Quick Transmigration: A Cannon Fodder's Woes

Substitute Lover: 14

After talking with Chen Li yesterday, Jian Min felt that Chen Li was not as scary as people perceived him to be but at this moment, he's seriously beginning to doubt his own statement.

He worked up the courage to face Chen Li and sheepishly grin as an apology and in reply Chen Li raised a brow as if to say, "what are you doing?", in an unimpressed manner before his attention went back to Jing Yi.

Jian Min then reaffirmed his statement, Chen Li really wasn't that scary, just a little cold. Okay, maybe a lot cold but his point is still proven. After all, Chen Li had been like this ever since he was a child.

Ever since he was young, he had always considered Chen Li a rival. He hadn't even met the boy yet at that time but he knew a lot about the boy from adults around him. He knew that the boy was from an equally high ranking family, that he was extremely bright for his age and that he was also notably cold for a child of his age.

Once he finally saw Chen Li at his engagement banquet, he saw him smiling and holding hands with a little girl the whole time. He thought people might have been exaggerating because how did that look like a cold person at all?

But when he met him with Yan Xiuying, to Jian Min's surprise, his demeanour changed instantly and Jian Min realised that the boy did actually live up to the rumours, it's just that he had a soft side for the girl beside him.

Not only that but in his opinion, the boy was also quite rude. Their first meeting didn't exactly go too well and they had no other interactions ever since, despite them attending many of the same banquets and events.

Occasionally, Jian Min would find Chen Li at banquets and events without Qiu Yi by his side and he always seemed a lot more aloof than usual.

He barely even talked to any of the people at the banquet but just by casually sitting on a chair in the corner somewhere, everyone felt his presence.

Jian Min secretly felt jealous. In every banquet, he would always have to talk to all the adults and children in order to maintain a good relationship with them but meanwhile, Chen Li didn't even have to say a word and people admired him just for that.

Of course, there were also people who thought he was too arrogant but Chen Li's intelligence gave him the right to be arrogant so there wasn't much those people could nitpick at. Plus, it wasn't like he was an adult, he was allowed to behave like a child even if the aura he gave off was anything but one from a child.

Furthermore, Jian Min became even more jealous when people compared the two of them. After all, two sons from the highest-ranking families, it was only natural that people compared the two. What really got to him though is that once people compared the two, most of the time, Chen Li would always come out on top which really diminished his confidence, especially since he was young.

He was sick of hearing people compliment Chen Li in front of him and he was sick of being compared to him. Although he knew it wasn't Chen Li's fault, he couldn't help but dislike him. He worked so hard to try and beat Chen Li but he could never beat him. For a while, he just accepted that Chen Li was gifted and he just wasn't.

This changed when he met Bai Feng. Though he was first attracted to her because of how similar she looked to his first love, he was also slowly but surely, falling for her personality too. She got him to change his mindset even if she didn't realise it herself.

Bai Feng had gotten into an elite school that was comprised of rich kids with her intellect alone. He knew she wasn't born with it and he knew she didn't have any access to private tutors or even expensive learning materials because of her poor background.

The only reason as to why she was able to get into an elite school is because she worked extremely hard every day. She never once gave up whether that be in studying, her part-time jobs or even simple things such as taking care of her mother. Furthermore, she had to deal with bullying from her classmates that looked down upon her for her poor background.

Jian Min saw her hard work and determination and felt a little ashamed at himself. Even if Chen Li was truly just born gifted, what does that have to do with him? Why should he listen to others and compare himself to someone else? Bai Feng was in the school as the odd one out with rich kids surrounding her but she never once compared their background with hers and even though many others constantly did for her, she didn't take it to mind.

He decided to stop comparing himself so harshly to Chen Li and instead focus on improving himself following his own pace. It wasn't like he completely stopped considering Chen Li his rival either, he just didn't take it to mind now if someone compared the two of them or the other beat him in something. He'd just take it as motivation to work harder.

Instead of the hate and jealousy he once directed towards Chen Li, it was now replaced with admiration. 

The thing is, though he struggled with this issue for a while, the main star didn't seem to care much for him or notice his predicament at all. This was partially due to him though, as he never said a word to Chen Li because he was too embarrassed and still a little intimidated, at least until yesterday that is.

A heavy silence settled over the two once Jing Yi left. Jian Min looked down at the ground uneasily, only glancing up after the silence became too unbearable. "Hey..." He slowly started. "Sorry, you had to see that."

Chen Li didn't reply making Jian Min feel even more uneasy.

"Hey." Chen Li suddenly spoke, scaring Jian Min a little. "Why'd you break up with Yan Xiuying?" He inquired, staring straight into Jian Min's eyes.

"W-Well, I didn't really break up with her. Jian Min corrected. 'She did.' He thought but didn't say out loud.

"We just had a bit of an argument and she went abroad so we barely had any contact after that." He said, careful not to divulge too much information.

"So after that, you decided to make an innocent girl your girlfriend solely because she looks similar to your fiancee?" Chen Li asked, making Jian Min lower his head in shame. 'He figured out my previous intentions so quickly.'

"Interesting, I guess early engagements really don't always work out." He heard Chen Li mutter to himself. "Maybe Qiu Yi's old man has a point."

"Anyways, what about you and Jing Yi?" Jian Min tried to change the subject as he sat down on a nearby bench. "You guys are dating, right?"

"You're just as nosy as your so-called girlfriend." Chen Li replied cooly.

"Right, sorry." Jian Min apologised as he scolded himself. 'What kind of a dumb question is that? Of course, they're dating! They're so lovey-dovey that even a blind person could tell.'

Jian Min sat in silence as Chen Li stood beside the bench he was sitting on, making for quite an odd picture.

The wind blew softly, caressing the flowers and trees while the sun shone brightly. It was a beautiful day but it was also the direct opposite of what Jian Min was feeling right now. 

He glanced at Chen Li who had furrowed brows and a frown on his face and quietly laughed. 'It looks like I'm not the only one who has a differing mood from the weather.'

Though it was quite awkward, he did feel calmer after a while and he wasn't as intimidated of Chen Li as he was before. It took over a decade for them to have a single conversation and although it was a little awkward, it was pretty nice, and it was all thanks to Qiu Yi. 

'Though she doesn't seem to know what she did.' He thought as he eyed Jing Yi who had on an indifferent expression as she listened to Bai Feng happily ramble. 'Actually, it was also thanks to her that Bai Feng approached me yesterday. Is she supposed to be my guardian angel or something?'

As he thought that, he felt Chen Li's stare instantaneously sting even more. 'And is he a mind reader?' He thought as he scratched his cheek. 'What an odd couple.'