Transmigrating into the Female Supporting Character with a Good Life in a Laid-Back Novel

Ruan Xi and Wen Jing Ru proceeded to forget about Wen Ting Zhou and Li Jing Cheng as they continued talking, but Wen Ting Zhou did not mind.

He was thinking about an appellation that belonged to him alone.

The thought had not occurred to Wen Ting Zhou prior to this, but now that he had his heart set on Ruan Xi, his appellation for her ought to change.

Xiao Xi… Xi’er… Xi Xi…

He recited the three diminutive names in his heart silently, constantly feeling like it was missing something.

Ruan Ruan… Ruan Ruan…

Wen Ting Zhou then chanted this diminutive name several times, and the feeling that it brought a certain level of intimacy and inseparable love only increased the more he recited it.

This diminutive name will do.

Even their elders would not call si niang by the diminutive name of Ruan Ruan; it would be a small name that belonged to him alone.

Wen Ting Zhou gave his fiancée a sidelong glance, silently calling her Ruan Ruan as his gaze became gentler.

Meanwhile, Li Xiang Xiang’s charming eyes would glance at Wen Ting Zhou’s handsome and jade-like countenance from time to time, as if she desired to speak to him but was actively stopping herself. She wanted to talk to Wen da ge but it was inappropriate for her to be overly obvious about it in front of Ruan Xi’s face. Furthermore, Wen da ge might not acknowledge her. Hence she could only wear a smile and sit at the side, then give a preoccupied answer whenever a question was directed towards her as Ruan Xi and Wen Jing Ru continued to converse animatedly.

Ruan Xi: “……”

While it was said that Li Xiang Xiang liked Wen gongzi, Li Xiang Xiang had fallen in love with the male protagonist, the Fourth Prince, when she married him later inside the book plot. However, as the male protagonist, the Fourth Prince was an indifferent and unfeeling person with only the Emperor position in his mind, and the women in his back courtyard were not in his heart at all.

Li Xiang Xiang’s ending was not the best.

The female protagonist Mu Qing Ci was different. She and the Fourth Prince were people of two extremes. Mu Qing Ci had always accepted her circumstances with good will; apart from her love for good food, she followed reason and fate. Perhaps because she made her courtyard warm and gentle, the Fourth Prince would often go to her courtyard to rest because he could find peace and quiet from the female protagonist after being annoyed by the constant infighting for favour among the women in his back courtyard.

In essence, not fighting was the best way to fight.

Wen Jing Ru gave Ruan Xi an embarrassed look, displaying a tinge of awkwardness on her face. Her good friend Xiang Xiang liking her tang ge was not something that had been occurring for a day or two. However, her tang ge was engaged now, and Xiang Xiang’s inability to put down her affections was quite improper.

Moreover, she heard her Mother say that Xiang Xiang’s paternal grandfather Senior Official Li was planning to marry Xiang Xiang into the Heaven’s Family.

Xiang Xiang clearly knew that it was a foregone conclusion and yet she refused to let go; Wen Jing Ru genuinely did not comprehend what Xiang Xiang was conspiring.

Wen Jing Ru could not resist shooting Li Jing Cheng a look.

Li Jing nodded with implicit understanding. His younger sister’s behaviour had also rendered him speechless. Zi Run never had feelings for his younger sister, and now that he already had a fiancée he liked, it was more than impossible.

Their paternal grandfather had already arranged his younger sister’s marriage a long time ago, he would never allow his younger sister to do as she pleased.

“Xiang Xiang, there has been hearsay that a few princes are in attendance, have you seen them?” Li Jing Cheng suddenly asked.

Li Xiang Xiang peered at Wen da ge abruptly, only to witness him looking at Ruan si xiaojie with a soft and gentle gaze. Suffocating anger swept through her heart.

Li Jing Cheng scrunched his eyebrows together upon seeing his younger sister’s actions.

Wen Jing Ru: “……”

Meanwhile, Ruan Xi seemed to have realised something, so she smiled at Wen Ting Zhou mischievously albeit secretly as she mouthed five words soundlessly.

[ Good fortune in love affairs. ]

Wen Ting Zhou raised an eyebrow. This xiao yatou must have great faith in him, or else how could she possibly dare to tease him for having good fortune in love affairs in such a calm manner?

