The Cold and Ruthless Supporting Male Lead

Mu Xiaoya’s face turned green; isn’t this just blatant showing off?

“Do you want to come with us, or are you planning to go alone?” Hai Ku maintained an innocent smile, his expression seemingly kind, but every word he spoke was aimed at poking Mu Xiaoya’s sore spots. “You see, we two guys can share a hotel room, but you, a lone girl, coming here all by yourself… It’s kind of pitiful, isn’t it?”

“You…” Mu Xiaoya gritted her teeth. “Did you do this on purpose? Did you dress like this just to piss me off? To steal my spotlight?”

“What are you even saying?” Hai Ku blinked innocently, looking as if he had been wronged. He sighed softly before refuting her claim, “I told you long ago that I was coming to this convention. You were the one who suggested we meet up. Now, how am I the one doing things on purpose? You knew I had a preference for cross-dressing; wouldn’t it be normal for me to dress like this?”

Hearing that only made Mu Xiaoya angrier. The pictures from Haiku Shilan’s alternative account on Weibo had all been edited to achieve a certain effect. So why did he look even more stunning in person than in those retouched pictures?

This is downright unfair!

Mu Xiaoya widened her eyes, still trying to find traces of makeup on Hai Ku’s face. But there was nothing; not even the slightest hint of foundation. His complexion was so clear that even a single blemish would have been visible, yet there wasn’t a single flaw. He hadn’t even used sunscreen, yet his face remained naturally fresh and pure.

It was infuriating.

Letting out a cold huff, Mu Xiaoya’s mind raced. She even began to suspect that Hai Ku had planned all of it in advance.

But she couldn’t act rashly just yet. Whether or not she could get close to Zhuoye Xingchen still depended on how things played out.

Forcing down her frustration, Mu Xiaoya pulled a stiff smile onto her face. “You do look pretty good in that outfit… but since you said you’ll be sharing a room with Zhuoye Xingchen, won’t dressing like this be a little inappropriate?”

“What’s inappropriate about it? Are you saying I don’t look good like this?” Hai Ku lifted the hem of his dress and twirled in place, letting the fabric swirl gracefully. He was starting to enjoy the feeling of the skirt floating around him. “I don’t look bad at all. Walking next to him, we make a perfect match~”

Mu Xiaoya’s heart clenched.

Only then did Hai Ku add with a cheeky grin, “A perfect pair of good friends~”

“Is… is that so?” Mu Xiaoya’s mood had plummeted, but she had no choice but to clench her fists and endure it.

***

After walking for a while, Zhuoye Xingchen finally noticed something was off.

“What are you guys still talking about? Hurry up!” He had already walked several steps while dragging Hai Ku’s suitcase before realizing Hai Ku hadn’t followed. With no other choice, he turned back.

Seeing Hai Ku’s face again, Zhuoye Xingchen instinctively reached out to pat his shoulder, only to hesitate at the last moment. He awkwardly withdrew his hand, scratching the back of his head. “I don’t even know where to put my hands anymore.”

“What’s the big deal? We’re both guys.” Having had his fun teasing Mu Xiaoya, Hai Ku was feeling much better. He took his suitcase back from Zhuoye Xingchen, his bright eyes curving into playful crescents as he grinned.

“Even though I’m wearing women’s clothing right now, I’m still a guy through and through. This is just a little hobby of mine; it doesn’t mean I see myself as a girl. I can carry my own luggage, let’s go.”

Zhuoye Xingchen chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. “I like your attitude. Let’s hurry to the hotel and get some rest. I have rehearsals later, and I’m a bit tired now. We should head back.”

“Alright,” Hai Ku nodded.

“Wait, I’ll come too!”

Seeing that she was about to be left behind, Mu Xiaoya quickly picked up her pink suitcase and rushed after them. Her smile was stiff; she wasn’t even sure if it was genuine anymore. “My hotel is right next to yours, so I’ll just go with you guys.”

Although Zhuoye Xingchen wasn’t too thrilled about it, she was still a girl. And it wasn’t like he owned the road they were walking on. Since it was just a short trip, he simply nodded.

Hai Ku didn’t say a word—he feared that if he spoke again, Mu Xiaoya might explode from anger.

Hai Ku’s suitcase contained only clothes and a few power banks; nothing else. So it was incredibly light.

Mu Xiaoya, on the other hand, had packed with livestreaming in mind. Her suitcase was stuffed with filming equipment, including a simplified setup for broadcasting from the hotel. It was unbearably heavy.

She had originally planned for Haiku Shilan to carry her luggage; she had thought it all out in advance.

But looking at them now, especially at Hai Ku dressed in women’s clothing, she suddenly didn’t know how to ask. She didn’t know how to hand her suitcase over to him.

With a gaze full of meaning, she looked at Zhuoye Xingchen, trying to make him notice just how heavy her luggage was.

Yet his eyes remained fixated on Hai Ku the entire time; he didn’t even glance in her direction.

Hai Ku and Zhuoye Xingchen were both guys. Even though Hai Ku was a bit on the shorter side, standing at around 170 centimeters, his well-proportioned figure was striking enough to turn heads all year round.

