After Transmigrating into a Book, I Became the Vicious Female Supporting Lead - Chapter 21

Lin Qiyan asked curiously, “Is Su Lin in prison?”

Tang Ziqian, who was busy peeling a crab, couldn’t help but gossip. “Ran Xiong bailed both Su Lin and Ran Lie out. However, Su Lin was sent straight to a mental asylum. She’ll likely spend the rest of her life ‘enjoying her golden years’ in there. As for Ran Lie, since she’s his daughter, he kept her around—maybe out of some shred of fatherly affection.”

Mu Yunge lowered her eyes and removed her gloves, a trace of a smile on her lips.

Tang Ziqian felt a bit of a chill seeing that expression. “Yunge, did I say something wrong?”

Mu Yunge tossed the dirty gloves into the trash and placed a piece of meat in the bowl of the person beside her. Instead of answering the question, she looked at Lin Qiyan with a smile and asked, “Yan Yan, does your class have a new transfer student?”

It was a statement, not a question.

Lin Qiyan blinked in surprise and nodded.

Tang Ziqian: “You even know about this? Who is it?”

Lin Qiyan answered obediently, “It’s Ran Lie’s half-brother, Xia Yiran.”

The rib Tang Ziqian was holding clattered back onto her plate. She looked at Mu Yunge, completely baffled. “How did he end up transferring here? Did Ran Xiong decide Ran Lie is a failure and start valuing this son again?”

Lin Qiyan looked over, curious as well.

Mu Yunge shook her head slightly, her lips curling into a leisurely smile. “It wasn’t Ran Xiong.”

Tang Ziqian was confused, but seeing Mu Yunge’s expression, she had a sudden flash of insight. “The Shen family?”

Mu Yunge’s smile turned a bit cold.

Tang Ziqian thought of something and shuddered. “Holy crap, the Shens are sick in the head.”

Lin Qiyan was still lost in the fog.

Tang Ziqian explained: “The Shen family has always wanted to cling to the Mu family. Yunge is the future head of the family, so they’ve racked their brains trying to please her. Usually, it’s one thing, but their methods are low-class. They’re constantly sending Omegas to seduce her, and they’ve even done disgusting things like drugging her.”

Her face soured as she spoke. Lin Qiyan’s eyes gradually widened.

[They—they can do that?! Wait, if Xia Yiran was sent by the Shens, isn’t he also meant to…]

She turned to look at Mu Yunge. The latter had her eyelashes lowered, hiding her emotions. Lin Qiyan’s expression grew complex.

[A male Omega… this… the waters in these wealthy families are so deep. Yunge is a bit pitiable.]

However, she asked, “Yunge, you’re in Class 1. Isn’t sending someone to Class 15 a bit too far away?”

Lin Qiyan didn’t quite understand. Tang Ziqian looked at her with a hesitant expression, her gaze shifting back and forth between Lin Qiyan and Mu Yunge before finally letting out a world-weary sigh.

Lin Qiyan: “???”

Tang Ziqian awkwardly changed the subject. “But what does this have to do with Ran Lie?”

Mu Yunge said with a half-smile, “Do you think Ran Xiong would actually keep Su Lin around?”

It was like a lightbulb went off for Tang Ziqian. Lin Qiyan understood instantly as well.

Ran Xiong could even be ruthless toward Xia Yian, let alone Su Lin, who was a mistress-turned-wife with no remaining value to him. A man who valued reputation as much as Ran Xiong would not let her occupy the title of “Mrs. Ran” forever, nor would he leave a potential liability for himself. The best way was to make Su Lin disappear.

The dead are the quietest; the dead cause no trouble.

“Ran Xiong was the indirect cause of Xia Yian’s death. Xia Yiran definitely won’t let him go.” Mu Yunge tapped her fingers lightly on the table, her smile turning a bit wicked. “Who do you think will move faster? Ran Xiong, or Xia Yiran with the Shen family backing him?”

To put it another way, who would die “accidentally” first: Ran Xiong or Su Lin?

Under their shocked gazes, Mu Yunge leaned back lazily against the chair, her beautiful peach-blossom eyes full of interest. “My guess? The day Su Lin dies will be the anniversary of Ran Xiong’s death.”

