Support - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Female Lead, Qiao Ruoshui, is a talented rising star who clawed her way through the entertainment industry to eventually reach the top. She claimed the title of Best Actress, married into a wealthy family, and became a winner in life.

I am her foil, and my ending is miserable.

I am an Artificial Purple Star, winning Best Actress right at my debut.

I thought my life was finally going to get better, until yesterday when I read a book and discovered I am the wicked female supporting character in the story. The man lying next to me, Shen Jing, is the great Villain who goes bankrupt for my sake.

Shen Jing possesses both wealth and power, serving as an unshakeable presence in Country A.

I am the star he personally catapulted to fame.

On the day of my film premiere, he told me he would ensure my path through the stars remained forever brilliant.

I was hailed as the Light of Chinese Entertainment, enjoying boundless glory for a time.

Until Qiao Ruoshui appeared out of nowhere.

She previously had a notorious reputation, but now she has gained a massive following.

She didn’t buy any traffic, yet she could dominate the trending searches for days.

All because she was hardworking and capable on variety shows-cooking and doing laundry were second nature to her.

I looked down at my hands. They were covered in thick calluses, looking extremely rough compared to her slender, delicate fingers.

The original story says that because of my jealousy, I targeted her in every way possible. Like a clown, I dug up dirt on her, wanting the public to despise her.

But the one who was soon blacklisted by the entire internet was me.

During a shoot, Qiao Ruoshui and I had a scene together. I slapped her, which triggered retaliation from the Male Lead, Fu Han.

Fu Han has a complex identity and a prestigious background, rivaling that of the Shen Family.

At his instigation, more and more people began to dox me. They dug up my family background and my past experiences, cursing me for being kept by a sugar daddy and calling me a Dodder Flower.

They even found my phone number, forcing me to keep my phone off during those days.

Qiao Ruoshui stepped in to speak up for me, but the result was that I was insulted even more viciously.

Later, during an explosion scene, the props detonated early and half of my face was destroyed.

Meanwhile, Qiao Ruoshui remained unscathed.

In the original work, she sighed about how lucky she was to have stepped out to take a phone call, never realizing it was Fu Han’s deliberate act to get rid of me.

To help me, Shen Jing brought Fu Han’s ex-girlfriend back to the country to suppress Fu Han and Qiao Ruoshui. He even kidnapped Qiao Ruoshui and the ex-girlfriend to let Fu Han taste the pain of losing a loved one.

Fu Han chose the ex-girlfriend.

But he jumped off a cliff together with Qiao Ruoshui.

The Fu Family called the police, and the police searched for over ten days without finding their bodies. The fans’ spontaneous search efforts also yielded nothing. While people grieved, they also vented their fury on me.

Overwhelming insults and curses caused me to break down. I was diagnosed with a mental disorder and spent an unknown amount of time in the hospital.

Meanwhile, the Male Lead and Female Lead were enjoying a leisurely vacation in a paradise-like small village, where they solidified their relationship.

The day they returned was the day Shen Jing went to prison.

To treat my illness and ensure my safety for the rest of my life, Shen Jing had arranged everything long ago, leaving all his assets to me.

However, the Shen Family was dissatisfied and poisoned my medicine.

Before I died, I saw the news on television: Qiao Ruoshui and Fu Han’s grand wedding.

After finishing the book, my whole body felt uncomfortable, filled with an inexplicable anxiety.

Beside me, Shen Jing noticed my distress and reached out to stroke my back. “Little Cutie, what’s wrong?”

I turned and hugged him, feeling dejected. “A-Jing.”

I really was jealous of Qiao Ruoshui.

Shen Jing held me tight. “Are you feeling unwell? Why don’t you take a day off tomorrow?”

“No need.”

I shook my head.

It’s common for accidental real hits to happen during filming, and many actors choose to use real strikes to enhance the realism. As long as I don’t hit her intentionally, I shouldn’t offend her or Fu Han.

