A Scummy Alpha Supporting Character Accidentally Marks the Heroine After Transmigrating into a Book (GL) - Chapter 29

A warm sensation traveled through their overlapping skin.

The contact felt like an electric shock. Bai Wan was the first to pull her hand away. She took a new, empty glass and began to drink in total silence, one glass after another. Very quickly, three glasses of strong spirits were gone, yet she didn’t so much as knit her brow.

“Apologies. I don’t like performing such actions in front of others. I accept triple the penalty.”

Yan Nanjue was also drinking, not saying a word.

She drank too fast, causing a thin layer of crimson to flush the corners of her eyes, making her look as if her eyes were red with emotion. Her scarlet lips were covered in a glistening sheen of moisture—wet, full, and alluring. Anyone who saw her affectionate face would find it impossible to categorize her as a cold person.

Yet, that was exactly what she was.

Yan Nanjue lowered her eyes and announced coldly, “Next.”

The girl in the white skirt had clear confusion in her eyes. She lightly tugged Luo Shuqing’s sleeve and whispered, “Xiao Qing, aren’t they…?”

Luo Shuqing explained with a smile, “Sister Bai Wan is just relatively shy.”

Chen Wanjun looked down, her fingers brushing the stack of cards. Ji Ziyi glanced at her, sensing something was off but unable to put her finger on it. Just then, Chen Wanjun looked up and said, “Let’s continue.”

Bai Wan put down her glass and stood up. “I have a bit of a headache. I won’t participate in the rest of the game.” She walked out toward the pool.

Yan Nanjue put down the card marked thirteen, unable to stop herself from stealing a few extra glances at Bai Wan’s departing back.

The group rowdily played until evening. Luo Shuqing planned to start making dessert; the chef and servants had already prepared all the ingredients. She excused herself to go upstairs to change out of her shimmering dress. As she walked down the hallway, she caught something out of the corner of her eye and leaned past the curtain to look down.

Bai Wan was sitting alone by the illuminated pool.

After staring for a moment, Luo Shuqing walked toward her. “Sister Bai Wan, I want to make dessert. Everyone is here, and I might be too busy to handle it alone. Could you come and help me?”

Bai Wan refused. “I don’t know how to cook.”

Luo Shuqing looked at her with a smile. “Is that so?”

“—But I heard that at Sister Nanjue’s house, this is exactly the kind of thing you do.”

Her smile was exceptionally bright. The wind blew her blue-and-white hair, strands hitting her cheek, making her look as beautiful as a flower at the end of spring. But there wasn’t a trace of warmth in her eyes; her lips moved, spitting out malice that seeped in like an inescapable shadow.

“Since you are a vase, you should do what a vase is meant to do.”

“That way, you won’t fail the original intention Sister Nanjue had for marrying you.”

Bai Wan raised her eyelids and looked at her coldly.

Luo Shuqing partially shed her friendly mask and praised her with a grin, “I’m very satisfied with your sense of boundaries—not touching things you shouldn’t touch. So, I’ve decided to give you more money. After you divorce, I don’t mind covering the medical expenses for your siblings, including heart transplants. Provided, of course, that you stay like you were today—never touching what doesn’t belong to you. You two are worlds apart, after all.”

She offered a “warm” invitation: “Help me make dessert, Sister Bai Wan. I want to try your handiwork too.”

Indoors, Yan Nanjue happened to glance toward the kitchen and saw Bai Wan walking in. Puzzled, she stood up to check.

Luo Shuqing blocked the kitchen door, explaining, “I asked Sister Bai Wan to help me with some after-dinner desserts. She agreed. You guys sit and play for a bit; it won’t take long.”

Yan Nanjue’s gaze bypassed her to look at Bai Wan.

Bai Wan said, “Yes.”

Luo Shuqing urged her back to the living room. Yan Nanjue was still uneasy, secretly monitoring the kitchen.

After some time, a sharp scream suddenly rang out from the kitchen. Yan Nanjue’s heart tightened; she bolted toward the source. The others followed suit.

Yan Nanjue burst through the door, her first look landing on Bai Wan. The Omega was wearing an apron, with bits of cream and flour on her fingers and wrists. She didn’t look like she was in trouble. Yan Nanjue’s throat tightened as she scanned Bai Wan’s entire body. Finding no obvious injuries, she let out a nearly imperceptible sigh of relief.

Then who was screaming?

Yan Nanjue shifted her gaze and saw overturned cookware and freshly baked desserts on the floor. Luo Shuqing was clutching her arm, practically weeping.

“What happened?” the newcomers asked.

Luo Shuqing extended her arm. On the tender inner side of her forearm, there was a massive burn, with a small patch of skin even scorched off. The wound was gruesome. Yan Nanjue heard gasps behind her.

“Is it a burn? Get the butler to bring the medical kit! Hiss… that looks painful.”

