Fake Cannon Fodder A Becomes a Sensation in Romance Variety Shows - Chapter 52

The December wind cut sharply against the face, and as the afternoon sun set, the last remnants of warmth vanished.

The electric heater in the food truck was on, but it only warmed the legs, leaving the upper body stiff with cold.

Two knocks sounded against the window. Ye Zhuoyan thought Ke Yuxin had come to pick a fight again and looked up with a frosty expression.

Through the fogged-up glass, Wen Huiyun’s smiling face appeared. Her fair cheeks were flushed red from the wind, like sticky rice candied haws.

Wen Huiyun carried a bag over and pointed at the door latch. Ye Zhuoyan opened the door, and Wen Huiyun placed a soft cotton hat on her head.

It covered her ears perfectly fluffy, warm, and comfortable, with the tip shaped like a big white goose.

Ye Zhuoyan glanced at her reflection in the window and smiled. Wen Huiyun then tucked a hand warmer with a hot water bottle into her arms.

Ye Zhuoyan glanced discreetly at Cheng Xiaoming, who was rolling dough balls in the back, and whispered, “It doesn’t feel right for just me to get special treatment.”

Wen Huiyun placed a thermal lunchbox on the table and said:

“This isn’t special treatment, it’s called friendly guest interaction.

“Try my mini hot pot, freshly made. Tibetan tea broth, light and nourishing. Hold your hands by the lunchbox, it’ll keep you warm.”

The clear broth simmered with a special tea bag and an assortment of fresh vegetables, bubbling hotly.

The steam wafted against her face, driving away the chill, and tiny droplets clung to Ye Zhuoyan’s long lashes.

Ye Zhuoyan quietly took a couple of bites. Cheng Xiaoming, drawn by the aroma, entered the food truck and saw Wen Huiyun enthusiastically adding more food to Ye Zhuoyan’s bowl, then looked down at her own hands, icy and covered in sticky rice flour.

“……” How she longed for a considerate and caring wife.

Wen Huiyun noticed her and, remembering her partner’s request, cheerfully pulled out another large bag.

“Ming-jie, this is for you.”

Cheng Xiaoming’s face lit up. “Thank you, Huiyun. You’re so thoughtful.”

Ye Zhuoyan nibbled on konjac noodles, curious, her bright eyes sparkling with interest.

Cheng Xiaoming opened the lunchbox, and a fiery wave of spice burst out, making her squint. Thick red chili peppers churned in the deep crimson broth.

Wen Huiyun handed her chopsticks with a smile. “Yi Ning made this and asked me to bring it to you. It’s cold eating spicy food warms you up.”

The fiery peppers dredged up Cheng Xiaoming’s unpleasant memories of swollen lips and a burning rear. She quickly shut the lid. “I’ll thank her later!”

Ye Zhuoyan’s eyes crinkled with laughter.

Wen Huiyun’s bag seemed bottomless, she pulled out a few heat patches and handed them to Cheng Xiaoming. “These should be fine to use. Yi Ning asked me to give them to you too.”

Cheng Xiaoming tucked them under the counter. “Alphas don’t use heat patches.”

Wen Huiyun smiled without a word.

Ye Zhuoyan stuck on a heat patch and passed the electric heater to Cheng Xiaoming, watching her resume rolling dough balls before turning to Wen Huiyun. “Did you make sugar figurines today?”

Ke Yuxin had come to show off sugar figurines, claiming Wen Huiyun had made them.

Wen Huiyun poured hot water for Ye Zhuoyan. “No. Do you want one? I’m not good at sugar sculpting, I always ask a pastry chef.

“There are plenty of sugar figurine sellers in Chuntang Park. Want me to buy you one? But you can’t eat it! Malt sugar is too sweet.”

Ye Zhuoyan wrinkled her nose. “I won’t eat it. I saw little decorations in your window and thought they might be.”

Ah! So, Wen Huiyun had never made sugar figurines Ke Yuxin had lied.

Wen Huiyun glanced back. Her food truck window was lined with little skewers.

“Oh, those are handmade cotton candies. I’ll pick out some pretty ones for you but you can’t eat those either.”

Ye Zhuoyan pressed her palm against the seam of the lunchbox’s divider and asked Wen Huiyun, “What’s in the bottom layer?”

Worried that Ye Zhuoyan might burn her fingers, Wen Huiyun lifted the divider to reveal a sticky note tucked beneath.

“Why hide a little note?”

