The Supporting Male Characters Who Died Alone All Those Years Later

He Dongchen began to scrutinize the green-dressed girl, with average looks, downturned corners of her mouth, and a worldly-wise expression in her eyes.

In the original plot, Yu Le always remained pure, non-competitive, and indifferent, just like a chrysanthemum, because someone else was there to fight and snatch things for her.

For example, right now, Yu Le stood there, with a faint expression, as if she had just come to deliver something, while the green-dressed girl Wang Xue played the role of the annoying character, jumping up and down, repeatedly calling her a lifesaver. If He Dongchen didn’t recognize her, it would be deemed ungrateful.

Wang Xue had a considerable role in the original plot, being a good friend of Yu Le’s, with a quick temper, straightforwardness, and a carefree attitude, always stirring up trouble for Yu Le to clean up. She perfectly complemented Yu Le’s independence and perceptiveness.

Just like the clothes she wore today, always playing the role of the green leaf to set off the red flower.

He Dongchen looked at Wang Xue with an unclear meaning, “Do you like green?”

“What?” Wang Xue was puzzled, but being stared at by a handsome and wealthy opposite sex, she softened her words a bit, “Don’t change the subject, thank Yu Le.”

“Oh, thank you?” He Dongchen’s tone was sarcastic, nodding slightly towards Yu Le. Although he was sitting on the sofa, he seemed aloof.

“Miss Yu, do I need to thank you?”

Yu Le’s eyes flickered, shaking her head, “No need, it was just a coincidence, and I didn’t really do anything helpful.”

A strategic retreat, this move always worked at any time. If someone else were here, faced with Wang Xue’s aggressive behavior, they would surely think Yu Le was tactful and feel grateful.

But He Dongchen just smiled faintly, with an expression that said ‘you know it well,’ and lightly said, “It’s good that you know. If there’s nothing else, please leave. I’m busy.”

Yu Le was slightly stunned, completely unexpected that He Dongchen wouldn’t give any face! Obviously, it wasn’t like this before. In her previous life, during an interview, He Dongchen openly admitted that due to experiencing the hardships of life, he was more sympathetic towards entrepreneurs, especially those who started from scratch.

There was also media uncovering that someone once gave He Dongchen a bun when he couldn’t afford to eat, and as soon as he returned to the He family, he immediately invested in that person’s business.

So, the first thing Yu Le did after being reborn was to go to the alley and wait, to show her kindness to He Dongchen at the most important moment of recognizing relatives.

But He Dongchen’s reaction was completely different from what she had imagined, no profuse thanks, just perfunctory impatience.

How could this be!

Confidently reborn, Yu Le felt a little flustered, unwilling to leave like this. She glanced at Wang Xue, looking despondent.

Wang Xue couldn’t bear to see her good friend being wronged. She immediately stepped forward, and spoke firmly, “Today, you must thank Yu Le! Otherwise… otherwise, I’ll stay here! Let others see how ungrateful you are!”

He Dongchen felt that this girl was simply hopeless, hitting wherever pointed at. He couldn’t be bothered, and plainly said to Yu Le, “If the favor you mentioned was to trip me up when I was about to escape, I have nothing to say. I even took two punches to protect you at that time, considering it settled. As for you coming all this way today to deliver something, I’ll have my secretary reimburse your travel expenses.”

Yu Le’s face turned ugly, her hands unconsciously clenched.

Wang Xue, who was originally hesitant, immediately frowned and said coldly, “How could you insult Yu Le like this!”

He Dongchen rolled his eyes inelegantly, “Forget the reimbursement then. After all, one shouldn’t insult people with money, Xiao Ya, see them out!”

“Okay, Young Master He.” Secretary Xiao Ya immediately came in and escorted the two out, with a strong and uncompromising attitude, as if she would call security if they disagreed.

Yu Le knew there would be no result today, staying would only be humiliating, so she left briskly. Wang Xue followed, not forgetting to glare back at He Dongchen before leaving.

