After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Became the Female Lead's Stepmother - Chapter 20

She couldn’t help but recall the introduction about this book that had appeared when she first transmigrated. Xu Chun silently marveled, no wonder this was the female lead in a yuri novel where order had collapsed. Such thought processes were truly beyond ordinary comprehension.

Having resolved to maintain only a professional relationship with Yu Sui’an, Xu Chun played dumb in response to the other’s words. “Thanks, but I know my boundaries.”

Her attitude was lukewarm, her tone indifferent, as if they were merely casual acquaintances who exchanged polite nods. This perception inexplicably unsettled Yu Sui’an, who hated this feeling.

She hated being treated by Xu Chun as just another ordinary person.

But Xu Chun had already brushed past her, heading straight for the assistant. The same person who had been cold toward her moments ago was now smiling gently, chatting and laughing with the assistant in a warm, intellectual manner.

Yu Sui’an unconsciously clenched her slender fingers, her smile gradually fading. Her expression tightened as she stared at Xu Chun’s retreating figure with deep, unreadable eyes.

For Xu Chun, filming was a novel experience. With online controversies and Yu Sui’an out of mind, life on set was quite pleasant. Her assistant handled every detail of her daily needs, allowing her to save time for building a closer relationship with Qin Yao.

Rain or shine, she never failed to send her scheduled morning, noon, and evening greetings. Though Qin Yao rarely replied, Xu Chun remained undeterred, finding joy in the occasional responses. When there was no reply, she simply assumed Qin Yao was too busy to check messages.

After about a week of this comfortable routine, just as Xu Chun thought she’d finally found a rare period of ease, trouble arrived in the form of Shen Shutong, the “Little Xu Chun” who had been riding on her fame joining the cast as the second female lead.

The internet erupted instantly. Xu Chun’s fans accused the production team of exploiting her, using the conflict between her and Shen Shutong to generate buzz. Yu Sui’an’s fans, lying in wait for an opportunity, immediately seized the chance to mock: [“Didn’t Xu Chun use Sui’an to whitewash her own reputation before? What goes around comes around!”]

The two sides clashed fiercely, while onlookers scrambled to share the news across group chats [“Breaking! Xu Chun’s got new drama!”]

Xu Chun studied Shen Shutong discreetly. Still a student, the girl had a dewy, peach-like freshness, but her eyes betrayed too much calculation, revealing a shrewdness beyond her years that instinctively repelled people.

By comparison, Xu Chun suddenly found Yu Sui’an’s surface-level scheming white lotus act far more palatable.

Shen Shutong had clearly pulled strings to join the “Secret Heartbeats” production with ill intentions her plan was to ride Xu Chun’s coattails to fame. She aimed for the entertainment industry’s pinnacle, with Xu Chun as her first stepping stone. She knew many eyes on set watched her and Xu Chun, but she didn’t care. Her powerful backing meant she could disrespect Xu Chun with impunity.

She spoke with no courtesy whatsoever, even issuing commands in a domineering tone: “There are some things in the script I don’t understand. Come to my room after filming and explain them to me.”

Xu Chun narrowed her eyes, about to respond, when Yu Sui’an suddenly appeared out of nowhere, materializing beside Xu Chun like a ghost. Her delicate face wore a smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “You think you’re qualified to have her explain the script to you?”

She showed Shen Shutong no mercy whatsoever. Shen was ready to start a fight on the spot, but her assistant, knowing Yu Sui’an wasn’t someone to trifle with, quickly apologized and pulled her away. As she was being dragged off, Shen Shutong kept shouting obstinately, “Let go of me! Go find out right now what connections that Yu Sui’an has!”

Xu Chun, who had been ready to stand her ground, suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon, “…”

She couldn’t help but glance at Yu Sui’an several times, blinking in confusion. Why was this person’s behavior becoming more and more bizarre by the day? Shouldn’t she be taking the opportunity to kick Xu Chun while she was down when Shen Shutong came after her?

Xu Chun was genuinely perplexed.

Yu Sui’an showed no outward emotion. She gave Xu Chun a gentle smile. “Don’t be afraid, sister. From now on, as long as I’m here, I won’t let anyone bully you.”

Xu Chun immediately felt chills run down her spine: “???”

Please, stop this. I’m genuinely scared. If you keep this up, I’ll have nightmares and wake up screaming.

The other woman’s attitude of avoiding her seemed even more pronounced than before. Yu Sui’an slowly lowered her eyelids, a wounded look flickering in her eyes. She silently watched the direction Shen Shutong had gone, her clear black-and-white eyes glimmering faintly.

