A Scummy Alpha Supporting Character Accidentally Marks the Heroine After Transmigrating into a Book (GL) - Chapter 57

Ming Yan was filled with confusion. Only after the two of them left the living room did she dare to look up, staring blankly at their retreating backs.

Noticing her dazed expression, Yan Zhi asked curiously, “What are you looking at?”

“Your sister and sister-in-law… is this how they usually interact?”

“Hmm,” Yan Zhi recalled for a moment. “It’s always been like this.”

She smiled at Ming Yan, her face as fair as jade and her features as vibrant as spring blossoms. The members of the Yan family all seemed to possess exceptionally good looks—a line of striking, high-contrast features. Yan Zhi specifically had a high bridge to her nose and deep-set eyes, with sharp, flowing contours that often made people wonder if she was of mixed heritage.

“I told you, didn’t I? My sister isn’t as terrifying as people say.”

Yan Zhi whispered, “She’s just all talk. She’s always been like this with Sister-in-law. Every time she gets angry, her verbal threats are scary, but in reality, she never does anything. It’s all bark and no bite.”

“Those two have always interacted this way. It looks like they’re at each other’s throats, but they’re actually subtly showing off their affection; they just don’t let anyone else point it out.”

She added, “As for my sister, she never cares about what the outside world says.”

“But…”

The words Ming Yan wanted to say were stuck in her throat. She even began to doubt herself. After all, the Yan Nanjue and Bai Wan in her memory were nothing like this…

Yan Zhi caught a glimpse of something in her peripheral vision. She grabbed the collar of a child who was inching toward the TV and pressed them back onto the sofa. “She’s changed a lot since falling for my sister-in-law. Isn’t everyone like that? There’s always a turning point for change.”

Ming Yan frowned slightly as she remembered something. Could it be…?

Surely it couldn’t be such a coincidence?

Upstairs, Yan Nanjue was fretting over some documents.

In a few days, various company departments would hold a mid-year team-building event. The location had been set long ago, and all departments were going to the same place. Given her status, it wasn’t appropriate for her to show up at a small department’s team-building, but she didn’t feel right letting Bai Wan go alone.

【It’s just team-building.】 The System said: 【Didn’t you have Assistant Lin check already? There are no ill-intentioned people around her, and she gets along well with her colleagues. The event is only three days long; just have Assistant Lin keep a close eye on her.】

Yan Nanjue hesitated. “Have you noticed that the heroine doesn’t seem to care if she gets hurt?”

When others do dangerous things, they try their best to avoid injury, but the heroine acts completely indifferent. At first, Yan Nanjue even suspected she had congenital insensitivity to pain, but she had seen the heroine’s medical report, and there were no issues.

She simply seemed… not to care.

Yan Nanjue couldn’t help but fall into deep thought. “No, I still have to watch closely. Tell Assistant Lin to arrange a room for me too. Find me an excuse—say I’m there for an inspection and visiting every department. That way I won’t be found out!”

She immediately relayed this to Assistant Lin. Upon seeing the reply, she felt a wave of relief. In a sense, Assistant Lin really was all-powerful.

Yan Nanjue closed her laptop, intending to head downstairs for a walk and to check on the two children.

In the backyard of the villa, there was a large terrace where Yan Zhi was playing with the kids. Ming Yan sat in the shade under the eaves with desserts and drinks nearby, staring blankly into the distance.

Hearing footsteps, she turned back alertly, her face pale. “…Sister Yan.”

Yan Nanjue gave a faint nod and stood a moderate distance away. Her gaze landed on Bai Xinzhi, who was laughing happily. She thought Yan Zhi was indeed impressive to be able to make the introverted boy laugh so joyfully in such a short time.

As she was thinking, a timid voice came from beside her. “Sister Yan, last time in the booth… the bar booth Ji-jie took me to, why did you help me?”

Yan Nanjue was slightly stunned. Did that even count as helping? It was just a sentence.

She countered: “Does it need a reason?”

Ming Yan shook her head but couldn’t help frowning. Before she knew the person was Yan Nanjue, her first impression was gratitude. After learning her identity, only fear remained; she just wanted to stay far away from these two lunatics.

Even if the first impression was good, she didn’t dare get close to Yan Nanjue. …It’s just surface-level politeness. Who knows what kind of scum she is in private?

Bai Wan was driven insane by this very Alpha before her!

The more Ming Yan thought about it, the more she felt Yan Nanjue was just putting on an act. She made up her mind to stay away and took a quiet step back to leave the terrace. She forgot there was a step behind her, tripped, and began to fall backward.

Yan Nanjue saw this and instinctively reached out. Her arm braced Ming Yan’s back, providing enough force for her to stabilize herself, then she quickly withdrew her hand. She truly disliked physical contact with others.

Ming Yan steadied herself but stood there awkwardly. She had just been cursing these two in her head, and in the blink of an eye, she was helped again…

Yan Nanjue’s expression was habitually cool, her gorgeous face showing a hint of aloofness. She seemed not to take the incident to heart. “Tell Yan Zhi not to take them near the lake. They shouldn’t engage in strenuous exercise. When they’ve played enough, bring them back inside.”

She turned and left directly.

Ming Yan was taken aback. This reaction was entirely unexpected. The suspicion that had flickered in her mind earlier resurfaced, making her heart pound.

If my guess is true…

As the sky gradually darkened, the butler found Yan Nanjue and told her that Yan Zhi wanted hot pot for dinner, asking for her approval.

Yan Nanjue’s eyes lit up. Hot pot! I love it!

She hadn’t had it once yet. The original host preferred light flavors and never ate anything heavy-tasting. Moreover, hot pot has a strong scent. She had been craving it for a long time but hadn’t found a chance to sneak away and eat it.

