After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Became the Female Lead's Stepmother - Chapter 39

Although Xu Chun had been outright rejected by Qin Yao, she didn’t feel particularly embarrassed. She had initially planned to give up her scheming and behave properly for a while, but then her eyes landed on Jiang Zhaolie. After a brief moment of contemplation, it was as if Xu Chun’s meridians had suddenly been unblocked, she came up with a brilliant idea.

The moment Jiang Zhaolie noticed Xu Chun staring at her, a bad feeling arose in her heart. Sure enough, the next second she saw the other girl’s face take on a slightly dejected expression. In a voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum, both docile and heartbreaking, Xu Chun said, “Alright.”

Her sudden quietness made both Qin Yao and Secretary Zhao glance at her with concern. But Xu Chun seemed oblivious, keeping her head slightly lowered, her thick eyelashes fluttering faintly as they cast downward shadows.

She looked both uneasy and wronged.

A wave of guilt washed over Secretary Zhao, her hands unconsciously tightening on the steering wheel. She couldn’t help thinking: Given what had happened between Xu Chun and Jiang Zhaolie before, it was understandable that Xu Chun would feel uncomfortable sitting next to her. And yet, despite priding herself on being perceptive and detail-oriented, she had completely overlooked this crucial point just now.

Her current actions weren’t just turning a blind eye they were practically pushing Xu Chun into the fire pit with cruel indifference.

Secretary Zhao instinctively turned to Qin Yao. “President Qin, perhaps…” She hesitated. “Would you switch seats with Miss Xu?”

Qin Yao withdrew her gaze from Xu Chun and stared expressionlessly at her audacious secretary. Do you not want your job anymore? Seems like you’re eager to taste the harsh realities of the working world at such a young age.

Secretary Zhao suddenly realized she’d dared to rearrange her boss’s seating for Xu Chun’s sake. Her face stiffened as she silently refocused on driving. Miss Xu, it’s not that I don’t want to help you, but my position is too insignificant to make a difference.

Xu Chun appreciated Secretary Zhao’s kindness. She quickly interjected, “Sister Zhao, it’s alright.” She forced a smile, the curve of her lips visibly strained. “It’s just sitting next to Zhaolie. I don’t mind.”

This was clearly a case of blaming the locust while pointing at the mulberry tree! Not a single word in her speech directly criticized Jiang Zhaolie, yet every implication was an accusation and expression of disdain. Jiang Zhaolie glared at Xu Chun, what a master of distortion and nonsense! There was no way Mom would be so easily fooled by Xu Chun’s little tricks!

Who was Mom? After all these years, what kind of schemes and manipulations hadn’t she seen?

Such clumsy tactics. Before Jiang Zhaolie could finish the thought, she heard Qin Yao slowly call her name. “Zhaolie.” Her voice was calm. “Come sit here instead.”

Jiang Zhaolie’s face immediately fell: “?” Wait, Mom actually got taken in by Xu Chun’s green tea acting skills?

Though Jiang Zhaolie found this hard to believe and was extremely reluctant to switch seats with Qin Yao, her mother had already unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the car door, and was waiting quietly outside. With no choice, Jiang Zhaolie grabbed her laptop and moved to the passenger seat. Before leaving, she made sure to shoot Xu Chun a long, meaningful look, I never expected you’d actually have some real skills up your sleeve.

Xu Chun maintained a sorrowful expression under Jiang Zhaolie’s gaze, looking utterly desolate.

With just a slight furrow of her brows, she effortlessly evoked a sense of pity and tenderness, no words or exaggerated gestures needed. And with her shoulders deliberately hunched, curling into herself, she appeared utterly helpless and pitiable.

Qin Yao soon took her seat beside her. As the woman drew near, a faint, crisp fragrance reminiscent of snow-capped pines and mountain air drifted through the space, lingering at the tip of Xu Chun’s nose, impossible to ignore.

