Transmigrated as the Cannon Fodder Boss of the Disabled Heroine - Chapter 67

When Fang Nianjing made her trembling decision during the phone call with her manager, An Yaoyao finally couldn’t hold back and dialed her number again.

She was terrified afraid Fang Nianjing might get implicated, yet haunted by an Omega’s sharp sixth sense. After years of their long-distance relationship, Fang Nianjing had always cared for her, but this time, the situation had escalated so badly…

“The number you dialed cannot be connected.”

The robotic female voice delivered this clear yet unfamiliar message not “temporarily unavailable,” not “busy.” The words sent a chill down An Yaoyao’s spine. With trembling fingers, she opened a search engine and typed in the phrase. The loaded results revealed:

[“Cannot be connected” means you’ve been blocked by the other party.]

“Thud!”

Her phone fell onto her foot. Hissing in pain, she barely had time to pick it up when she noticed the overflowing sink she’d neglected earlier. The device clattered into the water-filled laundry basin, disappearing into foamy bubbles.

She’d been washing clothes in the shared laundry room. The noise startled Auntie Zhao, who rushed in from the nearby restroom:

“Oh dear, Yaoyao! What happened? Did you fall?”

An Yaoyao stared blankly at the black screen, desperately pressing the power button to no avail. This cheap promotional phone, bought for just a few hundred was the one she’d stubbornly kept when Fang Nianjing, after landing a phone endorsement, tried gifting her the latest model. She’d refused the offer then.

“I’m fine.” She forced a pale smile. “Maybe it’s just my period.”

“Washing clothes during your period? Don’t come crying to me about cramps later!” Zhao Jinhua huffed, though her tough exterior hid a soft heart. Having lived here for years, she’d practically watched An Yaoyao grow up. She gave the younger woman a light pat. “Go on, I’ll finish this. Clumsy girl.”

Too drained to argue, An Yaoyao murmured thanks before stumbling back home.

Collapsing onto her familiar bed, she closed her eyes in exhaustion. The phone remained lifeless despite repeated attempts, as if her very soul had been drained by that devastating message.

Repairing it wasn’t worth the cost. She bought a new one this time spending thousands on a waterproof, shockproof model.

The money came from savings meant for Fang Nianjing’s upcoming fourth debut anniversary gift, a date the idol cherished more than her own birthday.

Meanwhile, Pei Yujiao revisited the orphanage to find it undergoing relocation. The area was slated for redevelopment, with demolition imminent.

Without the orphanage fence obstructing the view, the water plant stood exposed. Pei Yujiao noted the suspiciously cleaned perimeter hastily swept, with messy footprints betraying recent frantic activity.

Among the volunteers helping with the move and caring for the elderly and children, she spotted An Yaoyao again. An Yaoyao was chatting with the elderly gentleman who had given her directions last time, her smile strained, clearly exhausted.

Having seen her, Pei Yujiang couldn’t just walk past without greeting her. She called out once, but An Yaoyao didn’t seem to hear. Only when Pei approached did An Yaoyao suddenly snap out of her daze.

“H-Hello.”

An Yaoyao had never been timid around her before, but today her demeanor was odd. Noticing the dark circles under An Yaoyao’s eyes that weren’t concealed, Pei politely asked if she hadn’t been resting well. An Yaoyao nodded in agreement.

Pei glanced at the volunteers busy with the move and packing:

“Then why don’t I take care of Grandpa, and you go rest? Your dark circles are really bad.”

She genuinely wanted to help. After all, An Yaoyao had done her a huge favor before by arranging her meeting with Mayor Xiang. Regardless of the outcome, Pei was still grateful to her.

Wanting to do something within her means, Pei winked at An Yaoyao, signaling she shouldn’t feel awkward:

“Last time you helped me, so it’s only fair I help you this time.”

Just as she finished speaking, her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID was from an unfamiliar city, she hung up the first time. When the call came through again, she answered.

“Hello.”

The voice on the other end sounded vaguely familiar, but Pei couldn’t place it immediately. Beside her, however, An Yaoyao visibly paled. Pei gave her a puzzled look as Fang Nianjing asked:

“Pei Yujiang, it’s Fang Nianjing. Can you help me get in touch with An Yaoyao?”

Pei’s gaze darted between her phone and An Yaoyao. Suddenly, she recalled the gossip she’d heard from Boss Ji.

It struck her how small the world really was.

