After Transmigrating as the Villain’s Cannon Fodder Fake Sister - Chapter 2

The newcomer’s features were about fifty percent similar to Jiang Cen’s, but the difference between the two was stark.

If Jiang Cen’s aura was one of unapproachable indifference and detachment, then this person was her polar opposite.

A pair of narrow Phoenix eyes were habitually squinted, and her lips were perpetually curved into a highly approachable smile. It was a non-aggressive beauty, the kind that easily made people feel a sense of closeness.

The second child of the Jiang family, Jiang Cen’s biological younger sister: Jiang Xia’an.

Jiang Xia’an had drifted through the entertainment industry for many years. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t won Best Actress or Best TV Actress awards before. She figured her “cultivation level” in composure should at least be on par with her eldest sister.

However, she was naive.

She had traveled many roads, read many books, attended many years of school, and witnessed many grand spectacles—but at that moment, she was still shocked.

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing!!!

The low-presence adopted sister their grandfather brought home was actually… pinning her ferocious, man-eating, bone-spitting Great Demon King of an older sister down on the sofa???

And… the one whose clothes were in disarray was actually her sister…

There must be something wrong with the way she opened the door! Im! Pos! Sible!

Jiang Xia’an slammed the door shut instantly. Then, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and used her right foot to gently nudge the study door open again.

!!!

Heavens, will someone tell her why! It was still the same scene!

Only this time, the two people on the sofa had slightly adjusted their movements, and both turned their heads toward her simultaneously.

One gave her the look used for a dead person.

The other gave her a look that was indescribably complex.

“You guys… what exactly are you doing?” Entering the room, she voiced her soul-searching question once again.

Jiang Xia’an was defeated. She admitted her cultivation was likely far inferior to her sister’s.

Gu Ruanruan was already numb.

Was there any storm she couldn’t weather? Was there any situation worse than this?

Whether you stretch your neck out or pull it back, it’s a blade either way. Since death is certain, bring it on!

Having completed her mental construction, Gu Ruanruan actually calmed down. She stood up from the sofa with a faint expression, smoothed her clothes elegantly, and called out with a transcendent poise: “Second Sister.”

Jiang Xia’an: “…” Why are you so calm too!

She began to harbor deep suspicions about this world.

Following her, Jiang Cen also rose from the sofa, unhurriedly tidying her messy clothes.

Jiang Xia’an didn’t give up, determined to get to the bottom of it: “Little Sister, what were you two just doing?”

Her third persistent inquiry was met with a look of utter contempt.

Both of them looked at her with an expression that said, “Have you no worldly experience?”

Jiang Xia’an: “…” Should I leave then?

At this moment, for some reason, Jiang Xia’an felt excluded, as if she were the only abnormal freak in this house.

Seeing that the “Distract Jiang Xia’an” tactic had failed and she’d been called out to answer, Gu Ruanruan could only bite the bullet: “Second Sister, I was helping Big Sister design a high-end fashion way to wear a shirt.”

Jiang Cen looked up at Gu Ruanruan upon hearing this. Current Gu Ruanruan seemed slightly different from the one moments ago.

Jiang Xia’an glanced at Jiang Cen’s pitiful shirt and couldn’t agree: “Fashion is ripping off shirt buttons and wearing it open?”

As a female celebrity, no one understood fashion better than her!

She didn’t believe it!

Gu Ruanruan shook her head and walked over to Jiang Cen to demonstrate: “Second Sister, look.”

Then, Jiang Xia’an watched with wide eyes as her audacious adopted sister turned around, grabbed the hem of her older sister’s $80,000 shirt like she was kneading pickled vegetables, folded it, tied it, and finally tied a bow at the waist.

Throughout the process, Jiang Xia’an watched her poor adopted sister with pitying eyes.

One must know that Jiang Cen’s detachment didn’t just manifest in her eternal ice-block face; she was even harder to approach in daily life. Jiang Cen never allowed others near her person. Even as her biological sister, Xia’an had to maintain a certain distance.

Eh??? Why hadn’t her sister thrown Gu Ruanruan out yet? She actually just let Gu Ruanruan do as she pleased without saying a word.

What was wrong with the world!!!

Hadn’t she just gone out for a few days to film a variety show? How did the sky change the moment she got home?

