Chapter 10: Meeting the Female Lead from the Book

At this moment, Xu Yueyao didn’t care about Zhan Rongxuan’s attitude toward her. She held her phone and once again confirmed the amount in her bank account—1, 2, 3, 4… a total of five zeros, a full 500,000 yuan. Xu Yueyao pressed her phone to her chest, giggling, then picked it up again to confirm. Great! She finally didn’t have to work at the nightclub anymore.

The next day, Xu Yueyao got up, opened her wardrobe, and picked out her outfit. Since she was moving today, she decided to dress low-key. The “arrogant after gaining fortune” persona didn’t suit her. She chose a loose-fitting blue striped shirt with jeans. After changing, she looked at herself in the mirror, feeling satisfied—youthful and energetic without being too flashy.

She greeted Aunt Wang before leaving, telling her she wouldn’t be back for lunch.

“Uncle Zhang, to the alley at the end of Xicheng Street,” she instructed before sending a message to Zhang Beilu on her phone.

“Yes, Miss Xu,” Uncle Zhang responded, starting the car toward Xicheng.

When they arrived, Uncle Zhang parked and said, “Miss Xu, the alley is too narrow for the car to enter.”

“It’s fine, Uncle Zhang. Wait here for me. I’ll just go in and pack some things,” Xu Yueyao said as she got out of the car.

As she stepped into the alley, the scene from the book unfolded before her—filthy, messy, and chaotic. Xu Yueyao took a deep breath and walked in.

Imperial Capital University was a classic aristocratic school, where students were either rich or powerful. There were strict social class distinctions:

1. First-class: Heirs of major businesses.
2. Second-class: Shareholders’ heirs.
3. Third-class: Honorary heirs—children from prominent families, such as government officials, congress members, judges, and top lawyers.
4. Fourth-class: Socially assisted students—those with excellent academic performance but from poor backgrounds.

Xu Yueyao belonged to the fourth class. In a place like Imperial Capital, where every inch of land was precious, people like her could only afford to live in basement rooms, juggling multiple part-time jobs alongside their studies.

She sighed as she finally reached her room. Just as she was about to knock, she ran into An Zhiyi and her best friend, Xia Nuannuan, who were coming out of the opposite room. An Zhiyi looked shocked upon seeing her.

“Oh! Isn’t this Xu Yueyao? So the rumors are true? Did you really get yourself a sugar daddy?” Xia Nuannuan sneered, sizing her up.

Xu Yueyao, in turn, examined Xia Nuannuan. As the female lead’s best friend, she was undoubtedly a good person—enthusiastic, straightforward, unpretentious, and fearless in love and hate. In the novel, she eventually found happiness with the male lead’s close friend, Ji Bingxiong.

“Nuannuan, don’t say that,” An Zhiyi gently tugged Xia Nuannuan’s sleeve, giving Xu Yueyao an apologetic look.

Xu Yueyao’s gaze shifted to her. As expected of the female lead—beauty and kindness were in her nature. Strong and determined, she never backed down from challenges, making her personality truly captivating. Around her neck hung a distinctive jade pendant. Zhan Rongxuan would later recognize her as the girl who had once saved him because of this pendant, thus entangling them in an inescapable fate.

Suddenly, the door behind her opened, and Zhang Beilu stormed out. Seeing Xu Yueyao facing the two girls, she immediately lashed out, “You little green teas, what nonsense are you talking about? Are you bullying our Yueyao again? Shameless—”

Before she could finish, Xu Yueyao quickly covered her mouth and pushed her back into the room, shutting the door behind them.

Outside, Xia Nuannuan and An Zhiyi exchanged glances.

“Was that really Xu Yueyao? Why didn’t she curse at us today?” Xia Nuannuan pointed at the door in disbelief.

An Zhiyi shook her head. Given her past temperament, even if they hadn’t said anything, she would have cursed them just for seeing her. But today, after being insulted so directly, she didn’t even react? How strange.

Inside the room, Zhang Beilu huffed, “Yueyao, what are you doing?” Clearly, she was unsatisfied with not getting to argue properly.

Xu Yueyao let go of her, glancing around the dim, damp room. Mold spots covered the ceiling. She instinctively walked to her bed, touching the thin blanket—it was slightly damp.

“Beilu, I’m moving out. I came here to pack my things,” Xu Yueyao said as she sat on the bed.

“You’re not seriously…,” Zhang Beilu hesitated. She didn’t finish the sentence, but they both knew what she meant.

They were poor but proud, excelling in academics. Being “kept” by a man was something they despised. Even Fu Xiaosi—young, rich, and handsome—had asked Xu Yueyao to be his girlfriend, but she had rejected him. So the rumors about her being a rich old man’s mistress? Zhang Beilu never believed them.

Tears welled up in Zhang Beilu’s eyes as she hugged Xu Yueyao, crying, “Yueyao, what happened to you? Did someone hurt you?”

Xu Yueyao was startled but touched. She chuckled and said, “Calm down and listen to me.”

Zhang Beilu wiped her tears and sat down, waiting for an explanation.

“Do you know how I got injured?” Xu Yueyao touched her shoulder.

Zhang Beilu shook her head.

“It was a gunshot wound.”

Zhang Beilu’s eyes widened as she covered her mouth in shock.

“And do you know Zhan Rongxuan?” Xu Yueyao continued.

Zhang Beilu nodded blankly. The Zhan family was the most powerful in the Imperial Capital, and Zhan Rongxuan was their heir. She had never met him, but she had definitely heard of him.

“I got injured saving him,” Xu Yueyao said smugly, watching Zhang Beilu’s jaw drop in disbelief.

Seeing her stunned expression, Xu Yueyao elaborated, “That night, I wasn’t feeling well and left the nightclub early. On my way back, I saw Zhan Rongxuan being chased by assassins. I took a bullet for him and became his savior. He fell for my beauty, and now we’re together,” she half-joked.

Zhang Beilu’s mouth hung open in shock. Did her best friend just go from rags to riches overnight?

“Young Master Zhan arranged a place for me to live, so I’m moving today,” Xu Yueyao continued, glancing at her bed. Other than books, she barely had anything, and her clothes were pitifully few.

Zhang Beilu suddenly bolted for the door.

“Where are you going?” Xu Yueyao pulled her back.

“I have to tell everyone! You’re Zhan Rongxuan’s woman now! Let’s blind them with your success!” Zhang Beilu’s eyes sparkled.

Xu Yueyao quickly stopped her. “Please, don’t be reckless!”

After thinking for a moment, Xu Yueyao decided she needed to change Zhang Beilu’s fate too. Clearing her throat, she said, “Beilu, I’m different now. As Zhan Rongxuan’s woman, I must act with grace and dignity. I can’t be foul-mouthed and tarnish his reputation. As my best friend, you must also carry yourself well. I can’t have people saying my friends are uncultured. We both need to change.”

Zhang Beilu pondered this and nodded. “You’re right! You represent Young Master Zhan now, and I represent you! We must be refined and classy!”

Xu Yueyao nodded in satisfaction. She was teachable after all.

“Yueyao, does this mean I should quit my nightclub job? I don’t want people mocking you for having a friend who works in a place like that. It wouldn’t be good for Young Master Zhan’s reputation either.”

That’s exactly what Xu Yueyao wanted. To change Zhang Beilu’s tragic fate, she had to stop her from falling for the male lead, Fu Zheng.

“Beilu, quit the nightclub job. We’ll find new work together. Also, you were eyeing a new place to move to, right? How much do you still need? I’ll help cover it.”

Xu Yueyao was sincere—she truly saw Zhang Beilu as a friend now.