The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Zhang Yilin’s scores in this month’s exams showed a significant improvement.

On the weekend, Anning gave her some pocket money, suggesting she go out with her classmates for a bit.

Zhang Yilin had always studied at First Middle School. Apart from the period she stayed at the Zhang Family, she spent all her middle and high school years there, naturally making many friends.

Zhang Yilin called a few good friends and arranged to go shopping together.

The girls couldn’t resist having some snacks while out.

The group of girls first went to a milk tea shop, each ordered a cup of milk tea, and after drinking, they started shopping in the mall.

Zhang Yilin thought of buying a few pieces of clothing, and her friends also wanted to try on new clothes. After browsing for a while, Zhang Yilin bought a red jacket, planning to wear it during the New Year.

As soon as she stepped out of a shop, Zhang Yilin heard someone calling her name.

She turned around to see that it was Zhang Hao and Zhang Linfeng.

”What’s the matter?”

Zhang Yilin immediately put on a stern face.

Her friends asked her, ”Who are they, do you know them? If not, just ignore them.”

Zhang Yilin smiled at her friends, ”I know them, you guys go ahead, I’ll catch up with you later.”

The group of girls agreed and went on to the next shop hand in hand.

Only then did Zhang Yilin turn back and point to a food stall near the mall that sold skewers and drinks, ”Let’s sit in there.”

The three of them entered the snack shop, found a place to sit, and Zhang Yilin asked, ”Why did you come to Baisha County?”

Zhang Hao coughed and looked at Zhang Linfeng.

Zhang Linfeng looked at Zhang Yilin, ”You’ve moved all your ties to the Xiao Family, haven’t you?”

Zhang Yilin nodded, ”I did move them back; didn’t you abandon me and kick me out of the house? Where else would I place my ties if not with the Xiao Family?”

Zhang Linfeng frowned, ”By moving your ties to the Xiao Family, it means you’re part of the Xiao Family now, and have no further connection with us. Shouldn’t you return the things you took from the Zhang Family before then?”

Zhang Yilin found this amusing, ”What things from your Zhang Family? I don’t recall taking anything from you guys.”

”Yilin, you can’t deny it, can’t shirk the responsibility,”

Zhang Hao sternly accused Zhang Yilin, ”When you were with us, we didn’t treat you poorly. Whatever you liked, we got for you. Your mother gave you a lot of jewelry, and your brother and I gave you a lot of money. Since you’re leaving now, you should return that money and the jewelry.”

Zhang Yilin suddenly stood up, ”I must say, Mr. Zhangs, you’re a bit too naïve. You accuse me of stealing your things without evidence, and I really can’t argue against you. But don’t think you can frame me; after all, you have no proof, right?”

”Who says we have no proof? We have bank transfer records,”

Zhang Linfeng was getting anxious.

Zhang Yilin laughed, ”Transfer records, huh? I spent all the money you transferred on clothes and bags, which I left behind. You can’t blame me if someone else took them while you weren’t around, can you.”

Saying that, Zhang Yilin picked up her small backpack and started walking out, ”We agreed not to contact each other anymore, so why did you come? You should leave quickly; if my dad finds out you came, who knows how he’ll deal with you? After all, this is our territory in Baisha County.”

”Zhang Yilin,”

Zhang Linfeng shouted angrily.

Zhang Yilin didn’t even turn her head, ”Sorry, my surname isn’t Zhang; I am Xiao Yilin.”

Zhang Yilin hadn’t changed her surname yet, but she planned to do it soon.

The way Zhang Family father and son acted disgusted Zhang Yilin so much that she no longer wanted the surname Zhang.

After such an incident, Zhang Yilin lost the mood to shop, exchanged a few words with her friends, and went home.

When she got back, Xiao Yuanzheng was in the living room making tea.

He sat cross-legged on the carpet with a low table in front of him, having a set of tea-making tools on it. Xiao Yuan adeptly and elegantly brewed tea.

”You’re back,”

He poured a cup of tea without looking up and placed it on the low table.

Zhang Yilin sat opposite him, ”Dad.”

”Try some,”

Xiao Yuan gestured.

Zhang Yilin picked up the teacup and took a sip, ”This tea is a bit bitter.”

”This tea is supposed to be bitter,”

Xiao Yuan poured himself another cup and drank it with a calm expression, ”So, are you feeling any calmer now?”

Drinking the bitter tea indeed calmed Zhang Yilin’s temper quite a bit, ”I’m fine.”

”Tomorrow, I’ll go with you to change your surname,”

Xiao Yuan looked up and smiled at Zhang Yilin, ”Those who aren’t important and already abandoned, don’t let them appear in your life again. It’s not worth getting angry over them.”

”Mm,”

Zhang Yilin murmured softly.

”Come on, let’s make dinner,”

Xiao Yuan got up.

Zhang Yilin followed him into the kitchen.

”Dad, why are you so good to me?”

While cooking, Zhang Yilin asked Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan was handling some fish fillets and, while slicing, said, ”You’re my daughter; if I don’t treat you well, then who should I treat well?”

That makes sense.

Zhang Yilin chuckled, washing the prepared vegetables clean, ”Dad, I want to have some meatballs.”

”Meatballs?”

Zhao Xiaomeng ran down the stairs and rushed into the kitchen, ”Where are they, where are they?”

Zhang Yilin was amused, ”They aren’t made yet; I just want some and asked Dad to make some.”

Zhao Xiaomeng looked at Xiao Yuan, ”Dad, I also want some meatballs.”

Xiao Yuan handed a small pastry he baked earlier to Zhao Xiaomeng, ”Alright, I’ll make some for you; you’ve all got greedy appetites.”

The Zhang father and son didn’t get anything useful from Zhang Yilin and angrily planned to stay in the county and try to confront Zhang Yilin again in a few days. They even discussed that if she didn’t admit to anything, they’d turn to the media, play victims, and get the online community to criticize Zhang Yilin.

However, they didn’t consider where they were.

Before they even reached the hotel, the police caught them.

At the police station, Zhang Hao started yelling, ”What are you doing? On what grounds are you holding us? Let us go!”

A young officer came over with a woman in her thirties.

The woman was quite pretty, but her attire wasn’t great, clearly from the lower societal spectrum, forced by life circumstances into laborious jobs.

Upon entering, the woman pointed at Zhang Hao and Zhang Linfeng and shouted, ”It’s them! They not only harassed me but also stole my money. That money is for my husband who’s in the hospital for surgery tomorrow. I barely managed to scrounge together the surgery fees today, and then this happened...”

The woman spoke while covering her face in tears, ”Please give my money back! I won’t press charges; I just want my money back. My husband needs it to survive.”

Zhang Linfeng was dumbfounded.

Zhang Hao understood; they had been set up.

As for who did it, it was pretty easy to figure out—Xiao Yuan, of course.