Forced to Pretend to Be an A and Marry the Best Actress Omega - Chapter 42

In the space beyond Jiang Lingyu’s line of sight, Xu Mifei blinked rapidly, unsure why Jiang Lingyu would ask such a question.

Who was she?

Could it be… Jiang Lingyu knew?

No, no, that was impossible. Jiang Lingyu was someone from the book, and her current identity was too. At most, she might notice the original host’s personality had changed, but she couldn’t possibly know the soul inside had been replaced.

This must be a test.

Xu Mifei steadied herself and, taking advantage of covering Jiang Lingyu’s eyes, answered smoothly: “I’m Xu Mifei.”

Jiang Lingyu seemed to laugh softly, her eyelashes fluttering against Xu Mifei’s palm like gentle brushes. Xu Mifei resisted the urge to scratch the ticklish sensation.

Though she didn’t understand what amused Jiang Lingyu, making her happy now was all that mattered.

“Which three characters?”

She hadn’t expected Jiang Lingyu’s questions to grow increasingly absurd.

…Fine.

If this Q&A brought Jiang Lingyu joy, she’d play along.

“It’s the ‘Xu’ in Xu Mifei, the ‘Mi’ in Xu Mifei, and the ‘Fei’ in Xu Mifei.”

“Just these three characters?” Jiang Lingyu blinked again, this time closer—the tips of her lashes grazing like a faint electric current.

Xu Mifei’s breath hitched for half a second before she lowered her gaze, her playful expression fading. Even knowing Jiang Lingyu wouldn’t understand, she spoke again: “Yes. The ‘Xu’ meaning ‘gradual progress,’ the ‘Mi’ meaning ‘to seek,’ and the ‘Fei’ meaning ‘precious jade.’ Just these three.”

This was the name her grandmother had given her.

The old woman had said it was because Xu Mifei was a treasure hard-won, and in her eyes, beautiful jade was the rarest gem—hence the name.

“Good, I understand now.” Jiang Lingyu guided Xu Mifei’s wrist downward. “You can lower your hand. I won’t look.”

For some reason, after answering these questions, the tension between them seemed to soften.

A closer look revealed a faint smile lingering on Jiang Lingyu’s lips—subtle but persistent.

If something as simple as asking about her name could bring such happiness, could she repeat it whenever Jiang Lingyu was upset?

“Why ask me these questions?” Xu Mifei ventured, emboldened by Jiang Lingyu’s eased expression.

“Didn’t you say you’d give me hope?” Jiang Lingyu glanced at her briefly before looking away. “I’m searching for it.”

“So… you’ve found some?” Xu Mifei’s eyes shone with unconcealed delight. “Have you? There’s hope now, right?”

She didn’t even realize how close she’d leaned in until her coat brushed against Jiang Lingyu’s qipao—the slight roughness making Jiang Lingyu immediately aware.

Xu Mifei’s coat had a small, inconspicuous tear. Only now did Jiang Lingyu notice what seemed like bloodstains on the sleeve.

How had she gotten here so urgently? Jiang Lingyu suddenly recalled—the Xu family car hadn’t been outside earlier.

“I’m still searching.”

“Find it, then find it…” Although Jiang Lingyu hadn’t confirmed she’d already found it, this answer made Xu Mifei feel victory was within reach. “Then you must promise me! Don’t do such things again, or how can we search for hope?”

Jiang Lingyu stared at her and slowly nodded.

But Xu Mifei didn’t believe it. She extended her hand, pinky slightly curled: “Pinky promise with me.”

How did such a childish method emerge from an adult’s mouth?

Jiang Lingyu’s speculation solidified in that moment—she had her answer.

And when she reached out to clasp Xu Mifei’s hand, she clearly saw the bloodstains on Xu Mifei’s fallen sleeve cuff—a large smear, definitely not her own.

Noticing Jiang Lingyu’s gaze on her, Xu Mifei followed it.

“How did you get here?”

