Chapter 1
On an early summer afternoon, the sunlight was bright and scorching.
Cars on the road were drowsy, inching forward like snails sluggishly moving through a forest of steel.
The closer they got to the intersection, the harder it became to move even an inch.
Chen Yueying twisted open a bottle of mineral water and turned to hand it to the back seat. “Right after this intersection is the TV station. You filmed ‘Tomorrow’s Starshine’ there back in the day—do you remember?”
Ruan He withdrew her gaze from the window. Her slightly curled long hair brushed across her petite nose, landed on her delicate collarbone, and covered her slightly rounded cheeks.
She took the water and, in the same motion, swept her hair to one side. Her fox-like eyes were gentle and clear. Even in the plainest jeans and white T-shirt, her beauty and charm were unmistakable.
She leaned forward slightly in the direction Chen Yueying indicated and saw the building from her memory.
Six years ago, it had been a landmark—you could see it from far away. Now, it was swallowed by a crowd of skyscrapers.
Just like Ruan He herself, who had completely faded into calm and ordinariness.
Chen Yueying glanced at Ruan He’s expression in the mirror and belatedly realized she'd probably picked the wrong topic. “Ruanyuan, you really should've moved back sooner. Yicheng still has more opportunities and is more convenient.”
“Just look at this traffic—so many people in Yicheng. It’s not easy to bump into someone you know. Besides, everyone’s busy anyway.”
Ruan He’s long lashes drooped slightly. She nodded faintly without saying a word.
Sensing this topic wasn’t working either, Chen Yueying stiffly shifted again. “A dating show must be really fun! You can finally relax a little and meet new people. So many years have passed—it’s time to look forward.”
Before Ruan He could respond, a small figure leaning against her rubbed her eyes, then affectionately cuddled her arm.
As if only now remembering the little one’s presence, Chen Yueying added, “It wouldn’t be a bad idea to find a mom for Tao Tao either!”
The named Tao Tao sleepily sat upright and slumped to the other side, only to be quickly pulled back by Ruan He.
In a sweet and soft little voice, she spoke ruthless words: “Godma, you’re really noisy.”
“Am I?” Chen Yueying feigned ignorance. “Tao Tao, do you like it here?”
Tao Tao’s lively eyes blinked as she turned toward Ruan He. “Wherever Mommy is, I like.”
Ruan He cradled Tao Tao’s face and gave it a gentle rub. Her smile was like the sunshine of early spring—warm and mild.
Seeing Tao Tao awake, she cracked the car window slightly, letting in a rush of sweet locust blossom fragrance.
Outside the window, several locust trees at the intersection were dotted with clusters of white blooms, swaying gently in the breeze.
So, this was the source of that scent. Back when she was on the talent show, she would often catch whiffs of it—it had become a firm part of those memories.
Her teammates once joked that the pheromone of *Tomorrow’s Starshine* smelled like locust flowers, and it was S+ grade—inescapable. But in Ruan He’s mind, those days carried a different fragrance altogether.
The next second, the recording studio flashed by her window, along with a glimpse of a bus stop ad.
The car turned and pulled up in front of the TV station on the other side.
Chen Yueying held Tao Tao’s hand. “We’ll wait for you outside. Call me if you need anything.”
Ruan He nodded, her expression gentle and calm. She lightly stroked Tao Tao’s head. “Be good and listen to Godma, okay?”
Tao Tao is five this year and will be old enough for primary school next year.
The countryside offered fresh air, honest neighbors, and a good life—but teaching resources were scarce, and for someone like Tao Tao, who held a non-local household registration, getting into school was even harder.
Meanwhile, after several years of working as a handmade crafts blogger, Ruan He’s career had reached a plateau. To provide Tao Tao with a better life, she had to leave behind that idyllic, reclusive world.
A couple of months ago, she saw an online casting call for a dating show. She signed up on a whim, never expecting the director to actually reach out. Especially after finding out who she was, the show offered her a generous appearance fee.
The word “appearance fee”—she hadn’t heard it in years.
For Ruan He, standing before the audience again was hard.
But what was even harder was her very real need to keep life going.
She pulled herself together and stood by the entrance for a while before finally taking a deep breath. Her fair, delicate fingers gripped the strap of her bag as she raised her hand to knock on the door, nervous.
“Come in!”
She’d previously spoken with Director Zhou over video chat. The all-female dating show was called *In Sync with Love*. The production had divided the cast into three groups based on ABO types, inviting three guests per group—these nine would form the initial cast.
After each date, guests would send each other sweet messages. Anyone who went three rounds without receiving a sweet message would be eliminated from the show, with new cast members brought in to replace them.
The show would run for a month and a half, and only on the final day could cast members confess their feelings and start a sweet relationship.