Ye Zhuoyan smiled and picked it up to examine.

The pale pink heart-shaped paper bore just one number in the center: 520.

“Huh?”

Ye Zhuoyan blinked, puzzled. Was there some hidden meaning here? A confession?

Wen Huiyun folded the note into a tiny square and tucked it into the pocket on Ye Zhuoyan’s chest, earnestly instructing, “Keep this safe. I have a little surprise for you tonight. I’ll head back now.”

“Wait.”

Wen Huiyun sat back down, and Ye Zhuoyan took her hand, flipped open a stamp, and gently pressed it against the fleshy part between her thumb and forefinger.

“What’s this?”

Raising her hand, Wen Huiyun saw a small red floral imprint.

Ye Zhuoyan held her hand, stroking it lightly with a soft smile.

“I have a little surprise too.”

……

Three full basins of glutinous rice balls, white and plump.

Cheng Xiaoming sealed them with cling film and went to wash her hands when her phone, left on the counter, rang. Only then did she remember she’d forgotten it and called out to Ye Zhuoyan, “Zhuoyan, could you grab my phone for me?”

“Coming right away.”

Ye Zhuoyan picked up the phone, it was an alarm titled: Risk Control & Financial Report Meeting.

No surprise for a finance mogul, every minute of her day was packed tight.

A notification flashed at the top of the screen.

Group Message Assistant: Dear @Evan, the group you created Worry-Free Eatery Fan Club, Wen Huiyun Fan Support Group has reached its member limit. Please upgrade soon!

Ye Zhuoyan’s breath hitched. Oh no!

She guiltily glanced at Cheng Xiaoming, her mind racing through countless possibilities…

The group owner’s familiar domineering CEO-style posts, the swift muting of dissenters, the pinned and highlighted #AAStock# fanfics.

Hah, yikes…

Ye Zhuoyan sucked in a sharp breath.

Add to that the time Cheng Xiaoming used a wish card to invite Wen Huiyun to her “love nest,” and the time before that when she kept asking about Wen Huiyun during event preparations, oh heavens.

All signs pointed to one conclusion:

Cheng Xiaoming had feelings for Wen Huiyun.

“Zhuoyan?”

“Huh?”

Cheng Xiaoming dried her hands. “My phone, thanks.”

Ye Zhuoyan hastily handed it over, masking her shock and awkwardness with a smile. “Ming-jie, I’ll be right back just need to use the restroom. Can you keep an eye on things here?”

“Sure. What’s next? It’s almost seven.”

“Could you mix the rose powder into that bowl of tapioca starch for me?”

Ye Zhuoyan hid in the bathroom and checked her phone.

The Worry-Free Eatery fan group had indeed upgraded right after she’d returned Cheng Xiaoming’s phone!

She quickly checked Evan’s IP address also in City A.

“……” 0v0!

Ye Zhuoyan tentatively typed in the group chat.

Wen’s Official Wife: @Evan, Group Owner, are you busy? You’ve been quiet all day.

Evan (Group Owner): Yeah, had things to do. Just got a break. Gotta get back to work soon.

Evan (Group Owner): @everyone, Worry-Free Eatery is streaming tonight. Be online by 7:30 sharp. If you can, head to Spring Hall Park to buy New Year’s treats.

Evan (Group Owner): P.S. Insider info Cheng Xiaoming and Ye Zhuoyan’s food truck will be selling fermented rice balls. Show your support! (Invest in Wen-Ye stocks!)

Ye Zhuoyan clutched her phone, her brain short-circuiting.

Internal gossip? Where did that come from? Apart from Cheng Xiaoming and the logistics assistant, even the director didn’t know what snacks they were preparing =.=

Ming-jie’s disguise is slipping so obvious it’s practically a neon sign.

Ah, Ye Zhuoyan couldn’t figure it out.

How could Cheng Xiaoming, an alpha so immersed in her dictatorial self-world with the goal of marrying a virtuous omega, be interested in another alpha?

Then, a sudden flash of insight struck Ye Zhuoyan.

A dramatic reality was abruptly laid bare before her.

No, Wen Huiyun wasn’t an alpha.

“!” Things just got even more absurd.

This meant Cheng Xiaoming had discovered Wen Huiyun’s gender secret before she did… Did Wen Huiyun know?

No, Wen Huiyun had kept it even from her, let alone Cheng Xiaoming. Revealing her identity would bring Wen Huiyun nothing but harm.