When did her sister and Gu Ruanruan get this close?!

Jiang Cen lowered her eyes, returning to an expression as calm as a flat lake, and asked coldly: “What are you here for?”

Questioned in return, Jiang Xia’an finally remembered her purpose.

“Ah… isn’t Little Sister turning eighteen at the end of next month? Grandpa said we should hold a coming-of-age ceremony for her so everyone can get to know her. He wants you to prepare in advance and have more gowns made.”

Gu Ruanruan sighed internally. She remembered the original plot.

The original soul’s plan was good, but she didn’t know Jiang Cen’s plan was better.

In the book, Grandpa Jiang indeed witnessed the messy scene of her and Jiang Cen “clashing mouths,” but the usually doting Grandpa went unexpectedly silent afterward. He didn’t say anything, let alone hold a ceremony.

With such a thing happening on the eve of her adulthood, who would have the heart to organize a party?

From then on, the original soul’s status in the Jiang family became awkward. They never formally introduced her. Due to the shift in the family’s attitude, she was isolated by all of Ning City’s high society, which was a major reason for her later “blackening” and targeting of the Jiangs.

In reality, Jiang Cen had turned the tables, giving Grandpa Jiang a “blank check” by saying she would get engaged to Gu Ruanruan after graduation but must keep it secret to stabilize the old man. Then, she deliberately leaked news of the girl being treated coldly, allowing other socialites to look down on her step by step, driving the ambitious original soul into a dead end.

This plot point was the beginning of everything collapsing.

Fortunately, no such serious consequences had occurred yet, and the ceremony could proceed smoothly. Gu Ruanruan made a silent vow: She would never go against Jiang Cen! If Jiang Cen pointed east, she wouldn’t go west! Survival was the priority!

Thinking about how Jiang Cen invisibly manipulated others to isolate the original soul in the book, Gu Ruanruan shuddered. People who play psychological games have dirty hearts!

Oh right, Jiang Cen was a villain to begin with…

Jiang Cen glanced at the spacing-out Gu Ruanruan.

This adopted sister had many petty schemes—she was vicious and foolish—but she happened to be born beautiful. Her ivory skin was supple and clear, and her natural baby face easily won people’s favor. When she smiled, her eyes curved like crescents, and her amber eyes were as clear as a spring. A slight purse of her lips made her look incredibly innocent.

It wasn’t without reason that Grandpa favored her. She had a sweet mouth, knew how to coax people, and possessed such a lovable face.

But who would have thought that Gu Ruanruan was a foolish waste with an empty shell and a honeyed tongue hiding a dagger?

Even if she seemed a bit different just now, it was likely just a new trick.

Jiang Cen sneered inwardly. No matter how Gu Ruanruan changed, as long as she endangered the Jiang family, Jiang Cen had countless ways to deal with her.

Suppressing the look in her eyes, Jiang Cen gave a soft “Mm” to Xia’an: “Got it.” Then she raised her brows slightly, “Anything else?”

Jiang Xia’an: “…No.” Her sister was still so cold and heartless to her.

Jiang Cen was already tired of looking at her two “cheap” sisters’ faces and made a shooing gesture, indicating they could beat it.

Gu Ruanruan, wishing for nothing more, retreated at the speed of a hundred-meter sprint.

Sprinting downstairs, she took a massive gulp of fresh air. She actually survived this round!

Suddenly, a hand draped over her shoulder.

Gu Ruanruan turned to see Jiang Xia’an looking at her with a mysterious face.

The woman’s charming, narrow Phoenix eyes were half-squinted, flickering with a sharp light. Jiang Xia’an gave a cryptic smile: “Little Sister~”

That one word nearly vibrated Gu Ruanruan’s soul right out of her body.

“Se… Second Sister,” Please be normal!

Jiang Xia’an leaned in and whispered in a voice only the two could hear: “You and our Big Sister have a secret, don’t you~”

Gu Ruanruan immediately jumped up, holding up three fingers to swear: “No! Absolutely not!”

Jiang Xia’an gave two chuckles, shot Gu Ruanruan a meaningful look, and swaggered away.

Gu Ruanruan had a massive headache. This “tool” character, the second Jiang sister who had very little screen time in the original book, didn’t seem like an easy character to deal with either.

