After Becoming a Cannon Fodder Side Character, I Became the Group’s Favorite (GL) - Chapter 19

The reason Xu Chacha started going to bed early and waking up early, living a healthy lifestyle from the age of seven, was that she died suddenly in her past life.

To earn money quickly and live independently from her aunt’s family, Xu Chacha rushed through two fashion week rehearsals and evening shows in three days, with a total sleep time of no more than five hours.

She remembered her head buzzing and ringing after she stepped off the stage. She thought her old low blood sugar problem was acting up again and planned to buy a cake on the way back to reward herself. She didn’t expect to just die suddenly this time.

Therefore, Xu Chacha particularly cherished her hard-won new lease on life.

However, today, for the first time, she did not go to bed on time. She tucked the desk lamp under her quilt, curled her body into a ball, and was fiddling with two red threads in her hands.

She had thought it over. Wen Mubai certainly didn’t lack expensive gifts, and she didn’t want to give anything too perfunctory. After much deliberation, she finally got an idea when she saw the wooden bead red string bracelet Wen Mubai had given her on her right hand.

On her phone was a weaving tutorial she had searched for. The blogger taught very carefully, but handicrafts were the kind of thing that looked easy to the eye but became useless once you tried to do it yourself.

Xu Chacha breathed onto her bare fingers, somewhat complaining about why her mother had cut her nails so short; she couldn’t even grip the end of the string.

“Just follow me like this… and then like this… and finally, tie a simple slipknot at the end, and a simple and delicate bracelet is finished!” The blogger’s cheerful voice came through the earpiece. Her nimble hands were like magic, quickly weaving a beautiful and neat four-strand braid with just a few flicks.

“What’s simple about that!” Xu Chacha angrily threw down the string in her hand.

She had been tinkering for over half an hour, but she couldn’t even tie the starting knot to secure it. Her fingers were also sore from the friction.

The most annoying part was the barrage of comments on the screen, like “Finished learning,” “It’s really simple,” and “Thank you, blogger,” as if they were collectively mocking her clumsiness.

Xu Chacha sulked to herself for a while, then, against her better judgment, picked up the string again.

Her childish face wrinkled up, her eyes more serious than ever.

“I don’t believe I can’t even weave a bracelet.”

…

Due to staying up late the previous day, Xu Chacha failed to wake up on time the next day.

When Housekeeper Zhang led Wen Mubai into the house, her room door was still closed.

“Miss is still sleeping. Please have a seat and wait for a bit. I’ll go call her.”

“It’s fine. The lesson doesn’t start for another half hour. Let her sleep.” Wen Mubai took out the book she brought and sat on the sofa.

Close to nine o’clock, there was finally movement upstairs.

Xu Chacha, wearing a light pink nightgown, still had sleep creases on her face. She hadn’t put on her shoes and was rushing down the stairs with her bare feet slapping against the steps.

“What do I do? What do I do? I’m late.”

“Oh my, Miss!” Housekeeper Zhang was startled by her appearance and quickly went up to scoop her into a hug. “No rush, it’s not nine yet. Let’s have breakfast first.”

“That’s good, that’s good.” Xu Chacha patted her chest, relieved, and then mysteriously leaned close to Housekeeper Zhang’s ear. “Is Auntie here? I prepared a birthday present for her. She’s going to be so surprised when she sees it!”

“Quite surprised indeed.” Wen Mubai, who had been quietly sitting there, closed her book and stood up. “I caught a little lazy bug today.”

Xu Chacha’s happy smile froze on her face, and she said awkwardly, “Auntie, when did you get here?”

“I forgot to mention, Miss Wen arrived half an hour ago,” Housekeeper Zhang added a beat later.

“Quickly put me down, quickly put me down.” Xu Chacha covered her burning cheeks with both hands. “I haven’t brushed my teeth, washed my face, or combed my hair. I can’t be seen.”

“Such a heavy idol burden for such a small child.” Wen Mubai crouched in front of her. “Auntie has seen everything she needs to see. Covering it now is useless.”

Xu Chacha kept her hands behind her back, her left foot resting on her right. Her plump toes were awkwardly intertwined, and her small heels were a lovely pale pink, just like her face.

“I’m usually very pretty.”

