After Redeeming the Female Lead, I Faked My Death and Escaped - Chapter 33.3

A flicker of confusion passed through her eyes, but after a moment’s hesitation, she decided to go and see for herself.

After last night’s chat logs, Sheng Qiuyu hadn’t replied, as if she were either angry or at a loss for words.

Her temper was just as volatile, quick to ignite. Only in front of Ying Xu would she put on a slight facade.

Ying Xu hadn’t forgotten the tension between the Omega and Gu Qingzhu during their first meeting.

The set where Gu Qingzhu was filming wasn’t far away.

By the time Ying Xu arrived on foot, a scene was just wrapping up.

Though it was nearby, Ying Xu had never set foot there before.

Gu Qingzhu didn’t want Ying Xu to display any intimacy with her in front of outsiders. Naturally, Ying Xu complied, keeping her distance without complaint.

At the sight of her, many crew members widened their eyes, their curious gazes shifting between the two women on camera.

Gu Qingzhu’s character was the doctor bribed by Lin Yu’s husband, the one who personally administered the fatal overdose that led to Lin Yu’s suicide.

This scene depicted her final injection for Lin Yu.

Sheng Qiuyu needed to portray calmness, numbness, and a lifeless expression, while Gu Qingzhu had to transition from indifference to a flicker of emotion stirred by Lin Yu’s words.

Having played Lin Yu for so long, Sheng Qiuyu had grasped some of the character’s pain, making the role easier to embody.

But when facing Gu Qingzhu’s face, she felt no despair only anger and resentment. The sight of Gu Qingzhu made her think of Ying Xu, of her failed plans, leaving her sullen and unable to get into character.

In the past, Gu Qingzhu would have seized the opportunity to mock Sheng Qiuyu.

But Sheng Qiuyu’s current patient makeup and storyline bore too much resemblance to Gu Qingzhu’s own bedridden state, leaving her at a loss for words. Despite the warm lighting in the ward, she could only feel cold. At one point, her fingers trembled uncontrollably beneath her long sleeves.

When Sheng Qiuyu once again failed to nail the expression, the shoot was interrupted. Her agent sighed deeply, flipping through the script as she tried to coax her, the chatter grating on Gu Qingzhu’s nerves.

She stepped away, lowering her gaze.

Gu Qingzhu had meant to grab a tissue to wipe the sweat from her fingers, but someone seemed to misinterpret her need, placing an unopened bottle of water on the table instead.

Startled, Gu Qingzhu turned her head. On the other side of the table stood Ying Xu in a trench coat, her gaze deep and gentle.

But she wasn’t looking at Gu Qingzhu her attention was fixed on Sheng Qiuyu, pampered and pitiable on the hospital bed.

From Ying Xu’s perspective, she likely knew that any interaction with Gu Qingzhu in her current position would invite scrutiny, so it was better to keep her distance, as if they were strangers.

This was the approach Gu Qingzhu had demanded and enforced, and in the past, Ying Xu had complied, never once visiting her on set.

Though they were only minutes apart each day, the distance between them felt like rivers apart, starkly divided.

Ying Xu had done exactly as she was told, yet Gu Qingzhu felt no satisfaction.

Instead, it was as if a fine needle had pricked her skin, leaving her deeply unsettled.

Why would Ying Xu appear here at this time? Her filming schedule was packed and demanding, how did she have the time to come here?

Was it to see her?

Or perhaps.

Lost in thought, on the hospital bed, Sheng Qiuyu, annoyed by Liu Sui’s nagging, suddenly jumped down. She seemed about to retort something, but when she caught sight of Ying Xu from the corner of her eye, all words died on her lips.

The arrogant and rude “young miss” transformed in an instant. A genuine smile spread across her face as she called out with trust and joy: “Ying Xu!”

Right before Gu Qingzhu’s eyes, Ying Xu’s lips curved into a smile in return.

Yet, as Sheng Qiuyu moved toward her, the Alpha subtly turned her face slightly away.

Their eyes met, and that smile became even more pronounced, fully displayed for Gu Qingzhu to see.

With a lift at the corners of her eyes, she smiled softly and sweetly, as if this smile had never been meant for Sheng Qiuyu at all.

But belonged solely to Gu Qingzhu.

Gu Qingzhu watched as her lips parted slightly, whispering tenderly.

“Qingzhu.”

To ensure no one has forgotten, here’s a recap of the earlier plot:

The story begins in a very clichéd manner.

The female lead, Lin Yu, is a Beta born into a prestigious family. Her parents, high-ranking political figures, showed her little affection. Desperately starved for love, she unexpectedly meets one of her father’s subordinates on the day she comes of age. Though an Alpha, the man is refined and gentlemanly, a stark contrast to the unruly Alphas Lin Yu had encountered before.

Through their interactions, Lin Yu learns that the man lost both parents in childhood, grew up in poverty, and suffers from a serious illness. Yet despite this, he remains passionate about life and highly ambitious.

Before long, Lin Yu finds herself uncontrollably falling for him. For his sake, she risks being disowned by her family to marry him. Seeing her willingness to go to such lengths, the man becomes even more attentive.

Eventually, the Lin family relents, and the two marry.

But after bearing his child, on a rainy day, Lin Yu suddenly receives a letter.

“Do you truly know the man lying beside you?”

The letter details the man’s past. Lin Yu discovers that his claim of being “orphaned” was a lie. He was born in the slums, with parents who were murderers. Raised in such an environment, he mastered the art of deception early on. With his good looks and Alpha status, he had manipulated numerous well-off female Omegas into pitying him since college.

Whenever his “two-timing” was exposed, he would first apologize, beg, and weep. Most would forgive him under such extreme performances. But if anyone remained stubborn, he would strike first accusations of theft, robbery, assault… even murder.

Reading through each account, Lin Yu felt chills down her spine.

She heard her daughter’s cries, the sound of footsteps outside the door. The man appeared with his most perfect smile, saying, “I’m home.”

This had once been the scene Lin Yu longed for most, but now it became the final image of her recurring nightmares.

Within just a year, leveraging Lin Yu’s father’s influence, the man rose through the ranks, becoming a regular in political circles and a constant presence under the spotlight. No one paid attention to Lin Yu’s accusations.

Lin Yu grew increasingly paranoid, distrusting the household staff, her friends, even her newborn daughter.

She held the child in her arms, but the little one was wailing in pain. It wasn’t until a servant rushed over that they realized Lin Yu had been gripping the child’s arm so tightly that the tender skin had turned a ghastly shade of blue and purple, horrifying to behold.

Then, on a rainy night, she heard the man’s voice once more: “I’m back.”

Lin Yu lay on the bed, her fingers clenched around a dagger.