I, A Loyal Dog, Awaken to My Fate as Cannon Fodder - Chapter 9

As finals approached, the University A library was packed to capacity.

Shen Yinan and Cheng Wanqiu arrived early in the morning to claim their spots. A single table accommodated over a dozen people studying together; the two of them squeezed into a corner, surrounded only by the sound of turning pages and the rhythmic “shasha” of pens against paper. In this intensely quiet environment, Shen Yinan and Cheng Wanqiu communicated solely through their phones.

Near noon, the students sitting across from them left for the cafeteria. The seats remained empty, and several minutes passed without anyone taking them.

At a table otherwise occupied entirely by girls, Hu Ying crept over and stealthily took the seat vacated by the student who had just left.

The library was no place for conversation, but this was a book—the male and female leads talking in a library wasn’t considered a major offense and wouldn’t usually trigger public outrage.

Hu Ying was long accustomed to acting as he pleased. He pulled out the notes he had stayed up all night to prepare and said with practiced confidence, “Junior Cheng,” he waved the notebook, “these are the notes I took. I hope they can help you.”

As a self-proclaimed “warm guy,” he drew the attention of the surrounding girls, who put down their pens to look at him with admiring gazes.

Shen Yinan could faintly hear students at the neighboring table whispering about him.

“Holy crap, Senior Hu Ying is so handsome.”

“He actually came to the library to hand-deliver notes to his junior. Look at the dark circles under his eyes; he must have stayed up all night working on them.”

“Is the University A ‘school grass’ finally getting a girlfriend? He’s so serious about pursuing her. In the future, I want a boyfriend just like Senior Hu Ying.”

Shen Yinan scanned the fawning Hu Ying from head to toe. She was merely a cannon-fodder character. In the original story, Senior Hu Ying presented his hastily scribbled notes to the Young Mistress, and the Young Mistress was moved by his devotion.

In reality, however, the Young Mistress looked at Hu Ying with sheer embarrassment, forcing an awkward smile, clearly unwilling to accept his “kindness.”

As for Shen Yinan, she was an extremely introverted person. While her introversion was a flaw, it had also forged her black-bellied (sly/scheming) nature. To protect herself, she had to be more cautious and clever than everyone else.

By now, it wasn’t just the neighboring girls; nearly half the library was whispering about Hu Ying. Hidden beneath the “male lead halo” were clumsy techniques for wooing girls—one could even say there was zero sincerity involved, just a desire to get something for nothing.

Hu Ying forcefully shoved the notebook into Cheng Wanqiu’s hands, gazing at the girl he liked with a “devout” and confident expression, his eyes sparkling like brilliant stars.

Of course, that was only how he imagined Cheng Wanqiu was looking at him. In reality, in Cheng Wanqiu’s eyes, he was just a senior acting like a “show-off” with a touch of insanity.

The University A confession wall was being flooded with messages about how handsome Hu Ying was, and the school forum didn’t escape the onslaught either. These two digital hubs had become disaster zones for Hu Ying’s praise.

Cheng Wanqiu pushed the notebook back. “Senior Hu Ying, I can’t accept this.”

“Hey, just take it,” Hu Ying insisted, trying to force it on her again.

“I have Shen Yinan helping me review…” Cheng Wanqiu said, trying to find an excuse.

Hu Ying pushed harder. “It doesn’t matter, Junior. You can use these notes as a supplement.”

“I take my own notes.”

“I’m a senior. Do you think you know the exam focus areas better than I do? Here, take it.”

Each grabbed one side of the notebook, pushing it back and forth. This kind of scene was usually only seen during the Lunar New Year when relatives fought over giving red envelopes.

Shen Yinan’s eyes followed the notebook’s movement back and forth. Suddenly, this seemingly well-behaved girl joined the scuffle. To outsiders, it looked like she had jumped in out of concern for Cheng Wanqiu.

Her hand happened to catch the middle of the notebook. Suddenly, the book flew upward. Hua-la-la—the notebook flipped open in mid-air, revealing scribbled, hideous handwriting. The only legible parts were the somewhat neat “love letters” Hu Ying had written at the bottom of every page.

The notebook landed flat in the middle of the aisle. Everyone looked.

The air froze for a few seconds, as if a cold front had swept through. Then, the library erupted.

