After the Top Idol Omega and I Started Living Together - Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Because Lu Zhao resolutely chose to study at a music academy years ago, she did not follow Qin Xingjue’s arrangement to attend a world-class business school. Their grandfather-granddaughter relationship became very unpleasant. As long as Lu Zhao stayed in that circle, Qin Xingjue would not help her even for a single day.

Thus, despite Lu Zhao having a background that would make outsiders envious, she had no one to rely on.

However, Lu Zhao never regretted her choice. She knew that wanting everything was not only too greedy but also showed a lack of conscience.

The grandfather and granddaughter silently followed an unspoken agreement with three conditions. Lu Zhao stubbornly pursued her path, while Qin Xingjue coldly waited for her to return.

An indescribable fragrance landed on Lu Zhao’s shoulder. Wu Nianchen, after Qin Xingjue’s introduction, stood beside her.

It was not that Lu Zhao disliked the scent; she just felt awkward.

Lu Zhao roughly understood that Qin Xingjue was using the events from a few days ago to make an issue. He wanted her to surrender and return with him.

He even chose a future marriage partner for her.

Thinking of this, resistance surged in Lu Zhao’s heart like never before. She looked at Qin Xingjue without hiding it: “Grandfather!”

Qin Xingjue’s expression, which had just softened, immediately turned stern. His voice was deep: “What?”

“I just want you to meet her, nothing else. I won’t break the promises I made to you, so rest assured,” Qin Xingjue said. His attitude was not particularly kind, but he assured Lu Zhao he would keep his word. “Don’t look at attributes so harshly. You’re both young girls. Isn’t your teacher also an Omega? What, the friend your grandfather brings you can’t compare to the ones you find yourself?”

This time, Qin Xingjue seemed to genuinely consider Lu Zhao’s feelings. His voice softened slightly as he spoke to Wu Nianchen: “Little Nian, I remember your family recently planned to expand into the new media industry, right?”

“Yes, Grandfather Qin,” Wu Nianchen nodded. “I’m mainly in charge.”

As they exchanged words, though they did not say it outright, Lu Zhao understood.

This was indeed a matchmaking setup, but not entirely forced. Perhaps the events from a few days ago caused Qin Xingjue to feel a sense of crisis. The Omega he chose for her was a girl somewhat related to her career.

For a moment, Lu Zhao did not know what to say.

To say Qin Xingjue did not care for or value her, he rushed here the moment something happened.

But to say Qin Xingjue loved her, after all these years, he still did not agree with her pursuing her dreams. He insisted she follow the path he planned.

His obsessive love painfully pierced her life.

Qin Xingjue stopped arguing with Lu Zhao. He laid out the benefits in front of her, leaving the choice to her: “Alright, Zhao Zhao, take Little Nian to have some fun. You young people have your own topics, and I won’t interfere.”

“Oh,” Lu Zhao replied reluctantly. Thinking she needed to clarify things with this Miss Wu, she politely smiled at her and gestured: “Let’s go to the backyard, Miss Wu.”

“Okay,” Wu Nianchen nodded gently, her eyes looking at Lu Zhao with tenderness.

This tenderness, coming from an Omega, carried a sense of admiration for an Alpha. Sheng Jingyu, standing nearby, saw it clearly.

She watched the smile in Lu Zhao’s eyes directed at another Omega. A layer of frost covered her calm gaze.

The morning sunlight brightly covered the corridor leading to the backyard. Lu Zhao and Wu Nianchen walked through the corridor toward the backyard.

They stood far less close than Lu Zhao and Sheng Jingyu had in the past. Yet, the light painted their silhouettes together.

Both had clean outlines, both were youthful figures, like a painting of fleeting youth. It was dazzling, yet one had to admit it was beautiful.

Yes, they were peers.

There was no five- or six-year age gap.

“You must be our Zhao Zhao’s teacher,” Qin Xingjue’s voice came to Sheng Jingyu’s ears.

His gaze had been on Lu Zhao and Wu Nianchen earlier, but at some point, it shifted to Sheng Jingyu.

From his earlier words, Sheng Jingyu knew Qin Xingjue was aware of her presence in Lu Zhao’s life. She calmly regained her composure, nodded politely to Qin Xingjue, and typed on her phone: “Hello, my name is Sheng Jingyu.”

“Zhao Zhao showed me her audition video,” Qin Xingjue said. Rarely was there someone around Lu Zhao worth acknowledging. His gaze lingered on Sheng Jingyu for a long time. “Being unable to speak yet having such skill, you indeed have some talent.”

Sheng Jingyu humbly replied: “You flatter me.”

The mechanical female voice sounded in Qin Xingjue’s ears again. He slightly gripped his cane and asked: “If I may ask, what happened to your voice?”

Sheng Jingyu’s gaze paused briefly. Her gray-silver eyes looked at Qin Xingjue calmly and deeply.

The surroundings grew quiet. Their eyes silently crossed in a moment. A sudden breeze blew in from outside the corridor.

Qin Xingjue never lost in such situations, especially not to an Omega.

Yet, this Omega gave him a sense of equal footing. His Alpha dominance gained no advantage over her, not even slightly surpassing her.

Compared to Lu Zhao, Sheng Jingyu, her teacher, was far more formidable.

Qin Xingjue could not read this person, just as he could not uncover her true background despite his investigations.

Such a person was either a true recluse or a true scoundrel.

Qin Xingjue trusted his years of judging people. In those gray-silver eyes, he chose the former: “I was too forward.”

“Our Zhao Zhao has a stubborn temper. Sometimes, please bear with her,” he added.

Sheng Jingyu lowered her guard as their gazes parted. She bowed her head and said: “It’s my duty.”

