After Becoming a Cannon Fodder Side Character, I Became the Group’s Favorite (GL) - Chapter 1

In the south in July, wherever there was a patch of grass, mosquitoes and other insects could gather into a large “dark cloud” capable of practically swallowing a person alive.

Xu Chacha scratched the mosquito bite on her cheek and sighed.

She was wearing a thin T-shirt with a faded Hello Kitty print on the chest, and the collar had several small, worn holes, yet her tender little face was fair and clean.

She was carrying a basket full of sweet melons. Her ten fingers were red from the friction of the wooden handle. She was sweating profusely from the heat, and her soft bangs, matted with sweat, stuck to her forehead, pressing down on her round, doe eyes.

Xu Chacha gritted her teeth and walked with difficulty, step by step. Her expression was neutral, but her mind was filled with complaints.

She really picked a great time to transmigrate—not too early, not too late—but precisely when the original owner was abducted and sold to the countryside.

On her first day after transmigrating, Xu Chacha knew her predicament from the surrounding environment and the memories she received from the original owner.

She had transmigrated into the cannon fodder female supporting character of a novel. She was originally the only daughter of the Xu family, a perfume dynasty in City A, a genuine young miss who should have enjoyed a lifetime of wealth and luxury. However, at the age of three, she was abducted due to the nanny’s negligence and sold to the countryside. She drifted around and was only found by her biological parents at the age of fifteen.

In the original plot, by the time the original owner was found and brought home, the Xu couple had already adopted a girl from an orphanage to be their heir.

Due to the inferiority complex accumulated from years in the countryside, and her fear that her adopted sister would steal her place in the family, the original owner took the adopted sister as an imaginary enemy and targeted her daily. However, having lived in the countryside since she could remember, her emotional intelligence and cunning were no match for the adopted sister, who had navigated the business world for years.

In the end, she not only failed to gain anything but also earned the disappointment and disgust of her biological parents, who even disowned her, only providing her with basic living expenses each month.

When Xu Chacha first read this novel, she paid extra attention because the original owner shared her name. She had been genuinely frustrated watching the original owner act foolishly, doing mentally challenged things with a stubbornness that ten donkeys couldn’t pull back.

She remembered what she had said back then.

“This is so annoying. She was given the female protagonist script but lived as a cannon fodder female supporting character. Randomly grab a normal person off the street, and they wouldn’t end up this miserable.”

Well, she was just saying it, but they really dragged her over?

“Hurry up, stop dawdling!” Accompanied by a rough voice, Xu Chacha was heavily slapped on the back from behind. She stumbled and lunged forward for quite a distance before stopping, but the melons in the basket were unstable, and two immediately rolled out.

Xu Chacha was startled and rushed to chase after them, but the man who had slapped her back grabbed her ear from behind. A deafening roar followed, “You little brat! Can’t you be useful! You can’t even do such a simple thing properly! I really regret spending so much money to buy you!”

The man had worked in the fields for many years and was very strong. The delicate earlobe of the seven-year-old Xu Chacha was squeezed by him, quickly turning purplish-red and burning painfully as if the flesh were being torn apart.

Xu Chacha had never been treated this way since childhood. She frowned, bit her lip, and held back her tears without saying a word.

She had seen how the man beat dogs. The harder the dog cried, the harder and more enthusiastically he beat it. She wanted to escape this suffering as soon as possible and did not want to end up like that poor little dog.

Xu Chacha remained silent without expression. The man eventually got bored and let go, then kicked her foot. “Hurry up and pick them up! If you delay the morning market, you’ll see what happens.”

Xu Chacha staggered from the kick, her hipbone aching severely. She limped to retrieve the melons that had rolled far away, wiped the dirt off, and put them back in the basket. Then she silently followed the man.

She had been here for almost a week, doing farm work and household chores like a duck being herded by her foster parents.

She had thought about running away, but the village they were in was too remote, a poor backwater where news of a death would take half a month to reach the town. Not only was the escape route long and difficult, but she was also monitored 24/7 like a pet. She was woken up early in the morning to work and locked in a woodshed with only one bed at night.

Xu Chacha had endured everything and rarely rebelled against her foster parents because she was waiting for one opportunity: a chance to go to town.

There was a police station in town, not far from the market area. If she could sneak away and report them when the morning market was crowded, there would likely be a ray of hope.

The stalls at the morning market were first-come, first-served. The earlier and faster you arrived, the better your spot. However, Xu Chacha’s foster father was overbearing and simply grabbed a good spot at a road junction, squeezing out the vendor who was originally selling flowers there.

Xu Chacha was responsible for counting, giving change, and bagging the melons. She was placed at the very back, with the wooden-framed stall in front of her and her foster father and mother standing on either side. They guarded her like gatekeepers, and any extra movement from Xu Chacha would be met with a warning tap on the head.

