The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 389: Chapter 382: I’m Just a Face-Lover 24

Mr. Xiao came back.

After leaving for just a few days, he returned in a state of utter disarray.

Mrs. Xiao’s initial joy at Xiao Yuan having topped the list vanished instantly.

Seeing Mr. Xiao in such a wretched state, she wanted to ask what had happened, but Mr. Xiao urged her to call Anning over quickly.

Mrs. Xiao had no choice but to instruct a maid to fetch Anning.

Anning was tutoring Xiao Yuan in his studies when Mrs. Xiao’s maid arrived.

Without asking any questions, Anning packed up and went to the main house.

Xiao Yuan came along with her.

As soon as Anning arrived, Mr. Xiao hastily asked her, ”Do you know what to do if possessed by a ghost?”

Anning looked over Mr. Xiao: ”You seem fine.”

Mr. Xiao nodded frantically, then shook his head: ”I’m fine, but Old Cao is in trouble.”

He took Anning to the guest room and showed her Old Master Cao, who was lying there as if dead.

Originally, Old Master Cao was lying motionless, but as soon as Anning entered the room, he abruptly sat up and turned to run outside.

Anning grabbed him in a flash and threw him to the ground with a skillful move: ”Trying to run?”

Xiao Yuan watched Anning displaying her might, his face showing muted pride.

Mr. Xiao eyed Xiao Yuan a few times, then thought to himself, this foolish child, with such a formidable wife, he can forget about taking control in the future.

At that moment, Old Master Cao began making unbearable noises. Anning, finding it grating, punched him in the stomach: ”Shut up.”

Indeed, it immediately went quiet.

Anning looked down from above at Old Master Cao: ”Will you come out yourself, or shall I force you out?”

No sooner had she finished her sentence, Mr. Xiao and Mrs. Xiao felt the room suddenly become cold, then saw a large wet patch appear on the floor.

Anning reached out her hand and, with a squeaking noise, a dark shadow appeared in her palm.

Anning scrutinized the dark shadow: ”Well, at least you didn’t take a life. Fine, I’ll send you to reincarnate.”

She then tossed the shadow into the air; a streak of dark energy flashed, and the shadow disappeared.

Looking at Old Master Cao again, he opened his eyes and clutched his stomach, crying out in pain.

The Xiao family didn’t explain to him why his stomach hurt; Mr. Xiao simply told Old Master Cao, ”You must be hungry. I’ll have some food prepared.”

Old Master Cao was indeed very hungry.

Anyone who had lain down for several days without food would be extremely famished.

Once the meals were set by the Xiao family’s servants, he devoured his food ravenously.

After finishing his meal, Old Master Cao wiped his mouth and asked, ”I remember we encountered a water ghost, didn’t we?”

Mr. Xiao nodded: ”Yes, the water ghost possessed you. I had no choice but to bring you back and found several masters to help drive the water ghost away.”

Old Master Cao bowed: ”I can’t thank you enough for your great kindness.”

After that, Old Master Cao stopped talking about doing business in the south.

After sending Old Master Cao off, at dinner that night, Mr. Xiao asked Anning, ”Yuanyuan’s wife, can you see when I might be able to go out and do some trading? Help me look at what could make some money?”

He had truly become a fan of Anning, placing complete trust in her.

Xiao Yuan set down his chopsticks and chuckled: ”Dad, you believe in Ningning now, right? I told you not to go out, and mom also advised you, but you wouldn’t listen. Now, after suffering this time, you finally learn.”

Mr. Xiao even wanted to scold his unfilial son, who dared to talk to his father like this.

However, considering Anning was still Xiao Yuan’s wife, he felt somewhat hesitant to scold.

Anning sized up Mr. Xiao for a long while: ”This year, this is the only hurdle for you. Once you get past it, everything will go smoothly.”

She calculated for a moment, ”In another five days, you should depart for Quan City, and there you will encounter a merchant from the West. Buy his entire cargo.”

Mr. Xiao nodded hastily: ”Alright, alright, is there anything else I should be wary of? Like water hazards or something?”

Anning shook her head: ”No need.”

