After Becoming a Cannon Fodder Side Character, I Became the Group’s Favorite (GL) - Chapter 39.2

She took the umbrella. Wen Mubai, following behind her, nodded and smiled politely at Jiang Shu and said goodbye as she passed.

Xu Chacha opened the umbrella, and the water droplets splashed, nearly getting on her. Seeing this, Wen Mubai took the umbrella from her hand. “I’ll do it.”

“I’ll hold it. You have to carry your luggage. It’s inconvenient.” Xu Chacha tried to take it back, but Wen Mubai raised her hand to dodge.

“It’s more comfortable for both people when the taller person holds the umbrella.”

Xu Chacha: ?

“Wen Mubai!” She was about to explode!

Wen Mubai showed no reaction. She held up her arm to Xu Chacha. “Little kid, link arms.”

“Who’s a little kid?” Xu Chacha’s anger level was about to burst.

Ever since she was a child, she never understood how a person who looked so aloof as Wen Mubai could occasionally say things that landed so precisely on her nerves.

Was this some kind of superpower?

“Is there anyone else here?” Wen Mubai glanced around, her tone softening slightly. “Link arms so you don’t get wet later.”

Xu Chacha was slightly soothed. She pouted and hooked her arm around Wen Mubai’s. “Then I’ll help you push the luggage.”

“No need. Let’s go.” Wen Mubai took the first step into the rain, and Xu Chacha could only hurry to keep up.

Perhaps Jiang Shu’s bad prophecy had come true. Just a few steps after they left, the rain became heavier. The umbrella rattled under the impact of the raindrops, and the chilling wind blew down their necks.

Xu Chacha shivered. She hadn’t worn a jacket, thinking she was only going out for hot pot and the restaurant was close by. Now, she was covered in goosebumps from the cold.

Wen Mubai noticed her from the corner of her eye. “Take this.”

She handed the umbrella to Xu Chacha, then unbuttoned her coat and simply placed it over Xu Chacha’s head.

Xu Chacha pressed her neck down, stunned for a few seconds. Her nose caught the scent of Wen Mubai’s unique fragrance on the coat, and her ears suddenly felt warm.

“Aren’t you cold?” She turned her head to look at Wen Mubai’s exposed shoulders.

“No.” Wen Mubai had already taken the umbrella back from her hand. “Just don’t let yourself get wet.”

Xu Chacha tightened her grip on the coat and followed her, walking slowly. Perhaps this was just Wen Mubai’s responsibility and care as an elder toward a younger relative, but she couldn’t deny that she was deeply touched.

Especially since this kind of care seemed to be uniquely reserved for her.

…

After bypassing the back street and waiting for one more traffic light, they reached the loft apartment Xu Chacha had rented.

Wen Mubai closed the umbrella, walked toward the elevator, and pressed the number “6” from memory.

Xu Chacha stood behind her and only then noticed that the upper half of her shirt was soaked. The thin fabric clung to her lean shoulder blades. She recalled how the umbrella seemed to be tilted more toward her side earlier.

The elevator opened. She silently took out the key, opened the door, and invited her in.

Since Jiang Shu and the others came over often, there were always spare disposable slippers here. She unwrapped a pair for Wen Mubai.

“You go take a shower first.” Her tone was a bit rough as she squatted on the floor. “You’re all wet.”

“You think I’m as delicate as you?” Wen Mubai seemed unfazed by her wet clothes. She put on the slippers and walked inside.

Xu Chacha didn’t live here often, but the place was kept very clean. The room still smelled of air freshener. She covered her nose, finding the scent a bit uncomfortable.

“You go in first. I’ll open the window again, or you’ll catch a cold.” Xu Chacha pushed her from behind. “You say you’re not as delicate as me, but your health is not even as good as mine.”

Wen Mubai was happy to hear her nagging like a miniature adult. She followed the push and walked into the bathroom.

The bathroom was separated into wet and dry areas. The shower stall wasn’t big, but it was sufficient. Xu Chacha’s usual toiletries were on the shelf. Opening the cabinet under the sink, there were a few clean towels inside.

She took off her clothes and tossed the rain-soaked bundle into the laundry basket. She stepped in barefoot and turned on the showerhead.

She waited a few seconds for the water to turn hot by checking with her hand, then turned the temperature up a little more before closing her eyes and stepping under the flow.

Her long hair was quickly soaked, sticking to her long, pale neck. She slightly lowered her head to move it aside, then turned around and tilted her head back, letting the water wash over her entire face.

She had spent over ten hours on the plane, followed by a taxi ride, so she was actually extremely fatigued. But now, she felt much more relaxed and comfortable.

Xu Chacha was always effective as a power bank.

Wen Mubai curved her lips into a gentle smile, wondering what she was thinking about.

