After the Top Idol Omega and I Started Living Together - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

A strange silence filled the vast mansion.

Lu Zhao’s lips twitched slightly, her face showing a vivid expression. She never imagined she would fall for the same person twice, each time in a uniquely creative way.

No matter how freely she let herself go earlier, she had to restrain herself now.

Lu Zhao forced a professional fake smile on her face, as if nothing had happened, and greeted Sheng Jingyu warmly: “Miss Sheng, you’re back. When did you return? I didn’t hear a sound.”

Sheng Jingyu’s face showed no expression. She looked at Lu Zhao and slowly gestured: “From ‘Mountain Mist and Wind Together.'”

In other words, Sheng Jingyu returned when Lu Zhao was singing the climax of Jing Yuan’s song.

In other words, Sheng Jingyu heard every bit of Lu Zhao’s unrestrained high notes.

In other words, Sheng Jingyu also heard Lu Zhao’s narcissistic boasts about being as good as Jing Yuan.

Help…

Overwhelming embarrassment flooded Lu Zhao. She regretted asking that question.

Why did she have to ask Sheng Jingyu when she returned? Couldn’t she just pretend nothing happened and move on?

So, Lu Zhao learned her lesson and treated the earlier incident as if it never occurred.

She tried hard to maintain her good roommate image in front of Sheng Jingyu, shook the instant noodle pot in her hand, and invited: “Miss Sheng, are you hungry after being out so long? Want to eat something together?”

“No need,” Sheng Jingyu refused, keeping her distance as usual.

But this time, she looked at the red, spicy broth in the pot and added: “Miss Lu, you should eat less spicy food.”

Although Lu Zhao’s unrestrained performance was hard to watch, her earlier singing was genuinely beautiful.

The heavy door blocked all sounds in the mansion. When Sheng Jingyu pushed it open, an ethereal voice hit her fully.

She recognized the hummed melody as her own song and realized the highly captivating voice belonged to Lu Zhao.

Out of a sense of talent appreciation, Sheng Jingyu raised her hand to remind Lu Zhao.

“Miss Lu, if your goal is to become a singer like Jing Yuan, you must protect your voice. Relying on natural talent to hit high notes is not a long-term plan.”

Lu Zhao didn’t expect Sheng Jingyu to say such words. The embarrassment on her face turned into surprise.

Sheng Jingyu could analyze the situation so accurately.

Was this her professional habit as a musician?

Her reminder was brief.

Sheng Jingyu looked at Lu Zhao, who hadn’t spoken for a while, and lifted her foot to leave.

But at the moment she turned, a sigh came from behind.

Lu Zhao put down the instant noodle pot, looking troubled: “But I can’t find the feeling of using my diaphragm. Last time, I tried following an online tutorial and nearly ruined my voice.”

Sheng Jingyu paused, a trace of surprise flashing in her eyes: “Miss Lu, have you never studied systematically with a teacher?”

“Sort of,” Lu Zhao nodded.

In the past, she asked the company to find her a vocal teacher.

But her vocal teacher’s attention was always on another student.

She figured everything out on her own.

It seemed that since she entered this industry, no one around her ever offered help.

She was alone, empty.

“I’ll show you.”

Just as Lu Zhao felt a bit melancholic, a mechanical female voice came from above her head.

The voice and action happened together. As Lu Zhao looked up, she saw Sheng Jingyu standing close in front of her.

Her dark hair fell casually into Lu Zhao’s view, and her thick, dense eyelashes spread like raven feathers. Light passed through these barriers, softly blending into her gray-silver eyes.

Sheng Jingyu maintained her usual calm and aloof demeanor, yet for some reason, she crossed the boundary she always kept with others.

Lu Zhao stared, her reaction slow.

As she blinked, Sheng Jingyu raised her hand toward her.

The thin pajama fabric made her feel the breath before the fingers even touched.

Unlike the scorching summer day, Sheng Jingyu’s fingers were cool.

Cicadas, overwhelmed by the summer heat, stretched their sounds into the mansion.

Though this closeness happened yesterday too, Lu Zhao’s heart inexplicably raced.

“Try using this spot to sing,” Sheng Jingyu typed with one hand, her phone producing the voice, “Lift your tongue to the roof of your mouth. You’ll feel a resonance with this syllable.”

The flat, emotionless voice snapped Lu Zhao back.

She felt Sheng Jingyu’s fingers on that spot on her body and tried singing the line she had screamed earlier.

“Deep like smoke…”

Lu Zhao felt her head open up, a strange resonance echoing in her mind.

Her voice was naturally bright. Reciting the words Sheng Jingyu wrote, the sound brushed past her ear.

The air stirred restlessly, a shapeless scent wafting in the narrow space.

The noon heat blurred boundaries, making their shadows faintly lean together. On the side Lu Zhao didn’t notice, absorbed in her joy, a soft sniff came.

Sheng Jingyu’s eyes were clearer than yesterday, undisturbed by water. She easily suppressed her longing for Lu Zhao.

But in a break from guiding, she couldn’t resist secretly sniffing the scent wafting from Lu Zhao.