She carried a scent cold yet mature, an intoxicating blend that was nearly impossible to resist. Xu Chun couldn’t help but steal another glance in Qin Yao’s direction, her heart fluttering under the spell of that fragrance.

Only after watching Qin Yao settle in did Xu Chun belatedly realize this woman responded better to softness than force. Turning her head slightly to face Qin Yao, Xu Chun couldn’t suppress a subtle smirk curling at the corner of her lips. This made things much easier. Playing the fragile, delicate role? She was a natural.

She had Yu Sui’an’s enthusiastic performances and coaching to thank for that.

Qin Yao retrieved a first-aid kit from the back and handed Xu Chun a box of pills. “Take one.”

Xu Chun’s smile froze instantly. For a moment, she felt like she’d shot herself in the foot like she’d tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice instead. She hesitated, refusing to take it. Qin Yao arched a brow, her eyes narrowing slightly. Seeing this, Xu Chun quickly improvised, “There’s no hot water in the car. I can’t take it.”

But no sooner had the words left her mouth than Qin Yao picked up her thermos and handed it to Xu Chun. “My cup. It’s brand new, and the water’s still hot. Make do with it.”

Xu Chun’s lips twitched. “…”

Well, close your eyes, open them again, and life would go on. It was just one pill, surely it wouldn’t do much harm. So, with trembling hands, she shakily accepted Qin Yao’s “kindness,” then steeled herself and swallowed the painkiller as if it were poison, right in front of Qin Yao.

Afterward, Xu Chun felt as though she had a lump in her throat, but she frantically reassured herself: Qin-jie must have done this for my own good. She was clearly worried about me, afraid I’d be in pain! She even switched seats with Jiang Zhaolie, what does that mean? It means rounding up, Qin Yao already has some level of affection for me!

The thought instantly made her feel much better.

Weakly, she returned the thermos to Qin Yao. “Thank you.”

But Qin Yao didn’t take it. Instead, she said, “Keep it. You might need it later.”

Xu Chun blinked. “…?” For a moment, she couldn’t tell if Qin Yao was genuinely concerned or hinting at something else. But Xu Chun deliberately ignored the latter possibility, clutching the thermos with a moved expression as she gazed up at Qin Yao. “Jie, you’re so good to me.”

Jiang Zhaolie’s temple twitched as she watched, her emotions complicated. The rhythm of her work and her usual calm had been disrupted by the people in the backseat, making it impossible to focus. Eventually, she gave up, snapping her laptop shut and turning to stare blankly out the window. This doesn’t make sense. Since when did Mom become so caring and considerate?

When she was a child and fell ill with colds or fevers so many times, her mother would only offer a few words of concern over the phone before simply instructing the housekeeper to monitor her condition. She would never personally feed medicine to someone like this.

At this moment, Jiang Zhaolie couldn’t help but feel genuine envy toward Xu Chun.

No matter how hard she tried, she could never capture Qin Yao’s attention yet here was Xu Chun, effortlessly gaining everything with just a feigned illness. It all came to her without the slightest effort.

The car fell silent again, but the quiet didn’t last long before Xu Chun’s phone rang. It was Director Guo, calling with a tactful question: “Xu Chun, your livestream cut off just now. Did something happen?”

Only then did Xu Chun remember that she had manually ended the broadcast earlier. She chuckled awkwardly and shamelessly explained, “It must be the poor signal in the underground parking lot. Don’t worry, I’ll reconnect right away.”

Director Guo’s eyelid twitched. Yeah, right. The signal had been perfectly fine the entire time they were in the parking lot, yet it conveniently failed the moment she got into the car? If this wasn’t her doing, he’d chop his own head off and kick it like a soccer ball. Still, he didn’t call her out. “Well, try reconnecting first.”

After brushing him off with a few more words, Xu Chun ended the call and reached over to turn the livestream phone back on. Faced with the flood of question marks filling the screen, she remained unfazed. “Sorry about that, the signal dropped earlier, so the livestream cut off on its own.”

Jiang Zhaolie snapped out of her thoughts and glanced at Xu Chun through the rearview mirror, utterly shameless.

