I, A Loyal Dog, Awaken to My Fate as Cannon Fodder - Chapter 1

The lights were just beginning to flicker on as night thickened. It was the September back-to-school season, and A University, flaunting its wealth, had booked an entire Japanese restaurant to host a freshman welcoming party.

In private room 0311, Shen Yinan sat at the very edge of a long, low table. The restaurant was boisterous and noisy; for someone like her, who was never good with words, it felt as though she were living in a completely different world from everyone else.

No one sought her out for conversation. While others were brimming with joy, she sat there in solitary isolation.

At this moment, she couldn’t help but blame the Eldest Miss. She had said it before—someone as socially inept as her would never be able to blend into such a lively atmosphere.

Her distinct, slender fingers gripped a glass filled with frothing beer, intending to drain it in one gulp.

Suddenly, the hand holding the glass froze. A massive influx of images, like a film reel, flashed through her mind. That brief second took her from shock to a strange sense of calm.

The hand holding the drink continued its upward motion. She took a sip of the chilled beer, finally accepting the reality: she was a “cannon fodder” character in an old-school cliché novel.

She turned her head to look at the young lady sitting beside her. With her high, arched brows and delicate features, this Eldest Miss was the female lead of that very novel.

“Drink, drink! Let’s have a toast to Junior Sister Cheng. Junior Sister Cheng comes from such a prestigious family; we’ll be counting on you to look after us seniors in the future.”

The young lady possessed a somewhat cold, understated face that looked incredibly high-class when paired with red lipstick. Her name was Cheng Wanqiu. In Shen Yinan’s eyes, she was currently offering a superficial, mirthless smile as she clinked glasses with the senior who had spoken.

It was obvious that the Miss was already drunk. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were hazy, but her refined upbringing prevented her from doing anything that would make someone lose face in public.

Shen Yinan’s eyes shifted, landing on the senior who was currently proposing the toast.

This refined, handsome, and scholarly-looking senior was none other than the “Phoenix Man” (a man from a humble background who uses women to climb the social ladder) of this cliché story.

According to the plot in her head, it wouldn’t be long before the Eldest Miss’s family fortune was seized by disgusting collateral relatives. The destitute Miss would have no choice but to follow this senior. Once he realized she had no money, he would tear off his mask and beat her by day, while subjecting her to all sorts of horrors by night. When he grew tired of her, he would sell her off to the other male leads in the book.

As for her, Shen Yinan—acting as the Eldest Miss’s “pet”—she would be beaten to death with clubs. After death, her soul would wander, following the Eldest Miss and watching helplessly as she was humiliated by the novel’s male leads.

Though she was usually emotionally stable, seeing those vivid, realistic images stirred a tempestuous wave of fury within her.

She set down her glass, stood up abruptly, snatched the glass out of the Eldest Miss’s hand, and splashed the beer directly into the Phoenix Man’s face.

Only the Eldest Miss and the Phoenix Man senior witnessed the act clearly.

The beer dripped from his face, his eyelid twitching with suppressed rage. He slammed his hand on the table and smashed a glass against the floor.

“I’ll kill you! You little animal, go to hell!!”

The massive crash drew the attention of everyone in the room. Shen Yinan had sat back down at some unknown point, looking at the senior with an innocent expression. She sat upright, looking exactly like a capybara—radiating an aura of total indifference toward life or death, as if nothing in the world concerned her. With such a peaceful demeanor, who would dare accuse her of anything?

“Did something happen?”

No one blamed Shen Yinan; or rather, no one even suspected she was the one who had thrown the drink.

Listening to the murmurs of the crowd, Shen Yinan closed her eyes.

She knew that this usually gentle senior’s sudden outburst had caused the others to frown in disapproval. He often talked about how much he loved kindergarten children to cultivate an image of a top-tier, good-tempered man.

Now, by spitting out such crude insults, his true nature had been exposed.

“This… this little animal splashed wine on me!” Hu Ying pointed at Shen Yinan and roared.

Most of the students who entered A University had come up through the A University Affiliated High School. Shen Yinan remained unperturbed.

