After Becoming a Cannon Fodder Side Character, I Became the Group’s Favorite (GL) - Chapter 29

“Stop.” Xu Yanshu took the milk from her arms, twisted the cap back on, put it away, and then squatted down to look her in the eye. “Just drinking milk won’t make you taller. You also have to go to bed early, wake up early, and exercise more. How can you grow if you just lie in bed all day like a little lazy pig?”

Speaking of which, Xu Chacha’s “degeneration” into this state was inextricably linked to her doting father, mother, and Housekeeper Zhang. These people were always worried that Xu Chacha would get tired just by walking a few steps up the stairs and insisted on carrying her, effectively making Xu Chacha’s legs mere decoration.

“Right, I need to sleep early.” Xu Chacha was anxious. “Staying up late not only stunts growth but also causes hair loss. I don’t want to be like Dad when I grow up.”

“Come on, sister will carry you up.” Xu Yanshu instinctively started to squat down to pick her up, but then remembered what she had just said. She stood up, feigning seriousness. “Walk up yourself. Get some exercise.”

“Okay!” Xu Chacha was highly motivated. Her short legs took huge steps, crossing two stairs at a time, as if she could physically lengthen her legs and wake up at 1.8 meters tall tomorrow morning.

This time, Xu Chacha was truly determined. She started frantically searching for information online, noting down everything, whether it was folk remedies or the words of some expert. The small notebook titled “Growth Secrets” was two fingers thick.

Go to bed early, wake up early, exercise appropriately, and pay attention to diet.

When her parents found out, they immediately brought back the nutritionist to customize a diet plan just for Xu Chacha.

The goal was just two words: Get Taller!

The once-unenthusiastic Xu Chacha was now very obedient. She ate whatever she was fed. Even if she hated the fish, a single phrase like, “This will make you taller,” was enough for her to open her mouth and swallow it immediately.

Xu Chacha also didn’t forget the need for exercise. She reflected that she had indeed been too much of a ‘salted fish,’ so she asked her mother to buy her a jump rope. Now, whenever she was idle, she would bounce around the house a couple of times.

This bouncing really led to some skill and variety. She could now do cross-jumps and double unders with a flick of the wrist.

To encourage her, her father also joined in, which was a good opportunity to reduce the nascent beer belly from all his business dinners.

This day, a few successful old men gathered again. Usually, when this group sat together, they would definitely talk about their latest investment strategies or brag about where they had unearthed a new piece of art or bought a fancy car.

But ever since Xu Chacha was found, their gathering topic had inexplicably turned into bragging about their kids.

“My boy is very driven now. He consistently scores in the top three of his class.”

“My daughter is not bad either. She just passed her piano exam a few days ago, and the teacher praised her talent.”

“If you ask me, piano is too common. My daughter plays the violin. It gives her great charisma.”

After listening to them show off for a long time, Xu Chacha’s father finally couldn’t hold back. He cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention.

Everyone thought he had something important to say and leaned in to listen.

“My Chacha,” Mr. Xu said, his face brimming with unconcealed pride, “can jump rope one hundred and twenty times in one minute.”

He was already restraining himself, or he would have surely added a few more remarks.

How about that, isn’t that incredibly impressive!

You’ve never seen a child jump rope so fast, have you!

The scene was a little awkward. A few people stammered, not knowing how to respond, while Mrs. Xu secretly rolled her eyes and nudged his elbow.

“Can you shut up?”

…

Just a few weeks after school started, the National Day holiday quickly arrived.

Xu Chacha secretly searched for travel guides online, planning to conspire to get the workaholics and little study maniacs in her family out for a change of scenery.

She had wanted to do this for a long time. In her previous life, work always kept her running around. Every time she pulled an all-nighter, she comforted herself, “Just hold on a little longer. When I have money, I’ll go traveling and relax.” The result was death from overwork.

So, Xu Chacha now realized a truth: enjoy life when you should, and work hard when you need to. Combining work and rest would prevent sudden death.

“Mom, you’ll be on holiday, right? So you’ll have lots of time to spend with Chacha,” Xu Chacha naturally brought up the topic at dinner.

“Of course.” Mrs. Xu ladled a bowl of soup for her.

