Arc 4
The Supporting Female Is a Stand-In of the Female Lead (3)
In the corridor outside the bathroom, four opposite eyes met. Liang Ruowei was bright and attractive while Xu Chi was cold and noble. Standing together, they made a beautiful pair.
Liang Ruowei felt a novel feeling when she saw Xu Chi at such a close distance again.
He was as mesmerizing as the bright moon. Always looked cold and aloof, unapproachable to ordinary people. Many thought Xu Chi was a cold and heartless person, but she knew that Xu Chi had the warmest heart. He valued affection and righteousness. He was also single-minded and loyal. He was a man who can be entrusted for the rest of one’s life.
In her previous life, after Xu Chi helped her family through the difficulties, she began to regret it. No, actually, when she saw him again after meeting those ‘good’ friends, she regretted it. She went to Xu Chi and revealed that she wanted to reconcile with him. However, Xu Chi was unmoved and didn’t reciprocate. In fact, when she looked for him again, he avoided her.
Liang Ruowei was frustrated. Her heart vaguely felt lost and unwilling. In her opinion, Xu Chi would never fall in love with another woman other than her. That Ye Wei was just her substitute. How could she get Xu Chi’s love?
Thus, she went to Ye Wei with the hope that Ye Wei could learn her place. She hoped that Ye Wei could understand that Xu Chi had never loved her! At last, Ye Wei, as she wished, had a big quarrel with Xu Chi. She also heard that Ye Wei almost miscarried.
It was a shame that her hope wasn’t fulfilled. Instead, she angered Xu Chi to the point he personally warned her not to appear in front of him again. He delivered cruel and heartless blows to her, because she hurt his wife and unborn child; because she tore apart the home he longed for most.
She then realized that her arrogant and conceited self made her thoroughly lose Xu Chi.
Still, she would never acknowledge that Xu Chi truly fall in love with Ye Wei. Xu Chi probably just longed for home too much, and by chance, Ye Wei gave him that home. Liang Ruowei believed she was still Xu Chi’s favorite.
And this time, the end would be different! She chose to return back from the moment of her rebirth! Xu Chi didn’t like Ye Wei that much at this point and she had the opportunity to snatch Xu Chi!
“That girl is your girlfriend?” Liang Ruowei sent a disappointed smile at Xu Chi, “A’Chi, so you like another woman now?”
Xu Chi’s face remained stoic, “Whether I like another woman or not, it has nothing to do with you.”
Liang Ruowei said, “Why does it have nothing to do with me?”
Xu Chi glanced at her. His gaze fell on the necklace lying on the other’s collarbone. He was most familiar with that necklace, it was a gift he personally designed and presented to her when he confessed on her birthday. After they were together, that necklace had always been on Liang Ruowei’s neck.
Later, they quarreled, and Liang Ruowei was so mad that she removed the necklace off her neck. He thought she had thrown it away.
Now she wore it again. What did she want to imply?
He retracted his gaze and turned around, “I’ll leave first if there’s nothing else.”
“Wait, wait.” Liang Ruowei fished something out of her handbag, “I also brought you a gift for you when I return this time. I designed it myself. Don’t you like cuffs best? See if you like it?”
She handed it to Xu Chi, but Xu Chi didn’t accept it. He politely and alienatedly declined, “Thank you, but no need.”
Just like that, he left, leaving Liang Ruowei frozen in place. She wrung out a bitter smile. But, the belief in her heart became stronger.
Xu Chi’s reaction just now showed that he hadn’t forgotten her and still cared about her in his heart, right? If he didn’t care about her, why would he avoid her like she was someone repulsive?
She grew up with Xu Chi. She knew Xu Chi too well. With his character, he was inclined to act like a stranger to the people he didn’t care about.
Xu Chi could only be hers. No one could take him away.
————·————·————
“So you are Ye Wei, A’Chi’s girlfriend?” Liang Ruowei returned to the party and didn’t see Xu Chi around Ye Wei. Therefore, she took the initiative to have a chat with Ye Wei. She inadvertently scrutinized her. The more she looked, the happier she was. Ye Wei was so similar to her. Even the teardrop-shaped earrings on her ears were her favorite style.
Ye Wei blinked guilelessly, “You have heard of me? I have also heard of you. I heard that you, Cao Heng, and A’Chi are good friends who grew up together. All of you are really close to each other. Can I call you Ruowei-jie from now on?”
Liang Ruowei didn’t answer, instead, she commented, “Your earrings are so beautiful.”
