A Vicious Supporting Female is the Female Lead's Darling (GL) - Chapter 22

The unfolding and direction of the plot were truly bizarre.

Du Qingqing was completely dumbfounded. She looked at Su Jimian, then at Zhang Xinyuan, unable to grasp the situation for a moment. She was just about to ask what was going on when Su Jimian suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her over like a little chick.

She didn’t use much force, though; Du Qingqing could feel that Su Jimian was intentionally reining in her strength. Her movements were gentle, but her tone was entirely different—it was laced with ancient frost, the kind that made one want to shiver.

“I refuse,” Su Jimian said, a cold sneer hanging on her lips. “What are you going to do if I don’t leave?”

In an instant, an idiom flashed through Du Qingqing’s mind: swords drawn and bows bent.

“Heh, give you an inch and you take a mile!” Zhang Xinyuan barked. Seeing her holding onto his Ruge, the gloom in his heart intensified. This time, he simply stuck out his other hand, holding up six fingers in total.

Su Jimian remained silent, her face full of disdain.

Seeing that this person’s appetite was truly large, Zhang Xinyuan lowered his head to do some mental math, then gritted his teeth and held up eight fingers.

“You should be satisfied with this, right?” He quirked an eyebrow and gave a “wicked” smile. “Take the money and get lost. The further from her, the better!”

“It’s all because of you.” Zhang Xinyuan looked at Du Qingqing, his face full of grief and indignation. “Ruge won’t even pay attention to me anymore!”

Du Qingqing: “!!!” How did you blurt out my real name!

Du Qingqing was startled and instinctively turned to look at Su Jimian’s face, her expression tense and worried, searching for any sign that the girl had noticed. Her look didn’t have any special meaning, but to Zhang Xinyuan, it was undoubtedly rubbing salt into his wounds. He took it as the two of them exchanging flirtatious glances.

In their social circles, liking the same sex wasn’t exactly a strange thing. Several of Zhang Xinyuan’s buddies were like that, and after being around them for so long, he had grown accustomed to it. Sometimes, when he was bored, he’d even guess which young lady liked which girl, or which young master liked which heir. He was usually quite accurate.

But in all his guessing, he never imagined his Ruge would like women!

Didn’t she used to revolve around him every day? Why had her personality suddenly undergone such a drastic change, to the point where she wouldn’t even acknowledge him?

Baffled, Zhang Xinyuan had asked a lackey to keep an eye on her, only to discover that during these days when Jin Ruge wasn’t clinging to him, she was seeking out another woman. She ran there so diligently; a dignified eldest daughter of the Jin family was going to a tiny convenience store every day to pick someone up from work.

How could you fall so low!

He was truly incensed. He had been angry for days, thinking he would surely confront her at the party. Who would have thought that when they met that night, Jin Ruge would actually bring that woman along, and they even played out that little “flirty” scene of spilling red wine on the chest.

A “boom” went off in Zhang Xinyuan’s head as a sense of crisis washed over him. He woke up early today and rushed over to cause trouble, delusional enough to think he could use “money power” to drive a wedge between them.

After a long silence, Du Qingqing thought: I think I understand what’s going on now.

She sighed. After eavesdropping for a bit and exchanging info with the System in her mind, she concluded that this idiot Zhang Xinyuan had somehow accidentally fallen for her, and had subsequently designated Su Jimian as his imaginary rival.

But she hadn’t even been nice to him; she even called him “little brother.” Is there anyone in this world who actually wants to be a “little brother”?

Du Qingqing didn’t get it, and she was quite worried. She stepped forward, intending to make things clear.

“Mianmian and I are friends. It’s not what you think. Don’t cause trouble for her,” she said, her tone uncharacteristically serious. “Also, I think you’ve misunderstood. I don’t have any special feelings for you.”

“You’re so handsome and have such a great personality.” Du Qingqing coughed, praising him against her conscience. “There are plenty of people who like you. You should try getting out more.”

The subtext was: Stop wasting your time on me.

She had made it very clear, but to Zhang Xinyuan’s ears, it was a shock that made him stumble back three steps. He stared at her in utter disbelief before heavily spitting out three words: “I don’t believe it!”

Having said that, he ran off as if he couldn’t bear the burden, looking very wounded.

