The Cold and Ruthless Supporting Male Lead

Lan Weicai’s mother wore a deeply worried expression, and Hai Ku could tell she genuinely cared for her daughter. However, given the situation, Hai Ku felt that saying too much would be pointless.

“Haiku, can you tell me if Weicai has something on her mind?” Mother Lan furrowed her brows tightly, looking like someone who had aged overnight from worrying about her child.

It hadn’t been easy for her daughter to enter her first year of high school. She wasn’t that young anymore, and considering how obedient she had always been, Mother Lan had never worried about her before. She couldn’t imagine what might have gone wrong now.

“Auntie,” Hai Ku began, knowing that some matters were better heard directly from the source. “I think you should ask her yourself and have an open conversation with her.”

Having said that much, Hai Ku didn’t want to involve himself in their affairs anymore. He had already said everything he could, and if Lan Weicai couldn’t figure things out herself, no one else could be blamed.

“Do you know something?” Mother Lan looked at him with a glimmer of hope, as if she had found a breakthrough.

“Auntie, I promised Weicai I wouldn’t tell you anything, so you’ll have to ask her directly. With finals approaching, if she doesn’t straighten things out, there’s nothing I can do.” Hai Ku shook his head, indicating this was as far as he could go.

Mother Lan looked disappointed but conceded that Hai Ku had a point. Her daughter’s homeroom teacher had also contacted her recently, mentioning that Lan Weicai seemed listless and lacked focus in class.

At first, she thought Weicai might have been spending too much time playing games and even disconnected the internet at home. But it didn’t seem to help; her grades continued to drop, and she seemed increasingly preoccupied.

Mother Lan had initially hoped to uncover something through subtle questioning or by getting clues from Hai Ku, but now she had learned nothing.

Hai Ku, meanwhile, focused on his studies. He had made detailed plans to prepare for his exams. Although it was only the second-year finals, he knew that once senior year began, time would fly by.

He had grown weary of the high school world. Hai Ku’s only wish was to complete his mission quickly and move on to another world.

When he first arrived here, he had felt nostalgic. But thinking about how the plot had already deviated from the original, he realized this was no longer the same story he had first encountered.

As for what happened in the Lan family, Hai Ku wasn’t sure. He only learned about it a week before finals when Lan Weicai suddenly took a leave of absence. She didn’t attend classes or take the exams.

He wouldn’t have known if it weren’t for his parents mentioning it during winter break.

***

“That Weicai kid,” his mother sighed. “High school romances are hard to avoid, but I’ve never seen anyone like her, so lost in her thoughts she can’t even focus on her studies.” She sighed again and turned to lecture Hai Ku, “You better not start dating early. If you fall in love in college, I won’t say a word, but now? Senior year is crucial, and you need to focus.”

Unable to bear it, his father interrupted and placed a piece of meat on her plate. “Oh, stop talking. Hai Ku is serious about his studies. I trust him.”

“Exactly. Don’t worry about me, Mom. I’ll study hard.” Hai Ku smiled as he took a bite of his food. “But why did she suddenly take a leave of absence?”

“What else could it be? Weicai argued with her mother. I didn’t pry too much, but apparently, her mother gave her a beating. She’s been locked in her room ever since, for over a week now.” His mother sighed again, unsure what else to say.

Lan Weicai, being an only child, had been a bit spoiled at times. But now, it seemed the issue wasn’t just about indulgence.

Just as they were discussing this, a knock came at the door. A series of heavy thuds, accompanied by Mother Lan’s voice.

“Haiku, Haiku, are you home? Auntie needs to talk to you about something.”

Her tone sounded anxious. Hai Ku stood up immediately. “I’ll get it.”

“What’s wrong, Auntie?” he asked curiously as he saw Mother Lan in tears. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.

“Please, talk to Weicai. She hasn’t eaten anything all day today.” Over the past week, Mother Lan had aged significantly. Once someone who took care to dress and groom herself, she now looked disheveled and several years older.

“Auntie, if she doesn’t want to eat, then let her go hungry.” Hai Ku, who lacked parents in the real world, had developed a strong yearning for familial bonds in this virtual one. Seeing Lan Weicai torment her mother to this extent filled him with anger.

