After Redeeming the Female Lead, I Faked My Death and Escaped - Chapter 36.2

Ying Xu seemed to sense it and said with a smile, “Didn’t you say I performed well? If that’s the case, then there’s no need to worry about what others say, right?”

Even after the call ended, Luo Zhu was still stunned by those words.

Hesitantly, she opened her chat with Gu Qingzhu. The conversation history was filled with her one-sided updates about Ying Xu’s daily life and words.

This time, she sent Gu Qingzhu the last thing Ying Xu had said. Surprisingly, the omega replied.

[Tell her, yes.]

The scheduled filming day at the orphanage happened to coincide with Gu Qingzhu’s wrap day.

After their “argument” that day, the two had been in a brief standoff before Ying Xu took the initiative to ease the tension slightly.

To say they had reconciled was an overstatement, Gu Qingzhu would occasionally glance at Ying Xu or answer a few questions. But even that was a vast improvement from her previous reticence, when she wouldn’t spare a single word or look.

During breakfast, Ying Xu pursed her lips, feigning hesitation.

Without needing to say more, Gu Qingzhu had already guessed what the alpha wanted to say, that she wanted to be there for her wrap day but had other commitments.

Lately, whenever Gu Qingzhu returned home, she would often find Ying Xu engrossed in materials about the orphanage. She had even paid out of pocket for Luo Zhu to prepare gifts for the children.

Her childhood experiences had shaped Ying Xu into a kind person.

The moment this thought crossed her mind, Gu Qingzhu found it almost unbelievable.

In the past, Ying Xu had always been an enigmatic figure in her eyes. But now, she saw the alpha as someone capable of genuine smiles someone she could trust.

Gu Qingzhu was ashamed to admit it.

“Stop looking at me like that,” she said, wiping her lips. “It’s just one wrap day. There’ll be plenty more in the future.”

Her words were straightforward, if Ying Xu wanted to see it, there would be many more opportunities. There was no need to fixate on this one.

The bluntness of her statement made Gu Qingzhu quickly change the subject. Coldly, she added, “Some of the artists on set… might hold a grudge against you. Avoid conflict unless absolutely necessary.”

Telling her not to start conflicts sounded like asking Ying Xu to endure.

But Gu Qingzhu had prefaced it with “unless absolutely necessary.” So, what exactly counted as “absolutely necessary”?

Neither of them fully understood, so neither dared to speak recklessly.

Just before leaving, Ying Xu said softly, “It’s going to rain today, Qingzhu. Remember to bring an umbrella.”

Gu Qingzhu stared at her for a few seconds before finally responding.

Filming began in the afternoon.

The orphanage was located in the suburbs, covering a vast area and housing over 500 orphans. Its blue-and-white decor, complete with classrooms, a playground, a library, and various recreational facilities, made it resemble a small school.

When Xu Ying arrived, several cars were already parked outside the iron gate.

Some artists had already stepped out with their photographers, ready to begin, while others were griping to the staff: “If the car can drive in, why do we have to walk?”

He asked as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The staff member hesitated but patiently replied, “The cars might disturb the children.”

The Alpha remained displeased, but his manager suddenly grabbed his sleeve.

“Xu Ying is here,” the manager whispered. “Xiao Jian, don’t pick a fight with her. Feiyun has been promoting her heavily lately.”

Lin Jian sneered. “Promoting her? What is she, anyway? I still haven’t settled things with her over what happened last time.”

As their gazes met, Xu Ying recognized the Alpha’s face immediately thanks to the system, she knew his identity: the young master of a mid-sized company. With passable looks and some family investment, his career had been smooth sailing.

By industry standards, he was a third-tier male celebrity.

His hostility toward Xu Ying stemmed from an incident months ago involving a male actor who had been kicked out of the Redemption film set.

The two were close, often interacting on social media. After the incident, netizens flocked to Lin Jian’s page to stir the pot, mocking him for not speaking up and calling their friendship fake.

Naturally, Lin Jian felt his pride had been wounded and wanted revenge on the instigator.

Cheng Jun was someone he couldn’t afford to offend, but Xu Ying? After her public apology, he even felt she had insulted his secondary gender.

His thought process was as simple and transparent as a single-celled organism.

Xu Ying glanced at him and lost interest.

When Luo Zhu arrived, she immediately sensed something off about Lin Jian.

After quietly inquiring, she fumed for a moment before soothingly assuring Xu Ying, “Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on him. He won’t get a chance to pull anything.”

Xu Ying thought that if the Alpha really wanted to cause trouble, he’d likely target the staff first.

But she didn’t voice it, only thanking Luo Zhu warmly. Back and forth, Luo Zhu grew flustered and murmured, “I’m your manager. This is what I’m supposed to do.”

Xu Ying listened, a faint smile playing on her lips, but didn’t respond.

Soon, the other artists arrived.

Apart from Lin Jian, most of them only showed a flicker of surprise upon seeing Xu Ying before returning to their usual demeanor, making the Alpha’s hostility all the more glaring.

Everyone noticed but remained silent, until the teacher led a few children in through the door. Only then did gentle smiles finally appear on their faces.

The children wore matching blue-and-white uniforms. Most had disabilities, a missing finger or a limp nothing severe enough to hinder daily life, yet they had still been abandoned by their families.

