The Cold and Ruthless Supporting Male Lead

“Lying?” Leng Haotian was a little surprised, feeling an immediate surge of anger as if he had been deceived. However, the car had already reached the entrance, so he could only park and let Hai Ku and the others get out first.

Leng Haotian pulled Zhang Xiaobao by the shoulder and led him into the grand hall. “You’ll have to explain to your grand-uncle how she lied. I even let her in just now.”

Hai Ku followed behind, feeling somewhat fortunate. It was a good thing he came to this place; Otherwise, who knew what kind of trouble the female lead might stir up.

In these stories, the female lead always seemed extraordinarily lucky, constantly encountering all sorts of extraordinary people.

The first-floor living room of the large villa was spacious but unpretentious. At his age, Leng Aotian didn’t bother with flashy decorations and preferred the warmth of a homely atmosphere.

The setup for today’s gathering was a small family dinner. Worried that Hai Ku and the child might feel uncomfortable, Leng Aotian kept everything simple.

The first floor featured minimalist marble floors, and the round dining table at the side was already set with food. From Hai Ku’s vantage point, he could see Ning Rourou sitting right next to Leng Aotian.

His brows furrowed, and he couldn’t help but whisper, “Uncle, why is she here?”

“Let’s go see what she’s up to.” Leng Haotian’s expression was equally displeased, feeling like he had made a mistake earlier in the morning.

Watching the woman chatting and laughing with his father, Leng Haotian grew increasingly wary of her motives.

“Come on, Xiao Bao, let’s go have dinner with your great-grandfather.” He picked the child up and strode over. Leng Haotian’s voice arrived before he did, “Dad, I brought Xiao Bao and Hai Ku here.”

Hai Ku followed closely behind, deciding it was best to behave obediently for now. As they approached, he greeted respectfully, “Grandfather.”

“You’re here! Come, have a seat,” Leng Aotian said cheerfully, the joy on his wrinkled face impossible to hide. “Xiao Bao, isn’t it? Do you want juice or soda?”

Lifted onto a seat beside Leng Aotian, Zhang Xiaobao smiled sweetly, showing no shyness. “Great-grandfather, I want coconut juice. And Daddy can’t have any alcohol.”

“Alright, alright! Hahaha, Xiao Bao is such a good boy.” Leng Aotian beamed with delight. With no children of this age in the family, and with Haotian’s child not yet born, he doted on Xiao Bao endlessly.

Hai Ku quietly sat beside his son, glancing at Ning Rourou across the table with a subtle smile.

Ning Rourou’s face was filled with surprise, especially when she heard how Zhang Xiaobao and Hai Ku addressed the old gentleman.

“Mr. Leng, this…” Ning Rourou didn’t even dare breathe loudly, cautiously looking at Hai Ku and Zhang Xiaobao.

“Aren’t you all acquainted?” Leng Aotian asked with a confused expression. Leng Haotian had just mentioned that she was Xiao Bao’s mother, which was why he allowed her inside. He had thought that if he couldn’t connect well with his great-grandson, she could mediate.

But now it seemed unnecessary, and the relationships among these people seemed a bit strained.

“Yes, Xiao Bao is my child.” Thinking of that, Ning Rourou’s confidence returned. After all, she was Xiao Bao’s mother.

What was there to fear? Ning Rourou regained her composure. She had been chatting so pleasantly with the old gentleman earlier and could sense how much he valued her.

Feeling entirely self-assured, Ning Rourou wasn’t the least bit intimidated.

Meanwhile, Hai Ku, bolstered by his strong family background, felt even more confident. Initially, he had some reservations about the male lead, but since the female lead had come to this place, it meant her relationship with the male lead had fallen apart. If he didn’t seize this opportunity, when would he?

It was best to finish the task within these few days, cutting off the female lead’s thoughts toward Xiao Bao.

***

A half-smile appeared on Hai Ku’s face, and his tone was light, “Miss Ning, don’t you feel embarrassed saying that?”

Ning Rourou’s brows immediately furrowed. She held back her anger, still speaking in a sweet tone, “Mr. Zhang, what are you saying? Isn’t Xiao Bao my child?”

