After Becoming a Cannon Fodder Side Character, I Became the Group’s Favorite (GL) - Chapter 57

The order of the contestants’ photo shoot was determined by drawing lots. There were two makeup options to choose from, depending on the contestant’s interpretation of the maid character.

Wu Yao either had bad luck or traded slips with someone, as she was assigned to go first.

She was slightly taller than Xu Chacha. When she wasn’t wearing makeup, her perpetual poker face made her look cooler and more aloof than others. Knowing what suited her best, she chose a dark makeup look, making her overall demeanor appear more profound.

“Teacher Xu, please guide me,” she bowed to Xu Chacha. Her voice sounded softer than her appearance suggested, still like that of a young girl.

Xu Chacha returned the bow. “The pleasure is mine.”

The first group to shoot always suffers a bit. The photographer needs to find the lighting and the right state, and the models are not as comfortable working together.

Moreover, they were shooting a double portrait and were collaborating for the first time today.

“Please stand in the front. I’ll stand here.” Wu Yao was quite opinionated and proactively shared her idea with Xu Chacha.

Xu Chacha nodded in cooperation. After confirming their positions, Yang Zhou gave an okay gesture.

“Um… Teacher Xu, may I put my hand here?” Wu Yao pointed to Xu Chacha’s shoulder.

Xu Chacha smiled. “I wouldn’t lack that much professionalism.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“I know,” Xu Chacha took her hand and placed it on her own shoulder. “Go ahead. You can put it anywhere.”

As the shoot officially began, Xu Chacha took a deep breath and exhaled. When she opened her eyes again, she seemed to have completely transformed.

One hand rested on the wall, her slender, pale fingers contrasting with the deep gray. The obviously expensive jade bracelet on her wrist and the moss on the wall looked similar in color, but one symbolized the nobility of a carefree life, and the other belonged to the mud underfoot.

Yang Zhou chose this background precisely for the sense of irony revealed through such a contrast.

In the frame, Xu Chacha’s posture was straight. The hand leaning on the wall showed fatigue, yet she refused to let go of the ingrained arrogance. She tilted her head up, facing the camera. Her lowered gaze appeared to be a casual, indifferent glance, but it held an unignorable sharpness.

Her understanding of the “noble lady” was that of a proud woman. No matter how desperate the circumstances, her eyes would forever remain steadfast and unyielding.

Behind Xu Chacha, Wu Yao’s right hand was hooked on her shoulder, a gesture that looked like support. However, combined with her lowered, dark eyes and thought-provoking expression, it sent a chill down one’s spine.

This was not support; she was a wisp of dark energy parasitizing her mistress, suffocating her. Once the mistress was exhausted, she could snatch everything that belonged to her and run away.

Wen Mubai rarely saw Xu Chacha like this. She leaned against a lamp post, arms crossed, watching with keen interest.

Such professional and outstanding work performance was entirely unexpected for a model who hadn’t worked actively for two or three years. While she had been impressed by Xu Chacha’s ability before, she hadn’t realized how much silent effort she had put in when she wasn’t looking.

Wen Mubai fixed her gaze on the increasingly intimate physical contact between the two, whose state was improving. Wu Yao’s hand had somehow encircled Xu Chacha’s waist, embracing her from behind, with the other hand supporting her chin.

Xu Chacha, at this moment, looked like prey wrapped in a spider’s web, fragile and near death. Yet, her spine remained straight, and her face still carried that unmistakable stubbornness.

A malicious servant and an arrogant yet somewhat naive noble lady. Without Wu Yao saying a word, others could guess the story she was portraying.

Yang Zhou was extremely excited by this scene, which was evident from her quick, light footsteps and movements.

Hadn’t this little ancestor said before that she was most optimistic about Wu Yao among all the contestants?

Wen Mubai unconsciously rubbed her thumb on her overlapping right hand twice, looked away, and suddenly felt like having a cigarette.

At the other end, Yang Zhou excitedly called “Cut!”

“Chacha, your state is fantastic! Quick, quick, while the emotion and feeling are still there, let’s get the next contestant in.”

While Wu Yao was shooting, the other contestants, aside from those still having their makeup done, were also watching.

They had to admit they were amazed by Xu Chacha’s performance. She wasn’t like other veteran models who exuded a powerful aura designed to completely suppress the other person. At times, it was clear she was holding back, not wanting to steal Wu Yao’s spotlight.

But even confined to her small space, her face and eyes commanded attention. Wu Yao was already considered a standout among them, yet even she could only achieve parity with a restrained Xu Chacha. The other contestants inevitably began to feel anxious.

Cai Yuan, who was scheduled fourth, couldn’t help but feel her hands tremble slightly.

During the break between models, Wen Mubai went up to offer Xu Chacha a drink. Xu Chacha secretly asked her, “Was it okay? My performance?”

Wen Mubai wiped the water from her lips with her index finger. “Very beautiful. I’m already worried about the countless admirers Teacher Xu will have in the future and the fate of this aging and faded canary.”

“You should be,” having been influenced by this outwardly refined yet inwardly corrupt person for so long, Xu Chacha had long learned to counter punch. “Don’t worry. After I’m done spoiling the little beauties outside, I’ll know to come home when I’m tired.”

“Oh?” A sound escaped Wen Mubai’s lips. Her index finger pressed harder on Xu Chacha’s mouth.

“Hiss—” Xu Chacha glared at her. “Is that how you treat your Sugar Mommy?”

“I was too jealous. Couldn’t control myself.” Wen Mubai released her hand, turned her index finger to look at it, and commented with a faint smile. “This lip color is quite pretty.”

“I’ll buy it for you when we get back. You can wear all you want.”

“I don’t need a new one. This one is fine,” Wen Mubai shook her red-stained finger. “I hope Teacher Xu gets off work soon.”