Ye Zhuoyan looked at the incessant messages popping up in the group chat, covering her forehead as she laughed out loud.

Ke Yuxin was vying for Wen Huiyun, and now Cheng Xiaoming was too. Wen Huiyun, you’re really in demand!

If Ke Yuxin found out that the current Wen Huiyun hadn’t even presented yet, she’d probably lose it. Temporary marking? Their glands weren’t even the same.

Cheng Xiaoming was probably hoping Wen Huiyun would present as an omega, but some people had physical defects and never presented at all. What if Wen Huiyun ended up as an alpha? Would Cheng Xiaoming still be interested then?

As for Ye Zhuoyan. She wasn’t hung up on the superficial ABO gender labels. Wen Huiyun was her wife, whatever she turned out to be was fine.

Ye Zhuoyan’s eyes gleamed.

Since Ming-jie’s cover was already blown, shouldn’t she lend a hand to her little sister?

Ye Zhuoyan could see it clearly Jiang Yining did care about Cheng Xiaoming.

The one who didn’t see it was Cheng Xiaoming herself.

Lost in her own thoughts.

Ye Zhuoyan was going to make her see.

“Ming-jie, did you know fans online have been shipping the dating show guests into couples?”

Ye Zhuoyan returned to the food truck stall, casually striking up a conversation.

Cheng Xiaoming paused while stirring the pink tapioca flour. “No, I didn’t.”

“It’s pretty interesting. Let’s chat while we prep the ingredients.”

Ye Zhuoyan introduced each of the popular pairings, claiming she’d learned about them from Weibo fans.

She emphasized the tragic, doomed nature of alpha-alpha ships, the overwhelming popularity of the Wen-Ye pairing, and one particular rising ship.

Cheng Xiaoming: “De-oiling ship? What does that mean?”

Ye Zhuoyan didn’t dare say it was about de-greasing the overbearing CEO and suggested she look it up later.

“It’s the name your and Jiang Yining’s shippers came up with.”

Cheng Xiaoming’s expression turned complicated at that, but she didn’t respond, focusing instead on calibrating the cash register.

Unable to hold back, Ye Zhuoyan asked, “Ming-jie, why have you always wanted a gentle, virtuous omega wife since you were young? Actually, gentleness isn’t something you can judge from appearances there are many kinds of gentleness.”

Take Wen Huiyun, for example. Right now, she seemed refined and warm, like a little sun, but she didn’t shine her light on just anyone.

She had her mischievous side, her little schemes. Only with Ye Zhuoyan did she roll over and show her soft underbelly.

Cheng Xiaoming fell silent for a while, as if lost in thought.

The cramped space of the food truck brought them closer.

And with it, trust.

“My mom was always busy with work. Work was all she saw.”

Cheng Xiaoming booted up the cash register system, inserted the key, and started navigating the interface with practiced ease.

“Omegas were just tools in her eyes.”

“I don’t want to be like that. When I was little, I often saw my dad sitting in the bedroom sighing, looking at my mom’s photo. Even though he knew that woman didn’t care about him, he still deluded himself into thinking she might one day show him some affection.”

Ye Zhuoyan wasn’t surprised this was typical of alphas from top-tier wealthy families.

Omegas were reduced to playthings and breeding machines.

That’s why when she first watched Cheng Xiaoming’s vlog and heard her manifesto, Ye Zhuoyan found it repulsive.

Cheng Xiaoming entered her account details, setting the product name and price.

“Maybe it’s because of my dad.”

“All he ever did was wait, dream, and yearn for love, he couldn’t do anything else.”

“I don’t want an omega like that.”

And it pained her.

Cheng Xiaoming said, “So I want to marry an omega who can manage a household.”

“I’ll become the strongest alpha, protecting her, cherishing her.”

“One love, one lifetime.”

“Pretty childish, isn’t it?”

Cheng Xiaoming asked Ye Zhuoyan, laughing self-deprecatingly.

Her mother had called it childish, but Cheng Xiaoming didn’t care.

At a family banquet once, Cheng Xiaoming had openly defied her mother’s authority for the first time.

She’d retorted, “Childish?”

“Hah, you think I’d end up like you, Madam Cheng Zhimin?”

“A truly strong alpha would never let her omega sit crying alone in a mansion!”

Ye Zhuoyan was surprised Cheng Xiaoming was unexpectedly pure-hearted when it came to love.

“So, who do you want to pick for your next date?” Ye Zhuoyan asked.