An old classmate spoke up on her behalf: “I know Shen Yinan best. She was the most well-behaved student in our class. How could a ‘capybara’ like her splash wine on you? Senior, maybe you’ve had too much to drink and splashed it on yourself?”

At this, Shen Yinan slowly opened her eyes. Back in high school, she already knew the importance of managing interpersonal relationships. There wasn’t another student like her—someone who achieved high marks and was always willing to help others.

She watched as three or five classmates spoke up for her.

“Yeah, exactly. The senior is probably just drunk.”

The scene was chaotic. The deep-scheming Shen Yinan let a smirk curl the corner of her lips where no one could see. In an instant, she returned to her expressionless state, sitting quietly as if she were about to enter a state of meditative nirvana.

The only person who knew the identity of the real culprit was currently propping up her head, staring intently at the perpetrator with eyes that were both frank and curious.

Shen Yinan knew that Hu Ying was indeed a bit drunk; that was why his gentle disguise had slipped, revealing his true self to the crowd.

The senior quickly sobered up. He wiped his face and regained his usual composure, saying to the crowd, “Sorry, it seems I really did splash the drink on myself. Haha, I guess I’m just really drunk.”

He was quite handsome, and with this apology, everyone accepted his explanation.

The classmates who had defended Shen Yinan felt as though they had been stuffed with a mouthful of bland bread—since he had apologized, what more could they do?

Hu Ying shot a vicious glare at Shen Yinan. On the surface, she remained detached from the world, acting as if she hadn’t noticed his anger at all.

The senior sat back down, his mind racing with thoughts on how to hook Cheng Wanqiu, the wealthy heiress.

His filthy gaze lingered shamelessly on her Miss, Cheng Wanqiu. His handsome face acted as a mask for the inner filth and dark intentions that were almost overflowing.

For a split second, he thought he saw that “little animal” Shen Yinan flash him a sinister, cunning smile.

Hu Ying suddenly realized: this wasn’t some Zen-like capybara; this was a wicked wolf in sheep’s clothing, pretending to be good. He grew increasingly furious the more he thought about it, his eyelid twitching again. He felt a desperate urge to hit someone.

Shen Yinan sat cross-legged, sipping a large glass of bubbly beer while digesting the sudden influx of memories from her “previous life.”

Besides this Phoenix Man, there was also a psychopathic pet doctor and the Eldest Miss’s yandere childhood friend who was currently studying abroad.

Every single one of them was a primary culprit in dragging the Eldest Miss down to a state worse than a street beggar.

The Phoenix Man wanted to step on Cheng Wanqiu to climb into high society; the twisted pet doctor wanted to “dissect” her to satisfy his sick pleasures; and the yandere childhood friend wanted to imprison her in the name of love to fulfill his own fetishes.

My Eldest Miss really has suffered a lot of misfortune, Shen Yinan thought.

Standing at 180cm with a striking build, a rare flash of emotion appeared in her beautiful peach-blossom eyes. Shen Yinan had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, with neck-length short hair that was naturally wavy and voluminous. She pulled off a wolf-cut hairstyle to perfection.

She could have easily taken a “cool girl” route; if she wore a lip stud or earrings, she would undoubtedly be the most popular figure on campus, leaving Hu Ying in the dust.

However, she acted “good.” She didn’t know how to say no and was easily bullied. Because she helped both students and teachers so much, they often felt guilty and would reflexively jump to her defense whenever they saw this “silly child” being picked on.

“Little puppy, your popularity is still so good wherever you go.”

Shen Yinan saw the shapes Cheng Wanqiu’s lips made and choked on her beer.

“Cough, cough, cough!”

Shen Yinan set the glass down and wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand.

What did the Eldest Miss mean by that? Was she planning to send her back to the Shen family?

The former class monitor, Tao Ye—a girl wearing black-rimmed glasses—stumbled over unsteadily. She threw an arm around Shen Yinan’s shoulder and squeezed into the corner to sit with her.

Cheeks flushed from alcohol, she pointed at Cheng Wanqiu and said, “Cheng Wanqiu, don’t you go bullying Shen Yinan again. We’re in university now, not underage kids anymore.”

