A Vicious Supporting Female is the Female Lead's Darling (GL) - Chapter 16

Perhaps because of the toy bear’s company, Su Jimian actually managed a rare night of good sleep.

A night without dreams. When she woke up the next morning and looked out the window, she saw a pitter-patter of rain falling. Fortunately, she didn’t have to work today.

With the new school term approaching, there were many things to do, so Su Jimian had specifically taken a day off to give herself time to prepare. She needed to top up her meal card, buy necessities, and wash the white lab coat that had been sitting in her locker for two months.

It might sound a bit hard to believe, but although she loved painting, her major was actually Clinical Medicine.

Firstly, the costs of pursuing an art career were simply too high for her family to bear. Secondly… it was because of her father. Her family was waiting for her to finish her studies so she could return and treat him. After all, if she had the chance to enter a major hospital in the future, she would not only earn more but also have access to advanced medical technology and equipment, which would help her father’s condition.

Su Jimian had always lived with this heavy burden on her shoulders. It sounded both heartbreaking and helpless.

Luckily, painting provided a brief escape. The moment she immersed herself in creation, it felt as though time finally belonged to her.

Thinking of this, Su Jimian smiled. Looking at the heavy rain outside, she didn’t rush out. Instead, she pulled out a chair and sat slowly at the desk. She took out a sheet of paper and her drawing tools. Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she composed something in her mind.

After a while, she finally lowered her head and began to draw.

First, she drew the back of a woman—dressed in a gentle light blue dress, with beautiful black wavy hair, a slender waist, and two long, pale legs. After finishing the figure, she drew the background. As if to echo the weather outside, she drew many raindrops around the woman. Not wanting her to get wet, she specifically added a small, pale yellow umbrella in the woman’s hand.

A perfect drawing was born. It was surprisingly beautiful; even the artist herself was satisfied.

Su Jimian stared at the drawing for a moment, then finally stood up, took an umbrella, closed her door, and walked out.

Du Qingqing had gotten up early today specifically to go to the flower and plant market to buy seeds for her land.

Just as Jiang Wan had said, the climate and humidity here were actually quite suitable for growing potatoes, and it was currently the right season to bury the seeds. As the saying goes, “An inch of time is an inch of gold.” Du Qingqing didn’t want that vast plot of land sitting idle, so she put seed shopping on the agenda. Before leaving, she reminded Uncle Liu to hire more people so they could all go to the fields together soon.

Uncle Liu was floored, unable to fathom what his young lady was thinking. Upon asking, he found she was using the same “investment” excuse she used when she bought the car. Fine then. Uncle Liu nodded. Though helpless, he let her be. He even asked if she needed help preparing the seeds and equipment.

“No need,” Du Qingqing shook her head. “I’ll prepare these things myself.” After all, “No pain, no gain.” If she did nothing, how could she expect a harvest? Besides, buying these things wasn’t exactly back-breaking labor.

Thinking this, she drove her beloved little car to the market early in the morning. She browsed here and there, finally buying items she was satisfied with. But as she came out, she found it had suddenly started raining.

Du Qingqing lamented: “Good thing I was witty enough to bring an umbrella before leaving the house.”

The System ruthlessly exposed her in her mind: “That’s thanks to the weather forecast, okay?”

“Besides, what does it have to do with you?” The System sighed. “I’m the one who told you to check the forecast.”

Truly no face given. Du Qingqing was momentarily speechless. After a while, she blushed and let out a huff, deciding to break off her friendship with the System for ten minutes to express her anger.

After making her cold announcement, she felt she had regained some dignity and finally stepped forward. She opened the small, pale yellow umbrella she had been holding.

The rain was truly heavy today—one of the heaviest Du Qingqing had seen since arriving in this world. Because of the downpour, there were few pedestrians on the road.

Du Qingqing walked quickly to her car and drove out of the market. She planned to take a detour home through the city center. As she turned a corner, she suddenly saw an elderly woman sitting by the roadside under an umbrella. In front of her were some small, white trinkets for sale.

Du Qingqing squinted to look closer. They seemed to be small bracelets woven from flowers. They were quite pretty; normally, people would definitely buy them. But it was raining now, and there was hardly anyone on the street. Who was she going to sell them to?

Besides, the elderly woman’s health likely wasn’t great, and her umbrella wasn’t very large—it barely covered herself and her wares.