The audience, however, wasn’t so easily fooled. Skeptical comments poured in:

[Wait, wasn’t Jiang Zhaolie sitting in the back earlier? How come after the stream cut, Qin Yao is suddenly sitting next to you? What happened in those two minutes that we weren’t allowed to see?]

[What kind of content is too scandalous for us premium VVVIPs? Xu-jie, you’re really keeping us at arm’s length now.]

[Nice job with the ‘signal issues.’ Don’t do it again.]

Though the viewers doubted Xu Chun’s excuse, her deadpan expression was too convincing, and with no further “signal problems,” they reluctantly let it go. Still, many stayed vigilant, turning on screen recording just in case, next time something suspicious happened, they’d dig through the footage and expose everything.

They refused to believe the signal had a mind of its own, conveniently failing at the perfect moment.

After chatting with the audience for a while, drowsiness washed over Xu Chun like a tide. She glanced at the medicine box beside her right, any kind of medication always made her sleepy. With the airport still some distance away, she propped the phone back up and immediately dozed off against the window.

By the time someone woke her, she felt disoriented, as if she’d slept through an entire era.

Blinking heavily, she saw Secretary Zhao and Jiang Zhaolie staring at her with complicated expressions from the front seats, while Qin Yao had already stepped out and was on a call nearby. Xu Chun instinctively wanted to ask what was going on, but before she could, Qin Yao hung up and turned around.

“Let’s go.”

Secretary Zhao and Jiang Zhaolie immediately sprang into action, checking in and handling the luggage. Once on the plane, Xu Chun shamelessly chose a seat next to Qin Yao, feeling thoroughly pleased with herself.

She had planned to use the two-hour flight to bond with Qin Yao, but before she knew it, she had dozed off again. By the time she was woken up, disembarked, transferred to a car, and arrived at the hotel, she was already separated from Qin Yao. Forget talking, she couldn’t even catch a glimpse of her.

Xu Chun silently lamented the missed opportunity, growing suspicious. Did Qin Yao secretly swap my painkillers for sleeping pills?

Just as she was lost in these thoughts, Secretary Zhao approached and lightly rapped twice on Xu Chun’s half-open door. “Miss Xu, please get ready. You’ll be accompanying President Qin to a banquet tonight.”

Stepping aside, she revealed five evening gowns prepared by Qin Yao. “Take a look and choose whichever you prefer.”

Xu Chun’s gaze followed her words to the dresses. Secretary Zhao added, “Once you’ve changed, let us know, and the stylist will come in to do your makeup.” She briefly explained, “Tonight’s banquet involves a target client, so the preparations are a bit more elaborate.”

Elaborate? This was downright extravagant, far more luxurious than what the company usually provided for her. She could practically wear one of these dresses and marry into high society without a second thought.

“Did President Qin really prepare these for me?” Xu Chun leaned in, and upon receiving Secretary Zhao’s confirmation, she beamed with delight. Secretary Zhao maintained a neutral expression, pretending not to notice, and left after having the dresses delivered to Xu Chun’s room.

Since Qin Yao had a target tonight, Xu Chun decided not to be too flashy. She picked a white mermaid gown, exquisitely tailored, with every measurement perfectly matching her figure. A flicker of doubt crossed her mind: How did Qin Yao get my measurements? But then again, it wasn’t unusual for high-end brands to have such data on file.

Pushing the thought aside, Xu Chun called for the stylist.

Meanwhile, Qin Yao was with Jiang Zhaolie. The target client tonight was an old acquaintance, Zheng Yanran’s mother, Zheng Jinchan. Years ago, Zheng Jinchan had lost her husband shortly after becoming pregnant, so she gave her daughter her own surname. Though her in-laws disapproved, Zheng Jinchan couldn’t care less.

Her marriage had been purely business-oriented, devoid of affection, and her in-laws had always favored sons over daughters, showing no respect for women. Zheng Jinchan had long despised living with such a family. The moment her husband died, she left with her unborn child, severing all ties with his relatives and throwing herself into her career.

