After Transmigrating as a Scumbag Gong, I Ended Up with the Cannon Fodder - Chapter 1

As evening fell, rain began to pour, its cold, damp air drifting into the room and gradually clearing Yin Man’s muddled mind. She squinted at the torrential downpour outside the window. Just two hours earlier, she had been at work, earning a meager daily wage and meticulously budgeting every penny. Now, even as she sat in her wheelchair, watching the rain, money flowed into her accounts in abundance.

Yin Man unconsciously pulled out her phone and checked her bank balance.

The balance on just one of her accounts silenced her once more.

Yin Man had transmigrated into a book, inhabiting the body of a scum gong who shared her name. The coincidence made her pay particular attention to this character. Only yesterday, she had been complaining about why this crippled and twisted scum gong hadn’t faced retribution yet, and today she found herself in the character’s shoes.

Overnight, she had become the book’s wealthiest woman, but the price was her legs.

The book was titled The Self-Cultivation of a Scum Gong, set in a world where every character, from the female lead to the supporting roles, was a scum gong. The original owner of Yin Man’s body was the pinnacle of scum gongs. Having broken her legs as a child and lost her mother, she grew up with a cold, twisted personality, marked by promiscuity and cruelty.

The author’s descriptions detailed countless girls driven to their deaths by her.

Knock, knock.

The sound of knocking at the door made Yin Man’s heart leap into her throat. Still adjusting to her new identity, she wondered if she would be exposed.

“Come in,” she replied. The door swung open, revealing a pair of white high heels stepping inside first, followed by slender, striking calves. Yin Man couldn’t help but glance down at her own legs, hidden beneath a blanket.

The newcomer’s face was equally striking. Her crisp, short hair couldn’t conceal her delicate beauty, and a fleeting expression of distaste crossed her refreshing features. Though well-masked, Yin Man still caught it. Rummaging through the original owner’s memories, she identified her:

Yin Youxia, the original owner’s younger sister and the female lead of the novel.

Yin Youxia was the only character in the “Scum Gong” genre to achieve redemption. Perhaps because she was the protagonist, she managed to find true love and successfully clear her name even after driving a living person to suicide. Many readers even claimed that Yin Youxia’s emotional distortions stemmed from Yin Man’s influence, arguing that the oppressive control Yin Man exerted had fueled her desperate yearning for freedom.

Naturally, Yin Youxia couldn’t develop feelings for Liu Siyin, her arranged marriage partner. Breaking off the engagement seemed logical. No one could have predicted that Liu Siyin would react so violently, attempting suicide.

Yin Youxia hadn’t intentionally driven Liu Siyin to her death; she simply craved freedom.

Yin Man understood the logic, but why had Yin Youxia waited until after Liu Siyin’s car accident—when she was injured and blinded while saving her—to break off the engagement?

Liu Siyin had been betrothed to Yin Youxia since childhood, raised as a mere tool for a political marriage. Having lost her only value and her sight, how could Yin Youxia not realize this might drive Liu Siyin to suicide?

Perhaps she did.

Overall, though, Yin Youxia was already one of the best “Scum Gongs” in this world overflowing with them.

Yin Youxia’s gaze paused, and she opened her mouth. “Sister.”

Yin Youxia and Yin Man were half-sisters, sharing the same father but different mothers. Yin Youxia was six years younger than the original owner of her body. The original owner had been a psychopath who once locked eight-year-old Yin Youxia in a dog cage, separated by a wire mesh. On one side was the terrified girl; on the other, a rabid dog snarled and clawed at the wire.

In the darkness, only the sounds of the dog’s claws scraping against the mesh and its teeth tearing at the wire could be heard. By the time Yin Youxia was found, she had been driven to madness by terror.

It took over a year for her to recover, but the ordeal left her with claustrophobia and a crippling fear of dogs—especially dogs.

Knowing Yin Youxia’s extreme fear, Yin Man still kept a pet dog, bringing it everywhere with her like a shadow, deliberately tormenting Yin Youxia. The original owner could be considered the greatest villain in the entire story, the shadow haunting the female lead and the tormentor of her true love. This was why Yin Youxia eventually snapped, rebelling and scheming against the seemingly unshakeable Yin Man.

