After the Cannon Fodder A Accidentally Marked the Paranoid Female Lead - Chapter 30

Ming Sian cleared her throat. “Lawyer He.”

Using her voice to stall the ambiguous atmosphere was the method she had come up with, but the effect was minimal.

He Yining’s eyes were as lazy as a cat’s. She walked straight past her; a fragrant breeze drifted by, drawing one’s fascination.

Ming Sian’s throat felt tight. Not wanting to appear like a total creep, she forced herself not to swallow, even though her throat was bone-dry and desperately needed water for relief.

The fabric of the silk nightgown brushed against the back of her hand—it was itchy, and she couldn’t help but hold out her hand to look.

The tingling itch on the back of her hand remained, and a stinging itch also came from her palm. She spread her palm and glanced at it, finding that the wound had split open.

It was the mark left from when she had cut herself with the utility knife that day. Because the cut was too deep, it wouldn’t heal in a short time. After a burst of typing on the keyboard just now, the wound had split and seeped blood again.

Fortunately, He Yining had arrived in time; otherwise, there would have been more than one wound on her hand.

She watched He Yining’s retreating back, waiting for what came next. Although it might not happen, she still couldn’t help but fantasize.

The things the human brain imagines are far more beautiful—and more crazy—than reality. Ming Sian really wanted to give her own head a smack and shout: Dead brain, stop thinking.

She watched He Yining walk to a cabinet, open a drawer, and take out a first-aid kit. Then, He Yining walked to the sofa and gave her a look. She didn’t say anything, yet expressed everything.

Ming Sian walked over silently and stood in front of He Yining. Standing there with such height, she felt like a giant idiot.

“Sit down,” He Yining commanded, timely hiding the smile in her eyes.

Ming Sian sat down obediently.

“Hand.”

She reached out her injured hand, the kind of obedience that didn’t require the other party to speak a second time.

He Yining was satisfied with her obedience. Disinfecting, applying medicine, bandaging—she could have done it quickly, but she was slow and methodical, as if performing a piece of art. Every move was so elegant one couldn’t look away.

Feeling the coldness of He Yining’s fingertips, Ming Sian’s heart felt soft and weak with every touch. Especially when He Yining took her hand into her own, her entire body heated up; compared to the other’s cool hand, hers felt like a furnace.

Her shyness reached its peak at this moment.

When He Yining touched her burning fingertips, she subconsciously pulled back her hand, but the next second she covered it again. Simultaneously, she was surprised by Ming Sian’s innocence—it was just a touch of the hand, why was she so shy?

The corners of her mouth held a subtle smile, and her eyes softened considerably.

“All done.” He Yining let go of her hand.

“Thank you.” Ming Sian’s ear tips were red as she whispered her thanks, enduring the embarrassment.

It was too awkward. When she went to the hospital to get it bandaged, she felt nothing but pain, but He Yining only touched her lightly and her body turned scorching hot.

How embarrassing; adding two lifetimes together, she had never been this embarrassed.

“What are you thinking about?” He Yining pinched her chin, forcing them to make eye contact.

Given her situation, if He Yining didn’t take the initiative, the night would likely pass in silent peace.

“No… nothing.” Ming Sian’s neck turned red; it was obvious something was up.

He Yining raised an eyebrow and suddenly drew closer. As the fragrant wind hit her face, Ming Sian grew more nervous. “Are you thinking about what we should do tonight?”

Her bluntness made Ming Sian freeze, then she tested the waters: “What does Lawyer He want to do?”

Whenever it came to a confrontation, Ming Sian’s shy innocence instantly retracted, like a soft kitten suddenly bristling into battle mode.

He Yining let out a light laugh. “Me? We are partners now. Shouldn’t you perform your partner duties?”

Helping an Omega through their heat period and satisfying a series of the Omega’s needs.

The marriage section of the civil law in this world is absolutely biased toward Omegas. First, the number of Omegas is relatively small: ordinary people account for 90% of humanity, Alphas 7%, and Omegas only 3%. To protect Omegas, relevant laws lean almost entirely in their favor.

