Fake Cannon Fodder A Becomes a Sensation in Romance Variety Shows - Chapter 69

Wen Huiyun didn’t sleep all night.

She closed her eyes to rest. The rental apartment had iodine and gauze, so the wound had been treated as an emergency measure, but it still hurt terribly.

Ye Zhuoyan cried for a while, but exhaustion overtook her in the early hours, and she fell asleep.

Before six o’clock, when the sky was still dark, Ye Zhuoyan woke up.

Still a bit dazed, she let out a soft whimper in Wen Huiyun’s arms.

“Security patrols start at eight. Sleep a little longer?” Wen Huiyun coaxed her.

Ye Zhuoyan shook her head, her eyes bloodshot from exhaustion.

Wen Huiyun’s heart ached as she gently touched Ye Zhuoyan’s chapped lips just yesterday morning, they had been so soft and tender when she kissed her.

“Yanyan, drink some water.”

Wen Huiyun poured water from an old-fashioned thermos, it wasn’t hot anymore, just lukewarm.

Ye Zhuoyan clung tightly to Wen Huiyun, her fingers gripping the hem of her clothes.

Wen Huiyun brought the cup to her lips, and Ye Zhuoyan took a small sip before offering the water back to her.

“Yun, let me see your wound.”

“It’s fine.”

“We need to change the gauze in time, or it might get infected.”

Ye Zhuoyan insisted.

She carefully unwrapped the gauze layer by layer, the inner side stained yellow with blood and iodine.

The wound had slightly adhered to the gauze.

“Yunyun, this might hurt a little. If it’s too painful, you can bite my shoulder,” Ye Zhuoyan said seriously.

“It’s not that bad, baby.”

Wen Huiyun stroked her cheek.

Besides, how could she ever bite an omega’s shoulder?

Ye Zhuoyan held the gauze in her hand and suddenly asked, “Are you hiding something from me?”

“What do you mean?” Wen Huiyun’s heart instantly tightened.

Rip! The gauze stuck to the wound was swiftly torn off.

Wen Huiyun sucked in a sharp breath, her face paling. “Ahh!”

It really, really hurt!!! TAT

Ye Zhuoyan applied iodine and wrapped fresh gauze around the wound. “Done.”

“Just now, I asked you that to distract you. Don’t overthink it.”

“After we go back, let’s not go to the hospital. I’ll hire a private doctor. During this time, I’m staying by your side, I won’t go anywhere,” Ye Zhuoyan said.

Wen Huiyun held her close, ruffling her hair. “I understand. I’m sorry, wifey. I should’ve just stayed home obediently during the New Year.”

Ye Zhuoyan’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “No, it’s my fault.”

Ahhh, please don’t cry! Wen Huiyun quickly kissed the corners of her eyes.

Ye Zhuoyan kissed her chin. “Seeing you hurt makes me feel awful.”

“Then think about it from my perspective, if I couldn’t protect you and let you get hurt, I’d feel even worse.”

“Mmm…”

Ye Zhuoyan cradled Wen Huiyun’s injured arm, her fingertips gently stroking the area around the wound, hoping to ease her discomfort.

Old Li sent Wen Huiyun a message: We’re on our way.

Wen Huiyun: Got it.

Old Li: When we reach the door, I’ll message first. Once you reply, I’ll open it.

To prevent suspicious people from knocking, Wen Huiyun and Old Li had agreed to communicate beforehand, with Old Li being the one to open the door.

“I brought you a few buns,” Old Li said when he arrived.

He cautiously glanced around before shutting the door.

Two red bean paste buns and two beef buns Wen Huiyun gave the beef ones to Ye Zhuoyan.

Old Li said, “In half an hour, the security patrol will pass by the intersection of Old Street and the shantytown. I’ll drive an electric tricycle to take you to the main road.”

“Thank you for your trouble. But if we leave, what if those people come after you?” Wen Huiyun asked.

“You wouldn’t know this, Boss Wen. Doing business in the old streets and shantytowns means paying protection fees every month. Though I don’t know why those people attacked you last night, they definitely wouldn’t want to offend the underground organizations in this area.”

Wen Huiyun nodded. “Alright, make sure you protect yourselves.”

Let’s go.

With the path scouted ahead, Old Li led the way with a pitbull given by his cousin, guiding Wen Huiyun and Ye Zhuoyan to the edge of the shantytown.