The original owner had tried to escape many times, and each time she was caught, she was brutally beaten. Although she became much quieter as she got older, the two of them always watched her very strictly.

Xu Chacha originally planned to use the lunch break to go to the toilet and find a chance to run, but her foster mother insisted on following and watching her, acting no different than a prison guard.

Sitting back at the stall, Xu Chacha’s face was noticeably more anxious.

It was getting late. The morning market closed early, and they would pack up and head back in the afternoon around two or three. The number of customers was also decreasing, and she hadn’t eaten much all day. Her scraped palm and her bruised hip were subtly throbbing.

The fear and physical pain combined made Xu Chacha feel like she was on the verge of crying from distress.

If she didn’t succeed this time, how long would she have to wait for the next opportunity? Even if there was a next time, could she escape? Was she destined to live in this environment until she was fifteen?

“Hey, Mubai, come over and look. This bracelet is quite pretty.” A female voice sounded from the left. Xu Chacha looked up.

It was a group of young people whose clothing and demeanor stood out sharply against the town. They were spirited; some wore school uniforms and looked like high school students. One person carried a heavy drawing board, and another was taking photos at the front of the group. They were likely art students visiting the small town for a tour and sketching.

The one called “Mubai” should be the girl walking at the end of the group.

Her fair skin was particularly noticeable in the crowd. The skin exposed by her short sleeves looked slightly translucent in the sunlight. Unlike the panting or sweating people around her, there wasn’t a single drop of sweat on her face or neck. Her dark long hair was tied up high, and a strand of hair occasionally swayed with her movement. The profile of her face as she looked down at her phone had distinct features, and her slightly upturned nose looked very refined.

Because of her classmate’s voice, she raised her eyes and scanned Xu Chacha’s direction. Her eyes were slightly narrow and long. When she looked up, it was somewhat provocative, but upon closer inspection, the light-colored depths of her eyes were completely emotionless.

“Mhm,” she softly replied, quickly lowering her head to look at her phone again, appearing uninterested in anything.

Xu Chacha’s heart clenched. She desperately wanted to impulsively yell for help to get the group’s attention.

There were only scattered customers around, and their melons were almost sold out. It was very likely that these few students were her last hope for the day.

“I remember your mom really likes these handcrafted items with a folk style,” the girl who spoke earlier said again. “Aren’t you going to take a look and buy something?”

This time, Wen Mubai finally stopped. She seemed to think for a moment, then nodded slightly. The girl knew this meant she agreed and quickly pulled her arm, walking her to the bracelet stall next to Xu Chacha’s.

Wen Mubai seemed to dislike being pulled by the arm, and quickly pulled her hand away. She turned off her phone and put it in her pocket, taking slow, deliberate steps toward Xu Chacha’s stall, her expression full of nonchalance.

Ask for help, ask for help.

Xu Chacha kept chanting in her heart. Her heartbeat became heavy and fast due to nervousness, as if it was about to burst out of her throat.

“Little girl, you came at the right time. I’m closing up soon. I can give you a discount on these last few bracelets.”

“How much?” Xu Chacha heard the emotionless voice ask.

“They were thirty yuan each, but now I’ll sell them to you for fifteen. You can take as many as you want.”

When the stall owner said this, Xu Chacha heard her foster mother laugh, and then lean over with her foster father to look at the neighboring stall. The two spoke in low voices.

“She was still selling them for ten yuan each this morning. She’s clearly taking advantage of the students.”

“Student girls, might as well rip them off,” the foster father chuckled.

Xu Chacha’s mouth was a little dry, and her hands were slightly trembling. While her foster father and mother were distracted by the students, she reached her hand behind her back, secretly pulled out the charcoal pencil hidden in her shoe, and drew a few strokes on the banknote in the money pouch.

Watching their movements, Xu Chacha did all this carefully, her state of tension almost making her gag.

Quickly, she forced a smile through the stiffness in her facial muscles toward Wen Mubai. “Big Sister, buy some of our sweet melons! They’re super sweet and delicious!”

Her voice hadn’t fully developed and still had a hint of a childish tone—sweet and crisp—but the drawn-out ending sounded shaky and anxious.

Wen Mubai raised her eyes, glanced at the melon basket with clear disinterest, and then casually looked at the girl wearing the Hello Kitty shirt as she withdrew her gaze.

The little face was fair and tender. Her eyes were bright like black grapes, and her eyelashes were thick and curled like a doll in a shop window. There was a little fine sweat on the tip of her nose and some dirty dust on her cheeks, but it didn’t detract from the little sweetheart’s lovable appearance.

