After Redeeming the Female Lead, I Faked My Death and Escaped - Chapter 18.1

The night was waning.

The car sped along the highway until a faint glow appeared on the horizon. Only then was the rear window cracked open slightly, letting in a sliver of air.

The earthy scent of rain-soaked soil mixed with the acrid tang of industrial chemicals rushed in. Xu Ying didn’t like the smell, yet the damp, chilly air felt more inviting than the artificial warmth inside the car.

Her gaze lingered outside for a moment as Gu Qingzhu’s phone call reached its conclusion beside her.

“Thank you so much.”

She ended with those words, her tone uncharacteristically sincere.

Occasionally, Xu Ying wondered if Gu Qingzhu had spared even a fraction of the courtesy and restraint she showed outsiders for the original host, would that person’s life have still ended up like this?

But the world had no “what ifs.” Xu Ying was born to love Gu Qingzhu, it seemed to be the very purpose of her existence.

And so, no matter how absurd or ridiculous it felt, when Gu Qingzhu contacted the Xu family, Xu Ying still introduced herself.

Just a simple “I’m Xu Ying,” and the man on the other end of the line softened. Before long, the Gu family’s private car arrived in front of the Cheng family’s hotel.

The urgency of it all left Xu Ying unsettled. She listened as Gu Qingzhu effortlessly arranged everything, following behind her like a shadow unnoticed, uncared for.

Who would ever pay attention to a shadow, except when they were truly bored?

Gu Qingzhu had much to handle.

Adjusting future schedules, preparing gifts for the Xu family, and placating the guests who had just seen her.

Exhausted from the overnight rush, she moved through it all in a daze.

By the time everything was finally settled, her throat was parched. Instinctively, she called out, “Xu Ying”

Xu Ying had always been unnervingly perceptive. In the past, even before Gu Qingzhu realized her own voice was hoarse, the woman would already be handing her a bottle of water, silently reminding her to take a break.

Even though Gu Qingzhu would invariably ignore her and carry on, Xu Ying would still repeat the gesture the next time.

Only when Gu Qingzhu grew thoroughly irritated and lashed out would she finally stop.

Calling the Alpha’s name seemed like a reflex.

The trailing syllable hung in the cramped space, met with silence, nothing but the rustling wind outside the window.

Gu Qingzhu froze for a few seconds before abruptly turning away.

Xu Ying was still staring out the window, as if she hadn’t heard. But her long lashes fluttered faintly, her usually bright blue eyes dulled under a layer of shadow, like a lake that had ceased to ripple, lifeless and bleak.

Xu Ying was deliberately ignoring her.

The thought rose abruptly in Gu Qingzhu’s mind. She parted her lips slightly, momentarily at a loss for words.

She suddenly realized that Xu Ying had changed.

The Alpha was no longer as subdued as before. She had begun to form her own social connections, smiled far more often in Gu Qingzhu’s presence, like a lifeless thing slowly gaining vitality.

This liveliness unsettled Gu Qingzhu. In rare moments, she even wished Xu Ying would remain as she had been someone who never cried, never wavered, who simply obeyed without question.

But now that Xu Ying had truly fallen silent, Gu Qingzhu wasn’t sure how to face her.

In the quiet, Gu Qingzhu instinctively attributed it to Xu Ying’s reluctance to engage with the Xu family.

When it came to the car accident, the Xu family and Gu Qingzhu held entirely opposing views.

Gu Qingzhu wanted to uncover the truth, but the Xu family resisted any investigation, solely wishing for Xu Ying to be laid to rest as soon as possible.

Because of this, Gu Qingzhu had once clashed openly with Wei Xuyan.

The woman, who had always been gentle in her memory, had rarely lost her temper, coldly telling her: “If it weren’t for you, Xiao Xu wouldn’t have”

Being accused where it hurt the most, yet unable to refute it.

Ying Xu, who had once been so close to Xu Ying, seemed destined to face even more blame than this.

After a long silence, Gu Qingzhu spoke: “I don’t know what your relationship with the Xu family is like. I only know that I never go back on my promises.”

