After Becoming a Cannon Fodder Side Character, I Became the Group’s Favorite (GL) - Chapter 48

Chen Xixi slowly backed away, pretending she didn’t exist.

“I’m taking her,” Wen Mubai looked at her and said.

“Be my guest, be my guest,” Chen Xixi offered a practiced, fake smile.

She felt like Wen Mubai’s expression screamed, “I’ll settle the score with you next time.”

Wuwuwu, she truly only wanted to bring Xu Chacha out to relax.

Looking at the coat that barely covered Xu Chacha’s thighs, Wen Mubai took off her own coat and draped it over her, helping her up. “Let’s go.”

Xu Chacha’s body was a soft mess, sticking to her. “Want a hug.”

Chen Xixi and Xue Miaomiao turned their heads away: We’re deaf.

Wen Mubai sighed and just lifted her horizontally. “Put your hands around my neck. Don’t fall.”

“Hug.” Xu Chacha wrapped her arms around Wen Mubai, burying her head into her neck. “Smells nice.”

Her breath on the side of Wen Mubai’s neck caused a faint itch. Wen Mubai silently endured it, lowering her voice. “Behave, alright?”

“I am behaving.”

As she spoke, her lips brushed against the skin of Wen Mubai’s chin. Wen Mubai’s arm suddenly tightened, almost losing her grip and dropping her.

“…”

Wen Mubai gave up on debating with a drunk person, gritted her teeth, and quickly put her in the back seat before getting into the driver’s seat.

The drive was silent. She stepped on the gas and parked the car downstairs from Xu Chacha’s apartment building half an hour later, then carried her upstairs the same way.

Having slept in the car, Xu Chacha looked even more bewildered. When she was put down on the sofa, she didn’t move, only opening her eyes to follow Wen Mubai’s figure.

Wen Mubai’s coat was over her. Now, she was only wearing a black high-neck undershirt. The collar hugged the clean, beautiful line of her chin, accentuating the length of her neck, on which she wore a niche brand necklace with a sun-like pendant.

The necklace’s movement made her dizzy. Xu Chacha blinked her slightly clouded eyes and reached out toward Wen Mubai. “You, stop swaying.”

Wen Mubai poured her a cup of hot water. “Drink some water first.”

“Ah.” Xu Chacha propped herself up with her hands, tilting her chin towards her.

Wen Mubai resignedly squatted down, holding the cup and tilting it toward her lips.

Xu Chacha obediently lowered her head, held the rim of the cup, and swallowed the water. However, she drank too quickly and ended up choking. The spilled water trickled down her lips and neck, seeping into her collar.

The neckline of her dress was very low. From Wen Mubai’s angle, she could see a patch of fair skin glistening with water. Her whole body was faintly pink, like a ripe peach that would burst with juice if squeezed gently.

“Hot,” Xu Chacha licked her lips, frowning, looking a bit wronged.

Wen Mubai lowered her head and took a sip herself. “It’s not hot.”

“I mean, I’m hot,” Xu Chacha grabbed her hand and placed it on her cheek, her moist eyes slightly open, meeting Wen Mubai’s. “See? Am I not hot?”

Her fingertip touched Xu Chacha’s soft cheek. Wen Mubai’s finger recoiled as if it had been scalded by boiling water.

“Serves you right for drinking so much.”

“But Sister Chen Qian said the alcohol content was low.” She licked her dry lips again, her tongue as nimble as a small snake. “It tastes like peach juice. It’s delicious.”

“Calling everyone ‘Sister’—do you call everyone so sweetly?”

“Would you be jealous?”

The bolder and more direct question than usual left Wen Mubai momentarily speechless.

“Wen Mubai.” Xu Chacha straightened up, wrapped her arms around Wen Mubai’s neck, and leaned forward, her moist, light red lips blatantly entering the center of the other woman’s vision. “Do you want to have a taste?”

“Mhm?”

“Peach,” Xu Chacha gently blew a puff of air toward her. “Does it smell nice?”

Wen Mubai’s mind went blank for a second. She nearly lost control and fell into the trap set by the person in front of her.

She restrained herself with reason, stiffly shifting her gaze, and supported Xu Chacha’s waist, trying to push her away. “Go take a shower first.”

To sober up. Both of them.

“Should I wash myself?” Xu Chacha swung her legs, her bare feet stepping on Wen Mubai’s trouser leg. “Not helping me now? What if I fall in the bathroom?”

“…”

Five minutes later, in the bathroom.

Xu Chacha had changed into a thin undershirt and was seated on a stool.

Wen Mubai stood beside her, testing the water temperature. When the temperature was right, she walked behind her. “Lower your head.”

“Okay.” Xu Chacha obediently lowered her head. A few vertebrae protruded beneath the thin skin at the base of her curved neck, connecting all the way to the vest.

The red butterfly birthmark on her back had grown with her body over time. The small, curled-up shape had now unfolded, looking like a butterfly just about to take flight.

Even after all these years, Wen Mubai could still clearly remember the injuries her body had sustained. Her gaze traced from the shoulder and neck, repeatedly outlining those scars.

It shouldn’t hurt anymore, right.

Xu Chacha’s hair was quite long. Just wetting it took a while. Once the hair was thoroughly soaked, Wen Mubai turned off the showerhead and squeezed out some shampoo.

A glob of light blue foam was rubbed between her palms, slowly lathered into fine bubbles, before she massaged it onto Xu Chacha’s head.

Xu Chacha seemed to enjoy her gentle and meticulous technique, closing her eyes and emitting a few soft hums.

“Lower your head.” Wen Mubai realized that she might actually have a knack for serving others. At least, dealing with this little ancestor was more than sufficient.