Chen Wanjun pushed through the crowd, grabbed Luo Shuqing’s hand, and led her to the sink. She turned on the tap, avoiding the raw patch of skin while continuously rinsing the rest of the reddened area with cold water.

While holding her down, she asked, “What caused this?”

Luo Shuqing looked up at Bai Wan, then quickly looked away. “We were trying to take the cake out of the oven, but Sister Bai Wan’s hand slipped. The tray accidentally hit my arm.”

“I’m fine… Sister Bai Wan is an Omega after all, her strength is low. I’m sure it wasn’t on purpose.”

Ji Ziyi frowned. “You lost a chunk of skin and you say you’re fine?”

Chen Wanjun’s brow furrowed slightly as she watched Luo Shuqing’s tear-stained face.

Someone in the crowd muttered, “That’s so clumsy… are we sure it wasn’t intentional?”

Yan Nanjue’s ears were sharp. She froze, immediately realizing what this play was about. Her heart went cold. The speaker hadn’t lowered their voice; everyone nearby heard it. Speculative glares were cast at Bai Wan.

Bai Wan’s expression was indifferent. “It has nothing to do with me.”

The doubter snapped, “How does it have nothing to do with you? Xiao Qing’s hand is missing a patch of skin; it will definitely scar. Do you have any idea how serious a burn like this is? She was injured because you couldn’t hold a tray!”

“Xiao Qing is a painter! Don’t you know how important hands are to a painter? If her hand is ruined and she can’t paint anymore, what then?”

Yan Nanjue turned her head, scanning the speaker’s face. It was one of Luo Shuqing’s lackeys.

Facing the accusation, Bai Wan didn’t even care to defend herself. She simply took off her apron. But the speaker wasn’t going to let it go. “How can you act so unbothered after doing something like this? Even if it was an accident, you should apologize!”

Yan Nanjue stared at the speaker with a sinister gaze. Shut up, you cannon fodder! What good does it do if the heroine blackens?!

Yan Nanjue looked at Bai Wan, then at Luo Shuqing’s horrific wound. Her breathing hitched. This Vicious Supporting Lead was far too ruthless to herself…

The lackey shivered under the gaze but didn’t back down. “Who knows if it was intentional? She acts like it’s not her business; maybe she’s jealous of how close Xiao Qing and President Yan are.”

Someone beside her added, “Surely not… they’ve been friends for twenty years. A slum Omega is lucky enough to even land President Yan; she needs to know her place…”

“Enough.”

Yan Nanjue’s icy voice cut through their words. She turned around, her gaze cutting like a knife through the speakers. “If you can’t control your parts, cut them off. Stop fanning the flames here.”

The person who spoke last shut up instantly. The lackey, facing that fierce gaze, stammered, “I’m just telling the truth. Xiao Qing couldn’t have been burned for no reason, right? We all know Bai Wan doesn’t get along with her.”

Yan Nanjue stared at her, her face so gloomy it looked like it could drip ink. The lackey’s voice grew weaker and weaker until she began to tremble. As a fellow Alpha, she knew exactly how powerful the person before her was—someone she could never afford to provoke.

Yan Nanjue’s tone was terrifying:

“—Who do you think you are, to dare comment on Mrs. Yan?”

She spoke unhurriedly, looking down at them as if they were insects that didn’t know the meaning of death.

The room fell into a silence so profound you could hear a pin drop. The lackey’s eyes widened in disbelief. Luo Shuqing’s tearful eyes also widened slightly, staring fixedly at the flowing water. Even Ji Ziyi looked astonished.

The System was also surprised: 【Aren’t you afraid of OOC for protecting Bai Wan so much?】

Yan Nanjue explained to it: “Think about it. Since the White Moonlight left, no one has dared mention her in front of me. But today, she was mentioned twice. I’m in a foul, gloomy mood—it’s normal to be irritable. This incident just happened to be the breaking point, so it’s perfectly in character to lose my temper, right?”

The System processed the logic and agreed. Checking the background stats, the OOC value indeed hadn’t fluctuated much.

However, Bai Wan was not grateful. She put down the apron, washed the flour and cream off her hands at the other sink, and walked out of the kitchen, brushing past Yan Nanjue.

“Even if I did it on purpose, so what?” Bai Wan’s voice was like ice. “Going to burn me back? Or break one of my hands?”

She shifted her gaze from the lackey to Yan Nanjue’s face. “I said it has nothing to do with me. Who is this big display of anger for?”

Yan Nanjue’s body stiffened almost imperceptibly. The heroine… why is she like this??!!!

The System couldn’t help but chuckle. 【The heroine thinks your anger is just you being sarcastic toward her.】

Yan Nanjue wanted to cry. “Can’t she see I’m on her side?! I’m literally telling everyone else that she isn’t someone they can bully!”