The sales department was busiest right before the holiday. Discount plans needed to be made, outdoor ads updated, and preparations for new product launches coordinated with the publicity department. She had been so busy that she hadn’t eaten a proper meal for days.

However, after this busy period, she would be able to catch her breath and have time to spend with her child.

“Mom is too hard-working. You should eat more.” Xu Chacha was concerned about her noticeably thinner appearance and put a piece of sweet and sour pork in her bowl. “Mom should rest well during the holiday. You absolutely must not get tired and have sparse hair like Dad.”

Mr. Xu, who was quietly eating, took a direct hit. He looked up at his innocent and adorable daughter, his Adam’s apple bobbing. In the end, he swallowed his rebuttal.

He doesn’t have sparse hair. He just has a big head!

“This is a good opportunity for our whole family to travel.” Mrs. Xu ate the meat Xu Chacha had given her, the sweetness lingering on her tongue. “Chacha, is there anywhere you want to go?”

Xu Chacha quickly nodded and handed over the travel guide she had prepared.

“Chacha saw an advertisement for a place on TV before. It looked especially beautiful!” She poked Xu Yanshu’s shoulder. “Sister, you really want to go too, right?”

Her parents’ gaze shifted to Xu Yanshu. She swallowed the food in her mouth and spoke up for Xu Chacha. “It’s F Town in C City. She’s been mentioning it for the last couple of days.”

F Town was a well-chosen auspicious location that Xu Chacha had carefully selected a long time ago. Mrs. Xu’s friend had posted in her Moments about wanting to see the sea before summer ended, and F Town happened to have a rather romantic and popular beach.

And Mr. Xu loved drinking tea. F Town was also a renowned tea-producing region with private tea gardens offering tea-picking experiences.

Xu Chacha had, of course, tried to gauge Xu Yanshu’s preference, only to find that she genuinely had no desires for anything, completely focused on her studies, practically living with her reference books.

So, taking her anywhere was fine, as long as there was a place to stay where she could do practice questions.

Of course, besides all that, Xu Chacha had a small, private reason: F Town was Wen Mubai’s hometown, and she wanted to go see what the place where she used to live was like.

“Alright. How many days do you want to go for? Mom will take you,” Mrs. Xu put down her chopsticks and pinched Xu Chacha’s cheek. “The whole family will go. We can’t let our Chacha be lonely.”

“Three days,” Xu Chacha counted on her fingers. “One day to go to the beach with Mom, one day to pick tea with Dad, and one day for eating and drinking.”

“What about your sister?” Mr. Xu looked up.

Xu Chacha gave him a look that said, “You tell me,” and replied, “I’ll keep Sister company doing practice questions in the hotel every night.”

Xu Yanshu, who was sitting across from her, laughed out loud and spoke up for once. “Fine, then bring all your homework too. I’ll teach you anything you don’t know.”

“Sister!” Xu Chacha protested anxiously.

First, there was Teacher Fangfang bringing homework to the hospital ward, and now her sister couldn’t forget about teaching even on vacation.

The horizontal critique: She’s the one who’s miserable.

“Stop teasing your sister,” Mrs. Xu leaned against Xu Yanshu’s shoulder, laughing. The family’s current atmosphere was much better than the “executive meeting” atmosphere they used to have. “Let her play for two days. We can talk about homework when we get back.”

“Mom spoils me the most.”

Xu Yanshu raised an eyebrow. “If I didn’t spoil you, don’t keep pestering me to secretly buy you ice cream next time.”

“You ask your sister for ice cream?” Mrs. Xu’s tone became serious. “Xu Chacha, how many times have I told you not to always eat cold things since your stomach isn’t good? And that ginseng tea, is that something a child can just drink? Housekeeper Zhang said you brew it twice a day. Can your body handle drinking that?”

“I heard, I heard.” Xu Chacha huddled down, trying to minimize her presence.

What malicious intentions could she have? She just simply wanted to live a long life.

“And yes, Housekeeper Zhang.” Mrs. Xu raised her hand and called over the housekeeper waiting nearby. “I should have talked to you sooner. Aren’t you indulging her too much? She does whatever she wants and eats whatever she wants. Can a child be so willful?”

