After Seeing Through the Plot, the Cannon Fodder Supporting Female Lead Overturned Her Fate - Chapter 27

Ye An slept for a very long time.

During her slumber, she had many dreams—childhood memories, recent events, happy moments, and sad ones. A chaotic flood of memories filled her mind like a collection of fragmented paintings flashing before her eyes.

For a brief moment, Ye An even dreamed of strange, idyllic scenes.

She was still the protagonist in these dreams, but she was no longer lonely as she was now. She had family who loved her and many close friends. The pain and setbacks she had experienced in reality seemed never to have touched her; she lived well, joyful and blessed.

These images were undoubtedly foreign to Ye An, yet they were the things she desired most deep within her heart. Thus, even though it was merely a dream, she couldn’t help but curl her lips into a faint smile.

Eventually, she woke up.

The effects of the alcohol had mostly dissipated. The soft touch of the bed beneath her was both familiar and warm. Ye An frowned, taking a few seconds in her daze to realize where she was.

Soon, a familiar voice sounded in her ear: “Is President Ye feeling alright?”

Ye An turned her head at the sound and was momentarily confused. “Yihuan, why are you here?”

It was already late. The rain that had finally stopped earlier had begun to drizzle again at some point. The sky was incredibly gloomy, and the strong wind whistled through the leaves with an unceasing rustle.

“I wasn’t comfortable leaving you alone,” Xia Yihuan said, her lips curving into a gentle smile. “So I stayed.”

Only a small lamp was lit in the room, casting a weak glow that divided the shadows on her face. Although Ye An couldn’t see her expression clearly, she could perceive that her voice was warm and soft.

Ye An blinked at the person before her, a strange sensation suddenly rising in her heart.

She couldn’t help but part her lips: “…Thank you.”

Xia Yihuan shook her head. “You’re welcome.”

“Are you thirsty, President Ye?” she asked, quickly getting up to pour a glass of warm water. She handed it to her, her figure outlined by the warm yellow light, her shadow stretching slowly across the floor. “Have some water.”

Hearing her say this, Ye An realized she actually was quite thirsty.

“Mhm,” she responded, looking down as she took the glass. She drained the water in one go; as the warmth slid down her throat, it indeed felt much better.

“How long was I out?” Ye An handed the glass back.

Xia Yihuan checked her phone. “Six hours. It’s just past nine.”

Six hours?

Ye An rubbed her brow. She had unexpectedly slept for that long.

Because she had received proper rest, the physical fatigue had gradually faded, but the psychological weariness hadn’t diminished at all. Furthermore, Ye An naturally disliked the rain; the pitter-patter was irritating, and at times like this, her sense of loneliness and isolation always doubled.

Ye An sensed her state wasn’t right today. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

“Are you tired?” she smiled, deliberately lightening her tone to appear nonchalant. “Go back and rest early.”

Xia Yihuan didn’t move.

Ye An looked up at her face. “Yihuan?”

“It’s nothing,” Xia Yihuan finally replied. “As your assistant, it’s only right that I look after you.”

“While you were sleeping, I took a quick look in the fridge,” she continued. She casually turned on the main room light, and in an instant, the entire room brightened, immediately dispelling the slightly oppressive atmosphere. “There are still plenty of ingredients inside.”

“Are you hungry? I’ll cook for you.”

Cook?

Ye An became interested. “You know how to cook?”

“A bit, but I can’t guarantee the taste,” Xia Yihuan said. “If you don’t mind, I’m at your service.”

She spoke with such sincerity and earnestness that Ye An, after a few seconds of silence, really did want to try it.

Moreover, at a time like this, having someone for company wasn’t a bad thing. Ye An pursed her lips and finally nodded. “Alright then.”

She smiled and let a joke slip out: “I didn’t expect that one day I’d get to taste our Yihuan’s cooking.”

The word “our” seemed to invisibly close the distance between them.

Ye An sat down on the sofa.

Xia Yihuan poured her another glass of water and peeled an orange for her. “Just wait here for a moment, President Ye.”

“Do you need my help?” Ye An felt a bit uneasy, looking up at Xia Yihuan. “Do you know where everything is kept?”

“I studied it just now; I basically know,” Xia Yihuan said. “I’ll handle it, it’s fine.”

“Alright.” Seeing her insistence, Ye An didn’t press further. “Call me if you need help.”

Xia Yihuan smiled. “Okay.”

She quickly turned and left for the kitchen.

023 immediately chimed in, expressing how jealous she was—she hadn’t tasted her host’s cooking in all these years.

“If you want to eat, you can come find me; I’ll cook for you,” Xia Yihuan said.

023 was instantly delighted. “Really?! That’s amazing!” But after a few seconds, she grew despondent again. “Too bad I can’t come over.”

“My permissions are too low. Other systems are out there achieving great things, but I can’t do anything right. I haven’t even managed to get a minor official rank after all these years.” 023 sighed. “I finally got bound to you, and then…”

“Oh, forget it, forget it. Let’s not talk about that.” Knowing the host didn’t like hearing it, 023 quickly changed the subject. “By the way, do you remember when I went back to the General Bureau last time?”