Even though they weren’t married yet, the agreement was in effect, and she had marked He Yining; in practice, it was no different from being married.

Therefore, she should fulfill her partner duties.

Just thinking about it made the area behind Ming Sian’s ears burn. She forcibly restrained the urge to flee. Though she hadn’t “eaten the pork,” she had “seen the pig run.” She had seen all those famous movies in the GL circle. Thinking about it even a little… no, she couldn’t think about it.

From the moment she kept her there, He Yining had no intention of letting her off. Since Ming Sian had forgotten what happened that night, she had to make her remember it well; otherwise, doing certain things would be for nothing.

Of course, for Ming Sian, it was “laboring for nothing,” but not for He Yining. Her memory was too good; she remembered every detail. Every night lying in bed, those images would appear in her mind, unstoppable—dynamic and with audio.

After spending these days together, she understood Ming Sian somewhat. The other was the type who needed a push to move, had a strong sense of morality, was a bit kind-hearted, and had bottom lines. Most importantly, Ming Sian’s professional excellence and the resilience she showed in her work suited He Yining’s taste perfectly.

Ming Sian was like cherry rum with ice. Upon tasting, the top note is sweet, the middle note is bitter, and the base note is intoxicating. The ice is only to soothe the burning of the alcohol; it tastes more delicious when savored late at night.

It wasn’t easy to encounter a perfectly matched Alpha. Moreover, this Alpha was quite pure and likable, especially suited to be a loyal dog; otherwise, even if the pheromones were a perfect match, she might not necessarily have accepted it.

Even though, up to now, there are fewer than ten pairs of AOs who can perfectly match pheromones, someone once conducted an experiment: they took an A or O who already had a perfect match and tried to match them again in the pheromone database, but found no other compatible match at all. If the person is a High-Level AO, then besides their perfect match, their compatibility with other AOs is 0.

In other words, whether it was Ming Sian or He Yining, the only person they could blend pheromones with was each other.

After trying the real cherry rum, He Yining became completely obsessed with the scent—a tipsy feeling even more enchanting than drinking wine. Thus, she couldn’t wait to live together with Ming Sian.

She stroked Ming Sian’s face, no longer stingy with the release of pheromones. She watched Ming Sian shake her head, the corners of her own mouth curling slightly.

Ming Sian didn’t know what was happening to herself. One second she was fine, the next her neck felt hot and her head dizzy. she just felt He Yining smelled wonderful, a scent that made one want to press close.

Before she could move, He Yining embraced her, burying her head in Ming Sian’s neck. The two knelt by the sofa, embracing each other.

The lights remained bright, yet some were oblivious to the world. For all her thinking, Ming Sian ultimately couldn’t resist, even if He Yining only beckoned with her finger.

—

Ming Sian lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling without blinking. Lingering at the tip of her nose was still the cold fragrance of cedar and the sweet scent of cherry rum. Fortunately, the room’s air circulation was on; otherwise, who knows how thick the scent would have become.

The room was so quiet she could only hear He Yining’s breathing.

Feeling-wise, it was a pleasure that hit the crown of her head. How should she put it? It was as intoxicating and satisfying as the first sip of an ice-cold cola.

The blending of pheromones elevated the methods Ming Sian knew for “doing it” by an unknown number of levels. When the two occurred together, the joy possessed was indescribable.

Whether it was the blending of pheromones, the intimate negative distance, or the final tight embrace—the feeling of being enveloped—she believed she had fallen for it.

Her heart beat like a drum. she couldn’t tell if it was the unrest after exercise or due to the presence of the person beside her; surely she couldn’t have developed feelings.

They lay together, very close. Ming Sian could feel He Yining’s presence. She didn’t dare look; she could only breathe cautiously, listening to the movements of the person beside her, imagining whether the other was staring with eyes open or had already fallen fast asleep.

“I’m going to wash up,” He Yining said as she rose, her tone flat, as if she wasn’t the one who had been crying like a foul.

