The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Anning lay on the bed for about an hour when Li Cuixia came to wake her up for lunch.

Anning’s head still felt a bit uncomfortable. She rubbed her temples and got up with Li Cuixia’s help.

Yang Erchou had already brought the meal to the main room.

At this time, the college entrance exam was still in July. Now it was the end of June, and the weather was already very hot.

Yang Erchou was afraid that Anning would get too hot. As soon as she sat down, Yang Erchou quickly turned on the electric fan.

Li Cuixia thoughtfully asked Anning, ”Is it hot? If it’s hot, let your dad turn up the fan.”

Anning shook her head, ”Not hot, just leave it like this.”

The dishes were already set on the table.

Because the doctor said Anning needed to replenish nutrition and eat well, Li Cuixia specifically bought some meat and stewed a pot of dishes. She also made bean jelly soup and mixed cucumbers and tomatoes.

Yang Erchou was scooping rice for Anning while saying, ”We don’t have enough time for lunch today, so let’s eat like this first. Tomorrow, I’ll buy ribs for you to stew, and the day after, I’ll ask your mom to kill a chicken and make a pot of chicken soup for you.”

While talking, they heard a voice from outside, ”Dad, Mom.”

Li Cuixia quickly got up to open the courtyard door.

After a short while, a pretty girl wearing a sleeveless watermelon-red shirt and a flowered long skirt with a big braid followed Li Cuixia into the house.

This girl was Anning’s sister, Yang Anzhen.

When Yang Anzhen entered, she saw the table full of dishes. She pulled a stool and sat down heavily, fanning herself with the electric fan before asking, ”Dad, Mom, is Ningning feeling better? I only came home today and heard someone say you took Ningning to the town clinic. What’s wrong? What illness?”

Li Cuixia filled a bowl of rice for Yang Anzhen, ”Nothing serious, just low blood sugar, keeps having dizziness. The doctor said it’s from studying too hard, and she should eat better.”

”Then she should eat better.”

Yang Anzhen drank two sips of mung bean soup, ”I’ll buy some walnuts for Ningning, it helps the brain. I also heard that girls should eat Ejiao, let’s buy some Ejiao. Additionally, they should start eating jujubes and wolfberries.”

Yang Anzhen was quick-tempered, talking while pulling out money, ”Ningning, take this, buy some treats and replenish yourself well, look at how skinny you are.”

Anning quickly pushed it away; she wouldn’t take Yang Anzhen’s money, ”Sis, I have money here.”

Yang Erchou also said, ”Alright, keep your money away. Your father can still earn money, no need to use yours.”

Yang Anzhen forcefully stuffed the money to Anning, ”Isn’t Ningning about to take the college entrance exams? Our family’s future is counting on her. As a sister, I may not have other skills, but I do have money for Ningning’s nutritional supplements. Take it. If you feel bad, find a good job and help out your sister in the future.”

Li Cuixia smiled, ”Ningning, take it from your sister.”

Anning then accepted the money.

Li Cuixia, while eating, asked Yang Anzhen, ”Did your mother-in-law know you’re coming over today?”

Yang Anzhen smiled, ”She knows, I told her, and Jianhua knows too. He also suggested taking Ningning to the county hospital.”

Li Cuixia was relieved hearing that Yang Anzhen’s husband’s family knew she was back.

Anning focused on eating, and Li Cuixia continually gave her meat, ”Eat more meat, replenish yourself well.”

After a few bites, Anning felt too full to eat meat and gave it to Yang Erchou, then eating all the potatoes and beans in her bowl.

After the meal, Yang Anzhen went to wash the dishes, and Li Cuixia went to help. Yang Erchou asked Anning to go inside to sleep.

To prevent Anning from overheating, Yang Erchou thoughtfully moved the electric fan to Anning’s room.

Li Cuixia finished washing dishes and entered the room, speaking to Yang Erchou, ”It’s really hot, buy some watermelons for Ningning to eat later.”

