After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Became the Female Lead's Stepmother - Chapter 26

“White moonlight… Oh no, what did Jiang Banxia mean by that just now?” Xu Chun stared blankly, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on the other’s face. Could it be that after all these years, Jiang Banxia also had feelings for her? Was this actually a case of mutual affection?

Jiang Banxia’s raven-feather-like eyelashes fluttered slightly as she lowered her eyes, obscuring most of her tea-colored pupils. She quietly observed Xu Chun’s exquisitely beautiful face, finding the woman before her utterly captivating and irresistible.

Despite her innocent appearance, every unconscious movement Xu Chun made was like a cat’s paw, stirring waves in one’s heart and giving rise to wild fantasies.

This was the woman who had occupied her entire youth, the one who had made her suppress the most heart-fluttering feelings all those years. Leaving without saying goodbye back then had been her only choice. If possible, she would have defied her parents, stopped being their obedient daughter, and chosen to stay by Xu Chun’s side.

Jiang Banxia had assumed Xu Chun would be like her, focused on studies and self-improvement. Never did she imagine that while she was working day and night on academic pursuits, Xu Chun would be flaunting high-profile relationships back home, as if afraid people wouldn’t notice, even getting humiliated by Yu Sui’an to the point of nearly losing her reputation.

The moment she saw the entertainment news, Jiang Banxia was furious and anxious. But with her project unfinished, she couldn’t leave. So she gritted her teeth, sleeping only two or three pitiful hours each day, practically at the cost of her health, to complete the project ahead of schedule and make time to return home quickly.

She strongly disliked Yu Sui’an. In her view, Yu Sui’an’s feelings for Xu Chun weren’t genuine, she only wanted to use Xu Chun. A celebrity of Yu’s caliber could achieve one, even two or three levels of career advancement by publicly dating Xu Chun, or even by shifting blame for their breakup onto Xu.

And as it turned out, Jiang Banxia’s suspicions were completely correct.

So she rushed back home in a frenzy, then took advantage of Shen Shutong’s incident to leverage her parents’ connections and land the supporting female role in the drama. With her around, Yu Sui’an wouldn’t dare try anything excessive. But,  Jiang Banxia’s gaze swept over Xu Chun’s face as she subtly furrowed her brows. Could Xu Chun still be hung up on Yu Sui’an? Still carrying a torch for her?

Earlier, sitting alone here, Xu Chun had stared fixedly at Yu Sui’an, her bright smile so dazzling it felt like needles to Jiang Banxia’s eyes.

A stifling frustration welled up in Jiang Banxia’s chest. She really wanted to crack open Xu Chun’s head to see what was going on inside.

What was so great about Yu Sui’an anyway? What made Xu Chun so infatuated, so haunted by thoughts of her? Or was Xu Chun simply tired of delicacies and wanted to try plain congee for a change?

Jiang Banxia’s gaze wandered uncertainly. Xu Chun had no idea the other woman had already spun so many assumptions in her mind. Noticing Jiang Banxia’s increasingly stern expression and the telltale signs of another impending lecture, Xu Chun quickly parted her lips and spoke with utmost seriousness: “Of course you’re much better than her.”

Noticing Jiang Banxia’s skeptical gaze, Xu Chun straightened her neck defiantly. “You’re gorgeous tall with long legs, a slender waist, highly educated, wealthy, and from a good family. Who wouldn’t like you? Anyone who doesn’t must have eye problems and should see an ophthalmologist.”

Admittedly, Xu Chun’s words pleased Jiang Banxia, but she wasn’t so easily swayed. Her delicate brows remained slightly furrowed. “Then what’s really going on between you and Yu Sui’an?”

Hmm… Should she admit that she’d acted on malicious impulse and swindled Jiang Zhaolie out of five million?

Xu Chun’s brief hesitation caused Jiang Banxia’s expression to shift instantly. The latter abruptly straightened, her face tinged with faint anger and coldness. “I understand now.”

Xu Chun tilted her head in confusion. “?” Understand what?