Ming Sian nodded silently. “Oh.”

The Eldest Miss’s tone was still soft, but the seductiveness was gone. A satisfied kitten had returned to her usual haughtiness, except her eyes were like spring water, holding more passion than usual.

“Then I’ll go wash up too,” she said, but inwardly she was dissatisfied that the “bad woman” changed so quickly, becoming haughty right after finishing. “Does your house have mouthwash?”

He Yining’s back stiffened. “…”

A blush appeared on her face. She had thought Ming Sian was innocent, but she had expected too much.

This person might be inexperienced, but she was bad—very bad. A total bastard.

Ming Sian laughed with satisfaction; she had won.

She even wanted to mock her a bit: “Weak yet loves to play,” she had been pushed to the “high ground” in just three minutes.

However, she recalled what happened that night and roughly understood. One game lasted thirty minutes, but she had “died” seven times.

He Yining’s ears were red. She didn’t want to either, but Ming Sian always managed to make her forces collapse.

If Ming Sian knew her thoughts, she would tell her: when Xiao Qiao meets Lan Lingwang, it’s always a quick end.

Who could have known that Ming Sian, pure on the surface, had so many tricks? A “bush camper”… or rather, a “troller.” Ming the Troller.

This round goes to her! Ming Sian went to wash up happily.

After washing up, she lay on the bed alone, her eyes nearly unable to stay open, yet her mind was full of things. A session of exercise lasting two hours—especially after over-excitement—caused exhaustion to surge. She felt that as long as she closed her eyes, she would fall asleep immediately.

However, there was too much clutter in her mind, causing her to force herself to stay awake.

This time, she had had a relationship with He Yining completely voluntarily. So far, although the novel’s plot had changed, the main storyline was still progressing.

Who could have thought that the female lead would end up in a bed with a “cannon fodder” character? They had even signed an agreement; only when she reached the legal marriage age could they marry.

And there was also a so-called “male lead” in this world, watching everyone around He Yining like a venomous snake. Although it currently seemed that as long as she didn’t choose the same path as the original character, He Yining wouldn’t do anything to her, the male lead might be a different story.

And then there was He Yining. What kind of person was she really? She thought that by knowing the novel’s content, she understood He Yining well enough; in reality, her understanding of He Yining was only partial.

A complete person has a multi-faceted personality; it cannot be described with just a few words.

Take her, for example: a pro-bono lawyer. Many people said she was idealistic, had a strong romantic streak, and was kind to a fault—but these were only things others knew. Everyone has an unknown side.

He Yining’s actions were hard to decipher, actually being able to accept a marriage that was in name and in fact, but without love.

“In name only” would be easier to understand.

The next second, Ming Sian laughed at herself. Wasn’t she the same?

From their very first meeting, that distant exchange of glances, she knew she had developed an interest in this woman. Perhaps it was a “love at first sight” based on looks. After learning the other was the female lead, He Yining, that interest was suppressed by the desire to stay away, but with each successive contact, the interest further erupted.

Even as her reason shouted at her: Leave, leave her, stay as far away from her as possible.

But emotions were not something she could control. They couldn’t avoid contact again and again, and she couldn’t stop her heart from throbbing for He Yining again and again. Especially He Yining’s forceful intrusion left her with nowhere to hide.

Furthermore, regarding the matter of her being set up by Gu Xing that night—even if He Yining hadn’t added fuel to the fire, she definitely knew early on. She watched the clouds rise from a distance, and when the wind and rain arrived, He Yining elegantly stepped forward with an umbrella and asked her, soaked to the bone: “Shall we share?”

It wasn’t just rain; there was hail too.

She simply couldn’t refuse. Reason’s hard refusal was ultimately no match for the heart’s desire to draw near.

So Ming Sian felt she might have fallen a little bit in love with He Yining.

Throughout the process, He Yining was lazy yet confident, certain that she couldn’t escape.

Sure enough, she hadn’t escaped.

