After Becoming a Cannon Fodder Side Character, I Became the Group’s Favorite (GL) - Chapter 33

The elderly man was truly a heavy sleeper. The housekeeping auntie had already cooked lunch, but he still refused to get up.

Wen Mubai, worried, called out to him, but he mumbled that he needed another half an hour and went back to snoring soundly.

Seeing that he looked rosy and was physically fine, Wen Mubai could only close the door and retreat. Turning around, she saw Xu Chacha standing behind her, who looked down and asked, “What is it?”

Xu Chacha tugged at her clothes. “I want to go play over there.”

Wen Mubai followed the direction of her finger, looking toward the gardenia patch that her grandmother had meticulously cared for when she was alive.

The rain had stopped at some point without her knowing. The crisp chirping of birds on the branches seemed to invite them to go out for a walk.

“Go change into your rain boots,” Wen Mubai patted her. “The path outside is muddy.”

“Okay!” Xu Chacha knew this meant she had agreed and happily ran downstairs. She quickly slipped her feet into her little yellow boots. “Auntie, hurry up, quick, quick, quick!”

Wen Mubai’s movements were always unhurried. Even with Xu Chacha’s urging, she slowly tied her shoelaces into neat bows before standing up.

“Let’s go,” she took Xu Chacha’s small hand and pushed open the back door.

The air after the rain smelled fresh, with a faint scent of earth, making one want to take a deep, long breath.

Xu Chacha actually did just that. She took a big gulp of air and then let go of Wen Mubai’s hand and ran to the gardenia patch.

Gardenias usually finish blooming around July or August. Looking at the patch now, it was mostly green, dotted with only a few surviving white blossoms.

Xu Chacha squatted down next to an un-wilted gardenia, leaning in to sniff its delicate and pleasant fragrance. She finally understood why her mother was so obsessed with perfume.

A pleasant scent was the magical charm that could instantly change one’s mood.

Wen Mubai stood behind the tiny figure of Xu Chacha. Her shadow blocked most of the sunlight. “Come earlier next summer. It’s more beautiful then.”

Xu Chacha reached out a plump finger and lightly touched the flower bud. Unexpectedly, it fell off with just that touch. Her nerves tensed, and she frantically clawed at the air with both hands, actually managing to save it before it fell into the mud.

“Phew…”

Wen Mubai witnessed her silly behavior and smiled faintly. “Do you like it?”

“I do,” Xu Chacha nodded, holding the white flower bud. “It’s for Auntie.”

Wen Mubai took it, twisting the short stem below the flower between her fingers. She remembered the garland Xu Chacha had given her yesterday.

“How did you weave that garland before? Teach Auntie.”

“Okay,” Xu Chacha collected several intact and sufficiently long flower stems, removed the excess large leaves, and handed a bunch to Wen Mubai. “It’s very simple. Auntie, follow me step by step.”

Ever since she helped Wen Mubai weave a hand rope, she had taken a liking to this kind of craft and often searched for instructions on video sites. She learned this technique during that time.

“First, take two stems and loop one around the other.” Xu Chacha’s hands were small but quite nimble. She demonstrated and then held it out for Wen Mubai to imitate.

“Mmm, done,” Wen Mubai showed her. “Check it, little teacher?”

“Correct,” Xu Chacha nodded. “Then take out another stem. Loop it the same way, and repeat this process until you feel the length is enough. Then finish it.”

“Okay.”

Once she grasped the method, Wen Mubai’s movements were fast. Her two fingers were so agile that they almost blurred. In no time, a beautiful and delicate garland was finished in her hands.

“How do I finish it?” She turned to ask Xu Chacha, only to find the little one frowning, facing her half-finished product as if confronting a great enemy.

Because the garland was getting thicker, the number of stems she needed to hold also increased, and her hands were too small, causing them to constantly slip out.

“Why are you so fast?” Xu Chacha was incredulous. “Is this really your first time?”

Wen Mubai just smiled without saying a word. She took Xu Chacha’s garland, quickly wove the rest for her, and handed it back. “Keep teaching, Teacher.”

Xu Chacha was a little annoyed. Wen Mubai’s act of “surpassing the teacher” had completely destroyed a young person’s passion for arts and crafts.

