After Becoming a Cannon Fodder Side Character, I Became the Group’s Favorite (GL) - Chapter 68

Xu Chacha didn’t have much time to rest. She had classes on weekdays and was even busier during the holidays, rushing to various events. Not to mention the fashion show she had to fly abroad for in September. So, the two of them treated the time before the fashion week like a frantic gathering, making the most of the short window for intimacy.

May passed, then June, July, and August. The weather grew warmer, but after throwing a few tantrums, Mr. Wen’s attitude gradually cooled, as if the metaphor of the frog in warming water had worked. When the subject of Xu Chacha and Wen Mubai came up again, he was no longer so irritable.

After all, upon reflection, this was an excellent arrangement that brought two close families even closer.

Wen Mubai and her father barely saw each other all year, so there was no real opportunity for a big fight. However, Xu Chacha was interrogated every time she went home by Mr. and Mrs. Xu.

As she boarded the plane, she was somewhat relieved that her ears would finally have some peace and quiet for a while.

Wen Mubai would also be there, but she couldn’t stay with her the entire time. However, she had promised that she would be sitting in the audience that night.

Xu Chacha had laughed and replied, “With those high ticket prices, you absolutely must come.”

Wen Mubai’s thumb rubbed her lips, but she wasn’t thinking about the money. She didn’t want to miss any of the ‘firsts’ in Xu Chacha’s life.

So, she canceled all her commitments for that day.

The first outfit Xu Chacha was to wear was the small opening piece for the collection: a gold fishtail gown. The train was very long, and the folds of the fabric were smooth and delicate, like ripples on the sea.

The makeup artist held a large blush brush, dipped it in gold powder, told her to close her eyes, and lightly dusted the powder onto her face, focusing mainly on the cheeks and eyelids.

“All set. Try opening your eyes.”

Xu Chacha’s eyelashes fluttered a few times. When she slowly opened her eyes, there was a stunning beauty, like a butterfly that had just emerged from its cocoon, that almost made people forget to breathe.

The final touch for the styling was the twenty-plus-pound golden crown. The rubies on it had been glued on one by one by the designer, and its value was directly proportional to its weight.

Xu Chacha had worn it during rehearsal. After more than two minutes, her neck was killing her, but she couldn’t make a mistake during the official show. She could only use both hands to support the crown, distributing some of the weight.

This season’s Fashion Week was keeping up with trends and also being live-streamed.

Xu Chacha hadn’t hidden her travel plans, and fans who heard the news were camping out in the live stream, waiting for her appearance.

Fortunately, the models all had long legs and slender waists, which made the wait for Xu Chacha less tedious.

Finally, it was TY’s turn. After the closing model of the previous collection disappeared, a white curtain slowly descended.

TY’s logo was visible through the curtain. The lights dimmed and then brightened. At that moment, a graceful silhouette appeared on the white screen.

[Cha Bao!!!]

[I’m ready. Should I start screaming now?!]

The curtain slowly rose, first revealing the luxurious hem of the dress, then a slender waist. When the camera pulled up to her exquisite and strikingly beautiful face, the comments section erupted in marmot-like screams.

After so many shows, Xu Chacha’s body was perfectly synchronized with the accompanying music. As the beat dropped, she stepped out with her right leg and walked forward with a straight back.

With a wasp waist and straight shoulders, she had the body of a standard clothes hanger. On her long neck rested a golden crown. The crown was so ornate that it seemed incredibly burdensome, yet Xu Chacha wore it with an air of ease, her expression calm and composed.

The makeup artist had given her light blue contact lenses. Paired with the gold dust scattered around her eyes and lashes, Xu Chacha looked like a goddess who had stepped out of a 19th-century oil painting: dignified and noble, an overbearing figure whom everyone needed to look up to. Only this powerful aura could carry the gown and the crown.

She wore the clothes, and the clothes wore her. She and the gown seemed to be one. The designer below the stage was clapping until their hands hurt.

In the close-up shots, Xu Chacha had an unreal beauty. Spectators involuntarily held their breath, afraid of startling or angering her.

[Help, I can’t breathe anymore, she’s too beautiful!!!] [As a fan of her looks, I’m currently happy enough to ascend to heaven, wuwuwu]

Every step she took was graceful and charming. The dangling ornaments on the golden crown swayed gently with her gait.

Unlike the audience who could only watch through a screen, Wen Mubai was seated in the front row below the stage.

Today, she, like everyone else, had to look up at her girl.

Wen Mubai didn’t know when Xu Chacha had completed her transformation, or perhaps she had always been like this, constantly surprising people.

The feeling Xu Chacha gave now wasn’t vastly different from the feeling she gave as a child. Perhaps it was because she was too sensible when she was very young, and now her occasional moments of childishness felt all the more precious.

After striking her final pose, Xu Chacha slowly turned around. The back of the gown had a “V”-shaped opening, exposing the red birthmark on her back.

The butterfly-shaped birthmark clung to her shoulder blade, fluttering as if it were truly about to fly away the next second. Its breathtaking beauty held the spectators’ gaze until Xu Chacha’s figure disappeared, and only then did they snap out of their daze.

A major reason why TY assigned her this gown was because of this birthmark. After seeing it in Yang Zhou’s magazine, the designer immediately decided that this girl must be brought in.

The first thing Xu Chacha did after leaving the stage was to remove the golden crown from her head, which required two people to take off without damaging it.

Wen Mubai had already disappeared from the audience and somehow managed to sneak into the backstage area.

“You’re here!” Relieved of the heavy costume, Xu Chacha was all smiles. Her first reaction upon seeing Wen Mubai approach was to rush up and hug her.