They changed clothes at a small stir-fry restaurant.

Wen Huiyun helped Ye Zhuoyan remove her cloak, the kind used for deliveries at the fruit shop.

Old Li said, “I’ll go get the electric tricycle. Wait for me here.”

Noticing Ye Zhuoyan’s tension, Wen Huiyun handed her a piece of chocolate.

Ye Zhuoyan held it soft and slightly melted.

“Where did this come from?”

Wen Huiyun patted the pocket on the front of her shirt. “Found one in here.”

Ye Zhuoyan forced a smile. “No wonder it felt a little lumpy.”

“Shh.” Wen Huiyun pinched her nose.

Old Li drove the electric tricycle over, and Wen Huiyun helped Ye Zhuoyan climb in.

The tricycle buzzed to life, blending into the morning market crowd as it headed toward the old streets.

The market was bustling, and Old Li said passing through here would make it easier to avoid drawing attention.

The compartment was draped with a cloth curtain. Peering through a gap, Wen Huiyun saw a crossroads not far ahead, with a patrol car with a red-and-blue roof slowly approaching.

“Yanyan, we’re almost there.”

No sooner had Wen Huiyun spoken than a voice called out from behind the tricycle: “Hey, tricycle! The one with the hat, I’m talking to you! Stop!”

Wen Huiyun’s arm tensed as Ye Zhuoyan grabbed her, panic flashing in her eyes.

Old Li was the one wearing the hat.

Wen Huiyun pulled Ye Zhuoyan close, sealing the curtain tightly, gripping the fruit knife she kept for self-defense.

Voices filtered in from outside: “Hey, driver! Wait up! How much to the Talent Center?”

Old Li didn’t stop.

As the tricycle passed the patrol car, Old Li shouted back, “Got passengers in here!”

A community officer leaned out of the patrol car, and the person following the tricycle halted.

Old Li quickly steered toward the police station.

Wen Huiyun broke out in a cold sweat and turned to Ye Zhuoyan her lips were pale, her face drained of color.

“It’s alright, Yanyan. We’re safe now. We’re safe.” Wen Huiyun held her tighter.

Ye Zhuoyan took a deep, shaky breath. “A normal person wouldn’t stop a tricycle with passengers, right? Even with the curtain, they could see legs inside.”

Wen Huiyun rubbed her arms soothingly. “Right.”

“So those must’ve been them just now. We were so close to.”

“Don’t think about it, Yanyan. We’re out now. Think about it, why did they strike at Jieyou Eatery? Because it’s on the fringes. They wouldn’t dare act recklessly in the city.”

Ye Zhuoyan’s lips trembled. “Huiyun, let’s go to Provincial Court Street now.”

Old Li had said if they wanted to report this, they’d have to go to the district under the Provincial Procuratorate’s jurisdiction.

The implication was clear.

Wen Huiyun’s eyes darkened.

This time, she’d make sure Ke Yuxin paid dearly.

New District Public Security Bureau Headquarters.

The officer closed the notepad.

“We’ve taken your statements. Please go home and rest!”

Wen Huiyun cut him off. “Officer, this isn’t just ordinary stalking. It’s tied to a transnational underground organization. Also, I want to report someone. I’m sure you’ll find plenty of leads if you investigate her.”

Understood, go home and rest?

How many cases piled up in the city every day? By the time they got to theirs, it’d be far too late.

Wen Huiyun refused to sit idle. She had to make the police take this seriously.

The officer said sternly, “Ms. Wen, you’re somewhat of a public figure. You’ll be held accountable for what you say at the police station.”

The topic of underground organizations was highly sensitive domestically, let alone internationally.

Wen Huiyun knew the police wouldn’t believe her without evidence.

She glanced at the desk, took a sheet of A4 paper, wrote three characters, and showed it to the officer.

The officer looked puzzled. “What is this?”

Wen Huiyun sighed. “Can I speak to your superior?”

“Ms. Wen, unless you have evidence or a concrete case to report, please don’t interfere with our work.”

“What’s the big issue that requires seeing the superior?” A young woman with a brown ponytail walked over.

The officer stood up. “Captain Ning.”

Wen Huiyun flipped the A4 paper face down and looked at the unfamiliar woman.

Her sharp phoenix eyes and composed demeanor were striking. There was an uncanny resemblance to Jiang Yining in her facial features.