Some people really excelled at everything they did, and it was simply unfair.

“To finish, just loop it like this, and then tuck the end into the small loop at the front.” The finishing step was relatively simple. Xu Chacha demonstrated and finished her own as she went.

“Does it look good?” Wen Mubai held the finished garland in her palm and invited Xu Chacha to admire it.

“It’s beautiful…” More beautiful than the one I made.

The distance between each flower in Wen Mubai’s garland seemed to have been calculated, and the stems and leaves were tightly and neatly interwoven, completely overshadowing Xu Chacha’s work of “casual beauty.”

Wen Mubai inserted the gardenia that Xu Chacha had given her into the garland and placed it on her head. “This looks even better.”

Xu Chacha touched the garland on her head, her eyes sparkling.

Wen Mubai took out her phone, aiming the camera at her. “Smile.”

Xu Chacha professionally flashed her pearly whites and gave a goofy “V” sign.

…

On the morning of the Lantern Festival, Xu’s mother came to pick up Xu Chacha and offered Wen Mubai a ride. Before they left, the elderly man stuffed Xu Chacha’s little backpack and pockets full of osmanthus cakes and gave her his phone number.

“Call Grandpa when you have time, or just come over to play. Grandpa is always here.”

“Okay, I’ll call Grandpa often,” Xu Chacha patted her chest. “Mission accomplished, guaranteed.”

Wen Mubai originally intended to go home directly after leaving the elderly man, but the Xu family insisted she stay and join them. Even Xu’s father spoke up, offering to pay for her accommodation and meals so she could relax.

Knowing they were all well-meaning, and since this was one of her rare periods of free time, Wen Mubai ultimately decided to stay.

And she was lucky. Due to the earlier heavy rain, some guests had canceled their bookings, and she could take one of the rooms.

Xu’s father was true to his word, taking out his wallet to pay for her three-day stay. Ignoring Wen Mubai’s attempts to decline, he picked up her suitcase. “Your dad told me to take good care of you, so it’s fine.”

Wen Mubai felt a strange unfamiliarity with his enthusiasm. After much hesitation, she said, “I really should give you the room fee.”

Xu’s mother patted her shoulder from behind. “If you really feel bad about it, Auntie will ask your dad for the money later. How can a junior pay when we’re out playing together, especially since you’re a great benefactor to our family?”

Wen Mubai truly didn’t know what to say. In the past, she had met Xu’s parents numerous times, but those encounters were limited to commercial pleasantries. She didn’t know why their demeanor had become so strange lately, leaving her unable to cope.

She shot a puzzled look at the silent Xu Yanshu behind them.

Xu Yanshu, who was forced into wearing pigtails, spread her hands and shrugged at her, mouthing: What are you looking at? I’m a “victim” too.

After Wen Mubai was settled, and a time for dinner was arranged, Xu’s mother and the others took Xu Chacha back to their room.

Not having Xu Chacha around for the past two days had driven her crazy. As soon as they entered the room, she smothered the little doll’s face with kisses.

Under the overwhelming barrage of kisses, Xu Chacha’s young heart suffered violent trauma again and again. She even suspected that if she had returned one day later, her parents would have chartered a helicopter and brought her home like an overbearing CEO from a Mary Sue novel.

“Come here, let Dad see. Have you lost weight?” Xu’s father stepped forward to give Xu Chacha his familiar high lift.

She dangled in the air, weakly shaking her feet, which were off the ground. “Dad, I only stayed at Grandpa’s house for one day, and Grandpa was very kind to me. I ate well.”

Although I personally witnessed Wen Mubai almost blowing up the kitchen.

“Dad’s worried you didn’t adjust to the local environment.”

Xu Chacha resisted rolling her eyes: Then I have nothing to say.

“Are you tired? Do you want to take a nap? I’ll call you when it’s time for dinner.” Xu’s mother felt the child looked like she had dark circles under her eyes.

“Not tired. I slept well,” Xu Chacha shook her head.

“That’s good. Come with Dad to a place,” Xu’s father said.

“Where are we going?” Xu Chacha looked up at him.

They were going out for the Lantern Festival tonight anyway. What place couldn’t wait until then?

“To see an uncle.”

