Chapter 3 — Glitch in the Supporting Character's Narrative

Xiao Cheng stared at me, wide-eyed, his previously hazy gaze finally sharpening into focus.

"Who told you to kneel!"

He yanked me upward, his hands trembling as he reached out to touch the angry red lump forming on my forehead. I let a few tears spill over. "Brother, wasn't it always like this before?"

The floating commentary scrolling across my vision turned chillingly judgmental: *Damn, this fake sister holds a grudge! She’s still obsessing over something that happened when she was fourteen? Back then, the female lead saw the male supporting character couldn't bear to kick the fake sister out, so she framed her for stealing the family heirloom necklace. Luckily, the female lead was merciful and only made her kowtow three times before leaving the Xiao household. If it were me, I’d have made her pay back every cent she spent over the years; the female lead was too soft-hearted...*

While Xiao Cheng stood there stunned, I touched the bump on my forehead and offered him a wretched, broken smile. "Well? Are you satisfied now? Can I go now?"

Xiao Cheng’s eyelashes fluttered. He was still in love with Huong Van Tinh. After compensating Huong Than Tung with five million for his medical bills and promising another hundred million in startup capital for the male lead, he finally managed to drag me back. Once we were home, he retreated into his study. How could I let him succumb to depression? My twenty-four-seven automated misery machine went into full operation, running at maximum capacity. Within three days, Xiao Cheng had to rush to my university five times; I had effectively sent his blood pressure soaring. Even his therapist started showing up less frequently. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he pulled me out of school entirely, gave up on my education, and kicked me into the Xiao Corporation to "build character."

"The Vice Chairman of the Pho family in the Southern City is a mentor. Once you are inside the corporation, if you don't understand something, ask him," he instructed. "Manager Tran is older and has spent years in the business world; he has his own pride. Whether or not you can win him over depends on your own ability. Assistant Li has been with me for ten years—he is one of our own, so you can trust him. And as for Manager Huong, he is Van Tinh’s cousin. I hope you will show me some respect and leave him a position at the company..."

I looked at him with an icy expression and cut him off. "Are you giving me your final wishes?"

The atmosphere suddenly fell silent. Xiao Cheng turned his face away. "I am just afraid that your ghost-like appearance will disgrace the Xiao name. Also, your motorcycle has been confiscated. From now on, you are only allowed to drive the Bentley."

Having said that, he waved his hand dismissively and tossed the keys at me. "Go in. If anything happens, call me."

The floating comments surged: *It feels like the male supporting character still hasn't recovered from the shock... After all, the female lead just posted her ultrasound photo on social media; that was the final killing blow for the poor guy. Counting down the seconds until the male supporting character 'leaves the stage.' I’m a little sad to see him go—maybe the fake sister should just die in his place.*

I watched Xiao Cheng’s lonely silhouette for a moment, then turned and stepped into the negotiation building. That very evening, a post exploded on the internet. I held a glass of red wine, posed with my foot resting on the backs of three elderly men as if they were performing ballet, and added the caption: "These three old men together can’t drink as much as I can, ha-ha-ha!"

In particular, I had pressured the manager surnamed Huong until he suffered a stomach hemorrhage, requiring an ambulance to cart him away with its sirens wailing.

At the hospital, Xiao Cheng, his wrist bandaged from an injury, dragged me along to "apologize" to the staff. Huong Van Tinh was sitting outside the operating room. The moment she saw him, she burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. "Brother Xiao Cheng, when will my cousin wake up? He’s going to be alright, isn't he..."

I let out a drunken hiccup, fully immersed in my performance, waving a silk handkerchief around. "You stinking old man, I’m going to take your life and your dignity!"

Huong Van Tinh turned purple with rage. "Brother Xiao Cheng, look at her! She knew my cousin was in poor health and couldn't drink much, yet as a junior, she forced him to keep going!" She clutched his sleeve tightly, her eyes red from weeping.

But Xiao Cheng looked up, his gaze strangely sober as he fixed it on me. "Xiao Lam, you couldn't handle your liquor before. Tell me, when exactly did you learn to drink like this?"

I lifted my head, my eyes swimming with artificial tipsiness. The floating comments obscured his face, so I couldn't discern his expression. *Where else would she learn it? Probably hanging out with those bottom-feeding friends of hers when she was abroad! Our female lead even went out of her way to have people 'look after' her, stealing her living expenses and even her phone, leaving her isolated in Germany—so satisfying! I’ll whisper this, but it seems the fake sister never actually offended the female lead, so this feels a bit much... Hey, you above, stop trying to act enlightened when everyone else is drunk; it's pathetic.*

I lightly stroked the scars hidden beneath my sleeves and, leaning into the alcohol, laughed. "A hundred dollars a bottle, Brother. Would you like to share a drink with me?"

Xiao Cheng’s brow furrowed deeply. Huong Van Tinh’s face paled, and she frantically stomped her foot in tears. "That’s enough! Brother Xiao Cheng, take her away! When my cousin wakes up, he surely won't want to see her!"

Xiao Cheng pulled me away, his face dark and somber as we left. In the car, he rested his head on his hand, his voice uncharacteristically soft as he asked, "Those seven years in Germany... you had a very hard time, didn't you?"