A Vicious Supporting Female is the Female Lead's Darling (GL) - Chapter 2

This was the first time Du Qingqing had seen stars in broad daylight—all thanks to that thug’s slap.

It was like a magic trick; not only did the blow teleport her several steps forward, making her forehead have a “close encounter” with the checkout counter, but it also conjured up a brilliant, shimmering galaxy right before her eyes.

Brother, your hand strength is a bit too much!

Tears welled up in Du Qingqing’s eyes from the pain. While taking deep breaths to convince herself it didn’t hurt, she frantically called out to the System, wanting to negotiate a claim for “work-related injury.”

After all, her previous save points were always in the bathtub. Who knew that this time, she’d respawn directly into a “crematorium” scene? She had even taken a slap for no reason, nearly being turned into an idiot by the impact.

Fortunately, the script wasn’t so cruel as to let her drop dead from a single slap, and Su Jimian was unharmed.

Du Qingqing sighed, struggled to steady herself, and glanced at Su Jimian’s face as if casually. Then, she instinctively froze.

Not for any other reason, but simply because she was stunned by her beauty.

This was the first time Du Qingqing had stood so close to Su Jimian, and the first time she had observed her at such a short distance. She wasn’t unfamiliar with her, though; she had seen her photos long before transmigrating.

It had to be said, Su Jimian was truly stunning. Her features were delicate and bright, her skin as white as snow. Her jet-black hair was pulled into a neat ponytail, and her pure eyes seemed to hold a clear spring within them. Like any girl her age, she was clean, untainted, and naturally likable.

If it weren’t for the script, Du Qingqing definitely wouldn’t have spent her lives hiding from her.

“Are you sure it’s not because you’re just a coward?” Sensing her thoughts, the System chimed in, poking right at Du Qingqing’s sore spot.

Du Qingqing was speechless. After a long silence, she snapped back: “Mind your own business!”

She shook her head, too lazy to argue with the System. She shifted her gaze upward, meeting Su Jimian’s beautiful eyes, and noticed the tension and fear lingering in them. She looked exactly like a wounded fawn, making Du Qingqing’s heart soften instantly.

Almost instinctively, she whispered to her, “Don’t be afraid.”

Su Jimian froze for a moment, looking at her with an uneasy expression. After a while, she finally gave a slow nod. Her lips parted slightly as she whispered a word of concern: “Are you… okay?”

How incredibly considerate, Du Qingqing thought.

She shook her head quickly. Knowing it wasn’t the time for chatter, she didn’t say more, only offering a slight smile to reassure her.

She turned back around, putting on a righteous front. Before the lead thug could speak, she raised her eyebrows and brandished her phone. “We live in a harmonious society! What kind of skill is it for so many men to bully one little girl?”

“I don’t care what grievances you have with her, hitting people is wrong!” Du Qingqing pointed to her reddening forehead, her eyes stinging and her stance a bit wobbly. “I have the witness and the evidence right here. If you keep harrassing her, I’m calling the police!”

The thugs, who had been standing there like stunned chickens, grew even more confused.

Damn, what’s going on? This isn’t how it was supposed to go! When she hired us, she didn’t say she was going to make a guest appearance to get hit, and she definitely didn’t mention calling the police!

The leader was baffled. He didn’t know what act Du Qingqing was putting on, so he instinctively tried to call out her name: “Miss Jin—”

Yes, “Miss Jin.” Du Qingqing’s surname in this world was Jin, and her full name was Jin Ruge. These thugs had done a few jobs for her before, but because of professional ethics and Jin Ruge’s intentional concealment of her personal info, they only knew her surname. They usually called her “Miss Jin.”

The leader, confused by the situation, almost let it slip, nearly exposing the fact that they were accomplices.

Du Qingqing was startled. Thinking fast, she cut him off: “Miss-ing? You think your strength was ‘missing’ when you slapped me that hard? If you have the guts, touch me again, and I’ll drop to the floor immediately!”

She’s actually trying to frame us! The thug was speechless.

He stared at Du Qingqing, silenced by the sheer absurdity of it. Seeing her chance, Du Qingqing used every muscle in her face to frantically hint at him: Go! Just go! Behave and I’ll pay you extra later!

Finally, the thug had an epiphany. He glanced at the wide-eyed, pouting Du Qingqing, then at the pitiful Su Jimian, and finally let out a cold snort. “You just wait!”

With that, he and his lackeys vanished in a flash.