A boy with a buzz cut picked up the notebook Hu Ying had written for Cheng Wanqiu. He mockingly read aloud the toe-curlingly cringeworthy words.

“Junior Cheng, can I call you by your name?”

“Junior Cheng, you must be tired reading this. How about a cup of hot milk tea?”

“Junior Cheng, you are the best girl I’ve ever met, like a beam of light.”

The library was in an uproar. The muffled sounds of suppressed laughter grew louder and louder.

Being publicly executed on the spot, Hu Ying—who was obsessed with his reputation—immediately turned red with shame. He didn’t dare do anything to the other guy, so he directed his fury at Cheng Wanqiu and Shen Yinan.

He glared at Shen Yinan, his eyes wide with rage.

You little brat, you little brat… one day, I will make you pay with your life!!!

Shen Yinan looked back with an expressionless face, as if she couldn’t detect Hu Ying’s boiling anger at all, appearing so calm she was almost Zen-like. No one suspected that she had intentionally sent the notebook flying into the air to expose Hu Ying’s “love letters” for public judgment.

Shen Yinan was secretly mischievous. She watched as Hu Ying, with his tail between his legs, went to beg the buzz-cut boy to return the notebook. If a girl had picked it up, Hu Ying would have surely barked at her.

Someone whispered, “Haha, so our school grass likes to pull this kind of cringey move.”

“Exactly, so embarrassing. Who would want that notebook? That girl is so unlucky to be harassed by Senior Hu.”

“By the way, isn’t this the library? Why did Senior Hu Ying start talking so loudly the moment he walked in?” someone questioned.

“!!!”

“You’re right! Dammit, who does he think he is? If we fail our finals, can he help us?”

More and more people began to notice Hu Ying’s flaws because Shen Yinan acted as a “shield” against the male lead’s halo. Shen Yinan listened as the library crowd began to protest.

“Get out! The library isn’t a place for your romance!”

“And they call him the school grass? I didn’t expect his character to be so poor. Get out, don’t disturb our revision!”

In a place where no one could see, Shen Yinan’s lips curled into a faint smile. Beside her, Cheng Wanqiu hooked her pinky finger around Shen Yinan’s.

Shen Yinan immediately stopped her silent mockery, her face becoming expressionless as if nothing had happened. To an observer, what happened to Hu Ying was an accident, but in truth, it was all part of Shen Yinan’s plan. How could such a sweet, well-behaved person harm anyone? No one knew just how “black-bellied” Shen Yinan truly was.

Her palm was tickled repeatedly by the Young Mistress’s pinky, as if to say, “You went a little too far bullying him.”

Shen Yinan didn’t accept that sentiment; she kept avoiding Cheng Wanqiu’s teasing.

While everyone was busy driving Hu Ying out, Cheng Wanqiu took advantage of the distraction. She stood on her tiptoes and whispered into Shen Yinan’s ear.

“Little dog, you didn’t do this because you like me, did you?”

A warm, moist breath brushed against Shen Yinan’s ear. She instinctively shrunk back, her ear tingling from the sensation. She rubbed it against her shoulder. In action, she was like a fragile rabbit or a hiding ostrich.

“Young Mistress, you are playing with me again,” Shen Yinan whispered, her voice low.

Fine, fine, I’ll stop teasing you. Cheng Wanqiu pulled away and stood properly. If she teased the “little dog” any more, the dog might actually start sulking. She didn’t speak further, but a slight curve remained on her lips.

Shen Yinan’s heart skipped a beat. She tried her absolute best to ignore that playful smile.

Ultimately, Hu Ying took his notebook and fled amidst the crowd’s insults, his dignity completely shattered.

Every year in late December, on the Winter Solstice, the Cheng family organized a trip to the hot springs. The servants could also go, making it a sort of company team-building event.

Cheng Wanqiu’s young uncle had been abroad and hadn’t returned, so the responsibility for the Cheng family’s hot spring trip fell onto Cheng Wanqiu’s shoulders. Between dealing with finals and planning the family trip, she had never been this exhausted.

Shen Yinan had looked into Hu Ying and discovered he actually had a girlfriend—the girl who had delivered food to him in the infirmary last time.

