The Supporting Female Lead Chooses to Mark the Villain [Rebirth] - Chapter 98

Sang Nian managed to catch up on some sleep. Around 6:00 PM, Mo Huai sent her the address of a private dining room. She tidied herself up, put on a mask, and headed out.

The restaurant was located on the third floor of the hotel. Since it wasn’t a holiday, the hallways were quiet even during dinner hours. As Sang Nian took the elevator down from the eighth floor, she encountered more hotel staff than actual guests. Without asking for directions, she circled the floor twice until she found the room. She knocked politely and, upon hearing permission, pushed the door open.

The atmosphere inside was already lively, but the excitement spiked the moment she appeared.

“Shen Nian!”

“Oh! We’ve finally been blessed with the big star’s presence!”

“Shen Nian, long time no see. We met last time on Director Duan’s set…”

Faces, both familiar and strange, crowded around to greet her. Sang Nian kept a steady smile, her demeanor elegant and composed as she handled each interaction with ease.

Mo Huai had once praised her privately for her social grace but expressed confusion as to why she usually avoided social scenes if she was so good at them.

Sang Nian remembered her answer: “Socializing is like acting, but it’s more exhausting.”

Mo Huai, a natural extrovert, had blinked in confusion. “Huh?”

“Because socializing has no script,” Sang Nian explained. “You can’t just follow the lines.”

So, strictly speaking, the person standing here wasn’t the true Sang Nian. It was “Shen Nian,” a persona she had long cultivated for the public eye.

“I’m very happy to work with you,” she said, nodding to the director. “I’ll be in your care for the next few days.”

Before they could finish their pleasantries, a small-framed young man suddenly barged between them. His face was flushed as he shouted at her, “Shen Nian!”

Sang Nian reflexively replied, “Hello.”

“Ah, seeing you in person really is different—you’re even prettier than you are on screen!!” The boy was handsome, but his boisterous personality made Sang Nian’s ears ache after only two sentences.

However, a professional actress never lets her true emotions show on her face. Her expression remained perfectly amiable. “Thank you.”

“Can I have your phone number?” Perhaps seeing that Sang Nian lacked any “big star” arrogance, the boy made an overstepping request. “Let’s exchange contact info!”

Sang Nian: “…”

Mo Huai, who was standing nearby, immediately stepped in. “Come, come, Meng Qin. Shen Nian’s phone is with me. Scan my QR code and add her as a friend.”

Meng Qin shot her a look of disdain and didn’t budge. “I don’t want a business contact. I want Shen Nian’s private number!”

Mo Huai had seen this type of person many times. “This is Shen Nian’s number. If you have something to say, send a message to this account; she’ll see it.” Without blinking, she used the director as a shield. “Director Qi added this one too.”

Meng Qin pouted. A normal person would have taken the hint and backed off, but he was like a stubborn greenhorn who refused to give up. “If it’s really her phone, why is it with you? Stop fooling me. This is clearly the assistant’s phone; messages won’t even reach her.”

Mo Huai’s lips thinned. As she fell silent, Sang Nian glanced over.

“I’m sorry, I’m not quite sure…” The smile on Sang Nian’s face remained, but her words were no longer polite. “Is there any necessity for us to have a private connection?”

Meng Qin froze. Once he realized what she meant, his face turned even redder. He bit his lower lip and stammered, “Shen Nian, I… I’m your fan…”

Sang Nian interrupted him. “I have tens of millions of fans on my social media accounts.”

Meng Qin: “…”

Seeing the tension, the director quickly tried to smooth things over. “Alright, alright, let’s sit down and eat. Shen Nian must be hungry.”

Giving the director face, Sang Nian didn’t pursue the matter further and took her seat. To her surprise, Meng Qin followed her like a shadow and sat right next to her. She looked at Mo Huai, who was a seat away, expressing her confusion with a glance.

Mo Huai threw up her hands helplessly.

Through the ensuing conversation, Sang Nian finally realized who Meng Qin was. Last week, when Mo Huai discussed moving the shoot forward, she had mentioned a change in the co-star. Sang Nian hadn’t cared at the time—it was just a commercial; it didn’t matter who she filmed with.

Unknown to her, a popular young actress had been ruthlessly replaced through the manipulation of capital. Her replacement was Meng Qin, a boy who had just debuted from an idol survival show and came from a wealthy “old money” family.

