Chapter 1: First Encounter with the Gloomy Boy

In the KTV private room, colorful lights flickered brilliantly, and the music blared deafeningly.

At the center of the coffee table stood a one-meter-tall soccer-themed cake.

Surrounded by the noisy chatter, Tang Susu blinked lightly and looked around.

A group of stylishly dressed strangers stared at her with mockery in their eyes.

“Tang Susu actually showed up wearing cosplay.”

“Hahaha, this is hilarious. Look at her! She looks so ugly! That eye makeup—it’s like a ghost!”

“Li Yang, if you’d said this was a swimming party, would she have shown up in a swimsuit?”

The boy named Li Yang let out a few laughs, looked at her with a mischievous tone, and said, “Tang Susu, where’s my birthday gift? If it’s not expensive, I don’t want it!”

Tang Susu stood quietly, looking down at her bizarre black cosplay outfit. Listening to the guy’s obnoxious words, she finally accepted the truth — she had transmigrated into a novel.

Just a moment ago, when she’d groggily opened her eyes, a mechanical voice echoed in her mind. Due to a malfunction in the time-space tunnel, she had entered the school romance novel she secretly read last night.

She had become the dumb and mean supporting character who shared her name — Tang Susu.

The system told her that if she waited three years, the time-space tunnel would reopen, and she could return home.

At first, she didn’t believe it.

But everything around her matched the novel perfectly.

In the story, the supporting character Tang Susu, just to meet the male lead once, shamelessly sucked up to his lackey Li Yang to get invited to the birthday party of a side character.

Li Yang, who always looked down on the clingy Tang Susu, toyed with her like a fool.

He not only tricked her into wearing this ridiculous outfit but also kept exploiting her for gifts, even though she wasn’t particularly wealthy.

The original Tang Susu knew he was messing with her, but she endured it all just to get closer to the male lead.

Unfortunately, even after attending events like this and trying hard to be noticed, all she ever got was the male lead’s disgust.

Instead, her foolish and domineering behavior only made the female lead shine brighter.

After all, the male lead belonged to the heroine. The female supporting character only existed to be humiliated.

Now that she had taken over, Tang Susu had no interest in getting involved with the main couple.

All she wanted was to quietly get through these three years.

She turned to leave.

Before walking away, she looked at Li Yang one more time. He wore a smug grin and reached out again, demanding a gift.

Even though the original Tang Susu had been foolish and mean, she had never actually wronged him. Yet he tricked her and squeezed her for everything he could.

“A gift?” the girl smiled faintly. Her palm-sized face, buried under thick makeup, made her look tacky and aged—but her eyes remained pure and captivating.

Li Yang was momentarily stunned. That usually dowdy girl looked completely different, and he even stuttered, “Y-Yeah! Your gift!”

Tang Susu casually picked up a glass of champagne from the table and took a step forward. Her fair fingers tightened around the glass as if to splash it on him.

“Here’s your birthday present,” she said.

She moved too fast. Everyone around her was caught off guard, gasping in surprise.

“Ahhh!”

“Tang Susu, what the hell—” Li Yang stumbled back, ready to curse—until he realized the champagne hadn’t been poured on him.

Tang Susu gently set the glass back down.

The drink remained untouched in the cup.

She tilted her head slightly. Even with her heavy makeup, there was no hiding the calm elegance in her demeanor.

“Is it fun to mess with people?” she asked Li Yang seriously.

The room fell silent. Everyone knew Tang Susu usually didn’t dare offend Li Yang because she was trying to get close to Jin Yuhao.

But now, she’d publicly embarrassed him. Was she giving up on following Jin Yuhao?

She adjusted the witch’s hat on her head and smiled softly. “I’ve got something else to do. Enjoy the party.”

Without looking back, she stood tall and walked out gracefully.

After just two steps, though, the loose-fitting costume and ill-fitting shoes caused her to stumble.

She nearly fell flat on her face.

No way… I just stood up for myself! Am I really going to fall flat on my face in front of everyone now?

Someone happened to be walking toward her at that moment, and she instinctively grabbed the person to steady herself.

Once she stood firm, she quickly let go.

She didn’t even look up. The person wore a white shirt and pants, with a cold, aloof presence. Even without seeing his face, she could tell this person was refined and noble.

In this kind of story, anyone like him was either the male lead or an important side character. She had zero interest in getting involved.

