Fake Cannon Fodder A Becomes a Sensation in Romance Variety Shows - Chapter 57

“We’ve arrived at County B. Passengers for County B, please disembark.”

Passengers in the carriage began gathering their bags one after another, forming lines at the exits.

Gu Rufeng took the initiative to carry all the luggage. Mi Tao lightly patted the bulging backpack and said, “Let’s go.”

The station was noisy, with people coming and going all around.

Gu Rufeng walked ahead to clear the path, a woven bracelet tied around her wrist with the other end connected to Mi Tao.

Mi Tao followed behind, eyeing the bags Gu Rufeng was carrying. “What did you pack? There’s so much.”

“All sorts of things a grill, a tent, and my guitar.”

“But there are houses to stay in over there.”

“You said it was really open, right? I thought it’d be nice.”

Mi Tao chuckled. “Heh, alright then. As long as you don’t mind the hassle.”

“Mm.” Gu Rufeng nodded seriously.

They left the station and took a taxi to their destination.

Live Comments:

【Huh? This place again?!】

【Isn’t this the agricultural base where Mi Tao and Liang Yuan went for their second date?】

【Not to be a pessimist, but Liang Yuan broke up with Mi Tao after coming here, so Gu Rufeng.】

【It’s fine! Rufeng’s got a good vibe, she loves nature. Maybe she’ll talk to the crops.】

【LOL, remember that behind-the-scenes clip where Wen Huiyu complained about hearing Gu Rufeng discussing herbal medicine with strawberry plants at midnight? (facepalm)】

Mi Tao cheerfully greeted the staff at the farm as usual.

The wheat had long been harvested.

Now, the fields were mostly filled with potatoes and cabbages.

Gu Rufeng asked, “Are we digging up potatoes or cabbages?” Then she added, “Freshly harvested vegetables taste amazing, right? Cabbages are even sweet. I’m thinking of shredding them to go with fried pork cutlets.”

Mi Tao laughed. “You haven’t even picked them yet, and you’re already planning how to eat them?”

“That’s the beauty of crops. Mother Earth nurtures life, and that life sustains other life.”

Gu Rufeng pointed to an empty field piled with straw and wheat stalks. “Do you know how to make scarecrows? Dress them up in red T-shirts and blue overalls?”

Mi Tao replied, “Our base uses falcon calls to scare off sparrows. We don’t really use scarecrows, and we definitely don’t dress them up.”

“But I saw them in The Wizard of Oz. When I was little, I thought I was the Lion, crawling around the house with a furry scarf.”

Mi Tao poked Gu Rufeng’s head with her finger. “What’s going on in that brain of yours? You’re so weird. Is this how all artists think?”

“Weird? I’ve even strategized how to fight back if aliens invaded Earth. If we’re not making scarecrows, let’s use the straw for a bonfire. Outdoor campfires are so cool, I’ll record a few songs by the fire later.”

Gu Rufeng excitedly ran ahead, her oversized backpack bouncing with each step.

She found a flat patch of land, spread out a layer of trampled wheat stalks over the soil, set up the tent, and arranged the grill.

“I’m going to grill every crop here.”

“Sure. But first, I need to show you my thesis.”

Mi Tao planted her hands on her hips and gazed into the distance from the field ridge.

To the northeast, a small irrigation ditch encircled a grassy bank still tinged with green. A half-acre plot was covered by a crescent-shaped white greenhouse.

My thesis is like that, a white crescent greenhouse.

On the train, Mi Tao had pointed at the fleeting scenery outside the window and said this.

Gu Rufeng didn’t understand why a thesis resembled a white greenhouse, but it sounded undeniably cool.

Mi Tao stepped over the ditch and reached out to Gu Rufeng, “Come on, let me show you my treasure.”

What treasure could be so mysterious?

Gu Rufeng lifted the door curtain of the greenhouse, and the air inside was slightly warm.

On the substrate covered with insulating film, resembling small hills, hung rows of strawberry stems.

The tiny leaves were lush green, with a few white flowers still clinging on.

Bright red and pure white strawberries dangled in the air, glistening with dewdrops, looking utterly tempting.

“Wow!”

Gu Rufeng stood frozen in place, looking around in amazement, “Did you grow all these?”

Mi Tao nodded with a smile, “Yes, this is my thesis project, the latest cultivation of ‘Twin Beauties’ strawberries.