As an Omega guest, Ruan He was slated to be one of the show’s highlights.
After all, the popularity of the talent show *Tomorrow’s Starshine* had been unprecedented. Ruan He, as one of its breakout contestants, had captivated fans with her clear voice and vivid features. Even a brief clip of her could trend on social media for half a day.
Unfortunately, in the final round, she’d missed debuting by three votes, becoming everyone’s lasting regret.
From that day on, Ruan He terminated her contract, left the spotlight, and vanished…
She hadn’t appeared in public for six years, completely submerged in the vast sea of stars.
After a brief greeting, Director Zhou slid the contract toward her.
Ruan He read through it but didn’t pick up the pen.
“Is there still something you're unsure about?”
Ruan He lifted her head, a trace of wariness in her eyes. “My daughter…”
Director Zhou waved a hand. “You don’t need to worry about that. You can choose whether or not to disclose it—the production team will fully respect your decision.”
“Even if we capture footage of the child, we absolutely won’t broadcast it.”
Ruan He nodded. Her pale pink lips curved slightly in a warm and friendly smile. “Then let’s add that condition into the contract, shall we?”
Director Zhou paused, then smiled and motioned for her to write in the clause.
Once the contract was signed, Ruan He shook hands with the director and left the room.
She had been so nervous on her way here. Now that the first step was done, she could finally breathe. It was only then that she noticed the lobby walls were covered in posters of celebrities.
On the left was a powerful vocalist—the vocal coach from *Tomorrow’s Starshine*, who had praised her many times back then.
On the right was a top idol—the show’s original founder, who had told her “good luck” during the finale.
Straight ahead was a popular comedy actress—also a contestant on the show, who had always made Ruan He laugh.
And farther ahead…
Ruan He stopped walking.
The image showed a dense bamboo grove. A tall woman stood within it, wearing an ink-brush patterned qipao. Her eyebrows arched like distant mountains, carrying classical charm, but her gaze was sharp and commanding. Her presence was striking—strong and confident—and even across a poster, she exuded the powerful aura of an Alpha.
In the lower right corner, three flowing characters were written—
**Shen Peiqing.**
Ruan He silently mouthed the name.
The back of her neck grew warm, her body faintly restless, as if protesting something deep inside.
She stood there for a long moment, then forced herself to look away and slowly headed toward the main entrance.
The TV station’s entrance, once empty, had now gathered a large crowd of fans in just a few minutes.
They stood neatly on either side of the road, holding pre-made banners, quietly and orderly awaiting the arrival of their idol.
Ruan He paused, ultimately choosing to hide behind one of the columns in the lobby.
It would be a bit impolite to swagger through their lineup, and she also felt uneasy at the thought of being the center of attention.
Two minutes later, a white nanny van pulled up outside.
The assistant quickly jumped out, juggling an umbrella while rushing to open the car door.
Surrounded by staff, Zhao Qiaoshi slowly stepped down.
Recently, she had played the female lead’s younger sister in a hit drama. Her passionate and brave character had earned her high praise, and her popularity had been climbing ever since.
Zhao Qiaoshi’s large sunglasses covered most of her face as she climbed the steps slowly.
Her assistant thoughtfully held open the automatic doors for her, but Zhao Qiaoshi suddenly turned gracefully and raised her phone.
In her heart, Ruan He silently gave a thumbs-up to Zhao Qiaoshi and her fans.
Even when their idol appeared, the fans showed no outburst of emotion, and Zhao Qiaoshi also paused, ready to take group photos with them.
It was a peaceful and warm little meet-and-greet.
The automatic doors were slow to close, letting out a small protest.
And beside them, a small figure couldn’t wait any longer. With no other choice, she dashed through the many watchful gazes and ran into the building.
But just as the little figure rushed over, she was stopped by Zhao Qiaoshi’s assistant.
Tao Tao was suddenly blocked, lifting her head in confusion. “Do you need something?”
The assistant scowled. “Didn’t you see Qiaoshi standing there?”
Tao Tao turned around and looked, her soft childlike voice full of puzzlement. “Is that auntie a security guard? Are kids not allowed in?”
Zhao Qiaoshi was reluctant to lower her phone, twisting her body and glaring down at Tao Tao.
Tao Tao responded calmly, “But my mom just went in without registering. Why do I need to register? Is this bullying kids?”
Ruan He had been zoning out, but when she heard movement at the door, she looked over.
She didn’t expect to see her daughter standing confidently in the center, seemingly engaged in a discussion.
Just as she saw the assistant reaching out to push Tao Tao, she rushed over.
But just halfway there, another car pulled up outside.