Just like every time before, Wen Mubai opened her arms and caught the person who leaped into her embrace.

Xu Chacha clamped her legs around Wen Mubai’s waist, wrapped her arms around her neck, her eyes sparkling, her whole face screaming “praise me, praise me.”

How could Wen Mubai not indulge her? She curved her lips and said, “You walked exceptionally well. At least in my eyes, you were the brightest star tonight.”

Xu Chacha was very satisfied with the compliment. She couldn’t help but lower her head and brush Wen Mubai’s lips with a kiss, but as she tried to pull away, she was held back, and the kiss was deepened.

She felt the same way. When she hit her final mark earlier, she saw Wen Mubai in the audience, and her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.

After several days apart, both were very much in need of affection. The kiss lasted for a while. The director’s camera briefly turned backstage, quickly scanned, then moved back, but then became stuck on the two of them, refusing to budge as if glued.

The comments section went wild.

[Who is that? Who is that? Who is that!]

[Help, ahhh! Is this content I get to watch for free?!]

[That’s Wen Mubai, the founder of BC, who used to be the editor-in-chief at HN.]

[So, the “big eye” link on Cha Bao’s profile wasn’t an ad, it was a love post, wuwuwu.]

Not many people were watching the live stream, but that didn’t stop someone from capturing several animated GIFs of Xu Chacha and Wen Mubai kissing and spreading them online.

A pair of beautiful women—even if they were just ordinary people—these images were captivating enough. Search terms about them quickly climbed the trending list. The more people saw it, the more the public rejoiced in the unexpected romance.

By the time Mr. Wen saw the images, the outside world was already in an uproar, but perhaps because he had seen it once before, his mood was surprisingly calm.

Mrs. Wen was worried that he would get angry and ruin his health, so she thoughtfully made him a cup of tea that evening.

“If you’re upset, just call them home and scold them a little. Don’t bottle up your anger and hurt yourself.”

“Who said I’m angry?” Mr. Wen’s head emerged from behind the computer screen, his eyes slightly red. He pulled out a tissue and wiped away a tear.

My daughter-in-law is so beautiful!

Xu Chacha shot to fame and was inundated with invitations. She carefully chose two high-end luxury endorsements and declined the rest.

She had been too busy recently, and her body was starting to give out. Coupled with her experience of sudden death in her previous life, she had come to realize the truth that balancing work and rest was the key to a long life.

After Fashion Week, Xu Chacha had time to catch her breath. She didn’t go out to shop; instead, she and Wen Mubai stayed cooped up in their apartment.

Wen Mubai worked, and Xu Chacha played quietly by her side.

The phone rang. It was Wen Mubai’s. She glanced at the screen, took off her glasses, and reached out to answer.

Xu Chacha keenly noticed the caller ID. It was Mr. Wen. She got curious and leaned in, resting on Wen Mubai’s lap and straining her ear to listen.

Unfortunately, Wen Mubai had the volume too low. Xu Chacha couldn’t hear anything, only catching her occasional responses of “Mhm, oh, okay.”

Xu Chacha felt a little bored and started playing with the hand resting on Wen Mubai’s thigh.

Wen Mubai’s fingers were long and distinctly jointed, like a piece of art wrapped in fine flesh. A ring sat on her finger.

She remembered that Jiang Panpan had given her this tip: wearing a ring on the right index finger signified having a partner, which would ward off the endless stream of admirers around Wen Mubai.

Xu Chacha squeezed the loose ring, sliding it on and off, having a great time, until Wen Mubai gave her butt a warning pat, her downcast gaze carrying a severe, disapproving warning.

Xu Chacha looked up, giving her a pitiful, aggrieved look.

“Can’t I even play with it?” she mouthed.

Wen Mubai relented under her gaze, dropping her intimidating posture. She extended her finger, signaling for Xu Chacha to put the ring back.

Xu Chacha refused, instead putting the ring on her own finger and trying it out. It looked quite good.

“He wants to talk to you,” Wen Mubai said, handing the phone to Xu Chacha after the caller on the other end said something.

Xu Chacha said “Oh” and took the phone.

“Hello, is that Chacha?”

“Yes, it’s me. Hello, Uncle.”

“Your parents were worried you might not be safe abroad alone. I just told Mubai to take good care of you. If there’s anything you want or want to do, just go for it. Uncle will pay the bill.”

Xu Chacha was somewhat surprised by his attitude, but she played along. “I know, I definitely won’t be polite with you.”

While she focused entirely on the person on the other end of the phone, Wen Mubai quietly slipped the ring off her finger, put it back on her own, and casually twisted it.

Xu Chacha was all too familiar with that motion. Every time before that activity, Wen Mubai would twist off the ring and wash her hands.

So, seeing that motion now, she involuntarily thought of things she shouldn’t, her mind filling with indecent thoughts.

Xu Chacha’s face flushed with heat. The perpetrator, completely oblivious to the chaos she had caused, tilted her head and gave her a questioning look, thinking Mr. Wen had said something unpleasant.

On the other end of the phone, Mr. Wen’s conversation continued.

“That’s all for now. I’ll host a welcoming banquet for you when you get back.”

“You’ll host a banquet for me…” The welcome wasn’t the point, but Mr. Wen’s enthusiastic attitude baffled Xu Chacha.

Logically, he must have seen the kissing footage from the live stream. Yet, instead of calling to scold them for indecency or damaging their reputation, he was openly talking about hosting a banquet.

“About our relationship, Uncle, you are…?”

“In a couple of years, you’ll have to start calling me Dad.”