“So, our department is just the two of us? Me and you, one person and one system?”
[Yes, Department Head.]
“Excellent, Old Six. It has the feel of us depending on each other for survival.”
[So, shall we start working?]
“Let’s begin!”
Ting Wan slowly opened her eyes. Staring at the top of the light green bed canopy, her mind was filled with a barrage of complaints about the world she had just arrived in.
She had been the most outstanding intern in the Interstellar Alliance’s rotation program. After her probationary period ended, it was as if a pie had fallen from the sky—she became the head of the Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character Department. Only then did she discover that she was a one-person department, accompanied by a single System 666 that could only help her access information and travel between worlds.
Actually, being a one-person department wasn’t a big deal. The real issue was why this department had accumulated so many tasks! The office was so piled high with them that there was only room for a single desk. And to make matters worse, why was the information for any randomly chosen world so utterly beyond comment?
It truly lived up to its name as the Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character Department. Damn, they were really treated like cannon fodder—forcibly having their intelligence lowered, their entire existence dedicated to fueling the main characters’ romance progress bar and burning themselves out in the process?
In all her time as a rotating intern, this was the first time she had ever seen a room full of resentful petitions from female supporting characters. The sight alone made her scalp tingle.
But, a worker’s gotta work. The job had to go on. From the towering stack of missions, Ting Wan randomly picked out a petition from a female supporting character whose only wish was to protect the things her mother left her and live a good life. After reading it, she arrived in this world.
This world was a Republic of China-era romance novel. To be more precise, it was a domineering CEO novel disguised in a Republic of China setting.
The title was also very much in the domineering CEO style—Young Marshal’s Sweet Wife: Spoiled Little Jasmine. It very directly pointed out the two main characters: the Young Marshal and his sweet wife, Little Jasmine.
In this world, Ting Wan was called Su Youning, and she was connected to both main characters. She was the Young Marshal’s fiancée and the sweet wife Little Jasmine’s older, paternal half-sister.
All in all, the relationships seemed pretty explosive.
In the novel, Su Youning and the male lead, Young Marshal Xiao Tang, had been engaged since childhood. Terrified by her family’s descriptions of Xiao Tang’s coldness and paranoia, she was determined to pursue true love and, spurred on by her passion, was persuaded by her younger sister Su Xiaomo to run away before the wedding. In the end, she didn’t find true love but was hunted down by men sent by the male lead. When she later managed to return home, her own father, who felt she had brought shame upon the family by running away, abandoned her. She was blamed by everyone in the household, including her personal maid, and ultimately ended up on the streets.
Meanwhile, the kind and gentle female lead, Su Xiaomo, had righteously married Xiao Tang, taking with her the dowry Su Youning’s mother had left for her. She melted Xiao Tang’s heart with her gentle spirit and abundant love, and they lived sweetly ever after in a marriage that began with duty and blossomed into love.
When Su Youning remembered that her mother’s dowry included a wedding veil her mother had personally embroidered for her, she went to Su Xiaomo to ask for it back. However, Xiao Tang, who had already fallen in love with Su Xiaomo, believed she was greedy and had malicious intentions, and sent her to the afterlife with a single gunshot.
If it weren’t for the “family’s descriptions” and “Su Xiaomo’s persuasion” mentioned in the documents, the female lead Su Xiaomo’s kind image would have actually been quite convincing!
After all, even the female supporting character’s own personal maid thought the female lead was the best person in the world!
“Miss, it’s time to get up. The Second Miss is already dressed and waiting for you!”
Speak of the devil. The personal maid, Xiao Cui, who thought the female lead Su Xiaomo was the best person in the world, had arrived. She walked in, urging her to hurry.
The novel’s plot hadn’t fully begun yet. The entire Su family was still in their old home in Liu City and hadn’t moved to Hong City where the male lead resided. Therefore, Su Youning was still a student, attending Liu City Girls’ Middle School with her universally adored, paternal half-sister.
Having not experienced the joys of waking up early for school in many years, Ting Wan found it a bit hard to accept. Hearing Xiao Cui’s urging, she pouted. “Come in.”
As her voice fell, Xiao Cui entered carrying a basin of hot water.
“Miss, you must hurry. The Second Miss is already eating. We can’t be late for school!”