She said solemnly to the System: “I’ve decided to invite Yan Zhi over more often.”

【You’re a bit too focused on satisfying your appetite.】

Yan Nanjue didn’t argue with the tasteless System and nodded with forced composure. “As she wishes.”

The butler nodded with satisfaction. “It’s wonderful that you’re willing to try it. I’ll have the cook prepare it now with two soup bases; you can try them both.”

Yan Nanjue was even happier—she liked both clear broth and spicy!

When she saw the steaming hot pot in the dining room, her pace quickened. The entire room was filled with the aroma of food. She took her seat with Bai Qingzhi beside her and Bai Wan diagonally to her right.

The pot before them was billowing steam; the air conditioning had been turned down significantly at Yan Zhi’s request. A thin white mist rose, and Yan Nanjue looked at Bai Wan through the hazy vapor. Under the lights, the woman’s profile was as beautiful as a jade carving, her long lashes sweeping down.

Yan Nanjue stared at her for two seconds before withdrawing her gaze and picking up her chopsticks, hiding her excitement. Bai Wan was answering her brother’s questions. As stray hairs slid down her shoulder, she casually tied them back. She noticed someone was watching her but chose to ignore it.

It wasn’t until dinner was nearly over that Bai Wan lifted her eyes, her gaze unintentionally drifting across the table.

Yan Nanjue seemingly wasn’t used to spicy food; thin beads of sweat appeared on her nose, and her naturally scarlet lips had deepened several shades. As if burned by the spice, she lightly licked her upper lip. A glimpse of her crimson tongue slid over the tubercle of her lip—a fleeting moment that left a thin sheen of moisture on her slightly swollen lips.

Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

Her expression was inexplicably like a red fox, clumsily and cautiously wiping away snowflakes from its fiery fur.

Bai Wan noticed this private little movement. She dazed out for a moment.

In her ears were the sounds of her siblings laughing, Yan Zhi teasing the kids, and the silly background dubbing of a cartoon channel. Her nose was full of the scent of food. Across the table, she looked at the stunning Alpha through the thin mist.

The Alpha’s face no longer held its arrogance, nor her usual high-and-mighty look. Sitting there sweating from the spice, that unapproachable aloofness had largely dissipated.

The scene before her gradually blurred. Everything felt as distant as if from a previous century.

—So unreal.

How strange. Why do I feel this scene is unreal?

Bai Wan couldn’t figure it out. She simply lowered her eyes amidst the noise. Looking down, she saw the white jade bracelet encircling her arm.

“…”

A hopeful voice came from beside her. “Sister, I want a drink.”

Bai Wan looked over. Her brother’s eyes were full of longing. “Can I have just a little bit? I haven’t had cola in so long.”

“Half a cup each,” she replied.

This answer was met with cheers from the two children.

As the night deepened, Ming Yan received a call from her sister asking if she should send someone to pick her up. She agreed.

Bai Wan took the two children upstairs to sleep, leaving only three people in the living room. Yan Zhi remembered something. “Oh right, the ribbon you asked me to bring you during my trip is still in my suitcase. I haven’t touched that bag since I got back. Wait here, I’ll go get it for you.”

She got up and went upstairs.

Yan Nanjue didn’t intend to stay much longer either; she smelled of food and wanted to shower and change. Before she could move, she saw Ming Yan walking over hesitantly out of the corner of her eye.

She stopped in her tracks.

“Sister Yan.” Ming Yan made some small talk to fill the silence. Seeing Yan Nanjue’s confused expression, she gritted her teeth and said resolutely, “Are you… a second chance?”

After speaking, she held her breath and watched Yan Nanjue’s face. Seeing the other’s confusion, she fearfully uttered another phrase: “I mean… a do-over.”

Yan Nanjue was completely baffled. “What is she saying?”

【System: Huh?】

Both human and System expressed their lack of understanding.

Yan Nanjue asked point-blank: “My patience is limited. What are you trying to say?”

The courage Ming Yan had mustered was crushed by the slightly impatient words. “It’s a story-based game, probably about a life restart. The protagonist keeps being reborn. Yan Zhi said you… you play it too. I must have remembered wrong. I’m a bit light-headed from eating too much just now; my mind isn’t clear. Sorry, Sister Yan, just treat it as nonsense.”

As she said this, she carefully observed Yan Nanjue’s expression. The first half of her sentence had been exceptionally soft and slow as she tried to find a single change in Yan Nanjue’s face.

However, there was none. Yan Nanjue had no reaction to her words; her brow only showed a hint of confusion.

Did I guess wrong? Yan Nanjue isn’t reborn?

Ming Yan tentatively made up a few more sentences about the “game,” treating it as a recommendation. Once she finished, she hadn’t found out anything and couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

It seemed she really had guessed wrong. She thought she had found a kindred spirit. On second thought, her own rebirth was already incredible; how could she happen to run into another reborn soul so easily?

Yan Nanjue wondered: “Why did Ming Yan suddenly say those things to me?” They weren’t close, and Ming Yan was usually terrified of her.

【It is a bit strange.】 The System was silent for a few seconds. 【Tell you what, I’ll apply to check the NPC’s code in the backend.】

“Okay.”

Yan Nanjue nodded, completely unaware of the light, almost imperceptible footsteps behind her.

Bai Wan had stopped on the stairs. From a distance, she saw her standing beside the friend Yan Zhi had brought over. She vaguely heard the conversation. The introverted Omega was saying something to the Alpha, her face and neck turning red with nervousness, her hands and feet seemingly not knowing where to go.

She watched quietly for a moment, then turned and left.