“Oh, little sister, you’re helping your parents with business at such a young age?” The girl who pulled Wen Mubai over saw that Xu Chacha was cute and well-behaved, so she squatted down, interested.

Xu Chacha seized the hope, picked up a melon, and said to her, “Big Sister must be tired from walking. Eat a melon to quench your thirst. It’s really delicious, I’m not lying to you.”

Her eyes were sparkling, and her smile was very sincere. Her chubby little hand was holding the light-yellow melon, looking hard to refuse.

“Sorry, little cutie,” the girl lifted the shopping bag in her hand. “Big Sister bought too many things and can’t hold anything to eat. How about I come back and buy next time?”

Next time? Where would there be a next time.

Xu Chacha was a little anxious. She pushed the melon forward with both hands. “Big Sister, this melon is very fresh. You don’t have to eat it right away. Take it home and eat it slowly.”

Her speaking speed was much faster than before. Her voice still sounded like she was playfully coaxing, but the shaking and crying tone were clearly heavier than before.

Wen Mubai, who was selecting a bracelet, frowned, turned around to look again. This time, it wasn’t just a casual glance. She carefully examined Xu Chacha from head to toe.

Her messy hair, her chafed palms, and the faded, worn-out short-sleeved shirt that was a stark contrast to the neat clothes of her two “parents.”

Lifting her gaze again, the girl clearly sensed her stare and looked back at her with urgency.

The skin around the little girl’s eyes was red, and the mist in her eyes looked like it was about to turn into tears and fall, but she was desperately holding back. Even though her eyebrows and face were nearly scrunched up into a tight ball, she looked like she was about to burst into tears at any moment.

This slight commotion was, of course, noticed by the foster parents. Their faces changed, and they subtly shot a warning look at Xu Chacha.

“If you can’t sell it, forget it. Mom will cut it for you to eat when we get home, okay?” The foster mother leaned over and stroked her head. The action looked gentle, but she was practically rubbing her scalp raw.

The girl who was squatting smiled and said carelessly, “That’s right, little one. Such a sweet melon should naturally be saved for a cute, good girl like you.”

Xu Chacha endured the gaze of her foster father, which looked like he wanted to gouge out a piece of her flesh, and silently nodded. “Mhm, thank you, Big Sister. I just don’t want my mom and dad to be unhappy. They work very hard in the fields and have to get up very early to come here to sell melons.”

“It’s okay. Your mom won’t be mad at you, you’re such a good girl.”

Xu Chacha’s face was too stiff to make any expression, and she just mumbled, “I’m not ‘good’…”

She was “not good” enough to send a distress signal to an outsider, and she had been noticed, so she would definitely be severely beaten and punished by being forbidden to eat when they returned. If she was unlucky, she might starve to death in the woodshed.

Please, save me.

Please, please!

“How much per unit?” Along with the cold female voice, Wen Mubai walked over, pointing at the remaining melons.

“We’re leaving soon, too. We’ll give you a discount. You can take these few melons for twenty yuan,” the foster mother began to bag them up, as if afraid Wen Mubai would change her mind.

“Nineteen,” Wen Mubai asked with a faint, steady tone, not even blinking. “Deal?”

“Fine. We’re not making those few dollars from you students.”

Xu Chacha held her breath and stared at Wen Mubai’s actions. “Big Sister, is that cash or Alipay?”

The foster mother eagerly took out a sign from her bag. “Scan here. We can accept mobile payment too.”

Wen Mubai lowered her eyes, took the bag, and without looking at the foster mother, handed a red banknote directly to Xu Chacha. “My phone’s dead and turned off. Little one, please give me change.”

“Yes, yes, Big Sister, I’ll get your change.”

Xu Chacha swallowed a mouthful of saliva and fumbled for money in the money pouch with her cold, sweaty hands.

First a fifty, then a twenty, a ten… then, while folding the money, she secretly wrapped the one-yuan bill, which was wet with sweat and hidden in her palm, inside.

“It’s all calculated, eighty-one yuan.” She handed it out with a full smile, truly looking like a good girl who had helped her parents sell their unsold goods.

When Wen Mubai took the money, her fingertip brushed against Xu Chacha’s soft palm, then tapped it lightly.

“Thank you. Big Sister will come back to buy from you next time.” She didn’t count the money and just put it into her pocket.

Xu Chacha seemed to understand her words and nodded vigorously. “Okay! Chacha will wait here for Big Sister. Big Sister must come!”

Wen Mubai smiled slightly when she heard that and said a word she would never have used before: “Good girl, little one.”

Xu Chacha’s eyes started to feel sore again, but this time it wasn’t out of fear.

It was because she knew that Wen Mubai’s “next time” would arrive very soon.