Xu Mifei recounted everything truthfully, omitting the perilous moment when she’d prepared to jump from the car. Yet Jiang Lingyu could sense how desperate Xu Mifei must have been then.

“It’s fine. The one bleeding was him, not me,” Xu Mifei reassured her. “I’m not hurt either.”

Xu Mifei’s hands were beautiful—Jiang Lingyu admitted they held a certain allure.

When those hands gripped her shoulders, wrists, or chin, the faintly visible veins beneath the skin couldn’t mask their compelling tension.

Jiang Lingyu frowned, feeling Xu Mifei seemed utterly indifferent to her own predicament.

She pulled Xu Mifei’s hand closer, folding back the sleeve of her jacket to reveal a section of pristine wrist.

After thorough inspection and confirming no wounds—only frayed fabric where the sleeve had rubbed thin—Jiang Lingyu realized: had she not been observant enough, and had Xu Mifei not mentioned it, she might never have known what this person had endured to get here.

Her gaze shifted to Xu Mifei’s shoulder, where sure enough, there were marks from scraping.

The situation must have been dire, yet Xu Mifei still came.

“If the driver was blocking you, why were you in such a hurry to get here?” Jiang Lingyu didn’t understand when her life had become so crucial to Xu Mifei—important enough to risk safety to rush over.

Xu Mifei merely smiled. Only after did she withdraw her hand, saying lightly, “I told you, we’re partners—both in life and business. Good thing I came, isn’t it?”

Jiang Lingyu stayed silent, grasping the implication.

How could someone be so careless with their own life, all for another unrelated person? For the sake of that contract?

Truthfully, when signing that agreement, Jiang Lingyu never imagined it would hold such binding power over Xu Mifei.

But now, things seemed to have surpassed her initial expectations, veering off in another direction entirely—slipping beyond her control.

She hated losing control yet couldn’t resist the dangerous allure of what lay beyond it.

Xu Mifei withdrew her hand. “Later at dinner, I need to speak with Xu… with my father. If it doesn’t go well, I’ll take you away. We’ll go home together.”

No point staying where they didn’t belong. To Xu Mifei, that wasn’t home—she and Jiang Lingyu were both strangers in the Xu household.

If it weren’t for discussing Jiang Lingyu’s contract with Xu Yiming, she wouldn’t have bothered speaking to him at all.

Yet Xu Wanzhi undoubtedly still held some reverence for Xu Yiming. As the current alpha figurehead of the Xu family, and with Xu Mifei—a beta—serving as her contrasting counterpart, Xu Yiming placed great importance on Xu Wanzhi.

Given Xu Yiming’s personality—obsessed with reputation and family interests—if this second daughter had outperformed Xu Wanzhi during her second gender differentiation, Xu Wanzhi would have been discarded without hesitation.

Jiang Lingyu lowered her gaze and asked, “I remember you never wanted to go home before. This time, you’re actually willing to return?”

“I have something to discuss with them this time. Otherwise, I wouldn’t want to go back either.”

Noticing Jiang Lingyu’s probing gaze fixed on her, Xu Mifei instinctively began maintaining her carefully crafted persona in front of her.

Only when Jiang Lingyu finally looked away did Xu Mifei exhale in relief. Jiang Lingyu was too sharp—keeping things from her required considerable composure. Unfortunately, Xu Mifei only had that kind of resolve when it came to saving Jiang Lingyu; in all other matters, she fell short.

She chose to remain silent.

By the time they arrived at the Xu residence, it was already six in the evening—dinnertime. Yet when Xu Mifei appeared with Jiang Lingyu, not a single person came to greet them at the door.

…Well, maybe this meal wasn’t strictly necessary.

She led Jiang Lingyu into the dining room. Though no one had come to receive them, it was clear they had been waiting for her to bring Jiang Lingyu back for dinner. Every pair of eyes scrutinized them as they entered.

Xu Wanzhi watched her with undisguised schadenfreude. Xu Mifei had no energy to spare for her today—she sat down and immediately focused on serving Jiang Lingyu.

