To be fair, although Yuan Siyin is a vicious supporting female character, her setup is definitely not low-tier.
For instance, her adorable younger brother.
Then there’s her father, a Cavalry General of the First Rank.
And her aunt, who happens to be the current Empress Dowager.
Even though Zi Yuan is just a maid, she is utterly loyal to her.
The thought of the entire Yuan family eventually being implicated in a crime with nine degrees of kinship because of her made Yuan Siyin’s heart clench violently.
No—even if not for herself, she must cling to the male lead’s coattails for the sake of so many people…
She pinched Yuan Fuqing’s cheek one more time with lingering satisfaction before patting his head. “Alright, enough nonsense. Hurry off to the private school, or just wait and see how Father deals with you when he returns!”
As she spoke, Yuan Siyin raised her hand as if to hit him.
Hmm, this should be more in line with the original host’s image, right?
She really is such a clever little thing.
Smugly turning around, she was just about to step around the garden to continue heading out of the manor when she heard Yuan Fuqing hang his head and sigh dejectedly, “Fine. I guess I’ll have to wait until next time to join Elder Sister in bullying that good-for-nothing Seventh Prince.”
Yuan Siyin stumbled mid-step.
She had forgotten—although the original host’s brother was extremely good to her, he had already been corrupted by her upbringing, single-mindedly focused on following his sister to bully the Seventh Prince.
This clearly demonstrates the subtle, pervasive importance of education.
She took a deep breath to calm herself, secretly resolving: Once she returned, she must properly straighten out her brother! Even if she couldn’t mold him right, she’d beat him straight!
“Young Lady Yuan has finally emerged. We’ve been waiting for quite some time.”
Seeing the main gate of Yuan Manor open at last, Xiao Quanzi, the Empress Dowager’s attendant, hurried forward with a pained expression, bowing and anxiously waiting at the stone steps.
“Alright, I’m out now, aren’t I? Let’s go.”
Yuan Siyin walked past him, whip in hand, without so much as a glance in his direction.
She couldn’t tell if it was her imagination, but Xiao Quanzi’s legs seemed to be trembling.
…
Never mind. She saw nothing. She is the vicious supporting female character. She is the vicious supporting female character.
Although a grand carriage was parked at the magnificent entrance of Yuan Manor, Yuan Siyin intuitively waited in place until a servant led out a tall black-maned horse from the side gate.
“Taxue, come.”
The name slipped out subconsciously. Once she realized it, Yuan Siyin felt an involuntary bitterness in her heart.
The original host was far too familiar with all of this; it sent a sudden chill down her spine.
What if, when she met the male lead, she also performed the original host’s subconscious actions?
Unwilling to dwell on it, she stepped into the stirrup, swung onto the horse with a dashing motion, and cracked the golden silk whip against its hindquarters. “Giddy up!”
Under the bright morning sun, amid bustling crowds, the red-clad woman with a high ponytail galloped freely down the long street, radiating an indescribable, unrestrained heroism.
Yuan Siyin clung tightly to the reins, her calves gripping the horse’s body, feeling as if her heart and liver were about to be jolted loose.
Fortunately, Taxue knew the way and hardly needed Yuan Siyin to steer. Upon reaching the palace gates, it obediently whinnied and came to a stop.
Dizzily dismounting, she remembered to pat its neck and gave it a thumbs-up. “You ran really fast. Next time, let’s not run.”
Ugh.
Good thing she hadn’t eaten breakfast, or she would have had to perform the special feat of “a flying stream descending three thousand feet” right in the street.
The guards at the palace entrance, seeing Yuan Siyin arrive, immediately came forward to take Taxue. “Miss Yuan, please enter.”
“Mhm.”
Yuan Siyin put on the full airs of a spoiled, arrogant noblewoman, clutching her whip and swaggering inside.
Being the vicious supporting female character is truly satisfying, in a certain sense.
To reach the Empress Dowager’s Jianzhang Palace, one had to pass through the imperial garden. Never mind how vast the imperial garden was—even if her original body had abundant energy to burn, her current lazy bones couldn’t handle it. Moreover, she had just endured Taxue’s high-speed ride and truly didn’t want to undertake a journey of over half an hour on foot.
But who was her original self? Someone who frequented the palace every other day, treating the imperial garden as her own backyard.