Although Yu Le left in a chic manner, she was actually quite anxious inside. After being reborn, she had a clear goal, planned her path based on foresight, first attaching herself to a wealthy patron, relying on the He family to enter the entertainment industry, participating in those explosively popular movies and TV shows, then gradually rising up, and finally standing proudly before Qin Feng.

But she didn’t expect the He family to be so indifferent, failing right from the start.

Yu Le felt frustrated and annoyed. The thought of the TV series that would explode in a few days starting casting made her suddenly angry, blaming the He family for their lack of humanity.

***

After seeing off the reborn woman, He Dongchen spent some time at the company looking at case studies, then went to the employee cafeteria with his mother for lunch to show his face.

The capital company was already male-dominated, and everyone was full of elite vibes, with money on their minds, so He Dongchen’s arrival didn’t stir much gossip. Those who respectfully greeted him on the way left a good impression and left promptly.

The next day, Ke Yu efficiently categorized the projects preliminarily and sent them to He Dongchen’s email.

He Dongchen laid on the sofa and glanced through them. His current image was that of a self-made illiterate wealthy second-generation, with a billion dollars in hand, not too little, not too much. He wouldn’t consider big projects, nor would they find him, but there were plenty of small projects, with various proposals making it dizzying to read. Among them were some shady ones, with people trying to cheat He Dongchen’s money by coming up with far-fetched ideas.

Ke Yu helped to screen out some, while He Dongchen continued to eliminate.

Suddenly, he thought of the reborn woman who visited yesterday. If things followed the original trajectory, Yu Le would have “had to” accept a role as the third female lead in a TV series by now, and she would have gained some popularity through this role, starting off on the right foot.

He Dongchen stroked his smooth chin and made a call, instructing Ke Yu to contact the production team.

Ke Yu checked the production team’s setup and consulted friends in the entertainment industry, feeling confident, and took the initiative to contact the director.

‘Legend of Concubine Ming’ was a big-budget palace intrigue drama, with a seasoned male lead, an award-winning actress as the female lead, and the director, Lin, who had long been known for his expertise in period dramas. This lineup was so solid that anyone could tell it would be a safe investment, so the production team wasn’t lacking in funding.

Upon hearing that the He family’s newly recovered son wanted to invest in the production, Director Lin was somewhat hesitant, fearing that the other party might not understand the industry well or might try to meddle in affairs, or worse, bring in some unsavory characters.

But one had to give face to the wealthy investors. Looking at the big picture, He Capital’s reputation was formidable, and Director Lin didn’t want the He family to harbor any ill will because of this matter.

With both parties keen, they quickly arranged to meet and discuss.

***

He Dongchen appeared indifferent, as if he was just there to throw money around. Director Lin inwardly muttered, but outwardly eagerly accepted the 10 million investment. After all, who would complain about too much money? With this sum, they could upgrade costumes and props.

After a cordial discussion, the group moved to a restaurant to celebrate the success of the new drama.

“I love the dishes at this restaurant the most. Young Master He, you should try them,” Director Lin was a well-known foodie, a fact known throughout the entertainment industry.

He Dongchen surveyed the quaint restaurant and caught sight of someone on the small stage ahead. He squinted slightly, his smile carrying an ambiguous meaning.

Curious, Director Lin followed his gaze and saw a young woman in ancient costume playing the pipa. She was elegant, with a hint of sadness in her eyes, her sorrow palpable, evoking sympathy from anyone who watched.

(T/N: Pipa = Sometimes called the “Chinese lute”, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets ranging from 12 to 31.)

Director Lin was transfixed, his gaze fixated on the woman.

He Dongchen tapped the tabletop with his fingers, drawing Director Lin’s attention back.

Director Lin snapped out of his thoughts, excitedly saying, “I’ve found the perfect candidate for the third female lead!”

The third female lead in ‘Legend of Concubine Ming’ was a foreign Princess who played the pipa exceptionally well. For the sake of her country’s righteousness, she gave up her lover and married into the Central Plains. Despite her cold attitude towards the Emperor due to her unrequited love, she became the right-hand woman of the female lead, with her role spanning the entire drama. In the end, she returned to her homeland, dying alone with longing for her lover.