The novel remained unfinished, leaving the original owner’s villainous fate unresolved. Yet, across the book reviews, readers unanimously clamored for the scum to die, praising Yin Youxia as the ultimate “gong” (dominant partner). Yin Man herself yearned for Yin Youxia’s demise, but the occasional memory of the deceased Liu Siyin prevented her from fully endorsing the latter.

“What is it?” Yin Man asked, forcing her tone to sound sharp and icy, determined to maintain the original owner’s volatile persona. Her deliberate act stunned Yin Youxia. In the past, Yin Man would have already been smashing things at her sight. Today, she was calmly asking what she wanted.

Yin Youxia suppressed her surprise. Who knew what tricks Yin Man was playing now?

She loathed Yin Man, yet she couldn’t win against her. Though physically disabled, Yin Man’s elder brother was the heir to the Yin Family. Despite her eccentric and morbid nature, Yin Man possessed an uncanny knack for investment, securing considerable profits for the family. If she weren’t disabled, Yin Youxia’s position would be even more precarious.

Just a few more years, Yin Youxia thought, clenching her fists secretly. Sooner or later, I’ll crush Yin Man beneath my feet.

Forcing herself to remain composed, she said, “Mom and Dad asked if you wanted to join us in Yuzukawa. They’re serving some new dishes there that are supposed to be excellent.”

Yin Youxia resented her mother’s excessive fawning over Yin Man and her own powerlessness, which forced her to feign subservience in Yin Man’s presence.

“Can I bring my dog?” Yin Man’s lips curled into a bright smile, yet it was filled with cruelty and mockery. Yin Youxia’s body began to tremble uncontrollably. Her fear of dogs was etched into her very bones, and she stammered, unable to speak.

Yin Man paused slightly, suppressing the upward curve of her lips.

That question hadn’t been what she intended to ask. She had meant to inquire about the menu, but it was as if some unseen force had manipulated her thoughts, causing her to blurt out those words that struck so painfully at Yin Youxia’s wounds.

Could it be the original owner’s influence?

Just as Yin Man was about to offer a comforting remark, Yin Youxia forced herself to reply, “Yes, you can.”

It seemed that as long as she went, anything was permissible.

This immediately reminded Yin Man of the timeline. She had transmigrated to the very beginning of the story, to a time when Yin Youxia still bowed her head to Yin Man at every turn—a Yin Youxia who was not yet strong enough to resist, who allowed herself to be manipulated.

The Yin Family’s current standing depended entirely on the support from Yin Man’s late mother’s family. Because Yin Man refused to accept her stepmother, many people openly and secretly tried to undermine them. Even though Yin Nanbai doted on and protected Yin Man, he dared not openly confront her, knowing the power her maternal grandfather’s family wielded.

This was why Yin Youxia later went to such extremes, even seducing her cousin in an attempt to latch onto the Mei Family’s influence and overthrow Yin Man.

But because her cousin was gentle and kind, utterly unlike Yin Man’s cruelty, Yin Youxia genuinely fell in love. When Yin Man exposed her true motives to Miss Mei, her first thought wasn’t about being trampled by Yin Man again, but about losing Miss Mei.

Her confession and apology were desperate attempts to win her back.

Now, she hadn’t yet met that compassionate woman, that savior who would protect her.

A cruel impulse surged through Yin Man’s heart. Her cold lips curled into a smirk, the words poised to escape, but she swallowed them back, suppressing the thought. For a moment, she had actually wanted Yin Youxia to hug the dog.

The original owner’s resentment truly couldn’t bear to see Yin Youxia happy.

Yin Man pressed her throbbing temples. How could I be such an unlucky transmigrator? Not only am I crippled, but I can’t even control the original owner’s lingering will.

“Go,” she said, likely agreeing out of guilt.

Yin Youxia looked up, slightly surprised. “Really?”

Perhaps scarred by countless deceptions from the original owner, Yin Man nodded, observing Yin Youxia’s pale face, the beads of sweat on her forehead, and the flicker of hope in her eyes.

