The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 85

Time flies.

If Shen Nian was merely a “Best Newcomer” three years ago, then after a prolific streak of high-quality work, she is now the most dazzling star in the country—a true powerhouse who has swept every Best Actress trophy available.

If there were any regrets…

It would likely be from last year, when her work was nominated for an international film award but ultimately lost to Hillary, a veteran actress from France.

The media outlets that disliked her spent months churning out articles, hinting that this setback would surely break her spirit. They predicted that, like many who miss out on prestigious awards, she was destined to fade into mediocrity.

However, reality soon delivered a heavy blow to those critics’ faces.

Within a single year, Shen Nian returned with her second collaboration with Director Duan Wenyin, charging straight into an even more prestigious international film circuit.

As soon as the nominations were announced, the media went into a frenzy. Today, a top industry gossip reporter even captured a photo of her and Duan Wenyin appearing side-by-side at the Beijing International Airport.

In the photo, Duan Wenyin was holding up her phone, showing Shen Nian something. Shen Nian, originally wearing sunglasses that covered half her face, leaned down intimately to get a better look.

The two were so close that their foreheads were barely two or three fingers apart. More intriguingly, Duan Wenyin wore a gentle expression, while Shen Nian—who was usually known for her stoic “ice queen” demeanor in public—had a slight curve to her lips. She was clearly in a wonderful mood.

Ever since their first collaboration, rumors about the two had been flying everywhere. Despite constant clarifications, many remained firm “Shen-Duan” shippers.

The reporter’s update became the latest “spiritual food” for this niche fandom, and they flocked to the comments to express their joy:

“I ship it! I ship it!”

“Oh my god, they look like an old married couple!”

“How is Shen Nian still so beautiful? Duan Wenyin looks so tiny standing next to her!”

Of course, more practical viewers focused on other details:

“What are they looking at?”

“I’m dying to know what’s on Duan Wenyin’s screen!”

“Shen Nian’s gentleness is clearly directed at the phone screen, not at Duan Wenyin, okay?!”

At this moment, having already arrived abroad, Sang Nian and Duan Wenyin were naturally unaware of the domestic discourse.

Yes, about two years ago, Shen Nian officially changed her name to Sang Nian, adopting her grandmother’s surname, “Sang.”

She hadn’t publicized the change. After discussing it with her manager, Mo Huai, she kept “Shen Nian” as her professional stage name. Unless someone was close to her or intentionally dug for the information, most people were unaware of the change.

“Yes, Grandma, I just got off the plane.” Sitting in the car, Sang Nian called her grandmother immediately to let her know she had arrived safely.

Because of the time difference, she chatted with the spirited elderly woman for a few minutes before coaxing her: “It’s almost 10:00 PM there. You should go to sleep. Nurse Xiao Yuan needs to head home and rest too.”

In the corner of the video frame, Nurse Xiao Yuan replied with a blush, “I’m not in a rush!”

The old lady was easy to persuade. After reminding Sang Nian to be careful abroad, she handed the phone back to the caregiver.

“Grandma is still the same as ever,” Duan Wenyin said, turning around from the front seat with a smile. She asked, “How are you feeling? Tired?”

Sang Nian glanced out the window at the bright afternoon sun. “Not sleepy at all…”

“I figured,” Duan Wenyin said with a raised eyebrow. “It’ll be boring sitting in the hotel. I’ll drop you off to leave your luggage, and then we’ll go to dinner with Philippe and the others tonight.”

Sang Nian teased with a smile, “Me? Is that appropriate?”

“It’s just a gathering of friends!” Duan Wenyin made a playful gesture as if to swat her. “A few other people you know will be there too.”

“Alright.” Thinking of something, Sang Nian’s smile softened. “I’ll go.”

Duan Wenyin was satisfied. “Great.”

The car pulled up to an old-fashioned five-star hotel. Sang Nian had booked the presidential suite on the top floor. The staff helped take her luggage up, but Sang Nian didn’t even bother going up the elevator. She grabbed her room card and got back into the car with Duan Wenyin.

The party lasted until late. Sang Nian didn’t want to stay over and impose, so she insisted on leaving. It was around 11:00 PM when she returned to the hotel.

She had been coaxed into drinking a bit too much and was walking unsteadily. Refusing the driver’s offer to escort her, she boarded the elevator to the top floor alone.

When the doors opened, she realized she was in a bit of trouble—the hallway was doubling in her vision.

Fortunately, there were only two suites on the top floor. Sang Nian stopped at the door closest to the elevator. She leaned against the doorframe, squinting for a long time to compare the numbers. Once she confirmed it wasn’t her room, she wobbled toward the other door.

Unfortunately, the drunkenness was peaking. She fumbled with her keycard against the door for ages, failing to notice that the sensor was actually on the adjacent wall.

“Strange…” she muttered to herself.

Feeling frustrated, she closed her eyes to rest for a moment before trying again. Just then, a warm hand covered her wrist.