…

Xu Chacha didn’t open the window until Wen Mubai had gone in. She let it air out until the air freshener scent was gone, then quickly closed it again.

She hung up Wen Mubai’s coat on a hanger and went to tidy the bed.

Actually, the bed was neatly made. She just… Xu Chacha pulled the pillow over and sniffed it.

Mhm, not bad.

Xu Chacha looked left and right, like she was doing something sneaky, and then put the pillow back in its original position.

Seeing the rain getting heavier outside, Xu Chacha decided not to go back to the dorm. She dragged an air mattress out of the cabinet, took out the pump, and quickly set it up.

Zhu Zhu had bought it and left it here. She didn’t expect to use it first.

She moved the small table on the first floor to make space for the air mattress and then lay down on it to test it out.

Not bad. Better than sleeping on the couch.

“Chacha.” Wen Mubai’s voice came from the bathroom.

Xu Chacha rushed over, answering as she ran. “Mhm, I’m here. What’s wrong?”

“Help me get a change of clothes from the left side of the suitcase.” Wen Mubai’s voice was closer to the door, sounding clearer. “The underwear and bra are in the silver zipper pouch. Bring them too.”

Un, underwear and bra?

Xu Chacha’s face was flushed. She quickly touched her cheeks with the back of her hand to cool down and stabilized her voice. “Oh, wait a minute.”

She rushed back and squatted by Wen Mubai’s luggage. She had only brought one set of pajamas, so she didn’t need to choose, just grab it. Then, she carefully picked up the silver zipper pouch and slowly pulled the zipper with a sense of reverence.

She didn’t dare open her eyes. She turned her head and fumbled inside, grabbing wildly. Feeling like she had both items, she pulled them out and wrapped them inside the pajamas.

After doing all that, Xu Chacha let out a long sigh of relief, as if she had just completed a difficult mission.

“I brought them.” She knocked on the bathroom door.

The door was frosted, so she couldn’t see inside, but she could hear. Xu Chacha quickly heard the sound of the water stopping. Wen Mubai’s footsteps were light, probably because she wasn’t wearing shoes again.

“Why didn’t you say anything? I’ll give you my bathroom slippers. Cold starts from the feet. You keep walking barefoot, and you’ll easily catch a cold…”

Before she could finish nagging, the door opened. Wen Mubai’s long, slender arm stretched out from inside, and Xu Chacha instantly fell silent.

The woman was naturally born with a cold, snow-white complexion. Now, after being washed by the hot water, her skin was faintly pink. Water droplets ran down her smooth skin from her elbow onto the floor, making almost no sound, but rippling in the heart of the observer.

“Here, take it.”

“Mhm.” Wen Mubai took the clothes but didn’t close the door immediately. Instead, she opened the gap a little more and poked her head out. “Are you going to shower later?”

“I showered tonight already, and I didn’t get wet in the rain, so I won’t shower.” She was too sleepy and wanted to go to bed early.

“Alright then.” Wen Mubai looked down, took her clothes inside, but nonchalantly only closed the door, not locking it.

A sudden gust of wind blew the door open. Xu Chacha’s breath caught, and with the fastest reaction time of her life, she reached out and slammed the door shut.

I will protect this woman’s privacy!

The door panel made a loud thud. Wen Mubai’s footsteps paused. She glanced back lightly and quickly turned around, expressionless.

Only Xu Chacha was home. She didn’t need to be wary of anything.

Xu Chacha quickly tucked herself into the blanket. Her 175-centimeter frame curled up in a ball on the air mattress looked somewhat pathetic.

She aimlessly scrolled through her phone to keep her ears from paying too much attention to the movements in the bathroom.

Click—

The door opened. Wen Mubai obediently came out wearing a pair of white disposable slippers. Her washed long hair was wrapped in a towel, revealing her beautiful shoulder and neck line.

“Why are you sleeping on the floor?” She walked up to Xu Chacha, sat on the nearby sofa, tilted her head, and unwrapped the towel, drying her hair strand by strand.

Her long hair was truly well-maintained, smooth, black, and shiny, comparable to the hair in a shampoo commercial with special effects.

“This is an air mattress!” Xu Chacha buried her head in the blanket, only revealing a pair of wide eyes looking at her. “Your hair quality is so good. Mine is a tangled mess every time I wash it.”

Wen Mubai leaned over and reached out to pull the blanket off her head, which was messy like a dog’s fur from being under the cover. “When did you dye your hair?”

The color Xu Chacha dyed wasn’t light. It wasn’t obvious over the video call.

“Last week. I went with Zhu Zhu.” Xu Chacha was just easily persuaded. Zhu Zhu kept telling her that the color would definitely look good on her, and she thought that since she was sitting around waiting anyway, she might as well do it too, resulting in an impulsive hair dye.

