After Becoming a Cannon Fodder Side Character, I Became the Group’s Favorite (GL) - Chapter 38.1

University military training could wear a person down to the bone. After more than half a month, almost everyone had tanned one shade darker.

Xu Chacha, however, was okay. She had a complexion that would turn red and peel but not darken when exposed to too much sun. The only thing was that the training had given her quite a few blisters on her toes, and wearing shoes hurt. She hadn’t felt this tired even when rushing through three or four fashion shows a day before.

“A few more days of training, and I’ll die right here,” Zhu Zhu said, collapsing onto Xu Chacha’s shoulder like she had no bones, wrapping her arms around her.

Jiang Shu grabbed her collar and pulled her away. “She can barely stand herself, and you’re leaning on her.”

Xu Chacha shot a grateful look at Jiang Shu, opened her water bottle, and took a sip.

After so many days, she had gotten used to Zhu Zhu’s constant intimate behavior, especially since she didn’t just do it to her.

“Then, Shu Shu, you let me lean on you.” Zhu Zhu tilted her body and hugged her shoulder. “I really can’t stand straight.”

Su Qing pretended to gag, then patted Xu Chacha’s shoulder. “Let’s hurry. If we’re late, there won’t be any seats in the canteen.”

“Wait for me.” Jiang Shu pulled Zhu Zhu’s hand away and quickly followed.

“You guys are so heartless.” Without a support, Zhu Zhu instantly recovered her walking ability through a medical miracle and quickly jogged over. “I’m so sick of eating at the canteen. Let’s go out for dinner tonight.”

“We’ll talk about tonight later. All I know is that I’m starving right now and want to eat as quickly as possible,” Jiang Shu said.

“Hmph, Shu Shu, you’re so cold.”

Xu Chacha shook off the goosebumps, pretended to be deaf, and linked arms with Su Qing, heading for the canteen.

The first floor of the canteen was a serving area similar to a middle school, while the second and third floors offered various types of snacks and main courses.

The four rushed to the third floor without hesitation and ordered two large basins of mala xiang guo (spicy stir-fry pot).

“Freshman?” Jiang Miao, who happened to be eating ramen next door, saw Xu Chacha and started a conversation.

Behind her were a few girls Xu Chacha had seen during orientation, who were now staring at the two of them with very knowing smiles.

“Upperclassman Jiang Miao.” Xu Chacha raised her hand to greet her.

“Military training is over, right? It must have been particularly hard these past few days.” Jiang Miao handed Xu Chacha the mung bean smoothie she had just bought. “When are you free to come out and eat with your upperclassman, as we talked about last time?”

Xu Chacha took the smoothie with both hands. It must have been freshly taken out of the fridge, as it felt cool in her hands.

“Anytime is fine, upperclassman.”

Zhu Zhu curiously leaned over. “We were just planning to go out for a big meal tonight. Are you coming, upperclassman?”

“Sure.” Jiang Miao agreed without a second thought.

Xu Chacha looked troubled. “But I…”

“But what? It’s settled, then!” Zhu Zhu winked and gave her a thumbs-up.

In fact, Xu Chacha didn’t want to go out because she had to call Wen Mubai that night, but it wasn’t easy to explain with so many people around. She decided to go back and tell Jiang Miao in private.

“Number 16, your mala xiang guo is ready.”

“Number 16, that’s our tag.” Zhu Zhu turned around, and the next second, she was stunned.

Their food for four people was all put together. The vendor used the largest bowl possible, which could be called a rice bucket, and the food was piled up in a small hill.

Zhu Zhu pushed the “bowl” away, pretending it had nothing to do with her. Jiang Shu shook her head and lifted it up.

“Let’s go, time to eat.”

Xu Chacha walked over and swiped four bowls of rice, grabbed chopsticks, and said goodbye to Jiang Miao. “Bye, upperclassman.”

“Bye.”

Because they were so hungry, they had picked food with the confidence that they could eat a whole pig. Now that they sat down to eat, they realized they couldn’t finish it all.

Everyone ate until their stomachs were about to burst, yet there was still more than half a bowl left. Su Qing went to ask for a takeaway box and packed the leftovers.

“We can heat this up in the microwave tonight and eat it.”

However, the leftovers didn’t even make it to the evening. Zhu Zhu, who suddenly complained of being hungry in the afternoon, ate it all by herself. As she ate, she tempted the others. “Come and eat, girls! I think it tastes even better after being heated in the microwave than when it was fresh.”

Xu Chacha had been burping up mala xiang guo flavor all afternoon from being overstuffed at noon. She shook her head in response to the generous invitation and buried her head in her blanket. “No, no. I don’t want to see mala xiang guo for a whole month.”

Jiang Shu and Su Qing, who were watching a movie on the lower bunk, silently raised their hands. “Us too.”

…

Country Y, 2:00 PM

Wen Mubai called Xu Chacha during her lunch break. It was about 9:00 PM in China; she shouldn’t be asleep yet.