Xiao Cui chattered on as she enthusiastically helped Ting Wan wash up and get dressed. Hmm, quite thorough and swift. In no time at all, she was already starting to comb her hair.
“This morning, the kitchen made longan and red date porridge with soup dumplings. The Second Miss praised how delicious it was. Miss, you should try some in a bit.” While combing her hair, Xiao Cui’s mouth was still going on about the Second Miss. She had spoken a total of three sentences since coming in, and had mentioned the Second Miss three times. For a moment, it was hard to tell who she actually served.
Ting Wan looked at her reflection in the mirror, the urge to roll her eyes growing stronger.
If her future plans didn’t require her to go without a maid, she really would have wanted to replace the person by her side.
After all, she had no interest in listening to someone drone on about “Second Miss this” and “Second Miss that” in her ear all day.
“Shh.” Ting Wan raised a finger to her lips, looking at Xiao Cui through the mirror. When Xiao Cui looked over, she gave a slight smile.
Xiao Cui fell silent, but not for long.
“Miss, how can you not bear to hear others praise the Second Miss? The Second Miss is so wonderful! Although her mother was a concubine who was later promoted, she is well-read and looks after you. And although the Second Miss is more favored by Master, she always has you in her heart. If the Second Miss hadn’t asked her mother to find out and then tell you, you would never have known that your future husband is such a cold and cruel person! Miss, how can you be like this!”
A torrent of words was directed straight at Ting Wan.
Look at her go. So just by telling you to be quiet, I’ve become a sinner who’s jealous of the Second Miss?
If she were the real Su Youning, she might have been convinced by this speech that she was in the wrong. After all, Su Youning ran away from the marriage precisely because of Su Xiaomo’s “first-hand information” and persuasion.
Putting the novel aside and thinking logically, she and the male lead were engaged as children and had never even met. If she truly didn’t want to marry him, she could have just said they weren’t compatible. A large part of the reason the male lead hunted Su Youning down was that he felt her escape had humiliated him.
“Does my sister’s wonderfulness need you to point it out? It’s so early in the morning, and you’re too noisy. My head is buzzing.” Ting Wan stared at Xiao Cui with a deadpan expression for a moment. “With all your chatter, anyone who didn’t know better would think you were trying to stir up trouble between us sisters.”
After speaking, she clipped a barrette into her hair, turned, and walked out.
Where was she going?
To the front hall for breakfast, of course!
Xiao Cui was stunned by Ting Wan’s words, freezing on the spot for a good while before jogging to catch up with Ting Wan on the way to the front hall.
In the front hall, neither Master Su nor Madam Su was present. Only the female lead, Su Xiaomo, was sitting at the table eating.
She was dressed in a schoolgirl’s uniform, her hair in two braids with lace hair ribbons tied at the ends. A small, artfully placed accumulated pearl flower adorned one of her braids. Though her features were merely pretty and delicate, her posture was naturally graceful and her every move was charming, making one feel an irrepressible urge to protect her.
“Sister, you’re finally here. The small kitchen made longan and red date porridge and soup dumplings today. They’re delicious.” Seeing her arrive, Su Xiaomo quickly stood up to ladle a bowl of porridge and place it before Ting Wan.
Everyone else in the front hall looked at Ting Wan with disapproval.
Well, as expected of the female lead beloved by the entire household. She certainly had the clout.
“Thank you, little sister. Go on and eat your food, I can get it myself.” With a crowd of people staring at her like laser beams, she felt her skin crawl. She simply smiled, thanked her, and said she would serve herself.
Sure enough, after she said she would get it herself, the laser-like gazes vanished.
Xiao Cui arrived at that moment as well. Seeing Ting Wan eating, she quietly retreated to stand by the side.
“Sister, try this pickled vegetable.” As she was eating, Su Xiaomo suddenly placed some food in her bowl. The laser-like gazes returned.
Ting Wan reacted instantly, smiling as she placed a soup dumpling in Su Xiaomo’s bowl. “Thank you, little sister. I can tell you must love these soup dumplings. Have some more.”
The laser-like gazes receded.
Ting Wan had a “what the fuck” moment she couldn’t voice.
Was the female lead’s “loved by all” halo really this unshakable? She hadn’t done anything to bully her! And in the memories she’d extracted, the original Su Youning had never bullied the female lead either!
What am I, some kind of monster?
Why am I being served with condemning laser-like gazes at the slightest provocation!?