After the Top Idol Omega and I Started Living Together - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Lu Zhao’s mind went blank, and her steps halted abruptly.

The dim light of the bar was replaced by open daylight, and the alcohol-numbed images became clear frame by frame.

Sheng Jingyu sat again in a quiet spot, with wisteria flowers hanging low, their shadows faintly outlining her slender, tall figure.

Even sitting, this person kept her back straight, her chin slightly raised as she looked over, poised yet not stiff, exuding an elegance that came from within, far beyond what could be cultivated.

Lu Zhao knew that on stage, dim lighting often hid many details.

Real life was the same.

This person was far more beautiful than she appeared in the bar that night and even more untouchable.

Yet she had touched her.

And touched her offensively.

Lu Zhao stood rooted in place, unsure whether to approach.

The real estate agent, Miss Zhang, unaware of their prior encounter, greeted enthusiastically as always, jogging to Lu Zhao’s side to welcome her: “Miss Lu is here!”

She pulled Lu Zhao over, introducing the latecomer: “That is Sheng Jingyu, Miss Sheng.”

Like Jing Yuan, this person’s name also carried the character “Jing.”

The thought naturally flashed through Lu Zhao’s mind; she was always sensitive to things related to Jing Yuan.

But now was not the time to get distracted.

Snapping back, Lu Zhao, adhering to the principle of facing what comes, removed her sunglasses and greeted Sheng Jingyu politely: “Hello, Miss Sheng.”

Sheng Jingyu looked at the face appearing in her view, her expression showing no extra emotion.

She was still the same as that night in the bar, nodding slightly to Lu Zhao.

The breeze made the surroundings unusually quiet.

Lu Zhao deeply disliked this awkward silence.

But this wasn’t the bar that night. Sober, Lu Zhao didn’t rush forward to question obsessively.

She just stood there, wearing her always-beautiful smile, looking at Sheng Jingyu.

The atmosphere was eerily quiet. Miss Zhang reacted quickly, whispering in Lu Zhao’s ear: “Miss Sheng’s vocal cords are damaged; she can’t speak. But she uses sign language and can type to communicate through her phone.”

As the words landed, the smile in Lu Zhao’s eyes faded significantly.

The breeze blew gently, the light skirt brushing over Sheng Jingyu’s calves, revealing a slender glimpse.

She sat with her head raised, her silver-gray eyes reflecting the wisteria’s shadow, like a string of grapes in a serene, cold pool.

The summer was scorching, but she was cool.

Her frail, sickly frame carried resilience, every gesture exuding untarnished purity.

And yet, this was the person Lu Zhao had forced to speak that night!

She had even tempted her with an inhibitor patch after noticing her interest in her pheromones!

Over the years, Lu Zhao’s guilt had never felt so heavy.

What was she doing!

Wasn’t this like pouring salt on someone’s wound?

How was this different from kicking a cripple’s good leg!

You’re awful, Lu Zhao!

Lu Zhao was frantic, wishing she could crawl into a hole.

Miss Zhang didn’t notice her distress, assuming her silence was hesitation, and continued to persuade: “Actually, Miss Lu, you travel nationwide often, so you’ll rarely cross paths with Miss Sheng under the same roof. There’s no need to worry about communication issues.”

Lu Zhao forced a smile. With her current meager resources, she might not be so busy after her limited group disbands next month.

And because of her family elders, she knew sign language, so communicating with Sheng Jingyu wouldn’t be an issue.

But was that the point?

The point was, Lu Zhao didn’t know how to face Sheng Jingyu now.

That night, she had exposed her pheromones to her. Even in the bar’s dim light, Sheng Jingyu, an Omega, couldn’t have failed to recognize her as an Alpha!

Maybe she should just call off this deal…

Lu Zhao hesitated, wanting to retreat like a turtle into its shell.

But before she could retreat, Miss Zhang dropped a bombshell: “Miss Sheng just confirmed she’ll rent the old mansion, and the contract is signed.”

Lu Zhao’s brows twitched: “You moved pretty fast.”

Her words were calm, her face still smiling.

But Miss Zhang sensed displeasure from this top-tier Alpha in Lu Zhao’s expression.

The invisible pressure was like a boulder. Miss Zhang, helpless, explained: “After all, you said at noon that as long as the other party agreed, we could sign the lease immediately. The contract was already signed by you, wasn’t it?”

The surroundings fell silent for a second, then the pressure lifted.

“True.” Lu Zhao had outsmarted herself, her voice full of resignation as she said gently to Miss Zhang: “This past year has been tough on you.”

“Not tough.” Miss Zhang replied instantly, her face carrying an Omega’s charming smile.

She meant it.

Though she had worked with Lu Zhao for a long time, even wanting to give up at times, every time she saw Lu Zhao’s stunning Alpha-filled face, she found the courage to continue.

Where else could she get the chance to admire such an Alpha up close!

And it was the Idol she had followed during the talent show!

Miss Zhang couldn’t help staring at Lu Zhao’s breathtakingly beautiful face, suddenly envying Sheng Jingyu’s future co-living with Lu Zhao.

If only she were that rich.

Muttering to herself, Miss Zhang remembered something and said to Lu Zhao: “Also, after signing the contract, Miss Sheng paid a year’s rent upfront.”

She glanced at her watch, eagerly telling Lu Zhao: “If I file the taxes before closing, the money will hit your card by the morning after tomorrow.”

Hearing this, Lu Zhao was surprised.

A year’s rent for this house was no small sum.

Most people with that money would buy a small villa, not bother co-renting with her.

Could she have her eye on this old mansion?

After all, this old mansion was rare even among old mansions, and truly wealthy people didn’t treat money as money.