Ye Wei touched her ear and smiled, “Thank you. This is a gift from A’Chi.”
Liang Ruowei smiled back, “Oh, so it’s like that. What a coincidence, I also like things in the shape of teardrops.”
Ye Wei’s innocent smile remained on her face. “Oh, is that true? You grew up together, and even your preferences are similar. A’Chi! A’Chi! You are back! I just heard from Ruowei-jie that she also liked teardrop-shaped things. Really, both of you are indeed worthy of being friends who grew up together, you even share the same likings.”
Liang Ruowei, “……”
Xu Chi who had just returned from smoking, “……”
He glanced at Liang Ruowei sideways. Liang Ruowei smiled, appearing innocent with a faint pride.
Xu Chi helped Ye Wei up, “Let’s go. We’re going back.”
Ye Wei obediently followed Xu Chi away. Before she exited, she spun around and waved to Liang Ruowei, “We will go home first. I will invite you to visit our home another day. I have a lot of teardrop-shaped earrings in our home. I’ll show it to you when the time comes.” ”
Liang Ruowei smiled again. She was surprised for a second, then her expression became prouder when she looked at Xu Chi’s face. “I’m going to hold a party in a few days. Let’s play together later there.”
Ye Wei nodded in agreement.
Xu Chi’s face was bad. He swiftly took Ye Wei and left.
Ye Wei: Look, aren’t I an amazing assist?
This was the reason why there were so few people in the Vicious Supporting Female Team. Not many people could stay sane and maintain their reason to stick to their tasks. A task-oriented person like her was rare. In exchange, the prize for the Vicious Supporting Female Team was a lot more generous than other groups to appease their rebellious hearts. If the people from Scumbag Abuse Team were sent to do this task, she was sure that they would chew Liang Ruowei clean without leaving her bones.
As a Supporting Female, she wouldn’t do so to Liang Ruowei. She loved money and was lazy. She wanted to get 100 points. If she wasn’t qualified to be a bullied Supporting Female, she would be sent back to study again.
————·————·————
Xu Chi was in a daze all night. His stomach ached faintly. When they got home, Ye Wei made him some ginger soup and a bowl of porridge. He drank some and lay down for a while. Eventually, he felt much better.
He looked at Ye Wei, who was whole-heartedly looking at him with a worried expression in front of him, and comforted, “Don’t worry, I’m fine. ”
Ye Wei pursed her lips, “Where is it alright? It must be pretty uncomfortable. I won’t let you drink again next time. I don’t accept any objection on this matter.”
For some reason, Xu Chi perceived a twinge of pain in his heart. He tugged Ye Wei into his embrace. He hugged her tightly and said, “I’m sorry. ”
Ye Wei smiled and patted him on the shoulder. She said with a loving expression on her face, “What are you sorry for? If you don’t want me to worry, drink less wine. The Doctor says your stomach is not good and you should treat it well. Yet you won’t listen and can’t be persuaded…”
Xu Chi’s muffled voice replied, “I know…”
Ye Wei said, “if you know, you should do it. Next time, don’t drink so much again. You keep drinking and smoking, do you want to die painfully? If you do this again, I won’t care about you anymore.”
Xu Chi hummed, “I really know.”
Ye Wei sighed helplessly.
Xu Chi smiled slightly from her care.
His mind was back to a time from long ago.
His bad stomach wasn’t caused by an irregular diet, but by his excessive drinking when Liang Ruowei went abroad.
He had been with Liang Ruowei since he was a child. He could be considered her little follower. Wherever she was, he followed. He had given her all his feelings since he was a child. As soon as she left, his world was empty. He couldn’t accept such a gap, so he got used to numbing himself with alcohol.
Later, he was caught by his grandpa. His grandpa was furious that he banned him from drinking ever again. He didn’t want his grandpa to worry, so he gradually changed his habit. However, the harm had been done by that time. Since then, his stomach would ache if he was not careful with his diet.
Way later, he was together with Ye Wei. Ye Wei cared about him and his health, in an extent, his bad stomach. She tried her best to cook all kinds of soup for him and supervised him to have breakfast every day. She was as gentle as a spring breeze, giving him an extremely comfortable feeling. But, every time he saw her, he always thought of Liang Ruowei.
Liang Ruowei had a Young Miss’ temper. She was resolute, self-centered, willful, and proud, like a dazzling rose. As long as she set her mind on something, no one or thing could change her. For example, her insistence on going abroad.