Yang Anzhen, wiping her hands, entered the house, ”If it doesn’t work out, I’ll have Jianhua deliver meals to Ningning at school every day.”

Anning heard the noise and called Yang Anzhen and Li Cuixia into her bedroom.

She half-lay on the bed, seeing Yang Anzhen entering, she said, ”Sis, don’t let brother-in-law be bothered. I think it’s just a few days left anyway. Studying now won’t make much difference. It’d be better to take a few days off from school to study at home. At home, I can eat well, sleep comfortably at night, and take good care of my health.”

Li Cuixia nodded quickly, ”That’s true, then it’s settled. Let your dad go to school to ask for leave and bring your stuff back.”

”Let my dad bring back my books; a few days before the exam, have my brother-in-law keep an eye on the school. If anything is happening, let him tell me.”

Anning arranged matters clearly.

Yang Anzhen agreed.

The three of them discussed the college entrance exam affairs. Yang Anzhen then asked Li Cuixia, ”I heard grandma and uncle came to our house again, why was that?”

Speaking of this, Li Cuixia was full of anger, ”What else could it be? It’s still about Yang Fugui getting married. Your uncle’s family has no money and can’t provide a dowry, so they want us to use the money we’ve saved for Ningning’s university for their expenses. Your grandpa even said, Ningning is a losing deal, going to college won’t benefit us. It’s better for Fugui to use it; Fugui getting married is the real family priority.”

Yang Anzhen’s anger was clear in her furrowed brows, ”What a pipe dream! Why should our family’s money be used by them? My uncle and aunt are lazy as can be, wouldn’t even lift an overturned oil bottle. Lending them money and expecting them to repay is impossible. Besides, whether Yang Fugui marries has nothing to do with us. Ningning going to college is our family’s top priority. Are we crazy or stupid to see Ningning can get into a prestigious university, yet give the money to that unreliable Yang Fugui?”

Li Cuixia was also fuming, ”That’s exactly it. Fortunately, your dad is clear-headed and won’t budge. Otherwise, our life would be impossible.”

Having been married to the Yang family for many years, Li Cuixia harbored many grievances.

Now sitting in the room with her two daughters, she found solace in sharing a bit.

She held Yang Anzhen’s hand and started to complain, ”Your grandpa and grandma just can’t stand our family’s wellbeing. Back when your uncle’s family had Fuyu and Fugui, and I had you and Ningning, your grandpa insisted on exchanging Ningning with your uncle’s family, saying that way each family has both sons and daughters, which is a great thing. Your uncle was certainly willing then.”

Yang Anzhen scoffed, ”Of course they were willing for the exchange. Raising a son for free, and even preparing for Yang Fugui to cover housework and marriage, saving them so much trouble. Once Ningning grew up, they could use Anning’s marriage to demand more dowry and earn the dowry for Yang Fuyu. They hit the jackpot all along, unwillingness would be absurd.”

”That’s exactly the case.”

Li Cuixia slapped her thigh, ”Neither your dad nor I were fools. Why raise someone else’s son for free? Their son comes here to enjoy life, while my daughter suffers, and ends up being sold by them. What am I gaining here? A child brings dignity, my foot! Not birthed by us, who knows who’ll they care for in the future?”

Anning watched Li Cuixia and Yang Anzhen both boiling with anger, so she joined in to add fuel to the fire.

She pulled Li Cuixia’s hand, ”Mom, doesn’t it seem odd? They didn’t come asking for money sooner or later, but just when I returned here, they ran to borrow money and made such a noisy scene. What’s up with that?”

With Anning’s question, Li Cuixia and Yang Anzhen paused.

”What’s up with that?”

Both asked Anning simultaneously.

Anning frowned furiously, ”I think they’re definitely trying to mess with me just before my exam. By causing this fuss, it would surely affect me. If I end up in a bad mood and flunk into a mediocre school or fail college entirely, wouldn’t they have a perfect excuse to take away the money saved for my college?”