Tang Ziqian realized: “The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Xia Yiran doesn’t plan on letting either of that couple go.”

Lin Qiyan was at a complete loss for words. Mu Yunge’s grasp of human nature was almost masterful.

Tang Ziqian leaned forward slightly, frowning. “Su Lin is controlled by Ran Xiong in the mental asylum, so she’s easy to deal with. But what about Ran Xiong? What will Xia Yiran do?”

Mu Yunge crinkled her eyes. “Isn’t Ran Xiong currently scouting for a third Mrs. Ran?”

Tang Ziqian was struck by the realization.

The mood of the meal had taken eighteen twists and turns. Tang Ziqian watched her childhood friend’s persona crumble and shift like a split personality, her expression becoming very complex. Lin Qiyan felt a bit heavy-hearted after meeting the original female lead.

Only Mu Yunge remained perfectly natural.

After the meal, Lin Qiyan and Mu Yunge walked back together. Lin Qiyan suddenly remembered yesterday and told Mu Yunge how Xia Yiran had helped her, her original intent being to wonder if he had some hidden agenda.

But Mu Yunge didn’t focus on that. She arched a brow. “Yan Yan, you work at that milk tea shop?”

Lin Qiyan nodded.

Mu Yunge recalled the hand she had seen yesterday and asked, “You make the tea in the back?”

Confused, Lin Qiyan continued to nod. Mu Yunge gave a meaningful “Oh.”

“You’re at your floor, Yan Yan. Bye-bye.”

The two parted on the fourth floor. Mu Yunge hadn’t said much; maybe Xia Yiran really was just a passerby doing a good deed, and besides, she had nothing worth scheming for anyway. Lin Qiyan shook her head and stopped overthinking.

She walked into the classroom. A group of students who had been whispering immediately scattered. They watched her walk to her seat, then turned back and resumed whispering.

Lin Qiyan: “…”

Could you be any more obvious about talking behind my back?

Just as she was thinking this, a rolled-up book tapped the corner of her desk. Lin Qiyan looked up. Xia Yiran, across the aisle, said stiffly, “The math teacher came by. He told you to finish the makeup homework. He’s checking it in class tomorrow.”

Lin Qiyan: “…Thanks.”

The youth gave a grunt and turned away. Lin Qiyan looked toward the class academic rep, but the girl avoided her gaze.

The rain eased significantly in the afternoon. By the time school let out, the sky had cleared, and the air was fresh and cool. Lin Qiyan took her bag to the milk tea shop.

The owner was still at the counter. Seeing her arrive, he smiled. “Qiyan, you’re here. Can you handle the counter today?”

Lin Qiyan nodded, put her bag in the back, donned her uniform, and started working.

The wind chimes rang out crisply, and a boy ran in cheerfully. “Brother, I’m back!”

The moment the boy locked eyes with the person at the front desk, he froze instantly.

Lin Qiyan: “…”

Great, another acquaintance.

Nan Yu walked out from the back. “Xiao Dan, you’re back.” Noticing his brother’s unnatural expression, he asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

Following his gaze, Nan Yu smiled in realization and introduced them. “Xiao Dan, you weren’t here yesterday. This is Lin Qiyan, our part-timer.” Then he said to Lin Qiyan, “This is my younger brother, Nan Dan.”

Lin Qiyan smiled and nodded. Nan Dan gave a stiff acknowledgment and quickly pulled Nan Yu to the back.

Since school had just let out, there were quite a few customers. Nan Dan didn’t get a chance to say much to his brother before he had to change into his uniform to help. As he worked, he kept glancing at Lin Qiyan, terrified she’d throw an “Eldest Miss” tantrum and offend the customers, leading to their shop’s miserable bankruptcy.

The situation he feared didn’t happen. Lin Qiyan had a gentle personality and looked sweet and pretty. She was only “famous” within the second-grade year, and the episode at the opening ceremony wasn’t enough to affect things for long. The visiting students didn’t have much ill will toward her, and the situation was far better than Nan Dan had imagined.

While Nan Dan felt relieved, he also shed some of his bad impressions of Lin Qiyan.

As the burning sunset faded, the flow of customers in the milk tea shop slowed down, allowing Lin Qiyan to take a short break.