The Vicious Supporting Character Must Flirt or Die [Transmigration into a Book] - Chapter 19

Jiang Yuan dragged Jing Ying around the furniture store. Every time she saw a piece she liked, she would ask for Jing Ying’s opinion.

But no matter what she pointed out, Jing Ying always gave a vague nod and said, “Everything you like looks good.”

After a few rounds of this, Jiang Yuan began pouting and grumbled, “Xiao Ying, do you have something on your mind? You’ve been totally spaced out this whole time.”

Jing Ying’s expression froze slightly. “It’s nothing. I probably just didn’t sleep well last night.”

Jiang Yuan fell silent.

Right, she had gotten drunk last night and Jing Ying had stayed up taking care of her. It made sense she would be tired today.

Jiang Yuan felt a bit awkward.

“Let’s head back then. I’ll make dinner for you so you can rest early. Auntie Jing has to be transferred to another ward tomorrow.”

Jing Ying shook her head. “No need. Go ahead and choose. I’ll stay with you.”

She walked over casually to another display and pointed to a deep-colored solid wood bed, about 1.2 by 1.8 meters. “Does your office have a break room? Should we get a bed for it?”

“Mm, it does. Let’s get one for that.”

Jiang Yuan walked around the dark wood bed, thinking for a moment. “I should probably replace some of the furniture in my room as well. Let’s get this same one for our place.”

She bent over to test the bed and collapsed onto it. It was soft.

Her fair skin stood out against the dark bed and sheets in stark contrast.

Jing Ying stood beside her, watching.

Her throat tightened.

Her heart was beating faster than usual.

Without warning, she recalled last night when Jiang Yuan had hugged her on the bed and pulled at her robe.

Just like now…

Her skin had been like snow, her scent clean and teasing.

Jing Ying’s face grew hot. She turned away, pretending to look elsewhere.

Jiang Yuan caught her turning her face and smirked. She reached out and gave a tug.

Jing Ying was caught off guard and fell onto the bed.

But unlike the hospital incident, this time they didn’t bump into each other. They lay side by side, tightly pressed together.

Jing Ying was about to get angry, but when she turned her head and saw Jiang Yuan laughing like a mischievous child who had pulled off a prank, her irritation softened into helpless affection. She could not help but smile.

After lying there for a while, Jiang Yuan turned on her side and propped up her head to look at Jing Ying. A few strands of her hair fell across her cheek, tickling her. The two were very close.

“What do you think of this bed?”

“It’s pretty soft.”

Jing Ying’s gaze shifted slightly as she replied. Her eyes looked deeper than usual.

Jiang Yuan nodded. “Yeah, it really is.”

Then Jing Ying added, “Even if you roll around on it, it won’t make any noise.”

Jiang Yuan blinked. “Huh? Why would someone roll around?”

Before she could make sense of it, Jing Ying had already stood up and offered her hand.

Jiang Yuan froze for a moment, then took her hand and was pulled up.

“Come on. Let’s keep looking.”

Jing Ying spoke calmly.

Jiang Yuan followed behind her, completely baffled.

Somehow, Jing Ying seemed… different from a moment ago.

They continued browsing around the furniture store.

This time, Jiang Yuan was certain Jing Ying really had changed.

She no longer seemed distracted and actually offered serious suggestions.

Still, every item they picked shared three distinct features. They were all large, soft, and quiet.

Jiang Yuan had no objections but was a little curious. “Are you sensitive to noise, Jing Ying? I’ll try to be quieter from now on.”

After all, they lived next door. If she got too loud, it might disturb her goddess-like roommate. That could cost affection points.

But Jing Ying turned to her with a subtle smile. “No, I’m worried about disturbing someone else.”

“Huh?”

Jiang Yuan wanted to ask more, but Jing Ying had already walked off like a mysterious sage.

She stood there, looking puzzled.

Just then, a soft “ding” echoed in her mind.