“You are pretty now too.” Wen Mubai rubbed her messy hair. “Eat first, then we’ll have class.”

“I eat very fast, Auntie. Wait for me, okay?” Xu Chacha obediently ran to the dining table and began chugging milk.

She was so dissatisfied with the height of this body that she now drank a large glass of milk every morning and evening.

After eating three small steamed buns, Xu Chacha let out a satisfied burp, wiped her mouth, and stood up.

Housekeeper Zhang had found the slippers she had kicked off and knelt down to help her put them on. She said, “Miss, let me comb your hair for you.”

Every time Xu Chacha woke up, her hair looked like a golden-maned lion.

“Auntie can comb it for me.” Xu Chacha hugged her head and hid behind Wen Mubai. “Granny, you go rest.”

“Alright. Then call me if you get hungry again, Miss.”

“Mhm, mhm.” Xu Chacha nodded her head.

Wen Mubai held her small hand and walked back to the room, picking up the pink cushion brush from the dressing table to smooth her hair.

Xu Chacha’s hair had grown longer since their first meeting; it could reach her collarbone when tied up.

“Granny Zhang ties my hair too tight,” Xu Chacha complained softly to her, frowning and making an exaggerated expression. “It pulls on my scalp so much.”

From her description, Wen Mubai could picture the scene. Older people seemed to think that hair should be tied tightly so it wouldn’t come undone easily.

“Then Auntie will tie it loosely.”

“Auntie, it’s fine.” Xu Chacha swung her feet. “Auntie doesn’t hurt me when she ties my hair.”

“Thank you for the compliment, my little ancestor.”

The child didn’t have much hair. After tying it, Wen Mubai casually twisted Xu Chacha’s hair into a round bun and secured it with a hair tie.

With the hot weather, having her hair up looked neat and energetic.

Xu Chacha shook her head while looking in the mirror, very satisfied with Wen Mubai’s handiwork.

“Oh, right, my gift.” Xu Chacha’s toes touched the ground as she got off the chair, jumped onto the bed, and stuck out her rear to feel for her bracelet in the pillow crevice.

“Found it!” Holding it out to Wen Mubai like a prized treasure, Xu Chacha blinked her eyes, awaiting her evaluation.

In her palm was a thin red string bracelet. The style was very simple but notably delicate and small. However, upon closer inspection, one could see a few uneven spots—the traces of handiwork.

“You made this?” Wen Mubai asked. GZH: lesbian2088, has all lily resources.

“Mhm, mhm,” Xu Chacha said. “It might still be a little ugly, but this is the best one I’ve made. Doesn’t Auntie like it?”

She looked up at Wen Mubai’s expressionless face.

“I like it,” Wen Mubai said softly.

Looking at this hand-woven bracelet, she could imagine the little girl’s clumsy efforts weaving it thread by thread.

It must have been adorably earnest.

“It’s good that you like it!” Xu Chacha’s soft, fleshy hand picked up the string and put it on Wen Mubai’s wrist. “The lollipop before doesn’t count. This is the token of our bond from Chacha to Auntie.”

The bond was the kindness of Wen Mubai’s rescue. A large part of what she had now was thanks to her.

Wen Mubai couldn’t hide the smile in her eyes, saying with a tone of helplessness, “I told you it’s not a ‘token of our bond,’ you silly girl.”

“I’m not a silly girl.” Xu Chacha’s little face was serious.

Wen Mubai noticed the faint bluishness under her eyes, very light but particularly noticeable against her fair skin.

She raised her hand to pinch her puffed-up cheek, the texture as good as ever. “So, did the little silly girl stay up late last night to weave the bracelet, which is why you woke up late today?”

“Yes…” Xu Chacha’s voice dropped.

“Thank you.” Wen Mubai lowered her head, pushed aside her soft bangs, and gently touched her forehead with her lips. “Auntie will cherish it.”

Xu Chacha finally smiled happily, completely forgetting about the “silly girl” comment. She lifted her head and kissed Wen Mubai’s cheek, tilting her chin up.

“Happy Birthday, Auntie! Be happy today, be happy tomorrow, and only have good days from now on!”

Wen Mubai had a smile playing on her lips, and she affectionately hooked her finger on Xu Chacha’s nose.

“You’re the sweetest.”