The sea breeze softened the summer heat, lychee-like, crisp as her owner’s voice now.

Sheng Jingyu’s expression stayed calm, but a trace of uncontrollable yearning passed through her steady eyes.

She didn’t like touching others, yet her hand rested on Lu Zhao’s waist.

Realizing this, Sheng Jingyu’s gaze shifted slightly.

She calmly and restrainedly withdrew her action and said to Lu Zhao: “Very good.”

Sheng Jingyu’s expression was cool, but she inwardly acknowledged Lu Zhao’s quick learning.

She stepped back, not returning to yesterday’s distance, and added to Lu Zhao: “Miss Lu, I hope you remember this spot and this feeling this time.”

Having hit the seemingly impossible high note, Lu Zhao gained great confidence.

She nodded to Sheng Jingyu, grateful even though it was just a pronunciation tip: “Thank you, Miss Sheng. I won’t forget.”

And later, Lu Zhao truly succeeded.

Standing on a stadium stage for tens of thousands, she looked at the sea of lights and sang loudly.

She had engraved Sheng Jingyu’s guidance, along with her actions, into her body.

.

This summer was unpredictable, with heatwaves rolling in before high summer.

Tall buildings pierced the clouds, dark and heavy, as if blocking all heat.

Dim lights stretched along the corridor, and the soft soundproof flooring muffled footsteps.

Lu Zhao hurriedly pushed open the door, and intense song accompaniment poured out.

Her work assistant only informed her that morning, as if just remembering, that the group album recording, originally scheduled for the afternoon, was changed to the morning.

Chenchen, seeing the dismissive attitude on the phone, was furious and quickly arranged a car for Lu Zhao.

When Lu Zhao introduced her assistant situation to Sheng Jingyu, she didn’t tell the full story.

Her work assistant not only rarely showed up but also didn’t take her seriously.

Her work assistant had someone else in her heart.

Together with her manager, they pampered that person.

Lu Zhao left during the morning rush and, even with a car, was stuck in traffic for a long time.

Looking at her teammates who arrived earlier, she apologized: “Sorry, the traffic was bad.”

“No problem, Ah Zhao,” Xu Xiaonian grabbed Lu Zhao, offering her chips and asking if she wanted some.

Lu Zhao didn’t usually eat snacks and was about to decline when a sudden “Tch” came from the room.

Duan Xuan leaned against the recording studio wall, arms crossed, and said discontentedly: “If you knew it was congested, you should have left earlier. You made the whole group wait for you.”

Lu Zhao glanced at Duan Xuan.

She never got along with her since the talent show and didn’t plan to engage.

But Xu Xiaonian didn’t tolerate her, biting chips and retorting: “Our group has seven people, and only four are here today. How is that the whole group? And didn’t you finish your part already? What time did you lose? You’re probably just wasting your own time here.”

Duan Xuan faltered, then spoke up for someone else: “But Liaoliao waited for her a long time. Liaoliao came earliest. If not for waiting to record the duet part, Liaoliao would have left.”

“Hah…” Xu Xiaonian sneered, about to retort when a voice interrupted, “It’s fine, Ah Zhao’s here now.”

The voice was soft and gentle, full of peace that avoided conflict.

The professional recording room’s inner door opened, and a white skirt swayed lightly as Si Liaoliao walked out slowly.

Flat light fell on her face, her thin eyeliner outlining peach-blossom eyes.

Her features weren’t too refined but blended plainly, radiating an Omega’s pure white aura under the right makeup.

Si Liaoliao didn’t seem to mind Lu Zhao’s lateness, her eyes still soft.

Holding the lyric sheet, she walked to Lu Zhao and said: “Ah Zhao, I discussed with the captain earlier. Our duet part should go up one key for a better effect.”

“I wanted to discuss it with you when you arrived, but you were late, so I talked with the captain first. She also thinks raising it one key will sound better.”

Saying this, Si Liaoliao turned to the captain, Cheng Ji, for confirmation.

Cheng Ji, the group’s neutral center, acted with an Alpha veteran’s vibe. Hearing Si Liaoliao, she nodded: “Yes, Liaoliao told me this morning. She sang it for comparison. It does feel better than the previous version. Your duet is a small climax, and raising it one or two notes will enhance the effect. But…”

Cheng Ji paused.

As the center and captain, she knew everyone’s level, especially Lu Zhao’s voice, criticized during the talent show.

She hesitated, then suggested: “For stability, I think raising it half a key is enough.”

But Si Liaoliao disagreed.

Her voice was always gentle and calm, her innocent look seeming conflict-free, as if she only debated for better results: “But this is received seven’s last group album. Everyone wants to present their best, and Ah Zhao surely doesn’t want it to be imperfect, right?”

Saying the last sentence, Si Liaoliao looked at Lu Zhao.

Her dark eyes hid more ambition than anyone.

—She disliked Lu Zhao and always found ways to suppress her.

—Suppress this Alpha who never bowed no matter what.

So Si Liaoliao spoke again, casually considering Lu Zhao: “And if Ah Zhao can’t hit the notes, like before, post-production can fix it, right?”