“I can tell you’re someone she trusts now,” Qin Xingjue said slowly. “Even if she hasn’t told you before, she’ll definitely tell you after today. So, I’ll tell you first.”

“I don’t support Lu Zhao entering this entertainment circle,” he declared.

There was no affectionate nickname for his granddaughter, only her full name.

Qin Xingjue’s voice resounded firmly, stating his longstanding stance.

“Frankly, this place is too messy,” Qin Xingjue said, his tone full of incomprehension. “Even if her mother doesn’t care about her, doesn’t she still have me? Why would she, a proper young lady of the Qin family, come to this place to be a thing for others to mock and judge? It’s simply absurd!”

Hearing this, Sheng Jingyu’s heart gradually sank.

She disliked Qin Xingjue’s prejudiced term for their profession. She finally saw the second obstacle on Lu Zhao’s path. “So, you’ve always wanted her to return and inherit the company,” she said.

“Exactly,” Qin Xingjue admitted frankly. “I have no issue with her treating these as hobbies or side interests, but she can’t take them seriously and tie her whole life to them. It’s too risky.”

Sheng Jingyu disagreed: “Ah Zhao has great talent in music.”

Qin Xingjue could not deny this. When Qin Xi was alive, she had deliberately nurtured Lu Zhao’s talent.

But now was different from the past. He could not feel at ease about this: “Zhao Zhao is very talented, I know that. But what does talent matter? Wasn’t she still bullied by her stepsister? Did her own mother ever favor her or treat her fairly? Hasn’t she always been mistreating her?”

The old man broadly listed Lu Zhao’s experiences over the past two years, his rhetorical questions clear and sharp.

Sheng Jingyu slightly raised her gaze to look at Qin Xingjue and asked: “You knew about these things.”

“Yes, I knew,” Qin Xingjue admitted readily, not feeling his indifference was wrong. “Your circle is the least humane place. Are power and s3x transactions rare? A few days ago, didn’t it almost…”

At this, Qin Xingjue paused, seemingly unwilling to think about what could have happened.

His expression softened slightly, and he looked at Sheng Jingyu again, sighing helplessly: “My intention was to let her give up unless she jumped into the Yellow River, but with you around, it seems she won’t give up even if she does.”

Hearing this, Sheng Jingyu’s face showed no expression. Her fingers on the phone screen did not type any polite, empty words.

After a brief pause, Qin Xingjue spoke again: “You value talent, I understand. That doesn’t conflict with my care for her.”

He seemed to seek some common ground with Sheng Jingyu, his tone much more sincere than before: “I’ll be eighty after the New Year. How many years do I have left? She can like singing in the future, but she needs a reliable Omega by her side. Teacher, do you understand?”

Qin Xingjue’s address for Sheng Jingyu changed. His voice carried a heavy tone: “That person doesn’t have to be Little Nian. I promised I wouldn’t force her like I forced her mother. So, if there’s a suitable Omega, please help her and give her a push. It might work out, don’t you think?”

Sheng Jingyu remained silent, not answering immediately.

She did not know why, but facing Qin Xingjue’s question, the first thought in her mind was: She was not the Omega suitable for Lu Zhao.

Yes, how many years did she have left?

A soft question landed like a giant stone, crashing into Sheng Jingyu’s heart.

The barren land stirred with sand and wind again. The world she had barely built crumbled halfway.

Another Omega would stand by Lu Zhao’s side in the future, and they would distance themselves to avoid suspicion.

False intimacy or reckless kisses were unspeakable shades of gray, destined to be overwritten and erased by new memories.

These days with Lu Zhao, she almost forgot this issue.

She almost forgot the death mark branded on her since she was eight, forgot that in this world, she was like a mayfly unaware of dawn or dusk, a cicada ignorant of spring or autumn.

Sheng Jingyu did not know how she responded to Qin Xingjue. After their conversation ended, she returned to her room.

The morning light brightly filled the room. Cicadas chirped loudly in the sun’s warmth.

Having just returned from the island, Sheng Jingyu somewhat wanted to go back.

Back to the place where only she and Lu Zhao existed.

Lu Zhao did not spend much time with Wu Nianchen. After explaining she had no such intentions, she soon left with Qin Xingjue.

After seeing the old man off, Chenchen, who had not dared to leave, let out a long sigh. Exhausted, she hugged the jar of shells she collected for Lu Zhao and returned to her rented little nest to recharge.

The villa regained its usual calm. Lu Zhao immediately relaxed her tense shoulders.

Then she stepped upstairs to share this news with Sheng Jingyu and change into lighter clothes.

As Lu Zhao’s footsteps reached the second-floor landing, a tall shadow appeared in her view.

Sheng Jingyu seemed to sense Qin Xingjue’s departure. She came out of her room, heading toward the staircase behind Lu Zhao.

Clouds suddenly covered half the sun. The scorching, restless summer air was dampened by humidity.

Green vines sprawled across the ground. Azure grapes burst one by one in the air. Their tart sweetness rode the crowded air, rushing toward Lu Zhao in waves.

Lu Zhao’s heart thumped, as if sensing something: “Teacher, are you…”

Before she could finish, Sheng Jingyu’s outstretched hand interrupted her.

“So you really don’t remember what you did?” Sheng Jingyu asked.

Her eyes were as calm as before. Her actions seemed premeditated.

Her signing speed was unprecedentedly fast, her word order reversed.

The rich scent of grapes enveloped Lu Zhao’s mind, leaving no room for thought or reaction.

Sheng Jingyu was the same.

Lu Zhao’s hanging wrist was caught off guard. Those gray-silver eyes reflected in her view grew closer.

The wall with the open window blocked Lu Zhao’s retreat. Without pause, Sheng Jingyu held her wrist and kissed her directly.