The Infatuated Cannon Fodder Has Completely Moved On - Chapter 1

“I want to offer the first stick of incense for you on Tomb-Sweeping Day.”

The dull family banquet finally ended. Jin Yuzhen bid farewell to her grandmother and hurried to the dressing room to retrieve her phone.

Two hours ago, she had sent a message to Cen Shu: “Why do I miss you so much today?”

Throughout the banquet, while her relatives chattered incessantly, she had not heard a single word. Her mind was entirely occupied with guessing how Cen Shu would reply.

In truth, Jin Yuzhen rarely sent such mushy messages; she was always someone who took action rather than using words. The reason for today’s sentimentality was that at noon, a hashtag regarding Cen Shu’s romantic life had appeared on Weibo.

She felt a sense of crisis.

When she turned on her phone, there was indeed a WeChat message.

“If that’s how you want to think, there is nothing I can do about it.”

A draft blew through the hallway, and it felt as if a hole had been pierced through her heart. Jin Yuzhen nearly smashed her phone.

However, her grandmother had just reminded everyone of the family rules at the dinner table: self-restraint and propriety. In the five years she had been pursuing Cen Shu, her grandmother’s regard for her had dwindled significantly compared to before.

Helplessly, she turned off her phone and put on her tweed coat. Just as she was about to leave, she ran straight into her third aunt, Ning Fang.

In a large manor, where there are people, there are grievances. The feud between Jin Yuzhen and her third aunt’s family was inherited from the previous generation. Not breaking into a physical fight was their last shred of decency.

Ning Fang, dressed in a jade-blue cheongsam with a velvet flower hairpin, looked as gentle as water, but her words were biting. “Zhenzhen, why haven’t you brought Cen Shu home yet?”

“She has a home,” Jin Yuzhen replied coldly.

Ning Fang was left speechless. She shot her a harsh glare and walked away with a haughty sway.

Jin Yuzhen did not linger. Leaving the residence, she stood under the brick-carved gatehouse for a moment until the family driver pulled up. She got into the car, expressionless.

Five years ago, Jin Yuzhen had moved out of the Jin residence and purchased her own property. The family manor was grand, but living there felt stifling; she preferred the freedom of being alone.

That night, she did not reply to Cen Shu’s message. It was not out of anger; she just felt empty.

The next morning, Cen Shu took the initiative to send a message.

“The trending searches are just the media grasping at shadows. Zhenzhen, I told you I will not date until I win an award. By the way, I am going to Mount Sansi with the film crew today, so I probably will not be able to have dinner with you.”

Jin Yuzhen got into the car heading to the hospital and replied: “Have fun.”

She cherished her health excessively and had a set of check-ups to do every month. Today, she was seeing the dentist. She and the dentist were old acquaintances with a friendship spanning nine years, dating back to university.

Cui Man had her lie down in the chair, performed an examination, and then turned off the instrument’s light.

Jin Yuzhen asked, “Is there a problem?”

Cui Man smiled. “Very healthy.”

*[And her tongue is quite flexible; she is definitely a “licking dog.”] *

A piercing voice suddenly echoed in the dental office.

Jin Yuzhen was confused. “What did you say?”

Cui Man froze, a flicker of guilt crossing her eyes. “What? I said your teeth are very healthy.”

Jin Yuzhen sat up and stared straight at her. “No, not that sentence.”

Cui Man was startled by her reaction and looked bewildered. “I only said that one sentence.”

Jin Yuzhen’s eyes were full of scrutiny. She pricked up her ears to listen closely. Silence. She was utterly puzzled, wondering if she was hallucinating. It seemed she should check her ears while she was here.

Cui Man watched her leave, feeling surprised. Why was she acting so strange?

Jin Yuzhen went downstairs. An hour had passed since she messaged Cen Shu. There was no reply. She sent another message: “Are you not having fun?”

After finishing her ear exam, she left the hospital with the report. Cen Shu still had not replied.

She suddenly thought of the phrase she had “hallucinated” in the dental office.

Simp?

It was like a ghost whispering in the dark. Were she and Cen Shu not a mutual pursuit? She leaned heavily against the back of the seat, her eyes fixed on her WeChat messages.

Ten minutes later, there was still no reply, but a nine-grid photo post with a location tag appeared in her Moments. Jin Yuzhen sat up instantly and tapped on the photos Cen Shu had posted.

