Conquering the Male Supporting Character – CH 002

Chapter 2. Returning Home (Debugging)

Even after changing into her spare clothes, Lu Wan was still pondering Xie Yu’s sudden change in expression.

The young man’s previously gentle, spring-like eyes suddenly sharpened, like the cold glint of a drawn blade, chilling to the bone.

But the problem was, all she had done was thank him.

Or had she misjudged him?

After all, the next second, he was back to normal, even kindly pointing her to where to change.

“Sister? Are we really not going to wait for Fifth Aunt?”

Sitting in the carriage they had come in, Lu Ling nervously wrung her handkerchief, her clear, doe-like eyes round, moist, and a little pitiful.

She was confused by her sister’s sudden change in temperament after falling into the water. She had just contradicted Fifth Aunt in front of the Emperor, and now she wanted to take her directly back to the mansion.

This change was truly too drastic.

“Of course not,” Lu Wan thought. “After all, only the three of us went to the palace today. If we left Lu Zhen here, she’d cause a huge uproar once she got back home.”

Lu Wan felt a little dizzy, so she leaned softly against the armrests in the carriage, half-closing her eyes, and listlessly explained to her younger sister.

“The news of my falling into the water has spread far and wide. If she’s not that stupid, she should know that leaving early and taking me home, even though I’ve caught a chill, would at least salvage her reputation a little.”

While it was better than nothing, there were so many shrewd people at the banquet who saw through it all.

“Trying to deliberately tarnish her niece’s reputation in front of the Emperor… well, for the time being, the Lu family will probably be the laughingstock of the powerful and wealthy in Luoyang.”

But what did that have to do with her? The Lu family had fallen into ruin with the collapse of the previous dynasty but rose to prominence again due to the influence of Noble Consort Lu, a powerful relative in the imperial family—something many envied.

A misstep could lead to minor embarrassment or even a major impeachment.

However, Lu Ling didn’t need to know the intricacies of this situation.

Lu Wan raised an eyebrow, reluctantly lifting her eyelids to look at Lu Ling, whose thoughts were written all over her face. Her younger sister, like a little rabbit, was rather adorable.

“Ah Ling, did you bring a mirror?”

Suddenly, curiosity struck her; she didn’t even know what ‘she’ looked like.

Unfortunately, most of her belongings had probably fallen into the lake, so she could only borrow a mirror from Lu Ling.

The topic had jumped too quickly. Lu Ling paused, then pulled a small silver target mirror from her purse and handed it to her elder sister.

Even though the mirror was a bit blurry, and even though she was pale and had caught a chill, Lu Wan was still stunned.

This face was truly too beautiful.

It resembled her own features, yet seemed to have been enhanced with a beauty filter.

Her delicate eyebrows were arched, her eyes clear, and her lips red. A single glance from her captivating gaze revealed a natural, unadorned allure, a refined elegance that radiated from within, delicate yet not seductive.

If she were to describe herself, she would be described as breathtakingly beautiful, a peony in full bloom.

Every smile, every glance, every lowered gaze was captivating.

So… such a beauty had pursued that Shizi of Prince Xin for years without ever being moved?

Lu Wan looked in the mirror, raising an eyebrow and smiling slightly. The beauty in the mirror appeared more radiant and haughty; then, with slightly lowered eyes and pursed lips, the beauty in the mirror gained a touch of melancholy, making one feel a pang of pity.

“Oh, so you’ve only just been saved by Xie Yu, and you are already indulging in self-pity?”

Tsk tsk, that sharp, sarcastic tone was truly grating.

Lu Wan glanced at Lu Zhen, who was getting into the carriage. Judging the distance, she nimbly pushed off with her foot, almost causing Lu Zhen, who had just stepped onto the footrest, to fall, but was steadied by a maid.

“Fifth Aunt, don’t just spout nonsense; watch your step.”

Lu Wan smiled casually, kindly reminding her.

The smile startled Lu Zhen, whose heart was pounding with fear. A surge of anger rose within her; she had known the woman was beautiful, yet she had been fooled.

“What were you doing just now?! You actually tried to make me fall! How cruel!”