The foam was rinsed away, and she grabbed a towel to wrap Xu Chacha’s hair.

Xu Chacha lifted her head, her face redder than before. She complained softly, frowning, “Dizzy.”

“Blood rushed to your head. You’ll be fine after you rest.”

Wen Mubai placed one hand under her chin, lifting her head, and used a makeup remover pad to take off her makeup.

Xu Chacha closed her eyes obediently, but a single sentence pulled the originally harmonious and quiet atmosphere into a swirling vortex.

“Can you, can you always stay by my side like this?”

Wen Mubai’s fingers paused, and she quickly replied, “Am I not already?”

“It’s not the same.” Xu Chacha opened her eyes, the complex look in them making it unclear whether she was sober or still drunk. “You know what I mean.”

Wen Mubai lowered her gaze, silently throwing away the dirty makeup pad on her hand and grabbing a new one.

She remained silent, intending to skip this difficult question, but Xu Chacha, of course, knew what she was doing. Surprisingly, she didn’t press further.

“And here,” she pointed to her lips. “The lip gloss today is hard to remove.”

Wen Mubai glanced at her slightly parted lips, soaked a new pad with eye and lip makeup remover, and placed it over her mouth.

After letting it soak for a few seconds, she rubbed and wiped it away, little by little, not even missing the delicate corners of her mouth.

“Is it clean?” Xu Chacha asked, opening her eyes.

“Mhm.”

“That’s good.” Xu Chacha suddenly smiled.

Wen Mubai nodded, just about to get up to wash her hands, when she saw Xu Chacha suddenly lean toward her. In that instant, her rapidly spinning brain seemed to have judged what the other person was about to do, yet she was slow to react correctly.

By the time that soft touch met her lips and the fervent breath intertwined with her own, it seemed everything was already too late.

Xu Chacha was right. That peach-flavored cocktail was indeed very sweet.

After a brief, lingering touch, Xu Chacha slightly pulled back, her eyes stained with a peachy hue, staring at her. “What about this? Don’t you feel anything either?”

Wen Mubai’s hand, hanging by her side, clenched into a fist. How could she not? Her heart felt like it was trying to burst out of her chest.

But she could only do what she felt she had to do, pressing Xu Chacha’s forehead to push her back. “I’m leaving. Go to bed early after you wash up. You probably won’t remember this tomorrow.”

Xu Chacha grabbed her wrist, the moisture in her eyes looking like it would soon condense into tears and fall. “Do you know that you always being so unresponsive and cold is very annoying?”

She stared intently at Wen Mubai. She was like that damned high-neck top—it could intricately outline the elegant curves of her body and attract people, but it rigidly maintained a defense line above her neck, allowing no one to transgress.

She wished she could tear the high-neck top to shreds right now, and also rip away her cool, untouchable facade.

“Why are you crying?” Wen Mubai frowned, bending her index finger to wipe away the tears at the corner of her eye. “You look like you’ve been bullied.”

“I have been bullied by you,” Xu Chacha’s voice was nasal. “Why do you always treat me like a child? I can stand by your side too. I can do the things Du Fei and Anna can do. You used to protect me. Can’t I protect you now?”

Emotion stirred in Wen Mubai’s eyes. She placed her palm on Xu Chacha’s cheek and gently asked, “Do you know the meaning of saying words like that?”

Xu Chacha could pretend not to know, but Wen Mubai couldn’t.

She had thought at eighteen, If only I were twenty-eight. That way, she could give Xu Chacha more, everything she desired.

But when she actually reached this age, Wen Mubai realized the limitations weren’t much less than at eighteen. She could indeed give Xu Chacha more now than when she was eighteen, but she also hadn’t forgotten that she was ultimately an outsider who would become a memory in Xu Chacha’s life—only a matter of whether the memory was large or small.

She had seen her friends get overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of younger people, mesmerized, like dry fields encountering rare, sweet dew.

But enthusiasm comes as quickly as it goes. By the time the girls realize it, the ones who become the fools are those who have long since turned their walled-off hearts into sincere affection.

This was the reason she hadn’t pursued a romantic relationship for so many years. It was true for her friends, and it was true for her own mother.

Wen Mu was a butterfly fluttering among the flowers, free and romantic, but that inevitably led to selfishness toward her family. Wen Mubai didn’t want to become like her. She wanted one partner, and only one, from beginning to end.

She couldn’t forget the winter day her mother left, and she didn’t want to repeat her mistakes. She even wished that her memories with Xu Chacha could have just stopped in that bright summer.

Then she wouldn’t have these struggles, these inner conflicts, and wouldn’t feel like a cowardly clown.

“I can give you anything you want.” But this—this wasn’t a decision that could be made with a simple nod.

She couldn’t be sure if her momentary heart flutter was just an illusion caused by caring too much, and she couldn’t be sure that Xu Chacha would stay by her side forever. This was a lifelong commitment, and Wen Mubai wouldn’t take the risk easily, nor could she let Xu Chacha get entangled in it.

“Why won’t you give me the one thing I want most? You want it too, don’t you?”

Xu Chacha’s words struck her heart with the accuracy of mind-reading, disrupting the rhythm of her breathing.

“Then would you genuinely bless me if I were to date the girl from earlier? If you really don’t want me, why couldn’t you avoid my kiss?”

One question after another caught her off guard. The docile rabbit was baring its claws, its aggression not to be underestimated.

“Why do you overthink so much?”

Wen Mubai lowered her eyes, gently stroking her face, her fingers tracing from her brow to her lips. “You will regret it.”

“Do you think I really care about that protection?” Xu Chacha said, word by word. “I care about you.”

Xu Chacha angrily opened her mouth and bit down on the finger that was making her heart itch.