He didn’t want her to leave, but Liang Ruowei still chose to leave. She tried to persuade him to give in and accompany her abroad. ‘They would come back soon,’ and ‘It would only take a few years,’ she said.
“Then what about my grandpa?”
“Oh, please. Now that technology is so advanced. If you miss your grandpa, let’s just come back and visit him? Vice versa, if your grandpa misses you, he can come to see you too. It’s not like you won’t be able to see each other anymore.”
“No, that won’t do. Grandpa is already old. His body can’t stand long-distance travel. Besides, he is the only relative I have around me. I can’t leave him. I can’t bear to only visit him once or twice a month.”
“A’Chi, when you grow up, you have to learn to be independent. Grandpa Xu is in good health. There are people around that will take care of him. He will be fine. Even if there is something wrong, Grandpa Xu can get the best treatment as soon as possible. Why can’t you just try to live your own life…” Liang Ruowei felt that Xu Chi was too stubborn. Wasn’t it just going abroad? It was not a parting of life and death. If he really loved her so much, why wouldn’t he go with her?
Xu Chi firmly refused, “I won’t go. You can either choose to stay, or we break up.”
It was the first time he spoke such a heavy word to Liang Ruowei. It was also the first time he spoke about breaking up with her.
His expressionless face was without warmth.
Liang Ruowei was dumbfounded. Then, she was angry. She deemed that Xu Chi was still a child who couldn’t live without adults. She had her own life to live. She couldn’t give up the life she wanted for a man, to stay and marry Xu Chi; to be shackled with marriage for the rest of her life.
No. That was not the life she wanted.
“Fine, let’s break up.”
Liang Ruowei removed her necklace and handed it to Xu Chi. Xu Chi stared at it for a long time and opened his mouth, “Throw it away.”
He dropped that sentence and left.
Liang Ruowei felt wronged and aggrieved. She held onto the necklace, unwilling to throw it away. She decided to go abroad the next day.
On the day she went abroad, she thought Xu Chi would be reluctant to part with her and would come to make her stay. At that time, she would say goodbye to him gracefully, but he didn’t come.
Until she boarded the plane, Xu Chi never showed up.
————·————·————
Liang Ruowei’s welcoming banquet was approaching. Ye Wei prepared a set of teardrop-shaped jewelry for Liang Ruowei to ensure the gift she gave would suit Liang Ruowei’s preferences. In addition, she wrote on the card:
“Congratulations to Ruowei-jie for her return from studying abroad. 一Sincerely, your Didi and Dimei[1].”
This move not only would arouse the jealousy of the Female Lead, but also stimulate her feelings for the Male Lead! Strive to get them together asap!
Aih, she’s really so awesome!
Footnotes
[1] 弟弟 – dìdì, younger brother. 弟妹 – dìmèi, younger brother’s wife(lover)/sister-in-law. ↵
Ry’s Corner
This Liang Ruowei is too self-conceited, ain’t she.
While Xu Chi is slow in emotion and can be regarded as stupid in some cases, I won’t label him as a scum… at least he is filial?
Learn from Yin Nanzhao from “The Memory Lost in Space”. “He never scolds people.” Chen Sha’s words were very honest. Except, the latter half of his sentence was omitted, “He is the kind that beat people directly to the hospital.”!
Talking is overrated, anyway.
If you like what I do please consider buying me ko-fi! Who needs sleep, anyway. I don’t offer Advanced Chapters like Lyre yet, but you are free to water this thirsty cat!
Words count (excluding title, footnotes, TL’s corner): Number
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The chatting guest on the seat went, so the book slept.
It’s a dilemma. You should live your life when you’re young and unfettered but those are also the years you’ll still have your parents. They only have so long to live, but so do you.
Thanks for the great translation! Ye Wei has fantastic work ethic. So proud. (◍•ᴗ•◍)
While he is filial at least, Xu Chi also seems very controlling and inflexible, so I wouldn’t get your hopes up just yet (seriously, give up your long held dreams of living abroad or we’re done? hasn’t Xu Chi heard of video calls?)
Long distance relationships are hard and it’s really important to stress that Xu Chi only has his grandfather left. He wants a family, she wants to study abroad. They simply aren’t compatible from their needs. Xu chi isn’t controlling just because he wants to prioritize staying near and starting a family, nor is Ruowei in the wrong for wanting to further her education abroad.
But unfortunately these life goals are mutually exclusive so it was inevitable. Many couples IRL break up due to being in a position where compromises are near impossible. The pre-regression timeline is simply how life tends to work out.