Feeling pleased in his heart, he moved his lips soundlessly to reply with a few words.

[ Having you is enough. ]

Ruan Xi’s heart failed to live up to expectations as it lurched. Wen Ting Zhou was truly something with how he would always use every second and every inch to tease her.

见缝插针 (pinyin: jian feng cha zhen) – to stick a needle in whenever there is a gap.

When Li Xiang Xiang saw Wen da ge and Ruan si xiaojie exchanging flirtatious glances, her mood sank. She responded to her older brother unhappily: “I only saw the Fourth Prince walking over to the main courtyard.”

Following his younger sister’s words, Li Jing Cheng spoke with a crinkle-eyed smile: “The Fourth Prince is a giant among men, who only has a few concubines without children in his inner residence. I wonder which family’s young lady will have the fortune of marrying the Fourth Prince?”

When Li Xiang Xiang heard her older brother talking about the Fourth Prince’s inner residence, the image of the Fourth Prince placid and handsome demeanour emerged in her mind.

Her heart moved slightly.

The chances of her getting together with Wen da ge were exceedingly slim, and since that was the case, she might as well marry a prince with a nobler identity.

But even if she married someone else, her heart would still belong to the person she liked.

She would not be betraying her own feelings either.

Speaking of which, although the Fourth Prince was indifferent, his status was more honourable than Wen da ge. However, there were other women in his inner residence, which fell short of the clean-living and honest Wen da ge, whose back courtyard was absolutely clean.

Li Xiang Xiang felt very dissatisfied because of this. In fact, she was slightly jealous of Ruan si xiaojie. How great would it be if Wen da ge did not have any other woman by his side; then she could convince herself that it was not because she was not good enough, but because Wen da ge did not like women.

Li Xiang Xiang glanced at Ruan si xiaojie with a complicated expression before she said smilingly: “Indeed, I wonder who will have the fortune?”

Even though she was the one speaking, she was already vying for the possibility.

Hurriedly, Wen Jing Ru said: “Xiang Xiang, if you want this fortune, Senior Official Li will most certainly support you. Isn’t that right, Li da ge?”

Li Jing Cheng smiled wordlessly.

Li Xiang Xiang glanced at Wen da ge guiltily before she glowered at Wen Jing Ru and protested coquettishly: “Jing Ru, don’t spout nonsense. When it comes to important affairs like marriage, the matchmaker speaks, our elders make the decision, while us daughters have to be reticent.”

After those words slipped out of her mouth, Li Xiang Xiang came to a sudden realisation. She wanted to explain herself but she did not know where to begin.

Fearing that it would become murkier the more she tried to explain herself, she promptly chose to shut her mouth and stop speaking.

Wen Jing Ru’s lips twitched. Li Jing Cheng looked at his younger sister helplessly.

Ruan Xi: “……”

The daughters have to be reticent… Was Li Xiang Xiang slapping her own face with those words?

Ruan Xi nearly laughed in amusement.

Prior to this, she had keenly sensed that Li Xiang Xiang’s emotions had undergone a change after she heard Li Jing Cheng’s words, but now that she was observing her tone of voice and expression, it seems like Li Xiang Xiang would be marrying the Fourth Prince like how the original plot dictated.

Ruan Xi raised her teacup to purse a mouthful of tea. From her perspective, the feelings that Li Xiang Xiang harboured for Wen Ting Zhou was not deep. Her affection for Wen Ting Zhou was probably grounded on the fact that Wen Ting Zhou was clean-living and honest.

洁身自好 (pinyin: jie shen zi hao) – to avoid immorality; to keep one’s hands clean.

She peered at the ongoing talent contest in the distance. Coincidentally, there was a noble daughter playing the zither, causing the melodious sound of the stringed instrument to sound out. Countless people were also listening to the music appreciatively, and Ruan Xi’s group was no different. Once the song ended, the last notes lingered and reverberated through the rafters.

After Ruan Xi gave a word of praise, she unintentionally saw Ruan san niang and her fellow sister Shen xiaojie moving towards the area where the female protagonist Mu Qing Ci was located. Her lips twitched.

What is Ruan san niang trying to do?

