Cannon Fodder – Chapter 49 – I’m Playing a Yandere, Not a Psychopath

No hesitation.

No mercy.

Su Tao tightened her grip around the teacup, feeling her heartbeat quicken.

In the reflection of her pupils, Chi Xiaocheng tilted her head slightly and smiled sweetly. “Tao-Tao, what’s wrong?”

Strands of her hair cascaded down from her ears, swaying gently in the air. Her smile was adorable and blissful.

But who could say whether this side of her was genuine?

Since she had made up her mind, she had to follow through!

Su Tao downed the entire cup of black tea in one gulp.

A surge of warmth spread through her body, fueling her courage as her gaze sharpened with determination.

She looked straight at Chi Xiaocheng and said solemnly, “Xiaocheng, tonight… I’m going to be Ye Liang’s maid!”

Chi Xiaocheng’s lips parted slightly, the glass of orange juice still in her hand. This wasn’t the first time she’d heard this news, but hearing it directly from Su Tao’s mouth carried a different weight.

Her pink lips, now dry and stiff, seemed to lose their moisture. The light in her eyes dimmed.

“Why?”

Her tone was flat, devoid of emotion.

‘Because I caused him trouble at the last banquet. As an ordinary person with no money or connections, the only way I can compensate him is by doing what he wants.’

That was the root reason, but Su Tao knew she couldn’t say that.

Explaining would only lead to endless justifications under Chi Xiaocheng’s relentless questioning.

She had to make it final!

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Su Tao took a deep breath. “Because I… because I have feelings for Ye Liang too. I don’t dislike the idea, so I agreed!”

She couldn’t bring herself to say the word “love.”

Whether it was a lie or the truth, she certainly didn’t love Ye Liang.

At most, it was a faint attraction, nothing more than a fleeting admiration for the opposite sex.

“So, Xiaocheng, I’m sorry I won’t be able to spend time with you in the next few days.”

As the words left her mouth, it felt like a heavy stone had been lifted from her chest. She exhaled in relief.

Don’t provoke her too much. Dr. Cheng said this approach should be fine, right?

The moment she finished speaking, Chi Xiaocheng suddenly grabbed her hand. A sharp pain shot through her fingers, making Su Tao’s heart skip a beat.

Since when was Xiaocheng this strong?

When she looked up, she realized Chi Xiaocheng’s state was… off. Her breathing was ragged, her shoulders trembling like a drowning person clutching at their last lifeline.

“But we promised… to stay together forever.

“Why… why are you going to Ye Liang?”

“Sorry, Xiaocheng.” Su Tao yanked her hand free.

She stood up, ready to observe Chi Xiaocheng’s reaction further. So far, things were within expectations.

“No~”

Chi Xiaocheng’s whisper, soft as a mosquito’s hum, caught Su Tao’s attention.

She had expected Chi Xiaocheng to stand up and stop her, but instead, the girl remained seated, still holding the glass of orange juice.

The smile on her face was unnervingly complex.

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“Tao-Tao, you can’t go to Ye Liang~

“He’ll hurt you… abandon you… play with your feelings. In this world, only I truly love you with all my heart.”

“So… you can’t go~”

Then, she flashed a sweet smile.

But the sweetness was laced with poison.

Su Tao frowned and turned to leave, but the moment she took a step, a wave of dizziness crashed over her.

She clutched her head, bracing herself against the sofa armrest. “W-What’s happening…?”

“Ehehe~ That was sleepy-time tea~”

Chi Xiaocheng set down her orange juice and happily spread her arms, waiting.

Su Tao’s vision blurred. Her limbs grew weak. The overwhelming drowsiness made it impossible to stay upright.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the glass of plain water, the one Chi Xiaocheng hadn’t touched.

“Xiao….”

Before she could finish the name, her body collapsed forward into Chi Xiaocheng’s embrace.

A faint floral scent enveloped her as the girl caught her effortlessly. Chi Xiaocheng buried her nose in Su Tao’s hair, inhaling deeply.

Then, leaning close to her ear, she whispered into Su Tao’s fading consciousness:

“Tao-Tao, you can’t leave me~

“You’re exhausted. A nice, deep six-hour nap will do you good.”

Gently, she laid Su Tao down on the sofa.

Her eyes darkened as she let out a soft, mocking hum.

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“Tao-Tao, oh Tao-Tao… If you already knew I was a yandere, why did you test me? Didn’t you know yanderes can’t be tested?”

She stretched lazily.

“Luckily, I’m just pretending to be a yandere. If I were the real deal, you’d already be in trouble. And that Ye Liang? Even if he’s some young master, a true yandere would’ve dragged him to hell by now.”

[So, Host, what’s the plan now? Lock her up?]

“Of course not. Right now, I’m just letting Tao-Tao rest since she’s been working too hard. We’re not doing anything illegal here.

“We’re just… resolving misunderstandings between sisters and mending our relationship. Su Tao took three days off specifically to stay at my place and help with my condition. Isn’t that just part of normal life? Don’t make it sound so sinister, System.

“I’m doing this for her own good.”

As she spoke, her gaze turned icy again.

“She can’t go to Ye Liang. Even if the original plot didn’t have this scene, I know what would happen next.”

Three days as a live-in maid? Staying at his place? Some “accident” at night, sparks flying?

Given the clichés of romance novels, that might just be the tame version.

No one lays a finger on my Su Tao.

“All of this… is to keep her from suffering the same tragic fate as in the original story.”

Sighing, Chi Xiaocheng carefully lifted Su Tao into her arms and carried her to the bedroom.

She tucked her in with painstaking gentleness.

“Six whole hours~ Rest well.”

Then, the System piped up again.

[Host, don’t you think this is a golden opportunity?]

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“What opportunity?”

[We’re the villains, remember? The heroine Su Tao is completely defenseless right now. You know what to do~]

“Oh, now you remember you’re a Villain System?” Chi Xiaocheng rolled her eyes.

After all this time together, it was true that Chi Xiaocheng had grown fond of the novel’s heroine.

But she would never stoop to that.

It would be defiling Su Tao.

‘I’m playing a yandere, not a psychopath.’

Sitting by the bed, she reached out to smooth Su Tao’s disheveled hair.

“Su Tao has emotional scars. She’s terrified of the fact that I might be a yandere. Right now, she can’t even face me properly. How could she ever love me?

“The only reason I matter to her at all is because of the original host’s bond with her. They relied on each other since childhood, so she doesn’t want to abandon that connection easily. That’s what’s holding her back.

“In terms of romantic feelings? Ye Liang and Dongfang Yang probably rank higher than me in her heart.”

Chi Xiaocheng saw the situation with crystal clarity.

If Su Tao didn’t change how she viewed her, no amount of yandere antics would make her fall in love.

She’d just keep searching for ways to “fix” her, humoring her while clinging to their past sisterly bond.

That won’t do.

You’re supposed to love me wholeheartedly and unconditionally.

No, not “supposed to.”

You have to.