Time-Travel: The Tragic Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character Makes a Comeback
CHAPTER 106: The Eldest Sister of the 90s Quits Sacrificing Herself (18)
Zhao Fuyao spent the New Year alone.
Aunt Lan had taken a half-month break.
Before leaving, she had decorated the little Western-style villa in a warm and cozy way, sticking up “Fu” characters and couplets, and hanging plenty of red lanterns. The whole place felt full of festive cheer.
Zhao Fuyao even bought firecrackers.
After eating a New Year’s Eve dinner she made herself, she put on a small red hat and wrapped herself in a thick coat before heading outside to set them off.
The crackling of firecrackers filled the air, marking the arrival of a brand new year.
Wrapped snugly in her coat, Zhao Fuyao tilted her head up to look at the night sky, her expression light and satisfied.
It felt really nice. There were no troubles at the moment, she had a space all to herself, and everything felt quiet and at ease.
“Meow~”
A small white kitten had somehow wandered into the courtyard.
No one knew if it had been drawn in by the firecrackers or what.
Its voice was soft and delicate, and it looked like it had only just been born not long ago, with big watery eyes.
Zhao Fuyao’s heart melted at the sight. She walked over and carefully picked the little thing up.
“Whose little kitty are you? How are you this adorable?”
Zhao Fuyao held the little thing in her arms. It looked clean and well-groomed, its fur neatly taken care of, so it was probably someone’s pet.
“Meow~” The kitten only responded with soft little cries.
She couldn’t resist stroking it a bit as she held it, then walked outside and looked around, wondering if a nearby neighbor’s cat had wandered off.
She had only taken a few steps when she noticed someone rushing over in a hurry.
The person was tall, wearing a black overcoat, with slightly longer hair and a straight nose bridge. He wore gold-rimmed glasses, and his features were sharp with a faint mixed-race look.
When he saw the kitten in Zhao Fuyao’s arms, he visibly relaxed and quickly walked over.
“I’m sorry, that’s my cat. Apologies for the trouble.”
The kitten in her arms meowed nonstop.
Zhao Fuyao gently patted its head and handed it over. “No trouble, it’s very cute.”
The man took the kitten back, then casually opened his coat and tucked it inside to keep it warm. He also politely thanked her again.
Only then did Zhao Fuyao notice his eyes were a deep blue. She glanced at him and said lightly, “You’re welcome. Your eyes are really beautiful.”
Gong Zezhou smiled lightly at her words. “Thank you, but I’m not mixed race. My mother is from an ethnic minority in Xinjiang.”
Zhao Fuyao blinked in mild surprise, then laughed. “Oh, I see. I really thought you were mixed. So you live next door to me?”
She had been staying there for months, yet she had never even noticed anyone living next door.
Gong Zezhou nodded. “Yes, but I just came back from overseas. I only moved in recently.”
“I see. Well, since it’s New Year’s, I won’t bother you any longer. Happy New Year to you and your kitten.”
Zhao Fuyao didn’t linger. Even though they were neighbors, they were still strangers, so a couple of words was enough.
Gong Zezhou nodded politely in return. “Thank you. Happy New Year to you as well.”
That was their first meeting, nothing more than a simple greeting, not even knowing each other’s names.
Their second encounter happened at school.
After the semester started, Zhao Fuyao discovered there was a new professor in her department.
And by pure coincidence, it was that very neighbor.
His name was Gong Zezhou, 26 years old, a top student who had returned from studying abroad, and also the youngest professor at the university.
His striking looks drew quite a crowd, so much so that even students from other classes started coming in just to sit in on his lectures.
Zhao Fuyao couldn’t help but think what a coincidence it was. Gong Zezhou also remembered her, and after class he even nodded in greeting.
That immediately sent the classmates swarming around her with questions.
But the truth was, Zhao Fuyao really didn’t know much about him either. Just like them, she had only just learned his name today.
Still, some of them refused to believe it, especially the girls who crowded around her with bright, curious eyes, clearly not willing to let it go.
In the end, Zhao Fuyao had no choice but to explain that he was just her neighbor and they had only met once. That finally calmed everyone down.
Even so, a few classmates were still curious and wanted to go see for themselves. They kept tugging at her sleeves, shaking her arm, begging to visit her place.
Aside from a few like Guan Yan who were always overly proud and difficult, most of her classmates were easy to get along with. They were simple and genuine, and Zhao Fuyao actually quite liked them. So during the holidays, she invited four or five of them over to her place.
That visit turned out to be a shock.
Guan Yan’s group had always been suspicious of Zhao Fuyao, constantly doubting her and assuming she was just putting on airs.
But when the others arrived at her home, they were stunned to find she was living in a detached single-family villa with its own courtyard.
In that era, that was a clear symbol of wealth.
Not only were they warmly entertained with plenty of food, but they also discovered she was living there alone. Every corner of the villa, upstairs and downstairs, was filled with her personal belongings. From small decorations to the latest electronic devices, she had everything. It was practically the dream life everyone imagined.
The group took all sorts of photos together for memories, and Zhao Fuyao even pulled out a camera and spent half the day happily taking pictures of everyone.
By the time school started again, she had already developed the photos and brought them to class, immediately drawing envious reactions from everyone around her.
“Wow, Fuyao, your villa is huge and so beautiful!”
“And she even lives there alone, with a nanny taking care of her. The whole place upstairs and downstairs is filled with her stuff. We’re so jealous…”
All the envious comments made Guan Yan’s face turn dark. She slammed her pen down and walked out, clearly not wanting to hear any more.
After she left, the others curled their lips and muttered, “I’ve been to Guan Yan’s place. It’s big, sure, but only three bedrooms, and nowhere near as nice as Fuyao’s. No idea why she acts so superior all the time.”
“Exactly. She’s the one always stirring things up. Fuyao never even showed off anything…”
The classmates who used to be close with Guan Yan also gradually stopped hanging out with her. They had only been influenced by her words to exclude Zhao Fuyao, and now that they saw the truth, they realized how wrong they had been.
Guan Yan was frustrated, but she quickly tucked her pride away and no longer dared to challenge Zhao Fuyao openly.
As a day student, Zhao Fuyao would almost bump into Gong Zezhou every day going to and from school.
They were neighbors, and their routes between school and home were the same.
After spending more time together, they naturally became familiar.
Unlike the respectful distance students usually kept with professors, Zhao Fuyao was calm and mature. She treated him more like someone her own age.
Gong Zezhou had only just returned to the country, and life was still a bit of an adjustment for him. But Zhao Fuyao could talk about anything, from everyday life to topics across different cultures and even Western studies. Being around her felt surprisingly easy and comfortable for him.
Once she grew more familiar with him, Zhao Fuyao’s very first thought was to go visit the little white cat again.
It turned out he didn’t just have the little white cat. There were actually three kittens in total!
Besides the white one, there was a little yellow cat and a little calico one too. All of them were soft, fluffy, and ridiculously adorable.
Zhao Fuyao liked them so much that on holidays, she would even sneak them back to her place just to play with them for a while.
Gong Zezhou also lived alone here. It was said that his parents and relatives were all overseas, and he only had an uncle and aunt in Shanghai. Worried that he would be lonely living by himself, they had specially sent him three newborn kittens for company.
There were two or three villakeepers at Gong Zezhou’s place, so the kittens were very well cared for.
Having a professor as a neighbor came with its perks. Whenever Zhao Fuyao ran into something she didn’t understand in her studies, she would bring some fruit or small gifts over to ask for guidance, and Gong Zezhou would patiently help her every time.
Throughout all four years of university, Zhao Fuyao consistently ranked at the top of her class.
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