“This is the first batch to ripen, and no one has tasted them yet.”

Mi Tao handed Gu Rufeng a pair of latex gloves, “You’ll be the first to know how they taste. Pick one.”

The entire strawberry greenhouse belonged to her, and Gu Rufeng could choose freely.

Petite red and white strawberries hung from the film like cascading strawberry waterfalls.

“This is your graduation thesis, it’s really important. Are you sure I can?”

Mi Tao nodded, “That’s exactly why the taste is so important! That’s why I want you to be the first to try.”

“Oh!”

Gu Rufeng pondered for a moment, circling around the strawberry waterfall before picking one that was half red and half white, “This one. It looks like a little heart, so cute.”

Her teeth pierced the thin strawberry skin, and the sweet-tart juice burst into her mouth.

Mi Tao watched eagerly, “How is it?”

Gu Rufeng gave a thumbs-up, “Super amazing!”

Mi Tao beamed with pride, raising both hands with thumbs up, “Super amazing.”

“Yeah!” Gu Rufeng suddenly sat down on the ground, took off her backpack, and pulled out a palm-sized notebook and pen, scribbling something quickly.

“Hahaha, what are you doing? There’s a caretaker’s shed over there where you can sit.”

“I want to jot down some inspiration. This song will be called ‘I Ate Your Graduation Strawberry.'”

Mi Tao laughed so hard she nearly doubled over, “You’re so casual with your song titles.” She sat down beside her, “Sing it for me.”

“No lyrics yet, just a simple hum. Do-re-mi-fa-so.”

The greenhouse curtain lifted, and two men one older, one younger walked in.

The older one chuckled, “Peach, I thought it might be you.”

Mi Tao exclaimed happily, “Dean Li! Senior!”

She quickly pulled Gu Rufeng up and introduced her:

“This is Dean Li Tao, who oversees the base. He’s especially skilled in fruit grafting and new variety development.

“And this is my senior, he helped deliver the vegetables for our New Year’s competition.”

Dean Li smiled warmly and pointed at the strawberries, “Tried them yet? How’s your graduation thesis coming along?”

Mi Tao said proudly, “I haven’t tasted them yet, but my almost-girlfriend says they’re super amazing.”

Almost-girlfriend, Gu Rufeng froze, then sheepishly reached up to scratch the back of her head.

Dean Li glanced between them and laughed heartily, “Hahaha, then shouldn’t you pick some to send to President Mi and President Liu? This is next year’s new product, you’ll be the big hero by then.”

Mi Tao clasped her hands together and bowed slightly, “Thank you, Dean Li, for your guidance this past year~ I wouldn’t dare call myself a big hero, but I can definitely be a good student! Here, try one but only one, okay?”

Gu Rufeng whispered to Mi Tao, “Peach, is your graduation thesis part of some entrepreneurial project? Who are President Mi and President Liu?”

If needed, the Gu family could invest.

“Oh, my dad and my mom.”

Mi Tao blushed shyly, “My family runs an agricultural and fresh produce supermarket business. My parents told me not to talk about it outside.”

Gu Rufeng teased, “But this is outside.”

Mi Tao straightened her face, her eyes reflecting Gu Rufeng’s image. “There are no outsiders here.”

The winding waterway shimmered with reflections of the rainbow bridge.

Willow trees lined the bluestone path, and pavilions peeked through the woods.

From a row of tung oil umbrellas, she pulled out one with white fabric and red wave patterns. “According to my taste, this one is the prettiest.”

Ye Zhuoyan smiled warmly. “Alright.”

“This one’s for you. A date gift.” It was raining, and they’d need an umbrella on the road.

Ye Zhuoyan picked another one celadon-colored, adorned with delicate flower-and-bird paintings.

Handing the umbrella to the shopkeeper, she said, “Please engrave the character ‘Yun’ on the handle for me.” She planned to take it back for Wen Huiyun.

“Physically here but heart elsewhere?”

Ye Zhuoyan chuckled. “I have my reasons. What about you?”

“I told you from the start I’d choose you. But I didn’t expect you to pick me.”

Ye Zhuoyan led her forward. “Come on, I’ve booked a covered boat.”

Stepping over a puddle, the water mirrored a tall silhouette long legs, silver-gray short hair, and a pair of calm eyes beneath.

Cheng Xiaoming, unusually not in a suit, wore a casual outfit with traditional motifs, a coat collar patterned with cloud-and-thunder designs and beast-head buttons on the inner lining.

