After Transmigrating into a Book, I Became the Vicious Female Supporting Lead - Chapter 12

Lin Qiyan’s outstretched foot retracted just as abruptly as it had moved forward.

At the barbecue stall, a woman in an oil-stained undershirt was busily working back and forth. The skewers on the grill were sizzling, dripping with fat as they cooked through. Sweat poured down the woman’s face, too much to wipe away, as she repeatedly responded to the people behind her urging her to hurry.

The young girl moved back and forth delivering the orders.

Lin Qiyan took a step forward, intending to support their business and, while she was at it, take the first step in “whitewashing” her reputation. She was full of confidence as she reached into her pocket.

She immediately stopped in her tracks and fell silent.

“…”

Empty. Cleaner than her own face—at least her face had features; her pockets didn’t even have a scrap of paper.

Refusing to give up, Lin Qiyan fumbled around some more and finally managed to pull out a loose thread.

Her: “…”

Without financial support, Lin Qiyan could only offer an encouraging gaze. However, because her look was a bit too intense, the girl over there seemed to sense something and looked over, meeting Lin Qiyan’s eyes directly.

The girl instinctively took a step back, averted her eyes in a panic, and dashed toward a calling customer.

Lin Qiyan turned her head away.

Fine, she’d scared the girl.

She stood there regretfully for a moment, then continued walking forward.

This entire area consisted of apartment buildings catering to office workers and students. The infrastructure and greenery were quite well done. At this hour, people were hurrying home, and the warm yellow streetlights quietly illuminated the returning paths.

Lin Qiyan returned to her apartment and did another round of cleaning. She lay in bed, spending her second night in this world. The bright moonlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains. The green plants on the table were covered in a layer of flowing silver radiance.

The next morning, the alarm clock began its diligent work.

Lin Qiyan sat up from the soft bedding and slapped the incessantly ringing clock silent. After a moment of daze, she got out of bed to wash up.

The horizon was tinged with a golden edge; the sun was hidden beneath the clouds, ready to emerge. Lin Qiyan hurried toward the school at an unhurried pace, buying and munching on two vegetable buns along the way.

At the grand school gate, students in uniform were streaming in. Lin Qiyan wore a mask and found a pair of black-framed glasses, successfully obscuring her face and blending into the crowd, avoiding the miserable fate of being caught by the student council.

The summer weather was hot, but the temperature difference between morning and evening was still quite large, making it easy to catch a cold. Wearing a mask didn’t seem too strange. Additionally, Lin Qiyan’s current outfit and style were vastly different from the original owner’s; with her face hidden, no one was familiar enough with her to recognize her just by her silhouette.

In this way, Lin Qiyan successfully snuck into the school, went to the logistics department to register for a new set of uniforms, and ran to the bathroom to change. A fresh, pure high school girl was “born.”

Most of the students in the classroom had arrived. Lin Qiyan’s seat was perfectly clean. She stood by it for a moment before sitting down.

At that moment, the girl from the front row whom she had seen last night walked in hurriedly with her head down. She didn’t dare look up even as she reached her seat.

The Yanda Affiliated High School uniform had three sets: a three-piece set for spring and autumn, a short-sleeved two-piece set for summer, and same-colored cotton padded pants for winter. Last night, the light was dim and Lin Qiyan was far away, so she could only see that the girl was wearing short sleeves and didn’t notice anything special. But looking now, the girl was still wearing the spring/autumn uniform, covering herself up completely.

Lin Qiyan watched her sit down; a fresh scent wafted to her nose. To be honest, she still didn’t know what her front-row neighbor looked like. Thick bangs covered the girl’s forehead, and below large-framed glasses were thin lips, often pressed into a tight line. She looked like a pedantic and timid person.

With no money or power at home and a self-deprecating, cowardly personality, she was the easiest target for school bullying—plus, she was the closest to the original owner.

Lin Qiyan rested her chin in her hands, looking at the girl’s back, feeling a bit powerless. She was thinking about what to do.