“Sister Nanjue…” Luo Shuqing’s weak call rang out. “My hand hurts so much.” She was crying beautifully. “Can you stay with me until the doctor arrives? It really hurts.” She didn’t mention anything else, only the pain.

Luo Shuqing was a childhood friend, after all. No matter how cold the original host was, she couldn’t just leave her alone.

Bai Wan had already walked far away. Yan Nanjue was anxious but could only watch as the heroine walked through the crowd, her back looking cold and lonely. She didn’t care about others’ opinions. Or rather, she only cared about the opinions of people who mattered to her.

Luo Shuqing was moved to her room. The private doctor arrived quickly and handled the wound skillfully. During disinfection, Luo Shuqing shook with pain and reached out toward Yan Nanjue.

“Sister Nanjue, it hurts…” She wanted to hold Yan Nanjue’s hand.

Yan Nanjue’s breath paused. She hesitated, unsure whether to go over. Chen Wanjun stepped forward, taking Luo Shuqing’s hand mid-air. “We’re all here,” she soothed.

Luo Shuqing seemed unwilling, her eyes fixed on Yan Nanjue. As the doctor began to disinfect the open wound, she squeezed Chen Wanjun’s hand so hard her eyes couldn’t open. Looking at the wound, Yan Nanjue felt faint and turned away.

Once the bandaging was done, Luo Shuqing was near collapse from the pain. Yan Nanjue looked at her tear-soaked collar and her bandaged forearm, feeling a phantom pain herself.

“How is she?” Yan Nanjue asked.

“Fortunately, the area is small,” the doctor said. “Any worse and she’d need a skin graft. She needs to watch her diet. No water on the arm for a month, no pressure on the wound. Change the dressing on time, and it’ll heal in two weeks.”

Chen Wanjun asked, “Will it scar?”

“Likely,” the doctor admitted. “I’ll try to minimize the trace.”

Only the childhood friends remained in the room. Luo Shuqing’s weak voice drifted out: “Sister Nanjue, don’t blame Sister Bai Wan. It happened because I asked for her help.”

“As long as she isn’t burned, it’s fine. I’d feel so guilty if she were. An Omega’s body scars more easily; I’m just a Beta, a scar won’t matter.”

Yan Nanjue was hit by a sudden, overwhelming wave of “Green Tea” energy. It was so strong she felt like she couldn’t open her eyes.

“She’s so dedicated,” she told the System. “She’s in this much pain and she’s still persistently throwing shade at the heroine. Is it worth it?”

【System: She believes getting the original host’s attention makes it worth it.】

Yan Nanjue didn’t understand. Not knowing how to respond, she remained silent.

Luo Shuqing whispered, “Sister Bai Wan only spoke like that because she was misunderstood. Don’t blame her for it. She has a sensitive personality and is good at sensing others’ emotions—just like Senior. If it were Senior…”

Yan Nanjue snapped, “Enough. Don’t speak anymore.” She closed her eyes, her aura turning visibly gloomy. “Don’t compare them. She isn’t worthy.”

As Yan Nanjue spoke, she felt a sense of relief—at least the heroine didn’t know about the “substitute” thing and wasn’t here.

Luo Shuqing lowered her head. “I know you’re disappointed in her personality. She only has the face, after all… But seeing your relationship improve so much, I’m still happy for her.” She murmured, “If only Sister Bai Wan wasn’t so stubborn.”

The atmosphere was eerie. Ji Ziyi coughed, cutting in before anyone else could. “How is your hand? Can you still paint later?”

“I probably won’t be able to pick up a brush for a while,” Luo Shuqing pouted.

Ji Ziyi grit her teeth and poked Luo Shuqing’s forehead. “You! You know hands are the most important, yet you didn’t protect them.”

“I couldn’t predict a sudden accident.” Luo Shuqing smiled weakly. “Luckily, I’ve already submitted my thesis. My graduation exhibition is in early June; you all must come.” She looked at Yan Nanjue.

“I know.”

“Senior… might be back then,” Luo Shuqing said softly. “The teacher said they sent an invite, but she hasn’t replied yet.”

Yan Nanjue remained silent, her expression dark.

“I’ll tell you when she replies,” Luo Shuqing added. “If she comes, don’t bring Sister Bai Wan.” Her tone was almost “thoughtful.”

Yan Nanjue stood silently for a moment, then walked out. Ji Ziyi, worried, looked between the injured Luo Shuqing and Yan Nanjue’s back. Chen Wanjun gave her a look, signaling her to handle Luo Shuqing. Ji Ziyi took off after Yan Nanjue.

The door closed, leaving only two people.

“Wanjun, I’m a bit hungry. Could you bring me something to eat?” Luo Shuqing looked at her pitiably.

Chen Wanjun stared at her for two seconds, then stood up. She brought back a bowl of wontons. “Eat.”

