A Scummy Alpha Supporting Character Accidentally Marks the Heroine After Transmigrating into a Book (GL) - Chapter 31

Yan Nanjue’s body stiffened.

Why was it the heroine? Where was her sweet soup?!

And why on earth was the heroine knocking on her bedroom door?!

Bai Wan lowered her thick, feather-like lashes, avoiding eye contact; it seemed this was the only way to lessen her feelings of disgust. Her expression was flat, devoid of visible emotion. She spoke coldly: “The butler told me to tell you to come down and drink the ginger soup.”

The! Butler! Traitor!

Yan Nanjue wasn’t paying attention and accidentally bit her tongue. The pain was so sharp she nearly dropped her persona. She forced herself to snap back. “I told you, I’m not drinking it.”

She gripped the doorknob tightly, wanting to close the door.

However, Bai Wan looked up at that moment. Her gaze swept past the hand on the knob and landed on Yan Nanjue’s face.

“The ginger tea was brewed for two.”

Yan Nanjue was slightly stunned. What did Bai Wan mean by that?

Before she could figure it out, Bai Wan had already turned around, leaving her with nothing but a cold back. It seemed whether Yan Nanjue went or not was of no concern to her; she was merely a messenger.

She asked the System: “What does the heroine mean by this?”

The System was silent for two seconds before answering maternally: 【Just go down and eat, you silly child.】

Yan Nanjue was even more confused. She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want to drink ginger soup…”

She would never touch that food again.

【Think carefully. Downstairs, there isn’t just ginger soup; there’s also your little sweet soup.】 The System paused, raising a crucial point: 【If you don’t go down, the butler will just find someone else to call you again. Do you want the heroine to knock on your door a second time?】

Yan Nanjue: “…”

She went downstairs, defeated.

The cook served a large bowl of steaming brown sugar ginger tea. “Miss, I adjusted the flavor. Why don’t you try it?” She added with a hint of regret: “I originally stewed snow pear and loquat soup for a midnight snack, but I guess you won’t be able to eat much of it now.”

Yan Nanjue nodded vigorously in her heart.

Ginger tea is just for rinsing one’s mouth! The real goal is the snow pear and loquat soup!

After the cook left, only the two of them remained in the dining room. Yan Nanjue sat near the door, with Bai Wan directly opposite her. They sat at a distance, facing each other. The room was filled with the scent of ginger tea, and even the air felt tinged with a faint spiciness. Yan Nanjue took small sips, her nose twitching with an imperceptible loathing for the taste.

“…Yan Nanjue.”

Bai Wan’s voice suddenly rang out. Yan Nanjue’s movements paused, her heart racing with tension. Was the heroine about to interrogate her?

She was ready! No matter what the heroine asked, she had her lies pre-prepared.

Bai Wan’s gaze fell on the bottom of her bowl, where a little ginger tea remained, ripples dancing on the surface. She asked: “Why did you lie to me?”

Yan Nanjue: “…?”

What kind of question is that? When did she lie to Bai Wan?! Well, she technically was lying to her… but wait, why didn’t Bai Wan ask why she jumped into the pool?! Where did this completely unrelated question come from? And which lie was she referring to?!

Bai Wan waited for a moment. When no answer came, she raised her eyelids to look at her.

“Didn’t you say… that it was poison?”

Her gaze was icy. Yan Nanjue felt a chill crawl up her spine. She sat on pins and needles, frantically searching her memory until it clicked—that line had come from her own mouth.

…But wasn’t that back during the heat? Why was Bai Wan bringing up old accounts now?

Yan Nanjue rubbed her fingertips, which had been warmed by the bowl. Without looking up, she scoffed: “Are you eager to die, Mrs. Yan?”

Bai Wan remained silent.

Yan Nanjue used the porcelain spoon to bring more ginger soup to her mouth. The taste was spicy and astringent, so unpleasant she felt numb. The dining room was momentarily silent.

Then, Bai Wan spoke again: “You want me dead.” She used a declarative tone, her voice cold. “If I die, it’s easier for you to find a more obedient Mrs. Yan.”

Yan Nanjue nearly choked. Beneath the table, she gripped her clothing tightly to stifle a cough. Her brow took on a faint sneer: “When did I ever say I wanted you dead?”

Her face was full of obvious mockery. “Bai Wan, what kind of fit are you throwing now? Accusing me based on your own imaginary nonsense?”

“Wasn’t the previous incident enough of a lesson? As long as the contract hasn’t ended and you have that pretty face, you are still Mrs. Yan. I have no intention of replacing you.”

She said coldly: “Furthermore, if you die, I lose money. I told you, I am a businesswoman; I never make a losing deal.”

After she spoke, the dining room fell back into an eerie silence. Bai Wan did not reply. She leaned against the back of her chair with her eyes closed, remaining silent. After a long while, she stood up and left the dining room.

Only when the footsteps completely faded did Yan Nanjue relax her stiffened back. She said in disbelief: “The heroine didn’t even talk back?”

She continued: “Why isn’t she playing by the rules? I was all ready, but she didn’t ask about the pool. She dug up the thing from the heat instead.” She added suspiciously: “What is this, an ultra-long reaction time?”

The System didn’t understand either. 【The Blackening Value hasn’t changed, and the OOC value hasn’t exceeded the limit.】 It hesitated. 【Since neither score changed, it means your progress is normal.】

Yan Nanjue looked at the half-finished ginger tea and shuddered with disgust, pushing the bowl away.

