The Supporting Male Characters Who Died Alone All Those Years Later

Inside, He Dongchen was immediately greeted by the aroma of food. Several dishes were laid out on the dining table, each one perfect in appearance, flavor, and presentation. After all, Nian Zhenzhen had spent 8 years not going to school or leaving the house, only cooking to satisfy both Shang Nian’s needs and his appetite. It was no wonder she had mastered the art of cooking.

Thinking of that, He Dongchen suddenly found the aroma of the food nauseating.

“You’re back, Dongchen? Just in time, dinner is ready.” Nian Zhenzhen emerged from the kitchen, wearing a loose white dress and carrying a bowl of soup.

When she saw He Dongchen standing at the entrance, her face lit up with a smile, soft and slightly seductive. Her hair was tied back, with a few strands falling around her ears, making her look even more alluring.

He Dongchen lowered his eyes. As a girl from an ordinary family, Nian Zhenzhen was undoubtedly beautiful, enough to attract someone like Shang Nian to keep her as a mistress. She had the charm of a gentle, non-threatening woman who could easily stir up a man’s protective instincts.

“Dongchen? What’s wrong?” Nian Zhenzhen placed the soup on the dining table. Seeing him stand still, she was a bit surprised, a bit hesitant, and somewhat troubled. As a woman, she had a feeling that He Dongchen would confess to her in the next couple of days.

However, her heart and mind were solely occupied by that other man. Nian Zhenzhen bit her lip, wondering how she could gently reject him later.

“You go ahead and eat. I’m going to pack a few things and stay at the company for a couple of days,” He Dongchen said before heading straight to the bedroom. He quickly packed some clothes and documents, then went to the study to organize and destroy the files on his computer.

Nian Zhenzhen was stunned. She quickly followed him, worried, and asked, “Did something happen at the company?”

He Dongchen didn’t respond. After finishing his packing, he grabbed his suitcase, bypassed the table full of food, and left.

Before leaving, He Dongchen decided that if he wasn’t going to be happy, neither should Nian Zhenzhen. So, he deliberately turned back and said, “My parents are coming back tomorrow. They haven’t seen you in a long time; they’ll be very happy. They were really worried about you when you left without a word after the college entrance exams.”

The two families had been neighbors.

When Nian Zhenzhen was 16, her parents died in a car accident, and with no other relatives, the He family became her guardians for 2 years. After the college entrance exams, Nian Zhenzhen left a note saying she was going on a trip, then disappeared, heading off to become a kept woman. The poor He parents had been worried for a while.

Nian Zhenzhen’s face turned pale for a moment. She stood there, nervously wringing her hands, forcing a smile. “Uncle and Auntie are coming back? That’s great.”

She instinctively touched her stomach, feeling anxious and flustered.

He Dongchen noticed it and sneered inwardly. It seemed that Nian Zhenzhen knew well that while the original owner might have been easy to manipulate, his parents wouldn’t be so easily fooled.

“Um…” Nian Zhenzhen took a deep breath and suddenly grabbed the hem of He Dongchen’s shirt, like a frightened little deer, lost and helpless. Her eyes were tinged with red, and there was a hint of hope in her voice. “I have something to tell you.”

“Sorry, I’m in a hurry to get back to the company. Whatever it is, you can tell my Mom tomorrow,” He Dongchen interrupted her, knowing exactly what she wanted to say.

Without waiting for her response, he decisively left with his luggage. The elevator happened to arrive just as he got there, making his escape smooth and easy.

Nian Zhenzhen chased after him to the elevator door, her heart pounding with anxiety.

Just then, the neighbor from next door came out to throw away the trash again.

Seeing Nian Zhenzhen, his eyes lit up, and he approached her, asking, “So, are you really He Dongchen’s housekeeper? How much do you get paid per month? Do you have any colleagues? Could you introduce one to me?”

Nian Zhenzhen was full of questions. After a moment of stunned silence, she pointed at herself in disbelief. “I’m the housekeeper? Who said that?”

The neighbor, oblivious to her expression, bluntly replied, “He Dongchen, just now when he came home, he told me himself.”

Nian Zhenzhen was struck by a bolt from the blue. She stood there, swaying as if she might collapse. So, in He Dongchen’s eyes, I’m just a housekeeper!!!