Housekeeper Zhang bent down and whispered in her ear, “Madam, you personally instructed me to buy whatever Miss wanted to eat and give her whatever she wanted. I have followed your instructions.”

“Also, the ginseng tea and goji berries. You heard that Miss liked to drink them and told me to be sure to purchase them regularly.”

Mrs. Xu was speechless, her face flushed hot. She made a fist and brought it to her lips, coughing lightly to cover her embarrassment. “Alright, you may go.”

Housekeeper Zhang acknowledged her and, before leaving, gave Xu Chacha, who was frantically signaling to him, an “okay” gesture. The two covered their mouths, secretly chuckling.

“Let’s hurry up and eat. The food is getting cold,” Mr. Xu interjected to end the topic. “Since the location is settled, let’s pick the dates. Should we go in the next couple of days or towards the end of the holiday?”

“Let’s leave on the fifth!” Xu Chacha suggested. “There’s a lantern festival on the evening of the sixth.”

“Fine, then it’s settled.”

That night, Xu Chacha told Wen Mubai that she was going to F Town, but the person who usually replied quickly didn’t respond for a whole night.

It wasn’t until noon the next day that Xu Chacha finally saw the little red dot on WeChat.

Dear Auntie: Mmm, have a good time when you come.

Xu Chacha felt that Wen Mubai’s tone was somehow different from before, but she couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong. She frowned, staring at the message for a long time, and suddenly noticed a key point.

When you come? Was Wen Mubai in F Town now?

Xu Chacha called her, but no one answered after a long ring. After hanging up, she didn’t call again, thinking Wen Mubai would reply when she was free.

But the phone call didn’t come first. Instead, her mother did.

On the evening of the third, Xu Chacha was getting ready for bed when her mother walked into her room with a solemn expression.

“My darling, are you asleep?” She sat down by Xu Chacha’s bed and gently brushed back her bangs. “Mom wants to talk to you about something.”

Her opening was too unsettling. Xu Chacha pursed her lips and asked quietly, “What is it, Mom? Are you and Dad not going to F Town with me?”

“We’re leaving tomorrow,” Mrs. Xu couldn’t help but sigh. “Your Auntie Mubai’s maternal grandmother has passed away. We’re going to attend the funeral.”

“Funeral,” Xu Chacha repeated the word softly.

Images flashed before her eyes: her younger self huddled in the mourning hall, crying hysterically, feeling utterly helpless.

She shivered, forcing herself not to think about those things. Her innocent dark eyes met her mother’s. “I know. Auntie’s grandmother went to heaven. We have to go and bless her to be happy in heaven.”

Mrs. Xu covered her mouth to suppress a sob, stroking Xu Chacha’s soft hair. “Mmm, Chacha is right.”

Xu Chacha sat up, leaned in to hug her, buried her head in her mother’s embrace, and patted her back gently with her small hand. “Don’t cry, Mom. Don’t be sad, don’t be sad.”

Mrs. Xu’s mother had also passed away when she was young. Xu Chacha knew this was probably why she was so emotional about Wen Mubai’s grandmother’s passing.

“My darling, when you grow up, you must find someone to take good care of you. Otherwise, what will I do when I’m gone?” Mrs. Xu’s biggest worry now was Xu Chacha. No matter how fulfilling their life was now, the void of those four lost years could never be filled. She held Xu Chacha’s tiny body tightly, afraid she would fly away if she let go. “You are the one Mom can least bear to leave.”

Mrs. Xu knew her young daughter might not fully understand her words, but today, she was filled with melancholy and a need to confide.

Xu Chacha’s eyes felt a little sore. Tears rolled around her eye sockets and shamelessly slid down.

“Don’t worry, Mom.” Xu Chacha gently wiped away the tears at the corners of the woman’s eyes. The child’s innocent face wore a seriousness that didn’t match her age. “Chacha will grow up quickly, to a point where Mom won’t have to worry.”

Mrs. Xu nodded gently through her tears. She vaguely sensed a maturity and understanding in this child that other children her age lacked, but this only made her heart ache more.