They were both transmigrators: one was the female protagonist, the other a cannon fodder, when they were placed together… What if one party accidentally reveals a split seam?

Upon noticing the fact that Ruan Xi was paying attention to that young lady from the Mu Family again, Wen Ting Zhou could not resist tossing that Mu xiaojie a curious look. There was nothing special about her besides her inappropriate style of dress. However, that one look also ensured that he would take heed of Ruan san xiaojie, and her get-up was just…

Wen Ting Zhou looked towards Ruan Xi: “What is going on with Ruan san xiaojie?”

Even the head ornaments on the maidservants that were coming and going were better than hers.

Moreover, Earl Chengyi’s Furen actually allowed her to attend the flower banquet in this attire?

When Wen Jing Ru saw that her tang ge had just noticed Ruan san niang’s appearance which ‘stood out from the masses’, she could not help but laugh.

Her tang ge probably only had si niang in his eyes; no matter how beautiful or talented the other ladies were, they would never catch his attention.

Calmly, Ruan Xi replied: “San jie said that since she was cadging her fellow sister’s invitation to attend this flower banquet, she had to dress in a plain and unadorned fashion to ensure that she would not steal her fellow sister’s thunder.”

No one believed those words.

Everyone had dressed themselves with utmost care, donning exquisite clothing which were complemented with precious stones for jewellery, all elegant and luxurious.

With the two of them dressing up in such a manner, it was clear who would be causing a stir.

Li Jing Cheng chortled, “Presently, Ruan san xiaojie and that young lady from the Mu Residence have become a line of scenery that stands out from the masses.

“That xiaojie from the Mu Family is of concubine descent and she is not favoured, so her get-up is not at all surprising, whereas Ruan san xiaojie…”

Li Jing Cheng inspected Ruan Xi’s outfit which was appropriate for the occasion, his smiling expression deep with meaning.

Li Xiang Xiang covered her mouth and laughed softly.

Ruan Xi: “……”

This was the difference between the female protagonist and a cannon fodder; one was understood, the other was disparaged.

Wen Ting Zhou coughed lightly.

“Si niang, let me bring you around the Junzhu Residence to admire the scenery in the Junzhu Residence.”

In front of his friends, he did not use the diminutive name that he had silently chanted in the bottom of his heart numerous times.

Ruan Xi did not want to constantly sit in the flower garden either, so going out to walk around proved to be a decent choice.

“Okay.”

Wen Ting Zhou gave the three people at the scene a sweeping glance. Smiling, he told Wen Jing Ru: “Jing Ru, continue entertaining Jing Cheng and Li xiaojie here, si niang and I will be walking around.”

Wen Jing Ru smiled mischievously, “Tang ge can set his mind at ease. Cultivate your feelings well with si niang.”

In response, Wen Ting Zhou smiled before he nodded at the Li siblings. Then, he looked at Ruan Xi.

“Let’s go.”

Smiling, Ruan Xi told the rest she was taking her leave before she rose to her feet and left the large flower garden with Wen Ting Zhou.

Currently, she had already forgotten the fact that she wanted to spectate the male and female protagonists’ first encounter.

Their unusual actions was discovered by the others very quickly and discussions started occurring in private.

“It’s Wen gongzi and Ruan si xiaojie. One wonders where they will be having a rendezvous?”

“Should we follow and have a look?”

“What do you mean by follow, Wen gongzi and Ruan si xiaojie are cultivating their feelings, what’s the point of you following?”

“Ruan si xiaojie truly has a good life, a small concubine-born daughter from an Earl Residence actually managed to claim higher social connections through Wen gongzi.”

“The claim to higher social connection also requires capital. Truth to be told, Ruan si xiaojie isn’t bad either. Her deportment and temperament doesn’t resemble an Earl Residence’s concubine-born daughter in the slightest. Rather, she’s more similar to the legitimate daughters from renowned families; she’s quite compatible with Wen gongzi.”

“Isn’t that because Wen lao-furen’s Mama Lin has seen her use?”

“There has been hearsay that the Mama Yang who once served by Mu taifei’s side, has now become Ruan si xiaojie’s Mama.”

“With those two Mamas guiding her, Ruan si xiaojie can be sculpted even if she’s just a piece of rotten wood.”

