The Cannon Fodder Went Out Of Character Again Today - Chapter 10

The professional course professor lectured with great enthusiasm, but today was Friday, and the students sitting in the lecture hall had zero interest in their textbooks.

Everyone looked as though they were desperately wishing for a pair of wings so they could fly straight out of the classroom.

Xu Qiduo sent a message to Zhou Mengxing informing him of where his driver usually parked. After exiting the chat window, he was just about to put his phone away when another message came in, this time from Wang Shuo.

Xu Qiduo clicked his tongue and opened their chat window.

Wang Shuo: [Wait for me at the school gate. We’re heading to the western suburbs riding club this afternoon.]

His tone was full of commands. Anyone listening would think Xu Qiduo was his personal chauffeur.

[Okay.]

Xu Qiduo replied with an “okay,” but then felt it was too plain and didn’t quite fit his simp persona, so against his conscience, he tossed in a couple of heart emojis.

Right after sending the hearts, it suddenly dawned on him: wait a minute, he had already agreed yesterday to take Zhou Mengxing home today, and the kid might already be waiting in the car by now.

He hurriedly recalled the “okay” message he had sent to Wang Shuo.

He quickly re-edited and sent: [I have to go home today, so I can’t make it this afternoon. I’ll drop you off later instead.]

When Wang Shuo called him along to hang out, it was naturally for much more than just acting as a driver.

Following the usual routine, he would also have to moonlight as a waiter, butler, and cashier, all while keeping a flattering smile on his face as Wang Shuo’s group of fox-friends mocked and ridiculed him.

Therefore, ever since transmigrating, Xu Qiduo had made it a point to skillfully dodge this kind of social obligation whenever possible.

Wang Shuo: [Fine.]

The other party replied very quickly.

With Wang Shuo’s end settled, he still had a “younger brother” waiting to go home together.

Up at the front of the classroom, the professor tapped the blackboard, trying to reclaim the attention of students whose minds had long since flown away.

Holding his phone, Xu Qiduo composed a new message for Zhou Mengxing.

[Xiao Xing, I have some matters to attend to this afternoon and will be running a bit late. Could you wait another two hours for me?]

Zhou Mengxing: [?]

[Go grab some lunch at the cafeteria first, then head back to the dorm for a nap. I’ll call you when I’m ready so we can leave together.]

Zhou Mengxing: [?]

[Two hours at most, I’ll come find you then.]

After about a minute or so, Zhou Mengxing finally replied on the other end.

Zhou Mengxing: [Okay.]

Looking at the reply, Xu Qiduo thought this arrangement seemed quite reliable. He even started to feel that this Zhou Mengxing guy was actually pretty easy to talk to.

His original intention was to drop Wang Shuo off at the riding club, then rush back to school to pick up Zhou Mengxing so they could head home together.

Yet upon arriving at the destination, Wang Shuo immediately threw an arm around his shoulder and shoved him right into the riding club.

Those fox-friends of his immediately started hooting and hollering that the two of them were finally a couple, and Wang Shuo didn’t bother to refute it.

Seeing that Wang Shuo didn’t deny it, how could a little simp like him dare to go against Wang Shuo’s intentions?

Just like that, Wang Shuo kept an arm slung around him the entire afternoon without letting go. Their closeness made Xu Qiduo briefly suspect that something might have gone wrong somewhere.

It wasn’t until later, when He Jin’s figure appeared among the riding club staff, that everything clicked into place.

Xu Qiduo finally had his epiphany! So this was a hidden plotline unfolding right before his eyes!

The system hadn’t given him a heads-up in advance, so it was a good thing he had kept his cool and didn’t shrug Wang Shuo’s arm off, thereby preserving the proper image of a dedicated simp.

Wang Shuo, who had originally planned to go horseback riding, changed his mind the moment he spotted He Jin.

The whole group stayed in the spectator stands, waiting for He Jin to wait on them.

Wang Shuo kept making demands: first complaining the coffee was too cold and ordering a fresh cup, then claiming he wanted freshly squeezed juice. As soon as the juice arrived, he turned around and ordered a bottle of high-end liquor, going back and forth and constantly tormenting He Jin.

When He Jin finally started pouring drinks for them all, Wang Shuo seemingly reached his limit and scoffed mockingly, “As a top-tier recommended postgraduate student from the university, why are you working here? Using hands meant for laboratory experiments to shovel horse manure?”

“I don’t have the qualifications to shovel horse manure here yet; the people doing that in the stables are all licensed professionals. Someone like me is only qualified to host trash like you.” He Jin spoke at a slow, unhurried pace, but his words were razor-sharp.

So sharp, in fact, that they were worlds apart from the He Jin he had bumped into at the cafeteria the other day.

Xu Qiduo couldn’t help casting a few extra glances in He Jin’s direction.

“Your tongue is certainly sharp, but I really don’t like it. Call your manager over, you’re fired.” Wang Shuo put on his best domineering CEO persona, speaking with extreme arrogance and throwing his weight around.

Not that he lacked the capital to act that way, truth be told.

With his wealthy background and as an only child who had been spoiled since childhood, Wang Shuo was looked up to by all his sycophantic friends. It was only natural that he possessed such a domineering personality.

He Jin finished pouring a round of drinks, but stopped right when he reached Wang Shuo. He lifted his gaze to give Wang Shuo a blank expression, then set down the bottle of red wine and turned away right then and there.

A short while later, the manager rushed over to apologize for the employee’s behavior: “Young Master Xu, Young Master Wang, I am terribly sorry. That intern has already voluntarily resigned, so please don’t let his behavior ruin your mood. Here, allow me to personally serve you!”

“Resigning isn’t nearly enough to let him off the hook! Go bring him back right now!” Wang Shuo slammed the table in deep dissatisfaction.

Watching the plot unfold to this point, Xu Qiduo could already predict the trajectory of the story. This was clearly following a bickering-lovers route.

In the early stages, the two main leads would constantly snipe at each other, trading blows and retaliating whenever they found each other eyesores.

Later on, one of them would suddenly realize their own feelings, go through a period of awkward hesitation, and eventually discover they were mutually attracted.

When the crucial moment arrived, he, the cannon fodder character, would step in to puncture that unperforated layer of paper between them, leading to mutual confessions, a happy ending, and universal joy!

Woohoo! If not for writing novels with this kind of plotting genius, he was truly missing his calling!

In the end, however, the riding club manager never brought He Jin back.

That was because the male protagonist had walked away with too much backbone to stay.

Due to He Jin’s attitude, Wang Shuo’s good mood was mostly ruined. Judging by how he immediately started calling up friends and summoning people over to party, Xu Qiduo figured he could finally clock out.

Sure enough, an hour later, a crowd of handsome young men and gorgeous women flooded into the riding club.

After enduring a little longer just to be polite, Xu Qiduo finally bade farewell to Wang Shuo, claiming he had a family banquet tonight and really had to head home.

Wang Shuo was already deep into the party mood and had zero interest in paying attention to him.

To maintain his simp persona right until the end, he announced to everyone before leaving that tonight’s expenses were on him, the horses were free to ride, and everything was covered.

The crowd cheered for the generous Young Master Xu.

Xu Qiduo could only play along and smile: “Since you’re Wang Shuo’s friends, you’re my friends too. Don’t be polite, have fun.”

Finally, after wasting an entire afternoon, Xu Qiduo was liberated!

Stepping out of the riding club, he felt the surrounding air instantly turn crisp and refreshing.

Yet just as he was about to get into his car…

A voice called out and stopped him.