A Scummy Alpha Supporting Character Accidentally Marks the Heroine After Transmigrating into a Book (GL) - Chapter 12

The thought had barely surfaced before Bai Wan dismissed it.

How could that lunatic ever be nervous about anyone? She was clearly delirious from the fever, unable to distinguish dreams from reality.

Bai Wan even found a memory in her mind of Yan Nanjue standing by the hospital bed, leaning over and reaching out—was she trying to strangle me?

Bai Wan placed her hand over her neck. After all, things like that weren’t entirely unheard of.

That woman… was a total psychopath. Arrogant, cold, dictatorial, and controlling. Every single trait made Bai Wan feel suffocated and disgusted.

Assistant Lin watched the nurse finish removing the needle before tactfully bringing up her superior’s instructions: “Madam, we need you to cooperate with a detailed physical examination shortly.” She paused. “President Yan mentioned that after you finish, you may visit the nursing home.”

Bai Wan closed her eyes. Assistant Lin knew this was silent consent, so she called for the doctors and nurses, then stepped into the hallway to report to the boss.

On the other end of the line, Yan Nanjue gave an “Mm” and looked down at the documents regarding the nursing home.

Bai Wan’s adoptive parents had twin children—a boy and a girl. Both suffered from hereditary heart disease. After the parents died, Bai Wan worked three part-time jobs a day to support them, using her meager salary to cover the exorbitant medical fees. Everything changed after she met Yan Nanjue. Yan Nanjue “saved” the children and moved them to a private nursing home to be cared for by specialists.

Yan Nanjue couldn’t help but complain in her head. Cared for? More like kept under house arrest. Bai Wan’s weakness was too obvious, which was why she was so easily controlled.

Yan Nanjue closed the files, planning to accompany Bai Wan to the nursing home that afternoon. Her phone pinged.

[Luo Shuqing: Sister Nanjue! I’m at ‘Suhui’ with Ziyi and the others. We’re just waiting for you! It’s rare for everyone to be together. You’ve been so busy lately, I haven’t seen you in forever!]

‘Suhui’ was a high-end bar where the original body and her childhood friends often hung out.

[Yan Nanjue: No. Busy.]

[Luo Shuqing: Ah… with what? Is it more important than us friends?]

[Yan Nanjue: Yes.]

[Luo Shuqing: (Crying Face Emoji) (Tantrum Emoji)]

Luo Shuqing had been trying to get her out for a while, but Yan Nanjue had been busy first with her trip and then with Bai Wan’s escape. Her goal was singular: lower the heroine’s Blackening Value! No one else was allowed to interfere with her mission.

Yan Nanjue locked her phone. The System, watching the exchange, remarked: 【You really have a way with words…】

“Does that count?” Yan Nanjue asked.

【System: …】 Her innocence made it impossible for the system to be mean.

Yan Nanjue went to the hospital after her meeting. Bai Wan was finishing her last exam. As she waited, the door pushed open and Bai Wan ran into her, stopping dead in her tracks.

Yan Nanjue swept a gaze over her. “The car is downstairs. I’m going with you.”

In her peripheral vision, she saw Bai Wan’s grip tighten on the door handle. Yan Nanjue pretended not to notice and turned to leave. A moment later, Bai Wan followed, looking as if nothing had happened.

The car ride was silent, the atmosphere frozen. The nursing home was far from the city; it took an hour and a half to get there. As Yan Nanjue stepped out, she noted how remote the place was—surrounded by towering trees and the occasional sound of unknown birds.

Security was strict. A staff member led them, whispering, “The children are in the playroom. Qing-zhi and Xin-zhi have been happy all morning knowing you were coming.”

Yan Nanjue looked through the glass window. Several children were huddled together reading storybooks. Seeing this, Bai Wan instinctively stepped forward, passing Yan Nanjue to tap on the glass. Two of the children looked up, their eyes lighting up as they ditched their books and ran to the window.

As they ran, Bai Wan’s sleeve brushed Yan Nanjue’s hand, leaving a faint itch.

The two children came out. Bai Qing-zhi and Bai Xin-zhi. They were ordinary Betas, about four or five years old, looking like they were carved from the same mold. You couldn’t tell they were sick, except for a slight purple tint on their lips.

Yan Nanjue stopped watching and walked a short distance away to a path, staring at the evergreen camphor trees.

【System: What are you thinking?】

“Thinking about when I can finish the mission and return to my own world to see my family and friends,” Yan Nanjue kicked a fallen leaf.

【System: At your current pace, not anytime soon.】 The system paused, then added a rare warm word, 【Actually, things aren’t that bad. The longest host I’ve had stayed for over twenty years.】

Before Yan Nanjue could be moved by the comfort, she heard the “twenty years” part and felt like she was going to faint. Just as she was about to snap back, someone grabbed her right hand.

Bai Qing-zhi had run over, looking up with a bright smile. “Sister Yan, you came too!”

“Why did you come out alone?” Yan Nanjue was surprised.

“I saw you walking this way alone, so I followed,” Qing-zhi chirped. “Brother went to the canteen with Big Sister. Did you fight with Big Sister? Why won’t you go over?”

The children knew she and Bai Wan were married, but their world was simple; they just knew they had another sister.

“No, I’m just car-sick. I came out for air.”

Qing-zhi gasped and waved for her to lean down. Yan Nanjue leaned over, and a milk candy wrapped in paper was held to her lips.

“If you eat candy, you won’t be dizzy! I eat candy when I feel bad. Here you go, Sister Yan.”

Yan Nanjue softened and pinched her cheek. “Thanks, Xiao Qing, but I’m an adult; I’ll be fine without it.” She tucked the candy back into the girl’s pocket and realized her clothes were too thin for the chilly early spring.

“System, the siblings aren’t ‘important characters,’ right?”

Receiving a “No,” Yan Nanjue felt safe taking off her trench coat and wrapping it around the girl. It was so long it dragged on the ground, so she picked the child up. Qing-zhi went along with it, wrapping her arms around Yan Nanjue’s neck. “So warm.”

“Why aren’t you eating?” Yan Nanjue asked.

“I already ate. Brother was playing and didn’t eat yet.” Qing-zhi buried her head in Yan Nanjue’s shoulder and whispered, “Sister Yan, you smell so good. Big Sister smells good too—you both smell the same.”

Yan Nanjue was stunned. The same?

She hadn’t noticed. Her perfume had citrus top notes, and Bai Wan’s shampoo was orange blossom. They were in the same scent family, though hers was bitter and Bai Wan’s was purely floral.

“Sister Yan, can you help me take care of Big Sister? She’s so tired. Even her smell feels tired. Brother and I can’t help her. She smiles so little now… I think she’s very unhappy. Other than Big Sister, you’re the person I trust most.”

Qing-zhi’s tiny voice was accompanied by the rustle of the wind. To these children, Bai Wan was their world.

Yan Nanjue felt a wave of guilt. Bai Wan’s exhaustion was partly because of her… no, the original body!

【System: You are the original body right now.】

“I know, stop reminding me!” Yan Nanjue snapped in her head. She patted Qing-zhi’s head. “She’ll be happy.” Once I get that Blackening Value to zero!

“I’ll take you back to your room,” Yan Nanjue said after the child stopped rambling. She turned around and stopped dead.

The path through the courtyard crossed a stone archway planted with bamboo. Amidst the swaying shadows stood a slender figure.

It was Bai Wan. She was watching them with a cold expression, and it was impossible to tell how long she had been standing there.