The Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character Alpha Decides to Go On Strike (GL) - Chapter 26.1

Su Li tried to change the subject.

She asked Chen Yue: “How much does this band charge to play for a night here?”

“Not expensive.” Chen Yue spread five fingers. “Five or six hundred.”

Su Li was a little surprised: “That cheap?”

She wasn’t very familiar with the rates, but with four performers on stage, that money split between them was only a little over a hundred each.

Chen Yue smiled and said: “This band just formed, they’re not famous, they’re here to gain some experience, so they charge very little.”

Hearing this, Lu Lu complained: “Boss Chen, it’s not like you can’t afford a good band, why are you being cheap and letting these novices perform?”

As she spoke, she popped a segment of orange into her mouth: “Be careful you don’t lower the bar’s standard.”

“Being fresh has its own benefits. Those guys haven’t even graduated yet, and they have a clean vibe.” Chen Yue narrowed her eyes, then suddenly said, “Besides, don’t you think the cool-looking Omega lead singer in the band is especially cute?”

“Oh,” Lu Lu dragged out the final syllable. “Your true intention isn’t the wine.”

She craned her neck to find the lead singer, quickly spotting a young girl in a punk miniskirt on the stage. She teased with a “tsk tsk”: “Have you no shame? An old cow eating tender grass.”

Chen Yue argued: “I only graduated four years ago, don’t label me. ” After speaking, she murmured softly: “Besides, I haven’t even gotten to eat yet…”

“Stop arguing,” Su Li reminded them, “The performance is starting.”

The two stopped bickering and turned to watch the band perform on stage.

After a few seconds of absolute silence, a cheerful melody flowed from the guitarist’s fingertips, slowly filling the entire bar. Then, the lead singer began. The deliberately lowered voice couldn’t hide its youthful tone, giving an unnatural feeling of a child wearing adult clothes, but thankfully it wasn’t annoying, rather quite amusing.

Su Li recalled her college days, momentarily engrossed, and lightly tapped a rhythm on her thigh. Suddenly, she felt her hand being held. She turned her head and saw Shen Mo’s eyes, bright as stars.

“What’s wrong?” Su Li leaned in and asked in a low voice.

Shen Mo’s finger ambiguously traced her palm: “Your college life must have been very exciting.”

Su Li thought she didn’t care about this, but didn’t expect her to suddenly bring it up. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, smiling self-consciously: “It was alright.”

“What do you mean by ‘alright’?” Shen Mo leaned back lazily on the sofa, then suddenly reached up and untied her ponytail, letting her slightly curled long hair fall over her shoulders.

When she looked sideways, her eyes were slightly narrowed, naturally revealing the oppressive aura unique to a person in authority. Coupled with that cool and stunning face, it made Su Li’s heart beat uncontrollably.

Su Li held her hand, thought for a moment, and said: “It was probably in my third year of college. Academics weren’t too busy, so I joined a music club. After learning an instrument for a while, I just messed around with the others.”

She chuckled awkwardly: “To be honest, it was just youthful shenanigans. When the weather was nice, we’d carry our equipment to the playground and play and sing. We didn’t have high ambitions, and we didn’t have any burdens either.”

Student life was probably the purest and easiest time in anyone’s life. To this day, Su Li could still recall the night breeze that swept across the playground back then.

Shen Mo looked at her intently, her expression actually showing a hint of regret. “I really wish I could have seen you then.”

“Pfft.” Su Li couldn’t help but laugh and asked for confirmation, “You really want to see it?”

Shen Mo smiled: “Yes.”

“That’s not hard.” Su Li leaned closer, poked her nose. “You just wait, I’ll find a chance.”

Shen Mo smiled softly: “Okay.”

When the band finished their third song and took a break, Su Li went up to negotiate with them. With Chen Yue, the boss, supporting her, she successfully borrowed a guitar and microphone.

So, the band members stepped down for a temporary rest, and Su Li sat on the stage alone.

She attempted to strum a chord. Her technique was rusty, but thankfully she could still roughly remember the sheet music. She turned to look at Shen Mo sitting on the sofa, cleared her throat, leaned towards the microphone, and played her first note after a gap of two or three years.

Su Li was very focused during the performance. She wasn’t sure how good the effect was, but she did her best to ensure she didn’t play a wrong note or forget the lyrics. When the entire song was flawlessly performed, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief, giving herself a passing grade in her heart.

But the audience below was very supportive, giving warm applause. Su Li turned to see Shen Mo’s expression, but at the table, the tactless Lu Lu excitedly stood up to cheer for her, blocking Shen Mo who was sitting behind.

She thought for a moment and said into the microphone: “The next song is dedicated to the most important person here for me.”