Lu Zhen felt she had caught Lu Wan red-handed. She would wait until she returned home and complained, making sure Lu Wan suffered a terrible fate!

Her voice was somewhat shrill, already attracting the attention of the palace guards nearby.

“Fifth Aunt, if I were you, I would quietly get into the carriage or perhaps apologize for what happened earlier. Maybe then I would be in a better mood and wouldn’t tell Grandpa about your nonsense at the banquet.”

However, if it reached Lu Ming through someone else’s mouth, that was none of her business.

“You clearly stepped on me just now!”

“Fifth Aunt, watch your words!”

“Is it not enough that you slandered me once? You have to do it again?”

Lu Wan emphasized each word of the second half of her sentence, making Lu Zhen involuntarily recall the Emperor’s sharp gaze, and her shoulders trembled.

Lu Wan turned to Lu Ling. “Ah Ling, did you see me step on Fifth Aunt just now?”

Completely bewildered, Lu Ling shook her head frantically; she truly hadn’t seen anything.

“Or perhaps Fifth Aunt has other witnesses?”

Lu Wan’s gaze deliberately lingered on the hanging carriage curtain, intentionally drawing Lu Zhen’s attention.

The curtain was only half-lifted… no one else could have seen it; Lu Wan had planned this all along!

And the maid was there to help her up; nothing serious could happen. Lu Wan, Lu Wan was clearly deliberately trying to scare her!

Lu Zhen felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. Her incredulous gaze fell on Lu Wan’s smiling face, which now appeared sinister to her.

She’d only fallen into the water, yet she’d become so sharp-tongued. Could she have gotten into trouble…?

A chill ran down Lu Zhen’s spine. She dared not utter another word, obediently getting into the carriage and sitting in the corner furthest from Lu Wan. Her hands were trembling slightly.

She would tell her mother when she got back to the mansion; her mother would surely have a way to subdue this demon.

Finally, some peace and quiet. Lu Wan touched her slightly flushed cheeks; that shrill voice had given her a headache.

The coachman gave a soft shout, and the wheels began to turn, heading towards the Lu residence through the side gate of the palace.

Feeling a bit stuffy in the carriage, Lu Wan opened a corner of the window. By chance, the main gate of the palace came into view.

Above the five-tiered gate tower, understated yet magnificent green-glazed tiles adorned the understated elegance. Symmetrically positioned, towering multi-story gate towers stood tall, and vermilion palace walls were supported by blue brick walls edged with stone slabs. Four imposing crouching beasts adorned the upturned eaves.

A scene of refined elegance and grandeur, this palace, the result of decades, even centuries, of renovations by previous dynasties, truly benefited the current Emperor.

He enjoyed the comforts without incurring the infamy of wasting public funds.

【Ding! Transmigration Strategy No. 001 at your service!】

【001: Ah Wan, Ah Wan! I am back! (Spinning around.jpg)】

【Lu Wan: ???】

【Lu Wan: Come on, tell me, what task do I need to complete to go home?】

It even came with its own emoji; Lu Wan found it somewhat amusing.

Her attention was focused on 001’s words, so she didn’t notice the sudden smile in her eyes, which made Lu Zhen in the corner even more terrified.

【001: Waaaaah~ Aren’t you curious about where you are?! (Smirking.jpg)】

【Lu Wan: Thanks for the invitation, not curious.】

Lu Wan gently released her hand, and with a click, the scenery outside the window disappeared from sight. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t curious; this system seemed to be malfunctioning, and it was more important to explain things clearly and quickly.

【001: Life is meaningless.jpg】

【001: Ah Wan, I know what you are thinking. (Smug.jpg)】

【Lu Wan: Smiling.jpg】

【001: ^_^! In short, Ah Wan, you are currently in a book. You need to win over either the male supporting character or the male lead. Once their affection level reaches 100%, you can go home! Your original body is currently in the ICU. You’ll regain consciousness after the conquest is complete!】

【001: Ah Wan, keep going! Once you decide who you want to conquer, I’ll come to your side in another form. Go for it! (Image)】

With a click, a book appeared in Lu Wan’s mind. She tried to flip through it, and it was easy.