Who knew that after dyeing, her already poor hair quality became even rougher?

Wen Mubai raised her hand and gently massaged her messy hair. “It’s alright. It suits you.”

Xu Chacha had dyed her hair a black-tea color, where a hint of reddish-brown could only be seen under strong light. The low-key color actually enhanced her skin texture.

“Does it look good?” Xu Chacha blinked.

“It looks good.” Wen Mubai curled her lips and gently pinched her cheek.

The texture wasn’t as soft as when she was a child, but it was still quite pinchable.

Xu Chacha frowned and turned her head away. “I’m not a child anymore. Why do you keep pinching my cheek?”

She didn’t realize that her current appearance made her look like a child going through a rebellious phase, her tone full of childish complaints and demanding behavior that made people want to tease her even more.

Wen Mubai held back her smile and curled her fingers, gently scratching her chin a couple of times, not hard, like teasing a cat. “Fine, you’re a big kid now.”

Xu Chacha slapped her hand away, giving up on the idea of changing Wen Mubai’s attitude with a word or two.

“Hurry up and dry your hair, or you’ll catch a cold. The hairdryer is on the cabinet over there.”

“Got it, little ancestor.”

Wen Mubai took the hairdryer and went into the bathroom, locking the door to reduce the noise.

Xu Chacha’s head hit the pillow. After replying to two messages from her roommates to assure them she was safe, her eyelids couldn’t stay open anymore.

It was truly difficult to force a health-conscious person like her to sleep so late.

When Wen Mubai finished drying her hair and came out, she found it was quiet outside. She looked down and saw that Xu Chacha was indeed asleep.

She was still holding her phone in her hand even in her sleep. Her hair, which Wen Mubai had messed up, was spread messily on the pillow, and she looked completely exhausted.

Wen Mubai squatted down, moved the hair away from her forehead, and gently touched her clean forehead, just like she did when she was a child. She said softly, “Good night.”

“Mhm… Good night, Auntie,” the half-asleep person murmured in reply, as if the habit were ingrained in her bones.

…

Xu Chacha expected to wake up with an aching back after sleeping on an air mattress, but when she opened her eyes, she found herself sprawled out on the bed.

Huh?

She sat up and saw Wen Mubai, the cooking idiot, making breakfast.

“You’re awake?” Wen Mubai seemed to have eyes in the back of her head. “Brush your teeth and wash your face, then come down and eat.”

“How did I end up sleeping here?”

“I don’t know.” Wen Mubai’s hands didn’t stop moving. “Maybe you climbed up yourself last night.”

“Impossible.” Xu Chacha was quite confident in her sleeping habits (?).

“You looked uncomfortable sleeping, so I carried you up.” Wen Mubai cut the sandwich into pieces, arranged it on a plate, and set it on the table.

“I was sleeping very well,” Xu Chacha countered defensively.

She put on her slippers, pulled up the collar of her pajamas that had been twisted in her sleep, and habitually turned on her phone to check the time.

“Ahhh! I’m going to be late! I have an early class today!”

Shouting as she went, Xu Chacha rushed into the bathroom at the speed of light. After quickly brushing her teeth and washing her face, she frantically grabbed her clothes and put them on.

Wen Mubai sat at the table, flipping through a magazine and sipping a cup of coffee, looking slow and completely composed.

“Who in college hasn’t been late a few times? Sit down and eat first.”

“What did you make?” Xu Chacha rushed to the dining table with her hands still in her hair, tying it up as she looked.

“Egg sandwiches.” Wen Mubai pushed the plate toward her.

The recipe was the one Xu Chacha had taught her when she was seven. Living alone abroad all these years, her cooking skills hadn’t improved much. Most of the time, she still relied on this to survive.

“I love it.” Xu Chacha loved eggs so much that she could eat them every day without getting tired of them.

Whether boiled or fried, it was probably a subconscious belief that the high protein would help her grow taller.

“Eat more if you like it. One is enough for me.” Wen Mubai pointed to the side. “I’ve heated the milk for you too.”

“Thank you.”

Time was short, so Xu Chacha didn’t worry about her table manners and shoved large mouthfuls of food into her mouth. Fortunately, Wen Mubai’s egg sandwiches were soft and fluffy and weren’t too difficult to swallow.

After quickly devouring one, she tilted her head back and finished the cup of milk.

“Alright, I’m off to school.”

“Go on.” Wen Mubai put down the magazine, ready to leave with her. “I’ll see you downstairs.”

“Okay.” Xu Chacha put on her shoes and said, “I have a spare key here. I’ll give you a copy later. You don’t need to clean up when you leave. I’ll be coming back this weekend anyway.”

