Has The Live-in Alpha Stepped Up - Chapter 41

41: Giving Her Status

The next day, An Yizhu slept in until 10:30 AM—a rare occurrence since arriving here.

It was the first time she had slept in.

Still half-asleep, she turned her head and saw Jing Zuo on the opposite bunk, carefully climbing down.

Jing Zuo turned around, and their eyes met.

“Did I wake you? Sorry.” Jing Zuo said sheepishly. “My cousin said she’d arrive by noon, so I was getting ready.”

“I should go greet her too.” An Yizhu said, not wanting to neglect someone who could potentially be a valuable internal referral.

Jing Zuo waved her off. “No need to rush. My cousin is pretty reserved around strangers. Let me introduce her to the situation first. We can meet up at a café in the afternoon to chat.”

A café…

An Yizhu shuddered. She now had a phobia of cafés near campus.

After thinking for a moment, she said, “I don’t get many chances to go out. How about I find a nice café downtown and treat you both to afternoon tea?”

Jing Zuo agreed happily. “Sounds great! You pick the place.”

An Yizhu pulled out her phone to search for options.

Then, a message popped up.

Lin Meng: I’ll be at the school around noon. Meet me at the gate.

An Yizhu froze.

Was Lin Meng the “help” Yu Guqiu had mentioned?

If it was Lin Meng, why hadn’t Yu Guqiu mentioned it yesterday?

But that wasn’t the main issue. There was something even stranger—

When had she and Lin Meng added each other as contacts?

She had no memory of it.

Shaking off the thought, An Yizhu decided to get up first.

Jing Zuo had just finished washing up and stepped out of the bathroom when she saw An Yizhu already dressed and organizing her things at the desk.

“You’re up already?”

An Yizhu wanted to explain, but Jing Zuo’s tone made it sound like monsters were attacking the school. She laughed. “I just woke up naturally. Isn’t that normal?”

Jing Zuo rubbed her chin. “Not normal. What college student wakes up before noon when they don’t have morning classes?”

An Yizhu burst out laughing.

So this was university life?

She loved it.

Jing Zuo wasn’t joking, though. Even she would sleep until 11:30 if she had no classes, lazing in bed even after waking up.

An Yizhu explained, “Well, plans changed. It’s kind of a coincidence, but a… colleague from Yu Corporation is coming to campus today.”

After some deliberation, she settled on defining Lin Meng as a “colleague.”

Jing Zuo brightened. “Did the manuscripts we submitted yesterday catch the attention of the parent company?”

An Yizhu thought about it. “In a way, yes. She’s here because of the internal referral.”

Jing Zuo grinned. “Perfect timing, then. We can each have lunch with our guests and meet up in the afternoon. Maybe they can discuss business directly.”

An Yizhu smirked. “Didn’t expect you to be this sharp.”

Jing Zuo frowned. “What do you mean, ‘didn’t expect’?!”

An Yizhu couldn’t hold back her laughter.

She felt that being able to joke like this with Jing Zuo meant they were now good friends.

At exactly noon, An Yizhu and Jing Zuo received messages simultaneously.

“My cousin’s here.”

“My colleague’s here too.”

“Should we go out together? We can introduce them on the way and have lunch together?” Jing Zuo hesitated but voiced the idea.

“You said your cousin is reserved. Won’t that scare her?” An Yizhu asked.

Lin Meng would be fine.

High-level assistants were usually social experts and wouldn’t have issues warming up.

After all, even though Lin Meng had been hostile during their first meeting, she’d been civil the next day.

Jing Zuo trusted her cousin’s professionalism. “It should be fine. I only said she’s reserved because I wanted to introduce you to her properly. But if it’s work-related, she’ll step up.”

An Yizhu walked out with Jing Zuo, their conversation continuing along the way.

“Your cousin sounds like some kind of undiscovered genius waiting for her big break.”

Jing Zuo laughed. “I’m not exaggerating. My cousin excels in both academics and extracurriculars. She’s won awards left and right.”

An Yizhu nodded. “Sounds like the quintessential ‘perfect child’ everyone compares themselves to.”

Jing Zuo had grown up thinking the same. “More than that! It’s like she has protagonist halo. When she transferred schools in middle school, someone bullied her—and soon after, that person’s family went bankrupt. In college, a professor came out of retirement and took her on as his last student. And even after my dad ruined things for her, isn’t she getting an even better opportunity now?”

Hearing this, An Yizhu suddenly stopped walking. A gut feeling slammed into her.

She looked at Jing Zuo. “Your cousin… is her surname Ji?”

Jing Zuo was surprised. “Wow, how’d you know?”

“Little cousin!” A voice called from afar.

