After Redeeming the Female Lead, I Faked My Death and Escaped - Chapter 45.2

“If Gu Zhengkai hadn’t fallen seriously ill, Gu Qingzhu would never have been manipulated into this state by you. You absolute imbecile.”

By the end of her tirade, Song Lianshan was even breathing unevenly. An assistant outside the car promptly handed her an oxygen tank. Song Fei didn’t even get a chance to move before the woman berated her again: “You can’t even compare to Xu Ying, let alone Ying Xu?”

“Xiao Fei, have I spoiled you too much over the years? Have you forgotten who really runs the Song family?”

Song Fei didn’t respond, her eyes already red.

Since childhood, Gu Qingzhu had always been the standout. Song Fei believed she was no worse than anyone, yet neither her family nor outsiders ever took her seriously.

The more she was ignored, the more resentment festered within her.

And now, all that pent-up hatred seemed to shift because of one sentence from Song Lianshan.

You can’t even compare to Xu Ying, let alone Ying Xu.

Who could compete with a dead person? What was so great about Ying Xu that she could make Gu Qingzhu change her mind and even earn Song Lianshan’s special attention?

Just as rage clouded her mind and she was about to argue back, a notification chimed.

The unfamiliar number she had been cursing at for so long, yet had never responded, sent another photo.

This time, it was a picture of Ying Xu and Xu Ying together during their university years.

A chill ran down her spine. She was about to show it to Song Lianshan when the car window was suddenly knocked on.

The window rolled down.

Ying Xu looked surprised to see the two women inside the car.

Song Fei seemed to have just been reprimanded, her face a picture of devastation.

Beside her, the beta woman in a qipao appeared gentle and refined, yet an unshakable sharpness lingered between her brows.

But when their eyes met, the woman still managed a smile.

Song Lianshan.

At the last Cheng family gathering, Ying Xu had caught a fleeting glimpse of her. The system had introduced her as the head of the Song family.

Her presence here was clearly to clean up Song Fei’s mess.

With an extra person involved, the approach naturally had to change.

As Ying Xu hesitated, Song Fei couldn’t contain her panic: “It’s you, isn’t it? You saw everything”

The photo was a selfie, featuring only Xu Ying and Ying Xu.

Apart from them, who else could have this photo? And even if someone did, how could they have connected it to her?

As for Xu Ying coming back from the dead… impossible. Song Fei had attended her funeral, watching with her own eyes as the body was buried.

She grew more adamant, her tone heavier, but she never considered that these very words would give Ying Xu a new revelation.

Discovery? What discovery?

In an instant, Ying Xu realized that the reason she was being targeted might not solely be because of Gu Qingzhu.

Whatever could make Song Fei lose her composure and lash out in anger must be something that posed a direct threat to her.

But Ying Xu had only met her a few times. The only thing that could remotely be called a “discovery” was Song Fei’s ambiguous relationship with her secretary.

That alone was hardly worth fearing.

What else could “Ying Xu” have discovered?

“Xiao Fei.”

While Ying Xu remained silent, Song Lianshan had already snapped in a low voice, “Shut your mouth.”

Being contradicted in front of Ying Xu only made Song Fei more aggrieved. “I’m not wrong! Who else could it be besides her? In your eyes, I can’t compare to Gu Qingzhu am I even worse than an A ”

A sharp smack cut off her unfinished words.

Ying Xu raised an eyebrow slightly, understanding that Song Lianshan’s slap was not just to silence Song Fei but also to make a statement, she could control Song Fei and was willing to negotiate.

Song Fei finally fell quiet, no longer speaking, only breathing heavily until even that sound nearly faded away.

Within seconds, Song Lianshan had regained her composure. “Miss Ying, my apologies for the scene.”

In that brief respite, Ying Xu finally thought of the second possibility,

The cat-dropping video Song Fei had posted.

In truth, aside from a quick glance on the day it trended, Ying Xu had never actually watched the video in full.

She knew all too well the physical reactions Gu Qingzhu would have when faced with a cat. Everything the omega had done was an instinct born of extreme fear.