Before Sang Nian could react, the hand guided her to turn slightly to the left.

The next moment, the keycard finally touched the sensor. With a beep, the door that had been stubbornly shut clicked open.

Initially, Sang Nian was startled by the touch. But whether it was the alcohol or a certain familiar scent in the air, she calmed down instantly. The thought of shaking the person off didn’t even cross her mind.

“…Th-thank you,” she slurred, realizing the person had helped her.

The person seemed to let out a sigh—very soft, but Sang Nian heard it. Confused, she tried to lower her head to see their face.

She failed.

When she regained consciousness, she found herself in a strange room.

As her memory returned, Sang Nian got up to explore. She soon saw her keycard in the slot and confirmed that this was indeed the presidential suite she had booked.

In the aromatherapy box by the bed, there were still traces of essential oils. The scent was elegant and soothing, preventing her from waking up with a splitting headache.

Rubbing her aching temples, she noticed her coat and shoes had been removed and neatly set aside.

It seemed someone really had helped her back last night. As she went to the bathroom to shower, she wondered: Was it a hotel staff member who saw me struggling on the security cameras?

She had no clue.

It was nearly noon. After her shower, she called the front desk to order food and asked about the incident. The receptionist didn’t know but offered to ask the night shift colleagues later. Sang Nian politely declined.

In fluent English, she said, “No need to go to that trouble. If someone did help me, please just pass along my thanks.”

The receptionist cheerfully agreed, and Sang Nian hung up, feeling relieved.

The award ceremony was still five days away. Sang Nian had arrived early because her company had booked a prestigious photographer for a shoot scheduled for that afternoon.

Before leaving, she looked in the mirror and noticed faint dark circles under her eyes. She sighed, figuring they weren’t too bad and that the makeup artist could cover them up.

While waiting for the elevator, she idly glanced down the hallway. There were two doors, one on each side.

Flashbacks of her drunken state surfaced. She vaguely remembered standing in front of the other door for a long time. If someone lived there and hadn’t been asleep yet, they were probably terrified by her behavior.

The thought made her flush with embarrassment. She quickly cut the thought short as the elevator doors opened and stepped inside.

At the studio, Belle saw Sang Nian talking to the makeup artist and came over to greet her. Seeing the makeup artist about to apply foundation, Belle shouted, “NO!!”

Sang Nian looked at him, confused.

“Your state is perfect. No makeup needed,” Belle said, spreading his hands.

“Are you sure?” Sang Nian asked in English. She felt a bit guilty. “Actually, I drank a lot last night…”

“No, no.” Belle circled her once. He stopped and studied her features. “Trust me! This is perfect! You know, photos need a sense of story, and you fit the requirement perfectly right now.”

He cast a disdainful look at the table full of cosmetics. “These things will only hide your true self.”

Sang Nian shrugged. “You’re the photographer. You decide.”

Belle grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

Later, this set of photos went viral, becoming one of Sang Nian’s most legendary shoots. The top comment on the company’s official account read:

“She has the kind of ‘young widow’ beauty that breaks your heart.”

Someone replied below: “Young widow? Does that mean I still have a chance?!”

At the time, Sang Nian happened to see that comment. Amused and exasperated, she replied directly from her verified account:

“Wife and daughter are both present, life is happy. Don’t believe or spread rumors, thanks.”

The next day, she was free. Duan Wenyin invited her to go shopping, and they met on a famous luxury pedestrian street.

True to her habit, Sang Nian arrived about ten minutes early. After waiting a bit, she saw Duan Wenyin step out of a black Rolls-Royce.

Unlike before, Duan Wenyin was carrying a baby about six months old—a darling little thing with big, dark eyes.

Sang Nian took off her sunglasses and walked over, waving to the driver. The driver said, “Have a good day,” and drove off.

Sang Nian leaned down to tease the baby. “Mai Mai? Good afternoon~”

The baby was still small and could only make single syllables. She looked at Sang Nian, made a couple of “Ah” sounds, and smiled so wide her mouth almost reached her ears.

“You hold her!” Duan Wenyin decisively handed the child over.

Sang Nian took her. The baby settled into her arms with practiced ease, her chubby little arms hooking around Sang Nian’s neck.

“Ah… Ma, Ma…”

“Huh?” Sang Nian was pleasantly surprised. “We haven’t met for two days, and you can call people now?” She poked the little one’s nose. “Mai Mai, say it again.”

Mai Mai grinned. “Ma, Ma!”

“You’re drooling,” Sang Nian laughed, wiping it away and kissing her cute cheek. “So well-behaved~”

“This little brat is only this good when she sees you,” Duan Wenyin grumbled, rubbing her shoulder. “She threw a fit at 3:00 AM last night. She never stops.”

“She’s still little,” Sang Nian said with a smile.

Suddenly, she felt a cold gaze on her. Having been an actress for years, Sang Nian was very sensitive to being watched. She instinctively looked around but saw only a few cars at the intersection and indifferent pedestrians.

