After Redeeming the Female Lead, I Faked My Death and Escaped - Chapter 30.1

“So, due to company restructuring, starting today, I’ll be your new agent.”

Under the warm sunlight, inside the exquisitely decorated and cozy café, Luo Zhu’s hands unconsciously intertwined beneath the table. After stammering through her rehearsed lines, she was too nervous to lift her head.

By nature timid, Luo Zhu had spent her six months as an agent rarely refusing her clients’ demands, quickly earning a reputation as a pushover.

Recently, overwhelmed, she had finally submitted her resignation. But her supervisor had gently suggested an alternative, she could take on a new assignment. If she agreed to manage just one artist, the difficult clients tormenting her would be reassigned to other agents.

Without hesitation, Luo Zhu signed the confidentiality agreement, only to hear the artist’s name from her visibly relieved superior

Ying Xu.

Anyone in the industry knew of Ying Xu and her notorious reputation.

Fueled by orchestrated online campaigns, public opinion shifted daily, from outright condemnation to dissecting her past interviews and performances word by word. Within weeks, Ying Xu had been painted as mentally unstable, a lunatic, a psychopath.

A thousand eyes saw a thousand versions of her, each more damning than the last.

Some even labeled her a “sociopath,” citing her silence on variety shows and the unsettling intensity with which she stared at others during shared screen time.

Luo Zhu had never encountered an artist so universally reviled.

Like a lost cause, a game already forfeited, Ying Xu’s continued presence in the industry seemed solely to milk whatever residual value remained.

Anxious but bound by an unaffordable breach penalty, Luo Zhu had no choice but to brace herself for their first meeting.

She had braced for the worst, hours of waiting, dismissive excuses for tardiness, followed by a barrage of unreasonable demands.

Yet when Luo Zhu arrived, the woman was already seated at their reserved table, waiting.

Her features were delicate, her gaze out the window distant and unapproachable. But when she noticed Luo Zhu’s presence, she turned, revealing a soft smile, strands of hair falling across her face. Dressed in a pristine white turtleneck, she spoke with a gentleness that starkly contrasted the lifeless, detached Alpha from livestreams as if suddenly, she had come alive.

This was the real Ying Xu.

Luo Zhu’s nervousness stemmed only from forgetting her lines mid-speech, staring blankly at Ying Xu before recalling her purpose.

Fingers fidgeting, Luo Zhu worried she had already made a poor impression. Finally gathering the courage to glance up again, she met only a faintly surprised gaze.

A beat later, Ying Xu smiled warmly. “Then I’ll be in your care from now on, Miss Luo.”

And just like that, Luo Zhu’s mind echoed only those words in your care.

Watching the slightly dazed Beta retreat, Ying Xu took a sip of coffee, massaging the corners of her lips until the stiff smile faded.

The matter of her new agent had been relayed by Gu Qingzhu just days prior.

The Omega’s tone had been formal, stating Ying Xu’s previous agent had been dismissed for negligence. In the interim, Feiyun Entertainment had proactively sourced a replacement.

If Ying Xu agreed, this agent would handle all her affairs moving forward.

If not, alternatives could be arranged.

According to Gu Qingzhu, everything was because Feiyun Entertainment took the initiative to value Ying Xu, as if they had finally discovered her brilliance after all the mess.

In the following days, Feiyun indeed lived up to Gu Qingzhu’s words, actively reaching out to Ying Xu.

As if trying to make up for all past neglect at once, Feiyun not only proactively offered Ying Xu a new contract with highly favorable terms but also compensated her three times the previously withheld wages, depositing the sum directly into her account.

The mansion was filled with gifts in a single day, mostly boxes of food and clothing. The only standout was a single key.

Feiyun claimed it was the company-provided “dormitory” for artists.

The 200-square-meter apartment, located in the heart of the city’s most expensive district, was exquisitely decorated and worth millions on the market, far too extravagant to serve as just an ordinary artist’s dormitory.