Du Qingqing was at a loss. “Sigh…”

After Zhang Xinyuan left, the farce was finally over. Recalling his despondent look, Du Qingqing feared he might do something reckless. She pulled out her phone, found the contact for his lackey, and sent a message: Keep a close eye on your young master lately.

A reply came back in seconds: You got it, Sis!

It seemed there were still some sane people around Zhang Xinyuan.

Du Qingqing sighed and finally put her phone away. Just as she was about to turn back and comfort Su Jimian, she suddenly felt a chill at the back of her neck.

Du Qingqing: !!! Danger!

She stood still, not daring to move. After a few seconds of silence, she sensed Su Jimian moving closer behind her. Then she heard her speak, her voice very soft: “Miss… Jin Ruge?”

Cold sweat started rolling down Du Qingqing’s back. Su Jimian had really heard her real name. Her mind went blank, and for some reason, she suddenly remembered spilling wine all over Su Jimian yesterday. Her heart, which was already hanging by a thread, leaped into her throat. She almost wanted to cover her head and bolt.

However, in the next second, Su Jimian stepped in front of her.

Du Qingqing flinched and instinctively lowered her gaze, only offering a tiny, flattering smile. It vaguely reminded one of her drunken state from the night before.

Su Jimian blinked. After a long sigh, she said, “So Miss Jin’s real name is Jin Ruge.”

“Y-yes.” Du Qingqing nodded, her mind racing for an excuse. “Actually, I didn’t mean to hide it from you. It was just because at that time I…”

Before she could finish, she heard a faint chuckle near her ear. Du Qingqing froze, thinking she had misheard, and instinctively looked up. To her surprise, she saw the corners of Su Jimian’s mouth curled up in a light smile.

Then she heard her say, seemingly indifferent: “It’s a very pretty name.”

Du Qingqing was stunned. “You’re not mad at me?”

“Hmm?” Su Jimian smiled. “Why would I be mad?”

“Because I lied to you,” Du Qingqing whispered, bowing her head like a student admitting a mistake. “My name is Jin Ruge, but I told you I was Jin Geru.”

“It’s nothing.” Su Jimian shook her head gently. “We had only just met then. It’s only natural to be cautious.”

She’s so understanding.

Du Qingqing felt a bit more at ease. She looked up and added, “And about yesterday… I didn’t mean to spill wine on you.”

“I know,” Su Jimian said. “Wasn’t it because you were drunk?”

“Besides, that was Miss Jin’s own dress. I have no right to be angry.” She reached into her backpack and gently pulled out a bag. Inside was the gown Du Qingqing had given her yesterday. Looking closer, there was also the small jacket she had draped over her later. They were all in the bag, washed spotlessly clean. Up close, they smelled of fresh laundry detergent.

The scent was just like the one on Su Jimian—fragrant and clean.

Smelling that scent, Du Qingqing’s face flushed slightly. A smile finally bloomed on her lips again, and she returned to her usual state, trying to get closer to Su Jimian as she held the clothes. “Then I’m relieved.”

“Mm.” Su Jimian nodded, saying no more.

But Du Qingqing had more to say. Thinking back to the name issue they just discussed, she circled back. “Since Mianmian says it’s fine to hide your name when we first met… did you hide yours too?”

“I’m actually quite curious,” she said, trying to bait Su Jimian. “So, what is Mianmian’s real name?”

Her eyes were filled with obvious anticipation, thinking the other person would actually tell the truth. But… how was that possible?

Su Jimian shook her head, a calculating glint flashing in her eyes. She played dumb. “I don’t know what Miss Jin is talking about. My name is Ji Sumian.” (Still playing with the same characters in a different order).

“…”

Fine, fine.

Du Qingqing chatted with Su Jimian at the school gate for a while longer and soon learned that Su Jimian’s roommates hadn’t returned yet. With the new semester approaching, Su Jimian’s workload was increasing. She could no longer work long-term jobs like the one at the convenience store, so she had resigned after finishing her two months. She had switched to doing hourly work at a nearby fast-food place, starting after the term began.

That meant she was actually completely free for these few days.

Du Qingqing nodded and did some mental math. She decided to push the potato-planting schedule back a bit to spend more time with her. Then she thought, since they were already out, why not seize the moment?

The only problem was… where to go?

