Strategy to Conquer the Vicious Female Supporting Character [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 36

Qi Lin: “……”

She never planned to bribe anyone, she just wanted to chase after her future wife.

Still, Qi Lin was a little confused. If the male lead could find out that she had been bringing Miss Situ cookies and small cakes, how could he not find out how close she and Miss Situ had become by now?

A few days ago, Qi Lin had visited the young lady’s home. Miss Situ’s parents gave her a very warm and genuine welcome, treating her so kindly that Qi Lin felt completely flattered and overwhelmed.

She later learned that the Situ family had a very harmonious household. The parents doted on Situ Lan, their only daughter, and she would discuss everything with them. Ever since their daughter became close with Qi Lin, she would often mention that gentle, beautiful, and considerate girl from the liberal arts class, the one who was sweet and caring, so Mr. and Mrs. Situ already had quite a favorable impression of Qi Lin.

On top of that, their driver, Old Liu, who had driven Miss Situ several times to meet Qi Lin, had also told his employers how incredibly kind Qi Lin was to their daughter. That only made the Situ couple like her even more.

When they finally met this little girl a few days ago, the Situ couple realized Qi Lin was exactly as their daughter and Old Liu had described, gentle and polite, articulate and pleasant, getting along perfectly with their daughter, and attentive enough to take care of her in every little detail. Naturally, as parents, their hearts were full of joy.

After Qi Lin got over her initial nervousness, she quickly adapted to the situation and seized the great opportunity before her, charming the two elders until they were all smiles. By the time she left the Situ home, not only had she received plenty of gifts from Miss Situ, but also a mountain of things from Mr. and Mrs. Situ, so many she could barely carry them all.

Watching Old Liu load everything into the trunk and prepare to drive Qi Lin home, Situ Lan quietly let out a sigh of relief, she’d managed to slip the house gift she’d forgotten to give earlier into the pile without anyone noticing.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Situ affectionately stroked Qi Lin’s head, reluctant to part with her.
“Xiyu, remember to come play again next time, alright?”

Qi Lin obediently nodded. “Okay.”

Mr. Situ, standing beside them, couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, this little girl was truly adorable and endearing.

Saying that Qi Lin was now an honored guest of the Situ family wouldn’t be an exaggeration at all.

And yet, that male lead, who hadn’t even dared to so much as provoke the Situ family before marriage and had always acted carefully and respectfully toward Miss Situ, had the audacity to blatantly appear before Qi Lin and threaten her with that psychotic, unrestrained attitude?

Qi Lin had long asked 403 to keep tabs on Murong Shuyan’s movements. Thinking it over carefully, there was only one explanation.

The male lead wouldn’t dare cross the Situ family in the slightest and had absolutely no idea that a “little” Hua Xiyu could have built such strong ties with all three members of the Situ household. That’s why he could find out about Qi Lin giving Situ Lan sweets at school but couldn’t uncover how close the two of them were outside of it.

Qi Lin recalled that at school, she was usually the one taking the initiative to approach the young lady. To outsiders, it probably looked like she was shamelessly clinging to her, while the young lady, being well-mannered, simply tolerated it out of politeness without showing any annoyance.

Sigh, Qi Lin thought helplessly. Why do I like this misunderstanding so much?

Let the male lead keep misunderstanding, then. As long as it doesn’t get in the way of her continuing to win over Miss Situ.

Qi Lin never expected that meeting Murong Shuyan, that “deep well of ice”, for the first time wouldn’t disgust her in the slightest. In fact, her mood even improved.

And since she was in a good mood, she couldn’t be bothered to argue with an ice block. She smiled at him, pure and unbothered.
“If Young Master Murong has finished talking, I’ll be going now.”

Then she decisively turned around and left.

After all, she was still hungry.

Murong Shuyan watched Qi Lin’s slightly bouncy figure walking away. Instead of feeling annoyed about being ignored, he actually showed a genuinely warm smile.

So cute…

I’m getting more and more eager to see what you’ll look like once you’ve fallen into the darkness, just like me…

By the time the sports meet officially began, Zhao Ting still hadn’t managed to complete a full 800 meter run even once.

Each time, she ended up drenched in sweat and gasping for air, her steps unsteady as she walked.

“Deskmate, you…” Qi Lin patted Zhao Ting’s shoulder. “If it’s too much, maybe you should just do the 1500 meters. Your health’s more important.”

When the athletes were chosen by drawing lots earlier, Qi Lin hadn’t been picked for any event. Once, after seeing Zhao Ting nearly faint during practice, Qi Lin had even suggested that she could take her place, but Zhao Ting refused.

“It’s just 1500 meters, not a battlefield. Do you really need to look at me like I’m a tragic hero going off to die?” Zhao Ting had said with a face full of disdain.

Now, with the same look of disdain, Zhao Ting brushed Qi Lin’s hand away. “You think I’m as brain-damaged as you? If I really can’t run anymore, I’ll stop and walk on my own!”