Jiang Yuan quickly pulled up the system screen and was surprised to see the affection meter tremble. A second later, it jumped to 40.

Jiang Yuan: …

What just happened?

What did I do?

She was completely at a loss.

…

By the time they finished shopping, Jiang Yuan was exhausted. Jing Ying offered to carry her bag, and she even drove them home.

Jiang Yuan felt a little guilty. “I could’ve managed on my own.”

“It’s fine. Just relax,” Jing Ying replied softly.

Jiang Yuan was a little awkward but also quietly happy. She enjoyed being taken care of by Jing Ying.

Before she transmigrated, she had always been a lone wolf.

She seemed cheerful on the outside, but only she knew how much she had kept others at arm’s length.

Growing up without parents in an orphanage had made her wary of letting anyone in.

Maybe at first, she approached Jing Ying to survive. But after spending time together, she realized that having someone like this in her life felt truly good.

No one had ever looked after her like this before.

Jing Ying was always attentive to small things. When she noticed Jiang Yuan suddenly smiling for no reason, she was a little surprised but said nothing.

They drove home.

Jiang Yuan enthusiastically took charge in the kitchen, and Jing Ying didn’t stop her.

She sat at the dining table, resting her chin on her hand as she scrolled through her phone.

Neither of them disturbed the other, but the atmosphere felt peaceful and close.

Soon, Jiang Yuan finished cooking and served dinner. It was a simple meal with one vegetable dish, one meat dish, and a pot of porridge.

“Porridge in the morning and evening is good for the stomach.”

Jiang Yuan smiled sweetly as she placed the porridge bowl in front of Jing Ying.

Jing Ying looked at her across the table. Every little expression on Jiang Yuan’s face seemed captivating. Her gaze grew deeper.

She took a sip of porridge and asked casually, “Jiang Yuan, have you ever liked anyone?”

Jiang Yuan: …

Instantly, alarms went off in her head.

Liked someone?

Why would Jing Ying ask that?

Thinking back on how distracted she had been all afternoon, she must have had something on her mind.

But with work on track and Auntie Jing recovering well, what else could be bothering her?

The only possible issue was her romantic arc with the male lead.

Could it be that Jing Ying had run into Li Tingshen without Jiang Yuan knowing, and something had happened between them?

Then why would she ask me?

Did she find out something?

Could she have misunderstood and thought I had something going on with Li Tingshen?

Was she upset about it now?

It clicked all at once. Jiang Yuan’s face changed.

She clenched her hands nervously, looked Jing Ying in the eye, and quickly shook her head. “No, I’ve never dated anyone. I’ve never liked anyone. You can relax. I won’t cause you any trouble.”

Jing Ying: …

She looked up with a complicated gaze.

Jiang Yuan felt dazed by the look.

But then it hit her. What she just said sounded exactly like something a person would say when confessing and getting rejected. A promise not to bother the other party.

Her face turned bright red.

She waved her hands. “No, I mean, I don’t have anyone I like. If you heard any rumors, don’t worry about them.”

Like the ones about the original Jiang Yuan being hopelessly in love with Li Tingshen.

But to Jing Ying, Jiang Yuan’s words carried another meaning entirely.

She raised an eyebrow but said nothing more.

She lowered her head and kept drinking her porridge.

The calmer Jing Ying appeared, the more anxious Jiang Yuan became.

“Um, Jing Ying… do you… like someone?”

“Why do you ask?” Jing Ying’s tone stayed neutral, though a ripple passed through her heart.

Jiang Yuan’s eyes widened in shock. Her mind raced.

No way. Could Jing Ying really have feelings for Li Tingshen? When did they even have contact?

She wanted to ask, but didn’t dare.

So she tried to offer some vague comfort. “Love is a tricky thing. Sometimes you think someone’s the one, but they might not be right for you. They could even turn out to be a total jerk. People’s hearts are unpredictable. You never really know someone. Especially in love, you need to be careful.”