Where could this understanding come from without having stumbled and fallen in the dirt? If time could be turned back, she would hold this poor child in her palm every moment, keeping her a clean, blank slate forever.

Xu Chacha leaned against her, trying to transmit warmth with her small body. “Chacha is stronger than Mom thinks.”

“Mmm, Mom knows.”

…

The day they left, it rained fittingly.

Xu Chacha didn’t wait to be called. She woke up early and squatted by her suitcase, squishing and squeaking in her slippers as she packed.

The temperature in F Town was cooler than here, and it was raining, so she added a coat and a thin blanket. Then she stood up and went to the wardrobe to look for a raincoat.

The room was as big as a maze. She walked half a circle before entering the cloakroom Mrs. Xu had prepared for her.

Xu Chacha walked to the innermost row of racks, where out-of-season down jackets and raincoats were neatly categorized and stored. Raincoats alone occupied an entire row of hangers.

The hangers were split by a divider, and the styles on the left and right were completely different.

‘Flashy’ and ‘Childishly Cute.’

Afraid that the two great childish souls would think she was biased, Xu Chacha took one set from each side and packed them.

Rain boots were a hassle to bring, so one pair was enough. Her small, chubby hands played eeny-meeny-miny-moe, and she finally chose a pair of yellow short boots.

After packing, Xu Chacha washed up and walked out, dragging her suitcase with both hands.

Housekeeper Zhang was waiting for her at the door. Seeing her struggling small figure, he quickly stepped forward to help. “Miss, you could have just called me.”

Xu Chacha chuckled. “I can still drag it.”

The two went downstairs and found only Xu Yanshu in the living room. Breakfast hadn’t been served at the dining table yet; only two pots of soy milk and milk were placed there.

Xu Yanshu sat on the sofa, sipping soy milk, watching the morning news at the lowest volume.

Xu Chacha poured herself a cup of hot milk and sat beside her. “Sister.”

Xu Yanshu turned her head, her dazed eyes indicating she was clearly deep in thought. “You’re up. Good girl.”

She took the remote, intending to switch to the children’s channel.

“No need, let’s watch the news. I like the news too,” Xu Chacha stopped her.

The weather forecast was airing during a commercial break. Xu Chacha listened carefully to the weather for the next few days in F Town. Fortunately, this rain wasn’t continuous. The host said it would stop around tonight.

She nodded and drank half a glass of milk. The two watched for another ten minutes before Mr. and Mrs. Xu finally came downstairs. The four quietly finished breakfast, and the driver had already arrived at the garage, ready to depart.

They needed to arrive in F Town before noon, which was about a three-hour drive. Mrs. Xu fastened Xu Chacha’s seatbelt.

“Sleep for a bit, darling. You’ll be there when you wake up.”

Xu Chacha obediently nodded. She hadn’t slept well last night. Now, sitting in the car, her habit of being drowsy in the car but not in bed kicked in.

Her small head bobbed up and down, and finally tilted gently, resting on Mrs. Xu’s shoulder, where she drifted off to sleep. Her thick lashes lay against her rosy cheeks like tiny fans. Her sleeping face was peaceful and obedient.

One sleep, and I’ll see Auntie when I wake up.

…

The hotel was booked by Mrs. Xu near the famous beach. Rooms were fully booked during the holiday, but she managed to secure two suites through connections.

They dropped off their luggage, had a simple lunch at the hotel, and returned to their rooms to change into clothes suitable for attending a funeral.

To appear respectful, Mrs. Xu chose long black dresses for both sisters. Xu Yanshu’s dress had a thin white belt around the waist.

Xu Chacha’s had a black bow, and the hem of the skirt had a white border. When the wind caught it, the edge of the skirt looked like surging waves.

Xu Chacha’s hair was almost mid-back. Mrs. Xu sat down to brush her messy hair and braided it into a neat fishtail braid, leaving only a few strands around her temples for accent. The little one instantly looked refreshed and spirited.

If she didn’t have important things to do, Mrs. Xu felt she could “play” this doll-dressing game for another whole day.

“All done. Go call your sister,” Mrs. Xu patted her.

“Mmm-hmm.” Xu Chacha scrambled up and ran to pull Xu Yanshu. “Sister, come. Mom will braid your hair.”