Ming Sian lay in the guest room bed, her thoughts drifting. While washing up just now, she had wondered if she should sleep back in the other room, but on second thought, their relationship was merely an agreement—perhaps plus a “friends with benefits” deal. It wasn’t a relationship where they could sleep in each other’s arms afterward.

Since it wasn’t, she shouldn’t go.

The image of He Yining’s indifferent expression after the passion had faded surfaced in her mind.

Developing an interest in someone was something she couldn’t control, but letting it end there was something she could decide.

However, once desire appears, it quickly sprouts and grows into a towering tree. Reason? If everything could be controlled by reason, then how would humans differ from machines?

Greed is the hardest to control, and the desire to possess is a form of greed.

Ming Sian’s sleepiness gradually vanished. Was it really going to end there?

Once certain things start, one begins to want more.

Ming Sian lay on the bed, closing her dry eyes, but her brain was working frantically. He Yining was in no better state.

Returning after her shower, Ming Sian was nowhere to be seen in the room. Logically, that was how she thought as well: during the “doing,” any room was fine, but afterward, it was better to sleep in their own rooms.

When Ming Sian actually left and didn’t return after washing up, her heart felt a slight bitterness. she downed a glass of cold water to soothe the dryness in her throat.

Just as she said, Ming Sian couldn’t escape. she had gotten her, but she only had the person, not the heart.

Was there any pair of partners who, even if they usually had separate rooms, wouldn’t want to sleep in each other’s arms after such an event? Oh, they were “black and white” (contract) partners, not a loving pair.

Their distance seemed close, yet was actually very remote.

He Yining rose and walked to the living room, her eyes complex as she looked at the closed guest room door. People are truly pretentious; even though she wanted separate rooms except during the process to maintain distance, when the other party actually did it, her mood was always complex.

The sourness in her heart woke her up. Truly sick, she cursed herself. However, the feeling of being clearly alive was wonderful.

From childhood, she had been a machine. Whatever the family arranged for her to learn, she had to learn—not just learn, but master.

Her family wished for her to be a machine, where input could just be received. But a machine’s memory is limited, whereas her “memory” had to store things infinitely.

Others had hobby classes; she only had professional classes.

She had long considered herself a machine. Perhaps only pain could make her suddenly wake up and realize: Oh, I am a person. Slowly, she fell in love with pain.

Until she met Ming Sian. It turned out a person could have not just pain, but another intense feeling—the kind that made her unable to stop.

He Yining walked onto the balcony and opened the window. The cold wind blew on her face, so cold that her skin had a slight reaction.

“Unrequited affection,” He Yining whispered in Cantonese.

She turned back into the room and casually picked up a glass of water. On the bedside table, there was a box of medicine; she took two pills before lying down.

Perhaps due to the medication, her breathing gradually became steady, but her brow furrowed.

Night always passes quickly; close your eyes and open them, and the sky is bright.

Sunlight peeked through the white gauze curtains into the room. Ming Sian, feeling the sunlight stinging her eyes, covered them with the quilt for a long while before sitting up.

She first reached out to find her phone. A glance showed it was only 6:00 AM, but she hadn’t slept until 2:00. That damned biological clock.

Ming Sian went into the bathroom to wash up. Looking at the mouthwash on the sink, her face instantly turned red. She was just an innocent girl who had seen movies but had no practical experience; following the movies should be no problem, right?

Anyway, He Yining’s expression looked quite enjoyable. Truly one of the greatest GL movies ever made; she could try other movies next time.

For an “attacker” with zero practical experience, she could only follow the instructions; for now, she couldn’t derive more ideas from what she had learned. It was like writing a thesis: after studying, you’re asked to write one, and it needs a plagiarism check. Writing it in freshman year is too early; only after three or four years of study can you write something of your own.

Of course, for some, practical ability might be slightly worse; even after studying for a long time, they might not be able to play around much.

Ming Sian had the ability to learn by analogy. She felt that after practicing all the instructional content once, she would eventually become proficient and more ideas would appear—and she could continue learning.