Cheng Xiaoming thought for a moment, then said, “You.”

Ye Zhuoyan lowered her head, a cryptic smile hidden in her eyes.

Using her to provoke Wen Huiyun?

Cheng Xiaoming, you’re still not thinking straight!

Ye Zhuoyan nodded. “Sure,” she said, then added, “But we need to step up our game for the event!”

“I heard from Huiyun that Jiang Yining is going all out to win.”

“Because there’s someone she really, really, really wants to go on a date with.”

Cheng Xiaoming set down the cash register computer, her gaze involuntarily drifting to the lunchbox containing the spicy soup.

Ye Zhuoyan carefully prepared her limited-edition Winter Lover’s Fermented Rice Wine.

She had a little surprise planned for tonight, too.

19:30 – Four New Year’s specialty dishes go on sale.

Wen Huiyun/Jiang Yining team: Customizable Mini Hot Pot.

Cheng Xiaoming/Ye Zhuoyan team: Multi-flavored Fermented Rice Wine Dumplings.

Gu Rufeng/Mi Tao team: Summer Throwback Street Food Stall.

Liang Yuan/Ke Yuxin team: Traditional Chinese New Year Burgers.

As the lanterns lit up, red decorations glowed brightly on the tree branches.

Tourists packed the square shoulder to shoulder.

Ye Zhuoyan ladled out the fermented rice wine dumplings while Cheng Xiaoming took orders and handled payments.

They were busy and having fun, but when they glanced across, Wen Huiyun and Jiang Yining’s food truck had a line stretching endlessly.

They’d known their team would be popular, but not this popular there was no suspense left in this competition.

Jiang Yining shouted through a megaphone: “489, 490, 491! Don’t push, everyone in the back! You’ll be served soon!”

An excited fan girl asked, “Why am I 519, but the girl behind me is 521? Who got number 520?!”

The crowd erupted.

Yeah! Where’s 520? Hand it over!

Surrender 520 and we’ll spare you!

Please, whoever has 520, show yourself! I really need Huiyun’s special 520 warm-hearted meal! I’ll pay top dollar! Save me, TAT555!

520?

Hmm.

Ye Zhuoyan pulled a sticky note from her chest pocket.

Wen Huiyun’s mysterious smile flashed in her mind.

Jiang Yining’s amplified voice boomed:

“Customer number 520!”

“Number 520 Wen Huiyun’s honored, lucky goddess!”

“520! 520! I love you!”

“Please come to the dining car immediately to pick up the exclusive heartwarming meal specially customized for you by Wen Huiyun!!!”

Ye Zhuoyan held the note in her hand.

Her thumb pressed against the number 520.

Fireworks bloomed in the sky above the square, lighting up the night.

Flickering lanterns swayed, and the shimmering reflections in people’s eyes gathered into dazzling sparks.

She wove through the crowd, passing through the sea of stars.

Then she placed a pink heart into Wen Huiyun’s palm.

The live broadcast camera of “Worry-Free Eatery” zoomed in on Ye Zhuoyan’s hand, 520.

Wen Huiyun took her hand and turned her toward the camera.

“Welcome, Ye Zhuoyan.”

“Tonight, with 100,000 viewers as witnesses.”

“You are my 520 lucky goddess.”

The barrage of comments exploded.

[Yunyun! Yanyan! Yunyun! Yanyan!]

[WenYe ship forever, 3399!]

[520520520520]

Starlight shimmered in Ye Zhuoyan’s eyes as she curved her lips into a smile and embraced her.

The screen was flooded with hearts, roses, and balloons, the comments scrolling too fast to read.

Ye Zhuoyan spoke softly, “Our dining car is also running a special event.”

Wen Huiyun watched as Ye Zhuoyan lifted the delicate porcelain lid, revealing pink glutinous rice balls and heart-shaped taro pearls simmered in rose-infused broth.

“Your Yunyun taught me how to make this.”

Ye Zhuoyan held up the bowl for the fans to see. “This is our limited-edition special fermented rice wine.”

“Every customer who voted for me got a little red flower stamp.”

She turned Wen Huiyun’s hand over, showing the camera the small red flower mark on the back of her hand.

“Customers with the red flower stamp can get a free serving tomorrow night.”

Facing the camera, Ye Zhuoyan interlaced her fingers with Wen Huiyun, her gaze tender like rippling water.

“Enjoy it with someone you love.”

“It’s called—”

“Winter Lovers.”