In response, Jiang Banxia gave her a deep look before turning away without another word. Left sitting dumbfounded, Xu Chun thought: “???” Wait, what exactly did the white moonlight figure out?

As soon as Jiang Banxia left, Assistant A cautiously approached. “Xu-jie, you and Miss Jiang…” She swallowed hard. “Did you… argue?”

Xu Chun shot her a glance. “Get to the point.”

“Nothing much, just checking in on you,” Assistant A replied with an awkward laugh. Xu Chun stared at her impassively. “Do I look like someone who’s easily fooled?”

She knew these people too well their endless fascination with gossip truly embodied the Chinese penchant for drama at its finest.

Unfazed by being seen through, Assistant A soon resumed her duties as if nothing had happened. Previously, while working for Xu Chun, she’d found her employer admirable yet somehow off. But after Xu Chun’s broken engagement, she seemed like a different person more vibrant, as if she’d gained independent thought and conviction.

Still… Surely Xu Chun wouldn’t be sweet-talked back into reuniting with Yu Sui’an, right? Everyone could see Yu Sui’an’s scheming nature. No matter what, they wouldn’t allow her alone time with Xu Chun this was the task Manager Yang had drilled into them daily before the shoot.

Manager Yang had declared: If Xu Chun dared obsess over Yu Sui’an again, they were to physically separate them by any means necessary.

…

Recently, Yu Sui’an’s fans had been restless as ants on a hot pan, consumed by anxiety.

Since her debut, Yu Sui’an had faced overt and covert mistreatment. Her first agency was exploitative not only with its predatory profit splits, but her manager also neglected his duties, preoccupied with pimping her out. Back then, Yu Sui’an attended more drinking parties than filming sessions.

Later, through a friend of Xu Chun’s, Yu Sui’an took out loans to pay the exorbitant termination fees and escaped that vampiric company. She joined her current agency, where a visiting manager originally there to drink with the CEO noticed and officially took her on as both friend and collaborator.

It seemed as though she had endured too much hardship in the past, or perhaps her current agency was simply the perfect match, Yu Suian thrived in her new company, finally able to hold her head high. With the first script the company secured for her, she skyrocketed to fame, becoming a rising star whose name topped the charts.

Under the protection of her well-connected agent, Yu Suian hadn’t faced such humiliation in a long, long time. Smear campaigns, false accusations, or scandals none of it ever touched her. As a result, her fans carried themselves with unshakable confidence, strutting around like a flock of triumphant geese, unstoppable wherever they went.

But now, they were seething with frustration. Alongside their anger, they felt an overwhelming heartache and worry for Yu Suian, afraid that this incident might crush her spirits and affect her performance on set. So, a few of the fan leaders privately got together and decided to visit her under the guise of a casual visit, bringing gifts, snacks, and fruits to cheer her up.

Xu Wei was among them.

Lately, Xu Wei had been living an unusually frugal life. Xu Chun had been relentless, even disregarding their sisterly bond to demand repayment, leaving Xu Wei both furious and humiliated. Did she really care about that paltry sum?

Perhaps out of spite, or maybe pride, Xu Wei resolved to repay every last cent even if it meant selling everything she owned, just to sever ties with Xu Chun completely. She refused to owe anyone anything.

For the first half of the month, she sold off her collection of luxury handbags and unworn designer clothes, then auctioned off several rarely driven sports cars her parents had gifted her over the years. Finally, she even sold one of her properties, recouping a substantial amount but it still wasn’t enough.

Her expression darkened as she gritted her teeth and made the hardest decision yet: selling her favorite supercar, the one that flaunted her status and pride. Scraping together the rest by borrowing from close friends, she finally managed to gather the full amount owed to Xu Chun.

The moment she transferred the money, Xu Wei felt an unprecedented lightness, as if a weight had been lifted. But soon after, an inexplicable emptiness settled in her chest.

Had she really spent so much in just half a year chasing after Yu Sui’an?

Fifty million… An ordinary family might not even spend half a million in a year. The sum she had squandered could have supported two or three hundred average households for an entire year.