She had seen movies from that world, but she hadn’t seen the movies from this one yet. It meant she had many more classic films to learn from… oh, no, to watch.

Having tidied herself up, she picked out a tracksuit from the wardrobe. It happened to be the weekend, so there was no need to go to the company, and naturally no need for a suit.

When she walked out of the room, He Yining had just emerged from the fitness room. There was a faint sweat on her neck and several subtle marks. Thinking of the scene she saw that morning, Ming Sian didn’t dare use much force.

All the kisses were relatively light and gentle, thus always causing He Yining to chase her lips.

Just thinking about it made her hurriedly look away.

“Morning,” she proactively greeted.

Since things had reached this point and there was no room for resistance, it was better to enjoy it.

Ming Sian wasn’t someone who obsessed over things. she accepted the situation as it was. With the agreement signed, her relationship with He Yining was a settled matter—so she would be a “responsible partner.”

What is a partner’s responsibility?

Providing emotional value—she thought that was very important. In a relationship, the ability to provide emotional value is crucial. Even for just friends, if the other party only brings negative emotions, one must consider if they are suitable to be friends.

Emotional value between partners requires patience. Ming Sian knew a bit about it; of the several girls in her dorm back then, all of them had been in relationships except her. She had seen the behavior of their boyfriends and girlfriends.

One of their roommates was a long-haired “T” (masculine lesbian); when she pursued someone, they were all her military advisors. Ming Sian hadn’t been in a relationship, but she knew what would move her—what would move a girl.

If it were providing emotional value, the kind for real lovers definitely wouldn’t work, but for work-related matters, she should be fine.

Then there was responsibility—some responsibilities must be borne. Finally, there was loyalty, which was signed in the agreement.

They were “in name and in fact”; maintaining loyalty was also being responsible for each other’s relationship and health.

Ming Sian had thought a lot last night, thinking until she couldn’t hold out and fell asleep. Now seeing He Yining, she remembered last night’s decision again.

Thus, when she greeted He Yining, there was still a smile on her lips.

He Yining watched her silently, then after a long while said, “Haven’t you woken up yet?”

“?” Ming Sian was speechless. she casually pulled down the zipper of her tracksuit. “I am awake. I’m going to exercise.”

She proactively greeted her, and the other said she hadn’t woken up? That was too much.

She placed her jacket on the sofa and pointedly asked, “I can go anywhere in this house, right?”

He Yining’s brow twitched slightly. This Ming Sian, who wouldn’t take a loss and would always subtly hit back, was the real one. “Mm.”

Ming Sian walked into the fitness room. It was almost like a small gym, containing all the commonly used equipment.

She first did a few sets of stretches. Her slender lines became even more evident under the specific stretching movements. He Yining’s gaze was fixed on her, moving from her neck to the hand tightly gripping the equipment—no wonder it hurt at the beginning.

Ming Sian knew He Yining was watching her, so she tried to make her movements as graceful as possible to showcase herself. She cursed herself inwardly: Like a peacock spreading its feathers.

Cursing aside, the movements couldn’t stop, and they had to be as aesthetic as possible.

He Yining’s eyes darkened. She suddenly stepped forward quickly and grabbed Ming Sian’s wrist. Her gaze looked over—it was these hands that often pressed her head down.

“What are you doing?”

She looked into He Yining’s eyes with confusion. Suddenly… what is this for?

He Yining cupped her face. A momentary impulse made her speak: “Do it.”

Since the heart was moved, then take action.

Without love, naturally there would be no restraint.

He Yining didn’t deny it; she couldn’t control her desire. But she didn’t think she needed to control it. She restrained too many things; the only thing she could indulge in was “doing it” with Ming Sian.

To get Ming Sian, she had put in effort. Since she had her, it was time to enjoy.

He Yining, in her tight-fitting sportswear, had eyes that revealed nothing but aggression.

Ming Sian’s heart tightened. Her gaze went from He Yining’s eyes, to her nose, and finally her lips…

Aggression? Was He Yining issuing a challenge? Then she would accept it.