Because Su Jimian had paid for the hotpot last time, Du Qingqing felt quite bad. Fearing Su Jimian would spend more “wasted” money, she quickly discarded the idea of taking her out to eat.

While she was struggling to find a new location, the System’s voice rang out casually: “Why don’t you just take her to your house?”

“Your house is huge, and you’ve got food and drinks,” the System said. “There’s even a beautiful garden. It’s no different from any tourist spot outside.”

That was actually a great idea. Du Qingqing thought about it and gave the System a big thumbs-up in her mind.

The System felt a bit shy from the praise and gave a huff, asking for a reward: “Chips!”

“I’ll buy them, I’ll buy them,” Du Qingqing agreed. “Two boxes, okay? Eat your fill.”

The System, which had been grumpy for days, finally relaxed. It happily agreed and started humming a catchy, weird tune that echoed through Du Qingqing’s head.

Du Qingqing was speechless, but she didn’t want to ruin the System’s mood, so she just forced herself to focus. After a lot of coaxing and using the excuse of wanting to make up for her mistake, she got Su Jimian into the car and successfully “kidnapped” her back to her little nest.

This was the first time since her rebirth that she had personally brought someone home. Uncle Liu recognized the girl as the one who helped bring the young lady back last night, and he immediately felt a sense of goodwill toward her. He specifically asked the kitchen to prepare some premium beef and mutton that had just been air-shipped in, planning a grand lunch.

After lunch, he personally led Su Jimian on a tour of the mansion.

Actually, Uncle Liu knew much more about this mansion than either Jin Ruge or Du Qingqing. When Jin Ruge had left home in a huff, she needed a place to stay, so she had simply bought this old estate for convenience. She just added whatever she needed later; even the servants were already there. This included Uncle Liu, who had lived in the house for over twenty years. He knew every brick and tile.

Su Jimian followed him, seeing and hearing much, and her horizons broadened significantly. Finally, they arrived at the garden that had recently been expanded.

It could probably be called a wonderland. At a glance, everything inside was exquisite. Polished pebble paths, delicate flowers, hidden glass doors, and a vintage pavilion enveloped in floral scents.

Su Jimian was simply dazed by the sight.

After a while, Du Qingqing noticed her emotional change. Seeing that she liked it, she figured they might as well linger here. She had the servants prepare tea and snacks, and like a scene from a movie about aristocrats, she kept her there for a tea party.

Later, she found some high-quality paper, carefully spread it out before Su Jimian, and suggested with bright eyes, “Mianmian, if you have any inspiration, you can draw whenever you want.”

“I see.” Su Jimian nodded gently. She looked up to appreciate the scenery, and just as Du Qingqing said, she lowered her head and began to draw quietly. The atmosphere was beautiful and tranquil.

Even Uncle Liu was affected. He looked at his young lady and leaned in to whisper, “Since the atmosphere is so good and you’re so happy, why not sing a song to relax?”

In his memory, the young lady did love to sing, especially in this garden. Many servants had overheard her. Her voice was truly beautiful, like a lark—clear and melodious. Listening to it made one forget their troubles and open their heart.

But for some reason, Uncle Liu noticed she never sang in front of others anymore. Such a beautiful voice was kept hidden for her to appreciate alone. It was likely due to some internal heartache. Uncle Liu was worried but helpless; he felt that such wounds couldn’t be healed overnight, so he tried to help her bit by bit. He often asked indirectly, hoping she would overcome her knot and sing out loud.

Unfortunately, the answer was always “no.”

Uncle Liu sighed. He thought he would get a “no” this time too and didn’t have high expectations. But to his absolute surprise, perhaps because he was sincere this time, there was a breakthrough.

His young lady had actually agreed for the first time!

Uncle Liu was ecstatic. He quickly moved to the side to give her space, afraid of affecting her performance. He even whispered proudly to Su Jimian, “Did you know? My young lady’s singing is quite beautiful.”

“Is that so?” Su Jimian smiled. She stopped her pen and looked into Du Qingqing’s eyes. “Then I shall look forward to it.”

This sentence gave Du Qingqing immense encouragement. She nodded, determined not to let everyone down, and specifically asked the System for a pitch in her mind.

And then… under the watchful eyes of everyone, she turned a famous song into a wild, high-energy folk-dance remix.