After being dragged away, Shen Shutong was fuming. She unleashed a torrent of anger on her assistant, who knew she couldn’t fight back given that Shen’s brother and sister-in-law were high-ranking executives in the company. The assistant could only bow her head in silence, enduring the scolding and accusations. The assistant remained mute as a statue, which only infuriated Shen Shutong further. She pointed at Yu Sui’an in the distance and demanded, “Tell me, what exactly is her background?!”

Normally, the assistant was someone who fawned on superiors and bullied inferiors. Whenever Shen lost her temper, the assistant would always indulge her, even taking the initiative to deal with those who crossed her. This was the first time the assistant had shown weakness and pulled her away. Shen Shutong wasn’t stupid. On the contrary, having grown up in a wealthy family surrounded by friends who spent their days carousing and scheming over inheritance, she understood the nuances of social dynamics better than most.

But that didn’t stop her from believing herself superior.

“Her exact background isn’t clear,” the assistant stammered nervously. “All I know is that her team is incredibly powerful. People in the industry say her team is like rabid dogs, they’ll bite anyone. Shutong, this is your first time on set, and we don’t know enough about our opponents yet. I think it’s best we lay low for now…”

Before she could finish, Shen Shutong cut her off with a cold laugh. “What a joke. Am I supposed to be afraid of her?” She scoffed dismissively. “No matter how powerful she is, can she stand against my brother and sister-in-law? They have the entire company behind them, and I have my parents backing me. I refuse to believe some powerless commoner from humble beginnings can act with impunity.”

Shen Shutong didn’t take Yu Sui’an seriously at all. She glared at Xu Chun and ordered her assistant again, “Go call her over here. If you can’t do that, don’t bother coming back today.”

The assistant felt miserable, but since she was drawing a salary from them, she had no choice but to do her job. She could only hope that the rumors about Yu Sui’an and Xu Chun having completely fallen out were true. Otherwise, her concern wouldn’t be about keeping her job, but about preserving her own life.

Yu Sui’an took in every move Shen Shutong made, her lips curling into a cold smirk. Her eyes crinkled as if smiling, yet those dark pupils held no warmth upon closer inspection.

When Xu Chun’s gaze inadvertently swept past Yu Sui’an’s face, it startled her so badly she visibly flinched.

After a lifetime of good deeds, I shouldn’t have to deal with such a terrifying yandere disguised as an innocent flower. Xu Chun closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and reluctantly looked back only to plunge straight into those pitch-black eyes.

To her surprise, that previously lifeless pale face suddenly bloomed with vivid color. After a brief moment of stunned silence, Yu Sui’an abruptly smiled like a gardenia bursting into bloom, her entire expression transforming into radiant vitality.

Clutching her fingers nervously, Yu Sui’an gazed at Xu Chun from afar did this mean her sister still cared about her after all?

This realization instantly dispelled the gloomy aura around Yu Sui’an. She reverted to her usual bright, stubbornly resilient self, her pure and fragile appearance inviting sympathy, with not a trace of aggression visible.

Xu Chun: “…” She’s a shoo-in for this year’s Best Actress award.

Xu Chun quickly averted her gaze, afraid Yu Sui’an might approach again. Noticing this avoidance, Yu Sui’an’s expression dimmed momentarily before she rallied. Her sister’s attitude had improved significantly compared to before with a little more effort perhaps she could earn her forgiveness.

Yu Sui’an’s gaze then slowly, deliberately shifted toward the unsuspecting Shen Shutong, a smile gradually spreading across her face.

Meanwhile, Shen Shutong was racking her brains trying to scheme ways to ride Xu Chun’s coattails for publicity and milk her for all she was worth. Before she could act, her agent called with furious reprimands: “Shen Shutong! Didn’t I tell you to lay low on set? How could you cause trouble on the very first day!”

“What? I haven’t done anything!” Shen Shutong protested blankly. “From the moment I arrived until now, I haven’t taken any action.”

“Then explain why your role got revoked, huh?”

“That’s impossible! Absolutely impossible!” Shen Shutong denied instantly. This role had taken endless begging of her brother to secure, if news of its cancellation reached him, he’d never help her again regardless of their sibling bond.

Gritting her teeth with a dark expression, Shen Shutong mentally reviewed all possibilities before locking onto Xu Chun with deadly certainty. It had to be her. In this production, Xu Chun had the most powerful family background and connections, no one else possessed the influence to decide a supporting character’s fate.

Besides, Xu Chun was the only person she’d had conflict with since joining the crew.

She glared at Xu Chun with resentment, then abruptly hung up her agent’s call. Striding over, she blocked Xu Chun’s path, instantly putting on a pitiful, fragile act. “Sister Xu Chun, I don’t know how I’ve offended you, but you secretly had my role taken away from me.”