“Oh, okay.” Life is hard. Do I have to go out and be charming again?

Xu’s mother looked incredulous when she heard him say that. “Aren’t you being childish?”

Xu’s father avoided her death glare, not feeling guilty at all. “I’m just taking the child for a stroll before dinner.”

Xu Chacha didn’t understand their conversation, but there was no rush. She would soon understand what Xu’s mother meant by “childish.”

Holding Xu’s father’s hand, she walked back and forth near the elevator about three or four times. During this time, she repeatedly asked, “Dad, what are we doing?”

Xu’s father always told her with a profound expression, “We are taking a walk.”

“Then why don’t we go to the beach?”

“The air is fresh here,” Xu’s father lied to the child without batting an eyelid.

Xu’s father lowered his head, seemingly sending someone a message. Not long after, the elevator descended from the eighth floor.

Xu Chacha noticed that Xu’s father was paying close attention to this elevator. Just before it arrived, he specifically picked her up from the ground.

Ding— The elevator door opened, and a man holding a phone stepped out.

“Old Xu, you texted me saying you needed something? What is it?”

Xu’s father took a step forward, holding Xu Chacha. The look of triumph on his face was so pronounced that he might as well have been shoving Xu Chacha’s face in front of the man to show off.

“Look, this is my little daughter, Xu Chacha.”

The man looked confused. “Ah, I see her. What about her?”

“Didn’t you say last time that you wanted to meet her?”

“Yes… that’s right.” Weren’t those just a few polite words of greeting?

“Now you’ve seen her,” Xu’s father turned to Xu Chacha. “This is Uncle Yang. Say hello.”

Xu Chacha waved at him, flashing her standard, professionally charming, toothy smile. “Hello, Uncle Yang.”

Old Yang finally understood what the man meant.

Showing off his child at private gatherings with his friends wasn’t enough. Did he have to text him to come down so he could show off to his face?

But…

“Is Uncle here to play too?”

“Uncle’s beach shorts are so fashionable.”

“Uncle, do you want to eat osmanthus cake? Grandpa gave it to me. It’s really delicious.”

“…” No, Old Yang, you have a daughter. How can you be charmed by someone else’s child, even if her eyes are bright and expressive, and her little mouth is so sweet and good at getting her way? But—

What does it matter if I eat an osmanthus cake, right?

Old Yang reached out and took the cake, giving a kind, fatherly smile. “Thank you, little Chacha. Osmanthus cake is my favorite thing to eat.”

Xu’s father: “Don’t you have diabetes?”

…

At six in the evening, the group had dinner and set off for the Lantern Festival.

Xu’s mother specially changed Xu Chacha into a light, comfortable outfit for easy movement: a light-blue, knee-length dress paired with white sneakers. She looked cute and energetic.

Xu Chacha also brought her little backpack, but Wen Mubai took it from her as soon as they left the hotel.

“Auntie will carry it for you.”

The venue for the Lantern Festival was just two crosswalks away from the hotel, and many people were also walking that way. Even though it was already dusk, there were more pedestrians than during the day.

“Sweetie, come, Mom will carry you.” Xu’s mother worried that Xu Chacha might get lost if she walked behind.

Xu Chacha, holding Wen Mubai’s hand, shook her head. “I won’t get lost with Auntie, and I’m big enough not to be carried.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she pointed at a balloon shooting game stall often seen in amusement parks. “Auntie, can you play that with me?”

Xu’s mother made a move to follow, but Xu’s father stopped her. “If the child wants to play, let’s not follow.”

Xu’s mother thought about it and agreed. Wen Mubai’s mood was probably still low, and having Xu Chacha with her might cheer her up. The presence of the adults might make the atmosphere constrained.

“Yanshu, do you want to go play too? Mom will give you some cash.”

Xu Yanshu looked at Xu Chacha, who was circling Wen Mubai, practically wagging her tail in joy. She pursed her lips. “I’ll stick with you.”

As long as I don’t see it, my sister’s elbow is still pointing toward me.

Xu Yanshu had perfected the art of the ostrich.

Wen Mubai had never played this kind of shooting game before. She was a little worried about repeating the mistake with the claw machine, but facing Xu Chacha’s expectant, starry eyes, she softened and paid for the game.