“I’m going to find Xiao You now.” Xiao You was the original owner’s dog.

The name, taken from Yin Youxia’s name, carried an unspoken insult.

Yin Youxia endured all of this. She knew that such a person would become truly terrifying when driven mad.

As the story progressed, Yin Man gradually lost ground. Though the ending remained unseen, it was easy to imagine it wouldn’t be pleasant. In the later chapters, Yin Youxia became a madly beautiful villainess, while the current Yin Youxia could only be described as resentful yet hopeful—hoping Yin Man would change for the better, hoping she would accept them, so that both the Yin and Mei families would accept them, and their lives would slowly improve.

Despite sharing the same surname, Yin Youxia’s mother was an ordinary woman, lacking both political savvy and a powerful family background. With two young children still under her care, she dared not challenge the eagle before her own wings had fully matured.

Yin Man had always been the true heiress of the Yin Family. It was only because her legs were impaired that Yin Youxia had been given so many opportunities to shine.

Fear, hatred, and hope—what a tangled web of emotions.

Yin Youxia was about to go find the dog when Yin Man stopped her. “Don’t bother.”

Yin Youxia stared in disbelief. Yin Man averted her gaze, afraid of giving herself away, but she simply couldn’t bring herself to rub salt into Yin Youxia’s wounds.

Yin Man cleared her throat lightly. “Don’t wait for me to change my mind.”

Yin Youxia immediately brightened, her gloomy expression vanishing as she rushed forward to push Yin Man’s wheelchair. Yin Man grabbed her phone and was wheeled out of the room. She understood Yin Youxia’s excitement—going out together as mother and daughter was a tacit acknowledgment of their relationship. Regardless of Yin Man’s true feelings, at least fewer people would bother them now, trying to impress her.

After all, Yin Youxia was still just a nineteen-year-old girl, not yet skilled at controlling her emotions.

The house’s stairs had been specially modified with gentle ramps to accommodate the original owner. As Yin Youxia pushed her downstairs, her gaze fell upon a woman sitting on the sofa, her eyes turning cold. “What are you doing here?”

The woman appeared slightly older than Yin Youxia, her exquisite features sculpted to perfection, without a single flaw. Long, silky hair framed her face, and her watery eyes veiled with a misty layer as she met Yin Youxia’s gaze. Her soft voice carried a hint of warmth. “Auntie asked me to come.”

When her eyes landed on Yin Man in the wheelchair, a flicker of fear crossed her face. “Sister Man.”

Yin Man nodded. She recognized her—this was Liu Siyin.

In the original novel, Liu Siyin wore a knee-length skirt that revealed her fair calves. Her skin was as white and translucent as snow and jade, so flawless it was mesmerizing to behold.

Yin Youxia, however, looked down on her, unable to conceal her disdain. “You came just because she told you to? You’re a Liu, not a Yin.”

“I’ll be a Yin eventually,” Liu Siyin replied. As someone raised as a tool, she had been thoroughly brainwashed.

Liu Siyin lacked a distinct personality, possessing only a gentle temperament. She was like a delicate dodder vine, clinging to others for support.

The original novel offered few details about Liu Siyin. She was merely a cannon fodder character, introduced solely to create tragedy for the female lead, to highlight her determination to resist oppressive forces, her defiance against arranged marriages, and her yearning for freedom.

The novel never even revealed that she was such a beauty.

The universal human appreciation for beauty made Yin Man feel even more pity for Liu Siyin. In the few passages devoted to her, she was depicted as an illegitimate daughter whose mother died early. Because of her good looks and Liu family bloodline, she was brought back and raised as a tool for arranged marriages.

To the Liu Family, she was a tool for a strategic marriage. To the Yin Family, she was a commodity for trade. To Yin Youxia, she was a rope binding her freedom.

To herself, she lived solely to marry into the Yin Family.

If that failed, death was the only alternative.

A flicker of pity surfaced in Yin Man’s eyes. “Now that you’re here, let’s go to Yuzukawa and try their new dishes.”

Not only Yin Youxia but Liu Siyin also stared in astonishment, her eyes widening in surprise.