The bell for morning self-study rang, and Sun Li walked in from outside. The once noisy classroom fell silent instantly as students pulled out their books to put on an act. The homeroom teacher’s sharp gaze swept the room, landed on the girl sitting by the window in the back, and he strode over.

Lin Qiyan had pulled out yesterday’s exercise book and was looking down quietly. The hand holding the pen was squeezed slightly from concentration, her fingertips turning white.

A hand suddenly rapped on her desk.

Lin Qiyan was startled and looked up to meet Sun Li’s eyes, which were filled with uncontrollable rage.

“Come out.”

He turned and left as soon as he spoke.

Lin Qiyan lowered her eyes for a moment, put down her pen, closed her book, and followed him out. Just as they left the classroom, Sun Li’s angry voice nearly shattered her eardrums: “Lin Qiyan, what did you do last night?!”

Lin Qiyan looked blank: “What?”

Sun Li wanted nothing more than to hit her directly, but his remaining rational thought made him glance at the surveillance camera. He sneered, “It’s no use playing dumb. The Ran family is coming today. Pack your things and prepare to be expelled.”

Lin Qiyan didn’t understand: “Teacher, does the Ran family own the school?”

Sun Li’s fire, which had just begun to subside, flared up even higher: “What do you mean?! You have no background now. The Ran family has more than enough power to kick out a little vagrant girl.”

Before the Lin family went bankrupt, he had endured too many of Lin Qiyan’s antics. If it hadn’t been for the school’s support of national policies, he would have kicked this nuisance out long ago.

Lin Qiyan nodded as if she understood: “So, Teacher, in this public school, it’s the rich people who call the shots, not the government.”

Hearing this, Sun Li’s heart skipped a beat, and he broke into a cold sweat. He quickly looked around, stared at the girl in front of him with a look of terror, and roared in a low voice, “Are you suicidal?!! What are you talking about?”

Lin Qiyan stated calmly, “Teacher, that’s exactly what you meant.”

Sun Li pointed his finger at her, trembling with rage. Finally, he said viciously, “Just you wait.”

Lin Qiyan nodded obediently: “Okay.”

Sun Li took a few deep breaths, chanting to himself that she would be expelled soon, and barely managed to calm down. He said as peacefully as possible, “The opening ceremony is tomorrow. Your punishment will be announced on the spot after it ends. You have to go up and read a five-thousand-word self-reflection. Write it today and show it to me. If it’s not good enough, go back and change it.”

Just as Lin Qiyan was about to speak, Sun Li saw something and immediately stepped forward with a beaming smile. “Mrs. Ran, you’re here. Oh, Mr. Ran is here too.”

Lin Qiyan looked back. A couple stood at the end of the hallway. The lady was wearing a qipao and carrying a delicate small bag, her face full of anger. The man was in a suit, his expression solemn.

Sun Li smiled fawningly and walked toward them, turning back to say coldly to Lin Qiyan, “Come here!!”

Over there, even though she was very angry, the woman stood politely in place waiting for them to walk over, rather than shouting in the hallway. Sun Li bowed slightly to the two of them and invited them into the office.

As soon as they entered, the woman got straight to the point: “Teacher Sun, I entrusted Xiao Lie to you, not to be bullied. Go look at the marks on her neck. This little wretch tried to strangle my daughter to death. What are you going to do about this?”

Sun Li apologized repeatedly: “It’s our fault. We will handle this impartially.” He turned to Lin Qiyan, “Hurry up and come over!!”

Lin Qiyan stood her ground and looked at them steadily: “May I ask if there is any evidence?”

Sun Li looked like he was about to spit fire: “What evidence? Who else could it be if not you?! You’re still making excuses. This is attempted murder; people go to jail for this, you know? Only by begging for forgiveness is it possible to get a reduced sentence!!”

Mrs. Ran’s high heels clicked loudly on the tile as she took a step forward, raising her hand to slap her.

Lin Qiyan took a step back, causing the swing to miss: “Madam, there are surveillance cameras here.”

Mrs. Ran’s eyebrows shot up and her features distorted: “So what if there are cameras? I can still kick you out of school. You little brat, you have a lot of nerve, even daring to kill someone! What else won’t you dare to do!!”