Unfortunately, despite all my precautions, I still slipped up.

The slap rang out, crisp and loud.

I forced myself to continue acting, but Qiao Ruoshui, standing opposite me, was completely dazed. She had forgotten her lines entirely. Subconsciously, she turned her gaze toward Fu Han, who was standing beside the director.

Fu Han’s expression was grim, his eyes fixed on me with unmistakable hostility.

The entire set fell into a deathly silence.

Then, a sudden burst of applause broke the eerie quiet.

Shen Jing, who was supposed to be on a plane heading abroad, miraculously appeared on set. He strolled through the crowd at a leisurely pace.

It was as if a god had descended from the heavens.

In that crowd, he was the only person I could see.

“Little Cutie, that was a wonderful performance!” Shen Jing cheered for me as he took his place beside Fu Han, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the air.

He smiled at me tenderly, and the anxiety that had gripped my heart slowly began to dissipate.

He then turned to the director. “Director Zhang, didn’t our Little Cutie do a great job? Why isn’t anyone cheering for her? Could it be that the actor opposite her is being unprofessional?”

Director Zhang stammered, afraid to answer.

After all, Fu Han was the producer and the primary investor.

Unable to afford offending either of these two powerhouses, Director Zhang could only nod vaguely in agreement.

Shen Jing had spoken quite loudly, and Qiao Ruoshui finally seemed to snap out of her daze.

“I’m so sorry! I’ve held everyone up!”

True to her cheerful nature, she apologized to everyone on set without a moment’s hesitation.

Fu Han’s expression darkened further.

Shen Jing, seemingly unfazed by the low pressure radiating from the man, turned and asked with a smile, “CEO Fu, are you here to watch our Little Cutie act? She really is remarkable, isn’t she?”

Fu Han didn’t respond.

Qiao Ruoshui apologized to me directly. “I’m sorry, Sister Cancan. I ruined your momentum. You were acting so well.”

“I should be the one apologizing. I didn’t tell you beforehand that I usually do real strikes. I’m sorry,” I said.

She continued talking, but I couldn’t hear her. I was focused on suppressing the inexplicable irritation rising in my chest.

She was a newcomer, but she was incredibly gifted. We finished our scene together smoothly. The director couldn’t help but praise her, though he added as an afterthought that I had performed well, too.

I gave the director a small smile and walked straight to Shen Jing’s side. “Didn’t you say this business trip was very important? I thought you were out of the country.”

Shen Jing reached out with his long arm, pulling me affectionately toward his side as we headed for the trailer. “I couldn’t bear to leave you.”

He wasn’t actually a clingy person; whenever he used these silver-tongued lines, it was always to coax me out of a bad mood.

I paused in my tracks and turned to look at him. “Did you see that book?”

Shen Jing merely stroked my hair. “Little Cutie, if something is wrong, why don’t you come to me first?”

I remained silent.

That book didn’t have the perspective of the villainous supporting female character. It didn’t explain why she didn’t seek out her backer for support from the very beginning, or why she was so jealous of the Female Lead.

But I knew.

“Cancan, when you’re being bullied, you’re allowed to ask for help.” While I was lost in thought, Shen Jing took my face in his hands with a serious expression, forcing me to meet his gaze.

There was a rare earnestness in his stunning peach-blossom eyes. He was no longer wearing his usual cynical smile; instead, he watched me with gravity. “Su Cancan, I know you don’t want to trouble me with everything, but some things can’t be solved on your own. You have to at least tell me, okay?”

I was stunned by his sincerity and couldn’t help but argue back, “But nothing has actually happened yet, has it?”

“By the time it happens, it’ll be too late.”

Shen Jing gave my forehead a playful flick and kept his arm around me as we continued walking.

Yet, I felt as if a pair of eyes were boring into my back. I looked over my shoulder and suddenly collided with Fu Han’s cold, dark gaze-morbid and predatory.