After Redeeming the Female Lead, I Faked My Death and Escaped - Chapter 9.1

The distance was too close for Ying Xu to dodge, so she didn’t even try to evade, letting Gu Qingzhu take the phone from her hand.

By the time the Omega turned around, Ying Xu had already exited several screens, leaving the display filled with fan essays praising Cheng Jun.

Gu Qingzhu rarely interacted with fans, but similar flattering remarks were often brought up by interviewers during press events.

Yet, when those familiar words were directed at someone else, they felt particularly grating to Gu Qingzhu.

Especially when she remembered that Ying Xu had just been reading them.

The thought of Cheng Jun’s face only deepened Gu Qingzhu’s irritation. “Are you really that obsessed with her?”

She had no intention of checking any other apps and simply tossed the phone onto the table with a sharp clack.

For a moment, the mansion fell even quieter. Even the servants couldn’t help but sneak glances, puzzled about what Ying Xu could have possibly seen to provoke such anger from Gu Qingzhu.

The next second, what everyone witnessed was an Alpha staring blankly at the table, lips slightly trembling, looking utterly dejected, as if the woman’s words had struck a deep chord, leaving her heartbroken.

Ying Xu had no idea what everyone was imagining, but she was genuinely distressed.

The phone had been thrown, but the pain was hers to bear.

While checking the original owner’s phone, Ying Xu had also taken stock of her financial situation. Unlike other actors, the original owner had signed what was practically an exploitative contract, earning only a 10% cut of her income. After covering basic living expenses, the rest of that 10% went to charity.

If the phone shattered, Ying Xu couldn’t afford to replace it.

But Gu Qingzhu was different. She didn’t care in the slightest, and that attitude infuriated Ying Xu.

If Gu Qingzhu was so indifferent, why not just hand her five million to spend as she pleased?

Angry as she was, Ying Xu knew she still had to placate her.

In a low voice, she said, “Ms. Cheng will be collaborating with you.”

Her tone was soft normally, only she herself would have heard it. But pheromones naturally heightened the connection between Alphas and Omegas. Gu Qingzhu’s gaze flickered slightly as she caught the Alpha’s words: “I just wanted to understand her better.”

Her voice sounded desolate, as if by learning more, she could strive to become someone like that.

Gu Qingzhu watched the unwarranted assumptions play out in her mind with cold detachment, her disgust growing not just for Ying Xu, but for herself.

She said nothing more, not even sparing Ying Xu a scoff, and strode upstairs without another word.

A loud bang echoed as the door slammed shut.

Everyone in the room collectively exhaled in relief.

Ying Xu wasn’t sure if her words had any effect, but since the system hadn’t notified her of a drop in Gu Qingzhu’s favorability, the other woman probably hadn’t taken it to heart.

Still, after the series of events that had just unfolded, Ying Xu didn’t dare linger in the living room any longer. Only after retreating to her room, locking the door, and carefully inspecting it did she finally relax, unlocking her phone.

The device had been set to silent. Now, when she checked, Cheng Jun’s messages were still there, along with a few more follow-ups.

It says you read this.

Is someone with you?

After that, Cheng Jun stopped asking, as if she had guessed that Ying Xu’s current situation wasn’t ideal.

Cheng Jun’s question about whether she was “satisfied” clearly referred to the apology from that Beta actor.

If Ying Xu was satisfied, the matter would be dropped. But if she wasn’t.

For a moment, Ying Xu genuinely couldn’t guess what Cheng Jun might do next.

From the current situation, it seems that no one has particularly strong moral scruples anything could happen.

Ying Xu hesitated for a moment before replying with a question mark.

She was cautious, as if she had never seen that apology response and knew nothing about it.

“You didn’t see it?”

Cheng Jun replied almost instantly.

“But it’s normal that you don’t pay attention to these things. It’s good that you didn’t see it no need to dirty your eyes.”

Clearly, Cheng Jun didn’t intend to use this matter as a bargaining chip to “please” Ying Xu. Whether Ying Xu genuinely didn’t know or was just pretending to be oblivious made no difference to her.

This attitude only heightened Ying Xu’s wariness.

At the same time, Cheng Jun’s messages kept popping up.

“Have you joined the crew’s group chat? Do you need me to invite you?”

“Gu Qingzhu isn’t in the group.”

Ying Xu: *

Why did she specifically mention “Gu Qingzhu isn’t in the group” when talking about the crew’s chat? It made it sound like some kind of illicit affair.

Finally, she tapped out a reply: “Thanks, but there’s no need to do anything more. It was just a few words, I didn’t take it to heart.”

Out of a sense of propriety, Ying Xu added a few more lines to clarify her stance.

Cheng Jun sent a smiling emoji: “As long as you’re satisfied. Rest early see you on set tomorrow.”

The Alpha knew her boundaries. Sensing that Ying Xu didn’t want to continue the conversation, she ended it there.

But the “see you on set” also made it clear that even if Ying Xu avoided Cheng Jun today, they would still cross paths during filming.

The thought gave Ying Xu a headache, so she pushed it aside. When she set her phone down, she noticed a tube of burn ointment had been placed on the table at some point.

Without Gu Qingzhu’s instruction, no one else would have taken the initiative to do something like this.

Ying Xu stared at the ointment for a while before looking away.

The next day.

Gu Qingzhu didn’t ride with Ying Xu this time. She had gone to the set early, leaving Ying Xu to be picked up by a rather shabby car.

The driver was a young female Beta with delicate features, wearing gloves, her forehead beaded with sweat. Throughout the ride, she kept glancing at Ying Xu through the rearview mirror.

The odd behavior made Ying Xu tense, to the point where she wondered if this was a new driver or worse, if Gu Qingzhu had arranged this ride as some kind of trap to harm her.

Both of them were on edge, and the ride passed in silence. Fortunately, they arrived safely.

Ying Xu exhaled in relief and politely bid farewell as she stepped out of the car.

The driver stared blankly at her retreating figure, forgetting to wipe the sweat from her brow as she stammered, “G-goodbye.”

Only after Ying Xu disappeared from sight did she lower her head and send a pre-written message:

[I’ve met Miss Xu.]

The screenwriter had arranged three minor roles for Ying Xu.

Based on their screen time, Ying Xu nicknamed them Love-Struck A, Crazy B, and Security Guard C. The character who died shielding someone with her body was Love-Struck A.

Normally, a love story wouldn’t involve so many twists, let alone gunfights.

But before bed the previous night, Ying Xu had looked up Qinghong Entertainment and discovered that several of the company’s recently approved dramas shared the same setting as *”Redemption”*a world where the nation’s territory was divided into seven cities, with people assigned based on wealth, creating stark class divisions.

These dramas all revolved around the rise of elites from the upper cities.