After Being Marked by the Popular Female Lead O (GL) - Chapter 17

Having pre-arranged the necessary relationships, Deng Yue quickly agreed to the leave. Before departing, Xie Qingshu made a point to glance at Zhou Que. The other girl was still intentionally avoiding her, lowering her head to pretend to read the script, then lifting her eyes to check her surroundings. Finding that Xie Qingshu was still there, she froze in surprise.

Xie Qingshu found it somewhat amusing and took the initiative to walk over. “I’m going to an exhibition. Xiao Zhu will stay behind for you; no one will bully you.”

A muffled “Mhm” came from Zhou Que.

Xie Qingshu thought again of her little cat at home—soft and squishy, exposing its belly as soon as you gave it a treat. Zhou Que was too much like it. She instinctively reached out, wanting to pat her head, but stopped herself at the last moment, feeling it was too intimate. Instead, she patted the girl’s shoulder.

Young lady, work hard. I haven’t misjudged you.

Zhou Que: “?”

!

The gesture was incredibly gentle. The sense of repulsion that had surged within Zhou Que’s body due to the sudden proximity calmed down instantly. The desperate thoughts filling her mind were miraculously forgotten for a moment.

Xie Qingshu didn’t realize this; she only felt as if her heart had been licked by something. Before she brought that little cat home, it had been covered in blood, fierce and desperate just to snatch a bite of food, yet it was willing to retract its claws and rub against her with its softest parts.

A trace of a smile appeared in Xie Qingshu’s eyes. The kid is quite easy to coax.

Once Xie Qingshu left, the entire film crew became much quieter, and the atmosphere began to shift subtly.

“Sister Que, why are your ears so red?” the makeup artist asked curiously. It wasn’t even hot out.

Zhou Que touched her ear; it was faintly burning.

“Maybe because I’m about to go on set. I’m a bit nervous.”

Only after she finished speaking did she realize how hoarse her voice truly was.

As soon as she arrived at the Imperial Capital Airport’s VIP terminal, Song Mei came in person to pick her up. The event was being held discreetly, and the possibility of a leak was minimal, yet there were still many people present when she arrived.

A crowd had gathered holding light boards. Since Xie Qingshu wasn’t an idol and the event hadn’t been officially confirmed, the light board colors were varied, though cyan-green took up more than half.

Xie Qingshu took the papers and notebooks handed to her and signed them one by one. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a small, scattered group in a nearby corner holding red signs. Though few in number, they were very tight-knit, as if waiting for someone specific.

“Are there other celebrities coming today?”

Xie Qingshu asked softly. The next closest flight wasn’t for another two or three hours.

Song Mei didn’t have any extra names on her list. “Probably some minor celebrity or something.”

“Buy some milk tea and distribute it to everyone.”

Without Xie Qingshu needing to say it, Song Mei had already arranged for someone to prepare it.

The group bid farewell to the fans and got into the car, heading first to the studio to select a gown. Fortunately, they had plenty of time and didn’t need to rush.

“By the way, Professor Xie asked you to take some time during this trip to see Doctor Gu for a check-up. It’s almost time; your scent gland should be showing some reaction,” Song Mei remembered.

Xie Qingshu paused. For some reason, she hadn’t told Song Mei that her scent gland already had a reaction. However, the check-up would take too long, there were too many uncertain factors, and Zhou Que was still alone in the film crew.

“Next time. The director is quite rushed.”

Song Mei frowned but didn’t dwell on it. Given Xie Qingshu’s personality, she wouldn’t necessarily have an Omega even if her differentiation was successful. “If there’s a problem, you must tell me.”

After so many years, Xie Qingshu didn’t care much either way and gave a hum of affirmation.

This exhibition was connected to various industries. The list of sponsors seemed endless, and the attendees were at the very pinnacle of their respective fields—people whose casual gestures were beyond the reach of ordinary people. Of course, it was impossible to prevent some social climbers from mingling in.

The sky had darkened, with a few stars blinking quietly in the black curtain. However, far more dazzling than the stars were the constant flashes from the reporters’ cameras, as they struggled to capture moments of the stars to spin into stories later. Several high-profile celebrities were arranged at the front; “a sea of people” was not an exaggeration.

Behind them were the fans, stretching as far as the eye could see. They weren’t just fans of certain actors, but more came from other industries, a force not to be underestimated.

“Xie Qingshu is here today! She rarely attends these kinds of events!”