Lu Lu rolled her eyes at her from afar, covering her mouth with her hands to form four exaggerated words. Su Li could make out “Seeing, Lust, Forgetting, Righteousness” (a playful variant of a common idiom).

She lowered her head and chuckled, then started her next performance on her own.

“Love is the most daring word, but one day, we met.”

“I admit everything was a bit presumptuous, but if the heart’s flutter had a trace, I’d be willing to explain the cause.”

“Clouds rise and fog recedes, letting the yearning spread. I will forever be devoted to you, without concealment.”

“I will forever be devoted to you, without concealment…”

Perhaps because the lyrics perfectly matched her current feelings, Su Li’s face was slightly flushed when the song ended.

She subconsciously turned to look at Shen Mo again. This time there was no obstacle, and their eyes met.

Across the distance, Su Li couldn’t clearly see Shen Mo’s exact expression, but she still curved her lips to convey her feelings.

After singing two songs, she returned the equipment to the band and walked lightly off the stage.

Just as she was about to go back, a few young girls came over and stopped her.

“Miss, you sing so well!” Someone leaned closer to her. “Can we exchange contact information?”

Su Li politely declined: “Thank you, I was just casually singing. Contact information… is not necessary.”

“Will you be a regular here?” The girl pushed to the front was very bold, tugging at her arm and whining, “Just one, just one. We’ll come often to support you.”

“I’m not,” Su Li repeated. “I just went up on a whim to make a fool of myself.”

Seeing that these excuses couldn’t deter the girls, she thought for a moment, lifted her hand, and showed the diamond ring on her ring finger: “Mmm, sorry, I have to go. My partner is waiting for me to go back.”

The girls’ faces immediately fell: “You’re married?”

“Yes, I am.” Su Li lifted her chin proudly.

Marrying Shen Mo was truly something she could boast about for a lifetime!

“Alas!” The other party let go of her, pouting sadly: “As expected, all the good Alphas are off the market. Here’s a case of early marriage.”

After complaining, the group was straightforward. They waved goodbye and turned to leave.

Su Li successfully got away and returned to her table.

As soon as she sat down, she immediately wiped her forehead and let out a long sigh.

“History really does repeat itself amazingly.” Lu Lu put her arm on her shoulder. “Did you get hit on by girls again?”

Su Li raised her hand and patted Lu Lu’s arm, an empty threat.

“Pretty face gets all the perks.” Chen Yue shrugged and joined the teasing: “This time it happened right in front of me, I can’t cover for you anymore.”

“What are you all implying?” The three had been friends for many years and could handle a joke. Su Li curved her eyes and countered: “You make it sound like I’m really irresponsible.”

She looked at Shen Mo and explained simply: “They didn’t know I was married and came over to chat for a bit, but they left once I clarified.”

“Haha, why are you nervously explaining it?” Lu Lu laughed at her. “Sister-in-law looks like a generous person who wouldn’t care what you said to a young girl.”

“That much is true,” Chen Yue raised her glass. “Come on, let’s have a drink.”

The four clinked glasses, and Chen Yue and Lu Lu’s attention returned to the band on stage.

Su Li noticed Shen Mo seemed distracted and leaned over to whisper: “What are you thinking about?”

Shen Mo looked up at her and suddenly asked: “What did you chat about?”

“Huh?” Su Li reacted and grinned: “What’s the matter? Shouldn’t the generous President Shen not mind such a small thing?”

Shen Mo was very open about it, only saying: “That wasn’t what I said myself.”

She tilted her head: “Does asking this mean I’m not generous?”

“Not exactly.” Su Li leaned in, gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “So you really want to know?”

Shen Mo touched the diamond ring on her ring finger: “…You don’t have to tell me.” She turned her head to look elsewhere.

Su Li held her hand.

After a moment’s thought, she said: “They complimented my singing and wanted my contact information, but I didn’t give it to them.” She looked at Shen Mo: “I’ve been back this long, and I haven’t heard President Shen praise me once, so…”

She deliberately whispered the last sentence next to Shen Mo’s ear: “Did my performance fail to capture President Shen’s heart?”

Shen Mo turned back: “So, the ‘most important person’ you mentioned, was…”

“Of course it’s you, it can only be you,” Su Li eagerly interrupted. “Otherwise, why would I have the audacity to borrow equipment from the band just because you said you wanted to hear it? Both songs were sung for you.”

Shen Mo tried hard to maintain a calm expression, but the slight curve of her lips betrayed her.

On the other side, Chen Yue suddenly turned back: “Su Li, how did you manage to court someone with a cool demeanor like Shen Mo? Tell me, I need some lessons.”

Su Li blinked.

She asked with a smile: “What’s up, are you going to make a move on that cool lead singer?”

“I’ve already expressed my interest,” Chen Yue awkwardly rubbed her nose. “But the girl doesn’t seem to be into my style. I haven’t even gotten her phone number yet.”