Luo Shuqing awkwardly began to eat with her left hand. The only sound was porcelain hitting porcelain. Chen Wanjun had taken her medicine before coming up; her mouth felt bitter. She closed her eyes, waiting for the taste to pass.

When Luo Shuqing finished, Chen Wanjun opened her eyes. “Did it have to be like this?”

Luo Shuqing paused. “What?”

“You know what I’m talking about.”

“I have no idea what you mean. What should I know?”

Chen Wanjun glanced at her arm. “Are you happy now?”

Luo Shuqing blinked, then slowly curled her lips. “Yes, I am. As long as she hates Bai Wan, I’m happy.”

Chen Wanjun’s expression was indifferent but tinged with helplessness. “A hand in exchange for a rift in her heart for Bai Wan?”

“Mm.” Luo Shuqing nodded cheerfully. “I just wanted to remind her why she married Bai Wan in the first place. She’s just a fake; being able to marry in was already a massive steal. She shouldn’t… greedily try to occupy other things, too.”

Chen Wanjun stared at her for a long time. She offered no lecture or blame, only a calm gaze at her radical childhood friend. She knew Luo Shuqing listened to no one.

Chen Wanjun pulled out the deck from the King’s Game. She slid the cards across the table, exposing all the small tricks. Luo Shuqing looked down at the cards. Chen Wanjun said nothing, but Luo Shuqing understood.

“Even if you liked Ziyi, it would be better than liking A-Yan. Why does it have to be A-Yan? I asked you this in high school, and you still won’t give me an answer.”

Luo Shuqing looked up, half-joking. “If I liked Ziyi, I’d be drowning in jealousy. Her exes could circle this building.”

Avoiding a direct answer, Chen Wanjun walked to the window. A cool night breeze made her cough. She looked down at the pool and said flatly, “None of you listen to advice. You’re all equally stubborn. Recover well.”

As she turned to leave, a splash sounded outside, followed by frantic shouts. Chen Wanjun froze. “What was that?”

Downstairs living room.

The girl in the white skirt ran in, panicking. “Bai Wan fell in the water! Does anyone know how to swim?! Save her!”

Yan Nanjue’s eyes snapped up.

“President Yan! Bai Wan, she… she fell into the pool! Find someone!” the girl cried. “I can’t swim, the others won’t go in, the servants left early, the ones on duty can’t swim… Hurry!!”

Before she could finish, Yan Nanjue had burst out the door toward the pool. Ji Ziyi steadied the breathless girl. “Take a breath. How did she fall in?”

Yan Nanjue reached the pool. Two or three people were standing at the edge, shoving each other in panicked embarrassment. Yan Nanjue immediately saw Bai Wan struggling in the water. She seemed exhausted; her movements were weakening, her body slowly sinking.

Yan Nanjue’s heart skipped a beat. Without a second thought, she dived.

SPLASH—

She plunged into the water. Anxious and urgent, she forced her eyes open underwater, fighting the discomfort to find Bai Wan’s direction. She swam toward her with everything she had, reaching out her hand.

Bai Wan’s lids were half-closed. Choking on water had nearly stripped her of consciousness. The water was bone-chilling, the lack of oxygen making her heart tighten. The pool water pressed in from all sides, wrapping her in a suffocating embrace.

A white light began to fade in her vision.

Will I drown and die? she thought. It would be so bitter to die like this. I haven’t killed that lunatic yet, I haven’t gotten the surgery for my siblings… I have so much hate to repay, so much responsibility to bear.

Her final thought: Drowning really is miserable.

—Suddenly, her arm was grabbed!

The hand gripped her limp arm firmly. The warmth of the palm felt like a gentle, soft sear against her skin. Driven by that force, Bai Wan opened her eyes.

Underwater currents buffeted her face, making the simple act of opening her eyes agonizingly difficult. The warm white underwater lights were distorted by the currents, breaking into weak spots of light. Her world was dark, twisted, and devoid of sky.

In the dim water, she saw a familiar face. A familiar, loathsome face.

The broken light kissed the person’s snow-white skin and scarlet lips. Light and shadow intertwined through her long, seaweed-like hair. In the darkness, the person swimming toward her was as beautiful as a man-eating siren from legend.

The water blocked out all sound. In the haze, the entire world consisted only of the two of them.

The siren rushed toward her.

The scene felt hauntingly familiar. Bai Wan’s dazed mind turned—where had she seen this? Where else had she seen this? Why did it feel so familiar?

It felt like the same bone-chilling water, the same ambiguous light and shadow.

And the same person.

The Alpha’s mocking scarlet lips, her struggle to avoid the needle, her wish to die together with this person, the suppressor injected into her arm… and that embrace.

The venomous snake’s damp, warm embrace.

Just like now.

She was pulled tightly into Yan Nanjue’s arms.