The Supporting Male Characters Who Died Alone All Those Years Later

“Dongchen, what are you doing hiding in the study? Tao Tao is here.”

A voice rang out from outside, accompanied by approaching footsteps.

Inside the room, a young man in a white shirt was lying on the desk, sleeping. On the computer was a densely written professional paper, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on the table. The entire study was simple and orderly, with a row of old books on the shelf, none of which had frayed edges.

Hearing the call from outside, the young man moved his eyes slightly, then slowly opened them, a clear understanding flashing through his beautiful peach blossom eyes.

He naturally straightened up, put on his glasses, and responded to the person outside the door, “Coming.” His voice was deep and lazy, reflecting that he had just woken up.

“Hurry up!” Mother He’s urging voice continued, but her footsteps turned and gradually faded away.

He Dongchen didn’t respond further, nor did he rush to get up. He crossed his hands and closed his eyes, accepting the original owner’s memories.

The original owner had been outstanding since childhood, with excellent grades and looks, though somewhat sharp-tongued. He was always kind to his neighbor, Tao Tao. They grew up together, from kindergarten to university, and friends and family assumed they were a couple, often teasing them.

The original owner liked Tao Tao. Although he never said it, his actions were perfect. He was always there when she needed him, fetching water for her in college, being her shoulder to cry on at work, and buying sanitary products during her periods. When boys harassed her, he acted as her shield.

The original owner silently did everything for her, and Tao Tao accepted it all. She once drunkenly said that if she ever got married, he would be her first choice.

The original owner was secretly delighted, counting their ages. Each time their families urged them to marry, he would be particularly excited, hoping Tao Tao would agree.

Unfortunately, by the age of 28, the original owner was still waiting for her nod. Instead, one day, Tao Tao brought home a boyfriend, the CEO of her company, the boss she often complained about.

The two were sweet and loving, warmly welcomed by the Tao family.

Only the He family remained silent.

Later, the original owner watched as Tao Tao got married and had children. He stepped forward when she needed help and kept his distance when she didn’t. Because of that, all his potential relationships failed, and he ended up lonely for the rest of his life.

After He Dongchen finished recalling, the computer screen in front of him flashed, and a dialog box popped up.

[Boss, boss, I’m here!]

He Dongchen raised his hand and adjusted his glasses, speaking sparingly, “Mission?”

The system didn’t dare to joke around and quickly displayed the rewards from the previous world and the plot tasks for this world.

[Previous small world: “Beauty of the World”]

[Basic Mission: Resist Manipulation (Complete), Inherit the Divine Doctor Valley (Complete)]

[Mission Merit: 701,273

[Points Gained: 200 + Redeemable Merit Points 701,273]

[Current small world: “After Picking Up a Dog, I Reached the Pinnacle of Life”]

[Synopsis: Tao Tao was a corporate slave, running herself ragged for her boss’s every word, and constantly complaining about him in her daily work. She thought her life would always be this busy and mundane, but since she soft-heartedly picked up a dog at the company entrance, everything changed.

Her problematic boss became awkward and started revealing her little secrets unintentionally.]

[Basic Mission: Get Married and Have Children (Incomplete)]

[Mission Merit: 0]

He Dongchen raised an eyebrow. So that’s how it was.

Tao Tao did indeed pick up a Husky once, which turned out to have a person’s soul inside.

Interesting.

The system jumped out of the computer, excitedly saying, [Boss, there’s a talisman in the mall specifically for fixing soul swaps. It guarantees to restore everything with one click! It will directly sever their red thread!]

He Dongchen glanced at it and said slowly, “If someone wants to be a dog, how can I interfere?”

Moreover, his task was simply to get married and have children. Why would he destroy the main couple’s love? If he severed the red thread of fate and Tao Tao didn’t have a better option, she might cling to him.

If I ever get married, my first choice will definitely be you.

The original owner saw this as a promise from Tao Tao, but He Dongchen preferred to interpret it as; if there’s no better option, you’ll do as a compromise.

***

“Dongchen!” His mother’s urgent call came from outside.

He Dongchen stopped dawdling, stood up, straightened his clothes, and went out.

The He family and the Tao family had been neighbors for over 20 years and got along well. Especially He Dongchen and Tao Tao, who grew up together and were as close as siblings. The two families were like one, constantly urging them to get married.

On weekends, the two families often visited each other for meals. Today, the Tao family had brought fruit and came over for dinner, which was why He Dongchen’s mother had been urging him so persistently.

In the living room, He Dongchen’s father and Tao Tao’s father were sitting on the sofa making tea. His mother and Tao Tao’s mother were busy in the kitchen.

Tao Tao, wearing a blue plaid dress, was curled up in the corner of the sofa, holding a phone and muttering. Occasionally, words like ‘trash boss’ and ‘working overtime on weekends’ could be heard.

“Dongchen is here. Sit next to Tao Tao,” Father Tao said with a wide smile when he saw He Dongchen come out of the study, clearly very satisfied with this prospective son-in-law.

He Dongchen nodded politely but didn’t sit next to Tao Tao. Instead, he wandered into the kitchen and rolled up his sleeves to help his mother.

“Hey, the kitchen is so small, three people can’t fit. Don’t come in and make a mess; go keep Tao Tao company,” his mother complained, shooing him away as water droplets splashed onto He Dongchen’s face.

Mother Tao, standing nearby, spoke enviously, “Your son is so filial, unlike my Tao Tao, who just lies on the sofa when she comes home and does nothing. We’ll have to rely on Dongchen in the future.”