Even though she lived off him, wore clothes he bought, and only cooked one meal a day as repayment; I’m not a housekeeper!

Nian Zhenzhen’s eyes reddened with anger. To think I had foolishly believed that He Dongchen was going to confess to me!

Humiliated and furious, her face turned bright red. Her emotions overwhelmed her, causing her to retch a few times before she hurried back into the house.

The neighbor continued to babble, “Hey, don’t go! Which company do you work for? Introduce me.”

***

Meanwhile, He Dongchen carried his luggage and drove back to the company. There was a rest room in the office, fully equipped. He planned to stay there for a few days.

After a brief rest, He Dongchen began familiarizing himself with the company’s operations, thinking about its future development.

Xingchen Network’s main business was network security services, providing cybersecurity protection for clients. It was a company that relied on real technical skills to thrive. In the original story, Shang Nian had hired wave after wave of top hackers to invade and attack Xingchen Network’s clients. Despite the original owner’s team being highly skilled, they were ultimately outnumbered and defeated, becoming a laughingstock in the industry.

He Dongchen’s fingers rapidly tapped across the keyboard, the cool white light from the screen casting a cold, detached glow on his sharply defined face.

Shang Nian, with his wealth and power, had repeatedly crushed the original owner, watching him struggle in pain, likely finding great pleasure in it.

This time, the tables could turn.

He Dongchen also wanted to see whether Shang Nian, who had been pampered and adored since childhood, had the courage to rise after falling into the dust, and whether he still had the leisure to keep a mistress.

The next day, people gradually arrived at the company, yawning and bleary-eyed. Seeing the boss’s office light already on, with him inside, they quickly got to their stations, now wide awake and alert.

He Dongchen stepped out and knocked on the door, saying, “Prepare for a meeting at 10.”

“Yes!” everyone responded in unison.

Xingchen Network was still small, with just over a dozen employees, all technical specialists. One receptionist handled all the administrative work, and finances were outsourced. The boss personally handled business negotiations.

Looking at the room full of tech workers, He Dongchen thought it might be time to find a management talent. The company would need to scale and operate more effectively.

During the meeting, He Dongchen presented the basic framework he had worked out the night before, speaking clearly and methodically. He was proficient in network security. In a previous small world centered on a beloved character, he had developed an anti-piracy system that wiped out content thieves, leading several companies to come to him later, requesting customized systems.

Coincidentally, the primary business of Shang Nian’s company was online gaming.

The first product He Dongchen planned to launch was intended for Shang Nian’s competitor, Tiaotiao Games.

***

On the other side of the city, in the Shang Corporation building, a certain man sneezed during a meeting. The entire room fell silent, not daring to make a sound.

Shang Nian waved his hand. “Continue.”

The presenter on stage resumed speaking. After the meeting, Shang Nian, surrounded by his entourage, returned to his office and asked his assistant, “Still no news on Nian Zhenzhen?”

“No,” the assistant immediately replied. “There are no transaction records on Ms. Nian’s cards, and her phone seems to have a security defense in place, so we can’t locate it.”

Shang Nian frowned, then sneered, “She’s an orphan with no one to rely on. Where could she possibly run to?”

The assistant lowered his head, thinking that the most likely place for a canary to go was with a new patron. That way, she wouldn’t need to spend money or make any purchases, just like the past 8 years when Shang Nian had paid for everything Nian Zhenzhen needed.

Shang Nian had considered this possibility and suddenly felt disappointed.

“Forget it. She’s just a plaything. Let her be.”

***

At the same time, on the other side of the city, the He parents got off the plane and headed to their son’s home.

Mother He, full of excitement, said, “Old He, what do you think our son was talking about on the phone yesterday? Could it be that he has a girlfriend and wants to surprise us!?”

Father He, while scrolling through his social media, replied to his wife, “Come on, that kid’s mind is still on Zhen Zhen. He won’t give up until he finds her. I think we’ve got a long wait ahead.”

Mother He sighed deeply. “That poor child, Zhen Zhen, had just finished her college entrance exams and barely turned an adult. She didn’t even go to school and instead went on some trip. She could’ve at least told us. It’s been so many years, and we still don’t know where she went or how she’s doing.”

As they chatted, they arrived at their destination. The assistant sitting in the front passenger seat paid the fare and got out to lift the luggage from the trunk, busying himself with the task.