“What’s wrong?” Duan Wenyin asked.

“Nothing.” Sang Nian withdrew her gaze. “Weren’t we going to buy things? Let’s go.”

“Yeah.” Duan Wenyin gestured to the little thing in Sang Nian’s arms. “Buying for her.”

Sang Nian looked down at the cute baby. They both smiled at each other. But Sang Nian was puzzled. “For Mai Mai? Shouldn’t we go to a children’s store then? Why the luxury street?”

Duan Wenyin gave her a knowing look.

Soon, Sang Nian learned the truth. In a high-end boutique, a smiling clerk was pitching the season’s new arrivals to Duan Wenyin.

Sang Nian stared at the so-called “handbag designed specifically for children” and asked in disbelief, “How much did she say this was?”

Duan Wenyin: “49,900.”

Sang Nian: “Dollars?”

Duan Wenyin: “Yes!”

“…” Even though Sang Nian’s income had ranked in the top ten for domestic actors in recent years, she was still shocked. She looked at the innocent girl in her arms. “Are you sure… Mai Mai needs this?”

Duan Wenyin was an SVIP of this brand. She took the bag—which was smaller than an adult’s palm—and held it up to the baby. “Do you want it?”

Babies at this age don’t have fully developed vision and are easily attracted to bright colors. Mai Mai stared at the bright pink bag for a few seconds and reached out to grab it.

Duan Wenyin laughed. “See? She loves it~”

Sang Nian: “…” She shut her mouth and tried her best to play the role of a silent helper.

Duan Wenyin hesitated. “Should I get the pink one or the gold one?”

Sang Nian instinctively checked the price tag. The pink one was $49,900; the gold one was even more ridiculous at $62,000. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “…Why not both?”

“That’s not good.” Duan Wenyin turned her head. “Don’t you think that’s spoiling the child too much?”

Sang Nian: “…” After a pause, she said, “As long as you’re happy.”

“You don’t understand.” Duan Wenyin shook her head. “If you had a child, you would understand this feeling of being both indulgent and restrained.”

Sang Nian gave a dry laugh. “Heh.”

Though she didn’t quite get it, Sang Nian ended up paying for the $49,900 bag during checkout. Seeing the little girl clutching the bag and grinning, Sang Nian finally felt a bit of the pleasure that comes with spending money.

“Consider it a gift for Mai Mai.”

Duan Wenyin didn’t stand on ceremony. She teased her daughter, “Mai Mai, say thank you~ Say thank you~”

For over an hour, Sang Nian acted as a human baby-carrier while Duan Wenyin used Mai Mai as an excuse to buy all sorts of strange luxury items. By 4:00 PM, Sang Nian’s arms were sore.

Duan Wenyin was about to suggest heading back when they passed a store where a familiar clerk called her in to see new arrivals that had just come in yesterday.

Duan Wenyin’s eyes lit up.

Sensing her excitement, Sang Nian offered, “I’ll take Mai Mai to the coffee shop across the street and wait for you.” She really needed to rest.

Duan Wenyin: “Deal!”

She happily handed her six-month-old daughter over and followed the clerk into the store.

Sang Nian went into the shop, ordered a cup of sweet milk, and sat by the window. Mai Mai seemed tired; she leaned against Sang Nian’s chest, looking a bit lethargic.

As Sang Nian stroked the baby’s back and admired the street architecture, a sense of peace washed over her.

By chance, she noticed that little Mai Mai wasn’t just dazing off—she was staring intently at something.

Following the little one’s gaze through the clean glass of the coffee shop, Sang Nian unexpectedly locked eyes with a little girl outside.

In one of her movies from a few years ago, there had been a three-year-old child actor who was incredibly cute and the mascot of the entire crew. When the movie was released last year, that girl was dubbed the “Cutest Child Star.”

But as Sang Nian looked at this girl, she felt even the “Cutest Child Star” would pale in comparison. This girl was younger than the actor in Sang Nian’s memory—likely around two years old.

The exquisite features people dreamed of were all present on her beautiful Eastern face: snow-white skin, dark eyes, and pink lips. Every detail was perfectly adorable. Being stared at by those misty, cat-like eyes made Sang Nian’s heart melt.

After watching Sang Nian for a while, the little girl actually picked up the hem of her dress and walked toward the shop. Sang Nian noticed a middle-aged woman following cautiously behind her to protect her.

A moment later, the little girl stopped in front of her.

Surprised, Sang Nian gave her a polite smile.

“You… pretty,” the little girl said in a milky, childish voice.

Sang Nian smiled. “Thank you.”

She felt an inexplicable, strong surge of affection for the girl. She temporarily chalked it up to being a “visual seeker” surrendering to absolute beauty—though this was the first time she realized she was such a superficial person.

Clearing her throat, Sang Nian was about to return the compliment when the little girl spoke again.

“You look like my Mommy.”