Xu Yanshu was quite reluctant. “It’s fine. Sister doesn’t need a braid.”

“Why?” Xu Chacha stopped, her voice low. “Doesn’t Sister want to have the same braid as me?”

Xu Yanshu: “…”

Just as she was trying to figure out how to refuse without hurting Xu Chacha’s feelings, the girl spoke again.

“Does Sister not like braids, or does she not like being the same as Chacha? Does Sister find it embarrassing to have the same braid as Chacha?” The little girl’s voice was full of grievance, making it impossible to refuse.

“I’ll do it, I’ll do it, okay?” Xu Yanshu gave in, rubbing her forehead.

…

At 1 PM, the group departed on time. It was nearly a half-hour drive from the hotel to the funeral venue. Xu Chacha slept again in the car, waking up automatically just before they arrived.

She wiped the window with her hand and saw a large flower field outside. The rain seemed to have eased a lot, and small puddles accumulated in the uneven ground.

“We’re here,” the driver applied the brakes.

Mr. Xu unbuckled his seatbelt first. “Let’s go find the old man first.”

Mrs. Xu hummed in agreement, got out to open the umbrella, and then helped Xu Chacha out.

“Thank you, Mom.” Xu Chacha pulled out her own transparent little umbrella and pushed her mother’s hand away. “I have my own.”

The funeral was not elaborate, held in the deceased’s hometown as per her wishes.

The old house was only two stories high. The off-white walls were covered with climbing ivy. Rainwater slid down the dark brown tiles and landed on the branches and leaves, making the green look even brighter.

Two security guards in mismatched suits stood under the eaves. Only familiar faces were let in.

Someone went in to announce that the Xu family had arrived. The old man, who was kneeling, was slowly helped to his feet by Wen Mubai.

“Grandpa, why don’t you go rest for a bit? You didn’t sleep well last night,” Wen Mubai said.

The old house had poor sound insulation, and last night there was thunder, wind, and rain. The elderly man was a light sleeper and must not have rested well.

“It’s alright. Let’s go meet the guests.” The old man was hunched over, leaning on Wen Mubai as they went to the entrance to greet them.

“Why did you come out? The wind is strong outside.” Mr. Xu took off his trench coat and draped it over him. Although it was October, the temperature had dropped suddenly in the last two days, and they needed to be careful not to catch a cold.

The old man was helped away by Mr. Xu, and Wen Mubai stood aside.

She was also dressed in black today. A velvet, short-sleeved long dress reached her ankles, paired with leather boots that gave her a classical air. Her long black hair was neatly brushed and hung down her back. Her slender body was wrapped in the thin fabric. Her porcelain white skin had a cold tone.

Wen Mubai stood there like a solitary, aloof black rose, dressed in black from head to toe. Only a red wooden bead bracelet on her pale wrist broke the monochrome ink-wash painting.

“Auntie!”

The voice was as vibrant as ever, lightly shattering the surrounding oppressive atmosphere and reaching Wen Mubai’s ears.

She turned around and saw Xu Chacha, standing next to Xu Yanshu, a short distance away.

The girl’s soft skirt was pulled back by the wind. A few raindrops, blown in from outside the umbrella, landed on her delicate shoulders. Her yellow rain boots, under the hem of her skirt, created round puddles with every step as she ran quickly towards her.

She was so eager, so impatient.

“Chacha.” Wen Mubai forced a smile, only noticing the strain in her voice from its hoarseness. She quickly dropped the awkward smile, squatted down, and picked her up. “How many times have I told you? Don’t be so reckless. Walk slowly.”

“Oh.” Xu Chacha pretended not to hear her lecture. Her soft little arms wrapped around Wen Mubai’s neck, and she whispered close to her ear, “Chacha is here. Don’t cry, Auntie.”

The little one’s soft, clear voice mixed with worry, injecting a warmth that reached straight to Wen Mubai’s heart.

This seemingly naive and ignorant child could always see through her pretense with a single glance.

Wen Mubai felt a little helpless but also relieved. She tightened her arms around Xu Chacha, gently closed her eyes, and said softly, “Mmm, Auntie won’t cry.”