Sang Nian had worked with male Omegas before, but Meng Qin left a terrible impression. Throughout the meal, he kept trying to lean into her. The gap between him and the person on his right was wide enough to fit another chair.

“Shen Nian, eat this. I think this is delicious.”

“Shen Nian, can you peel a shrimp for me? I just got my nails done yesterday~ it’s really inconvenient~”

“Oh, Shen Nian, what’s that black speck on your collar?”

“…”

Sang Nian had originally intended to fill her stomach and head back to her room for a video call with her daughter. But because of Meng Qin, her face turned cold, and she left early after only ten minutes.

Half an hour later, Mo Huai knocked on her door with a food container.

“This hotel’s restaurant is actually good. I brought you something based on your usual tastes,” Mo Huai said, placing the food on the table. “Filming starts tomorrow morning; don’t starve yourself.”

“Thanks,” Sang Nian nodded. She thought for a moment and looked up. “Was it… difficult for you back there? Do you need me to do anything?”

“Do what?” Mo Huai asked.

“Like call the person in charge to explain,” Sang Nian said, pulling out a chair.

“Forget it, you don’t need to worry about that.” Mo Huai crossed her arms and laughed. “With your current status? If you want to give someone the cold shoulder, give it. Even if people say you’re acting like a diva, you’ve earned the right to be one.”

Sang Nian smiled faintly.

“Don’t worry, I gave that Meng Qin a warning,” Mo Huai said with a scoff. “A young master from a nouveau riche family, spoiled rotten with no manners.” She looked at Sang Nian. “But replacing him is impossible. Just bear with it, finish the commercial, and then we can leave.”

“I know,” Sang Nian said. She had her own professional standards. Opening the container, she saw it was filled with her favorite dishes, and her mood improved. “As long as he doesn’t contact me outside of work, I have no complaints.”

“Good.” Mo Huai patted her shoulder. “You eat. I’m going to talk to Director Qi again.” Before leaving, she added, “If he does that again next time, don’t hold back. Deal with him however you see fit.”

“Understood.” Sang Nian walked her to the door. Knowing Mo Huai was returning to City A soon, she felt a flicker of envy. “Safe travels.”

The incident at dinner didn’t ruin her mood, but the subsequent video call with Sunny almost made her lose her composure.

“Mommy, what’s wrong with your eyes?” the two-year-old girl asked, delivering a soul-searching question.

Sang Nian was confused. “Nothing is wrong.”

“Then when you look at Mama, why…” Sunny clumsily tilted her head twice toward the camera, mimicking the way Sang Nian would secretly steal glances at Shen Zui. It was both hilarious and innocent.

Sang Nian: “…”

She admitted she let her guard down completely in front of her daughter, but was it necessary for her “little quilted jacket” to expose her like this?!

“I… I was…”

To facilitate the conversation, Shen Zui had originally occupied only a small corner of the screen. Hearing the commotion, she leaned in, her face pressing close to Sunny’s. The more Sang Nian stammered, the more obvious the smile in Shen Zui’s eyes became.

“Yes!” Sang Nian stiffened her neck, forced to admit it. “Mommy’s eyes are uncomfortable. Maybe the wind blew into them on the way here!”

Sunny’s eyes widened in worry. Shen Zui curled her lips slightly; it was unclear if she believed the excuse or not.

“Is it serious?” Shen Zui asked softly. “Have the assistant buy some eye drops.”

Sang Nian coughed. “No need. It’s not serious.”

“Autumn and winter are dry,” Shen Zui continued to persuade her. “You’ll be busy for the next few days. Eye drops will make you feel better.”

Sang Nian’s lips parted, and after a long silence, she replied dryly, “I know.”

“Alright, I think that’s enough chatting.” Shen Zui leaned down and stroked her daughter’s cheek. “Let’s let Mommy go to rest early, okay?”

The little girl was incredibly well-behaved. “Okay~!” She gave a sweet goodbye and was whisked away by the nanny to wash her face.

Only Shen Zui’s breathtaking face remained on the screen.

Sang Nian lowered her eyes, but accidentally caught sight of a faint red mark on Shen Zui’s neck that hadn’t faded, triggering memories of “plum blossoms” from the night before. She secretly grazed her canine tooth against her tongue, as if she could still taste Shen Zui’s pheromones.

“Is everything going well?” Shen Zui asked.

Sang Nian nodded.