As she spoke, she kept sneaking glances at Jing Ying’s expression.

Jing Ying stayed calm and asked lightly, “So are you a jerk?”

“Huh?”

Jiang Yuan froze.

She quickly shook her head. “No, I’m not. I’m a good person.”

Jing Ying’s eyes gleamed with subtle amusement. She nodded. “Alright then.”

Jiang Yuan: ???

What does that even mean?

But Jing Ying clearly didn’t want to continue. She stood and began clearing the dishes.

They both returned to their rooms.

Jiang Yuan lay in bed playing with her phone. She couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning, worried that Jing Ying might really be falling for Li Tingshen.

But Li Tingshen was still with Shen Mingzhu, the woman he cherished as his white moonlight.

Together, they had brought plenty of pain into Jing Ying’s life.

Now, what would happen?

What Jiang Yuan did not realize was that just next door, Jing Ying lay in bed, quietly scrolling through her social feed.

She was looking through Jiang Yuan’s old photos, one after another.

Early that morning, the two of them were each tied up with their own matters. Jing Ying needed to go to the hospital to help Jing Meilan with her room transfer, while Jiang Yuan was swamped with company business and couldn’t accompany her. She felt more than a little regretful about that.

After all, she had just missed a perfect chance to rack up love points in front of her goddess.

Seeing her sulking, Jing Ying felt a warm tug in her heart. She reached out and pinched Jiang Yuan’s small nose.

“My mom already appreciates your kindness. Just head to the company, okay? Priorities first.”

“But what you’re dealing with is more important,” Jiang Yuan said with a soft sigh, her tone drifting like the wind.

Jing Ying: …

Her heart skipped a beat.

She pressed her lips together and smiled.

Jiang Yuan stood at the curb, waving goodbye as Jing Ying took a taxi to the hospital. Then a thought popped into her head. Her eyes lit up.

“Then I’ll come find you at the hospital after work!” she called out cheerfully. “I’ve got a surprise for you!”

Jing Ying gave her a strange look, but when her eyes met Jiang Yuan’s bright, carefree smile, she gave a small nod. “Alright.”

Once she was gone, Jiang Yuan reluctantly fetched her car and drove to the office.

After the morning meeting wrapped up and personnel matters were finalized, she called the furniture store to have the office setup delivered.

What she didn’t expect was that someone utterly detestable showed up with the delivery crew.

“Miss Jiang, Mr. Li from Li Entertainment insists on seeing you.”

The new assistant knocked politely and stood at the door.

But before she even finished speaking, the man behind her barged in.

Jiang Yuan didn’t even have time to stop him.

The moment she saw Li Tingshen’s face, revulsion surged up from the pit of her stomach. She snapped at the assistant, her voice sharp and cold.

“Since when has anyone been allowed to stroll into my office without permission? It’s your first day here, and you’ve already forgotten the rules?”

The assistant flinched, her face flushing with embarrassment.

She had thought it was common knowledge in Nancheng that Miss Jiang adored Li Tingshen. When she saw him arrive, she figured her boss would be thrilled.

Clearly, she’d guessed wrong.

Terrified, she apologized in a rush. “I’m sorry, Miss Jiang. I tried, but I couldn’t stop Mr. Li.” She turned quickly to Li Tingshen. “Mr. Li, I’m sorry. I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

Li Tingshen lifted his eyes toward the woman behind the desk, his lips curling in a lazy smile.

“Jiang Yuan, do you really hate seeing me that much? You keep avoiding me, but where’s the fun in that? A bit of attitude can be charming, but constant tantrums are just childish. You really need to know when to stop.”

Jiang Yuan looked up at him and sneered.

Her voice was cold, clear, and utterly without hesitation.

“Get out.”

She turned to her assistant. “Call security. Have Mr. Li escorted out.”

Li Tingshen’s face turned black. “You’ve gone too far, Jiang Yuan.”

“Oh, I don’t think so. You entered my company without an appointment. For all I know, you came with bad intentions and are here to steal company secrets.”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Then leave.”