A strange emotion welled up inside her, but before she could dwell on it, one of her fellow Yu Sui’an fans called out of the blue, asking, “Hua Hua and the others are visiting the set to see Suisui today. Wanna come along?”

A visit to the set? Xu Wei instinctively wanted to refuse, recalling Xu Chun’s earlier attitude. But after a moment’s thought, she realized this was the perfect opportunity to declare that she owed nothing anymore. “Sure,” she agreed. “When are you going?”

“This afternoon,” her friend replied. “You’re home now, right? I’ll swing by soon, mind if I hitch a ride in your car?”

Hearing this, Xu Wei instinctively glanced at the empty parking space in her designated corner of the house, her expression darkening. After the other person finished speaking, she reflexively denied, “I’m not home. Just go straight to the film studio. I’ll meet up with you all later.”

Her friend sounded disappointed. “Alright then.”

After hanging up, Xu Wei stared blankly at the balance displayed on her phone screen. After repaying the 40-50 million she owed Xu Chun, she’d lost her house, her car, and more than half of her designer bags, jewelry, and clothes. Even her bank account was completely drained. Now she had to take a taxi just to visit Suisui on set.

When in her life had she ever suffered like this?

A wave of irritation washed over her. She resented Xu Chun’s cold-heartedness while regretting her own extravagance squandering so much money on Yu Sui’an alone. Many fans enjoyed supporting their idols without spending a fortune. While she hadn’t gone that far, why had she felt the need to compete with Yu Sui’an’s other fans, pretending to be wealthy while driving herself into this desperate situation?

It simply wasn’t worth it.

Lost in thought the entire way, even with a mask and hat covering her face, Xu Wei’s foul mood was evident when she arrived at the film studio. So consumed by regret, she didn’t notice where she was walking until someone stopped her. Startled, she looked up and recoiled at the sight of Xu Chun’s suddenly appearing face, putting distance between them as she cried out, “I’ve already paid back every cent I owed you! What more do you want?!”

Hmm? Xu Chun raised an eyebrow slightly before pulling out her phone to check. After confirming the transfer details in her messages, her smile turned warm and amiable. “You’ve worked hard.”

Xu Wei didn’t know what to say, this hypocritical display of concern was infuriating. She turned to leave but was stopped by Xu Chun’s voice. “Here to see Suisui?”

Meeting Xu Chun’s expressionless gaze, Xu Chun smiled brightly. “Your friends have already arrived.” She kindly pointed in a direction. “Over there. Let me take you to them.”

After signaling her assistants to step back, Xu Chun walked beside Xu Wei with one hand in her pocket. “What happened today was truly an undeserved misfortune for Suisui, but fortunately, she has fans like you. Your presence will surely lift her spirits.” After this heartfelt speech, her tone abruptly shifted. “But you can’t come comfort her every day, can you?”

Xu Wei frowned, unsure what she was getting at.

Noticing this, Xu Chun beamed. “Let’s make a deal.” She spoke leisurely, as if merely making an offhand remark. “Pay me 500,000 a month, and I’ll keep an eye on her for you. How about that?”

Xu Wei instinctively wanted to refuse, but Xu Chun continued, “If anyone ever slanders Suisui online again, I’ll go through hell or high water, even if it ruins my reputation to personally clear her name and take all the blame, leaving no opening for her rivals to exploit.”

“Well?”

Xu Wei had already been resentful about being asked to repay the money. After realizing that just 500,000 yuan a month could make the other party miserable, she almost nodded on the spot. Whether Suisui suffered or not wasn’t important, she simply wanted revenge on Xu Chun now, to make her life difficult.

She was already wavering when Xu Chun leaned in slightly and whispered in her ear, “Think about it. If you’re the first to help Suisui whenever she’s slandered, won’t your status among her fans keep rising? Soon, everyone will thank you, even Suisui herself will want to meet you, buy you gifts and milk tea, take intimate selfies with you, and post them online. You’ll be the only important person in her fandom envied, admired, but never surpassed.”

“You’ll be the chosen one among Suisui’s fans, special in her heart unlike anyone else. So, how could you bear to give up such a perfect chance to get closer to her?”