The Cheng family was a prominent one, valuing cultural heritage. As the year-end approached, they always switched to traditional attire.

Two umbrellas opened.

“Do you big CEOs never carry umbrellas when you go out?” Ye Zhuoyan had brought one, but Cheng Xiaoming had been walking in the rain.

Though the drizzle was as fine as ox hair, getting wet was still uncomfortable.

That’s why Ye Zhuoyan had bought her one at the start of their date.

“Sometimes I just want to feel the rain,” Cheng Xiaoming said.

Ye Zhuoyan nodded. “Yi Ning is the same.”

When upset, she’d either crave apples or stand in the rain.

Ye Zhuoyan didn’t bring up the failed lawsuit over the long letter, only wanting to help Cheng Xiaoming unwind.

They descended the dock.

Ye Zhuoyan said, “Let’s take the boat. Drifting aimlessly along the waterway, swaying gently, helps you forget many things.”

She pointed to the other side of the bridge. “This waterway leads to the lake. Watching the rain from there feels like being outside the world you become an observer.”

Free from the chaos of life.

They sat at the bow and stern of the covered boat.

Ye Zhuoyan had learned to row from her grandfather, so they didn’t hire a boatman.

The sky was overcast, clouds hanging low.

Two people, a tranquil lake, a small boat.

The drizzle pattered softly onto the water, dissolving without a sound.

“A few billion isn’t much.”

Cheng Xiaoming’s voice was quiet.

“I’ve handled projects worth tens of billions before.

“But this time, it hurts. Why?

“Because I drafted the proposal myself. Only a handful of people handled it, all trusted aides. What does that mean?”

Cheng Xiaoming laughed bitterly, leaning against the boat’s edge, resting her forehead in her hand.

“After years of weathering storms together, I thought we had unbreakable bonds. And then? They sold me out in a heartbeat.”

Betrayal and loneliness.

Ye Zhuoyan heard it in her words, saw it in her dimmed gaze.

All around, water and sky merged into one.

Ye Zhuoyan said, “If you’re upset, shout it out here. Only the rain and the lake will hear.

“Like this.”

She moved to the bow, cupping her hands around her mouth, and yelled, “Ahhh!!! So frustrating!”

Cheng Xiaoming watched as her voice carried farther and farther, eventually fading into the sound of the rain.

Cheng Xiaoming also tried shouting a few times, ripples spreading across the water’s surface.

The appropriate venting made her feel much better.

Cheng Xiaoming smiled slightly. “Thank you, Zhuoyan.”

“You’re welcome.”

Inside the boat’s canopy, a pot of small green tangerine tea was warming, along with preserved plums and cloud-slice cakes.

Steam curled from the teapot.

Ye Zhuoyan sat on one side of the low table, pouring tea for Cheng Xiaoming. “Feeling better now?”

“I invited you out this time because I have something to ask of you.”

Cheng Xiaoming responded, “Go ahead.”

A gentle breeze stirred.

Raindrops brushed past Ye Zhuoyan’s slightly parted lips.

“Cheng Xiaoming, please don’t linger on thoughts of Wen Huiyun.”

Drip! The raindrops scattered, dissolving into the lake’s surface.

Something else dissolved into Cheng Xiaoming’s heart.

“Ming-jie, I understand how you feel.”

“I won’t pry, and I won’t speak of it openly.”

“Thank you for wanting to protect her.”

“But Huiyun’s feelings for you have nothing to do with being an alpha or omega. The same goes for me.”

“You and your closest companions have weathered storms together for over a decade you must know the difference between possessiveness, unwillingness, and love.”

“Love is love. If it’s not love, then it’s not.”

“Ming-jie, look behind you.”

“Will you?”

Ye Zhuoyan’s brows were slightly furrowed, her eyes bright as stars, gentle and serene.

Across from her, Cheng Xiaoming sat motionless as a statue.

After a long silence, Cheng Xiaoming slowly turned her head.

And looked back.

The water and sky stretched endlessly, veiled in misty rain.

It was after their first date.

Ye Zhuoyan passed by the third floor, where the production team’s office door was slightly ajar.

Faint voices could be heard inside.

Ye Zhuoyan quietly approached.

Through the crack, she saw a beautiful silhouette, a red miniskirt.

Jiang Yining?