Instinctively, Lu Zhao glanced at Sheng Jingyu in the distance.

The breeze, cooled by green leaves, swirled again, rustling the papers on the stone table.

Sheng Jingyu flipped through the contract unhurriedly, her fingertips free of any trace of greed, elegant and delicate, fitting the image of someone who saw money as nothing.

Miss Zhang saw Lu Zhao’s expression soften, knowing the matter was settled.

She held down one of the three copies of the contract on the stone table, putting it in her bag, and said: “Since you two will live under the same roof, why not let Miss Lu show Miss Sheng around? I have some things to handle, so I’ll leave first.”

“Wishing Miss Lu and Miss Sheng a happy co-living life!”

Miss Zhang’s voice was cheerful, and Sheng Jingyu nodded politely.

Lu Zhao watched Miss Zhang’s joyful back as she left, anticipating a big commission, feeling a mix of joy and sorrow.

An apology was necessary.

She just hoped Miss Sheng wouldn’t hold a grudge over her actions that night.

“Miss Lu, I didn’t expect we’d become co-renters.”

As Lu Zhao braced herself to think of apology words, a mechanical female voice came.

She looked up and saw Sheng Jingyu holding her phone, as Miss Zhang had described.

Seeing this as a chance to break the ice, Lu Zhao immediately said: “Miss Sheng, no need for such trouble. I know some sign language.”

She raised her hand, signing to Sheng Jingyu: “I’m very sorry about the bar.”

Though she hadn’t used it in a while and some gestures were rusty, Sheng Jingyu understood.

Compared to her drunken mischief the other night, Lu Zhao now seemed sincerely apologetic.

She said she was a normal Alpha, with no bad habits like alcoholism, and that night was an exception—she drank heavily because she was too upset.

When Sheng Jingyu decided to retire, she knew some would be heartbroken.

She didn’t mind Lu Zhao’s overstep that day, giving her a faint smile and signing: “Miss Lu loves Jing Yuan too much.”

“I made a fool of myself to Miss Sheng.” Lu Zhao smiled bitterly, then said: “I promise this won’t happen again, especially during our co-rental.”

Her eyes were bright, amber like the sun overhead.

Sheng Jingyu had met many people and could sense Lu Zhao’s sincerity. Not liking to dwell on a topic, she shifted the conversation: “Miss Zhang said Miss Lu is an artist.”

“Yes.” Lu Zhao nodded, reflexively introducing herself: “I’m Lu Zhao, a member of received SEVEN.”

Unsure how much Miss Zhang had told Sheng Jingyu, and thinking her status might cause concern, she explained: “I have two assistants—one handles work matters, the other my daily life. The life assistant comes often and sometimes stays over, but the work assistant rarely comes.”

“You can rest assured the community’s security is good; no stalkers can get in, and I don’t have any stalkers.”

Lu Zhao gave a self-deprecating smile.

As a washed-up Idol, she hadn’t escaped the “peak at debut” curse of talent shows, her initial popularity long worn away.

“Understood.” Sheng Jingyu kept it simple, and after Lu Zhao’s explanation, she added: “Before losing my voice, I was a musician. Now my team is disbanded, and I’m alone.”

Lu Zhao was surprised.

She hadn’t expected Sheng Jingyu to be from a similar circle, and a musician at that.

Music…

The green leaves swayed in the breeze, their shifting shadows like regrets left from spring.

Sheng Jingyu sat upright on the stone bench, her slightly raised chin and neck forming a beautiful line, pale and slender, exuding an alluring yet distant coolness in the light.

For someone this beautiful, it would be wonderful to hear her voice.

Lu Zhao felt a pang.

She had loved singing since childhood, and the thought of losing her voice was heartbreaking, let alone for a musician like Sheng Jingyu.

Perhaps out of guilt for her bad behavior at the bar, Lu Zhao took the initiative as the landlord, saying to Sheng Jingyu: “If Miss Sheng’s household staff need any help settling in, come to me. Don’t worry about troubling me.”

“Then I’ll trouble Miss Lu.” Sheng Jingyu said, “But aside from occasional house cleaning, I don’t have anyone for daily living.”

Lu Zhao was stunned.

Not because she didn’t understand Sheng Jingyu’s sign language, but because her words far exceeded her expectations.

When she decided to rent out the old mansion, Lu Zhao had prepared for a co-renter bringing many servants, hosting guests, throwing parties, and disrupting her quiet life.

She never imagined someone as delicate-looking as Sheng Jingyu would move in alone.

“While waiting for Miss Lu, Miss Zhang only briefly introduced the house’s details. I’m not familiar with the interior. If Miss Lu has time, could you show me around?”

Sheng Jingyu’s signing pulled Lu Zhao back from her drifting thoughts.

Thinking of Miss Zhang’s cheerful departure, Lu Zhao felt she was somewhat unreliable.

As the landlord, she had a duty, so she said to Sheng Jingyu: “Sure. I have no work this afternoon. The house has many rooms. I’ll show Miss Sheng around, and you can ask me any questions directly.”

Sheng Jingyu nodded, standing up.

Lu Zhao, used to being brushed by the wisteria vines here, reached out to lift the hanging vines for Sheng Jingyu.

“Careful.”

As Lu Zhao predicted, the breeze blew just then, playfully shaking the vines.

Lu Zhao’s shadow fell on Sheng Jingyu’s shoulder, her long hair swaying, the clustered wisteria flowers resembling upside-down lychees or surging seawater.

Thump, thump.

Sheng Jingyu paused, confirming one thing.

—That night, the taste that brushed her tongue wasn’t a lingering memory.

She wasn’t unable to smell Alpha pheromones anymore.

She could only smell Lu Zhao’s pheromone scent.