Then, she pulled Xiao Yuan over to Mr. Xiao and pointing to Mr. Xiao, she told Xiao Yuan, ”Father has undergone a great ordeal and inevitably still has some yin energy lingering over him. Just hug him and it will be fine.”

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Xiao Yuan felt quite embarrassed.

However, Mr. Xiao stood up and hugged Xiao Yuan tightly, ”You little rascal, when you were little I used to hold you all the time, and now you’re making all these excuses when asked to hug me once.”

Anning then saw that after Xiao Yuan hugged Mr. Xiao, the yin energy rapidly dissipated from his body.

It appears that the merit Xiao Yuan possesses is indeed powerful.

”Alright.”

She clapped her hands and told Mr. Xiao, ”Now that you are imbued with Xiao Yuan’s meritorious energy, along with his upright and righteous energy, you can go out without fear, as even spirits and ghosts will avoid you.”

Mr. Xiao muttered, ”Had I known, I would’ve hugged my son earlier.”

Now compliant, Mr. Xiao did as Anning advised and rested at home for five days.

He even went to visit the Cao Family, firstly to see Old Master Cao and secondly to ask if he was interested in going to Quan City. Old Master Cao hurriedly declined, ”No, no, I certainly won’t be leaving the house for the next year or so. I’m too scared.”

Since Old Master Cao wouldn’t go, Mr. Xiao took even more people with him this time and, thickening his skin, he once again asked Anning for a jade pendant.

After seeing off Mr. Xiao, Anning busied herself with tutoring Xiao Yuan.

Time swiftly passed, and soon it was time for Xu Bao’er’s wedding.

Anning reported early to Mrs. Xiao and together with Xiao Yuan, went to the Xu Family to help out.

They arrived at Xu Family’s home three days in advance and stayed there overnight.

Busy with preparations, it was only when Xu Bao’er was truly wed that Anning felt relieved.

After everything was settled with the Xu Family, Anning and Xiao Yuan went to bid farewell to Mrs. Xu.

Xu Pengju called Xiao Yuan aside to speak, while Anning said her goodbyes to Mrs. Xu.

Mrs. Xu held Anning’s hand and spoke softly, ”Seeing that you’re doing well now reassures me. I had thought that Xiao Yuan might have to take over the family business and engage in trade like his father. But now it seems, he’s really progressing well.”

Anning smiled and said, ”Don’t praise him too much. If he hears it, he’ll get too cocky.”

After chatting for a while, Mrs. Xu quietly asked Anning, ”Have you heard about the Zheng family’s situation?”

”What happened?”

Anning had been staying in and hadn’t taken the time to inquire about others’ affairs.

Mrs. Xu whispered, ”It’s about Wu Erniang’s previous marriage to the Zheng family. Remember how she divorced Young Master Zheng? The Zheng family will certainly want to remarry. Initially, they wanted to find a bride with a good background for Young Master Zheng, but in Qingyuan, none of the wealthy families wanted to marry into the Zheng family.”

Anning nodded: ”Anyone with sense certainly wouldn’t want to marry into that family. Doing so would mean risking her life.”

Mrs. Xu hummed in agreement, ”But they can’t let Young Master Zheng remain without a wife. Left with no choice, they found a pretty girl from the countryside. The betrothal gifts have been sent, and the marriage is about to take place.”

Anning frowned.

Such a person as Young Master Zheng and yet his family still wanted to procure a wife for him; they were clearly endangering that young girl’s life.

Moreover, Anning knew that when the Wus wanted a divorce, the Zheng family originally disagreed. Later, when they learned what illness Young Master Zheng had gotten, fearing the Wus would expose it and given the prominence of the Wus’ family background, they had to agree.

If they had any conscience, knowing Young Master Zheng’s condition, his family shouldn’t be arranging another marriage for him.

Yet the Zheng family, fully aware that marrying off Young Master Zheng meant sending a girl to her death, were still seeking attractive ladies for him, truly a family with heart blackened.

”Zheng family’s people are unscrupulous, you and Uncle should stay far away from them.”

Anning quietly shared with Mrs. Xu the nature of Young Master Zheng’s illness, startling Mrs. Xu, ”It’s really as if their conscience was eaten by a dog, utterly ruthless. I must tell your Uncle to stay away from the Zheng family.”