At first, her in-laws clung to the hope that she might be carrying a boy, harassing and guilt-tripping her in an attempt to claim the child. But after months of Zheng Jinchan refusing to yield, no matter their tactics they grew furious, even fantasizing about dragging her back by force.

Unfortunately, Zheng Jinchan was no pushover either. She was constantly accompanied by four or five bodyguards providing 24-hour protection, leaving the family with no choice but to abandon their kidnapping plans. Instead, they resorted to emotional appeals and moral reasoning, trying to awaken Zheng Jinchan’s conscience by invoking their deceased son.

But before this method could take effect, Zheng Jinchan gave premature birth to Zheng Yanran. Upon learning she had delivered a daughter, shattering their hopes of continuing the family line, the family’s attitude instantly soured. They distanced themselves from Zheng Jinchan, making it clear they refused to acknowledge her as their daughter-in-law or the child as their granddaughter, lest the two come demanding financial support.

The scandal back then was so widely known that almost no one was unaware of it.

At the time, most people expected Zheng Jinchan to wallow in self-pity and despair, collapsing under the pressure. Yet she remained unfazed. Not only did she raise her daughter through immense hardship, but she also built her career to dazzling heights. Now, everyone who meets her respectfully addresses her as “President Zheng.”

Zheng Jinchan’s story was the epitome of a strong female lead, but what made Xu Chun pay such close attention to her wasn’t just these surface-level details. It was because Zheng Jinchan had played a pivotal role in Jiang Zhaolie’s takedown of Qin Yao.

In fact, had Zheng Jinchan not been persuaded by Jiang Zhaolie in the end, siding with her and contributing just a small effort, Qin Yao wouldn’t have fallen from power so swiftly without even a chance to defend or recover. Xu Chun lightly rubbed the soft fabric of her evening gown between her fingers, her eyes glinting with calculation.

If I help Qin Yao win Zheng Jinchan over and eliminate one of her threats, wouldn’t Qin Yao owe me a great deal of gratitude?

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she mulled it over, increasingly convinced that this was a brilliant strategy to win Qin Yao’s favor.

After finishing her styling, Xu Chun happened to run into Jiang Zhaolie on her way out. She approached her and asked, “When is Zheng Jinchan expected to arrive tonight?”

Though puzzled as to how Xu Chun knew Zheng Jinchan was their target for the evening, Jiang Zhaolie assumed Qin Yao must have informed her and didn’t dwell on it. “She should arrive in about half an hour,” she replied before glancing at the stunning woman beside her. “You don’t need to do anything tonight, so just stay quietly by our side.”

It wasn’t that Jiang Zhaolie had any issue with Xu Chun, she simply believed Xu Chun lacked familiarity with the company’s business jargon. Jumping into the conversation recklessly might backfire, leaving a poor impression on Zheng Jinchan.

Xu Chun caught the underlying implication and shot her a sidelong look. “So you’re telling me to keep my mouth shut and just be a pretty ornament?”

Jiang Zhaolie didn’t respond, but her silence spoke volumes. Xu Chun was about to snap back when something seemed to occur to her. The indignant expression on her beautiful face softened into one of compliance. “Fine,” she agreed smoothly.

Despite her easy acceptance, Jiang Zhaolie didn’t dare relax, sticking close to Xu Chun as they descended to the venue.

Xu Chun was a head shorter than Jiang Zhaolie, but the actress’s elegant posture and effortless poise made her stand out like a crane among chickens. The moment she appeared, the gazes of most men in the room locked onto her, unable to look away.

Today’s Xu Chun was radiant beyond compare, her long dress swaying with her movements to reveal glimpses of fair skin, captivating all eyes. The woman was undeniably beautiful stunningly so to the point where thoughts of business collaborations vanished, replaced solely by the desire to possess her.

Yet when gazes shifted to Jiang Zhaolie, whom most had initially overlooked, those desires quickly dissipated.