Jing Zuo turned and waved excitedly. “Cousin!! Over here!”

An Yizhu looked over.

A poised woman stood at the school gate.

It was Ji Lu!

She looked more mature than An Yizhu had imagined.

Though the original story was a coming-of-age novel, the Alpha female lead was already confident and composed.

An Yizhu bit her lip.

After all this, she still couldn’t escape the original plot.

For a split second, a dark thought crossed her mind—

What if she sabotaged Ji Lu’s entry into Guangying and kept it from Yu Guqiu? Would that break the cycle?

But the evil notion lasted only a second.

She couldn’t do it.

Right now, Guangying would suffer a huge loss without such a talented screenwriter.

She couldn’t make such a major decision for Yu Guqiu.

An Yizhu exhaled and stepped forward to greet Ji Lu—only to see someone else step out of the car parked beside her.

“Lin Meng!” An Yizhu froze.

Lin Meng got out and stood next to Ji Lu, close but not intimate—yet clearly not strangers.

They knew each other!

No, they’d probably come together.

An Yizhu’s mind raced through the original novel’s plot, but nothing clicked.

Lin Meng and Ji Lu arriving together—was that normal?

Or had Yu Guqiu arranged this?

“You must be An Yizhu! Lin Meng told me a lot about you on the way. Quite interesting. I didn’t expect you to know my cousin—and what a coincidence that you’re the person she wanted to introduce me to.” Ji Lu broke the ice first.

She wasn’t as reserved as Jing Zuo had described.

Or perhaps she was treating this as a professional networking opportunity.

An Yizhu extended her hand. “Quite the coincidence. I didn’t expect you and Lin Meng to come together.”

Lin Meng interjected, “Since it’s such a coincidence, let’s have lunch together. I booked a private room—perfect for discussing business. Let’s go.”

Ji Lu motioned for Jing Zuo to follow, and the two naturally took the back seat.

Before getting in the car, Lin Meng quietly explained to An Yizhu, “Ji Lu is a highly talented screenwriter. Guangying needs people like her right now—she’d be a huge asset.”

“I know.” An Yizhu sighed.

Lin Meng was puzzled. “You know Ji Lu?”

An Yizhu realized she’d slipped up.

Ji Lu was talented but not yet famous—ordinary people shouldn’t know her.

She smiled. “Her cousin is my roommate. Just hearing her talk about Ji Lu, I could tell how impressive she is. Plus, Guqiu and I watched a movie recently—Ji Lu was the screenwriter.”

Lin Meng’s expression flickered before settling on a neutral tone. “So Yu Guqiu already told you.”

Told her? Told her what?

Yu Guqiu hadn’t told her anything!

An Yizhu felt a surge of frustration. It seemed like Yu Guqiu, Lin Meng, and the others were all keeping things from her.

Especially Yu Guqiu!

Lin Meng adjusted her thick glasses and added, “Actually, when I mentioned Ji Lu to Yu Guqiu, she immediately agreed to have her come help you recruit at the school. So you must already know that Yu Guqiu and Ji Lu used to be… neighbors.”

Thanks for using ‘neighbors’ to spare my fragile heart.

An Yizhu sighed internally.

In the original novel, Ji Lu’s family was well-off, running an import-export business.

Ji Lu grew up in luxury, which was how she became Yu Guqiu’s neighbor.

Later, her Alpha mother and Omega mother acquired a foreign company, and to facilitate her studies abroad, they transferred her to an international school.

But when her parents moved overseas, Ji Lu chose to stay in the country.

Because of this setup, An Yizhu hadn’t connected Jing Zuo’s cousin to Ji Lu yesterday.

Lin Meng, seeing An Yizhu’s unchanged expression, added, “But don’t worry. Yu Guqiu and Ji Lu haven’t seen each other in years. There’s definitely nothing between them. This is just to help you recruit at the school.”

An Yizhu stared at Lin Meng.

Why did that sound like protesting too much?

“Ready to go? My cousin and An Yizhu probably skipped breakfast—they must be starving.” Ji Lu rolled down the window and smiled at Lin Meng.

Lin Meng patted An Yizhu’s shoulder. “Let’s go. Food first, then work.”

An Yizhu forced a smile and got into the passenger seat.

Lin Meng had arranged lunch at an upscale downtown restaurant with a private room.

Jing Zuo gasped upon entering and whispered to An Yizhu, “Yu Corporation is so generous! Treating my cousin to such a fancy place. Does this mean she’s already a colleague of yours?”

An Yizhu answered honestly, “Not just a colleague—she might become Guangying’s lead screenwriter.”

Jing Zuo was surprised but delighted. “Does that mean the writing club has not one, but two connections now? With you and my cousin, we’re practically set!”