【Drink a little more?】 the System suggested.

Yan Nanjue shook her head decisively and went into the kitchen to serve herself a bowl of sweet soup. “The snow pear and loquat soup is definitely better. Even with brown sugar, ginger tea is a nightmare—sweet and spicy, even weirder than pure ginger soup,” she mumbled.

“—Miss?”

A voice spoke unexpectedly. This time, Yan Nanjue couldn’t hold it in; she coughed several times before catching her breath, tears pricking the corners of her eyes from the effort. She turned around crossly, only to see the butler—the one who had forced her downstairs—standing outside the kitchen.

The butler inquired: “Half a bowl is left in both ginger tea bowls outside. Does the Madam not like the new flavor?”

Yan Nanjue’s hand covering her mouth paused, and her anger vanished instantly. Feeling a bit guilty, she gave a muffled “Mm.”

“She doesn’t like it.”

“Then tomorrow I’ll have the kitchen improve the recipe and try to mask the ginger flavor,” the butler noted. Glancing at the bowl in her hand, he asked: “Is the snow pear and loquat soup to your liking?”

Yan Nanjue nodded. “It’s good.” Very good!

She put down her bowl. “I’m going back.”

Only after returning to her room did Yan Nanjue relax from her tense state. “The villa has too many eyes. I have to be sneaky just to eat something. The cook at the apartment is quiet; she just finishes and leaves without asking questions.” She muttered: “Next time, I’m eating at the apartment.”

Perhaps because she caught a chill from falling in the water, Yan Nanjue suffered from a cold for the next few days. Her throat grew hoarse. Her head felt heavy, and looking at a screen full of text at work made her feel even worse, so she took leave and stayed home, wrapped in a blanket on the sofa watching variety shows.

The System gloated: 【That’s what you get for leaving so much ginger soup and skipping the cold medicine the butler prepared just to sneak some sweets.】

Yan Nanjue’s voice was muffled. “No. I just won’t drink it.”

She held a cup of hot water, letting the steam soothe her eyes. After spacing out for a while, she suddenly said: “System, I want ice cream.”

The System slowly typed a question mark.

Yan Nanjue seemed to have just said it in passing. When the System looked at her again, she had curled up in a corner of the sofa and fallen asleep, her hand loosely clutching a corner of the blanket.

Yan Nanjue was woken by noise from the kitchen. She opened her eyes groggily to find it was pitch black outside. Bai Wan must be home by now. She stood up, her vision darkening for a split second before returning. Her head still ached, and her throat felt terrible.

A fragrance kept drifting from the kitchen. Despite her discomfort, Yan Nanjue couldn’t resist the temptation and decided to take a look.

Bai Wan had brewed a pot of mushroom and shredded chicken congee. She heard the footsteps behind her but didn’t turn around. When the congee was ready, she turned off the heat, served a bowl to let it cool, and then slowly turned to meet the other person’s gaze.

Yan Nanjue’s throat was dry. She pressed her fist to her lips and coughed softly. Bai Wan leaned against the counter, watching her. That beautiful face was flushed with a faint fever, eyes moist and dazed—exactly as the butler described: Yan Nanjue couldn’t help but tear up when she had a cold.

A glass of hot water was placed by Yan Nanjue’s hand, along with several blister packs of medicine. She was stunned.

Yan Nanjue looked up, only to see a hand being withdrawn. The fingers were well-defined, pearly like jade, and slender as spring onions.

“The butler insisted I bring these to you,” Bai Wan said with a slight frown and a touch of annoyance. She added: “Don’t infect me.”

With that, Bai Wan turned and left.

Yan Nanjue stared at her back and asked the System for the second time: “System, don’t you think the heroine is being a bit weird?”

【Not really.】 the System replied. 【The heroine’s values are stable. You, on the other hand, have a very low health value. Take your medicine.】

Yan Nanjue was still uneasy, but she couldn’t put her finger on what was odd.

【Your chicken congee is getting cold.】

Yan Nanjue snapped back to attention and took the bowl to the table. After all, Bai Wan wasn’t eating it. The temperature was perfect. After finishing, she took the medicine as instructed and went back to her room with her water cup.

Having slept enough during the day, she wasn’t tired at night. She opened her laptop and leaned against the small sofa to watch a movie. It was a fast-paced detective thriller. When the credits rolled, she still felt a bit unsatisfied. Reaching for her water, she realized the cup was empty.

It was 3:00 AM. She stood up, intending to get more hot water from the kitchen. In the dead of night, the entire apartment was silent, making the sound of her pouring water exceptionally loud. As she passed the living room again, she saw a shadow flickering out of the corner of her eye. She paused and looked over.

A slender figure was half-hidden in the darkness. A very familiar back.

The lights were off. Bai Wan was standing before the large floor-to-ceiling window. The streetlights outside were blurred into countless colorful dots. Her shadow was cast onto the floor by the moonlight, stretching long and thin to Yan Nanjue’s feet. Bai Wan had one hand pressed against the glass, looking down at the city flickering with neon lights.

Yan Nanjue felt a surge of doubt. “…What are you doing?”

Hearing the voice, the person by the window blinked and turned around abruptly like a startled bird. Her eyes held a trace of inquiry and curiosity, emotions exposed unreservedly on her face.

“Yan… Nan… Jue.”

Bai Wan read the name syllable by syllable, narrowing her eyes slightly.

“How is it you?”