“You’ve been on vacation for so long; if you’re not used to the work rhythm, take more breaks. Don’t push yourself,” Shen Zui said. “I’ve taken care of Sunny, so don’t rush back.”

“Mhm.” Sang Nian felt her momentum being suppressed by Shen Zui and tried to take back the initiative. “I’m not struggling to adjust. The project team is very friendly. The director and the co-star are both my fans.”

Shen Zui: “That’s good then.”

“We met at dinner tonight. Filming starts tomorrow. If it goes smoothly, it might not even take five days.”

Shen Zui smiled. “It seems I was worrying needlessly.”

Sang Nian pursed her lips, preferring to stare at the blank tabletop rather than the screen. “You were. I’ve lived this way for the past three years.”

Shen Zui: “…”

Without hearing a sound, Sang Nian could guess Shen Zui’s expression. She immediately regretted bringing up the “three years” again. It was meaningless and only served to torture both of them.

They had already wasted three years. Why were they still wasting time being cold to each other? Was she punishing Shen Zui, or herself?

In that moment, it felt like a realization struck her between the eyes. She suddenly saw how foolish her behavior had been lately.

“I’m a bit envious of them,” Shen Zui said, breaking the silence.

Sang Nian had been distracted and didn’t hear clearly. “What?”

“I like you very much too, no less than anyone else.” Shen Zui looked directly into her eyes, her voice soft and tender. “If you treated me as one of your followers, would you be a little nicer to me?”

Sang Nian: “…” Her throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton; she couldn’t speak.

Shen Zui seemed to misunderstand her silence, and the courage she had gathered vanished. She reached for the hang-up button. “Get some rest.”

“Shen Zui!” At the last second, Sang Nian shouted her name.

Shen Zui paused.

“Wait… wait for me to come back,” Sang Nian managed to say. “At home… wait for me to come back.”

Shen Zui was surprised. When she processed the words, a light flickered in the depths of her eyes. She curled her lips and softly replied, “Okay.”

After hanging up, Sang Nian collapsed backward onto the soft bed. Shen Zui’s gentle whispers seemed to echo in her ears. She pulled the quilt around herself and, lost in the memory of the conversation, drifted into a dreamless sleep.

The following days of filming were smoother than expected. The brand had spent a fortune on this mobile phone advertisement, which was why they had come to this professional location. Consequently, the quality requirements were high.

Meng Qin, being an amateur from a survival show, was awkward and stiff in front of the camera. His expressions were so forced it made the director scratch his head in frustration.

But none of this concerned Sang Nian. Because Mo Huai had spoken to the director, Sang Nian usually finished her scenes in one take and could return to the hotel early. She occasionally heard from her assistant about the director making Meng Qin do dozens of retakes, but she only felt a faint, fleeting sense of pity for Director Qi.

Finally, the last day arrived.

The thought of returning to Shen Zui and Sunny made Sang Nian’s steps lighter than usual. A new makeup artist praised her skin while working on her. “What cream do you use? Any skincare secrets?”

Sang Nian mentioned a few high-end brands. Regarding secrets, she added, “Actually, I think your mood is very important.”

The makeup artist caught the hint. “Then your mood must be very good today.”

Sang Nian smiled brightly. “Yes, I think so too~”

Just then, her assistant entered with a shopping bag. “Nian-jie, today’s task is the heaviest, so I bought some energy drinks and chocolate bars. These are your favorite flavors, right?”

Sang Nian nodded. “Anything is fine.”

The assistant sat down and began to pray with her hands clasped. “I hope the director’s teaching worked and Meng Qin doesn’t mess up. I hope we finish this last scene smoothly…”

Sang Nian teased her, “What are you muttering about?”

The assistant looked at her. “Nian-jie, the script today is all action scenes. Do you think Meng Qin can handle it?”

Sang Nian was caught between laughter and tears. “Your standard for ‘action scenes’ is too low. You call striking a few poses an action scene?” Her previous long-term assistant had been promoted; this new girl was a fresh graduate who hadn’t seen much of the industry.

The assistant was dazed by Sang Nian’s smile for a moment before sighing. “It’s just that Meng Qin is such a drag!”

“Alright,” Sang Nian glanced at the door. “It doesn’t matter. We just need to do our part.”