“Mhm.” Xia Yihuan nodded to show she was listening, her hands never stopping their work on the ingredients.

“They said the bug is still being repaired,” 023 said. “I asked 077, who I’m on good terms with—she’s a maintenance specialist. She sent a message a while ago telling me it seems to be because of some virus, which caused a slight change in the world line.”

“But it’s fine; the overall plot line won’t change much.” She laughed, signaling Xia Yihuan to set her mind at ease. “The higher-ups are already working on destroying the virus. Once the virus is gone, everything will return to normal.”

“When that time comes, you’ll still be the radiant protagonist and will surely reach the peak of your life again!”

023 spoke with grand ambition, but failed to notice the subtle change in Xia Yihuan’s expression.

“What else did that system tell you?” Xia Yihuan asked suddenly after a moment.

“Nothing else.” 023 shook her head. “Her permissions are as low as mine; what she knows is limited.”

023 grew a bit nervous. “W-what’s wrong?”

Xia Yihuan glanced toward Ye An on the sofa out of the corner of her eye before continuing her work.

“…Nothing.”

Xia Yihuan worked efficiently, and dinner was soon ready.

For someone like Ye An, who was constantly preoccupied with work, it was common to forget to eat when busy, often having only one meal a day.

Normally, Ye An wouldn’t have bothered to exert the effort; skipping a meal was no big deal, and going to bed early was the priority.

But today was different.

Xia Yihuan claimed she couldn’t guarantee the taste, but the dishes she produced were each better than the last. Whether it was the presentation, color, or aroma, everything was flawless—her skills rivaled a restaurant chef.

Ye An couldn’t help but tease, “I wasn’t that hungry, but seeing so many good dishes, I’d be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t eat.”

“I’m glad you like it, President Ye.” Xia Yihuan smiled, placing a bowl of rice in front of her and pouring a glass of orange juice.

Ye An looked up at her. “Sit down quickly, you too.”

Xia Yihuan took the seat opposite her.

Ye An picked up her chopsticks and took a bite of the fish. It was fresh, tender, and fragrant; because the sauce was perfectly balanced, the natural sweetness of the fish was enhanced rather than masked.

On a rainy day like this, being able to eat a steaming hot, delicious meal was undoubtedly a form of happiness.

Ye An’s lips curled up instinctively. “It’s delicious.”

“Yihuan, you’re far too humble.” She lazily propped her chin on her hand, deciding to savor every dish. “If this doesn’t count as ‘good,’ then my own cooking skills are truly beyond help.”

“Have you considered becoming a chef at Shi Qian’s cafeteria?”

At this, Xia Yihuan laughed. “No, I think being your assistant is just fine.”

“True.” Ye An nodded gently and let out a slow sigh. “It’s my fault too; I only asked you to do errands and drive. If I had known you were such a good cook, I would have added another clause to the contract.”

“Cooking for you, President Ye?” Xia Yihuan asked.

Ye An arched an eyebrow. “Yes.”

“If you ever want to eat, just let me know.” Xia Yihuan met her eyes. “I’ll try to be on call whenever you need.”

“That’s very kind of you.” Ye An assumed she was just being polite and teased, “How long can this promise last? Ten years? Twenty?”

Xia Yihuan followed up: “That’s not impossible.”

She spoke with such sincerity and certainty that Ye An instinctively widened her eyes, momentarily at a loss for words.

She believed Xia Yihuan was a woman of her word. If she could have her cook for ten or twenty years, that wouldn’t be bad at all—it was just a pity she didn’t have long to live; at most, she had less than three years.

Forget it, just eat. Thinking this, Ye An gradually suppressed the smile on her lips and said nonchalantly, “Don’t take what I just said to heart.”

“It was just a joke.”

After dinner, Xia Yihuan cleared the table.

Ye An helped her and suddenly remembered her injured hand, becoming worried. “How is your injury?”

“The right hand is mostly fine,” Xia Yihuan said. “I just need to be careful with it.”

“And your back?”

“About the same.”

Ye An wasn’t quite at ease; the large patch of bruising was still vivid in her mind. Xia Yihuan usually lived alone and didn’t seem to have many friends; applying medicine must be very inconvenient for her. “Stop cleaning. Sit over here and let me see.”

Xia Yihuan didn’t object and soon sat on the sofa after washing her hands.

This time, without Ye An having to say anything, she looked down, unbuttoned her shirt, and slowly took it off.

Ye An was momentarily speechless. “…” She’s certainly practiced at this.

“It looks much better than before.” She inspected the wounds. While the large bruises remained, the smaller scratches were showing signs of healing.

She stood up. “Wait a moment, Yihuan. I have medicine here; I might as well apply it for you.”