Qi Lin thought to herself, Funny, I don’t remember who it was that swore she’d never do running practice in the first place… But outwardly, she only clapped lightly for her soon-to-compete classmate, using the tone of an elementary schooler reading from a textbook,
“Alright, our Zhao Tingting is the smartest!”

Zhao Ting’s expression looked as if she’d just bitten into a fly hiding inside a braised chicken leg.
“Hua Xiyu, could you be any more disgusting?”

Of course I could, Qi Lin thought, but not for you to see.
She gave Zhao Ting two big thumbs-up. “You can do it!”

Zhao Ting pouted. “As if I need you to say that.”

“Ready… go!”

The girls’ 1500 meter race, one of the toughest events, on par with the boys’ 2000 meters, attracted quite a crowd.

Fifty meters in, Zhao Ting didn’t disappoint expectations, she had firmly secured last place.

The school track was 400 meters per lap, meaning the 1500 meter race required nearly four laps. By the time the main group reached their second lap, Zhao Ting was already trailing by more than half a lap.

Standing among the onlookers, Qi Lin heard sneers spreading through the crowd,

“Why would someone that fat even try running 1500 meters? Hahaha, look, doesn’t she look like a fat pig huffing and puffing?”

“She’s so chubby and pale, it’s hilarious!”

“Isn’t that embarrassing? If it were me, I just wouldn’t show up at all!”

“Whoa, is she about to faint? Is she gonna faint? That’d be worth watching!”

“She should just faint already!”

Qi Lin glanced over coolly. Most of those remarks were coming from students in Class 13.

These were the same people who had nearly driven the original Hua Xiyu to suicide in the novel, and now they were hurling the same kind of venom at Zhao Ting.

Especially Hu Rui, who probably disliked Zhao Ting even more lately because she’d been hanging around Qi Lin. Smiling mockingly, she said,
“If that fat pig drops dead right here, maybe the school will give us a day off!”

Qi Lin looked straight at her.

Back in school, those who excelled academically always carried a certain aura, and Qi Lin’s grades were among the best in Class 13, giving her that kind of presence.

She didn’t bother to hide the quiet, commanding air that came from someone long accustomed to authority—
a kind of calm that radiated power without anger.

Instantly, the mocking chatter around her fell silent.

Hu Rui froze, her smile stiffening, like a sparrow caught by the throat. She stammered twice before daring to continue her weak bluff,

“Hua Xiyu, don’t think that just because—”

“If you were born without morals, you’d better earn some with your words later in life.” Qi Lin cut her off directly. “Otherwise, watch out for karma.”

Then she couldn’t be bothered to care about their reactions and walked straight out of the crowd to the racetrack, heading toward Zhao Ting.

Companion runners weren’t forbidden in the sports meet, so Qi Lin ran alongside Zhao Ting, matching her pace. “You okay?”

Zhao Ting was gasping heavily, a rasping sound coming from her throat. “What do you think?!”

She looked exhausted, but compared to her usual running state, she was doing far better.

Qi Lin said nothing more and stayed by Zhao Ting’s side until they finished the last few hundred meters together.

Of course, there was no hope for placement, it was the expected last place.

But they were only about ten steps behind the second-to-last runner.

The moment Zhao Ting crossed the finish line, her knees nearly buckled, and Qi Lin barely managed to catch her in time.

“Don’t sit down yet, walk it off first!” Qi Lin supported the trembling Zhao Ting. “Otherwise, you’ll feel worse!”

“I kn-know!” Zhao Ting’s voice was hoarse from the wind, and she leaned uncontrollably against Qi Lin.

Qi Lin’s physical training over the past few months wasn’t bad, but Zhao Ting weighed over 150 pounds, and holding her up was still a challenge. It took quite an effort for Qi Lin not to collapse along with her.

When Situ Lan happened to walk by, what she saw was Zhao Ting clinging to Qi Lin while Qi Lin held Zhao Ting close, looking every bit like an inseparable pair.

Qi Lin steadied Zhao Ting and smiled. “Deskmate, you were amazing today!”

“Told you I’d be fine,” Zhao Ting could finally speak properly again, though her voice was still raspy. She shot Qi Lin an eye roll that mixed irritation with pride. “And you kept nagging in my ear the whole time.”

“Alright, alright, Zhao Tingting is the best.” Qi Lin replied in the exaggerated tone of a grade-schooler reading aloud. “If something had happened to you, I wouldn’t have been able to carry you anyway.”

Zhao Ting looked like she wanted to punch her but just didn’t have the strength to do it.

Situ Lan: “…”

The obvious closeness between the two made her feel strangely uncomfortable.

All of a sudden, Situ Lan remembered what Qi Lin had said during the National Day break when she’d visited her home: ‘I only like girls.’

Girls… and the one Qi Lin was holding right now was a girl.

Though Zhao Ting was indeed on the heavier side, her skin was pale, and if you looked closely, her features were actually quite nice, if she slimmed down, she’d definitely be beautiful.

Situ Lan was startled by her own thoughts.

Could it be… Qi Lin likes this girl?!