What to do if you become the female lead's best friend?

Chapter 3

As the waiter led them to the private room, Gu Jin had already calmed herself.

This was a real world, not something pieced together from the cold, thin words of a book. The characters in the story were just the tip of the iceberg; how could every one of them be fully described?

The awkwardness she'd felt since entering the book eased considerably, and Gu Jin began to feel more at ease. She looked up at the Arabic numerals "669" above the room and teased, "These numbers are pretty nice."

Shao Chong, whom she was holding onto, naturally noticed her change in mood. He looked at her curiously, surprised by how radiant she seemed, making it hard to look away.

How to describe it? It was like a fog had lifted, revealing a bright, refreshing view ahead.

It wasn’t until they stopped at the door of the room that Shao Chong suppressed his confusion.

As soon as they entered, Cheng Xin started complaining.

"Shao Chong, Xiao Jin, why are you so late? My stomach's been growling for ages!"

Her voice was soft and sweet, like cotton candy, and even her complaints sounded more like playful teasing.

At least, that’s how Gu Jin perceived it, noticing that the man’s arm she was holding had stiffened for a moment.

"Sorry, I was a bit tired from shopping yesterday and overslept," Gu Jin replied nonchalantly, releasing Shao Chong’s arm and walking over to sit across from Cheng Xin. "Where’s Jing Hao? Why isn’t he here?"

Shao Chong paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over Cheng Xin before he sat down next to Gu Jin.

Cheng Xin, who had never been kept waiting before, was initially upset at Gu Jin’s tardiness. But after hearing her explanation and recalling the gift Gu Jin had given her yesterday, she let go of her displeasure.

Now, hearing her usually close cousin ask about something she cared about, Cheng Xin’s expression darkened. "Hao’s sister returned from abroad today. He had to go pick her up at the airport."

"Jing Hao’s sister?" Gu Jin was surprised. She didn’t recall Jing Hao having a sister in the book!

Shao Chong explained, "She’s the orphaned child of one of Jing Hao’s grandfather’s friends. She was adopted by Jing Hao’s father, so she’s considered his sister."

Oh, right. With his reminder, Gu Jin remembered that Jing Hao did have a half-sister in the original novel named Jing Ruo. Jing Ruo’s parents died in an accident, and Jing Hao’s grandfather, out of respect for his friend, took her in and gave her the Jing family name.

Since the Jing family had no daughters in the new generation, Jing Ruo was doted on and treated no differently than a true Jing family daughter.

If Gu Jin was the righteous supporting female lead, then Jing Ruo was the epitome of the villainous supporting female character.

From a young age, Jing Ruo had admired her outstanding older brother, but Jing Hao only saw her as a sister to be cherished. With women constantly around him, Jing Ruo eventually decided to go abroad for a few years to change his perception of her.

She planned it well: after a few years, when she returned to China, Jing Hao would see that she was no longer a little girl but a mature woman. With the Jing family’s affection for her, it wouldn’t be hard for her and Jing Hao to end up together.

However, plans never keep up with changes. She could never have imagined that a Cheng Xin would appear, causing her once-philandering brother to settle down for another woman.