Could An Yaoyao be Fang Nianjing’s secret girlfriend?

Lost in thought, Pei blurted out that An Yaoyao was right beside her. Fang Nianjing paused, then politely asked if she could pass the phone to An Yaoyao. Pei handed it over.

An Yaoyao took the phone with trembling hands, but the moment Fang Nianjing started speaking, she hung up without giving him a chance to speak.

Fang Nianjing called back persistently. An Yaoyao rejected the call and refused to answer. Pei remembered the official statement from Fang Nianjing’s company today they had issued a legal notice, threatening to sue the person spreading rumors and identifying them as an obsessive stalker. The controversy was gradually dying down.

The company hadn’t even clarified it was a camera angle issue they outright denied the person in the photo was Fang Nianjing. The night scene had been too blurry to make out clearly, and the accuser, lacking clearer images, had no choice but to back down.

In any case, whether they actually pursued legal action was another matter. By the time any half-hearted lawsuit concluded, the incident would be long forgotten. Fang Nianjing’s fans had already flooded the comment sections of gossip accounts, declaring their belief in him and steering the narrative.

Among celebrity fans, the “girlfriend fans” were indeed the most formidable. From the moment the clarification was issued, they had stood by Fang Nianjing, forbidding any further “rumors.” Anyone who persisted was dismissed as a jealous rival fan, envious of Fang Nianjing’s resources.

In the industry, there are several rising stars who can rival Fang Nianjing. Their fans constantly feud, and the celebrities themselves engage in open and covert struggles. To go far in this circle, fan support is indispensable. An Yaoyao must have realized this, which is why she decisively chose to clarify the situation.

When the third call came, Pei Yujiao answered and held the phone to An Yaoyao’s ear. She could tell An Yaoyao was deeply conflicted. If she was struggling, why not just say it outright? Why keep tormenting herself like this?

“Fang Nianjing.”

This time, An Yaoyao didn’t avoid it. The Omega’s eyes were red, tears pooling in them. When people are in pain, they don’t look as “delicate and pitiful” as books describe. The old man had been taken away, and Pei Yujiao stayed by An Yaoyao’s side. An Yaoyao didn’t ask her to leave. Pei Yujiao heard An Yaoyao call Fang Nianjing’s name through gritted teeth, her expression even turning somewhat fierce.

“Am I such a disgraceful existence in your eyes?”

An Yaoyao started with a heart-wrenching jab. The phone’s audio was clear, and Pei Yujiao distinctly heard Fang Nianjing’s breath hitch before growing heavier. Her voice was hoarse, clearly from crying, as she retorted:

“How could that be?”

“If I don’t clarify, people might disturb your life, dig into your past. You know how powerful the internet can be. If they find out, others will be affected too…”

“Is it really about not wanting everyone’s lives disturbed, or is it about not wanting people to know you came from the slums? Not the ‘rich heiress entering the entertainment industry,’ ‘might have to go back and inherit the family business if she doesn’t make it,’ or ‘untouchable noble flower’ persona your fans fantasize about for you, Li. A. Mei?”

An Yaoyao abruptly cut her off.

She looked up, her tears now dry, her voice raspy but her words sharp and piercing. The once tender and affectionate lover had turned her words into blades, each one drawing blood, leaving Fang Nianjing defenseless.

“Li Amei” was likely Fang Nianjing’s original name.

“You don’t dare tell your fans the truth to maintain your girlfriend persona. I get it people need to make money. And it doesn’t hurt that it keeps the path clear for you to flirt with Miss Yao, the famous beauty Omega from a scholarly family, whose background is crystal clear. Unlike you, who still stammers and evades questions about your origins while flaunting luxury brands early in your career, letting fans speculate endlessly.”

“You don’t dare let your fans know you came from the slums. You even changed your surname to reinvent yourself. When Uncle Yun saw you on TV and said you looked familiar, I didn’t dare tell him it was you.”

“Back then, you said you were going away to study, to get into university. I sewed handmade goods to pay your tuition, walked miles to a 24-hour fried chicken shop to knit gloves just to save on utilities. I stayed there for days until they thought I was homeless and asked if I needed help before moving to another shop. You promised to take us all to a better life once you made it. When Grandpa Zhu was cremated, you were posting selfies at a fashion show. I didn’t even dare call you!”

Pei Yujiao didn’t listen to the rest. She walked away, though she could still faintly hear An Yaoyao’s uncontrolled emotions shouting curses and accusations at Fang Nianjing.