In one group photo, Cen Shu’s arm was draped around a girl’s neck, her hand resting on the girl’s chin. The two looked incredibly intimate. The two smiling faces stung Jin Yuzhen’s eyes.

She turned off her phone in a huff, but then a second thought occurred. Maybe, just maybe, they were just colleagues. If she did not post when they were out together, it might make the other person overthink.

But when she clicked on the Moments again, the post was gone. No matter how many times she refreshed, it would not appear.

Deleted?

While she was lost in confusion, her assistant called.

“Boss, Miss Feng is already here. Are you almost home?”

Jin Yuzhen was not directly involved in the Jin Corporation’s affairs; she only held some shares. She ran her own collection exhibition, which was already seeing results. Recently, Feng Hui had been wanting to invest and had approached her several times.

She had known Feng Hui even longer; they were in the same international class in high school and could be considered friends.

“I am coming. Take Huihui to see my collection room and the exhibition hall design drafts first.”

The assistant complied and informed Feng Hui of the arrangement. Feng Hui replied softly, “Thank you for the trouble.”

Jin Yuzhen arrived soon after and went upstairs to meet Feng Hui. She invited her into the sitting room, where tea was steaming on a yellowwood tea table.

Jin Yuzhen loved yellowwood. Because it grew slowly, she felt that anything that slowed down held a special significance, as if it were a sign from nature.

Feng Hui praised her taste profusely, using words like “unique insight” and “discerning eye.” The assistant, hearing this while delivering tea and snacks, did not think Feng Hui was exaggerating. Her boss indeed had a unique eye. Two years ago, she bought a gold-painted yellowwood screen window, and by this year, its price had tripled before being bought by a mysterious buyer from the capital.

Once the investment details were settled, Feng Hui asked, “Zhenzhen, how are things going with you and Cen Shu? I am waiting for your wedding banquet.”

Even the steaming tea could not warm the chill in Jin Yuzhen’s heart. She paused and simply said, “She is busy with work; there is no rush for our affairs.” Feng Hui was her friend, and she did not want her friends to have prejudices against Cen Shu. A person should prioritize their career.

Feng Hui smiled, her eyelids half-lowered, her voice sincere. “It is not easy for her to struggle on her own, and given her profession, she has to be cautious about relationships. I understand. Well, I wish you success in winning the beauty’s heart soon. I will wait for your good news.”

[Calling you arrogant and wicked for doing so many bad things, now you have been played into a fool, haven’t you? You totally deserve it!]

The voice, like a ghost talking to itself in the shadows, appeared again.

Jin Yuzhen looked up in surprise, her eyes filled with intense confusion. What was happening? Only she and Feng Hui were here. Could there really be a ghost?

Feng Hui noticed her strange behavior, and the smile on her face faltered. “Zhenzhen?”

[Cen Shu should start a class. To be able to play such a wicked person into a trance, who would not be impressed?]

Jin Yuzhen frowned deeply, her gaze fixed on Feng Hui. This time, she was certain that the voice came from Feng Hui. It seemed to be Feng Hui’s inner thoughts.

Wicked? Who is wicked? She could not be talking about me, right? And how did Cen Shu “play” her? What was she playing?

Feng Hui felt a chill down her spine under Jin Yuzhen’s gaze and asked tentatively, “Are you feeling unwell?”

My heart is unwell.

Jin Yuzhen could not believe she could actually hear other people’s thoughts. So the sentence in the dental office was actually said by Cui Man? So, in her friends’ eyes, she was just a “licking dog”?

That was not right; everyone usually praised her for being devoted.

“Huihui, actually, I am worried about Cen Shu. I messaged her this morning and she has not replied. If something happened, could you help me ask her? I am afraid messaging her too much will bother her.”

Seeing her troubled expression, Feng Hui could not have been more satisfied. She was inwardly delighted but maintained an understanding facade. “Did their crew not go to Mount Sansi? With so many people there, nothing will happen.”

Jin Yuzhen asked, “How do you know she went to Mount Sansi?”

Feng Hui never followed entertainment news, but Cen Shu was an exception. That was the person who could turn Jin Yuzhen, that “demon,” into a laughingstock. She wanted to analyze every word of Cen Shu’s posts.

“She posted it in her Moments. Zhenzhen, you do not seem to like looking at Moments; I have never seen you like anyone’s posts, and you do not post anything yourself.”

