After Becoming a Cannon Fodder Side Character, I Became the Group’s Favorite (GL) - Chapter 66

Since Xu Chacha had already spoken to her parents, and Wen Mubai also intended to mend their relationship, she had no choice but to take a gift and return home for Mr. Wen’s birthday.

Mr. Wen hosted a small birthday gathering, attended by close friends and family, totaling fewer than twenty people.

The Xu family also attended, but Xu Chacha rode with Wen Mubai since they were going the same way.

Xu Chacha and Wen Mubai arrived slightly late. Mr. Xu and Mr. Wen had already finished about half a glass of their drinks and were chatting casually. Xu Chacha glanced behind them but didn’t see Xu Yanshu. She remembered her sister was on a business trip a few days ago, or else she would have seen Jian Xi today.

“Old Wen, your daughter is truly outstanding,” Mr. Xu patted Mr. Wen’s shoulder. “You weren’t optimistic about her back then, but now her studio is thriving. Who knows, she might surpass you, her father, one day.”

Because of the photoshoot with Yang Zhou, BC gained exposure. The major clients who had been cautiously watching also jumped on the bandwagon. Coupled with several awards ceremonies around the middle of the year, the demand for evening gowns surged, and the studio’s business was so good that the waiting list was three months long.

Mr. Wen shook his head. “You don’t know my troubles. Your children are better—filial and well-behaved. If you like, let’s switch.”

“Hey, you can’t do that,” Mrs. Xu laughed. “You’ve said that a few times. Why haven’t you given up the idea?”

“Don’t laugh. When Chacha was little, I really did think about stealing your child. It just never worked out.”

Xu Chacha smiled a little guiltily on the side.

You never know. If you agree to the marriage, I can call you Dad, too.

Jiang Panpan was also here today. She casually picked up a glass of champagne and walked toward Xu Chacha. “I finally get to see you. Old Wen keeps you under wraps so tightly, it’s hard to even catch a glimpse.”

Xu Chacha chuckled. “It’s not that exaggerated. I went to your studio to visit too. It’s just that you, Sister Panpan, were too busy making money and we missed each other.”

“That’s true, hahaha. I have been working hard to earn money lately.”

After the three of them grouped together, other young people who were standing alone also gathered. They were all familiar faces who could exchange a few words with each other.

When the cake was wheeled in, Jiang Panpan was the first to cut a few slices and bring them over. “Cha, want some?”

“Thank you, Sister Panpan.”

“How about you?” Jiang Panpan motioned to Wen Mubai.

Wen Mubai didn’t take any. “Sharing one with her is enough for me.”

“Hehehe… you can’t even share a small cake after getting a partner, huh?” Jiang Panpan said sourly. “Such a good girl, why did she—”

She didn’t dare to finish the sentence in front of Wen Mubai and forcibly swallowed the rest of her words.

Xu Chacha took a symbolic bite and handed the cake to Wen Mubai. “Here.”

Wen Mubai took it and slowly finished the largely untouched cake for her.

“Find a moment later and go give him the gift,” Xu Chacha leaned close to her ear to suggest. “Be gentle with your tone. It’s your dad’s birthday today.”

“Got it,” Wen Mubai put down the empty plate and resignedly took the small box from Xu Chacha’s hand. “I promise to complete the mission so you don’t have to worry.”

“Hurry, hurry.”

At Xu Chacha’s urging, Wen Mubai, clutching the box, walked toward Mr. Wen, who was surrounded by people.

He cared about appearances, so giving the gift in front of everyone would make him happier than giving it privately.

The box contained a rather expensive watch, which wasn’t very original, but Wen Mubai added, “You’ve been wearing that watch for over ten years. Get a new one.”

The watch on Mr. Wen’s wrist was a wedding anniversary gift from Wen Mubai’s mother. Over the years, he had been full of hate, resentment, and anger, but he had always cherished that watch.

Perhaps it was because of this detail that Wen Mubai was always able to remember the blood ties between them, and no matter how angry she got, she never completely severed ties with him.

The people around them didn’t know the watch’s origin. They thought Mr. Wen was just sentimental and teased him, urging him to accept his daughter’s kind gesture and put on the new watch.

“I’ll do it.”

Mr. Wen was holding a cup and one hand was inconvenient, so Wen Mubai put the new watch on for him herself.

They rarely even hugged each other, and at the dinner table, they always sat in the furthest seats apart. As Wen Mubai fastened the watch buckle for Mr. Wen, she noticed his hand was slightly trembling.

But she just glanced at it briefly, pretending not to notice. “There.”

“It’s very nice,” Mr. Wen’s smile looked a little awkward.

“As long as you like it.”

Wen Mubai didn’t stay long. After being pulled aside and asked a few questions by other elders, she made an excuse to leave.

She scanned the hall. Xu Chacha and Jiang Panpan were no longer in their previous spot. After searching for a while, she finally saw someone on the second-floor balcony.

Jiang Panpan had disappeared somewhere. Xu Chacha was leaning alone against the railing, tilting her head back, looking up at something.

“Did you drink?” She noticed the pink flush on Xu Chacha’s ear tips.

It wasn’t very noticeable due to her foundation, but the color here couldn’t be concealed.