Xu Wei, who had never faced the harsh realities of society, couldn’t resist such temptation. She immediately shook her head. “I can’t.”

She turned and stared firmly at Xu Chun. “You promise?”

“Of course.” Seeing the fish bite, Xu Chun smiled even brighter, her eyes brimming with charm. “If you’re worried, we can sign an electronic contract right now.”

Without hesitation, Xu Wei agreed. “Fine, I’ll sign.”

But after opening the electronic contract Xu Chun sent and signing it, she suddenly remembered her account was empty. Xu Chun, as if sensing her dilemma, said understandingly, “If you’re short on cash, you can just write me an IOU for now. Pay me back whenever you have the money.”

As she spoke, she subtly slid a pre-written IOU across the table and added, “Your friends must still be waiting for you, right?”

Just then, Xu Wei’s friend called. “Weiwei, where are you? We’re already here!” The girl’s voice was excited. “You won’t believe it, Suisui knew we were coming and even had her assistant buy us snacks and plushies! There’s even the Belle doll you love, I grabbed one for you! And we got Suisui’s autograph too…”

Xu Wei’s impatience flared. With a flourish, she signed the IOU in a messy scrawl and dashed off without looking back. “Xu Chun, you’d better remember everything you just said.”

“Naturally. I always keep my word.” Xu Chun smiled, holding her 500,000 yuan with delight.

Keep her word? Xu Wei thought bitterly, she was relentless when it came to collecting debts… Wait! She froze mid-step. Hadn’t she just repaid the millions she owed Xu Chun? How was she suddenly in debt for another 500,000?

Her face darkened. She’d been tricked!

Just then, her friend ran over, clutching the plushie and Yu Sui’an’s autograph. “Weiwei, look what I got you!” Noticing Xu Wei’s mood, she asked cautiously, “Weiwei… what’s wrong?”

She glanced at Xu Chun in the distance and suddenly thought of something, her eyes widening involuntarily. “You share the same surname as Xu Chun,  Could you two be?”

“No!” Xu Wei instinctively raised her voice in denial, startling the other person. After murmuring a quiet “sorry,” she clenched her teeth, determined not to let anyone discover she and Xu Chun were sisters. Otherwise, Suisui would be heartbroken at the mention of Xu Chun’s name, and Xu Wei herself would face attacks from Suisui’s fans. Some might even accuse her of being a spy planted among them to leak information to Xu Chun.

So even if it killed her, she absolutely couldn’t let anyone know about their relationship.

Under her friend’s repeated concerned questioning, Xu Wei forced herself to perk up. “It’s nothing, just didn’t sleep well last night.” Afraid the other might pry further, she tugged her toward Yu Sui’an, changing the subject. “How’s Suisui doing?”

Her friend’s attention shifted immediately. “Not great.”

Xu Chun held the IOU with a radiant smile, while her assistant, who had witnessed the whole scene, felt her eyelid twitch violently. “Xu-jie, how could you even scam your own sister?”

“My sister?” Xu Chun shot her assistant a sidelong glance. “What sister? We’re just strangers who happen to share the same parents.”

The assistant was momentarily baffled by her words, and by the time she processed them, Xu Chun had already walked away.

Yu Sui’an had taken the afternoon off, spending time with her fans. After finishing her scenes, Xu Chun glanced at her briefly before heading straight back to her hotel room to rest. Ever since that morning, Jiang Banxia had been looking at her with an indescribable expression, some mix of frustration, exasperation, and a barely restrained urge to throttle her on the spot.

Filming with her had left Xu Chun on edge, her nerves stretched taut, terrified Jiang Banxia might suddenly blurt out some explosive revelation and single-handedly land her on the headlines.

So the moment she returned to her hotel room, Xu Chun didn’t even bother washing up. She flopped onto the sofa like a dead fish, lying motionless.

After finally recovering, she sent a message to Jiang Zhaolie: [Did you buy Sister some treats?]