Jin Yuzhen said, “She posted a Moment?”

Realizing something, Feng Hui eagerly took out her phone, went to Cen Shu’s Moments, and specifically enlarged the intimate photo for her to see. “She posted it just a while ago.”

Now, no matter how confused Jin Yuzhen was, she could no longer lie to herself. Feng Hui could see it, but she could not. Clearly, she had been excluded from a specific group.

Presumably, Cen Shu had made a mistake when she first posted it, which was why Jin Yuzhen had the “privilege” of seeing it for a few seconds.

[Retribution, it is all retribution! Teacher Cen is mighty!]

Jin Yuzhen handed the phone back, her eyes harboring a hint of coldness. “I have things to do later. You should head back first.”

Feng Hui was slightly startled. “What about drafting the contract?” They had agreed to do it today.

Jin Yuzhen tapped her forehead as if troubled. “Lawyer Sun went to discuss a matter for me and will not be back until next week. No one else understands the situation here. Are you in a hurry?”

Feng Hui froze for three seconds before showing her loyalty. “No rush, no rush. With our relationship, the contract is just a formality.”

Jin Yuzhen smiled as she saw her out. But Feng Hui felt a chill all over her body and an inexplicable sense of unease.

As soon as Feng Hui left, Jin Yuzhen called Sun Baizhao.

Sun Baizhao thought she was anxious about the contract and said as soon as he picked up, “The contract with Miss Feng is drafted. I am on my way and will deliver it in half an hour.”

Jin Yuzhen said, “No need. Miss Feng is not suitable to cooperate with us. Take three days off and come back to work next Monday.”

Sun Baizhao was stunned. Usually, the boss and Feng Hui were on very good terms; even though this cooperation was purely the boss “cutting her own flesh” to help, she had not said anything before.

“Okay.” The self-cultivation of an excellent employee was not to interfere in the boss’s private affairs.

Jin Yuzhen sat at the tea table for a while, reflecting on everything that had happened today. She had only heard the thoughts of Cui Man and Feng Hui; she might not be able to hear everyone’s.

Cui Man and Feng Hui were so duplicitous toward her. She had misjudged them. She had not realized it before. These two people had friendship on their lips but business in their hearts.

Anger simmered in her heart. To avoid harming her health, she went to the meditation room to sit and dissipate the fire.

In the evening, she was invited to attend an awards ceremony for Brand Observation. By coincidence, while a group of people was playing cards, she caught sight of her maternal aunt. She immediately stood up to find her, calling out affectionately, “Auntie, you are here too?”

Luo Xiao was talking animatedly with someone. When she turned and saw her, her expression froze for a moment before she quickly broke into a smile. “Zhenzhen! What a coincidence. Did you come alone? Did you not bring Cen Shu?”

It was not surprising she asked; in the past, whenever there was a major event, Jin Yuzhen would bring Cen Shu along to gain exposure.

“She is busy.” Jin Yuzhen’s mind whirled. “Auntie, I have not seen you in a long time. Shall we go have a cup of tea?”

Luo Xiao had no reason to refuse. She said a few words to the people around her and went to the tea room with Jin Yuzhen.

The small group of people behind them were filled with envy. This “useless” second miss of the Jin family was actually very good to her relatives; otherwise, with Luo Xiao’s abilities, she would not have made it to Brand Observation in several lifetimes.

The so-called tea room here was just a lounge. There were drinks and beverages on the shelves, and tea sets and chess sets on the tables. Jin Yuzhen invited Luo Xiao to sit down, thinking that since her aunt had always been gentle and warm toward her, her words might be more trustworthy.

She poured Luo Xiao a glass of gardenia wine that had recently been featured at the Food Expo. It had Pu’er tea added to it. The tea aroma, flower fragrance, and wine scent melded together without being cluttered, making it very refreshing.

“Auntie, I think things might not work out between Cen Shu and me.”

Luo Xiao had just taken the glass when she heard this. She was astonished. “Why would you suddenly say that? Did you have a fight?”

Jin Yuzhen sighed. “Forget fighting; I cannot even get in touch with her.”

Luo Xiao said earnestly, “Zhenzhen, I think that child Cen Shu is very ambitious, and you two are a good match. Relationships require effort to maintain.”

Jin Yuzhen was half-convinced and was about to speak when she heard another voice.

