The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Ms. Xu was quite surprised when Anning mentioned ending the engagement.

However, she didn’t strongly oppose it.

”Have you thought it through? If you cancel the engagement now, there will be gossip, which won’t be good for your reputation.”

Anning spoke earnestly: ”Mom, I’ve thought it all over. I can’t keep wasting time with him like this. Actually, when I got engaged to Rong Junhao, it was essentially a business alliance between our two families. My feelings for him...aren’t very deep. I just thought, after growing up together from a young age, and considering the good relationship between our families, Uncle Rong and Aunt Li treated me well. Marrying someone familiar is better than marrying a stranger...”

Before Anning finished speaking, Ms. Xu started crying again.

”Why didn’t you ever tell me before?”

She hugged Anning, crying with deep sadness: ”Your father and I never wanted you to marry for alliance. To us, Mrs. Yun is nowhere near as important as you. We just wanted you to find someone you love, to live a happy life. If we had known your thoughts, we wouldn’t have let you get engaged in the first place.”

Anning patted Ms. Xu’s back: ”Mom, I really never felt bad about it. I’ve actually been quite happy. For me, career is more important than love.”

Ms. Xu cried for a long time. Anning used tissues to wipe her tears for quite a while before she calmed down.

Anning sat down and softly shared her thoughts: ”Regardless of whether Rong Junhao wakes up or not, I must end this engagement. I can’t waste my best youthful years on him. I don’t care what others say about me, whether outsiders call me ruthless and heartless or cold-blooded—I have to live my own life.”

Ms. Xu nodded: ”If you’ve made up your mind, go ahead and do it. Mom supports you.”

Anning discussed with Ms. Xu for a long time, then drove to the Rong Family later that morning.

Ms. Li spends most of her time at home these days.

When Anning arrived, Ms. Li was busy cooking in the kitchen. Seeing Anning come in, Ms. Li was visibly surprised: ”Ningning, aren’t you busy at the company?”

Anning smiled: ”I’m a bit tired today, so I didn’t go to the company. I’ve come to see Brother Rong Hao.”

Ms. Li turned off the fire, wiped her hands, and came out: ”I’ll accompany you upstairs.”

Anning waved her hand: ”I can go myself, Aunt, you continue with your work. I’ll come and chat with you after I see Brother Rong Hao.”

”Alright, you go ahead.”

Ms. Li smiled as she watched Anning walk up the stairs. She remembered something and called out to Anning: ”I’ve made something delicious; come down and try it later.”

”Okay.” Anning turned back and smiled.

Rong Junhao’s room is on the second floor, and it’s now been transformed to resemble an ICU unit, filled with various instruments constantly monitoring changes in his body with several hired medical staff attending to him.

Of course, all this requires a lot of money.

After President Rong’s passing, Rong Junhao was left in his current condition, with Ms. Li not knowing much about running things. At that time, Mrs. Rong was seen as a vulnerable target, with many wanting to take over the company. If Anning hadn’t stepped up to withstand the pressure and support Mrs. Rong, the company might have been swallowed up long ago, and the Rong Family’s years of savings could have ended up in someone else’s pocket.

By that time, not to mention the funds needed for Rong Junhao’s treatment and survival—Ms. Li’s living expenses would likely also become a problem.

Standing at the door of the room, Anning couldn’t help but recall these moments, causing her further disdain for Rong Junhao to turn coat without gratitude or support when the situation turns.

Pushing open the door, Anning saw Ning Ruoxi busy caring for Rong Junhao. She was wiping Rong Junhao’s body while murmuring, recounting mundane matters like what she ate today, the weather, the blooming flowers, and such.

Ning Ruoxi’s voice was quite pleasant, and even ordinary things she spoke of could brighten one’s mood.

”Ruoxi.”

Anning called out with a smile.

Ning Ruoxi turned to see Anning and smiled: ”You’re here. Mr. Rong is in good condition today, and all his health indicators are normal.”

Anning walked over: ”Thank you for your hard work.”

”It’s not hard at all—this is what I should be doing.” And indeed, Ning Ruoxi had quite a good personality, whenever Anning spoke with her, she felt her mood ease.

”I want to talk to Brother Jun Hao.”

Anning said after Ning Ruoxi finished her work.

Ning Ruoxi smiled: ”Then I’ll head out first.”

She carried her things out the door, and Anning closed the door and crouched beside the bed.

Actually, Anning wanted to grab Rong Junhao’s hand and pour out her grievances, but she felt that Rong Junhao was too unreliable, rejecting him strongly, so how could she possibly have any contact with him.

She crouched by the bedside, covering her face as she sobbed uncontrollably.

”Brother Jun Hao, I’m really exhausted, I can’t take it anymore, please don’t blame me.”

Anning deliberately came this time to speak these words, recalling that in a past life, though Rong Junhao seemed like a living dead man, he could hear, perceive everything and have his own thoughts.

Perhaps in that past life, Rong Junhao had already fallen for the caring Ning Ruoxi before he even woke up.

Knowing that Rong Junhao could hear, Anning wanted him to know everything she had done for the Rong family over the past year. Whether good or bad, she left it for him to consider.

”I’ve never managed a company before, without any experience. When I first took over the company, do you have any idea how tough those people were to deal with? Rong Family had many seniors opposing me, saying I was neither legitimate nor justified. I came up with countless strategies to subdue them, sleeping only three or four hours a day, sometimes eating just two meals, afraid to waste time. During that period, my hair fell out in handfuls, I often felt dizzy, and I never knew if I’d suddenly die in the office. So many times, when I laid down at night, I wondered if I’d wake up the next morning.”

Anning grew progressively sadder as she spoke, eventually bursting into tears: ”I truly wanted to give up. Countless times I couldn’t hold on and wanted to quit. Every time, I’d come to see you—seeing you here unable to wake or move—seeing Aunt Li, I’d tell myself I must persevere because if I failed, what would happen to you all? Brother Jun Hao, if I hadn’t persevered, you wouldn’t survive, for you I’ve been fighting hard.”

Outside, Li listened silently, and she couldn’t help but shed tears too.

”Over this year, I’ve lost over twenty pounds, even my mom says I’m just skin and bones now. Brother Jun Hao, you’d definitely not recognize me when you wake.”

Anning laughed at herself: ”I look so ugly now, you’d surely be disgusted seeing me like this.”

She grew tired of crouching, then sat on the floor, hugging her knees while recounting the year’s events bit by bit. She spoke of how she faced difficulties, battled cunning adversaries, and worked with all her might to protect both families’ businesses.

By the end, Anning smiled with relief: ”Luckily, I managed to endure. Now Rong Family’s situation is stable. I’ve realized it can’t continue this way. Even those people have some point—I’m only managing Rong Family temporarily; doing so long-term would be improper due to my lack of formal appointment and not being part of the Rong Family, making it unreasonable. Brother Jun Hao, I’ve mulled this over for days—I thought of hiring a professional manager...”

Li, listening outside, was stunned.

Her first thought was that Anning might leave her and her son behind.