab her hair to steady her.

Soon, the elevator reached the underground garage. When they stepped out, both looked perfectly composed, save for a faint red mark on Shen Nian’s chin.

The restaurant was modestly priced and followed a casual style, but the dishes were even better than Shen Nian had expected. She served Shen Zui fish, meticulously picking out every bone before placing it in her bowl.

The eldest Miss Shen enjoyed the attentive service. Though she didn’t say it aloud, the irritation from earlier had vanished. She ate whatever Shen Nian fed her with great relish. By the end of the meal, she hadn’t even smudged her lipstick, while Shen Nian had been busy from start to finish.

“I’m going to wash my hands,” Shen Nian said, standing up.

Since there was no restroom in the private booth, she had to go to the hallway. As she walked, she noticed someone following her, deliberately softening their footsteps. In her peripheral vision, she saw a man with a slightly hunched back. She didn’t think much of it until she reached the sink and realized he wasn’t leaving. He was coming for her.

Shen Nian remained calm. She lowered her head and pretended to wash her hands, using the mirror to observe him. Just as the man reached out to grab her shoulder, she spun around, pinning his arm to the vanity in a preemptive strike.

“Argh—!” the man cried out in pain.

Shen Nian looked up, intending to call a waiter to contact the police.

“Shen Nian!” The man seemed to guess her intent and shouted her name.

Shen Nian was momentarily surprised. She was cautious by nature and hadn’t forgotten to wear a mask when she left the room. She initially thought he might be one of those obsessive “sasaeng” fans her manager, Mo Huai, had warned her about.

But the man quickly stated his purpose: “I’m not here to hurt you! I… I’ve been looking for you. Can you just listen to me?”

Shen Nian raised an eyebrow. “Looking for me?” She didn’t lower her guard. “I hope you understand that there must be a boundary between a fan and an actress—”

Before she could finish, the man spat on the floor. “I’m not your damn fan!”

Shen Nian frowned. “Oh?”

The man was struggling to breathe under her grip. He fought to lift his head and glare at her, hissing through gritted teeth, “I’m your biological father!”

Shen Nian went blank for several seconds. She had recently been investigating her background, but because Shen Zui had told her she had been abandoned, she had never considered looking for them.

Why would he appear now? In her previous life, she clearly remembered…

Wait.

A flash of insight struck her. She vaguely recalled that after she became famous in her past life, her manager had mentioned the existence of a “harassing fan”…

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Shen Nian regained her composure.

“I’ve tested it!” The man pointed to a waist bag at his side. “I tracked down the hotel you stayed at, found some of your hair, and I have the report right here!” He continued, “I am your father!”

After a moment of silence, Shen Nian released him and stepped back to create distance. They sized each other up.

Shen Nian could guess his intentions almost instantly. He was thin, with a hunched posture, and his clothes suggested a poor financial situation. His features were actually quite handsome, but his face was sallow and his cheeks were sunken—the look of someone weakened by a life of excess.

The man massaged his arm. “You don’t believe me?”

Another guest appeared around the corner, heading toward the restroom. Shen Nian turned and walked away without a word. Stunned and afraid of losing her again, the man stumbled after her.

Inside the booth, Shen Zui was wondering why a simple hand-washing was taking so long when the door swung open. Seeing Shen Nian’s grim expression, she stood up to ask what was wrong, only to see a man squeeze in behind her.

Shen Zui’s brow furrowed. She glanced at the man for only a second before turning her attention back to Shen Nian. “Who is this?”

The man, wary of an outsider, hesitated to speak. But Shen Nian walked straight to Shen Zui’s side and spoke plainly.

“He says he’s my father.”

Shen Zui’s hand gripped her arm, her eyes widening in shock. Shen Nian patted her back to soothe her, though she couldn’t spare much focus for her. She looked at the man. “You said you had a document?”

The man reacted quickly, pulling a paper from his bag. In the age of modern science, verifying a blood relation was simple. The certificate stated: The probability of a paternal relationship is 99.9%.

Shen Nian glanced at the result, then at the name column. “Jiang Shubai?”

The man looked up sharply. “Yes, yes, that’s me!”

“Heh,” Shen Nian let out a cold laugh. “Based on just this? How do I know you actually gathered my DNA?”

Jiang Shubai stiffened his neck. “If you don’t believe me, we can go do another test together.”

Shen Nian looked down. “No need,” she said flatly.

Jiang Shubai’s eyes lit up. “You believe me, then? The test was just for your peace of mind. Anyone with eyes can see the resemblance. You’re lucky you inherited half of my looks—”

“No,” Shen Nian interrupted. She looked at him as if he were a piece of dead wood—cold and devoid of emotion. “I simply don’t care.”

Jiang Shubai was stunned. “What?”

“I don’t care if you are, or who my father is.” Shen Nian tossed the report onto the table. Her voice was level. “The moment I was adopted by the Shen family, we ceased to have a relationship, didn’t we?”

Jiang Shubai stared at her in disbelief. As the realization sank in, his face contorted with shame and rage. “I haven’t even asked for anything yet! Are you even human? How can you be so cold-blooded? You—”

“Who is the cold-blooded one?” Shen Zui, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up when the man began to attack Shen Nian. Her brow hadn’t unknotted since he entered the room. “If you really are Jiang Shubai, then you were the one who signed the ‘child-selling’ agreement with the Shen family all those years ago, weren’t you?”

“…” Jiang Shubai looked as if he were being strangled. His eyes darted between the two women. “You… you two…”

Shen Zui snorted, exposing his motives directly. “Let me guess. You disappear for all these years, only to pop up now and prove your relationship… You’re here for money, aren’t you?”

Having his secret hit dead center, Jiang Shubai’s face turned pale and green. He rubbed his hands against his body awkwardly.

“At least you know enough to be ashamed. It seems you aren’t completely rotten yet.” Shen Zui retracted her gaze, as if even looking at him was a chore.

“That… that happened because…” Jiang Shubai began to stutter.

Shen Nian felt a dull ache in her temples. She had no patience for this man. Rubbing her brow, she asked suddenly, “I have one question.” She looked him in the eye. “If you never intended to raise the child, why did you let her be born?”

Shen Zui shuddered at the question, her hand tightening on the fabric of Shen Nian’s shirt behind her back. Shen Nian turned and gave her a small, strained smile to show she was okay.

Jiang Shubai opened his mouth, struggling to find his voice. “I… how should I know? By the time I found out, that woman had already given birth!”

“That woman?” Shen Nian asked.

“I forgot,” Jiang Shubai answered quickly. “I forgot long ago. I had so many people around me back then; who the hell knows who was who?”

In his youth, he had used his good looks to charm his way through life. At his peak, he had a dozen lovers at once. One woman had likely given birth to the child to tie him down, but soon realized it was a mistake and abandoned the baby with him before vanishing.

Hearing this, Shen Zui’s heart ached. She looked at Shen Nian with deep concern. Shen Nian noticed and shook her head. She had already known the gist of this from Shen Zui; hearing the man confirm the sordid details didn’t cause her much of an emotional stir.

Still, Shen Zui’s heart bled for her. She grabbed Shen Nian’s wrist. She had already managed to contact her assistant and now whispered into Shen Nian’s ear.

“Don’t worry about this. Let me handle it, alright?”

Shen Nian blinked. “Hmm?”

Shen Zui cast a look of pure disgust at the man. She took a deep breath. “I won’t give him the chance to threaten you.”

Shen Nian’s lips twitched. She had wanted to say something more, but seeing the intense care in her lover’s eyes, her sharp emotions softened into water.

Looking at Shen Zui, she gave a soft nod. “Alright.”