“Auntie!” The call was answered quickly, as if she had been waiting for it, too. “Let me turn on the camera. Wait a second.”

The girl’s voice sounded more energetic. The familiar “little sweetie” voice had turned into a young woman’s voice, but it was still crisp and pleasant, like a melodious oriole.

“All set.” Xu Chacha pulled the blackout curtain and aimed the camera at her face.

Wen Mubai saw the background behind her. “Getting ready to sleep so early?”

“Not yet, maybe a little later.” She was on the bed simply to make video calls more convenient.

Now that they were in a dorm, everyone had different sleep schedules. The other three almost always stayed up past midnight, and Xu Chacha was slowly getting used to going to bed late, but her health tea never stopped.

Now, her standard for “staying up late” was past 2 AM.

“Did you receive your birthday present last time? I added several layers of bubble wrap to the perfume this time. It shouldn’t break, right?” Xu Chacha complained. “The express delivery is really too rough.”

She sent Wen Mubai new perfume every year. The formula was the same as the one from her childhood. She occasionally used it herself, and after all these years, she still hadn’t gotten tired of it.

“I received it. How about you? What do you want for your birthday this year?”

Their birthdays were not far apart—one in September, one in December. Xu Chacha’s birthday was coming up soon.

“Anything. I’ll like whatever Auntie gives me.”

Just as she was speaking, Zhu Zhu reached a hand into Xu Chacha’s blackout curtain and pulled at her blanket. “Cha, come with your girls. Let’s go out for a late-night snack. Your upperclassman Jiang Miao said she’s treating.”

“I told her I’m not going. You guys go.” Xu Chacha replied to her.

“What? Everyone’s going! You never come out. Come with us, come on~”

Hearing her start using the sweet, coquettish tone again, Xu Chacha held her forehead with a headache. “I really can’t go. You guys go and have fun. Send me the payment code later, and I’ll treat, okay?”

“Really?” Zhu Zhu jumped up. “Rich girl Cha! I love you! Mwah!”

Xu Chacha quickly pulled the blackout curtain back, worried that she might have scared Wen Mubai.

“My roommate is just like that. Don’t mind her.” Xu Chacha put her earphones back on.

Wen Mubai tapped the desk with her pen, her gaze fixed on her own hand, seemingly lost in thought. Hearing Xu Chacha’s voice, she came back to her senses and said, “Mhm.”

“Upperclassman Jiang Miao?” This was the first time she had heard that name. Xu Chacha usually told her about people she knew.

“Oh, Upperclassman Jiang Miao is the one who helped me carry my luggage when school started. I forgot to tell you her name.” Xu Chacha took a sip of water. “We ran into her at the canteen at noon today, and my roommate invited her to come out for a late-night snack with us.”

“Why aren’t you going?” Wen Mubai asked again.

“I don’t really want to go.” Xu Chacha pouted.

How could she possibly say that she was staying behind so she could video chat with her?

“I heard from your roommate that you haven’t been out much. How can you integrate if you don’t socialize?”

Hearing her start nagging in an elder’s tone, Xu Chacha’s expression instantly wilted. “Got it.”

“Go eat. I’m hanging up,” Wen Mubai said.

Xu Chacha lowered her eyes, looking very disappointed. “Because I’ll miss you…”

“What did you say?” Her voice was too quiet, and Wen Mubai didn’t hear clearly.

“Nothing.” Xu Chacha pursed her lips and sat up straight. “You hang up. I’ll go have a late-night snack with them.”

“Mhm, good girl.”

“Oh.”

Xu Chacha felt that when Wen Mubai said “good girl” now, it didn’t soothe her at all. It was more like ruffling her fur backward, making her turn into a puffed-up cat in an instant.

The last second of the video call was fixed on Xu Chacha’s sullen expression. Wen Mubai continued to stare at the screen for a long time after hanging up.

Of course, she wished she could fly back immediately, but she was in the middle of a handover. Walking out now would be too irresponsible to the team.

…

Jiang Miao’s text message said to meet at the back gate of the school at 9:30 PM. They had about twenty minutes to get ready.

Zhu Zhu and the others were touching up their makeup and curling their hair. Xu Chacha, on the other hand, was casual. She casually threw on a pair of shorts she had left on the chair yesterday, a wide T-shirt, and sat down in slippers to wait.

This was probably a case of bad habits being easier to pick up. After knowing Wen Mubai for so long, she hadn’t picked up any of her other excellent qualities, but she had learned her way of dressing whimsically.

Oh, wait, she didn’t dress like that anymore, Xu Chacha suddenly realized.

Now, Wen Mubai meticulously matched her outfit before work every day, to the point where even a tiny pair of earrings was carefully selected.

Xu Chacha played two rounds of Candy Crush. The three beauties finally finished getting dressed. She checked her phone. “25 minutes. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the back gate. You girls sure know how to cut it close.”

“Aiya, I heard there are senior guys from the student union coming along, too. Of course, I have to dress up.” Zhu Zhu hooked her arm. “Why did you suddenly decide to come? Is it because… you’ve got your eye on a senior guy, too?”

