Cannon Fodder – Chapter 8 – Acting Skills Explosion!

After ending the chat, a faint smile curled at the corner of Chi Xiaocheng’s lips.

Mentioning Su Tao and the basement was enough to make these male leads lose their composure.

Without even guessing, Chi Xiaocheng knew that Ye Liang and Dongfang Yang were in a competitive relationship. There was no way Ye Liang would tell Dongfang Yang what really happened in the basement.

And Su Tao, because of the actual events in the basement, would also keep it a secret from both male leads.

If Dongfang Yang wanted to know what happened in the basement, his only options were to ask Ye Liang’s bodyguards… or her, Chi Xiaocheng, the person directly involved!

Since Dongfang Yang had no idea what really went down, she could spin the story however she wanted.

As long as she could lure this male lead out, she’d have a chance to farm emotional points.

With emotional points, she could unlock later plot developments and purchase skills—only then could she change her fate as a cannon fodder character.

And once her status as cannon fodder changed, she could start scheming to win over the female lead.

A perfect plan!

But before heading out, she naturally had to dress up a bit.

Chi Xiaocheng walked to the wardrobe. There weren’t many outfits for going out: just one summer dress, a JK ¹ Japanese slang for school girl uniform, and two sets of casual wear that doubled as loungewear.

Even including the set she had just changed out of, this was a rather sparse wardrobe for a girl.

After glancing at the JK sailor outfit and short skirt, Chi Xiaocheng decisively took out the white dress.

“Didn’t expect I’d have to wear such formal feminine clothing on my first day transmigrating.”

Rustle, rustle.

Chi Xiaocheng quickly changed into the dress.

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Her petite figure paired perfectly with the delicate white dress adorned with lace trimmings. The slightly gothic-style short dress, combined with her doll-like delicate features, made her look utterly adorable.

The skirt was a bit short, only reaching just above her knees, leaving her slender, graceful legs exposed to the air.

Slowly, she pulled on a pair of thin white stockings woven with velvet and silver threads. The top of the stockings even had a mysterious lace trim that gently hugged her soft thighs, creating a slight, enticing squeeze.

Facing the mirror, Chi Xiaocheng activated the Intermediate Acting Skill the system had given her. Instantly, her expression took on a fragile, pitiable softness.

A naturally beautiful face paired with a sickly image—this was the perfect way to win people’s sympathy.

Clothes maketh man.

“Even just wearing a decent outfit would highlight her natural charm to a national-goddess level. The original host was really stupid, listening to those ‘sisters’ and hiding all her best features.”

Chi Xiaocheng then braided her smooth, tea-colored hair into two pigtails and put on a pair of non-prescription black-framed glasses.

Now, this delicate little lolita also carried an air of bookishness and natural ditziness.

After covering the wound on her palm with a white bandage, she headed out.

The late autumn chill of November carried a desolate air, and the cold wind made Chi Xiaocheng’s slender frame shiver slightly.

The white stockings on her legs at least provided some warmth.

Wearing just a dress outside had been a bit reckless—she should’ve layered a camisole underneath.

The campus gates on a Sunday were sparsely populated, but even so, many eyes lingered on Chi Xiaocheng.

Curiosity, surprise, admiration, appreciation.

The moment she stepped into this public space, Chi Xiaocheng had already activated her acting domain.

Performance mode: MAX.

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Like a lost little white rabbit, she clutched her small crossbody bag, keeping her head slightly lowered, just enough to still show off her bare-faced beauty, before heading straight toward Zhuxia Café.

It wasn’t far. Just a left turn from the campus gates, nestled among a cluster of campus shops.

“Who’s that girl? She’s so cute.”

“Our school has a girl this adorable? I’ve never seen her before.”

“Maybe she’s from another school? She looks a bit lost. She’s probably a freshman?”

The murmurs from passersby made Chi Xiaocheng’s lips curl slightly.

Changing people’s impressions.

Influencing Su Tao through indirect information channels.

Even when she noticed some people sneakily taking photos of her profile, she didn’t mind.

These photos would only help spread the image she wanted.

Soon, she arrived outside Zhuxia Café.

Relying on her memories, Chi Xiaocheng spotted Dongfang Yang sitting inside, looking impatient.

When his gaze shifted toward her, she immediately lowered her head.

Instead of walking in, she hesitated outside, pacing back and forth on her short, white-stockinged legs as if she hadn’t noticed Dongfang Yang.

Her adorably conflicted demeanor even made the barista at the counter rest her chin on her hand, watching with an amused smile.

Dongfang Yang’s impatience finally gave way to curiosity.

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Then he scoffed. “Can’t even decide whether to enter a café? Must be some country bumpkin.”

For some reason, he disliked her tea-colored ² The cheapest and most common Chinese tea is yellow (like piss!), but here the author obviously means dark color tea, which is somewhat less popular hair.

And he didn’t recognize Chi Xiaocheng at all.

Without makeup, and in a completely different style. The original Chi Xiaocheng had never even considered a pure, twin-braided look. And with black-framed glasses, only those who knew her well would recognize her at a glance.

After a while, Dongfang Yang watched as this 1.5-meter-tall “airhead” seemed to finally make up her mind.

She lifted her delicate face, her eyes filled with determination as she stared at the café door.

Then, with resolute steps, she marched forward—

Only to stumble and nearly faceplant on flat ground.

Flustered, she hurried inside, then glanced around nervously before walking straight toward him.

Dongfang Yang raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on her white-stockinged legs for a moment before shifting to her face. “You are…?”

He didn’t recall ever meeting this ditzy, cute girl.

Chi Xiaocheng slowly took off her glasses, then flicked aside the strands of hair half-covering her eyes, instantly unleashing her full, unsealed beauty.

In a soft, timid voice, she said, “I… I’m Chi Xiaocheng.”

“Chi Xiaocheng?!”

Dongfang Yang shot to his feet.

His face was a picture of shock.

[Male Lead Dongfang Yang is deeply shaken by the host’s transformation.]

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[Emotional Points +13…]

[Emotional Points +16…]

[Emotional Points +22…]

When the system’s notifications sounded, Chi Xiaocheng knew she had made the right move.

She nodded slightly again, her head still bowed. “It’s me.”

Dongfang Yang’s mind short-circuited. He couldn’t believe this person was Chi Xiaocheng!

The Chi Xiaocheng in his memory was slouched, with dull eyes, heavy makeup, and a face so obscured you couldn’t recognize her without her hair. She always spoke with a sharp, confrontational tone.

But now…

His eyes swept over her from head to toe before he finally managed to blurt out, “Did… did you get plastic surgery?”

Chi Xiaocheng lifted her face, pouting as she met Dongfang Yang’s gaze with teary, aggrieved eyes.

“I… I know I’m ugly, but you don’t have to say it like that… I… I just took off all my makeup, that’s all.”

Then she turned her head slightly, tucking a loose strand of tea-colored hair behind her ear to reveal her clean, delicate profile.

Her small, cute ears were tinged with pink, her long lashes fluttering as her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

Ugly?

Just took off her makeup?

Was this really the same Chi Xiaocheng from before?

At this moment, Dongfang Yang’s worldview shattered.