The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Mrs. Zhu, accompanied by several maids, went to An Yue’s room.

She held a bottle of high-quality Spiritual Medicine, applied it to An Yue as soon as she entered, then had the maids serve some food to An Yue. After dismissing the maids and the old woman, she asked An Yue, ”Ayue, what do you really think? You never seemed deeply attached to that Xiao Qing before. When your mother asked you earlier, you agreed to call off the marriage and didn’t want to marry a worthless man. But today, as soon as your father managed to persuade Xiao Qing to call off the engagement, you...”

An Yue’s expression remained somewhat fatigued as she reclined on the bed: ”Mother, they always say it’s better to underestimate the old, rather than the poor young. Xiao Qing is still young, and he was once an exceptionally talented person. Who knows if he might turn things around in the future? If he does, then our family... By doing this, I can leave an impression of deep affection in his mind. If he remains worthless, I can use the excuse of parental decree to find a better match. But if he ever encounters a stroke of luck and recovers his Spirit Root, then we’ll have a buffer. If he becomes powerful, he won’t bear us any grudge.”

While Mrs. Zhu considered the possibility of Xiao Qing turning his life around slim, she still smiled and patted An Yue’s head: ”My child, your thinking is indeed prudent. It’s just that you’ve been wronged.”

An Yue forced a smile: ”It’s not wronging me. As long as our family is well, and my parents aren’t resented, I don’t feel wronged at all.”

Mrs. Zhu felt deeply touched in her heart.

After leaving An Yue’s room, she went to find Family Head Zhu, recounting An Yue’s words. Family Head Zhu praised: ”It’s indeed my daughter, thinking everything through. I had overlooked this before.”

Mrs. Zhu asked curiously, ”Do you also believe Xiao Qing can turn his life around?”

”It can’t be ruled out.”

Family Head Zhu’s eyes gleamed with intelligence: ”The Xiao Family is no small family, Xiao Qing’s father has been the Family Head for many years. Who knows what treasures he holds? Perhaps when he left, he quietly left some items for Xiao Qing. You know, the Xiao Family has a longer history than our Zhu Family; they’ve survived since the ancient times, there might actually be treasures unknown to others.”

Mrs. Zhu mused: ”If that’s really the case, we should keep Ayue around for a few more years. If Xiao Qing truly becomes remarkable, with Ayue’s actions today, if she approaches Xiao Qing, he will remember past affections and marry Ayue.”

Family Head Zhu had been thinking the same; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been assisting Xiao Qing these past two years.

He hadn’t gone to extremes, and with An Yue acting out this story, should Xiao Qing become powerful, he’d have to consider the Zhu Family’s kindness. Perhaps the Zhu Family might even gain some advantages from it.

Back at the Zhu Family’s orchid garden

Aunt Feng consumed a Spiritual Replenishing Pill, sat cross-legged on the bed to cultivate, absorbing the Elixir’s Spiritual Power.

After waiting for more than two hours, she reopened her eyes.

Xiao Yao was by her side guarding: ”Is Aunt ready for the meal?”

Aunt Feng put on her shoes and got out of bed: ”Yes, prepare it.”

Xiao Yao instructed a little maid to fetch the meal from the main kitchen.

As soon as the little maid returned, she was furious.

”Aunt, the people in the kitchen are becoming increasingly dismissive of Aunt. I went to collect the meal, and they claimed it hadn’t been prepared yet, saying they’re extremely busy, and even the guests’ meals in the front courtyard haven’t been sorted. They asked to wait, and if it’s too hungry, eat some snacks to supplement, or I could use money to buy meals from a restaurant.”

The little maid rattled on, but Aunt Feng wasn’t angry at all: ”Alright, take some money and go outside to the restaurant. Have them deliver a banquet here, and we’ll enjoy ourselves today.”

Xiao Yao opened the money box and handed some money to the little maid: ”Go ahead, hurry back.”

The little maid grumbled: ”Aunt is too easy-going; that’s why they disregard us.”

Xiao Yao laughed as she sent the little maid away, then returned to Aunt Feng: ”I wonder when the Second Miss will finish her retreat. Once she’s back, Aunt won’t have to endure this.”

Aunt Feng waved her hand: ”Don’t tell Second Miss about this, lest it troubles her. Now that the master is intent on nurturing her, we must cooperate well and minimize matters. Don’t demand this today and that tomorrow, lest we provoke Madam, and even Second Miss will suffer.”

Xiao Yao sighed: ”Aunt plans everything for Second Miss, yet Second Miss is still closer to Madam.”

Aunt Feng chuckled: ”Even if she’s close to Madam, I’m her mother.”

Anning’s closeness with Mrs. Zhu was something Aunt Feng taught her.

Aunt Feng feared Anning wouldn’t be valued, so she taught Anning to be close to Mrs. Zhu, while Aunt Feng herself stayed quietly nestled and never caused trouble, allowing Mrs. Zhu to tolerate Anning.

Still, she didn’t disclose this to Xiao Yao.

After a while, Xiao Yao said, ”Considering the time, the Second Miss should have completed her retreat by now.”

Aunt Feng frowned: ”She never took this long on a retreat before. It seems that breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage requires more time. Hopefully, she succeeds this time. If she does, we’ll have a say in this household.”

Aunt Feng’s talent was lacking, and after childbirth, her cultivation couldn’t advance, remaining at the eighth floor of the Qi Refinement Realm.

The other members of the Zhu Family didn’t possess high cultivation either.

In the entire Dongling Continent, Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators are considered of middle cultivation. For context, Golden Core Stage cultivators could become sect elders or even leaders of a mountain, while Nascent Soul cultivators are regarded as treasures of a sect, often secluded and rarely appearing.

The Zhu Family’s most highly cultivated member is Family Head Zhu, merely an eighth floor Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, far from reaching the Golden Core.

Family Head Zhu broke through the Foundation Establishment Stage in his thirties, yet even so, he could be deemed a genius.

Anning now is only fifteen or sixteen; if she succeeds, the Zhu Family will surely elevate her.

As Anning’s biological mother, Aunt Feng will gain a voice in the Zhu Family.

She won’t need to cower in the backyard under the housekeeper’s gaze, nor will anyone dare to make things difficult for her.

”The Second Miss will definitely succeed.”

Xiao Yao, as Aunt Feng’s maid, also hoped for Anning’s success.

Meanwhile, Anning herself was working on breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

This body possessed good Spirit Roots, coupled with Anning’s understanding and experience across many lifetimes, and top-notch cultivation techniques, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage wasn’t an issue for Anning.

She sat in the mountain cave, striving to compress the Spiritual Energy within, to allow her body to accommodate more Spiritual Energy.

In her Dantian, initially a swirling mass of energy, it slowly liquefied into a pool, with these liquids madly gathering together. Anning tried to absorb more Spiritual Energy, pushing to gather the liquids in her Dantian.

She didn’t know how long had passed; she suddenly felt a powerful surge within, her meridians widened, and Spiritual Energy wildly rushed into her body. She quickly absorbed and compressed it into her Dantian.

The liquids within her Dantian coalesced into a Golden Core, which radiated golden light.

Outside, Spirit Rain began to fall, touching many animals and plants, bringing them comfort and awakening many animals’ spiritual wisdom, while plants grew wildly.

Anning opened her eyes with a smile.

She intended to break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, but overexerted, unexpectedly skipping to become a Golden Core Master.