The Real Daughter Needs Saving by This Vicious Female Cannon Fodder? - Chapter 38

Seriously!!!

What was her sister even saying?

It sounded like she was about to be whisked away into a bridal chamber with Ning Anran—was she really that desperate?

“Well, Host, you are just a little bit…”

“I—I am not!”

“System, not everyone is as shameless as you! I’m a very innocent girl!”

“Innocent, got it?!”

“Would you like some ginger tea?”

“You got caught in the rain outside—it’s best to have a cup.”

Ning Anran deftly draped a towel over Gu Xia’s hair, gently brushing away the droplets clinging to her.

The coaxing tone, as if speaking to a child, melted Gu Xia’s heart. Without thinking, she responded softly.

“Okay, I’ll have some.”

“Ning Anran, make sure to add extra sugar. I’m afraid it might be too spicy.”

Hearing her aversion to spice, Ning Anran tucked the towel into the crook of her arm.

“I know.”

What was with that inexplicable smile? Ning Anran was seriously playing dirty.

Did the female lead even realize how breathtaking she was?!

The bedroom’s air conditioning had long been turned up. Gu Xia couldn’t help but feel like Ning Anran was the true master of this place, while she was merely a guest.

She really… was being taken care of so well by Ning Anran.

Tying up her own dark hair, Ning Anran walked over to the tea station with practiced ease, retrieving the ginger and sugar she had prepared earlier.

“Hey, hey, hey, Host, what’s with this sudden sense of entitlement while enjoying yourself?!”

“Our main goal right now is to turn the female lead’s negative favorability into positive favorability!”

The system chimed in, reminding its host of her current “mission.”

“Oh crap, System, I totally forgot! I still have a mission to complete—I need to be extra nice to Ning Anran!”

“Thanks, System. Consider this your ‘Three-Virtues System Award.'”

Gu Xia darted over to Ning Anran’s side, watching as she skillfully brewed the tea.

Her fingers hovered over the counter, hesitant to interrupt Ning Anran’s focused movements.

“Why are you standing here? Eager for tea?”

“You’ll have to wait a bit longer.”

“Let me wash your favorite spoon first.”

What was with that tone, as if she were talking to a kindergarten kid? Gu Xia’s fingers twitched forward, catching the hem of Ning Anran’s clothes.

Her voice was soft, almost pleading.

“Ning Anran, let me do it.”

“You gave me your coat and got soaked in the rain too.”

“Let me make ginger tea for you.”

The second young miss, who had never done anything like this before, was offering to make tea for her. Ning Anran froze, genuinely wondering for a second if Gu Xia had ever brewed ginger tea in her life.

“You know how?”

The second young miss had always been prideful. Even if Ning Anran doubted Gu Xia’s skills, she didn’t outright dismiss her sudden enthusiasm to help.

“No.”

Gu Xia shook her head, a little dejected. She had never cooked for anyone before—not even her beloved sister.

Come to think of it, Gu Lindong’s earlier scolding of her as “heartless” outside the villa wasn’t entirely unfounded.

“Ning Anran, but… I can learn.”

“Will you teach me?”

How hard could brewing tea be? It wasn’t like she was going to blow the place up, right?

“It’s not that extreme, Host.”

“As your beloved system, my primary mission is still to prevent you, the host, from dying due to such trivial mistakes!”

“Want to learn?”

Ning Anran stepped aside from her position, and Gu Xia immediately understood, slipping right in.

The scent from her body drifted into Ning Anran’s nose—exactly the same as before.

Strange, the perfume she liked seemed to have become much more subdued these days. Unlike before, when it was so overpowering it made people frown involuntarily.

And there was also the strong smell of alcohol mixed in.

Ning Anran knew that the art students often went out to party, drink, and play games to find inspiration.

Many times when she came to pick Gu Xia up, the girl was completely wasted.

There were even a few occasions when Gu Xia had thrown up all over her.

Gu Xia stared at the simple tea set in front of her, recalling the latter half of that cliché Mary Sue novel—the part where she lived a hard life in a rented apartment.

How hard could brewing tea be? A piece of cake!

But the moment she reached out, Ning Anran’s fingers wrapped around the back of her hand.

“Don’t grab it directly like that. It’s hot.”

To make teaching easier, Ning Anran was leaning forward, her slightly cool cheek pressed against Gu Xia’s burning one.

Gu Xia stood frozen, completely forgetting that her main task was to brew ginger tea for Ning Anran.

Somehow, as if possessed, she managed to finish making the tea.

Though to say she brewed it herself—Gu Xia wasn’t shameless enough to claim that.

“Not going to drink what you made?”

Ning Anran picked up a delicate little spoon, blew on it lightly, and brought it to Gu Xia’s lips.

The scent of ginger spread—not exactly pleasant, but not unpleasant either.

Yet on this rainy night, Gu Xia felt warmth spreading through her chest and stomach.

“You first—” Before she could finish saying “drink,” the spoon was already in her mouth. Only after seeing her take a sip did Ning Anran relax.

“No way. This is something you made yourself.”

“You should be the first to taste it.”

If only she really had made it herself.

Since when was Ning Anran so good at sweet-talking?! Even better than her dear older sister!

Congratulations, Host. Female Lead’s Favorability +1.

Gu Xia: ???

Why did Ning Anran always raise her favorability at the weirdest moments?!

“Want more? I’ll keep feeding you, Second Miss.”

With her back pressed against the counter behind her, Gu Xia felt as though she was completely trapped in Ning Anran’s embrace.

“I… want more.”

Of course, she couldn’t refuse!

After finally managing to ease Ning Anran’s wariness tonight, she couldn’t let all her efforts go to waste over a single sentence.

“Then you have to finish it all.”

“Gu Xia.”

Unlike when others called her name, the moment Ning Anran said it, Gu Xia felt half her body go weak.

Was she turning into one of those debauched emperors from novels?

All sorts of unspeakable scenarios swirled in Gu Xia’s mind. To understand the world of the novel, she had spent the past few days reading plenty of fiction.

Unsurprisingly, she either ended up too furious at the cliché plots to sleep or cried so much her eyes were swollen all night.

With Ning Anran this close, it felt like she might kiss her any second.

But…if Ning Anran wanted to kiss her, it wouldn’t be unacceptable.

Ning Anran was so beautiful, and kissing her was truly comfortable—so gentle too.

Without realizing it, Gu Xia swallowed hard, feeling she was becoming somewhat addicted to this sensation.

The feeling…of being kissed by Ning Anran.