“If it’s because I accidentally bumped into you earlier, I’ll apologize, okay? This role was hard for me to get, and I treasure it deeply. Please, give me another chance?”

Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed dramatically. Xu Chun’s reaction was pure confusion, what did any of this have to do with her?

Shen Shutong, flanked by four or five assistants, firmly blocked her way. Nearby crew members, even the director, perked up with interest, ears practically twitching with curiosity. What now? What fresh drama was unfolding?

Shen Shutong was determined not to let Xu Chun leave today. Not only would she force Xu Chun to return her role, but she’d also blow this up on Weibo, rallying public outrage to condemn Xu Chun. She’d been itching for a chance to provoke her, and now Xu Chun had handed her the perfect opportunity. Shen Shutong could hardly contain her glee.

Their dynamic was parasitic, the weaker the host, the stronger the parasite. Only by trampling Xu Chun into the mud could Shen Shutong climb higher.

Xu Chun sighed, eyeing the smug young woman. If she wasn’t allowed to leave, fine, she wouldn’t. Crossing her arms, she looked down at Shen Shutong with the calm arrogance of a seasoned troublemaker. “Then call the police.”

Shen Shutong: “?”

Onlookers: “???”

Xu Chun smiled sweetly, a smile that didn’t reach her eyes and leaned in. “If you won’t call them, I will.” In a flash, she dialed the number. “Hello? Officer, I’m being harassed. Someone’s falsely accusing me and has surrounded me with a group to block my way. I’m terrified. Yes, the address is the film studio.”

By the time Xu Chun finished speaking with the dispatcher, Shen Shutong was still frozen in shock. Only after the call ended did she snap back to reality, lunging at Xu Chun. “What did you just do?”

Xu Chun quickly ducked behind her bodyguard, heart pounding. Why did antagonists in these stories always resort to clawing at people’s faces?

“I called the police. You accused me of getting your role revoked, right? I didn’t do it, but since you’re so insistent, I’ll let the law clear my name.”

Just like that, a dirty behind-the-scenes spat was dragged into the open, leaving no one unscathed.

As Xu Chun wondered who had secretly sabotaged Shen Shutong to frame her, Yu Sui’an quietly stepped forward, standing uncomfortably close. “Out of all the actors here, why were you the only one replaced? Maybe you should reflect on whether your own behavior made you a target.”

The moment Yu Sui’an spoke, everything clicked for Xu Chun. So it was you! You’re the scheming black lotus who fired this sneak attack!

Meeting Xu Chun’s skeptical gaze unexpectedly, Yu Sui’an’s initially indifferent expression gradually turned aggrieved. She cautiously glanced up at Xu Chun before lowering her eyelids dejectedly, murmuring softly, “I couldn’t bear to see sister being bullied either.”

“I wanted to help you.”

Xu Chun immediately raised a hand to massage her throbbing temple, replying coldly, “That won’t be necessary in the future.”

Yu Sui’an lightly bit her lip, wanting to ask why, but with the police station right next to the filming set, officers quickly arrived to take Xu Chun and Shen Shutong away. Xu Chun’s assistant followed, while Yu Sui’an had to stay behind due to filming commitments. Her cold eyes fixed on Shen Shutong’s retreating back this was all her fault.

If only she had never appeared.

After understanding the situation, the police were exasperated by Shen Shutong’s behavior. However, Xu Chun insisted she had been framed and threatened by Shen Shutong, making this a serious matter they couldn’t ignore. They immediately prioritized the case involving the two actresses.

While the police worked, Xu Chun sat in a chair wearing her character’s suit, legs crossed, expression grave. She toyed with her phone, but when messaging Qin Yao, her tone turned pitiful: “Sister, I ended up at the police station today.”

Receiving no reply, Xu Chun exited WeChat and idly browsed other apps. Upon opening Weibo, her eyes widened about a dozen trending topics like “#XuChunBulliesNewcomer,” “#XuChunPullsStringsBehindScenes,” “#ShenShutongLosesRole,” and “#ShenShutongWorkplaceBullying” were climbing the charts with significant traction.

This masterclass in blame-shifting could make men speechless and women weep.

Expressionless, Xu Chun propped her chin, sensing an eerie familiarity about the situation. After pondering deeply, she gasped in horrified realization, her heart trembling.

Could it be that her useless “protagonist halo”, the one that always attracted vicious supporting female characters who bullied and humiliated her had followed her here?!

This couldn’t be happening!

What normal person could endure such treatment?

Upon closer reflection, the possibility seemed all too real. Xu Chun was overcome with sorrow, why hadn’t her “charisma” halo come along instead? In her romance novel, at least she’d encountered numerous gentle, devoted male characters who adored her unconditionally.