Following the information she’d previously looked up, she picked out dishes suited to Jiang Lingyu’s tastes and piled them into her bowl.

“Eat up. Just pretend we’re at a restaurant, except with a few annoying dinner companions,” Xu Mifei whispered into Jiang Lingyu’s ear, deliberately ignoring the stares as she tried to amuse her. “Look at their long faces—don’t they remind you of… hmm, those wooden, elongated-faced dolls?”

Jiang Lingyu had only greeted the elders. Now, staring at the half-filled plate before her, she couldn’t help but feel a little helpless—was she being fattened like a pig?

“I quite like the way they can’t stand me but have to tolerate me anyway,” Xu Mifei remarked, pulling Jiang Lingyu’s chair closer to hers. “Makes for good entertainment during meals.”

She didn’t seem to care if the others heard her. Jiang Lingyu lowered her head, taking small bites of the food in her bowl, and immediately pictured the doll-like faces Xu Mifei had described. A faint smile tugged at her lips.

Xu Yiming and Liao Xuelan clearly despised her—Xu Mifei knew that.

If the original owner of this body had been sitting here, she would’ve long crumbled under their stares, thrown down her chopsticks, and stormed out.

But Xu Mifei wasn’t her. None of these people were her family—why should she endure their hostility? No, she’d make sure they were the ones seething!

“How can you still eat like this?” Xu Wanzhi sneered. “Causing a scene on the show, then acting like a lunatic off it. The driver came back today saying you jumped out of the car! Tired of entertainment headlines, so now you’re aiming for the news section?”

“The driver ruined my clothes. I punched him—who knew he couldn’t drive for sh1t? Tell him not to come back tomorrow,” Xu Mifei shot back without hesitation. “I missed Lingyu. I suddenly wanted to see my omega. He wouldn’t let me, so I hit him. Got a problem with that?”

“Now you finally acknowledge that Xiao Jiang is your omega, but you didn’t let her have a proper time at the engagement banquet before!” Liao Xuelan frowned in displeasure. “Is hitting someone a good thing? Where do you think the Xu family’s dignity stands? And what was that behavior of yours on the variety show? Who told you to target Zhizhi?”

“And where was the Xu family’s dignity when Xu Wanzhi set the dog on me?” Xu Mifei felt she had eaten a bit too much and idly spun her teacup in her fingers.

“You dare talk back? Stop pretending at home—how could we have such a useless child like you?” Liao Xuelan remained seated with perfect posture, but the coldness in her eyes was like a blade aimed at Xu Mifei, who sat diagonally across from her with a mocking smile.

This playboy demeanor disgusted her the most—a worthless daughter who couldn’t even feign propriety. Liao Xuelan had always known what Xu Mifei was like outside, and her only demand was that she not bring that disgraceful behavior home.

But now? Humiliating Xu Wanzhi on a variety show, assaulting a driver, and even daring to talk back in front of her—it was nothing short of a blatant provocation, a challenge to their authority.

Did she really think marrying Jiang Lingyu made her impressive? How laughable. Everyone in the family knew she was just a worthless beta. What did it matter if she schemed her way into the marriage? Jiang Lingyu had married into the Xu family, not to this beta.

“Don’t like me anymore? I’ve always found it strange—how could you two have a beta daughter? Did one of you cheat back then?” Xu Mifei smiled as she spoke, and even Jiang Lingyu’s chopsticks paused mid-air.

Xu Mifei always used these mutually destructive tactics, leaving her opponents with no room to retaliate.

The table fell into silence. The masks of pretense on Liao Xuelan and Xu Yiming’s faces cracked.

Xu Mifei suddenly stood, picking up the unused dinner knife beside her plate and twirling it slowly between her fingers.

The reprimand Liao Xuelan had been about to voice died in her throat the moment Xu Mifei rose. An inexplicable fear settled over her shoulders, sending a cold sweat down her back.

It was just an ordinary dinner knife, but under the light, its edge gleamed sharp and menacing—like a killer’s tool in Xu Mifei’s deft hands.