Hearing her tone, Zhang Xiaobao became upset. He slammed his hands on the table, interrupting Hai Ku before he could continue speaking.

“No, Xiao Bao doesn’t have a mother, and you’re not my mother!” Zhang Xiaobao’s loud voice startled Ning Rourou.

Leng Aotian placed his hand on Xiao Bao’s head and gently patted it. He had already sensed that something was wrong between these people, but he was still protective of his family. He immediately turned his gaze toward Ning Rourou, bringing out his old authority. “What is going on here?”

“I…” Ning Rourou was instantly frightened, her voice trembling. “Xiao Bao really is my child. I gave birth to him 10 years ago, I’ve investigated…”

“I don’t acknowledge you as my mother.” With a quick turn of his head, Zhang Xiaobao rushed into Hai Ku’s arms. “I was raised by Dad. You have no right!”

“Xiao Bao, Mom had no choice back then…” Ning Rourou’s whole body trembled. She didn’t know where this pressure was coming from, but the child before her felt like her only hope.

Hai Ku just watched her, waiting to see how far she would take her act.

Ning Rourou felt uneasy under Hai Ku’s gaze. She swallowed nervously, gathering the courage to speak, her voice still trembling. “I can explain what happened back then. I was only 18 when I gave birth, still a child myself, not understanding anything. Later, Mr. Leng helped me and sent me abroad. That’s how I became who I am today. Now I want to bring my child back and raise him properly. Mr. Zhang… could you give me this chance?”

Eighteen years old, still a child?

If it weren’t for the others being present, Hai Ku would’ve laughed out loud.

“If you want to raise a child so badly, why don’t you have one yourself?” Hai Ku smiled, feeling that he had achieved his goal. “I’ve raised this child for 10 years, why should I hand him over to you to raise? Did you think about what would have happened if no one had passed by or noticed him when you threw him next to the trash? He could’ve died.”

“Waah…!” Even with strong mental fortitude, Zhang Xiaobao, a 10-year-old child, couldn’t bear hearing these things about himself and immediately burst into tears.

“I…” Ning Rourou’s face stiffened. “But the child is fine now, right? I know I was wrong. Please give me one more chance.”

“Enough! Shut up!” Seeing his great-grandson cry, Leng Aotian slammed his hand on the table, feeling that he had truly misjudged her. “Throw this person out!”

Originally, the goal was just to create a family atmosphere. There were no servants in the house. However, there were still bodyguards outside. At Leng Aotian’s commanding shout, the bodyguards rushed in.

Startled by the scene, Ning Rourou’s face turned pale, and she immediately knelt before Leng Aotian. “No, no, Mr. Leng, please let me explain. You know my situation, don’t you? After I abandoned the child, it was you who helped me. You even said you would introduce me to someone. Don’t you remember?”

As soon as Ning Rourou spoke these words, she immediately felt her son’s gaze on her. Leng Aotian became a little guilty. “Quick, quick, throw her out!”

“No, wait, let go of me. Please listen to me, let me explain…”

It wasn’t until Ning Rourou was dragged out that the atmosphere remained awkward.

Zhang Xiaobao cried for a long while before sobbing and saying, “Dad, Dad, don’t give me to her!”

“It won’t happen,” Hai Ku gently patted his back, feeling a little heartbroken. “I won’t give my child to anyone. You are my child.”

Leng Aotian, having lived for so many years, was deeply moved by that. “Hai Ku… that thing earlier was completely an accident. Don’t worry, your grandfather will never let Xiao Bao leave your side!”

Leng Haotian didn’t buy his father’s sentiment. After his father finished his self-pity, he suddenly asked, “Dad, did that woman just say you were going to introduce her to someone?”

“Uh…” The old domineering CEO was a little guilty in front of the new domineering CEO. He quickly turned his gaze back to Hai Ku, trying to divert attention.

“I will help you with this. You’ve suffered enough, child…” Leng Aotian patted Hai Ku’s shoulder, unwilling to admit that he had once tried to introduce such a woman to his son.

