The Real Daughter Needs Saving by This Vicious Female Cannon Fodder? - Chapter 7

Hearing her roommate’s amazed exclamations and envious looks, Ning Anran froze in place.

This time, she truly couldn’t figure out what kind of scheme Gu Xia was playing.

Even if it was just to mess with her, there was no need to spend so much money.

This wasn’t like her usual style at all.

“Wow, Anran, your boyfriend must be loaded. Don’t let him slip away!”

“These days, a good man like this is rarer than a unicorn. The guy I dated last time called me a gold-digger just for buying two grilled sausages.”

“So ridiculous.”

“I even bought him a pair of sneakers, and he couldn’t even spare two sausages for me!”

“If he’s buying you all this, he must really love you. You’re definitely his soulmate!”

Her roommates were well aware of Ning Anran’s part-time struggles, so they genuinely hoped she could land a wealthy boyfriend.

If nothing else, at least she could borrow tuition money from him when needed.

Growing impatient with their chatter, Ning Anran retreated to her desk and neatly put away the items.

Finally, she coldly muttered,

“It’s not a man. I don’t have a boyfriend.”

That statement left the entire dorm room stunned. The girl playing a game bit her fingertip as her phone’s speaker suddenly blared,

“Damn, your roommate’s a lesbian!”

She hurriedly muted her mic and speaker—Ning Anran had returned too abruptly, and she hadn’t even put on her headphones yet.

Night soon fell. After organizing her desk, Ning Anran grabbed the car keys Gu Xia had given her earlier and prepared to leave.

Her grades were always excellent, so failing wasn’t a concern.

Seeing her head out late at night, her roommates didn’t ask questions. After years of living together, they were used to Ning Anran juggling multiple jobs.

Sometimes, she even worked extra shifts at a barbecue joint, skewering squid tentacles for customers.

Anyone who saw her would say she was living the “beautiful, tragic, and strong” female lead trope.

But the brief glimpse of the car keys left them speechless once more.

Though Ning Anran had a driver’s license, everyone in the dorm knew she didn’t own a car.

Only after the door clicked shut did they dare to breathe again.

“Wait… did I see that right?”

“Were those… Bentley keys?”

Their eyes then flicked to the expensive supplements Ning Anran had left behind, and they exchanged knowing glances.

“Something’s up!”

……

Ning Anran’s slender fingers rested on the steering wheel. Driving such an expensive car for the first time, she found her unease surprisingly mild.

Rolling down the window, she took in the interior—it clearly wasn’t Gu Xia’s taste.

This was Gu Lin Dong’s car, Gu Xia’s older sister.

Knock knock knock.

The window was tapped. Gu Xia stood outside, her ears covered by white earmuffs, the fluffy fur ruffled by the night wind. Her cheeks and eyes were flushed red from the cold.

“Ning Anran!”

“Did you wait long?”

Gu Xia had rushed out in such a hurry that she hadn’t noticed the smudge of paint on her face. Seeing her like this, Ning Anran fully lowered the window.

She grabbed a tissue from the car and reached out.

“You’ve got paint on your face.”

After handing her the tissue, Ning Anran unlocked the passenger door.

Taking the tissue Ning Anran handed her, Gu Xia suddenly realized she had rushed out in such a hurry that she hadn’t cleaned the paint off her face.

The outside was freezing cold, so she quickly ducked into the car.

“I was afraid you’d wait too long, so I hurried over without checking my face…”

She wiped at her face with the tissue, but Gu Xia wasn’t entirely sure where the paint was. She only smeared it further, making the mess worse.

“Let me.”

Ning Anran rolled up the window. Taking the tissue, her gaze remained calm as she cupped Gu Xia’s face under the car light, carefully wiping away the paint.

Gu Xia stayed still. Ning Anran carried the pleasant scent of laundry detergent, like the first light of a winter morning. Her cheeks were chilled from the cold outside, but Ning Anran’s fingers were warm against her skin.

How long had it been?

A soft voice reached Gu Xia’s ears.

“Done.”

“Second Miss.”

As if it were the most natural thing, Ning Anran bent forward and deftly fastened Gu Xia’s seatbelt.

“Second Miss, can you tell me where we’re going now?”

Ning Anran had already prepared hangover pills in her pocket. She was afraid she might drink herself senseless, so she had readied the essentials in advance—just to avoid making a fool of herself in front of others.

“Don’t call me that.”

The title sounded oddly embarrassing. More importantly, if Ning Anran kept addressing her like that, Gu Xia would feel like all her efforts had been for nothing.

“Then what should I call you?”

“Gu Xia. You won’t let me call you ‘Master,’ nor ‘Second Miss.'”

“I’m not some palace maid. How am I supposed to know what you’re thinking?”

For some reason, if anyone else had spoken like this, Gu Xia would have taken it as anger directed at her.

But Ning Anran said it with detachment, like a withered tree clinging to life by sheer will.

“Just call me Gu Xia.”

“Ning Anran, I was immature before, but I won’t be like that anymore.”

Gu Xia knew a belated apology held little sincerity, but it was one she owed Ning Anran.

A faint, breathy laugh echoed in the silent car.

Ning Anran replied indifferently, “Gu Xia, why would I blame you?”

I hate you.

“Alright, enough of this. Won’t you be late for your banquet?”

Gu Xia obediently entered the address and shrank back into her seat, doing nothing else.

Her earlier movement had made Ning Anran instinctively straighten, leaning slightly back into the driver’s seat. She knew this position would lessen the force if Gu Xia decided to slap her—keeping the red mark on her cheek from being too noticeable.

That way, she wouldn’t have to explain to her roommates the next morning why there was a fresh handprint on her face.

But Gu Xia didn’t lash out as she usually did. Instead, she curled up in the passenger seat like a frightened rabbit.

The way she acted made it seem like she was the one being bullied.

Whatever. She’s definitely putting on an act to lower my guard.

Just waiting to humiliate me again later.

Ning Anran started the engine. The car’s headlights cut through the darkness as they drove toward their destination.

“System, are you sure it’s right for me to be trying to win over the heroine?”

“Did you see the look on her face just now? She looked like she wanted to take me down with her—I was terrified!”

“Of course, Host. Considering the mischief you caused before awakening, the male lead’s affection for you has reached black hole levels—even our headquarters can’t erase that data.”

“So, the female lead’s -100 favorability toward you is actually the mildest among all the romanceable characters.”

“This system had no choice but to intervene~”

Gu Xia: “……!?”

“That sounds terrifying—is Ning Anran some kind of masochist?”

“Otherwise, why hasn’t her favorability toward me plummeted to black hole levels when I’ve bullied her the most?”

“This system can’t say for sure. Perhaps, Host, you should observe whether the female lead has such… preferences?”

“Useless! Court dismissed!”