What is “this one”?

Xu Chacha didn’t quite understand, but she saw the second contestant coming out in the distance and immediately pushed Wen Mubai away. Only then did the makeup artist dare to step forward to touch up her makeup.

Xu Chacha had watched the show, so she could call everyone by name. The second contestant was a dark horse. She hadn’t graduated and had no experience, and almost got eliminated in the first episode, yet she managed to snag a spot in the top three in the second.

Her score was always low on the hard photos. Although she had good features, her poses were like a puppet’s, and her eyes looked like glass, utterly lifeless.

“Teacher Xu… Hello, Teacher Xu.”

“Don’t be nervous,” Xu Chacha took her hand and squeezed it. “You did pretty well in the last episode.”

“Ah, you watched it?” The girl covered her mouth. “The last episode was a fluke. I don’t even know how I managed to pose like that.”

“You’re actually very photogenic. You just need to let loose a little,” Xu Chacha traced her chin with her finger. “Your left cheek and the lines here are especially beautiful. Try to expose them as much as possible. Your eyes must have content and interact with the camera. Don’t lack confidence.”

To succeed in this line of work, one must know their advantages and never hesitate to showcase them, seizing every opportunity to advance. This girl was the type who didn’t like to compete. If Wu Yao hadn’t lent her makeup in the second episode, she probably would have been eliminated then.

“Thank you,” the girl touched her chin, her face inexplicably flushed. “You are so nice.”

Shooting with over a dozen people non-stop, Yang Zhou should have been exhausted, but today, she became more and more excited as she shot.

Xu Chacha was like a panacea, producing miraculous effects with anyone she partnered with—miraculous effects that astonished Yang Zhou.

Finally, it was Cai Yuan’s turn. Xu Chacha only gave her a polite smile and turned to tell Yang Zhou to start quickly.

Cai Yuan chose a pure-looking makeup, which Xu Chacha found baffling.

The obvious traces of her past chin and nose modifications were still visible even after repair. It was difficult to hide the artificiality under light makeup. A heavy makeup look would have been more suitable and enhanced her presence.

Perhaps she wanted to surprise everyone, but that was not within Xu Chacha’s scope of concern.

Cai Yuan had little interaction with her. As soon as the shooting started, she went to stand in the front by herself, pushing Xu Chacha to the back, then turning her shoulders and spreading her arms to pose dramatically.

In a group photo, people tend to focus on the person who takes up more space and stands in front. That was Cai Yuan’s plan.

She couldn’t let Xu Chacha overshadow her. Her ranking in the last episode was already somewhat precarious. She had to climb to a higher rank this time.

“Cai Yuan, move a bit to the side.” Yang Zhou was dissatisfied with the photos she was getting. “You’re taking a co-photo. Can you interact a little? Don’t stay in one position. Switch it up.”

Cai Yuan nodded, but her performance remained the same. Yang Zhou took a few shots, shook her head, and switched to the next person.

“Goodbye, teacher.”

By the time the last person was being photographed, the sky was starting to darken. Xu Chacha’s feet were aching badly from standing for most of the day.

Fortunately, this contestant was also relatively efficient. As soon as the shoot was finished, Xu Chacha dove straight into Wen Mubai’s car.

She collapsed onto the back seat, barely able to catch her breath.

“My legs are about to break.”

“How can you not be tired after standing all day in high heels?” Wen Mubai handed her water. “I’ll give you a massage.”

Xu Chacha kicked off her shoes and lifted her feet onto Wen Mubai’s lap. “That would be wonderful.”

“You’re quite proactive about being waited on.”

Wen Mubai rolled up her qipao to her knee, then began kneading her left leg, massaging it upwards from the ankle.

“Hiss—” Xu Chacha’s leg twitched when Wen Mubai reached her calf. Her face crumpled. “Ouch, lighter.”

“The muscles are too tense. It won’t loosen up without some pressure.” Despite her words, she eased up on the strength in her hands. “Like this?”

“Mhm.” Xu Chacha leaned back and took down her pinned-up bun. “My hair hurts from being tied up for so long. I regret this.”

“Even so, you’ll still take the job next time,” Wen Mubai looked up.

“I regret not asking for more pay back then,” Xu Chacha adopted the arrogant CEO’s 45-degree smirk she’d seen on TV, lifting Wen Mubai’s chin with her finger. “If I don’t earn more, how can I afford to keep this old demon with a big appetite?”

Wen Mubai arched her eyebrows and smiled, looking perfectly submissive, but she pressed harder on Xu Chacha’s muscle with her hand.

“Since I’ve been given a bribe, I dare not be negligent, old demon,” she leaned closer to Xu Chacha and said word by word, “Just tell me what kind of service you require.”

“Ah! That hurts!” Xu Chacha tried to kick her, but her ankle was held in Wen Mubai’s hand, so she couldn’t move. “I won’t call you old anymore. Gently, gently.”

Wu Yao had removed her makeup and wanted to find Xu Chacha to thank her. But as soon as she reached the car, she heard her wail.

The car door hadn’t been closed. In her concern, she disregarded manners and pulled it open. “Teacher Xu, are you alright!”

The person who responded to her was not Xu Chacha, but Wen Mubai, whose cool gaze swept past Xu Chacha’s shoulder and looked over.

Because of the leg-lifting motion, Xu Chacha’s skirt was pulled up to her thigh. Hearing Wu Yao’s voice, she turned her head. Her eyes were slightly red and moist, and her long, disheveled hair was draped over her shoulder. She looked as if she had just been bullied.

“What’s wrong? I’m fine.”

Wu Yao quickly looked away, blinking her eyelashes rapidly.

Had she seen something she shouldn’t have?