Just as this thought crossed her mind, Yu Sui’an’s breathless, smiling face appeared before her. “Sister, I came as soon as filming wrapped,” she said with an innocent, harmless smile. “I hope I’m not too late to help you.”

Xu Chun hesitated. If the second female lead suddenly switched sides to care for her… did that count as her protagonist halo working?

The police station buzzed with activity.

Investigating Shen Shutong’s lost role would take time, and even if uncovered, would evidence be traceable? Such behind-the-scenes maneuvers in entertainment often hinged on a single word from the powerful. But with the scandal now viral on Weibo, the police had no choice but to work overtime to clear Xu Chun’s name swiftly.

Shen Shutong firmly insisted that Xu Chun was behind this incident, pouring out her grievances on Weibo and earning the sympathy of her fans. Some bystanders who didn’t know the full story, seeing Shen’s distress, also joined in criticizing Xu Chun.

Normally, with Xu Chun being attacked from all sides, Yu Sui’an’s fans would never miss an opportunity to kick someone when they’re down. Yet today they remained unusually silent, not uttering a single word, which puzzled the onlookers greatly.

Yu Sui’an’s fans wanted to join in, but now that Xu Chun and Suisui were closely tied together, they worried that any misstep by Xu Chun might drag Suisui into the mess. Most importantly, Yu Sui’an herself had personally appeared in major fan groups earlier, saying: “This has nothing to do with my sister. She’s being framed. Don’t let others manipulate you.”

Suisui was so kind-hearted and spoke to them with such gentleness that they, utterly enchanted, immediately agreed. Only after Yu Sui’an left the fan groups did they realize their mistake, they’d been careless!

Their desire to target Xu Chun was bone-deep. Had they not been suddenly dazzled by Yu Sui’an’s beauty, they would never have passed up this opportunity. But since Suisui had personally intervened, they decided to let Xu Chun off, for now.

Not getting involved at this moment was already the greatest kindness they could show Xu Chun.

Being around Yu Sui’an always left Xu Chun feeling uneasy. After much thought, she came up with a solution, Jiang Zhaolie would make the perfect scapegoat. She immediately lowered her head, unlocked her phone, opened WeChat, and sent Jiang Zhaolie a message: [“You there?”]

Jiang Zhaolie replied instantly: [“?”]

Xu Chun added a smiling emoji: [“You know Suisui followed me to the police station, right?”]

The other party responded with three more question marks, then anxiously asked: [“Which station are you at? I’m coming right now.”]

Pleased with how quickly Jiang Zhaolie caught on, Xu Chun sent the location and finally felt the weight lift from her shoulders. As a proper supporting character in this yuri novel, she had to maintain her role of “creating opportunities for the two female leads to get together.”

If she couldn’t control Yu Sui’an, this obsessive, yandere black lotus, surely Jiang Zhaolie, the actual female lead, would have a way?

Moved by her own thoughtfulness (“I’m practically a living saint”), Xu Chun soon spotted Jiang Zhaolie’s arrival. Glancing at the time, she noted how quickly the other woman had come, must have run quite a few red lights.

Xu Chun stood to greet her. Jiang Zhaolie, frantic with worry, asked in an urgent voice, “Where’s Suisui? Is she okay? What exactly did you do on set that made her follow you here?”

“You’re asking so many questions at once, which one should I answer first?” Xu Chun stared at her impassively. Jiang Zhaolie hesitated, then settled on one: “Is she alright?”

“She’s fine. I’ll take you to her now.” Xu Chun turned and walked alongside Jiang Zhaolie. After a moment of silence, she casually inquired about Jiang Zhaolie’s mother, Qin Yao: “How has your mom been lately?”

Jiang Zhaolie paused mid-step: [“?”]

“Why the sudden concern about my mother?”

Xu Chun maintained a calm expression. “Just asking casually. I was merely showing some concern for my sister’s situation. There’s no need to make such a fuss.” After a brief pause, she abruptly changed the subject and asked Jiang Zhaolie, “Is your mother busy lately? What has she been occupied with…”

“Xu Chun.” Jiang Zhaolie couldn’t help but stop in his tracks, his face darkening as he glared at her. “What exactly are you scheming against my mother?”

She frowned deeply, but no matter how hard she racked her brain, she probably couldn’t imagine that Xu Chun coveted Qin Yao’s beauty, body, and everything about her including the desire to become her fair-skinned, attractive stepmother.

Xu Chun smiled sweetly, “What ulterior motives could I possibly have? I just thought since my sister helped me before, it’s only right that I show some concern for her.” She blinked innocently, her expression completely harmless, “Is that not allowed?”

Jiang Zhaolie wasn’t about to fall for her act. She remained vigilant, “Then swear that you harbor no ill intentions toward my mother.”

Xu Chun: “…” Silence.

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