Yet the company explained it to Ying Xu exactly that way, lying with shameless boldness, clearly orchestrated by Gu Qingzhu behind the scenes.

This time, the Omega had truly given her a second path. After Ying Xu left, this would be her new home.

The alarm rang.

Her thoughts abruptly ceased.

Ying Xu turned off the alarm and finally checked her phone, only to find over a dozen unread messages, all from Sheng Qiuyu.

After that night’s reply, the woman had called. Through the screen, Sheng Qiuyu’s voice carried a noticeable sob, tugging at Ying Xu’s already tender heart like a gentle fork scrape, leaving her with indescribable emotions.

The next day, the two met at the agreed-upon location. Sheng Qiuyu seemed to want to hug Ying Xu immediately but restrained herself.

She didn’t ask where Ying Xu had gone or why she had suddenly disappeared. In Sheng Qiuyu’s eyes, if Ying Xu didn’t want to talk about something, she wouldn’t press doing so would only make things difficult for her.

During their meeting, Sheng Qiuyu spoke much less than in their chats. Instead, her gaze remained fixed on Ying Xu, more clingy and profound than before. After her sadness faded, Sheng Qiuyu reverted to her usual spoiled self, unceremoniously demanding that Ying Xu set aside a few hours for her every day.

Ying Xu asked, “Why?”

Sheng Qiuyu replied, “I’m commandeering your time to spend with me at least four hours!”

She watched Ying Xu’s expression, her raised lips gradually drooping. “Three hours is fine too… two hours is the absolute minimum! I send you messages for more than two hours a day as it is!”

Only when Ying Xu let out a soft laugh did Sheng Qiuyu realize her feigned indifference was just an act. She snorted, “Others would kill for the chance to spend time with me.”

Ying Xu nodded in agreement. “It’s truly an honor to have lunch with Miss Sheng.”

From that day on, the two would meet for several hours daily. Accompanying Sheng Qiuyu to try on clothes, take photos, and go shopping, Ying Xu learned about countless trendy brands and Omega preferences she had never heard of before. For the first time, she realized that getting familiar with someone’s habits and accepting their constant presence in life could happen in such a short time.

“Ying Xu!”

The woman’s bright voice rang out. Ying Xu looked up to see Sheng Qiuyu in an elaborate dress layered with intricate tulle, a small hat adorned with a feather perched atop her head. Her curly hair was tucked behind her ears, making her look like a delicate doll from a shop window stepping into the crowd.

“Do I look good?” Sheng Qiuyu instinctively wanted to twirl, as she would in front of her family, but with so many people around, she held back.

Ying Xu replied warmly, “It suits you perfectly.”

She suppressed the confusion in her heart. In the past, Sheng Qiuyu had indeed dressed beautifully, but never with such grandeur before.

However, Omegas were always impeccably refined. The few times she had been disheveled in front of Ying Xu were merely coincidental.

Was she overthinking it? Ying Xu dismissed the thought and focused on Sheng Qiuyu’s smiling face before her.

If possible, she wished Sheng Qiuyu’s life had fewer of these “coincidences.”

She was meant to be this radiant.

The café was a Sheng family business. The moment they stepped inside, Sheng Qiuyu removed her hat and spun it on her finger for Ying Xu to see.

“What do you think?” Sheng Qiuyu beamed with pride. “I practiced for ages.”

Seeing Ying Xu about to applaud, Sheng Qiuyu blushed and quickly stopped her. “What are you doing? Aren’t you embarrassed?”

Ying Xu shook her head. “I’m just expressing my honest thoughts.”

Her honest thoughts were that the “performance” deserved applause?

Did Ying Xu even realize how flustering her calm, straightforward words could be?

Sheng Qiuyu stared at Ying Xu’s face, but the latter remained unperturbed, even asking casually, “What would you like to eat?”

She randomly pointed at a few items, resting her chin on her hand as she watched Ying Xu. In her ears echoed her mother’s words.

“At the very least, you should meet Cheng Yuedu.”