Especially since the air around them had suddenly gone quiet and cold.

With her head lowered, she softly muttered, “Thank you.”

Then she left immediately.

The moment Tang Susu walked out, the students in the KTV were in shock.

“What the hell just happened?!”

“Did she just touch Jin Yuhao, say thank you, and leave?”

“She didn’t even cling to him or fall into his arms!”

“Playing hard to get?”

“Definitely! Classic tactic!”

Outside the KTV, Tang Susu looked around the street. A wave of unfamiliarity swept over her.

A strange world. A strange place.

She figured she’d need some time and space to process this absurd situation.

The breeze blew gently as she wandered aimlessly.

Her long hair brushed against her face, and although her makeup was heavy and low-quality, her otherworldly aura overshadowed the ugliness.

It didn’t take long for her to come to terms with things.

Since I’m here, I may as well make the most of it. Maybe this unexpected journey will bring something new.

Tang Susu decided to head back.

Before her was an old alley that hadn’t been demolished.

The stone-paved ground and old brick walls gave off a nostalgic charm.

So beautiful…

In a world full of rapid development, Tang Susu especially loved ancient buildings that hadn’t been renovated. She adored anything traditional.

She walked slowly, admiring her surroundings. If there were a piano nearby, she thought, she might even play a tune.

Suddenly, thunder rumbled.

The sky darkened. Rain was imminent.

She needed to find shelter.

But then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something at the end of the alley.

Near a pile of trash, a blood-covered boy lay on the ground.

She froze for a moment before rushing over.

The rain began to pour without warning, drenching the world in a curtain of water.

Ignoring the storm, Tang Susu ran to the boy.

Trash, blood, and dirty water mixed beneath him. He looked half-dead and couldn’t move at all.

Her heart clenched. She quickly squatted down to check on him. “Are you okay?”

With just one glance, she was stunned.

How can someone look this good?

His face was pale from blood loss—like a paper doll. His thick lashes were shut tight. He looked unconscious.

There was a striking tear-shaped mole at the corner of his eye, wickedly beautiful.

Next to him was a faded school bag and a scattered student ID card.

She glanced at it. It was waterproof.

The boy in the photo had delicate features, his peach blossom eyes lowered with no expression at all—a quiet presence.

The name written below: He Zhimou.

Tang Susu froze.

He Zhimou? Isn’t he that low-profile side character in the novel?

As a teen, he suffered injustice and lost a limb, becoming disabled. But later, he became a wealthy and powerful man.

The author hadn’t written much about his youth—only focused on his adult life, where he sat in a wheelchair and effortlessly handled complicated matters. Even the male lead had to show him respect.

He wasn’t like other villainous characters who turned psychotic and attacked innocent people.

He had endured suffering, lost his leg, and faced countless hardships, yet still became an extraordinary man.

Unfortunately, Tang Susu had only read half the novel. She knew from the heroine’s point of view that he was now successful and kind, deeply involved in charity. But she didn’t know his ending.

Looking at his pitiful state now, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

In novels, the broken and twisted characters always get rescued.

But gentle, tragic side characters like him? They rarely had fans.

Staring at the pale, blood-drained boy, she made a decision.

For the next three years, I’ll protect him and help him grow.

I won’t let him go through all that pain again.

The next second—

The boy suddenly opened his eyes.

His pitch-black eyes were filled with darkness and hostility.

Tang Susu’s heart skipped a beat, pounding wildly.

Wasn’t he supposed to be gentle and refined?

Why did he suddenly look so terrifying?

She blinked, looking again. He was stunning—those peach blossom eyes, the mole at the corner of his eye, unmistakable.

Yes, it’s him!

This must be his youth—the time when he endured all the hardships. The author barely described this phase, only mentioned how beautiful he was.

Maybe his personality isn’t fully formed yet?

She struggled to lift him onto her shoulder and softened her voice. “Don’t be afraid. Hold on, I’ll get you to the hospital.”

But the boy’s pale, slender fingers suddenly gripped her wrist, trying to pin her down.

Unfortunately, he was so weak that if she hadn’t held him up, he’d have collapsed again.

Failing to overpower her, he stumbled back two steps, his dark eyes locked onto her.

Tang Susu met his hostile gaze—awkwardly.

Am I really that unlikeable?