It was an old-fashioned sweet romance novel. After reading it once, she understood it was about a man and woman who met by chance and gradually developed feelings for each other. The cousin, who had always silently protected the female lead, quickly withdrew, remaining single and devoted to his “white moonlight” until old age.

The plot was as bland as plain water with a little sugar.

So much so that by the time Lu Ling noticed her expression was off and gently called her name, she had already read more than half the book.

The plot was all sweetness and pampering? Couldn’t it have a little more substance?

Lu Wan slammed the book shut in her mind. The identity she had transmigrated into—the original Lu Wan—was destined to drown in the Lotus Pond today, dying at the very beginning of this book, utterly useless afterward!

The book was full of the main characters’ lovey-dovey romances; the most complicated plot was merely the male lead’s complicated family background. He suffered abuse from his stepmother and half-brothers in his youth and was sent to Luoyang, effectively becoming a hostage.

Yes, the Shizi of Prince Xin, whom the original owner had pursued for years without success, was the male lead in the book.

And the male supporting character was the young man who saved her today, Xie Yu, the current Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, courtesy name Xun’an, gentle and handsome, who passed the imperial examination at a young age and was even personally selected by the Emperor as a Tanhua¹.

The sixth son of the Xie family, Young Master Xie Yu, earned the title “Jade Gentleman of the Xie Family” after his elegant and refined demeanor during the parade and banquet at Xingyuan Garden. Few people addressed him by his birth order anymore; they simply called him Young Master Xie Yu.

It seemed there was no need for hesitation.

She glanced coldly at the Shizi of Prince Xin. He was handsome but arrogant, and his face immediately darkened upon hearing her name mentioned, clearly showing his extreme dislike. Xie Yu, on the other hand, had saved her today.

It seemed that winning over Xie Yu would be much faster.

Besides, this Young Master Xie Yu was more to her liking.

There was a classic saying in China: “Since we are already here…”

So, since she was already here, of course, she’d win over the one she liked more.

…

So what she rejected earlier… she was open to a marriage of convenience that would blossom into love.

Having accepted the arranged marriage, she now had a legitimate reason to approach Xie Yu openly.

Feeling like she’d missed out on a fortune… Lu Wan felt a pang of regret, no, a very, very strong regret…

“Sister, have you caught a cold? Are you dizzy?”

Lu Ling cautiously looked at Lu Wan, noticing her thoughtful expression and the flickering light on her face. After a moment’s hesitation, she reached out to check Lu Wan’s forehead.

But Lu Wan gently stopped her. “Perhaps I’ve caught a bit of a cold. Just call the physician from the mansion to take a look.”

Seeing Lu Ling’s face flush red with embarrassment at being stopped, she smiled and added, “It’s not that I dislike you, Ah Ling, but if it’s a cold, it wouldn’t be good if you caught it.”

“Sister…” Lu Ling was touched. She usually saw her sister being harsh with her; this was so considerate of her. She had always thought too badly of her sister.

Lu Wan ignored her, closed her eyes again, and continued reading the plot, her thick eyelashes casting faint blue shadows beneath her eyes.

She had lied to Lu Ling. Even if she had caught a cold, it wasn’t contagious; it was a common cold, not a virus.

However, she was used to being alone and felt somewhat uncomfortable with overly intimate expressions of concern.

The carriage arrived at its destination and entered the Lu residence through the side gate. Maids who had been waiting there stepped forward to help the three of them alight.

Walking along the veranda, Lu Wan felt the pearl and jade tassels hanging under the bamboo curtains swaying without wind, and then a sudden inversion of the world washed over her.

She blinked, pinched her right hand hard with her left hand hidden in her sleeve, and tried to straighten her back.

Waiting to face the next tough battle.

Meanwhile, Xie Yu, back at the Xie residence, sat aloofly at his desk in his study. No one dared to step into the room without permission.

Author’s Note:
It is said that vermilion palace walls first appeared in Ma Hezhi’s “Classic of Filial Piety” series of illustrations during the Southern Song Dynasty. The green glazed tiles and the structure of the twin towers on the left and right were copied from the Xuande Gate of the Northern Song Dynasty depicted in Zhao Ji’s “Auspicious Cranes.”