[You personally turned her into a big star, and yet you still expect her to date down? Your shares are almost diluted to nothing, yet you still think of yourself as a sugar mommy?]

Jin Yuzhen: “…”

Wait, where did my gentle aunt go?

She looked at Luo Xiao, but it was as if she were looking through her at someone else. Luo Xiao felt uneasy, her eyes darting around. “Zhenzhen?”

Jin Yuzhen did not reply; she just stared at her fixedly.

Luo Xiao had rarely seen such a deep, somber side to this junior. Because of matters from the previous generation, Jin Yuzhen had always looked after the Luo family and had never spoken a harsh word to them. Luo Xiao had been very cooperative, putting on a facade of deep familial affection while accepting all the money and resources Jin Yuzhen sent her way.

She certainly did not hate Jin Yuzhen, but she simply looked down on her. When interacting with Jin Yuzhen, she treated her like a puppy that needed its fur smoothed. Everything had been peaceful all these years.

At this moment, she keenly sensed a hint of coldness in Jin Yuzhen’s gaze. It was as if she were being seen through entirely. She drank her wine as a cover, completely lowering her eyelids to hide the emotions in her eyes.

In the tea room, Jin Yuzhen was wearing a green and white sequined long dress, her slightly curly long hair cascading over her shoulders and back. She wore a pearl and rhinestone ring on her index finger and no other ornaments. She looked like a patch of emerald green in a thick mist.

Suddenly, everything became clear to her, as if things she had not understood for a long time were now resolved. Every time she wanted to give up on Cen Shu, the people around her would urge her to be patient. As the saying goes, “the bystander sees clearly.” These people must have all seen that Cen Shu was stringing her along, yet they deliberately pushed her down the wrong path.

“I have things to do. Auntie, see you next time.” She emphasized the last three words.

Luo Xiao’s heart skipped a beat. She wanted to call her back, but Jin Yuzhen walked away without looking back.

When Luo Xiao returned to the main hall, a crowd gathered around her, saying flatteringly, “Where is the second Miss Jin? Xiaoxiao, are you not going to introduce us?”

Luo Xiao frowned. “What is there to introduce?” Jin Yuzhen was probably about to lose her shares in the Jin Corporation soon anyway.

“Do you really not know? She has been invited by the Finance Channel to be a collection consultant.”

Luo Xiao was stunned. “I did not know.” She cared most about the division of the Jin family’s assets; she had no time to pay attention to what Jin Yuzhen herself was doing.

It seemed Jin Yuzhen had been tinkering with collections. If she could get on a program on the national station, was there any fear she could not make a comeback in the Jin family? The Jin family grandmother had been reluctant to relinquish power precisely because none of the juniors could stand on their own. This time, Jin Yuzhen had likely gained a lot of points.

Luo Xiao felt somewhat relieved. Luckily, she had not officially fallen out with Jin Yuzhen.

At night, Jin Yuzhen lay in bed and began scrolling through her chat history.

The events of today were so bizarre that they actually cleared her mind. It did not take long to finish reading her chat history with Cen Shu. She had to admit that in front of Cen Shu, her temper was incredibly good. She could endure even the coldest words. Even when Cen Shu did not reply for three days, she did not complain.

It was ridiculous.

Before today, she thought everything was peaceful. Who knew it was a case of everyone having their own hidden agendas, a pack of wolves surrounding her. The funniest part was that some people were using her while calling her “wicked.”

Was she wicked? She had not even killed anyone.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. If it were not for the cold autumn weather, she really wanted to grab a knife and go to their doors immediately. Realizing her emotions were spiraling out of control, she immediately threw off the quilt and sat cross-legged on the bed to meditate. Her health was the most important thing; she could not let anger ruin it.

Half an hour later, her anger had subsided somewhat, and she opened her eyes. At that moment, Cen Shu sent a message. It was a few photos taken at Mount Sansi.

“I saw a milk tea shop on the mountain today and resisted buying it. Do you want to send me the first cup of milk tea of autumn?”

After Jin Yuzhen finished reading, her face darkened, and the anger that had just subsided surged up again. She tried to steady her breathing, telling herself: Winning comes from harmony; dying comes from temper.

Half a minute passed.

Everyone has to die anyway.

She typed a reply:

“I want to offer the first stick of incense for you on Tomb-Sweeping Day.”