As a Scummy Omega, I Ran Away with the Baby - Chapter 44

When Bai Qingqiu woke up, Gu Yining was already gone. Which made sense—who would stay overnight at someone else’s place in the dead of night?

What Bai Qingqiu hadn’t expected was how calm she herself had been during this meeting with Gu Yining. Aside from their very first reunion, Gu Yining had seemed composed every time since. She truly wasn’t the same Gu Yining from five years ago.

Bai Qingqiu had even prepared herself for Gu Yining to ask about Bei Nanyan—why she had chosen to let that matter go so lightly, why she hadn’t taken action. If Gu Yining asked, she planned to answer honestly. There was nothing she couldn’t say.

Yet Gu Yining’s reaction made it seem as though none of it had ever happened.

With fewer things to worry about, she should have felt relieved. Instead, Bai Qingqiu felt an inexplicable sense of emptiness, like throwing a punch only to hit cotton—powerless, deflated.

And Gu Yining had asked whether she would get back together with Bei Nanyan.

Why had she answered the way she did?

She could have simply answered whatever was asked, spoken calmly instead of snapping back. And yet she’d gone and driven Gu Yining away.

Bai Qingqiu sat on the bed, still dressed in the shirt and trousers she’d worn to work, makeup untouched. The moment she closed her eyes, everything from earlier replayed vividly. Every expression, every reaction of Gu Yining’s felt like a blade slicing through the defensive walls Bai Qingqiu had built for herself. In the deep of night, when no one else could see, she was finally forced to face her unfiltered self. Her wariness, her disguises, her self-deception—Gu Yining had stripped them all away.

The Gu Yining from five years ago wouldn’t have been like this. That Gu Yining would have questioned her, even cried in that hotel room. But this time, there was nothing. She had stood before her calmly, simply as Bai Xia’s mother. Even when they ran into each other, she reacted like an uninvolved bystander—almost like a stranger.

Did I do something wrong? Bai Qingqiu asked herself.

Back when she and Gu Yining were together, if Gu Yining had never known about Bei Nanyan’s existence, perhaps they really could have gone on like that forever. Gu Yining loved her, and she needed Gu Yining to help her weather one heat cycle after another. It had seemed like a mutually beneficial arrangement—no one owed the other anything.

Except Gu Yining had never treated it as a transaction.

Gu Yining wanted a love where you love me, and I love you in return.

She didn’t want the resources, the jewelry, the benefits Bai Qingqiu could give her.

What Bai Qingqiu wanted was an alpha who resembled Bei Nanyan—someone like her, not Gu Yining herself. She had never asked Gu Yining what she wanted, never cared how Gu Yining felt. She had simply pulled her into her life, convinced she could control everything, convinced she could arrange Gu Yining’s entire future.

Then Gu Yining learned the truth somehow and wanted to leave. Fine—let her go.

Even with Bai Xia in the picture, so what?

Aside from the nuisance that was Bei Nanyan, wasn’t this the most ideal outcome? Gu Yining had cut ties with her completely, yet in name and in reason she was still Bai Xia’s mother. Bai Xia had one more person who loved her, protected her. With Gu Yining around, Bai Qingqiu wouldn’t have to worry about Bai Xia growing up with only Aunt Han and no maternal affection.

So why did she still feel guilty for hurting Gu Yining?

If she didn’t love Gu Yining, then cutting off Gu Yining’s inappropriate lingering feelings toward her should have been good for both of them.

Then why was it that Gu Yining seemed to have finally let go of feelings that had persisted for five years—yet Bai Qingqiu felt more lost than Gu Yining herself?

She raised a hand and pinched the aching bridge of her nose, feeling utterly exhausted at heart.

In the past, she could say with absolute certainty that she didn’t love Gu Yining. She treated her well only because Gu Yining resembled Bei Nanyan—because she couldn’t let Bei Nanyan go.

But now?

Now that she knew Bei Nanyan had targeted Gu Yining because of her, she didn’t feel even the slightest hint of satisfaction. Instead, she felt it wasn’t worth it for Gu Yining, felt that Bei Nanyan was despicable and disgusting.

Was that love?

At this very moment, Bai Qingqiu interrogated herself.

No.

She didn’t love Bei Nanyan. Just the thought of meeting her made her feel sick—let alone getting back together with her, as Gu Yining had asked.

Everything she had deliberately avoided thinking about, everything she had been afraid to face, everything she had numbed herself against, became painfully clear in this moment.

Gu Yining was Gu Yining. She was not Bei Nanyan.

