The Supporting Male Characters Who Died Alone All Those Years Later

He Guanyun was stunned by He Dongchen’s words, and when he saw Xiao Tang again, he couldn’t look her in the eye. His gaze was evasive, and he stuttered when he spoke.

Such an obvious change in behavior was noticed by both women present.

Si Manman guessed that maybe He Dongchen had reprimanded him, leading him to decide to let go and avoid involvement, thus feeling too embarrassed to face Xiao Tang.

Xiao Tang had the same thought and mentally cursed He Dongchen for meddling. She had moved into He Guanyun’s luxurious apartment yesterday and was thrilled, now counting on joining He Guanyun’s studio to rise to a higher status.

After all, the male lead’s studio would become a star-making base in the future, where any artist could gain some fame. Joining the studio now would make her an original member, potentially a future leading lady! Maybe, to compensate for her being left with nothing after the divorce, He Guanyun would even give her some shares?

Xiao Tang had been excited all night, but seeing He Guanyun’s guilty demeanor today made her anxious. She hid her feelings and continued to inquire about the studio with her usual enthusiasm for work.

He Guanyun adjusted the curls on his forehead and replied vaguely, “It’s still under construction.”

Si Manman, standing beside him, had a hint of worry in her eyes and looked down, lost in thought.

At this point, Xiao Tang already knew about Si Manman’s role as the female lead and compared herself to her mentally.

Both came from ordinary families. Si Manman had lucked out as a child by acting in a few plays, earning enough to study abroad and become glamorous. The original Xiao Tang wasn’t as fortunate, struggling to get into nursing school and ending up meeting He Dongchen, that cold-hearted scumbag.

Back to the main issue, Xiao Tang found it puzzling to see the male and female leads looking so dejected. In the book, He Dongchen was very supportive of his brother, taking full charge of the studio’s affairs, leaving the male and female leads to focus solely on singing and acting.

But now, it seemed the studio wasn’t even established yet.

With these thoughts, Xiao Tang asked, “He Dongchen values you so much, and yet he wants you to worry about these trivial matters?”

He Guanyun’s face darkened, and he turned his head away without speaking.

Si Manman tried to smooth things over, saying, “Young people need to strive on their own.”

Xiao Tang was full of questions. “Why not use available resources?” Why not take shortcuts if they were available? The moral standards of the male and female leads were too high!

Seeing Xiao Tang’s incredulous expression, He Guanyun became thoroughly embarrassed and angry. He suddenly stood up and shouted, “Do you think I can’t achieve anything without my Brother?”

After yelling, he stormed upstairs, leaving the two women in the living room staring at each other.

***

After a while, Si Manman smiled apologetically at Xiao Tang, her tone gentle, “Guanyun always wants to prove himself. His attitude was a bit harsh. Please forgive him, Miss Xiao.”

Xiao Tang opened her mouth, but He Guanyun’s behavior just now didn’t seem like he wanted to prove himself. It looked more like a child being cut off from his family’s support.

Si Manman believed that He Guanyun didn’t want to manage Xiao Tang anymore but was too embarrassed to say it. So, she stepped in as the bad guy, cleared her throat, and hesitantly said, “Originally, Mr. He was very supportive of Guanyun entering the entertainment industry. But because Guanyun got involved in your matters, Mr. He has completely withdrawn his support. May I ask, Miss Xiao, do you have any conflict with Mr. He?”

Xiao Tang hadn’t expected that she was part of the reason! It was like a bolt from the blue! So, because he helped me, the storyline went off track!?

How much did He Dongchen despise my body’s original owner? He even opposed his brother’s involvement and used the business as leverage.

Scumbag! He was truly despicable!

Xiao Tang gritted her teeth, wanting to tear He Dongchen apart! But in reality, she couldn’t even see him. She couldn’t get into the neighborhood, couldn’t access the company, and couldn’t reach him by phone. She managed to get through to He Dongchen’s assistant, Wang Hao, only to be met with sarcasm.

Xiao Tang was furious but had no way to deal with him.

Expose it online? Ha! Yesterday she had sharp eyes and spotted a reporter excitedly taking photos at the hotel. But now, nothing happened.

Si Manman watched Xiao Tang’s face change repeatedly. She raised her hand to smooth her hair and sighed, “Guanyun has loved music since he was young. Now he has finally returned to pursue his dream, only to be hindered…”

Xiao Tang looked up at the female lead across from her, dressed in a white long dress with black hair cascading over her shoulders. She listened as those pretty lips continued, “Pardon me for saying this, but your issues with Mr. He shouldn’t affect innocent people, should they?”

Si Manman’s tone was light and gentle, her expression friendly, but her words felt extremely harsh to Xiao Tang.

Initially, Xiao Tang just wanted to get close to the male lead, shine in the entertainment industry, and make big money. Now, she sneered inwardly. Since He Dongchen wanted to be so ruthless, wouldn’t it be more fun to turn the brothers against each other?

Feigning a guilty look, Xiao Tang spoke self-reproachfully, “I shouldn’t have drag Guanyun into this.”

Si Manman thought she had understood, feeling relieved and smiling more sincerely. She even kindly recommended a contact for extras who had some resources and a good character, which was better than Xiao Tang hanging around film sets by herself.

Xiao Tang left with a face full of gratitude, but as soon as she was outside, she scoffed. This female lead wasn’t that great either, so stingy.

***

During lunch, He Guanyun came downstairs and learned that Si Manman had sent Xiao Tang away. He scratched his head in frustration but said nothing in the end.

Every time he thought about his older brother’s suggestion to marry Xiao Tang, He Guanyun felt a chill run down his spine and discomfort all over.