Du Qingqing finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The System asked in her mind how she felt. Du Qingqing thought for a moment and replied: “I’m so embarrassed I could carve out Mount Everest with my toes…”

It was truly awkward. She hadn’t expected to meet such a mess the moment she respawned. She missed the pastries and the bathtub; at least they were friendlier, and she didn’t have to take a random slap.

It really did hurt. Her ears were still ringing. She complained to the System several more times, begging for a “work-related injury” exemption.

She turned her head pitifully, only to find that Su Jimian, who had been behind her, had suddenly vanished.

Du Qingqing: …Well, that’s abrupt. She abandoned me.

Dusk was falling, and there weren’t many pedestrians. The small convenience store was empty except for the other girl on shift, who had been hiding behind the shelves. Du Qingqing stood by the counter peering around but couldn’t see Su Jimian. Not wanting to just leave awkwardly, she decided to wander around the store and “consume” something to take home.

Like snacks.

In Du Qingqing’s original world, everyone was obsessed with health and avoided junk food. The variety of snacks was pathetic. She hadn’t minded at first, until a senior colleague returned from a mission and brought her a bag of potato chips. Du Qingqing had initially refused, but after much persuasion, she tried one.

Since then, Du Qingqing’s motto was: “Oh my god, so good.”

It was addictive. Now that she could buy them at will, she circled the shelves, picking out several flavors of chips and some pretty-looking cookies.

As she brought them to the counter, she saw Su Jimian reappear from somewhere. She was holding a pink little item with a penguin pattern on it. So that’s where she went—she was looking for a band-aid.

Du Qingqing touched the wound on her forehead, her impression of the girl improving. Aside from the part where she eventually kills Du Qingqing, the script described Su Jimian as kind, gentle, and beautiful—exactly as she appeared now.

Though… a band-aid was hardly necessary. The wound was so small it would have healed on its own in an hour. Still, one shouldn’t waste good intentions. Du Qingqing smiled and lowered her head, letting Su Jimian apply the band-aid.

In her heart, she praised the girl for being a paragon of “Core Socialist Values.”

“Thank you for helping me.” Su Jimian was still a college student with little life experience. She had clearly never seen a scene like today’s. Even though the danger had passed, her voice was still shaking. “I… I’m sorry you got hurt because of me.”

She looked so fragile with those watery eyes that it naturally triggered a protective instinct. Du Qingqing felt a bit shy under her gaze. She cleared her throat and shook her head dismissively, pushing her pile of snacks forward to pay.

Seeing some pretty candies by the register, she impulsively added a box to the pile. She ignored Su Jimian’s offer to pay for her, quickly bagged her items, and turned to leave.

But she deliberately left that box of candy behind.

She remembered from the script that Su Jimian liked sweets. She hoped this small gesture would earn her a few “favorability points” in the lead’s heart.

All the way back, she boasted to the System about how “cool” she looked giving away the candy. The System, unable to take it anymore, played a recorded loop in her head: “So cool! Truly cool! Lightning-strike cool!”

Du Qingqing: “Right? I think so too.”

She smiled, told Xiao Lin not to mention today’s events to anyone, leaned back, and prayed she’d live a bit longer this time. She also started wondering which flavor of chips would taste best.

Little did she know what was happening back at the store…

After Du Qingqing left, Yang Xiaoyue, who had been hiding behind the shelves, finally came out. This girl was naturally timid and specifically chose quiet night shifts. She hid faster than anyone.

Seeing Su Jimian sitting by the counter with red-rimmed eyes, Xiaoyue felt a bit ashamed. She coughed and approached tentatively. “Jimian, are you okay?”

“That was really scary just now. Luckily that girl helped.” She scratched her head awkwardly. “I was just about to call the police when she burst in…”

“And then?” Su Jimian looked up slightly. “Did Yueyue call them?”

“I was going to,” Yang Xiaoyue said. “But the sudden situation interrupted me. Really, I was this close to calling. You have to believe me, I—”

Su Jimian’s lips curled into a slight, subtle smile. Before the other girl could finish, she nodded understandingly. “I know. Thank you, I made you worry.”

Her voice was soft and sincere, with no hint of blame.

Yang Xiaoyue paused, the tension in her chest easing. She patted Su Jimian’s shoulder. “You’re welcome! It’s time for your shift to end anyway. You’ve had a scare, go home and rest. I’ll take over the store.”

“Okay.” Su Jimian smiled. Even if she sensed something, she said nothing. She went to the breakroom, changed, and grabbed her bag.

As she left, she took the candy Du Qingqing had “gratefully” bought for her. But as she passed a small alleyway, she lifted the lid of a trash can and threw the box inside without hesitation.