“Think about the nature of this event. Even Mr. Jin is here; he’s a giant in the painting world.”

“Bai Siran! She’s here! My goddess is so beautiful; she’s an Alpha’s dream!”

Bai Siran was wearing a bright red gown, exquisite and luxurious in every detail. She gave a sweet smile to the cameras, causing the crowd below to gasp in admiration.

“She is beautiful, but I still think Zhou Que looks better in red.”

Many people fell silent for a moment. That was indeed an incomparable standard.

Xie Qingshu made her appearance as the grand finale. Unlike the others, most of whom came in pairs, her aura alone was enough to crush everything around her as she stepped out of the car.

Once the cameras focused on her, they never looked away.

A conservative blue gown that looked almost rigid. In front of a crowd of gowns that were either sexy or ethereal, it looked unremarkable on its own. While one couldn’t find fault with it, having no fault was a fault in itself.

The crowd was slightly disappointed, but Xie Qingshu was still beautiful.

Xie Qingshu’s expression was cold. As she walked, her long, fair calves were intermittently exposed, creating a sharp contrast—the definition of alluring. Around her neck was a blue sapphire specially provided by a jewelry brand, shimmering brilliantly, beautiful yet restrained.

“Too Alpha!”

“Qingshu, look over here!”

“Even though I’m an O, as a piece of trash, I really want to dominate her.”

“Sister, you’re not alone.”

“She’s too incredible; tears are literally leaking from the corners of my mouth!”

The venue was a hotel in the city that was nearly impossible to book, especially for such a large-scale event. Though called an exhibition, it was actually a hodgepodge. Upon entering, one found many paintings hanging on the walls. The largest crowd was gathered around Bai Siran’s work, with a bunch of Alphas talking nonsense.

Xie Qingshu scanned the room briefly and looked away. Among the sponsors, she found a familiar name—Z.

She was slightly stunned but quickly realized. Based on the original book, Z’s reach was very broad, but her focus was concentrated on the entertainment industry and the Bai family’s assets. At a time like this, she would likely show up…

Should she introduce Zhou Que to her?

The thought lasted for a second before being dismissed. Zhou Que deserved someone even better. Suddenly, a voice caught Xie Qingshu’s attention.

“Hey, isn’t that Zhong Shan? Why is she here too?”

“Tsk, still daydreaming, I guess,” the person scoffed.

Neither of them restrained their voices; it was obvious who they were talking to. The young female Omega sitting in the corner bit her lip, stood up abruptly, and hurried away aimlessly, leaving the scene.

Zhong Shan hid in the restroom, sobbing quietly, not even daring to cry out loud. When she first found out about this, she found it unbelievable, but after seeing the painting, she was certain. Yet no matter what she said, no one believed her.

“Stop crying.”

A tissue was placed in front of her. The voice was clear and cool, the most beautiful she had ever heard.

Zhong Shan looked up and saw that the person was actually Xie Qingshu. Her face flushed bright red, and she hurriedly wiped her tears. “No need, thank you.”

“Do you need me to help you?”

Zhong Shan’s emotions calmed slightly, and it finally registered. Her eyes widened.

Xie Qingshu nodded slightly, confirming her thoughts.

Zhong Shan couldn’t understand why. The fact that Xie Qingshu was willing to help her was surprising enough. “No, it’s okay. Someone is going to help me.”

Xie Qingshu couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. After thinking for a moment, she thought of a candidate. The only person with the ability and motive was likely—Z.

Zhong Shan thought she was angry. “Please go out first. Since you know about my situation, try not to be seen with me. Just in case the media says something.”

Her posture was curled, her eyes full of unconcealable caution and low self-esteem.

Xie Qingshu pursed her lips, her mind going blank for a moment. She saw a shadow of Zhou Que in Zhong Shan, but she dismissed it the next second.

“Forget it. Come with me.”

Xie Qingshu’s eyes were clear. Relying on that sense of similarity alone, she couldn’t leave the girl here.

Zhong Shan hesitated for a moment, then stood up and quickly followed.

The moment they stepped out, Xie Qingshu caught a glimpse of a figure in red out of the corner of her eye. It looked somewhat familiar, but it was quickly swallowed up by the crowd.

It looked a bit like Zhou Que.

“What are you looking at?” Zhong Shan didn’t dare stand too close, her voice pitifully small.

“I saw wrong.”

Xie Qingshu suddenly felt like laughing. How could she think Zhong Shan and Zhou Que were alike?

They were completely different people.