He paused, then turned to look at the elegant and beautiful Si Manman eating beside him, thinking maybe it was time to define their relationship.

A few days later, He Guanyun arranged a candlelight dinner to confess to Si Manman. This scene was coincidentally captured by onlookers and posted online. A handsome man, a beautiful woman, champagne, and roses; a romantic scene straight out of a drama. The internet buzzed with excitement, and Si Manman’s identity was quickly revealed, creating a minor sensation.

He Dongchen, who had been keeping tabs on He Guanyun’s every move, also found out that the original couple had confirmed their relationship.

He arched an eyebrow slightly, thinking it was interesting. After all, since Xiao Tang intervened, things had taken a turn for the worse between this ambiguously involved pair of men and women, eventually turning into enmity.

The system speculated somewhat predictably, [Maybe it’s because of what Big Boss said that day.]

Currently, He Guanyun only felt sympathy for Xiao Tang; he hadn’t yet developed any affection or pity for her. Suddenly suggesting marriage sent chills down the spine of any normal person, so He Guanyun hesitated. To shift the focus, he quickly formalized his relationship with Si Manman.

Si Manman was very astute; she immediately seized on this confession to hype it up. He Guanyun sang an original song during a livestream and instantly became popular, catching the attention of many companies who extended their olive branches.

He Dongchen showed no reaction to that. As long as He Guanyun didn’t ride on his coattails, he didn’t care how things developed.

His original task was to refuse to support his younger brother, so he certainly wouldn’t take the initiative to suppress him.

Now He Dongchen’s concern was how to get Gu Huan to notice him.

It had been half a month since the last incident, and they hadn’t met or spoken since. Messages He Dongchen had sent were met with silence unless they pertained to business. He Dongchen didn’t want to press too hard, fearing he might provoke a negative response.

After the assistant finished reporting on the work, He Dongchen asked, “Has the house been settled?”

“The other party isn’t selling, but it can be rented. I took the liberty to sign a one-year lease contract. It’s all prepare; Your everyday clothes, accessories, and daily necessities. Here’s the key.” The assistant took out a key and placed it on the table.

“Very well, you may leave now.”

He Dongchen put away the key and continued working.

***

Around 10 in the evening, the system, which had recently been engrossed in web surfing, suddenly exclaimed, [Big boss, big boss! Based on my data prediction, Gu Huan might be in trouble tonight! It’s time for you to play the hero!]

He Dongchen’s expression instantly turned cold. “What kind of trouble?”

[She lives in a neighborhood that’s under renovation, with a mix of workers. Based on my monitoring, tonight several workers are likely to be emboldened and up to no good! Gu Huan just got off work and returned home from the company. If Big Boss leaves now, you can catch up just in time!]

He Dongchen abruptly stood up, without a word, and strode towards the exit, his steps quickening until he broke into a run. Despite having placed a lucky charm on Gu Huan, he knew that unexpected things could still happen, so he couldn’t afford to be careless.

Once in the car, He Dongchen called Gu Huan.

“Hello, the number you have dialed is switched off…”

He Dongchen frowned deeply, pressed the accelerator, and the car sped out of the parking lot.

***

Meanwhile, Gu Huan, exhausted from work, was driving home. Her phone, out of battery, lay neglected beside her. While waiting at a traffic light, she absentmindedly glanced at a promotional poster for a product under the He Group, and her thoughts drifted momentarily.

Over the past half month, Gu Huan had been busy with work, forcing herself not to dwell on thoughts of him. Yet every time she glanced at her phone’s messages, memories of their time together surfaced. Even seeing a couple with a child reminded her of the He Group, and then to that charming man.

Internally conflicted, a small voice in her mind, stomping its high heels screamed angrily, “Don’t hang yourself on the tree of a second-marriage with an old man!” Another voice, clutching its chest, gradually relented, “It’s just a marriage in name only, nothing to mind about…”

Honk!

The car horn behind her snapped Gu Huan back to reality. She focused intently on the road ahead, navigating her way through.

10 minutes later, Gu Huan arrived at her neighborhood, locked her car, and walked away from the parking lot. It was now 11 at night, the sky heavily overcast with dark clouds intermittently flashing with lightning. The wind hinted at an impending storm. There was no one on the road, and several streetlights in the neighborhood were still out of order from yesterday, casting eerie shadows in the corners, making it unsettling.

Gu Huan, fearing the rain, hurriedly walked towards the entrance of Building 4, arms wrapped around herself. As she passed by the pavilion beneath Building 2, she noticed several construction workers lying there, beer bottles scattered around, their drunkenness filling the air.

She frowned slightly. It seemed like this neighborhood wasn’t safe to live in.

Outnumbered, Gu Huan didn’t want any trouble. She walked a bit farther and detoured around. Unexpectedly, a suspicious-looking man started to follow her surreptitiously.

Seeing the shadow on the ground getting closer, Gu Huan immediately became alert. She quickened her pace, her heart pounding loudly. As footsteps approached from behind and the shadow reached out towards her, Gu Huan pulled out a small bottle from her bag. Suddenly, she turned around and sprayed pepper spray wildly towards the man’s face.

“Ah!!!” The man screamed in pain, covering his eyes.

Several other men who were spectating rushed forward. They looked fierce and menacing as they surrounded Gu Huan.

Gu Huan retreated while warning, “I’ve already called the police. They’ll be here in less than 5 minutes. I advise you to leave now!”

The drunken men were undeterred, grinning foolishly. One of them said, “Beauty, you hurt our brother for no reason. How about explaining yourself?”

“Yeah, Qiang Zi just wanted to ask you something. You freaked out and injured my brother. You have to pay up! You must pay up today if you want to leave!”