After Redeeming the Female Lead, I Faked My Death and Escaped - Chapter 23.2

Unlike the others, who were blank slates and treated like treasures upon their return to the wealthy family, Cheng Yun had long since planned her own life. The sudden “homecoming” disrupted many of her plans, throwing her life into chaos, something she found both infuriating and repulsive.

Cheng Yun loathed the endless socializing, but the Cheng family, from top to bottom, was steeped in extravagance, reveling in balls and alcohol. In these so-called “high-society” settings, her casual irreverence was both oddly enjoyable and irritating to others, making her time in the Cheng household particularly difficult.

That was until, by chance, Cheng Yun met Wei Xuyan.

A beta who had lost her daughter in middle age, Wei Xuyan showed exceptional kindness to all young women, apart from Gu Qingzhu. She cared nothing for Cheng Yun’s background or temperament, treating her with impartiality, often defending her, and even proactively arranging resources for her.

Thanks to Wei Xuyan, Cheng Yun’s life in the Cheng family became much more bearable.

She didn’t speak too quickly, wanting Ying Xu to fully grasp her emotions. Cheng Yun even gave a few simple examples of embarrassing situations caused by the Cheng family and how Wei Xuyan had stepped in to help, earning her immense goodwill in the process.

“Ms. Wei has two children, both of whom left her. I feel deeply sorry for her. It wasn’t until I accompanied her to commemorate her daughter that I realized you look so much like Xu Ying.”

Finally, Ying Xu understood why Cheng Yun had been so warm toward her.

But why was the alpha so insistent on calling her “Little Xu”?

The answer came the next moment.

“At first, I approached you out of curiosity. But now” Cheng Yun spoke carefully, weighing her words, “Ying Xu, I hope you can visit Ms. Wei often. Whether it’s the Xu family or me personally, we’re willing to compensate you.”

“As Xu Ying’s stand-in?”

Having been Gu Qingzhu’s substitute for so long, Ying Xu instinctively assumed she’d have to play Xu Ying again.

Instead, she was met with Cheng Yun’s subtly perplexed gaze.

“No,” Cheng Yun said. “Just be yourself when you interact with Ms. Wei. She likes genuine people.”

Cheng Yun even addressed the inconsistencies head on, like why the Xu family had never reached out to Ying Xu before. The reason was simply that Wei Xuyan, seeing her as another victim of the car accident, couldn’t bear to disturb her.

But after witnessing how Gu Qingzhu kept her by her side, exploiting her relentlessly, the beta realized Ying Xu’s life was far from good and finally spoke up.

Cheng Yun spoke of Wei Xuyan with deep gratitude and respect, fervently hoping Ying Xu would agree. Regardless of Wei Xuyan’s temperament, she was incredibly important to Cheng Yun.

With such a straightforward offer of mutual benefit laid out before her, Ying Xu found it almost amusing.

Leave Gu Qingzhu, stop being her substitute lover.

Only to turn around and become Wei Xuyan’s substitute daughter.

Were the people in this world really so eager to project their emotions onto others?

Ying Xu had never lost anything significant, so she couldn’t understand such sentiments.

But whether it was investigating the car accident or strengthening herself, she needed allies.

Wei Siyan was willing to extend a hand at this moment, promising not to refuse.

“I’ll consider it.”

Ying Xu still chose to remain reserved, but to Cheng Jun’s ears, it was no different from agreement.

“Really? I’ll relay that truthfully to Ms. Wei.” The car finally pulled over to the side of the street at that moment. The Alpha unbuckled her seatbelt, her tone unconsciously lifting, “I’m really looking forward to having Xiao Xu as part of the family.”

Family.

Ying Xu looked out the window, it seemed to be an apartment building, most of its floors illuminated with light.

Was this Cheng Jun’s… home?

Ying Xu paused. “Earlier, when you approached me, was it just out of interest? Why do you still call me ‘Xiao Xu’?”

This time, Cheng Jun fell silent for a long while before finally answering with a smile, “Want to come up for a drink?”