Xu Chacha turned around, her moist eyes bright. She nodded. “Mhm, I drank.”

No one had encouraged her to drink, but she had mistakenly picked up a glass, thinking it was sparkling water when it was champagne.

She looked like she was waiting for a compliment, which left Wen Mubai unsure what to say. So, she just stood next to her and lifted her chin to look in the direction Xu Chacha had been staring. “What are you looking at?”

Xu Chacha grinned, her eyes glued to Wen Mubai’s profile. “The moon. The moon is beautiful tonight.”

Seeing the rare moment of tenderness between Wen Mubai and Mr. Wen earlier had inexplicably lifted Xu Chacha’s mood. Coupled with her parents’ lack of obvious resistance to their relationship, she felt as if everything was moving in a good direction.

Could it be that my last life was so miserable that this life is so smooth-sailing?

The alcohol-fueled brain was more excited and active than usual. She stretched her hand out, feeling the cool night air, her body feeling light, as if she could ride the wind and fly away.

Wen Mubai pulled her hand back, taking it to her side. “Look all you want, but don’t lean out. It’s dangerous.”

“Okay,” Xu Chacha smiled at her, then suddenly recalled something and told her, “You are also the moon.”

Wen Mubai looked puzzled.

“The first time we met,” Xu Chacha narrowed her eyes, as if remembering. “You had a cold face, like you were impatient with everything. I was afraid to even look at you.”

Like the moon in the sky, to be admired from afar but never profaned.

“At that time, I even thought that if anyone came to save me, it wouldn’t be you.”

“Was I?” Wen Mubai was completely unaware of her cold expression. “I was just not showing any emotion.”

“Hehe.”

“And now?” Wen Mubai cared more about this.

“Now I’ve caught the moon,” Xu Chacha said. As she spoke, she leaned in, snuggling softly in Wen Mubai’s arms, lifting her head to say, just as she had when they first met, “Sister is the best to me.”

The first time Wen Mubai heard those words was the day she carried Xu Chacha out of the police station. The little sweetheart had her arms around her neck and said in a small voice, “No one has ever been this nice to me before.”

Hearing those words again, over ten years later, still stirred her heart, but the two feelings of excitement were completely different. Back then, her thought was to grow up quickly so she could protect the child on her back.

Now, the grown-up Wen Mubai only wanted to melt the person into her own body and cherish her.

Perhaps it was the intoxicating alcohol on Xu Chacha’s breath that caused the corners of Wen Mubai’s eyes to turn red. She lowered her head and gently captured Xu Chacha’s soft lips, kissing her tenderly.

As their breaths mingled, the air grew hotter and hotter. Xu Chacha felt like her brain had turned into scalding boiling water, bubbling and popping.

She felt weak all over and only knew to hug Wen Mubai and clumsily return the kiss.

Wen Mubai suddenly chuckled, creating a slight distance, and whispered, “You still haven’t learned after practicing for so long.”

Xu Chacha was irritated by her tone and, unwilling to concede, frowned. She aggressively grabbed Wen Mubai’s collar, pulled her down, and lunged forward, standing on her toes.

Her kissing was still messy; all she knew was to use her teeth and bite hard. Wen Mubai’s lips stung, but she held Xu Chacha’s waist, not pulling away, indulging the younger girl’s mischief.

Downstairs, when Mr. and Mrs. Xu went to give their gifts, they remembered they should have brought Xu Chacha’s gift along too. They looked around but didn’t see her. They thought she had gone to the restroom, but after waiting for a long time and still not seeing her, they began to look for her.

Mr. Wen was chatting with them at the moment. Hearing them mention that Xu Chacha was missing, he waved over Jiang Panpan.

“Did you see Chacha?”

“Oh, she just told me she was going up to the second floor for some fresh air. Do you need her for something? I can go call her.”

“It’s fine, we’ll go ourselves.”

Mr. Wen pulled Mr. Xu’s hand, chuckling. “I’ll go with you. Let’s see what surprise this little clever girl has prepared for me this time.”

“You definitely won’t guess this one.”

Every year for Mr. Wen’s birthday, Xu Chacha would give him a gift. With Mr. and Mrs. Xu’s expensive gifts supporting her on the main stage, the gifts she gave were always quirky but not very valuable trinkets.

A wool hat shaped like a frog, a pen that delivered a slight electric shock, an alarm clock that sounded like a duck…

“Don’t say that. I’m genuinely starting to look forward to it.”

The three of them walked upstairs, chatting and laughing. After rounding a corner, they saw two figures on the balcony in the distance.

“Oh, look, there she is,” Mr. Wen pointed and quickened his pace.

Mrs. Xu’s sharp eyes caught sight of the person next to Xu Chacha, who seemed to be Wen Mubai. She instinctively wanted to step forward and stop them, but it was too late.

When she and Mr. Xu finally reached the balcony, they saw “well-behaved” Xu Chacha practically tackling Wen Mubai, kissing and biting her urgently like a predatory maniac.

Mr. and Mrs. Xu felt their faces burn. Just two days ago, they had privately wondered about the possibility of their sweet darling being tricked and deceived.

Now it seemed to be the reverse: Wen Mubai was clearly being forcefully subdued.