The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Yi Qihang returned home from outside and saw his mother happily putting a gold bracelet onto her arm.

”Qihang is back.”

Mrs. Yi approached with a smile: ”Does it look nice?”

Yi Qihang was somewhat tired and rubbed his temple: ”It looks nice.”

Mrs. Yi beamed even more: ”Lili bought this for me. Look how good Lili is to me. This child, she really leaves me at a loss for words.”

Mrs. Yi sat beside Yi Qihang: ”Lili has liked you for so many years. Isn’t it time for you to speak up? You’re not young anymore, staying single isn’t a solution. Look at yourself, you look good and are successful now. I’m not worried about anything else, just worried you haven’t married.”

Yi Qihang felt a bit annoyed hearing this.

”Mom,” he glanced at Mrs. Yi, ”I’ve said it before, it’s impossible between Lili and me. I have someone I like...”

”Then bring her home.”

Mrs. Yi gave him a sideways glance: ”I know your thinking. It’s just being unfaithful. You don’t want someone controlling you after marriage. Lili told me she wouldn’t control you. After marriage, you can still associate with those women.”

Yi Qihang felt even more irritated inside.

He got up and walked towards his bedroom. Mrs. Yi followed a few steps. Yi Qihang turned back and gave her a cold look, scaring Mrs. Yi into silence.

Just then, Wu Lili called, and Yi Qihang answered, hearing Wu Lili’s gentle words: ”Qihang, I have something to tell you. Do you have time? I’ll treat you to a meal...”

Thinking of Wu Lili’s deep affection over the years, Yi Qihang softened: ”Alright, I’ll pick you up in a while.”

He drove to pick Wu Lili up for dinner.

During the meal, Wu Lili took great care of Yi Qihang, continually picking his favorite dishes for him, her tenderness truly touching.

”I know you don’t want to marry.”

Wu Lili softly told Yi Qihang: ”But, I can’t be without you. I really like you so much, Qihang. If it weren’t for you, right now... I have everything because of you. I like you, admire you, thank you. You are my deity. I don’t ask you to marry me. I just want to stay by your side. As long as I have a place in your heart, no matter how small, I’m satisfied.”

Wu Lili’s words were so humble, so weakly pleading, that Yi Qihang couldn’t bear to be harsh.

He looked at Wu Lili and earnestly said: ”I have someone I like. Apart from her, I won’t marry anyone.”

”I didn’t mean to destroy your feelings with her.”

Wu Lili quickly assured him: ”I just want to stay by your side. Please don’t drive me away. I... just having you occasionally look at me and talk to me makes me happy.”

What else could Yi Qihang say? After thinking for a while, he nodded.

Wu Lili smiled through tears, pouring a drink for both of them.

A dozen minutes later, both were drunk, and Wu Lili helped Yi Qihang book a hotel room.

When Yi Qihang woke up the next day, he saw Wu Lili lying beside him.

He had a headache but still felt an inexplicable secret pride.

Wu Lili covered her face and softly cried: ”Don’t blame me, I just like you too much. You got drunk and wanted... so I didn’t resist.”

After lying down for a while, Yi Qihang still sat up and comforted Wu Lili: ”I don’t blame you, but I can’t give you status. If you can endure it, stay by my side.”

Wu Lili was both joyful and excited, hugging Yi Qihang while crying and laughing.

Yi Qihang felt a bit awkward inside.

He still thought of Anning.

In his heart, he understood he only loved Anning. But so many beautiful women liked him to madness, willing to give up everything just to stay by his side. He couldn’t refuse them.

Yi Qihang thought, Anning, such a kind and lovely person, should understand him.

Perhaps...

He couldn’t help but imagine Anning might possibly coexist peacefully with Wu Lili and these people. After all, only Anning would hold the position of the legitimate wife. He would do his best to give Anning what he had, his wealth, his connections, all could be given to Anning.

He could also settle those people of the Yang Family, be filial to Anning’s parents, treat Anning’s relatives well. In this way, Anning either might not be able to leave him.

Thinking this way, Yi Qihang felt a bit calmer inside.

Provincial City

Xiao Yuan watched as days passed quickly, soon it would be time for Anning to go to the Capital, but he hadn’t saved enough money.

He wanted Anning to live a good life, not wanting her to suffer with him, so he had to earn quick money as soon as possible.

Xiao Yuan and Xiao Qin pooled their earnings. To an ordinary person, this money was significant, but for Xiao Yuan, it was far from enough.

Xiao Yuan took out half of the money, leaving the other half for Xiao Qin.

So Xiao Qin could continue to steam buns and sell them while he took this money and headed south.

Xiao Yuan was thinking of earning quick money. Initially, he thought about finding a chance accident, but after inquiring, he realized antiques weren’t as valuable as he imagined at that time. One could say the value of collectibles hadn’t truly been hyped up yet.

Besides, finding a chance accident wasn’t easy. Without routes or connections, he couldn’t access people in this trade. If he wanted to try on street stalls, huh, did he really think casually strolling could buy good items? That’s just a novel storyline; it’s nearly impossible in the real world.

Thus, Xiao Yuan had to try other tactics.

His first thought was underwater shipwrecks.

Unknown treasures in the sea, the most enticing among them being underwater shipwrecks. If he could find one, the items onboard would undoubtedly bring wealth.

Of course, Xiao Yuan merely thought about grabbing some gemstones and the like to exchange for money to buy a house in the Capital. At least he and Anning should have a home there.

The remaining money would be his startup capital in the Capital.

Xiao Yuan took the money, bought a train ticket, and headed south.

He soon arrived at the seaside.

There, he rented a room to stay, often wandering around the seaside, suddenly looking like an ordinary tourist coming to relax by the sea.

After several days of sightseeing, Xiao Yuan calculated the location accurately.

After that, he got familiar with the local fishermen, and through contacts, rented a boat, saying he wanted to sail nearby offshore waters.

After it was known that Xiao Yuan could operate a boat and was quite skilled, the fisherman rented the boat to him.

That night, Xiao Yuan sailed out to sea.

He said he was going to offshore waters, but actually sailed to the distant sea.

He stopped the boat at a certain spot, took out a Water Avoidance Talisman he had spent a long time making and stuck it on himself, then jumped directly into the sea without changing clothes.

In the water, he was as free as a fish, quickly diving towards the deep sea.

Near dawn, Xiao Yuan surfaced from the sea.

He found his boat and hopped onto it with a light jump.

As dawn was approaching, Xiao Yuan wasted no time, quickly sailing back.

After returning the boat and going back to his rented room, a clear smile appeared on his face.

Xiao Yuan’s harvest this time was considerable.

The ship he found wasn’t big but carried plenty of items, including many jewels, some ceramics, and additionally, a few jade stones and rough jade.

Xiao Yuan didn’t touch the ceramics or antiquities, only took some diamonds, jade stones, and rough jade.

He waited two days before selling the diamonds and cutting a few pieces from the rough jade with tools he bought.

Xiao Yuan’s luck was often good; he cut four rough stones, yet one turned out to be glass species imperial green jade, alongside opening an ice type purple jade and a small Fu Lu Shou Three-color Jade.

Xiao Yuan sold the piece of imperial green jade, keeping the rest to himself.

Of course, just selling the diamonds and that jade had already brought Xiao Yuan considerable money, giving him the confidence to start his business.

Carrying the remaining treasures, Xiao Yuan took a train back to the Provincial City.

He was discussing with Xiao Qin about going to the Capital.