The director sat behind the desk, sounding puzzled: “The date is already over. What do you need it for now?”

Jiang Yining’s voice was sweet and playful: “Exactly! Since it’s no use to anyone else, just give it to me~”

Curious, Ye Zhuoyan wondered, what was Jiang Yining asking the director for?

The director pulled a marbled gift box from a locked cabinet.

The blind date gift that all the omega guests had rejected.

Cheng Xiaoming’s present.

Jiang Yining cradled the box, her eyes tender.

Yet they shimmered with unshed tears.

Ye Zhuoyan froze.

In that moment, she saw a heart encased in ice, burning in the depths of an abyss.

Through Jiang Yining’s eyes.

As the sun set, the lights of Lianlian Mansion flickered on.

Wen Huiyun lay facedown on the bed, sulking.

She checked her phone, Ye Zhuoyan had replied:

Sorry for not inviting you out.

There were some things I needed to say to Ming-jie.

I’ll explain everything to you in person later. (Heart)

Ah! So frustrating.

Wen Huiyun buried her face in the blanket.

Zhuoyan had turned her down for a date, why hadn’t she mentioned it earlier?

Sigh.

Wen Huiyun reread Ye Zhuoyan’s message, unsure how to respond.

Suddenly, a tiny figure plopped down beside her: 「Hi! Newbie! Happy New Year!」

Wen Huiyun glanced sideways. “Little La, what a rare guest. Didn’t expect you to seek me out on your own.”

Little La grinned. 「Thanks to your outstanding performance, my year-end bonus went up by 2,000 transmigration coins!」 She excitedly hugged one of Wen Huiyun’s fingers, shaking it. 「Wen Huiyun 2.0, thank you for everything!」

“Don’t mention it. So, you’re this year’s top system at the Transmigration Bureau?”

Little La waved her hands modestly. 「Not even close! There are way better system spirits than me, especially Sister Xi from the Character Awakening Department she wins Employee of the Year every time! We all idolize her!」

“Then I’ll try harder next year to help you earn more.”

Thank you!

Her stomach growled a little. Time to make dinner.

Wen Huiyun got up and headed to the kitchen, asking Xiao La, “Seems like I’m the only one in the residence. Do you want to eat with me?”

Xiao La waved her tiny arms excitedly: “Yay! Perfect timing, I’m off duty today! Newbie, I want mango pudding! Cola chicken wings! Cheese bacon rolls!”

“Alright!”

As she opened the door, Wen Huiyun froze.

The hallway was unlit, and in the darkness, a faint silver glimmer flashed by.

Following the light, Wen Huiyun turned her head, stunned.

This! This is!!!

Hovering mid-air was a silver-haired fairy clad in a lavish Baroque-style dress, radiating a soft glow.

Slightly larger than Xiao La, she had two pairs of elegant fairy wings far more beautiful and grander than Xiao La’s single pair of round wings.

Wen Huiyun was so shocked she could barely speak. The fairy slowly turned around, her mesmerizing eyes locking onto her.

“You can see me?”

“Huh? Y-yes, I can. Who are you?”

Xiao La rushed over: “Sister Xi!!!”

“Oh my goodness!!! What are you doing here?!!!”

Xiao La was even more excited than Wen Huiyun, buzzing around the butterfly-like fairy like an ecstatic little bee.

Xi glanced at Xiao La, then back at Wen Huiyun, her eyes understanding as she lowered her gaze. “The director sent me on an inspection tour. I just happened to pass by.”

Xiao La was overjoyed: “Aww~ Sis, do you have time? Let me treat you to a few drinks~”

“…” Xi turned and fluttered her fairy wings. “Sorry, I still have work. Goodbye.”

With that, she vanished into the darkness.

Xiao La plummeted in disappointment, and Wen Huiyun quickly spread her hands to catch her.

Xiao La lay in Wen Huiyun’s palms, wiping away her tears sorrowfully.

So even system fairies can experience heartbreak.

Wen Huiyun sighed: “Ah, since we’re both pitiful today, I’ll make you mango pudding, cola chicken wings, and cheese bacon rolls.”

Only food can soothe the soul.

A sliver of light appeared in the pitch-black hallway.

A door cracked open slightly.

The silver-haired fairy hovered mid-air, gazing toward the alpha rest area she had just passed.

Jiang Yining pushed the door open.

“Xiyue, what’s wrong?”