Cannon Fodder – Chapter 27 – She’s Kind of Cute

“This…”

Su Tao was momentarily at a loss for words, her mind racing.

If it were an ordinary person asking, the question might have been about her figure or something similar.

But since the question came from Chi Xiaocheng, Su Tao felt she couldn’t answer directly.

Because Chi Xiaocheng was a yandere!

She had self-harm tendencies and thought differently from others.

Recalling what she knew about yanderes, Su Tao felt neither of her options was ideal.

Option A: “I don’t like it.”

Xiaocheng might misinterpret it as Su Tao not liking ‘her’, worsening her condition. She might spiral into that strange state, possibly blacken, or even break down completely!

Option B: “I like it.”

This was the safer choice, with only one drawback: Su Tao’s goal was to help Xiaocheng overcome her yandere tendencies. Pretending to like her might deepen the misunderstanding.

After a brief deliberation, Su Tao knew this was an easy question with only one correct answer.

She awkwardly replied, “I like it.”

Chi Xiaocheng blinked again, her tone innocent. “Then which part do you like the most?”

“Uh… your hands, I guess.”

Su Tao’s eyes wavered guiltily, but since she was standing behind Xiaocheng, tidying her hair, her unease went unnoticed.

‘This answer should get me off the hook, right?’

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But then, Chi Xiaocheng murmured softly, “Since ‘Tao-Tao likes them, how about I give you my hands?”

Su Tao’s fingers paused. “G-Give them to me?”

Chi Xiaocheng nodded gently. “Mhm. Do you want the left one or the right one? I’ll cut it off for you.”

Suddenly, Su Tao’s guilty expression turned panicked. She hurried around to face Xiaocheng, forcing a strained smile and speaking as gently as possible.

“N-No need to give them to me! What I like is a healthy, whole Xiaocheng.”

“Oh… I see.”

“Y-Yes, exactly!”

“Okay, then I’ll eat more meat and take care of my body.”

A sweet, obedient smile bloomed on her face, unbearably cute.

Su Tao was momentarily stunned.

Then, elation surged through her.

‘I think I’ve found a way to help Xiaocheng!’

‘Because I said I liked her hands, she thought she had to cut them off to make me happy. But when I said I wanted her to be healthy, she actually took it to heart and promised to nourish herself.’

‘So this is how yanderes work!’

‘As long as I keep an eye on her, maybe things won’t get out of hand?’

Watching Chi Xiaocheng giggle with her eyes crinkled, a little fang peeking out, Su Tao couldn’t help but smile in relief.

‘Yeah, when she’s normal, Xiaocheng really is adorable.’

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Choosing to ignore the earlier hand-related comment, the two fell into a comfortable rhythm and finally began chatting normally.

After last night’s rain, the morning outside gradually brightened. A ray of sunlight streamed through the window, landing squarely on Su Tao.

Dressed in her hospital gown, she chatted animatedly, her slender fingers swaying lightly as if painting the scenes she described for Xiaocheng.

The sunlight gilded her black hair with a golden sheen, and her serene profile exuded such gentleness that Chi Xiaocheng’s heart skipped a beat.

“So pretty.”

Su Tao, mid-sentence about school, couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. “Huh?”

“I said, I like you!”

Su Tao stiffened, then turned her face away.

“Geez, saying things like that again….”

A faint blush tinged her delicate cheeks, though the sunlight masked it. To Chi Xiaocheng, she only looked even more beautiful.

However, the warm, ambiguous atmosphere didn’t last long.

A knock came at the door, and Dongfang Yang entered with a doctor.

The doctor glanced at Chi Xiaocheng. “Has the patient’s family been contacted? We need a relative’s signature.”

“Uh….”

Both Su Tao and Dongfang Yang looked at Chi Xiaocheng.

The signature should have been obtained yesterday, but given the urgency and Dongfang Yang’s assurances as the young master of a prominent family, it had been delayed until now.

Su Tao explained, “We wanted to contact your family, Xiaocheng, but we didn’t have your contact details, and your original phone is missing.”

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Chi Xiaocheng hesitated. “Can I sign for myself?”

From her memories, she knew the original host came from an ordinary farming family in a modest village far from Jiuzhou City.

As a villainous side character, she also had an equally villainous older brother.

Three years ago, after learning that Xiaocheng had top grades in her first year of high school and had a real shot at getting into a top university with two more years of effort, her brother, then a college freshman, dropped out to enter the underworld.

Naïve and lacking skills, he was swindled repeatedly but eventually became a lackey for a local gang leader.

Over two years, he accomplished little and even landed in jail a few times, but he always sent money home for Xiaocheng’s tuition and living expenses.

Then, a year ago, he took a knife for his boss. Though he lost an arm in the process, he earned the boss’s trust and was rewarded with an apartment in Jiuzhou’s inner district; the same place Chi Xiaocheng now lived.

In the original story, after the host was killed by the male lead, Ye Liang, her brother blackened as the new antagonist, leading his boss’s forces in a frenzied hunt for Ye Liang. He lasted about 200 chapters before meeting a gruesome end.

But Chi Xiaocheng knew one thing: whether blackened or not, her brother was fiercely protective of his family.

Though she was a transmigrator, she respected that bond. Unless absolutely necessary, she didn’t want to worry him, especially since it might bring him into conflict with the male leads, which would be disastrous.

Her pleading gaze at the doctor might as well have spelled out, ‘I have my reasons.’

The doctor glanced expressionlessly at Dongfang Yang.

The latter said coolly, “It’s not a big deal. Let her sign for herself. It’s just procedure.”

“Understood.”

The doctor nodded without another word, handed the consent form to Chi Xiaocheng to sign, and then left.

Chi Xiaocheng peeked timidly at Dongfang Yang, amping up her acting to appear extra meek and fragile, though she toned it down slightly with Su Tao present.

“Thank you, Young Master Dongfang.”

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Her voice was soft, and to Su Tao, it sounded like she was scared.

Su Tao immediately turned defensive. “Dongfang Yang, don’t scare Xiaocheng.”

“Huh?” Dongfang Yang pointed at himself. “How am I scaring her?”

He’d only said one sentence since entering!

Su Tao: “Your eyes are scaring her. Just act normal. You’re not cut out for playing the cold type.”

Dongfang Yang: “…”

He was wronged.

He’d stayed quiet earlier to avoid interrupting the doctor!

Su Tao gave Chi Xiaocheng’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay, Xiaocheng. He won’t scare you like before.”

Chi Xiaocheng nodded lightly, then looked at Dongfang Yang. “I-I’m sorry.”

Dongfang Yang waved magnanimously. “Don’t worry about it.”

“No, no,” Chi Xiaocheng quickly shook her head. “I mean… when you came in, even though I knew you wouldn’t hurt me, I still felt a little afraid. I wanted to apologize for that. You’ve helped me so much, yet I still thought that way.”

She lowered her head, her tea-colored hair haloed in golden sunlight, her fragile demeanor irresistibly endearing.

Dongfang Yang rubbed his cheek, suddenly feeling a bit bashful.

‘Her reason for apologizing was that?’

‘And is she blushing as she looks down?’

‘She’s kind of… cute.’