Wen Mubai didn’t react much to her words, but when Xu Chacha stood up, she pressed down on her shoulder. “Don’t move.”

“Huh?” Xu Chacha opened her mouth slightly.

Wen Mubai took two tissues from the side and wiped away the crumbs from the corner of Xu Chacha’s mouth. “Are you planning to save this food for lunch?”

Thinking about how sloppy she must look right now, Xu Chacha’s face flushed with embarrassment. “It won’t happen next time. Don’t see me off. I’ll run over there.”

She grabbed her phone and ran, at a speed as if a ghost were chasing her.

…

Fortunately, she was fast enough to get into the classroom before the class bell rang.

Her roommates had already saved her a seat, but since they hadn’t gotten up early either, they only managed to secure a spot in the back corner.

Fortunately, this wasn’t a vital professional course, so last-minute cramming before the exam was still possible.

Xu Chacha lowered her body and minimized her presence as she walked in and sat down. Zhu Zhu hooked her arm around her neck. “Little beauty, where did you go on your rampage last night?”

Xu Chacha removed her hand. “Don’t talk nonsense. It was too late to go back, so I slept at my rental place.”

“Oh~”

Jiang Shu was noticeably more talkative than usual today. “How was your catch-up session with the Goddess last night?”

“What catch-up session? I was so tired when I got back that I just fell asleep.” Xu Chacha yawned. “I almost couldn’t get up this morning.”

“Couldn’t… get up… this morning… Pfft hahahaha.”

“Zhu Zhu, what are you laughing at?” Xu Chacha asked in confusion.

“Don’t mind her. Her mind is clearly thinking of naughty things,” Jiang Shu explained for her.

Xu Chacha still didn’t quite understand, but seeing Zhu Zhu’s sly expression, she knew it wasn’t anything suitable for children.

In that case, she was better off not knowing.

“By the way, your Auntie is Wen Mubai from HN, right?” Su Qing whispered quietly. “What a coincidence. I saw a rumor about her a few days ago.”

“What rumor?” Xu Chacha frowned.

Wen Mubai wasn’t a celebrity. Was there a need for paparazzi to follow and photograph her?

“Here’s the link.” Su Qing sent the link to the group chat.

Xu Chacha clicked on it out of curiosity, and the first thing she saw was a huge, eye-catching headline.

Top Fashion Executive Allegedly Keeps Same-Sex Mistress; Multiple Intimate Photos Leaked

“Seriously?” That was Xu Chacha’s first reaction.

The title was so misleading. If she weren’t familiar with Wen Mubai’s personality, she would really think her private life was chaotic beyond imagination.

The so-called intimate photos were merely group photos of her at events accompanied by beautiful foreign women, with a distance of almost half an arm’s length between them. That could hardly be called “intimate.”

“This is her assistant, I think her name is Anna.” Xu Chacha frowned in recollection. “Are foreign paparazzi taking cues from our local gossip bloggers?”

Writing articles based on pictures. The entire article, hundreds of words long, contained less information than the headline.

“There’s more.” Su Qing scrolled down and showed her the pictures below. “This one is a bit ambiguous.”

Xu Chacha leaned in and immediately fell silent.

The photo showed two people’s backs. The taller one was Wen Mubai; she was absolutely sure of that. Her hand was wrapped around the waist of the woman next to her, and another hand was resting on her neck. The woman in the black mini-skirt was gently leaning on her, and the two looked very intimate.

“This one looks like a mixed-race model. I followed her on Instagram before. I think her name is something like Feifei. She’s incredibly beautiful and super hot!” Zhu Zhu pointed out.

“The Goddess must meet a lot of models at HN. Could it be that…”

Xu Chacha stopped listening to their discussion. Her head felt dull, and she couldn’t even manage a perfunctory smile.

She saved the picture and repeatedly zoomed in on it on her phone.

She has a great figure, does she?

So, she likes this type.

If she really has a girlfriend, why didn’t she tell me?

While she was deep in thought, Xu Chacha’s phone suddenly lit up.

Sweet Auntie: Send me your class schedule. I’ll pick you up this afternoon.

Xu Chacha sullenly opened her album, sent it to her, and then turned off her phone, trying hard to focus back on her textbook.

“Stupid Auntie,” she muttered quietly, stabbing her textbook with a pen.

Not long after sending the message, Xu Chacha’s phone started vibrating again. This time, there was more than just one or two messages.

She opened the lock screen in confusion.

Sweet Auntie: Mhm?

Sweet Auntie: Why are you looking at such useless reports instead of focusing on class?

Reports? What reports!

Xu Chacha instantly became fully alert and quickly scrolled up.

Ah, ah, ah, ah! She had accidentally slipped and sent the saved news screenshot!

SOS! Can time go back?