Mother He laughed, covering her mouth, “It’s only natural. Nowadays, men who don’t cook can’t find a wife.”

The two women continued to praise each other, leaving He Dongchen unable to get a word or a hand in edgewise. He had no choice but to leave the kitchen, take his phone, and go downstairs to buy some drinks.

After wandering outside for a while and breathing in the fresh air, he was on his way back when Tao Tao called, asking him to bring some chips.

“I’m already in the elevator,” He Dongchen replied casually and hung up.

Ding—

The elevator arrived.

As He Dongchen stepped in, the man beside him winked, saying, “Brother, I’ve got to learn that trick.”

He Dongchen smiled but didn’t respond.

When he got home, the dining table was already filled with a variety of delicious dishes, most of which were Tao Tao’s favorites. It was clear that the He family was showing their sincerity, just waiting for Tao Tao to agree to the marriage.

“Dongchen, you’re back. Come and eat,” Father Tao greeted him warmly, patting his shoulder as he spoke.

He Dongchen discreetly stepped aside, put the drinks down, and went to the kitchen to help his mother with the utensils.

After some pleasantries, the two families finally sat down to eat, filling the table completely.

Tao Tao leaned in close to him and whined, “I want to eat chips.”

He Dongchen acted as if he didn’t hear her. He stood up, ladled a bowl of chicken soup, and, bypassing Tao Tao, placed it in front of his father, advising, “Drink less alcohol and more soup.”

His father laughed heartily, clearly pleased by his son’s concern.

Tao Tao was stunned. In the past, He Dongchen would have given her the first bowl of soup. What’s different today?

Something was off.

She repeated that she wanted to eat chips.

This time, He Dongchen finally responded, speaking slowly, “They’ll make you gain weight.”

Tao Tao: “…”

She turned her head away and huffed, indicating her displeasure.

He Dongchen pretended not to notice, focusing on his meal. His mother’s cooking was excellent; even a simple mushroom soup was especially delicious.

The atmosphere at the table was harmonious. The adults from both families chatted about various topics. Suddenly, Mother He remarked meaningfully, “Nowadays, young people like to live on their own. So, we reclaimed the house we rented out in Mingfa Garden. It was renovated last month, just in time.”

Mother Tao smiled even more brightly. Mother He’s comment implied that the young couple could move out after marriage, keeping a respectful distance from the in-laws.

“Do you need more furniture? My factory just released a new batch of designs at an internal discount,” said Mother Tao, who worked at a furniture factory. The two mothers chatted enthusiastically, clearly discussing setting up a marital home.

He Dongchen frowned as he listened. He glanced at Tao Tao, who was pouting in anger, unsure if she had understood the conversation.

***

After dinner, He Dongchen called Tao Tao to the balcony and asked directly, “Do you like me?”

Tao Tao, who had been waiting for He Dongchen to comfort her, was taken aback. She instinctively avoided his gaze, nervously fiddling with her phone as she stammered, “Why are you suddenly asking that?”

He Dongchen glanced at his mother and Mother Tao walking towards them and continued, “We’re not getting any younger. Our parents are already preparing the marital home. You can’t be unaware of that, right?”

Tao Tao had never seen He Dongchen so straightforward before. She felt a mess inside and didn’t know how to respond. She turned her back and looked into the distance, “Let me think about it, don’t pressure me.”

If she married He Dongchen, her life would be predictable, dull, and boring. Tao Tao felt unwilling. She wanted a passionate love affair. He Dongchen was great in many ways, but he was too silent and lacked excitement.

He Dongchen glanced at his mother inside the house, who was frowning, and at Mother Tao, who looked embarrassed. He continued, “Avoiding the topic is also a way of forcing me to compromise. Tao Tao, we don’t have to rush into marriage. We can start by dating.”

Mother He, inside, rolled her eyes in frustration. They had already prepared the marital home, but the young couple hadn’t even started dating! Thinking about all the gifts she had given Tao Tao over the years, like bracelets and necklaces, she grew even more annoyed.

Mother Tao, feeling awkward, urgently looked at her daughter. Nod your head, silly girl! Such a good match, and you might not find another like him!

However, Tao Tao let her down.

After some hesitation, Tao Tao took a deep breath and said, “I’m sorry, Dongchen. I’ve always seen you as a good friend.”

She couldn’t agree to marry him; she would always have regrets.

He Dongchen pretended to be sad, lowering his head, “Okay, I understand.”

Tao Tao felt awkward and tugged at her dress, “Um, we’re still good friends, right?”

“No,” He Dongchen shook his head and bluntly said, “I want to find a girlfriend. It’s not appropriate to have a close childhood friend.”

With that, he turned and walked back inside, facing Mother He and Mother Tao directly.

The sudden silence was palpable.

Tao Tao finally noticed them, especially He Dongchen’s usually kind mother, whose face was now stern. Feeling at a loss, she looked to her own mother for help.

Her mother sighed inwardly and quickly stepped in to smooth things over, “Oh, they’re just having a little spat. When Old Tao and I were dating, we also had little arguments every other day, haha…”

He Dongchen’s mother forced a smile and coldly remarked, “They’re not even dating. What is there to argue about?”

The room fell completely silent. In the end, Mother Tao, feeling deeply disappointed, pulled her daughter away. Father Tao, who had been playing chess with Father He, looked bewildered as he followed.