The woman smiled and greeted her. “Hello, I’m Ning Changqi, captain of the East China Criminal Police Division.”

Ning Changqi pointed at the A4 paper under Wen Huiyun’s hand. “What you just wrote, can I see it?”

Wen Huiyun studied her for two seconds, then slowly turned the paper over.

Black characters on white paper:

Emerald City

A small meeting room.

The blinds were tightly shut.

In the dim light, dust particles danced in the glow of the projector.

Ning Changqi’s voice was crisp:

“‘A-Jie,’ real name unknown. A cadre of Emerald City. His earliest activity traces back to Florence ten years ago. Suspected to originate from the Child Division.”

“‘A-Wang,’ real name Wang Hao. Joined Emerald City in xx year. A-Jie’s deputy.”

Wen Huiyun and Ye Zhuoyan scrutinized the information. “We didn’t see these two.”

Ning Changqi continued flipping through slides over a dozen photos cycled by. “These are all Emerald City members sighted in City A.”

Ye Zhuoyan stopped her. “This one, and the few before, it’s them.”

Ning Changqi nodded. “How much contact have you had with Emerald City?”

Ye Zhuoyan shook her head. None.

Wen Huiyun said, “I went to Florence four months ago. I was kidnapped by Emerald City.”

Ye Zhuoyan stared at her in shock and horror. But with official business at hand, she held back.

Ning Changqi frowned. “You escaped back from Florence? That complicates things.”

She clicked the remote, advancing the slides to an overview of Emerald City.

“Underground organizations are active in Italy, Emerald City is one of them. Their Child Division, which trains cadres, is based in Florence. ‘Training’ is a euphemism, it’s more like ‘raising scorpions in a pit.’”

“Emerald City has three core structures: the Throne, the Cabinet, and the Child Division. The Throne is the leadership hub, the Cabinet oversees various branches, and the Child Division selects orphans annually, forcing them to fight until the last survivor becomes a new cadre.”

Wen Huiyun paled. She couldn’t fathom how Ke Yuxin had gotten involved with such a vicious organization.

Ning Changqi looked at her. “Encountering ordinary members is one thing, but if you’re tied to the Child Division, it’s hard to say.”

“Still, how did you cross paths with Emerald City? They operate covertly, most domestic police aren’t even aware of them.”

Ye Zhuoyan also stared anxiously at Wen Huiyun. “Huiyun, what really happened? What did you and Ke Yuxin go through in Italy?”

Wen Huiyun lowered her gaze. Even though her memories of Emerald City’s stronghold were inherited from the original host illusory recalling them still left her limbs ice-cold.

“There was an omega named Ke Yuxin who took me to an antique auction. I was drugged and kidnapped, then frozen in a warehouse by the people from Jade City, it seemed like they wanted to harvest parts from me.”

Ye Zhuoyan gripped Wen Huiyun’s wrist, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “You!”

So Wen Huiyun had gone through something so dangerous, yet she hadn’t mentioned a word of it to her.

Wen Huiyun pulled her into an embrace. “It’s all in the past now.”

Ning Changqi opened his laptop to pull up records. “Ke Yuxin, right? But according to our internal data, this person has no criminal record whatsoever.”

Wen Huiyun scoffed. “Of course she’s covered her tracks.”

Ning Changqi pondered for a moment before saying, “The leads you’ve given me are extremely useful. I’ve been investigating Jade City’s domestic operations for years, but they’re incredibly cunning, with powerful protectors shielding them. I desperately needed a breakthrough and you’ve just given me one.”

Wen Huiyun asked, “Captain Ning, I want to know how my partner and I can stay safe.”

“I’ll arrange for undercover protection.”

Ning Changqi leaned back in his swivel chair, gloved fingers steepled under his chin.

“Go about your lives as usual attend your variety show, and help me get close to this Ke Yuxin. She must have a way to contact ‘A-Jie.’ If we can lure A-Jie out, I can dig up Jade City’s entire operation. Everyone who’s hurt you will pay for it.”

“But until then, I need you both to avoid tipping them off.”

The meeting room fell silent.

Ning Changqi slumped in his chair, a softcover notebook draped over his face.

“Captain Ning.” A team member pushed the door open.

Ning Changqi bolted upright. “Any news from Agent 011?”

The team member sighed. “The secure line’s still dead.”