The assistant’s worries were well-founded. Once filming started, problems arose. The commercial depicted Sang Nian and Meng Qin traveling in the wilderness, where the Alpha bravely protects the Omega from a wild beast. They hide under some ruins, only to realize they are off-track. Then, Sang Nian pulls out the phone to show a full signal and calls for help.

The plot was far-fetched but had a comedic style. It should have been easy. However, because Meng Qin claimed to be tired every thirty minutes, the shoot dragged into the afternoon.

Sang Nian’s high-speed train ticket was for the evening, so she still had some patience left. When the director called for a “ten-minute break” for the fifth time, she didn’t complain. To avoid the harsh studio lights, she sat cross-legged in the shadow of a ruined wall.

Despite seeing that the assistant had already given her water, Meng Qin approached her with his half-finished drink. “Shen Nian, do you want a sip?”

Sang Nian glanced at him and ignored him.

Meng Qin bit his lip. “This flavor is very sweet and refreshing, much better than what your assistant got. Try it~”

“If you have the energy to bring me water, you don’t look tired,” Sang Nian said, her eyes showing her annoyance. “Why don’t we ask the director to start early? There are only two shots left of us together.” Once those were done, she could leave.

Meng Qin bit his lip again. He knew it was the last day; part of the reason he kept calling for breaks was that he didn’t want to part with her.

“What happened that night was my fault. I haven’t bothered you these past few days, so don’t be mad!” Meng Qin squatted in front of her. “I’ve watched all your work. I have a whole room of your posters and merch! It’s only because I like you so much!”

Sang Nian sighed. She didn’t want to talk to him, but feared his persistence. “Liking someone requires boundaries. You shouldn’t be like this.”

Meng Qin leaned closer. “Then how should I be? Why don’t you teach me…”

Not far away, inside a low-profile black car.

“What is that uncle doing?” Sunny pouted. “So annoying! He’s blocking my view of Mommy!”

Shen Zui was also displeased, but she couldn’t express it as impulsively as the child. “They are talking.”

“Talking?” Sunny asked. “Why so close?” The little princess was very unhappy. “He’s annoying! He’s practically sticking to Mommy!”

“Be good,” Shen Zui coaxed her. “We’re taking Mommy home soon. Are you happy?”

The little princess nodded vigorously. “Yes!”

“Then don’t let unimportant people ruin your mood.” Fearing the explanation was too complex, Shen Zui tapped her cheek. “Smile. Mommy will want to see you happy.”

Sunny finally pulled back her pout.

In the shadows, Sang Nian frowned and pulled her sleeve back from his grasp. She gave him a nudge. “Mr. Meng, please watch yourself! Your actions are making me uncomfortable!”

Meng Qin’s eyes turned red with grievance. “Why are you being so mean?”

Sang Nian gritted her teeth. She suppressed her anger, not wanting to cause a scene so close to the end of the shoot. “Can you move? I want to get out.” She was currently cornered against the wall by him, her face showing pure, unshielded disgust.

Meng Qin looked down and cursed under his breath. To vent his frustration, he grabbed onto the crumbling wall and kicked it.

In that split second, Meng Qin’s center of gravity fell backward. Because it was a temporary set, the wall wasn’t sturdy. Under his weight and the kick, it suddenly collapsed!

The yellow bricks came crashing down. Sang Nian, sitting in the corner, didn’t have time to react. Her eyes were clouded by fine sand, and she was buried before she could even let out a cry.

“Shen Nian!”

“Oh my God!!!”

“Meng Qin, what have you done??!!”

The staff turned pale and rushed toward the collapse.

“Call an ambulance! Now!” Director Qi’s face was ghostly white, his hands shaking violently. “Quick, move the bricks! Save Shen Nian!!”

Meng Qin, the culprit, sat on the ground. His legs had been hit and were aching. He began to cry, but everyone ignored him and dragged him aside. His loud wails were drowned out by the frantic footsteps of the crew.

In the corner, Sang Nian hadn’t lost consciousness yet. The pain in her body was manageable, but a brick had struck her head. After being pulled out, she reached up to touch it, feeling an immense throb.

“Don’t—Nian-jie, don’t touch it!” the assistant cried. “There’s blood! So much blood!”

Sang Nian felt dizzy. Her eyes began to drift shut. In her fading vision, her gaze passed through the crowded room, and she thought she saw Shen Zui running toward her in a panic.

Shen Zui? How is that possible?

The next moment, Sang Nian sank into total darkness.