After Redeeming the Female Lead, I Faked My Death and Escaped - Chapter 18.2

“Before meeting Xu Ying, because she couldn’t sense an Alpha’s pheromones, ordinary suppressants had no effect on her. She could only rely on specific injections, each one bringing pain far beyond what most could imagine.”

“You’ve seen her during an episode before, so you should understand”

“Understand why she’s become like this now.”

Understand?

Ying Xu didn’t know how much pain Gu Qingzhu endured during her episodes.

But the agony of suffocation, Shan Qiaoyun had likely never experienced it.

Because she had never endured it, she could always remain so composed, fearless.

And foolishly arrogant.

“I understand that a person’s thoughts aren’t set in stone,” Shan Qiaoyun said gently. “But no matter what Qingzhu has promised you, I personally hope that, at least for the foreseeable future, you’ll stay by her side without leaving.”

“Why?” Ying Xu could no longer tolerate the woman’s nonsense and countered, “I have my own work too.”

“Every time she sees Xu Ying, her emotions spiral out of control.”

Shan Qiaoyun paused for a few seconds, as if reluctant to dwell on the topic of Gu Qingzhu’s condition. “As for the work you mentioned, even if it’s delayed, Qinghong will cover any breach penalties. In this world, nothing and no one is more important than Qingzhu.”

“The Gu family has a very large basement.” At this, the woman’s lips curled into a faint smile. “If you truly resist my suggestion, you might not see the sun for quite some time.”

From the very first sentence, Shan Qiaoyun had held the upper hand. By mentioning Sheng Qiuyu, she made it clear she knew about their relationship.

Almost instantly, Ying Xu recalled the voice message with “Xiao Yu” and felt a chill run down her spine.

Had that really been a chance encounter? Or had it been deliberate?

And Cheng Jun, she couldn’t even handle Cheng Fei, let alone help Ying Xu.

The wind howled, and the cold bit into Ying Xu’s exposed palms.

“Qingzhu is still in the car. Go and drape a coat over her.”

Shan Qiaoyun’s tone was exasperated, like a mother dealing with a rebellious teenage daughter, utterly helpless.

Ying Xu gave the Beta a long, deep look before standing and walking toward the car.

In her ears, Shan Qiaoyun’s admonitions still lingered.

“Before meeting Xu Ying, Qingzhu was always deeply melancholic. Xu Ying was the one who helped her find happiness again.”

“But Yingxu, you’re not bad either. You should know that Qingzhu might have wavered too.”

“But she needs you.”

The car door opened.

A cold wind rushed in. The woman’s eyes were closed, though exhaustion had long since overtaken her body. Yet even in sleep, Gu Qingzhu remained restless, her brows furrowed, giving her an air of peculiar vulnerability.

Yingxu picked up the coat left on the seat, clearly placed there earlier by Shan Qiaoyun. She unfolded it, moving carefully, about to drape it over the woman when, just as she lowered her head, she heard a murmur escape Gu Qingzhu’s lips.

“Xiao Xu.”

Perhaps because she had heard Cheng Yun call her that before, Yingxu froze for a moment, instinctively thinking Gu Qingzhu was calling for her.

But in that brief hesitation, Gu Qingzhu spoke again, her breathing ragged, as if suddenly suffocating, unable to draw breath. Her voice came in broken fragments, like a malfunctioning gramophone.

Even so, she managed to force out two words.

“Xu Ying”

Yingxu’s gaze slid from the woman’s face to her own hands.

This was a rare moment of solitude.

If she just,

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[Host is strictly prohibited from harboring harmful intentions toward the female lead!]

[Warning! Warning! This behavior severely violates system protocols]

The cicadas screeched relentlessly.

Gu Qingzhu couldn’t remember the last time she had dreamed of summer. It seemed that ever since leaving the main city, everything from the past had grown indistinct.

Yet she still remembered her first meeting with Xu Ying it had been an unusually long summer.

Afflicted with pheromone rejection syndrome, Gu Qingzhu despised school, despised her Alpha father, despised everything around her.

So, for a long time, she stayed confined to her home, to the backyard.

Midsummer was at its peak. She sat on the swing, her pink sundress swaying gently in the breeze, a blue book resting on her lap. It depicted a fledgling bird, glaring fiercely at a valley. The preface told the story of its attempt to fly across the valley, only to be dashed against the rocks by a hurricane.

Just from reading the beginning, Gu Qingzhu’s brows furrowed involuntarily. Perhaps due to the abrupt shift in her mood, everything around her, sights and sounds grew hazy, as if deliberately opposing her.

The sunlight was too scorching, the book was her most hated shade of purple, and the hem of her dress was too long, why did it trip her up after just a few steps?

Gu Qingzhu jumped off the swing, the familiar sting of pain flaring in her knees. She wiped at them absently, the metallic scent of blood filling her nose.

Everything was so dull, so infuriating.

She didn’t know how much time passed before she stood up again, tilting her head slightly to look at the swing.

Sunlight fractured into countless fragments, scattered across the pure white frame. It had once been far more beautiful, the ropes entwined with wisteria, stunning in its elegance. But after repairs, it had become utterly ordinary, just ropes and a wooden plank.

How boring, Gu Qingzhu thought, staring at the ropes.

Why did it have to be ropes hanging there and not something else? Like a book, a dress, or a

A what?

Gu Qingzhu suddenly couldn’t recall, but the thought expanded in her mind.

She struggled to find a pair of scissors, but in the vast garden, a chair had appeared at some point, just the right height for her to reach the frame.

Gu Qingzhu climbed up, extended the scissors, and without hesitation, cut the rope.

With a loud crash, the wooden plank fell, and then, loop by loop, just as she had once witnessed in her memories she tightened the rope around herself.

Her fair face pressed against the rough fibers, Gu Qingzhu felt an unprecedented sense of euphoria.

She had actually hung herself on the swing! What an incredible achievement, her mother should be proud of her!

The excitement made her eyes widen, her fingers trembling as she let out a sharp scream.

She was going to fly!

But the imagined joy never came.

At some point, a pair of hands had reached out before she could, gripping her waist tightly and forcibly pulling her down.

Dizzy and disoriented, Gu Qingzhu lifted her head. She couldn’t see the person in front of her clearly, only managing to snarl in fury, “Get lost! Get”

Yet the girl before her remained utterly unmoved by her outburst.

She was much taller than Gu Qingzhu, her head slightly bowed, blocking the dappled light filtering through the trees.

Her hair was slightly tousled, but her breathing was eerily calm. In the haze, Gu Qingzhu couldn’t make out her face, only hearing someone ask with a laugh:

“Starting today, Xu Ying is your new friend.”

“Why don’t you say hello to her?”

At that moment, the car window was abruptly rolled down. The vehicle, startled by the sudden loud noise, screeched to a halt in the middle of the road.

No one spoke, yet in unison, everyone turned their gaze toward the rearview mirror toward that pale, fear-stricken face.

The cold snow rustled, and the damp air rushed into her lungs all at once. Gu Qingzhu felt a wave of nausea unlike anything she’d ever experienced before.

She suddenly began coughing violently, her entire body trembling.

She knew everyone was staring at her, but what did it matter? Wasn’t this exactly who she was? Trash. Disgusting,

“Qingzhu.”

A woman’s voice suddenly cut through, interrupting all her thoughts.

Gu Qingzhu sharply turned her head, only to meet a pair of deep blue eyes.

Filled with concern, right in front of her, Xu Ying asked softly:

“Are you okay?”