Father and Mother He got out of the car empty-handed, leisurely thinking to themselves that the annual salary of over 200,000 yuan was well-earned. They didn’t need to worry about anything, no matter where they went.

“Xiao Chen, you can go now. We can go upstairs on our own.”

Assistant Xiao Chen smiled without saying anything, delivering several boxes of luggage to their doorstep before heading downstairs, waiting for the next call.

“This kid is really dependable,” Mother He said with a smile as she took out her keys, ready to open the door. But before she could insert the key into the lock, the door opened, revealing a somewhat familiar face smiling at them, calling out, “Uncle, Aunt!”

“Is that Zhen Zhen!?” Mother He was shocked.

Father He was equally surprised. How could someone who had disappeared for years suddenly appear in their son’s home? The two exchanged a glance, both thinking the same thing.

Could it be?!!

***

At 3 P.M., He Dongchen received a call from his mother. He was in a meeting at the time, so he rejected it. A little while later, a text message popped up, asking him to come home early, followed by several exclamation marks, clearly conveying excitement.

He Dongchen frowned. Excited about what? A son suddenly becoming a father should be a rather troubling matter, shouldn’t it?

At 6 P.M., still puzzled, He Dongchen got off work and went home.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw his mother and Nian Zhenzhen sitting on the sofa, chatting happily. His father was busy in the kitchen, and judging by the way he was flipping the pan, he seemed to be in a good mood.

He Dongchen changed his shoes and walked into the house. Nian Zhenzhen immediately came up to him with the demeanor of a dutiful wife, while his mother, still seated on the sofa, looked on with satisfaction.

He Dongchen subtly avoided her and noticed the dishes on the dining table, a mix of reds and greens; everything either sour or spicy. The house was filled with a strong tangy aroma. Suddenly, a sense of foreboding hit him, and he pointed to the food, asking, “What’s going on here?”

Mother He snapped at him, “How dare you ask that? Zhen Zhen is pregnant and has cravings for sour and spicy foods. You’re really not considerate at all.”

Nian Zhenzhen quickly stepped to the side, tugging on He Dongchen’s sleeve. Out of Mother He’s sight, her face was full of pleading, her eyes wet, silently begging him to help her.

He Dongchen smirked inwardly. So, she had decided to act first and report later?

He took a step back, dodging her, and with a look of surprise, said, “Zhen Zhen is pregnant? Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I shouldn’t have let you do any work. That was so wrong of me.”

“Exactly, so wrong!” Mother He agreed, glaring at her son and turning to Nian Zhenzhen, saying, “If he ever treats you badly, I’ll teach him a lesson.”

Nian Zhenzhen’s face turned extremely pale, and her heart sank. She looked at He Dongchen with desperate, tear-filled eyes.

He Dongchen pretended not to notice, tossed his jacket onto the sofa, and asked, “By the way, Zhen Zhen, who’s the father of the child?”

“Yes, who’s the father of the child…” Mother He began to ask, but then she abruptly stopped, standing up in shock. She looked at her son and then at the pale-faced Nian Zhenzhen, her voice rising in disbelief, “What do you mean by that? Isn’t the baby in Zhen Zhen’s belly yours!?”

“What, what?” Father He burst out of the kitchen, holding a spoon.

He Dongchen was surprised, “Of course, the child isn’t mine. Who said it was?”

Father He and mother turned their sharp gazes toward Nian Zhenzhen.

Nian Zhenzhen looked down, innocently replying, “I never said the child was Dongchen’s.”

Mother He’s eyes widened as she exclaimed, “Well, you didn’t deny it either?!”

(TN: go go momma bear go! A smart mom character is so rare! Love her!)

When they arrived at the house earlier, Nian Zhenzhen had enthusiastically welcomed them, acting like the lady of the house. She had run to the bathroom to throw up a few times, and Mother He, with her experience, immediately recognized the signs of pregnancy. When Nian Zhenzhen shyly nodded, looking embarrassed, Mother He assumed that since she and He Dongchen had been living together, the baby must be her son’s!

She was so excited, thinking that after a little trip, she had gained both a daughter-in-law and a grandchild!

The entire afternoon, the elderly couple had been too excited to rest. Mother He shared her experiences with Nian Zhenzhen, while Father He happily prepared a big feast.

But now, they were suddenly being told that the baby wasn’t theirs?

Damn it!