The monitor patted Shen Yinan’s face and nuzzled against her like an affectionate mother.

“Shen Yinan, if this person bullies you again, you must tell me, your class monitor. Let me deal with her.”

Shen Yinan’s nerves tightened. Monitor, you’re making things very dangerous for me…

Her expression didn’t change at all, remaining so calm it seemed as if she hadn’t noticed the gaze of the Eldest Miss, Cheng Wanqiu, beside her.

Those indignant eyes narrowed, and Cheng Wanqiu gripped her chopsticks so hard it looked as if they might snap at any moment.

Cheng Wanqiu set the chopsticks down and stood up. “Let’s go. We’re heading back.”

“Leaving already? Won’t the Miss play a little longer?” Shen Yinan asked, feigning obedience.

Her hand was suddenly gripped by Cheng Wanqiu. Only then did she look up, wearing a look of bewilderment as if she didn’t know why the Eldest Miss was angry.

Shen Yinan looked slightly confused, like a puppy that didn’t know what it had done wrong, tilting her head as she asked, “Does the Eldest Miss have something to attend to?”

“Look at you! I just said stop bullying Shen Yinan, and here you are doing it again!!”

The monitor glared angrily, but her vision was so blurred she couldn’t even distinguish people clearly; she ended up scolding the empty air.

Casting a cold glance at the monitor’s “dirty” hand touching Shen Yinan, Cheng Wanqiu simply gave a light, chilling smile.

“Are you coming or not?”

This wasn’t a question; it was a direct ultimatum for Shen Yinan to make a choice.

Make the wrong one, and the consequences would be severe.

“I’m coming, of course I’m coming.”

Shen Yinan pried Monitor Tao’s hand off her shoulder and gently settled her into the corner where she had been sitting, worried the monitor might trip or bump into something.

Cheng Wanqiu let out a cold snort. She wouldn’t go as far as to be jealous of a mere class monitor—after all, wasn’t Shen Yinan this way because she had “trained” her so well?

“Enough already. You’re practically ready to tuck her into a hotel bed.”

Fine, to say she wasn’t jealous was an impossible lie. Shen Yinan was her childhood playmate, the “pet” she had pointed at in the Shen household and declared she had to have.

Shen Yinan said nothing. After finishing her tasks, she stood with her hands behind her back, pretending to be good. “Ready, Miss!”

She offered a smile to Cheng Wanqiu. At first glance, one would think of a Golden Retriever; look longer, and it was impossible to tell what was truly in her heart.

“You certainly are clever, knowing to smile at me after you’ve made me angry.”

Shen Yinan’s attitude really irritated her. Cheng Wanqiu had every reason to suspect that she was provoking her on purpose.

Just because Cheng had said she was bad with words and needed to attend more of these events to build her courage.

“What are you saying, Miss?”

Shen Yinan simply kept smiling.

Suddenly, her hand was gripped with great force, and her eyes widened.

Shen Yinan didn’t dare say another word.

She was led to a deserted corridor of the restaurant. The lighting was dim, and the walls were covered in dark green swirling-patterned wallpaper.

There was a “thud,” followed by a muffled groan.

Shen Yinan’s back hit the wall, her skin chafed by the patterns on the wallpaper.

Cheng Wanqiu knit her beautiful brows, blaming herself for being too rough.

But she couldn’t wait; she needed an answer from Shen Yinan.

Cheng Wanqiu: “Shen Yinan, do you like me? Is that why you helped me and then provoked me today?”

Shen Yinan denied it instantly. “No.”

She—the child of a mistress, a person born with “sin,” and currently a dog of the lowest status.

What right did she have to like the socially superior Cheng Wanqiu?

“Is that so?”

Cheng Wanqiu didn’t believe her. “Then why did you step in for me?”

She tilted Shen Yinan’s chin up.

“Because that is what I should do.”

Shen Yinan was forced to lift her head, her beautiful swan-like neck appearing incredibly alluring.

It wasn’t surprising that a master would take an interest in a “dog” like her.

Realizing she had been too high-profile, Shen Yinan feigned panic and recited a line she often used.

“Miss, you’re toying with me again.”