Unaccustomed to strangers, they instinctively shrank behind the teacher despite the artists’ friendly expressions.

Only one child stood out. Around seven or eight years old, her hair tied up neatly, she wore an exquisite pink cashmere dress, the fabric high-quality. With delicate features, she looked more like a pampered young lady than an orphan, except for the two cochlear implants that marked her identity.

Instead of hiding behind the teacher, she instinctively grabbed the sleeve of the nearest artist. Lin Jian, startled by the sudden touch, recoiled and met her dark, unblinking eyes. “You”

“She might like you,” the teacher replied, though her expression darkened. “Xiao Yi, come here first.”

Xiao Yi shrank behind Lin Jian, silently refusing.

In the usual process, it was the celebrities who chose the children. Being picked first, Lin Jian realized this was a natural opportunity for publicity and naturally defended her: “It’s fine, let her stay with me.”

The teacher’s face grew uneasy. “She can be a bit mischievous. I’m afraid you”

“It’s alright,” Lin Jian laughed, reaching out to hold Xiao Yi’s hand to show friendliness, but the child dodged him. A brief awkwardness passed, and his expression soured slightly. “Kids are all mischievous.”

Lin Jian insisted, so the teacher had no choice but to continue the process selecting the children.

She had brought over twenty children, but there were only six guests. With one-on-one pairings, some were inevitably left out.

Soon, the room was filled with cries of disappointment. Though the children were quickly led away, some couldn’t help but notice the cruelty of the setup.

It was like selecting merchandise detached and superior. But these were living beings, equal in worth, not objects…

Some were moved, but the teacher’s sigh persuaded them: “The actual adoption process is far more complicated and heartbreaking. If they can’t handle even a simple game, they won’t be able to endure the real challenges later.”

In the end, those who raised objections were convinced.

Ying Xu stood at the back, quietly taking everything in. But she wasn’t focused on the children instead, her gaze wandered around the room. It seemed to be a dormitory, with childlike wallpaper still pasted on the walls.

Given the original host’s background, she couldn’t help but wonder did “Ying Xu” live in a place like this as a child? Perhaps in even worse conditions. But the process she went through was likely the same: waiting to be chosen by a family, only for them to pick her classmates or friends instead.

In the end, no one chose her. Even as an adult, when it came to matters of the heart, she still lost without a chance.

Lost in thought, Ying Xu heard the teacher call her name.

Finally, standing beside her was a little girl with twin ponytails. Before coming, Ying Xu had studied the materials. The girl’s name was Xiao Nian, born unable to speak. Now, she looked extremely nervous, her eyes brimming with tears as she let out a few muffled sounds.

Due to her condition, she couldn’t speak. The other children, however, didn’t hold back, their cries growing louder and more desperate.

Most of the celebrities couldn’t take it and left immediately. Only Lin Jian remained outside, trying to pull Xiao Yi along, but the child stubbornly stood her ground, staring at the wallpaper Ying Xu had been looking at earlier.

Come to think of it, Xiao Yi hadn’t said a word either was she mute too?

But there were differences even among mute children. The one by his side was far more obedient than Ying Xu’s.

Thinking this, Lin Jian couldn’t help but feel a sense of superiority. With the teacher’s help, he forcibly dragged Xiao Yi away.

But it didn’t take long for that superiority to vanish completely.

Because Lin Jian soon realized that whether it was playing games with Xiao Yi, reading her fairy tales, or exercising and taking photos together, she showed no interest at all. She just stared blankly at the grass by the roadside, indifferent to everyone around her.

Lin Jian lost patience and tried to pull her along, only to be startled by her stubborn gaze and take a few steps back.

Only after the teacher went to the restroom did he finally vent his frustration: “Not only uncooperative but also so scary, no wonder no one wants to adopt her… Can you stop standing there dumbfounded and think of something? How are we supposed to film the video without switching her out?”

The agent was equally drenched in sweat. It was well-known that this orphanage distinguished the severity of the children’s conditions by their clothing. For someone like Xiao Yi, it either meant she had a serious illness and could pass away at any moment, or she had mental issues.

All of this was clearly stated in the records, but Lin Jian obviously hadn’t read them.

Growing increasingly irritable, Lin Jian was all looks and no brains he began throwing out reckless ideas: “Go distract the teacher and grab any random kid to continue the shoot.”

The agent thought he’d lost his mind: “What about Xiao Yi?”

“What about her? We can just dub over it later, don’t take it so seriously,” Lin Jian retorted. The Lin family had investments in Qinghong, so he wasn’t worried about the post-production team disobeying him. He added, “Just dump her with Ying Xu. Since she’s such a do-gooder, what’s one more kid to look after?”

The agent had no choice but to comply.

Xiao Yi hadn’t been cooperative earlier, but when she realized they were retracing their steps, she suddenly became docile, as if something there was drawing her in.

Keeping his distance, the agent simply let go of Xiao Yi’s hand, pointed toward the door before leaving, and rushed back to his client, terrified of what trouble he might stir up next.

As for Xiao Yi,  she was still inside the orphanage. As long as she didn’t get lost, it was fine.

Xiao Nian had fallen asleep.