The rain had begun to ease. Ying Xu politely declined.

She hated alcohol it dulled the senses, making it hard to think.

If a person couldn’t control their emotions, they’d become a madman.

Like Gu Qingzhu.

“Oh?” Cheng Jun looked genuinely disappointed. “No wonder I always feel dizzy and my heart races whenever I see you. Is it because I’ve had too much to drink?”

Listening to her description, Ying Xu thought it sounded more like something pressing on her brain.

She dismissed the untimely thought and was about to say goodbye when Cheng Jun suddenly leaned in closer.

Ying Xu:

As if by instinct, Ying Xu’s entire back stiffened. Right before her eyes, Cheng Jun reached out, her hand brushing against Ying Xu’s waist.

Only to grab the seatbelt still looped around her.

Noticing Ying Xu’s startled gaze, Cheng Jun’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Afraid I’d do something to you?”

Her words were teasing, but her movements were brisk and efficient.

Ying Xu’s breathing steadied in an instant.

As she opened the car door and unfurled her umbrella, Cheng Jun’s voice still lingered in her ears: “Are you mad? Don’t be so stingy, Xiao Xu.”

“Turn around and look at me. I’ve prepared a surprise just for you.”

The umbrella paused mid-air. Ying Xu unconsciously tightened her grip on the handle and turned slightly.

By the window, Cheng Jun was holding up a single champagne rose, one that seemed to have been forgotten for a long time. It had wilted completely, its pale gold hue dried out like a wooden palette.

Cheng Jun shook it vigorously, and in response, the flower shed a few petals with great effort.

After a few seconds of silence, Ying Xu stepped forward.

A withered rose held no value. It would be better to spend the time on the road ahead.

Cheng Jun seemed to think the same, her lazy smile tinged with a hint of indifference.

But when she noticed Ying Xu’s movement, she visibly froze.

Just as Ying Xu was about to approach the car window and reach for the rose, Cheng Jun instinctively flinched, pulling her hand back slightly.

Their fingertips brushed past the rose without contact.

Cheng Jun was the first to regain her composure. For once, she seemed at a loss, she had initiated this, yet regretted it at the last moment.

After a long silence, she found what she deemed a reasonable excuse: “This flower… is too ugly. Next time, I’ll give you something better. How about ‘Frozen Blue’? It’s a lot like your eyes.”

But the Alpha before her merely curved her lips and extended her hand anyway.

“Frozen Blue is nice, but this is nice too,” Ying Xu said softly. “No matter what state it’s in, it has its own unique charm and meaning.”

A withered flower if truly given away, it would be the cheapest gift Cheng Jun had ever offered.

Yet under the gaze of those gentle eyes, her heart couldn’t help but soften just a little.

“Is that so.” Cheng Jun forced a smile and handed over the withered rose.

Just a bouquet of flowers, what meaning could it hold? It was nothing more than pretty words, an attempt to use the flowers as a metaphor to answer her earlier question.

If Ying Xu wanted it, she could have it.

Cheng Jun didn’t care in the slightest.

Until she watched with her own eyes as the Alpha took the bouquet.

Her movements were gentle, treating the already dead flowers with an inexplicable tenderness.

The woman lifted her face and, for the first time that night, smiled at her.

“I’ll take good care of it,” Ying Xu said softly. “I really like the surprise, Miss Cheng… thank you.”

When she said “Miss Cheng,” the Alpha paused for a few seconds, creating a fleeting illusion that she might follow it with something more.

But just for that brief moment right before Cheng Jun’s eyes, Ying Xu parted her lips and simply said, “Thank you.”

It wasn’t until the figure had walked far away that Cheng Jun instinctively pressed the back of her hand to her cheek.

Her head spun, her heart raced.

Every fabricated emotion she had conjured now surged vividly in her mind.

The heat in her cheeks burned so intensely that her fingertips curled involuntarily. For the first time, Cheng Jun regretted her careless words.