Though An Yizhu wasn’t in high spirits, she didn’t want to dampen the mood. “Yeah, your cousin is definitely your connection. Yu Corporation thinks highly of her.”

Jing Zuo beamed. “My cousin never fails! Even after everything, she’s still thriving. I need to learn from her.”

Ji Lu and Lin Meng walked ahead, chatting casually, while the two behind them listened in.

Ji Lu was surprised An Yizhu held her in such high regard.

Lin Meng was equally surprised that An Yizhu seemed to admire Ji Lu rather than resent her.

The four settled in for lunch.

Once the food arrived and everyone was halfway through their meal, Lin Meng relayed Yu Guqiu’s plans.

“Guangying Xinghui Media is preparing to relaunch. Yu Guqiu wants to scout as many promising screenwriters and projects as possible. Her recent business trip was for this purpose.”

Ji Lu smiled confidently. “That’s why I’m here.”

Lin Meng nodded. “Originally, Yu Guqiu wanted An Yizhu to quietly scout talent at Jiangcheng University without drawing attention.”

Jing Zuo glanced at An Yizhu with newfound respect: So you were entrusted with a big task too.

An Yizhu smiled awkwardly.

That had been the plan—but it hadn’t panned out.

Lin Meng continued, “But things have progressed smoothly. Aside from Ji Lu, Yu Guqiu was introduced to several other talented screenwriters during her trip. Two scripts were submitted, and one project has already been greenlit.”

It sounded like Lin Meng was delivering a business report on Yu Guqiu’s behalf.

Ji Lu, who disliked empty talk, cut in. “So, you called me to campus just to introduce me to An Yizhu and explain all this?”

Lin Meng got to the point. “There’s more. We’re planning a screenwriting competition at the university, offering prizes and job opportunities to winners.”

This was news to An Yizhu.

She mentally replayed yesterday’s phone call—Yu Guqiu had mentioned help arriving today, meaning these plans were already in motion.

Why didn’t she tell me?

Am I not important enough?

Negative thoughts swirled uncontrollably in An Yizhu’s mind.

Ji Lu set down her chopsticks. “I thought we’d wait for Yu Guqiu to return before discussing this. How is she, by the way? I heard she got married.”

An Yizhu narrowed her eyes. “Yes, she did!”

And you have no chance.

Her wife is me!

Though she couldn’t say it outright, An Yizhu’s gaze burned.

Ji Lu blinked, taken aback.

Why is this An Yizhu staring at me like that? I was just making conversation.

Ji Lu shot Jing Zuo a look: You said your roommate was nice—what’s going on?

Jing Zuo, sensing the tension, wasn’t sure if it was Ji Lu being reserved or An Yizhu—who’d become her friend in a day—suddenly turning cold.

But the plans were finalized smoothly.

Lin Meng had brought all the official documents, stamped with Guangying Xinghui Media’s seal.

The university administration was thrilled—this would boost the screenwriting program’s employment rates for years to come.

Ji Lu also visited her old professor, whose influence expedited the approval process.

By the end of the day, everything was set in motion, with promotions and preparations underway.

Yu Guqiu’s plan was completely different from what she’d told An Yizhu.

The main reason was that she’d already secured a core screenwriter, Ji Lu. Partnering with Jiangcheng University was about ensuring a steady talent pipeline.

Now that there was no risk of exposure, speed was essential—classic Yu Guqiu strategy.

But why hadn’t she mentioned any of this yesterday?

An Yizhu couldn’t let it go.

“So the competition is happening in just five days?” Jing Zuo marveled that evening, staring at the promotional poster.

Everything had moved at lightning speed.

After securing the university’s approval, things progressed rapidly.

Media outlets caught wind of it, and soon, the event was making headlines.

The competition was open not only to students but also to outsiders.

Jiangcheng University would provide the venue, and participants would have to write a script on a given theme within a set time.

Both old and new submissions were welcome, with generous cash prizes and high-paying job contracts up for grabs.

Jing Zuo couldn’t stop exclaiming, “How much money is Yu Corporation throwing at this? There were rumors about their financial troubles, but this proves otherwise.”

“Not entirely false. Guangying’s funds might struggle with pharmaceutical investments. But that’s just an astronomical number to ordinary people.” An Yizhu clarified.

Jing Zuo’s reaction mirrored public sentiment after the competition announcement.

The news spread like wildfire, even trending on social media and attracting widespread attention.

Within days, the hype reached a fever pitch.

By the eve of the competition, just as Yu Guqiu had predicted, other platforms began reacting.

Screenwriting competitions sprouted up like mushrooms after rain.

It was a golden age for screenwriters—whether seasoned professionals or students, anyone with a shred of talent saw their value skyrocket.

