After Redeeming the Female Lead, I Faked My Death and Escaped - Chapter 12.1

“Little Xu?”

What kind of address was this?

Ying Xu was inwardly bewildered.

But seeing Cheng Jun’s self-satisfied expression even now, she couldn’t resist throwing in a wink to flaunt her charm, Ying Xu decided not to say too much.

Compared to the previous “Miss Xu,” “Little Xu” was a term she could reluctantly accept after weighing her options.

With a blank expression, she played dumb: “My relationship with Miss Gu isn’t what you imagine.”

“Is that so?” Cheng Jun raised an eyebrow slightly.

Under normal social etiquette, Cheng Jun should have left it at that. But for some inexplicable reason, the Alpha pressed further: “So… is it true?”

Ying Xu: “What?”

“You and her, were together yesterday, weren’t you?”

As she spoke, the woman’s eyes were full of amusement, practically screaming, “You can lie to yourself, but don’t lie to others.”

This baseless arrogance irritated Ying Xu.

Instinctively, she first checked her surroundings.

No one was listening.

“Are you afraid others will find out?” Cheng Jun noticed her reaction. “Because you’re scared she’ll get angry?”

“Miss Ying cares so much about her, yet she doesn’t seem to appreciate it at all.” At this point, Cheng Jun’s gaze couldn’t help but carry a hint of pity. “Did Miss Ying know that the talent agency you’re signed to has Miss Gu as its second-largest shareholder?”

The reason the original host had fallen into such a universally disliked state was largely due to the company’s inaction, even maliciously adding fuel to the fire and smearing her reputation.

Clearly, in Cheng Jun’s eyes, she had already cast Ying Xu as the victim, completely unaware that the person she admired and the one who had “ruined” her were one and the same a tragic irony.

But who would have guessed? That contract had been signed willingly.

Not just willingly, but with relish.

After piecing together the logic, Ying Xu almost laughed.

Looking at Cheng Jun’s exasperated expression, she sighed, wanting to tell her to just leave it alone.

After all, the original host was nothing more than a devoted, lovesick fool, and now she had transmigrated into that very role.

But since Cheng Jun was at least a rich second-generation heiress, it was best not to burn bridges.

She feigned shock, as if she had never heard of this before:

Only after seeing Cheng Jun’s satisfied expression did Ying Xu finally respond with restraint: “Even if that’s the case, it’s a private matter between Miss Gu and me. I’d appreciate it if Miss Cheng didn’t focus too much on me.”

“There’s nothing about me worth your attention.”

With that, she lowered her gaze to the script.

Cheng Jun had already arranged for her scenes to be pushed back slightly, and filming would begin soon.

Rather than wasting time, it was better to focus on the task at hand.

Cheng Jun, however, misinterpreted her reaction, assuming the Alpha was struggling to accept the truth. Feeling even more convinced, she decided to add fuel to the fire.

“Miss Ying, I completely understand your feelings. After all, my feelings for you”

Listening to this flirtatious talk, Ying Xu finally grew impatient.

If Cheng Jun already knew how miserable her life was, and if she truly liked her, why couldn’t she just transfer some money directly?

If sweet talk alone was enough, she would’ve already clung to eight different women by now, putting as much distance between herself and Gu Qingzhu as possible.

“But I still have to warn Miss Ying, she’s a very dangerous person.” Cheng Jun paused, her eyes brimming with mockery. “There are always rumors about her in the industry. Do you know which one is the most widespread?”

Ying Xu initially thought she was going to mention Gu Qingzhu’s mental illness a well-kept secret known only to those close to her.

She didn’t care, nor did she bother to spare Cheng Jun a glance, preoccupied with figuring out how to get into character.

Beside her, Cheng Jun’s voice was gentle, but the words that left her lips made Ying Xu’s fingers, which had been flipping through the script, freeze mid-air.

“She killed her mother.”

Whether Cheng Jun’s words were true or not, Ying Xu didn’t know.

She was startled for just a moment before quickly regaining her composure.

Judging someone based on a single aspect was unfair. Just because Gu Qingzhu was a monstrous psychopath in the eyes of the original host didn’t mean she was the same in front of her own mother. Matters that didn’t concern her weren’t worth idle speculation.