The entertainment industry had no shortage of beauties, and while Xu Chun was one of a kind, offending the Jiang family over an actress simply wasn’t worth it. Everyone present was shrewd enough to weigh the pros and cons, and the pressure on Xu Chun noticeably eased.

Xu Chun paid no mind to the lingering stares. She led Jiang Zhaolie straight to a corner and began indulging in the food. Jiang Zhaolie frowned, hesitating before finally settling on a tactful remark: “Didn’t you eat enough earlier?”

“I did.” Xu Chun elegantly speared a pastry with her fork, her shimmering eyes slowly turning to Jiang Zhaolie as she smiled sweetly. “But for the battle ahead, a little extra fuel won’t hurt.”

“Battle?” Jiang Zhaolie studied her intently. “What battle could you possibly have?”

Hadn’t she been told to just play the role of a pretty vase?

Xu Chun found Jiang Zhaolie truly insufferable clearly intending to let her off, yet still provoking her. With a coy smile, she replied, “Of course, I plan to impress as your future stepmother, so your dear mother might take pity on me.”

“Who knows? If I perform well tonight, we might just become an unbreakable pair.”

Ugh.

Jiang Zhaolie gave her a look of exasperation, silently resolving to keep a close eye on her. Rumor had it that Zheng Jinchan was stubborn and ruthless, even more so than Qin Yao. While Qin Yao appeared cold, she had a warm heart beneath the sharp tongue. Zheng Jinchan, however, was a different story.

She was truly merciless.

Ruthless in business, and outside, it didn’t matter if you were a CEO or a top graduate, if you didn’t meet her standards, she wouldn’t hesitate to show her displeasure.

Jiang Zhaolie worried that someone as sensitive as Xu Chun, after enduring a few icy glares from Zheng Jinchan, might end up crying herself to sleep later.

While waiting for Zheng Jinchan, Xu Chun noticed Qin Yao’s absence and casually asked about her. Jiang Zhaolie explained she was in a meeting next door, prompting a flicker of concern on Xu Chun’s face. Straight off the plane and already back to work while dedication was admirable, health mattered more.

Jiang Zhaolie averted her gaze, unwilling to dwell on Xu Chun’s irritatingly tender expression. Just then, she spotted Zheng Jinchan arriving. “She’s here.”

Xu Chun perked up immediately. “Let’s go.”

Jiang Zhaolie moved to stop her, but Xu Chun paused, fixing her with a pointed stare. “Actually, stay here. Don’t follow me. I’m going to catch up with Sister Zheng, if you tag along, it’ll send the wrong message.”

She then pointed at Jiang Zhaolie’s feet. “If you dare follow, I’ll make sure to tattle to Sister Qin later.”

Jiang Zhaolie: “…” She watched helplessly as Xu Chun walked towards Zheng Jinchan, who was dressed in formal attire with an exceptionally imposing aura. Anxiety churned within her, and after a moment’s thought, Jiang Zhaolie abruptly changed direction to seek out Qin Yao.

With her mother present, Xu Chun surely wouldn’t dare go too far.

From a distance, Zheng Jinchan spotted a stunning, graceful figure in white approaching her. Though she didn’t initially think the woman was deliberately seeking her out, the way those alluring, captivating eyes fixed directly on her made it hard not to speculate. Decisively, Zheng Jinchan halted and waited quietly for the woman to stop before her and reveal her purpose.

Yet the woman simply brushed past her, leaving only a faint fragrance lingering in the air, as if she didn’t recognize Zheng Jinchan at all. Instead, she struck up a conversation with a portly middle-aged man standing behind Zheng Jinchan.

A frown creased Zheng Jinchan’s brow, she was certain her instincts hadn’t misled her.

Moreover that man had an ordinary appearance and weak presence, showing no remarkable qualities whatsoever. At best, he was just pretending to be something he wasn’t, or borrowing someone else’s influence to intimidate others, clearly just trying to trick this young, beautiful girl into bed.

