After Redeeming the Female Lead, I Faked My Death and Escaped - Chapter 8.1

Sheng Qiuyu didn’t name names, but that didn’t stop the others from immediately identifying who she was referring to.

Gu Qingzhu responded coldly, “Miss Sheng, I will truthfully report your behavior today to President Sheng.”

Ying Xu thought to herself, So even the tactic of tattling to parents when you can’t win an argument can be delivered with such righteous confidence truly befitting of the female lead!

Cheng Jun, ever the opportunist, spoke with a tone of helplessness, yet her words carried an odd edge: “Xiao Yu, isn’t it a bit too late to introduce yourself now?”

Clearly, the Omega’s remark had struck a nerve with Cheng Jun, leaving her visibly uncomfortable.

Caught between two fronts, Sheng Qiuyu took a deep breath.

Being mocked by Gu Qingzhu was one thing, but who did Cheng Jun think she was? How dare she speak to her like that?

At this thought, Sheng Qiuyu suddenly turned her gaze toward Ying Xu.

Ying Xu, who had just noticed the tension escalating and was about to lower her head to make herself less conspicuous: ”

Why is Sheng Qiuyu looking at me all of a sudden?

Their eyes met. The woman’s face was flushed with anger, her breathing noticeably uneven.

The way she looked at Ying Xu shifted multiple times within seconds. The system kindly provided commentary: [Sheng Qiuyu is currently gazing at the host with 40% pity, 30% anger, and 30% sorrow.]

Ying Xu had no idea what Sheng Qiuyu was imagining.

But she could distinctly feel another icy stare boring into the back of her head.

Her palms grew damp with sweat. After a few seconds of silence, Ying Xu forced a strained smile.

Sheng Qiuyu’s breath hitched.

From the news she had read, Gu Qingzhu treated her lovers like disposable clothing dismissive and indifferent. Yet, there was one lover who remained hopelessly devoted, enduring all manner of harsh treatment without leaving.

So that person is Ying Xu?

In truth, had Sheng Qiuyu not met Ying Xu in person or had she not just clashed with Gu Qingzhu, even if she knew about their relationship, she would have merely felt disdain internally, never voicing it.

But with both incidents coinciding, Sheng Qiuyu’s resentment toward Gu Qingzhu naturally translated into an unnecessary surge of pity for Ying Xu.

How could someone she cared about be treated like this by Gu Qingzhu?

Sheng Qiuyu parted her lips, about to say more, when a phone ringtone abruptly cut through the moment.

The woman’s expression darkened as she glanced at the screen. The moment she saw the caller’s name, she froze. With one last sorrowful look at Ying Xu, she eventually walked away.

At the same time, Ying Xu’s burned right arm was sharply pinched.

The pinch deliberately avoided the injured area, but the force was far from gentle, an unmistakable warning. Ying Xu averted her gaze and said nothing more.

By the time the car left the set, the snow was falling heavier than ever.

According to Gu Qingzhu’s assistant, the reason the meeting ended before it even began was entirely because “President Sheng’s precious daughter” was too high-maintenance.

The assistant repeatedly emphasized “President Sheng’s daughter,” and everyone present nodded solemnly, clearly harboring some dissatisfaction with the privileged nepotism hire.

Compared to the spoiled young miss, Gu Qingzhu appeared all the more untouchable a true ice queen. Aside from a few retaliatory remarks when she could no longer tolerate the other’s attitude, she had remained professional throughout, even reviewing her script until the very end.

Ying Xu, who had been standing beside Gu Qingzhu the entire time, didn’t have the heart to point out the obvious.

Who reads a script upside down?

In the car.

The cold wind howled outside, and it was only then that Ying Xu belatedly noticed something odd.

The assistant’s words had clearly been spoken under Gu Qingzhu’s direction.

This meant the Omega still retained a shred of rationality, enough to know she had to keep her own hands clean in every situation.

But if Gu Qingzhu had any sense of reason, why would she say such things to Sheng Qiuyu?

After all, the original Gu Qingzhu was described as aloof, but in reality, she was just extremely arrogant. She didn’t bother with trivial matters because she couldn’t be bothered. Very few people ever caught her attention, and her unpredictable moods were usually only displayed in front of the original protagonist.

What exactly had Sheng Qiuyu said to make her lose control to this extent?

Not to mention the long-standing tension between Sheng Qiuyu and Cheng Jun.

Ying Xu didn’t care about their conflicts, she wasn’t some top-tier mediator, after all. She only cared about securing her next opportunity.

At least based on today’s events, both of them seemed somewhat disadvantaged when facing Gu Qingzhu.

When they were together, each dared to provoke her with a few words.

But once separated like just now, after Sheng Qiuyu left Cheng Jun didn’t spare Ying Xu another glance. Instead, she twirled a pen, chatting and laughing with the screenwriter beside her, acting as if they were old friends.

For a moment, Ying Xu even wondered if Cheng Jun had feelings for Gu Qingzhu and was only getting close to her to catch Gu Qingzhu’s attention.

Until it was time for her and Gu Qingzhu to leave, and Cheng Jun finally looked her way, eyes curved in a smile, shaking her phone before casually blowing a kiss.

Ying Xu:

Thankfully, Gu Qingzhu was busy talking to her assistant and didn’t notice the gesture.

Even so, Ying Xu’s palms were damp with nervous sweat.

Outside the mansion, the snow had long been cleared away, and a servant stood waiting with an umbrella for Gu Qingzhu.

Throughout the journey, Gu Qingzhu had treated Ying Xu as if she didn’t exist, and now was no exception.

Ying Xu sighed softly, playing up her despondency to the fullest. In the rearview mirror, the assistant glanced at the Alpha’s pale, cold profile, hesitating as if wanting to say something, but ultimately staying silent.

The assistant hid it well, but Ying Xu still caught it.

She knew she had already earned enough goodwill for the day. Without wasting words, she politely bid the assistant farewell, stepped out of the car, and hurried after Gu Qingzhu.

Inside the car, the assistant could only stare blankly at the woman’s retreating figure.

The further they walked into the mansion, the more snow settled on Ying Xu’s collar.

Her body heat quickly melted the snow, soaking her coat and seeping deeper, leaving her skin uncomfortably damp.

Standing at the entrance, Ying Xu was about to step inside when a servant subtly shook her head at her, a silent warning.

Ying Xu paused, glancing toward the living room.

The woman under the umbrella had been perfectly shielded, her coat untouched by a single snowflake. Yet the servants were meticulously helping her remove it, as if even a second’s delay would provoke Gu Qingzhu’s displeasure.