Cannon Fodder – Chapter 16

Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled as the rain poured relentlessly.

The interior of the cruise ship stood in stark contrast to the weather outside, filled with cheerful, attractive men and women enjoying themselves.

By 9 o’clock, all the invited guests had arrived.

The final and most anticipated arrivals were, naturally, Su Tao and Ye Liang.

As the white moonlight of many male protagonists in the story, who outshone countless antagonists, cannon fodders, and young ladies from various factions, Su Tao’s beauty was undeniable.

She stood there, her delicate and pretty face appearing exceptionally gentle under the lights.

Her white evening gown clung to her slender waist, perfectly accentuating her curves. The slightly open neckline revealed the elegant arc of her collarbone, her skin smooth as satin with a faint glow.

Her silky black hair cascaded over her shoulders, a few loose strands brushing past her ears, adding to her tender aura.

Like a faint moonlight in the night sky, serene yet mysterious, or a white lotus at dawn, pure and untainted by dust.

As for Ye Liang, he was quite handsome too.

Exuding the domineering aura of a CEO that warned strangers to keep their distance, as if declaring that Su Tao belonged to him.

Yet, most eyes remained fixed on Su Tao.

Wasn’t she the one rumored to be Young Master Ye’s fake girlfriend?

The young women present were all pampered heiresses from prominent families.

Their looks and figures were naturally not lacking, but compared to Su Tao, they seemed slightly inferior.

Some envious girls quickly curled their lips in disdain. “Attending a banquet as a couple without even linking arms? What a sham.”

Dongfang Yang happened to be sipping wine nearby and chuckled mockingly. “Don’t be fooled by Ye Liang’s confident act. I doubt he’s even held Su Tao’s hand.”

The girl turned to Dongfang Yang curiously. “How would you know?”

I’m his rival, of course I’d know.

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Back then, he, Ye Liang, and Si Chen had competed against each other, none willing to back down.

Since it was just about pursuing a girl, there was no need for the three major families to come to blows.

So they made a pact: none of them could force Su Tao into anything. Unless she consented, they weren’t even allowed to touch her. Of course, it also included holding hands!

Then, they began a fair competition.

Dongfang Yang was a young master, Ye Liang a CEO, and Si Chen’s status was no less impressive. Each had their own pride, thinking that winning over an ordinary girl would be a piece of cake.

But in the end, clinging to that arrogance….

They pursued Su Tao for three months.

Forget about caressing her cheeks or hugging her—

They hadn’t even managed a proper handhold!

The jealous girl glanced at Su Tao, who maintained a slight distance from Ye Liang, and sneered. “What ‘Young Master Ye’? Just another simp.”

Dongfang Yang: “….”

Why does it feel like I’ve been insulted too?

Just then, another girl approached, holding a wine glass. Her red gown swayed gracefully. “Oh, Young Master Dongfang, drinking alone? Couldn’t find a date?”

Recognizing her, Dongfang Yang clinked glasses lightly. “Qian Qing, you’re alone too. It’s not that I lack options. I just couldn’t be bothered.”

Qian Qing glanced at Su Tao knowingly. “I’m aware of the agreement between you three, but honestly, it’s too rigid. Chasing a girl doesn’t always have to be straightforward. There are plenty of other ways.”

“Besides, your family would never approve of her, right? Skipping a date just for her sake at such an event is beneath you.”

After taking a sip, Qian Qing sat down beside Dongfang Yang, her eyes still fixed on Su Tao with clear disdain.

Dongfang Yang, however, felt a slight stir in his heart.

Women were never in short supply for him. With a single word, countless beautiful heiresses would line up for an arranged marriage.

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But he disliked those women since they were only after his wealth and family influence.

Even the silly and clueless Chi Xiaocheng had more charm than them.

And she wasn’t bad-looking either.

Just a bit short.

“Whatever, why am I even thinking about her?”

Shaking his head, Dongfang Yang downed his wine in one gulp, his gaze lingering on Su Tao’s back.

Meanwhile, after fending off numerous suitors, the female lead finally managed to sit down and relax while Ye Liang was busy chatting with others.

Though they were still just in the socializing phase, and Ye Liang had promised the real fun would come later, such occasions simply didn’t suit her.

Everyone wore fake smiles.

Their eyes brimmed with calculation.

Polite conversations masked elegance and hypocrisy.

People of different statuses acted with arrogance, flattery, or forced compromise.

She felt like a lone boat adrift in the waves.

Checking her phone, she realized it was already 9:30.

On the home screen, a message from Chi Xiaocheng four minutes ago read:

“Tao-Tao, when are you coming back?”

Su Tao smiled faintly, reminiscing about the days she and Chi Xiaocheng relied on each other in elementary and middle school.

“Once I get back, I’ll clear up the recent misunderstandings with Xiaocheng. Our relationship will surely go back to how it used to be!”

“But it’ll probably be past 11 by then….”

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Unlocking her phone, she was about to reply when she noticed the red notification dot on Chi Xiaocheng’s WeChat. Dozens of unread messages!

What did Xiaocheng send me?

Why so many?

Opening the chat, she abruptly stood up, accidentally knocking over a wine glass beside her.

The sharp clink drew the attention of most guests, but Su Tao’s eyes remained glued to her phone, oblivious to her surroundings.

Scrolling down, she saw that starting from around 8 PM, Chi Xiaocheng had sent the same message every five minutes:

—Tao-Tao, when are you coming back?

Like a cursed chain message from a horror movie, it sent chills down Su Tao’s spine.

The last message had been sent exactly at 9:30.

And the moment the clock struck 9:35, another identical message popped up:

“Tao-Tao, when are you coming back?”

Suddenly, Su Tao recalled Chi Xiaocheng’s eerie behavior in the basement.

Her body stiffened, her lips dry.

Only when a voice interrupted her thoughts did she snap back to reality.

“Miss, please lift your foot. Be careful of the glass.”

A waiter had quietly appeared to clean up the broken glass at her feet.

Dazedly stepping aside, Su Tao hurriedly looked back at her phone.

A thought crossed her mind—

Maybe Xiaocheng set up an auto-message feature!

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But does WeChat even have that?

Unsure, she typed with trembling fingers:

“Xiaocheng, are you okay?”

Instantly, a reply came:

“Tao-Tao, you finally replied! Of course I’m fine!”

Su Tao exhaled in relief. Maybe it’s just a network lag.

“I’ve been waiting for you. Tao-Tao, when are you coming back?”

Ignoring a loose strand of hair brushing her cheek, Su Tao quickly typed:

“I won’t be back for a while. Xiaocheng, are you still in my dorm? You should head back first. Have some water and rest. We can talk tomorrow, okay?”

Between the lines, she sensed something off about Chi Xiaocheng’s mood.

As she pondered how to probe further, another bizarre reply arrived:

“Water? But there’s water everywhere here. I can’t finish it all.”

What does that mean?

Su Tao didn’t understand, but a thunderclap outside rattled the rain-lashed windows nearby.

A terrifying possibility struck her.

“Xiaocheng, where are you waiting for me?”

“The rooftop, of course. Didn’t we agree? I’d wait for you there at 9.”

The next message horrified her.

“So, Tao-Tao, when are you coming back?”