Zheng Jinchan couldn’t help but stare at Xu Chun for several moments. The girl was indeed quite pretty. Her skin was as fair as snow, her waist slender enough to be encircled with one hand, and her glossy black hair cascaded like a waterfall, adding a touch of languid charm. Her delicate, palm-sized face blended striking beauty with softness and a hint of naive innocence, evoking an involuntary urge to protect her.

She didn’t look very old either, no wonder she’d been fooled by such a sleazy man.

In just a few breaths, Zheng Jinchan had already formed a preliminary impression of Xu Chun. Watching as the girl was about to follow the man and become his plaything, Zheng Jinchan finally moved, striding forward to block the man’s path. “Get lost.”

The man, having finally found such a charming target, wasn’t about to give up so easily. He opened his mouth to retort, but when his beady eyes landed on Zheng Jinchan’s unmistakably recognizable face, even someone as dull as him knew better than to provoke her.

As he hesitated, torn between risking Zheng Jinchan’s wrath for the sake of this irresistible beauty, she had already lost patience. “If you don’t leave now, I’ll call security to throw you out.”

Seeing her anger, the man reluctantly slunk away, though not without resentment.

Only then did Xu Chun turn her attention to Zheng Jinchan. She pretended to recognize her after a moment, then spoke softly, “President Zheng?”

After shooing the man away, Zheng Jinchan heard the girl’s sweet voice call out to her. She turned back, her tone still sharp. “At least your eyesight isn’t completely gone.”

Xu Chun paused, “…?” Was that an insult?

She swallowed hard, then extended a hand with a bright, dazzling smile. “Hello, I’m Xu Chun. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Zheng Jinchan glanced at her hand but kept hers in her pockets. “I know who you are my daughter Yanran’s rival.”

Xu Chun’s expression froze. “???” This conversation was going nowhere.

She glared at her indignantly, but Zheng Jinchan remained unmoved. “You are quite pretty, no wonder Jiang Banxia is so infatuated with you, completely ignoring Yanran.”

Xu Chun wasn’t sure how to respond. In the end, she took it as a compliment and smiled sweetly. “Thank you for your kind words, President Zheng. I’ll keep working hard.”

Zheng Jinchan couldn’t help but study her for another moment. When it came to shamelessness, no one could surpass her. But what intrigued Zheng Jinchan more was Xu Chun’s motive for deliberately drawing her attention, so she cut straight to the point. Xu Chun didn’t hide it either, answering candidly, “I’d like to be friends with you, Sister Zheng.”

“I know you don’t lack friends, but if you could bring me along to similar events in the future, it would be mutually beneficial.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes glimmering with a coquettish light. “As for me,  I don’t ask for much. Just a helping hand from you if I ever run into trouble.”

“That’s all I need.”

The other party’s straightforwardness won Zheng Jinchan’s favor. She detested roundabout people, and Xu Chun’s open and graceful demeanor actually appealed to her.

Though Zheng Jinchan didn’t need Xu Chun to accompany her to any events, thinking of her daughter pining for Jiang Banxia to the point of losing appetite, she eventually nodded. “Fine.”

She extended her hand toward Xu Chun. “But I recall…” She deliberately drew out her words, narrowing her eyes. “You’ve been rather close to Qin Yao lately, haven’t you?”

Xu Chun’s smile remained unchanged. “If you need me to, sister, I can be close to you too.”

“Oh?” Zheng Jinchan’s interest was piqued. The sharp edge in her demeanor softened, and her striking, elegant face brightened with amusement. “Are you sure you want to say that in front of Qin Yao?”

Xu Chun: “?”

At first, she didn’t react. Then, with a sudden turn of her head, she spotted Qin Yao, dressed in black from head to toe standing beside Jiang Zhaolie. Xu Chun’s heart skipped a beat as she hurried over. “Sister, it’s not what you think! Don’t misunderstand!”

Zheng Jinchan leisurely slipped her hands into her pockets. “So, what you’re saying is…” She paused, her tone laced with danger. “You were lying to me just now?”

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