Du Qingqing felt a pang of sympathy. Somehow, she thought of her late mother, who had also spent her life running through wind and rain to earn a living, never having a day of peace. Later, just as life was improving, an accident took her and her father’s lives.

Thinking of this made Du Qingqing feel uncontrollably sad, her eyes moistening. Looking at the old woman in the rain, she turned the car around, parked by the curb, and stepped out with her umbrella. She waded through the puddles and crouched down in front of the woman.

She smoothed out her damp light blue dress and asked with a smile, “It’s raining so hard, why aren’t you going home?”

Perhaps not expecting someone to strike up a conversation, the woman froze. After a while, she whispered, “Selling… selling things.”

“Aren’t there only a few left?” Du Qingqing looked down and counted; there were only five flower bracelets remaining. “It’s raining. Why don’t you wait until the weather clears up to sell them?”

“No,” the woman shook her head quickly. “Can’t leave until they’re sold. My family needs the money… my hus… husband…” Her voice grew too faint for Du Qingqing to hear the rest.

But she could guess. The woman’s husband was likely unwell, and the family desperately needed money.

Du Qingqing sighed softly and spoke up with a wider smile: “These bracelets you made are really beautiful. I like them very much. I’ll buy all—”

Before she could say “buy,” a female voice sounded from above: “They are very pretty. I’ll buy them all.”

As the voice spoke, a hand holding money reached out. It was much faster than her.

Du Qingqing was stunned. She instinctively looked back and was shocked to see the person standing there. “Mianmian! Why are you here?!”

“Out to buy some things.” Su Jimian curled her lips into a slight smile. “I saw Miss Jin the moment I stepped out of the mall, so I followed you over to take a look.”

Is that so?

Du Qingqing instinctively glanced down and saw a large plastic bag in her hand, filled with toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, and soap.

Look at this girl. Yesterday, she refused the free ones and insisted on buying them herself. One couldn’t tell if she was being polite or simply keeping everyone at a distance.

Du Qingqing sighed, thinking, Fine, as long as she’s happy. At worst, she would help her in other ways later. After all, “simps” are resilient and unyielding.

Du Qingqing shifted her gaze back to Su Jimian. She watched as Su Jimian paid, politely thanked the old woman, and picked up the five bracelets. Noticing the woman’s hardship, Su Jimian even pretended she had been looking for these specific bracelets for a long time and gave her extra money.

Unexpectedly gentle.

Du Qingqing instinctively smiled. Watching the old woman finally pack up to go home, her sadness dissipated quite a bit. She stood up, raised an eyebrow, and said to Su Jimian, “Let me drive you back?”

“No rush,” Su Jimian said. She looked at Du Qingqing’s fair, pretty wrists and then handed over three bracelets. “You wanted to buy them too, didn’t you? Since you want them, I’ll give them to you. I only have two hands; I can’t wear them all anyway.”

Du Qingqing was stunned. She looked down at her hands and said with confusion, “I only have two as well…”

Are you calling me “three-handed” (a pickpocket)?!

Du Qingqing was puzzled and a bit miffed. She took the bracelets anyway, wearing one on one side and two on the other. She was about to ask Su Jimian if they looked good, but when she looked up, she saw the girl was smiling.

Perhaps because it was a rare outing, Du Qingqing noticed she was wearing light makeup today—pale eyeshadow, subtle eyeliner, and red, shimmering lips. Though it was only a light touch, it suited her so perfectly that she looked even more beautiful than usual.

Especially… when she smiled.

Du Qingqing accidentally dazed off, not even realizing when one of the bracelets was removed from her wrist. By the time she snapped out of it, Su Jimian was standing very close to her.

A pair of hands reached toward her, brushing past her neck and leaving a trail of pleasant, light fragrance. The target was actually her hair.

Du Qingqing was stunned, her hair gently grasped like a little chick’s. She stood motionless until Su Jimian finally pulled her hands back.

Looking down, she realized her elegant wavy hair had been tied back. Secured to her locks was that extra flower bracelet. The tiny flowers looked fresh, elegant, and pure—it suited her unexpectedly well.

She watched Su Jimian turn around and walk away slowly under her umbrella.

A barely audible whisper drifted back: “You can wear it like this, too.”

“Idiot.”