Five years of living together—without even realizing it, Bai Qingqiu had long since learned to distinguish the two. It was only she herself who had stubbornly continued to deceive herself, deceiving Gu Yining along the way.

Bai Qingqiu lowered her head and loosely curled her fingers into her palm.

In the mornings, Bai Qingqiu habitually went to the dining room for breakfast. “Breakfast” was a misnomer—she rarely had much appetite. She went mainly so Bai Xia could see her mother, so she could sit there for a bit and drink a glass of milk.

Most of her day was spent at the company. By the time she got home, Bai Xia was already asleep. Morning was their rare chance to see each other.

As usual, two breakfasts were laid out on the table. Bai Xia had sweetened milk with cereal; Bai Qingqiu had plain milk with a sandwich.

“Mom!” Hearing footsteps, Bai Xia turned and greeted her.

Bai Qingqiu nodded in response and was about to sit down when she noticed something beside Bai Xia’s seat—a stuffed toy.

“What’s that next to you?” she asked.

Bai Xia set down her milk, a ring of white foam clinging to her lips. At the question, she picked up the toy from beside her chair and held it up proudly. It was a small teddy bear, visibly old. Its round face had button eyes and nose sewn on. Aside from its fur being a little faded with age, it had clearly been well cared for.

Bai Qingqiu remembered what it used to look like—the stuffing had clumped together, the arm barely attached to the body. Gu Yining must have replaced the cotton filling later.

There was no need to ask. It was from Gu Yining.

Back then, when Gu Yining left, aside from her clothes, this teddy bear was the only thing she took with her.

“My new friend,” Bai Xia said brightly. “Aunt Gu said that when I miss her, I can play with the teddy bear.”

Bai Xia didn’t know any of the past. Her eyes were wide and innocent.

Bai Qingqiu fell silent for a moment, emotions churning.

“Aunt Gu really cares about you,” she said, doing her best to sound calm. She sat down and lifted her own glass of milk. No sugar—just plain milk. She’d never liked sweet things.

“Mm! Aunt Gu said she’ll miss me too,” Bai Xia replied happily, mimicking her as she raised her cup of sweet milk.

Of course, Gu Yining would miss Bai Xia. Unfortunately, she barely had any free time. One schedule followed another; being able to spare a day or two to visit Bai Qingqiu’s place and see Bai Xia was already rare.

Rushing from one engagement to the next was irritating enough—but someone simply couldn’t stand to see her at peace.

Who else could it be?

Bei Nanyan pulled open the door of Gu Yining’s trailer and walked right in. Even Xiao Li, who had been organizing the script beside her, froze in surprise.

Gu Yining looked straight at that face—one that resembled hers by nearly eighty percent—and for the first time found those eyes, that nose, that mouth unbearably repulsive. The other woman neither got angry nor embarrassed, letting her stare freely.

“Xiao Li, go outside for now,” Gu Yining said, exhaling heavily as she forced down the irritation in her chest.

“Okay. Call me if you need anything,” Xiao Li replied, quickly putting down what she was holding and leaving, carefully closing the trailer door behind them.

With no outsiders present, Bei Nanyan grew even bolder, striding over and sitting down on the sofa barely half an arm’s length away from Gu Yining.

“Are you satisfied now?” Gu Yining asked.

She didn’t specify with what. She knew Bei Nanyan would understand—and this was likely the very reason she’d come. After all, she’d gone to such lengths to stir up public opinion, only for Gu Yining to show no reaction at all, not even collapsing in heartbreak or angrily denouncing how heartless Bai Qingqiu was.

How disappointed Bei Nanyan must have been.

“Not satisfied,” Bei Nanyan admitted frankly. “I’m not surprised you figured it out—but how can you be so completely unfazed?” As she spoke, she curled one corner of her lips in a deliberately malicious smile, her words thick with insinuation.

“What kind of reaction are you expecting from me?” Gu Yining wasn’t about to let herself be looked down on. Since things had already been laid bare between them, there was no need for empty politeness anymore.

“You should be heartbroken,” Bei Nanyan said. “Aren’t you madly in love with Bai Qingqiu? I spent several nights with you at the hotel, after all.” Her sole purpose was to disgust her, and each sentence was more nauseating than the last.

They had clearly been at the hotel discussing upcoming contract arrangements, yet she made it sound as if something sordid had gone on between them.

Childish tricks.

A desperate last gasp.

Not only was Gu Yining unmoved—she felt steadier than ever. Bei Nanyan had resorted to cheap verbal provocation so quickly that it was obvious she’d already run out of real weapons.

