Chapter 2
1273 Words
Sensing Qin Wan Tang’s gaze, the new student walked over to her. Her voice was soft, like flowing water.
“Are you Qin Wan Tang? Hi, I’m Yan Si Dao.”
“U-Um… hi,” she replied awkwardly.
Yan Si Dao was not breathtakingly beautiful, but she leaned toward a pure, gentle type. It made Qin Wan Tang think of the “white moonlight” figures from the romance novels she used to binge late into the night. And just as Lin Nuan had said, the moment Yan Si Dao spoke, Qin Wan Tang found herself instinctively liking her.
“You’re really cute. Can I call you Tang Tang?”
“O-Okay…”
“Then, Tang Tang, do you want to get some ice cream with me later?”
“O-Okay…”
For some reason, just looking at her face made Qin Wan Tang want to agree to everything Yan Si Dao said.
After school, the two of them walked together, chatting about all sorts of trivial things.
“I heard you like Mo Jing Han?” Yan Si Dao asked, the probing intent obvious.
“Ah… yeah. Everyone already knows. I guess I was too obvious.” Qin Wan Tang answered, her face turning red with embarrassment.
“Pfft…”
“What?” She turned sharply, looking at Yan Si Dao in confusion. Did she just… mock her?
Yan Si Dao’s expression turned sinister, her voice carrying a smug, almost imperceptible disdain.
“Let me tell you something…”
“This is just a novel.”
What was she talking about? Had she gone crazy?
“You… have you been reading too many novels?” Qin Wan Tang asked, slightly concerned.
“You don’t believe me? Just wait and see. When you get home later, your parents will tell you about the engagement proposal between you and Jing Han.”
“And no matter what you do, it doesn’t concern me. You’re just a supporting female character paving the way for me. Jing Han and I are the real protagonists.” Yan Si Dao’s voice grew sharper and more venomous as she grabbed Qin Wan Tang’s shoulders, her nails digging into her skin.
Startled and frightened, Qin Wan Tang shook her off. “What’s wrong with you!?”
She turned and ran all the way home, Yan Si Dao’s twisted face still burned into her mind.
When she arrived, her parents were already sitting in the living room, smiling as if they had good news to share.
“Sweetie, you’re back?” Su Lan smiled warmly. “Come here!”
Qin Wan Tang sat beside her mother, letting out a soft breath. Running had left her exhausted.
“Dad has some news for you,” Si Lu said with a grin. “I’ve proposed an engagement between you and Jing Han. His family is very much in favor. They’ll discuss it with him soon.”
Qin Wan Tang froze.
This… was exactly what Yan Si Dao had just said.
Could it be true? Was this really just a novel? And Yan Si Dao and Mo Jing Han were the real main characters…?
Then what about her?
Was she really just a supporting female character?
With all the melodramatic novels she had read, she knew one thing clearly: supporting female characters never had a good ending. If they didn’t end up in prison, they died miserably.
The thought sent a chill down her spine.
What should she do?
No wonder Mo Jing Han had always been cold toward her—because she wasn’t the heroine. If she agreed to this engagement… what would happen to her?
“I… I need time to think,” Qin Wan Tang said softly.
Both her parents were stunned. Normally, she would have been overjoyed. This sudden change caught them completely off guard.
“Alright, it is a bit rushed,” Si Lu sighed. “You’re both still students. Take your time. Even deciding in a few years wouldn’t be too late.”
“Yes, Dad.”
From that day on, Qin Wan Tang could not find peace.
What if she really died a miserable death?
What if she ended up in prison?
No, that wouldn’t do. She was afraid of pain. If she had to die, at least it should be peacefully in old age, surrounded by comfort. And with her beauty, if she went to prison, she might even be bullied. Prison food wouldn’t taste good, there would be no skincare, her parents would be heartbroken… and she wouldn’t be able to see Mo Jing Han anymore.
Mo Jing Han was the male lead—so did that mean he would marry Yan Si Dao?
She had chased after him for so long, only to not end up with him. It felt so unfair. Someone as lively and adorable as her, reduced to just a stepping stone.
But… between dying and not being with Mo Jing Han, she knew very clearly which one hurt more.
She still had her family. She didn’t want them to be dragged down because of her. Even without Mo Jing Han, she could still live well… probably.
She had made her decision.
She needed to stay far away from both Yan Si Dao and Mo Jing Han. Then she could live a peaceful life with her parents. Who knows—maybe in the future, she might even find a man more handsome than Mo Jing Han.
Time passed until Sunday.
Mo Jing Han sat on the sofa, staring at his phone. The table in front of him was filled with all kinds of snacks that Qin Wan Tang liked.
They had agreed she would come at 2 PM. Why hadn’t she arrived yet?
He began to feel restless. He wanted to call her, but stopped himself. He didn’t want to appear eager. After all, she was the one chasing him—he couldn’t lose face.
Beep!
A message notification from Qin Wan Tang appeared:
“I can’t come today. Sorry.”
For a moment, the room fell into complete silence.
Mo Jing Han stared at the message, his expression unreadable.
Can’t come?
Just four simple words—yet they felt strangely heavy.
He frowned slightly, his fingers hovering over the screen. He almost typed something, but deleted it. Then typed again, only to stop once more.
In the end, he locked his phone.
“Suit yourself.”
His voice was low, almost indifferent, but the faint crease between his brows betrayed something else.
On the table, the snacks remained untouched.
The sunlight streamed in through the window, just like yesterday—but somehow, everything felt different.
Meanwhile, Qin Wan Tang was curled up in her room, hugging her pillow.
She had turned off her phone.
Her heart was in chaos.
This was the first time she had ever rejected Mo Jing Han.
If it were before, she would have rushed over without hesitation, even if it meant braving heavy rain or burning sunlight.
But now… she didn’t dare.
She kept telling herself this was the right decision. Staying away from him meant staying safe. Staying away from Yan Si Dao meant avoiding her tragic fate.
But why… did her chest feel so tight?
Why did it hurt so much?
She buried her face deeper into the pillow, as if trying to suffocate the emotions rising within her.
“It’s fine… it’s fine…”
She murmured to herself.
“It’s just Mo Jing Han…”
But even as she said it, her voice trembled.
Outside, the sky was bright and clear.
Inside, her world felt like it had quietly lost its color.
- Writer
