Cannon Fodder in an Era Drama — I Survive with Acting-Chapter 135: Ajin, You’ve Changed

But now, seeing the faint, unreadable smile on her face, he wasn’t so sure anymore.

Ever since the thought of finding that man named Yao had crossed his mind, he’d had no intention of letting it go.

With his connections, finding someone wasn’t difficult.

He asked a friend, pulled some records, and in less than a week, he had a clear picture of Yao Shuli’s situation.

After breaking up with Song Qingya, the guy had stayed in Qi City. He hadn’t moved far away or even changed jobs.

He’d used his family’s connections to get a teaching position at a local elementary school, teaching third-grade language arts.

He loved to hang around the movie theater and was often spotted at the cinema in the commercial district.

Not to watch movies, but to wait for the young women getting off work.

He had also joined a local literary society, which sounded quite respectable by its name.

It published an internal journal every quarter, filled entirely with his poems.

Fei Jin had secretly found a copy to look at, but he frowned after flipping through just a few pages.

The calligraphy on the page was ostentatious, and the content was nothing but melodramatic, navel-gazing sentences.

’What is this garbage?’

’It’s so cringey and sentimental. Who could possibly read this?’

The more he read, the more disgusted he became, until he finally tossed the journal into the trash.

But when he remembered Song Qingya writing in a letter that he "didn’t understand romance and was uncultured," a sour feeling churned in his gut.

That sourness was more potent than that pile of poems, like a foul air trapped in his chest that he couldn’t release.

He looked down on Song Qingya’s ex-boyfriend from head to toe.

The man had a mediocre education, got his job through connections, and spoke with a slick insincerity. His social media was filled with selfies and landscape photos, accompanied by captions where he deliberately used obscure words to sound profound.

His character was questionable, he had no discernible skills, and he spent his days writing sentences nobody could understand, thinking he was being deeply emotional.

’Worthy of Qingya?’

’In his dreams.’

That’s why he was even angrier.

How could someone as wonderful as Song Qingya—gentle, pure, and thoughtful—fall for a person like that?

So, Fei Jin was furious when he found out the real reason they broke up. Yao Shuli had casually made up an excuse, claiming Song Qingya was too clingy and not right for him.

In reality, he’d been caught flirting with another girl and had invented the excuse on the spot. Upon learning this, Fei Jin’s disdain for this rival he had never even met grew even stronger.

How could a person like that have any right to hurt the woman he cherished most?

The thought of Song Qingya writing all those letters, humbly begging to get back together—writing until her hand ached, until her eyes were red, until her hope flickered out bit by bit—felt like a burning coal pressed against Fei Jin’s heart.

His anger flared, burning so hot that he couldn’t sleep all night.

He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms, but he didn’t feel the pain.

He had to get justice for his wife.

He didn’t make any big moves. He just found an acquaintance and had them discreetly spread the word that Yao Shuli was dating a fellow language teacher while also flirting with a young woman from the supply and marketing cooperative.

The acquaintance was reliable and left no trace, only mentioning it casually, as if by accident, during idle chats over tea.

When enough people talked about it, the rumors naturally reached ears they weren’t supposed to.

A school is a small place. News travels faster than the wind.

Within a few days, Yao Shuli was called in for a talk with the school leadership.

The atmosphere in the office was tense. His superior sat at the desk, his tone severe.

Yao Shuli stood opposite him with his head down, his face alternating between red and white. He wanted to defend himself but couldn’t find a suitable excuse.

The gazes of his colleagues gradually grew complicated. Some watched with cold detachment, while others gloated over his misfortune.

When his friend called to report the news, his voice was filled with unconcealed glee.

"That Yao fellow’s improper conduct has been confirmed. He’s been reprimanded several times and even received a formal demerit. So much for being named an outstanding employee or getting a promotion. Not a chance! Serves him right. He did all this himself, so he can’t deny it. I’ve had a problem with him for a long time."

The friend paused, then asked curiously, "Hey, Ajin, how do you even know a guy like this? Didn’t you go to school in the Capital?"

He had always felt that Fei Jin’s background was anything but simple; there was an unhurried confidence in the way he spoke and acted.

Logically, he shouldn’t have any connection to someone like Yao Shuli.

"I don’t know him."

Fei Jin replied faintly, his tone calm, offering no further explanation.

He held the phone, his fingertips tapping lightly on the desk as his gaze fell on the swaying shadows of the trees outside.

In truth, he didn’t need to know Yao Shuli at all. He only needed to know what the man had done.

Having his friend deal with Yao Shuli this time was purely to teach him a lesson.

After all, the man had tried to convince Song Qingya to elope with him even after she was married. He was absolutely brazen.

If something like that ever got out, it would be a fatal blow to Song Qingya’s reputation.

Even though she had never agreed, others wouldn’t bother to investigate the full story.

Fei Jin could not tolerate someone gambling with her future.

’If he ever dares to have any improper contact with Qingya again...’

’It won’t end with just a demerit.’

He wouldn’t use ruthless methods, but he would strip the man of all his opportunities, step by step, until he completely disappeared from her life.

Faced with Song Qingya’s teasing question, Fei Jin’s expression remained neutral. He looked calmly into her eyes, his face betraying no emotion.

She tilted her head, a smile playing on her lips, seemingly finding the situation quite amusing. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

But he knew she didn’t understand the stakes involved.

He countered with a question, "Qingya, you don’t believe me?"

The room fell quiet, so much so that the tick-tock of the clock was clearly audible.

Caught off guard by his question, Song Qingya froze for a moment.

She hadn’t expected him to be so serious, nor had she expected him to retort in such a tone.

A smile spread from the corners of her mouth, her eyes crinkling slightly.

But her smile gave Fei Jin an opening, and he seized the opportunity to take even firmer control of the conversation.

He took a step forward, closing the distance between them.

"Qingya," he said, deliberately lowering his voice with a hint of grievance. "You were distracted when you were talking to me, and you even laughed. Besides, you suspected me just now... I’m very hurt."

As he spoke, he mimicked a scene from a romance novel he had recently read, taking her hand and gently pressing it against his own cheek. His gaze was as focused as a large dog waiting to be fed.

Song Qingya’s hand trembled slightly, but she didn’t pull away.

"Ajin, you... you’ve changed."

’Oh my god, Fei Jin knows how to act spoiled now!’

’Did those words really just come from the man who was always so reserved?’

’How is this man getting so good at wrapping people around his finger?’

she grumbled inwardly. Her brow furrowed for a moment before smoothing out again.

The Fei Jin of the past would never have acted like this. He was methodical and organized, spoke bluntly, and never tried to influence others with his emotions.

But now, not only was he using a softer tone, but it was tinged with a sense of grievance, a grievance that was somehow also a little righteous.

’Could it be that I just never realized he was actually quite the schemer deep down?’

The more she thought about it, the more something felt off.

’Did he know all these tricks already, but was just unwilling or too proud to use them before?’

’So why is he starting to use them now?’

’Is it because of me, or has this marriage changed him?’

She had always thought the old Fei Jin was a good man—reliable and responsible.

Outside, he was a respected senior team leader; at home, he was a good husband who was generous with money and efficient with chores.

But sometimes, Song Qingya felt that living like that must have been exhausting for Fei Jin.