Ying Xu believed Gu Qingzhu had done nothing wrong, so she had no desire to see the harsh criticisms in the comments.

Naturally, that meant she had missed something.

Ying Xu finally spoke. “Ms. Song, about the video.”

Her tone was casual, devoid of any probing, but her gaze remained fixed on Song Fei’s face.

Sure enough, just hearing those two words, the beta’s expression visibly changed.

Ying Xu knew her train of thought was correct.

Someone was using the video to threaten Song Fei.

But wasn’t the video released by Song Fei herself? What flaw could there be that would make her react so defensively?

Song Lianshan’s eyes flickered slightly, ignoring Ying Xu’s probing as she straightforwardly laid out her bargaining chips.

“This matter is Xiao Fei’s fault. I will personally compensate you, Miss Ying, with twenty million. Additionally, here are several promising projects I’ve selected you may choose freely.”

As she spoke, her assistant opened a prepared file for Ying Xu to review.

The projects spanned film and television resources to various endorsements, totaling over a dozen. Each one was something Ying Xu, at her current standing, would have difficulty accessing.

Though the beta claimed it was a free choice, every contract was already filled out with Ying Xu’s details.

All she had to do was sign, and these resources could easily turn her into the next “Song Fei” overnight.

Ying Xu didn’t look at the contracts, meeting Song Lianshan’s gaze directly. “By ‘this matter,’ do you mean the incident on set, or the video and the film festival?”

“I also feel regretful about Miss Gu’s situation,” Song Lianshan said gently. “Xiao Fei will delete the video and offer appropriate compensation.”

Ying Xu understood this was the extent of what she was willing to offer.

The video had already gone viral online, and the malicious speculation about Gu Qingzhu was enough to drown an entire building.

Money, moreover, was something Gu Qingzhu never lacked.

Ying Xu shook her head: “Qingzhu needs a public apology from Miss Song.”

“She’s endured too much slander. Someone needs to clear her name.”

Song Lianshan remained silent for a long time, and Ying Xu even thought she was about to refuse.

But in the end, the Beta spoke up and offered a second choice.

“Xiao Fei made a mistake, and apologizing is the right thing to do. But after that, her popularity will inevitably take a hit, and she’ll need other projects to compensate.”

The implication was clear: Xu Ying had to choose between the contract and the apology.

An effortless opportunity to rise to the top tier versus a meaningless apology that couldn’t undo any damage.

Most people would know exactly which choice would maximize their own interests.

But Xu Ying didn’t hesitate for a second: “Then I’ll ask Miss Song to cooperate with the PR follow-up.”

Song Lianshan didn’t try to dissuade her from this choice.

Right before Xu Ying’s eyes, Song Fei deleted the video and posted a public apology on her blog.

Whoever could directly contact Song Fei and even make Song Lianshan feel threatened enough to compromise was clearly no ordinary adversary.

Who would know their vulnerabilities so well?

Xu Ying suddenly recalled the secretly taken photos she had received earlier.

Even by the end of the whole fiasco, no one had figured out who the sender really was.

After uncovering Qing Hong’s true nature, Xu Ying had always believed it was a staged act orchestrated by Sheng Changming to pressure Gu Qingzhu into renewing her contract.

Thinking more carefully, Song Fei and Sheng Changming had a good relationship. As an alpha, he knew her weaknesses and might well be repeating his tactics for gain.

But as Gu Qingzhu’s popularity soared, Qing Hong’s stock prices kept plummeting. Given his profit-driven nature, even if he deliberately misled Song Fei, he wouldn’t let Xu Ying and Gu Qingzhu benefit from it.

In the quiet that followed, Song Lianshan spoke again.

“Xiao Fei has realized her mistake in this matter and won’t repeat it. I hope Miss Xu can convey this apology on her behalf.”

Xu Ying’s thoughts came to an abrupt halt.

No matter what Song Fei was like, her sister was far more composed and courteous.

Xu Ying nodded and responded gently. A faint smile finally appeared in Song Lianshan’s eyes, as if she wanted to say more but hesitated.