They walked ahead at a steady pace, forcing Mu Xiaoya to quicken her steps just to keep up. Her suitcase was unbearably heavy, and after only a few steps, she felt like her carefully applied makeup was about to melt off.

“Wait, wait—!” Seeing that she was falling behind, Mu Xiaoya hurriedly called out to Hai Ku. “Xiao Hai, I’m a little tired. Can you slow down a bit?”

The moment Hai Ku heard her call him “Xiao Hai,” he immediately knew she wanted something from him. However, now wasn’t the time to confront her directly, so he still turned around with a smile.

There was a faint flush on Hai Ku’s face as well, but since he wasn’t wearing any makeup, that slight redness only made his fair complexion look even more attractive.

Attractive people naturally drew attention. As they walked, Hai Ku could feel many people taking pictures of them from a distance.

Mu Xiaoya felt a pang of jealousy in her heart, but this wasn’t the time to dwell on it. Panting slightly, she pushed her suitcase forward, her expression pitiful. “Xiao Hai, my suitcase is so heavy~ Can you help me?”

“But I have my own suitcase too…” Hai Ku looked troubled, glancing at his own luggage. His suitcase was actually 2 inches larger than Mu Xiaoya’s, but inside, it was nearly empty. With only two outfits inside, more than half of the space was unoccupied.

He had brought such a large suitcase with the intention of stocking up on merchandise at the convention. But at this moment, its sheer size was rather deceptive; it looked much heavier than it actually was.

His refusal was already quite clear.

Yet, it was precisely because of this rejection that Mu Xiaoya felt even more certain Hai Ku was deliberately targeting her.

In the past, he had always listened to her every word, even going so far as to scrimp and save just to buy her gifts. She still remembered how, right after he graduated, he barely earned anything from livestreaming. Sometimes, when he sent her screenshots of the small gifts his fans had rewarded him with, Mu Xiaoya thought he practically reeked of poverty.

Things had gradually improved over time, and once his monthly income stabilized, Mu Xiaoya’s attitude toward him had also softened a little.

But now, the person who had once been so good to her had changed so drastically. It was either because he no longer liked her or because he was angry with her.

As her mind whirled, Mu Xiaoya realized that she had been constantly talking to Hai Ku about Zhuoye Xingchen lately. That must be why he was upset.

The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. If Hai Ku no longer liked her, there was no reason for him to befriend Zhuoye Xingchen and ask him to carry her in the game. After all, that wouldn’t be worth it.

Feeling that she had correctly guessed Hai Ku’s thoughts, Mu Xiaoya became excited. He still liked her. He still cared about her. He was even jealous for her sake. That meant he was still within her control.

Since their last argument, they hadn’t spoken for more than 10 days. Now that they had just met again, and she was being so friendly to Zhuoye Xingchen, it was understandable that Hai Ku would be upset.

All those things he said earlier; He must have just been trying to provoke me and get my attention!

Thinking that she had lucked out, Mu Xiaoya’s expression softened into a smile. Her attitude also became gentler as she quietly walked up beside Hai Ku, blinking her eyes at him.

Hai Ku: “…”

Zhuoye Xingchen: “???” Is this woman insane?

With a gaze both tender and lingering, Mu Xiaoya spoke in a soft voice, “Don’t be mad~ Aren’t we best friends? Don’t be upset over something so trivial. Let’s chat again tonight, okay?”

Hai Ku shuddered at her smile, goosebumps rising on his skin. He even started to wonder if something was wrong with her brain. His rejection had been crystal clear; he was just one step away from outright saying “no” to her face.

Does she have a problem understanding human speech?

Seeing the conflicted expression on Hai Ku’s face, Mu Xiaoya became even more convinced that her sweet smile had swayed him. She lowered her voice and spoke even more delicately, “Didn’t I take the initiative to contact you this time? Don’t be mad at me anymore. I was wrong to argue with you last time. I’m apologizing now, okay? Forgive me just this once?”

Given how Hai Ku had maintained contact with her all these years, Mu Xiaoya was certain that he had only ever used the excuse of being her “bestie” as a cover. In reality, he still harbored feelings for her but just couldn’t bring himself to confess.

Zhuoye Xingchen, nearly scared to death by the woman’s antics, wasted no time pulling Hai Ku away. Without hesitation, he declared, “Let’s not waste any more time here. I still have rehearsal in the afternoon. If I don’t practice, I won’t be able to give my best performance tomorrow. Stop dawdling and let’s go.”

Fearing that Mu Xiaoya’s stupidity might be contagious, Zhuoye Xingchen bolted away from her like she was the plague. One hand dragged Hai Ku along, while the other carried Hai Ku’s suitcase, making a swift escape.

“Hey! Why are you walking so fast? Wait for me!” Mu Xiaoya called after them, seething with frustration.

But both of them had long legs and quick strides, leaving her struggling behind with her heavy suitcase. As their figures gradually disappeared from sight, Mu Xiaoya was utterly enraged.

“Ahhhhhh! This is outrageous!”