The Real Daughter Needs Saving by This Vicious Female Cannon Fodder? - Chapter 19

“I already said it’s my treat today—drink whatever you want, eat whatever you like, no need to hold back~”

Gu Xia lounged on the KTV sofa, gazing at the spread of snacks they’d ordered, feeling genuinely pleased.

Her obvious delight made others speculate frequently—had she really gotten together with the person she liked?

“Xiaxia, who was that person you messaged today?”

“Is it really your significant other?”

“If it is, why not tell us?”

“We all want to know who our department’s top beauty is dating!”

As the nosy classmates closed in, Gu Xia grew a little embarrassed.

Heh, these people… It really was a case of the emperor not worrying while the eunuchs fretted!

If Ning Anran were her girlfriend, what would the male lead even do—jump up and knee her in the face?

“It’s not even close to happening yet, so stop asking.”

Outright denial wouldn’t work—these sharp-eyed friends, as cunning as five-hundred-year-old stone monkeys, would never let her off the hook.

Better to compromise.

Gu Xia changed tactics, admitting she hadn’t managed to win Ning Anran over.

“No way~ No way~ Xiaxia, there’s actually someone you can’t get?”

“Impossible! If someone as gorgeous as you can’t land a partner, should the rest of us just jump off a building?”

The sycophantic flattery was music to her ears!

But bitter medicine cures, and honest advice grates.

Gu Xia understood this well—after all, in her past life, she’d died with that clarity.

Ah, the readers will get it.

No need to say more!

“You just don’t get it. Imagine if that person is more talented, more attractive than me… how could I possibly win them over?”

Slender fingers curled around her glass, the sharp scent of whiskey rushing into her nose.

She gave it an exaggerated swirl, listening to the ice clink against the crystal, her eyes brimming with “inquisitive” desire.

Asking that unreliable System was pointless—better to consult these love-savvy classmates.

Even a failed art student could pull off something big.

The moment she posed the question, everyone chimed in.

“It’s simple, Xiaxia. If they’re better-looking and more talented, are they richer?”

“Just throw money at them!”

The eager advice-giver seemed convinced of their wisdom.

“Don’t just hand over cash—that’s too crass. Put some thought into it, give them something they’d love!”

Wasn’t that obvious?

Did they think she was a complete idiot?

“I’ve already tried all that.”

She took a sip of her drink.

Suddenly, their suggestions felt meaningless. It seemed the real key to winning someone over was genuine effort.

……

Having finished her work, Ning Anran was about to leave when a lazy voice called out from behind her.

“Hey, newbie.”

“Go buy us seniors some coffee.”

“Hmm… I’ll take a mocha.”

The man removed his employee badge, rubbing his neck with a tired expression.

Squinting, he sized up Ning Anran’s figure, clearly confident this rookie wouldn’t dare defy him.

A saccharine female voice chimed in: “Yeah, newbie, just because you finished your work early doesn’t mean you can ignore your seniors.”

“Be a good girl and go get us coffee.”

“I’ll have a latte.”

Ning Anran was no stranger to the twists and turns of workplace politics. Even as she crouched in the corner of a barbecue joint peeling potatoes with a peeler, self-proclaimed senior colleagues would boss her around.

The remaining few in the office slowly raised their hands, eyeing Ning Anran with the unmistakable expectation that the newcomer should treat them to drinks.

Her phone rang at the most inopportune moment.

Glancing down, Ning Anran didn’t hang up.

Because it was Gu Xia calling.

As soon as the screen touched her ear, she heard Gu Xia’s slightly drunken breathing.

“Ning Anran… will you come pick me up today?”

“Are you busy… Ning Anran, are you off work yet?”

Unlike her usual haughty tone, Gu Xia’s voice now was soft and sweet, almost saccharine.

Her small voice stood in stark contrast to the noisy background music.

“Hey, newbie, are you listening?”

“Don’t play deaf. If you don’t even know basic etiquette, how do you expect our team leader to keep you on?”

“Just quit after your three-month internship and get lost!”

Ning Anran didn’t hang up. Instead, she calmly said to Gu Xia, “Wait a moment.”

“I’ll come get you right away.”

This was tantamount to refusing the coffee run these people had demanded. Slinging her jacket over her arm, she pushed her chair back.

The sound of the wheels rolling was sharp. The two ringleaders flushed red with anger.

“Get your own coffee.”

“Seniors, if your tasks aren’t done, kindly keep working.”

Under the awed gazes of the new recruits and the furious glares of her seniors, Ning Anran walked out with effortless composure.

“You’ve got some nerve!”

“What, you won’t even listen to us veterans? Let me tell you, if you think you’ll survive the three-month probation—”

The man lost his temper, yanking his employee badge off his neck and slamming it onto the table with a loud bang, trying to intimidate her.

But she didn’t even acknowledge him.

Stepping into the elevator, Ning Anran checked her phone. The call had been going for several minutes, the seconds still ticking.

She was slightly puzzled—Gu Xia hadn’t hung up.

“Ning Anran… how dare they treat you like that!”

Gu Xia’s cheeks were faintly flushed, her heart aching. If she hadn’t been drunk, she might have hidden her concern.

After all, before her awakening, she had done the same things to the female lead. Now, she had no right to question others.

“I’m used to it.”

“Why are you so worked up, though?”

Ning Anran hailed a taxi. In the past, to save money, she would have walked to the subway.

“I just can’t stand it! Why don’t you quit that company? Shengding Group isn’t even that great…”

Listening to her ramble, the frustration Ning Anran had built up from the earlier confrontation melted away.

“Miss Gu, if I don’t work, I’ll starve.”

Ning Anran even felt a playful urge, like teasing a cat. Right now, Gu Xia wasn’t much different from the stray kittens she saw on the streets—acting sweet just to earn affection, care, and a bite to eat.

“Who says you’ll starve?”

“Ning Anran, I won’t allow you to belittle yourself like this. Wouldn’t that mean my judgment in choosing people is terrible?”

“Besides, if you really can’t find a job…”

“I can take care of you.”

“Take care of you… for a lifetime.”

“You wouldn’t need to work outside, just look after me… no wait, I… I shouldn’t be so selfish.”

“Ning Anran, you must believe in yourself… you’re not an ordinary person…”

Drunk and drowsy, Gu Xia gradually grew sleepy as she spoke.

She fought against the drunken urge to confess everything.

Swallowing those last few words back down.

—You’re the young mistress of Yuanye Group.

Ning Anran, how could you ever be ordinary?