Her brown eyes calmly looked past Xu Ying, and she broke into a noticeable smile, even raising her hand in a small wave.

Startled, Xu Ying turned around to see Gu Qingzhu standing not far away, idly playing with a pair of sunglasses, her fingers lightly tapping the lenses. It was unclear how long she had been waiting.

Behind her, Yi Ning’s face was contorted with frustration, and when she saw Xu Ying turn around, her expression became even more exaggerated.

“Go on,” Song Lianshan said, seeming to understand something, a hint of amusement in her voice.

She looked as if she wanted to pat Xu Ying’s shoulder but ultimately withdrew her hand.

After the car drove away, Xu Ying watched as Gu Qingzhu finally approached her.

“What were you talking about?” Only when she was within a familiar distance did some of the agitation on Gu Qingzhu’s face ease.

She wasn’t foolish enough to misunderstand Xu Ying and Song Lianshan, but upon spotting Song Fei in the car, she couldn’t help but recall everything from that night at the film festival.

If it weren’t for Xu Ying’s assistant beside her, chattering incessantly about the alpha’s daily life on set, she might have once again been swept up by her emotions, becoming that unfamiliar version of herself.

After speaking, Gu Qingzhu felt the question might have been too intrusive into Xu Ying’s life.

But Song Fei’s foolishness was contagious, and while Song Lianshan was decent, she overthought everything. No one could guarantee they wouldn’t inadvertently become a pawn in her plans, exploited for their value.

A thousand thoughts condensed into just a few words.

“Stay away from them.”

When Xu Ying had heard this phrase before, it was from others warning her to stay away from Gu Qingzhu.

Who would have thought that now, it was Gu Qingzhu telling her to stay away from someone else? The irony made her smile, her eyes crinkling with amusement.

“What are you doing here?”

Ying Xu truly hadn’t expected to meet Gu Qingzhu here, nor had she imagined that Yi Ning’s teasing remark would come true.

Before her, Gu Qingzhu suddenly fell silent. It wasn’t until Ying Xu asked again that she averted her gaze and spoke casually, as if it were nothing: “Didn’t you say you wanted”

The omega didn’t finish, but Ying Xu already remembered before hanging up the call, she had indeed offhandedly told Gu Qingzhu, “I kind of miss you.”

She had uttered sweet nothings so often that the words came as naturally as breathing, leaving not the slightest ripple in her heart.

It had never occurred to her that Gu Qingzhu would come to see her over such an ordinary remark.

The alpha’s silence stretched too long, and Gu Qingzhu abruptly stopped walking.

“I discussed it with the doctor. She agreed, so I made a temporary trip out. There’s still a doctor with the crew right now.”

Her expression darkened, her words halting: “Ying Xu, I”

I what? That I’m not sick? If I weren’t sick, why would there be a doctor accompanying me?

Gu Qingzhu suddenly felt the futility of words. She said nothing, simply walking ahead on her own, resolved to leave this place soon and have Assistant Lu cancel tomorrow’s flight ticket, and also.

Before she could think of the next item, her wrist was suddenly grasped.

Her body stiffened instantly. Gu Qingzhu looked up at Ying Xu.

The alpha stood right beside her, eyes filled with remorse: “I was just… too surprised. I’m sorry, Qingzhu.”

“I’m really happy you came to see me,” Ying Xu said softly, gazing at her. “Thank you, Qingzhu.”

Gu Qingzhu stared blankly at their intertwined hands.

When was the last time she had been led forward like this?

It suddenly struck her, the medication was indeed working. She was beginning to forget fragments of the past, even though she still clearly remembered one of the people involved.

Ying Xu’s words suddenly became numerous and rapid, as noisy as Xiao Lu.

Gu Qingzhu tried to pull away. The alpha clearly noticed but didn’t let go.

She was doing it on purpose.

Gu Qingzhu realized this, yet after a moment of silence, she made no further move.

Holding hands was something even friends could do, wasn’t it?

Crawling around, munching on everyone’s heads while at it.