“Ten yuan for three chances. Hitting three red balloons is the grand prize, and so on.”

Wen Mubai held up the dark green toy gun. Her extended arm created a beautifully curved forearm line. Her left eye squinted shut, and her right eye focused on the target. She gently pulled the trigger with her index finger.

“Bang!”

“Congratulations! You hit a red one with the first shot! You can win our grand prize with two more hits!”

Before he could finish, Wen Mubai fired two more shots without blinking.

“Bang! Bang!”

“Yay! Is it the grand prize, Uncle?” Xu Chacha jumped up and clapped for Wen Mubai. She ran to the stall owner, her small face tilted up, staring at him with her sparkling eyes.

The stall owner looked utterly miserable. Who would have thought that less than half an hour after opening the stall, he would already be operating at a loss?

“Ha ha ha… Yes, Miss, your technique is really good.” The toy gun had been tampered with; the sights and the actual shooting point weren’t aligned. Who would have thought this girl would take the prize with just ten yuan without any trial shots?

“The grand prize is an instant camera,” he said, taking down the box on the top shelf.

Since it had been sitting there for so long, the box was a bit dusty. He reluctantly wiped it clean and handed it to Xu Chacha.

“Here you go, kid.”

Xu Chacha hugged the gift with both hands. “Thank you, Uncle! Uncle is so generous!”

The stall owner: Stop talking! Uncle is about to cry!

…

Xu Chacha fiddled with the instant camera, realizing she didn’t know how to use it. Wen Mubai took it from her.

“Look up.”

“Huh?” Xu Chacha looked up at the sound of her voice, still wearing the goofy grin from having pulled off a bargain.

The flash clicked, kacha, so fast that she didn’t have time to close her eyes. The photo was already spitting out from the bottom of the camera.

Wen Mubai held the photo and shook it a few times. The bracelet on her wrist jingled. “It’s ready.”

She placed the photo in Xu Chacha’s hand. Seeing her still spacing out foolishly, she pinched her cheek.

Wen Mubai’s hands were always a little cool. Xu Chacha rubbed her cheeks, complaining that her face would get even rounder if this kept up. But as soon as she saw the photo, her drawn-out expression immediately turned into a big smile.

“It’s beautiful!”

Wen Mubai might have just picked a casual angle, but the lighting, shadow, and the proportion of the person to the background in the photo were perfect.

She captured the moment Xu Chacha turned her head. In the photo, she was looking at the camera, her hair still partially suspended in the air. The lantern hanging at the entrance of the BBQ stall behind her illuminated half of her face. She was smiling brightly with shining eyes and white teeth.

Wen Mubai turned over the camera box she still held. It read:

[Capture all the beautiful moments around you]

“Let me keep this photo, okay?” she asked Xu Chacha, trying to negotiate.

“Then I want to take a picture of Auntie, too, to keep as a souvenir.”

Xu Chacha imitated her, taking a picture, and then vigorously shook her arm.

“It really works.” She held up the photo with both hands and compared it to Wen Mubai. She nodded. “Hmm, the real person is still more beautiful.”

Xu Chacha carefully placed the photo into the innermost compartment of her backpack, zipped it up with layer upon layer of zippers, and turned the bag around to wear it in front of her.

“Let’s go, Auntie.” Xu Chacha took her hand.

The sign for the Lantern Festival could be seen from a distance. It was at the entrance of an alley on a commercial street. The alley wasn’t narrow. On both sides, bright red dragon claws, made of colored lights, rose from the ground. The effect was lifelike and so delicate that the patterns on every single dragon scale were vividly depicted.

The theme of the Lantern Festival was also very fitting for the National Day holiday. Lanterns of various styles hung from the entrance, extending forward, a length that couldn’t be seen even by standing on one’s toes.

The two rejoined Xu’s father and mother. Throughout the festival, the hands holding the camera never went down. When Xu’s mother organized her photos back at the hotel, the photo album memory had increased by one gigabyte.

“What on earth did I take pictures of?” She scrolled through her phone, intending to delete a few.