She was generally the type who wouldn’t provoke others if they didn’t provoke her. If Hu Ying stayed out of her way, she wouldn’t care about him, even if he was the “male lead” under the laws of this world. But Hu Ying just had to bring trouble to her doorstep.

A few days after the library incident, Hu Ying tried a new tactic to pursue the Young Mistress, showing up with a cup of hot milk tea.

Shen Yinan didn’t change her expression. She casually asked a single question: “What about us?”

A group of girls in the class were discussing a group project when Hu Ying approached with a single cup of milk tea to try and act close. He mentioned he had gone to buy tea, but the fact that he only bought one cup made the other girls look down on him. He fled in humiliation.

Watching Hu Ying’s departing back and the untouched milk tea on the table, Shen Yinan thought: The stingy male lead might eventually improve. If the day comes when I can no longer find fault with him, my Young Mistress might actually end up with this blood-sucking ‘Phoenix Man.’

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, her gaze had darkened.

After the group discussion ended, they sat in the study lounge beneath the teaching building. The lounge was filled with orange sofas and plenty of back cushions. Cheng Wanqiu leaned back, letting out a comfortable hum. She stretched her arms out, wanting to drape one over Shen Yinan’s shoulder, but years of Cheng family discipline prevented her from making such an improper gesture.

“We’re heading out first.”

Cheng Wanqiu nodded, acknowledging the other girls.

They specifically instructed Shen Yinan, “Shen Yinan, we’re counting on you for the group project.”

Shen Yinan nodded gently, looking very easy to push around. Cheng Wanqiu gave a soft, internal “tch.”

Once the others were gone, Shen Yinan’s fake, gentle smile vanished. Her cheek was suddenly pinched by Cheng Wanqiu. She looked at her Young Mistress with soft eyes.

“What is it, Young Mistress?”

Cheng Wanqiu teased, “You really are a ‘pushover’ nice person.”

“We’re all classmates, after all,” Shen Yinan used that worn-out excuse.

The Young Mistress wasn’t angry; she generally didn’t interfere with what Shen Yinan did, even if she chose to play the “good person.”

Shen Yinan sat upright, staring straight ahead. She felt her Young Mistress lean over, resting her head on Shen Yinan’s shoulder. Shen Yinan’s shoulders weren’t particularly broad—they had a feminine delicacy—but they were the sanctuary Cheng Wanqiu sought whenever she was under pressure. Leaning there made her feel like she had someone to rely on.

“Shen Yinan… this is the first time I’ve taken over family affairs. If I mess up this hot spring trip, my young uncle will be mocked by the distant relatives again, and I’ll remain their laughingstock forever.”

Shen Yinan closed her eyes, trying not to think about the fate of the Young Mistress she had learned about after her “awakening.”

She said calmly, “Young Mistress, go ahead and do it boldly. I am right behind you.”

Cheng Wanqiu’s nose twitched, her eyes brimming with moved tears. she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye with one hand, holding her breath to force the rest back.

She acted as if nothing had happened. Shen Yinan wasn’t so socially inept as to ask her master, “Are you crying?” She wasn’t a dog that would wag its tail in worry the moment it saw its master upset.

Suddenly, a soft sensation touched her cheek. Startled, Shen Yinan snapped her eyes open. Once she regained her composure, she turned her head in a slight panic to look at the Young Mistress.

It turned out the Young Mistress was poking her cheek with a soft fingertip.

“Young Mistress, you…”

Shen Yinan stammered. It wasn’t just the softness of the finger; she could feel the warm breath against her skin. Those sly eyes, upturned at the corners, were staring right at her.

In such an ambiguous atmosphere, it wasn’t that Shen Yinan didn’t know what her Young Mistress was doing or what she was thinking.

“Shen Yinan… good girl.”

Cheng Wanqiu’s eyes were hazy, playing with her teasingly.

In that instant, Shen Yinan bit the tip of her tongue, swallowing the metallic taste of blood. She managed a forced smile and said, “Young Mistress, you are playing with me again.”

Seeing those honest, simple eyes, the Young Mistress beneath those eyelids gave a cunning smile. With that, Cheng Wanqiu lifted her head from Shen Yinan’s shoulder.

For some reason, Shen Yinan’s heart felt strangely empty.