“Whatever you want, I can give it to you.”

Still, there was no response.

Gu Qingzhu said nothing more, closing her eyes wearily, only for a few seconds before being pulled back into busyness by sudden news.

At six in the morning, the car arrived in the city center.

On the second day of the new year, the city no longer celebrated the arrival of the new year, returning to its usual order, the pedestrians still caught in their mundane routines.

It was also in front of the hotel that Ying Xu saw Gu Qingzhu’s manager, Shan Qiaoyun, for the first time.

The woman was dressed conservatively, her eyes filled with worry. Almost the moment she saw Gu Qingzhu, she said, “Qingzhu, you should go rest.”

She was the type Gu Qingzhu would like non-confrontational, exceedingly gentle.

Ying Xu made the assessment silently, hearing Gu Qingzhu reply, “I’ve already set a time with Xu Ruo.”

“It’s just a half-hour delay,” Shan Qiaoyun’s gaze swept past Gu Qingzhu, landing on Ying Xu’s face. “She won’t say anything about it.”

Gu Qingzhu finally relented, and Ying Xu finally got a moment to catch her breath.

Seeming to share her sentiment was Assistant Lu in the front seat. They all seemed to be the same kind of people, only able to snatch moments of freedom when Gu Qingzhu was resting.

But Assistant Lu was Gu Qingzhu’s subordinate. She worked for her, and though exhausted, theirs was still an equal relationship.

What was Ying Xu to Gu Qingzhu?

The answer was so absurd that Ying Xu only wanted to escape.

Her phone had been turned off long before getting into the car.

Now, when she turned it back on, the messages had already surpassed a hundred. Unexpectedly, only a few were from Sheng Qiuyu.

After having her call hung up, the other woman had instantly realized Ying Xu might not be in a good state, sending message after message.

The last one was a voice clip, just a few seconds long: “Was it Gu Qingzhu who came? I”

“Xiao Yu?”

A man’s voice followed, distant but enough to make Sheng Qiuyu fall silent immediately proof enough of his special status.

Was it Sheng Changming?

Ying Xu exited the interface, only to find that Cheng Jun had sent even more messages. Dozens of texts at varying intervals perfectly illustrated the Alpha’s turbulent emotions. Clearly, she had already learned of Cheng Fei’s actions, the last message being an apology.

[I’ll deal with it as soon as possible, make her apologize to you in person.]

“Deal with it”? If she really wanted to, how could there still be no resolution after all this time?

It was just helplessness.

Ying Xu didn’t care, because she seemed even more powerless than Cheng Jun.

To avoid further complications, Ying Xu didn’t reply to anyone.

Just as she turned off the screen, a woman’s voice suddenly sounded beside her.

“Was that, Miss Sheng just now?”

Ying Xu’s fingers paused slightly as she looked up. Shan Qiaoyun had somehow come to her side.

“Did I disturb you? Sorry about that.”

The woman’s smile was gentle, disarmingly so.

Ying Xu disliked this kind of deliberately ingratiating smile. She lowered her eyes, avoiding the gaze, and simply shook her head in response.

Shan Qiaoyun didn’t immediately sit beside her. Instead, she silently watched Ying Xu for several seconds before speaking: “Every time I see you, I have this illusion, as if Xu Ying hasn’t left, as if she’s standing right in front of me.”

As she said this, the emotions in her eyes were particularly complex, as if she truly saw Xu Ying through Ying Xu.

Ying Xu had already been feeling down because of Xu Ying during the journey. Now, hearing the word “similar,” she found it nothing but ironic and replied sharply, “But she’s already dead.”

Shan Qiaoyun’s brows lifted slightly, seemingly surprised by the response.

But she quickly understood, this was how it should be. How could anyone in this world be content with forever playing a supporting role?

Even a shadow must eventually be exposed to the sunlight.

“Indeed, the departed are gone. I’ve advised Qingzhu many times, being too stubborn only leads to disappointment.” Shan Qiaoyun was remarkably candid. “She wouldn’t listen, wouldn’t believe, and clung to her own convictions.”