One swipe was a picture of Xu Chacha smiling at the camera, holding a lantern. Another swipe was a close-up profile of Xu Chacha eating cotton candy. Continuing to scroll, there was Xu Chacha smiling with curved eyes, reaching out toward the camera for a hug.

Out of ten photos, three were scenery, and seven were of Xu Chacha.

How can I bear to delete pictures of my precious daughter!

My precious one is not at fault! The mobile phone storage is!

…

The happiness Xu Chacha experienced in Town F was matched by the misery she felt after returning home.

Xu Yanshu got her up at six in the morning to catch up on homework, showing a level of dedication higher than a test proctor. She had finished her own homework long ago, so she sat beside her with an extracurricular book, checking one subject after Xu Chacha finished it.

By the last night before the end of the holiday, Xu Chacha looked like a walking zombie.

Elementary school homework wasn’t difficult, but the sheer volume was huge, especially the assignments that required copying three or four times. She felt her wrist was broken on the spot after finishing.

The physical hardship led to mental exhaustion, and she went to bed an hour earlier than usual.

The neighbor next door was still watching Ultraman Tiga on TV, but good girl Xu Chacha was already lying in bed, preparing to fall asleep.

Ding—

Hearing the notification sound, Xu Chacha abruptly opened her eyes. She grabbed her phone and saw the contact name. Her back no longer ached, her hand no longer hurt, and even her eyes were bright.

Dearest Auntie: Are you asleep?

She immediately replied with a “No.”

The message interface switched to a call. Xu Chacha tapped “Answer” and put the phone to her ear. “Auntie, are you done with work?”

She knew Wen Mubai was busy these past few days. Besides the group projects for school, Lang Shu was also rushing her to submit the first draft, so she hadn’t dared to text much, only sending “good morning” and “good night” messages daily.

“I’m done,” Wen Mubai’s voice didn’t sound as tired as expected, carrying a familiar warmth. “Just passing by.”

Passing by?

Xu Chacha jumped out of bed, shuffled to the balcony in her fluffy slippers, and indeed saw Wen Mubai looking up at her from downstairs.

“Auntie!” she shouted excitedly, standing on her tiptoes. “I’m coming down now!”

“Don’t,” Wen Mubai smiled at her from downstairs, handing the box in her hand to Butler Zhang, who had come out after opening the door. “Go to sleep. You have to wake up early tomorrow.”

Xu Chacha ignored her, shouting into the phone. “I’m coming down now! Don’t leave!”

She quickly ran downstairs and rushed to the entrance. Wen Mubai, wearing a white short-sleeve shirt, stood at the door with her hands in her pockets, tilting her head as she watched her breathless form. “How many times have I told you not to be so reckless? What if you fall?”

Xu Chacha hugged her tightly, wrapping her arms around her slender waist. “You’re going back to school, and I won’t see you for a long time!”

Wen Mubai rubbed her head. “Auntie will come back every two weeks to see you, okay?”

She made another promise.

“Okay!” Xu Chacha looked up, her crescent eyes filled with light.

“Go to sleep. Look at the gift tomorrow. Good night.”

Xu Chacha, holding Butler Zhang’s hand, reluctantly said goodbye to Wen Mubai. “Auntie, be careful on your way back.”

“I drove,” Wen Mubai showed her the car key in her hand.

“Alright, drive slowly. Don’t run red lights. Make sure you fasten your seatbelt…”

Wen Mubai chuckled and interrupted her. “Alright, my little ancestor. Do you want to recite the entire safety manual to me before you go to sleep?”

“Okay.”

Xu Chacha managed to get another hug, and only turned to go inside after watching Wen Mubai’s tall, slender figure disappear.

She opened the box Wen Mubai brought. One was the mille-feuille cake she liked to eat, and the other was a painting rolled up in silk ribbon.

The little girl in the painting had her hands behind her back, her body turned to the side, smiling brighter than the sun. Unlike the previous quick sketch, this painting was carefully done and colored with watercolors. The handling of light, shadow, and every strand of hair reflected Wen Mubai’s dedication.

She was wearing a light-green dress, with white gardenias decorating the waist and hem. The dress looked like it was made of layers of sheer fabric. Every girl at this age wouldn’t refuse to own such a fairy dress.

On the bottom right corner, there were still her handwritten words.

[for my angel]