Seeing his grandfather’s heartbroken expression, Hai Ku felt somewhat embarrassed. The man was already elderly, and Hai Ku felt even more guilty for troubling him so much. “It’s fine, Grandpa. With your words, I’m at ease now. Xiao Bao, thank your great-grandfather.”

Hai Ku picked up Xiao Bao and held him in his arms. Leng Aotian waved his hand. “No need to thank me. We’re family. Come by more often with Xiao Bao. At my age, I like children. Your cousin hasn’t even been born yet. Even if they’re born, who knows when they’ll start running around? Xiao Bao, at this age, can talk to me. Sigh, I’ve been helping him find someone since he was 20, hoping he’d have more children. But now he’s over 30, and still no child has arrived. Sigh…”

Leng Aotian made a sad face, glancing at his son, trying to make up for the little mistake he had made years ago.

Leng Haotian: “…”

***

After being kicked out of the old man’s house, Ning Rourou felt that she had suffered a great setback in life.

Without Nangong Jun’s support, her business had fewer and fewer partners, and because of poor management, it soon went bankrupt.

After the company went bankrupt, Ning Rourou’s obsession with the child faded, but she started worrying about her future.

From a big boss to a worker, Ning Rourou couldn’t adapt to the change. Even though she had lived abroad for 10 years, she still faced difficulties at work and often encountered unreasonable treatment. Unable to bear it, she clashed directly with her bosses and changed jobs seven or eight times in one year.

What made her even angrier was that Nangong Jun, who had been pursuing her, got engaged to a wealthy young lady after she had rejected him several times.

Ning Rourou was furious. She searched for many opportunities before finally standing before Nangong Jun to question him. “My company went bankrupt. I only wanted a better chance before being with you. You’re a big boss, and I’m just a worker. Why couldn’t you wait for me?”

Nangong Jun, at least, had won the heart of a beautiful woman. His previously muddled mind had been cleared, and he was very awake now.

“Do you think I’m a fool? Or do you think you’re so amazing? After being rejected several times, you expect me to wait for you?” Nangong Jun felt that his brain had been in a pit back then, letting himself be led on. “But I do thank you for rejecting me again. It was because of you that I found my true love.”

“You…”

Unable to keep up with his pace, Ning Rourou could only watch as the man she once liked left, laughing and teasing another woman.

Although Ning Rourou, now 30, still had some charm, the pressure of life and work made her feel like she couldn’t breathe.

In the early years, she could still dream of turning her life around, but by the age of 35, she had compromised with life and married an ordinary man.

By the time she was 37, Ning Rourou looked like a 50-year-old woman. Under the pressure from her husband’s family, she had a child.

She had once thought raising a child would be easy, but after being woken up four or five times by the child in one night, Ning Rourou cried uncontrollably.

Her husband, lying beside her, was snoring loudly. When Ning Rourou kicked him awake, he looked at her with impatience. “Other people can take care of their kids. Why can’t you? Crying all the time, do you think you’re still a young girl? I have to work tomorrow. Just calm him down, and he’ll go back to sleep.”

Ning Rourou was furious, but when the child cried, she became irritated as well.

Her former grace was gone. Ning Rourou had been worn down into an ordinary woman, the most ordinary of women.

When she saw Zhang Xiaobao’s name again, it was on the TV.

***

The screen showed the now-grown child, the top scorer of the college entrance examination, Zhang Xiaobao…

“I believe the reason I got such results is all thanks to my Dad. He paid attention to my overall development when I was young. During the exams, he was even more nervous than I was, but I didn’t let him down. I think my Dad is the best Dad in the world. He loves me so much…”

The man next to Ning Rourou looked at her with some disdain. Back then, although Ning Rourou was 35, she still looked like she was in her late twenties. She must have taken great care of her skin to keep it so smooth and youthful. But now, with the child, she looked just like his mother.

“Why are you crying? Take good care of our child, and they’ll end up like him, going to Tsinghua or Peking University!”

“Wuwuwu…” Unable to hold back anymore, Ning Rourou felt like the most painful point in her heart had been hit.

She broke down in tears…