The Supporting Female Character Refuses to be Cannon Fodder Chapter 72

Leaving the noise of the main hall outside, Jiang Chan pushed open the door and entered Jiang Xing’s room. Since Jiang Xing was getting married today, the room was decorated festively; the abundance of red made Jiang Chan feel a bit dizzy.

Jiang Xing was getting her face threaded by an old lady. Face threading¹ is a method where a cotton thread is used to remove the fine hair from the face, making it look smoother and more delicate.

Around Jiang Xing were five or six young girls from the village, looking to be about thirteen or fourteen years old. Chun Ni was among them. She actually wasn’t willing to come because she and Jiang Xing had always been at odds.

However, her mother insisted on dragging her over, meaning she wanted to establish a good relationship with Jiang Xing, so it would be easier for her to speak to people in the future. Now, all the other girls were gathered around Jiang Xing, leaving only Chunni standing by the door alone.

Upon seeing Jiang Chan enter, Chun Ni was taken aback for a moment and suddenly exclaimed, “Sister Xiao Chan, why are you here? I haven’t seen you in so long.”

Jiang Chan was also startled by Chun Ni’s loud shout. Once she saw it was Chun Ni, she relaxed. “You girl, standing silently behind the door, were you trying to scare me?”

Chun Ni smiled and hugged Jiang Chan’s arm, “Not at all. It’s just that I haven’t seen you in a long time and I’ve really missed you.”

Jiang Chan pouted, “It’s hard to believe you still remember me. I haven’t been back in a long time. If you really miss me, come to town and find me.”

Chun Ni was delighted, “It’s settled then. I’ll definitely come to town to find you, Sister Xiao Chan.”

Jiang Xing sat in front of the vanity mirror, feeling as if her good mood from getting married was almost gone. She had said that Jiang Chan clashed with her, and sure enough, as soon as Jiang Chan arrived, Chun Ni, that girl, eagerly ran over to her.

Jiang Chan was impatient with Jiang Xing’s attitude. She glanced around the boudoir and noticed a basket on one side filled with gifts from Jiang Xing’s close friends, mostly various handkerchiefs and purses.

They were all young girls, naturally they didn’t have any money, so they couldn’t give anything valuable. They could only offer some handmade items to express their feelings.

Zhou Xing took out a wooden box from his sleeve and placed it on the bamboo basket. “Inside is a new silver hairpin recently launched by the Treasure Pavilion. The box was handmade by your cousin Jiang He, specially prepared as a gift for you.”

Jiang Xing’s eyes lit up. Treasure Pavilion, she had never been there, but she heard that a single piece of jewelry there cost several hundred coins. Zhou Xing had given her a silver hairpin, which must have been quite expensive.

Seeing Jiang Chan, Jiang Xing pulled out a smile and said, “Cousin.”

Jiang Chan wasn’t eager to talk to Jiang Xing either. She placed a pouch on the basket, “Congratulations on your wedding. Wishing you a long and happy marriage and a son soon.”

“I won’t stay any longer. You should freshen up and get ready.” Jiang Chan said a few words patiently to Jiang Xing before turning around and leaving. She and Jiang Xing had never been so calm and peaceful with each other before, and it felt a hundred times more uncomfortable.

Chun Ni jumped up, “Sister Xiao Chan, wait for me.”

Watching Chun Ni turn into Jiang Chan’s little tail and run out, Jiang Xing resentfully tore at the handkerchief in her sleeve, though she still had to smile and socialize with her friends.

Someone with quick hands had already taken Jiang Chan’s pouch and opened it. They couldn’t help but gape at what they saw inside. Inside the pouch was a small jade-carved tiger; Jiang Xing’s zodiac sign is the tiger.

Jiang Chan might not be very fond of Jiang Xing, but since she has to add makeup for her, she naturally has to follow the proper etiquette to avoid criticism. This jade carving ornament completes her collection of the twelve zodiac animals.

Knowing that Jiang Xing’s zodiac sign is the tiger, Jiang Chan decided to give her the jade tiger as a gift. Now, no one can say she is stingy.

Unfortunately, she was missing one piece and planned to visit the Treasure Pavilion later to see if there were any new jade carvings. Jiang Chan had a bit of OCD, always wanting everything to be perfectly complete.

The village girls’ names were often based on flowers and plants. Among them were girls named Taohua (Peach Blossom), Xiaohe (Little Lotus), and Chuncao (Spring Grass), and so on.

The one who had just opened the pouch was Taohua. Seeing Taohua standing there with her mouth wide open in astonishment, Xiaohe couldn’t contain her curiosity. She tugged at Taohua and asked, “Taohua, what are you staring at? What exactly did Sister Xiao Chan give?”

Taohua took out the jade tiger and carefully examined it in her palm, “Xingzi, Sister Xiao Chan gave you such a jade tiger. How much silver would this cost?”

“Indeed, no one has ever given such an expensive gift. Xingzi, Sister Xiao Chan really treats you well.”

“After all, she is Xingzi’s biological sister. No matter how distant they may seem, the gift can’t be too shabby.”

Jiang Xing glanced at the jade tiger, which was about the size of a palm. It was entirely golden yellow, looking very lifelike, and was probably quite expensive.

Hearing her friends’ praises, Jiang Xing’s vanity was immediately satisfied. She lifted her chin, “My cousin runs a dim sum shop, so she earns quite a bit. This jade tiger is just a small thing for her.”

Saying this, Jiang Xing felt a mix of envy and jealousy, along with an indescribable feeling. Jiang Chan had casually given her a jade tiger as a gift, something Jiang Xing never expected. She envied Jiang Chan’s financial freedom, able to buy whatever she wanted, while she herself was far from having such freedom. She was jealous of Jiang Chan’s carefree life and wished she could live like that, but she knew that she might never have such a chance in her entire life.

The old lady threading Jiang Xing’s face smiled and said, “For a woman to achieve what Jiang Chan has is truly admirable. In a woman’s life, it is ideal to find a lifelong partner to rely on. But if that isn’t possible, then standing strong on your own, like Jiang Chan, is also a good option.”

Seeing the girls listening intently, the old lady continued, “Society demands a lot from women, often expecting them to stay home, take care of their husbands and children, and manage the household. This is the typical path for most women.”

Chuncao, being impatient, asked, “Is there another path?”

The old lady calmly continued applying makeup to Jiang Xing, “Of course there is. I’ve seen it myself. If a woman has the capability and confidence, she doesn’t need to rely on her husband for everything and can have her own thoughts.”

“I see that Jiang Chan is already eighteen and still dresses as a young girl. This shows that she has the confidence and ability to prove that she can live well without a husband.”

Jiang Xing clutched the jade tiger in her hand and said, “I once heard my eldest brother say that Aunt wanted to find a husband for Jiang Chan, but she set a few conditions, and in the end, nothing came of it.”

“What conditions?” Jiang Chan was a distant figure to these young girls, and they all looked at Jiang Xing with curiosity.

1. The phrase used, “开脸” (kāi liǎn), actually translates to “opening of the face.” This traditional practice involves the ceremonial first shaving of a young woman’s face to remove fine, soft hair. This ritual is typically performed before significant life events such as weddings or coming-of-age ceremonies. It symbolizes the transition from girlhood to womanhood and is meant to bring good fortune and beauty to the woman as she enters a new stage of her life. ↩︎