“But… but no, I can’t do that. I thought the same thing at first, but she really hasn’t eaten anything all day. It’s my fault for hitting her that day,” Mother Lan said weakly, tears streaming down her face.

Hai Ku opened his mouth but refrained from saying anything harsh. Instead, he invited Mother Lan into his house.

“Come on, Sister Lan, don’t cry. Let’s talk this out.” Hai Ku’s mother scolded him with a glance. “And you, how could you say something like that?”

“Come, sit down. What happened, exactly?” Mother Li quickly helped Mother Lan to the sofa, speaking soothingly.

“Her grades were dropping badly, and the teacher even called me. So, I asked her if she was in a relationship. At first, she denied it, but then I pressed her, and she started crying.” Mother Lan’s eyes were red as she sighed, her body slightly hunched over. “I know that high school students are bound to have some feelings like that, but I didn’t expect it to affect her so much. She even told me that four boys had confessed to her, but after she rejected them, they all stopped liking her. She kept asking me why that happened.”

Hai Ku felt irritated just listening to this. He wanted to leave but was held back by his mother, who grabbed his hand. “Son, tell me, do you know anything? You’ve always been close to Weicai. How could you not know if she was dating someone?”

“Mom…” Hai Ku frowned. “It’s not my fault. I already told Weicai to focus on her studies, but she wouldn’t listen. Instead, she kept stringing people along. Several boys liked her, and after half a semester, she still couldn’t pick one. Eventually, they all found out and decided not to like her anymore. How is that my fault?”

“You…” Mother Li started to scold him but quickly realized he wasn’t entirely wrong. Not knowing what else to say, she fell silent.

“I really did warn her. I even told her that those boys came from prominent families and advised her to stop getting caught up in it. At this stage, studying is the most important thing. But she wouldn’t listen. What else could I say?” Hai Ku was aware of how exhausted Mother Lan was, but since this was ultimately a family matter, he didn’t feel he could help much.

“I know that, too. That’s why, when Weicai was being so unreasonable, I ended up hitting her,” Mother Lan said, her brows furrowed, her voice heavy with emotion. “But I didn’t expect her to be so stubborn and even talk about running away from home.”

“Oh dear, these rebellious teenagers. I don’t even know what to say,” Mother Li admitted, feeling just as helpless.

The thoughts of a teenage girl were a mystery to them. Whether they were too indulgent or too strict, it all seemed like a mistake.

Hai Ku could only sigh. Standing up, he spoke with a hint of resignation in his voice. “Auntie, you’re here to ask me to talk to her, right?”

Mother Lan nodded, a nervous look on her face. “I just thought that since the two of you have always been so close, maybe if you talk to her, she might listen.”

“That might not be entirely certain. I’ve advised her before, but I think she’s just one of those people who won’t turn back until they hit a dead end,” Hai Ku said, reluctant to involve himself in this messy situation. He could have refused Mother Lan outright, but when his own mother gave him a single look, he pressed his lips together and relented.

“Fine, I’ll give it a try.”

He was someone who could live without friendship or romance.

But when it came to that intangible, unexperienced sense of familial love, he treasured it deeply.

***

Knock, knock, knock–

“Go away! I don’t want to hear what you have to say!” The voice from behind the door was sharp, making Hai Ku want to turn around and leave on the spot.

“It’s me. Auntie asked me to say a few words to you. Besides, it’s been a while since we talked. Open the door, will you?” Hai Ku stood at the door, deciding that if Lan Weicai didn’t open it, he’d just head back home.

However, after a brief silence, the door opened.

“I’m coming in.” Feeling a bit surprised, Hai Ku pushed the door open and walked inside.

Mother Lan wasn’t in great shape, but Lan Weicai didn’t seem to be doing any better.

Having stayed in her room all this time, she hadn’t taken care of herself at all. Her hair and clothes were a mess, and after locking herself away at home for days; and skipping meals, including the entire day today, her overall state was terrible.

Hai Ku sat with her on the floor. “So, what exactly do you want to do now?”

“I want to leave this house…” Lan Weicai said quietly, without a hint of hesitation.

Hai Ku looked at her. From her eyes, he saw no trace of doubt. It seemed that with a single word of approval, she would grab her belongings and leave immediately.

After thinking it over, Hai Ku nodded. “Then hurry up and go.”