Heavens, why did she transmigrate into this book!

Jiang Cen didn’t return to the Jiang manor every day. She was a typical workaholic; if she worked too late, she usually just slept at the office.

Gu Ruanruan hadn’t seen Jiang Cen for several days. The blade hanging over her head had temporarily lost its lethality. She was as happy as a chick released into the wild, and her relationship with Grandpa Jiang grew by leaps and bounds.

Jiang Jianguo’s kindness to Gu Ruanruan, aside from genuine affection, also came from a sense of compensation.

When they were young, Gu Ruanruan’s grandfather had saved Jiang Jianguo’s life, resulting in a disability in his right eye. Grandpa Jiang always felt guilty. As the Jiang family grew larger and the Gu family remained in their small corner, the Jiangs always maintained good relations with them.

Then came the unforeseen tragedy: a plane crash left no survivors among the Gu adults, leaving only a ten-year-old girl. Grandpa Jiang adopted Gu Ruanruan and had pampered her to the extreme ever since.

No matter how much trouble Gu Ruanruan caused at school or home, Grandpa Jiang treated it as a child being playful and settled it with a wave of his hand.

Grandma Jiang had passed away, leaving the old man alone in the vast manor. As he grew older, his desires lessened; he just wanted a “warm little padded jacket” (a caring daughter/sister) to keep him company.

Jiang Cen was cold and disliked closeness; Jiang Xia’an ran around outside every day and hated staying home. That left only Gu Ruanruan to accompany him frequently.

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Cen hadn’t been home for nearly half a month. The old man couldn’t sit still anymore.

Gu Ruanruan was currently home during a school break, “raising herself like a pig” (lounging around). Not long after finishing lunch with the old man, she was called to the study.

“Grandpa!” Her sweet voice arrived before she did.

The wrinkles at the corners of Grandpa Jiang’s eyes crinkled with laughter. “My dear granddaughter, come in quickly.”

Entering the study, Gu Ruanruan discovered that it wasn’t just Grandpa Jiang inside; Jiang Cen, who had been “elusive as a dragon” lately, was also there.

The moment Gu Ruanruan saw Jiang Cen, it was like a mouse seeing a cat. Every hair on her body stood on end, and with a “Snap!”, she stood in a perfect military posture.

She even raised her hand and gave a standard military salute: “Hello, Big Sister!”

Grandpa Jiang: “…”

Jiang Cen: “…”

To Gu Ruanruan, Jiang Cen was a death warrant; looking at her for one extra second shortened her lifespan.

Grandpa Jiang couldn’t help but laugh. “Little Ruanruan, what are you doing?”

Gu Ruanruan: “Grandpa, I’m showing my dear sister my recent changes. I’ve decided to firmly follow in my sisters’ footsteps! My sisters’ glory shines upon the earth! Their sister follows them forever!”

Jiang Cen lowered her eyes and said coolly, “Not thorough enough. One of our entertainment subsidiaries has a good variety show recently. I can send you there tomorrow.”

!!!

The villain is such an angel! Not only does she believe me, she’s introducing me to work! Uuuhuhu, Gu Ruanruan was deeply moved!

Gu Ruanruan asked with stars in her eyes: “Sister, what variety show?”

Jiang Cen looked up, her tone mocking: “Real Men” (A military/boot camp reality show).

Gu Ruanruan: “…” Illusion. It was an illusion just now.

Grandpa Jiang watched them with a smile. “You sisters’ relationship has improved quite a bit. Eldest, you should guide your sister more in the future. She’s still young and very naive; don’t let her be tricked.”

Jiang Cen scanned Gu Ruanruan from head to toe, noncommittal about Grandpa’s “naive” assessment.

That gaze, laden with warning, swept over her body, making Gu Ruanruan’s skin crawl.

Grandpa Jiang pointed to the high stack of gift boxes on the study sofa. “Little Ruanruan, go try on the gowns. Keep two, so your sisters can coordinate their outfits with yours.”

Gu Ruanruan’s eyes twitched as she saw the mountain of at least ten gowns and the “philosophical” location—the sofa.

Unable to resist Grandpa’s expectant gaze, she took a few boxes to the inner lounge to change.

