The highway was clear and open. Renee Morgan curled up in the back seat, her sun hat covering most of her delicate, petite face. She hugged a pillow, soft breaths escaping her lips.
Renee Morgan was having a dream, a drifting tapestry of memories flashing by, lightly sketching the story of her life.
This was an era where stars gathered like clouds.
Actress Renee Morgan was the stepping stone for all those stars—they called her a "cannon fodder" in the business.
Every top-tier female celebrity in the industry had once stepped over Renee Morgan. Of course, just one step was all they needed to rise above.
For example, in a national military training variety show. Renee Morgan, who came from an acting background, shouldn’t have behaved like a diva, but on the first day of filming, she missed roll call due to a skin allergy. Out of five days and four nights of shooting, she was absent for three. On the fourth day, she finally showed up, meekly trying to please the others, but having missed the training, she ended up just standing stupidly on the sidelines. The latter half, she did try to follow along, but what use was it?
Online commentators and the whole country watching TV only saw her as a melodramatic actress, probably one of those "number girls" everyone complained about.
No comparison, no harm. Another actress, Wendy Aldridge—just as unknown and low-ranked as Renee—got famous overnight thanks to that same show, catapulting herself to the top tier.
On the show, Wendy wasn’t afraid of hardship or exhaustion. Clearly a female star herself, but she had unstoppable grit, always flawlessly completing each military training. Yet she would humbly shed tears, insisting the real heroes were those defending the homeland.
But that wasn’t what made her famous. The real turning point was the final episode—precisely the one where Renee Morgan finally appeared.
The last episode involved two ropes stretched across a lake; they had to cross by the ropes to finish the challenge.
There were eight contestants in total. By some twist of fate, Renee Morgan and Wendy Aldridge ended up paired together.
Renee went first, Wendy followed behind. The two of them grabbed the rope, stepping onto it.
At first, Renee was doing fine, but then Wendy jerked the rope, and Renee fell in.
Renee knew how to swim, but every time she tried to get up and grab the rope, Wendy looked like she was about to fall too, scaring Renee off from reaching for the rope.
Yet, despite nearly being dragged into the water herself several times by Renee, Wendy still thought of her teammate—steadying herself, she reached out her wrist and, with all her strength, pulled Renee back up.
The instructors had tears in their eyes, praising Wendy, saying that what the team needed most was that spirit of unity—they called it "team soul"—and Wendy was the bravest, kindest, most loving girl they’d ever met.
The veteran instructor cried as he praised her, but what they mourned wasn’t Wendy herself—it was for their comrades, those who once marched shoulder-to-shoulder.
Wendy Aldridge, a minor-league star, exploded in popularity overnight, rising to the top and seizing premium resources.
Meanwhile, Renee Morgan—decent acting skills, several dramas airing, poised to break out—became the foil for Wendy, got cyberbullied, and faded into the margins of show business.
But Renee Morgan was a cockroach you couldn’t squash. Years later, she made her screen comeback with a low-budget movie that went viral online, getting nominated for multiple film awards.
Renee was flooded with movie offers, including an invitation to one of the three major film awards—the Golden Blossom. That prize was highly prestigious; a nomination itself was proof of talent, and winning meant instant top-tier status.
Renee was overwhelmed by the honor, feeling lucky just to attend the awards ceremony—only to be told her film was accused of plagiarism, disqualified from nomination, and replaced last-minute by the truly original film.
The original was directed by a famous filmmaker, a big-budget production, a regular at festivals—someone no one dared offend.
The Best Actress award, which should have been hers, was immediately handed to the original film’s lead, Gigi Grant.
The guest presenter, a hugely popular Best Actress, passionately condemned Renee’s team for plagiarism, claiming their organization was fair, and so the award would go to Gigi Grant, the original film’s lead.
Thunderous applause from the audience.
Renee Morgan stumbled out of the ceremony, dazed, just as her agent called: the film had been pulled, and the internet was shouting for her to leave the industry.
Years later, as Renee reached middle age, she took another project all the way to a nomination for Best Actress at an international film awards. Just when she stood a chance at finally becoming queen—she fell from glory once again...
Things like this kept happening. She was the queen of cannon fodder, indestructible like a cockroach, burning with fighting spirit, lighting the way for countless other female stars. In her old age, smoking on the street, compared to those who took the same path and were now showered in honors, people spoke of her past on screens, words full of pity for Renee Morgan—yet those words buried her deeper in the mire.
"Huff, huff, huff..." Renee Morgan jolted awake from the nightmare, telling herself it was just a dream, no way could it ever come true.
She kicked off her blanket, revealing long, creamy-skinned legs—straight and slender.
She grabbed her purse and took out a compact mirror, gazing at the dazzling, versatile face inside—both innocent and seductive, stunningly attractive features.
Then she pulled out her phone, scrolling through photographs from all sorts of professional theater productions.
She looked so gorgeous, with a killer figure and rock-solid acting chops. How could she possibly just be cannon fodder? And not just cannon fodder, but the kind that always loses no matter how hard she fights?
Renee tried to comfort herself, breathing heavy as she calmed down, though her brows slowly drew together.
What if this really was her destiny?
So many tragedies in the world; being cannon fodder was just a speck of dust in the river of history. No one remembered them, no one cared to study why cannon fodder was always cannon fodder—it’s as if they were born to decorate those stars shining so brightly.
She was only one among them.
Just like the show she watched yesterday—the story of twin sisters. The elder was cherished by parents, adored by her brother, her life blossoming: she excelled at school, in her career, married well, had a loving child, respected in old age.
The younger sister, with a solitary nature, disliked by parents and brother, her life as repressed and gloomy as her personality. Poor grades, couldn’t find a job, married a thug, had a child who was a genius. She thought her luck was finally changing, but the genius died in a car accident at twelve, driving her mad overnight. In old age, she could only stay in the nursing home, remembering only the elder sister, her enlightenment highlighting the greatness of the protagonist sister.
"..."
Renee Morgan’s breathing felt constricted.
The agent’s call finally helped her catch her breath.
"Morgan, where are you, are you back yet? I have good news—besides several dramas getting picked for Star Channel, the company also signed you up for a variety show—a national military training program. Once the dramas air and with the show’s buzz, you’ll be a bit famous." Warren’s sharp voice crackled through the phone, barely able to hide her excitement.