……

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The fragmented discussions of the surrounding noble daughters filtered into Ruan san niang’s ears. She laughed coldly in her heart. It could not be denied that her fourth sister was having a good life right now, but it was truly unfortunate that it would not be maintained for long. Once she was proven incapable of bearing offspring…

When Ruan san niang thought about her fourth sister’s miserable future, while she would lead a sweet and intimate life with Qi Yue An, she could not help but laugh happily.

Mu Qing Ci was deeply engrossed in the prompt-book when she heard Ruan Ning laugh, so she looked at her with some curiosity. “Ruan Ning, were you thinking of something funny?”

In an extremely good mood, Ruan san niang nodded and casually gave a reason: “Indeed, I thought of something interesting that happened when I was younger.”

With her fellow sister acting as a connection, she struck up a conversation with Mu Qing Ci very quickly, and she even brought up the prompt-book she wrote in the middle before she proceeded to give the prompt-book she had specifically prepared for Mu Qing Ci.

Presently, the prompt-book that Mu Qing Ci was reading was from her.

Ruan san niang felt content.

The future Dowager Empress liked the prompt-book she wrote.

And as if they had gained a common subject topic, Ruan san niang started talking about the gist of her book.

Mu Qing Ci’s dewy almond-shaped eyes were full of shock and inconceivability, she did not expect that a noble daughter from the ancient era would be capable of writing such a brilliant and varied vernacular fiction that was analogous to level-rising system shuang wen novel.

爽文 (pinyin: shuang wen) – (derogatory) often refers to online chinese literature which is written to pander to the fantasy of the readers while lacking in artistic value.

“Qing Ci, I am planning to open a teahouse and invite a storyteller to narrate my book. It’s just that I don’t have enough silvers right now and I hope that my prompt-book sells well.”

Ruan san niang felt incredibly displeased in her heart.

It would be great if her Mother could give her a sum of silvers.

Mu Qing Ci’s heart moved in response. After calculating her small treasury, she immediately suppressed the thought of forging a partnership.

This was the sorrow of having no silvers.

The pair continued to chatter about the topics that were interested in like a house on fire. Perhaps owing to the fact that they came from the same place, they could keep in pace with each other the longer they talked, whereas Ruan san niang’s fellow sister Shen xiaojie was abandoned to the side. Despite being neglected, she remained good-tempered as she sat there drinking tea and eating pastries, listening to them converse.

……

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Presently, Ruan Xi and Wen gongzi were strolling in the Junzhu Residence. Whenever they encountered any servants, they were extremely respectful as they adhered strictly to the rules and protocols, since it had been drilled into them to never cast arbitrary glances.

Inwardly, Ruan Xi sighed about Wen lao-furen’s strict control over her household.

Wen Ting Zhou brought Ruan Xi to wander around the Junzhu Residence for a while before they reached a small forest – which was comparably smaller than the large forest – to view the lake scenery.

There was a big lake beside the small forest, and when the spring wind blew past, the gleaming reflection of the waves in the sunlight was bright and crystalline. Faintly, men and women clad in resplendent clothing, grouped in twos and threes, could be perceived meeting there.

Ruan Xi remembered that the first encounter between the male and female protagonist had occurred in the small forest. Was it that coincidental?

All of a sudden, a familiar female voice came from the front of the small forest.

Why was Ruan san niang here?

Ruan Xi looked over attentively, her eyes widening slightly. Her eyesight had not failed her; besides Ruan san niang, the Fourth Prince – the male protagonist – was also present, and he even bumped into Ruan san niang…

Shouldn’t it be the female protagonist instead?

Just as she thought of the female protagonist, Mu Qing Ci’s figure appeared, followed by a cheerful and melodious voice.

“Ruan Ning, it turns out you were here.”

Ruan Xi: “……”

The male and female protagonists have met, except there was an additional Ruan san niang…

Wen Ting Zhou leaned closer until he was close to her ear, before he murmured in a low voice: “Don’t make a sound, we won’t be discovered here.”

A scorching hot breath sprayed on Ruan Xi’s ear, causing her earlobes and cheeks to heat up and her heart was beating so quickly it was going to jump out from her chest.