Jiang Zhaolie glanced at her phone and frowned. She was swamped with work when would she have time to buy things to butter up Mom?

Dog: [No.]

Xu Chun immediately shot upright. [No?! Why didn’t you buy Sister treats? Are you jealous that Sister gets pampered while Yu Sui’an ignores you?]

A moment later, another thought struck her. [Wait you’re not trying to embezzle the million I set aside for Sister’s snacks, are you?]

The incessant pinging of messages grated on Jiang Zhaolie’s nerves. Already stuck on a project, her irritation flared. Snatching up her phone, she typed furiously: [I’ll give you two million. Stop bothering me.]

Xu Chun: “?!” Was this even real?!

She typed back instantly: [Understood. This humble servant shall withdraw at once. Please remember to transfer the money promptly.]

Jiang Zhaolie, now realizing what she’d just promised in her rage: “…………” Was it too late to take it back?

Xu Chun, pleased with her extra earnings, happily got up to remove her makeup, washed her hair, and took a shower before changing into the white bathrobe she had brought with her. Tall, slender, and with an enviable figure, every movement she made was as graceful as a painting.

When Yu Sui’an knocked on her door, he was greeted by this utterly mesmerizing sight.

Xu Chun stood bathed in the soft glow of the lights. Her fair skin, already porcelain-like, now shimmered with a pearlescent radiance under the illumination, appearing almost translucent. Her cascading hair, released from its usual style, draped lazily over her shoulders, still slightly damp adding an effortless allure to her presence.

Xu Chun looked breathtakingly beautiful at that moment, so stunning it made one’s heart race like thunder.

Yu Sui’an suddenly felt her mouth go dry. But the moment Xu Chun spoke impatiently, all the tenderness in the air shattered instantly. “What do you want?”

“I wanted to discuss the script with you, sis.” Yu Sui’an met her gaze briefly before lowering her lashes slowly. “There’s a small part where I’m not sure about the emotional delivery.”

Xu Chun frowned. She was already off work did this girl really intend to encroach on her personal time and make her work overtime?

Knowing she was imposing, Yu Sui’an pulled out a gift she had been hiding behind her back. “I know you like this, sis. As an apology for disturbing you, I specially asked my assistant to queue up and buy two servings for you.”

Xu Chun did indeed love this treat, but since the brand was wildly popular with endless lines, she had suppressed her cravings to spare her assistant the ordeal. She had only eaten it once in public, who knew this scheming little white flower had remembered?

“I’m really sorry for taking up your time,” Yu Sui’an said, placing the gift box in Xu Chun’s arms, her eyes brimming with hope.

Of course, Xu Chun wasn’t someone who could be bribed with a box of pastries. Just as she was about to speak, Jiang Banxia suddenly walked past from behind, stopping in her tracks. Her gaze flickered between Xu Chun and the gift box before settling coldly on Xu Chun’s face. “What are you two doing?”

Jiang Banxia’s tone was anything but friendly. Xu Chun’s mouth instantly went bitter, why was it that the one time she received a gift, she got caught? Hastily returning the box to Yu Sui’an, Xu Chun straightened up like a soldier at attention. “Nothing.”

Then, stealing a glance at Jiang Banxia, she added, “We were discussing the script.”

“Discussing the script requires getting handsy in public?” Jiang Banxia’s smile didn’t reach her eyes as she stared at Xu Chun’s half-dried hair. “Discussing the script requires taking a shower beforehand and dressing like this?”

Xu Chun was at a complete loss, I’m innocent!

I wanted to change, but I had no idea Yu Sui’an would show up at this hour! And I definitely didn’t expect you to appear right when I was about to reject her!

Just as Xu Chun was inwardly wallowing in despair, the voice of Jiang Zhaolie, who should have been miles away suddenly rang out: “Suisui? So you’re here. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

Instinctively, Xu Chun craned her neck to look outside only to see not just Jiang Zhaolie, but also Qin Yao strolling leisurely beside her, radiant as moonlight. Xu Chun reflexively clutched the collar of her bathrobe, her heart lurching violently: “!!!” Why are they all here?!

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