A shadow of grief crossed Ning Changqi’s face. “With all the commotion in the old tenement district, I’m afraid she might be in danger. We have to move fast.”

Though they had never met, he held the deepest respect for her.

For ten years, she had infiltrated the shadows alone, feeding the team nearly all their intel on Jade City.

The team member added, “Captain Ning, the Su family called again. They said the old patriarch’s condition is worsening, and they’re still begging us to find their missing granddaughter.”

“The Su family dares call me? Next time they ring the station, warn them about obstructing official duties.”

New Year’s Eve.

Fearing they might bring danger to their families, Wen Huiyun and Ye Zhuoyan spent the holiday in their old villa.

Ye Zhuoyan had hired a private doctor and a few bodyguards.

Having strangers in the house was still unsettling.

And paying them extra to work through the holidays wasn’t cheap.

Ye Zhuoyan didn’t care. “Safety comes first.”

With Ning Changqi’s plainclothes officers also keeping watch, those criminals wouldn’t dare make a move.

Even stepping outside to check on the stray cats meant Wen Huiyun was shadowed by a hulking bodyguard.

Wen Huiyun: “I just want to see the cats, Johnny.”

Bodyguard: “Ms. Ye’s orders, if you leave the house, we follow. Please understand our job, Mrs. Ye!”

M-Mrs. Ye!

Wen Huiyun: “Alright, I get it.”

Back inside, she went to see what her beloved was up to.

Ye Zhuoyan was in the basement workshop.

Wen Huiyun descended slowly. “Sweetheart, it’s freezing down here, you didn’t turn on the heater.”

“!”

Ye Zhuoyan, clad in protective gear, was using tongs to hold a dead rat.

Wen Huiyun blinked. “Yanyan, what are you did the strays bring another dead rat? I thought I threw the last one out.”

“Sorry, but could you not disturb me right now?”

“?” But this was really weird.

Wen Huiyun stepped closer to look, and a chilling shiver shot up to the crown of her head.

A “Flowers Blooming in Wealth and Prosperity” gift box, filled with dead rats, dead cockroaches, and live spiders.

Ye Zhuoyan picked up the last dead rat with a pair of tongs, placed it inside, closed the lid, and sealed the box with bright red tape.

“Yanyan, what are you?”

“Didn’t Captain Ning say we shouldn’t alert the enemy?”

“Right, we need to lure out A-Jie.”

Ye Zhuoyan turned around, her beautiful eyes blazing with fury: “Ke Yuxin hurt my alpha like this, and you expect me to just take it?!!”

“Yanyan!” Wen Huiyun pulled her into an embrace, heartbroken yet moved.

She knew Ye Zhuoyan was avenging her.

Given the circumstances of the attack, those thugs had clearly targeted Ye Zhuoyan, but in the end, it was Wen Huiyun who had dragged her into this.

Glancing at the gaudy red “New Year’s gift,” Wen Huiyun tightened her arms around Ye Zhuoyan, pressing her forehead against hers in a tender nuzzle.

She whispered, “No. We won’t take it.”

Ye Zhuoyan gritted her teeth. “So for now, this is the only pathetic way I can vent my anger.”

“Once we have solid evidence, I’ll tear Ke Yuxin apart with my own hands.”

Suddenly, Ye Zhuoyan lifted her head, her gaze sharp as a blade. “And you.”

Wen Huiyun: ?

Ye Zhuoyan: “Come with me.”

The Ke residence was bustling with visitors.

The New Year’s well-wishers had trampled the front lawn bare.

Courier: “Hello, Miss Ke, your New Year’s gift.”

Ke Yuxin scoffed. She had countless admirers, who would dare send such a tacky gift?

Well, the bright red color was at least festive for New Year’s Eve.

She opened it.

“AHHHHHHHHH!!!!”

A spider leaped onto her face, and as she flung the box away, cockroaches and dead rats rained down all over her.

“F*ck you! Who?! WHO DID THIS?!!”

That day, every guest at the Ke residence gained a whole new “appreciation” for the young miss.

Whispers and mocking laughter filled the air.

Guest: Wasn’t Miss Ke supposed to be cultured, graceful, and refined? Why is she cursing like a sailor?

Guest: More like Miss Go-F*ck Yourself!

Professor Ke, humiliated beyond belief, turned livid with rage. His blood pressure spiked, and on New Year’s Eve, he was rushed to the ICU.