Liao Xuelan’s mind went blank with terror. She instinctively grabbed Xu Yiming’s arm, hoping her husband would do something.

But then it hit her—what could he do? She was a beta. Pheromones held no power over her.

Xu Mifei acted as though she didn’t notice the ashen faces across the table. She gave Jiang Lingyu’s shoulder a light squeeze and said softly, “Keep eating.”

Under the fearful, wary gazes of the others, she slowly approached them.

Xu Wanzhi, seated closest, reacted quickly—but before she could fully stand, a hand pressed down hard on her shoulder, forcing her back into her seat.

“Who said you could move?”

The tip of the knife grazed Xu Wanzhi’s cheek, sending a shiver down her spine.

The servants didn’t dare intervene. They stared at Xu Mifei as though she were a ghost, not one of them bold enough to step forward and help.

“This is the alpha daughter you adore—how is she still no match for this good-for-nothing like me?” Xu Mifei let out a laugh, her eyes brimming with undisguised mockery as she walked behind Xu Yiming’s seat. With a casual kick, she shoved Liao Xuelan and her chair aside.

“Since you don’t want to see me, I’ll keep it short. Xu Wanzhi added an unfair clause to Lingyu’s original contract, forcing her to participate in publicity stunts. If she loses the bet, not only does she have to pay compensation, but she’s also bound to an indefinite contract extension.”

Jiang Lingyu looked up, her hands freezing mid-motion as she stared unblinkingly at Xu Mifei.

Her bowl still had leftovers—all dishes Xu Mifei had piled onto her plate, as if afraid she’d go hungry from the shock.

Even her own mother had never treated her like this when she was young.

Yet Xu Mifei had done it. She’d even returned to this place she loathed—all for… her.

Misinterpreting Jiang Lingyu’s gaze as worry, Xu Mifei curved the corners of her eyes slightly, sending her a reassuring look.

But when she turned back to Xu Yiming, her expression turned icy again.

“She’s engaged to me now. That contract was never reasonable to begin with. So, you step in and have the company void it. Rein in your precious daughter.”

“Absurd! Is this how you speak to me?” Xu Yiming, rarely so agitated, snapped as he turned his head. “I called you back today to make you understand the situation—everything revolves around Wanzhi. Who do you think you are, coming here to make demands?”

“A beta like you—the only reason Xiao Jiang agreed to marry you is because of your past scandals, just to save face. And now you’re pushing your luck?”

Hearing no response from Xu Mifei, Xu Yiming relaxed slightly, adjusting his tone to one of feigned concern.

“Enough of this, A-Fei. What good will it do you to embarrass the family? If you’re willing to issue a statement clarifying that your behavior on the show was just reckless nonsense, we can pretend today never happened. Let’s have a peaceful family dinner without all this unpleasantness.”

He paused, even managing a smile.

“As for that contract—Xiao Jiang only signed with our company because Wanzhi liked her. The engagement was always hers to begin with. It’s hardly a publicity stunt. Don’t bring this up again. We’re family—why fuss over contracts?”

But the next second, his smile froze.

Xu Mifei pressed the flat side of the steak knife against his cheek, tapping it lightly a few times as she leaned against the table, tilting her head to look at him.

An overwhelming aura of aggression and intimidation washed over him—shockingly, not from pheromones, but from her alone.

Impossible! This daughter had never even dared to lift her head in his presence—how could she hold his gaze for so long now?

The knife was sharp, meant for cutting steak.

Yet Xu Yiming felt that, in the next moment, Xu Mifei could slit his face open with it herself.

“Do I look like I’m here to negotiate with you?” Xu Mifei was still smiling, looking down at him with disdain. “This is just a notice. If you refuse, don’t come crying to me later—”

Her lazy drawl trailed off as she twirled the knife expertly, even pausing it against Xu Yiming’s jugular. His vision swam, adrenaline surging in terror.

“What… what are you doing back here today?” Xu Yiming forced out the words.