The lounge was actually a bedroom converted from a connecting guest room, fully equipped with facilities and a large full-length mirror.

The face in the mirror was both familiar and strange—it looked like her, but wasn’t her.

The original owner was beautiful. Her pearl-like eyes seemed to hold a clear spring, pure and innocent. A cinnabar mole at the corner of her eye added a touch of charm.

The pale yellow gown complemented her skin tone perfectly. Gu Ruanruan smiled; the sharp hostility between her brows vanished, looking more and more like her original face.

They were two completely different people, but after merging step by step, subtle changes were occurring… yet no one noticed these obvious differences.

Gu Ruanruan changed into ten sets of gowns. Each time she came out, Grandpa Jiang directed Jiang Cen to take photos of her.

Gu Ruanruan was exhausted.

By the eleventh set, she began to resist this real-life version of “Love Nikki.”

She tugged at her skirt and said, “Grandpa, I think this one is fine. Then Big Sister and Second Sister can wear the same red, and we’ll be a ‘Good Luck and Prosperity’ family!”

She remembered the book mentioned Jiang Cen preferred red gowns. Gu Ruanruan figured this was a good chance to suck up!

“A family of Calabash Brothers?” Jiang Cen said coldly (referring to a cartoon where seven brothers wear different colors but identical outfits).

“…” Failed. The flattery missed the mark and hit the horse’s hoof instead.

Gu Ruanruan resigned herself to continuing the fashion show.

Finally, at the last set, Grandpa Jiang showed great satisfaction.

It was an ink-wash Chinese-style gown with layered lotus-leaf hems. It was grand, exquisite, and perfectly balanced.

Looking at the style alone, it shouldn’t have suited Gu Ruanruan, but unexpectedly, she looked exceptionally fitting in it.

Grandpa Jiang was overjoyed. “Little Ruanruan looks just like her grandmother did in her youth. Eldest, take more photos! Pick the best ones for the coming-of-age ceremony to post on that… what-do-you-call-it… Weibo!”

The dress was beautiful, and one could feel the designer’s effort in every stitch… including the materials used.

The layered lotus-leaf design billowed like green waves when she walked, which was gorgeous but also very restrictive. Because there were too many inner linings, Gu Ruanruan could only move forward in tiny, tiny steps, forced into the role of a refined lady.

Grandpa Jiang was truly satisfied with this gown and scouted for the best photo spot. After a quick look around, he found it. Pointing his finger, he said: “Stand at the study door. The pattern on the door matches the dress.”

Gu Ruanruan shuffled to the door and posed while Jiang Cen took photos.

“Eldest, get closer. Take a close-up of her face. Our Little Ruanruan is much better looking than those messy female celebrities.”

“Aiya, closer! Don’t zoom in, the photo will be blurry. Move forward!”

Under Grandpa’s command, the distance between Jiang Cen and Gu Ruanruan grew smaller and smaller.

“Eh~ Little Ruanruan, make a few more expressions for your sister to capture.”

Almost at the exact moment Jiang Cen pressed the shutter, the door behind Gu Ruanruan suddenly moved.

Gu Ruanruan wanted to back away immediately, but the gown’s hem was too large, and for the sake of that “refined lady” silhouette, the internal design was incredibly complex. She couldn’t move her feet at all.

“Wait—” Gu Ruanruan barely got a word out before the door behind her was pushed open heavily.

“This door today…” The person pushing the door froze.

Gu Ruanruan was already unsteady. With that push, combined with her hurry to leave, she accidentally stepped on the inner lining. Her left foot tripped over her right, and with a “Boom,” she fell to the floor.

She wasn’t the one who suffered, because beneath her was a “meat cushion” she had unconsciously pushed down…

Jiang Cen.

The moment they hit the ground, Gu Ruanruan’s complex lotus-leaf gown was caught by the air, flipping up a layer of gauze that landed right over Jiang Cen’s head…

“Heavens… you two… what are you doing!?” Jiang Xia’an performed a “double play,” issuing the exact same exclamation as last time.

Gu Ruanruan’s big, innocent eyes looked at her resentfully.

Second Sister, don’t you look at the situation before opening a door!!!

Gu Ruanruan felt Jiang Cen’s gaze piercing through her.

Some people are alive, but they are already dead.