Her silence was interpreted by Cheng Jun as shock.

The alpha finally seemed satisfied and didn’t waste any more words. The afternoon shoot wrapped up quickly, and as the woman left the set in a luxury car, she even made sure to send Ying Xu a bouquet of red roses.

“Goodbye.” Cheng Jun blew Ying Xu a kiss with a smile before getting into the car.

Ying Xu stared at the flowers, glancing occasionally at the passing crew members.

No one said a word, but they were all doing their best to pretend they hadn’t noticed anything.

Ying Xu felt like she had become just another prop in Cheng Jun’s little game.

On the way back to the mansion, Ying Xu’s gaze kept drifting to the bouquet.

The delicate petals trembled at the slightest touch, their fragrance rich and intoxicating, enough to lift anyone’s spirits.

The driver was the same beta from the morning, but this time, her gloves had changed from white to pure black, blending seamlessly with the steering wheel as if melting into it.

Noticing Ying Xu’s actions, she asked cheerfully, “Are those for Miss Gu?”

In just one day, she had become remarkably outgoing.

Ying Xu was surprised but figured the driver wouldn’t have any direct contact with Gu Qingzhu, so she played along with a lovesick expression. “Yes, Do you think she’ll like them?”

“Miss Gu will love anything you give her.”

When they arrived, Ying Xu smiled and bid the driver farewell.

The beta grinned brightly. “Goodbye, Miss Ying.”

Night had already fallen, and the snow had stopped by evening.

Inside the mansion, an old clock ticked slowly, electronic devices played the latest news, and the dining table was set with exquisite pastries. Stepping inside instantly brought a sense of warmth and relaxation.

The scene was a stark contrast to the cold steel jungle of the city, more like a safe harbor that put one at ease.

As Ying Xu warmed up, a servant immediately stepped forward to help her change. She shook her head in refusal, and the servant didn’t press further.

When Gu Qingzhu was around, everyone was eager to assist.

But today, everyone seemed unusually relaxed clearly, the mistress of the house hadn’t returned yet.

Ying Xu checked the time. Normally, Gu Qingzhu would have finished filming by now.

Still at the hospital?

To Ying Xu, going to the hospital when sick was perfectly normal. From what she’d seen, Gu Qingzhu didn’t seem to avoid medical treatment either, just a few days ago, she had even asked Ying Xu to contact the family doctor.

Ying Xu instantly relaxed

Gu Qingzhu wasn’t home. What a rare moment of peace!

The system, stirred by her mood, instantly grew excited: 【Host, what are you going to do Host?!】

Mid-question, the robotic voice took a sharp turn

It “watched” as Ying Xu sat at the table, picked up a cookie, stuffed it into her mouth, chewed while sipping tea, and even asked the servant if there were any drinks available:

The servant was clearly startled and immediately realized she was hungry.

Alphas generally have superior physical constitutions, which also means they have larger appetites.

But before this, Ying Xu had only ever visited the mansion at night, so there was never any need to prepare food for her.

Gu Qingzhu, on the other hand, had no interest in eating at all, to the point that the kitchen staff spent most of their time brewing tea.

The kitchen lights flickered on, making the room feel even brighter and cozier.

By the time Ying Xu was halfway full, the servant was still smiling and urging her to pick out a type of cookie.

The sweets had done a good job of satisfying Ying Xu, making her feel as though her very skin had relaxed from the warmth of the meal.

It was then that she finally spared a moment for leisure.

Unlocking her phone, the first thing she saw was another message from an unfamiliar number.

[I’m Sheng Qiuyu! Did you get the thing I sent to your place?!]

Two exclamation marks very much in line with Ying Xu’s impression of her.

But… thing?

She turned her head, instinctively glancing at the servant, who, upon being questioned, quickly realized something and brought in an exquisitely packaged box from outside.

The box was brightly colored, featuring an illustration of a pair of headphones.

Ying Xu fell silent for a few seconds before searching online for the price.

Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands.

A pair of headphones priced at 200,000 yuan was now sitting in her hands.

[…This gift is too extravagant. I can’t accept it.]

[This is a defective product. A lot of the features don’t work, so it’s really cheap. It’s fine!]