“Okay.” Xia Yihuan nodded, her gaze following Ye An’s figure, her voice very soft. “Then, thank you, President Ye.”

“You’re welcome.” Ye An shook her head and rummaged through a drawer, soon returning with the medicine.

She soaked a cotton ball and applied it to the wounds bit by bit, chatting as she worked. “Have you been applying the medicine yourself lately?”

Xia Yihuan nodded. “Mhm.”

Ye An couldn’t help but shake her head, her movements becoming even gentler. “It’s a good thing you’re doing better now. If it were still as serious as before, it really wouldn’t do not to have someone looking after you.”

“What about your friends?” she asked instinctively.

Xia Yihuan paused for a few seconds, slowly lowering her eyelids. “They passed away.”

“…I’m sorry.” Ye An hadn’t expected that. “I didn’t know.”

Xia Yihuan: “It’s fine.”

“What about your other friends?” Ye An remained silent for a moment, searching for the right words. “Why not call them for help?”

At this, Xia Yihuan’s lips curved into a slight smile. “It’s not a big deal; there’s no need to trouble them.”

Ye An felt a sense of shared experience with those words. Life isn’t a game; the world of adults is complex. Even someone as social as her didn’t have many friends she could truly confide in, let alone someone as reserved as Xia Yihuan.

“True.” Thinking this, Ye An didn’t say more.

After meticulously applying the medicine, Ye An glanced at the time.

Eleven o’clock.

Two hours had slipped away unnoticed.

She looked out the window; the drizzling rain still hadn’t stopped and was even heavier than before. The wind howled, and the swaying shadows of the trees on the wall looked like monsters.

Obviously, it was not a suitable time to be out.

Ye An looked back at Xia Yihuan.

Sensing her gaze, Xia Yihuan looked up, and their eyes met. After a moment, she smiled, her tone as steady and calm as ever. “What is it, President Ye? Is something wrong?”

“Nothing.” Ye An quickly looked away, her gaze drifting toward the wall.

Home was an extremely private territory for her; she had never invited many people over. Aside from Liu Yue and Sheng Shiwen, Xia Yihuan was the only exception.

But there was no comparison between them—one was a friend, and the other was a rival. The former was natural; what was the latter?

Perhaps sensing her dilemma, Xia Yihuan finished buttoning her shirt and stood up. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”

“It’s a rainy and windy day; remember to close the windows and take care of yourself, President Ye.”

She turned to leave.

Ye An stood still but continued to watch her back. She saw Xia Yihuan put on her coat, pick up her phone, and place her hand on the doorknob.

The light from above enveloped her, making Xia Yihuan’s figure look even more slender and thin, carrying a strangely pitiable quality.

“…”

Just as she was about to press down on the handle, Ye An sighed and finally spoke.

“Why don’t you stay tonight, Yihuan?” she said, stepping forward to lock the door and crossing her arms to look at Xia Yihuan. “The roads are difficult in the rain. To prevent any accidents, it’s better to stay.”

“I have a guest room,” Ye An added, her lips curving slightly. “You can stay there.”

Xia Yihuan paused. “Won’t it be a trouble for you, President Ye?”

“Ah.” Ye An nodded and sat back down on the sofa.

“No trouble.”

Xia Yihuan stayed after all.

Ye An found toiletries and bedding for her. After they both finished getting ready, they went to their respective rooms to lie down.

It was the first time someone else had stayed over, and Ye An was a bit unaccustomed to it. Moreover, the rustling rain outside was irritating. After a moment, she sent a message to Xia Yihuan through the wall: [Do you have any plans for tomorrow?]

Likely also kept awake by the rain, Xia Yihuan’s reply came quickly: [None.]

Ye An smiled: [Let’s go for dinner after work tomorrow night.]

[Okay.]

Ye An was silent for a few seconds, then typed a few more words: [What are your thoughts lately? Is there anything you want to do?]

Xia Yihuan: [Nothing for now. I’ve been too tired lately; I want to rest for a while.]

Ye An understood her: [Fair enough. You did push yourself too hard before.]

They only had common ground when discussing work. Ye An typed, even feeling like making a joke: [It’s a good thing for me, too—one less competitor.]

[Why not just be my assistant forever? If I ever have an accident, I could even leave you a share of my estate.]

It sounded like a joke, but it held a fragment of truth.

After the message was sent, there was no reply from Xia Yihuan for a long time.

Ye An assumed she had accidentally fallen asleep and was about to put her phone away when a notification sounded again.

It was another message from Xia Yihuan.

[There won’t be any accidents.]

She said it across the screen, yet Ye An felt as if she could see her expression and feel the warmth in her words.

[President Ye will always be healthy, joyful, and safe.]

Now that’s something I like to hear.

Ye An couldn’t help but smile. Although she knew Xia Yihuan’s words couldn’t come true, for some reason, she was still happy.

“I know,” she said. This time she didn’t send a message, but raised her hand and tapped on the wall beside her.

She knew Xia Yihuan could hear her: “Sleep well.”