Director Lin felt that the woman playing the pipa on stage was the embodiment of the third female lead.

He Dongchen’s lips twitched. The reborn woman wasn’t taking my route anymore, now she was going after the director. She was really relentless.

“How does Young Master He feel about her?” After being excited for a while, Director Lin finally remembered that there was an investor sitting across from him.

He Dongchen shook his head and said honestly, “Not good. This piece of music is about missing a lover, not mourning a lost lover.”

Director Lin choked.

Ah, this… seemed to make some sense. The music was too mournful.

Director Lin looked back and saw the woman playing the pipa was already crying like rain, biting her lip in a very exaggerated manner, making it all seem rather forced.

“And Director Lin’s preference for fine dining is well-known to all. You often come here, and suddenly there’s a suitable candidate for casting. Don’t you think it’s a coincidence?”

Director Lin frowned. Now he completely lost interest. No one liked scheming people, and he preferred to be the one doing the wooing.

He Dongchen smiled, keeping his intentions hidden.

***

Meanwhile, Yu Le was still playing her pipa, initially remembering her original intentions subtly showcasing herself, but as she played on, memories from her past life flooded in. She had loved Qin Feng for a whole decade, unable to have him, heartbroken.

In the end, she had to watch Qin Feng marry someone else…

The more Yu Le thought about it, the more confused she became. As she played, her emotions inevitably seeped in, thick with sadness and resentment. Many diners furrowed their brows. They had come to enjoy a meal, not to be serenaded with melancholy tunes.

They were disappointed.

The only one who could have appreciated it, Director Lin, had his interest completely doused by He Dongchen’s hint.

As the piece ended, Yu Le was immediately escorted away by the restaurant manager, her face pale with shock.

Yu Le had initially thought she had succeeded, thinking Director Lin wanted to see her. Her heart raced, but she was shocked when the manager took her to the office and scolded her before kicking her out.

Although she hadn’t planned to do much at the restaurant, it didn’t mean she was willing to be scorned and kicked out!

With an unpleasant expression, Yu Le left the restaurant empty-handed.

***

Half a month later, ‘Legend of Concubine Ming’ started filming, but Yu Le’s name wasn’t on the list.

He Dongchen, busy with project inspections, smirked, then brushed it off.

That day, Mother He suddenly said at the dinner table, “The Ming family has a young girl who looks decent, we can give it a try.”

He Dongchen nodded. In the original plot, he had never married or had children for the sake of Yu Le, leaving his parents disappointed and regretful.

Since he wanted to be a child who didn’t disappoint his parents, he naturally had to get married and have children.

Blind dates were also a good option.

The next day, as scheduled, He Dongchen arrived at a romantic restaurant. After waiting impatiently for 20 minutes, he finally saw Ming Yan, the young girl from the Ming family. However, she wasn’t alone; she was followed by a wanton playboy.

He Dongchen watched the melodramatic scene unfolding before him, speechlessly quirking his lips.

He ordered a few dishes for himself before speaking up, interrupting them, “Sorry, if you two want to argue, please leave.”

The emotionally charged Ming Yan came to her senses, finally remembering that she was here for a blind date. She adjusted her hair and said, “Young Master He, please don’t misunderstand. This is my ex-boyfriend, and we have no relationship anymore.”

“What do you mean, no relationship?! Did I agree to break up?” The man beside her immediately retorted fiercely, then glared at He Dongchen. “You’d better be sensible! Don’t you dare touch my woman!”

He Dongchen smiled coldly, “As long as you two leave immediately, we’ll have no relationship at all.”

The playboy also understood and pulled Ming Yan to leave.

But Ming Yan struggled, “Let go of me! We’ve already broken up! Why should you stop me from going on a blind date!”

She pushed him away, then ignored his cold face and sat across from He Dongchen with a radiant smile. “Hello, nice to meet you.”

He Dongchen’s voice was icy, “I’m not pleased, Miss Ming. I came here for a blind date, not to watch you and your ex-boyfriend bicker, nor to be used as a tool to provoke him.”