“Instead of drinking my stale, five-year-old vinegar,” Gu Yining said leisurely, lifting the iced Americano she’d barely had a chance to drink before Bei Nanyan barged in, “why don’t you go beg Bai Qingqiu to get back together with you?”

“Why would I get back together with Bai Qingqiu?” Bei Nanyan reacted as if she’d just been asked something utterly absurd.

“Then why are you so obsessed with whether I’m hurt or not?” Gu Yining countered. “If you truly loved Bai Qingqiu, shouldn’t you be moved by how she’s consistently favored and protected you for five years? Back then, when you found out I existed, you took down the entire upper management of her company, threw BaiXing Group into chaos for months before it finally stabilized—and Bai Qingqiu never blamed you once. Now, because I had a child with her, you used my popularity to stir up this wave of public opinion, forcing her to stay up night after night cleaning up the mess you made until she passed out in her office. And still, she never came after you.”

Gu Yining finished in one breath, convinced her reasoning was airtight and perfectly clear.

As an observer—setting aside her awkward position—she had seen Bai Qingqiu’s indulgence toward Bei Nanyan with striking clarity.

Without realizing it, her tone had taken on a hint of indignation on Bai Qingqiu’s behalf.

Bei Nanyan’s expression twisted as if she’d just heard something filthy.

“Oh, right. I never told you this back then,” Bei Nanyan said. “That executive—what was her name, Hong something—wasn’t brought down by me at all. Do you really think I had that kind of power, to dig up the dirt on BaiXing’s top brass in such a short time? Toppling her was Bai Qingqiu’s idea. She gave me everything herself. She even called me personally back then to ask if you were really determined to leave. Only after that did she hand the evidence over to me.”

As she revisited the past, Bei Nanyan’s tone grew even more mocking, placing deliberate emphasis on the word “personally.”

It was jarring.

Gu Yining’s ears rang slightly.

After the breakup, Bai Qingqiu had still done so much for her?

She had arranged her departure, even taken care of the handover of resources afterward—everything handled cleanly and thoroughly.

Gu Yining’s first thought was relief: thank goodness the breakup hadn’t turned ugly. She should thank her past self for having loved Bai Qingqiu so deeply—deeply enough that even after separating, she hadn’t done anything vile or said anything cruel. She’d even remembered to bring Bai Qingqiu a bag of stomach medicine when her gastritis flared up.

No wonder Bei Nanyan was still drinking that old vinegar.

Forget Bei Nanyan—even Gu Yining herself, now that she understood the full story, felt faintly ridiculous thinking back on her so-called clever escape plan. She had pretended ignorance in front of Bai Qingqiu, convinced she’d fooled her completely, believing herself brilliant.

It turned out Bai Qingqiu had known everything all along.

She’d thought she was a gilded canary prying open its own cage door, when in truth she was nothing more than a pet that had been deliberately set free.

When Gu Yining failed to respond for a long time, Bei Nanyan grew even more irritated.

“So, tell me,” Bei Nanyan pressed, leaning closer. “Should I care or not?”

“Do you really think you’ve been fair to Bai Qingqiu?” Gu Yining lifted her head and met her gaze. “You’ve said all this just to target me, but you’ve never once thought about how Bai Qingqiu feels, or whether she’s doing okay. You’re not unable to let go of her—you’re just venting your ugly, shameful possessiveness.”

“So righteous,” Bei Nanyan sneered. “And what about you? Bai Qingqiu’s done all this for you—why don’t I see you repaying her?”

“What happens between Bai Qingqiu and me,” Gu Yining tilted her head slightly, “isn’t something I need to explain to you, is it?”

She had won.

Bei Nanyan was successfully enraged.

Though, facing an opponent like this, winning hardly felt like something worth being proud of.

“Fine. Fine,” Bei Nanyan said coldly. “Gu Yining, don’t forget—I can still expose your relationship with Bai Qingqiu. I don’t mind dragging myself onto the table too, just to give everyone some after-dinner gossip.”

“Go ahead and expose it,” Gu Yining said with a shrug, spreading her hands. “Even for the child’s sake alone, Bai Qingqiu will stand with me and suppress it. Besides, what actor in this industry hasn’t been accused of having a sugar patron? Even those who don’t get one fabricated for them. Worst case, I sign back with BaiXing. Bai Qingqiu has resources to spare—two breakout dramas and I’m back. As long as the shows are good and popular enough, no one will remember whether I ever had a patron or not.”

Gu Yining shrugged again.

That was simply reality.

After spending so many years in the industry, if Bei Nanyan still couldn’t see that clearly, then that was a problem of her own ability.