The Real Daughter Needs Saving by This Vicious Female Cannon Fodder? - Chapter 61

“I know.”

“This isn’t something friends should do.”

Ning Anran pressed her moist lips close to Gu Xia’s ear and enunciated each word clearly: “But this is exactly what a servant should do.”

Why bring that up again?

Gu Xia sighed inwardly. She thought she and the female lead had already progressed to the “best friends” stage, yet Ning Anran kept reopening old wounds.

Was she trying to remind her of that humiliating past?

“But if you don’t like it, I won’t do it again.”

Ning Anran exercised perfect restraint in such matters—never crossing the line, never falling short.

“I…”

Here it comes—that clichéd response found in every cheesy Mary Sue romance novel!

Gu Xia felt that even if it went against her conscience, she couldn’t let Ning Anran get hurt because of her. Besides, Ning Anran’s actions hadn’t actually made her feel “against her conscience” at all.

“I don’t dislike it.”

“But… being seen like that by so many people, Ning Anran… I’m a little embarrassed.”

Might as well be honest and lay all the cards on the table.

What’s pride worth anyway?

“But the way you looked just now seemed angry. I thought you were upset that I wasn’t taking the initiative.”

Ning Anran adjusted Gu Xia’s scarf and coat, which she had messed up earlier, ignoring her roommate’s exaggerated reactions.

The people across from them didn’t pay any attention to their actions either—after all, this place was notorious as a lovers’ rendezvous spot. Wasn’t it perfectly normal to randomly come across a few couples here?

“The way I looked when I was angry?”

Ah, what did she look like when she was angry? Gu Xia’s mind went blank; she couldn’t recall at all what her angry expression was like.

“Mhm, you used to look like that often.”

“Not so much anymore.”

“Have I gotten better at serving you?”

Ning Anran let go of the clothes she was adjusting and instead took Gu Xia’s hands in hers. The weather was cold, and Gu Xia’s hands had turned icy after being outside for just a short while.

Her fingers slipped between Gu Xia’s, warming them with her body heat—something Ning Anran had done so many times it had become almost instinctive.

……

“This place is so boring. Should we go check out that area instead?”

A girl who had been looking around the campus complained. After taking a few photos of some wandering pigeons, she lost interest and wanted to move elsewhere to continue snapping pictures.

“Definitely not! That area’s full of couples. Do you really want us two single dogs to go there and suffer?”

The other girl grabbed her hand and tried to pull her back. Meanwhile, Ning Jin, who was standing nearby, frowned.

Two women hugging and clinging to each other in broad daylight—how utterly improper!

Disgusted, she averted her gaze and turned away with the other two.

Imperial Capital University had been her parents’ choice for her before she decided to study abroad. But later, Ning Jin felt that domestic education was merely passable and opted to go overseas instead.

Her parents never interfered with her decisions, so they didn’t try to persuade her to stay in the country. Instead, they found her some reliable connections abroad.

So she could study in peace.

But she never expected that Ning Anran would also end up attending this university by sheer coincidence.

She had followed them all the way here just to see how Ning Anran was faring at this school.

And to catch a glimpse of what her own life—the one that should have been hers—might have looked like.

“What a shame! Didn’t you say your department had an absolutely stunning, goddess-tier beauty?”

“We’ve walked around the entire campus—how come we haven’t seen her!”

Another girl rolled her eyes, her tone dripping with heartbreak.

“Don’t even mention it. Goddess Ning already has someone. Rumor has it he’s loaded.”

“Everyone in our department says she’s being kept, but I don’t think Senior Anran is that kind of person!”

The girl taking photos froze, disbelief written all over her face.

“You’re saying even an aloof academic goddess like her could be kept? What kind of background would that person have to be?”

Her finger tapped into the photo album, revealing a blurry picture of Ning Anran.

It captured Ning Anran drawing her bow during the university’s archery competition. Cheers surrounded her, countless admirers gazing her way.

Yet Ning Anran’s focus remained solely on her bow. The arrow released with a sharp whistle.

“This moon-like goddess! Untouched by mortal affairs—could she really fall for someone?”

“By all logic, she should be the type even luxury cars couldn’t chase after!”

Watching her friend gush ignorantly, the other girl shook her head.

“Everything you said would be true… if not for one crucial detail.”

Ning Jin paused her steps, realizing she’d been unconsciously trailing the pair. Perhaps because this was Imperial Capital University, they hadn’t noticed her footsteps behind them.

“What detail? Why so mysterious?”

“Spit it out already! I hate riddles!”

The questioning girl was clearly impatient, desperate to know why Ning Anran would be in a relationship.

“Isn’t it obvious? No need to guess.”

“Senior Anran’s family isn’t wealthy.”

“But… some say her sugar daddy is actually a woman.”

As the words left her mouth, a notification pinged on her phone. Hearing this, Ning Jin also froze in place.

“A woman? So the goddess swings that way—which means I still have a chance!”

“Just rumors. Take it with a grain of salt, don’t get your hopes up.”

“If you actually confess to Senior Anran, you’ll be crying later…”

Her warning was cut short as the girl gasped at her friend’s phone screen, jabbing at the notification.

A high-definition, uncensored photo of Ning Anran kissing someone appeared. The photo clearly showed Ning Anran had spotted the photographer.

Her sharp black eyes glared at the camera, shielding the person in her arms completely—only slightly curled hair and an exquisite profile visible.

“Isn’t this place just where we…”

The pair immediately pocketed their phones and bolted.

“I told you we should’ve checked it out earlier!”

Watching the sudden retreat, Ning Jin frowned slightly, muttering to herself.

“How bizarre.”

……

Equally baffled, Gu Xia—who’d been dragged to class by Ning Anran—simply dozed off on Ning Anran’s shoulder.

Ah, so comfortable.

So comfortable her skin practically melted.

The female lead’s broad shoulders were truly heavenly.

Gu Xia felt like a bear about to hibernate, with Ning Anran being her warm den.

In the classroom, people kept stealing glances at Gu Xia—some even stared for minutes on end, completely transfixed.

To them, their classmate Ning Anran was already a familiar sight, but now there was a stunning beauty standing beside her, naturally drawing attention.

What intrigued them even more was the intimate gesture between the two. Was that girl… Ning Anran’s sugar mommy? Girlfriend?

So, instead of the rumored old man in his seventies or eighties, nearly needing a cane…

Hah! Turns out it wasn’t about an old man’s undiminished vigor, but a younger sugar mommy boldly chasing love. How touching—and envy-inducing!

“Achoo!”

Suddenly sneezing, Gu Xia woke up and shot a displeased look at Ning Anran’s classmates.

Were these people gossiping about her behind her back? What was the big deal? She earned her place beside Ning Anran fair and square!

One slap for those who secretly ogled Ning Anran, two for those with lewd thoughts, and a full “Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms” for that little brat of a male lead!

“Are you cold? Do you want to wear my jacket too?”

Seeing Gu Xia’s slightly reddened nose, Ning Anran suddenly regretted bringing her to the university classroom.

The gazes here were too intrusive, too greedy.

She didn’t like it.