On the day of the competition, An Yizhu, Ji Lu, and Jing Zuo arrived at Guangying Xinghui Media.

Seeing the flood of trending topics and competition announcements, Ji Lu sighed. “Only Yu Guqiu could stir up such a storm in the industry. I can’t imagine how her competition will reshape everything.”

An Yizhu nodded. “The entertainment industry is in for a shake-up. Audiences will be drowning in quality content soon. That’s Yu Guqiu for you.”

Over the past few days, An Yizhu had met Ji Lu several times and realized why she was the novel’s protagonist.

She was kind, capable, and impossible to dislike.

An Yizhu had reluctantly accepted her as a friend.

Jing Zuo, hearing the two gush about Yu Guqiu, chimed in, “Now I’m even more excited to meet Yu Guqiu!”

Jing Zuo and her junior clubmates had submitted their manuscripts to the editorial team. Though not immediately accepted, they’d received detailed feedback and promises of future positions.

Now free from the job-hunting grind, she’d tagged along to Guangying to see the world—and meet the legendary Yu Guqiu.

But Yu Guqiu was still away on business, so Yu Liu stepped in as host.

“Apologies, Yu Guqiu’s flight was delayed… Huh? Ji Lu?” Yu Liu paused upon seeing Ji Lu. “So you’re the ‘secret weapon’ Yu Guqiu mentioned?”

Ji Lu greeted Yu Liu warmly. “Long time no see, Aunt Yu Liu.”

Yu Liu smiled. “It has been a while. After you moved away, we lost touch. But I heard about your work at Chuangrong Media in Xiamen—that screenplay was excellent. I’m surprised Yu Guqiu managed to poach you. Just like back when… ahem.”

She cut herself off, remembering An Yizhu’s presence.

An Yizhu didn’t notice Yu Liu’s hesitation.

The fact that even Yu Liu knew Ji Lu made her chest tighten.

She admitted it—she was jealous.

She wanted to tear this woman, who shared a past with Yu Guqiu, to shreds.

Why does she get to have memories with Yu Guqiu?

Why can’t I?

She didn’t even feel like speaking.

What was the point? Who would understand?

Yu Guqiu was her wife in name, but almost no one knew.

An Yizhu wished some paparazzi would expose them—let the whole world know!

Yu Guqiu is my wife!

I am Mrs. Yu!

Not some outsider like she felt now.

“Yu Guqiu.”

“Hello, Yu Guqiu!”

Front desk greetings snapped An Yizhu out of her spiral.

Yu Guqiu’s delayed flight had brought her back.

Though she’d been traveling, she looked radiant, her tailored coat fluttering as she strode down Guangying’s hall.

The entire office paused to watch.

Yu Guqiu’s icy gaze swept the room, commanding silence.

But to An Yizhu, she was bathed in a golden glow.

Yu Guqiu’s cheeks were flushed from rushing, her skin luminous under the sunlight streaming through the windows.

She was as breathtaking as ever.

An Yizhu, as always, was spellbound.

Jing Zuo, however, was too intimidated to look directly at Yu Guqiu.

She nudged An Yizhu, only to find her grinning like an idiot.

So you were in a bad mood all morning because you hadn’t seen Yu Guqiu?

Yu Guqiu acknowledged the staff with a nod, then walked past Yu Liu without stopping.

“Let’s go to the third-floor conference room.”

She didn’t greet An Yizhu or Ji Lu.

Ji Lu murmured, “Still as imposing as ever.”

Yu Guqiu smirked slightly but remained silent—ignoring An Yizhu too.

An Yizhu didn’t know what to say. It made sense for Yu Guqiu to act distant in public—their marriage wasn’t fully public, after all.

She trailed behind absentmindedly.

As they reached the conference room, Yu Guqiu stopped abruptly.

An Yizhu, not paying attention, crashed into her, nearly knocking her over.

Horrified, An Yizhu grabbed her—

Her hands instinctively wrapped around Yu Guqiu’s waist, steadying her.

The motion was so natural it seemed practiced.

Jing Zuo’s jaw dropped.

An Yizhu, what are you doing? Yu Guqiu just got back, and you’re already hugging her?!

But Yu Guqiu didn’t seem angry. She just turned and asked, “Has it only been a week? Can’t even watch where you’re walking?”

An Yizhu pressed her lips together, about to apologize—

But Yu Guqiu spoke first.

“Sorry, everyone. My wife can be a bit clumsy. Don’t mind her.”

!!!

An Yizhu’s eyes widened.

Yu Guqiu had just publicly acknowledged their marriage!

In front of Ji Lu, no less—giving her status!

An Yizhu couldn’t stop smiling.

That’s right, everyone—this is my wife!