Li Tingshen: …

His face flushed from the mix of rage and humiliation.

Outside, the staff of Yuan Ying Media had only just started their first week. Curious by nature, they immediately perked up their ears at the shouting from the CEO’s office.

Just then, several security guards entered and flanked Li Tingshen on both sides.

“Mr. Li, if you please,” they said respectfully, but firmly.

Li Tingshen had never experienced such disgrace before. He raised a trembling hand and pointed at Jiang Yuan. His lips parted slightly, but no sound emerged.

With a sharp huff, he adjusted his suit jacket and muttered coldly, “Jiang Yuan, just you wait.”

Jiang Yuan didn’t even glance up from her documents.

“Mhm. Don’t let the door hit you.”

Li Tingshen: …

He stormed out in a fury.

As he passed, the staff who had been eavesdropping quickly turned their heads away, pretending to mind their own business.

The moment he left, the whispers erupted.

“What’s going on? Wasn’t our boss supposed to cling to Mr. Li like a fly to honey? This looks like the complete opposite.”

“I heard people say Miss Jiang was plain-looking, but she’s gorgeous. Way more stunning than any A-list actress.”

“Consider her background. She is the daughter of the richest man in the country. Do you think any celebrity could match that kind of presence?”

“Didn’t you see? The second she stopped giving Li Tingshen the time of day, he came crawling back. What does that tell you?”

“I even heard that all those film subsidiaries under Li Entertainment were originally gifts from Miss Jiang. Without her, what’s he got?”

“Exactly!”

“…”

While the employees chattered away outside, Jiang Yuan didn’t care in the slightest. She simply ordered the security team downstairs to throw Li Tingshen out on sight if he ever dared show up again.

Coincidentally, Li Tingshen had just stepped into the lobby when he heard her voice issuing that very command.

Li Tingshen: …

His face turned pitch black.

“You bitch,” he snarled under his breath.

But just as he walked out of Yuan Ying Media’s main entrance, his phone rang.

The caller ID displayed the characters spelling out Shen Mingzhu.

The hard line of his brow eased slightly.

“Mingzhu~”

“Ah Shen, how did it go? Are you with Jiang Yuan now? Did she forgive you?”

Li Tingshen: …

The second she mentioned it, his face darkened again.

Yesterday, he had tried to see Jiang Yuan and got rear-ended.

Today, he got thrown out in front of her entire staff.

The whole company had watched him become a walking joke.

He sucked in a breath. “No.”

Her sweet tone shifted abruptly into something cold and sharp. Irritation was clear in her voice.

“Ah Shen, don’t be reckless. Even if you don’t like Jiang Yuan, you need to keep her in check. You know she’s the Jiang family heiress, and now she’s founded Yuan Ying Media. If we don’t eliminate the threat at its root, she could grow into something we can’t handle. You have to try harder.”

Li Tingshen: …

His heart was burning with frustration.

“Mingzhu, are you that eager to push me into another woman’s arms? Does it really not bother you at all?”

He had given Shen Mingzhu everything he had, including his whole heart. From the moment he first saw her at the Li household as a child, she had taken root in his soul.

Everything he had worked for was to be worthy of her.

She was his faith, his entire world.

To fulfill her dreams, to reach her level, he had clawed his way into Nancheng by any means necessary.

But Shen Mingzhu never saw what he sacrificed. She only ever demanded more, always urging him toward other women.

There was a pause on the line.

Then she laughed sweetly. “Ah Shen, what are you saying? Of course I care. I’m so jealous I could scream. But there’s no helping it. If you can’t win Jiang Yuan over and she gets Yuan Ying Media up and running, you’ll be the one who loses out. With the Jiang family backing her, even the Shen family couldn’t stand a chance. Just trust me, okay? Once you take the Jiang family, my dad will finally approve of us. Be good~ I’ve got things to do, so I’ll stop here. Good luck! Mwah~”

Li Tingshen still wanted to say something, but the line went dead.