Lin Qiyan remained composed and asked again: “Madam, it really wasn’t me. Do you have evidence?”

Mr. Ran, who had been watching from the side, was quite annoyed. He frowned and said, “Student Lin, seeing as you are still a student, we consulted a lawyer first. If you are willing to admit your mistake and change now, there is still room for negotiation. But if you refuse to repent, we can only see you in court.”

“Attempted murder and school bullying—you should know what the outcome would be.”

Hearing this, Mrs. Ran lifted her chin and looked down at her.

Lin Qiyan nodded: “Mr. Ran, you have no evidence to prove I did it. And why ‘attempted murder’? I still don’t even know what happened to Student Ran.”

Mr. Ran shook his head in disappointment: “It seems you are unrepentant. Teacher Sun said you are a student with a bad record who violates school rules and disrespects elders. It seems he was right.”

“A student like you is a cancer on society. Only the law can discipline you.”

Lin Qiyan looked directly at him: “Sir, do you know what your daughter is like at school? Student Ran and I used to be on good terms. When you checked my past, did you notice who was usually with me?”

Mr. Ran subconsciously glanced at his wife, frowned, and said, “I know my daughter. She is not that kind of person.”

“Student Lin, I am very busy and have no time to listen to you slandering my daughter here. We only came to give a kind reminder because you are in a weak position and still a student. If you don’t appreciate it, then forget it.”

He glanced at his watch and nodded slightly to Sun Li: “Teacher Sun, I hope the school handles this matter well. I have things to do, so I’ll take my leave.”

Sun Li bowed and scraped to him: “Yes, yes, thank you for coming, Mr. Ran.”

Mrs. Ran shot a hateful glare at Lin Qiyan; she clearly still wanted to hit her but was forced to endure it. Mr. Ran gave her a look of high-and-mighty disdain, then turned and left. Mrs. Ran followed him out.

Lin Qiyan sighed silently.

Sun Li saw them out. When he returned, he shot her a sidelong glance and snorted, “Go back and prepare. The state will be looking after you soon.”

Saying this, he began to laugh, the fat on his face squeezing into a ball.

Lin Qiyan turned and walked away. After such a commotion, the second period had already started by the time she reached the classroom. Facing a crowd of curious gazes, Lin Qiyan pulled out her books and listened to the lecture as if nothing had happened. The disappointed students, seeing no drama, withdrew their gazes and began to whisper.

Ran Lie didn’t come for the whole day. The evening glow dyed the entire sky red. The bell for the final period rang. Evening self-study at the Affiliated High School was flexible; students could choose to stay at school or go home.

Lin Qiyan didn’t plan to stay. There was an entrance diagnostic exam in a month; as long as she placed in the top fifty of the grade, she could enter Class 1. Furthermore, the school provided tuition waivers and monetary rewards based on performance in the two major exams. First place in the grade would have tuition waived and be rewarded 50,000 yuan; second place would get a 15,000 reduction and 30,000 yuan; third place would get a 10,000 reduction and 10,000 yuan.

She planned to go for it. But the atmosphere here wasn’t very suitable for studying.

Lin Qiyan shouldered her bag and walked out of the classroom, which was bathed in golden light. School had just let out, and the gate was busy. Lin Qiyan wore her uniform, her figure slender and upright, walking independently as if detached from the world.

Turning a street corner, she suddenly bumped into an acquaintance. Lin Qiyan stopped in her tracks, startled.

Mu Yunge walked toward her and bent down slightly, the clouds filling the sky becoming a mere backdrop for her beauty. She crinkled her eyes gently: “Yan Yan.”

Lin Qiyan looked at her in surprise: “Yunge, why are you here?”

Mu Yunge: “Waiting for you. Can I treat you to dinner?”

The person in front of her had sprayed a blocker, but Mu Yunge still caught a whiff of the light Milan fragrance. From yesterday until now, she knew everything that had happened to Lin Qiyan.

One must not give a “prey” everything at once; dangling it appropriately and lending a hand at the most difficult moment is how one maximizes profit.

However, Mu Yunjing was acting under her instructions.