She had been bottling up too much bitterness in her heart, and on this day, it all came pouring out at once. Fang Nianjing, however, didn’t respond much, nor did she offer any explanations, silently letting the Omega vent her emotions.

After a while, Pei Yujiang received her phone back from An Yaoyao. The Omega had finished crying and cursing, her voice hoarse as she muttered a quiet “thank you.”

“The help last time came from Fang Nianjing, not me. And that time with Madam Chen and your karaoke session that was also Fang Nianjing’s doing, deliberately letting you know. She’s built a wide network over the years in this circle. She knows more than I do and is more useful. If you need anything in the future, just go to her.”

Pei Yujiang realized this was her way of stepping back. But after all, it wasn’t An Yaoyao’s obligation. She wanted more people to get involved, yet she had no right to demand anything from her.

“All I care about are the people in this welfare center. Now that it’s relocating, this matter has nothing to do with me anymore.” An Yaoyao blinked her reddened eyes, her expression numb. “Thank you, Miss Pei. You’re kind and full of justice, but I’m just an ordinary citizen. My breakup with Fang Nianjing aside, I simply don’t want to be dragged into this.”

Pei Yujiang studied her for a couple of seconds before handing her a tissue.

After that day, Pei Yujiang hardly saw An Yaoyao again.

She wasn’t sure how much of what she’d discussed with Mayor Xiang had sunk in, but at least the welfare center had been relocated. That meant no one in that area would be harmed anymore, good news in Pei Yujiang’s book. As an optimist, she felt it was worth celebrating. Coincidentally, Chen Lulu was holding an offline birthday event in Xiangcheng and had given Pei Yujiang and Yu Zhiwan a ticket each.

“It’s my birthday. The venue isn’t huge, and the fans were chosen by lottery. You two get VIP front-row seats, no crowding, great service. You have to come!”

Lately, Yu Zhiwan had been hot and cold with her, and Pei Yujiang, having learned she’d dined with Boss Ji twice, was feeling increasingly annoyed and reluctant to engage. But she also worried that if she acted too distant, Yu Zhiwan might turn to Boss Ji effectively digging her own grave.

Pei Yujiang tentatively consulted the “relationship expert.” Not wanting to reveal her identity or sound narcissistic by mentioning Chen Lulu’s apparent interest in her, she simply asked whether she should invite her crush to the event, given the two tickets she’d coincidentally obtained.

At that moment, Yu Zhiwan was sipping tea in Boss Ji’s office. Seeing Pei Yujiang’s message, she burst out laughing, collapsing onto the desk before snatching Boss Ji’s phone to reply herself:

“Sure! Whose birthday event is it?”

Pei Yujiang replied, “Chen Lulu’s.”

The “relationship expert” asked, “Do you like Chen Lulu?”

Pei Yujiang thought about it. Saying she wasn’t a fan while asking this question might seem odd. Besides, being a fan wasn’t a big deal,she wasn’t some obsessive stalker. So she typed:

“Yeah, I like her. All her songs are on my playlist.” She had added that OST to her playlist and had it on repeat.

Boss Ji watched as Yu Zhiwan clutched her phone tightly, slamming a hand on the table.

“Yu Zhiwan! My phone is registered and has an ID number, it has rights! No abuse allowed!”

In the end, Pei Yujiang managed to secure a date with Yu Zhiwan.

The birthday celebration was held on an open-air stage. For the opening act, Chen Lulu performed a recently popular cute-style girl group song, winking and blowing kisses to her fans in the audience even giving Yu Zhiwan an extra one.

The incident with Fang Nianjing had made Chen Lulu acutely aware of the risks of dating during her career ascent. Firming up her fanbase and pampering her supporters took priority now, and her feelings for Pei Yujiao had cooled considerably. Still, presenting flowers was a prepared segment of the event, and she planned to formally thank Pei Yujiao during the chat session, telling fans that she was her lifesaver.

As the song ended, the Omega in her beautiful tulle dress shyly handed the bouquet to Pei Yujiao. With a graceful stride, Pei approached the stage and accepted it politely with both hands. Turning around, she noticed Yu Zhiwan’s eyes reddening and quickly sat down, tenderly pulling out a tissue to wipe them for her:

“Xiangcheng’s been so windy lately must be sand in the air. Sigh, you should really wear goggles.”

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