Xu Chacha pushed her face away. “I’m not interested in senior guys.”

“Oh, I see. So you’re interested in an upperclasswoman, is that it?” Zhu Zhu chuckled, with a look that said, “I know everything.”

Xu Chacha shook her head, turned, and pulled Jiang Shu. “Let’s hurry. It’s not good to be late.”

Su Qing also couldn’t stand being pestered by Zhu Zhu and chased after them. “Wait for me, guys.”

Xu Chacha laughed as she walked. “Hurry up. We’ll wait for you at the stairs.”

Their whole dorm wasn’t short. Jiang Shu and Xu Chacha were about the same height. Su Qing and Zhu Zhu, in high heels, could also be considered around 1.7 meters. The four walking side-by-side attracted many backward glances.

Jiang Miao was waiting at the entrance ten minutes early. Seeing Xu Chacha from afar, her eyes immediately lit up.

“Chacha, you made it.”

“Hello, upperclassman. I just finished up what I was busy with, so I came out with them. You don’t mind one extra person, do you?”

“Of course not.” Jiang Miao raised her hand to introduce everyone to each other. “These are all from the College Student Union. You can just call them senior guys and girls.”

Then she turned and introduced Xu Chacha to the people behind her. “Here, the beautiful freshman girl you’ve been pestering to see. The little beauties next to her are her roommates.”

“Zhu Zhu, Jiang Shu… Su Qing.” Jiang Miao introduced their names from memory. “That should be right, I think.”

Jiang Shu nodded. “Mhm, you got it right.”

“Upperclassman has a great memory!” Zhu Zhu’s eyes sparkled. “What are we going to eat?”

“How about barbecue?” Jiang Miao pointed in one direction. “A new place just opened up. These guys ate there before and said the taste was good.”

“Yay! Barbecue is the best for late-night snacks,” Zhu Zhu cheered with wild delight.

Su Qing quietly asked her on the side, “Didn’t you just eat mala xiang guo to fill up this afternoon? Why are you still acting like a starving ghost?”

Zhu Zhu rubbed her abdomen. “I don’t know. I feel like my stomach has a leak.”

Xu Chacha reminded her, “Don’t overeat. It’s easy to get stomach problems. You always stay up late, and your body’s immune system is already weak. Plus, all the soda…”

“Help!” Zhu Zhu covered her mouth. “My dear! Can I call you ‘my dear’? We’re outside. Why are you starting to nag?”

Jiang Shu pursed her lips and exchanged a smile with Su Qing.

At first, when Xu Chacha, with her young and beautiful face, lectured them about their irregular lifestyles, the three of them were so surprised their jaws almost dropped.

Who would have thought that a teenage girl like Xu Chacha could nag more fiercely than an old woman?

However, they got used to being lectured later on and even gave Xu Chacha a nickname: the “Health-Conscious Beauty.”

Xu Chacha herself didn’t seem to mind much.

They entered the barbecue restaurant. It wasn’t small. The ground floor had scattered small stools, while the upper floor was reserved for large round tables for group gatherings.

Jiang Miao was very decisive. Even though it was her first time ordering and choosing seats, she seemed very experienced. After asking about everyone’s dietary restrictions and what drinks they wanted, she handed the menu back to the owner.

“Why are you all still standing? Sit down.” She turned and saw a newly vacant table outside on the balcony. “That’s nice. Boss, please clean it up for us. Let’s go to the balcony.”

“Hey, alright. Just a moment.”

The owner was a middle-aged man in his forties. He worked quickly, used an iron basin to sweep up all the trash, and immediately wiped the table clean with a rag. “There you go. Have a seat. The water will be up in a moment.”

The veterans Jiang Miao brought with her chose seats near the serving area. Xu Chacha’s group was still standing, unsure where to sit.

“You guys come sit next to me.” Jiang Miao waved to Xu Chacha. “Don’t get too close to those old veterans. It’s bad luck.”

A boy with a buzz cut spoke up. “What’s wrong? Are we going to eat people?”

Jiang Miao retorted, “Yes, you not only eat people, but you specifically go for pretty freshman girls.”

“Oh my, President Jiang is so protective.” The short-haired girl, who was also at the orientation that day, joined the teasing. “I wish I had known you were so doting. I would have stayed back a year to be your freshman girl.”

“Fine, you stay back today, and I’ll arrange it for you tomorrow.” After saying that, Jiang Miao stood up and pulled Xu Chacha and the others over. “Sit down. Don’t be afraid if they eat people. Your upperclassman will protect you.”

Zhu Zhu chose an outside seat. The group secretly pushed Xu Chacha toward Jiang Miao. “Upperclassman, you’re too nice! You’ll make me fall in love with you easily.”

Su Qing rolled her eyes next to her. “Zhu Zhu, here you go again. If you don’t fall in love with four or five people a day, will your mouth be restless?”

“You’re so mean.”