Everyone instinctively turned to look, and Zhao Qiaoshi’s assistant quickly retracted her hand.
The car door opened slowly, and a pair of long, slender legs stepped out. Fans on both sides of the road raised their banners in unison and chanted:
“Qing Qing smiles, starlight shines! Peerless beauty, eastern pride!”
Although the number of fans was large, their voices were not loud. Everyone held back their excitement, mindful not to disturb passersby.
But those few lines froze Ruan He mid-stride.
The word “Tao Tao” got caught in her throat.
She suddenly couldn’t speak.
Ruan He stared at that familiar yet unfamiliar figure, her heart pounding wildly.
Shen Peiqing wore only light makeup today. Her long black hair was casually pinned up, and the neatly tailored jumpsuit outlined her healthy, graceful figure, radiating a powerful and confident aura.
No longer an amateur trying to avoid the camera, nor an invisible presence no one paid attention to—
She was Shen Peiqing, the recent triple award-winning best actress, a dominant force in today’s entertainment industry.
Phones were raised in every direction, capturing the actress from all angles without pause.
Surrounded by fans, Shen Peiqing nodded calmly and ascended the stairs one step at a time.
Ruan He stared fixedly, as if using every ounce of strength just to turn back and hide behind the same column once again.
It had become her only refuge.
Shen Peiqing didn’t see the little fox who had narrowly escaped the lobby.
She waved to the fans, signaling them to disperse for now.
At that moment, Zhao Qiaoshi had also stepped aside, standing with her assistant on either side of the automatic doors, acting as attentively as any personal aide.
Shen Peiqing cast her a glance and softly said, “Thank you.” She was just about to step inside when a warm, tiny hand reached out and took hers.
Tao Tao had placed herself right in front of Shen Peiqing, lifting her face and looking up with sincerity.
“Pretty big sister, you need to register to enter!”
Shen Peiqing looked down, her gaze falling on the small dumpling who barely reached her waist.
Her round little face was tinged with red, eyes bright and sparkling with spirit. Below her high-bridged nose, her slightly pursed lips gave her an air of both obedience and cuteness, with a hint of cleverness and boldness.
Shen Peiqing didn’t usually like children.
But for some reason, she didn’t brush the little hand away. Instead, she looked at Tao Tao for a long moment. “Register? What kind of registration?”
Tao Tao pouted and pointed at Zhao Qiaoshi. “That auntie said people can't go in casually.”
Before Zhao Qiaoshi could explain, Tao Tao tugged on Shen Peiqing’s hand and asked again, “Big sister, you’re so pretty—you must be a good person. Can you take me in to find my mommy?”
Ruan · hidden very well · He: 🎵 Thank you for being in my life… 🎵
—《After Becoming the Cannon Fodder Supporting Actress, I Was Carried by the Heroine》—
Tang Yiling binge-read a novel for several nights straight and quite literally read herself into the story—becoming the cannon fodder third female lead with the same name and surname, destined for a miserable end.
To vent twenty years of grievances, the true daughter, the second female lead, viewed her as an eyesore.
Not only did she sow discord between Tang Yiling and her adoptive parents, but she also led the charge in bullying her at school.
When the real daughter was happy, she wanted to see Tang Yiling suffer for fun; when she was angry, she *needed* to see Tang Yiling suffer to feel better.
As a bona fide little scapegoat, Tang Yiling’s sole narrative purpose was to highlight just how vile the real daughter truly was.
In the end, Tang Yiling was driven to leap from the library rooftop.
That moment became a turning point for the heroine, Li Lan, who finally defeated the vicious antagonist who had always tried to suppress her.
When Tang Yiling woke up in this world, she and the heroine Li Lan had just been locked together in a supply room by their supposed older sister.
In the original novel, they were meant to stay there for a full day. Eventually, Li Lan thought of a way out and casually rescued a trembling Tang Yiling.
They didn’t even exchange a full sentence before going their separate ways.
Still recovering from the agony of a phantom heart attack, Tang Yiling clutched her chest and fell into deep thought.
There was no way she’d relive the pain of death again—she had to change her fate in this world.
As the saying goes: *The enemy of my enemy is my friend.*
Tang Yiling quickly latched onto the heroine’s thigh. “Jie-jie, don’t be afraid. I’ll think of a way to get us out of here.”
But before she could get close, a long, warm hand gently covered her eyes.
A moment later, someone hooked her neck and pulled her forward.
Li Lan pinched her lips, her breath unsteady and aura commanding. “Help me, and I’ll get you out.”
Tang Yiling: ??? Why wasn’t *this* part in the book?
—
**Q:** What’s it like being carried by the heroine after becoming the cannon fodder third female lead?
**A:** Honestly… it’s pretty great. In *every* possible way.