“Pfft.” Lu Lu laughed exaggeratedly. “So you do get snubbed sometimes, huh?”

Chen Yue shot her a side glance.

Su Li stroked her chin and began to think: “How did I court her… I can’t give much advice, I barely even courted Shen Mo.”

“Huh?” Both Lu Lu and Chen Yue stared at her.

Su Li shrugged: “No exaggeration. Back then, I, ahem, Shen Mo agreed as soon as I confessed.”

Shen Mo leisurely took a bite of food next to her, nodding in agreement.

“I get it,” Lu Lu told Chen Yue. “She won with her looks. You can’t learn that trick.”

Chen Yue was so angry she leaned over to pinch her.

She didn’t give up and looked at Shen Mo again: “Then Shen Mo, besides her looks, what else about Su Li attracted you?”

Both Shen Mo and the lead singer were of the cool, aloof type, so it wasn’t strange for Chen Yue to ask this.

But hearing the question, Su Li’s heart also leaped. Their relationship was currently good, and their interactions were very harmonious, but she had never deeply explored why Shen Mo had agreed to her proposal immediately back then.

Now that Chen Yue had asked the question, she was greatly anticipating Shen Mo’s answer.

Seeing that all three at the table were staring at her, Shen Mo elegantly put down her chopsticks.

She looked at Su Li, the star-sea in her eyes sparkling: “I like everything about you.”

Su Li couldn’t stop herself from smiling, while the other two, who were being fed a spoonful of public display of affection, widened their eyes.

Lu Lu realized belatedly and looked at Chen Yue: “I think you’re out of luck. People like them are hard to win over unless they like you themselves.”

Then, she sought confirmation from Shen Mo: “Am I right?”

Shen Mo shrugged, only saying: “I don’t know if the lead singer she likes is like that.”

Su Li couldn’t resist asking: “But you yourself are like that?”

Shen Mo tilted her head to look at her, and after two seconds, nodded lightly: “Mhm.”

Su Li could no longer hide her feelings, leaning over to give her lover a quick kiss on the cheek.

“That’s enough, you two.” Chen Yue, soured by the sight, turned her face away and covered her eyes with her hand. “Stop this. I’m going to get eye strain.”

“Go look at your band girl,” Su Li retorted with a smile, showing no weakness. “I’m not kissing her for you to watch anyway.”

This earned her a chorus of boos from her two friends. After a short period of laughter and teasing, the atmosphere returned to harmony.

As the dinner neared its end, Su Li noticed that Shen Mo wasn’t very enthusiastic—she would respond seriously when others spoke to her, and everything seemed normal. But Su Li, being close to her, could sense that she was pouting a little.

“Do you like this kind of food?” Su Li whispered next to her ear.

Shen Mo slightly moved away, then nodded lightly.

“Why do you look a little unhappy?” Su Li tucked the stray hair behind her ear.

She suddenly remembered something, curved her lips, and teased: “Is President Shen still bothered about me being hit on earlier?”

“You sing very well,” Shen Mo gave a non sequitur answer.

Su Li blinked in confusion.

Shen Mo looked at her and continued: “You play the guitar well, you sing well, and the performance was very exciting.”

Su Li seemed to understand her train of thought. She had earlier half-jokingly complained that the girls who hit on her had complimented her, but Shen Mo hadn’t reacted. But then their conversation was interrupted by Chen Yue. Now, Shen Mo said these two sentences, as if afraid of being outshone by those strangers.

“Pfft.” Then, she laughed happily, cleared her throat, and said, “Thank you.”

She raised an eyebrow at Shen Mo: “So, does President Shen want my contact information?”

Shen Mo looked puzzled, then confessed: “…I already have it.”

Her eyes were clear when she said this, her expression a little innocent, looking pure and harmless.

Su Li was so charmed her heart pounded. She reached out and pulled the person into her arms, whispering next to her ear: “Don’t be angry anymore, okay? I’m not comparing you to those strangers. In my heart, no one else is even qualified to be compared to you.”

Shen Mo blinked, gave a low “Mhm,” but her expression didn’t change much.

So Su Li kissed her cheek: “There, a kiss makes it all better, okay?”

“Huh?” Hearing this, Shen Mo turned her head to look at her in confusion.

Su Li rubbed her nose against hers: “What’s wrong? You disagree?”

The next moment, she heard Shen Mo ask: “Why does it make me less angry if you kiss me?”

Su Li couldn’t understand what she meant: “Then what do you think we should do?”

“Shouldn’t I kiss you so I can get over it?” With that, Shen Mo leaned in, her lips gently brushing the corner of Su Li’s mouth.

Her lips followed Su Li’s cheek, pecking all the way to her ear, then she sighed contentedly: “There.”