“From now on, show Jiang Lingyu some respect. I don’t want to hear you treating her like some object belonging to the Xu family again.”

Xu Mifei’s gaze swept slowly across the necks of the three Xu family members.

She raised an eyebrow. “If you’ve understood, then stand up.” How could they be so irreverent? Couldn’t they tell she was announcing something important?

Today, she was determined to put these people in their place.

As for the consequences—they didn’t matter. The original owner’s desperate longing for familial affection and fear of being exposed as a beta held no sway over her.

Now that she wanted nothing more than for the whole world to know she was a beta, it was the Xu family who were panicking.

Xu Wanzhi and Liao Xuelan remained seated until Xu Mifei raised the knife toward them, slowly tracing a line from their chests to their throats.

Xu Wanzhi’s hair stood on end. She looked to her father, Xu Yiming, for help, only to find him frozen in his chair, his usual authority nowhere to be seen.

Xu Yiming smelled it.

As Xu Mifei made that gesture, the pungent scent of bl00d filled his nostrils.

He turned his head and saw dark stains spreading across Xu Mifei’s sleeve—undeniable traces of bl00d.

He had no idea what Xu Mifei had been up to outside. Even at her worst, she’d only been involved in scandalous affairs—never anything bloody. Instantly, a sense of danger coiled around Xu Yiming like a net. He had doubted Xu Mifei was serious, but the smell of bl00d made it clear.

She meant every word, like a fugitive ready to kill anyone who defied her.

“…Get up. All of you, get up.” Xu Yiming’s voice was low. Since he wasn’t nearby, Xu Wanzhi didn’t catch the tremor in it.

Xu Wanzhi and Liao Xuelan had no choice but to rise, joining Xu Yiming on their feet.

“You stay seated.” Xu Mifei’s tone shifted instantly when she spoke to Jiang Lingyu, even giving her a playful wink. “Keep eating—but skip the shrimp. It’s not good for you.”

Her casual tone with Jiang Lingyu was jarring, as if the woman brandishing a knife at her family moments ago wasn’t her at all.

This stark contrast stirred something subtle in Jiang Lingyu’s heart.

“Listen carefully. Jiang Lingyu is engaged to me—we’re partners. I don’t care if you respect me or not, because I couldn’t care less. But you will respect her, because I do.”

With a flick of her wrist, Xu Mifei drove the knife into a roasted chicken on the table, twisting and shredding it into minced meat.

“If anyone fails to comply, this knife will find its way into you. You wouldn’t want our family to end up like that, would you? It would hurt—a lot.”

Xu Yiming stared at her as if seeing a ghost, his eyes bloodshot with rage.

In the tense silence, Xu Mifei took a damp towel from a servant and walked over to Jiang Lingyu, carefully wiping her fingers clean.

Only when Jiang Lingyu said, “Xu Mifei, I’m done eating,” did she respond.

“Good. Thanks for the hospitality.” Xu Mifei nodded, recognizing Jiang Lingyu’s cue to leave. She helped her up. “We’re leaving. No need to see us out.”

As they walked away, Jiang Lingyu took Xu Mifei’s arm.

Xu Mifei was taken aback for a moment but quickly realized Jiang Lingyu was putting on an act to help her in front of these people, so she also placed a hand on Jiang Lingyu’s waist.

“How long can you keep this up?” After a series of clattering noises, Xu Wanzhi’s furious voice rang out. “What’s the point of standing up for Jiang Lingyu now? You’re just engaged to her—how dare you call yourselves partners? All bark and no bite!”

This time, it wasn’t Xu Mifei who answered her.

Jiang Lingyu stopped in her tracks. As she turned back, her hand dropped down and naturally interlocked fingers with Xu Mifei in front of everyone—one finger overlapping another, clasped tightly without any gaps.

“Didn’t you know? Mifei and I are getting our marriage certificate tomorrow,” she said with a smile, her gentle voice carrying a hint of pride. “Thank you all for your blessings. But if you don’t bless us, that’s fine too—I don’t care.”