Fuming, he kicked the side of a parked car.

…

Meanwhile, on the other end of the call—

The moment Shen Mingzhu hung up, a man pulled her into his arms from behind. He rested his chin on her head and chuckled.

“You care about Li Tingshen?”

“Of course I care~ If he didn’t play the role of my pawn, how else could I have secured a foothold in Nancheng? How else could I get my dad to take me seriously or secure the Shen family inheritance?”

She nestled into the man’s chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. Her silk nightgown, made of little more than a few strips of fabric, was already slipping down. Her body was almost fully exposed.

The man’s eyes darkened as he stared at her, but he still asked, “About the inheritance… Are you really confident? Isn’t your father still holding out hope for that daughter he lost years ago?”

Shen Mingzhu’s face clouded instantly.

She let out a cold laugh. “Exactly. That old fool still regrets his youthful mistakes and won’t even draft a will. He’s clinging to the fantasy that he’ll find that orphaned mother and daughter. But can he? Even if he could, I won’t let it happen. The Shen family inheritance will be mine.”

The man looked at her closely. “So, you’ve found something?”

Shen Mingzhu patted his arm and signaled for him to carry her to the desk. She picked up a pen and wrote two characters on a sheet of paper.

“Find out everything about this person. I want every detail.”

The man glanced down.

Jing Ying?

…

At Yuan Ying Media.

After finishing her work, Jiang Yuan looked at the clock. It was already six o’clock. She reached for her phone and sent a message to Jing Ying.

[Where are you?]

The reply came quickly.

[You’re off work?]

Jiang Yuan smiled and typed: [Yes, I’m off now. I’m coming to find you. I have a surprise for you.]

[No need. I’ll be downstairs soon.]

Jiang Yuan blinked at the message.

Downstairs?

The goddess was coming to her?

She could barely sit still.

But the moment she stepped into the lobby, she noticed a crowd gathered outside.

Curious, she made her way over.

When the employees saw her approaching, they hurriedly cleared a path.

She frowned and pushed through.

A powerful wave of floral fragrance hit her.

Right in front of Yuan Ying Media, a giant heart made entirely of red roses had been arranged on the pavement.

And right in the middle stood that familiar, unwelcome figure. It was Li Tingshen.

Jiang Yuan nearly rolled her eyes into the back of her head.

She turned, ready to leave.

But she wasn’t feeling right. Her skin itched. Her throat felt tight, like something was scraping it from the inside.

She needed to get out of there, fast.

But the crowd behind her had already closed in.

There was no escape.

Li Tingshen stepped forward, holding a massive bouquet.

“Yuan’er, I want to apologize for my rude behavior. Please forgive me and give me another chance. Let me pursue you again. Okay?”

Jiang Yuan: …

She stared at him, wide-eyed.

“Li Tingshen, are you insane?!”

As soon as she opened her mouth, the overwhelming floral scent flooded in.

Her throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton.

She frowned, clutching her neck.

The itching on her face worsened.

Wait… could this body… be allergic to pollen?!

Her eyes flew open.

Li Tingshen watched her silently gaping at him, her face full of disbelief.

He assumed she was overwhelmed with emotion.

He smiled smugly, adjusted his posture into the most dashing angle, and said in a deep, confident voice, “Jiang Yuan, forgive me. I know you like me. I like you too. Let’s date.”

He stepped forward.

Jiang Yuan clapped a hand over her mouth and staggered back.

The crowd thought she was about to burst into tears of joy and started cheering.

Jiang Yuan knew something was very wrong.

She tried to flee, but more people appeared out of nowhere, trapping her in place.

Li Tingshen closed in. He was just ten centimeters away, leaning in for a kiss.

Jiang Yuan’s eyes widened in panic.

She felt like she was suffocating.

At that moment, someone grabbed Li Tingshen by the collar and pulled him backward.